Dear Brothers/Sisters,

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

Q:

The tax authority of Pakistan is encouraging people to buy things from retailers which are integrated with POS system. The POS system enables transaction and tax data to be sent directly to the relevant tax authorities. A POS service fee of Rupees 1 (USD 0.006) is charged per invoice. The invoice also bears a QR code that can be scanned to verify the genuineness of the invoice. Upon verification of invoice you enter a lucky draw to win cash prizes. Is this a form of gambling or is it ok to use the prize money?

A:

It depends on two factors: if the money for the prize is coming directly from the service fee AND if the intention of quite a few people to use this system is a hope to win the “lucky draw” then it will be a form of gambling.

However, if this is not the case, then it would be allowed. The general principle in Islam is that it is forbidden to pay money for a chance to win something.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

So I am an 18 year old female who recently converted to islam. My family are all christians. I have a question about marriage. If a muslim boy asks for my hand in marriage, do I need permission from my step father or can I just have someone else step,in,like a scholar or sheikh.

A:

Firstly, welcome to Islam. May Allah bless you.

As to your question, you do not need permission from your step-father to get married, but if you are close to him and he is not hostile towards Islam, it is a good idea to consult him either way.

You definitely should have a scholar help you vet the marriage candidate and should read up on books about Islamic marriage so you understand exactly what you are getting into. Marriage is a serious commitment so you should do your due diligence and consult with wise Muslims before moving forward.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I got engaged to another lady while waiting for response from the actual love of my life. can I break off the engagement and marry the woman I have loved for a long time.

A:

Technically, it is allowed and fine to break off an engagement. It would not be unlawful or wrong to do that.

However, you should make sure you are not blinded by your emotions. Often people are in ‘love’ before getting married, but that emotional attachment prevents them from thinking properly. So consult with wise and knowledgeable Muslims before making a final decision, and ask Allah to help you in your decision.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Should I tell my future husband that I am not a virgin before marriage?

I want to tell him as I can’t keep it in

A:

My general advice is that if he does not ask then you should not tell. Muslims should not reveal the sins they have committed in the past. However, if he insists and you find it difficult to keep it to yourself, then you should weigh the consequences this could have on your marriage.

In many cultures, people can hold your past against you. This could ruin your marriage or cause other problems. So consult with wise and knowledgeable Muslims before making a final decision, and ask Allah to help you in your decision.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Can I wear the khuffayn right after showering to have the same benefits if I wore them during wudu?

A:

Yes, according to many scholars, a shower will count as wudu since you wash the same parts of the body. To be on the safe side, just perform wudu while you are in the shower and then put them on.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Salam, Is it permissible in Islam for a male to increase his male organ if he feels it is small even though he is not yet married? Also,how about if he’s married and his wife complains of his size can he increase it to please his wife?

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

My brother, I urge you to be very careful about this type of thinking. Many people are tricked into thinking that their organ is too small due to the videos the watch and other influences in their lives.

Especially for you, since you are not married, I advise you to not worry about this much. I also suggest that you see a doctor and ask if the size of your organ is normal or not. If it is normal, then stop thinking about it. Only if it is abnormal, then you can ask your doctor for safe ways to help fix the abnormality.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I am looking for the most reliable islamic site.I was looking at your site and found out that there are different answers to the same question.When asked about hijab some answers you say its fard and some you say its not.When asked about Miraj date in one place it says 27th rajab and in one it says that there is no authentic proof.Why is that?

A:

There are some issues in Islam where scholars differ. Our website relies on different scholars who may sometimes give different positions within an Islamic framework.

I have not come across the two articles you are referring to so I cannot comment on what happened there. Also, keep in mind that sometimes an answer is given in a different way depending on how the question is being asked. So, in order for me to give more details I would need to see the specific articles you are referring to.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

My husband sent me talaq e awal via union council. But didn’t come. He vosited the union council 3-4 timed during the period of raju. thus, after three months, union council issued me a divorce certificate.
Now he came and ask for reconciliation. Can we reunite? Please answer me in light of Quran and Hadis.

A:

I am not sure who or what the union council is but it is important for you to ask them about this issue. If they are a group of scholars, they will be able to answer your question better since your husband went to them in the first place. I don’t understand why he visited this union council 3-4 times during the iddah period of ruju, so I cannot give you a proper answer without understanding those details.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

When I was a kid, before puberty, I used to have a physical relationship (intercourse) with my neighbours boys with whom i used to played in my childhood but they are elder than me . I was unaware of what was right and wrong at that time, but I stopped it as soon as I got aware. Although I regret it a lot and have been praying to Allah to forgive me, I can’t get rid of those memories which still haunt me. I feel dirty. Am I impure? Will I be held accountable for them? I have never told this before to anyone.

A:

No, you are not impure for what happened in the past. Do not think in that way. Allah does not hold children accountable for their actions. Even if you were a little older, now that you have regretted and asked for forgiveness, do not let this make you feel bad.

Even the best of Muslims did things in their past and then repented, and they are our role models. I also suggest you see a therapist or counselor to help you process the emotions from this difficult childhood event. May Allah bless you.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalamoalaikum. I am expecting a baby In Sha Allah & wanted to ask you a few meaning, correct pronunciation of baby boy names:
Ezaan – Obedience
Azyan – Plural of Zayn
Aafyan – Great king
Anzar
Aariz

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

Anzar means angel of paradise and Aariz means intelligent/respectful. I suggest you ask a local scholar how to pronounce these since it is difficult to explain that in writing.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

A non-Muslim man who is going to convert has asked for my hand and my family are still telling me it’s haram. How does this make any sense?

A:

When someone accepts Islam wholeheartedly, their past sins are wiped out. Muslims should always assume the best about people. It is possible that your family is concerned that the man only accepted Islam in order to marry you or is too new to have a solid grounding in Islam.

These are legitimate concerns. It does not make the marriage haram but you should do your due diligence to make sure you are marrying someone suitable for you.

I strongly encourage you to read books and watch seminars about marriage in Islam and to make sure both you and him are ready and compatible.

Many people rush into marriage without preparing for it properly, only to regret it later.

So, in short, it is not haram to marry a convert at all, but marriage is a serious commitment and you must do your due diligence before proceeding with it.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Aoa i have ocd. I am very confused to which extent it is just my ocd or my real feelings. I feel like i dont believe in Allah,even when iam making dua i feel like iam just doing lip service and i dont mean anything by it.At times i feel like i have done kufr so i ask for repentance and say the shahada but i can’t understand my intentions,like i am saying shahada but i dont think i have the intent of re entering islam by doing so,or i ask for forgiveness because it comes to my mind that i should or sometimes i just do it immediately like on default nd don’t think of anything so i feel like iam just doing lip service,how can i identify what is my intention.i feel numb and feel that i have no intention of anything at all

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

May Allah cure you from these thoughts and this illness. OCD can be very serious and affects many parts of your life. It also affects your understanding and practice of Islam.

Like any other illness, it requires proper treatment. I strongly suggest that you go to a professional therapist and get treatment for your OCD. At the same time, keep asking Allah to cure you from this condition, and you will find that with time it will improve significantly, inshallah.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalamualaikum,

Over the past few days I have had a bad time with waswasa of shaytan, at first it was things like ‘did i commit kufr?’ and I would repeat my shahada but then it got better and I thought I may be punished for acting upon my doubts and listening to shaytan.

So I stopped repeating shahada and tried my best to ignore the whispers as mere doubts.

But later when I was in the car I remembered that Israfil has his lips upon the trumpet and thought that ‘what if i die and my shahada isn’t valid and these doubts are correct?
So i said my shahada again while knowing it is probably shaytan messing with me.

After I said it I got very worried that I had commited shirk by listening to what i know is probably shaytan so i kept repeating my shahada.
But every time I worried that I was obeying shaytan by repeating it and I am worried that my Islam is nullified.

So I would like to know if listening to the whispers of shaytan (even if I know it is waswasa) is shirk?
And I want to know what I should do!
Should I just repent or say shahada one last time to make sure?

I am very worried and need help.
Jazakallahu Khair

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

Based on what you have explained, you seem to have some symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. May Allah cure you from these thoughts and this illness. OCD can be very serious and affects many parts of your life.

It also affects your understanding and practice of Islam. Like any other illness, it requires proper treatment. I strongly suggest that you go to a professional therapist and get treatment for your OCD. At the same time, keep asking Allah to cure you from this condition, and you will find that with time it will improve significantly, inshallah.

As for your questions, it is not shirk and you do not need to say your shahaadah again. Focus on treatment, prayers, good deeds, and dua.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalamualaikum

I am 32 years of age female, whose parents have been looking for marriage proposals for 2-3 years but due to one or other reason it did not materialize. Now we have consented for a close relative, who is very nice morally, but divorced. After few days of giving consent, I’ve started feeling resentment towards the proposal, at the time of agreeing i felt i did not have an option to deny the proposal and arguing with my parents was futile. But now i feel this is wrong, i should not be marrying such a person. I don’t understand what to do, already preparations for marriage have started.

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

If your concern is only that he is divorced then this is a problem. There is nothing wrong with marrying a person who has been divorced. Many of the Companions went through that, and they were the best generation of people.

However, if there are other things which are seriously bothering you, I suggest you speak to a counselor or wise person who can help you determine if your dislike for this man is grounded or not.

If it is, then do not rush into the marriage. Ask your parents for more time to reflect and focus on learning more about marriage in Islam and preparing yourself for it. May Allah help and guide you.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is killing games haram

Is fortnite Hans haram

I like killing games

A:

Games, in general, can be fun and entertaining. It can be a means of relaxation. There are two problems when it comes to gaming. One, it can become addicting, and people keep playing while neglecting their homework or other important tasks.

Two, violent games can cause the player to become desensitized to violence. This can make a person not care about real people who are being killed in the world, since they are so used to seeing killing. If these two harms are avoided through proper discipline and a balanced lifestyle then it is fine to play these games.

Almighty Allah knows best.