Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Q1. Does Islam believe in Rebirth?

Q2. Can a non-muslim go for Hajj?

Q3. What has Islam to say about women`s education?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Concept of rebirth

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: Does Islam believe in Rebirth?

The Guidance of Islam categorically denies belief in the concept of ‘rebirth’.

The Lord Creator Declares in Truth in His Glorious Quran that each and every human being will be ‘born’ only once from their mother’s womb to give a test for a period of one life-time on this earth; and every single human being will, without an iota of a doubt, taste the element of death.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verse 35:

35 Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good (only) by way of trial: to Us must ye return.

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2:

He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you, to see which of you is the best in deeds.

When the test-period of one life is brought to an end through the element of death, the soul shall return back unto The Lord Creator, and on the Day of Judgment the Lord Most High will ‘raise’ and give life again to each and every individual to take a full accounting of their deeds.

Those who lived their lives in submission to the Guidance and Commands of their Lord Creator will be rewarded with the Lord’s Mercy and live forever in the Gardens of Paradise in the Hereafter; and those who lived their lives in denial or transgression of the Guidance and Commands of their Lord Creator will deserve His Wrath and Anger, and the Hell Fire would be their permanent and everlasting abode.

The pagan concept of ‘rebirth’, whereby one is born again and again on earth until one reaches salvation is categorically denied and repudiated in Islam.

Q-2: Can a non-muslim go for Hajj?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 28:

O ye who believe! Truly the ‘mushriks’ (idolators, pagans) are (spiritually) unclean; so let them not after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque (of Makkah).

A non-muslim will not be allowed to visit or approach the Sacred Mosque of Makkah nor perform the Hajj pilgrimage.

Q-3: What has Islam to say about women`s education?

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 218 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘The seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim.’

The absolute majority of the scholars in Islam are of the opinion that the seeking of basic Islamic knowledge is what is known as ‘fard-ayn’ or absolutely obligatory upon each and every sane, adult, muslim (men and women alike). Examples of other ‘fard-ayn’ or absoltutely obligatory acts in Shariah are the ‘salaah’, obedience to parents, etc…….no one can do an act of ‘fard-ayn’ for another; it is absolutely obligatory upon each individual to do it himself.

As regards the ‘worldly’ knowledge, the scholars hold it be in what is known in Islamic Fiqh or Jurisprudence as ‘fard-kifaayah’ or ‘partially obligatory’…..meaning that if some amongst the believers (men and women alike) strive to seek the ‘worldly’ knowledge (in addition to the ‘fard-ayn’ or absolutely obligatory Islamic knowledge), then that would suffice for the Ummah. But if none amongst the believers strive to seek ‘worldly’ knowledge, then it would indeed be a sin in the Sight of Allah, and the whole Ummah of believers will have a share in this sin.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan