Message #14314

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Walaikum Salam brother Abottonian.   Seeing you here after a very long time.  I pray you and your family are fine, InshAllah.  May the blessed month of Zil-Hajj bring peace and solace for all of us with the strongest of iman, ameen.

From our understanding of the Quran, sacrificing an animal which is one of the steps of Hajj (not really a celebration) is only for those who are performing Hajj.  But as you would know, traditionally it's taken as a general practice for all in a celebratory spirit.  In my personal opinion, if one is not performing Hajj, then they need not sacrifice an animal.  However, as a gesture of eagerness toward being dutiful toward Allah, one can give some money as charity to the poor .. whatever one can afford as everyone has a different financial status.  We had a detailed discussion on the concept of Eid and to what extent it's compatible with the Noble Quran.  I'll look for it and put the link here, InshAllah.

Yes, the Quran does indicate to us that disposing of the dead body should be done through burial.  If you recall the 5th Surah Al-Maidah from Verses 27 to 32 where Allah narrates the argument between the two sons of Adam named Habil and Qabil (هابيل ,قابيل) (in English Abel and Cain).  One of them was good and humble while the other one was aggressive and arrogant who threatened to kill his brother and eventually did kill him and became a sinner.  After he killed his brother, he repented.  And then Allah sent a raven (or a crow) to scratch the earth and hide or cover the body with it.  This is a clear indication that the right way to dispose the dead body is by burying it in the earth .... thus as Allah creates the human body with earth, after death it goes back into earth.  From dust to dust.  However the soul lives on which is kept in the custody of Allah and He has not told us where He keeps the soul until the Day of Judgment.  This information comes from Verse 39:42.  I am also quoting Verses 5:27-32 for your reference on burial of the dead. 

"But recite unto them with truth the tale of the two sons of Adam, how they offered each a sacrifice, and it was accepted from the one of them and it was not accepted from the other. (The one) said: I will surely kill thee. (The other) answered: Allah accepteth only from those who ward off (evil)."  (5:27)

"Even if thou stretch out thy hand against me to kill me, I shall not stretch out my hand against thee to kill thee, lo! I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds."  (5:28)

"Lo! I would rather thou shouldst bear the punishment of the sin against me and thine own sin and become one of the owners of the fire. That is the reward of evil-doers." (5:29)

"But (the other's) mind imposed on him the killing of his brother, so he slew him and became one of the losers."   (5:30)

"Then Allah sent a raven scratching up the ground, to show him how to hide his brother's naked corpse. He said: Woe unto me! Am I not able to be as this raven and so hide my brother's naked corpse ? And he became repentant."  (5:31)

"For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth."   (5:32)


As for holding or not holding the Quran while performing wudu, I don't now of any verse which says either of that.  But my common sense tells me that while doing wudu it's not possible to hold the Quran because we need to use both our hands to wash ourselves.  So it would be practically very difficult or impossible to hold it at that time.