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:

Does Allah s.w.t have a brain? Does he use it to think about anything?

I want to learn more about Islam, I already reverted to Islam.

A:

Allah does not have any physical parts. Allah is beyond needing any of these things. However, Allah is All-Knowledgeable and All-Wise. So He has all the attributes that you might be thinking of, but without needing any body parts like a brain. That is the most we can comprehend about Allah.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalamualaikum, respected brother/ sister, we have been married for 15 yrs and have 3 kids. We both are practicing muslims and perform all our obligations on time. I have always loved my wife and wanted her love and attention but felt that I was last in her list of priorities and was not given enough time and attention. I have provided the best I can for them and everything I did was for my family. All I did was work and be with them. In late sep or early 0ct 2021 i had a physical incident with my wife where i tried to choke (astagfirullah) due to misunderstanding between us. In 15 years I have raised my hand on my wife a few times, this time being worse than ever. I’m ashamed of my behavior and want Allah and my wife to forgive me (she said she has forgiven me). On Nov 18th 2021 she left the house with the kids to move into a shelter on advice of her cousins and she stayed there for 5 months. In the first month we barely spoke and then we solved our issue and spoke daily multiple times and met each other and worked on our relationship. In this period I went for Psychotherapy, islamic counseling and anger management and offered to go for the “Caring Dad” program suggested by the authorities. Since she came back I have showered all my love on her and the family, spent all my time with the kids, been the best husband and dad and made up for the lost time, I work hard and provide for the entire family and always provide them with the best I can. I never forced my wife to work or disrespected her family and since she came back I did not even raise my voice at her but unfortunately I once got very angry at my son but still did not hit him. Due to this reason I was asked by her family to move out and I stayed in my car for 8 days. Now I’m back at home but my wife does not eat with me, we have separate beds and do not even give me eye contact, we have her family member staying with us to make sure everything is right but that person is very unfair and will not even let us talk alone and interfere at every opportunity. My wife wants me to divorce her because she feels this is the best way to keep my son safe and myself as well as if another incident happens my son could be harmed badly by me and taken to foster home and I will be taken by the cops. Her distant family spreads rumors about me and threatens me behind my back . I know my wife still loves me a lot, cares for me and will not do anything which is not permitted by Allah. She is told by some Imam that she can ask for a divorce as she is oppressed and fears for her child. 1) Is this a fair reason for divorce. 2) We have not done any counseling or mediation together and all decisions are made by her family, is this right? 3) is divorce liable when we still love and care for each other. 4) If forced, can I ask for an Iddaah period? 5) Is my wife still oppressed (as she was in the past), i haven’t even raised my voice at her since she is back and can demand for a khula? .
i love my family and i’m doing everything to change myself by fasting nafl fast, praying tahajjud, crying and begging to Allah to forgive and give me a chance to be how my wife wanted me to be and for Allah to bless me in loving,caring and cherishing my family by being the best father and husband i can.

A:

Wa alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barkatuh

I’m saddened to hear about this situation. This case requires a professional counselor and cannot be answered properly through your explanation over the internet.

However, I can address a few aspects only.

• First, the two of you need to get help with a coach or counselor, both together, and separately.

• Two, your wife does seem to have a legitimate reason to be afraid. Even though you are saying you have changed, and you probably have changed a lot, her fear is understandable given everything that has happened.

• Third, divorce is allowed and happens even if two people love and care for each other. When things do not work out, and there is more harm than benefit, divorce is something that Allah has allowed.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Do you need the wife’s permission to have sexual relationships with concubines? If he’s having sexual relationships with a concubine and it’s emotionally damaging his wife is he sinning for that?

A:

This idea of concubinage does not exist in the world anymore today. I’m not sure exactly what you are referring to but if a man takes another wife, then she is his wife, and he must be fair to both of them by spending equal time with each.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalam u Alaikum Sheikh! My father took some interest based loans from banks, now my father is old and unable to work, can I now pay off that loan? Also tell me if I pay the interest of that loan, will I be sinful?

A:

Wa alaykum as salam,

Yes, you can and should pay those loans off. You will not be sinful for paying the interest because you did not take the loan yourself and you are merely relieving him of the obligation.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is it haram taking the girl I want to marry to my parents because she refused going with me before introduction?

A:

You should not force a girl to do something she is not comfortable with, especially if she is a girl you want to marry. It is better to discuss the issue with her and convince her to meet your parents so that the two of you can get married.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Can I take 500k loan from bank with 50k extra fee as their rules? Though in my sense it’s like a interest, if I donate another 50k to anyone or any Islamic organization for my inner peace, will that extra fee will be acceptable?

I need money genuinely and I’ve no other option than this, my own family person will not help, So I choose this one! I’m helpless, so I get a option that bank will give me loan for 5years ,and after 5 years I’ll have to return the whole amount with 50k extra.

A:

This is not allowed. Like you said, it is like interest and is just a trick to give it another name. Donating money does not change it from being haram.

Please reconsider your circumstances. When a person is helpless, they do not need a 500k loan. Helpless people are those who cannot afford to have a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is it okay to pick up money which was there on surface that belongs to somone else but don’t to whom it belongs but it is there on the surface and any one could pick it like 10 rupess or whatever the amount is but fall from some one on the surface.

A:

Normally, it is not allowed for you to pickup money that you see, because the owner might come back and try to find it but it is gone. However, if you are in a place where you are quite sure the owner will not find it, then you can pick it up and try to announce it for a few days. If no one claims it then you can keep it.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is it wrong to ask for something from Allah after you got done asking forgiveness from him from a sin you committed?

A:

Allah is the merciful and Allah loves to answer duas. So no, it is not wrong. Ask Allah to forgive you sincerely. Then ask Allah for what you want.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalu alaikom, my life is incredibly difficult and it is alot more than I can handle, i also believe life would be alot easier for some people if I was never born, is it permissible to ask Allah to bring me back to nothingness, not have me born from the start, I can’t bear the weight of of life, Allah doesn’t need anyone and I really really don’t wanna live, I pray this prayer alot but nothing happens , jazakum allah khair

I’m not suicidal or have injured myself as it is haram to harm one’s self

A:

Wa alaykum as salam,

I’m saddened to hear about your situation. I truly think you need some counseling. Please find a good Islamic counselor in your area.

In the meantime, if you must make some dua, you can say like the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us: “Allah, keep me alive if you know life if better for me and take me away if you know death is better for me.”

Leave the decision to Allah and never take the situation into your own hands by harming yourself. Focus on healing yourself.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I will write briefly, because a lot is happening in our lives.

Me and my 3 siblings are over 18 but only one is under 18.

We’ve been through a lot since we were children. Everything from very bad words, abuse much more. Life with dad has been very difficult, he has raped our mother, abused her. We had limited rights with Dad. Like not being allowed to go out, not having friends otherwise people would call us whores.
We have closed our eyes to what has happened in childhood.

Now that there had been major conflicts with mother and father, mother divorced. And we have given her as much support as we have ever received.

It has now been two years since we lived with my mother. I can say that life has become even more difficult. We get older and start to understand what is happening to us. She calls us so many things like whores. That no one will marry us, if people see us out eating in restaurants, cafes.

We feel so bad mentally. My mental health has deteriorated so much. Because of that I have got alopecia areata.

In Islam we must respect our parents of course. But especially mom.

But that she threatens us every day that she should marry us off without asking us. Call us whores, that people will not want to marry us because of our father.

Since you should have respect for your parents, I have thought that we should talk to mom and solve everything through conversation. But yesterday it led to her commenting on our attire and I said you are right to wear opaque clothes. but it should then apply to everyone. Why did I say it is because she is wearing a tank top in front of a man outside the family, but for us she sets a lot of boundaries and that is how it should be. But she’s double standards.

She got up, slammed her mobile phone hard, shouted at us and I was scared I thought I would be abused. So I went to the toilet closed. She threatened us that my mother would throw herself in front of a car and ran down from the house.
She threatens us that she would commit suicide. But we children? We’ve been through so much! No one has asked us a single day, how are you?

We talked with to each other (siblings) that if it gets worse we should contact to get help to move from here? What is islamic view here? Can we move from her?

A:

As salamu alaykum,

I’m saddened to hear about your situation. Yes you must respect your parents in Islam, but this does not mean you allow them to harm you. If you are in genuine danger, you should consult with some other family members or friends who can help you be protected.

Then you can take some time away but regularly check in, so that you fulfill the rights of your parents and protect yourself at the same time. It is a balance.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is my salat valid if i got audi before putting on eyelashes?

I think it’s valid because i got wudu before hand

A:

Yes, it is valid if you did wudu before putting it on. I don’t understand what “audi” means.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

My husband will not quit committing zina with many hook ups. He freely admits it, no shame. It’s affecting my health. Help! He needs guidance.

A:

He needs to go to a professional therapist to get help. Perhaps also have his family get involved.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalamu alaikum.please is there any effect of not shaving newborn child hair
since is necessary to shave it in Islam.

A:

Wa alaykum as salam,

It is a sunnah and recommended to do so. Therefore, it is better not to skip it, although there is no particular effect to that.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I’m not sure weather the law of attraction method is shirk or not?

I’ve recently stumbled across a method that uses law of attraction or manifestation as a way to get what you want in life. manifestation i believe is just a copied science version of dua. but it had some different aspects for example instead of asking “please give me this” it’s “i will get this” and in a way i see it as shirk since we are giving our selves power and saying i will but in a different view it can be viewed as confidence in allah’s power if you write with the intention that allah is listening to you and when you say i will instead of give me. it means you trust allah and know that he is capable of giving it to you. there is a certain “manifestation” method which is you write down a story about someone that is similar to you and write the story as your dream life and it becomes true. is this shirk? is saying i will get this instead of please give me shirk? is law of attraction shirk? ps i know things like the 369 method are pure shirk but this method is what i’m confused about.

A:

It depends on your intention, like you said. If it is just viewed as confidence, which it should be viewed as, it is not shirk.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I am a young widow 29 yrs old with a 1 year son. My husband embraced martyrdom. Now I’ve constantly thus dream that I am getting married in my dream. What does this means. Please interpret. I am so worried.

A:

I’m saddened to hear about your situation. I hope this dream is a good sign for you. Be patient and keep searching for a good husband, and Allah will find you one, inshallah.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Salaams, I’m 28 years now. I was engaged to a well mannered guy when I was 20. My parents really liked him and his family a lot. But unfortunately he passed away drowning in beach accidentally before our wedding. Later I came to know he had the issue of epilepsy from childhood. I knew it was a test from Allah to me. After this incident, I made a lot of tawbah and made a lot of dua for a good spouse and increased my link with Allah swt. I became more stronger mentally and spiritually thereafter. I continued my studies and finished my MBA. After finishing my studies, my parents arranged for me wedding with my husband. He’s my dad’s aunt side relative. He lived abroad. I didn’t want to make any mistake in choosing the wrong person this time. So I prayed istikhara and went all the way to his country from my place and saw him and talked to him prior to wedding. He seemed to be a nice guy. He told me he prays and has an Islamic environment at home. So I was convinced with the way he spoke. I consulted with my relatives and most of them wanted me to marry him except one of my uncles as he thought i will have a better one if I wait for some more time as he didn’t like few things about my husband and his family. But I didn’t listen to him and listened to my parents and other relatives who asked me to marry him. I married him as I was also convinced that he was good and moved with him abroad leaving my parents in my home country. But after marriage he started abusing me. He’s very short tempered, verbally abuses me in front of his family and in private and in public places, calls me names, gives me no rights and on top of that he is also a mama’s boy. I patiently lived with him. I believed if I have a baby he will change his attitude towards me. After 5 years of marriage Allah blessed us with a boy baby.But he didn’t stop his abuse and moreover the abuse escalated after the baby arrived. He started using my baby to threaten and control me. His mother also sides with him unjustly. My baby is 6 months old and now I have decided to divorce him. I’m very much upset and worried about the way my life is right now. I feel as if I have failed in my second attempt of marriage also. I don’t know what to hope for in future. My family is supporting me. But my dad is also getting aged and I don’t have any brothers to support me financially too. So I don’t know what future has in store for me

Any advice for my current and future situations would be greatly helpful.

A:

Wa alaykum as salam,

I suggest you see a good Islamic therapist to help you deal with these difficult issues. Increase in your prayers and duas as well.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is it permissible to pray in a place that a dog nose or private parts had touched? I guard a friend dog for A few days and the dog has been sniffing around and touching my carpet that i pray on with his Privat parts and nose, i also pit him sometimes. What should do after the dogs goes? Should I clean both myself and the whole house?

A:

According to most scholars, it is only the saliva of a dog that is impure and needs to be cleaned. If you know for sure that saliva reaches some place, wash it with water a few times and that will be enough.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I am born in a Muslim family but recently I have started to have doubts regarding tawheed and oneness of Allah. Will my prayers be accepted if I am trying to clear doubts regarding tawheed? Am I still a muslim?

A:

Yes, your prayers are still accepted. In fact, by praying, it will help to clear your doubts as well. Keep learning more about Islam, taking classes, and asking Allah to remove your doubts and they will go away, inshallah.

Almighty Allah knows best.