Questions and Answers
The Light (Pakistan), 1st March 1923 Issue (Vol. 2, No. 5, p. 3–4)
Question:
Is marriage permissible with a Christian lady? If so, are not the Christians Mushrik [idolaters]? When answering, throw light on the verse:
وَ لَا تَنۡکِحُوا الۡمُشۡرِکٰتِ حَتّٰی یُؤۡمِنَّ ؕ
“And marry not the idolatresses until they believe….” [The Holy Quran, 2:221]
— Mr Mohammad Abdullah
Answer:
Christians are the “People of the Book,” and hence marriage with a Christian lady is permissible.
The verse in question relates to the idol-worshippers of Arabia who did not believe in any revealed Book.
Another possible answer is that marriage is legal in the case of such Christian women who do not worship the idols of Mary and Jesus. There are, of course, different sects among the Christians.
Question:
Hazrat Husain married about ninety women, divorcing one after the other. Is it legal? — Mr Mohammad Abdullah
Answer:
Divorce is permissible in Islamic law, and there does not appear any harm if the number reached ninety. It is a matter of chance only.
Question:
What is Ruh [Soul]? Does it die with a man? — Mr Mohammad Abdullah
Answer:
Ruh is the conscious life in man. It does not die with him.
Question:
What does the Holy Quran say about the virgin birth of Jesus? If Jesus’ father was Joseph, what do you mean by:
اِنَّ مَثَلَ عِیۡسٰی عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ کَمَثَلِ اٰدَمَ ؕ
“The likeness of Jesus with Allah is truly as the likeness of Adam [The Holy Quran, 3:59].”
— Mr Abdul Aziz Khan
Answer:
There are two schools of thought on this question. One says that Jesus was born without a father, as Adam was born without parents. But those who hold that Jesus had a father interpret the verse in the light that the case of Jesus was like other men; that is, they interpret the word Adam not in the sense of the particular Adam, but in the sense of mankind in general.
Question:
What does the expression رَفَعَہُ اللّٰہُ mean in the Quran? Is it used for another prophet also? — Mr Abdul Aziz Khan
Answer:
It means “God exalted him.”
Yes. Of Idris, we read in the Quran: رَفَعۡنٰہُ مَکَانًا عَلِیًّا
“We raised him to an elevated state” (The Holy Quran, 19:57).
It does not mean that he was raised to the upper storey of a house or to the vault of heaven.
Question:
According to the Holy Quran, every nation and every country had seen its prophet. Why then does not the Quran mention the names of all these prophets? While it says:
لَا رَطۡبٍ وَّ لَا یَابِسٍ اِلَّا فِیۡ کِتٰبٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿۵۹﴾
“…nor anything green or dry, but (it is all) in a clear book” (The Holy Quran, 6:59).
— Mr Abdul Aziz Khan
Answer:
Here, the word kitab means the divine knowledge which comprehends everything. The Holy Quran would have been quite unwieldy had it given the names of all prophets.
Question:
Is shaving permissible for Ghaziz [Muslim soldiers] when they are out in war for the defence of the Khilafat? — Mr Abdul Aziz Khan
Answer:
Shaving is not the practice of the Holy Prophet [Muhammad (pbuh)], and should as far as possible be avoided by Muslims.
Question:
In the Darood Sharif, what do you mean by اٰلِ مُحَمَّد [Aal-e-Muhammad: Followers of Muhammad]? — Mr Abdul Aziz Khan
Answer:
Those words include all the righteous followers of the Holy Prophet [Muhammad (pbuh)], as every apostle is the spiritual father of his followers.
Question:
The definition of religion given in your issue of 1st July [1922] is not comprehensive, because you say “it is the collective name of divine laws.” This excludes an atheist or Dev Samajist. I think religion is a path which, according to the cherished notion of its follower, leads to the purification of the soul and to eternal bliss. Kindly throw light on this. — Mr Maqbul Ahmad
Answer:
What you call “eternal bliss” and “soul” are, after all, things which we have learnt from the revealed Books; that is, books containing the divine laws.
The “cherished notions” of a man are always subject to variations and changes because they are governed by experience, time, and environments, and I am afraid they do not deserve the name of “religion.” You may call “the cherished notion” of a man a Mazhab [religion] in the literal sense of the word, but in the restricted sense a “religion” is always associated with a divine Book and a divine messenger.
Question:
How is it that interest is permissible for the sacred cause of the propagation of Islam and forbidden for one’s personal use? — Mr Maqbul Ahmad
Answer:
This question has been fully dealt with in The Light for 1st August 1922.
Question:
Is the keeping of pictures and photos permissible? — Mr Maqbul Ahmad
Answer:
“Actions are to be judged according to motives,” says the Holy Prophet [Muhammad (pbuh)]. There is no harm in the legitimate use of photos or pictures The Police uses photos to find offenders, medical students use them to study the physical system, and Islam is not the enemy of truth and science.
Question:
Is the distribution of Qurbani [sacrifice] meat permissible among Hindus? — Muhammad Muarif Khan
Answer:
As a principle, the meat should be distributed among poor Muslims so that they may also enjoy this luxury with their well-to-do brethren in faith on the festival. But as a special case, if the meat is given to a Hindu, there can be no objection to it.
Question:
May a Muslim eat with a Hindu in one dish? — Muhammad Muarif Khan
Answer:
Yes. Our religion is not governed by “touches.” But I am afraid a Hindu will cease to be a Hindu if he does so.
Question:
What is the definition of a sayyid? — Muhammad Muarif Khan
Answer:
Sayyid means a leader, a big man, a lord. There is a saying سیدالقوم خادمہم [Sayyid-ul Qaum Khadimuhum: ‘The leader of a nation is the servant of that nation’]
Question:
When there was no male issue of the Holy Prophet, how can the claim of the present sayyids be fair? — Muhammad Muarif Khan
Answer:
They claim only to be the descendants of Fatima [rta], the daughter of the Holy Prophet [Muhammad (pbuh)].
What claim do you mean?