Misunderstood Allowances / Obligations

Is nikaah al-mut’ah (temporary marriage) allowed?

Many Muslims believe that short term contract marriages are allowed. However, the Quran indicates that marriage for a predetermined duration is forbidden. The temporary marriage contract is between two parties who agree to the duration of the marriage at the start of the agreement. The agreement does not have a lower limit. As an example, it can be stipulated for 45 minutes, one night, one month or 10 years. The time is mutually agreed. A form of ‘mahr’ (gift) is often advanced and in this period, man and woman can resume intimacy and in effect, live as married couples. At the end of the specified period, the Nikaah al-mut’ah is automatically dissolved without the need for divorce. In general, this type of marriage is acceptable in Shia Islam and forbidden in Sunni Islam.

According to verse 4:24, marriage should not be undertaken for purposes of lust but rather for sincere and honest wedlock.

وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۖ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ ۚ فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَاضَيْتُم بِهِ مِن بَعْدِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not lust. So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (4:24)

Based on this verse, it is clear that marriage should not be done to temporarily satisfy some sexual desires. Nikaah al-mut’ah is nothing but a form of prostitution masked to give it religious sanction.

Is creating or joining a sect, e.g. Sunni, Shia, etc allowed?

Many Muslims choose to be either Sunni or Shia or be part of some other group. However, the Quran makes it clear that dividing into or joining a sect is forbidden. Some of the names of these divisions and subdivisions are

• Sunni (e.g. Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi, Barelvi, Wahabi, Deobandi)
• Shia (e.g. Twelver, Ismaili, Jafri, Zaidiyya, Khwarij)
• Sufi (e.g. Chishti, Naqshbandi, Mawlawi, Qariyyah)
• Alawi
• Druze
• Salafi
• Etc

According to verse 6:159, dividing into or joining religious sects is forbidden.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ ۚ إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ
Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects — you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about what they used to do. (6:159)

According to verse 3:103, God instructs Muslims to not be divided.

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا…
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. … (3:103)

According to verse 41:133, the only acceptable label is “I am of those who submit to the one God, i.e. Muslim”)

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّن دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.” (41:133)

The word “Muslim” is not only used to describe followers of prophet Muhammad. In the Quran, it is used to describe everyone who submits and surrenders to the will of the one God, e.g.

• Pharaoh’s magicians submit to God after witnessing Prophet Moses’s (pbuh) sign from his Lord and are ready to die as those who submit to God (Muslimeen) [7:126]
• Prophet Noah (pbuh) asks for no reward from his people. He only submits to God (Muslimeen) [10:72]
• Prophet Moses (pbuh) speaks to his people to put their trust in God if they submit to Him (Muslimeen) [10:84]
• Prophet Solomon’s (pbuh) letter to Sheba (Saba) requesting her in the name of the Lord to abandon her blasphemy and to surrender herself to God (Muslimeen) [27:31]
• Prophet Solomon (pbuh) acknowledges his own surrender to his Lord (Muslimeen) [27:42]
• Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is instructed to say that he has been commanded to be of those that submit to God (Muslimeen) [27:91]
• Those who have persevered with the truth from the People of the Book and when it is recited to them, acknowledge that they have already been from those that have submitted to God (Muslimeen) [28:53]
• All but one house belonging to Lot (pbuh) (from his community) had submitted to God (Muslimeen) [51:36]
• Disciples of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) confirm that they submit to God (Muslimoon) [3:52]
• Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was one who submitted to His Lord (Musliman) [3:67]
• Prophet Joseph (pbuh) prays to his Lord to die as one who submits to his Lord (Musliman) [12:101]
• Prophet Jacob’s (pbuh) children at the point of their father’s death profess that they submit to God (Muslimoon) [2:133]

Is forcing someone to practice some aspects of Islam allowed?

Some Muslim individuals and governments force others or their citizens and/or visitors to follow certain Islamic practices. However, the Quran makes it clear that it is forbidden to force a religion or any aspect of religion on anyone.

God could have made everyone a believer but instead, He gave people a brain to think for themselves and the option to choose their belief. God told Muhammad not to force people to follow Muhammad’s belief (Islam).

قُلْ فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ ۖ فَلَوْ شَاءَ لَهَدَاكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
Say, “With Allah is the far-reaching argument. If He had willed, He would have guided you all.” (6:149)
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ
And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed — all of them entirely. Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers? (10:99)

Verse 2:256 should make it absolutely clear that one may not force Islam on anyone.

لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ
There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. … (2:256 part)

People are expected to use “reason” to choose their religion. Choosing a religion based on tradition or inheritance does not constitute a choice that is based on sound “reason”.

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَن تُؤْمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَيَجْعَلُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah, and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason. (10:100)

Prophet Muhammad was told not to grieve / feel sorry for the disbelievers.

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَن تُؤْمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَيَجْعَلُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
And if their aversion is grievous to you, then if you are able to seek a tunnel into the earth or a stairway into the sky to bring them a sign, [then do so]. But if Allah had willed, He would have united them upon guidance. So never be of the ignorant. (6:35)

Whoever chooses to disbelieve is free to disbelieve.

وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ ۚ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَارًا أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا ۚ وَإِن يَسْتَغِيثُوا يُغَاثُوا بِمَاءٍ كَالْمُهْلِ يَشْوِي الْوُجُوهَ ۚ بِئْسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَاءَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا
And say, “The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills — let him believe; and whoever wills — let him disbelieve.” Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place. (18:29)

Belief and disbelief can be a cyclical experience and occur repeatedly.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ آمَنُوا ثُمَّ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَّمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ سَبِيلًا
Indeed, those who have believed then disbelieved, then believed, then disbelieved, and then increased in disbelief — never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way. (4:137)

However, God will not guide people who disbelieve after believing.

كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُوا أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and had witnessed that the Messenger is true and clear signs had come to them? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (3:86–87)

Repentance will not be accepted if one rejects faith after having accepted it.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُوا كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الضَّالُّونَ
Indeed, those who reject the message after their belief and then increase in disbelief — never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted, and they are the ones astray. (3:90)

Surah Kafirun (Chapter of the Disbelievers) (109) should also make it clear that people are free to keep their own religion.

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
Say, “O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” (109)

Is assuming something without proof allowed?

Regarding matters of religion, it is common for many people to assume things based on personal preference or tradition. This can lead to new laws that people claim are Islamic yet they are nowhere to be found in the Quran. Not only is this attitude wrong but it can also be considered a sin, especially if you say something allowed is forbidden and vice versa. This is made clear in the following verses.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ
O you who have believed, avoid much assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (49:12)

Unfortunately, as indicated in verse 10:36, most people follow assumption, especially regarding matters of religion. This is probably why so many people still think statues are gods.

وَمَا يَتَّبِعُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِلَّا ظَنًّا ۚ إِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ
And most of them follow not except assumption. Indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do. (10:36)