Latest news with #Shafi'i
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Zetrix AI to promote use of NurAI to global Muslim population
KUALA LUMPUR: Zetrix AI Bhd, formerly known as MY EG Services Bhd, is eyeing a global Muslim population of two billion with NurAI, the world's first syariah-aligned large language model (LLM). Co-founder and head of AI development Datuk Fadzli Shah said the initial rollout will cover Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, a combined market of 340 million people with majority following the Shafi'i school of thought, before expanding to other madhhab. 'Yes, we have active plans for those and we have partnerships in place to be able to address those markets,' he told reporters at the launch of NurAI today. He described the 'One Madhhab at a Time' strategy as a deliberate and scalable approach. 'As we fine-tune this for a specific madhhab, it will help inform us on how to handle the model when we cross to serve the second, third and ultimately the fourth madhhab.' Developed with China's DeepSeek, Fadzli said there is little to no risk of state intervention from either Asean or China. 'From a governance perspective, although we are grateful that this initiative originated from the Asean-China AI Lab, there is no influence from any government,' he said. He said that NurAI remains an independent project focused on its purpose as a syariah-aligned and syariah-based LLM. 'Having said that, we welcome partnerships with all states to further not only their local Muslim communities but also others who can benefit from the worldview of a syariah-aligned LLM.' Built on Islamic principles and reflecting the Global South worldview, NurAI delivers guidance aligned with syariah rulings across a wide range of subjects, from contemporary issues such as law, healthcare and finance to classical themes including Islamic history, philosophy and Quranic studies. The platform will feature specialised channels, including an Islamic finance channel developed in partnership with INCEIF University, an affiliate of Bank Negara Malaysia, alongside channels led by Islamic scholars worldwide. Looking forward to the rest of FY2025, Fadzli said Zetrix will be exploring ways to integrate its two core technologies, blockchain and AI, as part of its long-term growth strategy. 'What we're most excited about is to get the AI part of our vertical strategy to be better tested.' He added that the company will announce several initiatives to improve the usability and stickiness of its services. 'We see blockchain as the data layer, which stores and references information, and AI as the processing layer,' he said. He said Zetrix will look to work with the best, whether through collaborations with ecosystem partners or by hiring top talent. 'Competing in this space is a global challenge, so we are working to build strong, borderless teams that can collaborate across technologies.' In April, Zetrix was appointed the core chain for the Malaysia Blockchain Infrastructure, a government-linked initiative with Mimos Bhd aimed at linking various blockchain systems and making the technology more accessible across industries. The platform is also integrated with China's national blockchain network to enable secure trade facilitation and digital identity exchange between Asean and China.
Time Business News
18-07-2025
- General
- Time Business News
Can a Nikah Be Done Online in Islam? Conditions and Validity
In today's digital world, technology has revolutionized how people communicate, interact, and even get married. For Muslim couples, especially those living abroad or in long-distance relationships, online marriage has emerged as a practical solution. But one essential question remains: Is online marriage procedure valid in Islam? Understanding the Islamic requirements before opting for an online Nikah is crucial to ensure religious authenticity and personal peace of mind. This article provides a comprehensive guide for Muslim couples exploring online marriage, especially in contexts where physical presence is difficult or impossible. In Islam, a Nikah (marriage contract) is considered valid when specific core elements are fulfilled. These include the mutual consent of the bride and groom, the presence of at least two adult Muslim witnesses, a clear offer and acceptance (Ijab and Qubool) made in the same sitting, and the agreement of a Mahr (dower). Another important component is the presence of a Nikah Khawan (marriage officiant), usually a qualified religious scholar or imam, who solemnizes the marriage. The involvement of a wali (guardian) is also significant, especially in the case of a bride, according to many Islamic schools of thought. These conditions serve to protect both parties and ensure the marriage is recognized under Islamic jurisprudence. Thanks to video conferencing platforms like Zoom, WhatsApp, or Skype, couples can now fulfill the essential elements of Nikah remotely. Live mutual consent can be recorded in real-time, and witnesses can attend virtually from different locations. In many cases, the Nikah Khawan officiates the ceremony online, ensuring all conditions are met. Scholars generally agree that the real-time presence of participants—even if virtual—is valid under Islamic principles, as long as no deception or miscommunication occurs. Additionally, the guardian's consent (if required) can be obtained in the same session, fulfilling the condition of a unified and transparent Nikah ceremony. The opinions of Islamic scholars regarding online marriage vary slightly among different schools of thought. Hanafi, Shafi'i, and Hanbali scholars largely agree that an online Nikah is permissible if all the essential requirements are met, including simultaneous Ijab and Qubool, verified witnesses, and proper representation. Many well-respected scholars have issued fatwas (Islamic rulings) supporting the validity of online Nikah registrar in Lahore, especially when done out of necessity, such as for overseas Pakistanis or couples separated due to immigration delays. However, scholars also emphasize the importance of avoiding fraud and ensuring all parties are known and consenting during the online ceremony. While Islamic principles may recognize an online marriage as valid, legal registration varies significantly depending on the country. For example, in Pakistan, couples must register their Nikah with the Union Council for it to be legally valid. If the Nikah is conducted online, it may require attestation or additional documentation to be accepted officially. In countries like the UAE, UK, or USA, the legal framework may not recognize an online marriage unless it is registered according to local civil laws. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between the Shariah validity of an online Nikah and its legal enforceability, especially when it comes to visas, inheritance, or spousal rights. To ensure your online Nikah is valid in the eyes of Islam and the law, couples should follow some key guidelines: Use a qualified Nikah Khawan or religious authority who is experienced in online solemnization or religious authority who is experienced in online solemnization Ensure the presence of witnesses , preferably visible and participating live during the ceremony , preferably visible and participating live during the ceremony Get recordings or written documentation of the entire Nikah process of the entire Nikah process Make sure the Mahr is clearly stated and agreed upon Verify all identities and consent beforehand to avoid misunderstandings If possible, register the marriage with the local Union Council or a relevant legal body By following these steps, couples can safeguard their religious values and prepare for any legal procedures afterward. Can a Nikah conducted over Zoom or Skype be considered valid in Islam? Yes, if the essential conditions like consent, witnesses, and Mahr are fulfilled, most scholars agree it is valid. Is a wali necessary for online Nikah? In many Islamic traditions, especially for brides, a wali's presence or consent is important. His role must be clearly included in the process. Is online marriage permissible for Muslims living in foreign countries? Yes, especially when physical presence is not possible. Many Muslims abroad choose online Nikah to meet both Islamic and visa-related needs. What if the witnesses are located in different countries? As long as all parties are present in the same live session (video call), the requirement for witnesses can still be fulfilled. In conclusion, online marriage and divorce procedures in Pakistan can be valid in Islam if all the religious requirements are met without compromise. With proper planning, honest intentions, and involvement of trustworthy Islamic authorities, couples can perform a fully Shariah-compliant Nikah—even across borders. However, for complete peace of mind, it is essential to consult both an Islamic scholar and a legal expert to ensure your online marriage is accepted both religiously and legally. This balanced approach helps couples begin their married life with confidence, clarity, and full recognition. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
DW
20-05-2025
- General
- DW
Israel's siege in Gaza: 'I expect to never wake up again' – DW – 05/20/2025
Amid Israel's new offensive in Gaza, Palestinians tell DW of living under constant bombardment, scouring for food and fearing that they and their families will "never wake up again." "We live in hell. Safety and life in Gaza have become meaningless," said Alaa Moein, speaking to DW by phone from Gaza City where he has sought refuge with his wife and three children. "Every day, I expect to die with my children. I go to sleep at night expecting never to wake up again," the 35-year-old said. Moein and his family fled from Jabalia town late last week as missiles rained down on northern Gaza amid an escalation of the Israeli offensive. The five of them are now crammed into a single room with other relatives. In addition to the constant threat to their lives, Moein's family is also struggling to find anything to eat. "We have no bread or food. We eat whatever we can find, without knowing if it is edible. We rely on herbs and cook them. Everything is expensive. I have used all my savings to buy food," Moein said. The critical lack of food in Gaza has put the entire Strip at risk of famine as Israel says it is minimally lifting its aid blockade Image: Mahmoud Issa/REUTERS Trauma of repeated displacement Moein's story of multiple displacements and constant hunger is common across war-battered Gaza, home to some 2.1 million people. Farmer Naim Shafi'i and his family have once again had to flee their home on the outskirts of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza. He's now living in a tent in Gaza City that he's pitched by the side of the road. "The shelling hasn't stopped [in the north], it's everywhere," the 39-year-old told DW by phone. Israel hasn't allowed foreign journalists into Gaza since it launched its war against Hamas in 2023, so DW often has to rely on talking to Gazans over the phone. "I had a bag of flour, and I took it with me. It was the most important thing I could take with me when we left Beit Lahia," Shafi'i said. "I don't know how long this will last. We are trying to survive." When Shafi'i returned to Beit Lahia in January amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, he planted a few vegetables next to the bombed-out building that they sought shelter in. That vegetable bed, too, is now gone. "Every day there's news of a possible ceasefire, and the next morning what we see is bombing, destruction and killing. I don't know where we'll go next," he said. Israel starts allowing in minimal aid Israel announced on Sunday that limited aid would start being allowed into Gaza in a partial lifting of an 11-week humanitarian blockade that has seen one in five people in the territory face starvation. Israel has said the blockade is part of a strategy of "maximum pressure" aimed at toppling Hamas and forcing the Palestinian militant group to release the remaining 58 hostages. Five UN trucks carrying humanitarian aid crossed into Gaza on Monday, according to the COGAT unit within the Israeli Defense Ministry, which oversees Israel's crossings to Gaza. Trucks carrying aid crossed from Israel at the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza on Monday Image: Ronen Zvulun/REUTERS The United Nations said that Israel had cleared a total of nine trucks to cross the border into Gaza on Monday. However, it was too dangerous in the dark to allow the trucks to continue their journey into the territory so late, the UN added. It is unclear when and where aid will start to be distributed. The nine trucks are "a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed," United Nations relief chief Tom Fletcher said in a statement on Monday. He called for significantly more aid to be allowed into Gaza. The news that a "basic quantity of food" would be allowed into Gaza has been widely shared in the territory. "It's good that something is coming, but so far we haven't seen any change," Raed al-Athamna told DW on Monday evening from Gaza City where he and his extended family are living. Mass evacuation warnings ahead of Israeli offensive As it allows aid the trickle in, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pushed ahead with its ground offensive. The IDF announced on Sunday that ground troops were operating in multiple areas throughout the "northern and southern Gaza Strip" as part of a military new offensive codenamed "Operation Gideon." In the past week, Israel's military has issued prominent evacuation warnings for parts of Gaza, including around the cities of Khan Younis, Gaza's second largest city, and Rafah in the south, as well as several neighborhoods in North Gaza. Israel says it issues the evacuation orders to move Palestinians out of harm's way. Before the latest evacuation warning for Khan Younis was issued, more than two-thirds of the Gaza Strip was already under displacement orders or in Israel-militarized zones, according to the United Nations . Palestinians make their way with belongings as they flee their homes after the Israeli military issued orders for evacuation from Khan Younis Image: Hatem Khaled/REUTERS UN officials have previously described the mass displacement of civilians within Gaza as a possible war crime. Israel's latest siege of Gaza has drawn pointed international criticism. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, whose country has been a critical mediator between Israel and Hamas, said Israel's "irresponsible, aggressive behavior undermines any potential chance for peace." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also warned in a joint statement on Monday that "we will not stand by," threatening "further concrete actions" if Israel continued to block aid. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back on Tuesday by saying the three leaders "are offering a huge prize for [Hamas'] genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 [2023] and inviting more such atrocities" by demanding Israel end its siege. "This is a war of civilization over barbarism. Israel will continue to defend itself by just means until total victory is achieved," Netanyahu said. UN human rights chief accuses Israel of 'ethnic cleansing' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Nights are the worst' Back in Gaza City, Raed al-Athamna and his family are among those seeking refuge after fleeing from Beit Hanoun, a town close Israel's border. It's the second time they have been displaced; the first time was shortly after Israel launched its war against Hamas in retaliation for the Palestinian militant group's October 2023 attacks in Israel. At the moment, al-Athamna's nights consist of moving from one corner of his apartment to another in an effort to keep safe. "We hear the F16 fighter jets bombing all the time. Sometimes they hit very close by and the ground shakes," he said on Monday in a call with DW. "The nights are the worst right now. We just hope to make it to the next morning," he said, adding that his family was exhausted from not being able to sleep. His family spends their days searching for food and other supplies, draining the last of their energy. "We haven't had bread for eight days," he said. "We had one meal of cooked lentils [on Monday], but the kids are constantly asking me for more food; they're always hungry." He said more people are crowding into the city, with tents appearing everywhere. "People just don't know where else to go," he said. This tent camp in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Sunday Image: Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images Edited by: Kate Hairsine
The Sun
09-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
MAIS denies viral claim on Insan Rabbani tajwid focus
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) has denied viral claims on social media alleging that its faith rehabilitation programme for former members of GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) focuses solely on the study of tajwid (Qur'anic pronunciation rules). MAIS secretary Dr Ahmad Shahir Makhtar said the Insan Rabbani programme, introduced to rehabilitate the beliefs (akidah) of former GISBH members, was approved on Feb 4. 2025, as aligned with the fatwa gazetted on Oct 16, 2024, which ruled that the beliefs, teachings, and practices of GISBH and its network deviate from true Islamic teachings. He said the programme is part of MAIS' broader efforts to restore the Islamic faith of former members, conducted in collaboration with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), and runs from Feb 15 to to August 2025. 'The Insan Rabbani programme is held every Sunday in 24 sessions, each lasting four hours, at four locations: Sekolah Rendah Agama (SRA) Country Homes in Rawang; Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque in Shah Alam; SRA Sijangkang in Kuala Langat; and SRA Sungai Kantan in Kajang. A total of 51 certified teachers are involved in delivering the modules,' he said in a statement today. Ahmad Shahir added that the programme follows the Istitabah Module, approved by MAIS in 2013, and includes key areas of Islamic education such as Qur'anic studies, akidah (faith), tasawuf (spiritual purification), and fikah (Islamic jurisprudence) tailored for adult participants. Regarding Qur'anic studies, he said participants learn not just tajwid, but also deepen their understanding of the Qur'an to improve their recitation and comprehension. 'The akidah module covers the foundations of Islamic belief, including the correct understanding of the attributes of Allah SWT, the role of prophets, and related concepts,' he said. The tasawuf component, he added, focuses on purifying the heart and cultivating good character traits, while the fikah module teaches practical religious rulings, especially on prayer, based on the Shafi'i school of thought. For children of former GISBH members, MAIS uses the JAIS Pendidikan Insani (Holistic Education) Module. This module aims to nurture children's personality and potential in a comprehensive and integrated way, guided by divine revelation and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad SAW. It covers areas such as akidah (faith), ibadah (acts of worship), and akhlak (morality). 'Therefore, the claim circulating on social media that the rehabilitation programme only focuses on tajwid is inaccurate and misleading,' Ahmad Shahir said. Previously, the media reported that a total of 2,474 former GISBH members, including 1,410 children, are taking part in the insan Rabbani programme, which began on Feb 15 and continues until August, involving several phases of rehabilitation.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Outrage in Somalia after man says he married missing eight-year-old
Outrage has spread in Somalia after an eight-year-old girl, who had been missing for six months, was found living with a man who said he was her husband. The girl was reported missing by her family in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland last September. Months later, it emerged the girl's father had consented for her to be married to an adult named Sheikh Mahmoud. Security forces surrounded the man's house last week and forced they way in after he locked himself in a room with the girl. The incident has sparked anger on social media and public protests in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. It has also prompted fresh debates about child protection laws, as currently there is no minimum legal age for marriage. "What's more shocking than the tragedy itself are the allegations of abduction and the fact that her family had no knowledge of her whereabouts for months," Fadumo Ahmed, chairperson of leading rights group the Somali Women Vision Organisation, told the BBC. "We trust the responsible institutions to take the right and necessary legal action." According to the eight-year-old's uncle, she was taken from her home in the city of Bosaso last September by a female relative. This relative said she was escorting the child on a trip to see another a uncle. But months later, a video surfaced online, showing the girl reciting the Quran. Her family subsequently launched a search for the child - it is unclear why they did not do this sooner. They discovered she was in the Carmo area, living with Sheikh Mahmoud. Sheikh Mahmoud initially said he was solely teaching the girl the Quran. But after legal complaints were filed, he changed his statement, saying he had married the girl with her father's consent. When asked by the BBC how he justified marrying an eight-year-old, Sheikh Mahmoud said that the traditions of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, along with that of the Shafi'i school of thought, allowed child marriage. After the BBC questioned his reasoning - citing opposition from numerous Somali Islamic scholars - Sheikh Mahmoud maintained that he would not abandon the marriage. Puntland's police and human rights authorities intervened on 25 March, removing the girl from the man's home after her family filed a complaint. The girl is now back with her family, Puntland's police force told the BBC. Additionally, an investigation into the case has been launched, government officials have said. Child marriage remains prevalent in Somalia. According to a report published in 2020 by the United Nations Population Fund and the Somali government, 35% of women aged between 20 and 24 in the country were married before the age of 18. In 2017 this figure stood at 45%. The rate of child marriage is driven by various factors, including poverty, insecurity and traditional customs that often disregard a girl's age in wedding arrangements. In an attempt to tackle this issue, Somalia's ministry of women and human rights submitted a draft child rights bill to parliament in 2023. However, the proposal was sent back after MPs objected to certain provisions. The bill is expected to be reintroduced, but there is no clear timeline for this. Risking death to smuggle alcohol past Somali bandits and Islamist fighters Why Trump is on the warpath in Somalia The men in sarongs taking on al-Shabab militants How Somalis see the 'Black Hawk Down' battle three decades on Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
