Serious Cultural Practices That Go Against the Qur'aan and Sunnah

[Janaan]

Assalaamu `alaikum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh.

I was think of making this sort of thread for a while now, and alhamdulillaah, finally got around to doing it.

Inshaa'Allaah I'll try to gather as much information as possible (previous threads/posts, etc) and add them here. Feel free to chip in.

Gathering to eat, offer condolences and recite Qur'aan together when someone passes away - A very common practice in the Somali community, they call it Ta3siya.

Question: The father of one of my friends has died and it was necessary to attend the dinner that they offered to the people present. Whilst we were waiting for the food to be served, some of the people present began to recite Qur’aan together, and I am aware that this is an innovation and that it is not proven from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and his family).
I wanted to object to this action but I was afraid of causing trouble and I did not have sufficient evidence.
Was I sinning by being present and listening to their recitation?
Should I have objected to them, even if that was by saying that there is no proof of this from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?

Answer: Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:

It is not permissible for the family of the deceased to make food and invite people to come and eat. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade that. Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah said: We used to regard gathering with the family of the deceased and making food after the burial as coming under the same heading as wailing.. Narrated by Ahmad, 6866; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Talkhees Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz.

It is not permissible to go to these meals and gatherings; rather what must be done is to tell people not to do that and to explain to them that it is contrary to Islam.
With regard to reciting Qur’aan together, if the group starts to recite Qur’aan together in unison, this is another innovation; this was not narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or from any of his Companions.

Based on that, you should not have attended this gathering and if you did attend, then you should have explained to them that this action is not prescribed in Islam. If they did not respond to you then you should have left the place, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever among you sees an evil action, then let him change it with his hand [by taking action]; if he cannot, then with his tongue [by speaking out]; and if he cannot, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith.”
Narrated by Muslim, 49

Part of objecting to evil in the heart is leaving the place where it is happening.

And Allah knows best [Islam QA]

 

[Janaan]

Cousins. This is one thing that absolutely bothers me. The free-mixing between cousins of opposite gender, subhaanallaah.

Parents (in many cultures) let them play together from an early age, which leads to them treating one another like biological siblings. And this habit continues even after they reach puberty. The saddest part - parents who say "It's ok, they're just like brothers and sisters" instead of teaching their children their children the proper way to treat each other. I grew up with this and I know so many people who've been through it as well.

Fatwa no. 5238

Question: I married a woman whose male cousins used to greet her, but I prevented them from doing this. I told them that greeting her is Haram (prohibited), but some of them became upset from my words. Even some of my relatives have objected and said that it is not permissible for me to stop them doing this. I explained to them that it is Haram, as they are not her brothers, but her cousins. Please advise me, may Allah reward you with the best.

Answer: It is not permissible for a woman to show her beauty, uncover her face, or shake hands with Ajaanib (men other than a husband or permanently unmarriageable male relatives). Allah (Exalted be He) says (what means):

And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyûbihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islâm), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of feminine sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allâh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.

The men whom Allah (Glorified be He) mentioned in the Ayah (verse): the woman’s husband, father, father-in-law, brothers, and nephews, etc., these are a woman’s Mahrams (spouse or unmarriageable relatives) and these are the only men it is permissible for her to shake hands with. As for her husband’s brother and uncle, her malecousins etc., it is not permissible for her to uncover her veil in front of them or to shake hands with them. They can greet her in the presence of her Mahrams, without shaking hands, and with her observing the Hijab and dressing modestly and decently. It is also Haram for them to be in Khulwah (being alone with a member of the opposite sex) with her, as it is authentically reported that the Messenger (peace be upon him) forbade men from visiting and being alone with women, when he said,

“Beware of entering to women.” A man from among the Ansar said, “O Messenger of Allah, what about the in-law?” He said, “The in-law is death.”

The in-law refers to the husband’s relatives, such as his brother, paternal and maternal uncles, etc. As for your relatives being upset, do not pay any attention to it; you have to invite them to the Truth and explain it to them with evidence, hoping that Allah will guide them. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, his family, and Companions.

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'