إِنَّا ِلِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

February 27, 2023 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

We belong to Allah and to him we will return.

Subhanallah, my Father’s brother has returned to Allah.

I was fortunate to visit him moments before his departure to the Hereafter.

As I stood at his bedside, I noticed that the work of the Angel of death had begun as he looked strangely towards different places in the room, which were perfectly normal to us. He’s crossing of the divide was in full motion, his full departure imminent, and the world of the unseen became ultimately seen to him, in stages, as we are taught in the hadeeths of Baraa’ bin ‘Aazib and Abdullah bin Abbaas (May Allah be pleased with them both).

How does the Shariah Identify Money?

February 2, 2023 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

Coin - Dinar, Caliph Hisham, Umayyad Caliphate, 110 AH (728-729 AD)

The following is an an extract from a transcript of an interview completed in September 2021 with Sh. Dr. Sajid Umar by the Islamic Finance Advisory on Crypto-currencies. The full transcript and video link can be found here.

Key answers to the following questions are answered in this piece and are as follows:

Is the concept of money in Islam something revealed?
What was the difference between the dinār and the dirham in terms of weight?
Who, after Islam, was the first to mint a coin in a metal other than Gold and Silver, and what was this coin known as?
Who was the first person to mint the very first Islamic Gold Coin?
What impact did the minting of the first Islamic Gold Coin have on the idea of money in Islam within Islamic Scholarship?
What are the characteristics of wealth and money, and what is defining characteristic of money from the perspective of Islamic Scholarship?
Is Fiat currency a form of money from the perspective of Islamic scholarship? Why?

The Idea of Money from an Islamic Perspective

When Muhammed ﷺ became a Prophet and was sent as a Messenger, the people of the region would conduct trade using the Roman gold coin known as the dinār, and the Persian silver coin known as the dirham. And at that time, these metals were used for exchange in accordance with their weight. Some sources highlight that for this period, seven gold coins were equal to ten silver coins in terms of value. This exchange rule was based on the amounts of each respected metal in weight that was present in those coins.

And accordingly, the Messenger ﷺ tacitly approved peoples’ trade based on the currency of the time, and things remained like this. This was with the exception of a few framing rules in relation to the exchange of gold and silver, when ribā became prohibited.

In terms of currency use, however, this practice continued until the time of ʿUmar رضي الله عنه. For at his time, he minted a coin upon the style of the Roman dinār, but with a metal other than gold and silver. This was called the fals. Sometimes he wrote on these coins his name, and on others phrases like (Alḥamdulillāh), (Bismillāh), and (Allāh Rabbī).

The Ruling on Benefitting from a Bank’s Debit & Credit Card Rewards’ Program

January 20, 2023 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

Question:

What is the Ruling on receiving rewards banks give to their depositors for using their debit and credit cards?

Answer:

باسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن والاه

Firstly, regarding the rewards in relation to debit cards; the relationship between a depositor and a bank, from an Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) standpoint, as per the view of the majority of contemporary Islamic Scholarship, is one of a lender (loaner) and borrower (loanee), with the depositor, in effect, being the lender, and the bank, in effect, being the borrower.

As a result, according to Islamic Law, when someone establishes a bank account and deposits money into it, they are actually lending the bank the money because the bank does not place the money in a safe-keeping box for the depositor, as should be the case in a safe-keeping transaction, but instead uses it for other purposes, with a promise to pay back the deposited amount to the depositor upon a set of agreed terms and conditions.

Islamic Ruling on Receiving Referral Fees offered by Businesses as part of their Referral’s Program?

January 19, 2023 by Sajid Umar 2 Comments

Question:
What is the ruling on receiving referral fees offered by businesses to their clients as part of their referral’s program?

Answer:

باسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن والاه

May Allah reward you for your question.

In terms of the program in question; then as long as there is no fee to be paid to be a part of the program, and the relationship between the business offering the referral reward fee and the customer acting as the referrer is not one of a lender and borrower from an Islamic Jurisprudence perspective (for example: NOT between a bank and its customers), the referral fee paid to the referrer will be deemed PERMISSIBLE, and the contractual arrangement between the two parties will be equivalent to the Ja’aalah contract discussed in the books of Islamic Jurisprudence, which is considered permissible by the vast majority of the Islamic Jurists (may Allah have mercy upon them).

Regarding the rewards given by the business to the referee for signing up for the referral program, this is also ACCEPTABLE and will be viewed as a gift from one party to the other from the perspective of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), provided that the two parties do not have a lender-borrower relationship as previously stated.

The Meaning Of ‘حي’

January 14, 2023 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

A question was asked yesterday about the word حي in the Arabic Language, and specifically in the the hadeeth of Aisha (ra) found in Saheeh alBukhari, known as the story of the وشاح (Red leather strap) and whether it refers to ‘a neighbourhood’.

In answer to the question, whilst حي does refer to a neighbourhood in the Arabic Language, it also refers to a tribe.

In the hadeeth of the story of the وشاح the term حي refers to a tribe and not neighbourhood.

However, if we ponder over the two meanings we actually can conclude a connection between the two meanings, as historically a tribe would settle in a place formulating a sort of neighbourhood, and thus the two meaning possibly being connected through one reflective term.

And Allah knows best.

Sh. Dr. Sajid Umar
Blackburn

21/06/1444
14/01/2022

The Mercy of Concealment

January 2, 2023 by Sajid Umar 4 Comments

One of the greatest gifts from Allah upon us is the gift of keeping hidden away from the knowledge of others our private sins.

This gift entails not just Divine Mercy, but levels of it, as through it Allah saves us from having to deal with the impact of negative thoughts harboured by others about us, because of our sins, even after we may seek forgiveness from Allah, and Allah Almighty forgiving us.

Allah Almighty is the Entirely Merciful, and He’s forgiveness over us is easy. The situation is entirely different with the creation of Allah!

With the creation of Allah, their knowledge of our sins can sometimes become intertwined with our souls. As a result, we may be remembered for our slips, mistakes and transgressions long after we pass away, even though our slate with Allah Almighty had since been wiped clean.

Furthermore, It is also for this reason that Islam commands us to keep concealed the sins of others that we may know of, and to do so religiously.

Permissibility to sacrifice for a deceased parent.

July 8, 2022 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

down angle photography of red clouds and blue sky

Question:

Assalamo alykum wa rehmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Is it permissible to do udhyia in the name of a deceased parent l? Or will it be considered a bida’h since it is only obligated on living people?

Answer:

A group of scholars permitted this as a practice due to an acceptable report in the Musnad of Imam Ahmed stating that Ali (ra) used to sacrifice two animals on behalf of the Messenger (saw) after he passed away.

However, since this isn’t a practice known to be a norm of the Messenger (saw), it is better for it not to be made a yearly practice specifically on the day of Eid alAdhaa.

And Allah knows best.

Sh. Dr. Sajid Umar

On Hajj 1443/2022

July 8, 2022 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

To my brothers and sisters on Hajj without a group or guide. Subhanallah this is such a trial especially since its about failed logistics as opossed to hujjaaj not being ready to be patient.

Whilst it maybe close to impossible to see the sliver lining due to the depth of concerns surrounding every aspect of your hajj, I want you all to know that above all the chaos is your Lord, and that Hajj is truly about realising that ‘he who has no one has Allah’!

We truly learnt this from Ibrahim as he was tied in front of fire of unprecedented proportions.

At that time, he had no home, no parents, no tribe, no residence, no citizenship, no support, but he had His Lord and the dua:

حسبي الله ونعم الوكيل…

“Allah is sufficient for me and the best upon whom to depend…”.

So everytime you feel defeated, rise up through the constant recitation of:

Your Talbiyah (letting Allah know that you have arrived).
The dua of Ibrahim, and as such letting Allah know that you only place your trust in Him!

Allah tests those He loves, and the difficulties of this Hajj is a message from Allah to you that Allah loves you! InShaAllah.

I wish you all total forgiveness on Arafah, and you will be inShaAllah, even if you just stand on it for part of the afternoon.

I love you all for the sake of Allah. Your brother,

Sajid Umar
www.sajidumar.com

A Bit Of Perspective

May 29, 2022 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

Given the sadness being portrayed and the messages being shared, I’d like to offer the following words to the Liverpool fans out there…

Coming second after breaking the 90 point barrier for the third time in four years, after the Premier League apologised to Everton over not awarding them a deserved penalty for the clear Rodri hand ball when they played Manchester City, is a reason to be proud and grateful for, and not distraught in any shape or form.

Remember, the system of Islam is just and accordingly grades us based on EFFORT and not results, for results are with Allah Almighty as per the mandates of the Universal Qadr (divine fore-ordainment).

It is for this reason that I am against the ordinal grading system in schools based solely on tests, for it doesn’t truly reflect the efforts of our children and creates unfair hurt and sentiments.

If we judge this Liverpool team based on the Islamic paradigm of ‘effort’ today, they are no doubt winners, as they were winners in 2019 for their 97 points! Despite them finishing second even then by just one point.

Subhanallah, someone told me today that a team amassing 92 points would have won the Premier League Title in 25 out of the last 30 seasons!!!

So accordingly turn a deaf ear to the banter of football fans and write your own historical account based on the right paradigm. Don’t worry about what the history books will say… What matters is what your history book says ☺️.

So take a deep breath and smile, for you’re a Muslim before you are a football fan.

Your brother,
Sajid Umar

Five point plan towards success

May 29, 2022 by Sajid Umar Leave a Comment

Some live in abundance but with no peace of mind & worrisome hearts. Their lives are full of profit but very little value. Its all about worldly quantity and not quality. Value, brothers and sisters, is in living in the remembrance of Allah for indeed in doing so, do the hearts find absolute worldly and eternal peace.

Moving forward brothers and sisters, strive to love your lives on the following 5 point plan…

Put Allah first and make Him the purpose for everything you say and do.
Try to make all your actions as close as possible to the Sunnah of the Messenger (PBUH). Don’t fatwa shop! Rather focus on the diamond standard- the actual practice of the final Messenger (PBUH) and make that standard your goal.
Practice an act of worship that is so secretive that no one besides you and Allah knows of it.
Get into the habit of looking at those who worship Allah more than you when it comes to matters of the Hereafter, and those who have less than you when it comes to matters of this life.
Never ever miss your Salah, no matter what! And improve on its quality daily, for indeed it is the means of our safety from falling into sin, and the master key to paradise!

I love you all for the sake of Allah.

Your brother,
Sajid Umar