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Live Fatwa (General Session)

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
01 December, 2016

Dear Brothers/Sisters,

 

Thank you very much for joining us in this Live Fatwa session. We would like also to thank our guest, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, for answering the questions directed to him. You will find the answers of your questions below.

Wednesday, Dec. 07, 2016 | 20:00 - 22:00 GMT

Session is over.
DISCLAIMER
Views expressed by hosts/guests on this program (live dialogue, Facebook sessions, etc.) are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.  

AsalaamuAleikum. I hope this finds you well. I have some previous debt from before I converted to Islam. After I converted I was paying them off, but became seriously injured and became unable to work. Do I still need to pay these off? Is my husband now responsible for them because I cannot work? Although I'm recovering from injury we now have two children and keeping up the house and looking after our kids is really all I can handle. When I was injured I had to stay in hospital for a long time. They would not allow my husband to take me home and although my travel insurance covered over a third of the debt and to send me back to my home country (US), it didn't cover everything. I feel they inflated the medical bill as well overcharging for even simple things like ibuprofen. I have not been able to work, they still send debt collection papers to my family's home. I no longer live there. I had nothing of value to sell to settle my debts and my husband is making just enough to support us. We haven't even been able to manage any savings yet. Allah provides for us but I didn't really realize how much damage this old debt could be doing to my soul. What do I do? When I've discussed it with my husband has said he believes we've paid enough of the original debt and that most of what they want is just interest now as he was helping me sort it out before I was injured, but some of it is student loans from the US govt. and even if I were to alone declare bankruptcy there I would not have my student loan debts excused. As for the hospital debts, they were caused by serious injury which could not have been forseen. I had travel insurance in case something like that happened but my injuries were so severe it didn't cover everything. I even declined a number of services that would've helped my recovery (physical therapy) mental health assitance to help with the PTSD I've suffered from because I wouldn't be able to pay for it. If they would've accepted our nikah as a legally binding contract I would've been covered under the NHS but they denied this. Now they don't know where I am because I changed my name to an Islamic one and I'm now living with my husband in the UK. The UK home office knows my old name and hasn't searched for me here I think because they probably sold the debt to the debt collectors. I'm really torn over this. I fear if I try to sort out a payment plan they will recind my visa and rip our family apart, and if I try to declare bankruptcy in the US they will find me or make my husband responsible and endanger the income that supports my children. My husband doesnt share his account except for one credit card for me to use only in an emergency if for some reason he isnt with me. This is to be paid off monthly to avoid paying any intrest so I dont use it. I cant drive. I dont feel comfortable putting my children into childcare to have any job and as I said before I have enough difficulty with my obligations and duties as it is to hold a job as well would be too much. Does this excuse me having the old debts? I'm very confused. JazakAllahKhair for reading and any help or advice you can offer



I truly empathize with your situation and pray to Allah to help you overcome such trials.

 

If your husband has the means to help you out he should do so; however, if he is struggling with his responsibilities as a provider for the family, he is excused.

 

If the agencies you owe forgive you then you need not worry. Otherwise, you should do your best to pay it as best as you can.

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If the amount you owe is not a huge amount perhaps the Muslim community in your city should be able to help you out: You are eligible to receive zakah for paying out debts.

 

You may do well to get in touch with a reputable imam in the community; he should be able to figure out some ways of helping you.

 

I cannot add more in terms of other details. Since your question has financial implications of technical nature, I would advise you to contact Dr. Monzer Kahf who is an expert on Islamic finance. He appears on this site regularly; you can address the question directly to him. Alternatively, you may also get in touch with him through his own website: www.monzer.kahf.com.

 

Once again, I pray to Allah to help you find a resolution that is pleasing to Him and grant you peace of mind.

How to perform ruqyah on toddler who is possessed with jinn? Is listening to ruqyah sufficient?



On this, you may read the following fatwa:

It was narrated that `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was ill, he would recite al-Mu`awidhatayn (surahs of Al-Falaq and An-Nas) over himself and spit dryly. When his pain grew intense, I recited over him and wiped him with his own hand, seeking its blessing” (Al-Bukhari).

With regard to the hadith narrated by Muslim, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) described the seventy thousand of this Ummah who will enter Paradise without being brought to account or punished, and in which it says: “They are those who did not recite ruqyah or ask for ruqyah to be done, and they did not believe in bad omens and they put their trust in their Lord” – the phrase “they did not recite ruqyah” is the words of the narrator, not of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Hence Al-Bukhari narrated this hadith and did not mention this phrase.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“These people are praised because they did not ask anyone to recite ruqyah for them, and ruqyah is a type of du`aa’, so they did not ask others to pray for them. The phrase “and they did not recite ruqyah” which is mentioned in the hadith is a mistake (on the part of the narrator), for their ruqyah for themselves and for others is a good deed. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited ruqyah for himself and for others but he did not ask anyone to recite ruqyah for him. His reciting ruqyah for himself and others was like his making du`aa’ for himself and others; this is something that is enjoined, for all the Prophets asked of Allah and prayed to Him, as Allah tells us in the stories of Adam, Ibraheem, Musa and others.” (Majmu` al-Fatawa, 1/182)

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Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

This phrase is inserted in the hadith, but it is a mistake on the part of some of the narrators.” (Hadi al-Arwah, 1/89)

Ruqyah is one of the greatest remedies that the believer should use regularly.

With regard to the du`aa’ that is prescribed for the Muslim to say if he wants to recite ruqyah for himself or for someone else, there are many such du`aa’s, the greatest of which are Al-Fatihah and Al-Mu`awidhatayn.

A group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on a journey and traveled until they came near one of the Arab tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they were refused. Then the leader of that tribe was stung, and his people tried everything to cure him but nothing helped. Then some of them said, “Why don’t you go to those people who are staying (nearby)? Maybe one of them has something.” So they went to them and said, “O people, our leader has been stung and we have tried everything and nothing helped him. Do you have anything?” One of them said, “Yes, by Allah. I will perform ruqyah for him, but by Allah we asked you for hospitality and you did not give us anything, so we will not perform ruqyah for you unless you give us something in return.” So they agreed on a flock of sheep, then he started to blow on him and recite Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabb il-`Alameen. Then he recovered quickly from his complaint and started walking, and he was completely cured. After that they took the flock of sheep, and some of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Let us share it out.” The one who had performed ruqyah said, “Do not do anything until we come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and tell him what happened, and we will wait and see what he tells us to do.” So they came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him what had happened. He said, “How did you know that it is a ruqyah?” Then he said, “You did the right thing. Share them out, and give me a share.” And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

 

The du`aa’s that have been narrated in the Sunnah include the following:

Muslim narrated from `Uthman ibn Abil-`As that he complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) about pain that he had felt in his body from the time he had become Muslim. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, “Put your hand on the part of your body where you feel pain and say ‘Bismillah (in the name of Allah) three times, then say seven times, A`udhu bi `izzat-illah wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajid wa uhadhir (I seek refuge in the glory and power of Allah from the evil of what I feel and worry about).”

 

At-Tirmidhi added: He said, “I did that, and Allah removed what I had been suffering, and I continued to enjoin my family and others to do that.”

 

It was narrated that Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek refuge for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, and he would say, ‘Your father [ meaning Ibrahim peace be upon him] used to seek refuge with Allah for Isma`il and Ishaq with these words: A`udhu bi kalimat Allah al-tammah min kulli shaytanin wa hammah wa min kulli `aynin lammah (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, from every devil and every poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye)’” (Al-Bukhari).

 

Salaam, my father died a few years ago and I was very close to him. I dreamt of him recently where I was aware he was dead in the dream but he didn't seem aware of this. He seemed quite happy and said if I wanted to get him anything to get him a perfume called number one. What does this mean? This is the first proper dream I've had of him and I woke up crying. I never have nightmares and don't cry easily. Also I had not been thinking of my dad that day. Thank you in advance.



I do not interpret dreams; however, if you dreamt about your father in this way, as far as I know, it is a glad tiding that he is in a happy state.

 

As for his request to get a perfume for him, you may take it as his wish to benefit him spiritually. People who have passed away do not benefit or need material comforts; rather they need spiritual rewards and blessings. So, the best you could for him is to give charities or send him rewards of certain good deeds you can perform on his behalf.

 

For details as to the things that may benefit the deceased, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

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“We read in a number of traditions that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told the children whose parents had passed away to give charities or perform pilgrimages, etc. on their behalf. Based on such traditions, most of the scholars are of the opinion that children may do all kinds of charitable or good deeds on behalf of their parents; once they are performed with the intention of sending their rewards to them, Allah, out of His sheer mercy, will convey rewards to them.

 

Many scholars include reading of the Qur’an in this category of permissible good works that one may do on behalf of one’s deceased parents or relatives. They have done so based on their reasoning that there is no reason to exclude such an act from the above general permissions granted by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

 

Thus it has become an almost a widely accepted practice in the Muslim community; the Muslims throughout the centuries have been practicing the same; so one should never object to it. But having said this I must add a word of caution: one must not do this by setting a fixed date such as the seventh day, the fortieth day or the death anniversaries, etc. for by setting such dates for specific rituals we incur the sin of making innovations in religion.”

Salam, how are you? I would like to ask, can I keep and continue relation with my ex husband's ex wife? Me and my husband got divorced and he married another girl and they also got divorced. Now he married again to another girl. So my question is now can I keep my relation with my ex husband's ex wife?



Your ex-husband’s ex-wife is like any other Muslim sister you know. So, even as you may establish relations with another sister you are allowed to be in touch with her and be her friend. However, since both of you had a bad experience with the person you divorced you are not allowed to divulge any of his private matters or backbite him or even talk about him.

My mom was disabled and could not fast for 10 years due to her medical conditions, she has passed away 4 months ago. Is it obligatory on me to pay the fidya? I want to calculate the fidya which is 2.2 kg of food according to the rates of her homeland though she did not pass there, that way it is gonna be easy for financially is that permissible? Should I pay money or actual food?- What are the foods that I can give or use in calculation per kilogram?



If your mother was unable to fast because of her health challenges, and she did not pay the fidyah while having the ability to do so, then it is a debt she is owing to Allah. As her daughter it is your duty – provided you have the means – to offer fidyah on her behalf.

 

We have traditions from the Prophet (peace be upon him) stating that one may fast on behalf of the deceased parents or pay fidyah on their behalf. The latter is the case if the deceased were too sick to fast because of their old age or terminal sickness. If however they were physically able to fast and yet did not fast, then fasting on their behalf is better.

 

Here are some traditions to support this ruling:

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“Whoever dies while failing to fast the required days let his or her heir fast on his or her behalf.” (Al- Bukhari)A person asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): “My mother passed away while failing to fast the entire month (of Ramadan).  Shall I fast on her behalf? The Prophet (peace be upon him): “Yes, because the debt one owes to Allah is more worthy of repayment.” (Muslim)

A person asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): “My mother passed away while failing to fast the entire month (of Ramadan).  Shall I fast on her behalf? The Prophet (peace be upon him): “Yes, because the debt one owes to Allah is more worthy of repayment.” (Muslim)

 

Based on this, most of the scholars agree that a deceased person’s heirs can fast or offer fidyah on behalf of their parents who have died if they did not observe the obligatory fasts.

 

Now coming to the issue of fidyah, it is estimated to be a full meal or its cost. So, you are allowed to pay the fidyah in cash. You should consider the cost of a full meal in your country or town and pay accordingly. You may pay more if you wish to; that would be even better if your standard of living is higher than the average person in the city or country as Imam Ibn Taymiyyah has ruled.

Salam alaykum waramatulahi wabarakatu. What are the rules regarding the pronouncement of salalahualayenwasalam during prayer when recite the ayat that say Muhammad (SAW)?



We are encouraged to send benedictions on the Prophet (peace be upon him) as often as we can; we ought to do it in salah, especially in the final sitting of every Prayer.

 

However, saying salawat on the Prophet (peace be upon him) while hearing his name mentioned in the recitations of the imam or while we are reciting those verses, is not a prescribed practice. If it had been prescribed, it would have been reported by the Prophet’s companions. We find no evidence for it in the sources.

 

Therefore, the scholars are divided on this issue: Some permit or even recommend it as long as it is done silently and not repeatedly, while others say one should abstain from it.

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No one, however, would disagree with the fact that saying salawat on the Prophet (peace be upon him) is one of the most meritorious acts when practiced right at the right time and place.

SelamAlejkum I saw a dream one night, as I was walking to an unkown village, I saw a crowd of people, I went to see there what's happening. I saw an Imam (also not familiar to me) having a speech. He didn't look quite innocent, my heart just felt that. I don't know what the speech was about, but I saw a picture there, standing by his side. And immediately I told them "That's wrong, you cannot have nor make pictures of the prophet pbuh, it's forbidden". I don't know how I knew that it was the prophet (pbuh) in the picture, I just knew that. Also, he looked so young at that picture, like maybe at the age 17-25. He was smiling, and he looked like he was shaved, or maybe he didn't have any facial hair at all at that age. His face looked smooth. And he had not so short and not so long hair, probably the length of a hand palm. Then I continued walking to another place and it starts another topic. Are there any arguments on how he looked like at his teenage years? My questions are, does the description I made match his real appearance? And if yes, does it count that I have really seen him in a dream (since it was a picture of him and not his living form)?



If you had a dream in which you saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) as he has been described in the authentic sources, then that is a true vision; it is a glad tiding. And it behooves you to thank Allah for this blessing and resolve to be earnest in emulating the beautiful examples of the Messenger of mercy and send benedictions on him as often as you can.

 

Having said this, let me rush to add: A dream of the Prophet (peace be upon him) can be considered as true only if it perfectly fits the description of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as transmitted through the reliable sources.

 

In order to judge for yourself, you may do well to study the following write up by an eminent scholar, namely Shaikh Hamza Yusuf on this. You can access it here.

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As-salamu alikum Dear sir I am very pleased from this page as it provide us guidance in different problems and spreads the message of Islam. My question is regarding parda in Islam and the relation of burqa to barda in Islam and the recent clothing which our males and female members are doing.



In answering your question, the best I could do is to cite here from one of my earlier answers on this issue, which is somewhat detailed and covers all aspects of the question:

 

“Hijab is the proper Islamic dress code, which is primarily intended to safeguard the modesty, dignity and honor of men and women.

 

Allah, the Creator of humans, knows our nature better than ourselves, and thus He has prescribed appropriate rules of behavior and appearance to be observed when men and women interact with one another in a social milieu. These rules of interaction also include a prescription for modest dressing, which, I should hasten to add, apply to males as well as females.

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Hijab thus forms part of a holistic program of Islamic ethics and morals governing male and female interaction. Prescribing the rule of Hijab, Allah says, “Say to the believing men to lower their gazes and guard their chastity” (Qur’an 24:30). “And say to the believing women to lower their gazes and guard their chastity, and let them not display of their charm– except what is apparent.” (Qur’an 24:31).

 

Commenting on the phrase, “what is apparent”, Ibn Abbas, the famous companion and the commentator of the Qur’an, said, “It means face and hands.” In other words, according to Ibn Abbas, a woman must cover all her body except her face and hands while in the presence of men who are not related to her directly (and the list of those in whose presence she need not cover is clearly outlined in the verse: 24: 31).

The majority of Imams- including those of the Four Schools as well as others- share the above interpretation of Ibn Abbas, and thus hold the opinion that a woman is not obliged to cover her face and hands.

 

However, a group of scholars, the majority of whom belong to the Hanbalite persuasion, teach that a woman must cover her face and hands as well. In support of their position they invoke a tradition attributed to the Prophet (peace be on him) stating, “woman is all ‘Awrah”, and hence as such, needs to completely covered up. They also reason by saying that the most attractive parts of a woman’s body capable of enticing men are her face and hands.

 

The aforementioned position of the majority on this issue seems to be more consistent with the general understanding and evidences of the Qur’an and Sunnah than of those who advocate covering the face and hands as well. There are several proofs which point to this conclusion: Firstly, the verse quoted above from the Qur’an, seems to presume that the women it addresses are not wholly covered (i.e. face and hands), since otherwise, there is no sense in ordering both genders to lower their gazes. Secondly, it is a general consensus among scholars that a woman is not required to cover her face and hands while performing Salah; if these were deemed to be ‘Awrah it would certainly have been necessary to cover them. Thirdly, a woman is required to bare her face while she is in a state of Ihram, which again, confirms what we said earlier.

 

Moreover, the evidences in the sources are overwhelming in showing that the Hijab as prescribed by Islam was not meant to segregate women or shut them out of the social involvement and participation in the affairs of the Muslim community since the participation of Muslim women– at all levels of Islamic life– is fully documented in the sources beyond a shadow of doubt. Such active participation as described in the sources is conceivable only if we assume that women were not wholly covered from head to toe.

 

In light of the above, we conclude: a Muslim woman is required to cover all her body except her face and hands, according to the majority of scholars belonging to all schools. Covering the head, however, is not at all a disputed issue among them– they all agree that this is a necessary part of Hijab.

 

A very important aside has to be included here as it is seldom mentioned in discussions on Hijab. Unfortunately, the onus for guarding the honor and chastity of the Muslim society is often laid solely on the backs of women. While recently, there has been more of a stress on the rules of Islamic dress for men, what needs to be addressed is the requirement of Muslim men to lower their gaze and maintain Islamic decorum in relations with all women-and not just Muslim women. It is not rare to see a Muslim couple walking where the woman is in full Hijab while her husband is gawking at other women. Or to see a father instructing his daughter to cover properly before going out, and then turning back to watch a TV show full of improperly attired women. There is wisdom in the Qur’anic injunction to women to cover themselves being stated alongside the order to men lower their gaze. Allah is just and justice would not be served if women were to be the only guardians of honor.

 

The Hijab can become a tool of oppression if Muslim males do not maintain their part of this balance. It is often stated that it is difficult for Muslim men to avert their gaze and interact in business-like-ways with women in a society where such behavior is considered anti-social. To this we can answer that it is just as difficult or even more so for a Muslim woman to maintain Hijab in such a society. These tasks can be a struggle and Muslim males and females should view their respective duties as a social responsibility as well as acts of worship. As Allah states in the last part of the verse on Hijab, “O you who believe, turn ye altogether towards Allah in repentance that you me be successful.” (Q.24:31).

What are transgender rights in light of Islam?



In answering your question, the best I can do is to refer you to the articles posted on this site under the following links:

Transgenderism: What, How & Why?

Fatwa Allows Transgender Marriages

 

As-salamu alaikum. Please tell me the Islamic ruling on Muslim women wanting to study drama and acting in theatres. What is the punishment?



Drama is a medium; and like any other medium it can be used for a good purpose: to promote virtue and prevent vices; alternatively, as many people do, it can be used for promoting vices and corruption in society.

 

So, if a Muslim woman acts in a drama and her role is clean and free of all forms of obscenity, nudity, etc., and conforms to the ethical guidelines of Islam in regard to male and female interaction, etc., then there is nothing wrong about it; rather she may be rewarded for it.

 

We should know that women during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were active participants in society; they gave lectures, taught people, recited poems, participated in battles, etc.

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Therefore, let us not rush to condemn those who are using the media for projecting positive and ethical messages or promoting virtue and beauty of Islam.

 

Islam encourages everyone to be creative by developing their divinely endowed talents and excel in doing so.

Celebrating Milad-Un-Nabi forbidden or allowed? As-salamu aliakum, my mother and the scholars I follow say that celebrating Milad-Un-Nabi is bidat as neither prophet Muhammad (pbuh) celebrated it nor his companions did so. However, many Muslims and scholars do celebrate it. What are the Islamic views on celebrating Milad-Un-Nabi? Jazak Allah khair



If your question means, whether the Muslims can use the occasion of Rabi Al-Awwal to commemorate the life and achievements of the Prophet, peace be upon him, then I would say, it is not only permissible, but should be encouraged by all Muslims. In this way, we would be providing an excellent forum to express our love for the beloved of Allah and our role model, and educate everyone, including our own families as well as others, about the greatest benefactor of humanity.

 

In my mind, there is no greater challenge for us Muslims today than educating ourselves about the exemplary traits, character and achievements of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and project his true message to future generations in a way that everyone can relate to in their personal lives.

 

While commemorating the great Prophet’s life, we must stay away from all forms of an excessive show of veneration bordering on shirk (associating partners with Allah); shirk is the antithesis of tawhid, the fundamental teaching of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

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Coming to your question, whether to do so is a bid`ah (reprehensible innovation), my answer is: commemoration of the Prophet’s life can only be considered a bid`ah if we were to mix it up with questionable practices. As we all know too well the people of Madinah commemorated the arrival of the Prophet, peace be upon him, with great fanfare and celebrations –including the girls and boys singing nasheeds. Likewise, the Caliph `Umar used the event of Hijrah to mark the beginning of the Islamic Calendar.Nations commemorate the milestones of their history in order to unify themselves and weave collective memories. Can the Muslims find anything in history far more momentous than their memory of the Prophet, peace be upon him?

 

If you need further details on this, you may read my article published here:

As-salam alaykum waramatullah Please, what's the ruling on erecting iron bars and planting flowers around a grave. Jazak Allah khayran



Graves should not be overly decorated or embellished or built up.

However, if the bar is erected to prevent people from trespassing or desecrating the grave, it is fine as long as it is simple; for we ought to spend our valuable resources to greater priorities.

Think of the many millions all over the world (including the Muslims of Rohingya) who suffer the worst forms of deprivation.

The money wasted on embellishing graves and planting flowers on the graves can be given in charity to them which would benefit the dead far more than any such material things.

Recently I have been blessed with a baby girl. My wife is a working woman (Teacher by profession). Her job requires 12 to 14 hours of work and travel. I asked her to leave the job and take care of our family (my daughter, my mother and myself). My wife refused to leave the job, instead she wants to leave with her mom and dad and don't want to come to our house. My daughter is only 2 months old. Please suggest how I should proceed further.



I am sorry to hear about your predicament. I pray to Allah to help you find an amicable way of reconciling your differences.

If your wife had told you (prior to your marriage) that she would continue her professional career after marriage and would not move out of her parents’ home then you cannot insist that she leaves her job and move with you.

Otherwise, she should be willing to move out and live with you. Her priority at this stage is to care for her daughter, especially in her formative years. However, she may go back to work after taking a parental leave of one year or two.

If she insists otherwise, you may still continue the marriage as long as you are Ok with it.

I would advise that you speak to an imam or a wise person in the community who can help to counsel both of you; if that does not help you should go for professional counselling.

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I suspect that there are far more serious issues at stake; and a counsellor can help you sort out the issues and help you find an amicable resolution.

I would also urge you to pray to Allah to reconcile your differences and bring back love and affection into your hearts.

Finally, for some useful tips as to how to strengthen your marriage, please study the book, Blissful Marriage: A Practical Islamic Guide by Ekram Beshir.

They are 4 categories of male circumcision 1.low and loose 2.low and tight. 3.high and loose 4.high and low 5.most common one Heres the link the styles to better understand it https://www.circumcision-london.co.uk/circumcision-styles/Which one should I go for as I am confused as to which one fulfills Islamic requirements?



There is no need to be overly rigid over this issue.

It is best to keep it simple: The purpose of circumcision is to remove the foreskin or the fold of skin that covers the head of the penis. As long it is removed, the requirement is fulfilled. There are physicians who practice this on a regular basis; so you should trust them as there is no need to be overly worried about it.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “This religion of ours is fairly simple and easy to follow; whoever makes it rigid only be defeating himself (by such an attitude.” He further said, “Woe to those who are rigid in practice of their religion – he repeated the words thrice.”

Knowing well celebrating birthday is bidah.. As a caterer is it haram to make cakes for people for such occasion



This is a contentious issue among scholars. One group considers it as a bid’ah to be shunned altogether; while another group considers it as permissible as long as we do not consider it as a religious ritual – provided we do not go overboard with it by being extravagant and wasteful.

 

I would endorse the second view. A bid’ah is a religious verdict which applies strictly to matters of worship; it should not be extended to customs that have no religious bearing. In other words, as far religious practices are concerned we are not to invent anything new; rather we ought to govern ourselves with what has been already prescribed by the Law-giver.

 

As for customs, the rule is permission unless forbidden by a clear evidence in a revealed text. Since there is no such text we cannot forbid the custom of celebrating birthdays.

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Thanks to such latitude in the Shari`ah, Muslims throughout centuries – as individuals as well as a nation –have been celebrating great moments in their lives. A clear example is the practice of many Muslim countries celebrating their nationhood or anniversaries, etc.

 

In conclusion, you may celebrate the birthday as long as you do not turn it into a religious ritual and stay away from questionable practices, it is not considered haram (forbidden) if you were to invite your family and friends and express the joy and give thanks to Allah on such an occasion.

I have committed the sin of masturbation countless times. I have been successfully fighting the urges for over a year now -- and I thought I was completely over the habit -- but just 2 days ago, I went back to it. At first I panicked and felt anxiety over what I did, but after a short while I calmed down and went about my day, trying to forget about it. After that, it was like I no longer felt ANY guilt whatsoever about my sins. I feel like I have the mindset that "Allah is merciful" or "Allah will forgive me", which I know is wrong because in order to sincerely repent you must feel guilt over what you do. How can I feel enough guilt to make genuine tawbah? I don't want to die without repenting from these sins.



Before coming directly to your question, let me first state the ruling on masturbation:

Masturbation is generally considered forbidden in Islam since it is deemed to fall under the category of sexual satisfaction outside the framework of marriage.

 

According to the Qur’an, those who seek fulfillment outside the framework of marriage are deemed transgressors. (See the Qur’an: 23: 7). While explaining this verse, one often finds the commentators listing masturbation under the list of the forbidden categories of sexual fulfillment.

 

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What we have stated above is the generally accepted view. However, according to some scholars, if a person is so tormented by his intense sexual desire or craving that he fears falling into zina (fornication), in such a case, masturbation is permitted as the lesser of the two evils. His case may be compared to that of a person who is permitted to eat pork because of fear of death by starvation.

 

However, having mentioned the above, we must state that one hardly needs to resort to it when we recognize the relatively flexible approach towards marriage that Islam adopts. Unfortunately, against the clear teachings of Islam, marriage has been rendered another difficult process today due to warped customs and conventions and undue expectations. When we approach marriage from the point of view of pristine Islam, we shall find less and less people being forced to exercise the above type of exceptional rulings.

 

If therefore you are unable to get married for reasons beyond your control, then you need to ask Allah for forgiveness. Allah is Merciful. There is no need for you to despair of Allah’s mercy. For no matter how ugly our sins are and how many times we sin and fall, if we are truly remorseful and turn to Allah, He will open His doors of mercy. Here is a sacred hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated from his Lord: “A servant (of Allah) sinned and turned to Him saying: ‘My Lord, I have sinned; so forgive me’; his Lord said, ‘My servant knew that he has a Lord who forgives and punishes for sins; so I have forgiven my servant’. Then the person remained in that state for some time, and returned to the sin again and he prayed as before and the Lord said, ‘I have forgiven My servant…’So the lesson to learn from this is that no matter how ugly our sins and how many times we have sinned, Allah is Forgiving as long we recognize the Lordship of Allah and trust in Him and turn to Him in repentance, beseeching His mercy.

For further details on repentance please refer to the answer linked below:

The Door of Repentance Is Wide Open