WHAT MUSLIMS IN COLLEGE SHOULD KNOW
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an:
"And whoever covers up, denies, or rejects belief in Allah, his (good) work is invalidated and he will be among the losers in the next life" (5:5).
"It is not acceptable for a male or a female believer when Allah or His messenger have decided on a matter that they have any choice in their matter" (33:36).
"And whoever follows other than the way of the believers (during the time of the companions of the Prophet [S]), We entrust him to what he has put his trust in and We will toss him into hell. What an evil end" (4:115).
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an:
"And seek help by being persistent and performing the salah. Indeed, it is really a big task except for those who are humble" (2:45).
"Oh those (males) who believe in and trust in Allah, when the call to the salah is made on Jumu'ah, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and abandon commerce (or other activities). That is best for you if you only knew" (62:9).
Abu Da'ud and at-Tirmidhi recorded with a good hadith that the Prophet (S) Muhammad said: "Allah does not accept the salah of a female unless they are wearing a scarf that covers their hair" (al-Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab , 3:166).
The ritual prayer of the two festivals, 'Eed al-Fitr and 'Eed al-Adha, became a part of the divine law during the first year of the Muslim calendar. It is an established practice of the Prophet (S) (sunnah mu'akkadah). He ordered men and women to attend them (Fiqh as- Sunnah, 1:267). 'Eed al-Fitr celebrates the end of the month of Ramadan. 'Eed al-Adha commemorates the sacrifice Prophet Ibraheem (A) was willing to make of his son Isma'eel (A) and coincides with the hajj.
Imam al-Bukhari recorded that the Prophet (S) said: "Be careful not to enter into a secluded place with a woman" (Fath al-Bari, 9:330; Sahih Al-Bukhari, 7:117).
Muslim recorded that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: "A man should never after this day enter into a secluded place where there is a woman without her husband unless there is one or two men with him" (Sharh an-Nawawi, 14:155; Sahih Muslim, 3:1186).
At-Tabarani recorded with reliable narrators that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: "It is better for one of you to be pricked in the head with an iron pick than to touch a woman whom it is unlawful to touch" (The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, 164-5).
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an:
"And do not let their beauty appear except what appears by necessity (the face and the hands). And let them draw their head coverings over their bosoms" (24:31).
It is recorded in Sharh as-Sunnah that: The Messenger of Allah (S) passed Ma'mar while his thighs were uncovered. He said to him: "Oh Ma'mar! Cover your thighs, indeed the thighs are part of the private parts" (Mishkah, 2:934).
Al-Bukhari recorded that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
"Trim your mustaches and let your beards grow" (Fath al-Bari, 10:351).
"Allah has cursed the one who makes wigs and hairpieces and the one who wears them" (Fath al-Bari, 10:374).
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an:
"And restrict yourself to those who call on their Lord in the morning and at night desiring His countenance. And do not turn your attention from them wanting the adornment of the worldly life" (18:28).
"And say to the male believers to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is the purist thing for them. Allah certainly is Aware of what they do. And say to the female believers to lower their gaze, to guard their private parts . . . And do not stomp your feet so that what is hidden of your beauty becomes known" (24:30-31). In other words, dancing in public is not allowed (The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, 135).
"And let there be among you a group (of one or more) inviting to the good (Islam), insisting on doing what is known to be good, and prohibiting what is reprehensible. These are those who are successful" (3:104).
At-Tirmidhi recorded with a good hadith that the Prophet (S) said: "And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, do not sit at a table around which intoxicants is being circulated" (Tuhfah al- Ahwadhi, 8:85).
By Antar Ibn-Stanford, Ph.D., Advisor to:
The Muslim Student Association of Clark Atlanta University
Ramadan 1417 A.H./January 1997
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an 5:3: "Today I have perfected for you your way of life (its regulations, requirements, what is lawful and what is prohibited), I have completed My blessings on you, and I have chosen for you Islam (surrender to Allah) as a way of life."
Muslim recorded that 'Umar (R) said: "He (Jibril) said: "Then tell me about faith (eman)." He (Prophet Muhammad) said: "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine pre-measurement, both the good and the evil thereof " (An-Nawawi's Forty Hadith, p. 30).
Muslim and al-Bukhari recorded that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: "Islam is built on five pillars: bearing witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and His messenger, establishment of the ritual prayer (salah), paying the prescribed charity (zakah), performance of the pilgrimage to Makkah (hajj), and fasting during the month of Ramadan" (Teachings of Islam: Virtues of Salah, p. 3).
Allah, the Exalted, said in the Qur'an 29:45:
"The ritual prayer certainly is a force which forbids immoral conduct and reprehensible behavior. The remembrance of Allah is the greatest act and Allah knows what you do."
Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (S) asking: "Do you believe that if a person washed himself five times a day in a river in front of his door, would any dirt remain on him?" They replied, "No. No dirt would remain on him." Then he said: "That is like performing the ritual prayer five times a day. Allah erases sins with their performance" (Teachings of Islam: Virtues of Salah, p. 8).
At-Tirmidhi recorded that Jabir ibn 'Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: "The difference between kufr (disbelief of, ingratitude towards, or denial of Allah) and eman (faith in or trust in Allah) is the abandonment of the ritual prayer (salah)" (Teachings of Islam: Virtues of Salah, p. 27).
The Muslim ritual prayer (salah) consists of a series of standings, bowings, prostrations, and sittings. The times of the ritual prayer are: (1) the morning prayer (fajr) from dawn to shortly before sunrise, (2) the noon prayer (thuhr) from the time the sun passes it zenith until mid-afternoon, (3) the mid-afternoon prayer (asr) from the time the sun is midway between its zenith and sunset until shortly before sunset, (4) the sunset prayer (maghrib) from sunset until 1 1/2 hours after sunset, and (5) the night prayer (esha) from 1 1/2 hours after sunset until midnight. The daylight prayers are recited silently, while the others are recited audibly. There are many times when students are in classroom buildings and libraries when the time for the performance of the ritual prayer is upon them. Usually students have to use their own ingenuity to find a place on which they may prostrate, such as, vacant classrooms, unfrequented stairway landings, or unfrequented spots against walls. Some libraries have chapel rooms that are usually locked.
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an 62:9:
"Oh those (males) who believe in and trust in Allah, when the call to the salah is made on Jumu'ah (Friday), hasten to the remembrance of Allah and abandon commerce (or other activities). That is best for you if you only knew."
No student should be penalized for missing a class or requesting not to work during Friday afternoon when they are obligated to attend al-Jumu'ah (the Friday Gathering). Moreover, colleges which provide space for weekly Christian services, should provide no less for Muslim students.
Muslims fast during the ninth month of their lunar calendar from dawn to sunset because Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an 2:183:
"Oh you who believe in and trust in Allah! Fasting is prescribed for you just as it was prescribed for those before you, in hopes that you may become conscious of your duty to Allah and acquire self-restraint (taqwa)."
When students have to eat in a school cafeteria which does not serve breakfast until after dawn and does not serve dinner after sunset, some accommodation needs to be reached to allow them to eat their breakfast before dawn and dinner after sunset.
The ritual prayer of the two festivals, 'Eed al-Fitr and 'Eed al-Adha, became a part of the divine law during the first year of the Muslim calendar. It is an established practice of the Prophet (S) (sunnah mu'akkadah). He ordered men and women to attend them (Fiqh as- Sunnah, 1:267). 'Eed al-Fitr celebrates the end of the month of Ramadan. 'Eed al-Adha commemorates the sacrifice Prophet Ibraheem (A) (Abraham) was willing to make of his son Isma'eel (A) (Ishmael) and coincides with the hajj. It takes place on the 11th day of the final month (Dhi l-Hijjah) of the Muslim calendar.
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an 24:31:
"And (believing women) do not let their beauty appear except what appears by necessity (the face and the hands). And let them draw their head coverings over their bosoms."
It is recorded in Sharh as-Sunnah that: The Messenger of Allah (S) passed Ma'mar while his thighs were uncovered. He said to him: "Oh Ma'mar! Cover your thighs, indeed the thighs are part of the private parts" (Mishkah, 2:934).
There is no adherence to any dress code, such as, a physical education uniform, which violates dress requirements prescribed by Allah, the Exalted, and His Messenger Muhammad ibn Abdullah. Muslim women are required to keep their hair and from their neck to their feet covered at all times, while men are required to cover from their navel to their knees at all times. The only exceptions being medical emergencies and the like.
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an 33:21:
"You certainly have in the Messenger of Allah a good example." In general the Messenger of Allah (S) has instructed Muslims to "differ from the polytheists" (Fath al-Bari 10:350; Tuhfah al-Ahwadhi 5:433; Nayl al- Awtar 1:148). Since the Prophet Muhammad (S) was accustomed to wearing headgear, it is recommended that Muslim males wear some headgear from a Muslim culture in order to distinguish themselves as Muslims. Some colleges have a preoccupation with males wearing any type of headgear within buildings. Muslim students should not be forced to adhere to such Western cultural practices.
Imam al-Bukhari recorded that the Prophet (S) said: "Be careful not to enter into a secluded place with a woman" (Fath al-Bari, 9:330; Sahih Al-Bukhari, 7:117).
Muslim recorded that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: "A man should never after this day enter into a secluded place where there is a woman without her husband unless there is one or two men with him" (Sharh an-Nawawi, 14:155; Sahih Muslim, 3:1186).
At-Tabarani recorded with reliable narrators that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: "It is better for one of you to be pricked in the head with an iron pick than to touch a woman whom it is unlawful to touch" (The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, 164-5).
Any practice of expecting students to hug each other or hold hands before, during, or after gatherings violates Islamic behavior.
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an 6:118:
"So eat from what the name of Allah has been mentioned over (during its sacrifice) if you believe in His signs."
Allah, the Exalted, has said in the Qur'an 2:168:
"But that which died of itself, blood, swine's flesh, and that over which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked (during its sacrifice), is forbidden to you."
When students have no choice but to purchase meals from a school cafeteria, all meals should include foods on its menu which Muslim students can consume.
By Antar Ibn-Stanford, Ph.D.,
Advisor to: The Muslim Student Association of CAU
Intermingling of the Sexes
