140. Can the prophet bless people with riches?

In these verses (9:59, 9:74,) of the Quran we find the mention that Allah and his prophet will give His blessings to people. These verses have been grossly misunderstood by some .

It has been misunderstood by some that Prophet Muhammad has been authorised to provide wealth to the needy.This is wrong. .

Because, in the verses 2:245, 13:26, 16:71, 17:30, 28:82, 29:17, 29:62, 30:37, 34:36, 34:39, 39:52, 42:12 Allah says ‘’ I provide those whom I will, with wealth. 

And moreover Allah commands in verse (verse 6:50) Prophet Muhammad to declare that His treasuries are not under the care of Prophet Muhammad. 

Prophet Muhammad couldn’t make himself wealthy nor could he make his companions wealthy, who were reeling under the clutches of poverty. 

.Hence these verses (9:59, 9:74) need to be interpreted and understood in consonance with the sayings of the Quran and the guidance of Prophet Muhammad. .

Prophet Muhammad was not only the messenger of God but also the governmental head with the responsibility of taking care of the general public.

Even today when some ruler in a government showers his subjects with gifts we say he provided them till they were fully satisfied.

This word used with simplistic meaning should not be given to mean dangerous overtones. 

These verses do not convey the meaning that Prophet Muhammad will provide people with wealth in a similar way as does Al-mighty. And some people extend the scope of these verses to pious people in blatant misguidance.

Please refer explanation point nos 17, 41, 49, 79, 83, 100, 104, 121, 122, 141, 193, 213, 215, 245, 269, 298, 327, 397, 427, 471 to know more about how the arguments of people who indulge in worship at shrines are wrong.

139. Seeking wealth is not a sinful act.

This verse (9:34) of the Quran cautions, the pursuit of wealth by men is punishable. 

This verse was revealed before the mandatory duty of zakat was promulgated. And those who made the necessary contribution of zakat on their earnings were not held punishable.

(Hadith Book Bukhari:1404)

The various verses of the Quran that encourage people to save and earn money can be seen in the verses 4:29, 4:32, 4:34, 9:103, 16:71, 17:6, 33:27, 62:10, 71:12, 73:20. 

138. Getting married to a girl from the people of the book.

This verse of the Quran speaks about Muslims getting married to women belonging to ‘ the people of the book.’ 

Though this phrase ‘People of the book’ refers to all who believe in scriptures, it particularly means the Jews and Christians. 

This should not be misunderstood as meaning all Jews and Christians, because Prophet Isa and other prophets of the time were sent to the ‘tribes of Israel’ alone. Torah and Injeel were revealed to Israelites. We can see this in the following verses 3:49, 5:72, 7:105, 7:134, 7:138, 10:90, 17:2, 17:101, 20:47, 20:94, 26:17 32:23, 40:53, 43:59, 61:6 of the quran. 

‘I was sent to the tribes of Israel alone’ as said by Prophet Isa can be seen in verses 3:49, 5:72, 43:59, 61:6 of the Quran.

People other than Tribes of Israel who call themselves as Jews and Christians cannot be considered as those to whom the Torah and Injeel were revealed.

We need to remember that Prophet Muhammad was sent to the whole humanity, where as all the other prophets were sent community specific.

Since Jews and Christians other than ‘Tribes of Israel’ were not revealed with scriptures Torah and Injeel ,they cannot be considered as ‘People of the book’ which leads to the conclusion that Muslims are barred from getting married to women who are not part of the ‘People of the book’.Hence it is automatically to be taken to be understood that marriage with women of Jewish or Christian origin is prohibited. 

Please refer to Explanation Points 27, 137 for more details.       

137. Whether the food of ‘ The people of the Book’ is permitted for Muslims’.

.In this verse (5:5) we find, the food by ‘the people of the book is permitted to be eaten by Muslims. 

Some are of the opinion that the ‘food of people of the book’ quoted here means vegetarian food and not slaughtered animals. This is wrong. 

As far as vegetarian food is concerned it is permissible even if it is from people who do not constitute part of ‘’the people of the book” Rice,dhall, and vegetables can be eaten from any house, whether from the ‘people of the book or otherwise’..

But what is discussed here is the slaughtered meat of animals used as food by Jews. Prophet Muhammad has eaten in the houses of Jews. Attempt was made by Jews to kill Prophet Muhammad by serving meat laced with poison. There are authentic hadiths regarding this.

Hadith Book Bukhari : (2617)

When there is a restriction to eat animal food only if the animal is slaughtered in the name of Allah, this shows the exemption given to slaughtered meat food from Jews. 

. We cannot assume this (condition about slaughtered meat from Jews is permissible) to have been modified ,because this is one of the verses that was delivered in the last days of Prophet Muhammadh.

(Hadith Book Nasaye 2434)

Hence we witness here, slaughtered meat food from Jews is permitted for us, and we do not have any right to ban something permitted by Allah. But there is a difference of opinion about who ‘ People of the Book’ are.

Though the direct meaning of the word ‘People of the Book’, refers to people who believe in scriptures, the Quran generally refers to Jews and Christians as ‘the people of the book.

Here it should not be taken as meaning all the Jews and Christians till today..Because Prophet Isa was sent to the tribes of Israel exclusively. Torah and Injeel were sent to the Israelites alone, hence the food referred to here is that of those Israelites and not the food of today's Christians and Jews.

Conclusively the scriptures were not revealed to Christians and Jews who were not part of ‘People of the book ‘or’ Tribes of Israel’ and thus eating the slaughtered meat food from such people is prohibited . Hence Slaughtered meat food from the original Tribes of Israel is permitted to muslims, and not ones from Jews and Christians of today. !Please refer to Explanation points 27, 138, for more clarifications. 

136. Is lucky draw permitted in Islam?

These verses of the Quran (5:3, 5:90) say not to test one’s luck by using arrows.

Arabs had the practice of drawing lots in front of idols whom they considered gods.

To decide whether to take up a task, they would write the word ‘do’ in one arrow and ‘don’t’ in another, then they blindfold themselves, shuffle the arrows to pick one,to decide to carry on with whatever is on the drawn arrow, considering it as a message from the idols.

This kind of practice is prohibited through these verses. 

This should be taken as prohibited not only with the usage of arrows, but also with anything to be decided on the basis of drawn lots.

There is a widely prevalent practice among Muslims of using what is known as the ‘Fhal’ book. This kind of activity is also banned. Awarding power to man made objects to rule over man is wrong.

By practicing a procedure whereby drawing a lot to be treated as God’s wish amounts to having knowledge of what God has wished..

This should not be confused with what we sometimes do by drawing a pick.

When there is a need to choose one from the two, who are equally placed a draw becomes necessary, so that the other is not offended. 

Whereas Fal Kitab and drawing a lot come under the ambit of knowing the hidden knowledge of the creator to be prohibited, picking one from two equals does cover any hidden knowledge belief.

When we face a dilemma in doing certain tasks as to whether it is good or evil, the guidance from Islam is to perform a special worship called ‘Istikhara’ with a prayer invoking God to grant the best outcome in doing the deed. Hadith Book Bukhari: 1166,6382,7890. (பார்க்க: புகாரீ 1166, 6382, 7390)

135. Are we permitted to eat meat of animals sacrificed at Altars?

The verses (5:3, 5:90, 70:43) of the Quran say those animals sacrificed at altars are not to be eaten by Muslims . These verses were revealed, referring to the earlier days practice of slaughtering animals by placing them upright in the altars by Arabs. 

We need to understand these verses to mean the altar as a bed of stones with butcher blocks and anointed things at the shrine or mausoleum of dead people.

There is a number of evidence in various Hadiths regarding this.

Refer explanation point 427 for more details

134-Prophet Isa will be accepted by all as Prophet before he dies.

This verse 4:159 of the Quran says Jews and Christians will come to believe in Prophet Jesus in the right way in the last days.

Jews were declared enemies of Prophet Jesus, they did not accept him as God’s messenger, and declared him as an immoral child. The Christians accepted him albeit in wrong way as “Son of God” thus not according him due respect and by believing in the wrong way. Hence the Christians did not Believe Prophet Isa the way they should.

This verse (4:159) of the Quran predicts the absolute belief of these two sections (Christians and Jews) on Prophet Isa. 

Some people who fail to understand this prediction have done a wrong translation for this verse. 

Whom does the phrase (Illa layuminanna bihi) ‘without accepting him’ refer to. Unanimously all scholars agree that it refers to Prophet Isa.Because the previous verses talk about Prophet Isa referring to him.

.But at the same time some people get misguided in terms of defining the word ‘his’ in the phrase Qabla Maut Hi “before his death”

The phrase ”The people of the book” is mistakenly understood by some to mean as before their (the people of the book) death.

The phrase ‘Before his death ‘ in fact means ‘ Before the death of Prophet Isa.’

.There are two ways of perceiving this phrase in the light of Arabic grammar. The proper way to decide the correctness in meaning of such phrases is to summon facts from other verses regarding the same matter.

To understand the first translation is a wrong one, need not be established by facts from outside. The entire message resulting by this translation can be proved as false and a mockery can be established. 

!Look at the basic message this translation conveys.

The first translation conveys as , ‘The people of the book,everyone of them will accept Prophet Isa, before their death’.

This means ‘The people of the Book (ie) the Jews and Christians before their death will accept Prophet Isa in the exact way they should. 

As per this translation, the message conveyed here is, Jews and Christians because they accept Prophet Isa in the right perspective in their last days are believed to be dying with perfect belief. Hence there is no question of them being assigned to hell.

This translation contradicts many verses of the Quran reprimanding people for their stand on Monotheism. 

No one can accept that each Jew or Christian dies as a Muslim 

When we come to realize this translation is doubtlessly wrong, it is imperative that we accept the translation that says ‘the people of the book will accept Prophet Isa before his death’ as the right one. 

And also we come to understand Prophet Isa was alive at the time this verse was revealed , because if he had died already, the phrase ‘’ before Prophet Isa’’ couldn’t have been used..

Moreover the phrases are expressed in terms of a future happening and not as a past incidence. The message conveyed by this verse at the time of revelation is, the Jews and Christians would accept Prophet Isa in the right perspective before he dies.

Prophet Isa will descend from heaven in the last days of the world when everyone accepts Islam. and Prophet Isa would die, the hadiths saying all these happenings stand as explanations to this verse. 

Prophet Isa who was raised into the heavens, returning from there here is not to be wondered at. 

Living in a satellite era we can virtually see the descent of Prophet Isa seated in our homes, making everyone accept him and his words.

When the Quran conveys a message, we are not to refute it at the fancy of our opinion.When the Quran says “The people of the Book” would accept Prophet Isa at a time during the last days of the world before his death means, he is not yet dead. There is no need for a research regarding this.It cannot be said as “Before he dies something will happen’’ while talking about a person who is already dead. 

Companion of Prophet Muhammad, Abu Huraira (R.A) was quoted as saying to refer the verse in question if there are disbelievers in the return of Prophet Isa.

(Hadith Book Bukhari 3448.)

This verse stands testimony to the fact that Prophet Isa is not dead, and this combined with the verse prior to this is a strong proof.

The word ‘alaihi’ in this verse is translated as ‘he will bear testimony for them.’.

Some people argue the word “alaihi” as meaning ‘ he will stand witness against them’. When interpreted in this manner they argue ,it would sum up as standing witness against those who accepted Prophet Isa. .

No one would stand witness against those who accept them.When it is said in the Quran, Prophet Isa will stand witness against them for not accepting him in the exact way as expected, they argue the interpretation, (hence they will accept him in the last days of the world) as wrong.

The usage of the word ‘Alaihi’ does not necessarily translate to mean ‘Standing witness against them’ but can be taken as to mean’ bearing witness to favour them.

This word ‘Alaihi’ can be interpreted to have a dual meaning, depending upon the position or context it is used to mean either for or against a matter discussed

For example in verse 22:78 of the Quran we find a similar word used that cannot be interpreted to mean, as Prophet Muhammad to stand witness against Muslims.

In the verses 2:143, 4:41, 5:113, 16:89, 73:15 of the Quran similar words are found to be used, which are needed to be taken to mean as standing witness in favour and not as standing against.When we find the words so used to refer to good deeds then they are to be taken as favouring those deeds and standing witness to them ,and when used referring to some bad deeds or bad people to be taken as opposing those deeds and people. Hence based on the correct belief of Jews and Christians we need to take the meaning of this verse as favoring and standing witness to the good deed. 

To know more about whether Prophet Isa is dead or he will return alive to die ,please refer to explanation points 93, 101,133, 151, 278, 342, 456.

133- Was Prophet Isa crucified ?      

These two verses (4:157,158,) of the Quran speak of Prophet Isa being raised above by God unto Him. 

These verses reject the version of Prophet Isa being crucified.And these verses talk of Jews having killed another person in place of Prophet Isa.

Some people argue the words “ Raised him unto Himself “ as meaning in stature, this is a wrong annotation

Had it been said as, he was raised unto Himself, there would have been semblance of some proximity, to the meaning they allude, but here it cannot be taken in that meaning because of the addition of the word “unto Himself“

If the word ‘Rafha’ needs to be taken as meaning ‘increase in stature, it has to be accompanied by words such as power, fame, qualification, society etc.

For example Allah says in the Quran verse 19:57. He raised Prophet Idris to a higher stature.

But while talking about Prophet Isa Allah says meaning we raised him with his body and soul.

The word Rapha is used to denote the raising of our hands while worship. .This does not mean “status” of raising the hands,but raising the hands themself. .

The next verse 4:157 also declared along with various other evidence that Prophet Isa did not die. 

The correct interpretation of this verse is Prophet Isa was raised unto Himself with his body and soul.

To know more about whether Prophet Isa died or was raised above in body and soul, please refer to explanation points 93, 101, 134, 151, 278, 342, 456.