Sadiyah
February 20, 2006, 1:18am
1
Assalamo alaykum,
I was just thinking about how many aren’t well informed about fitrah and it’s importance in Islam. Therefore, I thought I’d share what fitrah is and things that are part of it.
**What is fitrah? **
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer: “Fitrah: the deen (way or religion) of Allaah.” Al-Tabari’s tafseer (commentary) of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “[Iblees said] ‘…and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allaah.’” [al-Nisa’ 4:119]
Concerning the aayah (interpretation of the meaning), “So set your face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allaah’s handiwork according to the pattern (fitrah) on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allaah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not.” [al-Room 30:30 – Yusuf Ali’s translation], it was reported from some of the scholars of tafseer that the phrase the pattern (fitrah) on which He has made mankind means the design of Allaah according to which He has created mankind.
This word (fitrah) was also mentioned in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Five things are part of the fitrah: removing the pubic hair, circumcision, trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and trimming the nails.” (Reported by al-jamaa’ah )
What is meant by these five things being part of the fitrah is that when they are done, this is in accordance with the natural pattern on which Allaah made mankind and urged them to follow, so that they will be better and more perfect… This is the ancient sunnah (way) which was followed by all the Prophets and which was enjoined by all the laws they brought. It is a natural and innate way. (Al-Shawkaani, Nayl al-Awtaar, Baab Sunan al-Fitrah).
Ref: What does fitrah mean?
A well-known hadith on fitrah
Although the hadith’s been stated in the fatwa, I thought I’d highlight it again.
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Five things are part of the fitrah: removing the pubic hairs, circumcision, trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and trimming the nails.” It was reported that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “A time limit was set for us with regard to trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and shaving the pubic hair – we should not leave it for more than forty days. (Reported by Muslim, Ibn Maajah, Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Abu Dawood).
Sadiyah
February 20, 2006, 1:27am
2
Re: Fitrah
While looking up the hadith and the meaning of fitrah, I came across a few links that I thought could be of benefit, as many may not be fully aware of it.
Permanent Hair Removal
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with using any method of removing the hair which we are commanded to remove (such as pubic hair and armpit hair) or the hair which we are permitted to remove (such as hair on the arms or legs), so long as the method used is not harmful – even if it means that the hair will not grow back again.
And Allaah knows best.
Ref: Permanent Hair Removal
** Does a woman have to shave her pubic hair after every period?**
Praise be to Allaah.
Removing the pubic hair, whether by plucking, using a depilatory agent, shaving or cutting, is one of the actions dictated by the fitrah and encouraged by Islam, but it is not restricted to or required at the end of every period.
Ref: Does a woman have to shave her pubic hair after every period?
Is it OK to shave armpit hairs with a razor?
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permitted, because the object is to remove the hair, whether by plucking, shaving or some other method. Plucking is better, if one can manage it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The fitrah is five things: circumcision, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the armpit hairs and shaving the pubic hairs.” (Agreed upon).
Ref: Is it OK to shave armpit hairs with a razor?
Removal of women’s body hair
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permitted for a woman to remove all her body hair, except for her eyebrows and the hair on her head, which she is not permitted to shave or remove by other methods. She may remove other hair herself, or her husband or other mahram may remove it within the limits of what he is permitted to see, or another woman may do this, within the limits of what she is permitted to see.
Ref: Removal of women’s body hair
Sadiyah
February 20, 2006, 1:40am
3
Re: Fitrah
A few more that might be of interest:
Ruling on letting nails grow long
Praise be to Allaah.
Letting the nails grow long is makrooh, if not haraam, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set a time limit for cutting the nails, and said that they should not be left for more than forty days. (Narrated by Muslim in al-Tahaarah, 258).
There is a little more, which could be read from the source.
Ref: Ruling on letting nails grow long
Ruling on burying nails, cutting them at night and saying Bismillaah over them
Praise be to Allaah.
There is no basis for saying that cutting the nails at night is haraam; rather a person may cut his nails whenever he wants, at any time of day or night.
Similarly, there is no basis for saying that one must say Bismillaah three times over nails or hair before throwing them away, otherwise the Shaytaan will use them. It is also not correct to say that they must be buried; a hadeeth was narrated concerning that which is da’eef jiddan (very weak). It is permissible to throw them in the garbage or down the drain, or to bury them. If a person fears that they may fall into the hands of those who practise sihr (witchcraft) then he should dispose of them in a place where they will not be able to get hold of them. And Allaah knows best.
Ref: Ruling on burying nails, cutting them at night and saying Bismillaah over them
Sadiyah
February 20, 2006, 2:03am
4
Re: Fitrah
Circumcision for men
In reality the issue is really simpler than many may think. Male circumcision is among the rites of Islaam and is part of the fitrah, or the innate disposition and natural character and instinct of the human creation, and is from the religion of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Allaah has said (interpretation of the meaning): “Then we revealed to you (the command) to follow the pure and uncorrupted religion of Ibrahim.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was circumcisized when he was eighty years old.” (Al-Bukhari, Vol 6/p. 388, Al-Salfiyya printing).
Male circumcision is obligatory for the Muslim male if he is able to do it. If, however, he is unable, whether due to fear of injury or if a respected and authoritative doctor has told him he will experience profuse bleeding which may make his life miserable, then the obligation for cirumcision is waived and he does not commit a sin by not having it done.
It is not permissible under any circumstance for the issue to become a hindrance for a person wanting to accept Islaam. The validity of one’s acceptance of Islaam is not dependent on his performance of circumcision and it is valid for one to adopt Islaam even if he has not had himself circumcized.
Ref: Circumcision for men Ruling on female circumcision
Praise be to Allaah.
Circumcising females is sunnah; it is neither a bad practice or harmful, if it is done within moderation. When extreme forms of female circumcision are carried out, harm may result.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/120
Ref: Ruling on female circumcision
A few more just in case anyone’s interested:
Ref: The time for circumcision
Ref: The benefits of circumcision outweigh the pain
Ref: Ruling on circumcision
Re: Fitrah
this i’m surprised about, because i was always taught that you should shave. and to me it makes sense, that you would clean the area which was not paak.