Dear Brothers/Sisters,

Thank you very much for joining us in this 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 to your questions below.

Q:

Assalamualaykum, I wanted to know if it’s permissible for women to wear jewelry over their hijab, without showing any skin, and is it permissible to wear jewelry on top of hijab for special occasions, like attending a wedding?

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

While women may wear jewelry inside their homes, they are not allowed to wear it when they step out of the house. Jewelry is considered an adornment, and as such Muslim women are not allowed to display it in public.

Allah says:

“And tell the believing women to lower their eyes and to guard their private parts, and to not display their adornment except that which is visible thereof.” (An-Nur  24:31)

Scholars have inferred the ruling from the above verse that Muslim women are not allowed to display their jewelry except in front of their husbands or close male relatives. 

Allah knows best.

Q:

I’ve taken Qula yesterday from my partner in the Presence of Qazi. After the documentation Qazi dictated a sentence to me and my ex-husband. The Qazi dictated the term Talaq in his sentence where he didn’t agree to use the term but then he said and the procedure completed. I want to know that, is there any way left for us to  reconciliate after using the term Talaq during Qula?

A:

According to the preferred view of scholars, khul` is considered as talaq initiated by the wife; however, in the case of khul`, a husband cannot take her back during the waiting period as it is considered a final divorce. Once the iddah is over, they may choose to remarry via new nikah.

So while he may not take you back during the iddah, he can definitely marry you through a new nikah. There is no need for you to marry another person and get a divorce from him for doing so.

Allah knows best.

Q:

How should we show love for Prophet Muhammad?

A:

Love of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is an integral part of faith. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “No one of you can be a true believer until I become dearer to him than his parents, children and all of humankind.” (Reported by Bukhari)

As for how to express our love for Allah and His Prophet, we find the following answer in the Qur’an:

Allah says, “Say, “If you love God, follow me, and God will love you and forgive you your sins. And God is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Aal `Imran 3:31)

So, the sure way of expressing our love for Allah (and His Prophet) is by following the Prophet (peace be upon him). In another verse, Allah says, “Indeed you have beautiful exemplar in the Messenger of Allah: for those who hope to meet Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much.”  (Al-Ahzab 33:21)

Now let us see how to express our love of the Prophet:

1) We can do this by learning about his excellent morals and character and putting them into practice. The Prophet’s way of correcting people was through his examples and role model. So if you are disturbed to see the Muslims behave, you should show them a better way of dealing with the situation, as the Prophet always acted positively in every case; that was why he could achieve what no one else could achieve.

2) Formulate a goal for your life. In the face of such negativity, ask yourself: what is one thing I can do that will cause a change? Don’t ask what others are doing since you have no control over others; you can only control yourself. So change yourself first. 

3) As a lover of the Prophet, you should be diligent in the observance of Prayer and other obligatory duties and stay away from the things that Allah has forbidden. So then, having done this, let the dhikr, duaa, and salawaat on the Prophet be your second nature.

4) Join those who work for disseminating the true Islamic knowledge and work for the cause of Islam.

5) Finally, follow the Prophet’s example of making common causes with all those who work for the betterment of the world and humanity.

With these objectives set in your mind and working towards it as your life mission, we can hope to gain the companionship of the Prophet in the next world. The Prophet said, ‘A person joins the company of those he or she loves after death.’ Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, they are with those whom Allah had favoured, of the Prophets and the saints, favored martyrs, and the righteous. They are the best of company.” (An-NIsaa’ 4:69)

Allah knows best.

Q:

What is the role of imams and scholars on the occasion of the Prophet’s birthday?

A:

The arrival of the Prophet (PBUH) on the world scene was the most auspicious event. Allah sent him as a ‘Mercy for the worlds’.

His mission was meant to save humanity from the forces of destruction. Therefore, today as we are on the suicidal path of self-destruction, the world needs to embrace his message and show how to save us from imminent doom.

In his farewell sermon, the Prophet, peace be upon him, took a pledge from the Muslims to pass his message on to posterity. The responsibility for it falls on Muslims in generals and more especially on the leaders and scholars. However, the world harbors negative views about him and his mission, so it behooves us to mobilize our intellectual, moral, and spiritual resources to share his message. Words are not enough; actions and examples speak louder. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Use the month of Rabi` al-Awwal to organize events and programs aimed at educating Muslims and non-Muslims by using the most effective methods;

2. We should enlist clean forms of art, music, and diverse forms of media and communication methods for the same;

3. Muslims throughout history were using the auspicious month for inculcating a true spirit of love and emotional attachment to the Prophet. It was thus a sure way of instilling in the hearts and minds and stirring up the streams of love; it helped unify the ummah and build the bonds of solidarity. Hence, Rabi` al-Awal became a herald of a new spiritual season to rekindle our love for the Prophet and celebrate his Seerah.

Allah knows best.

Q:

What is the exact date of Prophet Muhammad’s brith and death?

A:

 The consensus among Muslims has been that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was born in the ‘Year of the Elephant’, and it was precisely in the month of Rabiul Awwal, and it was on a Monday. However, as for the precise date, while most scholars put it on the 12th, some others place it on the 9th.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, was asked why he fasted on Mondays; he replied, ‘it is the day I was born, and it is the day I was entrusted with the mission of Prophet-hood. (Reported by Muslim)

Some prominent authors of Seerah, including Muhammad Khudri and Safiuddin Mubarakapoori, have endorsed the view of Mahmud Pasha, the famous Egyptian astronomer, that he was born on Monday, the 9th of Rabiul Awwal, which corresponded to the 20th of April, in the year of 571 CE, which, also corresponds to the year of the Elephant. He was born in the house of his uncle Abu Talib, in the valley of Banu Hashim (Cf. Muhammad Khudri Bek, Nur al-Yaqin, p. 9.)

As for the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him; there is consensus that he died on Monday, in the month of Rabiul Awwal, in the 11th year of Hijrah.

 Allah knows best.

Q:

What did the prophet teach about animal welfare?

A:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent as a Mercy for the Worlds’. His mission of mercy embraces all of God’s creation, including humankind, animals, and the environment. The Quran and the Prophet’s sunnah stress that our relationship with the earth and its inhabitants is that of a compassionate shepherd; hence we ought to work for the welfare of all of God’s creation.

We must not engage in actions that would upset the balance and endanger our life and the life of other species on the earth.

The Prophet also left us with practical guidelines to foster animal welfare. He warned us against all forms of cruelty against animals and banned practices such as bullfighting, cock-fighting or game fishing, or hunting (simply as a sport and not strictly for food).

The Prophet said, “Fear Allah in the way you treat these mute animals: If you happen to use them for riding, do it only when they are healthy and able to bear the burden; if you use them for food, do so only when they are healthy.”

To stop cruelty towards animals, Islam also prohibited Muslims from eating animals tortured to death by strangling, choking, or mutilating them, pushing them from a cliff, etc.

The Prophet also taught us to be merciful while slaughtering animals for food to ensure that they are not tortured, thus allowing them to die with the least amount of suffering.

The Prophet also told us that we would be rewarded for even the most minor acts of kindness towards any living beings. Likewise, we would also incur punishment for acts of cruelty towards them. The Prophet’s words, ‘show mercy to those on earth: you will receive the mercy of the One in heaven.” (Reported by Tirmidhi)

He told the story of a prostitute who was forgiven for giving water to a thirsty dog licking dust out of thirst. (Reported by Al-Bukhari)

Inspired by the above teachings, Muslims throughout centuries set up endowments to render charitable acts of compassion towards animals, including cats and dogs.

Allah knows best.

Q:

How should Muslims make the best use of the Prophet’s birthday?

A:

While celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (peace be upon him), we must make sure to keep away from all expressions of excessive venerations and innovations. Instead, we ought to use the occasion to communicate the mission of mercy that the Prophet, peace be upon him, represented. Allah sent him as a mercy for the world; as such, we ought to show the world through our words and deeds how this message can bring peace, harmony, and compassion in today’s world.

Here are a few points to help us in our endeavor:

1. Opening our mosques and centers to welcome visitors from other faith communities and introduce them to the beauty of his message and life.

2. We ought to educate our children, youth, and adults on the spiritual and moral lessons of the Seerah; often, we focus on the military exploits of the Prophet, which would give them the wrong impression that his life was all about warfare and politics.

3. We may do well to celebrate the occasion through art, music, and stories so that we use it to help everyone connect with the emotional or experiential dimension of Islam.

4. Choosing specific themes from the Prophetic teachings such as animal welfare, environmental protection, or empathy for the poor and the weak and creating endowments for such projects would be innovative and highly effective ways of expressing our love for the Prophet (peace be upon him).

5. Last but not least, we ought to condition ourselves to invoke Allah’s blessings on him and pass this habit on to our children and future generations.

I pray to Allah to instill in our hearts love for Allah and His Messenger and honor us to earn his companionship in the next world. Amen.

Allah knows best.

Q:

It is permissible to say “Ya Muhammad” when we ask for help?

A:

Tawhid, or pure Oneness of Allah, is the core belief of Islam. That is why (in al-Fathihah) we pray a minimum of 17 times a day to Allah, “You alone, we worship, and from You alone, we seek assistance.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught this belief in his companions. Once he told Ibn Abbas, “Be Mindful of Allah, Allah will mind you….if you were to ask for help, ask from Allah alone; if you seek assistance, seek assistance from Allah alone.” (Reported by at-Tirmidhi)

In light of these and other clear evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah, we can readily conclude that we are not allowed to turn to anyone, including the messenger of Allah, for help or imploring assistance or protection. If we do so, that is shirk. That is contrary to the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

We may do well to remember that shirk is an unforgivable sin in Islam. So we must never harbor or condone such beliefs or practices.

Allah knows best.

Q:

What is the difference between a prophet and a messenger?

A:

There are two terms used in the Islamic sources, namely, nabi and rasul, which may be translated respectively as Prophet and messenger.

ANabi refers to someone who Allah inspires, whereas a Rasul, besides inspiration, is also bestowed a mission to preach or given laws. So every Rasul is a prophet, while not every Nabi is not a Rasul. We learn from a tradition attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that there were altogether 124 thousand prophets, while there were only 315 messengers.

There are five Great Messengers mentioned in the Qur’an, namely, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, `Isa, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all), and the Prophet Muhammad is the seal of prophets and messengers, after whom there is no other prophet to come.

Allah knows best.

Q:

Was the prophet created from light?

A:

There is no better way to describe the Messenger of Allah than what Allah tells us about him. Here are a few verses that introduce the Prophet and his nature to us:

“O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, and a deliverer of good news, and a warner, and a caller to ˹the Way of˺ Allah by His command, and a beacon of light.” (Al-Ahzab 33:35-36)

“Muhammad is no more than a messenger; other messengers have gone before him. If he were to die or to be killed, would you regress into disbelief?” (Aal `Imran 3:144)

“Say, “I am only a human being like you. It is revealed unto me that your God is one God. So whosoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him perform righteous deeds and make no one a partner unto his Lord in worship.” (Al-Kahf 18: 110)

The Prophet, peace be upon him, warned Muslims never imitate the Christians who venerated Jesus, peace be upon him, attributing to him divine qualities that befit only God.

The Prophet said, “Do not venerate me as the Christians venerated Jesus, son of Mary; I am only a servant of Allah and His messenger.”

Allah warns the Christians against excessive veneration of Jesus

“Say, “O People of the Book! Do not exaggerate in your religion beyond the truth, and follow not the caprices of a people who went astray before, and led many astray, and strayed from the right way.” (Al-Ma’idah 5:77)

The Prophet Muhammad, like all other prophets and messengers, is a human being; he is descended from Adam, who was created from clay.

There is no evidence in the sources (i.e., the Quran and the Sunnah) to support the claim that the Prophet was created from light. These are false notions introduced into Islam by those who wish to distort and dilute the pure Islamic beliefs.

The Prophet always warned his companions against all forms of hero worship. When someone addressed him saying: You are our Master, the son of our Master, he stopped him saying: ‘Don’t get carried away by placing above the status that Allah has placed me. I am only a servant of Allah and His Messenger.’ (Reported by Abu Dawud and others)

So, we must purge our faith from such erroneous beliefs and never commit excesses in religion.

Allah knows best.

Q:

Can I make duaa to attain the attributes of Prophet Muhammad?

A:

I pray to Allah to enhance our love for Allah and His Messenger.

By cherishing love for him and striving to manifest it in our lives, we can hope to join his blessed company in the hereafter. Emulating the beautiful examples of the Prophet is the sure way of expressing our love for him. The Prophet used to pray to Allah: “O Allah, even as you gave me a beautiful shape, beautify my character for me as well.”

So, striving hard to emulate the Prophet and praying to Allah to bless our efforts to beautify our character would be the best we can strive for. While saying this, we should remind ourselves that duaa in Islam goes hand in hand with work. That is another example that the Prophet set for us, which we often are inclined to ignore.

Now coming to specifics of Prophet’s character for us to seek to adorn ourselves, let me mention the following:

1. Pillars of Prophetic character include the following: His wholehearted surrender to Allah and constancy in remembering Him.

2. Other important character traits were his truthfulness, integrity, modesty, humility, empathy, compassion, standing up for truth and justice, and caring for others.

Allah knows best.

Q:

Can we donate the reward of our deeds to prophet Muhammad?

A:

May Allah implant in our hearts love for Allah and His Messenger. May He also honor us to join the company of His Messenger in the next world.

Allah tells us in the Quran that the Messenger of Allah is our role model and that we should follow him if we seek the pleasure of Allah.

So, there is no better way of enhancing our love for the Messenger of Allah than emulating his examples. That is the way his companions and the pious predecessors expressed their love for Allah’s messenger. Thanks to their perseverance in obeying Allah and His messenger Allah cites them as our exemplars and role  models:

“[As for] the foremost, the first among the Emigrants and the Helpers, and those who followed them with virtue, God is content with them, and they are content with Him. And He has prepared for them Gardens with rivers running below, to abide therein forever. That is a great triumph.” (Aal `Imran 3:100)

It was thanks to their genuine love for him they were ready to give their lives. Hundreds of them willingly embraced death.

However, we find no mention in the sources that the Prophet’s companions, including the foremost of them, were in the habit of doing good works and donating the rewards for the Messenger of Allah.  If it had been recommended, they would certainly not hesitate to do so. 

Therefore, we may do well to focus on working for our salvation. Since whether whatever good works we do, the Prophet is already guaranteed rewards; there is no need for us to do so. Furthermore, we believe that the Messenger of Allah is in the highest station of paradise. Therefore, for us to think that he needs our donation of good deeds would betray our self-righteousness and therefore not befitting our respect for him.

Having said this, I would like to point out:

There is no better way of proving our love for the Messenger of Allah than witnessing the truth of the message through our words and deeds and offering salutations as Allah has instructed us:

“Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace.” (Al-Ahzab 33:56)

Allah knows best.

Q:

Asslamualikum!!! Most scholars say that it is haraam to talk with a non-mahram unnecessarily. For example, if I am sitting with a non-mahram with my family in a room and my intention is clean, would it be still Haram to talk???

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

It is not haram to talk to a non-mahram casually or for business reasons as long as we do so without engaging in flirtatious talks or lustful thoughts.

Men and women used to talk and transact business in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They were everywhere: in the marketplace, in the mosque, in the battlefield, and yet no one said it is haram for them to talk as long as we keep our intentions pure and clean.

Of course, while doing so, we must abide by the ethical guidelines established in Islam, including wearing modest attire and keeping away from all mannerisms and actions that induce lustful thoughts.

Allah knows best.

Q:

After watching porn, sperm is also leaked from. What can we do in immediately if we have no option of bath can we do only wudhu for tauba at that time?

A:

If you did this grave sin, you need to repent to Allah and ask forgiveness of Him. Before prayer, you need to perform ghusl. If you are unable to do so for the following reasons, you may perform tayammum instead:

1. If you cannot find water

2. If you are unable to use water because of a medical condition and your physician has advised you against bathing

3. If you are sick and you fear bathing would worsen it.

Otherwise, you ought to bathe before you are eligible to pray.

Once you have made sincere repentance, you can hope for the mercy of Allah. However, Tawbah is not simply uttering some words or wishing for forgiveness; instead, it takes earnest efforts on your part.

For details, you may read the following answer:

The Door of Repentance Is Wide Open | About Islam

I pray to Allah to bless your efforts to seek repentance.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Sheikh if someone while alone declared many declarations of waqf and appointed himself as the administrator and accepted to be its caretaker but retracted the declaration of waqf and this person when he was doing this he had no money and property what will be his state should he get any form of wealth because he cant fulfil that duty and this person is a sane person kindly advise

A:

I honestly think that this person is hallucinating or simply a wishful thinker.

He needs to undergo severe psychotherapy from a trained professional.

Waqf and its laws are not meant only for people who have something to bequeath as a charitable contribution. Since this person is poor, the laws of waqf do not apply to him. It does not matter how many times he uttered such wishes. The prophet said, “faith if not wishful thinking.”

However, as he has been making such pledges, he may do well to expiate himself by offering a Kaffara, which applies to solemn oaths we have made and yet are unable to fulfill. Allah says;

“God does not hold you accountable for your unintended oaths, but He holds you accountable for your binding oaths. The atonement for it is by feeding ten needy people from the average of what you feed your families, or by clothing them, or by freeing a slave. Anyone who lacks the means shall fast for three days. That is the atonement for breaking your oaths when you have sworn them. So keep your oaths. Thus God makes clear His revelations to you, that you may be grateful.”(Al-Ma’idah 5:89)

Therefore, based on the above, he should feed ten poor people whenever he can. If, however, he cannot afford to do so, he should fast three days.

Lastly, he should restrain himself from making such pronouncements.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I don’t know how to make my parents happy without hurting one of them.

For some context: My parents aren’t divorced, but they have been separated for 7 years now. When we lived together my dad was abusive towards my mum (verbally and physically) Which led with my mum being physically abusive towards me and my siblings. My dad used to never hit me or my siblings, and he used to show more affection towards us than my mum ever did when i was a child. My mum got tired one day and she decided to leave him. He didn’t complain nor did he try to fight for us (my siblings) to stay with him. He just accepted it. Even if he wanted us to stay, he didn’t say anything because of his pride. He even took us to the airport. My mum decided to go to her sister’s house in England. I was resented my dad because my mum always made me believe he was a bad person. As I grew older, I started realising how toxic my mum was. She wasn’t physically abusive towards us once we moved to England, however that’s when she became emotionally abusive towards us. I have gone through mental health issues when i was a child. I had a condition called “Trichotillomania” due to the stress i had to go through at such young age. It got so serious that i had to go to a children’s psychologist for a few months. A few months ago my mum came into my room and she started laughing at the fact that I had that condition when I was a child. And she just kept laughing and laughing. I was holding my tears. Once she found out about my eating disorder and she shouted at me for an hour straight. She has caused the the worst meltdowns I have ever had in my life. And she never apologises. I’m not trying to justify my dad’s abuse. But both did and said terrible things to each other. Growing up I feared my mum more than anything in the world. But she was the only person that was the for me (not emotionally). I never got the opportunity to bond with my dad. He never told me anything about his life, he never tried to get to know me nor did he ever commented on anything I did with my life, however he is a good Father. He would give me hugs and kisses when i was a kid. He taught me how to ride a bike and he always, always cared for me. I love both of my parents so much and i want them to be happy, but it’s either one or the other. My dad lives alone. And he is indirectly asking me to live with him. I feel bad and i wanna help him but I don’t want to live with him. My mum gets all weird when i talk about my dad, or when she is speaking badly about him and I defend him. I can tell she gets hurt. I am currently staying with my dad for a month. My mum’s probably hurt about it as well. I plan on moving to another country in a few years for work. But I don’t want to hurt my mum. Nor do I want my dad to stay alone. Because of this I have been diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder and I’m on medication. My family is broken and I want to do something about it. I’m just so lost and I don’t have any answers. How can i help them?

A:

I can very well understand your dilemma. However, you should comfort yourself by reassuring yourself that Allah does not place burdens that we cannot bear on us. Allah tells us in the Qur’an:

“God does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. To its credit is what it earns, and against it is what it commits. ‘Our Lord, do not condemn us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord, do not burden us as You have burdened those before us. Our Lord, do not burden us with more than we have the strength to bear; and pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Lord and Master, so help us against the disbelieving people.’ “(Al-Baqarah 2 286)

Another point you need to take to heart and accept: You cannot expect to change anyone but yourself. In other words, you cannot change your father or mother. They can only change if they motivate themselves to do so.

Once you recognize the above-mentioned facts, you should ask what I can do to please my parents within the limited choices I have?

Here are my suggestions:

1. Speak with them and see if you can persuade them to accept each other as they are and open their hearts to forgive each other?

If they are willing to do so, your task will be easier.

If they are not, then leave them it to Allah.

In this case, you are left with the only choice you have:

2- Treat each one of them the best way you can, never mind you end up making the other person angry. You must be willing to accept and never dwell on their reactions. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Whoever works to please Allah thus ending up displeasing His creation, Allah take care of them for him; if however, a person works to please His creation by displeasing Him, He will abandon him to them.”

In other words, you will have no protection from Allah if you work to please your parents by displeasing Allah.

3- The fact that your father is living alone should not be bothering you so much as he is the one who is responsible for such a fate. A person must face the consequences of his action. Having said this, I am not suggesting you should not live with him sometime whenever you can. However, while doing so, you should also not discriminate against your mother. Therefore, the ideal way is to divide your time between the two of them.

Once you are married, your priority is your own family; you should only visit them occasionally while establishing regular contact with them via telephone and other means.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

I had this dream twice a couple months ago and was that I saw my teeth wiggling and falling out especially the top ones. Now recently had a dream that my top tooth fell out and i pulled it and the veins were still attached and was in my hand then it dropped on the floor and this kid picked it up and gave it back to me. The kid looked like a fictional horror kid. Please let me know what this means as it has been bothering me a lot.

A:

I am sorry to say: I am not eligible to interpret dreams.

Q:

I have been suffering from depression, and it hurts because it has to do with Islam. At times, it seems that justice is defined very differently. Reward and punishment seem to be associated with gender not the deed itself. Men seem to get more rewards than women do for the same deeds.

Quran and hadith mention that there is an exclusive reward or more reward for men. They get more of their desires in Paradise (namely women), but Allah does not promise more of anything to women. This hurts me.

For example, in the hadith here it mentions that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There are six things with Allah for the martyr. He is forgiven with the first flow of blood (he suffers), he is shown his place in Paradise, he is protected from punishment in the grave, secured from the greatest terror, the crown of dignity is placed upon his head – and its gems are better than the world and what is in it – he is married to seventy two wives along Al-Huril-‘Ayn of Paradise, and he may intercede for seventy of his close relatives.”

So, a martyr man, will get all of this, but a martyr woman will not get all of this? She will only get 5 of these things, and therefore, she will be given 72 less rewards than a man as there is no mention that she will get 72 more things than a man, therefore for the exact same deed a woman is rewarded less. This makes Paradise less appealing to women.

However, when it comes to punishment, I see the complete opposite. It seems that women are punished more severely than men, especially if she is a married woman.

For example, in here, Allah’s Messenger said: “There are three those that prayer would not rise up beyond their ears: The runaway slave until he returns, a woman who spends a night while her husband is angry with her, and a people’s Imam whom they dislike.” It only mentions that a woman who makes her husband upset her prayer will not be accepted. If a wife who makes her husband angry deserves for her prayer not to be accepted, then why does not a husband who upsets his wife deserve the same punishment? Why does the hadith not say spouses to make each other angry, rather it only mentions the woman?

I am really depressed, I feel that men are favored over women in everything and their good deeds have more value. 

A:

There is no need for you to go into depression over such dubious traditions ignoring the well-established principles of Islam.

The first tradition you mentioned is weak; according to Haythami, one of its narrators, Abd al-Rahman b. Ziyad is weak.

The second tradition does not fare any better either. Al-Albani judges it as weak. So one cannot make such critical judgments based on questionable traditions.

Since they contradict the stated principles of the Quran, we ought to ignore them.

One of the essential principles of Islam is that men and women enjoy equal spiritual status.

Allah tells us in no uncertain terms that men and women are created from a single soul and that He will judge them equally; therefore, there is no room for any form of gender discrimination in Islam.

Here are a few explicit verses:

“So their Lord answered them, “I shall not let the work of any worker among you, male or female, be in vain; each of you is like the other.” (Aal `Imran 3:195]

“And whosoever performs righteous deeds, whether male or female, and is a believer, such shall enter the Garden, and they shall not be wronged so much as the speck on a date stone.” [An-NIsaa’ 4:124]

“Whosoever works righteousness, whether male or female, and is a believer, We shall give them new life, a good life, and We shall surely render unto them their reward in accordance with the best of that which they used to do.” (An-Nahl 16:97]

“Whosoever commits an evil deed will not be requited, save with the like thereof; but whosoever, whether male or female, performs a righteous deed and is a believer shall enter the Garden wherein they will be provided for without reckoning.” (Ghafir 40: 40)

“But the believing men and believing women are protectors of one another, enjoining right and forbidding wrong, performing the prayer, giving the alms, and obeying God and His Messenger. They are those upon whom God will have Mercy. Truly God is Mighty, Wise.” (At-Tawbah 9:71] 

And finally, here is a verse that spells it out so clearly settling the dispute in favor of perfect gender equality:

 “The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the truthful women, the steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the reverent women, the charitable men, the charitable women, the fasting men, the fasting women, the chaste men, the chaste women, and the men who commemorate GOD frequently, and the commemorating women; GOD has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense.” (Al-Ahzab 33:35]

So, I would urge you to disregard dubious traditions and refer to incontrovertible evidence from the Qur’an in such crucial matters. I pray to Allah to guide us all to see the truth as truth, follow it, see the error as error, and shun it.

So, I would urge you to disregard dubious traditions and refer to incontrovertible

Almighty Allah knows best.

Q:

Can a Muslim woman move out from her house due to mental illness caused by her father? 

A:

If she has no other way of saving herself from an abusive father, then she is allowed to move out as long as she takes all the necessary precautions to make it safe for her. She should exhaust the means for doing so; if she has a brother or uncle who can accommodate her or ensure her protection, she ought to go for it. If that option is not available, she should see if she can move to her sister or aunt’s home. If that is also not an option, she should consider moving to live with a sister in faith or a place with other sisters where she can feel safe and protected.

In short, a woman is allowed to move out to prevent or protect herself from abuse as long as he tries her best to ensure her safety and freedom from further violations.

We can infer the above ruling from the generally accepted Grand Legal Maxim in Islam: “The Harm must be Removed”.

Almighty Allah knows best.