THE DOCTOR AND THE SHEIKHS' DEBATE
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Sh: You are so determined and sure of what you are saying. If we had this many references as proof, our scholars would have not spoken so against it.
Dr: We shall look into the computer programme.
1- In Sahih Muslem, Book of Marriage (Kitab Anikah), Chapter number 13, Hadith number 1023/2 it says: Jabir Ibn Abdullah was conducting Umrah. We entered his place and people were asking questions regarding issues and then mentioned the temporary marriage. He said: We would conduct temporary marriages with some food such as dates and flour in the time of the Prophet and Abubakr until it was banned by Umar because of Amr Ibn Hurayth actions. This information has also been mentioned in Ahmad Musnad in 380/3, Hadith numbers 439 -438-429.
Sh: This information that you are giving me are correct.
Dr: Then if it is correct, how come we insist on what God and the Prophet has permitted lawful?
Sh: We say that the Prophet's Calipha is same as the Prophet and when he gives an order we should obey it.
Dr: That is correct. That is the case when what the Calipha is saying is not against the Prophet's or especially what God is saying.
Sh: When did God give a direct order you just told me now that it was permitted in the time of the Prophet.
Dr: God in Surat an Nisa says: "ّ ﺃُﺟُﻮﺭَﻫُﻦmeaning: ﻓَﺂﺗُﻮﻫُﻦﱠ ﻣِﻨْﻬُﻦﱠ ﺑِﻪِ ﺍﺳْﺘَﻤْﺘَﻌْﺘُﻢْ َﻣَﺎ " "pay the women after you are temporary married to them" that is mandatory. This verse from the Quran says that they should pay and enjoy. We also have Hadith from Jaber saying that we would temporary marriage with a hand full of dates and flour.
The important fact is that we believe that just like other verses where the start and end is clarified, here it has not been necessary to be specified. Just like where there is no mention of a formula contract for the permanent marriage. Therefore in this situation a formula contract needs to be read just like the permanent marriage and then after the temporary marriage finishing the conditions need to be abided.
Sh: Seems like this verse has been abrogated.
Dr: No, that is not the case. That is because you can see from the computer programme on my mobile that in the Books of Jam al Bayan, Al Tabari, under the interpretation of this verse number 9042 it says:
ﺍﻻﻳﻪ ﻫﺬﻩ ﻋﻦ ﺳﺎﻟﺘﻪ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻢ، ﻋﻦ ﺷﻌﺒﻪ ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻣﺤﻤﺪﺑﻦ ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻣﺜﻨﻲ، ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ
ﻋﻠﻲ ﻗﺎﻝ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻢ ﻗﺎﻝ ﻻ. ﻗﺎﻝ ﻫﻲ ﺍﻣﻨﺴﻮﺧﻪ
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ﺍﻟﺸﻘﻲ ﺍﻻ ﻣﺎﺯﻧﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻌﻪ ﻋﻦ ﻧﻬﻲ ﻋﻨﻪ( ﺍﷲ )ﺭﺿﻲ ﻋﻤﺮ ﺍﻥّ ﻟﻮﻻ
I asked Muhammad Ibn Muthanna whom had asked Muhammad Ibn Jafar, whom had asked Shobe whom had asked Al Hokm regarding this verse being abrogated or not. He said: no. Al Hokm said that Ali said: if Umar had not forbidden temporary marriage, there would have been no adultery happening unless they were despicable
Ibn Ashur in "Al Tahrir and Al Tanvir" says that Ibn Abbas said:
" ﺗﻨﺴﺨﻬﺎ ﺑﻌﺪﻫﺎ ﻳﻨﺰﻝ "ﻭﻟﻢ
"After that there was no other to abrogate it"
In Tafsir Neishabouri and in Al Moharar Al Vajiz, chapter 24, section 2 page 104 Ibn Attia quotes that Aisha said:
ﻣﺴﻤﻰ ﺍﺟﻞ ﺍﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻮﻟﻲ ﺍﺫﻥ ﻭ ﺑﺸﺎﻫﺪﻳﻦ ًْﻭﻻ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺃﻩ ﺍﻟﺮﺟﻞ ﻳﺘﺰﻭﺝ ﺍﻥ ﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﻭ ﺍﻟﻤﻴﺮﺍﺙ ﻭ ﻟﻌﺪﻩ ﻭ ﺍﻟﻄﻼﻕ ﺭﻓﻊ ﻭ ﺍﻻﺟﻞ ﻣﻊ ﺯﻭﺟﻴﻪ ﻻﺣﻖ ﺍﻟﻮﻟﺪ ﻻﻥ ﺭﺣﻤﻬﺎ ﺗﺴﺘﺒﺮﻱء ﻭ ﺳﺒﻴﻞ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﻟﻪ ﻓﻠﻴﺲ ﻣﺪﻩ ﻧﻘﻀﺖ ﻓﺎﺫﺍ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﺗﻔﻘﺎ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻌﻄﻴﻬﺎ ﻭ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ ﻣﻴﺮﺍﺙ ﻻ ﺍﻥ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻭ ﻟﻐﻴﺮﻩ ﺣﻠﺖ ﺗﺤﻤﻞ ﻟﻢ ﻓﺎﻥ ﺑﻼﺷﻚ ﻗﺒﻪ
"Permanent marriage does not just conduct with a set amount of time or by taking away divorce, setting a delay time between marriages and inheritance. A woman can marry a man with two witnesses and with permission of her father but for a certain amount of time and not inherit anything from him based on a mutual agreement. Once the set time is over they have no obligations to each other and they are free. If she is not pregnant she is lawful to marry again."
Sh: These are the same conditions that you had mentioned before.
Dr: These are the conditions from your own books. Quoted from Aisha that is a woman and should be sensitive regarding temporary marriages.
Sh: Since you are so defensive towards temporary marriages, how many have you had?
Dr: I am married and haven't had the need to temporarily marry. Because I believe that temporary marriage is for people who do not have the ability to permanently marry and also being allowed to do something is very different to it being compulsory.
You also have quotes in your books from the Calipha that was appointed after Umar. Ali, the fourth Calipha says:
" ﺷﻘﻲ ﺍﻻ ﺯﻧﻲ ﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻌﻪ ﻋﻦ ﻧﻬﻲ ﻋﻤﺮ ﺍﻥ ﻟﻮﻻ "
Or in Jame Tabari page 179 it says that there were quotes existing in the verses of the Quran:
" ﻣﺴﻤﻰ ﺍﺟﻞ ﺍﻻﻱ ﻣﻨﻬﻦ "
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Ibn Abbas would read it that way and Mujahid says that everyone would act opposite to the verse.
In the Tafsir of Ibn Kasir Volume 2 page 170. Abdullah Ibn Masoud says that he was with the Prophet on an expedition. Due to our wife's were not with us we wanted to release ourselves and the Prophet forbids us and said that we have to marry the woman temporarily with a set duration then Abdullah Ibn Masoud said:
"ﻳﺎ ﺪﻳﻦ ﺍﻟْﻤُﻌْﺘَ ﻳُﺤِﺐﱡ ﻻ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪَ ﺇِﻥﱠ ﺗَﻌْﺘَﺪُﻭﺍ ﻻ ﻭَ ﻟَﻜُﻢْ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪُ ﺃَﺣَﻞﱠ ﻣﺎ ﻃَﻴﱢﺒﺎﺕِ ﺗُﺤَﺮﱢﻣُﻮﺍ ﻻ ﺁﻣَﻨُﻮﺍ ﺍﻟﱠﺬﻳﻦَ ﺃَﻳﱡﻬَﺎ "
(Maidah 87)
Sh: These cases exist but the public did not act on it and they are unaware that even Aisha has a Hadith regarding this topic and it is not classed as adultery.
Dr: However the actions of the public cannot deny the truth that exists that is why I brought reference from Aisha.
Sh: It is important. Because quoting a Hadith from her was very unlikely.
Dr: God willing, you accept that Islam is a religion that has placed a solution for every problem a person has in any different situation.
Sh: Yes, definitely "" ﺍﻟﻌﺴﺮwe ﺑﻜﻢ ﺍﻟﻴﺴﺮﻭﻻﻧﺮﻳﺪ ﺑﻜﻢ ﻧﺮﻳﺪ ﻧﺤﻦ ," wish your freedom and not your hardship"
Dr: Well why shouldn't God place a lawful solution for some people who have problems getting permanently married. The same God that allows a human being to eat a dead person's body in an emergency case would not think about this important instinct that is the attention of people?
Sh: This last sentence is very important that God has thought about every situation his people may fall under.
Dr: Currently most of the Islamic university students going to western countries are conducting adultery to resolve their sexual needs or they permanently marry Christians when they would fix the problem by temporarily marrying.
Sh: That is correct. This topic is currently being discussed amongst our bright minded and educated people from Arabian countries that majority of those that marry with western women do not have a successful living. Those western women dramatically draw their husbands towards the west.
Dr: No one can deny the attention; God and the Prophet give humans. However they say that Umar forbid it and said that his new idea was better. In conclusion, if these reasons did not exist
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and all the information mentioned had not happened and the sole reasons as to Umar preventing it from happening we would have indeed had temporary marriages as lawful.
Sh: Yes, "ﻭ ﺭﺳﻮﻟﻪ ﻭ ﺍﷲ ﻣﻦ ﺍﺻﺪﻕ ﻣﻦ "And , " who is more honest than the Prophet and his God" when we have a strict verse from the Quran and no other verse to abrogate it, with all these discussions and in addition to the question that can a Calipha of the Prophet speak against him or not? It must be accepted and you are right. Those scholars that believe that temporary marriage is allowed are right.
Dr: Thank the Lord that it this case cleared and that we are the followers of the verses of the Quran and the Prophet's tradition. I am really thankful that you accept an issue when you come to the true realisation of the matter.
Sh: We should accept the truth because this is the important for the judgment day of every person. If we come to the truth about a matter and dismissed it how could we answer back to the Lord? There is an interpretation and explanation in the word "Motaghin" in the verse "Lel Mutaghin" and that is to accept the truth. The Quran can be your guidance only if you can be acceptable towards the truth.
Dr: You are completely correct and I am so thankful to God that you accept these explanations.
Sh: With all of these reasoning's, Hadith and verses how could I disagree with such a clear revelation?
Dr: Thank you, praying time is close. God willing we meet again tomorrow, after the Zuhr pray in front of the door of Gabriel.
Sh: God willing, God be with you.
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The 1987 Mecca Incident
I went back to hotel after praying and joined my friends in having lunch and a short discussion over the incident on the year 66 in Mecca. Haj Abbas was explaining the story of how the Iranian pilgrims had the intentions of proving their renunciation of the infidels by marching quietly. This event would happen every year on the 6th of Zihijjah in Mecca. I personally witnessed in year 60 and 61 this happening and its important role it had in convicting America and Israel. Haj Abbas explained that in year 66 after the speech was done at the ceremony just like it's done every year.
The pilgrimages started to walk towards Masjid Al Haram. I was in the middle of the rows and when the crowd got closer to the bridge of Hjun the security officers of Saudi Arabia started hitting the Iranian Pilgrims and several non Iranian Pilgrims with stones, pieces of wood and anything they else could get a hold of. From the other side the people behind the protestors were unaware of what was happening in the frontline and so they were pushing ahead. Therefore, the people at the frontline were under pressure from both sides. One side was the pressure from the security officers of Saudi Arabia with their stones, wood gun fire and on other side there was the pressure of the pilgrimages from behind. Once they heard the gunfire many of them started to run away. The women were mostly left under the stampede of the crowd. Blood filled the street and the dead bodies were piled on top of each other. Haj Abbas said that although he was in the army and military and had a strong stamina still endured defeat and fell on the ground and passed out for a couple of minutes. There were many dead bodies around me that had suffered due to the pressure of the crowd, he said. I got up with all my strength and managed to help get up several woman that were still alive but injured from the grounds and headed towards the hotel, he added.
As I was heading towards the hotel I was passing all the dead bodies and it made me feel sick. I could not come to terms with the trauma. We would bring back the bodies of the martyrs at least in war but here, I was not able to do anything. All I could do was mourning and cry not because of the martyrs but for myself being so helpless. I remember thinking to myself how God was going to answer back to such behaviour. Then I realized that God already paid those killers of Karbala after years by the hands of Mukhtar. When was he going to respond to the actions of the Saudi Arabians? I convinced myself with eyes full of tears that there was nothing I could do and really there wasn't. I eventually got to the hotel. Everyone was mourning the loss. Due to this incident over 450 innocent Iranian pilgrims were given the honorable title of martyrs in the land of holy Mecca and in the month of unlawfulness (Zihijjah) by the order of American and Israel's puppets.
The details of the day which Haj Abbas was reciting are not easy to write and I personally have no tolerance in hearing the story again never mind writing it.
At this moment the tour manager started citing a strange occurrence that had happened with the Saudi Arabians and was a demonstration of their irreligion.
He said that after year 1993 meaning after 5 years the pilgrims came to Mecca again. One of the Iranian women had gone to the Mecca organisers and had said that she was present at the year 66
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Mecca incident and that she was injured. She had headed towards one of the homes that were close to the Bridge of Hjun seeking refuge. After the killing of the people was finished she had requested to leave and to go back to the hotel but the Sheikh that was living in the house and had several wife's had refused and abducted her. He did not let her leave the house until the whole Hajj ceremony was finished. After the end of the Mecca ceremony he forcibly made her his wife and forbid her to call or go anywhere. He forced her to have three children without her consent.
But this year that Iranian's were able to come to Mecca she was able to run away from the house and had come to me asking to rescue her as she was already married in Iran and had children of her own.
Our tour leader said that, with the immense help of everyone, they had tried to arrange a passport for her to leave accompanied by the other woman back to Iran and they had sent her out of Jeddah.
Now imagining how her family, husband and children were thinking of her return after five years. Not knowing anything about her whereabouts and thinking that she had passed away in the Mecca killing incident. It was good that they were at least informed of her abduction and she was wise enough run away. There might have been several incidents such as this one. In any way this news alongside the other was a catastrophe of its own and will always remain a portrait of the Saudi Arabians true dark nature.
After hearing all the stories I had no desire to do anything else but to just put my head down and to sleep and if possible rest for a couple of minutes.
Once I woke up I started talking about the time when I was in England and that I had assembled some good proceedings while being there. Such as started up a protesting rally in London in which as usual I was with the microphone shouting slogans against the Saudi Arabian's, Americans and Israeli's. The heat of passion felt amongst the people then at the rally was even more than the ones held when I was at war.
Eventually after hearing more upsetting stories I had a stronger tea and headed towards the Mosque for the Maghrib prayer and then came back had dinner and then went to the Bazaar with my wife.
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The Twenty Second of Zyqadeh
I read the Zuhr prayer and lingered for a while before the time got close for my meeting. During this time someone came and asked me if I was an Iranian. I replied yes, how can I help you? He said: I am a Muslim and I am very proud of Iran standing against United States of America as a Muslim country and that it has proved that God is greatest. Just as I was about to continue the conversation the shrine police started to drive out the worshippers. This was because it was the women's turn to have a chance of praying by the Prophet's Shrine. Unfortunately, they had not organised a decent plan for this. They only allowed one and a half hours in the morning and one and a half hours in the afternoon for all the women to visit the Prophet's shrine. I have heard interesting things once it is their turn as well. My wife told me that they divide the women based on the country they have come from. For instance, for every country that have a hundred women pilgrims they are only allowed 10 minutes to pray by the shrine. They also discriminate by race as well. For instance they give more time to the Arabs and Egyptians. They give less time to people from Africa and even less to Iranians.
I had a small conversation with the Egyptian professor and then said: goodbye to him. He requested to meet me again but I said that it was not possible and to get away from the shrine police. I exited the Mosque and saw Sheikh waiting for me by the door of Gabriel (Baab Gabriel).
Dr: Greetings and in hope that God accepts all your efforts.
Sh: Greetings to you as well and the same to you God willing.
Dr: Our hotel is this way. Please come and let's go to my hotel.
Sh: It appears that your hotel passes the graveyard of Baqi. Did you know that this graveyard was made after Islam?
Dr: That is true. Apparently they call it Jannat ul Baqi. In your opinion is this place not the most important graveyard in the Islamic world?
Sh: Yes this is the most famous graveyard in the Islamic world.
Dr: It is by sure famous but I said: most important because being famous does not necessarily imply that it is important.
Sh: Medina is the most famous Islamic city in the world and this graveyard is the most famous graveyard in this city.
Dr: In my opinion the importance of it is because of the highly honored people that are buried in this graveyard. If these people were buried in any other city or country that graveyard would have been the most important.
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Sh: Any important person, once dead is possible to have his soul moved to good places but his body does not necessarily matter where it is. Wherever it is it wouldn't make a difference.
There is No Difference between the Prophet Being Dead or Alive
Dr: Do you honestly believe that all dead bodies are the same once the soul has left them?
Sh: Yes, " ﻣَﻴﱢﺘُﻮﻥTherefore ﺇِﻧﱠﻬُﻢْ ﻭَ ﻣَﻴﱢﺖٌ "ﺇِﻧﱠﻚَ " the Prophet is dead just like everybody else."
Dr: But the Quran speaks differently to what you are saying.
Sh: How come? I have read in the Quran that God says, you, just like everyone else will die.
Dr: But this is only one verse of the Quran. There are other verses. This verse only gives the news of the death of the Prophet that no one is denying. However, there are other verses stating that death by martyr is not death but a continuation of life and is different to everyone else.
Sh: Which verse has made this distinction?
Dr: Verse 169, Surat Al Imran cites:
"And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving ordinance"
Based on Quran's prospective the martyrs are alive and are rewarded by the Lord.
Sh: Yes this is the limbo life that martyrs have.
Dr: Apparently, the discussion is not about the life in limbo. There is no reward in limbo, these people are receiving ordinances.
Sh: Do you imply that the martyrs are living?
Dr: Who am I to say? I have read the Quran and the God's own words. If you do not believe in this matter please give me reasons. I am not claiming anything, God is.
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Sh: Maybe in this case the Quran is giving an example for metaphorical expressions meaning the martyrs are like the living and are rewarded by God.
Dr: If we agree with what you saying then that means the martyrs are like the living being rewarded but in a different situation.
Sh: Yes, surely.
Dr: But at least the difference between the martyrs and people is that based on the interpretation of the Quran. Their living is in a different condition and it isn't like the actual living.
Sh: I didn't say that they are not alive. I said that maybe they are similar and like the actual living.
Dr: So let's agree that based on what Quran is saying they are alive even though they are not living like the people whom have not experienced death yet. And they are receiving ordinance by God for sure.
Sh: I accept that between what we are assuming and what Quran says, the Quran is a much stronger candidate. Even though we are not familiar with the kind of living they are talking about.
Dr: Now, I have a question. Is the Prophet's rank higher or the martyr?
Sh: Most definitely the Prophet's. Because we have in verse 69 Surat Al Nisa:
"And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the Prophet's, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions."
Dr: So for sure the Prophet must have at least been classed as the living kind just like what the martyrs are experiencing, because in this verse even the righteous are ahead of the martyrs.
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Sh: Yes, you are correct.
Dr: Who is in this graveyard? Is it the martyrs of Uhud, the martyrs of Hurrah?
Sh: Yes.
Dr: The Prophet's families (Ahl al Bayt) are more important than the martyrs are. Are they there too?
Sh: Yes, there are people from the Ahl al Bayt there too.
Dr: Then the importance of this graveyard is because of these people and not because of the city of Medina. Medina does have other graveyards as well.
Sh: You are right. I wish to ask your opinion regarding the Iranians that come over to the graveyard, cry, and mourn seeking help from the Ahl al Bayt.
Dr: Now that we have arrived at the hotel, let us talk about this discussion later and have some lunch together.
We headed towards the restaurant of the hotel to have lunch. Everyone wanted to meet with the Sheikh and say hi. Even though he was not wearing his spiritual clothing and appeared as a normal Arab. We had lunch and I apologized to the Sheikh because they would give only one kind of food to everyone. They also had meals for people whom did not want to have fried or fatty food. However, it seemed that Sheikh was happy with our food because he praised it after lunch.
Sh: The food was very delicious. Are the cooks Iranian?
Dr: Yes, they prepare food for all the Iranians and then distribute it accordingly.
Sh: Do you mean that they prepare food for all of the Pilgrim Iranians in one place?
Dr: Yes, averages of 40,000 dishes are in Medina distributed for every breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Mecca, the amount goes up to 100,000.
Sh: Are we staying here in the restaurant or are we going to your room?
Dr: No, we will go to my room because I know that all of my roommates have gone to rest and the two other have gone to the shrine. (Ghargham and Karbalyi were the snorers so they would go to the shrine after lunch as a result the others would be able to rest.)
Sh: Very well let us go.
We went to my room. We sat behind a small table provided by the hotel and I brought tea, Persian sweets and Persian nuts.