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:

What is meant by the blessed night mentioned in Surat al-Dukhan?

A:

Your question reefers to the following verses:

“By the clear Book!  Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night, for We always warn (against evil).” (Ad-Dukhan 44: 2-3)

According to the preferred view of scholars, the blessed night mentioned above is the night of Qadr. However, a minority view that the night here refers to the night of mid-Sha’ban. Unfortunately, on a closer examination of the sources, we find no evidence to support it.

The verse refers to the same night mentioned in this verse:

“Indeed, ˹It is˺ We ˹Who˺ sent this ˹Quran˺ down on the Night of Glory. And what will make you realize what the Night of Glory is? The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months.” (AL-Qaadr 97: 1-3)

And, “Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the standard ˹to distinguish between right and wrong. “(Al-Baqarah 2: 185)

As explained by Allamah Ibn Ashur in his tafsir, the (blessed night) referred to is the night in which the Quran was first sent down on (prophet) Muhammad, peace be upon him, in the cave of Hira, during the month of Ramadan. So Allah says, “The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down. And the night it was sent down was the night of Qadr, as mentioned in verse: “Indeed, We sent it down on the Night of Glory.”

In light of these, the minority view seems weak; hence we may dismiss it.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Can we observer itikaf at any time?

A:

We are allowed to observe Itikaf any time of the year; however; it is prescribed and strongly recommended only during the last ten days of Ramadan.

Imam Nawawi states: According to Imam Shafi, Itikaf can be performed at all times: during the day or night, and during the times when prayers are forbidden as well as during the days of Eid. However, it is most preferred while fasting, during Ramadan and even more so during the last ten days of Ramadan.”

Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr says: ‘Itikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan is sunnah; and at other times it is permissible, according to the consensus of scholars.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) set a precedent for his community to observe Itikaf in the mosque during Ramadan; it was followed after him by his wives and other companions.

Thanks to the Prophetic precedent, the Muslim community has been observing the sunnah of Itikaf during the last days of Ramadan.

That, however, does not mean we cannot observe Itikaf any other time. According to Ibn Umar, his father, Umar ibn al-Khattab asked the Prophet: I made a vow in the past to perform Itikaf for a day in the Masjid al-Haram; then the Prophet told him: Go ahead and fulfill your vow.’

Therefore, even though the preferred sunnah established by the Prophet is to observe I’tikaf during Ramadan, a person may do so any time of the year after Ramadan.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

When does itikaf become obligatory?

A:

I’tikaf is a strong sunnah-during the last ten days of Ramadan; it is not prescribed in other times.  

However, it becomes obligatory only if someone makes a vow to observe it.

The Prophet said, ‘Whoever vows to obey Allah should do so; if anyone vows to disobey Allah, they should never do so.” (Al-Bukhari)

Allah orders us in the Quran to fulfill our vows; the only exception is if it is associated with actions that are objectionable in the sight of Allah.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

What are the conditions of itikaf?

A:

Itikaf means seclusion or isolating for worship. It is considered a sunnah or a strongly recommended practice–especially during the last ten days of Ramadhan.

The purpose of Itikaf is to attain spiritual purification by developing self-discipline, concentration in worship and mindfulness of Allah. It involves keeping oneself away from worldly distractions as best as possible.

As for the legal status of Itikaf, it can be either obligatory or recommended; it is considered obligatory when one has made a vow to do so, for we are to fulfil our vows. Otherwise, Itikaf is simply recommended.

While scholars disagree on some of the minor details of the rules and etiquettes of Itikaf, all of them agree that itikaf proper should be performed in a jami or a mosque where jumu’ah is held. Imam Abu Hanifah, however, adheres to the view that it is fine for a woman to do Itikaf in the musalla of her own home.

Some scholars do not consider fasting to be a condition for Itikaf; however, the majority, do think so. The former view is attributed to Imams Shafi`i and Ahmad, and the latter one to Imams Abu Hanifah, Malik, Awza`i and others.

Itikaf proper involves isolation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to have a specific spot (something like a small tent) set aside for him in the mosque to which he retreated during itikaf. He did come out of the area only for prayer or essential chores such as purification and answering the call of nature, etc.

During Itikaf, the Prophet did not visit the sick or attend funerals, or have conjugal relations with his wife–although he did converse with them briefly on occasions when they visited him.

Let me state briefly some of the rules and etiquettes of Itikaf:

1. As for the number of days, one may spend any number of days; but while sitting for ititkaf in Ramadan, it is recommended to do so during the last ten days. If, however, a person cannot afford to do one may sit any number of days, for something is better than nothing.

2. It is important for those who wish to sit in Itikaf to formulate the intention to do so; if one has vowed to sit in a particular mosque such as the Haram of Makkah or Madinah one should fulfil his vow;

3. He should also make sure to devote the time exclusively for dhikr, salah, du’as, and reading of the Quran. He may, however, attend sessions of beneficial religious knowledge;

4. One should refrain from all frivolous words or actions as well as unnecessary worldly conversations;

5. It is not allowed to go out of the mosque for other than performing the most basic chores such as using the facilities to answer the call of nature, etc.

Finally, I pray to Allah to help us all to strive to purify our hearts by developing concentration in worship and mindfulness of Allah.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Please suggest a list of things that we should do on laylat al-qadr?

A:

Laylat al-Qadr may fall in any of the last ten nights of Ramadan. It is the most blessed night, and in the words of the Qur’an, it is more superior than a thousand months.

Moreover, the Prophet said, “Whoever spends the night of Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking the rewards from Allah, Allah will forgive their sins.” (Ibn Hibban)

Aishah, the beloved wife of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “When the last ten nights of Ramadan approached the Prophet, peace be upon him, would tighten his belt to perform extra acts of worship and also awaken his family to do the same.” (Ibn Hibban)

He also advised us to seek the night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Now coming to specific duties that we can perform while seeking the night of Qadr, let me list the following:

Offering extra voluntary prayers is one of the great deeds to consider.

You may pray as many numbers of rakah in two’s and two’s, but you should pray with at the end; if you did pray with earlier, you don’t need to repeat it.

There is no specific number of rakahs of prayer to attain the blessings of the night of Qadr.

Therefore, you can choose to pray as many rakahs; however, ideally, it would be best to pray eight rakahs on top of Taraweeh.

If you are a busy person, you may pray what you can afford to Allah.

Allah is All-Merciful; He rewards each person according to his energy, stamina, and specific circumstances. So, never despair of the mercy of Allah and pray as best as you can while topping it up with dhikr, istighfar, and supplications, and offer charities or even other virtuous deeds you can afford.

Here is a special du’a that the Prophet, peace be upon him, told his wife Aishah:

Allaahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbu al-‘afwa fa’fu annee

(O Allah, You are the Forgiving and You love to forgive, so forgive me.”

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

If my period starts a day before Ramadan 27, what can I do in order not miss laylat al-qadr?

A:

You may do dhikr and du`a as well as all other good deeds; you only need to stay away from fasting and Prayer.

As Imam Shah Waliullah has pointed out Allah is infinitely Merciful that He has decreed that if a person cannot perform a certain prescribed act of virtue because of unavoidable circumstances, he or she may compensate for it by performing whatever other virtuous acts they can possibly do. In this way, they can catch up with them.

Once the poor companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to him complaining that their rich brothers had surpassed them in the acts of virtue as they do everything they do and on top of that, they also give charities! The Prophet asked them: “Didn’t Allah appoint other virtuous acts for you to do, whereby you can catch up with them? For every time you say subhaana Allah, it is reckoned as an act of virtue; when you say al-hamdu lillaah it is another act of virtue… , commanding good is an act of virtue; and so forbidding evil…”

Therefore, even though a menstruating woman is not supposed to fast or pray, they have other avenues of virtue open to them such as the following:

1) You may engage in dhikr and du’a without any inhibition.  Dhikr is unparalleled in its blessings as stated in the Qur’an and the many Prophetic traditions. Du’a is called the essence of worship. While performing dhikr and du’a, you may also read any of the Qur’anic supplications as well.

2) You may listen to the Qur’an or read it from memory as often as one wishes.

3) Attend the sessions knowledge or read books of tafsir and hadith, Islamic spirituality, etc.

4) Take part in any other acts of compassion in the community, including and not limited to visiting the sick in the hospital, or volunteering for any other beneficial causes.

5) Lastly, never fail to offer the following du’a that the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised his beloved wife ‘Aishah while seeking the night of qadr:

Allaahumma innaka afuwwun kareemun tuhibbu al-‘afwa fa’fu annee

(O Allah, you are Forgiving and Generous, and You love to forgive; so forgive me).

In conclusion: You can avail yourself of the rich harvest of Ramadhan as well as the blessings of laylat al-qadr, even if you are menstruating.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

How many takbeers are there for Eid al-Fitr prayer?

A:

There are some variations in the performance of Eid prayer. We don’t need to be overly concerned over them. We may choose any of those methods. They are all considered as valid.

They are based on the various reports from the Prophet’s companions; as such, they are all part of the Sunnah. There are basically three views on this among the scholars:

1. Imam recites four takbirs including the opening takbirs before the Fatihah in the first rak’ah and then three takbirs after the reading of the Quran in the second; this is the view of the Hanafi school; it is traced to the practice of some of the companions such as Ibn Mas’ud and others.

2. Imam recites seven takbirs including the opening takbir before reading in the first rakah and six including the takbir of standing from sujud before reading the Quran; this is the view of Maliki school. They rely on reports from Abu Hurayrah and Aishah, the beloved wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

3. The third view is to recite seven takbirs after the opening takbir and five after reciting the takbir of standing from sujud; both of these takbirs are uttered before the recitation of the Qur’an. This is the method chosen by the followers of the Shafi school; they base it on a report from Ibn Umar (Alalh be pleased with all the companions mentioned above).

It is clear from the above that none of the imams made up their own method of prayer; rather they simply followed the method they learned from their teachers who traced them back to the Companions, and the Companions themselves had their knowledge from the Prophet (peace be upon him).

In conclusion, your prayer is valid, and you may follow any of the above methods that the imams may choose to follow.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

What should do on the day of eid?

A:

Eid is a celebration of joy and blessings. It also aims at cementing the bonds of family and community. Therefore, besides Prayer, one should use the occasion to visit one’s parents, relatives, and friends and extend greetings and blessings.

Here are a few things we should consider to use the occasion optimally:

1. One should bathe and wear the best attire and apply some pleasant scent;
2. Takbirs of Eid al-Fitr should start on the eve of Eid; it continues until the Imam starts the Prayer.

Takbir ushers the end of Ramadan and the start of the feast of Eid al-Fitr as Allah says:

“Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Qur’an: 2: 185)

The format of takbir is as follows:

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar

Allah is Great, Allah is Great

Allahu Akbar

Allah is Great

La illaha il Allah

there is no God, but Allah

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar

Allah is Great, Allah is Great

walilahil Hamd

And to Allah belongs all Praise

1. In the case of Eid al-Fitr, one should have breakfast before setting out to attend the Eid Prayer
2. Arriving at the Prayer place early and participating in takbir
3. Listening to the Eid Sermon
4. Exchanging greetings with everyone; however, one should observe the COVID protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
5. Visiting parents, relatives, kith and kin, and friends to foster love and brotherhood.
6. Finally, we should wish peace, joy, and blessings to everyone and go out of our way to help the poor and the needy.
7. Finally, praying to Allah to make it a harbinger of success, prosperity, and joy for the entire community.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Can I observe itikaf for a day?

A:

Itikaf or seclusion for worship during the month of Ramadan, especially during the last ten days, is a great sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

Although ideally one should choose the entire ten days for I’tikaf, since Allah is all-Merciful, one may choose to do so any number of days or hours. Allah’s mercy is boundless and His laws are intended for helping His servants maximize the blessings of the month.

So, it is perfectly fine for person to choose a day; if he cannot afford an entire day, they may choose a few hours.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalam Alaikum. I am 14 yrs old and I am going on a trip that only comes once in a lifetime that will help me in the future. It involves me walking for over 30km. Is it permissible for me not to fast?

A:

Wa `alaykum as-salam

Fasting of Ramadan is a fundamental obligation; it can only be skipped by those who are sick or traveling or elderly who cannot fast.

Going for a marathon is not an excuse to skip the fast.

Therefore, I cannot advise you to do so.

If, however, it is an essential part of the career you have chosen, you may do it if you cannot be excused. If you choose to do so, I would advise you to offer Fidya (by feeding a poor person each day) instead of making up for the fasts you missed later. Moreover,  never stop asking for the forgiveness of Allah.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

During fasting, if nose blocks severe, at the time shall i use “AXE Oil”. which means Just for smelling purposes only. if so means it will break the fast or not?

A:

According to most scholars, using drops of oil to release nose blocks is acceptable; it does not end up invalidating the fast. Fast is broken only by consuming foods or drinks or ingesting them. The use of eye, ear, or nose drops does not fall in this category.

It should not break one’s fast unless the oil penetrates the throat through the nostrils.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

My question is that can the value of zakat be approximated?

for example I have 100g of gold; is zakat exact 2.5% of the value, or approximate 2.5%?

can i calculate a little over 2.5% to ensure my approximations don’t fall short?

A:

It is OK to do so as long as you do not make the mistake of paying less than what is due; paying above and beyond the amount you owe is acceptable.

We have reported that the Prophet used to exact from his uncle Abbas zakah in advance; it is reasonable to assume that giving in advance would require estimation.

So, making a mistake by paying more is OK.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

assalamoalykom last year and years before I didn’t know masturbation break the fast , which i just found out ,

And i even don’t know which days and how many times i have done this in last years , what should i do to return that fastings.

A:

Wa `alaykum as-salam

Masturbation is a sin; to do it while fasting is an even greater sin.

It breaks the fast; one should seek forgiveness and make up for the fast thus broken.

If you don’t know how many days you have broken, you should make an educated guess and fast while asking forgiveness of Allah and never repeating such a sin.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I drank water while imam called fajr prayer is my fasting valid?

A:

If you did so deliberately, your fast is broken, and you need to make up for the day. However, if you did so unknowingly or by accident, your fast is still valid, and you need not worry about it as long as you try to avoid such mistakes in the future. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Allah excuses my Ummah of their accidental mistakes and forgetfulness and the actions they are coerced into.” (Al-Bayhaqi)

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I after periods do ghusal and keep fast but I feel a little bit discharge of dirty water during fast. Will fast will validate or not?

A:

In answering this question, let me cite her one of my previous answers on a similar issue:

You are free of menses only when your bleeding has completely stopped, and you see the white discharge, following your regular pattern. However, after you have seen the white discharge, if you experience pinkish or brownish discharges afterwards, you need not worry. Umm Atiyyah, the Prophet’s companion, said, ” During the Prophet’s time, we never used to pay attention to the pinkish or brownish discharges that followed the expiry of menses.”  (Reported by Imam Bukhari and others).

All the above, however, is conditional on the fact that your menses period did not exceed fifteen days. For bleeding after fifteen days cannot be reckoned as menses; rather it is reckoned as istihadhah (abnormal bleeding). In the case of istihadhah, you need to pray after having taken a full bath at the end of your period; then you wash your private and make wudhu before each prayer. Washing and wudhu should only be done immediately prior to each salah.”

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

If you discharge during Ramadan as a result of seeing a man’s face or hearing his word, does it invalidates your fast, and do you have to perform ghusl?

A:

If you did ejaculate, then your fast is broken. However, the fast is still valid if it was simply wetness (or lubrication).

Having said this, I need to urge you not to avoid lustful staring. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Eyes fornicate, ears fornicate, tongues fornicate, the feet fornicate; then the private parts consummate it.”

Therefore, one ought to shun lustful stares. If it is wrong to do so at all times, it is even more critical to do so in the blessed month of Ramadan. Therefore, if your lustful stares have led you to ejaculate and break your fast, you ought to offer compensation on top of making up the Fast. The Kaffarh or redemptory compensation for sexual intercourse is fasting sixty days or feeding sixty poor persons.

However, if it was not intentional on your part, you are excused from offering the Kaffarah; you need to make up the fast if you ejaculated. On the other hand, if it was only wetness you experienced, then the fast is valid, and there is no need to make up; but you still owe it to yourselves to seek forgiveness of Allah and exercise extreme caution in such matters.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I had a period 6 days ago. Now the bleeding totally stopped but the brownish thing is coming a little bit, so can i perform prayers and fast?

A:

In answering this question, let me cite her one of my previous answers on a similar issue:

You are free of menses only when your bleeding has completely stopped, and you see the white discharge, following your regular pattern. However, after you have seen the white discharge, if you experience pinkish or brownish discharges afterwards, you need not worry. Umm Atiyyah, the Prophet’s companion, said, ” During the Prophet’s time, we never used to pay attention to the pinkish or brownish discharges that followed the expiry of menses.”  (Reported by Imam Bukhari and others).

All the above, however, is conditional on the fact that your menses period did not exceed fifteen days. For bleeding after fifteen days cannot be reckoned as menses; rather it is reckoned as istihadhah (abnormal bleeding). In the case of istihadhah, you need to pray after having taken a full bath at the end of your period; then you wash your private and make wudhu before each prayer. Washing and wudhu should only be done immediately prior to each salah.”

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Salaam aliekum, my question is a little complicated. I wish to ask about the maharam dynamics of the step family. I am divorced with two children one boy one girl, I have recently remarried. I would like to ask what is the dynamics are in regards who can take off their hijab in front who. My son can he see my sister in law(my husbands biological sister) and his mother without hijab and when the time comes can my daughter take her hijab off in front of my husbands brother? It is a complicated question but I would appreciate as close an answer as is possible.

Jazak Allah kheiran

A:

Wa `alaykum as-salam

Your son is not a mahram to your sister-in-law or your husband’s mother, so he cannot see them without a hijab. Likewise, your husband’s brother is not a mahram to your daughter from your previous marriage.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“And tell believing women that they should lower their glances, guard their private parts, and not display their charms beyond what [it is acceptable] to reveal; they should let their headscarves fall to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their womenfolk, their slaves, such men as attending them who have no sexual desire, or children who are not yet aware of women’s nakedness; they should not stamp their feet to draw attention to any hidden charms. Believers, all of you, turn to God so that you may prosper.” (An-Nur 24: 31)

Let me list the Mahaarim of a woman

From the blood lineage, they are six:

1. Fathers, grandfathers, and all the way up from father’s and mother’s side;
2. Children, grandchildren, and grand-grandchildren, from the side of sons or daughters down.
3. Blood brothers
4. Brothers from father or mother’s side
5. Sons of brother or sons of siter
6. Paternal or maternal uncle

And from the marriage relations: they are four:

1. Husband’s father or grandfather or grand grandfather
2. Sons and grandsons of husband
3. Husband of the mother
4. Husband of the daughter

Mahaarim from milk relationship is the same as blood lineage mentioned above.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Respected sir/mam i am 18yrs old male yesterday i was going to a shop and i encountered a ghost there was all dark and a blur person with white dress and all other parts are blurry it was night and dark and now i am scared as well as stressed i read aya tul kursi 5 times a day too can anyone plz guide me some quran teaching related to ghosts and should i be stressed about it ?

A:

I would urge you to talk to your physician; insha Allah, he will refer you to a specialist who may be able to help you.

As for your fear of the evil spirits and ghosts, you may practice the following tips:

1) The surest way to overcome fear is to know that Allah alone is all-Powerful and to believe that nothing can happen to you except by the will of Allah;

2) The devils and evil spirits that you are worried about, as Allah has assured us in the Qur’an, have no independent power of their own; their power is derived from Allah, so you can surely defeat them by aligning yourself with Allah who alone is irresistible, and All-Powerful. Allah says, “As for My servants you (i.e. Satan) cannot exercise any control over them; your Lord is sufficient for you to place your trust in.” (Al-Israa 17: 65)

3) In order to align yourself with Allah and derive strength from the Source of all power, you must perform your daily prayers as diligently and as consciously as you can, with feeling and reverence; remember, as Allah said, “Lo, it is only through remembrance of Allah that hearts find true peace and tranquility.”

4) Besides performing daily Prayers, make dhikr your second habit; this can be done by repeating words and phrases such as subhaana Allah; al-hamdu li Allah; laa ilaaha illa Allah; wa laa hawla walaa quwwata illa bi Allah; Allahu akbar, etc. (glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah, there is no god but Allah; there is no strength to gain good nor power to resist evil except by the will of Allah; Allah is Great).

As Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said, “consistency in dhikr removes all fear, feelings of insecurity, restlessness and anxiety that assail the soul and bestows a true sense of joy, peace, serenity and peace”; this is not a mere claim; it has been experienced by millions of people throughout ages, and you can also experience it yourself, if only you were to condition yourself with it!

5) Seek refuge and protection only in Allah; let these duas be part and parcel of your daily practices, in mornings as well as at night before retiring it bed:
Bismillahi alladhee laa yadhurru ma’ismihi shay’un fi al-ardhi wa laa fi al-ssama’I wa huwa al-ssamee al-aleem
(In the name of Allah, with His name nothing whatsoever on either earth or heaven can inflict any harm; He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.)

Hasbiya Allaahu laa ilaaha illaahuwa alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa rabbu al-arshi al-azheem
(Allah is sufficient for me; there is no other god but He; in Him alone I place all my trust; He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne!)

Rabbi a’doohu bika min hamazaati al-shshayateeni wa a’oodhu bika an yahdhurooni
(My Lord, I seek refuge and protection in You from whisperings of devils, and I seek Your protection against their presence around me)

Repeat them as many times as you can in the morning and at night while believing family that your prayer is heard by Allah, then feel the grace and protection of Allah.

6) Read the Qur’an; especially the following before going to bed: Fatihah, aayat al-kursi (surat al-baqarah: verse; 255) surat al-Ikhlas (i.e. surah 112) surat al-falaq (i.e. surah 113) and al-nnas (i.e. 114);

7) Finally, close it all with the following du’a for overcoming insomnia:
Allaahumma ghaarat al-nnujum, wa hada’at al-uyun wa anta hayyun qayyoom, laa ta’khudhuka sinatun wa laa nawm; ihdi laylee wa anim ‘aynee.

(O Allah, stars have set, eyes have rested; You alone are the Ever-Alive, and the Self-Subsisting Source of all beings; neither slumber nor sleep overtakes You. Make my night comforting for me, and bring sleep unto my eyes.)

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalaamualaikum- what can should do if there are those who are narcissistic (confirmed by councillors) that are in religious position and are taking advantage of others, law, etc and vulnerable sisters as no one will believe due to their religious background.

A:

If you have credible evidence that someone is abusing another person, male or female, you ought to do what it takes to stop him in the tracks.

If he cannot be stopped except by resorting to the legal process, you should not hesitate.

That is the only way to stop the abuse.

By failing to take the necessary action, we condone and perpetrate the abuse.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I have prayed Istikhara many times to marrying a person, for the first i prayed in December 2021, when i prayed for 3 days continously one thing happened, the discussion about our marriage started at his home in a serious way like his brother shared to his father about me. Afte that i prayed istikhara again for 4 days continuously to make it 7 times & then he talked with his father and sent proposal at my home. This all was a positive sign. When proposal came at my home, my father hadn’t responded to that proposal like neither yes nor no he was silent, But my father got angry at me, He doesn’t want me to marry him cause the location is almost same where both families live like a street away. So, i’m confuse about the results of Istikhara prayer, what should i conclude from this all. After that i offered Istikhara prayer randomly many times, & got no signs. Right now i’m offering Istikhara prayer again got no sign again. Please guide me about the result of Istikhara prayer i’m offering.

A:

Isktiharah prayer does not mean you will be getting an inspiration from Allah. It only means that once you have made up your mind by considering the pros and cons of the issue, you make istikhara and act accordingly.

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

“Istikharah is to seek the right decision by invoking the power and knowledge of Allah. Human beings are weak. Our faculties of knowledge and power are limited. Allah possesses complete knowledge and has power over all things. He knows what is beneficial for us and what is detrimental to us. Therefore, as believers we ought to turn to Him always for direction and inspiration in our life. We should have firm conviction that if we sincerely turn to Allah, He will surely grant us help.

In this society we see people resorting to all kinds of superstitious practices in order to ensure their choices and decisions in life are sound. Some people turn to palm readers. The pagan Arabs used to practice divining of arrows or stirring of birds. The latter practice meant that if the bird flies in one direction it is construed as bad omen. If, on the other hand, it flies in the other direction it is construed as a good omen.

Islam puts an end to such superstitions. It teaches the fundamental principle that the knowledge of what lies in the future is strictly the preserve of Allah and Allah alone. Therefore, the only way open to the believer is to seek the help and assistance of the Creator, whose knowledge embraces the past, present and future.

Istikharah is the prescribed method of seeking this help and assistance from Allah in choosing the most appropriate course of action. It involves the procedure of performing ablutions correctly and offering of two Rak’ahs after which one reads the Du’a Istikharah. The Prophet, peace be on him, said, “Whosoever makes Istikharah he will have no reason to regret.”

After having made the Istikharah, a person proceeds on the decision that he deems good, and that decision will be blessed by Allah. Istikharah does not necessarily involve one to experience a vision or dream. It is possible some people may have a vision or feel impelled within their own conscience to move in a certain direction.”

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Sometimes I go night club with my friends , but I don’t consume alcohol
But I should share the bills
Can I use the Internet money to pay since I didn’t consume and I don’t want my halal money to be used for haram
And I have haram relationship , I want to give pocket money to my girlfriend can I use interest money
Please make dua for me to stop both haram incidents
Thank you

A:

Your question reminds me of the answer of Ibn Umar, who asked him about the purity of the spider’s blood. When he found out that they were from Iraq, he told them: You are asking me about the blood of a spider when you are the ones who had no qualm on slaying the Prophet’s grandson about whom the Prophet said that they are from among the flowers of paradise.

In other words, you should be more worried about the grave sins of visiting pubs and associating with the sinners, and dating, all of which are more heinous sins than making use of the interest money.

I would urge you to use the blessed month of Ramadan to break such habits. You can do so with the help of Allah if you are determined to do so.

For details on how to succeed in doing so, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

“Since you have been addicted to an extremely pernicious habit that destroys your spiritual soul and thus leading to self-destruction, you must urgently summon your will power and take all the necessary steps that you can muster in order to wean yourself of it immediately.

In order to empower yourself to achieve this, you should seek beneficial counselling and therapy preferably from those professionals in the field who are conscientious Muslims; if such Muslim professionals are not available from those who are ethically and morally conscious. It is important for you to wean yourself of these pernicious habits; the consequences of persisting in them are simply unthinkable; they would undoubtedly corrode your spiritual soul and cause your spiritual death.

Sins by their very nature are addictive, for it is in the very nature of carnal soul to seek pleasure in sins. As Busiri has rightly said, “Carnal soul is a like a baby; if you neglect him, he will grow up clinging on to the breast-milk for ever, but if you wean him off, he will be weaned off.” I suggest a few tips which you can use to empower yourself:

1) Visualize and meditate on the ugliness of this heinous sin and conjure up images of hell fire as painted in the Qur’an and the Sunnah as many times as possible until such time that whenever you are tempted to visit such sites or view such scenes will be constantly playing in the screen of your mind; thus even as you have associated this addiction with pleasure you will come to associate it with pure pain and suffering.

2) Convince yourself—by taking all measures such as listing all the negative things about such habits, and listing the verses and traditions about the gravity of sins—of the urgency of removing this malignant cancer from your life; remember it is far more serious than cancer attacking your body since your soul survives you even after your physical body has disintegrated in the earth.

3) Imagine how terrible a loss you will be facing were you to die while being addicted to this most heinous sin?

4) Seek strength from Allah by crying to Him for succour; but you can never seek the help of Allah unless you seek to establish connection with Him through regular Prayers; so never be slack in Your Prayers.

5) Schedule your time in such a way that you are never left with any time to think of such matters; Imam Shafi said: “If you don’t occupy your mind with good works, your carnal soul will make you busy in bad deeds!”

6) Surround yourself with spiritual and Islamic influences and virtually immerse yourself in them.

7) Always hang around with good Muslims who are busy doing good works; join a halaqah where spiritual training is imparted together with study of Islam

8) Make your mind and tongue busy with dhikr Allah; say the following words and others frequently:

Subhaana Allaah; al-hamdu li Allah; laa ilaaha illa Allaah, Allaahu akbar;
wa laa hawla walaa quwwata illaa bi Allaah; astaghfir Allaaha al-azeem min kulli dhanbin wa atoobu ilaahi
(Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah, Allah is Great; there is no power or strength except by the will of Allah; I ask forgiveness of Allah from all my sins and repent to Him.)

9. Once you have been weaned of these pernicious habits, you should seriously consider marriage; marriage is the protection against temptations.

I pray that the Beneficent Lord of Mercy save us all from the evil inclinations of our souls and make us hate disbelief, transgressions and sins; and may He endear to our hearts faith and good works-aameen.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

is it appropriate to name a baby
محمد ذی المعارج
Mohammad Zil-Maarij

or
ذی المعارج
Zil-Ma’arij


*Reference*
Surah Al-Maarij, Verse 3:
مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ
From Allah, the Lord of the ways of Ascent.

A:

I would advise you to choose another name as it is not acceptable to call your son Muhammad dhil ma’arij.

It is not befitting to ascribe to a human being the attributes of Allah.

I wonder why you would want to choose such a name. There is no shortage of good names for you to choose from.

For details on naming children, let me cite here from one of my earlier answers:

“Children are a trust in the hands of parents. Parents, therefore, have a duty to receive this divine gift with a true sense of gratitude and do everything at their disposal to provide the best nurturing. There is nothing better they can do in this regard than by providing them a home filled with love and kindness, and thus contributing to their overall physical, intellectual, ethical and spiritual growth and development. Such a duty begins before the birth of the child and extends all through their lives. Having said this, I must say, that the first important duty when a child is born is to recite the adhan in the right ear in a gentle voice, and give him or her a good name.

As for the choice of names, we are given the following guidelines:

1. We must certainly avoid names that indicate any trace of shirk or association of partners with Allah. Therefore it is forbidden to call someone `Abd al-Ka`bah, or `Abd al-Nabi (servant of the Ka`bah or servant of the Prophet), since all of us are servants of Allah alone.

2. We must also avoid names that imply meanings that are offensive or unpleasant in connotations. The Prophet (pbuh) changed names such asHarb (War) with Salam (Peace), ‘Asiyah (Rebellious) with Jamilah (Beautiful), Sa`b (Difficult) with Sahl (Easy to deal with), etc.

3. We are encouraged to give names that have good or noble meanings or associations, for names may inadvertently inspire a person to do great things or stay away from vices. Choosing names of prophets or great persons who have been role models of virtue and piety is an excellent idea. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) named his son Ibrahim, and he said, “I have called him by my father’s name!”

Having said this, I must add: There is nothing in the Islamic sources to indicate that we are allowed only to give our children Arabic names. Since Islam is a universal religion, there is no such requirement. Any name is okay so long as we keep in mind the above points. But, at the same time, while choosing names, we must strive our best not to compromise our Islamic identity.”

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

My question is, can we get married and stay separately in own family homes for purposes like unsupportive environment or financial inability till an estimated time like 2 years?

A:

There is nothing wrong with a man and a woman marrying and deciding to live separately due to personal reasons. However, they should do so through mutual consultation.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I ‘m hired from IT company as a programmer, but i work for a customer which is an insurance company.

I don’t work directly on their products but on their IT infrastructures.

I ask to my employer to change my role and then the customer, but this change will take months .
How should i treat old and new salaries?

thanks in advance. i know it’s a very specific question, i hope it’s not aproblem. insh’allah

A:

You may continue the job as long as you have requested them to change your role. In the meantime, you should cleanse your income off the taints of haram by making lots of istighfaar and some extra charities.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Surah 33 of today’s Quran contains 73 verses. However, according to Muhammad’s wife Aisha, Surah 33 was originally recited with 200 verses. Even worse, Muhammad’s companion Ubayy ibn Kab insists that Surah 33 used to be as long as Surah 2, which contains 286 verses! How can our Muslim friends claim that the Quran has been perfectly preserved when hundreds of verses have been lost from a single chapter?

This is hurting me help me

A:

The Qur’an has been preserved intact as it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. That is an indisputable fact, regardless of the ivory tower speculations or fanciful ideas one may come up with to argue otherwise.

Allah has promised to preserve the Qur’an intact until the Last Hour. He has done it all through the centuries. The Qur’an has, thus, been impeccably preserved unaltered and un-tampered with like no other scripture in the world. Through the grace of our Lord, this is how the Qur’an will remain, no matter how many false copies are made and distributed. These fraudulent copies will never be accepted as the Qur’an, which cannot be anything but the Word of Allah in its entirety.

Even if, God forbid, all of the printed copies of the Qur’an were to vanish from the face of the earth, it would still be restored verbatim. It has been memorized by millions of people, young and old, throughout the world. So never harbor any doubts about the authenticity of the Qur’an or the divine promise of its preservation. Allah says, “We have revealed the Reminder, and We have taken upon ourselves the duty of preserving it intact.” (Al-Hijr 15:9)

The dubious reports you are referring to cannot contradict the above fact.

Certainly, Aisha and all other companions or everyone from any of the previous generations used the exact version of the Qur’an that we have today. However, if they had another version, it would undoubtedly be passed on to the posterity considering the diversity of schools and sects among Muslims.

The fact that Muslims, despite their diverse theological or sectarian affiliations, keep the same Qur’an like everyone else is sufficient proof.

If you wish to pursue this issue in detail, you may consult The History of the Qur’anic Text: From Revelation to Compilation by Dr. Muhammad Mustafa al-Azami

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I knew before that loans were haram but just realized that meant student loans were haram as well. I was wondering if the loans that I have, the interest doesn’t start until after I graduate. So is it ok if I take out a student loan to help pay for college but pay it back before I graduate or before the interest starts (because I’ll be working during college so I’ll earn money to pay off the loan, I just don’t have the money upfront)?

In other words, is it the interest part of the loan that is haram?

A:

You are allowed to take a student loan only if you have no other option to pay for your educational expenses:

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

“You are allowed to take the OSAP loan if you have no other alternative– provided you are sincere in your intention to pay it back without incurring interest according to the best of your ability.

In order to make this happen, you should take only the absolute minimum amount that is needed which you would be able to pay off within the allowable time period. If you sincerely work and ask Allah’s help you would be able to do so. I know many students who had been there; they did manage to pay the loans back without involving any interest whatsoever through hard work and firm commitment to do so with the help of Allah.

The way they achieved this was that while being enrolled in their full time studies, they also secured part-time jobs (such as security guards or in the library, etc.) which did not interfere seriously with their studies; besides this, they also made use of full-time summer employment.

A still better alternative is to try to get a stipend or bursary, which is not at all impossible to obtain if you are diligent in your academic work.

The Prophet, peace be upon, taught us that whoever wishes to keep himself chaste, pure and free from sins, Allah will surely help him to do so. So formulate sincere intention to avoid interest payment, and work hard and seek help from Allah, Allah will help you. Allah says, “Whoever fears Allah, Allah will surely make things easy for him/her.” (Qur’an: 65: 4).

To conclude: If you tried your best to keep the loan to a minimum and strove to pay it within the period you have done what is possible for you; if, for reasons beyond your control or means, you could not pay all of them on time, then Allah knows your circumstances; so ask forgiveness of Him, for He is Forgiving and Merciful. I wish you all the success in your studies. Pray to Allah always making use of the following supplication:

Allaahumma aghninee bi halaalika an haraamika wa bi ta’atika an ma’siyatika wa bi fadlika amman siwaaka

(O Allah, make me self-sufficient with that which is halaal (lawful) so that I am not compelled to go for what is haraam (unlawful); make me self-sufficient with obedience to You so that I am not led to disobedience; make me self-sufficient with Your favor so that I do not need to look to favor from others!)

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalamualaikum, I am a female muslim and would like to become a Pediatric Emergency Room Doctor. Is it permissible for me to become one, considering that I want to work in the U.S. and possibly other countries as well?

I heard its okay to be a female doctor but I live in the U.S. and it may be hard due to possible interactions with non mahrams. But if i want to be a pediatric ER doctor would that be fine since patients would be children?

A:

Wa `alaykum as-salam

You are allowed to specialize in this area.

Medicine and its diverse specialties are critical careers to pursue as long as one has the ambition to do so with excellence and the sincere intention of serving others.

It would be best if you did not hesitate to pursue this career goal because of your fear of interacting with non-mahrams.

As ruled by eminent scholars, they are excused for the more significant benefit as long as you do your best to avoid compromising situations.

The principle of tolerating the lesser of the two evils for a greater Maslahah is the rule to follow in such matters.

Therefore, in light of the scholarly opinions based on the above principle, you may choose this area of medicine to practice. While doing so, pray to Allah to bless you in your career and help you safeguard your honor and religion.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Assalamualaikum, I am a female muslim and would like to become a Pediatric Emergency Room Doctor. Is it permissible for me to become one, considering that I want to work in the U.S. and possibly other countries as well?

I heard its okay to be a female doctor but I live in the U.S. and it may be hard due to possible interactions with non mahrams. But if i want to be a pediatric ER doctor would that be fine since patients would be children?

A:

Wa `alaykum as-salam

You are allowed to specialize in this area.

Medicine and its diverse specialties are critical careers to pursue as long as one has the ambition to do so with excellence and the sincere intention of serving others.

It would be best if you did not hesitate to pursue this career goal because of your fear of interacting with non-mahrams.

As ruled by eminent scholars, they are excused for the more significant benefit as long as you do your best to avoid compromising situations.

The principle of tolerating the lesser of the two evils for a greater Maslahah is the rule to follow in such matters.

Therefore, in light of the scholarly opinions based on the above principle, you may choose this area of medicine to practice. While doing so, pray to Allah to bless you in your career and help you safeguard your honor and religion.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

How long are we allowed in a church

A:

You are allowed to visit a church to learn about their beliefs and practices. However, you should not take part in their specific rituals. There is no harm in joining with them in a common prayer that is free of taints of shirk or associating partners with God.

Your visits should be only for purposes of acquainting yourself with their practices. So they should not go beyond that. While there never stop praying to Allah to help you remain steadfast on the Truth. And pray also: 

Rabbi akhrijnee mukhraja sidqin wa adkhilnee mudkhala sidqin wa ij’al lee min ladunka sultaanan naseeran

(My Lord, cause me to exit to a secure and trustworthy abode, and cause me to enter into a secure and trustworthy abode and be always with me as my protector and guardian).

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I’m the only revert in my family and was wondering if my non Muslim mother and grandmother would still be allowed to witness nikah?

A:

You should certainly invite them to witness your marriage and participate in the wedding feast. In fact, you ought to honor them. Islam teaches us to honor our parents and kith and kin; your mother and grandmother deserve utmost respect and honor. The fact they are non-Muslims should not prevent you from honoring them and serving them as best as you can.

Allah orders us in the Qur’an:

“And We have commanded people to ˹honour˺ their parents. Their mothers bore them through hardship upon hardship, and their weaning takes two years. So be grateful to Me and your parents. To Me is the final return. But if they pressure you to associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them. Still keep their company in this world courteously, and follow the way of those who turn to Me ˹in devotion˺. Then to Me you will ˹all˺ return, and then I will inform you of what you used to do.” (Luqman 31:14-15)

Therefore, I would urge to honor your mother and grandmother and your kith and kin and let them experience the beauty of Islam.

You may do well to know that Islam spread to various parts of the world mainly because of the beauty of character demonstrated by Muslims.

I pray to Allah that your mercy towards your parents and kith and kin may guide them to accept the truth of Islam.

Almighty Allah knows best.