Q. Going through a difficult period, a person feels weak in the face of temptation and commits a serious sin. When he comes to, he is very sorry and feels ashamed of himself, having disobeyed God in such a way. He weeps repeatedly and seeks God’s forgiveness, but he is not sure whether he may be forgiven by God. How could he be reassured?
S.A., Jeddah
A. The door of repentance after committing a sin, even the most serious, is open all the time. God does not close this door in the face of anyone who turns to Him with sincerity and true repentance. Therefore, sinners need not lose hope. God may forgive all sins, as He has promised. The only important requirement for the acceptance of repentance is that it should be made seriously and sincerely, coupled with a resolve that one will not repeat his sin.
Perhaps the worst situation is that of a person who today commits a sin, and repents tomorrow. One week later, he finds himself facing strong temptation and repeats the same sin. Yet even then, repentance is acceptable, provided that at the time, it is meant seriously and with all sincerity. The resolve not to repeat the sin should be real. Still, if this happens repeatedly, every time God may forgive His servant his errors, provided that he is always sincere when he makes his repentance and pledges to stop finally and completely.
This man has been tormented by his uncertainty that his repentance might not be accepted. Well, he should ask himself whether his repentance is made with sincerity and the seriousness required in pledges made to God. If so, then his repentance is accepted, because God has told us so, and He does not fail to honor His promises. Even if he finds himself repeating his sin, he should resolve anew not to go back to it, declaring a new repentance. He should be sure that it is accepted and forgiveness is forthcoming, God willing, when he is firm in his resolve not to go back to sinning ways.
Substitute pilgrimage
Q. Could you please let me know whether it is permissible to offer the pilgrimage or Umrah on behalf a deceased person or one who lives abroad.
Nur Aziz, Al-Khobar
A. Offering the pilgrimage or the Umrah on behalf of a deceased person is perfectly legitimate. Indeed, if a person did not perform the pilgrimage in his lifetime, his heirs should set aside from his estate a sum of money sufficient to cover the expenses of someone who is willing to travel and do the pilgrimage on his behalf. The only condition for the substitute pilgrimage to be valid is that the person doing it should have offered his own obligatory pilgrimage first. If he did not, then his pilgrimage is counted as his own obligatory one, and not for the person on whose behalf he undertakes it.
A man may do the substitute pilgrimage on behalf of a woman or vice versa.
If substitute pilgrimage is undertaken on behalf of a living person, this is only done in the case of that person being too ill to undertake the journey and he or she is unlikely to recover. Otherwise, pilgrimage is a personal duty and should be offered by the person himself.
God’s forgiveness
Q. Please explain the Hadith mentioning that God comes down to the nearest heaven at a particular time and which Qur’anic verses should be read at that time.
M. Hidayatullah
A. A Hadith speaks of God coming down to the nearest heaven every night before dawn and invites people who wish to declare their repentance of their sins promising them forgiveness. What is needed is simply to be genuine in one’s determination to stop the sin of which he is repenting and never to revert back to it. It is this resolve that makes the difference between a sincere repentance which ensures forgiveness and a merely verbal one that is not meant seriously. The Hadith does not mention any special verses to read at that time. Whatever act of worship we undertake will be highly rewarded.
It is also important to point out here that when the Prophet speaks of God coming down, this movement does not apply physically to God. It is a description for our benefit, indicating that God is close to us. Otherwise, God is near at all times. He does not need to come closer for any purpose. The whole concept of place, as we know it, does not apply to God. The same is true with regard to the concept of time. Therefore, when they are used in reference to God, this is only so in relation to us, not to God Himself.
Zakah for the Prophet’s descendants
Q.1. Our family’s title is Syed and we were told that we are direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad. I have heard that because of this fact they cannot accept any zakah nor can one give them any zakah. Is this true? As some of my family members are poor, is it possible for me give my zakah to them in spite of the fact that they are Syeds?
Q.2. I am a housewife. Can I give my zakah amount to my own brothers and sister? None of them is my dependent. My brothers want to do some business but they don’t have the necessary capital. My sister is married with two children but her husband’s income is insufficient for their needs. When I give my zakah amount to anyone, is it compulsory to mention that what I am giving him/her is zakah money.
Shah Alam, Riyadh
A.1. It is true that the descendants of the Prophet through his daughter Fatimah do not take zakah, even when they are poor. But this stipulation is compensated for by the fact that they have a special access to funds that an Islamic state wins in its wars against the enemies, and from other state sources. The question arises whether the same restriction applies in times like these when Muslim countries are weak and they have no funds from which to compensate the Prophet’s descendants. Sheikh Yussuf Al-Qaradawi, a leading contemporary scholar discusses this situation at length in his priceless book on zakah. He concludes that it is not in line with Islamic justice that the descendants of the Prophet should be denied zakah funds in times like these when they are not looked after in any other way. They are not less entitled to help than other Muslims. Indeed, the restriction is not meant to impose hardship on them when legislation is in place to relieve the poverty of ordinary people. Hence, he concludes that it is permissible to give them from zakah and permissible for them to take it.
Besides, when you pay your zakah, you need not tell the person to whom you pay it that what you are giving him or her is zakah. To keep that information from him is better and recommended.
Having said that, I should add that not everyone who is given the title Syed is a direct descendent of the Prophet through his daughter Fatimah. To try to prove this descent could be laborious and hard. We should not be deterred by this title from giving zakah to those people with this title if they otherwise qualify to be beneficiaries of zakah.
A.2. Yes, it is permissible for you to give your zakah to your sister and your brothers who are in need of the money for their living, or to set up some means of earning an income. The only relatives who may not benefit by our zakah are those whom it is our duty to look after, such as our children or our parents.