Q. My elder brother was working as revenue inspector in India when the government decided to give free plots of land to poor people. At the time my father was retired, while my two elder brothers were looking after our large family. My elder brother obtained two separate plots but could not register them in his name. Instead, he registered one in my father’s name and one in my mother’s name with the intention of taking the plots back from them later. After that my father died. My elder brother gave 25 percent of the land to my three sisters and kept the balance himself. Later, when I was in financial trouble, my mother sold the other piece of land with my elder brother’s permission and gave me its full price. Now I want to return it to my mother. Please let me know what share of it goes to my elder brother and what is my mother’s share. Is there any share to other brothers or sisters? “My elder brother told me that he will give each of his four brothers a portion of one-sixth of the price and keep one-third to himself. He does not intend to give any share to our mother or sisters. Please comment.
Nurul Hassan
A. As I understand it, this is a case of loan, not inheritance. It appears that the two plots of land were recognized as the property of the reader’s brother. At no time were they considered to belong to his parents, although they were registered in their names. This registration was for convenience, perhaps because the elder brother was a government employee and he could not have them registered in his name. He also appears to have done well by his family, not only looking after them after the retirement of his father, but also giving his sisters a portion of the price of the first plot of land.
As for the second plot, the mother could not sell it without the elder brother’s permission. As our reader is returning the money, it is clear that this was understood to be a loan. Therefore, the money should be returned to the recognized owner of the land, i.e. the elder brother. If he is giving his brothers a share each, then it is very generous of him. He may decide to whom he gives his gifts. However, he is better advised to treat all his brothers and sisters equally. Since he gave his sisters earlier gifts, he should take this into account and give equal help all round. Moreover, if he is looking after his mother, he need not give her a portion, but if he gives her a gift, it is far more dutiful and would earn him good reward from God. As for our reader, he should return the money to his elder brother, but with his mother’s knowledge.
Marriage of relatives
Q. In a booklet published by Dar Al-Gasem, Riyadh, it is mentioned that it is forbidden to marry the children of one’s mother’s sisters or one’s father’s brothers. In the Muslim world, there are numerous such marriages. How could this happen if they are forbidden. Please clarify.
B. Zaman
Tabuk
A. Marriage between first cousins, such as the ones you have mentioned, is permissible in Islam. God has listed all the marriages that are not allowed in Islam, then said that any marriage other than those He has specified is permissible. In this list of prohibitions we do not find marriage with one’s maternal aunt’s children or one’s paternal uncle’s children. Therefore, such marriages are perfectly legitimate.
It is very surprising that a publication in Saudi Arabia should make such a mistake. I am more inclined to say that the book has been wrongly quoted. It might have suggested that it is better, for health reasons, not to marry close relatives. If so, then this is a personal opinion which may have some validity.
Answering prayers
Q. Is it appropriate to pray God for something personal, such as to facilitate one’s marriage to a particular woman, or to cure a physical handicap? What if one’s prayers do not seem to be answered? Does this suggest that his prayers are unacceptable to God? What does it take to make sure that one’s prayers are answered?
A.B. Mirza, Jeddah
A. All that is required to ensure that our prayers are answered is that we should address them to God with sincerity, placing no one as intermediary between Him and us. When a prayer is addressed in such a way to God, with clear thoughts that He alone can grant our prayers and that He is able to accomplish His purpose, He will certainly answer our prayers. This is a promise to which He has committed Himself, saying in the Qur’an: “Your Lord has said, ‘Pray Me and I will answer you’.” (40: 60)
When we say that He will certainly answer our prayers, it does not follow that what we pray for will be immediately fulfilled. When God answers prayers, He may do one of three things: He either brings about what we prayed for without delay, as in the case of prayer for rain. Sometimes rain will fall even before those who pray for it have finished their prayers. Or He may give us something which He knows to be better for us than what we prayed for. Thus, you may pray to God to let you have a certain girl as a wife, but He knows that your temperaments are incompatible and that if you get married, you would not be happy together. He may give you a better wife, with whom it would be easier for you to be happy. Alternatively, God may decide to delay answering your prayer till the Day of Judgment, when He rewards you richly for it. The Prophet tells us that when we see what He gives us for our prayers which He retained with Him, we would wish that He had not answered any of our prayers in this life, but delayed them all to the Day of Judgment. So, whichever option He decides, we are certain to get either what we wish for or something better.
Sometimes, we pray for something we dearly wish, as in the case cited by the reader, i.e. the cure of a physical handicap. Suppose a lame person prays for a cure to his lameness. To start with, he should not merely pray to God to cure it and sit idle. He should look around for a means to cure it. If doctors assure him that there is no way that his lameness will be cured, then he must realize that God is able to cure it if He so wishes, by bringing about some element which is perhaps unknown to us. He should also realize that God may not wish to bring that about and that He has decided to credit us with the reward of such prayer. Therefore, we should remain reassured and we should thank Him for whatever He decides for us, because it is all to our benefit.