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Wishing People Happy Friday and Other Issues (Fatwa Session)

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
03 January, 2018

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.

Monday, Jan. 08, 2018 | 15:00 - 17:00 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.  

Assalamu alaikum scholars 1),can I greet somebody "happy birthday ","many many happy returns of the day","may Allaah bless you on this day" & alike on their birthday or not? 2)if we can celebrate birthday, how we can celebrate it? By cutting cake, family get together etc?



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

There is nothing wrong in wishing someone with such words: “Happy birthday” “many happy returns of the day” etc. Allah says: “AND LO! We accepted this solemn pledge from [you,] ‘ the children of Israel: “You shall worship none but God; and you shall do good unto your parents and kinsfolk, and the orphans, and the poor; and you shall speak unto all people in a kindly way; and you shall be constant in prayer; and you shall spend in charity. ”And yet, save for a few of you, you turned away: for you are obstinate folk!” (Qur’an: 2: 83)

The order to speak to all people in a kindly way means that we should follow the customary words of greetings and reciprocate kindness with kindness. The only exception is when such words imply paganism or aggression or sins.

As for the question whether we are allowed to celebrate birthdays,  I would like to cite my earlier answer:

I do not find any reason to consider birthday celebrations as haram as long as they are free of any forbidden or undesirable practices. It should be judged as we judge any other customs; customs, by themselves, cannot be deemed as forbidden, unless they contravene any of the stated principles. Unlike acts of worship, the original rule in regard to customs is permission; for humans are free to do so unless otherwise forbidden.

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Humans are allowed to thank and celebrate on important occasions in the lives of individuals or communities. Therefore, there is nothing wrong for individuals to celebrate the day of their birth; however, while doing so one should steer clear of unnecessary wastage or activities forbidden in Islam.

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

I understand one have to reduce the number of rakats of daily prayers while travelling or while out of ones home. My question: 1. For how long should one continue to observe the qusri. Assumming am away from home for 2 to 3 months. 2. What distance can i travel away from home before qusri is observed. 3. My parents and i stay in the same country but live in different states. Someone told me if i travel from my own state to see my parents i cant observe qusri but if i travel travel from my state to any other state where others reside i can observe qusri. How true is this?



In answering your question in regards to Qasr and Jam’, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:
1) There is general consensus among scholars that if a person who is traveling is determined to return as soon as his work is done and does not know when it will be, then he may continue to pray Qasr as long as he is a traveler.

If, however, a person decides to settle down in a city, the moment he does so, he does not remain a traveler, and, therefore, he must pray full.

If, on the other hand, one is determined to stay only for a few days and he knows precisely how many days it is, then he should pray full, according to a great number of scholars, if his stay exceeds more than four days. The Hanafi School, however, puts the number of allowable days at fifteen, while a third group of scholars put it at eighteen.

The first view seems to be the safest view to follow, as it has been based on the Prophet’s practice, for, according to authentic reports, he stayed in Makkah four days, and during his stay he prayed Qasr; he had already known in advance how many days he would be staying. He is reported to have prayed Qasr for eighteen and twenty days on two separate occasions, when, most likely, he had no idea as regards the number of days he would be staying.

Having said this, I should rush to state that if anyone follows the position of the Hanafi School, he should not be blamed for his action, for theirs is a Fiqh- ruling based on acceptable practices of the Salaf al-ssalih (pious predecessors). Since it is merely a question of differences of interpretation based on valid Ijtihad (creative exercise of reasoning), one should never make a big issue out of such differences of opinion among Imams.

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2) The most accurate way to count the number of days for a traveler is to consider oneself a Musaafir only after one has crossed the boundaries of his city of residence. Thus in case of people living in Toronto, if they are in a long distance journey they will be considered travelers only after they have crossed the boundaries of GTA. The days of stay are calculated by excluding the day/days of going and returning.

3) Yes, according to vast majority of scholars and Imams, it is perfectly allowed for a traveler to combine Zuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha. This ruling is based on the authentic traditions which clearly state that the Prophet (peace be on him) had combined Zuhr and ‘Asr as well as Magrib and ‘Isha on a number of occasions while traveling.

According to Hanafi School, however, combining prayers is allowed only during Hajj while performing the rite of standing in Arafah. At other times they allow only what is often termed as Jam suwari (a kind of combining): By this they mean to say that you are allowed, for instance, to delay Zuhr and pray it at the last time of Zuhr and then pray ‘Asr at the first time of ‘Asr.

The majority view allowing combining of prayers as mentioned earlier has been considered to be the most authentic; it has been adopted later by many scholars belonging to Hanafi School as well.

4) While combining prayers, you are allowed to make either taqdim (advancing) or ta’khir (delaying): In other words, you are allowed to advance the second prayer to the time of the first prayer. Thus, if you are combining Zuhr and ‘Asr, you can first pray Zuhr at the time of Zuhr, and then advance ‘Asr by praying immediately, or if you wish you can defer praying Zuhr until the time of ‘Asr arrives, in which case, you will first pray Zuhr and then prayer ‘Asr afterwards. The same procedure applies to combining Magrib and ‘Isha as well.

An important word of caution concerning Jam’ is that there is no combining of Fajr with Zhuhr, or ‘Asr with Maghrib, or ‘Isha with Fajr.

It is also worth mentioning that while praying Qasr during travel is highly recommended—some Imams such as Abu Hanifah even consider it as obligatory—during travel, praying Jam’ is only allowed while one is actually traveling or pre-occupied with pressing circumstances. Jam’ is rare, while Qasr is common.

A final remark to be made is that if a person is aimlessly wandering, he is not considered a traveler and is, therefore, not allowed to make use of the allowances of Qasr and Jam’.”

 

 

As for the final part of your question: what to do if you are visiting your parents: If you are visiting your parents it is best that you pray full, for you are at home. It is a kind of second home for you.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I was coming back from madina offerd 2 nafal wear ihram but when reached makka very tired i removed my ahram.is there any kafara for it



If you did remove your ihram and wore regular clothes out of ignorance, you need to ask forgiveness of Allah and complete the ritual of Umrah: tawaf and sa`i. If however, you did remove the ihram intentionally while knowing it was wrong to do so, then you need to feed six poor persons or fast three days besides completing the Umrah. Allah says: “And complete the Hajj and Umrah for Allah”.

 

And the scholars infer from this that if a person has assumed the ihram for hajj or umrah, he is obligated to complete the same. The only exception to this rule is if a person while assuming ihram made a condition that he would break it in case of an unforeseen circumstance or sickness, etc.

 

So, you owe yourself to complete the Umrah while offering compensation. You may also do well to initiate another Umrah from the Meeqaat to make up for it.

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Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalmu alakium, I have a question about a situation that is dear to my heart. Im a convert and my side of the family is Christian and my father passed away. He was cremated because thats what he wanted, and so did his father and so does my mother =( I know that this is haram on many different levels but my question for you is about my fathers ashes. Am I allowed to put some (a very tiny amount) of the ash inside a keepsake urn charm thats made to wear around my neck, as a necklace? And also, about keeping his ashes in an Urn inside my house? Thank you for your time and answer, ill look forward to your response. I really hope theres nothing in islam forbidding me from this, but either way I will respect allah and the outcome. Thank you



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

It is one thing for you to witness your father’s cremation – who is not a Muslim – and thus ordered his body to be cremated. It is, however, another matter for you to wear urn charm containing his ashes as a necklace or keeping his ashes in an Urn inside your house.

 

Islam teaches us to bury the body (or ashes in this case) and not to carry them around or keep them at home if you have a choice.

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I am assuming you are talking about your house. If, however, the house belongs to your father then the case is different as you are not accountable for his actions.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Is it compulsory to register Nikah in Islam? If yes, where were the Nikah of the Prophet (PBUH) and Companions registered?



The Prophet and his companions performed marriages in conformity with the customs prevailing in their societies at the time. He forbade all forms of unions – prevailing in pre-Islamic Arabia – that did not conform to the strict definition of marriage.  He did so, to preserve the sanctity of the marriage institution and to distinguish it from unlawful and secret unions. The Qur’an termed it as akin to ‘keeping mistresses’

 

It was a time where the entire concept of registration did not exist. Now the situation is changed; people register births and deaths and marriages. They do so because of tangible benefits as well as to preempt conflicts.

 

Shariah is based on preserving objectives and purposes. One of them being safeguarding values of honor and offspring.

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Registering marriages is therefore an important ways of preventing abuse and safeguarding the honor and preempting conflicts.

 

That is why our scholars said, “Fatwa changes according to time and place.” As the pious caliph Umar b. Abd al-Aziz said, “Laws become stricter and stricter to prevent abuse – in due proportion to the increasing crookedness of people.”

 

Since the people today tend to be more crooked, registering marriages is deemed essential for women and men to safeguard their honor and pre-empt conflicts.

 

That is why the law stipulates that we do so. As Muslims living in a country we are to observe such laws; otherwise we would be promoting lawlessness and chaos.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

As salamou Alaikoum,can a Muslim eat what a Christian prepared for their celebration thank you



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

We are allowed to eat foods prepared by Christians as long as the foods are lawful for us: in other words, we are not allowed to eat pork or its by-products, or foods cooked in wine, etc.

We  may eat the meat they have slaughtered by their own hands.

 

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The fact that foods are served during their celebrations or feasts in themselves do not make them unlawful. That will be the case if they immolate them to idols. That does not apply to Christians or Jews; it only applies to those who practice idolatry.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

( Please give a prompt answer as I really need it)I will break my questions into parts for better understanding1- If a person does some sin liable to Hadd or Tazir like Zina, theft, slandering someone of adultery, etc and repents and return people their rights (if he violates any) but does not get the required punishment because his sin did not reach Islamic authorities. Is that enough for that person to repent and conceal all his sin regardless he lives in an Islamic state or live in non Islamic state.2- so if repentance is there for all sins why are some scholars harsh in their ruling and say repentance is not enough in these sins as their is Hadd for them so you may go , confess and get your punishment if you live in Islamic state. On the other hand majority of Muslim scholars says true repentance is enough and there is no need to confessI feel so devastated by the opinion of some scholars that say a person needs to be punished and he should confess while on other hand our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) tried to forgive those kind of people and even we have some many Hadith which says that people should conceal their and other people's sin and not tell public authority.And What should I person do if he is really sorry and does not want to be punished as he has already ammended his waysSo kindly give me the right opinion as it might reduce my anxiousness related to this issue. Please try to give a prompt answer as I have asked this question to many people but unfortunately no one replied. That would be really helpful. May Allah grant you Jazak Allah



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

Courting or undergoing hadd punishment for sins such as adultery or fornication is not an essential condition for redeeming oneself or gaining forgiveness.

 

Rather, turning to Allah in sincere repentance and persistence in doing so is alone sufficient. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “One who has repented of a sin is like one who never sinned.” In other words, if someone has repented of sins of adultery or fornication it is not necessary for him to confess his or her sins and court the punishment. Allah says:

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“And who never invoke any [imaginary] deity side by side with God, and do not take any human beings life – [the life] which God has willed to be sacred – otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice, and do not commit adultery. And [know that] he who commits aught thereof  shall [not only] meet with a full requital – [but] shall have his suffering doubled on Resurrection Day: for on that [Day] he shall abide in ignominy. Excepted, however, shall be they who repent and attain to faith and do righteous deeds: for it is they whose [erstwhile] bad deeds God will transform into good ones – seeing that God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace, and seeing that he who repents and [thenceforth] does what is right has truly turned unto God by [this very act of] repent­ance.” (Qur’an 25: 68-71)

 

Al-Bukhari and Muslim report on the authority of `Ubadah ibn al-Samit that the Messenger of Allah said, “Give me your oath of allegiance that you shall associate no partner with Allah, and do not commit theft or adultery and do not slay your children or make false allegations or disobey in any act of virtue. If anyone is faithful to the terms he has pledged to me, Allah will reward them for it. If, however, anyone has breached any of these terms and was punished for the same in this world, it would serve as a means of expiation or redemption for him or her.

 

If, on the other hand,  Allah has covered their sins (and thus never incurred the punishment for it in this world), we refer his case to Allah: It is up to Him to forgive or punish him (in the hereafter).”

 

Imam Muslim also reports: “When Ma’iz approached the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, “Purify me (by executing had)”, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told him: “Go away and seek forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance.”

 

Commenting on this, Imam An-Nawawi states: “The above report proves that sincere repentance erases or lifts sins: This is the consensus of Muslims.” Imam Ibn Hajar states: “We can readily infer from the story of Maiz that anyone guilty of sins is recommended to repent to Allah and cover himself and he must never divulge his sin to anyone else.  This is the firm opinion of Shafi (Allah be pleased with him) who said, “I love for someone who has committed one of such grave sins and has been covered by Allah to cover it and not divulge it to anyone.”

 

`Abdullah b. `Umar reports that the Messenger of Allah said, “Keep away from committing the filthy acts that Allah has forbidden. If anyone has been guilty of committing any of them, let him seek the cover of Allah and seek repentance…If, on the other hand, he were to divulge the same to us, we are bound to execute the required punishment.” (Al-Hakim, Al-Bayhaqi, and others)

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamu'alaykum. When we are faced with several different scholarly opinions, are we allowed to choose the easiest one or do we have to choose the hardest one? Please explain with proofs. Jazak Allaah.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

 

When faced with different scholarly opinions, we need to consider the following before choosing one of the options:

 

1- Consult your Islamic conscience – a conscience that believes in standing before Allah for judgment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Consult your conscience – even if they give you a verdict.”

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2- Choose the view of the one you trust with greater knowledge and piety.

 

3- Try your best to choose the view of the majority – as it may be the safest to choose.

 

4- You may choose the easiest one – as long as it is not sinful – when faced with a difficult situation. An example is that of a follower of Shafi school choosing the view of Imam Abu Hanifa in regards to paying Zakatul Fitr in cash rather than in grain.

 

5- Finally, one should keep in mind the Quranic motto: “Fear Allah as best as possible.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

assalamu alaikum shaikh,can we accept result of scientific research /study/statistics/analysis/evidence etc done by non Muslim & ,sinner,non hijabi female & male scientist, if the result is reliable & based on facts? please note that those research are not about religion. those research are about worldly beneficial subjects & all other types of topics . As those researches are done by mostly non Muslim, sinner, non hijabi female & male scientist, should we reject all of their research results although they are reliable & based on facts?



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

Science is science, and wisdom is wisdom regardless of the source. The Prophet (peace be upon him) always relied on experts – without looking at their religious backgrounds.

 

He used the service of an expert guide when he decided to emigrate to Madinah; he was a pagan solely because of his expertise and trustworthiness. If he did not use his services, he would have been hunted down by the pagans who had sent their men all over the desert to track the Prophet (peace be upon him): they had declared a bounty on his head!

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The prophet said, “Wisdom is the lost article of a believer; he would appropriate it wherever he finds it.”

 

Muslims down through the centuries have used experts in medicine, engineering as well all beneficial branches of knowledge – regardless of their religious or ideological affiliations. It is for this reason Islamic civilization has been considered even by some of the great western historians such as Richard Bulliet and others as one of the most open civilizations in the history of the world.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I have question about keeping ties with relatives. I want to further explain my problem and I hope you can give me advice. My maternal uncles and aunts are in a distant relationship with my mother, because of their behavior. One of the worst is spreading fitna about my mom and being injustice on their inheritance. My parents chose to avoid contact with them to avoid harm. But when we meet during Eid day, we talk normally like everybody else. They live far away from us and it's not customary for us to contact each other frequently. In fact, we rarely contact each other and they do not try to contact us either. I don't know whether this is cutting ties with family or not. Because my father's family (my paternal uncle and aunt) are in a good terms and we meet during new year and other celebrations because they, too, live far away. But we don't contact often, either. I was told that this is not sufficient to uphold ties with them but that's just how we are and it's not really customary for us to contact often. Now what do I have to do as a daughter about my maternal uncles and aunts? I don't know how to contact them because my mother won't let me contact them anyways. Please give me a detailed answer. Thank you.



You are supposed to do whatever you can to foster blood relations.

Fostering ties of kinship is an important duty enjoined upon us in the Qur’an. Allah says, “O mankind!Be conscious of your Lord, who has created you out of a single soul, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women.And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand [your rights] from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you!”  (An-Nisaa’ 4:1)

 

Allah also warns us against severing ties of kinship.  It is reckoned as one of the pet projects of Satan.  Therefore, to sever ties of kinship is a cardinal sin in Islam.

 

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The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “One who severs the ties of kinship cannot enter paradise.”

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) further orders us to foster ties of kinship, even if the other party is not interest in doing so.  He said: “Fostering the ties of kinship does not mean simply reciprocating kindness with kindness; rather it involves fostering relations even with those who are severing them.”

 

It is, therefore, imperative that as Muslims, we must do our best to forge ties with members of our family-regardless of whether they are friendly to us or not. One of the Prophet’s companions asked him, “I have kinsmen who continue to mistreat me even though I continue to treat them good. This being the case, am I allowed to cut relations with them? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “Certainly not. Rather you ought to continue being good to them in spite of what they do to you. You will continue to be under the protection of God as long as you do so. As for them, they are exposing themselves to God’s fire because of their actions.”

 

Therefore, I would urge you to try your best to establish good relations with your blood relations. You may do so by paying them a visit on important occasions, when they are sick, etc., or calling them to inquire about their whereabouts, etc.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I have been suffering from depression because of my eyes, I think I’m getting blind but I haven’t gotten into an eye specialist but my mom recommended me the zamzam water. But because of limited supplies, I haven’t drank it but applying it to my eyes. Would the results be the same? Help me



If you are approaching blindness, then you ought to see a specialist without delay. Islam teaches us to get treatments when we are sick. We know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to consult physicians and use medications and he told us in no uncertain terms: “Servants of Allah, seek treatments when you are sick, for Allah has appointed a cure for every illness except old age.”

 

If Zamzam water had been a cure for all conditions, he would have told us to use it instead of seeking treatments and consulting physicians.

 

Therefore, I would urge you to call your doctor and let him refer you to an eye-specialist immediately before you lose your vision. Otherwise, you will be guilty of a major sin: endangering your vision.

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Almighty Allah knows best.

If a Muslim is not forced to live in a house with a dog, but if he doesn't he would live on the street, are his deeds subtracted?



You are allowed to stay in the house with dogs – especially if you have no other choice.

 

It is wrong to say that we must avoid dogs altogether. How can we hold such a view when we know that we can use trained dogs for policing, guarding, shepherding, guiding the blind, etc.?

It is only the saliva of dogs that we must keep away.

 

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According to some scholars due to health concerns for dogs – especially those that are stray – may likely carry rabies. It is for this reason that we are ordered to wash the clothes or spots that have come in contact with the saliva of dogs.

 

Ibn `Umar reports that dogs used to run through the Prophet’s mosque during his time. And yet there is no mention anywhere in the sources that the Prophet, peace be upon him, ever ordered any of his companions to wash the floor of the mosque; it is worth mentioning that the mosque had no carpets then; they were rather paved with pebbles and sand.

 

It is therefore sufficient for you to wipe clean or wash once the surface that dog has licked.  According to the most preferred view of scholars, it is only the saliva of the dog that is considered najas; in other words, other parts of a dog are not considered najas or impure–except, of course, its excrements.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamualikum warahmatullahI am looking to get married after my divorce which took place 7 months back. And recently I got a proposal from a person through matrimonial site. Even that person is a divorced, having 2 kids. We exchanged our information and what are we looking for, and what were the reasons for divorce such kind of information. The person is asking regarding how was the intimate relationship with me and ex husband? In order to confirm there would be no problem in future. So my question is it advisable to share them about this or not? I need your advice on this!!! And the person asking these questions making me to think that whatever he said regarding his previous life was a lie.What should I do??



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

If you think that this man is lying to you, then it is not a good sign. If you were my daughter, I would not advise you to pursue this matter any further. Truthfulness is one of the essential traits of a believer, and the opposite is the trait of a hypocrite.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Be truthful, for truthfulness leads to virtue and virtue leads the way to paradise; and shun lying for lying leads to sins and sins leads the way to hell-fire. And a person continues to lie until his name is registered as a liar in his register with Allah.”

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Therefore, I would advise you to consider the issue carefully before rushing to marry such a person.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

can women talk with someone via video call & video chat, if she does hijab properly that means nothing is seen except face & hands?



On this question, let me cite her one of my earlier answers:

 

Chatting with members of opposite sex, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, personally face to face, or on phone or chat lines all fall in the same category. The haram of it is haram, and the halal of it is halal.

Islam does not allow Muslims to be befriending members of opposite sex for sake of companionship or for casual conversations; it has been forbidden because of its risks; it may entail isolation, lead to unlawful flirting, and engender unlawful thoughts, desires or lusts.

However, occasional, serious, business- like conversations with the members of the opposite sex are considered lawful just as they are lawful when done face to face so long as one observes the Islamic ethics of interaction.

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Islam teaches that as Muslims we must shun not only that which is clearly haram but also everything that creates agitation or doubt or restlessness in our souls: The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Sin is that which causes agitation in your heart/mind; whereas virtue that which the heart is content and at peace about it!”

So engaging in unnecessary chatting may lead to unforeseen consequences; it may also engender doubts and suspicions in our minds as well in the minds of others; so we are best advised to shun them altogether in the first place in order to safeguard our religion and honor. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Halaal is clear; Haraam is clear, but there are certain cases which are dubious or doubtful; whoever shuns them he safeguards his religion and honor; whoever falls into t hem, he risks falling into haraam like a shepherd who lets herd graze around the forbidden territory; for it may thus encroach upon the forbidden territory!”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

What is the Islam stand concerning celebrating ones family after death (i.e Merrymaking after ones parents died)? In Nigeria some believe its normal and right to celebrate when your parents who attain old age dies and some believe its not religious, Pls i like to know the Islamic perception about this. Thank you



Islam prescribes a maximum of three days of mourning for the death of a family member. Once the three days are over, one should resume normal life as best as possible – including taking part in celebrations. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “It is not permissible for a person who believes in Allah and the Last Day to practice mourning for more than three days – except in the case of a wife observing the period of waiting following her husband’s death.”

There is no doubt that renewal of grief and mourning in such a way as to interfere with the spirit of celebration is undoubtedly undesirable, and must be avoided. Having said this, if someone wants to visit the graves of parents or deceased relatives while observing celebrations, there is no harm in doing so.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Salam, Is it important to disclose second marriage to family and friends or is it valid if proper nikah is fine. JazakAllah Imran



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

In answering this question, the best I could do is to cite one of my earlier answers:

 

The minimum conditions for the validity of nikah are the following:

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  • The consent of the guardian of the woman
  • presence of witnesses
  • offering and acceptance
  • and mahr (dower).

Once the above conditions have been fulfilled, the marriage will be deemed as valid; but if these conditions are not fulfilled, then it will be considered as being null and void.

 

As far as the consent of guardian is concerned, it can only be dispensed with if the guardian is simply refusing to give consent for considerations other than Islamic, in which case the judge can authorize the marriage after having followed the due process. If, on the other hand, such is not the case and no attempt was made to ascertain the consent of the guardian, then such a marriage would be considered invalid and, therefore, unacceptable in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “There is no (valid) marriage without a guardian and two reliable witnesses.”

 

By stipulating the above-mentioned conditions for the validity of marriage, Islam insists that a marriage should remain distinct from other loose and immoral lifestyles such as fornication and illicit affairs. Hence, the Prophet insisted on making marriages public.

 

Based on what has been stated above, the concept of a marriage “just for both of you or for Allah” is not tolerated in Islam.

 

Society has a share in marriage in the sense that people should know that both of you are married so that they do not suspect you of maintaining an illicit relationship. According to the teachings of Islam, we are under obligation to do whatever we can to safeguard our religion, honor, and dignity; and as such we should stay away not only from that which is considered as strictly haram or forbidden but also from all that is doubtful and dubious. The Prophet (peace and blessings be him) said, “Whosoever shuns what is doubtful he has protected his religion and honor; but whosoever commits what is doubtful, he may inadvertently fall into haram!”

 

If you are still in need of more information, don’t hesitate to contact us. Do keep in touch. May Allah guide us all to the straight path!

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Is it allowed to wish a Muslim Brother or Sister Happy Friday? Either verbally or as text message on social media?



I see no harm in wishing each other good by using such words of greeting. However, one must never consider as part of a prescribed religious ritual.

Almighty Allah knows best.

As-salam Alaikum .I have recently been having constant thoughts about death in my daily activities and I've tried to push it away but it keeps haunting me , especially at night when it's time for me to go to bed and now sometimes I'm also scared about my mum when I see her sleeping , I watch to make sure that she's still breathing and sometimes I can't even sleep because of it. I always pray that Allah increases my faith because I feel that I am not a good enough Muslim and need to change . I feel unfulfilled and I feel like if I die today I would have not made any impact during my time alive .i lost an Aunty two weeks ago and this increased my anxiety even more. I have also never been liked by anyone and I feel like I'll be left without a husband when everyone else is married because all my friends have people who take interest in them. Please I need your advice because I'm becoming depressed and I need guidance . Please keep me and my family in your dua.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

It is more than likely that you are suffering from some form of depression. Therefore, I would advise you to see your doctor; he would refer you to a specialist; he should be able to help you.

 

As Muslims, we are to consult physicians and get treatments. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered us to seek treatments; he points out, “Allah has appointed a cure for every ailment; and thus when the treatment fits the condition, it is cured.” (Muslim)

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Depression is a medical condition; unless it is treated, it could be quite fatal. So I advise you to seek immediate medical attention.

 

Having said this, let me also point out how to combine the above with the spiritual treatment:

You would do well to reflect and act upon the following tips:

 

1- Death is an inevitable reality; everyone who is born must die; so there is no need to worry about it.

 

2- Peace of mind and freedom from anxiety and worry can be attained only when your heart is connected with Allah, who alone is the Source of Peace and the Bestower of Peace. Allah says, “Lo, it is through remembrance of Allah that hearts can find rest/peace.”  

 

 

Therefore, you need to establish remembrance of Allah by establishing regular prayers, developing mindfulness of Allah and consistency in dhikr. Once you do that, surely you will drive away anxiety and achieve peace of mind.

 

 

As Imam Ibn al-Qayyim has stated, consistency in dhikr entails countless blessings. To list some of the most important of them: the  remembrance of Allah, peace of mind, serenity, true feeling of joy, freedom from anxiety, worry and fear, guarantee of salvation, protection from hell-fire and admission into paradise.

 

So I urge you to treat yourself physically and spiritually. You may do well to get a copy of the book, The Invocation of God by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya: Study it and practice the lessons; I am sure you will attain peace of mind.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Salam alaikum... I am a perpetual fornicator. My biggest test is my list but most times I allow my desires to overwhelm me. A lady has twice had an abortion for which I know I am responsible. I feel restless anytime I think about it cos I feel Even though Allah forgives me, He would still make me taste some kind of punishment in this world or the akhirah. Sometimes I make efforts to avoid zina but after a while I always fall back. I try to be a good Muslim by reading the Qur'an daily and performing salah. The only thing that make me happy about my life is that Allah still allows me to do dhikr and for the last 3yrs I have not missed a salat... Alhamdulillah. I always feel this light in my chest whenever I do dhikr. Is it a sign that Allah still loves me and how can I avoid the punishment of my Rabb. Jazakallahu khairan.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

One of the effects or benefits of prayer, as stated in the Qur’an, is that it restrains a person from committing despicable sins.

“And recite to them the revelations communicated to you and be constant in prayer: for, behold, prayer restrains [man] from loathsome deeds and from all that are indecent or abominable, and remembrance of God is indeed the greatest [good]. And God knows all that you do.” (Al-`Ankabut 29: 45)

 

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And the Prophet (peace be upon him) compared the effect of prayer in the life of a believer to that of five times bathing in fresh water. It should rid his person of all spiritual filth and impurities.

 

Therefore, if you have been praying, as you should, while cherishing true mindfulness of Allah, it should prevent you from repeatedly falling into sins of fornication.

 

If it does, then it is time for you to know that your soul is indeed becoming sick; and you need to treat it. In order to motivate yourself to stay clear of sins, you may do well to visualize the fact that Allah is watching you; and since we never know when death will overtake us, imagine what awaits you if you were to die in a state of sins.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “A wise person is one who subdues his carnal soul and works for the life after death; while a foolish person is he who follows his passion and yet vainly  hopes for Allah’s forgiveness.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Verily, God’s acceptance of repentance relates only to those who do evil out of ignorance and then repent before their time runs out:  and it is they unto whom God will turn again in His mercy – for God is all-knowing, wise;  whereas repentance shall not be accepted from those who do evil deeds until their dying hour and then say,  “Behold, I now repent”; nor from those who die as deniers of the truth: it is these for whom We have readied grievous suffering.” (An-Nisaa’  4:17-18)

 

I pray to Allah to grant us sincere repentance before the angel of death visits us.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalam Alaikum. I believe I am experiencing an imminent miscarriage after 9 weeks of pregnancy. My hormone (hcg) levels have dropped and I have been bleeding for 6 days. I do not know if I have passed the embryo yet. I realize that the soul would not have been breathed into it yet. When bleeding started I stopped praying. I now believe after reading today that I don’t think I should have stopped. Please advise if I should be praying and if I am permitted to hold the Quran.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

If the bleeding follows the miscarriage – after the embryo has become a fetus –  then it is considered post- natal bleeding and you should abstain from prayer as long as bleeding lasts. If however, the bleeding started before miscarriage happened then you should continue prayer as long as it is not related to your menses.

Majority of scholars are of the view that in the event of miscarriage after the embryo has assumed a human form, the bleeding is considered as due to nifas or bleeding of childbirth. If it happens before, then the bleeding should not be treated as due to childbirth. It falls into the category of chronic bleeding in which case one should offer prayers after washing the private parts and performing fresh ablution before each prayer.

 

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Almighty Allah knows best.

assalamu alaikum shaikh. I have a thought in mind that, wife's value in the eyes of husband is decreased when she is sick cause she can't fulfill husband's sexual needs during those time & she also looks less beautiful. I have this idea & it's is disturbing me. can you clarify it? is it true or not?. What are the rights of sick wife from her husband? what are the duties of husband toward sick wife? Does sick wife deserve lovely behaviour of husband or not?



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

It is entirely wrong for anyone to entertain such thoughts in regards to one’s wife.

 

It is at once cruel and inhuman for a husband to look down or slight his wife because of her ill-health even as it is cruel and inhuman on the part of a wife to look down or slight her husband because of his ill-health. It works both ways.

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Islam considers spouses as equal partners each one loving, respecting and caring for the other as one would care for oneself.

 

A husband owes his sick wife to care for her and look after her; even that is what he would expect from her if he were ill.

 

To think otherwise is misogyny and jahiliyyah pure and simple. There is no room for such pagan ideas in the teachings of Islam; Allah says, “Among His signs is that He created for you spouses from your kind for you to relate to them in peace and tranquility and He has implanted in your hearts love and affection towards one another. Verily, in these are signs for those who think.”  (Qur’an Ar-Rum 30:21)

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalam o alaykum My question is "is hunting allowed in Islam? If yes, which animals and what is the right way of cutting the animals? Jazak Allah



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

Hunting is allowed in Islam – as long as it follows certain ethical guidelines; let me list them briefly:

1- It should be done strictly for human consumption; there is no room in Islam for hunting simply as a sport. Islam forbids killing or torturing animals or any living being for that matter without valid reasons: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever kills even a little sparrow without reason, it will appear before Allah seeking justice; it would cry out: so and so killed me for no purpose!”

2- Let me list here some of the rules of hunting in Islam:

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The animal one hunts should belong to the category that is deemed as halal for consumption. Fish is halal for us to eat – including lobster, shrimp, crabs, etc. Predatory animals that catch their preys with molar teeth and pawns such as wolves, bears, lions, leopards, tigers, elephants, cats and dogs, etc. are forbidden.

 

Likewise, predatory birds with claws are also haram – including ravens, eagles, vultures, falcons, hawks, etc.  Other types of birds are permissible for us.

 

Examples of animals lawful for us include deer, rabbits, wild turkeys, wild-goats,  doves, pigeons, quails, etc. Domesticated animals such as goats, sheep, chicken, camels, etc., cannot be hunted.  These should be slaughtered – unless they become runaways in which case they can be hunted.

 

The weapon or instrument used for hunting must be sharp (capable of piercing the flesh) such as an arrow, spear or bullet. The hunter using these tools should cherish the intention and mention the name of Allah while aiming the game. If it is caught alive, it should be slaughtered.

 

One may also hunt animals or birds by using trained dogs or falcons; however, one should mention the name of Allah while dispatching the trained dog or falcon for hunting.

 

The game caught by the dog or hunting birds can be lawful only if they catch them solely for their owner.

 

And the game that is caught alive should be slaughtered.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I visit kabrastan everyday specially at night for offering flowers and poring water on many graves. My question is many a time I feel like giving azan in kabrastan no matter what time is it . is it permissible? And is any time restricted for entering visiting kabrastan



You are wasting your time and resources by this habit; it does not help the living or the dead. The dead are not going to benefit from decorating their graves with flowers or water poured on them.

 

You should spend time and resources in ways beneficial to the living; if you want to benefit the dead, you can give the money to charity on their behalf. The dead do not need physical nourishment or drinks.

 

As for adhan, its function and purpose are to inform the living of the arrival of time for Salah for them to get ready to join the congregation. Since the people in the graveyard do not pray why should you call adhan there? If it had been beneficial, then the pious predecessor would have done it.

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There is no precedent for doing so in the life of the Prophet and the pious predecessors. So, I would urge you to stop this innovation; if you want to visit the graveyard, you should do so and greet them and offer prayers for them.

 

Aishah, the beloved wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), asked him: If I were to visit the grave, what should I say: He replied, “Greetings of peace to you, O the believers residing in these dwellings; sooner or later we would also join you. May Allah forgive and you all.”

 

You may also read Al-Fatihah and offer a prayer for them.

 

These are the etiquettes of visiting graveyards. So, you may do well to observe them and stay away from all other innovations. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever innovates any practice in this religion of ours –  that is not sanctioned by us – it ought to be rejected.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamu Alaikum,I am diagnosed with schizophrenia and a neuro-psychological evaluation suggested existence of explosive disorder and conversion disorder. I think I have excuse for some of my actions and not others because I am depending on medicines. Is there any way to know which all of my actions I have excuse for? I have repented many times. I have heard that if we repent many times Allah doesn't mind if we sin. So can I believe that my past and future sins even big sins are forgiven? Jazak Allahu khayr



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

The legal obligation is lifted only on those who are not in possession of their senses. So, if you can function normally and make decisions, then you are accountable for your actions. If, however, your ability to make rational choices is impaired –  and determined as such by your physician then you may be excused.

 

However, the fact you feel guilty after sinning shows that you are not excused. Allah says, “Man knows and is a witness against himself – even if he were to proffer excuses.”

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Therefore, I would urge you not to excuse yourself and be complacent about sins.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “A wise person is one who subdues his carnal passions and works for the life after death; a weak person is he who follows his passions and yet vainly hopes for Allah’s forgiveness.”

 

We read in the Qur’an:

 

“Verily, God’s acceptance of repentance relates only to those who do evil out of ignorance and then repent before their time runs out:  and it is they unto whom God will turn again in His mercy – for God is all-knowing, wise;  whereas repentance shall not be accepted from those who do evil deeds until their dying hour and then say,  “Behold, I now repent”; nor from those who die as deniers of the truth: it is these for whom We have readied grievous suffering.” (Qur’an An-Nisaa 4:17-18)

 

Since no one knows when the angel of death would visit us, one should never be complacent about sins.

 

We may also do well to remember that persistence in sins would render our soul sick –  eventually causing its death – thus depriving us of eternal salvation. I pray to Allah to save us from such a wretched state.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

"Salam Aleikom. I am a sister living in the UK. I love doing sport. I run, ride a bicycle, hiking in the mountains... all in proper, long, wide clothes and hijab. I am thinking of taking a course to become a fitness instructor. I want to promote healthy lifestyle and want to help sisters be fit inshallah. My only problem is that the teachers of the course are one female and one male, and maybe there will be male students as well with me at the course. If I wear proper clothing during the classes and I make sure the male teacher will not touch me (for example, in order to correct my movements), during the exercises, am I allowed to take this course?"



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

  

If this is the area, you wish to excel and provide a service you should go ahead – as long as you can maintain your Islamic identity in the process. You seem to be determined to do that by following the Islamic etiquettes and safeguards. One important question to ask: Can you after completing the training specialize in teaching females only? I am sure you can do so as I know many sisters doing precisely that.

.

Almighty Allah knows best.

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Assalamu alaikum! My questions are:1. What is the ruling on divorce initiated by woman and is it too bad to do it with emotionally and verbally angry husband?2. How can a non arab revert memorise easier Al Quran Al Qarim?3. Ruling on the prayers when traveling by train for many hours in a non muslim country and you dont want to miss praying? Is ok praying sitting down towards any direction as the trains are made?JazakAllahu khairan!



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

 

Let me answer your questions in their respective order:

 

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1-    A woman can initiate divorce for valid reasons. Divorce should be last resort in case of abuse (physical or emotional), and there is no hope for reconciliation.  For details, please consult the following answers posted on this site:

 

Valid Reasons for Divorce in Islam

https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-the-scholar/valid-reasons-for-divorce-in-islam/

 

Can a Woman Initiate Divorce?

https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-the-scholar/family/can-a-woman-initiate-divorce/

 

2- The best method of memorizing the Qur’an is through an experienced teacher. You should find out if the mosque or Islamic center in your area offers hifz or memorization classes. If they do, don’t hesitate to enrol.

 

If you cannot find anyone, you may make use of online services; some of them are free – as they have advertised here:

 

http://freequranlearning.com/

 

You can email them here: [email protected]

 

If the above options are not available, then you need not despair. You can use online resources such as the following Mu’allim program as posted here:

 

http://audio.islamweb.net/audio/index.php?page=allsoura&qid=464

 

You should choose the second category listed as al-Mu’allim. It is recorded by the famous reciter Minshawi as he is teaching the children in class:

 

You should repeat after him with other children. Through daily practice and repetition you can master the art of reading and memorization.

So, I would urge you to make a resolution and start doing it without hesitation while praying to Allah to bless your efforts:

 

Here is a supplication you may read on a regular basis:

 

Allaahumma laa sahla illaa maa ja’althahu sahlan wa antha taj’alu al-hazana sahlan

 

(O Allah, nothing is easy unless you make it easy; You can certainly make the tasks easy; so make this task easy for me).

 

3- If you are traveling long distance (more than 80 km), you may shorten and combine the prayers. The way to do that is by praying Zhuhr (noon prayer) and Asr (afternoon prayer) one after the other; you may pray two rak`ahs (cycles) each at the time of either one of them.

 

Likewise, you may do so with Maghrib (sunset prayer) and Isha (night prayer). As for fajr, you should pray it on time; you are not allowed to shorten it.

 

As for facing the qiblah or direction, you should see if you can stand and face the qiblah first and then sit down and pray in any direction.

 

In other words, if you can face the direction of Ka`bah you should do so; if it is not safe, then you may face any direction you can. “God wants ease and comfort for you; He does not wish to impose hardship on you.” Hence the juristic rule: “Where there is genuine hardship the rigor of the law is relaxed.”

 

Having said this, let me stress that we ought to be diligent in performing our prayers; for, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Prayer is the deed that is most pleasing to Allah.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I was listening to some Islamic lectures about concealing faults of others so these questions came to my mind What to do if we are witness of someone's sin who tried to do it privately but somehow got exposed? For example drinking wine or zina Noting that the sinner does not hold a bad reputation in society and did not had the intention of doing it publicly but still some people saw it.Can we advise that person to repent sincerely and hide his/her sins? And secondly if someone is very notorious in character and has no shame in committing sin publicly but is then guided by Allah and he wants to repent. For example a high way robber, having illicit relationship with girls, heavy drinker etc. Will ALLAH accept his repentance without application of any Islamic punishment on him obviously before bringing him to court of Allah because if that kind of person repents he/she could be role model for giving up sins for many people.



The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Religion is sincerity.” He repeated the words thrice. When the companions asked, “Sincerity towards whom, O Messenger of Allah?”, he replied, “Towards Allah, towards His book, towards His messenger, towards the Muslim leaders and all Muslims.”

 

So, it behooves us to practice nasihah towards fellow Muslims who are committing sins. As Imam Shafi said: “If you advise your brother in confidence, it is nasihah proper,  If,  on the other hand, you did so in public, that is exposing him (which is reprehensible). However, this does not mean that we approve and condone abuse causing harm to others. The Prophet said, “There shall be no tolerance of inflicting abuse or harm, in any form or shape.”

 

Therefore, the principle of jurisprudence states, “Abuse and inflicting of harm ought to be prevented.”

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So, if a person is abusing or victimizing people, he or she stopped by any means necessary. If advising him or her does not restrain him or her, then we are to resort to even stronger measures such as taking legal action, etc. It may also be necessary to expose them – to prevent further abuse or victimization. According to the rules of jurisprudence, protecting the interests of the community has precedence over safeguarding those  of an individual or individuals.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.