Q. On our campus there is a large population of Sunni, Shiite, and Sufi Muslims. As the president of the Muslim Students Organization, I and the board of executives are responsible for making sure our group is the voice of all Muslim students on the campus, which means that we must represent all groups equally and fairly, giving them a platform to address Muslims and non-Muslims on campus to their particular beliefs, whether we agree with them or not. For example, sometime back a Sufi music concert was held to raise money for the tsunami victims that was sponsored by our group. Some people in the Sunni community are having a problem with this because they are saying that such things are against the Qur’an and the Sunnah. While I agree with some of their arguments, the MSO is a place where all kinds of Muslims may express their views and particular practices (cultural, religious or otherwise) to the University community. In addition, as a student organization funded by our university, we are bound by the university rules which bar discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or religious belief. Please comment.
R. Hamid
A. It has always been the practice of distinguished and leading scholars to accommodate views that differ with their own. They all took the attitude that, to the best of their belief and knowledge, their own view on any particular issue was correct, but they never excluded the possibility that they could be wrong. Nor did they think that any view that differed with their own was inevitably incorrect. They admitted that it could be correct. This is the proper scholarly attitude. All this naturally applies to matters of detail. As for essential beliefs, there is no difference among Muslims.
We will be certainly well advised to follow in their footsteps and accept differences of views as normal. This means that in working within the rules of your university, the Muslim Students Organization will be only following a great principle of Islamic scholarship, where other people are welcome to express their views and argue their point. You should encourage such an attitude as much as possible. God quotes in the Qur’an the arguments put by unbelievers in defence of their attitude. Why should any Muslim suppress the views of a fellow believer?
Besides when the question at issue is one of detail, it does not matter how far we differ. Take the issue of music as an example, which has caused a problem for your organization. I realize that some scholars today strongly believe that it is forbidden in Islam. I do not share this view as I consider that the evidence put in support of it to be poor. I recently read a well-argued piece of research in which the author, who is undoubtedly a well-versed scholar, suggests that music is a Sunnah. Of course the two views are diametrically opposed. In between there may be many different views, ranging from opposition to encouragement. I do not propose to compare these views or discuss them at any length. I merely wish to point out that as music is a question of detail, adopting a mistaken view on it will not affect a person’s belief. The maximum that could happen is that the holder of a wrong view will be judged by God to have committed a genuine mistake that He may be pleased to forgive.
Arranged Marriage
Q. Following the custom in our village society, my family arranged my engagement when I was 15. This took place 12 years ago and we remain engaged. However, recently I met a very religious girl and I feel attracted to her to the extent that I wish her to be my wife. What should I do about my earlier engagement?
Mehrullah
A. It depends what happened at the time of your engagement. If it was merely a promise or an expression of intent, then you can easily withdraw from that promise by speaking to the girl or her family. In such cases, it is advisable to maintain good relations by giving the girl a gift to express good will. The gift should be commensurate with your means. If you can afford a handsome gift, then you should give her one. If not, a small gift is sufficient. Try as much as possible to keep your good relations with the girl’s family.
On the other hand, if the engagement took the form of a marriage contract, then breaking it means a divorce. This is possible without difficulty. However, if an amount of dowry was specified at the time and the marriage has not been consummated, the girl is entitled to have one half of the stated amount, unless she or her father or guardian forgoes that share. If no amount was specified, the girl remains entitled by right to a gift the size of which depends on your means. This is all outlined in the Qur’an: “You will incur no sin if you divorce women before having touched them or settled a dowry for them. Provide for them, the rich according to his means and the straitened according to his means. Such a provision, in an equitable manner, is an obligation binding on the righteous. If you divorce them before having touched them but after having settled a dowry for them, then give them half of that which you have settled, unless they forgo it or he in whose hand is the marriage tie forgoes it. To forgo what is due to you is closer to being righteous. Do not forget to act benevolently to one another. God sees all that you do. (2: 236-237)