1)Can we be happy that the hurricane Katrina hit the US or not? 2)What should we do if we are in WC and the athan is going on? 3)Can you tell me on which ahadith we Hanafi are based upon our decision of the ‘asr time prayer?
1. Hurricane Katrina – attached.
2. It is not permissible to talk (or read any du’aas) in the waste centre. (Shaami vol.6 pg.418; HM Saeed) Therefore, one should not even reply to the Adhaan when in the toilet.
3. Jaabir [radhiallaahu anhu] reports that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] led the Asr Salaat when the shadow of everything became double. (Umdatul Qari vol.5 pg.33). Based on the above, according to the Hanafi Madhab, the Asr Salaat begins when the shadow of an object reaches twice its length.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT
Before we mention the Islamic view point on the hurricane katrina is important to take note of the following
Allah (god) created the universe for a specific purpose and object. That is to serve mankind and fulfill all his needs while passing his earthly life. In one Hadith Rasulullah (Salalaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said that Allah says ‘Oh son of Adam, I created the entire universe for your benefit and I have created you (man) for my worship”. We should also understand that Almighty Allah does not require our worship. In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah states if the entire human kind from Adam till the last being who will surface on the earth become pious, that will never increase my grandeur and honour and if human kind from Adam till the last person who will come on the earth become wretched, this will not decrease my grandeur and honour at all.
In order for human beings to remember Allah, He created different creations so that we may recognize Him like the sun, moon, sky, oceans, etc. It is narrated from Imam Abu Hanifa that if Allah had not sent any Messengers to call towards Him, it would have been Wajib upon the intelligent to bring Imaan just by looking at the signs that He has created.
Nevertheless, after putting all the creations to the service of man and creating all the means that will assist him to worship Allah, he does not do so then Allah sends down those conditions that will remind mankind of their object of life- to worship and serve Allah.
If we look into the annals of history, we will find that nations in the past like Thamud, A’ad, Lut, the Nation of Saleh (A.S) the nation of Shya’b etc. faced similar catastrophes and disasters like the hurricane katrina. Allah explains the reason for these painful disasters, that they (above nations) belied my messenger and took my book lightly and jokingly.
The hurricane katrina are a reminder for us. We have to realize that we have been sent in this world not for mere merry making or pass time. We have been sent for a specific purpose and object. Ribi’ye bin A’amir (R.A) is one Sahabi who was sent as a epistle to the famous king Rustum. His address to the king is in reality a message till the last day showing the world what is our purpose of life. He says ‘ we are sent from Allah, we have not come on our own accord so that we may take out the slaves of Allah from the servitude of mankind and direct them into the servitude of Allah, to take them out from the narrowness of the world and direct them to the vastness of the Hereafter”
Catastrophes such as earthquakes, floods, etc. are all signs to remind us about our direction and object of life. These are lessons for us from which we have to take heed. Allah States in the Quraan after mentioning the different disasters that overtook the nations before us that “take heed oh people of intelligence.”
We sympathize with the victims of the hurricane katrina and make Dua to Allah that He grants the victims Sabr and grant them A’afiyya and most importantly to reflect on the past and reform our lives accordingly to the orders of Allah and His Rasul. Ameen