They do use emails, internet and know about contemporary issues as opposed to in the subcontinent. For example, they are flexible on the issue of covering ankles, allow taking pictures as far as they arent seen by namahram, and that the covering of face is not explicity written anywhere in quran or ahadith and pardah doesnt apply on face. So are these scholars insisting more on things than it is done by shariah? 2. Who is sheikh khalid? The brother informed that sheikh khalid is one of the biggest islamic scholar in Australia. I heard sheikh khalid saying that if we read quran in one sitting where two or more separate ayats are recited on which sijdah is wajib, then sajdah will only be wajib once because it is recited in the same sitting.
The claim of the brother that the scholars in Australia are more learned and have a broad vision than those in India and Pakistan based on the three examples, covering of ankles, taking of pictures and purdah is baseless.
Any learned person in the Shari?ah will know that the covering of the ankles is prohibited. There are many Ahadith to prove that. Any learned person will also know that taking out pictures of animate objects is prohibited. This is also substantiated in the Shari?ah. The covering of the face is also mentioned in the Hadith. No person can be crowned as learned if he does not know this. If he does know the Ahaadith on ankles, taking pictures and covering of the face and still does not regard them as prohibited, then such a person cannot be followed. Islam is a moderate religion itself. The rules of moderation are also set out. There is no need to go against the express prohibition of the Shari?ah merely to maintain a broad vision as understood and practised by non-Muslims. Both are at variance to one another. The yardstick of non-Muslims cannot be used to measure us. To do so is a sign of being a victim of inferiority complex.
We are a nation granted respect through Islam. We should maintain our values and principles as explained in the Qur’aan, Hadith and most importantly as understood by the Fuqaha. If any scholar, whether he is in Pakistan or Australia or in South Africa for that matter goes against that, it will not be acceptable.
We do not know Shaykh Khalid. However, if a person recites one verse of Sajda Tilaawat in one sitting many times, only one Sajda Tilaawat will be Waajib. If two different verses are recited or one verse in separate sittings, then one Sajda will not suffice.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai