Islamist Terrorist Attacks in the World (1979-2024)

A report by Fondation pour l’innovation politique (Fondapol), a French think tank for European integration and free economy

Are Muslim men allowed to have sex with their mothers and sisters? - A Fact Check

For a long time, a silent debate has been raging within educated Shia and Sunni circles on whether or not Muslim men are allowed to have sex with their own mahrams (mother, sister, daughter, etc).

The most heated debate on the subject ensued in academic circles many decades ago after the editor of the famous publication Rizwan blamed Shias for this abhorrent practice:

Not only this, the Shia faith is so dirty that it is permissible to have sexual relations even with women in the prohibited degree (Mahram) provided one has wrapped his private part with silk. Zainul Abideen Haeri Mazandarani, a Shia scholar, writes in Zakhiratul Ma’ad (page 95) that: ‘Intercourse (with mother and sisters) is permissible after wrapping silk.’

The above - mentioned claim, that featured in Rizwan, was fiercely countered by Shia scholar Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi in an article titled ‘Imam Abu Hanifah, Wrapping of silk and other issues’ (Link). This rebuttal was published in the Al-Jawwad issue of February 1958. In his article, Rizvi gave many academic references to establish the Shia side of the story.

He literally invalidated the Rizwan claim by using what one calls a ‘selection bias’. He wrote how the reality regarding the issue is exposed the moment one reads the question and answer from Zakhiratul Maad, a book by Shia scholar Zain-ui-Abdin, in its entirety and not selectively. He then went ahead and listed the question and answer in full:

Question: If a person wraps a silk handkerchief or something like it over his sexual organ so that during intercourse or otherwise it does not come in contact with the woman’s body, is ritual bath (Ghusl) obligatory on him?

Answer: The obligation of ritual bath is not bereft of strength. And it is narrated from Abu Hanifah that it is permissible to penetrate the mahrams (mothers, sister, daughter etc.) after wrapping silk.

Rizvi explains that:

… this is the verdict of the Hanafis (Sunnis) and has no connection with the Shias. The editor of Rizwan omitted the words ‘it is narrated from Abu Hanifah’ and tried to grant the Shias that we fulfill our lust through mahrams after wrapping silk.

Rizvi also mocks the Rizwan article by saying:

… the ideology of Abu Hanifah that leave aside the obligation of ritual bath, it is even permitted to fulfill one’s lust in this way through women in the prohibited degree…

In his article, Rizvi explains who Abu Hanifah is:

…let me tell you who this Abu Hanifah is. He is your Imam and a leader of the Hanafis. Among the four Sunni schools of Islamic law, Numan bin Thabit Kufi is the head of the Hanafi school. He is also called ‘Abu Hanifah (r.a.)’.

Rizvi used many instances to show how it was a normal practice for Sunnis to engage in sexual intercourse with their own mahrams (mother, sister, daughter, etc).

He quoted from Pg. 381 of the Hidayah published at Matba Shaykh Yahya:

There was complete freedom that any Hanafi could perform Nikah with his mother, sister, daughter, paternal aunt, maternal aunt, niece, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law and all Mahrams and fulfill his lust through them and increase his progeny. It is written in the famous book of Hanafite teachings, Hidayah:

“If a person marries a woman with whom Nikah is prohibited and then, even if he goes to bed with her, according to Abu Hanifah the legal penalty would not be applicable on him.”

Rizvi further quoted from Pg. 381 of the Hidayah to establish the Sunni precedence of the practice:

And, according to Abu Hanifah, this marriage is correct according to the circumstance because it is capable of fulfilling the need. Women are daughters of Adam and capable of bearing children and this is the aim of marriage.

To further bolster his case, Rizvi adds another quote from Pg. 182 of Tafsir Kabir Vol. 3, Jamaliya, Egypt, First edition:

Fakhruddin Razi, a famous Sunni Imam, has described this verdict of Imam Abu Hanifah in his renowned Tafsir Kabir in the exegesis of the verse:

“Forbidden to you are your mothers…” (Surah Nisa 4:23)

“The third point mentioned by Shafei (r.a.) is that if a man marries his mother and even commits incest, the penalty is applicable to him while Abu Hanifah (r.a.) has said that the penalty is not applicable.”

Rizvi explains further, adding another academic source to the origin of the ‘wrapping silk’,:

However, Mazandarani has not used the words ‘wrapping silk’ without any reason because Imam Abu Hanifah did not want to trouble his followers by making it incumbent on them to all the time perform Nikah with mother, sisters etc. hence, he has prescribed this method for them. A verdict is present in Bahrur Raqaiq Sharh Kanzud Daqaiq (Book of Marriage) that fulfilling lust by Mahrams after wrapping silk etc. is permissible. If it is done with mahram women after a cloth is wrapped on one’s organ, its prohibition is not proved.

Rizvi further adds and refers to the Jameur Rumooz:

Similar advice is given to those who do not want to care about Islamic law during fasting days that they should wrap silk and fulfill their desires so that they remain safe of the obligation of atonement (Kaffarah) etc.

Not only this, but even the ritual bath would not become obligatory. This narration is present in Jameur Rumooz.

Hence, Aqa Mazandarani has replied that the ritual bath would be obligatory among we Shias in such a state also. However, according to Abu Hanifah, a great Imam of Ahlul Sunnat, if one copulates after wrapping silk, the ritual bath would not be obligatory on him. Not only this, but according to him, even mahrams can become objects of lust after wrapping silk.

Rizvi also quotes the stricture passed on Abu Hanifah by famous Muslim jurist, theologian, and mystic, Imam Ghazzali:

Abu Hanifah has almost destroyed the Islamic law. He made its ways dubious and changed its system..

Towards the end of his lengthy article, Rizvi adds about the Editor of Rizwan:

The editor of Rizwan would have known as to who that Abu Hanifah is, who permits fulfillment of lust even from mahrams (mother, sister, daughter, etc).

For the readers not very familiar with Abu Hanifah or the Hanafi school of Islam, here is what Encyclopaedia Britannica says about the same (Link):

Abu Hanifah, in full Abu Hanifah al-Nuʿman ibn Thabit, (born 699, Kufah, Iraq - died 767, Baghdad), Muslim jurist and theologian whose systematization of Islamic legal doctrine was acknowledged as one of the four canonical schools of Islamic law (madhhabs). The Hanafi school of Abu Hanifah acquired such prestige that its doctrines were applied by a majority of Muslim dynasties. Even today it is widely followed in India, Pakistan, Turkey, Central Asia, and Arab countries.

Interestingly Abu Hanifah is also the No. 1 source of inspiration for Asia’s largest Sunni Islamic seminary ‘Darul Uloom Deoband’. Darul Uloom Deoband has also issued countless Fatwas endorsing and eulogising him and his ideology.

One of the Fatwas (Link) by Darul Uloom Deoband says and we quote:

In Fiqh-e-Hanafi, Hazrat Imam Azam Abu Hanifah, Hazrat Imam Abu Yusuf and Hazrat Imam Muhammad (may Allah bless them) have the grade of imamah.

(Disclaimer: The article has mostly quoted from an old article of a reputed Shia scholar. Till date, he has not come across a similar counterclaim from the Sunni side.)

The Biggest Crime of Kashmiri Pandits

Above: Maharaja Ranbir Singh (Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Narender Sehgal

After Gulab Singh his son, Maharaja Ranbir Singh, occupied the throne of Jammu and Kashmir. People remember him as an ideal Hindu king because of his interest in Hindutva, Sanskrit and the Indian culture. He opened many centres for the teaching and study of Sanskrit, built libraries and made efforts for re-establishing the values of Hindu life. Under the guidance of this Maharaja a Dharmarth Trust was set up for the construction of many temples. As a result of these efforts a wave of Hindutva swept the state. The Hindu society too started to get up and the people of Kashmir became impatient in restoring to the state its ancient glory.

The impact of the wave of Hindutva was so powerful that even the converted people started making up their mind for adopting the religion of their ancestors. Muslims from Poonch and Rajouri and some from the Kashmir valley assembled and appealed to the court of Maharaja Ranbir Singh praying that they be accepted in their basic Hindu religion. It can be treated a misfortune for the country that some contractors of religion always tried to create hurdles. When the Maharaja asked the Pandits about the reconversion of their relations, the Pandits clearly refused to accept them back in Hindu religion. These very Pandits had not allowed Rinchan to adopt Hindu religion which led to the trampling of Kashmir under the feet of Muslim rulers for 500 years. And when the Muslims expressed their wish to return to the Hindu religion, these very Pandits created obstacles because of their narrow outlook.

Had the Maharaja himself declared the converted people as Hindus, the problem would have ended for ever. History can never forgive the Pandits for this antinational work.

(Extract from Liberation of Kashmir)

Islamist Terrorist Attacks in the World (1979-2021)

A report by Fondation pour l’innovation politique (Fondapol), a French think tank for European integration and free economy

History books and source materials on the bloody Partition of India

Partition of India - SGPC Records (1946-47) Vol. 2, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (1946-47) Download / Read

Rape of Rawalpindi, Prabodh Chandra (1947) Download / Read

Select Newspaper Coverage - Partition of India (1947) Download / Read

Khooni Saal Diyan Khooni Holiyan (Gurmukhi), Giani Kartar Singh (1947) Download / Read

1947 Da Khooni Itihaas (Gurmukhi), Avtar Singh Bedi (1947) Download / Read

Partition of India - Report on Atrocities, Ministry of Relief and Rehabilitation, Government of India (1948) Download / Read

The Punjab Tragedy (1947), Prof. Darbara Singh (1949) Download / Read

Now It Can Be Told, Prof. Amar Nath Bali (1949) Download / Read

Stern Reckoning, Justice Gopal Das Khosla (1949) Download / Read

Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947, Prof. Gurbachan Singh Talib (1950) Download / Read

Punjab Vich Sikhan-Hinduaan Upar Kite Gye Muslim Leeg De Hamle Di Vithiya 1947 (Gurmukhi), Prof. Gurbachan Singh Talib (1951) Download / Read

A Diary of the Partition Days 1947, Dr. Ganda Singh (1960) Download / Read

The Partition Of The Punjab - Dr. Kirpal Singh's PhD Thesis (1966) Download / Read

The Partition Of The Punjab, Dr. Kirpal Singh (1972) Download / Read

Punjab Da Batwara Te Sikh Neta (Gurmukhi), Dr. Kirpal Singh (1996) Download / Read

Sikhan De Pakistan Vichon Niklan Di Gaatha (Gurmukhi), Dr. Kirpal Singh (2001) Download / Read 

Select Documents on Partition of Punjab - 1947: India and Pakistan, Dr. Kirpal Singh (1988, 2005) Download / Read 

Bharat Di Azadi Da Agman Ate Sikh Sthiti (Gurmukhi), Dr. Kirpal Singh (2009) Download / Read 

(Digitized books courtesy Punjab Digital Library | www.panjabdigilib.org and other sources)