Guidance regarding basic Islamic issues that Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, has given on various occasions in his written correspondence and during MTA programmes is being published officially below for everyone’s benefit.
Should an imam verbally prompt the muezzin to begin the iqamah?
Someone from France wrote a letter to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, containing this question: Should the imam, before leading the prayer, stand on the prayer mat and say that now the iqamah should be pronounced? For in certain places, the iqamah is not pronounced until the imam stands and says, “Pronounce the iqamah.” They sought guidance on this matter.
In his letter dated 17 February 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa granted the following answer:
“No directive is found in the Holy Quran or in the Hadith stipulating that it is necessary for the imam to stand on the prayer mat and instruct someone to say the iqamah, such that only then it should be pronounced. Some matters do not require explicit verbal instruction; rather, they are carried out according to the need and context.
“[As in other matters,] congregational prayer is also such an act, in which following the imam is essential. For this reason, the Holy Prophetsa instructed his Companions that when the time for prayer arrives, they should not stand until he himself reached his place for prayer. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-adhan, Bab mata yaqumu n-nas idha ra’aw al-imama ‘inda l-iqamah)
“Here, the Holy Prophetsa did not say, ‘Do not pronounce the iqamah until I say, ‘Pronounce the iqamah.’’
“Furthermore, if on any occasion, when necessary, gives a verbal cue regarding the prayer to prompt the muezzin to recite the iqamah, or to draw the congregation’s attention in the case of combining prayers according to circumstances, or for any other reason, or to facilitate straightening the rows, there is no harm in that either.”
Why doesn’t Surah al-Mu’min mention the soul being breathed into the foetus, during the description of human creation?
Someone from Norway wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, referencing Surah al-Mu’min, where it states: “He it is Who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clot; then He brings you forth as a child.” [Surah al-Mu’min, Ch.40: V.68] He asked, “In this verse, there is no mention of the soul entering the child. What is the wisdom behind this?”
In his letter dated 28 February 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa graciously provided the following answer:
“One style of the Holy Quran is that, for the sake of people’s ease, it repeatedly sets out its subject matter in various ways, so that they may understand this Word and derive admonition therefrom. Thus, Allah the Exalted says:
وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِیۡ ھٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنِ لِیَذَّکَّرُوۡا
“‘We have explained (the truth) in this Qur’an in the various ways that they may be admonished.’ (Surah Bani Isra’il, Ch.17: V.42)
“Similarly, He says:
وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِیۡ ھٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنِ لِلنَّاسِ مِنۡ کُلِّ مَثَلٍ
“‘And, surely, We have explained in various ways in this Qur’an, for (the good of) mankind, all (kinds of) similitudes.’ (Surah al-Kahf, Ch.18: V.55)
“The subject of human creation is also a highly significant one and it bears a profound connection with a person’s spiritual stages, just as the Promised Messiahas, in his writings – citing the Holy Quran – has comprehensively explained the physical and spiritual stages of humankind, as well as the relationship between the corporal sciences [‘ilm al-abdan] and the science of religions [‘ilm al-adyan]. (Zamimah Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 21, pp. 186-244; Islami Usul ki Falasafi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 10, pp. 321-322; Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 23, pp. 102-103)
“Therefore, Allah the Exalted has discussed the subject of human creation in different places throughout the Holy Quran, employing different modes of expression. Accordingly, in Surah al-Hajj (Ch.22: V.6), in order to dispel doubts concerning the Resurrection after death, Allah sets out how a person is created from dust, progresses through various stages and eventually reaches such an extreme stage of old age that even one who once possessed knowledge becomes utterly bereft of it. Then, in Surah al-Mu’minun (Ch.23: V.13-17), further details of this subject are presented and through the words ‘ثُمَّ اَنۡشَاۡنٰہُ خَلۡقًا اٰخَرَ’ [‘Then We developed it into another creation.’ (V. 15)], the emergence of the soul in the body is described. And in Surah al-Mu’min – which you have mentioned in your letter – Allah the Exalted, alongside various terrestrial and celestial proofs of His existence, cites human creation as evidence of His Being. Therein, after mentioning how a human being is formed from dust and passes through the stages of sperm-drop and clot, culminating in birth as a child and eventually reaching old age, it is also stated that some people attain the final limit of their lifespan, while others pass away earlier.
“Hence, each time the Holy Quran addresses this theme in a different context, there is a distinct purpose in doing so. Sometimes it is explained in detail, and elsewhere, it is presented more succinctly. However, since one part of the Holy Quran also serves as an explanation of another, we cannot claim that anything expressed in the Holy Quran remains incomplete. Taken collectively, the subjects presented in the Quran are set forth in a fully comprehensive manner.”
Is conditional talaq valid in Islam?
Someone wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, saying: “I told my wife, ‘If you go to our daughter’s house, you will be divorced.’ Later, my children informed me that my wife did go to my daughter’s house – although she denies it – but I am convinced she went. In such a situation, would the divorce take effect?”
In his letter dated 6 March 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa offered the following guidance on this issue:
“According to Islamic law, a conditional divorce [talaq] does indeed take effect. Concerning this matter, the Promised Messiahas states:
“‘If the condition is that if such-and-such happens, then the talaq takes effect and if that event does occur, then indeed the talaq truly takes effect.’ (Badr, No. 21, Vol. 2, 12 June 1903, p. 160)
“You, too, made your wife’s divorce conditional upon her going to your daughter’s house. Thus, if it is proven that your wife did go to your daughter’s house, one talaq will come into effect in your case.
“However, since this is the first talaq, if you wish, you may reconcile with your wife during the ‘iddah, i.e., the waiting period. No new nikah is required for this reconciliation.”
Can women attend funeral prayers at cemeteries in Islam?
Respected Amir Sahib Belgium wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, stating that, in Belgium, due to limited space, funeral prayers are usually offered in one section of the cemetery itself before the burial. He enquired whether, in such circumstances, women who are present in the cemetery’s funeral area may perform the funeral prayer there, on the condition that they depart after the prayer and do not participate in the burial.
In his letter dated 6 March 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa provided the following guidance on this matter:
“In usual circumstances, it is not considered preferable for women to accompany funeral processions, though it has not been declared unlawful [or haram] either. Thus, Hazrat Umm Atiyyahra states, ‘We, women, were discouraged from accompanying funeral processions, but this was not strictly enforced upon us.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-jana’iz, Bab ittiba‘i n-nisa’i l-jana’iz)
“Furthermore, if – due to some necessity – a woman happened to come with the funeral procession and the Holy Prophetsa saw her, he overlooked the matter. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab al-jana’iz, Bab ma ja’a fi l-buka’i ‘ala l-mayyit)
“In the pre-Islamic era, wailing over the deceased was a common practice and it was mostly women who engaged in this practice. Islam declared this wailing forbidden (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-jana’iz, Bab laysa minna mun shaqqa l-juyub) and generally prohibited women from accompanying the deceased to the cemetery, lest any of them, unable to control their emotions, resort to wailing during the burial.
“Scholars of the past and the jurists have likewise deemed it undesirable for women to accompany a funeral in ordinary circumstances.
“In the blessed era of the Promised Messiahas, and subsequently during the times of his Khulafa, the usual practice has been that if women happen to be present for Jumuah or another salat where a funeral prayer is also being offered, they are allowed to participate by offering the funeral prayer, while staying in their separate prayer area, but permission is generally not granted for women to accompany the funeral at the time of burial, nor for them to take part in the internment itself.
“Therefore, in accordance with this guidance, women do not accompany funeral processions under normal circumstances. However, [certain situations may warrant exceptions, such as] instances where individuals proceed directly to the cemetery, accompanied by women who are close relatives and wish to view the face of the deceased. Similarly, in Western countries, where funeral and burial arrangements often involve women attending the mosque – just as men do – for prayers, and it is not feasible for men to drop them off at home before proceeding with the burial, or, as you have mentioned in your letter, if the funeral prayer is arranged at the cemetery itself and some women are compelled to accompany the men, then in such unavoidable circumstances, if women form their own separate row behind the men at some distance to offer the funeral prayer, there is no objection to this. However, in those instances, they should remain apart during the burial itself and not take part in the interment. They may, however, join in the du‘a once the burial has concluded.”
What is the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat’s view on Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab al-Najdi?
Someone from the UK wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, enquiring as to the reason why Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh referred to Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdirh as a “buzurg” [or a revered figure] – translated by someone in an official Jamaat publication as “Mujaddid,” i.e., “reformer” – while the Promised Messiahas and other Khulafa did not articulate similar sentiments regarding him. The individual further asserted that, according to his perspective, this individual was a figure who created discord among Muslims and promulgated pronouncements of disbelief against people with alacrity.
In his letter dated 6 March 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa responded to this query in the following manner:
“The crux of the matter lies in the inaccuracy of the information you hold concerning Hazrat Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdirh. He was among those chosen servants of Allah the Exalted whom He, in His divine wisdom, selected across various epochs to rejuvenate the Islamic faith and to guide Muslims. It is indeed the case that his detractors propagated numerous unfounded accusations against him, which are not entirely veracious. Similarly, it is also true that, subsequent to his era, certain of his adherents incorporated extremism into the teachings he disseminated, for which Hazrat Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdirh incurs no culpability, given that he had earnestly implored his followers to adhere exclusively to the teachings of the Holy Quran and the guidance elucidated by the Holy Prophetsa.
“Furthermore, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh did not only employ the term ‘buzurg’ [revered figure] for Hazrat Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdirh; rather, Huzoorrh also articulated regarding him: ‘Hazrat Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdi, may Allah shower His mercy upon him, was an exceptionally revered figure, deeply devoted to Tawhid. The vast majority of the Muslims in Hijaz acknowledge him as the Mujaddid of the twelfth century.’ (Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol. 4, Friday Sermon, 17 May 1985, p. 461)
“Subsequently, in your correspondence, you also posited that neither the Promised Messiahas nor any of his other Khulafa have alluded to Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdi in such a manner. Your assertion on this matter is also erroneous, as Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra greatly praised him and equated him with Hazrat Shah Waliullahrh. Consequently, he states:
“‘In the year 1115 AH, corresponding to [1703] CE, a child was born in the Najdi town of ‘Uyainah, who was named Muhammad. God Almighty had decreed that, centuries after the spiritual decline in Arabia, this child was to instigate an awakening. It was a time when Islam was enveloped by the shadows of idolatry and there was an unbridled proliferation of rituals and innovations. Divine jealousy was incensed, and throughout the Islamic lands, hearts imbued with Islamic piety were beset by anxiety and anguish. Then, in His divine jealousy, God dispatched various luminaries across diverse lands to rouse the Muslims. In India, Shah Waliullah was born. In Arabia, God chose Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab. Driven by an ardent zeal for knowledge, he departed his homeland in his youth. He initially undertook his scholastic pursuits in the urban centres of Iraq, subsequently journeying to Damascus and Madinah al-Munawwarah to finalise his education. There, he diligently acquired erudition from the esteemed scholars of that era before returning to his native land of Najd. During that epoch, the religious state of the people of Najd was lamentable. The populace was profoundly ignorant of religious tenets. Idolatry had become so pervasive that even the veneration of stones had commenced. Upon his return to his homeland, he commenced propagating the doctrine of Tawhid and devoted his life to the extirpation of innovations and customs. Predictably, opposition emerged against him, yet Allah the Exalted inclined the heart of Muhammad ibn Saud, the chieftain of al-Dir‘iyyah, to embrace his teachings. Upon embracing this path, he vehemently endeavored to disseminate it, and within a brief span, the movement of Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab proliferated across the region.’ (Hajj-e-Baytullah awr Fitnah-e-Hijaz, Anwar-ul-‘Ulum, Vol. 9, pp. 72-73)
“Hence, Hazrat Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdirh was a righteous and revered figure of his time, devoted to Tawhid and chosen by Allah the Exalted to support His religion. Any spurious allegations disseminated by his antagonists against him, or the subsequent incorporation of extremist elements into his teachings by his followers, do not in any way incriminate that righteous and revered bazurg.”
Do Surahs of the Holy Quran have different names?
A lady from Canada wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa, mentioning that she had seen, in some copies of the Holy Quran, that the name of Surah ad-Dahr appears as “Surah al-Insan,” and the name of Surah Lahab appears as “Surah al-Masad.” This troubled her greatly, as she felt that changing even a single diacritical mark of the Holy Quran is impermissible. Thus, how could the names of these Surahs be altered?
In his letter dated 6 March 2023, Huzoor-e-Anwaraa gave the following reply to this question:
“There is no cause for concern here, for certain Surahs of the Holy Quran have more than one name recorded in the ahadith. For example, a number of names are related in ahadith for Surah al-Fatihah, such as Umm-ul-Qur’an, as-Sab‘-ul-Mathani, al-Qur’an al-‘Azim (1), Fatihat-ul-Kitab (2), and Umm-ul-Kitab, etc. (3). (1. Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab at-tafsir, Bab qawlihi ‘wa laqad ataynaka sab‘an mina l-mathani wa l-qur’ani l-‘azim’; 2. Sahih Muslim, Kitab salati l-musafirina wa qasriha, Bab fadli l-fatihati wa khawatimi surati l-baqarah; 3. Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab as-salah, Bab fatihati l-kitab)
“In Tafsir-e-Kabir, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has also enumerated numerous names for Surah al-Fatihah with reference to ahadith, among which are Surat-us-Salah, Surat-ul-Hamd, Umm-ul-Quran, al-Quran al-‘Azim, as-Sab‘-ul-Mathani, Umm-ul-Kitab, ash-Shifa, ar-Ruqyah, and Surat-ul-Kanz. (Tafsir-e-Kabir, UK, 2023, Vol. 1, pp. 3-4)
“Additionally, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra stated one fundamental principle concerning the names of Quranic Surahs, namely: ‘The Surah names were likewise given by the Noble Messengersa and, as can be inferred from certain names of Surah al-Fatihah, these were assigned by him under divine revelation from Allah the Exalted.’ (Ibid., p. 5)
“Hence, just as Surah al-Fatihah has multiple names, so too do some other Surahs of the Holy Quran. For instance, in Tafsir-e-Kabir, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra has documented nineteen names for Surah al-Ikhlas, citing various commentaries. (Ibid., Vol. 15, pp. 370-373)
“Many scholars also uphold the view that the names of these Surahs date back to the time of the Holy Prophetsa. Thus, the renowned exegete, ‘Allamah Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, says: ‘The names that the Surahs of the Holy Quran bear were given to them by Allah’s Messengersa.’ (Tafsir at-Tabari, Muqaddamat, Al-qawl fi ta’wili asma’i l-qur’ani wa suwarihi wa ayatih)
“Likewise, ‘Allamah Jalaluddin as-Suyutirh writes, ‘All Surah names are substantiated through ahadith and historical reports [athar] and were it not for the risk of prolixity, I would present them in detail.’ He then goes on, in that chapter of his book, to document for each Surah a name reported from various Companions, listing multiple names for some Surahs. For instance, Surah al-Isra is also called Surah Bani Isra’il; Surah at-Taubah is called Surah Bara’ah; Surah al-Mu’min is called Surah Ghafir; and Surah Lahab is called Surah Tabbat and Surah al-Masad, etc. (Kitab al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, An-naw‘ as-sabi‘ ‘ashar fi ma‘rifati asma’ihi wa asma’i suwarih, Fasl fi asma’i s-suwar, Vol. 1, p. 186)
“In conclusion, the ahadith and commentaries demonstrate that certain Quranic Surahs do indeed have more than one name, which are proven to have been in use since the era of the Holy Prophetsa. Therefore, if any copy of the Holy Quran employs one of these names for a particular Surah, there is nothing problematic about it; that name also remains valid and dates back to the blessed lifetime of the Holy Prophetsa.”
(Compiled by Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Head of Records Department, Private Secretariat, London. Translated by Al Hakam.)