LETTERS

Ramadan Mubarak.

I trust that this email finds you in good health. I have a question regarding fiqh.

We know that wearing a scarf is Fard. I do not wear a scarf. There is a custom among Muslim sisters in Ramadaan who do NOT usually wear a scarf to wear a scarf in Ramadaan only. The scarf usually goes off on Eid or the next day.

I personally have chosen not to wear a scarf in Ramadaan. I do however wear it around my neck out of respect. I will explain my reasoning. I feel that many people wear scarf in Ramadaan so as not to feel left out of trend – i.e. donning a scarf in Ramadaan. I feel many do it because they do not want to be condemned for not wearing a scarf in the Holiest month. In other words, it boils down to wearing a scarf for the sake of other people –not for Allah (SWA).

This is wrong. It is placing more importance on the way society views you than on the Almighty (SWA). I feel that wearing it in Ramadaan and not anytime else is somewhat hypocritical.
On the other side of the coin, at least people are trying. Considering that people do extra in Ramadaan (read more salaah, make more dua, etc), it does not seem so bad.

Could you please provide some insight into this so that I may gain more clarity, perhaps by citing Quran or hadeeth if any are relevant. Thanking you, W'salaam.
Yasmeen



EDITOR REPLIES

Thanks for your mail.

I am not an Alim to direct you in matters of fiqh.

Today Islam is viewed through the coloured glass of fiqh and not as a way of life, thus causing lot of confusion and divisions.

However what I get from the views you have shared is that you are being judgmental, you are justifying for not wearing the scarf and also I see that you are making others wrong. Who gave you this right?

We often judge people on their appearance and Allah judge's people on their inner piety. He / she may be in our eyes unworthy but in the sight of Allah he/she may be the dearest one. Let us stop being judgmental.

It is the matter of individual choice. Allah has given this freedom of choice to each individual and it is their concern. They alone are responsible and accountable for the consequences of breaking the divine law. The choices we make takes us closer to Allah or away from Him. People resist choices being imposed on them. There is no compulsion in religion. They are aware of what they are doing and when you remind them they will react by stating they know it. Knowledge by itself , is simply information. When information is shared, it becomes knowledge. When knowledge is put into practice in your daily life, you will acquire wisdom.

“…Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until unless they change what is in themselves” (13: 11)

Willingness to change must come from within. Each of us has a choice to choose to live our life based on our desires or on the desires of Allah. This is the freedom Allah has given to mankind. It is one of the biggest sacrifice one makes in life to live on the desires of Allah moment to moment and if one does, then he is a believer (momin).

If one does choose a way of life that pleases Allah then he qualifies for an eternal life of bliss in the hereafter other wise the consequences are apparent. You are the creator of your own consequences.

We have no rights to judge anyone's intentions nor criticise others about what they are doing, if we cannot make a difference to them. It is human to justify for our wrongs and the sins we commit. You can see in our community and society how often we justify for all our wrong actions? Are these justifications making any difference? No, rather we become blind and thus we move away from the closeness of Allah.

Our very purpose is defeated and in being judgmental we kill people around us and create animosity. In being judgmental we get to feel superior and others inferior, there by we look down upon them. We compare with others like the Satan did when Allah ta'la asked him to bow before Adam, he said I am made of fire and he is made of clay. Thus because of his haughtiness he became a disbeliever (kafir). We see this attitude of comparison so common among us. This comparison is what is called the ego.

The Prophet (Pbuh) has said do not look at other peoples' faults. What are we doing? Not only looking but our whole purpose is to dig and find faults in others, ridicule, make fun of others and this has become our hobby. When we indulge in this nasty game of blame and finding faults in others, we experience negativity and this breeds in anger and hatred between individuals.

The Prophet (Phuh) had said do not cut off relationships. Are we creating a bond of love or hate? But what are we doing - creating hatred? This is what we observe in every home? Then we ask, Why Allah's help is not coming even though we pray and do other obligatory acts? How can Allah's help come when we play Satanic games. The irony is that we are blind and are not aware of the consequences. In the process we are inviting Allah's curse on us rather than His blessings.

So my invitation to you is let others do what they want but are you committed to live a way of life that pleases Allah in Ramadan or in other months? You are alone going to stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment and all your reasonings will not help you there.

"Do you enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (to practice it) yourselves, and yet you study the scripture? will you not understand? (2:44)

Are you willing to be a momin for life or in Ramadan only. The choice is yours. Today's challenge is to bring Islam from the pulpit into our daily lives. Let us commit ourselves from this one month's training that we shall continue to keep our nafs in control for the rest of the eleven months and not be it's slave but make it (the nafs) a Muslim as the Prophet did.

The Prophet (Pbuh) said: "Every human being has an altered ego (nafs) as its Iblis, and the companions asked him do you also have it, He replied yes but I have made him a Muslim."
(Bukhari)
(awsk)