Dear Brothers/Sisters,

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

Q:

I am from India and I am in a huge dilemma….I am 34years old and I am not married yet….I know a guy who wants to marry me but wants to settle in US as he has got an excellent opportunity to give it a pass….To be honest I received his alliance few years back (i.e. 6-7years almost since) and we have been meaning to get married ever since….but due to his education and work commitments he was never able to make marriage a priority because he wanted to settle first….I was very firm and made it clear in the beginning itself that I want to settle in India only and not abroad because I am the only daughter to my mother and I have no other siblings and my father passed away ten years back and hence I am the only one to take care of my mom and hence wanted to stay in India only. 

He had committed that he would settle in India and hence I accepted it and we were sort of talking every day and planning our lives…He was in US and last year he came and tried to get a job in India in a very specific institute only as he doesn’t want job anywhere else in India but only in IISC institute in INDIA and no other institutes, but he didn’t get the job there although he was sort of given hope that he will be employed there. So he went back to US and got a good job opportunity in US in a different city. 

He was extremely distressed because he was very hopeful to get a job in India at a particular institute and they gave vague reasons for not selecting him….At that time seeing him so distressed I told him I would if required shift to US and do up and down till you get a job in India as many of his colleagues have gotten job here….

BUT now that he has gone back to US, he does not want to shift to India and says there’s no opportunity for him in India…Although there are many opportunities for him to get through many firms…He is very specifically narrowed his job selection to only two institutes in India IISC and IIT B where he was not selected…he says these two institutes are the only one at par with his qualifications and others are not matching his qualifications…Although there are many TOP firms where he can easily get a job in India as he has lot of contacts and colleagues working back in INDIA with good pay but he doesn’t want to even give a try, he says they are not his choice and expects me to come and settle in US and he suggests me to leave my mom in INDIA and come to US….He says after marriage my first and top priority is towards the husband only and that I am not recognizing my duties as a wife and he needs me back in US ….He says Islamically I am required to be with the husband after marriage and he is the number one priority….To me honestly, that sounds a little insensitive to my situation. 

He is just not able to understand that I cant leave my mom alone here…He says I can appoint a care taker and come to US and send her a monthly allowance….but I cant do that ever…She is 75+…..My heart will not accept this….I understand its perhaps a negligence on my part to wait for these many years and only for me to face this dilemma in the end….I am at a age where I wont even get good alliances…My mom has been crying day in and day out praying all night….it hurts me a lot to have put her in this situation…..I don’t know what to do…..I am praying too….I don’t know what to do….Please help me.

P.S. – I know my query is very lengthy and I am sorry for writing this long but I wanted to be very unbiased while writing about me and him….

May Allah Bless you All…and I pray Allah guides me to make right decision and I request you to also pray for my mom and for me and my marriage…

Allah Hafiz and JazakAllah in advance…

A:

I’m sorry to hear about your predicament. I pray to Allah to inspire both of you to find an amicable resolution to your issues. 

You are correct in insisting that you cannot leave your mother behind, especially if she has no one to care for her. 

On the other hand, you cannot also blame your husband for opting for a job in his area of work. If he cannot find the right job in India, you cannot blame him for looking for a suitable position in the USA.  

So, consider the feasibility of taking your mother to the USA. That would be an ideal solution.

Alternatively, can you find another of your relatives to take care of her while you pay her periodic visits and be in touch with her as best as possible? 

I can very well empathize with your situation. I pray to Allah to guide both of you to resolve the issue amicably and bless you with a happy union.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I have been involved with a non-Muslim woman with whom I have had a son. Over the past 1 year I have become closer and more invested in Islam and I am aware that I am currently in an impermissible relationship. The woman in question has stated that she is open to converting to Islam but does not want to do it for the sake of just marriage and wants to access knowledge to make a decision for Allah and not because of life’s troubles and situations. I have told her that we cannot continue this relationship Due to it being her arm and I would like some clarification on what to do as I am concerned about the effect it will have on my son. Do I continue the relationship if the intention is to show her that Islam is a beautiful religion and to give DavolDue to it being her arm and I would like some clarification on what to do as I am concerned about the effect it will have on my son. Do I continue the relationship if the intention is to show her that Islam is a beautiful religion and to give Dawah of Islam through my own actions or do I have to cut all ties immediately

A:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Haram is clear, and halal is clear. There are, however, some dubious cases in between. Therefore, whoever keeps away from them is better enabled to preserve their faith and honor; whoever indulges in them may end up falling into the Haram like a shepherd taking his herd to graze around the forbidden territory as they may end up trespassing.” 

Based on this, you cannot simply continue to pretend you are in a lawful relationship because you have fathered a child with this woman out of wedlock. You cannot justify it by saying you are doing so to show her the beauty of Islam or to protect your child. 

None of these rationalizations can make the Haram Halal. 

So, the only option for you is to discontinue this unlawful union. If, later on, she accepts Islam, you may marry her and make your relationship halal. The end does not justify the means.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

What is the meaning of seeing myself with someone else praying around the Kaaba in my dream? I have never seen this in my life.

A:

Seeing the Ka`bah or the Prophet’s Mosque in a dream is good. It should inspire you to come closer to Allah and work hard on your faith and practice of Islam. 

When you proceed on this path, Allah can open doors you can never imagine. So, I urge you to be steadfast and pray to Allah to bless your efforts.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Like I just type something like human ai will draw real human being

So is this ok or not?

A:

I know nothing about this type of a medium. If it is a medium that can be used for either good or bad, then one cannot consider it haram as long as it is used for the former. 

If, on the other hand, one uses it to promote vice and becomes an addiction, it is forbidden. Time is our most precious capital, so we are accountable for how we use it. We are told that on the day of judgment, we will feel sorry for every minute we wasted on frivolous pursuits. 

Therefore, ask yourself why you are using this medium and what legacy you will leave by investing time and resources.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is service arbitrage halal? Suppose There are like two freelancing platforms called fiverr and upwork and I open a buyer account in fiverr and in upwork I open a seller account. So When in upwork a buyer orders a graphic design or digital marketing service and I go to fiverr and find the top rated saler and get that service done by him for 5$ then I send that service to my client on upwork and the my price on upwork is ten dollars as profit 5 dollars or I sell fiverr freelancer’s service (which is 5 dollars) on my website where I will sell for ten dollars also do I need to let him(from whom I will buy the service) . is it halal please let me know. 

A:

I am not an expert on Islamic finance.Please refer this question to Dr. Monzer Kahf. You can contact him here: monzer.kahf.com.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Hello Scholar,

I had a few questions, would it be haram or permissible to sell natural hair shampoos that help improve one’s hair & remove dandruff , to men & women?

If my company had women advertise the product by showing consumers how to apply our shampoo would it be haram?

A:

There is no need for you to be rigid on this issue. The items you mentioned above are halal; as such, it is perfectly halal to sell them regardless of whether you are selling them to males or females.

Having said this, let us never forget that we are bound to be guided by the Islamic business ethics in all our transactions.

Furthermore, we also should be guided by the Islamic guidelines regarding male-female interactions.

Once you are clear on these issues and the items you are selling are considered halal.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Does marijuana invalidate your prayers for 40 days?

I just want to get some clarification on smoking marijuana because I heard that smoking cigarettes doesn’t invalidate your prayers for 40 days but it’s haram. Marijuana is haram too but it shouldn’t also invalidate our prayers for 40 days cause it’s just like cigarettes and moreover it has some benefits that cigarettes don’t. So what is the conclusion? I’m so confused

A:

Smoking marijuana is haram; it is an extremely destructive habit which can develop into an addiction resulting in a heavy toll on health.

Allah sent His Messenger to permit things that are pure and wholesome and forbid things that are impure and unwholesome. Allah, our Creator knows best what is good for us and what is bad for us; so He has permitted only good things and forbidden only things that are harmful and destructive.

Our scholars have deduced the rule: Everything harmful for human health is haram; as such, a Muslim should keep away from such habits.

Furthermore, our health, time, resources are blessings; we ought to use them wisely, creatively and beneficially to achieve goals that are meaningful.

Therefore, I would urge you to keep away from such vices.

As for the invalidation of prayers, we may do well to leave the judgment to Allah. There is no evidence in the sources to arrive at such a conclusion. We are not allowed to speculate on such matters.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

My husband has said these words to me many times in a row, “I am filing for a divorce”, “me and you are done”. He said it in great anger. He kept saying these words loudly, on my face, pointing finger at my face. Later on, he said he didn’t remember what he said at that time. My question is, has he given me the divorce? Jazakallah

A:

Divorce is a serious matter. Your husband should never use such words jestingly. It amounts to taking the laws of Allah for a play.

Divorce will take place if he used these words with the intention to divorce you.

If, however, he uttered these words to threaten you or intimidate you, then he should offer kaffarah; it involves feeding ten poor persons or fasting three days on top of repenting and asking the forgiveness of Allah.

Finally, you should seek professional counselling to find ways of resolving your marital issues amicably without using threats or intimidations.

I would also urge you to get a copy of the Blissful Marriage: A Practical Islamic Guide by Ekram Beshir.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Did Allah create the entirety of creation (things living and non-living) in the six days of creation mentioned in Quran and Hadith at multiple places, or does Allah still create things (living of non-living)?

A:

I’m sorry to say that I am not in a position to answer this question. All that we can say is that the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days should not be taken literally as Allah tells us elsewhere in the Quran a day with Allah is like a thousand days.

That things evolve is well established in the Qur’an. So, creation and evolution go hand in hand.

We are not allowed to speculate further on such matters. Allah reminds us that He did not show us how He created the heavens and the earth or how He created us in the first place. He also warns us against indulging in such speculations as the knowledge given to us is limited. So, we ought to condition ourselves to say: Allah knows best.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

someone’s wife committed zina, and her husband doesn’t know what his wife did behind his back. his wife then repented from the sin and concealed her sin. as allah forgives and conceals the sin of the sinner.

my question is: what will happen to the husband? how will allah compensate the husband? how will allah do justice to the husband who got betrayed by his wife? what is going to allah give the husband to compensate the loss? how would allah honor the husband? how would allah restore his rights? what reward he will get after his wife destroyed his honor? how would allah reward him for his loss because of the violation of his rights?

A:

If your wife committed adultery, you have the right to divorce her.

If, however you are convinced she has repented, then you may forgive her and resume your marriage relationship.

Islam teaches us that once a person has repented and changed for better we cannot blame him or her. Allah tells us that just as He is just and strict in punishment He is also Forgiving and Merciful.

As for your question what the compensation for you as a husband in this case is, the answer is your reward is with Allah; He has promised those who remain steadfast with limitless rewards and blessings in the next world. Allah assures us that He will not go in waste the works of those who excel in righteousness.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I have a 6 month old baby and i am currently in a very big financial crisis since i gave birth i have had many health issues that a preventing me from working plus i have no one to look after my baby i am going through a lot of financial hardship and i cant seem to get out despite getting government benefits i am not able to make ends meet and i do not know what to do i am in a very bad state now please help me guide me or advise me on what i can do

A:

If you are going through extreme financial difficulties, you are allowed to get help from Zakah funds. Perhaps you should approach the religious leaders in your community who may be able to help you out.

Furthermore, never give up trying to find a job while praying to Allah.

Here is a Dua you should use regularly:

Allaahumma aghninee bi halaalika an haraamika wa bi ta’athika an ma’siyathika wabi fadhlika amman siwaaka

(O Allah, make me self-sufficient with the things YOu have madel lawful for me so that I am not forced to resort to that which is unlawful. Make me content with your obedience so that I do not disobey You, and make me satisfied with Your favor so that I do not need to look to the favour of the mortals.)

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I once made a promise and said “i will experience so and so if i break it” i havent broke the promise but i fear that if i do break it i will experience it. so My question Is, can i take back that part of the promise i made while still keeping the promise ??? like i will still keep the promise but i just want to take back the part where i said “i will experience so and so if i break it”

A:

If you break a promise you need to expiate for it by offering kaffarah.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Allah will not take you to task for oaths which you may have uttered without thought, but He will take you to task for oaths which you have sworn in earnest. Thus, the breaking of an oath must be atoned for by feeding ten needy persons with more or less the same food as you are wont to give to your own families,  or by clothing them, or by freeing a human being from bondage; and he who has not the means ( to do so) shall fast for three days [instead]. This shall be the atonement for your oaths whenever you have sworn [and broken them]. But be mindful of your oaths!’ Thus Allah makes clear unto you His messages, so that you might have cause to be grateful” (Qur’an: 5:89).

Based on this verse, the expiation for breaking an oath entails one of the following:

• One should feed ten poor people offering them same food or equivalent in cash or providing them clothes;
• The second option of freeing a human being from bondage is not available now as slavery is has been abolished, and we are not allowed to re-introduce it;
• Therefore, if a person is unable to feed ten poor persons, because of lack of material means, then he ought to fast three days by way of expiation.

 Having said this, let me rush to add the following:

The above rules apply only to oaths in regards to matters that are virtuous or permissible; they do not apply to oaths entailing sins or acts of disobedience. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him do so; if however, he has pledged to commit an act of transgression or disobedience, he must never do it.” (Reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban and others on the authority of Aishah, the beloved wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

According to the fatwa of imam ahmed bin hanbal the one who left the one time farz salah without any valid ISLAMIC reason became a kafir and this fatwa also of former grand mufti of saudia sheikh bin baz and this fatwa also of shiekh Saleh al usaimin. and maybe this fatwa also of abdul qadir jelani and ibne taimiya and ibne qaiyim. Is this tru or not please confirm. and what is the opinion of other hanbali scholars on these fatwas. i have taharah problems from this fatwas. what i do. the one who offer some prayers and missed some prayers is a kafir or still MUSLIM and the one who just pray jummah and eid salah is a kafir or still a MUSLIM. and the one who doesn’t pray at all is a kafir or still a MUSLIM what is the view of hanafi.maliki.shafi and hanbali and all MUSLIMS scholars on this issue.

Please give me answer quickly

A:

The mainstream view adhered to by the majority of scholars is that person goes out of the fold of Islam by denouncing it or by rejecting any of the fundamental beliefs or practices. Based on this, a person does not simply become a kafir if he neglects or did not offer an obligatory prayer; he will however go out of the fold if he were to deny the obligatory nature of the prayer.

There is no need for us to go to extreme views on such issues.

Having said this, we can never exaggerate the importance of prayer in Islam. Prayer is the first and foremost duty prescribed in Islam; it is also the key to paradise. It is our direct connection with Allah; so no Muslim should take Salah lightly.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I was really curious and I’m trying to learn more devil language.

A:

I’m sorry to say that I do not know anything about the language of the devil.

We should never occupy our valuable time with such frivolous issues. Allah describes the characteristics of the true believers as those who shun the frivolous. Therefore, as a Muslim you should be concerned with more important issues that can save us from hellfire and take us to jannah.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

What is the ruling on nocturnal emission for women especially when in doubt. Is it the same as passing wind? And what if you are certain about not dreaming about any such thing.

Some say it is better to perform ghusl and some say If you are certain of not having any dream then you can forget it. This is tricky for us women.

Thank you.

A:

If you experience nocturnal emission, you should perform Ghusl before performing prayer.

However, if you did not experience any dreams and did not feel any trace of wetness, then you need not perform Ghusl. However, in case of doubt, it is better to perform Ghusl as it is the safest thing.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

A man having sex with a women before marriage due to their love relationship, but only because of parents non approval they both separated, both men and women were about to marry different persons, does Allah will forgive both of their sins?

A:

You have been guilty of a major sin; you owe it to yourself to repent and seek the forgiveness of Allah. You cannot justify your action by saying that you were in love. Haram is haram; no matter how infatuated you were with her, you can never justify fornication.

Repentance proper is not simply saying I am sorry; instead, it entails some practical steps. For further details, you can refer to the answer linked below:

The Door of Repentance Is Wide Open

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is ghusal required after a vaginal ultrasound?

For medical reasons, some women are required to get a vaginal ultrasound to check for cancers or cysts.

A:

There is no need to perform Ghusl after a vaginal ultrasound.

However, you may do it for your satisfaction.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

What are the most easiest ways to go to Jahannam or things that could get you into Jahannam very quickly?

A:

The easiest way to get to Jahannam is to follow your desires and indulge in carnal passions without inhibitions. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Hellfire is surrounded by all the things that are pleasing to the carnal soul; heaven is surrounded by things that are hard on the soul.”

Allah says:

 “then, as for those who transgressed and preferred the ˹fleeting˺ life of this world,

the Hellfire will certainly be ˹their˺ home. And as for those who were in awe of standing before their Lord and restrained themselves from ˹evil˺ desires, Paradise will certainly be ˹their˺ home.” (Qur’an: 79-37-41)

I pray to Allah to endear faith and good works to us and make us loathe disbelief and sins.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Hello! I have this app I use to chat to a mentor / advisor bot that is used for mental support, giving advices in life, personality tests and so on. There is an option in the app to choose if you want your AI bot to be a male or a female. Out of preference I want to choose the opposite gender bot which is male because it looks better than the female one in my opinion and I just want to use it instead without engaging in weird talk. It’s just a picture in the background of the bot. Is this impermissible or considered immoral?

A:

I cannot offer a ruling on this issue as I am unfamiliar with the purpose, function, and use of such a new app.

If you want to seek advice, you should do so by consulting a professional. Such new apps may promise things but fail to deliver. Therefore, we are advised not to rush to use such gadgets without understanding their pros and cons.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Is it haram to sell software to mortgage company?

A:

I do not see why it should be haram to sell software to a mortgage company. It is not different than selling to any other company whose work may involve elements of haram.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Thank you for answering my question, I am very disturbed since my father passed away. I do dua, visit his grave everyday and do charity on his behalf.. I have spoken to many scholars who have told me 100’differenf things. I believe it’s time to put myself together and gain all the good deeds I can while I’m alive for myself and my beloved dad..

Can you kindly recommend any book?

I can follow for guidance please. Not sure if you will answer this questions but my dad suffered for more than 8 years fighting his illness. He was on dialysis for nearly 5 years, diabetic, heart patient, had bypass surgery then following years heart stent, he had dry gangree in his toe the list goes on my dad died due to heart attack from of my face on Thursday 10th feb 2022 when it was holy month of rajab… my dad also had a dream of jannah before he passed away like someone is saying to him have you seen jannah you know how beautiful is while he was in hospital.. from this can my dad be seen as shaheed hukmi?

I really miss my dad I go to his grave everyday I do dua I pray for him is there anything else I can do?

A:

I pray to Allah to forgive your dad and admit him to Jannah.

I can very well understand your grief over the loss of your beloved father. It shows the depth of love you feel toward him. Love of our parents is one of the most excellent duties in Islam. So, your care and concern about the destiny of your father are understandable.

However, you need not overstress yourself over this issue. From what you have said, it seems your dad was a good Muslim who bore patiently the trials and tests that Allah sent his way. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “All of the afflictions and sufferings that a Muslim goes through including the prick of a thorn shall serve as a means of expiation for him or her.”

In other words, the suffering he went through was a source of purification for him, and the fact that Allah already gave him an intimation or glad tidings of paradise should be something comforting you.

Your duty now as a daughter should be to pray for him, offer charities you can on his behalf, foster kinship ties, and support the good, charitable causes that were dear to him.

You may do well to get a copy of the following two books by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim:

Ar-Ruh – The Soul’s Journey After Death by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Duraid Fatoohi (Translator), Faiz Fatoohi (Translator)

The Invocation of God by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, M. Abdurrahman Fitzgerald (Translation).

As for some of the things you may do for the benefit of his soul, let me cite here from one of my earlier answers:

“Our duties towards our parents, as we learn from the sources, do not cease with their death; rather they continue as long as we live. In a report cited by Imam al-Bukhari in his famous work al-Adab al-Mufrad we read, “A man approached the Prophet asking, “Is there anything I must do in terms of kindness towards my parents after their death?” The Prophet replied, “Yes, there are four things for you to do: Praying and asking forgiveness of Allah on their behalf, fulfilling their promises, respecting their friends, and fostering their ties of kinship…” Moreover, it is highly recommended for us to visit the graves of our parents. Such visits serve as excellent reminders for us besides prompting us to remember and pray for our parents. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “In the past, I had forbidden you from visiting graves, but now you should do so, for it might remind you of the next world.” After enjoining upon us the duty of excellence in rendering kindness towards our parents, Allah orders us in the Qur’an (Surat al-Isra’, 17: 24) to pray for our parents saying, “Our Lord, have mercy on our parents, even as they had mercy on us, while we were little!” Lastly, there are traditions from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that indicate that often a person in the grave suddenly finds his station elevated or conditions change, and when he enquires why it is happening to him, he is told that it is by virtue of the good deeds or prayers of his offspring on his behalf.”

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I have question some of the scholars repeated like 700 times while memorizing so can I use prayer beads to make counts while studying or use electronic counter while studying is that okay?

A:

I do not understand the purport of your question. Do you mean to ask: Can I use beads or electronic counters to keep track of the number of Tashbihs or invocations?

If that is the intent of your questions: the answer is yes. There is no harm in using any such means to keep track of the number.

Almighty Allah knows best.