Are women’s voices harâm?

Question: Some people say that it is halâl [permitted] for women to talk to nâ-mahram men [not one of the eighteen men whom Islam has prescribed as a woman’s close relatives]. Is it not harâm [prohibited]?
ANSWER
It took 23 years for the rules of Islam to be introduced. It is a mistake to deal with those events that took place before the âyat commanding (women) to cover themselves was revealed and thus to consider it mubâh [permissible] for them to talk to nâ-mahram men. Similarly, drinking alcohol had not been a sin before it was forbidden. By instancing the past events that took place, can we say, “Drinking alcohol is mubâh because it was drunk during our Prophet’s time which was termed the Asr-i-Sa’âdat [Era of Happiness]”? In the same way, by giving the cases in former prophets’ religions as examples, is it said, “See, it is permissible (for men) to talk to women”? In the religion of Hadrat Âdam (‘alaihissalâm), it was permissible to marry some people who are now harâm to marry. Afterwards, that permission was lifted. Is it proper to give then rules as examples for present events?

Jâriyas’ [non-Muslim female slaves captured in war] singing songs cannot be put forth as an example for free women. When Hadrat ‘Umar (radîy-Allahu ‘anh) recommended decreasing the amount of mahr, an old woman behind the curtain, in an act of objection, recited the 20th âyat of Sûrat-un-Nisâ’, which reads: “Don’t take anything back from the wife you have divorced, even if you gave her loads (of gold as mahr).” Hadrat ‘Umar did not object to that woman.

[mahr: according to Islam, the mahr comprises things like gold, silver, banknotes, or any kind of property or any kind of benefit that is given by a man to the woman he is to marry.]

Some heretics claim, “This event shows that a woman’s voice is not harâm.” But they do not explain that the woman behind the curtain was old; an old woman’s voice is not harâm. Some rules which are permissible for old women may not be permissible for the young ones.

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                                         The makrûhs of the ablution

Question: What are the makrûhs [acts that are improper, disliked or abstained by the Prophet “alaihissalâm”] of the ablution?
ANSWER
They are:

1- To stretch your feet towards the qibla when washing them.

2- To open your awrat parts [parts on one’s body which one must not open or show others and it is forbidden for others to see outside or during namâz] when performing ablution.

3- To use water extravagantly.

4- To use too little water so as to appear rubbing with oil.

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                                                          Jihâd and fitna

Question: A foreign writer says, “Muslim should revolt against a government when it inflicts oppression and injustice on them.” Is it true?
ANSWER
This idea of that writer does not conform with what the Islamic scholars reported. Muslims do not revolt. They do not arouse sedition and mischief. It is a sin to revolt against even a cruel government. It is not jihâd but fitna [fitna means mischief, commotion, sedition, turmoil, chaos, instigation, etc. Any act, behaviour, statement, writing, article or attitude that would lead to harmful consequences is fitna, and therefore harâm, even if it is done with good intentions apparently] to violate the laws and commands. Those who have been deceived by mischief-makers have misinterpreted the thirty-ninth âyat of Sûrat-ul-Hajj, and this offence has brought them destruction. This âyat purports, “Jihâd against the cruel who attack Muslims has been permitted.” When the disbelievers of Mecca oppressed, injured and killed Muslims, the Sahâba repeatedly asked for permission to fight against them, and their requests were turned down. This âyat was revealed upon the migration to Medina, permitting the newly founded Islamic State to perform

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How do we perform namâz?

Question: I have recently begun to perform the namâz. Could you explain how to perform namâzes by exemplifying?
ANSWER
The sunnat of the morning prayer is performed as follows:

1- You turn towards the direction of the Qibla. The heels are kept a four-finger-width away from each other. Tips of thumbs touch earlobes, and palms are turned towards the Qibla. After saying “I intend to perform the sunnat of today’s morning prayer for the sake of Allah,” the right hand is put on the left hand under the navel saying Allahu akbar. It is also necessary for you to know that you have turned towards the Qibla at that time.

2- Keeping the eyes fixed on the place of the sajda [prostration], you recite the Subhânaka. After saying the A’ûdhu and the Basmala, you recite the Fâtiha and, without saying the Basmala, an additional sûra [a chapter of the Qur’ân al-karîm].

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The namâzes of women

Question: What are the differences between the namâzes of men and those of women?
ANSWER
They are:

1- When beginning to perform namâz, a woman raises both hands up to the level of her shoulders. She does not grasp her left wrist with the fingers of her right hand. She puts her hands on her breast, right hand on top of the left.

2- While making ruku’, she bends less as compared to men, and she does not bring the heel of her left foot near her right foot. She does not keep her legs straight, nor her back level. She puts her hands on her knees, but she does not grasp them. Also, she does not keep her fingers wide apart.

3- When making sajda, she lays her arms on the ground, bringing her arms to her sides while she keeps her abdomen placed over her thighs.

4- In the tashahhud [sitting posture], she sits on the buttocks, her feet jutting out towards right. She keeps her toes adjacent to one another.

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Things that nullify namâz

Question: What are the things that nullfiy namâz?
ANSWER
Things that nullify a namâz are called mufsids. A worship being fâsid or bâtil is the same; it means it is broken, nullified.
Some of them are as follows:

1- To talk. Even one word nullifies namâz. It always nullifies namâz regardless of whether it is said intentionally or inadvertently or under duress or by forgetting. However, it does not nullify namâz to say the salâm at the end of the first sitting posture, mistaking it for the second sitting. Yet if you say, “Assalâmu,” thinking that the namâz is of two rak’ats, or if you say it while standing, your namâz becomes nullified. To respond to someone else’s greeting, in any manner whatsoever, nullifies namâz.

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The wâjibs of namâz

Question: What are the wâjibs [acts that are almost obligatory, almost as compulsory as fards, so not to be omitted] of the namâz?
ANSWER
They are as follows:
1- To recite the sûra of Fâtiha.

2- To recite a sûra or at least three short âyats after the Fâtiha.

3- To recite the Fâtiha before the sûra.

4- To recite the additional sûra, which is said after the Fâtiha, in the first and second rak’ats of fard namâzes and in every rak’at of the sunnats.

5- To make the (two) sajdas one immediately after the other.

6- To recite the sûra of Fâtiha in every rak’at of the sunnat and wâjib namâzes.

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The sunnats of the namâz

Question: What are the sunnats of the namâz?
ANSWER
They are as follows:

1- To raise both hands up to the ears while saying the takbîr of iftitâh [saying Allahu akbar when beginning namâz]. Women raise their both hands as high as their shoulders.

2- To turn the palms towards the Qibla.

3- To fold the hands after saying the takbîr.

4- To put the right hand on top of the left. Men put their hands under their navels, but women put their hands on their breasts.

5- To say the Basmala [Bismillâhirrahmânirrahîm] before the Fâtiha. To say “Âmîn” silently after the Fâtiha.

6- To say the Subhânaka after the takbîr of iftitâh.

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The makrûhs of namâz

Question: What are the commonly committed makrûhs of the namâz?
ANSWER
Makrûh is an act which is repugnant, unbecoming, and disliked. When performing namâz, it is makrûh tahrîmî [makrûh with much stress; it is close to harâm] to omit the wâjibs and the muakkad sunnats; and it is makrûh tanzîhî [makrûh of a lesser degree] to omit the ghayr-i muakkad sunnats. Though a namâz performed by committing makrûhs is valid, its thawâb will be rather less.

Some of the more commonly committed makrûhs are as follows:

1- To omit the ta’dîl-i arkân [to remain motionless as long as to say “Subhânallah” after becoming calm at four places in namâz, namely, at ruku’, at sajda, at qawma, and at jalsa] in namâz.

2- To turn one’s head and look around.

3- To lay the forearms on the floor in the sajda [prostration]. [Women must lay their forearms on the floor.]

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