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. 

Question 1:

I heard that if someone commits adultery in Islamic country, they are going to get stoned to death what if they want to repent to ALLAH (Swt). Are they still going to get stoned to death? Please explain

Answer 1:

I want to clarify two points upfront before attempting to answer your question:

1. The punishment for adultery in the Qur’an is not stoning to death but a hundred lashes.
2. Stoning the adulterer is a legacy of Mosaic law, and the Prophet was never keen to implement it; in so far as he ever ordered, it was solely at the victims’ insistence as they sought redemption and purification for themselves by going through the suffering.
3. Even if one were to say that stoning to death is the punishment to be meted out to the adulterer, it is next to impossible to carry it out as it requires the testimony of four witnesses concurring on time and place. And the punishment is averted in case of an iota of doubt or for the slightest discrepancies in testimonies.

Now, whether the punishment can be waived if he repents, the answer is yes. That is because the Quran affirms that God is always ready to accept the repentance of those who turn to Him begging His mercy as He is above a God of mercy.

˹They are˺ those who do not invoke any other god besides Allah, nor take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allah—except with ˹legal˺ right, nor commit fornication. And whoever does any of this will face the penalty.

Their punishment will be multiplied on the Day of judgment, and they will remain in it forever, in disgrace.

As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will change into good deeds. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah properly. (Qur’an: 25: 68-71)

Here is a tradition that confirms the above principle:

Imam Al-Bukhari narrates on the authority of Anas ibn Malik; I was sitting with the Prophet when a man came to the Prophet saying I have committed a grave offense meriting strict punishment (had) so I want you to carry it out on me. The Prophet did not ask him to divulge the specifics; then the time for Salah arrived, and the person prayed with the Prophet; when the prayer finished, the man again came and told him: O Messenger of Allah, I am guilty of a major offense, I want you to carry out the punishment according to the Book of Allah. The Prophet asked him, “Didn’t you pray with us? He said yes. Then he said, go away; Allah has forgiven you (so there is no punishment due.).”

Question 2:

Please I woke up at dawn and found out am clean and decided to take in suhoor without bathing ghusl because I was very scared to go out to bath at that time. So I decided to take my bath early in the morning which I did. So am asking if my fasting is still valid?

The place I stay is scary and the bathroom is outside the house

Answer 2:

Your fast is valid even if you delayed Ghusl and made it only after Sahur.

We learn from authentic reports from Aishah that sometimes the Prophet would be in a state of Janabah before Fajr, and he would bathe and continue his fast. That said, one must perform ghusl to perform the Fajr salah.

Question 3:

Does the things that are kept in the pocket gets napak after having the masturbation in the paint?

please reply immediately

Answer 3:

The state of impurity does not affect your clothes or the objects you get in contact with before you perform the ritual bathing or ghusl.

We have reports from Aishah stating that once the Prophet told her to hand over something, and she informed him that she was menstruating, he told her that her Hayd was not in her hands.

Furthermore, Aishah also tells us that she would lie down with the Prophet in the same bed while menstruating. Therefore, if the state of ritual impurity due to hayd were transferable to those one is in contact with, then the Prophet would have told her to say away from him.

Question 4:

I cannot remember my habit of my period. For years I have had periods that have lasted longer than 10 days, they would continue for weeks. There may have been instances when it was normal but I cannot remember. I also didn’t keep a record. I only recently saw that it is obligatory on a woman to keep this strict record, I did know it somewhat but not that it should be documented like this or to this extent. I also cannot remember when my last period ended, or when my 15 days of purity happened as I cannot remember my habit in order to determine this. I have read that I must follow the rules of mudilla which are very stringent. Please, provide some help with this issue as i am finding it very overwhelming that I am going to have to do all this. Is there an easier way to go about this or am I able to develop a new habit even though my bleeding lasts for many weeks sometimes. I am trying to be a better Muslim after a long time of not being a good one. JazakAllah Khair for your help.

Answer 4:

What you are experiencing is not considered menses; it is known as istihadah or chronic or abnormal bleeding. So you need to consider your previous menstruation pattern after experiencing this type of bleeding. In other words, if you used to have a period of six or days, that should be considered your menses; what follows later would be regarded as due to a chronic condition. In the case of menses, you stop praying and fasting until it expires; in the case of istihadah, you wash and perform ablutions close to the Prayer you are ready to offer. So you ought to observe your fasts as well. 

For further details, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

“The appearance of white discharges at the end of the period indicates the expiry of the menses. Therefore, it would be best if you determined the end of your period based on your regular pattern of menses. The pattern may vary; some women experience menses for seven or eight days, while others may experience it for less or more. Once you see the clear white discharge at the end of your regular pattern, you need not worry about the streaks of blood afterward. If, on the other hand, the white discharges did not appear, then the blood drops you experience are due to the continuation of menses –unless the bleeding exceeds fifteen days.

As reported in the authentic sources, the Prophet’s wife, Aishah-counseled menstruating women to wait for the appearance of clear white discharge to mark the end of menses.

We further learn from Umm Atiyyah: During the Prophet, peace be upon him, women did not pay any attention to the brownish or pinkish streaks of blood following the expiry of the menses (as determined by the appearance of clear white discharge at the end of the period).

Therefore, you should wait for the clear white discharge to appear at the end of your period before you make a ghusl. If you do not see it, you should make ghusl only if your bleeding exceeds fifteen days. The cut-off point for the period is fifteen days, so what one experiences afterward cannot be reckoned as menses; instead, it is due to the chronic condition known as istihadah. In the case of istihadah, you ought to perform ghusl at the expiry of the menses period (fifteen days is the maximum ). Once you do so, you only need to wash your private, wear a pad, and perform wudhu immediately before each salah.”

Question 5:

I listened to some youtube videos on horoscope with tarot card reading and coffee cup reading, will my prayers, fasts and ibadat not be accepted for 40days? I have repented. Thanks

Answer 5:

You have been guilty of grave offenses by resorting to these pagan practices; however, since you have repented, you need not worry. Allah is Forgiving: We read in the Qur’an:

They are˺ those who do “not invoke any other god besides Allah, nor take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allah—except with ˹legal˺ right, nor commit fornication. And whoever does any of this will face the penalty.

 Their punishment will be multiplied on the Day of judgment, and they will remain in it forever, in disgrace.

As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will change into good deeds. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah properly. (Qur’an: 25: 68-71)

Question 6:

I’m a revert and I have been praying the usual fard prayers which are the obligatory prayers a Muslim must pray. 2 rakat Fajr, 4 rakat Zhuhr, 4 rakat asr, 3 rakat Maghrib and 4 rakat isha. I have been told I’m praying incorrectly and my prayers are incomplete and thus Allah will not accept my salah due to these reasons I have stated. My question is are all the other prayers obligatory as well? Have I been praying correctly till now? Jazakallah khair

Answer 6:

You don’t need to worry about such incorrect statements made by people based on insufficient knowledge.

You have fulfilled your obligatory duties by performing the five daily prayers. You are not obligated to offer any other prayer unless you choose to do it for more incredible blessings and rewards.

Here is a detailed report from the Prophet that should clarify your question:

Imam Al-Bukhari narrates on the authority of Talhah ibn Ubaydullah: Once, a man approached the Prophet, asking him about his mandatory Islamic duties. The Prophet replied, “Five (obligatory) prayers during the day and night. The man asked, “Am I obligated to perform any other prayers?’ he replied, “You don’t need to unless you choose to (as supererogatory duty). Then the Prophet added, “Fasting the month of Ramadan”; the man asked, ‘Am I bound to fast any other days he said, ‘No unless you choose to do then he reminded him of the duty of Zakah; the man asked, ‘am I obligated to offer any other charity the Prophet said, no; unless you choose to do so voluntarily. The man went away saying: By Allah, I will never add or take away anything from the above. The Prophet said, “The man will attain salvation if he is true to his word.”

Before closing, I would advise you to seek Islamic knowledge from the credible sources.

I pray to Allah to help you remain steadfast in the practice of Islam.

Question 7:

I always miss my Zhuhr prayer because of school. Can I combine the prayer. For example: can I just pray 2 rakat Zhuhr and 4 rakat asr

Answer 7:

In this case, you can combine Zhuhr and Asr; however, you cannot shorten the prayers. You need to pray four Rakas of Zhuhr first and then four Rak`ahs of Asr.

For details, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

“Prayer has appointed times; we should try our best to perform them accordingly. If, however, because of circumstances beyond our control, we cannot do each prayer on time, we may combine specific prayers. It is called Jam’. For example, we can combine Zhuhr and Asr by offering them one after the other, either at the time of Zhuhr or at the time of Asr. However, we are not allowed to combine them with Maghrib or Isha. We may combine Maghrib with Isha in the same manner by advancing Isha to the time of Maghrib or postponing Maghrib to the time of Isha. However, we cannot combine Isha with Fajr or Fajr with Zhuhr.

 The above ruling is based on the following report from Ibn Abbas: “The Messenger of Allah combined Zhuhr and Asr and Maghrib and Isha in Madina (once) without reason of war or rain. On hearing his statement, someone asked: why did he do that? He replied, “To lift the hardship from his community (when they are in difficult situations).” (Reported by Muslim)

 Based on the above report, some imams and eminent scholars believe one may combine prayers in unavoidable, unusual circumstances.”

Question 8:

I am wondering about surah 33:36 “And it becomes not a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His messenger have decided an affair (for them), that they should (after that) claim any say in their affair; and whoso is rebellious to Allah and His messenger, he verily goes astray in error manifest.“ it seems like it says that Muhammad is being included in Allah’s SWT decisions. I know our prophets have a higher status but this verse is bothering me a little because Allah is god alone and has no partners. I am a convert to Islam

Answer 8:

The Prophet is God’s messenger who communicates to the people on His behalf. Allah says, “Nor does he speak of his own whims. It is only a revelation sent down (to him). (Qur’an: 53: 3-4).

So, we are to obey the Prophet in all the prescriptive orders he issues to us on behalf of Allah.

By doing so, we are not setting up partners with Allah; instead, we are simply obeying Allah.

Allah orders the Prophet to say:

“Say, “If you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Qur’an: 3: 31)

Having said this, we must also distinguish between the prescriptive orders of the Prophet or orders relating to religion and those that are not prescriptive, as with his statements or actions that have no religious significance. He told us, ‘As for your worldly matters, you know better.”

Question 9:

Hello. I have issues with my family since they strongly oppose islam and when i got caught praying they threatened me that they will kick me out of the house and lots of other things. The issue is here. Even when i was hiding my prayers after i got caught praying, i still fasted a little bit when i could in knowledge of my parents, i still went to jumah and stuff like that so they knew i was still religious however since school started and i am there till 4pm i miss jumah all the time and ever since then(6 months) my parents think that i have quit islam and i dont pray anymore. Since they mentally pressured me and stressed me extremely for jumah i quit that as well to act like o quit islam.They really think that i am not even concerned with religion anymore which is great for me since i can hide my prayers alot easier now, however since ramadan is here i might blow my cover if i want to ask them to fast. They probably wont let me fast and will start monitoring my life and probably wont let me stay at home cause they will start thinking that i could be praying so they might make it impossible for me sometimes and might make life in general much harder. Last time when i got caught praying they really wouldnt let me stay alond which was crazy and i dont wanna go through something like that. Now since ramadan is here i have no idea what to do. I am not home till 4pm and maghrib will be at like 6pm so i could fast till 4 probably but after that i dont think i can. I came here to ask since last time you really helped me. Should i even bother to ask my parents to fast knowing that they probably wont let me more than 3 days and if i do so i will face alot of difficulty in my life and prayers would sometimes become impossible to pray properly and i would really stress out which i am trying to prevent since stress has destroyed me mentally.

Answer 9:

I empathize with your situation and pray to Allah to provide you with ease and comfort.

You don’t need to ask permission of your parents to observe the fast. You can hide it from them.

You don’t need to tell them you are fasting.

So, all that I can tell you is to do your best to practice Islam as best as you can if you have no choice but to live with your parents.

However, once you can stand on your feet, you may do well to leave the oppressive environment to practice your religion with no fear of persecution or intimidations.

Question 10:

I have ocd so I did a SAFE SIDEA ghusl yesterday from major impurity while I was fasting so I just rinsed my mouth and cleaned my nose with my fingers. Is my ghusl valid or do I need to repeat?

Answer 10:

Your ghusl is valid. For further clarification, let me describe the method of ghusl:

“Ghusl or ritual bath, according to the rules of fiqh, can be performed in the following way:

1. Once you are ready to perform ghusl, affirm the intention to do so in your mind; this is important since you are doing ghusl to make yourself eligible for worship; after which you should do the following:

2. Wash your private parts thoroughly with water; you may use soap and something to scrub your body;

3. Perform wudu as you would for salah except for the fact you need not wash your feet; which you can do later;

4. Pour water over you head and wash your head; you may use shampoo if you wish;

5. Wash the whole body, starting with your right side, followed by left.

The perfect method of ghusl is to wash the entire body a minimum of three times. However, doing it once thoroughly is sufficient to make you eligible for salah.

After having performed ghusl in the above manner, you need not perform wudhu again, since it is already included in your ghusl with the niyyah.

May Allah help us keep our purity and wudhu always, for the Prophet, peace be upon him, is reported to have said, “Only a believer shall be diligent in keeping his wudhu intact!”

Question 11:

Zhuhr prayer was called while I was at home but I decided to delay it
I’m currently traveling so do I shorten zhuhr and pray it with Asr or pray it full alone

Answer 11:

If you started after the time for Zhuhr arrived then you cannot shorten Zhuhr; you are, however, allowed to combine it with Asr. So, you should pray four rak`ahs of Zhuhr and then offer two rak’as of Asr.

Question 12:

My Spouse and I are in two different countries at the moment. We been married for 3 months+ and we have cut down the amount we speak on phone and text for Ramadan so we can be more focused on worshipping Allah and in the hope of reaping the fruits of this blessed month. Allahumma Ameen.

There is a 5 our delay between our countries. When we call she might have just started fasting or vice versa. When we call we can end up flirting and our sexual desire for one another and how we are into each other. So, when one is calling another, at least one of us is fasting. Is this permissible in the month of Ramadan?

We have been very strict and we do not go beyond the boundaries of talking and flirting over the phone. we ensure we stop after a certain point as we fear Allah rabbul izzah’s anger.

Our conversation does not lead to ejaculation, but only stays within the range where we both could feel aroused and stimulated by it.

Please advise re this aspect.

Jazakallahu Khayr

Answer 12:

It is best that you stay away from engaging in such a way that would arouse sexual desires. It is risky, as you may end up with arousal and ejaculation. It is akin to someone driving a car with a faulty brake system. The Prophet also warned us against indulging in doubtful actions. For by doing so, we end up committing the Haram.

He said, “Halal is clear, and Haram is clear, but there are certain doubtful cases in between. So, whoever stays away from them is better enabled to safeguard their faith and honor; if, however, they indulge in the doubtful they may end up falling to that which is Haram.”  (Al-Bukhari)

Therefore, I would urge you to stay away from such conversation while fasting; you may do so during the hours of the night. I am sure you can find a time slot for it despite the differences in the time zone between the two countries.

You should never lose sight of the Prophetic reminder: “Fasting is a shield as long as one does not break it.”

Question 13:

I have a jointly owned property with my wife in the UK. Our agreement by law is that as soon as one of us dies the other becomes the sole owner of the property.
Is this allowed in islamic law?

Answer 13:

You may do so while you are alive with your own free will and mutual consent.

Question 13:

I have a jointly owned property with my wife in the UK. Our agreement by law is that as soon as one of us dies the other becomes the sole owner of the property.
Is this allowed in islamic law?

Answer 13:

You may do so while you are alive with your own free will and mutual consent.

Question 15:

I heard that the Ahwarun Ahwarun naseekh is haram for muslim is this true.

Plz sir i want to know this.

Answer 15:

I am sorry I do not understand what you mean by Ahwarun Ahwarun naseekh. I have neve heard of such a thing. Perhaps it is a Bangali phrase; so a scholar from your country should be able to answer your question.

Question 16:

How is the 3 rakat of witr read? Is it 2 rakat and then 1 or 3 together like magreb with the Dua on the last rakat

Answer 16:

There is flexibility in this; so, one may choose any of the valid methods. Let me clarify the issue:

Witr can be performed in a number of ways such as the following:

1) Three rak’ahs with one salaam exactly as we perform the Maghrib Prayer; which has been the format followed by the Hanafi School. They have based this on a hadith reported by ‘Aishah, the mother of the faithful, “The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to perform witr by praying three rak’ahs, saying salaam only upon finishing (the entire three rak’ahs).” (Reported by Muslim). As a further evidence they cite a statement of Abu al-‘aliyah, “The Prophet’s companions taught us to pray witr exactly as we perform Maghrib Prayer, since the former is witr of the night, and the latter is witr of the day.”

2) Three rak’ahs with just one salaam at the end but unlike Maghrib one would skip the sitting after the two rak’ahs. This format of witr is considered acceptable, according to both Shafi and Hanbali schools. They have relied on a report from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he used to pray witr without sitting in between– except in the last rak’ah.” (Reported by al-Nasai and Hakim);

3) Three rak’ahs are to be offered, but they are split into two parts; salaam is said after the first two rak’ahs, then following a slight pause, one stands up and prays another rak’ah followed by salaam. This is the format most preferred by the Maliki School and they consider it undesirable to do the other way except when one is following an Imam who adopts any of the other formats. They have based their opinion on a report from Ibn Umar that the Prophet peace be upon him, used to separate witr into two parts: two rak’ahs, followed by a single rak’ah, saying salaam after praying the two rak’ahs ( as well as after the third).” (Reported by Ahmad).

4) Praying more than three rak’ahs (i.e. five, seven, etc.), which has also been considered as permissible, according to Shafi and Hanbali schools. In their support they cite a number of traditions from the Prophet, peace be upon him, indicating the permissibility of doing the same.

As for the question, whether one can perform one rak’ah of witr all by itself, the scholarly opinion is divided on this issue.

According to both Shafi and Hanbali schools, one may perform one rak’ah of witr without incurring sin. It is not at all considered even as undesirable (makruh). This position of theirs is based on an authentic report from the Prophet, peace be upon him, “The (optional) night Prayer should be said in two’s and two’s; if you fear that dawn is approaching, finish it by praying witr, even if it be one rak’ah.” (Reported jointly by Bukhari and Muslim.)

However, according to both the Hanafi and Maliki Schools—also endorsed by some scholars of the Hanbali School– praying one rak’ah of witr is considered as undesirable. However—they insist—that one must do so, if he were to pray behind an Imam who has chosen to follow that format.

In light of the above discussion, it is reasonable to conclude that there is more than one valid way of performing witr. The Imams or schools who have opted for one of the formats or another have not done so based on their whims or caprices but in strict conformity with the transmissions handed down to them from the Prophet or his companions. If the Prophet, peace be upon him, had wanted the Ummah to rigidly follow a single format of witr, he would certainly have said so clearly and unambiguously, in which case the Ummah would have no choice but to stick to it. As it was not the case, we find the above divergence of opinion. We may reflect on Imam Malik’s comment to the caliph who wanted to enforce a single school of Fiqh on the Ummah, “Don’t attempt to do that, for the Companions have dispersed in the lands, each one of them carrying with them an aspect or aspects of the Sunnah.”

Question 17:

If one misses one raka’ah and then became the imam as a result of the imam’s ablution. How do I end or conclude the prayers as other praying did not miss a raka’ah.

The fact that I miss one raka’ah while others started the prayer together with the imam then his wudu got invalidated

Answer  17:

It is not acceptable for someone who has missed a rak’ah to stand up to replace the imam. I do not understand how it could happen, when the person standing right behind the imam should be the one taking over, in which case, the scenario you mentioned would never happen.

Question 18:

Is it okay if a woman reads Quran translation on the phone while on periods?

Answer 18:

Since a translation of the Quran is not the Quran or the Inimitable Word of Allah, you may read it while menstruating.

On women reading the Quran while menstruating, I would like to cite my earlier answer:

“Scholars and jurists of Islam have been divided in their opinion about the issue whether women who are menstruating are allowed to read the Qur’an or not.

 The generally accepted view among them is that women are not allowed to read the Qur’an while menstruating. Among other things, they have based this ruling on a report attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which states, “Neither those who are sexually defiled nor those who are menstruating shall read the Qur’an.”

A group of scholars belonging to Maliki, Shafi`i and Hanbali schools, and others, however, have rejected the above position. As has been pointed out by Imam Ibn Taymiyah, there is nothing wrong for women to read the Qur’an either from their memory or from the mushaf itself, should they find it necessary to do so.

 Even some of those scholars who are generally in favor of disallowing menstruating women from reading the Qur’an from the mushaf have considered it permissible for them to do so if they are teachers or students or they are afraid of forgetting what they have memorized.

 Having cited the various views let me conclude by saying:

Should there be dire necessity for you to do so, you are definitely allowed to read the Qur’an, either from your heart or mind, or by holding the Qur’an itself. If there is no such necessity, then you can definitely listen to the Qur’an, for there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever in the sources to indicate that listening to the Qur’an in the state of menstruation is forbidden.

Therefore, you may listen to a recorded Qur’an without any inhibition; you may also read the du`a’s (supplications) from the Qur’an at all times without incurring any sin whatsoever.

May Allah inspire us to see truth as truth and follow it and inspire us to follow it. Ameen.” 

Question 19:

I want to get my friend a prayer mat as a gift as she’s been wanting a new one though, is it okay to get a personalised one?? I want to get her name on the side of the mat where she wouldn’t be directly standing on and wouldn’t be in plain eyesight since it located near the bottom. I’m worried that it might be a distraction and that it isn’t permissible, i’ve tried researching about it but there’s barely any information online to help, in’sha’Allah i can get answers. Jazzakallah

Answer 19:

You can undoubtedly get your friend a prayer mat as a gift; you can also personalize it by inscribing her name as long as it does not cause distraction in prayer.

So, you should ensure that the name is inscribed in a corner or on the side where it would not be visible during the prayer.

Question 20:

During this Ramadan, I have been boosted with Iman and have been researching and watching many Islamic videos in replacement of Music. One topic that I have come across and makes me very uneasy and confused is the relationship between Slaves and Slave owners. It is said that it is permissible to have “sexual” relations with a female slave. This remark is very worrisome and for some reason I can’t find any credible source, reasoning or even explanation on why this happened and was not condemned. I would like to no more about this topic and every detail on it as I wish to become knowledgeable regarding this issue. JazakAllah

Answer 20:

I do not see why you are obsessed with something that happened in the past where the laws were different because of specific circumstances. Furthermore, those laws are no more relevant now as Islam came to abolish slavery altogether.

Slavery has been abolished once and for all. Therefore, although it was permissible once in history, we are not allowed to resurrect it. Allah will not look at someone who takes a free man or woman and enslaves them. So, the practice you have mentioned can never be approved in Islam. So, the only choice left for you now is to marry a woman of her own free will to form a permanent union. All other forms of establishing an intimacy between man and woman, even though it had been permissible once in history, have been abolished forever. May Allah guide us to the truth.

Islam came to a milieu where slavery was the norm, so from its very inception, it set out to abolish slavery; it did so in gradual steps. That is why, even before the institution of all other laws of Islam, freeing the slaves was stated as an ideal spiritual ascent. Then it considers freeing the people from bondage as an expiation for sins or major offenses or simply for enhanced piety; Islam also set aside a portion of zakah to free the slaves. Finally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) set free all the slaves that came to his possession. And his companions followed his example; many of them freed hundreds during their lives.  

You would be hard-pressed to see anything comparable to the above Islamic precedent in any other culture or religious tradition.