SHAFAQNA

Secretary General of Ulema Board of Sudan, Professor Mohammad Osman Saleh, issued a Fatwa (religious decree) calling for Sunni and Shia unity.

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Secretary General of Ulema Board of Sudan, Professor Mohammad Osman Saleh, issued a Fatwa (religious decree) calling for Sunni and Shia uniy to confront the Zionist and secular flows, and said Allah addressed all Muslims and tdid not differentiate between them.

Professor Mohammed Osman Saleh in an interview with (Sudan Today's News) called on Iran, Turkey and Pakistan for the unity with the Arab nations and said “How would it be if the power of Sunni schools will gather with the strength of the Shia school in front of infidelity.”

Sudan’s top cleric demanded scholars and authorities to stop any attempts of enemies in provoking Shia-phobia in the world and asked them to prevent the real enemy of Islam, Zionists, to cause division amongst Shias and Sunnis. He declared that Shias and Sunnis have more than 90% commonalities and there are just slight disagreements in historical aspects.

Sheikh Osman issued his Fatwa at the time when Wahhabis propagate their divisive and insulting ways against other Muslims particularly the Shia school of thought, in order to divide Sunni and Shia Muslims which are the main cause of many killings and bloodshed of Shia Muslims in various countries like, Pakistan, Indonesia and elsewhere.

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Source: ABNA

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – The application of fatwa is dividing Muslim scholars in India, with religious leaders opine that the enforcement of the edict may differ according to situation and context.

"Fatwas cannot be mandatory for everybody to follow,” Professor Akhtarul Vase, head of department of Islamic studies at Jamia Milia Islamia, told the Press Trust of India.

Controversy about the application of fatwa grew last week after a leading Islamic seminary banned Muslim women from working as receptionists.

Darul Uloom Deoband ruled that it was “un-Islamic” for Muslim women to work in offices as receptionists.

The fatwa was an answer to a Pakistan-based company which had asked whether it could appoint a Muslim woman as a receptionist.

The seminary argued that Muslim women can’t work as receptionists because they are not allowed to appear before men without veil.

Another fatwa issued by the seminary termed tattoo and use of perfume with alcohol content as un-Islamic.

But Professor Vase opines that both fatwas should not be applied to all Muslims as they deal with certain situation and context.

“Usually, a fatwa is an answer to a specific question. So here it's important to understand the context and situation in which that question was asked,” he said.

“For example, the recent fatwa which says Muslim women cannot work as receptionists, this cannot be binding on everybody.”

Founded by a group of Indian scholars in 1857 CE, the Deoband is the most influential Muslim intellectual school of thought in South Asia.

The school, which follows that of Imam Abu Hanifah with regard to fiqh and minor issues, has thrust into the spotlight in recent years after it has issued several fatwas denouncing terrorism.

Mandatory

But other scholars opine that fatwas issued about general rules in Islamic shari`ah should be followed by all Muslims.

"Fatwa should not be considered as an order or a directive,” Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid, said.

“It is an Islamic outlook which people can follow.

“It is the duty of every Muslim to follow what has been said in Shari`ah (Islamic law),” he said.

Shari`ah govern issues in Muslims’ lives from daily prayers to fasting and from to inheritance and marital cases to financial disputes.

The Islamic rulings, however, do not apply on non-Muslims, even if in a dispute with non-Muslims.

On a daily basis, Darul Uloom issues 30-40 fatwas. Similarly, Bareilly Markaz also issues fatwas, the scholars said.

Muslims make up about 13 percent of India's population, making the country the third largest Islamic population after Indonesia and Pakistan.- www.shfaqna.com/English

Source: On Islam

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) - Some of the cheese products manufactured in non-Muslim countries contain rennet extracted from the calf or other animals. We do not know whether the rennet was taken from the animal that was slaughtered according to Islamic laws; neither do we know that it has transformed into something else. So is it permissible to eat such cheese?

Answer : There is no problem in eating such cheese.

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) - Three years ago, six Shia scholars in London’s Islamic centers asked about the subject of the moon sighting after explaining the problems that happen due to the difference in opinion of our great scholars.

After showing his opinion about this subject, Ayatollah Ali Al-Hussaini Al-Sistani recommended that everyone follows their own scholar, like it is in all Fiqh issues, and the importance of educating the believers to accept the differences in opinions and avoid making conflicts out of it.

It can be mentioned that the answer to this question (moon sighting) had the personal stamp of Ayatollah Al-Sistani on it.

SHAFAQNA considered it important to re-publish the question and its answers due to its high religious scientific and timing importance.

Here is the original letter sent by the UK scholars to Ayatollah Al-Siatani

Question

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL

May peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you,

We would like to inform your eminence that a monthly meeting takes place in the presence of six of the scholars responsible of several Islamic centres belonging to Ahlulbayt’s (A.S.) school of thought to discuss relevant issues concerning the community. The scholars mentioned, discussed the moon sighting issue in Britain during their last meeting. They observed a general discontent in the public regarding the difference in opinion among the great scholars on the issue of moon sighting, especially the difference about the beginning of the month (of Ramadan) or on the Eid for up to three days, like what happened last year, which generated confusions that are hard to respond to.

On this occasion, we present to your eminence the conclusion of what has been discussed.

1. According to the scientific rules and the testimonies of the experts, it is possible to see the moon in most of Europe before sunset, this Friday, by telescope.
   
   
2. If the rule according to your eminence is the correlation of scientific and astronomical moon sighting between one country and another without obstacles, is it possible to generalize this correlation among the meridians also or does it concern only the latitudes?

We hope from your eminence to help us take the right decision that reduces the disputes among the families in Europe and more specifically in the UK.

Sheikh Ali Al-Alemi, Sheikh Abdl Hussain Al-Muazzi, Sayyed Mohammed Al-Mousawi, Sheikh Dhafar Abbas, Sheikh Fadhel Al-Milani, Sayyed Murtadha Al-Kashmiri.

Answer

IN THE NAME OF ALMIGHTY ALLAH

1. It is known that the beginning of the lunar month is marked by the sighting of the moon in the horizon of the concerned country in a way that it can be seen by naked eye without any obstacles like clouds, fog or such. Therefore, sighting with telescope only is rejected.
   
   
2. Common horizon between two countries in moon sighting means that actual sighting in the first country has to be related to the sighting in the second country if external obstacles do not exist. It also important to know that one of the most important issues that affect sighting is the moon elevation compared to the horizon on sunset. The involvement of two countries on the same meridian does not mean that sighting will be possible in both countries on the same night and the same elevation. Generally, moon is possible to see in most countries that are south of the equator, because of its appearance at a reasonable elevation. This also mean that moon will not be possible to see in countries that are situation in the north of the planet earth, even though they are on the same meridian  as the previously mentioned countries.
   
   
3. The differences at the beginning of the lunar months cannot be avoided because of the opinions of the scholars. It is the duty of every person to follow the Fatwa of their own scholar in all Fiqh issues and we ask believers to be educated to accept the differences in opinions among the scholars and avoid making disputes and problems out of it.

May Allah help and guide your path. Peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Ali Al-Hussaini Al-Sistani

26 of Shaba’an 1430