Hot/"ramadan" Answer
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Peace Prissy,
I think it is not "whoever witnesses" but "whoever was present" (note the verse is in past tense).
Yes thank you for correcting me. The verb is in the past tense. So it is better translated as "whoever amongst you witnessed". However, I disagree that it simply means "was present". One can be present during an event but not witness it. Also, The passage clearly says "whoever amongst you witnessed". This means that there are some "amongst you" who would witness and others would not. Since all are present, being present is not enough.
Also, please remember that the passage clearly said "whoever witnessed" not "whoever was told by someone who witnessed".
Even if the English word used is 'witness', it does not necessarily mean "by sight" only.
I agree. How one witnesses is dependent on what is witnessed. There is nothing to witness about a "month". For example, there is nothing to witness about December. It is simply the arbitrary period that some people agreed upon would be called December. Similarly, there is nothing to witness about Shaaban. It is simply the arbitrary period that some people agreed upon to be called Shaaban. On the other hand, one can witness cosmic phenomenon with his or her eyes or witness a musical recitation with his or her ears.
Blind, deaf and dumb are all subjected to fasting and the exception eased on the sickly, travelers and the destitute provided they complete the favor in due course.
No, even 100% healthy people are not obligated to fast if they can't witness. Thus, people amongst us here who don't even know what "shahr ramadan" means let alone how to witness it, would be exempted from fasting.
The question begs where in the Quran is the clear command that prohibits from eating and drinking? The word 'fasting' itself is undefined.
The Arabic word "swm" simply means "abstaining from something". However, 2187 specifcally tells us that we can have sexual activity and eat and drink only during the night of the fast.
Peace,
Ayman
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Peace Farida,
So in your opinion a blind person is not allowed to give witness?
No. It depends on what they are witnessing. If they are witnessing that they heard a certain sound then of course they can witness. This would be the same situation if you or I were blind folded by a thief while we were asleep and he or she robbed us. We can't witness that we saw him or her but if he spoke then we can witness that we heard his voice. See my response above to Prissy for more info.
This sounds similar to the case of ?Blind Justice in The Land Of Pure? where ex-president of Pakistan Zia ul Haqq under ?hudood law? locked away a blind girl for fornication. I can only recall from a extract of a novel ?A case of exploding mangoes? about this true case. I believe death by stoning was passed to punish this girl named Zainab who was actually raped. Since she was required to recognise all five culprits in the court, but her testimony was not acceptable as she was not able to witness the act or the person in who committed this horrible crime.
I don't know the details of this case but certainly even if she was not raped and fornicated on purpose, she shouldn't be punished in any way. Unlike "zina" (pornography), fornication is a private matter.
It doesn't matter if a blind girl was raped by five men or a blind man was raped by five girls. Either way if he or she can't identify the attackers then she is not a witness because what if he or she identify the wrong people. In this case some other witness must be used such as a chemist who can analyse DNA samples. So again, it depends on what is being witnessed as I mentioned above to Prissy. Back to 2185, witnessing is not just by sight but the person THEMSELVES must witness and not be told by someone who was told by some other guy, etc. This is why the passage says "whoever amongst you witnessed". Implied in this is that some amongst you would not witness this cosmic phenomenon but fasting is only obligated on those who did.
Peace,
Ayman
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Salaam Ayman, all
Does the verse say (only during the night)?
If we drink and eat during the night, it means that we will have to sleep during the day. Doesn't this contradict the definiton of night and day in the qur'aan vis-vis living and sleeping (7811 and other verses)?Question 2 What is meant in the verse (2184) by "and for those who can afford it to feed a poor"?
Question 3 2185 "...and whoever is ill or travelling, then a count of other days. God intends for you ease and He dos not want to make things difficult for you, and to complete the count..." Which count to complete?
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Peace Farida,
No. It depends on what they are witnessing. If they are witnessing that they heard a certain sound then of course they can witness. This would be the same situation if you or I were blind folded by a thief while we were asleep and he or she robbed us. We can't witness that we saw him or her but if he spoke then we can witness that we heard his voice. See my response above to Prissy for more info.
I don't know the details of this case but certainly even if she was not raped and fornicated on purpose, she shouldn't be punished in any way. Unlike "zina" (pornography), fornication is a private matter.
It doesn't matter if a blind girl was raped by five men or a blind man was raped by five girls. Either way if he or she can't identify the attackers then she is not a witness because what if he or she identify the wrong people. In this case some other witness must be used such as a chemist who can analyse DNA samples. So again, it depends on what is being witnessed as I mentioned above to Prissy. Back to 2185, witnessing is not just by sight but the person THEMSELVES must witness and not be told by someone who was told by some other guy, etc. This is why the passage says "whoever amongst you witnessed". Implied in this is that some amongst you would not witness this cosmic phenomenon but fasting is only obligated on those who did.
Peace,
Ayman
Salaam Ayman
I myself have no details of Zainab's case but I think she knew the attackers and, as you know a blind person is compensated by having other senses to a higher standard than a normal person. The issue was not that she did not know the attackers but that, because she was blind, her evidence was not acceptable so even DNA testing would not be acceptable to those who apply a rigid interpretation of the Qur'an, just as you do not accept an online sighting of the moon.
peace
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Peace Samia,
Thank you for your questions.
Does the verse say (only during the night)?
If we drink and eat during the night, it means that we will have to sleep during the day. Doesn't this contradict the definiton of night and day in the qur'aan vis-vis living and sleeping (7811 and other verses)?Whether at day or night if one is hungry and thirsty then not eating and drinking contradicts one's instincts. The same goes for not speaking to anyone for days since we are communicative by nature. So whatever abstinance mentioned in the great reading it is certainly an exception that goes against what one would normally do.
2187 says to eat and drink until dawn and then to complete the fast until the night. Had it said to eat and drink until night and then to complete the fast until the dawn then we would be fasting at night.
If fasting is not about sexual contact and eating and drinking then what is the point of mentioning those things in 2187?
Question 2 What is meant in the verse (2184) by "and for those who can afford it to feed a poor"?
But 2184 doesn't say "those who can afford it". It says "those who can do it with difficulty". So even if you can abstain from food and drink but with difficulty, you are OK to feed the poor instead.
Question 3 2185 "...and whoever is ill or travelling, then a count of other days. God intends for you ease and He dos not want to make things difficult for you, and to complete the count..." Which count to complete?
The count to complete is the count of a few days talked about immediately before in 2184. A few is 3-10 so completion of a few is reaching the maximum of 10.
I am of course open to better interpretations, if you would like to share them.
Peace,
Ayman
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Brother ayman, in order for Muhammad to address what was revealed to him, people must have gathered/present to witness his call. The question of the blind, deaf and dumb to not (or cannot) "witness" does not arise (perhaps the word witness as translated seems either incorrect or misunderstood). The leverage of fasting set upon the sickly, travelers and the destitite is pretty much conditioned as per the Quran.
Samia makes a good first point in her previous post. Perhaps verse 2187 is grossly misunderstood. Doesn't the worse state that ".....until the white thread is distinct from the black thread, then complete the fast until 'fajar' (dawn)"? It then further goes on to state that "....do not approach your wives at night whilst (or IF) one decides/retreats to worship in mosques"? What's the point of eating and drinking all night long and not during daytime? Besides, was the quran revealed/addressed at night or during the day?
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Peace Farida,
I myself have no details of Zainab's case but I think she knew the attackers and, as you know a blind person is compensated by having other senses to a higher standard than a normal person. The issue was not that she did not know the attackers but that, because she was blind, her evidence was not acceptable so even DNA testing would not be acceptable to those who apply a rigid interpretation of the Qur'an, just as you do not accept an online sighting of the moon.
peaceDNA is acceptable as evidence as witnessed by an expert on DNA. The blind girl didn't witness the DNA of the attackers so your analogy is irrelevant. If she knew her attackers and can identify them based on sound then this is another matter and her testimony based on sound can be accepted although any defense attorney would probably cast doubt on it.
As for an online sighting of the scorching full moon, look at my avatar on the left side of your screen.
If you are talking about the image that Belal posted and claimed to be the sighting of the new moon, he was lying and it was actually a doctored image.
Peace,
Ayman
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Peace Farida,
DNA is acceptable as evidence as witnessed by an expert on DNA. The blind girl didn't witness the DNA of the attackers so your analogy is irrelevant. If she knew her attackers and can identify them based on sound then this is another matter and her testimony based on sound can be accepted although any defense attorney would probably cast doubt on it.
As for an online sighting of the scorching full moon, look at my avatar on the left side of your screen.
Peace,
Ayman
Salaam Ayman,
I am talking about those who apply the verses of the Qur'an rigidly, (in the case of Ramadan you do it), and for them DNA does not matter nor that the girl could identify the culprits. This case made international headlines and left a terrible impression of Islam on the wider world so I am by no means trying to outdo you, but I am discussing what we read and what we should see as the essence of the message which you do on many occasions.
If you are talking about the image that Belal posted and claimed to be the sighting of the new moon, he was lying and it was actually a doctored image.
No I am talking about the moonsighting site I followedhttp//www.moonsighting.com/
peace
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Peace Prissy,
Brother ayman, in order for Muhammad to address what was revealed to him, people must have gathered/present to witness his call. The question of the blind, deaf and dumb to not (or cannot) "witness" does not arise (perhaps the word witness as translated seems either incorrect or misunderstood). The leverage of fasting set upon the sickly, travelers and the destitite is pretty much conditioned as per the Quran.
It depends on what is being witnessed. If your talking to a blind person then they can witness. If you are talking to a deaf person then they can witness by reading your lips. If your or my eyes are covered and our ears are plugged then you and I cannot witness. So in this case both the blind and deaf persons can witness while you and I can't (although we are present). As I asked you and you didn't answer, what is the point of saying "whoever amongst you"? Since in the context of time everyone is always "present" anyway then why not just command to abstain and that is it?
Samia makes a good first point in her previous post. Perhaps verse 2187 is grossly misunderstood. Doesn't the worse state that ".....until the white thread is distinct from the black thread, then complete the fast until 'fajar' (dawn)"? It then further goes on to state that "....do not approach your wives at night whilst (or IF) one decides/retreats to worship in mosques"? What's the point of eating and drinking all night long and not during daytime? Besides, was the quran revealed/addressed at night or during the day?
No it doesn't say ".....until the white thread is distinct from the black thread, then complete the fast until 'fajar' (dawn)". It says ".....until the white thread is distinct from the black thread of 'fajar' (dawn), then complete the fast until 'layl' (night)". So you objection is not valid.
Peace,
Ayman
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If you are talking about the image that Belal posted and claimed to be the sighting of the new moon, he was lying and it was actually a doctored image.
http//www.birding.in/images/Birds/golden_eagle.jpg
http//aa.usno.navy.mil/idltemp/current_moon.php
Instead of answering my Questions, you are making more new lies.
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Peace Farida,
I am talking about those who apply the verses of the Qur'an rigidly, (in the case of Ramadan you do it), and for them DNA does not matter nor that the girl could identify the culprits. This case made international headlines and left a terrible impression of Islam on the wider world so I am by no means trying to outdo you, but I am discussing what we read and what we should see as the essence of the message which you do on many occasions.
Farida, do you have faith in the great reading? If so, do you really think that those who commit such terrible injustices are applying the great reading rigidly?
I would say quite the opposite. They are not applying the truth from our lord in the great reading rigidly. They don't even understand what the word "islam" means and they take it as a meaningless label that we are born with or achieved by mechanically uttering some words. You are not helping them and in fact you are contributing to the very problems that you are criticizing by not translating the language-independent universal concept of "islam" which was known even before Arabic was invented. If you want change, then let's start with ourselves first.
No I am talking about the moonsighting site I followedhttp//www.moonsighting.com/
I am afraid you are following another doctored image
We, at Moonsighting.com, calculate where the crescent moon sighting is possible for every lunar month. Visibility of the New Crescent Moon is calculated using the criteria, developed after decades of research by Khalid Shaukat, of Moonsighting Committee Worldwide (MCW).
Hmm... I don't remember 2185 saying anything about witnessing a doctored image, a committee, or even an image doctored by a committee.
Come on everyone, help Farida out. How hard can this be? We are in the digital age where everyone and their 4 year old son or daughter has a digital camera or a camera phone and yet no one of the billion so-called Muslims can witness the new moon and post a real image????????????!
How sad. But this is what the god does to even a billion people who ignore his clear command in 2185.
Peace,
Ayman
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Peace Prissy,
what is the point of saying "whoever amongst you"? Since in the context of time everyone is always "present" anyway then why not just command to abstain and that is it?
Ayman
Salaam Ayman
Sorry the question was directed at Prissy, but maybe it meant those who live in places near the North and South pole where, during a summer month, the sun never sets, so dawn does not happen and thus do not experience day and night as the rest of the world. Often its been debated in those parts of the world how they are supposed to fast in the absence of a clear division of day and night.
Even in countries like the Uk and Sweden duirng summer months there is just twilight (no real darkness) and then the sun rises. I will be so happy if I am exempted from fasting in those months as days are really long and, in a few years Ramadan will fall in mid summer. wowpeace
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Peace Farida,
Farida, do you have faith in the great reading? If so, do you really think that those who commit such terrible injustices are applying the great reading rigidly?
Peace,
Ayman
Of course they are not following the Quran but if we insist on literal meanings of the Arabic than according to some a deaf person would not be able to divorce his wife as he can not utter world talaq.
I am afraid you are following another doctored image
I was not following any image just the calculation of moon cycle by new techonology/websites.
Hmm... I don't remember 2185 saying anything about witnessing a doctored image, a committee, or even an image doctored by a committee.
Come on everyone, help Farida out. How hard can this be? We are in the digital age where everyone and their 4 year old son or daughter has a digital camera or a camera phone and yet no one of the billion so-called Muslims can witness the new moon and post a real image????????????!
How sad. But this is what the god does to even a billion people who ignore his clear command in 2185.
Does the great reading mention an image by the digital camera or do we have a tug of war here who wins the arguments??????
I have posted above my understanding of those "who witness/whoever amongst you" in an earlier post and would welcome your comments.
peace
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But 2184 doesn't say "those who can afford it". It says "those who can do it with difficulty". So even if you can abstain from food and drink but with difficulty, you are OK to feed the poor instead.
Salaam Ayman
Thanks for your responseWhy is it (with difficulty)? What's the meaning of (Taaqa , the verbal noun of yuteeq) in these verses
2249 "They say We have no power this day against Goliath". In other words, we cannot afford fighting Goliath, not we cannot afford with difficulty fighting Goliath;
2286 "Our lord, ....and do not put upon us a burden greater than we have strength to bear..." in other words, greater than we are able to, than we can afford. -
Peace Farida,
Sorry the question was directed at Prissy, but maybe it meant those who live in places near the North and South pole where, during a summer month, the sun never sets, so dawn does not happen and thus do not experience day and night as the rest of the world. Often its been debated in those parts of the world how they are supposed to fast in the absence of a clear division of day and night.
Even in countries like the Uk and Sweden duirng summer months there is just twilight (no real darkness) and then the sun rises. I will be so happy if I am exempted from fasting in those months as days are really long and, in a few years Ramadan will fall in mid summer. wowThose who find hardship in fasting regardless of the reason can feed a poor person according to 2185.
The question was about Prissy saying that "shahad" doesn't mean "witness" but simply means being "pesent". Your answer doesn't address the question since people in Sweden or anywhere on earth are also "present".
Peace,
Ayman
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Peace Every one'
The word "Shahed" means Testify, according to the Quran;
An Example of Shahada or Shada in Quran
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Allah Testifies (Shahed) that there is no god but He, and angels and those endued with knowledge, standing firm on justice There is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise. (3-1
I testify (Ashadu) that there is No God But Allah, without Seeing Him.
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Say "What thing is most weighty in evidence?" Say "Allah is Witness between me and you this Qur'an hath been revealed to me by inspiration That I may warn you and all whom it reaches. Can ye possibly bear witness that besides Allah there are other gods?" Say "Nay! I cannot bear witness!" Say "But in truth He is the One God and I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining others with Him. (6-19)
Now Why Ayman insisting that ones must SEE The MOON if they Want To Fast.
According to God, Shahad means testify or witness by true knowledge. -
Peace Samia,
Why is it (with difficulty)? What's the meaning of (Taaqa , the verbal noun of yuteeq) in these verses
2249 "They say We have no power this day against Goliath". In other words, we cannot afford fighting Goliath, not we cannot afford with difficulty fighting Goliath;It means we can't do it even with difficulty. If they say they can't do it with ease then they are admitting to be lazy and cowards. But if they say they can't do it with difficulty then "dificulty" is their excuse. I hope you see the difference.
2286 "Our lord, ....and do not put upon us a burden greater than we have strength to bear..." in other words, greater than we are able to, than we can afford.
Exactly. It is not "do not burden us with what we can't carry easily" (otherwise we are lazy) it is "do not burden us with what we can't carry even with great difficulty".
Let me ask you a couple of questions.
When you say to someone in Arabic "Ana tayiq al7arr" then what does this mean? Does it mean that you can easily take the heat or you can take it with difficulty?
Also, when you say to someone in Arabic "Ana la atiq al7arr" then what does this mean? Does it mean that you can't take the heat even though it is easy on you or you can't take it even with great difficulty?
Peace,
Ayman
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Salaam Belal
I also thought of the meaning "to testify", but descarded it immediately after scanning this verb in the qur'aan and how it is used.. The verb "yashhadu" meaning "to testify" does not take a direct object. You cannot find in the qur'aan "yashhadu something" meaning to testify. It's to testify THAT or testify ON/UPON something/someone (yashhadu unna/inna or yashhadu 3ala), or just yashhadu without being followed directly by the object.
In the case this verb is followed directly by the object (as the case of the verse we are discussing), then it means to witness.
I hope others try to search this verb in the qur'aan in case I missed something. -
Peace Farida,
Those who find hardship in fasting regardless of the reason can feed a poor person according to 2185.
Peace,Ayman
This is the blessing of our Lord, but I was talking about excemption from fasting.
The question was about Prissy saying that "shahad" doesn't mean "witness" but simply means being "pesent". Your answer doesn't address the question since people in Sweden or anywhere on earth are also "present".
Sorry I should have explained I was reffering to "whoever amongst you" witness the clear division of day and night" and even if people in Sweden are present they do not ger to witness night and dark night most summer months.
Brother Bilal in his last post has given "An Example of Shahada or Shada in Quran" and I would now follow your response to that.
Thanks for addressing my questions.
peace