Either pay zakat or buy a diamond?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful,

All praise is due to Allah, All wise,

If I say something wrong, it is from my ego, but If I am correct, it is from Allah.

On Last Sunday, I was given a scolding that times have changed and we should re-examine the rulings of Islam according to new times, and disallow women from entering masjid, although it goes against a direct command of Allah. However, when trying to learn about Zakat, I came across a ruling. Same folks would allow hiding wealth in diamonds because Quran did not list Diamond with gold and silver. So, their logical mind goes to sleep when it comes to going against the status quo.

Oh Come on people! Do you think you can fool Allah by hiding your wealth in Diamonds, so you don't have to pay Zakat. What an absurd ruling. Lets look at this hypocritical ruling from the current scholars.

"And those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend them in the way of God, announce unto them a painful punishment. One day that (treasure) will be heated up in the fire of hell and their foreheads, their sides, and their backs will be branded with it: “This is the treasure that you hoarded up for yourselves. Now taste what you used to hoard up". (Quran 9:34)

Many scholars quote this verse as part of the evidence that there is zakah on gold and silver. But it seems clear that here gold and silver are mentioned merely as age-old symbols and forms of wealth. If at any time wealth could be possessed in other forms, the obligation to spend out of it in the way of God would still apply. Today wealth can be possessed in the form of paper money and diamonds, so believers are duty bound to spend out of this wealth in the way of God. It would be a very superficial interpretation of the verse to say that if we have gold or silver worth $2000 we should spend out of it in the way of God but if we have a million dollars in paper money or an equivalent amount in diamonds, then we have no obligation to spend out of it anything in the way of God.

To interpret the verse (9:34) by restricting it entirely to gold and silver would be like insisting that we should always use horses to build our armed forces, since God says:

And make ready for them whatever you can of (military) force, including steeds of war, to deter the enemy of God and your enemy, and others whom you may not know but God knows. (Quran 8:60)

Here God has mentioned horses because in the time of the Holy Prophet they greatly enhanced the fighting power of an army. Today, of course, horses would not deter any of the numerous enemies of Islam and Muslims, armed to the teeth with weapons of mass destruction. Most scholars would agree that today the commandment in 8:60 requires us to acquire weapons like tanks, war planes, missiles, and nuclear weapons[2]. Similarly, 9:34 should be interpreted to mean that we should spend in the way of God out of whatever wealth we possess, be it gold or silver or some other form of wealth.

Today wealth clearly includes diamonds, for, wealth may be defined as what we possess of money or of items that are bought and sold often enough to acquire a market value. Today diamonds and many other precious stones are clearly items that have a determinable market value.

Thus the letter and the spirit of the Qur`an suggests that in our age diamonds are subject to zakah.

Turning now to the Sunnah/Hadith, we note that there is no authentic hadith stating that precious stones are not subject to zakah. Fiqh al-Sunnah does not mention any such hadith. Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, however, quotes the hadith:

(“There is no zakah on a stone”).

But he mentions no source for it and does not say whether the hadith is sahih or not. The fact is that this hadith is absent from almost all the books of ahadith, including such sahih collections as Bukhari and Muslim. In view of this, the probability is very high that it has been falsely attributed to the Holy Prophet.

[I extracted this argument from this source http://www.islamicperspectives.com/zakah-diamonds.htm it seems well written and to the point]

I would like to appeal to you to think for a second that if diamonds have a resale value today, and people transfer their wealth from gold into diamonds, does that mean that we have found a loop hole in Allah's wisdom? After all people have been forced to pay zakat in the past, but if the precious stone were exempt from the Zakat, Qaroon would have done that, and Abu Bakar (RA) would have been looking at the piles of diamonds instead of a war for zakat.

Please do not be fooled into not paying zakat on items that are not a neccessity and worth above Nisab. If anyone can provide the source of the above hadith, may be we can reconsider the exception, but until then pay your zakat on precious stones.

And Allah knows best.

JazakAllah Khairin

A reasonable person.

AbuArman Jumani

Last Straw...

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful,

All praise is due to Allah, who sent us deen of Islam,

Narrated Ibn Umar: The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Allow women to go to the Mosques at night." (Bukhari Volume 2, Book 13, Number 22)

Ibn 'Umar reported: Grant permission to women for going to the mosque in the night. His son who was called Waqid said: Then they would make mischief. He (the narrator) said: He thumped his (son's) chest and said: I am narrating to you the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and you say: No! (Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 0890)

Last night, after the tafseer, I asked to the Imam, "Wives of Muhammad ibn Abdullah (PBUH) used to come for i'tkaf, why do you stop women in Jamah Masjid?". Answer was that this is the age of fitnah, so we should stop women from coming to masjid. No kidding. Fitnah is here alright, but not sure if it is the women, or men, or both. May be we should prohibit people without beard from coming to the masjid, or lets check their background to see if they are commiting any sins. Allah told the Prophet (PBUH) that you are not their manager, and he understood. I guess Allah have made these scholars, the manager of Fitnah, and allowed them to overturn his order by their opinion.

If we look at the hadith above, ibn Umar (RA) who was the best emulating companion of the sunnah thumping his own son, and his son is presenting the same argument. Now, we don't have Ibn Umar who can stand up and thump the chest of this Imam, and say "Are you above the last prophet? Do you have authority to overturn the command of the one who Allah has asked us to obey?"  I tried to thump the chest of Imam yesterday, but I have no support. Everyone is a coward or scared to loose their club membership in this private organization. I don't blame them, because this world seems to be all that matters to them, and I don't mind being outcasted at the expense of following Ibn Umar. I only wish to see him and meet him, so i can kiss his hands for him having the courage to thump his son.

For me this was the last straw. I overlooked all the faults in the leadership of our community, but a direct disobedience of the command of the Prophet (PBUH) is the last straw on my back. That is it! That is it! That is it! I know they will not listen to me or anyone who brings the signs of Allah to them. The traditions of their forefather are more dearer to them then the command of the prophet and the companions.

When I came home, I thought may be it is not so bad in the small cage upstairs for women, so I ask my wife, and she attested that, she can't even see Imam or ask him any question, or challenge him. She told me further that she has been trying to reach Imam to discuss my son's progress, for days now but everytime she comes close to the door of the masjid, some men will block her and point to the corner leading to the prison for women. I wish I was there. How dare these men prohibit women from entering the house of Allah? Don't women have right to Allah's house?

Interestingly, the same Imam wonders why our societies are going down the drain. Well, brother, if you imprison the teachers of the Ummah (women), and discourage them from coming to Masjid, who will teach the young generation. Men are too busy, making tea and serving biryani in the masjid. They don't go home and train the women, so if anything, changing time ask us to encorouge women to come to Masjid to reduce the fitnah.

So, if the fitnah is the motive to overturn Islamic rulings, why not stop the iftar dinners, where people gossip and women come in large numbers without hijab. I certainly will not host Iftar in this masjid this year. Probably look for a more deserving Masjid, where women have at least some rights.

Or, how about prohibiting women on Eid, because there is more fitnah on Eid day in Islamic Center of Orlando then any other street on USA. Flirting and invitations are flying for men to look at the young ladies standing 20 feet away from jamat of men. Even women are ashamed looking at this scene on Eid day.

Then, I asked the second Imam of the masjid about my suggestion that trustee asked a while ago and I provided. He told me that Shura is already established. I was surprised. So was he, since Imams were not part of the selection. I did not receive any reponse. The trustee didn't even told him, just posted on the board. There was no announcement. There was no public meeting. So, I guess Islamic center of Orlando is not a muslim jamaat, but a business entity who is owned by four trustees. You know what. That is fine. I will consider it as a private charity organization from now, and pray to Allah to remove the status of the masjid from that building and take away the blessings a masjid should have. It is not a masjid, it is a meeting place for some men who happen to be born to Muslims.

My back is borken now. Anywhere, my wife and mother is not welcome, and the Prophet is insulted, I don't want anything to do with it. I love them too much to see this everyday. I will have to find a masjid where Islam is practiced, and not where traditions are worshiped. I am sure that they are not interested in any suggestion or opinions from me, because they have already figured out the deen, and they are on the right path, so anytime I bring up a question, a man in white beard will wave me off. I rest my case from here and moving on to more important tasks at hand of increasing my taqwa, and speading the word of Islam. Pray for my guidance.

If I am wrong on this, May Allah punish me for it, but if I am right, May Allah take away all the blessings from this Masjid, and dry up the resources like water is missing from desert. 

JazakAllah Khairin

A follower of Ibn Umar, 
AbuArman Jumani

That Cancers that are Impeding Al-Islam.

In the Name of Allah,

All praise is due to Allah, the most high.

If I make a mistake, it is from my ego, if I am correct, it is from Allah.

"Invite to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided." (Quran 16:125) 

In the last six month, I visited Makkah, and then visited Iriga City, Philippines. I received shock in both places. In Makkah, I saw the stubborn Saudis, and in Iriga, I saw people who have gone stray. These two extremes has shocked my physically and spiritually. My back was hurt in Iriga, but soul was uplifted, and my soul was damaged in Jeddah, but my body was cleansed. I don't know which was worst. Arrogant Muslims who have narrowed their religion to a few handful twisted strict rules, or ignorant catholics, who are slipping towards complete idolatry as we speak.

However, I knew these two extremes existed and survived them, but I couldn't survive the shock of looking through an open wound on Islam's body and discovering a few cancers spreading silently under the skin. It left me numb, and I still can't shake the horror of what I perceive the last gasps of the body of Al-Islam trying to fight these cancers. These cancers are what is impeding the growth and health of Al-Islam.

Each cell in this body have to multiply to regain life in the body, and it multiplies by absorbing oxygen (worship) and nutrients (practical application). More importantly, the cells are normal (interacting with non-Muslims) and well controlled (follow Islamic Sharia). Sometimes cells mutate and alter their purpose to just grow and not be controlled, which is called a cancer.

If we look back, Early conquered lands did not convert, because Muslims impose it on them, but they accepted Islam with open hearts.They saw a system in action that can provide a complete life-style free of sins. Also, it happened due to the example they saw in these sincere fellow humans who have no interest in worldly wealth, but rather every motivation initiates from Allah's order. When they traded, they did because of Allah's order, when they mated, they did because of Allah's order, when they loved they did because of Allah's order. All non-Muslims saw in them was the natural harmony in early Muslim's life, and whoever could fight their ego they became Muslims.

Today, Islam is not spreading like it did, but why? Has Islam become outdated? Or, is the message lost? No. In my observation, following are the major factors impeding the spread, and it will not resume until we remove these cancer.

• Asabiyah/Firqa (divisions)
• Round Robin Jamaat
• In-human terrorism
• Vanila Muslims

Asabiyah/Firqa:
When everyone you speak to labels every masjid with a race, then you know that Asabiyah (divisions) has spread like a cancer. One person approached me while I was busy, and he asked me a bold question "Are you from Rawalpindi?" I smiled and said "No". When I told him that I am from Karachi, I could see the changing color, and told him that this should be the last thing in our mind when we see each other. Another time, a dear brother of mine start classifying the masajid in Orlando as Hanafi, Shafi, Salafi.... I am sure his research is accurate, but that's the point. We are divided, and the cancer is too strong.

So, how is this impeding Islam. As always, an example. I was sitting in Manila airport waiting for my flight. There was a non-Muslim sitting on my side, and we started chatting. Of course, I wanted him to hear the message of Muhammad (PBUH). As I started to invited him, he told me that he worked in Saudi, and have been learning about Islam there. He asked me why are there so many different sects in Islam, and which one is true. I tried to explain that all of them are wrong, except who follow the Quran and Sunnah. I could see how confused he was, and I realized that non-Muslims are ready to accept Islam, but which Islam "Hanafi", "Maliki", "Salafi", "Ahl-e-Hadith", "Devband" etc. I mean there are more sects in Islam then clothes in my closet, and probably more colorful. So, unless we drop this notion of making Imams God, and rejecting Sunnah over what Imam Muhammad said (i do not exaggerate this), this cancer will not leave. We can kill it by listening to Imam Abu Hanifa, as he said that look at the source of the opinion and not the opinion. Cure is in this sentence.

Messenger of Allah (saw) said, narrated by At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, "There are indeed people who boast of their dead ancestors; but in the sight of Allah they are more contemptible than the black beetle that rolls a piece of dung with its nose.

Round Robin Jamaat:

It has many names such just "Jamaat" or "Tableeghi Jamaat". This I found to be the # 2 in the list that is Impeding Islam. What happens is that once someone becomes one of them, they get cut off from the learning, inviting non-Muslims, Quran, Sunnah, and Family. 

I will present an example. I visited the masjid in Iriga city, which is in the dark valley of shirk and very hard to find. I was so happy to see it and couldn't control my excitement. Then, I visited the library of Iriga city. I was surprised to see that there was no Quran in the library. I asked brother Abdu*****, why not? He looked at me like I have asked the secret pin for his ATM card. Instead, he started telling me that there is a jamaat of four brothers came from Pakistan and I miss them. Don't these 4 people find enough in Pakistan to reform that they are visiting far away. I told him that I am going to donate some books, and if he has a Quran in Tagalog that I can have. He looked around and said no. I said alright brother do u want to go for dawah and present some English Quran to the priest of the main church, where my wife used to study. He said he was busy. So, bottom line is that the dawah these cancer cells are interested in is just to Muslims, and that is only to make them a dead bead. I have listed reform for this Jamat many times here, so I am not going to repeat it.

Narrated Anas bin Malik: "A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." Allah's Apostle came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers)." (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 1)

In human Terrorism:
This should be an easy one, but can catch you right off-guard. Islam has been associated with Muslims who are ready to react on everything with uneducated, and ignorant hatred. They have harmed the image of Islam so much that, even my mother asked me to shave my beard, because I looked like a terrorist. Of course, I smiled, and explained to her that it is fardh upon every men, and shaving it is Fisq.

Once, my brother in law visited, who is a non-Muslim, and I started to talk to him about Islam, and he liked what he heard. Out of nowhere, he asked me "What about these terrorist?" why do they not follow this peaceful message? I explained to him that they are following their sects and leaders and if these Imams contradict Quran and Sunnah, these people will not challenge them, so hence they follow this twisted ideology, but he was not convinced because who to say that they are following the true Islam and I am telling him the fantasy tales. This cancer is very painful, and it will not stop by itself, and we will have to fight it. I suggest to make a negative opinion in our heart of these terrorist acts and then talk against it, then try to stop it if possible.

"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not do aggression, for Allah loves not the aggressors. Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors." (Quran 2:190)

Vanilla Muslims:
This is a term I think best describe these Muslims, who were born in a Muslim family, but never truly accepted Islam. They are not concerned about Halal and Haram. World has taken a special place in their heart, and the highest priority for them will be improving their life in this world.

If a non-Muslim look at them, they will not recognize them as Muslims. Men most likely shave, and women follow Paris Hilton's fashion, so the Hijab does not fit in. They will skip Jumaa if there is an important meeting. So, Islam for them is a part time hobby that happens on Eid, Maghrib on Sundays. I was one of them, so I understand the thinking. In most cases, their thinking has a curtain, which keeps them in the state of intoxication for this world. Of course, there will be no motivation to spread Islam. It is like a foreign tissue cancer, which just sit there. Reminding of death, and reminding Allah is the cure for it.

Thauban reported that the messenger of Allah said: "It is near that the nations will call one another against you just as the eaters call one another to their dishes." Somebody asked: "Is this because we will be few in numbers that day?" He said: "Nay, but that day you shall be numerous, but you will be like the foam of the sea, and Allah will take the fear of you away from your enemies and will place weakness into your hearts." Somebody asked: "What is this weakness?" He said: "The love of the world and the dislike of death." (Abu Daud)

There is one hope in Orlando, and it is a gathering on Sundays at 11 AM at MAGO school. These four cancers are not present there in big force, and there is an opportunity to fight back these cancers, if Allah wills.

JazakAllah Khairin
A cancer fighting cell

AbuArman Jumani