Clarification that the Qur'an is not subject to scientific theories.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : So one must hasten to bury him, setting aside for now the issue of separating this heart from this deceased person. Do they say that it should be buried, or do they delay that until the heart no longer beats in a single movement?
The questioner : The original meaning is one, meaning ... .
The Shaykh : Excuse me, you said "no." Do they rule or do they not rule?
The questioner : They rule, of course ... death.
The Shaykh : After that, if we need details, give us details. They rule on death, and they are scholars of the Shari'ah, meaning it is not a medical ruling. We are talking about ... .
The questioner : No, they ... .
The Shaykh : I mean, when is the dead person buried?
The questioner : When he passes away ... .
The Shaykh : Are you with me? When his death is confirmed properly? Is it when his death is confirmed by medical theories, or by the practical experiences of the Bedouins in the desert?
The questioner : No, scientific.
The Shaykh : This is the question I want to continue discussing.
The questioner : The science, the science.
The Shaykh : This is what comes to my mind as the answer.
I think you are with us on this?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : I mean, scientifically it is said that so-and-so has died, but practically, for the general public, it is not said that he has died. Is that right, or are you in doubt about what I am saying?
The questioner : No, I am with you. If it were not for those recently invented devices, he would have been considered dead long ago.
The Shaykh : Ah, we want to point out here an issue. I have an opinion that may seem philosophical to some people, but in my belief, not every philosophy should be thrown to the winds. The Shari'ah does not base its rulings on scientific theories, especially those that are merely a scientific perspective and will not become a scientific fact. Why? Because the Shari'ah is general and all Muslims in all lands of the world are obligated by it, whether in lands where science and culture prevail, or in lands where ignorance prevails. Islam does not obligate Muslims to deal based on precise scientific theories that the general Muslim public, let alone the scholars and jurists among them, do not share in knowledge of.
I give two examples of this. One is currently disputed, meaning, but I do not think they differ on the other example, and the other example should be a deterrent and a motivator for them to retract their disagreement on the first example. You all know the disagreement among Muslim scholars today regarding the ruling on establishing the crescent of Ramadan through astronomical calculations.
The questioner : The comment on this issue, the issue of the crescent and the sighting of the dawn ... .
The questioner : The original meaning is one, meaning ... .
The Shaykh : Excuse me, you said "no." Do they rule or do they not rule?
The questioner : They rule, of course ... death.
The Shaykh : After that, if we need details, give us details. They rule on death, and they are scholars of the Shari'ah, meaning it is not a medical ruling. We are talking about ... .
The questioner : No, they ... .
The Shaykh : I mean, when is the dead person buried?
The questioner : When he passes away ... .
The Shaykh : Are you with me? When his death is confirmed properly? Is it when his death is confirmed by medical theories, or by the practical experiences of the Bedouins in the desert?
The questioner : No, scientific.
The Shaykh : This is the question I want to continue discussing.
The questioner : The science, the science.
The Shaykh : This is what comes to my mind as the answer.
I think you are with us on this?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : I mean, scientifically it is said that so-and-so has died, but practically, for the general public, it is not said that he has died. Is that right, or are you in doubt about what I am saying?
The questioner : No, I am with you. If it were not for those recently invented devices, he would have been considered dead long ago.
The Shaykh : Ah, we want to point out here an issue. I have an opinion that may seem philosophical to some people, but in my belief, not every philosophy should be thrown to the winds. The Shari'ah does not base its rulings on scientific theories, especially those that are merely a scientific perspective and will not become a scientific fact. Why? Because the Shari'ah is general and all Muslims in all lands of the world are obligated by it, whether in lands where science and culture prevail, or in lands where ignorance prevails. Islam does not obligate Muslims to deal based on precise scientific theories that the general Muslim public, let alone the scholars and jurists among them, do not share in knowledge of.
I give two examples of this. One is currently disputed, meaning, but I do not think they differ on the other example, and the other example should be a deterrent and a motivator for them to retract their disagreement on the first example. You all know the disagreement among Muslim scholars today regarding the ruling on establishing the crescent of Ramadan through astronomical calculations.
The questioner : The comment on this issue, the issue of the crescent and the sighting of the dawn ... .