Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Follow up to Question 579. Thanks for replying. I think I was unable to make my question clear enough. As per Islam, would it be okay for a non-Bohra male to take Misaaq just to get married to a Bohra female, because its a requirement in her faith. In other words, the male is saying that he believes in something, which he does not! Is there a way for a believer to commit such an act and then offer some sort of expiation?

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

Is Meethak needed in Bohra Marriage

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol,  no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Allah has allowed and permitted a believing man to get married to a believing woman.   Thus, one would not need to take an oath of allegiance to any muslim community again, if he is already a believer; unless of course, the Bohras don’t consider either themselves or the muslims as believers!

 

If one takes the Bohra oath of allegiance (meethak), he must realize that the oath is taken in the name of Allah, and it basically binds you by oath to obey and follow unconditionally the sect of the people the Bohras want you to follow.   Neither do they have the authority from Allah Subhanah to take this oath, nor are the people they have nominated to be unconditionally obeyed and followed have any authority from Allah and His Messenger (saws)!      

 

Allah has commanded the believers to always speak the Truth.  And to intentionally take a false oath in the name of Allah is a manifest sin!   Thus, it would not be ‘okay’ for a believer to take a false oath in the name of Allah under any circumstances.

 

But if one is forced to take the oath, and is confident that Allah will accept and forgive his excuse for taking this false oath intentionally; then it is upto the person taking the oath to make the decision.    

 

There is no expiation one can perform after intentionally taking a false oath in the very name of Allah Subhanah, except ask sincere repentance to Allah Subhanah and hope and pray that Allah will forgive him the sin.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan