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Live Fatwa (General Session)

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.

Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017 | 20:00 - 22:00 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.  

I got married with my paternal cousin and in return his sister got married with my brother. On Islamqa website it says that this type of marriage is called Shighar marriage and it is forbidden in Islam. I am married for more than four years and all these time I am living in stress, anxiety and confusion as I feel my nikah is invalid and I should redo the nikah so my husband and I become permissible for each other. I believe my nikah is invalid and I should do a new nikah for two reasons; First, I was engaged with my cousin (who is my husband now) without my consent and I was not happy with this decision but my parents considered it the best decision for us, my brother and the whole family were happy with this decision. And after two and a half years of our engagement, I did my Nikah. Secondly, I read on Islamqa website that this type of marriage is regarded as Shighar marriage and is forbidden in Islam. Even there are different opinions on this type of marriage as some say the nikah is valid and other say the nikah is not valid, but since I read on this website,I believe in my heart that my nikah is invalid and that I should redo the nikah. Note, at the time of my engagement I wasn’t aware that this type of marriage is forbidden in Islam, but just before my Nikah I read on Islamqa website and became aware that this type of marriage is forbidden in islam. Although I was a bit confused because there are different opinions on the validity of this type of marriage, as some Scholors/madhabs say it’s forbidden and other regard it permissible. But I believed in my heart that it’s forbidden after reading it on Islamqa website and still I did my Nikah. Also, I had fear that how my family will react if I tell them that the type of marriage we were doing is forbidden in Islam by some scholars and that they will not accept it because it’s common in our society and no one says this type of marriage is haram. After my nikah I never feel at peace, I always get confused and worried as whether my nikah is valid or not, I asked several times and different people about shighar marriage, some of them said if meher is given then the Nikah becomes valid and is not considerd Shighar marriage, however another said the Nikah is forbidden but if it’s done in ignorant or you were not aware that it’s haram prior to the nikah ,then the nikah is valid and I don’t need to do a new Nikah but the rest of the family should be inform to stay away from this nikah in the future. But before my nikah ,only I knew that this nikah is haram through the Islamqa website. I read also that even if consent, Maher and all the requirements of nikah is done still nikahshighar is forbidden in islam.I told my husband that I want to do a new Nikah, he is not happy and does not agree with my decision. He says it’s all in my head and that our Nikah is valid, we don’t need to do a new nikah and what people will say. I told him I will never feel happy and at peace and our relationship will suffer if we don’t do a new nikah, now he accepted my decision. I am afraid if my father don’t agree with a new nikah , How can I convince him. Both me and my husband have little knowledge about Islam.My intention now is only to do new nikah so we can become persmisble for each other. I don’t want to go against the teaching of Islam. I want to accept my husband the way he is and to live in halal relationship. We don’t have children yet and I am always thinking and stressing over the nikah issue.What I understood from Islamqa response is that my Nikah is valid because Maher is given and other requirements of the Nikah were met. But I feel confused about the consent as without consent the nikah becomes invalid. In our community many parents don’t ask children their consent and most of the time that I know their children are happy with their parents decisions and in their marriage. But I wasn’t happy when I got engaged, and when I did my nikah I don’t remember now how I felt, whether I sincerely accepted it or felt I don’t have a choice. I decided to do a new nikah. What is your advice, should I do a new Nikkh and if yes how should we do it?. For a new nikah,do I need new maher, new witnesses, or can witnesses be the same? Do we need to document it or verbal is nikah enough. Do we need to redo the nikah privately or we need to announce it, my husband agree to redo the nikah but wants to do it privately Should my brother do a new nikahtoo.I know many relatives who are engaged and are going to do this marriage, how to inform them.



I don’t see any reason for you to be confused over this issue. Shari`ah condemned Nikah al-shighaar because it resulted in injustice for the women involved: This is the case when each marriage is entirely dependent on the other in such a way when the mahr of one is the marriage of the other.

 

As I can I understand from your question that was not the case with you.  The only fault was they did not consult you. However, since you were an adult and you never objected to it, there is no reason to question the validity of the marriage.

 

I would advise you not to pick and choose fatwas.

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To make decisions in critical cases such marriage and divorce would be like someone acting as a jury, judge and executioner at the same time.

 

While stating this, I assume that a recognized Marriage Officer or imam solemnized the marriage in conformity with the laws of the land you reside.

 

So, don’t confuse yourself by random readings of such issues.


Is it obligatory for women to attend prayer including salat ul Jumu'a at mosques?



It is not obligatory on women to attend daily prayers in the mosque or be regular in Jumu`ah. The reasons are clear: women’s duties as mothers, nurturers, and caregivers are far more important and have greater priority as it affects the future of the family and community. Therefore they are relieved of such obligations.

 

Having said this, I must also point out that the above should not be taken to prevent women from praying in the mosque or attending Jumu`ah; in fact, they have been doing that since the time of the Prophet. We know that the wives of the Prophet as well as other women companions were wont of praying in the mosques unless prevented from doing because of exceptional circumstances.


I have been studying Eckhart Tolle and some concepts of Buddhism in the past months and I have some questions to clear things up.How is man's mind defined in Islam? Are thoughts coming from the brain or the soul? Is consciousness the same thing as thoughts or are those separate things? How does the mind and the thoughts relate to the ego, the nafs?Do we in Islam believe in the concept of "mindfulness"? If yes, how to reach this state?I heard of a saying in which Ali ibn abi Talib, RadiAllahu anhu, said, that he could control his thoughts. Is this saying correct and if yes, how can one reach this state?



Your question is not an easy one. All that we can state with certainty is what we learn from the Qur’an:

 

Man in Islam consists of body, mind and soul.  Even as our physical muscles can be nurtured and strengthened, likewise, our mental and spiritual muscles can also be strengthened through appropriate works or exercises befitting each.

 

Just as the outer world of senses is complex and diverse, the inner world of spirit and consciousness is also complex and diverse, if not more. The Qur’an teaches us that the soul is what makes us human; it is also referred to as nafs, although both words have various dimensions and propensities.

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Human beings have been endowed with souls; they have innate inclinations towards good and inclination towards bad. And those who foster the good will succeed and those who foster evil will perish.

 

The soul in man is from the breath of the Divine; as such, it is immaterial.

 

On deeper reflection of the Qur’an, spiritual masters of Islam have told us that even as the material world has its traps, snares and dangers and it takes practice to navigate and explore the world of senses, the mysteries of the spiritual world are even more complex; so to navigate this world without the light of revelation and authentic spiritual manual will expose us to dangers. Devils are waiting at every turn to deceive us in the spiritual world. Therefore,  those who seek to explore this world independently of the guidance of revelation are at  best projecting their own subjective experiences as truths or representations of realities; or stated differently, they are projecting their own ego and devilish whisperings as authentic spiritual experiences.

 

Ekhart Tolle is a practitioner of the so called New Age Spirituality; for sure he has drawn on the spiritual insights of various religious traditions; however, one cannot rely on them.

 

If you wish to acquaint yourself with the Islamic perspectives on the mysteries of the soul, you should study the works of Imam Ghazali; his masterpiece Ihya is an encyclopedia of Islamic ethics and spirituality. If you don’t have the patience to engage in a deep study, you should at least consult his book translated in English as The Marvels of the Heart. It has been translated and published in England with an excellent introduction by T.J. Winter who is a scholar of Islam from Britain. Here is the link to it:

https://www.amazon.com/Marvels-Heart-Science-Religious-Sciences/dp/1887752315

 

Eckhart Tolle is not an authority or spiritual matters; he is rather more like a proponent of New Age Spirituality. Since it is not based on revealed Law and spiritual method, one can only read such works with extreme caution. For sure, he has drawn from insights from the spiritual wisdom of various religious traditions; however one cannot treat his explorations into soul, spirit and consciousness as though they were authentic. At best they are his subjective experiences.

 

One may follow scientific methods of practicing mindfulness. While engaging in these exercises a Muslim should chant the names of God or dhikr instead of using dubious expressions and phrases derived from the pagan traditions.

 

Muslims throughout centuries have developed spiritual mindfulness through diligent practice of dhikr.  There is no need to make it complicated; once we condition ourselves to focus on dhikr and trust in Allah and seek His help, He will take care of the rest for us. Allah says: “Lo! It is only through celebration of the Remembrance (of God) that hearts can rest in peace (or stated differently) attain a tranquil state.” (Ar-Ra`d 13:28)


I am so thankful to Allah for bringing me to His Path ; I am so grateful for His Blessings.I have been in a relationship for over 17yrs unmarried (I reverted to Islam in 2012) and as I continued reading the Quran I realized the importance of marriage. The man I'm living with is a non-muslim and since I reverted there has been rarely any peace.I have and continue to seek Allah's help and have had increasing thoughts of leaving but don't know if I am right to leave after all the good that the man I'm with has done for me ( it hurts him to know that we may not be together) And, I've been out of work due to back injury and will not be able to return although I am able to work in a different environment. So thoughts of whether I will find another job comes across my mind also- knowing that I'll be on my own. But on the other hand, I am feeling a strong urge to leave because I don't want continue being unhappy.I have told him that I don't want intercourse because we're not married. (It's been almost a year) I really am so sorry that I didn't take heed to what my parents told me when I was younger about having an intimate relationship without marriage.Please advise.



Let me first commend you for choosing to revert to Islam. I pray to Allah to help you remain steadfast and bless you in your efforts to do so.

 

Now that Allah has guided you to the straight path and opened your hearts to follow the truth, it is advisable that you stop living with the man without marriage.  If he chooses to believe in God and His revelations, then you may marry him and continue living with him.

 

Otherwise, it is clearly wrong. I pray to Allah to inspire you to make the right decision.

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I know such a decision can be hard on you. However, you may do well to recognize the fact that God is in charge of all the affairs of the universe including your life and mine. He reminds us in the Qur’an that God always open doors for us when we choose to turn to Him: “Whoever is mindful of God, He will provide for him (or her) a way out of troubles.” (At-Talaq 65: 2); and “Whoever is conscious of God, He will provide him (or her) comfort and ease in all of their  concerns.”  (At-Talaq 65:4).

 

I pray to Allah to shower you with His mercy and grace.


A Muslim who was praying behind the imam did not make intention to follow the imam, but he made intention to pray the current fard. Is this prayer valid?



As long as he makes the Niyyah to pray the current Fard, the prayer is valid. While praying behind the imam, there is no need to specify that he is doing so, although it is desirable to do so.

There is nothing in the sources clearly stipulating such a condition. Therefore, the original principle of latitude and flexibility applies here.


Is Shahada said by a mentally ill person (Schizophreniac) considered as valid? And also, if a person uttered it without knowing all its conditions? A person did it, but did not practice Islam. Should he compensate for all missed fasts and prayers since that time?



It all depends on his ability to make judgments. If he can decide for himself and is able to take care of himself then he is considered sober and in possession of his senses; as such, his testimony is valid.

 

The fact that he did not know all of the requirements and conditions does not absolve him from his essential duties. So, if he has been neglectful in the past, he should make up.

 

If he is unable to make up for all of them, he should ask forgiveness and compensate for them by doing whatever optional acts of charity that he is able to perform; he should also make a firm resolution never to neglect his essential duties again

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My 'boyfriend' and I have been in a Relationship for four years now. Now as we have grown older he is a year older than me and looking to the future. He has realised that he does not think his mum would ever accept me as his wife. Mainly because I am Pakistani and his family are Bengali. He is the only son in his family and therefore also feels obliged to look after his parents which I completely understand. I'm confused as to where this then leaves us? I'm looking for advice on how to move forward. How to convince his mother (although I have never met his family) that I could be a good wife for him. We both pray namaz and fufil our Muslim obligations. I truely believe that he is the partner for me and I am struggling to see how to move forward.



First of all, the concept of boyfriend and girlfriend is alien to Islam. Islam does not allow us to forge such illicit unions.

 

If you have been involved in such a relationship, it is important for both of you to repent and seek forgiveness of Allah.

 

Once you have done so, you may think of marriage, if you are compatible in faith and character.

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It is important for both of you to get the blessings of your parents.

 

I don’t know how you can approach his parents. Perhaps you may do well to go through an imam or wise person in the community to facilitate it for you.

 

He should also have a free and frank discussion with them; if the only reason they are objecting to the marriage is ethnicity, then that is not justified in Islam.


My brother in law just arrived to Canada and he is struggling. I'm wondering if he is entitled to Zakat or not. Looking for your enlightenment.



If your brother is an adult, and he is poor and you have the sufficiency of means, then you should support him from other than your Zakah funds.

 

If the above is not true, and the only way you can help him from your zakah funds, then you are certainly allowed to do so – since he is poor and eligible to receive Zakah.

 

As a matter of fact, in this case, you will merit doubly rewards: reward for giving charity and reward for helping your kith and kin.

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Salam alaikum, I started courting this girl and after getting to know her we realized we were both AS (genotype) we really like each other and we want to get married . My question is for a particular option. Nowadays we have embryo testing where the genes of the child could be tested so is it permissible to abort it if it's SS?



It is my understanding that such marriages are fraught with risks for the children born of such unions. However, I am not a medical expert; you should, therefore, refer to the experts.

 

As Muslims, we are encouraged not to expose ourselves to unnecessary risks. If therefore the person you are marring may pose such risks, it is best to avoid such a marriage in the first place rather than worrying about complications in pregnancy, birth deformities, abortion, etc.

 

Abortion is not allowed in Islam; it is akin to murder after the pregnancy has advanced 120 days; before that it is less sinful and it should only be resorted to in extreme circumstances; for details, you may search answers posted on this site earlier: here is the link to one of them:

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Abortion for Fear of Negligence: Permissible?


Recently we were sitting with some friends and the subject of gambling came up. One friend said the only thing that is allowed in Islam is betting on a horse race! Well as a new Muslim this has confused me, surely betting on a horse race is the same as any other kind of betting? When asked why this is allowed the answer was because there is horse racing in the Middle East! Well surely this doesn't mean gambling is allowed! Please can you clarify. Jazak Allah Kheir.



Betting on horse race was permissible as part of necessary training for military jihad when they were used in battle and as a means of transportation; today it is used by the rich and famous for ostentation.Therefore, the original intent of permission cannot be applied to horse race today. Hence there is no reason to why betting on a horse should be in any way different from other types of gambling. Shari`ah laws are based on purposes and wisdom that are demonstrable; therefore the laws are to be applied by referring to their specific intents and objectives.


I want to know the Islamic point of view on selling contraceptives. Thank you.



Contraceptives are comparable like guns or ammunition; as is the case with these items, contraceptives can be used for a legitimate purpose or used for vices and corruption. So even as everyone is not supposed to sell guns or weapons, not everyone should be allowed to sell contraceptives.

 

If you are choosing to sell contraceptives, you need to ask: Are people, in general, using these devices for a legitimate purpose or is it mainly used for vices and corruption?

 

If the latter is the case, then you better leave the business.

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If you are in doubt, then also you might as well leave it.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned us against committing that which is doubtful, for it may inadvertently lead us to commit that which is purely haram. And by leaving the doubtful, we are better enabled to guard our honor and religion.

 

Remember there is always halal alternatives, if only we are willing to look for them.

 

I would advise you never to stop praying to Allah:

 

Allaahumma aghninaa bi halaalika an haraamika wa bi ta’atika an ma’siyatika wa bi fadhlika amman siwaaka

 

(O Allah, make us self-sufficient with that which is Halal for us so that we are not compelled to resort to that which is haram; make us content with Your obedience so that we do not disobey You. And make us satisfied with Your favor so that we have no need to look for favor elsewhere).


Is gold networking business halal in islam?



I am sorry to say that I do not answer questions related to Islamic Finance; you may address this question to Dr. MonzerKahf who appears regularly on this site. Alternatively, you can contact him here: www.monzer.kahf.com.


Salam. Could you please inform me evidence(s) on why some Muslim women think it is okay to show their face on the internet? For an example, a Muslim woman blogger shows a picture of herself to others who access her website.



Covering the face is not integral to the modest attire (also known as hijab) prescribed for women in Islam; if it had been obligatory, then the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have said so plainly and clearly.

 

We find nothing in the sources indicating that; rather he told Asma who appeared  before him in an attire less than modest: O Asma when a woman attains puberty she is not supposed to expose any part of her body in front of strangers except her face and hands.”

 

We also know that women are not allowed to cover their faces in Salah or while in a state of Ihram in Hajj or `Umrah. Based on these, Imam Ibn Jareer and others have rightly said: Covering the face is not a prescribed requirement for women in Islam.

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Now coming to the issue of women posting their pictures on the Facebook and others, it is still important for women to exercise caution.


Is it permissible to take education loan, home loan etc., for which we have to pay interest?



In answering your question, 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.

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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.” (At-Talaq 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:

 

Allaahummaaghninee bi halaalika an haraamikawa bi ta’atika an ma’siyatikawa bi fadlikaammansiwaaka

 

(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!)


We know the basic thing in Islam is belief. Like we say we have to believe that there is no god other than Allah. but my question is that belief is not something that's under our control. Belief is something that's inherent in us. Just by saying we believe in Allah and His messenger, how does it makes a person Muslim? We may give dawah to any non-Muslim about Islam, but we may not be able to convince him. If he does not believe, he dies as non-Muslim. Isn't this unfair that he goes to jahanum just because we were not able to convince him?



Islam teaches that human being has been created with an innate knowledge of God. You can compare this to our instincts to eat when we are hungry or drink water when we are thirsty; likewise, we are inclined to turn to God, at least when find ourselves in trouble. Experiences of people who are ship-wreck or planes facing an imminent crash are best examples.

 

Furthermore, no rational person can avoid the fundamental questions of life when facing the world and the cosmos confronting him: Why am I here; what is the meaning of existence? Where did I come from and where do I go from here?

 

So everyone has to answer such questions whether he likes it or not. Many choose to find answers in believing in a Creator or Power that is transcendent as the source of life; others who ignore them or fail to answer them have disbelieved. God does not compel us to believe. The Qur’an makes it clear: Let him who chooses to believe, believe; let him who chooses to disbelieve, disbelieve. And that each person will be responsible for the choices he or she makes in life.

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Therefore, as Muslims our duty is limited to conveying the message; we are not to force anyone.

 


A woman can cry, and if she doesn't have a job, people won't put her down for it. Men if they cry or they don't have a job, people will say that he is weak. Women aren't drafted into war, and can hit men, curse, and just look pretty and people will respect and have pity on her. A man can't hit a woman, or leave her to die of starvation without being looked down on. In the movie Titanic, as the ship was sinking the captain said women and kids first on the life boats. Woman can miss salah if she has her period, and she isn't obliged to use her money to help with household expenses. She doesn't have to open doors for men.



I am sorry to say that your line of thinking amounts to misogyny and hatred of women.

 

Why hate women? They are our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Perhaps you may have had some negative experiences from the women in your life; however, it is wrong to generalize based on such experiences.

 

Allah created men and women to serve as partners and companions. Males and females are not rivals but form a unity, each one complementing the other.

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Islamic world view is based on tawhid which teaches us that God is One, and there is unity and interdependence in His creation in such a way that there is nothing superfluous, and everything is complementary.

 

Both men and women have duties and responsibilities which are conducive to their particular natures. Women have been exempt from certain duties as they are bearing more arduous responsibilities of childbirth, rearing, nurturing and caregiving.

 

God is All-Wise; His Laws are based on justice and compassion; He does not discriminate or favor anyone over another. Each one is accountable for his or her actions according to the best of their God-given abilities and potential. So, you can only find a peaceful resolution of such issues by accepting the inscrutable will and wisdom of God, who is All-Wise, All-Knowing.


I've been married since May 2015 and my husband is now asking for separation and has previously mentioned divorce. This is mainly due to both families being very different. His family had many expectations from my family and because these have not been met this has caused many issues. His family have caused many issues between me and my husband too and they have made it clear they don't want anything to do with me. We now have a daughter of 3months and he is now saying he cannot do this any longer, there were many restrictions for me with seeing my family but he did as he pleased. We have both made mistakes and he did say we would go see someone and try counselling but now he is saying there is no point and has sent me home again (this is the 3rd time within a year this has happened) I am just looking for advice as to what I can do as I wanted to keep on trying but he has said he has had enough and is now moving back home with his family. I am just looking for some guidance and advice to do things on the right way according to Islam Jazakallah



I empathize with your situation and pray to Allah to guide you to the ways of peace and reconciliation.

 

Divorce is indeed a grave matter. One should resort to it only after exhausting all means of reconciliation. Allah orders us in the Qur’an that we ought to settle marriage disputes through conciliation and arbitration.

 

I think your husband is acting impulsively; he is not justified in acting upon the wishes of his family without regard for you and his child. That is not right.

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I would urge both of you to get marriage counseling.

 

I would also advise both of you to read and study the following book and apply its lessons:

 

Blissful Marriage: A Practical Islamic Guide by Ekram Beshir.

 

Furthermore, please continue to turn to Allah asking His forgiveness.

 

Be ever constant in Istighfaar for the Prophet (peace be upon him) has told us that by doing so Allah will remove hardship and provide relief for us in ways that we would never be able to imagine.

 

Also, never fail to read the following Du’a on a regular basis

 

Rabbanaahablanaa min azwaajinaa wadhurriyyaatinaa qurrataayunin waij’alnaalilmuttaqeena imaman

(Our Lord! Grant us joy and comfort in our spouses and children and make us role models for the God-fearing people).


My question is regarding Islam in general when I do my research about Islam and our prophet Mohammed peace be upon him I learn that our prophet (saw) says our religion is a moderate religion and that there is no room for blind faith or extremism. So when I read this and look at countries I feel they are going against the teachings. Thank you for your time



Islam is a natural way of life that is based on moderation, justice, and compassion; it is opposed to extremism, fanaticism and rigidity.

 

It is true that many Muslims today fail to appreciate the beauty of Islam and fail to practice it; this is partly responsible for the negative image that many people have about Islam and Muslims. However, we must never make sweeping generalizations for that is stereotyping and racism.


i am in a relationship with a divorcee lady. she has a daughter from her ex husband. i want to get married with her . she is a very good person . she has brought me close to Allah because before meeting her i was not practicing salah and now i am just because of her.. now as i want this relationship with her for lifetime i have two issues one issue is that my parents will not agree (according to me) for a few years. and 2nd thing is she had lots of problems with her parents after divorce and they threw her out of their house last week. as ihv promised her i will marry her. she is coming here where i am living right now ( away from my parents also) . i have told her that she can come but iwont stay with her before nikah. if i will tell my parents they will not allow me for this bczi am not a divorcee and she is 4 years older than me . should i make nikah with her without informing my parents and after nikahi will inform them?? will my nikah be Halal if it is without taking permission from parents? please answer



As you should know in Islam, we are not allowed to keep an illicit relationship. There is no concept of boyfriend and girlfriend in Islam.

 

So, if you have been guilty of such a sin, I would advise you to seek repentance.

 

Once both of you have done so, you may marry; it is good for you to get the blessings of your parents; if they are just refusing based on materialistic considerations, you are allowed to go ahead and marry her.

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If you do so, you still need to continue to keep good relations with your parents and honor and serve them as best as you can.


A friend of mine is asking that her daughter and her husband are both 25 and her husband has a 22 year old unmarried brother. At times he comes to stay at their apartment and sleeps there sometimes for a week at a time despite him having his own flat in the same building one floor down. Also at times they go to a summer flat and the brother stays with them although again he has another flat about 15 min away. Is it appropriate in Islam that three young adults in their 20's sleep under the same roof although as mentioned above there are other accommodations? Also what can the wife do if the husband insists they stay together under one roof during the visits since her father believes it is haram as has been warned by the prophet PBUH and refuses to speak to her for continuing to share accommodation at times despite there are alternatives for the brother. The daughter is torn between pleasing her husband and defying her father who states he will cut his ties with her if she continues to do what he believes is haram.



Your husband is wrong in insisting that his brother who is an unmarried adult stays with you in the same apartment on a regular basis.  The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned us against such actions: He said, “In-laws are death!” (Al-Bukhari).

 

In other words, even as isolation involving two strangers is a grave sin, exposing ourselves to isolation with in-laws is far worse; it could be as severe as death!

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also told us to stay away from the doubtful for it may inadvertently lead to that which is clearly haram; it is like cattle allowed to graze near the protected territory; by doing so, it may end up trespassing and grazing there!

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Therefore, he stated: “Whoever stays clear of the doubtful will guard his honor and religion.”  (Muslim)  But as for those who do practice what is doubtful may end up hurting their honor and religion!

You, therefore, have the right to insist that the brother discontinues this practice.

If he does not, you have the right to part ways as he is playing with fire.


AsalamuAlaykum. So, I've been trying to study Waswasa and Shaytaan's methods and I've recently discovered something called 'An-nafs'. An-Nafs is people's lust and desires from what I've learned. Recently, I've been getting extremely distracted in salaah with bad thoughts and ideas and it kind of disturbs me. I try to focus on what I'm saying in salaah but then when i finish, i find myself going on youtube and wasting time, watching weird videos instead of doing dhikr, homework, or other productive things. I've found that the state of my heart isn't as it was before! This makes me feel kind of hopeless and I think Allah will forgive me but then I feel like I'm going a little easy on myself so I just stop. On top of that, I'm getting thoughts that challenge my faith and it makes me want to go back now and I wish I had never distracted myself if I knew this would be the outcome. My questions are, how can i be CONSTANTLY productive in my time and thankful, and if I ever fall into this again (I'm trying to avoid to) what do I do?



In answering your question, I cannot do any better than citing here one of my earlier answers to a similar question:

 

“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.

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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:

 

SubhaanaAllaah; al-hamdu li Allah; laailaahaillaAllaah, Allaahuakbar;
walaahawlawalaaquwwataillaa bi Allaah; astaghfirAllaaha al-azeem min kullidhanbinwaatoobuilaahi

 

(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-Ameen.”


Sir I want to ask if I can pray Salah anytime and as much as I like. I mean can I pray Nafl between Fajr and Zhuhr, Zhuhr and Asr, etc. and what does the Hadith mean where Allah says..when one prays Nawafil, I become his sight, legs etc.



You may offer supererogatory (or voluntary) prayers any time except three times when prayers are forbidden: These times are: When the sun is rising; when the sun is at the meridian until it declines and when the sun is setting.  We are to avoid Prayer at these times to distinguish ourselves from pagans who worship the sun.

 

Therefore, you are allowed to offer Nawafil (optional prayers) all other times.  However, you should never limit the voluntary acts of virtue to prayers; rather, they include all acts of charity and kindness and service to humanity or God’s creation.

 

The hadith you have alluded to is a sacred tradition; it is a narration of the Prophet from Allah. It teaches us how to attain the stage of Ihsan or excellence in worship. When we reach such a stage, we stand to gain tremendous spiritual benefits. Thanks to this, he thinks, speaks and acts only to please Allah as he has merged his will with the will of Allah. Hence he always enjoys the grace, mercy, protection and tranquility – as a divine gift.

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I pray to Allah to inspire us to attain excellence in faith.


I never liked being a woman. We get too emotional, we care about our appearance too much, and compare to men they have it much easier. Suppose if Allah allow me to change gender in Jannah? I wonder how it is like to be a man, to care about cars and protein and muscles. Will Allah allow me to switch back and forth?



Jannah and its precise nature belong to the realm of ghayb (Unseen); as such, it is beyond our ordinary means of cognition and reasoning.

 

Therefore, we are not allowed to speculate about its precise nature and details. It is not different from a baby in the womb speculating about the nature of life outside; we do not have the faculties to perceive the realities beyond senses.

 

Therefore, we believe what is given us in revelation leaving the precise details to Allah; its true nature will be revealed to us when we pass away from this material phase of our existence. The Prophet said, “In paradise there awaits us such bliss the like of which no eyes have seen, no ears have heard, and no mind could ever conceive or imagine.”

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Furthermore, Islam also teaches us that we ought to accept the will of Allah. It is Allah who chose your gender even as He is the one who chose your parents, your place, and date of birth, etc. He is All-Wise and All-Knowing.

 

So, as a Muslimah, you ought to accept Allah’s choice for you, and thank Him. As for what some women may do which might not be very rational or unmannerly, that is their business; you should leave them alone while trying your best to purge your heart of such traits of character. Remember each person is responsible for himself or herself.


As'salamuAlykum, A scholar living in Toronto, said the following in one of his videos on Youtube. -When Adam(AS) repentted and Allah SWT accepted his repentance. He prayed 2 Rakah of Shukr and it was the time of Fajr and that is how the Salatul Fajr became mandatory for Muslims. -When Ibraheem (AS) prayed for a son and Allah SWT gave him Ishaq (AS) he prayed 4 Rakah of Shukr and it was the time of Zhhur and that is how Salatul Zhuhr became mandatory for Muslims He said the same for Asr, Maghrib and Isha and connect to other prophets that Allah accepted their Duas and they prayed 4, 3 and 4 rakahs of shukr consecutively. Is this true? If it's not, please inform him not to mislead people. He also said in another video that prophet (pbuh) did not die and he is still alive and the proof he presents is that there was no Salatul Janazah performed for him. Please clarify.Jazak Allah



I don’t know his sources on the above statements on the institution of the five daily prayers in Islam. There is nothing in the authentic sources of Islam to warrant them; as such, they are purely subjective, if not hallucinations.

Imam Malik has cautioned us against relying on spurious and dubious narrations. In other words, it is important for us to rely on well- established precedents and teachings in regards to ritual matters. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I have left you on a highway broad and definite; whoever leaves it and takes to side streets, will only perish.”

 

As stated by Imam Ibn al-Mubarak and others, ‘Isnad is integral to religion; otherwise, everyone would end up making up his or her religion.”

 

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In other words, to attribute something to religion without evidence from the sources is a grave sin. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim considers it as akin to associating partners with Allah.

 

As for the alleged statement that the Prophet did not die, it is even more heretical; it is at once repugnant to reason, revelation and Muslim consensus:  Allah says: “The fact is you are going to die, and they too are going to die. Then you will, on the day of resurrection, debate in the presence of your Lord.” (Az-Zumar 39: 30-31)

 

And the Qur’an reiterates the fact that the Prophet like all other prophets before him is a mortal and that no human being has been destined to live eternally in the material world: “But we never granted immortality to any human before you; so if you die, will others then be immortals?” (Al-Anbiya’  21:34)

 

As we learn from the sources, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away, some of the eminent companions like `Umar denied the fact. And it was Abu Bakr who after ascertaining the fact of his death, addressed the congregation saying: “Whoever has been worshipping Muhammad let him know that Muhammad is dead; but whoever has been worshipping Allah, let him know that Allah is Ever-Living and will never die.” He then recited the following verse: “AND MUHAMMAD is only an apostle; all the [other] apostles have passed away before him: if, then, he dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels?  But he that turns about on his heels can in no wise harm God – whereas God will requite all who are grateful [to Him].” (Aal `Imran 3:144)

 

And the Prophet’s death and funeral are also well documented in the sources. The companions prayed his Janazah individually: As Imam Shafi`i states: “Each one of them did pray individually without any imam. The reason because of the high status of the Prophet (peace be upon him) they wanted to preempt any feeling of competition or rivalry…”

 

It is the narrative accepted by Muslims. If anyone says otherwise, he is simply hallucinating and making up things. That is why our eminent scholars warned us against getting carried away by unsubstantiated stories based on hearsay and wishful thinking.