The Women Around the Messenger SAW – Episode 38

mean, Masato Salaam, Arusha, phenacetin satana Mohammed Ali, he also married my beloved brothers and sisters in Islam Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh. Thank you so much for joining us this episode 38 of our series, The blistered women around the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam Alhamdulillah, at the point of this recording is the 24th of December, year in Cape Town, tomorrow will be the 25th of December, which is, of course Christmas that is celebrated in much of the world. And before we begin, we get many questions around Islam and Christmas or, you know, we live in a society that is predominantly Christian, many of our neighbors, our co workers, our colleagues, our

friends, come from the Christian background, and it will be a very holy day, or a very special occasion for them. And the question arises for us as Muslims, what can and what Can't we do with regards to this holiday because this is not a any kind of holiday, it is a religious holiday, it is a holiday that is attached to some kind of religious belief, that is, of course not in conformity with Islam. So what can I do as a Muslim? Now, when hamdulillah we as Muslims, especially in South Africa, especially in Cape Town, we're very fortunate that we live in a a tolerant, accepting society that we as Muslims have hamdulillah we can practice our religion freely and comfortably that

we can build our massages that we can, you know, practice and even preach our Deen, you know, with absolute freedom. I commonly say this, that I don't know of a Muslim community, even in Muslim majority countries that have the kind of freedoms that we as Muslims in south and Southern Africa in general have will happen to them, I'll keep it that way. And a big part of that is because of our understanding that we live in a pluralistic society, that Islam, you know, it accommodates a society of multi-phase. Without a doubt, Allah says to the deen and the religion with allies and Islam, that Allah has only one religion with him. And that is the deen of Islam, and that we should go out and

call and invite those of other faiths to Islam. If they accept Alhamdulillah, then they are brothers in faith. However, what do we do if they reject this faith? If they reject the faith of Islam, then this is between them and Allah, like Rafi Dena is no compulsion in religion, we do not impose our Islam upon them, and that they have the full liberty and freedom within an Islamic Society. If we live in an Islamic Society, they would have the full freedom and liberty to practice their religion, to have the Christmas to have the Diwali to have all the rituals. This is this will be allowed within the Sharia, so so much more so of course, when we live in a non Muslim society, and the fact

that if you remember back in our last episode, in the previous episode, we mentioned that there is a very large, Christian Coptic community in Egypt, that they were the Sahaba into Egypt, when say, nama rhodiola, and the Sahaba, or the armies of Satan onward into Egypt, and Egypt became a part of the Muslim Empire, if you will, they found this Coptic community until today, 1400 years later, they are slowly and we as Muslims have allowed them and given them the full freedom to practice their religion, and to celebrate their religious holidays and festivities. So without a doubt, it shouldn't be confused that Islam allows non Muslims the full freedom to practice their religion,

that they may go to the churches and synagogues and temples and practice, even if this is in contradiction to Islam. And we as Muslims, we respect and allow them to do those things we respect and allow them to really express their religion as they choose as they want to do. So. However, it does not mean that we should participate in that. And this is the difference between tolerance and going to an extreme where you actually participate. So for example, we as Muslims, we would be happy for the non Muslims to tolerate us in terms of we can practice our religion, that you can perform your salasar comes a day that you can leave work on a Joomla perform you your Joomla, in the middle

of the day, 12 o'clock in the middle of the working week, well hamdulillah Go and do your Joomla. And in full that timing, this is tolerance, if we impose and we see that no, you should also join us and you owe the company should close down for jumar whether the company should close for then this is extreme, this goes overboard, we don't require for those who are not Muslim, to participate in our religious practices, so long as they allow us to practice our religion with respect with tolerance while hamdulillah and so too, we should do the same as Muslims. we accommodate and we allow our fellow Christian friends and neighbors to practice their religion. We do not though

participate in that in any form of any ritual. So for example, if we're talking about a Christian relative or a Christian friend that has passed away, you can offer your condolences to the family. You can sympathize with the family you can show and pay your respects are evil. You cannot be part of the religious ceremony that goes attached to that. You have a Christian friend. That is getting

married, you may attend the celebration, but you cannot be part of the religious, the nikka, as we would say that walima with is a celebration, of course, so long as they are not other haraam issues attached to that, but the celebration in congratulating them and wishing them the best in the marriage, nothing wrong. And in fact, Islam allows us so we should understand the line between condemning and being extreme on the one regard where you are, where you are bigoted, or where you are oppressive to other faiths. As a Muslim, you can't do that or disrespectful. In fact, Allah forbids us from insulting the idols that they used to worship in Makkah, Allah says, Don't insult

them, don't be disrespectful to the idols of the Quraysh. So we should never ever disrespect another religion, we cannot do that we should hold those religions in the utmost respect. And really, in the times that we live in a person of faith, whichever faith that they are, and they are deeply devoted to the faith, it's a good thing in a time when it is out of fashion to be religious, it is good to see people that they are attached to some kind of belief. So we respect them for that, and we allow them to practice that religion. And we though we don't go to the extreme, where we actually participate in something which is haram. So for example, we will we will year over these days, we

mentioned where you have to believe Allah subhanaw taala has taken a partner and he has a son, or that he came down in human form, we as Muslims cannot say that this is fine, or that we as Muslims accept this kind of belief, and that we are okay with it. We are not okay with it in terms of our theology, but we respect them in terms of the day are allowed to practice their religion, and to fully express that in a respectful manner. And that is fine as a Muslim. So perhaps, you know, the best you could do. You find yourself at work, and your Christian friends want to take off on the day. Now in South Africa, it's a public holiday, maybe in the industry you work with someone has to

be at work, you as the Muslim, we volunteered, look, we will be here at work and you go and spend time with your family, you're going to spend time and do your thing. We respect you in that. So we will support you in that. If you for example. You I revert you've embraced Islam, and I have a very close family members that have embraced Islam. And actually the family would like to get together over Christmas, what can I do? What can I do, go and be part of your family's supper or your families get together, you should still maintain your family bonds. Islam, in fact enforces that you should still be good to your mother, your father, your brothers, your sisters, even if there are

different faiths, as a Muslim, you should be even more closer to your family through the laws of kingship from Islam. But when it comes to religious aspects, when a play is being said, or when an offering is made for something other than Allah subhanaw taala, then you as a Muslim should stand one side and say, Well, I just I respect you, and tolerate you to do your thing. But please don't insist that I participate. Similarly, we would not insist you to join us when we make mothership solar, or when we perform a ritual, we don't expect that you should join us, but so long as you allow us to do our thing. And then and hamdulillah when it comes to matters beyond that, then we

have full love and concern and care as neighbors as friends as fellow fellow people of humanity, nothing wrong. And this is what Islam basically teaches us. So this requires a bit of wisdom. It's not a one size fits all every situation should be assessed separately. And as Muslims, we just remember, irrespective of the person's faith, irrespective of the view the politics whatever it might be, having good luck and good character for every single human being and even beyond human beings is required as a Muslim, this is what is required of you as a Muslim. So always be respectful. Take it as a golden rule, that I should be respectful to every person in every situation

and inshallah We hope that this will be this will be sufficient. Getting back to our mother, Maria, and we mentioned that our mother Maria, Alka Tia, she was a Coptic Christian Coptic faith, and that she came to Islam or she came to Medina, as a slave that her family had donated her and her sister to the church, her family actually gave her and, and a sister a slave to the church. And then when the prophets of Salaam wrote a letter to the Pope of Egypt, the patriarch or the head of the Church of Egypt, the prophet wrote him a letter inviting him to Islam. The man took the letter, Islam, Osiris, he took the letter, and he responded to the problem in a very respectful manner. And again,

this is actually ties into our discussion. He said, Look, I respect you and I admire you, oh, Mohammed. And you know, I've taken under very serious consideration your message of Islam, that you might be a prophet, I'm thinking about it. However, I have not accepted your religion. I don't accept your religion. But I want to show you that I respect you. And this is a classic example of I respect you but I still disagree with you, I still maintain my own individuality. So he disagreed with with the message, but he showed his respect by actually giving the prophets are set up a few gifts and over those gifts, he gave these two goals. He said, Look, I have two slave girls. They

were donated to us from the church. They are not just any slaves, they come from very high society. In fact, they the daughters are very posh people.

They very beautiful, they've really educated and talented. I give them to you these two sisters do with him as you please there for you. Now, what does Islam say about slavery? This is where it becomes controversial in terms of what is Islam's position in terms of slavery. At that time, as we can see the Christian practice slavery, the Arabs practice slavery, beloved, for example, was the slaves and manufacturers he was a slave, the Persians, the Romans, the Hindus, every single society on Earth, you could say, you know, there was no society and other didn't really have slaves. This was part and parcel of life, and this is a social ill This is a social injustice that man had

created. So man invented slavery, when Allah subhanho wa Taala created us. And Allah says this very clearly, in the verses where Allah speaks about that all of us came from one man and one woman that we are all brothers in humanity, that Allah Subhana Allah mentions that we were created into different tribes, different colors, that he gave us different languages. But that superiority one over the other is only in taqwa that no race is better than the other. No culture is superior to another culture. The only thing which makes one men superior to another man is his devotion to Allah. This is the only thing in Chrome in the law. Akaka Allah says only through the taqwa of Allah

is one put above the other, so slavering. So we did slavery come, we know that Allah created our father, Adam, our mother Hawa as many people, the children were free. So how did we get slavery slavery was an invention by mankind we as people invented slavery, and this is the most evil things we have ever created. So when Islam came on the scene, they were many injustices they were people bidding the daughters alive, they will people drinking Hamada, they will people using interests they will tribes, committing genocide against other tribes and slavery is another of those social injustices. So Islamic philosophy is that Islam is 100% against slavery and Islam removes social

injustices in a step process. So if you know the seal or if you know the history of the prophet SAW Selim, when he came, he did not from day one say guys, alcohol is haram and gambling is haram and stealing is haram and slavery is haram. And then in a whole list of do's and don'ts, of course, no one will be able to practice this. But all the things would change in a in a gradual process. So alcohol became phased out over a number of years, gambling, interest, these kind of things slowly but surely got phased out step by step, and slavery as well. Islam put through policies step by step that would ultimately lead to the abolishment of slavery. So what were the steps that Islam put in

place? broadly speaking, Islam did three things. Number one, Islam said that you cannot create new slaves. So Islam blocked off all avenues of creating new slaves. Then, secondly, Islam said, Look, for the current slave, those who are slaves already, they are going to be strict rules in terms of how you treat them, you're going to have to treat them in the best of manner. And even if you do, so, this is not the best thing. Step three comes in. We want you to actually emancipate them, they are going to be incentives for you to sit your slaves free. So Islam did this in a staged process. So the first thing as we said, it began blocking of all kinds of avenues. So there's a hadith For

example, when you find Bihari, the prophets of Salaam says that there'll be three types of people that I will testify against him on camera, and if I testify against you on camera, you will be ruined, you won't, you will not succeed. One of those people, one of those three, is a man who swears by a law and to get to sort of a business contract, and then he breaks it, he lies. That's the one man. The second man is someone who does not pay his workers wages in full and very dangerous for us. The third man is someone who sells a free person as a slave. This is a serious thing. So promises if you take a free man, and you make him a slave, then you're guaranteed janam. Now in the

past, people would make the children slaves or how would a slave be made? You will for example, you you have a debt, you would say, look, I can't pay my dad to take a hammer at my son, he's going to be your slave. You might find one tribe attacking another tribe and taking the children and the women and making them slaves. You might find people themselves voluntary, I will be a slave or you found in Maria's case, parents donating the children to the church as slaves. Islam says all this is abolished, you cannot make a free person a slave. And this in fact, in when Islam is looked at, I even so, you know, over the last week, someone did a comparison. It's obviously not non Muslim. We

said Islam versus Christianity. Islam promotes slavery, whereas the Bible promotes liberty. In fact, you find in the Bible, in Exodus, it says that if a man a father were to sell his daughter as a slave, she may not go free as another as normal slave go. So the Bible the oldest

The media allows a father to actually sell his children into slavery Islam, of course, this is completely Haram. So Islam blocked off every single avenue of making someone a slave, except in jihad, except if someone attacks us, we defeat them and we keep them as a prisoner of war. And they are unable to pay the freedom than they are maintained a slave. This is the only one aspect and we see jihad is the last resort we get to fighting right at the end when we have exhausted everything else. So this is the only avenue of making a free person a slave, Islam blocked of all the doors. The second thing Islam said, Look, for current slaves, what we should do is, we should treat them

with the utmost respect and key, you find the Hadith the provinces, whoever has a slave, then he should feed him with the same food he eats, he should clothe him with the same clothes that he weighs. Now, brothers, I want us to think about our domestic workers. Now a slave is even below a domestic worker who have asked when we buy clothes for our children, we buy our domestic workers the same clothes, that when we eat from the table, do we even give our domestic workers the same food or the leftovers? Now slave is beneath that yet Islam says, you give your slave and you treat them as a member of your family, that you should not overwork your slave. And if you give them a task that

they can't do, then you must assist them that if you strike your slave, the Hadith says that if you strike your slave, then the punishment for you is jahannam. And the only way you can save yourself from that punishment is you need to set a slave free. So now we find very, very strict rules that if you have a slave, they are very, very strict rules that you need to abide by. And that's why many writers when they entered for outside of Islam, they came to Muslim countries. They were amazed and they looked at how Muslims treated slaves. You find For example, one of the most beautiful examples when say nominal, Milan traveled to Palestine when he conquered Palestine Of course, the chief

priest of Palestine said, I will only give you the keys of the city if you come personally or someone will say no problem. I'll go to Palestine. And he went to Palestine with him was a slave Just the two of them. And so sweet Norma said look, we only have one donkey one camel, we will take turns one hour, I will ride one hour you will ride and this is how Subhanallah it's fair, that the Sharia says that we need to be treat each other equally. So when they got to Palestine, it was the turn of the slave to ride the camel. The surname city I mean, look, we entering the city, I can't be riding the camel and you're walking, you're the halifa. So no mercy, no fees fee, it's your hour and

two behind on life. This is how he entered the city, within walking any slave riding the camel. Now this is really what Islam is saying, if you're going to have a slave, this is how you should take your slave. And even if you treat your slave like this, it's still not the best. Then Islam says the third step. In fact, even if you have a slave and you treat them as your own children, you feed them, you clothe them, you treat them like a member of your family. So it's not enough. What Islam really wants from you is from Kolkata, lit a nickel free meaning free a slave. The prophets of Salaam system, which are the best charity you can give is to set someone free the to free someone

from bondage. The Quran says to us it says to anyone who owns a slave, and we said this doesn't exist anymore when hamdulillah that if your slave asks you for a writing of emancipation, your slave says, look, Master set me free, then you must give him an opportunity to buy his freedom if he's a good person, that you should look for a way of setting him free. And if you set him free, give him some money so he can start his life. And the Sharia, for example tells you that the person who sits a slave fee, the reward for that is that he himself is set free from jahannam. Every slave you set free, it is like a get out of jail free card from jahannam. To really understand how Islam actively

look to remove slavery. In surah Toba, you have the eight categories of Zakah then when we take his account money, everyone donates the money to send that there are only eight types of people you can give us a cow, you can't give it back out to the masjid. You can't give it back out to the school. There are specific people the poor, the needy, the one in debt. One of those eight categories is those in slavery. So those who are enslaved, we should actually give them money to set them free. So if today we had slavery today, and this hamdulillah doesn't exist today, oh, we should fight it that it does not ever exist again, then sends that should give some portion of its money. Yeah, you go

slaves by yourself freedom, whether they are Muslim, or non Muslim, even a non Muslim, we buy them and set them free that it is a policy of the government to buy slaves and set them free. So this clearly shows you the Sharia. While it did not put down a law it is haram that we will abolish slavery in one go. It put many steps forward. And for 1400 years ago, when people were donating the children even as slaves. This was revolutionary. This was something completely new. It was a major step forward for people at that time.

time that you know Subhanallah you can't even curse your slave, you can't strike your slave that you need to treat them with the best utmost respect that you should, basically and if they are set free, then they are your brothers and they are equals with you so hon Allah, the Sharia even goes so far to say that certain penalties if you committed certain sins, for example, you slept with your wife during the days of Ramadan, before you can for 60 days if you have a slave, number one, you must free a slave, even the slave themselves, the Sharia actually limits for them the law that you recommend Xena, they get half the punishment of a free person. So the Sharia even accommodates them

in the rights of Allah, that if they steal, they get half the punishment. So Subhana Allah, we find that the Sharia is built in such a way to strategically slowly and surely abolish slavery. So that we never saw in Islamic lands, the kind of atrocities we saw in other countries, for those who practice the Sharia correctly. They never had the kind of oppression towards slaves, as you found in other parts of the world. And this and hamdulillah is the spirit of Islam and Al Hamdulillah. We said that this is something which is gone, and never shall it return. I mean, in our next episode, we'll even take this question a little further. Because we know apart from keeping a slave and

teaching them well, what about those female slaves, sleeping with him having intercourse with him? Is this permissible? Because we find in the Quran Allah says that you can have intercourse with your wife, or with the woman that is in your right hand that you possess this meaning a concubine. How can Islam allow something like this? And in fact, our mother Maria, she comes to the prophet SAW Selim as a woman like this, so we'll talk about that inshallah. In our next episode, if for any questions, concerns or comments with [email protected] for those of you on travel, please travel safely drive safely, you know, rather get the later they never and a safe return to everyone

Sokoloff a Salaam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh