Dear Brothers/Sisters,

Thank you very much for joining us in this Fatwa session. We would also like to thank our guest, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, for answering the questions directed to him. You will find the answers to your questions below.

Question 1:

Is it necessary to make up missed days of fasting before the next Ramadan?

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is a mandatory duty on every adult Muslim unless they are exempt from fasting. The following people are exempted from fasting:

1.  Those who are terminally ill and have no hope of recovery.

2.  Those who are in advanced, feeble old age, who cannot endure the pangs of hunger and thirst.

Both the above groups are exempt from fasting. However, they should feed a poor person for each day of Ramadan they have missed.

There is another category of people who may skip the fast, but they should make up for the fasts they have missed; they include:

1.  Travelers who skipped the fast while travelling.

2.  Women who were menstruating or undergoing a postnatal period of bleeding after childbirth.

3.  Women who were pregnant or breastfeeding who have skipped their fasts.

4.  Those undertaking extreme hard labour during extreme summer months facing the risk of dehydration.

Those who fall into the latter category, who have skipped their fasts, ought to make up for the missed days.

They ought to do so at least before the next Ramadan, if they could not do so earlier.

We learn from the Prophet’s wife, Aishah, that she would have some of the Ramadan fasts she missed; she would make them up in Sha’ban before Ramadan. If it had been wrong to do so, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have told her otherwise.

Having said this, one may do well to hasten to make up for the missed fasts as soon as possible. The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged us to hasten to do good works, for, as human beings, we have no guarantee of when death will arrive. Since the fasts we have missed are our debts, it is best we repay them before we are called back to Allah.

Question 2:

If I started fasting the missed days from last Ramadan, is it permissible for me to break the fasting of missed days?

Answer:

If someone is making up the obligatory fasts of Ramadan or other obligatory fasts of vow or kaffarah, they may not break them without valid reasons. If they do they are guilty of a major offence.

The valid excuses include the following:

1. Extreme health challenges or sickness.
2. Long distance travel.
3. Menses or postnatal period of bleeding.
4. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding who fear for their health or the health of their babies.

People who do not belong to the above categories may not break their fast once they have started it.

The Prophet told Umm Hani who was fasting but broke it: There is no sin if you were not making up for the obligatory fasts you missed.

While we may break a voluntary fast, we may not break an obligatory fast we are making up.

Question 3:

Is it permissible to skip the tarawih prayer while traveling?

Answer:

Tarawih prayer is a great sunnah, which we should always observe, traveling or otherwise.

That is what we can learn from the precedents of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim states:

“The Prophet (peace be upon him) was never in the habit of skipping the night prayers even while he was traveling. If he was prevented from doing so because of health challenges or oversleeping because of exhaustion, he would make up for them by praying twelve rak`ahs during the day.”

We may do well to recall that the night prayers during the Ramadan merit incalculable rewards and blessings. So, we should observe them always as best as we can unless we have valid reasons to skip them.  

Question 4:

If someone has sexual intercourse with his wife while fasting, what should they do?

Answer:

Breaking the fast of Ramadan is a grave offense; and breaking it by engaging in sexual intercourse is even a greater offense.

Therefore, if you have committed this grave offence, repent and ask forgiveness and expiate for it. The expiation for it entails fasting sixty days consecutively for a single day of fast he or she has broken.

If one cannot fast sixty days, then they ought to feed sixty poor people for violating a single day of fast. Fidyah can be given directly to the poor. Alternatively, one may entrust with a reputable charity specifying the amount as a Fidyah to ensure that it is given to the poor.  

Al-Bukhari and Muslim report on the authority of Abu Hurairah:

A man approached the Messenger of Allah saying: I perish. The Messenger of Allah asked him, “what caused it?” He said I engaged in intercourse with my wife during Ramadan. He asked him, “Can you feed a slave?” He said, ‘no’. can you then fast two months consecutively? He said, “no’, can you afford to feed sixty poor people?’, he said, ‘no’; then the Prophet sat down; then someone brought a cluster of dates; the prophet told him, distribute it as charity to the poor. The man asked, should I give it to someone poorer than us, as there is no one poorer than us in the entire neighborhood? On hearing his words, the Prophet burst into laughter and said, then take it and feed your own family!”

Question 5:

Can I make a silver chain with the picture of my dead mother?

Answer:

I would not advise you to wear a silver chain with the picture of your deceased mother. That is not the Islamic way of remembering your beloved mother. A better way is to pray for her and offer charities on her behalf. By doing so you are copying the practices of pagans who idolize their heroes and religious personalities. Islam is deadly opposed to such extreme forms of reverence bordering on shirk. Mind you shirk is the most heinous offense or sin in Islam. Allah says, “Allah does not forgive the worship of others beside Him- though He forgives whoever He will for lesser sins- for whoever does this has gone far, far astray.” (An-Nisa’ 4: 116)

In conclusion, I would urge you not to wear a silver chain with the picture of your dead mother.

Question 6:

Is it permissible to give iftar meals form the money of my annual zakah?

Answer

There is no doubt providing iftar meals for those who are fasting is an extremely meritorious deed, entailing tremendous rewards.

For this, one should provide from the optional charity funds, and not from the obligatory that is due on him.

As for the Zakah, its recipients are strictly stated in the Quran: Allah says:

“(Obligatory) charities are meant only for the poor, the needy, those who administer them, those whose hearts need winning over, to free slaves and help those in debt, for God’s cause, and for travelers in need. This is ordained by God; God is all knowing and wise.” (Quran: 9: 60).

Since the recipients of zakat are strictly mandated by Allah, we may not take liberties in using the funds in any other way.

Providing iftar meals cannot fall in the above category, as it is not only for the poor but includes others as well.

Question 7:

Dear shaik, my mother had a sudden cardiac death. Will she get the reward of a martyr?

Answer

Let us pray that your mother is reckoned among the category of martyrs who die in tragedies or agonizing pain and suffering. For details, let me cite her from one of my earlier answers:

“There are basically two broad categories of martyrs (shuhada’) in Islam, first, those who have died fighting for the cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad), and second, those who have died being succumbed to certain types of ailments/calamities, etc.–not of their own making. The second group, although not recognized and treated as martyrs in this world, shall receive rewards of martyrs in the Hereafter. As for a list of people of this category, we find several traditions– although not contradictory– such as the following:

1) In a report jointly reported by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions five types of martyrs: “One who dies in a plague; one who dies of intestinal ailments, one who dies of drowning, one who dies under a collapsed building; one who dies as a martyr in jihad.”

2) Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’i, etc. state that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There are seven martyrs”. Having said this, he added the following to the list mentioned above: ‘One who dies in a fire”, and (finally) “A woman who dies during child-birth.”

3) A third report states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever dies while defending his own possessions is a martyr; whoever dies defending his own person is a martyr; whoever dies guarding his own faith is a martyr; whoever dies fighting in order to defend his own family is also a martyr.”

4) Finally, in a report by al-Nasa’i, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever fights to protect his rights and dies in the process is a martyr.”

Imam Ibn Hajar states:

“We can conclude from these traditions that martyrs are of two types: Those who are recognized as martyrs in this world, and those who are recognized as martyrs only in the Hereafter. A martyr recognized in this world is one who has died fighting in the cause of Allah without having retreated from the battle; but those who are recognized only in the Hereafter are those upon whom the laws of martyrdom are not applicable in this world, although they merit rewards of martyrdom.”

According to Imam An-Nawawi, “The second category of martyrs shall receive rewards of martyrdom, and yet, unlike the martyrs of Jihad, they will be bathed and prayed over.”

From the above discussion, however, one is advised not to jump to the conclusion that everyone who dies in similar circumstances as mentioned above will automatically merit rewards of martyrdom. Such an inference is not valid, since Allah’s acceptance of a person ultimately depends on their state of faith (Iman) as well as upon the way he/she has responded to the will of Allah at the time of death.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “A person is raised up in the Hereafter in the state he/she has passed away.”

So, I would urge you to pray to Allah to honor your mother with the status of a martyr.

Question 8:

Is it permissible for breastfeeding mothers to break their fast?

Answer:

Since fasting the month of Ramadan is obligatory on every healthy adult, unless excused for various reasons, breastfeeding mothers are not exempt from fasting unless they are advised not to fast by their physicians or unless by doing so they risk their own health or the health of their baby.

They can break their fasts only if they face the above situations. If they do they would have to make up for it later.

Allah says, while ordaining the obligation of fasting of Ramadan, “Fast for a specific number of days, but if one of you is ill, or on a journey, on other days later.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 184)

With those who break the fast because of valid excuse, among them, should make up and feed a poor person for everyday, if they broke fasting for fear for her infant, then on top of making up she should also feed a poor person for everyday she has skipped.

However, other scholars object to this stipulation as unwarranted, as there is no evidence in the sources to support it. We may not enforce rules in the Shariah without a clear text of the revelation. Therefore, if she broke it only for valid reason, she need only to make up for the days she has skipped.

Question 9:

Will I be rewarded if I sleep all day during Ramadan?

Answer:

Ramadan is the most sacred month in Islam; it’s days and nights are opportunities for enhanced good works. The Prophet (peace be upon him) exhorted us to seize the precious time in coming closer and closer to Allah by applying ourselves to good works as best as we can.

So, no conscientious Muslim should be slack in seizing the precious time in maximizing the blessings, day or night.

The Prophet addressed the companions on the eve of Ramadan stressing the importance of seizing the opportunities of Ramadan for extra devotions and good deeds:

“O people, a most auspicious and blessed month is approaching.  It contains a night which is more excellent than a thousand months. Allah has enjoined the fasting during the day an obligatory duty and spending the nights in prayers as an extra act of devotion; so, whoever performs any good deed therein is like performing a major duty in other times, and whoever performs an obligatory duty in it is like performing seventy such duties in other times.”

Therefore, those who use the nights in extra prayers and vigils may deprive themselves of sleep during the night; in which case, they are certainly allowed to make up for it during the day. So, there is no blame on anyone who does so to recuperate themselves during the day hours. The Prophet warned us against torturing ourselves while engaging in worship. Instead, we ought to do so according to the level of our energies.

Therefore, there is no harm in spending time in sleep during the day hours, but we must never do so at the expense of our duties or obligations. One should never skip the obligatory prayers or neglect the duties at work or obligations towards their families.

Once we take care of our obligations, there is no harm in taking some extra sleep during the day while fasting.

However, oversleeping is not recommended, as we may deprive ourselves of the optimal blessings of the most precious month in the Islamic Calendar. We may do well to recall the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Indeed, your Lord dispenses extra graces at certain times more than others; so, look forward to being receptive to them.”

Question 10:

Is it necessary to make up the missed days of fasting in order?

Answer:

The kaffarah fasts that are due, as with those who break the fast by deliberately engaging in intercourse with their wives, must be done consecutively. They cannot be broken. Since it is a grave offense, the penalty is grave indeed, and so, we are required to fast two months without break, unless we cannot do so, in which case we ought to feed sixty poor persons.

The same rule applies to those who made a vow of fasting a specific number of days consecutively; in which case they are bound to fulfill the vow they have made.

The case, however, is different with those who are making up for the fasts of Ramadan they have missed. They may break them.

Question 11:

Can I offer sunnah prayers and dedicate the reward for my late father?

Answer:

Prayer is one of the most fundamental duties in Islam, second only to the testimony of Oneness of Allah. It is the hallmark of a believer and key to salvation and paradise. Allah says, “Establish the prayer verily Prayer is prescribed unto the believers at definite times.” (An-Nisa’ 4: 103)

So, each person ought to perform this duty; and no one else can do it on their behalf.

Therefore, if your father had been negligent of his obligatory prayers during his life-time, you cannot make them up on his behalf.

The Prophet established the precedent for us to pray for our parents and offer charities on their behalf; we may also do hajj or umrah on their behalf if they could not do so.

Many scholars are of the view while we may do all kinds of good deeds on behalf of our deceased parents we may not pray on their behalf.

However, others are of the view that while we cannot make up for their obligatory prayers, we may perform nawafil or sunan on their behalf, and we can hope that Allah the most Merciful may pass on those gifts we render to our parents if we do so to benefit their souls.

Question 12

Do ear drops invalidate the fast?

Answer:

There is no harm in using ear drops or eye drops while fasting if needed. It does not break the fast. This is the preferred view of eminent scholars, including Imam Ibn Taymiyyah and others. They base themselves on the rule that the Quran addresses people in the language and style that the people can relate to, and in conformity with the common understanding. Fasting in Islam entails abstaining from food and drink and gratifications from dawn to dusk.

Allah says, “Eat and drink until the white streak of dawn can be distinguished from the black streak. Then complete the fast until nightfall.” (Al-Baqarah 2:187)

Use of drops in the eyes, nose or ears does not fall into the category of consuming foods or drinks. That is not the way humankind has been feeding themselves, as Ibn Hazm has rightly pointed out.

So, there is no need to be rigid in such matters.

Question 13:

I am Narmin.age 35
I have conceived 16 weeks pregnant (first baby). The doctor found anencephaly of my baby. They want to terminate. According to muftis advice, before 120 days i terminated. But what i did, is it right or wrong? Please tell me the truth.

Answer:

Since you have done so according to the advice of some scholars, you can hope to receive the forgiveness and mercy of Allah.

I would still advise you to continue to seek the forgiveness of Allah.

For details on abortion in various stages, let me cite one of my earlier answers:

“This is an issue the world Muslim council of jurists has discussed. They have concluded after due deliberations that if the fetus has passed hundred and twenty days, abortion is not permissible, unless the continuation of pregnancy will have serious adverse effects on the health of the mother. For details, I am citing here from one of my earlier answers, which summarizes the views of eminent jurists regarding this issue.

“Abortion or termination of pregnancy is generally considered abominable, and therefore as Haraam since it involves interfering with life-process once it has started. There are, however, differences of opinion about the permissibility of abortion in special circumstances depending on the stage or stages of pregnancy.

1) There is a unanimous consensus among scholars that abortion is considered as absolutely forbidden after twelve weeks of conception (i.e., one hundred and twenty days); this is the point when ensoulment (breathing of soul into the embryo) takes place. To abort pregnancy from this point onwards is akin to committing infanticide, which has been condemned in the Qur’an. Scholars, however, have made a single exception to this rule: If continuation of pregnancy and carrying it through full term proves to be risking mother’s life, abortion shall be deemed as permissible.
2) Abortion after the expiry of the first forty days of conception is considered as Haraam except in the following exceptional cases: 1) If carrying the pregnancy to the full term exposes the mother to unbearable health problems during or after delivery; 2) if, as determined by the reliable medical practitioners, the child shall be borne with such physical and mental deformity as would deprive him/her a normal life. This decision must be based on the opinion of at least two reliable medical experts in the field.
3) While many scholars consider abortion before expiry of the first forty days of conception as Haraam, many of them, however, consider it as either permissible or at least not as Haraam.

In conclusion, as Imam Al-Ghazzali has observed, one is discouraged from tampering with the life-process once it has started; the intensity of sin, however, varies according to how advanced the pregnancy is. Thus, while it may be less sinful in the very early days, it is considered as absolutely haram after the ensoulment.

Coming to your specific case, if there is no medical necessity that compels you to seek an abortion, you are best advised to carry it through to full term. Meanwhile, turn earnestly and sincerely to Allah to ease your burden and pain and grant you patience and strength to surrender to His will. Allah has certainly promised to bring relief to all those who turn to Him for help. “Whoever remains conscious of Allah, He will grant him/her ease/relief in his affair.” (Q.65: 4) The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Whoever consistently asks forgiveness of Allah, Allah will appoint for him/her a way out of every conceivable trouble and provide for him/her sustenance in ways he or she can never foresee.”

Question 14:

Can i teach makeup to non-Muslims will I be sinful if I do that?

Answer

I guess you are a woman; if you are, you may teach other women: Muslim or non-Muslim. You may not teach a man.

Question 15:

Im 18 years old and I want to marry a man that’s 52 years old he has 2 wives and I’m okay with it….but my mum is really against it saying he is too old. i have feelings for this man and I don’t want our relationship coming to an end…. I don’t know if it’s right to go against my mom….

My dad is dead….. And I know my mum isn’t the one to give me out but……. I just want to be guided

Answer:

I can very empathize with your mom’s concern for you. I am sure her concerns are genuine based on her experience in life; therefore, it may be wise for you to defer to your preference for you.

Question 16:

Is there a special reward for being patient with separation from loved ones, due to travel or moving to a new place permanently?

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah Almighty says: I have nothing to give to My faithful servant but Paradise if I cause his dear friend to die and he remains patient.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6424

This hadith might only imply to the death of loved ones. But on the other hand is there a slightest chance that it is could include more than death of loved ones? For example, if someone’s left their homeland where they grew up and made frends and met some nice people but later had to leave the land for various reasons. The pain of separation is painful. Especially being separated from people those with whome people have a strong and close bond with. So would this hadith apply to that situation? What’s your opinion? Because I’ve moved to Canada recently and I couldn’t find much islamic information on how to deal with pain of separation and the anxiety that follows it. It’s been hard making new friends and it’s been a difficult struggle trying to forget old friends and people I no longer have a connection with due to distance. I know social media makes things easier people can easily call on apps like messenger ,whatsapp etc. , but I can’t help missing them so much because I formed so many good memories with them & its not the same anymore as our time zones & schedules hardly ever match we’re bound to feelings of a sense of detachment. So when I read the hadith I thought this would be my solace if it applies to my situation. The pain of being separated from loved ones is strangely new to me and also quite unbearable.

Answer:

I cannot venture to interpret the hadith you have cited in the way you suggest.

I can, however, understand the feeling of separation as I experienced the same as I came to Canada in my mid-twenties; it took me a long time to overcome my feelings. There were nights when I sobbed, and my pillows were soaked wet. Gradually, however, I could overcome them as I made friends here, although I could never forget my parents, siblings and other close relatives and friends. I tried to lessen them as I paid visits to India to spend time with them whenever I could afford it. Still even after these many years, I still have feelings of separation; however, now I feel the same when I leave Canada as I leave behind my children; when I return, I feel sad for those of my relatives that I leave behind.

I only learned to overcome this feeling by consistency in dhikr and praying to Allah. As Imam Ibn al-Qayyim tells us, dhikr is the perfect antidote that can repel worry, melancholy, sorrow, anxiety, grief, fear and a sense of alienation and estrangement; etc., and replace them with peace, joy, and a deep sense of bliss. So, I would urge you to condition yourself to practice dhikr. You may do well to get a copy of the book, Invocation of God by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. Study it and apply the lessons: You will never regret it.

Perhaps you may take to heart the wisdom of Imam Shafi who, while reflecting on the benefits of travel, reminds us that while we may miss our old friends, we can find new friends in the new place. Add to these the other benefits of a journey which brings new experiences and allows us to explore new things. If nothing of the above works for you, then perhaps you should move back to India for peace of mind.

Question 17:

I had relationship with a person I’ll call here ‘A’ when i was 14. I was a kid and did promises to him without thinking. I stopped talking to him because of guilt. But we talked once in a while however i realised i had no love for him and i do not trust my decision of marring him. Later in age pf 19 another person ‘B’ approached me. I started talking to him and somehow got very close. I didn’t promise anything but it was like i was committed to him. Then I separated myself from him too. Both of them does not know about the other person. I have stopped contacting with either of them but both of them have a point of view that i might marry them. I feel so guilty about my sins as this case is with Allah’s Creation and not with the Rehman himself. Please guide me what is right thing for me to do to wipe away my sins and not be questioned about it on judgment day

Answer:

I empathize with your situation and pray to Allah to inspire you to turn to Him in repentance.

However, before doing so, perhaps you need to stop dwelling on this matter. If you recognize the gravity of the sin you committed, and you are determined to repent and seek forgiveness of Allah, then you need to turn the page over and focus on the future. Allah will bless your efforts if you implore His help.

As for the method of repentance, you can refer to the answer linked below:

The Door of Repentance Is Wide Open

Question 18:

My question is me and my friend study in the same school and she has a Quran which has a Hindi translation along with Arabic as usual but my concern is I want to gift her a Quran on her birthday and the only way to give her in the bus and can she carry it if I give her in a cover as touching Quran without wudu is not permissible.

Answer:

Although we should be in a state of wudhu to read the Quran from the Mushaf.

However, it is Ok to carry the Quran in a cover or brief case without wudhu as ruled by eminent scholars.

Question 19:

In Bangladesh many scholars are inspiring Muslim women to leave higher studies because according to them co-education is haram and as a woman’s voice is awrah she should not talk to opposite gender in case of studying. Is it really true that a women cannot speak in case of study?

Answer:

You have raised two main issues and I would like to answer them respectively:

First, the question of women’s education. On this let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

“Every Muslim, whether male or female, is obligated in Islam to seek at least the basic education in religion.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Seeking knowledge is a duty of every Muslim.” If women had been excluded from this exhortation, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have certainly said so. In fact, in another version of the same hadith, it is said, “on every Muslim, male and female”. Allah tells us in the Qur’an: “Ask those who know, if you have no knowledge.”

Based on many such evidences in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, Muslim scholars have ruled that seeking essential knowledge of the beliefs and practices of Islam is an obligatory duty of every Muslim-regardless of gender.

It is common knowledge that as Muslims we must practice Islam in order to gain salvation. Scholars tell us that our practice of religion is not valid or acceptable unless it is based on sound knowledge. It follows from this that seeking knowledge about the essentials of religion is an obligation on both males and females.

Religious education aside, Muslim women must also strive to acquire essential life-skills that would make them self-reliant. If we take into account the volatile nature of social circumstances in this time and age, it would be suicidal for Muslim women to ignore such training; Allah warns us against dragging ourselves into perdition.

Still another factor to consider: In Islam, women’s roles in rearing future generations of Muslims are far more crucial than that of men. It goes without saying that we cannot rear intellectually and physically healthy children unless mothers are educated and can, therefore, educate children. Based on this fact, it is not at all amazing when we see that all of the great scholars of Islam had educated mothers who planted the first intellectual seeds of greatness in their lives.”

Now coming to the second issue about a woman’s voice, again, I cannot do any better than citing one of my earlier answers:

“While addressing the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who are the mothers of the faithful, Allah says, “O wives of the Prophet! You are not like other women. If you are reverent, then be not overly soft in speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease be moved to desire, and speak in an honorable way” (Qur’an: 33: 33).

 One may safely infer from the above verse that the female voice is an Awrah and men cannot hear it.  Otherwise, Allah would have ordered the Prophet’s wives not to speak to men at all. Instead, Allah orders them to observe proper etiquettes and abide by the Islamic manners of interaction between males and females and thus avoid tones or style that may arouse lustful thoughts in men, especially who are sick at heart.  

Hence, no wonder we learn from the sources that, during the Prophet’s time, men and women used to interact everywhere and converse. They were present even in the mosques, often asking questions. They would go as far as asking the Prophet questions regarding spousal intimacy in the presence of his companions. Let’s not forget the story of a woman standing up questioning Umar during his sermon on the minibar when the latter proposed a radical reform policy on Mahr. Umar was forced to retract his position after hearing her explanation!

The Prophet’s wife, Aishah, used to lecture to men and women. Hundreds of males and females have transmitted hadith from her. We have testimonials of companions and successors praising Aishah as one of the best speakers after the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Thanks to the legacy of Aishah, Islamic history has witnessed thousands of women scholars of hadith and jurisprudence, many of them teaching females as well as males. Even the great imams such as Shafi, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Hajar, and others had learned from eminent women teachers.

So, there is no basis either scripture or jurisprudence – for the view that female voice is Awrah in Islam.”

 Now coming to the question of women singing, there are those who give a blanket ruling it is haram. This view also does not stand to scrutiny in the sources. We have reports that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was present in a wedding ceremony where the girls were singing. On noticing the Prophet (peace be upon him), they added the following lines: “Among us is a Prophet who knows what happens tomorrow!” The Prophet (peace be upon him) immediately interjected and told them to cut out those words and continue singing as before.

 If women could not sing in the presence of men, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) would not have heard them; and he would have categorically forbidden them, and they would have stopped immediately. 

Therefore, if anyone still insists on the view that women cannot sing in the presence of men would amount to questioning the Prophet’s credentials as a trustworthy messenger. No Muslim can ever even think of entertaining such a thought!

Question 20:

Is music a major sin or minor Sin?

Answer

On Islamic ruling on music, please refer to the answer linked below:

Are All Types of Music Unlawful?

Question 21:

What is the full meaning of bid’a to islam. I wanted to ask the meaning of the word Kahf haayn sad

Answer:

As for your question about the meaning of bid’ah in Islam, let me cite here one of my previous answers to a similar question:

“There are two distinct issues here that we should be clear about. One is our duty of safeguarding our religious beliefs and practices free from taints of shirk and bid’ah. A Muslim cannot do so unless he has a clear idea of that which makes up shirk or bid’ah. Shirk is associating partners with Allah in His essence, or attributes or actions. Shirk can be denying the existence of Allah, or, while accepting His existence, refusing to worship Him, or attributing specific powers or attributes to any other than Allah. It also entails making intermediaries in worship between man and God.

Bid’ah is an innovation in religion. We judge this matter by the yardstick of the sound teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah as practiced by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the pious predecessors. So, any belief or religious practice that has not been sanctioned by Allah and His messenger, and is contrary to them, can be deemed as bid’ah.

The term bid’ah, however, cannot apply to customs and transactions that are outside the realm of beliefs and acts of worship. The juristic principle states that customs are deemed as permissible unless proven otherwise. However, that is not the case regarding beliefs and acts of worship. For, for as far as the acts of worship are concerned, everything shall be deemed as forbidden unless sanctioned by the Lawgiver.

As for da’wah, we certainly have a duty to call those who are astray from the straight path to it.  There is no reason to limit this charity to those who are pagans and deny it to those who have faith but who are heretical. However, if a person is not sure of himself, he cannot be expected to discharge this duty.

Our first duty, therefore, is to convince ourselves of the truth or the straight path. That is why knowledge becomes a fundamental pre-requisite for da’wah.

In conclusion, there is no need for you to shun the heretics unless you are not sure of yourself, and you fear being influenced or carried away by their noxious beliefs or practices.

Last, we must never be heedless of praying to Allah always, “O our Lord! Let not our hearts swerve from the truth after You have guided us; and bestow upon us the gift of Your grace: verily, You are the [true] Giver of Gifts.” (Qur’an: 3:8).

As for your question about the meaning of Kahhyaaynsaad, they are abbreviated letters which do not have any specific meaning that we can relate to. However, as Imam Ragib Al-Isfahani says, according to the eminent expert linguists such as Fara and Qatrab, and the view of Ibn Abbas and many of the scholars among the generation of Tabi`un, these are letters that the word is composed of. Allah used them to challenge us that these are the letters that you use for discourse and yet the same the Quran is composed of the same letters and yet it is so inimitable that you can produce nothing comparable to it.”

Question 22:

Bismillah

A few years back, I was talking to a girl and we were online friends. I never saw her in real life, she gave me her account for a video game that contained (according to her) 600 riyal worth of items, I ended up stealing them which I ended up regretting.

Fast forward to 12/22/2022 I realized my mistake and I wanna correct it. How should I do so? I got her contact info and she says she wants the money back but I’m still unsure

I seriously regret what I have done and I want to make up for it and inshallah Allah forgives me. How should I proceed? (I have her contact information)

Answer

You need to contact her and pay the money back to her and seek repentance and consider the chapter closed.

By dwelling on this without taking the steps, you are persisting in the sin.

Repentance proper is valid only once you fulfil the following conditions:

1. Feeling deep remorse over the offense one has committed.
2. Resolving never to do it again.
3. Making amends for it, which, in this case, is to return the money you took.
4. Finally, asking forgiveness of Allah and begging for His mercy.

Question 23:

Is a Muslim man allowed to marry a non-Muslim woman, that being a Christian, who is not chaste due to rape and or sexual assault? And is a man considered a dayooth if the non-Muslim woman he intends to marry, a Christian, does not wear a hijab in public?

Answer:

On marrying a Christian woman, you may refer to the answer linked below:

Marriage Between a Muslim Man and a Christian Woman?

If she has been a victim of sexual abuse, she cannot be blamed for it; to do so is akin to blaming the victim and oppressing her further.

Also, if she had a terrible past and she has repented and changed, then you can not blame her for it too. So, we may not bring it against her. Allah is Forgiving.

As for the hijab, she may choose to wear modest attire that conforms to the Islamic rules of modesty, as stated below:

“Islamic rules of modest attire for women are above all intended to help them maintain their dignity, respect, and honour so that they are not sexualized or treated as objects for satisfying man’s carnal desires or passions.

What is important for proper Islamic attire is that it should cover the parts of the body that need to be covered and therefore cannot be exposed. And to do so with modest attire that is not flamboyant, revealing or highlighting the contours and shapes of the body. This is because the way we dress sends a message to those who see us; the message could be of modesty, purity, and dignity, or-it could-God forbids, seduction, and inviting or engendering evil thoughts or awakening the carnal desires; and we ought to send out messages of purity and chastity. The best people are those who, when the people see them, they are reminded of God.

In conclusion: A woman may wear pants that are loose-fitting or skirts that cover the body as long as they are modest. While wearing a skirt, however, it is important to wear an undergarment.”