QUESTION: A new book titled, “Guidelines for gender interactions in Islam” has circulated today. I browsed through it and here are my understandings from what I saw:
1. The idea of the book seems to be that intermingling is permitted through the idea of various narrations quoted in the book. Yes, they agree on some rules, but general mingling with the opposite gender is “fine”, by virtue of the many narrations they quote.
2. Mufti Taqi Usmani’s incident is quoted wherein he was interviewed by a lady on TV. This shows it is permissible as Mufti Taqi abided by the rules they have laid down, some of which are “khalwa”. There was no “khalwa” in the Mufti Taqi case as the cameraman was also there, capturing the interview, etc.
3. Mufti Sulaiman Moolla of SA has a short endorsement write-up in praise of this book.
Please offer a thorough refutation in this matter. Shukran
ANSWER: Briefly, below are our comments on your points made:
1. Even a first year Aalim student will nod his head in surprise as to how a misuse and misinterpretation of narrations have been made by a person or people to suit their own whims, fancies and doings. This book is a book for modernists to use as a Daleel for their modernism. Since it seems they don’t want to come on to the Original Shari’at, such books have started to surface which they author to use as Daleel for their Haraam. Such works will never have the Noor of Taqwa, nor the solid backing of the Original Shari’at. Such works are bias in the desperate attempt for endorsing Haraam and modernizing Deen. By hook and crook, narrations are searched and misinterpreted to suit a modern agenda, the agenda of modernizing Deen.
2. We don’t regard Mufti Taqi Usmani as a Daleel of the Shari’ah, neither do we regard all of his Fataawa worthy of following. The mere fact that he appears on TV/videos, etc. is sufficient to pass him and his verdicts. Unfortunately, his doings are used by modernists as proof for doing wrong, as it is precisely seen in this context.
3. The Ifta of “Mufti” S. Moola makes one wonder if it has really taken him towards Haq or has kept him anchored on Baatil? A Mufti is supposed to guide the Ummah towards Taqwa. S. Moola’s endorsing of the Haraam book speaks volumes of his Ifta studies. After all, him and his company are all guilty of openly trashing the Shari’ah, thus there is absolutely no surprise of him (and his company) endorsing such hogwash.
Insha Allah, if Allah Ta’ala allows for us to prepare detailed refutations on this topic, we shall do so.
May Allah Ta’ala guide all the deviated scholars towards becoming Ulama-e-Haq, Aameen.
Don’t get tricked by the book into assuming there is nothing wrong with interacting and intermingling with the opposite gender. Segregation was the Ta’aamul (general practice) of the Ummah endorsed by Great Imaams, Akaabireen, Mashaaikh and Ulama of this Deen throughout the corridor of Islamic History. Their deep understanding of Deen was far deeper than what one can imagine. Yet, they didn’t resort to misuse narrations into proving mingling with the opposite gender as “fine”.