Letters to Editor

Muslims all over the world have a misconception about interest and finances. Nobody in the community has woken up to give right guidance on interest free banking or interest free investments. The so called scholars are only misguiding the whole community about interest. For eg- In India, at this time, the Inflation is 7.5% which means if a Muslim has Rs 100 in his pocket, if he does not use it, then it reduces by 7.5 rupees and becomes 92.50, so he is paying an interest of 7.5% per annum. Whether it is accepted or not, indirectly he is paying through his government. Muslims should understand the concept of Finance and how it is related to their government and administration. So Muslims should start working on the conventional banking principles, atleast to beat inflation and save their principal, or else, the Rs 100 rupees after 15 years becomes zero, thanks to the ideologies of illiterate preachers who do not even understand their obligations towards their respective governments.


E-mail - hmutual@voila.fr

I am Salman Zia, student from the Jamia Hamdard, Delhi. I am doing B.Pharma from here and I am in the third year. I regularly read the Islamic Voice. Many times, I feel very disgusted when I see that most of my Muslim friends who even after living in Delhi have no desire to go through the true facts of the news and other day-to-day happenings in the Muslim world. Even if they read, they read the mainstream newspapers and not papers like Islamic Voice. They have no desire to reflect on where this Ummah is going and no desire to remain updated with true facts about Islam. Here they hold “Value Education Lecture Series” in which almost every big scholar of the community like Dr Israr Ahmad too were invited. But sadly, the Muslim student attendance at such lectures is pathetic. I try to mobilise the Muslim youngsters to come to these talks, but in vain. What is happening to Muslims?


E-mail - slmanzia@yahoo.co.in

To many like me, the report of the spilt groups of the Muslim Personal Law Board was not a surprise. The fact remains that the Board does not represent Muslims of India. It is a self-constituted body and has no legal status. It knows well that its decisions do not carry weight and that is why it has been refraining to give clear opinions on polygamy or triple talaq that has become a menace to the society. The welfare of the Muslims cannot be left to the Board. We Muslims should be guided by the Quran and the Sunnah and not by the Board and its diktats.

In your February 2005, issue of Islamic Voice, under “Bouquets and Brickbats” column, Brother Abdul Alim has asked the question is Music Really Haram?” Prior to my reverting to Islam from Christianity in 1974, I was the best singer in my school. Later on, I even sang at Clubs along with my brothers and even had a beat group since those were the days of the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Not just myself, but one of the most famous singers of that time, Cat Stevens reverted to Islam and is now Yusuf Islam. He too gave up music and I personally gave up my guitar. I request Brother Alim to refer to the Booklet, “The Islamic Ruling on Music and Singing, in the Light of the Quran, the Sunnah and the Consensus of Our Pious Predecessors,” By Abu Bilal Mustafa Al Kanadi. It is the best I have read on this subject. He may contact me for further information on mobile 9886124652.

This refers to the Question Hour by Dr Zakir Naik in Islamic Voice of January 2005 about the prohibition of musical instruments. I am a student of the Quran for the last two decades and I have not come across any verse prohibiting musical instruments, although vices like adultery, gambling and intoxication are prohibited in the Quran. Even if it can be proved that music is harmful for the society, when Allah has not prohibited it in His book, why should we. When we quote Hadith, we should be very careful as unlike the Quran, it is not a protected document and chances of error are bound to arise.

Some Muslims make a big show of the Hajj. The Quran teaches us not be extravagant and not to make a show of our righteousness. A person proceeds on Hajj only for the sake of Allah. It is fine that his relatives or friends, etc pray for his safety. This is enough. Why are dinners, garlands and special functions organised in honour of the Haji either after he returns or before he proceeds on Hajj? This is not in the right spirit of Hajj. The early Muslims during the Prophet’s (Pbuh) time did not perform all these rituals, so why are we doing it?

The new improved Islamic Voice looks really good and the contents are very useful. Please use easy language as lot of youngsters read the publication here. When posting it abroad, I suggest you use a hard cover so that it does not get lost during its long journey to reach here.