Issues and Questions

Sajdah, Meaning of Makruh, Women and Jannah
By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

Q 1. What is the purpose of the "Sajdah" in the Qur'an? How many Sajdah are there altogether in the Qur'an? What do they signify?
A 1. These Sajdah are known as the Sajdah of Tilawah. There are 14 (and according to some jurists 15) places in the whole Qur'an where the verses of Sajdah occur. One can find in any copy of the Qur'an the word "Sajdah" written either at the end of these verses or next to these verses on the margin.
Following are the verses of Sajdah:
1. Al-A'raf 7:206; 2. Al-Ra'd 13:15; 3. Al-Nahl 16:49-50; 4. Isra' 17:109; 5. Maryam 19:58; 6. Al-Hajj 22:18 (According to Imam al-Shafi'i the verse 77 of this Surah is also the verse of Sajdah.) 7. Al-Furqan 25:60; 8. Al-Naml 27:25-26; 9.Al-Sajdah 32:15; 10. Saad 38: 24; 11. Fussilat 41:38; 12. Al-Najm 53:62; 13. Al-Inshiqaq 84:20-21; 14. Al-'Alaq 96:19.
All these verses either give the command to make Sajdah or mention that the believers prostrate before Allah in submission to Him. As a response to these statements, it is required, according to the Sunnah of the Prophet - peace be upon him - to make one Sajdah whenever one reads, recites from the memory, or hears any of these verses. This is an important Sunnah (Sunnah Mu'akkadah) and it should not be omitted.
The pre-requisites for this Sajdah are the same as for the Salah. One has to be in Wudu', wearing proper clothes and should face the Qibla when making this Sajdah. Women, if they hear the reading of the Qur'an during their menses or post-childbirth bleeding period, are not required to make this Sajdah. If one reads any of the above-mentioned verses in the prayer then one should go to the Sajdah immediately. Outside the prayer, if any of these verses are recited or heard then the Sajdah should be done as soon as possible. There is only one Sajdah required for each verse and in the Sajdah one should recite the usual du'a: "Subhana rabbiyal-A'la".
Q 2. What is the exact meaning of "Makruh"? What are the consequences of doing something that is Makruh?
A 2. "Makruh" literally means something "disliked" or "undesirable." According to the Shari'ah it is any action that one is told not to do without making it absolutely prohibited. It is important to avoid doing the Makruh. There is no sin in it and no punishment if a person commits the Makruh, but it is blameworthy. Those who want to be pious and conscious of Allah should avoid doing any action that is Makruh. An example of Makruh is cigarette smoking or chewing tobacco. It is better to avoid these things, although they are Haram (according to the majority of the jurists).
In the Shari'ah the actions are divided into five categories: 1. Fard or Wajib meaning obligatory or mandatory; 2. Mustahabb or Mandub meaning liked and recommended; 3. Haram or Mahzur meaning forbidden; 4. Makruh meaning disliked and not recommended and 5. Mubah or Halal meaning permissible and allowed.
Q 3. I was just wondering whether artificial insemination by one's own husband due to conceptual difficulties is allowed in Islam?
A 3. This is a new issue and Muslim scholars have recently done some Ijtihad on this subject in the light of some basic principles and values of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Artificial insemination for conceptual purpose is generally needed in the situation when the husband is not able to deposit his semen inside his wife's genital tract. This procedure is allowed in Islam as long as it is between legally married couples during the life of the husband. The jurists have emphasized that under the Shari'ah, a wife is not allowed to receive the semen of her ex-husband after divorce or after his death.
Q 4. There has been a question in my mind for a long time and it really bothers me. I would appreciate if you please clarify this for me. Whenever I read the Holy Qur'an, it always makes me wonder that what would be the life of a female in Jannah. The Qur'an talks about life after death and gives information that how a man's life is going to be in the other life. They will live in gardens where there are rivers and trees full of fruits. They may have maids providing them everything. They may have beautiful wives. But I never read a passage that describes the lives of women in Jannah. I may be wrong about this, if so, please let me know where in the Qur'an I can find info in this regard. Let me say this that I am a Muslim. I am not questioning because I doubt about Islam or the Holy Qur'an.
A 4. The Jannah is not for men alone. It is prepared for both, righteous men and righteous women. All the joys and blessings of Jannah are for both of them. Allah has mentioned in the Qur'an that He put Adam and his wife Hawwa both in Jannah after creating them and He told them to eat and enjoy every thing (except the fruit of one tree). See al-Baqarah 2:35; al-A'raf 7:19. Thus all the trees, gardens and rivers of Jannah are made for both men and women and they both will enjoy them.
All Believers, males and females, will enter the Jannah. Allah says, "The Gardens of Eternity they shall enter and along with them will be all who did right from among their parents, spouses and children… (al-Ra'd 13:23; al-Mu'min 40:8) Further Allah says, "Indeed, the people of Paradise will be happily occupied. They and their wives will be in pleasant shades, on thrones reclining. There are for them fruits and there is for them all that they ask for… (Yasin 36:55-57) In the Hereafter Allah will say to the Believers, "Enter the Garden, you and your wives, you will be made glad. There will be brought round for them trays of gold and goblets, and therein is all that the souls desire and eyes find sweet and you will stay there forever. This is the garden, which you are made to inherit because of what you used to do. Therein for you is fruit in plenty whence to eat." (al-Zukhruf 43:70-73)
There are many other places in the Qur'an where it is mentioned that men and women both will find their reward and none will be deprived. See Al 'Imran 3:195; al-Nisa' 4:124; al-Nahl 16:97; al-Ahzab 33:35; al-Mu'min 40:40)
The life of women in Jannah will be as pleasant and happy as the life of men. Allah is not partial to any gender. He created both of them and He will take care of both of them according to their needs and desires. Let us all work to achieve the Jannah and then, inshallah, we will find there what will satisfy all of us fully.
Q 5. I know drinking alcoholic beverages is Haram according to Islamic law. What about other uses of alcohol in the following categories?
1. Using alcohol in rubbing over an injury.
2. Using cologne or perfumes that contain alcohol.
3. Using toothpaste that contains alcohol.
4. Using any soap or any cleaning material that contains alcohol.
A 5. There are many types of alcohol, actually there are hundreds of members in alcohol family. Among them ethyl is the best known and it is this alcohol that is generally used in alcoholic beverages. There are some types of alcohol that are denatured and are used in perfumes and other cleansing agents. The rubbing alcohol does not contain ethyl alcohol. It is dangerous for drinking and may cause blindness and death. The external use of such alcohol is not forbidden in Islam.
According to the Qur'an and Sunnah, it is Haram to drink alcohol or alcoholic beverages. Even a small amount of alcohol is Haram and it must be avoided. However, the jurists have differed on the Najasah (physical impurity) of alcohol. Some consider it Najas, meaning that if it touches the body and clothes then it must be washed. There are others who do not consider it Najas. There are many jurists who have allowed the use of rubbing alcohol and the use of perfumes that contain alcohol. As far as toothpaste or mouthwash that contain alcohol is concerned, it is better to avoid them, because they go inside the mouth.
Q 6. What is the Islamic rule about crossing in front of a person who is praying? Sometimes it becomes very difficult to go out of the Masjid, because one has to pass in front of someone. Please explain.
A 6. The Prophet - peace be upon him - taught us to respect the person who is praying. It is forbidden to cross in front of a praying person. It means that if you see a person praying, you should not pass between him and his place of Sajdah. Give that person his place of prayer and let him pray without disturbance. This is his right and all Muslims who see him should recognize this right. In some Ahadith it is mentioned that if a person would know how grave (a sin) it is to cross in front of a praying person, he would prefer to stay standing for forty … rather than pass in front of that person. The Sahabi says that he did not know whether the Prophet meant forty days, forty months or forty years. (See al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 480 and Muslim, Hadith no. 785).
It is also the duty of the person praying not to stand for prayer in people's walking areas. He may go behind a pillar or go to a corner of the Masjid. In a big and open place or in a crowded place, it is good to put some Shield (Sutrah) between oneself and one's place of Sajdah, so that other people may pass by without inconvenience. The Shield or Sutrah could be a stick, a chair or a stool or anything about one foot high that should indicate to passers by not to cross between that area.
- DrSiddiqi@aol.com

Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
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