The reason for naming raj'ah (taking back a wife) as fay' and the difference between fay' and shadows
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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, what is the reason for naming raj'ah (taking back a wife) as fay', and what is the difference between fay' and shadows?
Answer:
The word "fay'" does not mean "shadow" in this context; rather, this "fay'" means "returning." It comes from the root "fa" in "raj'a" (to return). To "fa" to a thing means to return to it. Hence, the fay' in the public treasury, which is taken from the wealth of disbelievers, is called fay' because it returned to the Muslims. The default ruling regarding wealth is that it belongs to the Muslims, and disbelievers have no share in it. However, when Muslims take it through jihad and war spoils, it returns to them. Therefore, it is called fay' because it "fa'd" (returned) to them, meaning it returned to its original state. Linguistically, fay' means returning. As for the fay' that is the shadow, that is something else entirely. Even in that case, there is a meaning of return. They said the shadow is called fay' because it is a return, as it contracted initially due to the rising of the sun. It contracts and keeps contracting. Then, the shadow was on the western side. In the early morning, the shadow was on the western side, the west. Then, as the sun rises, it contracts little by little until it recedes completely and disappears. Then, when it begins from the east, it is called fay' because it returned after its contraction and after its disappearance. It came back after it had gone, so it also carries the meaning of return.
Honorable Shaykh, what is the reason for naming raj'ah (taking back a wife) as fay', and what is the difference between fay' and shadows?
Answer:
The word "fay'" does not mean "shadow" in this context; rather, this "fay'" means "returning." It comes from the root "fa" in "raj'a" (to return). To "fa" to a thing means to return to it. Hence, the fay' in the public treasury, which is taken from the wealth of disbelievers, is called fay' because it returned to the Muslims. The default ruling regarding wealth is that it belongs to the Muslims, and disbelievers have no share in it. However, when Muslims take it through jihad and war spoils, it returns to them. Therefore, it is called fay' because it "fa'd" (returned) to them, meaning it returned to its original state. Linguistically, fay' means returning. As for the fay' that is the shadow, that is something else entirely. Even in that case, there is a meaning of return. They said the shadow is called fay' because it is a return, as it contracted initially due to the rising of the sun. It contracts and keeps contracting. Then, the shadow was on the western side. In the early morning, the shadow was on the western side, the west. Then, as the sun rises, it contracts little by little until it recedes completely and disappears. Then, when it begins from the east, it is called fay' because it returned after its contraction and after its disappearance. It came back after it had gone, so it also carries the meaning of return.
Source
شرح بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام [ صالح الفوزان ]، باب الرجعة، وباب الإيلاء والظهار والكفارة — islamhouse.com (54:16)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.