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:

Aasalamualiaikum..!

I have a couple of questions. It may sound odd. I know we aren`t supposed to question Allah`s doings, however, its human nature to wonder. This is something that I often think about. As we all know whatever happens it happens according to Allah`s will and we also know that even before creating an ant Allah makes arrangements for its living. There is one thing I fail to understand: If Allah makes arrangement for the tiny ant`s food, what I want to know is that then why do so many people die out of starvation in the world? Why are there so many people without shelter?

There is one more thing that I wish to enquire about. I performed Umrah few years back. It was my fifth Umrah so I knew everything that we are supposed to do after we wear the Ahraam. I did something after wearing the Ahraam, though not deliberately, but it is not that I didn’t know that it was forbidden. In fact the thing is that on my way I bit my nails while I was in Ahraam. I didn’t, at that time, realize that it`s forbidden to do so once the Ahraam is worn, so I performed Umraah like that only. When I realized that I made a mistake it was too late. All I want to ask you is that was my Umrah acceptable? If not then what should I do now as I did it at least five years back?

 

Thanks

 

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Answer:

 

Test wealth nails pilgrimage

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question: I have a couple of questions. It may sound odd. I know we aren`t supposed to question Allah`s doings, however, its human nature to wonder.

Beloved brother in Islam, never ever hesitate or apologize for asking any questions in the deen; for the deen or ‘way of life’ called Al-Islam is based on the Perfect Wisdom and Knowledge of the All Knowing Lord, and every single command of the All Wise Lord is abundant in common-sense and logic.  Asking any type of questions in Islam to gain more knowledge, or to confirm the Truth so that one’s heart is more content, or to understand and thus follow with more conviction the dictates of the deen is not only permissible, but absolutely encouraged in Islam.  It is the right of the brother or sister to ask anything they wish to clarify in the deen; and it is the responsibility and duty of the good scholars to address the question asked to the best of their knowledge and ability, and in the most polite and humble manner.

 

What is discouraged in Islam is if one asks questions for the sake of asking, or arguing to ridicule the Truth with absolutely no intention of obeying or following when the Truth is made clear to them, etc.   But if one asks questions to clarify and seek knowledge so that one may better follow the deen; such seeking of the Knowledge of Truth is absolutely encouraged in Islam

 

Your Question: There is one thing I fail to understand: If Allah makes arrangement for the tiny ant`s food, what I want to know is that then why do so many people die out of starvation in the world? Why are there so many people without shelter?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 15 Surah Hijr verse 21:

21      And there is not a thing but its treasures (inexhaustible) are with Us; but We only send down thereof in due and ascertainable measures.

 

Dear and beloved Brother in Islam, Allah Subhanah is the Creator, Owner, Sustainer and Provider of all that exists in the heavens and the earth.  His treasures are absolutely inexhaustible, and if it were His Will and Plan, it is well within His Reach to provide in full whatever one’s hearts were to desire! 

 

Hadith Qudsi 17

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that Allah, Exalted and High is He, Says: ‘….O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and ask of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, it will not in any way cause any loss to Me than that which is caused to the ocean by dipping a needle in it!’

 

The Plan and Will of the Lord Creator is to put man (and Jinns) through good and evil conditions only as a test for a period of one short transitory life, so that He may reward those who submit to His Will and do good, and take account of those who transgress His Bounds and do evil.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2:

He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you, to see which of you is the best in deeds.

 

And only to fulfill the conditions of this test of life, the Lord Most Gracious provides some amongst His creation in abundance and without measure….and others in strict and just measure.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 30:

30      Verily thy Lord doth provide sustenance in abundance for whom He pleaseth, and (for some) He provideth in a just measure: for He doth know and regard all His servants.

 

The one’s whom the Lord Most High has provided in abundance are tested whether or not they are grateful for the favors of their Lord Creator; whether they spend their bestowed wealth on the fulfilling of their lusts and desires and luxuries or whether they spend it on helping the less fortunate, etc.

 

The one’s whom the Lord Most Majestic has provided in strict measure are tested whether or not they are patient in their affliction of poverty, or whether they transgress the boundaries and steal and cheat and take the wealth of others without just right through unlawful means, etc.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 155-157:

155    Be sure We shall test you with something of fear, and hunger, some loss in goods, or lives, or the fruits (of your toil); but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.

156    Who say when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong and to Him is our return."

157    They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.

 

Thus my beloved brother in Islam, rest assured that there is absolutely no shortage or deficiency in the Treasures of Allah Subhanah, and it is well within His Reach to provide abundantly for each and every soul in creation, if indeed that were His Plan or Will.  But the All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord Provides in abundance to whom He Wills, in strict measure to whom He Wills….only so that man is tested for this short period of one transitory life.

 

Your Question: In fact the thing is that on my way I bit my nails while I was in Ahraam….. All I want to ask you is that was my Umrah acceptable? If not then what should I do now as I did it at least five years back?

Indeed one amongst the restriction of the pilgrims in ‘ehraam’ is that they are not to clip or cut their nails; and if one has intentionally cut or clipped their nails while in the state of ‘ehraam’ the prescribed atonement in Shariah for their violation is the sacrifice of one sheep.

 

But if, as you have mentioned, only bit your nails unintentionally while you were in the state of ‘ehraam’ during pilgrimage…..the majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that such unintentional biting of one’s nail does not effect the validity of one’s pilgrimage, neither does one have to offer the prescribed atonement of sacrifice. If Allah Wills and Pleases to accept your striving and your pilgrimage, you will have your full and due rewards with Him, Insha Allah.

 

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

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan