She Wants to Marry Her Paternal Uncle’s Son, But Her Brothers Were Breastfed by His Mum – Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ was asked about a girl who wants to marry the son of her paternal uncle. However, her brothers were breastfed by the mother of this man she wants to marry. Is she permitted for him in marriage or is she forbidden for him?

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said:

“It is clear from this question that the man who wants this woman was not breastfed by her mum, and that she was not breastfed by his mum. Accordingly, there is no brotherhood between her and the man, and so, it is lawful for him to marry her. As for his brothers who were breastfed by her mother, she is not lawful for them because she is their sister.”

Source: Fatāwá Nūr ʿalá al-Darb (10: 528, no. 5484) of Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn.

Does the Father Have to Pay for His Son’s Wedding? Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn, may Allāh have mercy upon him, was asked whether he could provide some words of advice to the youth regarding hastening marriage and protecting their chastity.

The Shaykh, may Allāh have mercy upon him, replied:

“Yes, there are no better words than the words of the Prophet ﷺ who said, “O young men, whoever amongst you is able to marry, then let him marry, for indeed it is more effective in guarding the gaze and protecting the private parts, and whoever is unable, then he must fast for indeed it will be a restraint for him.”

I advise the youth to hasten in marrying, especially in this age in which the causes of temptations and distractions have become numerous. This is why we find many of the youth enduring the difficulty of bachelorhood, and if it was not for his belief in Allāh – the Almighty and Majestic – he would have gone hunting for fornication.

Moreover, I say, if the young man has sufficient wealth to marry, then this is what is demanded in order for him to marry. If, however, he does not have wealth, it is obligatory upon his father to marry him off if he is capable of that, just as it is obligatory upon him to spend on him in terms of food, drink, clothing, and accommodation. It is not lawful for anyone whom Allāh has enriched, and his sons have reached the age of marriage, and they seek that from him – either through their explicit speech or their actions which indicate seeking marriage – it is not lawful for him to prevent that. Rather, it is obligatory upon him to marry them off, and if he does not do that then he is sinning, and Allāh will not bless his wealth for him. Some of the ignoramuses amongst fathers say a common proverb to their children if they seek to marry, “Nothing scratches your back like your own nails” (i.e., one should abstain from relying on others), you go and obtain what you can marry with on your own, otherwise I will not marry you off. This is prohibited for them as long as they are capable and their sons are unable.”

Source: Fatāwá Nūr ʿalá al-Darb (10: 15) of Sh. Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn. The ḥadīth is from al-Bukhārī (5066) and Muslim (1400).

Delaying Marriage to Focus on Studies or to Build One’s Future – Sh. Ibn al-‘Uthaymin

The Shaykh, may Allāh have mercy upon him, was asked:

“If a young man delays marriage until after his 30s, and he is capable of it, is there any blame on him because he wants to build his future and finish his studies (first)?”

The Shaykh, may Allāh have mercy upon him, replied:

Yes, there is (blame) on him because he did not adopt the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ, which is his statement, “O young men, whoever among you is able to marry, let him get married, for indeed it is more effective in lowering the gaze and protecting one’s chastity”, so he commanded the young men to marry and explained its benefits.

The statement that it will distract one’s studies and from building one’s future is a false statement. How many a people there are who do not relax except after marrying, then they find relaxation and sufficiency of provision, and abstention from looking at what is prohibited in terms of women and images and the like.

Hence, my advice to all young men is to marry early in compliance with the command of the Messenger ﷺ and in seeking to procure sustenance – because the one who marries seeking chastity, Allāh the Almighty and Majestic helps him, just as in the ḥadīth, “It is a right upon Allāh to help three” and he mentioned among them, “and the one who marries with the goal of chastity”.

Source: Fatāwá Nūr ʿalá al-Darb of ʿUthaymīn (10: 7, no. 4967). The first ḥadīth is from: al-Bukhārī (5066) & Muslim (1400), and the second ḥadīth is from: al-Tirmidhī (1655) & al-Nasāʾī (3218).

Is It Permissible to Ignore Questions from Some People?

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ explains in his explanation of Bulūgh al-Marām (15: 126) that if someone asks questions out of obstinacy (تَعَنُّتًا), you are not required to answer him, no matter what question he asks. This is because Allāh states in Sūrah al-Māʾidah (5): 42:

{So, if they come to you; judge between them or turn away from them}

The Jews would ask the Prophet ﷺ questions out of obstinacy, so Allāh gave the Prophet ﷺ the choice between answering them or not.

The leading Imāms were like this as well, they would become angry at questions which were inappropriate. An example of this is Imām Mālik’s angry reaction to the man who asked him about Allāh’s ascension on the Throne.  

Is al-Nur One of Allah’s Names?

Sh. ʿAlī b. Ḥasan al-Ḥalabī رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said to al-Imām al-Albānī رَحِمَهُ اللهُ,

“Our Shaykh, is it not said regarding this verse {Allāh is the light of the heavens and the earth} that the verse which comes after it, it is as though it contains an indication that al-Nūr is not from the Names [of Allāh] based on the evidence {The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp}, thus the light came in the possessive form.”

Imām al-Albānī replied, “Yes, it is like a simile (tashbīh).”

Source: Suʾālāt ʿAlī b. Ḥasan b. ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd al-Ḥalabī al-Atharī li Shaykhihi al-Imām al-ʿAllāmah al-Muḥaddith al-Faqīh al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (1: 128, no. 22).

Is One Who Studies a Non-Salafī ʿAqīdah Excused Based on Such-and-Such Scholar Holding that ʿAqīdah?

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said, “This particular person is not excused where the truth has reached him, because it is obligatory upon him to follow the truth wherever it is, and to search for it until it becomes clear to him.

The truth – and all praise is due to Allāh – is pure and clear to the one whose intention is sound, and his methodology is good, for indeed Allāh the Almighty and Majestic says in His Book, {And indeed We have made the Qurʾān easy to remember, so is there anyone who will pay heed} [al-Qamar (54): 22]. However, some people, as the brother querist has mentioned, have those whom they hold in high esteem and follow without deviating from their opinions, despite it crossing their minds that their opinions may be weak or false, however due to fanaticism and desire they are carried away in agreeing with them, even though the guidance may have become clear to them.”

Source: Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muammad b. Ṣāli al-ʿUthaymīn, 2: 129, no. 223.

Is It Permissible to Declare a Specific Person a Disbeliever if They Do an Excommunicable Act?

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said, “If the pre-requisites of excommunication are fulfilled with respect to him, it is permissible to declare disbelief on him specifically, and if we did not do that, the description of apostasy would never be applied to anyone. Thus, he is treated as an apostate in this world with respect to the rulings of this worldly life. As for the rulings of the Hereafter, they are mentioned in a general sense and not specifically, this is why Ahl al-Sunnah say,

‘We do not testify for anyone [as being in] Paradise nor the Fire except for the one whom the Prophet ﷺ testified.’

Likewise, we say, whoever fasts Ramaḍān out of faith and expectation, his coming and previous sins are forgiven, however we do not declare this for a specific person. This is because the ruling connected to the descriptions are not applied to individuals except when the pre-requisites of its application are fulfilled and its preventative factors are removed.”

Source: Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, 2:125, no. 219.

Is It Permissible to Declare a Person Specifically as Being a Disbeliever?

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said, “Yes, it is permissible for us to declare a specific person to be a disbeliever if the causes of disbelief are confirmed. Hence, if we see a man rejecting messenger-ship (al-risālah), or a man who permits seeking judgement from a false deity (ṭāghūt), or a man who permits ruling by other than what Allāh revealed, and he says it is better than the ruling of Allāh after the proof has been established against him, then we judge him to be a disbeliever. Thus, if we find the causes of disbelief, and the pre-requisites are confirmed, and the preventative factors are removed, then we excommunicate the person specifically, and we make it binding on him to return to Islām, or he is executed.”

Source: Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muammad b. Ṣāli al-ʿUthaymīn, 2: 124-125, no. 218.

What Are the Conditions of Takfir? And What is the Ruling on One Who Does an Excommunicable Act Jokingly?

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said, “Excommunication of a Muslim as a ruling has two prerequisites:

[1] Establishing the proof of that thing being excommunicable.

[2] Application of the ruling on one who does that, such that he is knowledgeable of it and intended it. If he was ignorant, he is not excommunicated. This is based on His, Exalted be He’s statement:

وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا ۝١

{And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers, We shall leave him on his chosen path and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination} [al-Nisāʾ (4): 115].

And His statement:

وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ

{And Allāh would not let a people stray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of all things} [al-Tawbah (9): 115].

And His statement:

وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًۭا

{And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger} [al-Isrāʾ (17): 15].

However, if he is negligent by abandoning learning and seeking clarification then he is not excused. For example: it reaches him that this action of his is disbelief, but then he does not verify it, nor research it, in that case he is not excused.

If he did not intend to do the excommunicable act, then he is not excommunicated for that. For example: if he is forced to do [an act of] disbelief while his heart is sure with faith, or his mind was overcome and he did not know what he was saying due to extreme joy or its like, like the owner of the camel which wandered off, so he lay down under a tree awaiting death, then he finds it standing before him so he takes hold of its nose-string and says ‘O Allāh, You are my slave, and I am Your Lord’ – he makes a mistake due to extreme joy.

However, whoever does an excommunicable act jokingly, he disbelieves because he intended that as the scholars have determined.”

Source: Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, 2: 125 – 126, no. 220.

What Is the Correct Opinion Regarding Women Attending Jumuʿah Prayer? By Sh. Ibn ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ

Sh. Ibn ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said:

“The weightier view is that it is not prescribed as a sunnah for her to attend the Jumuʿah prayer, nor any other prayer except for the ʿĪd prayer, for the Prophet ﷺ commanded women to go out for the ʿĪd prayer. Anything other than that is permitted (مُبَاح) but it is not something desirable.

It is obligatory upon the woman, if she goes out for ʿĪd prayer or other prayers, or for a need in the market, that she goes out without displaying beauty and unperfumed, and that she walks modestly.”

Source: Majmūʿ Fatāwá wa Rasāʾil Faḍīlat al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, 16: 35, no. 1192.