Monday, June 1, 2009

Perihal Solat Jama' & Qasar

Soalan

Assalamualaikum ustaz, saya sering balik kampung dan berjalan jauh. Saya mengetahui ketika musafir kita boleh menjamakkan solat, tetapi lantaran kurangnya ilmu tentang hal itu membuatkan saya tidak yakin untuk melaksanakan solat tersebut. Saya hanya mengqada solat setelah sampai ke destinasi. Banyak perkara yang mengelirukan saya. Misalnya kita tidak boleh menjamakkan solat sekiranya akan mendiami destinasi tersebut lebih dari tiga hari. Kita juga tidak boleh menjamakkan solat sekiranya destinasi tersebut adalah kampung halaman kita.

Namun ada yang mengatakan kita boleh menjamakkan solat kerana ia bukan bergantung pada destinasi yang akan kita pergi, tetapi ia bergantung pada tempat di mana kita menjamakkan solat. Contohnya, di pertengahan jalan, kita terhenti, kita tidak berada di situ lebih dari tiga hari dan tempat itu bukan kampung halaman kita.

Oleh itu saya amat berharap ustaz dapat menerangkan tentang solat jamak dan qasar, syarat-syaratnya dan cara mendirikannya, agar saya dapat mempraktikkannya kelak.

- Hayati, Sg Besi.

Jawapan

wa'alaikumussalam

Saudari sepatutnya menjama'kan sahaja solat, qadha solat adalah sesuatu yang amat kurang baik untuk diamalkan. Qadha solat juga hanya wujud apabila seseorang tertinggal kerana uzur seperti tertidur dan yang seumpamanya. Sebarang tindakan meninggalkan solat secara sengaja adalah mengundang dosa walaupun qadha dilakukan.

Berikut pula syarat untuk men"qasar"kan solat menurut mazhab Syafie (Rujuk Mughni al-Muhtaj, 1/359-365) :-

i. Hanya tertakluk kepada keadaan bermusafir dengan jarak melebihi 85 KM.

ii. Hanya boleh di qasar apabila telah melepasi sempadan kampung atau taman perumahannya.

iii. Mengetahui destinasinya dan ia tidak bertujuan maksiat.

iv. Tidak berimamkan orang yang menunaikan solat penuh (4 rakaat).

v. Berniat qasar semasa takbiratul ihram solatnya.

vi. Mestilah solat qasar itu dilakukan dalam keadaan bersmusafir dari awal hingga akhirnya.

vii. Jika ia berniat (semasa bertolak) untuk duduk di sesuatu destinasi lebih dari tiga hari (tidak termasuk hari sampai dan pulang), maka ia tidak berhak untuk melakukan qasar solat, sejurus sampainya ia ke destinasi itu. Jika ia tidak berniat lebih dari tiga hari atau langsung tidak punyai niat berapa hari, kiraan 3 hari adalah tidak termasuk hari sampai dan hari pulang. Dalamtempoh itu, ia boleh menqasarkannya jika tiada niat 3 hari.

Solat jama' pula semua syaratnya sama dengan solat qasar. Berikut maklumat beberapa maklumat tentang jama' solat :-

i. Jama' tidak hanya tertakluk kepada keadaan musafir, terdapat keadaan sukar yang lain seperti hujan terlampau lebat, salji, keadaan merbahaya di luar, sakit (mazhab Syafie tidak membenarkan jamak kerana sakit tetapi harus menurut mazhab Maliki dan Hanbali, Rujuk Ikhtilaf Aimmah al-Ulama, Ibn Hubayrah, 1/150), semasa Haji, itulah beberapa contoh keadaan yang di benarkan untuk di jama' kan solat. (Rujuk Al-Fiqh Al-Islami Wa Adillatuhu, 2/1375)

ii. Solat jama' boleh dilakukan dalam dua bentuk :-

Pertama : Jamak Taqdim

Ertinya : Di gabungkan dua solat dalam waktu solat yang pertama seperti zohor dan asar di dalam waktu zohor, atau maghrib dan isyak di dalam waktu maghrib.

Ia berdasarkan hadith shohih dari Muadz Bin Jabal riwayat Ahmad, Tirmidzi Ibn Hibban dan lain-lain.

Syaratnya :

1) Solat dilakukan menurut tertibnya atau yang awal terlebih dahulu (zohor dahulu dan asar di kemudiannya, maghrib dahulu dan isyak di kemudiankan), jika tidak maka batal solatnya menurut mazhab Syafie. (Rujuk Mughni al-Muhtaj, 1/371 )

2) Berniat jamak ketika solat pertama dilakukan, dan harus juga berniat jamak walaupun solat telah bermula. Lafaz niatnya tidaklah perlu di baca dalam bahasa arab, dalam bahasa melayu juga di benarkan. Tatpi perlu ingat lafaz niat bukannya niat tetapi hanya sebagai pembantu agar niat boleh hadir dengan lebih mudah. Lazfa niat ini adalah saranan mazhab Syafie sahaja, manakala Rasulullah SAW sendiri tidak pernah melakukannya, justeru jika mampu menghadirkan niat di dalam hati tanpa berlafaz, itu yang terbaik.

3) Mestilah berturut-turut (Muwalat); Pastikan jangan terdapat pemisahan yang agak panjang atau urusan lain di tengah-tengah kedua-dua solat.

Kedua : Jamak Takhir

Ertinya : Menggabungkan dua solat dalam satu waktu, iaitu waktu solat yang terkemudian. (seperti zohor dan asar di tunaikan dalam waktu asar).

Ia dibenarkan syarak berdasarkan hadith yang shohih dari Anas dan Ibn Umar yang diriwayatkan oleh Al-Bukhari dan Muslim. (Rujuk Naylul Awtar, 3/212)

Syarat-syaratnya :

1) Niat Takhir sebelum habisnya waktu solat pertama (iaitu niat dilewatkan solat pertama untuk digabungkan dalam waktu asar atau isyak)

2) Berterusan dalam keadaan musafir sehingga tamat solat yang kedua.

Soalan saudari tentang tidak boleh jamak sekiranya destinasi perjalanan itu adalah kampung halaman sendiri adalah seperti berikut (Rujuk Al-Fiqh Al-Islami Wa Adillatuhu, 2/1362 cet 4, dar Al-Fikr):-

a- Seseorang yang kerja di KL, manakala kampung kelahirannya di Batu Pahat, Johor atau mana-mana jarak yang melebihi 85 KM. Apabila ia sampai ke kampong asalnya ( ibu bapanya juga di sana) ia tidak boleh lagi menqasarkan solat kerana ia tidak dikira bermusafir lagi apabila telah sampai ke kampung walaupun berniat duduk kurang dari 3 hari.

b- Seseorang yang kampung kelahirannya di Perak, dan ia kerja di KL dan kampung isterinya di Johor. Apabila ia balik ke kampung isterinya, juga tidak boleh qasar apabila telah sampai. Bagaimanapun terdapat pandangan menegatakan si suami berhak menjamak dan qasar kerana ia bukan tempat tinggalnya. Bagi saya, kelaur dari yang khilaf adalah lebih baik dalam hal ini.

c- Sekiranya ia dalam perjalanan balik dari kampung Johor atau Peraknya ke KL, ia juga tidak boleh meng"qasar"kan solat apabila telah sampai ke rumahnya di KL

Adapun kenyataan saudari "tidak berada lebih tiga hari di sesuatu tempat perhentian" adalah syarat untuk qasar sahaja. Adapun solat jamak, maka ia masih di bolehkan jika terdapat sebab-sebab yang di sebutkan di atas.

Sekian

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Islamic Economics: An Alternative? Solving World Financial Crisis

Signs of the collapse of the world financial system have emerged, causing great panic to people all over the world. Many governments called upon economists and experts to find a way out. Financial institutions and their agents began to think about rescue plans.

Many people rushed to draw their deposits from banks. At the same time, several financial institutions have frozen the process of granting loans to companies and individuals for fear that it might be difficult to take them back.

The drop in the circulation of money among individuals, companies and financial institutions has given rise to a sharp slowdown in the economic activity. As a consequence, debtors have become unable to pay back their debts.

Wall Street meltdown dealt a severe blow to the level of exchanges in money and exchange markets causing indexes to fluctuate. Furthermore, used capacities in companies were decreased due to the decrease in financial flow and the inability to take loans from financial institutions, except at high interest rates with heavy guarantees.

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This shortage of financial flow decreased consumption of certain commodities, like cars and real estate sector. The drop in consumption decreases savings, investment projects, and hence increases unemployment which is eerily climb as many companies become bankrupt threatening many employees to lose their jobs.

Causes of the Crisis

Maurice Allais, an expert on world economy and a Nobel Prize laureate in economics, said, "The world economic system is based on some concepts and rules that will be the very cause of its destruction unless treated and rectified quickly."

In fact, many economists argue that the neo-capitalist world economic system rests on principles that will lead to its ruin.

It can be argued that among the reasons that led to the crisis is the spread of moral economic corruption, such as exploitation, lying, circulation of prejudiced rumors, cheating, monopoly and the engagement of nominal transactions, with no real value. In this way, the wealthy and creditors oppress the poor and debtors who, as a consequence of being unable to bear such oppression anymore or pay back these debts and loans, will grumble and be resentful.

Also, wealth has become a weapon used to dominate and control politics around the world. Money has become the idol the capitalist economy.

Interest-backed banking system inflicts mounting debts on consumers by working within the framework of the system of trading debts, either by selling, buying or brokerage.

The more the interest rate on deposits increases, the more the interest rate on the loans granted to individuals and companies will also increase. Only banks and stockbrokers benefit from this, whereas the debtors, who take loans for consumption or production purposes, bear this heavy burden alone.

Credit card debt inflicts high costs on the consumer, and when one can not pay back his debts, the interest rate is continuously increased. Ultimately, consumer's property will be confiscated in order to guarantee security. This has actually happened to many holders of such credit cards, causing an imbalance of their house budgets.

Indeed, banks impose additional burdens on the borrower who is not able yet to discharge the first loan due to the increasingly higher rate of interest. This is similar to usurers in the pre-Islamic period of Ignorance who would say to a debtor, "Either you repay or augment."

Furthermore, Stock brokerage firms deceives those in need of loans as they claim high commission payment if there are potential risks, leaving the poor debtors to bear their burden and attributed negative consequences.

Actually, Some economists believe that no real development or wise employment of the means of production could be achieved unless the interest rate is zero. This view was held by Adam Smith, the Father of modern economics.

Furthermore, economists think that the alternative is based on participating in profit and loss, because it brings about stability and security. In addition, interest-based system results in the accumulation of wealth in the hands of few people who will thus be in control of the world's fortunes.

In addition, The world financial system rests on the basis of the financial derivatives system that depends mainly on nominal transactions, with no real exchanges of goods or services. What is even worse is that most of these transactions are based on credits taken from banks in the form of loans, and when things develop unfavorably all that collapses triggering the financial crisis.

Islamic Economics

The current financial crisis debunks the myths of Capitalism, opening the way for alternative economic systems to emerge, among which is the Islamic finance and economy.

Yet, instead of just reacting to the crisis, scholars of Islamic economics ought to explain the concepts and principles of the Islamic financial and economic system and present its reference and applications to wider audience.

The Islamic economic and financial system is based on a set of values, ideals, and morals, such as honesty, credibility, transparency, clear evidence, facilitation, co-operation, complementarity ,and solidarity.

These morals and ideals are fundamental because they ensure stability, security, and safety for all those involved in financial transactions. Furthermore, the Islamic Shari`ah prohibits the economic and financial transactions that involve lying, gambling, cheating, gharar (risk-taking), gahalah (unawareness), monopoly, exploitation, greed, unfairness, and taking people's money unjustly.

In addition, Islamic economy promotes participation in profit, loss, and actual exchanges of money and assets. In fact, there should be real interaction between the wealthy, employers, the employees, and financial experts.

There is no party who is a constant winner or a constant loser; yet profit and loss is mutually shared.

Based on Shari`ah regulations, economic contracts entail mudarabah, sharing, murabaha, istisnaa`, salm, igarah, and sharecropping. Shari`ah prohibits all forms of investment-based contracts of funding that involve interest loans forbidding financial transactions that involve gharar (risk-taking) and gahalah (unawareness).

Actually, economic experts assert that the system of financial derivatives can not bring about real development. Financial derivatives create only money, with no real value, causing inflation and price rise ,as well as moral decadence. For example, financial derivatives caused quick collapse of East Asian financial institutions.

Regarding debts, Shari`ah prohibits all forms of selling debts, like discounting promissory notes and checks with postponed payments. Also forbidden under the Shari`ah is the scheduling of debts at a higher interest rate. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the sale of debts. In fact, economists contend that selling debts has exacerbated the financial crisis.

Actually, the Islamic economic and financial system makes it easier for the borrower to repay debts. Almighty Allah says: "And in case any person is under difficulty, then he should (be granted) a respite to (the time of) ease..." (Chapter 2: Verse 280).

Shari`ah allows for a system of funding and investment based on participation in both profit and loss and interaction between capital and labor. Shari`ah calls on the parties involved in transactions to behave in a truthful, honest, clear and transparent way by prohibiting gharar, gahalah, cheating, gambling, lying, rumors, exploitation and taking people's money unjustly.

In a word, the only way out of this crisis can be found in the principles and regulations of the Islamic economics.

www.zaharuddin.net

Emergency Status (Dharurah) and Islamic banks

"If a person was lost for days in the thick forest without eating and may die, could he consume a pig due to desperation (dharurat)?" I asked the participants in an Islamic finance seminar.

"Yes, he could," answered the participants confidently.

"Wrong" I replied, creating confusion.

"This is because other options are still exist in the forest to ease his hunger such as snails, worms, plants, fruits and so on, which are far better than a pig. That should be prioritized rather than consuming the pig," I argued.

"Thus there is no dharurat at that time, and it is not permissible for the man to consume the pig just because it is tastier, more appetizing and fatter than worms" I said firmly, inviting laughter from participants.

The same situation applies to Islamic banking in Malaysia. Muslims should give priority to Islamic banking although it looks less ‘appetizing' and causes additional difficulties as compared to riba based institutions. Muslims cannot use dharurat as an excuse to use the facilities of conventional banks.

As mentioned:

"Verily what is allowed due to emergency (dharurat) requires a certainty that the emergency occurred after every effort of searching (for what is permitted)." (Syarhul Umdah, 1/426)


The example above is to indicate that the argument of emergency for using conventional banks and insurance in Malaysia these days is totally unacceptable since there are Islamic banks, Islamic banking windows and takaful. The excuse that the price in conventional banks is cheaper should not be used as it is similar to the lost and starving person who saw a chicken (that is permitted) but consumed a pig just because he desired it. The only exception is when all Islamic institutions have rejected your application. Remember the Islamic Legal Maxims that reads:

Meaning: "What is permissible due to dharurat is limited to a certain limit." (As-Ashbah Wa An-Nazair, As-Suyuti, 1/82; Hawashi Asy-Syarwani, 3/272)

Consider the following scenarios:

In a secluded village where clean drinking water is scarce, two sellers approach the villagers with the following offer:

Seller A: Offering 1 liter of cheap liquor at only RM0.50 a bottle.

Seller B: Offering 1 liter of cheap orange juice at only RM1.00 a bottle.

Who do you think, in the above scenario, is inconsiderate and malicious? If your answer is B ( because selling orange in higher price than liqour), YOU MIGHT NEED TO RETHINK AND RECHECK your level of belief and taqwa, it might be at a worrying stage. Why?

It shows that the person make the visible and material element i.e price as a more important than the spiritual element i.e the prohibition of liquor.

To me, there is nothing more malicious and cruel than offering liquor that is prohibited, and at a cheap price that attracts people to do the prohibited.

Do not reprimand seller B for selling at a higher price, as we do not know his capital and cost to obtain the oranges. He also wants to profit while offering a permitted drink.

You say, "True, but seller B should be more considerate and sacrifice to save a lot of people from being attracted to what is prohibited". I believe it depends on the ihsan and belief of seller B but what he did was permissible. It depends on the owner. Therefore, if the owner of an Islamic bank is unable to give discounts, other owners may not be able to do so as well.

Finally, we should be fair in evaluating Islamic banks and not hastily accusing them as malicious when they are actually saving the Muslim ummah from falling into the trap of riba-based conventional banks.

About Author


Zaharuddin Abd Rahman

www.zaharuddin.net



Mahram

In Islamic sharia legal terminology, a mahram (Arabic محرم, also transliterated mahrim or maharem) is an unmarriageable kin with whom sexual intercourse would be considered incestuous, a punishable taboo. Current usage of the term covers a wider range of people and mostly deals with the dress code practice of hijab.

The plural form of the word in the Arabic language is maharim with long second vowel (Arabic محارم, also transliterated maharem). Sometimes the word is capitalized but there isn't a general consensus that the word should be capitalized like Muslim. (The Arabic alphabet of course has no upper-case vs. lower-case distinction.)

Being mahram is a reciprocal condition. If A is mahram to B, B is definitely mahram to A.

Who is mahram?

Anyone whom a Muslim is not allowed to marry is mahram, if they are of the opposite sex and have reached puberty. A partial list of what is considered a "mahram" can be found in Surah 24, Ayah 31, of the Quran.

A woman's opposite-sex mahrams fall into four categories (three categories in the strict-sense definition that does not count one's spouse). Note that mahrams for a man can be derived in a similar manner.

  1. permanent or blood mahrams with whom one is mahram by a blood relationship:
    1. father, grandfather, great-grandfather and so on;
    2. brother;
    3. son, grandson, great-grandson;
    4. uncle, parents' uncle, grandparents' uncle and so on;
    5. nephew, grandnephew, great-grandnephew and so on;
  2. in-law mahrams with whom one becomes mahram by marrying someone:
    1. father-in-law;
    2. son-in-law;
    3. stepfather (mother's husband) if their marriage is consummated;
    4. stepson (husband's son) if her marriage is consummated;
  3. rada or milk-suckling mahrams with whom you become mahram because of being nursed by a woman. When a woman acts as a wetnurse (that is, she breast feeds an infant that is not her own child) for a certain amount of time under certain conditions, she becomes the child's rada mother and all said about blood mahrams applies here, like rada father/mother, rada sister/brother, rada aunt/uncle and so on. In English these can be referred to as milk brother, milk-mother, etc. (See also breastfeeding fatwa.)
  4. All non-Muslim Males as mahrams:
    1. All non-Muslim men are "mahram" (forbidden) for a Muslim woman to marry. The Quran specifically forbids a Muslim woman from marrying any non-Muslim man, which is today still recognized as applicable both by Muslim and non-Muslim experts alike.[1]

Some rules regarding mahrams and ghayr mahrams (non-mahrams)

  • Theoretically, a Muslim woman's mahrams form the group of allowable escorts when she travels.
  • An adopted brother (adopted sister) of a woman (man) is ghayr mahram to her (him) and they can marry each other. The term "adopted" means those children who are adopted by one's parents for the purpose of providing shelter and upbringing and who do not fall under the relationships outlined under the section "Who is Mahram?" above.
  • Except for the spouse, being mahram is a permanent condition. That means, for example, a man will remain mahram to his ex-mother-in-law after divorcing her daughter. One is ghayr mahram to one's ex-spouse.
  • One must not stay with a ghayr mahram in seclusion where none of their mahrams is present (see also proxemics).
  • A rada sister (brother) is only mahram to the boy (girl) that her (his) mother has breast fed. That means she (he) is ghayr mahram to his (her) other brothers (sisters) unless the mother has fed them separately.
  • If wives of a man each become a rada mother of a child, all children and all rada mothers will be mahram to each other.
http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/002.qmt.html#002.221