Sadaqah and Donations:
Q 1. We are interested to find out whether Sadaqah is considered as Zakat or general donation. When people donate to our Islamic center, some mark on their checks as Sadaqah and some as Zakat, and others as donation. We want to know how our center should treat charity named Sadaqah.
A 1. Sadaqah is a general term for any charitable deed. There are various types of Sadaqahs. Zakat is also a kind of Sadaqah but it is obligatory. It has specific rules about who should give, how much, how often and to whom. Any nafl charity is Sadaqah and it can be used for the expenses of the Islamic centers. However, if a Sadaqah is for Kaffarah then it should not be used for center’s expenses. Kaffarahs are meant for the poor and needy and should be used only for that purpose. Also if a person gives some Sadaqah for a Nadhr, then it should be used for the purpose for which it is given. General voluntary Sadaqahs can be used as donations for the building or activities of Masajid and Islamic centers. The Islamic centers should make it clear to their members that all Sadaqahs for the poor and needy should be clearly designated. All general Sadaqahs can be treated as donations.
There are hundreds of ways of making Sadaqah. It could be by giving money to the poor and needy, giving donation for a good cause, saying a good word, meeting people with a smiling face, going to the Masjid to attend the prayers, removing the obstacles from the road etc. There are many Ayat and hundreds of Ahadith on this subject.
Use of Condoms during Menses:
Q 2. Is it allowed for the couples to have sex using condom during menstrual periods, if it is agreeable to both?
A 2. Sexual intercourse with or without condom is Haram when a woman is in her menstrual period. Allah says in the Qur’an: “They ask you concerning women’s courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution: so keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them in any manner, time, or place ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (al-Baqarah 2:222) During menses it is permissible for the couple to be close to each other and enjoy intimacy but there must not be any sexual intercourse (jima’).
Q 3. I am putting some questions which agitate my mind. I hope you will take out some of your precious time to answer them for me. Question 1. There is an Ayah in the Qur’an that says, “Indeed Allah and His angels say Salat on the Prophet…” (Al-Ahzab 33:56). Some people say that Allah sends Durud on Prophet Muhammad and the Maulvis, generally, recite this Ayat in Khutba and Du’a and read “Durud” loudly. Now the question is: In what words Allah and Angels recite “durud” for Prophet Muhammad? Question 2. Salat is worship to Allah and Allah alone and as such it should be in pure form. During salat after Tashahud, generally “Durud’ is recited before ending the salat. The question arises whether Prophet Muhammad also used to recite “Durud” during Salat? Since Qur’an is full of praise to Allah and stresses worship to Allah and Allah alone, our Salat should be purely for Allah and of course in Du’a we can ask for His Mercy and request for our well being and recite “Durud” and “Salam” for Prophet Muhammad. Therefore as for Salat only Qura’nic Ayat should be recited with Tashahud as Witness for Prophet Muhammad as his Messenger and as a human being created by Allah. Otherwise I have a feeling that we are committing “Shirk” ie. associating Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Ibrahim with Allah. I hope I have explained my point of view on “Shirk”. I request you to enlighten me so that my prayers to Allah become pure.
A 3. The word “salat” literally means “to come close and near”. It is used in the Qur’an for prayers as well as for blessings. Through our Salat or prayers we try to come closer to Allah with submission and surrender. Allah also draws near to His Prophets and the Believers through His blessings. In the Qur’an it is also mentioned that Allah sends “salat” on the Prophet (al-Ahzab 33:56) as well as on the Believers (al-Ahzab 33:43). When Allah comes closer to His Prophets and to other believers, it means that He comes closer to them with His blessings, love and favor.
Thus when it is said that Allah sends His salat on the Prophet, it means that He blesses the Prophet. When it is said that angels send salat, it means that they pray to Allah for His blessings for His Prophet. When we the believers are told to do so it means the same thing that we should ask Allah to bestow His blessings on Prophet Muhammad. Allah sent and continues to send His blessings on the Prophet and the believers. His blessings are countless and they come in numerous ways. We should pray to Allah to send more and more blessings on Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet Muhammad himself has instructed us that when we send blessings unto him, we should say “Allahumma salle ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala ‘ale Muhammad kama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ‘ale Ibrahim. Innaka hameedum Majeed.” This and a number of other similar versions of salat ‘ala al-nabee are mentioned in many authentic Ahadith. In our prayers we should use only those authentic version and should not make any changes from our side.
Allah told us that we should send salat on Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet then told us that the best way to do that is to request Allah to send His blessings upon him. So there is no shirk. We are not sending blessings on him. We are asking Allah to do so. Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him- wanted to include his Aal also in this blessing. The word Aal has various meanings. It could mean his family as well as his followers.
The Salat that we do five times a day is exactly the Salat of the Prophet -peace be upon him. We pray as he prayed. Whatever recitations of the Qur’an or dhikr, tasbih and du’a we do in our Salat is the same as the Prophet Muhammad used to do. Indeed he used to pray for Allah’s blessings for himself, for his family, and followers and we should do the same. There is no shirk if you pray for Prophet Muhammad, for Prophet Ibrahim, for any one else and for your own self. Shirk occurs when you start praying to the Prophet and not for the Prophet. We only pray to Allah, but we pray for many people.
Q 4. I live in a country where wearing hijab and praying are not allowed at the job. Even if you don’t work, if you wear hijab, people will judge you as a harmful person to society. Also, hijab has a meaning like a political issue or an ideology in my country. My family and I, we never involved and do not want to involve in any kind of political position. My mother and my sister went to Hajj and since then they are wearing hijab. It is normal for them or I can say acceptable by the society but it is abnormal for young girls especially those who are educated in universities. Five minutes praying is seen as a bad action in working places. It was not so in the past. Now many people are fired because they pray. What kind of logic is this? I cannot understand . In order to live my religion should I be like an old person in her fifties, or uneducated living in a village?
Now, my question is such that I have been thinking on it for years. I graduated from a university . Now, it is the time to work. It is the desire of my family not mine. I believe that I have another option but they want me to have a work experience first. And, they are my family so I do not want to break their hearts. I would like to work too but without sacrificing my faith. I do not want to continue my life without obeying the principles of Islam. It is easier to make mistakes and be unhappy if you just live a part of Islam. Why do I have to sacrifice something for something? Why do I have to have the same destiny with others? What should I do? Please help me and enlighten me. (Your sister form Turkey)
A 4. It is sad to see that in a country that has more than 90% Muslims, Muslim men and women have to suffer because they want to follow Islam. May Allah bless you for your commitment and your willingness to sacrifice for the sake of your religion. We pray for you and ask Allah to make it easy for you. Please do what is right and face the challenges with courage and wisdom. Do not give up your Islamic principles under pressures either from the State or the family. We congratulate you that you are willing to stand up against evil and oppression. Inshallah, things will change. The oppression will not continue for too long. The forces of darkness and injustice will be defeated and the truth will triumph. Your reward will be many times more than the reward of those who just wait for easy times. May Allah give you more strength.