How to cleanse oneself of pig-related impurity

When i was small, i went abroad with my family. During the plane trip, we were given biscuits and we ate them , not knowing they contained lard (made from pig). As soon as my mother found out, she forbade us from eating them anymore. As far as i can remember, we did not wash our hands or mouth using water and earth (6 times with plain water, once with water mixed with earth) as the Prophet
instructed whenever a muslim has contact with pigs or anything derived from pigs. A few years later, again when i was abroad, i accidently ate pork. Again, i did not wash my mouth using water mixed with earth.
My question is, these two incidents happened a few years ago and there are no remains of the pork that we ate either in smell, taste or colour on either our hands or in our mouths. Do we still have to clean them now? I am afraid Allah will not accept any of our prayers because of these two incidents long ago.
Please help me in clarifying this matter.

Praise be to Allaah.

There is no sin on you for eating pig meat without intending to, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend. And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-Ahzaab 33:5]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has forgiven my ummah for mistakes, forgetfulness and that which they are forced to do.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 2043; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

The Muslim should be cautious with regard to food, especially if he is in a non-Muslim country whose people eat impure foods.

With regard to how to cleanse oneself of pig-related impurity, some scholars are of the view that it should be washed seven times, one of which should be with earth, by analogy with dogs.

But the correct view is that pig-related impurity should be washed only once. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on Muslim (Sharh Muslim): “Most of the scholars were of the view that pig-related impurity does not have to be washed seven times. This is the view of al-Shaafa’i, and it has the strongest evidence.”

This is what Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen thought most likely to be correct, as he said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 1/495): “The fuqaha’ (may Allaah have mercy on them) likened (pig-related) impurity to dog-related impurity, because pigs are dirtier than dogs, so the ruling should apply even more so.

This is a weak analogy, because pigs are mentioned in the Qur’aan and they existed at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and there is no report which likens them to dogs. So the correct view is that pig-related impurity is like any other kind of impurity, and there is no need to wash seven times, one of which should be with dust or dirt.”

See also the answer to question no. 22713.

The correct view concerning washing other types of impurity is that whatever will remove the impurity is sufficient, and there is no specific number of times it must be washed.

No matter what the correct view with regard to cleansing oneself after touching pigs, you do not have to wash any part of your bodies now, and that does not have any effect on your prayers.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/20843

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Sucikanlah daku dari segala kesalahanku yang lalu
Tak ingin aku dihantuinya selalu..

Saudi Reform #6: Changes in key agencies to boost reform

Changes in key agencies to boost reform: Experts Zainy Abbas | Arab News

MAKKAH: Legal professionals and religious personalities yesterday welcomed new appointments and changes made by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to important establishments, such as in the Supreme Judicial Council, the Council of Senior Scholars and the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. “The new officials are known for their moderation and balanced views on legal and religious issues and will undoubtedly be able to modernize the establishments in which they will be working,” said Sami Sabbah, a faculty member at the College of Shariah of the Umm Al-Qura University. “The government’s move is in line with the current international developments particularly in areas relating to law and religion,” Sabbah added. Sami Al-Khayyat, director of Cases and Investigations Department at the Makkah branch of the virtue commission, welcomed the appointment of Abdul Aziz Al-Humain as the organization’s new chief. Al-Khayyat, however, warned Al-Humain about the tough task that lay ahead for him. “If he wants to improve the organization as a whole, the new commission chief will have to create a new image for the organization, which has been grossly misunderstood in recent times. He will face a lot of challenges.” Al-Khayyat added that the new president would have to take bold steps to rewrite the commission’s 50-year-old charter. “A high level committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior would have to be set up to reformulate new regulations. Replacement of outdated regulations with new ones would require royal approval,” he said. He said the commission is currently viewed as old-fashioned and is averse to adopting modern techniques in its administration and field operations. “The commission’s poor public relations have given it a poor image both inside and outside the Kingdom. Its present sorry state is the result of the short-sighted policies and refusal to change by some of its top officials,” Al-Khayyat added. He stressed that the commission should review the definition of violations, particularly its view on illegal gender mixing. He also hoped that its new chief would follow a more liberal policy, promote creative ideas and enable its members to interact positively with the media. He also wanted a total change in content and appearance to the commission’s periodical publication, entitled Hisbah, to suit the times. Al-Khayyat believes that the commission has a number of efficient and experienced workers who can repair its image if given the opportunity. Khaled Bajahzar, imam and khatib at the Sindi Mosque in Makkah, hoped that the newly appointed ministers, judges and other officials would help achieve the modernization of the key legal and religious establishments in the country. Nassir bin Zayd Al-Dawood, a judge at Riyadh’s General Court, said the restructuring of various organizations with young and efficient people would certainly bring about excellent results. “For instance, Saleh Bin-Humaid, the newly appointed chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, has vast experience as the head of the Shoura Council. He had the opportunity to interact with lawmakers and parliamentarians the world over and he is comparatively young. These factors will, apparently, enable him to play a vital role in strengthening the legal establishments in the Kingdom,” Al-Dawood said. Incidentally, Bin-Humaid is the son of the first chairman of the Kingdom’s judicial council, Abdullah bin Muhammad Bin-Humaid, Al-Dawood said. Commenting on the choice of Mohammed Al-Eissa as the new justice minister, he said: “Al-Eissa’s experience as the vice president of the Court of Grievances must have given him deep insight into legal issues in the Kingdom, which would greatly help him in discharging his duties as the minister of justice.” He added that Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Kelya, the new chief justice of the Supreme Court, is one of the most experienced personalities in the field of Saudi law as he is a former chief judge at the Court of Cassation in Makkah and has been serving as a judge at various courts for more than four decades. http://arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=119251&d=16&m=2&y=2009

Saudi Reform #5: Reform takes center stage

Editorial: Reform takes center stage 15 February 2009

The Saudi government reshuffle announced yesterday is not just a changing of the guard — new faces replacing old with policies remaining the same. It is a clear sign of major transformation in the Kingdom. Most eyes, certainly abroad, will be on the appointment of the country’s first woman minister, Nora Al-Fayez, who takes over as deputy minister for women’s education. An exciting development, it shows the commitment of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to empower women in society and bring them into the decision-making process. There may be some who are uncomfortable with that. They have no reason to be. Saudi women have the same beliefs and values as Saudi men. They are just as capable of standing up for the country’s traditions as men. They are just as well educated as men — indeed in many cases, better — and they have much to contribute to the Kingdom’s future. The appointment is a guide to how Saudi Arabia is evolving. It should be seen in the same light as that of Fatimah Al-Saleem, the new cultural attaché at the Saudi Embassy in Ottawa — another “first” for a Saudi woman. Both appointments are steps in a process that, one day, will see women heading major ministries and women ambassadors. The Kingdom is reforming, albeit at a pace society can cope with. The other government changes are no less momentous. Major overhauls at the justice and education ministries are signaled. They are hardly surprising. Justice and education are at the heart of the king’s drive for reform. At the Education Ministry not only is there a new minister, Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed, there is a new deputy minister, Faisal Al-Muammar — who until now was in charge of the King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue — as well as Nora Al-Fayez. At justice, there is a new minister, Mohammed Al-Eissa, a new head of the judiciary, Saleh Bin Humaid, and in a related appointment, a new head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Abdul Aziz Al-Humain. The new faces should not, though, be seen as a break with the past. In both areas, reforms have already been approved. Over SR6 billion has been set aside for new judicial facilities; new courts and the need for judicial training have been agreed. But they have not been implemented. Likewise, there has been a range of measures approved over the past three years to overhaul the education system but they too have not been implemented. The most important in terms of education is the King Abdullah National Education Project. Teachers are to be reassessed, training improved, new schools and colleges built. Education is the government’s priority. It is the key to the Kingdom’s growth. Over a quarter of this year’s budget will be spent on it. It is hardly surprising then that it has been decided that fresh hands are needed to take the controls and implement the potentially far-reaching changes that have been agreed. The reshuffle also sees the governor of SAMA replaced and new ministers of both health and information. These are also important, especially at SAMA, given the present economic climate. But it is what is going to happen in education and the judiciary and the role of women that will make all the difference to the Kingdom’s future. http://arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=119229&d=15&m=2&y=2009

Saudi Reform #4: The Shoura Council

The Shoura Council Arab News

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday reshuffled the consultative Shoura Council, inducting new faces to the body. Abdullah Al-Asheikh is the chairman of Shoura while Bandar Hajjar is the deputy chairman and Abdul Rahman Al-Barrak, assistant chairman. The following are members of the reshuffled council, who are appointed for four years. 1) Bandar bin Mohammed Hajjar 2) Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Barrak 3) Ibrahim bin Abdul Rahman Al-Belaihi 4) Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz Al-Shadi 5) Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rabdi 6) Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al-Sulaiman 7) Ibrahim bin Abdullah Al-Ibrahim 8) Ibrahim bin Mubarak Al-Juwair 9) Ihsan bin Jaafer Faqeeh 10) Ihsan bin Farid Abdul Jawad 11) Ahmed bin Saad Al-Mufreh 12) Ahmed bin Omar Al-Zailae 13) Osama bin Ali Qabbani 14) Osama bin Mohammed Kurdi 15) Ismail bin Mohammed Al-Bishri 16) Badr bin Hamad Al-Hoqail 17) Bakr bin Hamza Khushaim 18) Thamer bin Nasser Ghashyan 19) Jibril bin Hassan Areeshi 20) Jameel bin Mohammed Al-Khairi 21) Hatem bin Hassan Al-Marzouki 22) Hatem bin Arif Al-Sharief 23) Hamid bin Dhafi Al-Sharari 24) Hasan bin Abdullah Al-Shahri 25) Hamad bin Daeej Al-Daeej 26) Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Qadi 27) Khaled bin Ibrahim Al-Awad 28) Khaled bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saif 29) Khaled bin Abdullah Al-Turki 30) Prince Khaled bin Abdullah bin Mohammed 31) Khaled bin Mohammed Al-Saudi 32) Khidr bin Olayan Al-Qurashi 33) Khaleefa bin Ahmed Al-Dossari 34) Khalil bin Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim 35) Rashid bin Hamad Al-Kuthairi 36) Zamil bin Abbas Abuzinada 37) Zuhair bin Fahd Al-Harithi 38) Zainul Abideen bin Abdullah Barri 39) Salim bin Rashid Al-Murri 40) Salim bin Ali Al-Qahtani 41) Saad bin Abdul Rahman Al-Bazie 42) Saad bin Mohammed Aseeri 43) Saadoun bin Saad Al-Saadoun 44) Saud bin Humaid Al-Subaie 45) Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al-Shammari 46) Saeed bin Abdullah Alshaikh 47) Saeed bin Mohammed Al-Malees 48) Suleiman bin Abdullah Al-Majed 49) Suleiman bin Awad Al-Zayedi 50) Shubaili bin Majdoue Al-Qarni 51) Saleh bin Zabin Al-Baqami 52) Saleh bin Eid Al-Hosaini 53) Saleh bin Faris Al-Zahrani 54) Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Namlah 55) Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Shuaibi 56) Sadaqa bin Yahya Fadil 57) Tarek bin Ali Fadaak 58) Talal bin Hassan Bakri 59) Talal bin Mahmoud Dhahi 60) Azib bin Saeed Al-Misbel 61) Amir bin Awad Al-Mutairi 62) Awad bin Bunaih Al-Radadi 63) Abdul Jaleel bin Ali Al-Saif 64) Abdul Rahman bin Ahmed Al-Yami 65) Abdul Rahman bin Ahmed Hejan 66) Abdul Rahman bin Hamoud Al-Qadib 67) Abdul Rahman bin Saad Al-Obaisi 68) Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Suwailem 69) Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood 70) Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Moshaikeh 71) Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al-Jedaie 72) Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al-Asimi 73) Abdul Rahman bin Nasser Al-Atwi 74) Abdul Aziz bin Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel 75) Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al-Nasrallah 76) Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Kareem Al-Eissa 77) Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri 78) Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Askar 79) Abdullah bin Ahmed Al-Feefi 80) Abdullah bin Barjes Al-Dossari 81) Abdullah bin Hamoud Al-Harbi 82) Abdullah bin Dawood Al-Fayez 83) Abdullah bin Zamil Al-Derais 84) Abdullah bin Zubn Al-Otaibi 85) Abdullah bin Salim Al-Mietani 86) Abdullah bin Saeed Abumilha 87) Abdullah bin Suleiman Al-Othaim 88) Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Hudaithi 89) Abdullah bin Abdul Kareem Al-Saadoun 90) Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Abdul Qader 91) Abdullah bin Ali Al-Suqair 92) Abdullah bin Ali Al-Muneef 93) Abdullah bin Fahd Mubairek 94) Abdullah bin Muharib Al-Dhufairi 95) Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Nasser 96) Abdullah bin Mohammed Naseef 97) Abdullah bin Yahya Bukhari 98) Abdul Mohsen bin Mohammed Al-Zakari 99) Abdul Malik bin Abdullah Al-Khayyal 100) Abdul Wahab bin Mohammed Al-Majthel 101) Atallah bin Ahmed Abuhassan 102) Abdul Majeed bin Ali Al-Balawi 103) Ali bin Saad Al-Takhees 104) Ali bin Saleh Al-Dahaiman 105) Ali bin Abdullah Al-Ghamdi 106) Ali bin Nasser Al-Wazra 107) Omar bin Ibrahim Rajab 108) Faleh bin Mohammed Al-Saghir 109) Fahhad bin Muetad Al-Hamad 110) Fahd bin Hamoud Al-Anazi 111) Fahd bin Nasser Al-Aboud 112) Faisal bin Abdul Qader Taher 113) Qadi bin Mohammed Al-Oqaili 114) Majed bin Abdullah Al-Muneef 115) Mazin bin Abdul Razak Balilah 116) Mazin bin Fouad Al-Khayyat 117) Majdi bin Mohammed Hariri 118) Mohsen bin Ali Al-Hazmi 119) Mohsen bin Mohammed Al-Tamim 120) Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Hulwa 121) Mohammed bin Ameen Al-Jefri 122) Mohammed bin Hamid Al-Naqadi 123) Mohammed bin Hussein Qarub 124) Mohammed bin Hamoud Al-Rasheed 125) Mohammed Riza Nasrallah 126) Mohammed bin Zamil Al-Sharief 127) Mohammed bin Saad Al-Saadan 128) Mohammed bin Saad Al-Salim 129) Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Shammari 130) Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Dehaishi 131) Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Qahtani 132) Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Amr 133) Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Quwaihes 134) Mohammed bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki 135) Mohammed bin Omar Naseef 136) Brig. Mohammed bin Faisal Abusak 137) Mohammed bin Mutlak Al-Mutlak 138) Mohammed bin Mahdi Al-Khunaizi 139) Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salmi 140) Mishaal bin Mamdouh Al-Ali 141) Mufleh bin Daghiman Al-Rushaidi 142) Muwafek bin Fawaz Al-Ruwaili 143) Mansour bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail 144) Moussa bin Mohammed Al-Sulaim 145) Walid bin Arab Hashim 146) Nasser bin Abdullah Al-Maiman 147) Najeeb bin Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil 148) Nawaf bin Badah Al-Faghem 149) Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Samaan 150) Yousuf bin Abdussatar Al-Maimani http://arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=119239&d=15&m=2&y=2009

Saudi Reform #3: Bin Humaid to head new Supreme Judicial Council

Bin-Humaid to head new Supreme Judicial Council Arab News

RIYADH: In a royal decree yesterday Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah constituted the Supreme Judicial Council with Saleh Bin-Humaid as the president and the following judges as members: Abdul Rahman ibn Muhammad Al-Ghazzi, Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Faris, Ahmad ibn Abdul Majeed Al-Ghamdi, Dhafir ibn Muhammad Al-Qarni, Ibrahim ibn Shaye Al-Hoqail, Abdul Aziz ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Rabia and Ali ibn Abbas Hakami. The decree also appointed the following judges as members of the Supreme Court: Ghayhab ibn Muhammad Al-Ghayhab, Nassir ibn Al-Habib, Sulaiman ibn Muhammad Al-Musa, Shafi ibn Dhafir Al-Haqabani, Abdul Aziz ibn Saleh Al-Humaid, Ahmad ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Baadi, Hamad ibn Turki Al-Muqbil, Sulaiman ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Samhan and Saleh ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Mohaimid. The king also announced new members to the Council of Administrative Justice at the Court of Grievances with the president of the Court of Grievances as its head. The new members are: Marei ibn Majdoue Al-Qarni, Ibrahim ibn Sulaiman Al-Rasheed, Sultan ibn Siraj Al-Harithy and Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad Al-Nassar. The following judges have been appointed as members of the Higher Administrative Court: Hamoud ibn Sulaiman Al-Lahim, Ibrahim Al-Suwailim, Hamad Al-Bulaihid, Muhammad Al-Qazaan, Sulaiman Al-Ghazi, Muhammad ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Amiri and Abdullah ibn Abdul Latif Al-Duwaish. The king also appointed Abdullah ibn Abdullah Al-Jammaz as adviser at the rank of minister to the Royal Court. Abdul Aziz ibn Ali Al-Zabn and Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Askar also are appointed as advisers to the Royal Court. In another royal decree the king appointed Waleed ibn Hussain Abul Faraj as president of the Umm Al-Qura University replacing Adnan ibn Muhammad Wazan. Abdul Aziz ibn Saad Al-Barahim was appointed as adviser at the Ministry of Interior. King Abdullah also reconstituted the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars with Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah Al-Asheikh as chairman and 20 new members. The members of the new four-year council are Saleh ibn Muhammad Al-Lahaidan, Saleh ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Husayyen, Saleh ibn Humaid, Abdullah ibn Abdul Muhsin Al-Turki, Abdullah ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Ghedyan, Abdullah ibn Sulaiman Al-Manie, Saleh ibn Fouzan Al-Fouzan, Abdul Wahhab Abu Sulaiman, Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al-Ashaikh, Ahmad Mubaraki, Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al-Mutlaq, Yaqub ibn Abdul Wahhab Al-Bahussain, Abdul Kareem ibn Abdullah Al-Khodair, Ali ibn Abbas Hakami, Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al-Khanin, Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Muhammad, Muhammad Al-Ashaikh, Saad Al-Shathri, Qays Al-Ashaikh Mubarak and Muhammad Al-Eissa. The order also appointed Fahd ibn Saad Al-Majed as the secretary-general of the council in the place of outgoing Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad Al-Munim. http://arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=119240&d=15&m=2&y=2009 Note: Shaykh Saleh al-Lahaidan is a member of the Council of Senior Scholars. This goes to show that he was not dismissed as the head judge due to being hardline. From what it seems, his term has ended.

Saudi Reform #2: Hope rises for positive changes

Hope rises for positive changes Ghazanfar Ali Khan | Arab News

RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has received wide commendation from legislators, academics, statesmen and the general public for his new appointments that were announced yesterday. Reacting to the news, Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, former vice chairman of the Shoura Council, welcomed the appointments and hoped “for positive changes and better governance.” Naseef, applauding the way the selection of the new officials was done, said, “This is excellent news for one and all. Most of the new ministers and senior officials have top-level experience and now with new brooms, they will sweep clean and deliver better.” He said that he was happy with the changes in the Supreme Judicial Council because the Saudi legal system needed “rejuvenation and reforms.” He added that the system did not need temporary changes or modifications but rather positive changes as per Islamic Shariah. Mohammad Al-Zulfa, a Shoura member, also hailed the king’s vision and said, “The Kingdom is witnessing a big change which is indeed a turning point in the history of Saudi Arabia.” King Abdullah announced a large number of appointments yesterday, naming new education, justice, health and information ministers as well as chief of the Supreme Judicial Council. “We are very happy that the Supreme Judicial Council will be more active under the new leadership,” said Dr. Ibrahim Al-Quaiyid, a member of the National Human Rights Society. “All new appointments are welcomed,” said Al-Quaiyid, who has the distinction of winning the last municipal poll in Riyadh with the highest number of votes. He said that all new appointees were qualified and represented different professions. “We are indeed delighted by King Abdullah appointments,” said Al-Quaiyid. “They are the best news possible for the achievement of meaningful reforms in Saudi Arabia.” Referring to the appointment of Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah as new health minister, Dr. Salam Al-Otaibi, who works in a private clinic, said, “Al-Rabeeah has a deep commitment to securing high-quality, affordable health care for everyone in our nation. His new position confirms that the Kingdom has made health care reform a top priority for action in 2009.” Al-Rabeeah offers the expertise and the leadership needed to inspire confidence throughout the country. At the same time, Muhammad Al-Jasser, who will now head the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) at a time of global recession, is a solid choice for the governorship. “He has been a leader in financial reform and has shown a strong commitment to the cause,” said Saleh Al-Qahtani, a local businessman. “Al-Jasser has practical financial experience, which will be demonstrated in order to arrive at policy decisions that are in the citizens’ best interest,” said Al-Qahtani. On the appointment of Abdul Aziz bin Muhiyuddin Khoja as the new information and culture minister, he said that King Abdullah had made a wise choice. http://arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=119241&d=15&m=2&y=2009

Saudi Reform #1: Major Govt Reshuffle

Many readers wonder what the actual story is in the recent article in the Straits Times as well as Berita Harian regarding the reform changes brought about by the Saudi King, which seemingly led to the dismissal of Shaykh Saleh al-Lihedan and another scholar.

In this series of entries, I'll bring a few articles taken from Arab News so as to have a clearer picture of the actual situation.

Major government reshuffle P.K. Abdul Ghafour | Arab News

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday reshuffled the Kingdom’s Cabinet, changing four ministers and appointing — for the first time — a woman deputy minister. He also named a new chairman of the 150-member consultative Shoura Council. Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed is the new minister of education. He replaces Abdullah Al-Obaid. Abdul Aziz bin Muhiyuddin Khoja has been appointed the new minister of culture and information, replacing Iyad Madani. Justice Minister Abdullah Al-Asheikh has been appointed new chairman of the Shoura Council, replacing Saleh Bin-Humaid. Mohammed bin Abdul Kareem Al-Eissa, former deputy chairman of the Court of Grievances, is the new justice minister. Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Rabeeah, who became famous after successfully conducting a number of operations to separate Siamese twins from different countries, replaces Dr. Hamad Al-Manie as the new health minister. Nora bint Abdullah Al-Fayez, director general of the women’s section of the Institute of Public Administration, made history by becoming the first woman deputy minister in Saudi Arabia. She will be in charge of girls’ affairs in the Ministry of Education. She replaces Prince Khaled bin Abdullah bin Mohammed. This is the first major Cabinet reshuffle made by King Abdullah since he came to the throne in August 2005. According to Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, the changes were made to speed up implementation of the new educational and judicial reforms introduced by the king. King Abdullah also reshuffled the Shoura Council, naming new faces to the consultative body. Former Shoura chief Bin-Humaid has been named chairman of the Supreme Judiciary Council while Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Kelya was named chief justice of the Supreme Court. The appointment of Abdul Aziz Al-Humain as head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, replacing Ibrahim Al-Ghaith, has been described by analysts as an important move. King Abdullah named Muhammad Al-Jasser as the new governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), the Kingdom’s central bank. He replaces Hamad Al-Sayari, who had been the SAMA chief since 1985. Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said the new appointment would not bring about any major changes in SAMA’s banking and monetary policies. The new appointments come into effect Feb. 28. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at SABB (Saudi British Bank) said: “The change at the helm of SAMA signifies continuity, stability and competence. SAMA’s highest standards of professionalism and institutional memory have been well-preserved with the appointment of Al-Jasser as governor. Just as Al-Jasser takes over during one of the worst global economic recessions of the past decades so did Al-Sayari back in 1985 when the Kingdom was witnessing the end of the second oil boom.” “Al-Sayari’s legacy as a prudent and consistent governor when most in the region and beyond opted for exuberance has to be noted in the Kingdom’s economic history. Al-Jasser comes with the highest credentials as an economist and a central banker.” Faisal bin Abdul Rahman Al-Muammar, secretary-general of the King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center, has been named deputy minister of education with the rank of a minister. Khaled bin Abdullah Al-Sabti replaces Saeed bin Mohammed Al-Malees as deputy education minister for boys’ affairs. The reshuffle did not change key ministers such as Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi, Commerce and Industry Minister Abdullah Zainal Alireza, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, and Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi. Dr. Bandar bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Qanawi was appointed new executive director of National Guard health affairs, a post that became vacant with the appointment of Al-Rabeeah as health minister. The changes introduced by the king also covered the armed forces. Lt. Gen. Hussein bin Abdullah Al-Qubail, commander of land forces, has been appointed deputy chief of staff while Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Murshid was appointed commander of the land forces after being promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. Other major appointments include: Ibrahim bin Shayie Al-Hoqail, chairman of the Court of Grievances and Ali bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hamad, his deputy; Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, chairman of the Human Rights Commission; Abdullah bin Suleiman Bin-Munie, Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Mutlak and Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, advisers at the Royal Court with the rank of minister; Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Kenhal, president of Saudi Food and Drugs Authority; and Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Dossary, chairman of the Higher Administrative Court. — Additional input from Khalil Hanware

http://arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=119244&d=15&m=2&y=2009

Is covering the head a shar’i obligation?

Could you give the scholars or mazhab names that their opinion stated that man also obligatory to cover their head.

Praise be to Allaah.

We do not know of anyone among the scholars who said that covering the head is obligatory for men, but a number of scholars have said that it is mustahabb, and they describe baring one’s head in front of people as being one of the things that undermine a man's status and character, especially if the man is elderly or is a scholar; if one of these people uncovers his head, that is worse than if anyone else does it.

The correct view is that it is not one of the things that undermine a man's status and character in all eras and in all environments, rather the ruling on that varies according to people’s customs.

Al-Shaatibi (may Allaah have mercy on him) divided people’s customs into two categories:

1 – Those concerning which there is shar’i evidence as to whether it is good or bad. In this case reference is to be made to sharee’ah, and what is customary among the people is of no importance.

For example, uncovering the ‘awrah is reprehensible according to sharee’ah, even though many people are accustomed to doing that.

Removing impurity is something that is good and is enjoined by sharee’ah, although many people do not pay attention to impurity on their clothes and do not protect themselves from that.

2 – Things which are customary among people and there is no shar’i evidence to prohibit it or enjoin it.

Such things are of two types:

(a) Established customs that do not change, such as the desire for food and drink.

(b) Customs that change, such as whether an action is regarded as good or bad, which varies from one society to another.

Al-Shaatibi described this type by saying, “Such as uncovering the head, which varies from one place to another; in the lands of the east (i.e. Egypt and lands to the east) it is reprehensible for people of prominent status, and in the lands of the west (i.e., North Africa and Islamic Spain) it is not reprehensible. The shar’i ruling varies accordingly; for people in the east it is to be regarded as undermining a man’s status and character, whereas for the people in the west it is not.

Al-Muwaaqifaat, 2/284

The point is that covering the head for men is one of the issues concerning which reference should be made to what is customary among the people. A man should do what is customary in the society in which he lives, so long as that does not go against sharee’ah, and so that he will not stand out by being different from them in his clothing etc in the manner that is forbidden in sharee’ah.

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/22758

Ibn `Uthaymeen forecasts the "Credit Crunch"

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen

Reference: Audio Tape: Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh

Category: Contemporary Issues

...likewise one can be a spendthrift concerning vehicles, a person from the middle or lower class buying a luxurious car for example, because his neighbor or his peer at school and so on has one. Especially now since this door has been opened, which we ask Allaah to shut; the door of making payments in installments. In reality, it is a form of trickery towards the Lord of the worlds. It is very harmful to a country`s economy and the liability of its people. It became easy for even the poor vagabond to take loans in this method. He goes to the tradesman and tells him he wants to buy the most luxurious of cars, the tradesman buys it and then sells it to him with interest. The tradesman does not buy the car for himself, he only buys it to sell it to him in this manner, otherwise he would never have bought it.

As for their claim that they are not forcing anyone to accept this agreement, meaning that if the tradesman buys the car he does not force the ones borrowing the money to accept it, then this is not applicable upon anybody - it is just argumentation. This is not the case in reality, because no one buys a car in this manner, or cement or steel to build a home, and then later returns and changes his mind, this is farfetched, if it does happen then it is one case in a thousand.

All of this is a form of trickery towards the Lord of the worlds, and from Allaah alone we seek refuge, and Allaah knows best. I do not claim to see the future, nor do I claim to be a prophet, but these people, their wealth will end up in bankruptcy. Those who attempt to be deceptive towards the Lord of the worlds, the Mighty and Majestic, those who are holding the servants of Allaah in liabilities by this method, Allaah knows best, their wealth will end up in bankruptcy...

http://www.madeenah.com/article.cfm?id=1266

Women may issue Fatwas: conference

By Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent
Published: January 27, 2009, 14:50

Riyadh: Islamic scholars have softened their position with regard to the topic of whether competent women scholars are qualified to issue religious edicts (Fatwas) or not.

“Issuing Fatwa is not restricted to men alone. Well-qualified women scholars can also do it,” this was the message given by the recently concluded Makkah International Conference on Fatwa and Its Regulations.

The “Fatwa Charter,” which will serve as a guideline on the issuing of Fatwas, adopted by some 170 prominent Islamic scholars from around the world, does not contain any provisions that prohibit women from issuing Fatwas.

The eighth article of the Fatwa Charter clearly explains that the scholars, who are pronouncing Fatwas must have the following conditions: “Islam, Justice, maturity, intelligence, and deep knowledge in Islamic rules.” None of the 41 articles of the Charter prevents women from issuing Fatwas.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdullah Al Manie, member of the Saudi Senior Scholars Commission, said that it is permissible to incorporate women as members of the Commission and allow them to take part in bodies that pronounce Fatwas as they are like men in performing their religious obligations and responsibilities.

Speaking to reporters, he said that membership in the commission is not at all a monopoly of men, and women have the right to take part in issuing religious edicts.

“Really, I see no objection for women becoming a scholar or mufti or involving in any consultative bodies, provided that she should be keen in protecting her dignity and no mixing with men,” he said.

Naif Al Shahri, a noted Saudi preacher, told Gulf News that it is essential that no Fatwa shall be issued by any individual scholar on a public topic effecting the interests of Muslim Ummah and its future.

“In such cases, the Fatwa shall be announced by a group of scholars.” It is noteworthy that the Makkah Conference highlighted the significance of Fatwa in Islam and its regulations and set the mufti’s conditions and duties.

The scholars also stressed moderation in Fatwa and detailed the problems facing Fatwa and its negative effects.

The scholars made general recommendations for supporting Fatwa and its institutions in the Islamic Ummah.

The conference called on institutions that teach Islamic law to incorporate the basic principles and guidelines for Fatwas in their curricula, as well as to organize frequent panel discussions and meetings to familiarize scholars with the principles of the right method of issuing Fatwas and to warn against the dangers of issuing ill-prepared rulings.

http://www.gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi_arabia/10279429.html