435. Do the poor need to get married? 

The first of these verses (24:32,33) of the Quran say not to cite reasons of poverty to stay away from getting married.

The second verse says not to wait to get married until you get rid of poverty. This seems to be self-contradictory. Since these two guidelines apply to two different people in two different circumstances, they are not self-contradictory.

When we get slaves under our control get married, the Almighty would make them wealthier is the message conveyed in the first message.

The message here is if the owners of slaves help them to get married, the Almighty would grant the slaves wealth to carry on their married life.

The message conveyed by the second verse is, if people who are not under, the control of others as slaves need to wait in a disciplined way until arrangements are made for marriage expenses like Mahar etc.

The phrase ‘After marriage He will make them a self-satisfying parent out of them refers to them

Since the two verses are addressing two different issues there is no contradiction. 

434. What are Illiyeen and Sijjin? 

Verses (83:8, 83:19) of the Quran talk about two records that are maintained, known as Illiyeen and Sijjin.

The souls of the dead are immediately carried upwards into the world above.

The souls of the virtuous are carried upwards and registered in the Illiyeen, then brought back to earth, for questioning in the grave, this takes place in seconds. Prophet Muhammad said when the soul of an evil person is carried above to the Lord, He orders it to be taken to the depths of the earth and get it registered there in the book known as Sijjin.

Please refer to point no;177 to know more details about this subject. 

433. Places of worship of other faiths. 

This verse (22:40) of the Quran gives important advice regarding communal harmony. 

All religions of this world have their own places of worship, held in high regard by its people, while members of other religions do not pay much attention to it, this is a normal tendency. 

At times of communal tension, it is usually the places of worship that are attacked first. This is the result when people are carried over by emotions and stop thinking rationally. 

Since people from each religion consider their place of worship dearer to them than their own property, they indulge in counter violence. 

Hence an attack on the place of worship of others turns out to be an attack on our own place of worship.

From the phrase ‘Had the Almighty not prevented some of you through some others all places of worship including the masjids would have been in tatters, is the sensible advice offered to people through these verses. This verse explains, though other places of worship may not be considered as one by Muslims, they do not have the right to attack the same. 

432. The reason for Prophet Ibrahim to lie. 

In verse (21:63) of the Quran, it is being said Prophet Ibrahim disfigured all the small idols and left alone the biggest idol in a place of worship at his home town. When members of his community questioned him he said the biggest idol there was responsible and if need be they investigate the idols that lay in pieces.

The answer by Prophet Ibrahim was not the truth, but he said that to prove the fact that idols did not possess any power in them to make things happen in the world. This kind of sensible handling of situations at time of spreading God’s word is permitted.

Prophet Ibrahim’s words would not constitute a lie in this situation because his words that the bigger idol disfigured the smaller one was not said in fear of saving himself from his community members, but to let his community people ponder over their concept of God.

The people of his community who believed the idols as God, did not believe the words of Prophet Ibrahim, when he said the bigger idol disfigured the smaller ones.

Here the person who said knows the connotation of what he said and the ones who were told also know the connotations with which they are listening   The one who hears the answer also knows it is a lie in a different context, and needs to be considered as truth in the guise of a lie.

To know more about this please refer to points 162, 236, 336, of this explanation compilation.

Please refer to explanation points 433, and 473 of this compilation to know whether Prophet Ibrahim was justified in breaking the idols.

431. What is meant by under duress? 

These verses (2:173, 5:3, 6:119, 6:145, 16:115) of the Quran say there is no wrongdoing on the part of a person if he commits a crime under duress. 

Being subjected to undue pressure and being pushed to a situation of losing one’s life and suffering for a day’s meal is considered as under duress according to Prophet Muhammad.

The comrades of Prophet Muhammad asked him ‘Oh! Messenger of God, our area is reeling under drought now tell us up to what extent are the dead animals allowed to be consumed by us. To this the Prophet replied ‘If milk that is taken by you is not available in the mornings and evenings, you might as well consume the flesh of animals that had died on their own’.

Books : Ahmad 20893, 20896,

Daarami 1912 

This hadith conveys the message, if there is unavailability of food or milk, twice a day the prohibited can be consumed.

I approached Prophet Muhmmad and questioned him as to how a prohibited food can become a permitted one, and the prophet in turn questioned me as to what my food consisted of. I replied by saying a little milk in the mornings and in the evenings. On this the prophet made it permissible for us to eat the flesh of animals that died of their own accord.

Book: Abu Dawud 3321 

Not only those in the brink of death but also, those who are unable to manage two square meals a day can consume what has been prohibited by Islam. The Almighty sets two conditions for one to eat prohibited food, and we are required to adhere to these conditions.

The two conditions are ‘no voluntary opting and no transgression’.

No going in search of prohibited foods at such times and a desire to get the taste of prohibited foods at times of drought. People should not continue to remain in conditions in their life that allows them to consume prohibited foods and make efforts to come out of such situations. Not trying to come out of such circumstances constitutes transgression.

People who come under the ambit of ‘duress’ under these two conditions can consume prohibited food, it is not considered a crime.

Similarly, blood is prohibited for us, but the same is needed for some who have met with an accident etc. and transfusion takes place.

When there is permission to eat prohibited food in circumstances that may lead to death, in the same way, blood can be donated to save one from death. There can’t be anything more serious than this kind of duress.

430. To face the Kaaba from wherever. 

Verse 2:144 of the Quran says ‘Face the Kaaba from wherever you are’. 

‘From wherever you begin your journey, face the Kaaba’ says verse 2:149 of the Quran.

Verse 2:150 of the Quran says ‘From wherever you start your journey turn your face in the direction of ‘Masjid Ul Haram’, and wherever you are, face towards that direction.’

This should not be understood as this verse implying a journey should be undertaken only towards the Kaaba and not in any other direction and not only this, but it does not also mean, that wherever we are we should keep facing the direction of Kaaba always.

Though a superficial reading of this verse renders such a meaning, but in fact from the hadiths of Prophet Muhammad we come to understand these verses refer to the the worship of the Almighty.

This confirms the need for Prophet Muhammad’s explanation for the right understanding of the Quran. 

To know more about obeying the commandments of the Almighty and following the guidance of Prophet Muhammad please refer to points 18, 36, 39, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 67, 72, 105, 125, 127, 128, 132, 154, 164, 184, 244, 255, 256, 258, 286, 318, 350, 352, 358 of this compilation of explantions of Quranic verses.

429. There are waves in the deep sea. 

Verse 24:40 of the Quran, while talking about the sea, says there are waves and darkness in the deep sea. These two declarations of the Quran reflect two great scientific discoveries.

(This has been extensively explained in point no;303 of this compilation.)

There is scientific truth in the Quranic declaration that there are waves in the deep sea. Right from the time this verse of the Quran was revealed till the present century man was unaware of the fact waves existed in the deep sea.

When countries like Japan were affected by Tsunami, it was found out that the waves on the surface of the sea could traverse long distances but, cannot attain the height equal to that of a palm tree, and studies regarding the same were undertaken.

Unseen waves from above waves are generated under the sea that could travel at a speed of 500 miles/hour, destroying the entire surroundings on reaching the shores with huge force.

The Tsunami waves have the capacity to rise to a height 50 feet with a huge force to throw water along the coastal areas destroying everything on its way. The Tsunami waves that hit the shores of our country rose up to a height of 25 feet, say the people who witnessed the same.

Quakes under the sea close to the shore that create Tsunami waves capable of reaching the shores within a time of about 10 minutes. 

There are huge waves under the sea that rise out to the outer surface like an airplane from the bottom of the sea up to the height of a palm tree from the surface of the sea.

The Quran that revealed 1434 years ago that there are huge waves in the depths of sea proves itself to be the word of God. 

428. The abode of criminals. 

In verse (7:145) it is said ‘Will show you the abode of criminals’.

Some opine the abode of criminals refers to hell, this cannot be accepted.

In the hereafter the Almighty would display hell for everyone to witness, and the paradise dwellers also would pass by it.

Hence this is a meaningless interpretation.

Prophet Musa and his community feared Firon and relinquished all their belongings and fled away from him.

This phrase has been made use of in the sense, the people who fled Egypt would return, and be shown the abodes of the perpetrators, and resettle them there. This interpretation we find as appropriate.

Verses (7:137, 17:103,104, 44:23,28, 26:57-59) of the Quran that talk about the return of these people to Egypt to resettle confirms this interpretation.