Death: Traveling Overseas upon Death of Dear Ones

A person living in the US visits his ailing, very old father in Bangladesh as frequently as he can. How often should he make such visits? In case the father dies shortly after one of these visits, can the son pray for his deceased father without having to travel to Bangladesh, particularly because he cannot leave his wife on her own?

The Islamic rule with regard to any duty is that expressed in the last verse of Surah 2: "God does not charge a soul with more than it can undertake." This person can judge for himself the reasonable frequency of visiting his ailing father. Indeed, he should consider whether visiting his father is the best way of showing his dutifulness.

It may be that rather than spending his money on costly air tickets, he can make his father's life much more comfortable by sending him the money to improve his living conditions, or to buy medicines, or to provide him with good care. It may be that for the price of one ticket he can hire him a nurse for one year. That would be a better way of using the money and demonstrating dutifulness. Should the father die, his burial must not be delayed to wait for his son to attend. In fact, his son need not attend. He can pray the Janazah prayer for his father wherever he happens to be, and frequently pray to God to have mercy on him. He may also offer the pilgrimage on his behalf if the father did not offer it in his lifetime, or spend whatever he can in charity on behalf of his father. All these are better acts of dutifulness than attending his father's funeral.

Death: When a Pregnant Woman Dies

How should a woman be buried if she is pregnant? Should the embryo be taken out and buried separately?

If the pregnancy is well-advanced and there is a chance that the child is still alive at the time of the mother's death, an emergency operation should be carried out to have the child out and keep it alive, if possible.

If the child is known to have died with the mother, they are buried without any operation to separate them. The same is the case when the pregnancy is in its early or middle stages, when the embryo has no chance of survival if it is separated. This continues to be the case up to 26-28 weeks of pregnancy. Human experience shows that any premature delivery, up to this period of pregnancy cannot survive, even with the best care available. Therefore, within this period of pregnancy, no attempt need to be made to deliver the embryo after the mother has died. Delivery is sought only when there is a reasonable chance of the child's survival.

Duroods: Views on Durood Taj & the Like

Please find enclosed herewith a photocopy of a page from a booklet called Durood Taj, which is read by not quite all people in the Indo-Pak region. Some people object to it as it contains the following Arabic expression "Dafei Al Balaa", saying that this is an attribute of God and could not be used with reference to anyone else. Please comment.

The Arabic term "Dafei" is a verbal noun from verb Dafa', which means to prevent, repel or push back. As such it is not by itself an attribute of God, but when it is used in conjunction with objects, which only can prevent, then the whole phrase of sentence, can be used only with reference to God.

The photocopy, which you have sent me describes Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as the one who prevents or repels catastrophe, epidemics, famine, disease and pain. Now, this is a description of the Prophet, which he never claimed for himself, nor does the Qur'an mention, nor have we any report, authentic or unauthentic, that any companion of the Prophet, have ever used. If you ask why those people and generations did not use such descriptions in relation to the Prophet, the answer is clear. They understood Islam well and were keen to do everything in their power to please God and the Prophet, peace be upon him. They realized that the only one to prevent disease, epidemic, disaster, famine or pain is God. Hence, something that only God can do cannot be attributed to Prophet, peace be upon him, or any one else. If it is, then the person who attributes it to other than God takes himself completely out of the fold of Islam and plunges headlong into polytheism. I can tell you most clearly and emphatically the Prophet, peace be upon him, cannot be happy with people who say such words about him. Had he heard those people, he would certainly have taken them to task and told them to desist. How could he approve of people attributing to him certain qualities of God?

I will give you the example of a close companion of the Prophet, Ali ibn Abu Talib, who was also the Prophet' cousin and son-in-law. When Ali was the ruler of the Islamic state, i.e. the caliph, there were some groups who were trying to sow discord in the Muslim ranks. Some of those infiltrated Ali's own army and started to spread some ideas, which were alien to Islamic principles and teachings. One of these was brought to Ali for judgement because he claimed that Ali was God Himself. When Ali heard the man's claim, he was very angry. In line with Islamic justice, he offered the man the chance to withdraw his false claims. When the man insisted, Ali ordered his execution.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, would not be any less upset at people describing him as having powers, which belong only to God. Certainly, the words, which occur in the little page that you have sent me, are in this category. Any Muslim in reference to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, may not use them. If they are, the person who uses them is ascribing divinity to someone other than God. As such, he takes himself outside the realm of Islam altogether.

There is much exaggeration in what is termed as "Durood". Such exaggerations are unacceptable from the Islamic point of view. I, therefore, strongly advise my brothers to confine their worship and Thikr to what has been made a binding duty on Muslims, such as prayers, or reciting the Qur'an or what has been authentically reported to us as having been done by the Prophet, peace be upon him. These "Duroods" do not fall in this category at all.

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