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Live Fatwa (Hajj-Related Issues)

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
05 August, 2017

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.

Friday, Aug. 11, 2017 | 13:00 - 15:00 GMT

Session is over.

I have a daughter and I was looking for a proposal, finally we approved one finding it appropriate, everything was going normal but as we decided to do a small ceremony things started getting worse day by day but every time it was from our side we refused them ourselves but then both the boy and the girl decided to work out on their own without involving parents, but finally my daughter started feeling irritated and all this stuff ends.my matter of concern is that why things were so messed up in my house all of a sudden before that my house and family is considered ideal then I contacted a fortune teller as they are very common here in my country, she said proposal is absolutely great but someone who had asked about your daughter 's proposal before these people have done some magic .point to remember is that my husband and I pray regularly and we never had the feeling that someone can do this to us .another concern is that when we announced our happiness our close relatives were not happy they expressed their jealousy in clear ways .all this happened from 1 to 31 of July 2017.i am still in a state of depression my question is that Nazar and magic is so powerful and shall we trust these fortune tellers that is known as kundli milana.what to do please help me finding my way out I still like that proposal waiting for your reply.



I would advise you not to attribute your failure to find a suitable marriage partner to the power of black magic or evil spirits.

Islam teaches us that nothing happens in this universe without the will of Allah for He alone has the absolute control and power over all things.  Therefore, I would urge you to turn to Him solely for help in this matter.  One of the certain methods of finding relief and overcoming all of our challenges in life is through Istighfar (seeking refuge in Allah). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever makes Istighfar always, Allah will ease his  or her difficulties for them and provide for them sustenance in ways they would never foresee.”

So I would urge you to continue to make Istighfar and beg Allah to help you find a suitable marriage partner. You should not attribute your experience to the influence of black magic; rather it is due to the will of Allah for Allah alone knows what is good for you or your daughter. Therefore, you should not despair of the mercy of Allah.

As for immunity and protection against black magic, let me cite her one of my earlier answers:

“Your best protection and immunity against black magic is by empowering yourself through practicing Islam, reading the Qur’an and making constant dhikr and du`a’.

I pray to Allah to grant your daughter a righteous marriage partner and fill your heart with joy.

 

Allah has promised the faithful that devils cannot exercise permanent control over those servants of Allah who have submitted to Him; Satan can exercise permanent control only over those who acquiesce and surrender themselves to his authority. Almighty Allah says: “Most certainly, My servants–you cannot exercise control over them except those who are deviant who follow you.”(Al-Hijr: 42) “Most certainly he (Satan) has no power over those who truly cherish faith and are trusting upon their Lord; rather his power is limited only to those who take him as a protector (besides God) and thus associate partners with Him.” (An-Nahl:99-100)

 

The first and foremost requirement is to believe firmly that no one, however great his powers may be, can benefit or harm you except if Allah wills it. The Qur’an reminds us repeatedly that a true believer must believe firmly that Allah alone is the One Who can give us benefit or harm in an absolute sense; everything that befalls us from humans or other creatures is only secondary and is achieved only through the power derived from Allah; so the best remedy and cure is to continuously seek protection and refuge in Allah. Satan and all of his tricks and weapons could be defeated and rendered utterly ineffective if Allah wills.

 

I give below a number of selections of verses of the Qur’an and du`a’ which you can recite on a regular basis:

 

1) Al-Fatihah

 

2) Last three chapters of the Qur’an (i.e., Surahs 112, 113, 114)

 

3) Ayat al-Kursi (i.e., Al-Baqarah: 255)

 

Besides the above, repeat the following du`a’s on a regular basis both in the morning and evening three times or more:

 

1) Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma`a ismihi shay’un fi al-ardi wa la fi as-sama’i wa huwa as-sami`u al-`alim

 

(In the name of Allah; with His name, nothing whatsoever on earth or heaven can inflict any harm; He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing).

 

 

 

2) Hasbiya Allahu la ilaha illa huwa `alayhi tawakkaltu wahuwa rabbu al-`arshi al-`azhim

 

(Allah suffices me; there is no god but He; in Him I place my sole trust; He is the Lord of the mighty Throne).

 

3) Allaahumma ini a`duhu bika min hamazati ash-shayatin wa a`udhu bika rabbi an yahdurun

 

(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the whisperings of Satan; my Lord, I seek refuge in You from their presence around me).

4) A`udhu bi `izzati Allahi wa qudratihi mimma ajidu wa uhadhiru

 

(I seek refuge in Allah’s glory and power from the affliction and pain I experience and suffer from).

 

It is important to remember thatdu`a’anddhikrwill only benefit when it comes from a heart that firmly believes in Allah, and thus cherishes firm conviction in Allah’s power and sovereignty.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

I have a question.. so I'm in a new city for a door to door sales company. I don't know anyone here and I work from 10am -9pm I have no time/place to pray I can't pray outside because it's privately owned properties of other people. How can I get around this? (Very little to no Muslims here)



You are not allowed to skip the Salah altogether in any circumstance. Rather you should try to pray in whatever way you can; standing, sitting or whatever possible. If you cannot pray each prayer on time, you are allowed to combine Zuhr and Asr by praying. Likewise, you can combine Maghrib and Isha in the same manner.

 

If there is no way to do your prayer at all in your job, then you should consider leaving this job.  You should try to get another job where you will not face such difficulties; what benefit you gain from a job that helps you sustain your body while depriving you of salvation in the next world?

 

Never despair of the mercy of Allah. Allah has promised us that ‘Whoever is mindful of Allah will be taken out of difficulties.” (Qur’an: 65: 2), and “And whoever is mindful of Allah (should know that) He will make his affair easy for him.” (Qur’an: 65:4)

 

And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever clings to istighfar (seeking forgiveness of Allah) Allah will appoint for him/her a way of out of all troubles and provide for him/her sustenance in ways they would never able to foresee.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Respected Sheikh, my question is should FIDYAH (penalty for not fasting) be paid on behalf of a dead person who didn't fast for many years? If yes then what is the ruling if the number of years she didn't fast is not known? Detail of question is my that my mother didn't fast for an unknown number of years due to negligence & because she was disabled to some extent from a long time but she could be able to fast in that condition. JAZAK ALLAH-O-KHAIR



If your mother could not observe the fasts because of her medical challenges or poor health, then you should offer Fidyah for her missed fasts. If, however, she just neglected her obligation to fast, then you need not do that.

 

Having said that, I would not stop you if you wish to do that as a kind of spiritual gift you want to bestow on the person of your own good will and leave it to Allah to accept it.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamualaikum. I just want to know if its true that every child had as a result of committing Zina are all going to hell?



There is no basis for such an irrational belief in Islam. It is at once rejected by the fundamental teachings of Islam even as it amounts to attributing injustice to Allah who introduces Himself to us above all as being Just, Wise and Compassionate.

 

The Qur’an makes it abundantly clear that each person is responsible for his or her actions and that no soul bears the burden of another. “No soul shall be called to bear the burden of another.” So, how can a child born of Zina be accountable for the sin of his or her father?

 

The adulterer is responsible for his sin; the child born of this heinous act has no share in it; hence it is born into a state of Fitrah or natural innocence like every other child.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Every child is born into a state of Fitrah or natural state of innocence, and it is his or her parents that make him a Jew or Christian.”

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used the word ‘every child, ’ and he did not make any exception; so it applies to all children whether they are born in wedlock or outside of it.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Am in love with a man who is already married with two kids. He wants to take me as a second wife but his mother, uncle and his wife are against it. His father is death so the uncle is in control of the family. Both of us are Muslim. Can we get married secretly without the knowledge of his mother, uncle and his wife islamically?



I would never recommend such a marriage for the following reasons:

 

  1. There is no room in Islam for the so-called secret marriage. Marriage in Islam has a dual nature: it is a social contract even as it is a solemn religious contract. Therefore, those who are living as married spouses must be known in the community as a married couple; so, for you to have a secret marriage is like living as a mistress. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Announce marriage and publicize it by beating drums.” The purpose was to rule out any room for suspicion and gossip and protect the interests of the individual as well as the community. Furthermore, it is intended to preempt any conflicts and pave the foundation for a family based on trust and transparency.
  2. A second marriage is not a right; it is rather a responsibility. Monogamy is the ideal in Islam and the permission to marry another wife is an exception granted under specific conditions.
  3. I am assuming the man is living in a milieu or culture where monogamy is the norm and polygamy is illegal. If this is the case, then the woman married this man assuming that she would be his sole wife; therefore, it was a tacit agreement of his contract with her. The Prophet said, “There is no covenant whose terms are more worthy of strict compliance with the provisions of the marriage contract.” So, he is in breach of his marriage contract if he is considering marrying you without her consent and knowledge. You should ask yourself: If you were in her place would you agree to such a thing?
  4. Lastly, you are wrong in forging such an illicit relationship with a married man with kids.

I would advise you against it.

Almighty Allah knows best.

Salam Alakium, can you ask a real scientists this question. How can we prove evolution is false scientifically, when I debate atheists they all scientists accept evolution as a whole and no theist scientist can disprove it so how can we prove scientifically that it's false and can you mention well known theist scientist who oppose it?



On this the best I could do is to direct you to the following answer posted on this site:

Can I Believe in Evolution?

http://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-about-islam/can-believe-evolution/

Almighty Allah knows best.

I don't know if it's in my mind or if its really happening. But it's been happening from the last 7 years now. I have weird dreams which have no connection with my on going life. And these dreams have been repeating for as long as I remember. I dream of the same places with slight difference. I usually dream of an old abandoned mansion wherein I am looking for something. And it's inhabited by spirits, some old white beings with long white beard and wearing a long white gown. They usually ask me a few questions and then they show me the directions. But that mansion is also inhabited by some other being, something like a shadow which always tries to scare my away. I've also been sending strange things in my real life as well..like I hear loud knocking at my door, I feel something is holding my hand, a cold grasp, I hear footsteps following me, I also hear azaan at weird times like in the middle of the night, I have also felt someone slapping me and a lot of other things. I don't know what all this means..it's so hard to explain. Kindly please help me understand these things and tell me if they are real or its just my mind messing.



I would advise you to speak to your physician; let him refer you to a specialist who can help you sort out whether you are suffering from hallucinations.

 

As for the spiritual method of dealing with such matters, let me assure you that you need not worry about mysterious beings or evil spirits harming you in any way as long you believe in Allah and remain steadfast in practicing your faith.

 

Allah has promised the faithful that devils cannot exercise permanent control over those servants of Allah who have submitted to Him; Satan can exercise permanent control only over those who acquiesce and surrender themselves to his authority.

 

Almighty Allah says: “Most certainly, My servants–you cannot exercise control over them except those who are deviant who follow you.” (Al-Hijr: 42)

 

“Most certainly he (Satan) has no power over those who truly cherish faith and are trusting upon their Lord; rather his power is limited only to those who take him as a protector (besides God) and thus associate partners with Him.” (An-Nahl: 99-100)

 

 

The first and foremost requirement is to believe firmly that no one, however great his powers may be, can benefit or harm you except if Allah wills it. The Qur’an reminds us repeatedly that a true believer must believe firmly that Allah alone is the One Who can give us benefit or harm in an absolute sense; everything that befalls us from humans or other creatures is only secondary and is achieved only through the power derived from Allah; so the best remedy and cure is to continuously seek protection and refuge in Allah. Satan and all of his tricks and weapons could be defeated and rendered utterly ineffective if Allah wills.

 

I give below a number of selections of verses of the Qur’an and du`a’ which you can recite on a regular basis:

 

1) Al-Fatihah

 

2) Last three chapters of the Qur’an (i.e., Surahs 112, 113, 114)

 

3) Ayat al-Kursi (i.e., Al-Baqarah: 255)

 

Besides the above, repeat the following du`a’ son a regular basis both in the morning and evening three times or more:

 

1) Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma`a ismihi shay’un fi al-ardi wa la fi as-sama’i wa huwa as-sami`u al-`alim

 

(In the name of Allah; with His name, nothing whatsoever on earth or heaven can inflict any harm; He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing)

 

2) Hasbiya Allahu la ilaha illa huwa `alayhi tawakkaltu wahuwa rabbu al-`arshi al-`azhim

 

(Allah suffices me; there is no god but He; in Him I place my sole trust; He is the Lord of the mighty Throne)

 

3) Allaahumma ini a`duhu bika min hamazati ash-shayatin wa a`udhu bika rabbi an yahdurun

 

(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the whisperings of Satan; my Lord, I seek refuge in You from their presence around me).

 

4) A`udhu bi `izzati Allahi wa qudratihi mimma ajidu wa uhadhiru

 

(I seek refuge in Allah’s glory and power from the affliction and pain I experience and suffer from).

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Sir/Madam I have this question for you I would really appreciate it if you would help me out My friend belongs to a typical Pakistani sunni muslim family But she likes a guy who is shia muslim and wants to marry him So I wanted to ask if it is halal? Her parents are strictly against this and are forcing her to marry her cousin for which she is not ready Please tell me if there is a solution for this or if this is halal?



Marriage, to be valid, must fulfill certain conditions; among them is consent of the guardian especially in the case of a young woman who has no experience of marriage before.

 

So, I would urge your friend not to take the law in her hands and get married without her parents’ consent. It, however, is no way means that she has no other choice than marrying her cousin. She cannot be forced to marry anyone unless she wants to.

 

Forced marriage cannot be deemed as valid in Islam. You are free to marry anyone you choose as long you choose someone who is compatible in faith and character. If the person you want to marry has sound faith and character, then your parents have no right to refuse their consent. If however, the person is deficient in faith and character, then they have a right to object to it and you cannot proceed with the marriage.

 

So you should ask: why are they objecting to your choice. Is the person of sound faith and character? Or is he someone with questionable integrity and morals?

 

Generally speaking, there is no objection in intermarriage between Sunnis and Shi`ah.

 

However, if anyone is embarking on such a marriage, it is most desirable to make a pre-nuptial contract in order to rule out any possible conflicts due to differences in beliefs and practices.

 

Marriage is a long term commitment and partnership. Since there are differences between certain beliefs and practices of Sunni Muslims (ahl al-sunnah wa al-jama`ah) and the Shiite (Shi`ah), you should only be willing to tie the knot after you have figured out how to deal with the differences in an amicable way.

 

It is not realistic to say that we would sort it out later. So, I urge you to list all the points at stake and come up with a balanced and amicable way of dealing with the differences.

 

You should stipulate that both of you should be able to follow your respective madhhabs without sacrificing the marriage relationship.

Once you have agreed upon the salient points, you should sign a contract to that effect. There is a great word of wisdom saying, “There is no intelligence greater than planning.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

I have been facing difficulties in my life for the last ,10 or so years. But in these years my connection with Allah Subhan Hu Watala is improved. I start praying five regular prayers and read duas and working hard to solve my problems and be happy in life. But my problems were not solved. About five years ago one night I have such a beautiful dream which shows that I am on a right track and then I just thought that it is a sign that my problems will end. But that doesn't happen and not only my problems increases but I also got into depression as I failed to hold the beautiful dream which gives me strength. However I don't forget to pray. So any good dreams give me spiritual strength, I very well hold to it and be able to face life with confidence. But now I don't be able to hold it and negative thoughts comes in my mind. People said it is from shaytan I read a lot of things these things gives me relief for some time and does not last for a longer time and shaytan doesn't go. Please guide what should I do?



I pray to Allah to give you to overcome your difficulties. Allah wants us to seek strength through prayer and patience when faced with situations that overwhelm us. I will suggest you some ways of empowering yourself.

 

However, before doing that, let me also advise you to speak to your doctor. He may refer you to a specialist who would provide you with proper counseling.

 

Now coming to spiritual empowerment, there is no short cut to it; we can only expect Allah’s help by obeying Him and observing His commandments, which, above all, include keeping the five pillars, while staying away from the things He has forbidden as well.

 

Here are some other tips to follow:

 
1) As you rise in the morning, put yourself in a positive mind set by counting the blessings of Allah thus emulating the beautiful example of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him), and praying to Allah to grant you a successful day full of blessings.

2) Try to start your work after Fajr for the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed to Allah, “O Allah, bless my Ummah in their morning endeavors.”

3) Turn to Allah in supplication and ask His help in fighting sloth, laziness and helplessness through the following prayers (dua`as):

 
Allahumma innee a’dhu bika mina al-‘ajzi wa al-kasal wa al-jubun wa al-bukhl wa ghalabati al-dayni wa qahri al-rrijaal


(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from helplessness, sloth, cowardice, niggardliness, and burden of debts and domineering men.)

Laa ilaaha illa Allaahu al-azeem al-haleem, la ilaaha illa Allaahu rabbu al-‘arshi al-‘azeem, laa ilaaha illa Allaahu rabbu al-ssamaawaati wa al-ardhi wa rabbu al-‘arshi al-kareem
(There is no god but Allah, the Tremendous and Clement; there is no god but Allah, Lord of the Great Throne; there is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens and earth and the Noble Throne).”

 

4) Make istighfar constantly and turn to Allah for refuge and protection. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever clings to istighfar Allah will take him/her of all difficulties and provide for him/her in ways they would never be able to foresee.”

 

And Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: constancy in dhikr brings infinite blessings including peace of mind, relief, ease and freedom from fear, worry and anxiety.

 

So, I would urge you never to despair of the mercy of Allah.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Hello, and thank you for your answer about my hobby. I will refrain from anything that can be worshiped. I was drawing a woman days ago, I like to draw them because they look nice. But then my classmate saw me and said that it was `awra. Is it true? I also heard from a site that drawing is permitted, except woman. Thank you very much.



You are not allowed to draw men or women simply for pleasure. Your fascination with the physical beauty of women would be sinful. To draw women for the sake of pleasure is therefore objectionable from an Islamic point of view.

 

Allah tells us that we are accountable for all of our faculties and the works we do. Our actions either help us get to paradise or cause us to be flung to the hellfire.

 

Therefore, one has to ask: What purpose my drawing would serve; does it make this world a better place or does it make it more corrupt?

 

If drawing is meant to convey a good, ethical message, then it is fine as long as you abide by the rules of Islamic ethics in drawing men and women. For at no time Islam tolerates nudity and depicting women’s bodies as if they were simply commodities for human consumption; Islam teaches us  to treat women with dignity; the interdict against nudity and unnecessary exposure is intended to ensure that they are not abused or objectified.

 

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

 

“It is not haram to draw such pictures for the purpose of education through illustration. The intent of the law prohibiting images was that in pagan times, it was a direct means and way to shirk (associating other beings with Allah). In other words, these things were only forbidden because they served as direct means and avenues to shirk. Therefore, if there is not even the remotest possibility of shirk, there is no reason to consider it as haram, especially if there are tangible benefits in drawing them…It is important to keep in mind that today drawing has become a very powerful medium of communication. For this reason, Muslims cannot simply afford to neglect this vital medium of communication; if they do, they only do so at their own peril.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

My condition is very sensitive and I do not wish do make any decision without asking someone to give me guidance. I am 18, my mother passed when I was 13 and i do not like my father as he is very manipulative, abusive, and controlling. I have fallen in love with a man and we wish to get married. My father does not approve of me getting married, although he has never met the man and is accusing him of only speaking to me for money or pleasure… The man I wish to marry is a very good man and everybody around me (brother, stepmom, friends) approve of him besides my father. What can I do that is right in Islam? I can not speak to my dad about this because he will harm me. The man's family approves of me and treat me like their own daughter, but they also want us to get married in the right way. Thank you all.



Your father cannot force you to marry someone against your will. You have the right to choose your marriage partner as long as your choice is based on sound faith and character.

 

If his objections disregard such valid criteria, then you don’t need to wait for his approval; you may marry with the consent of your brother or uncle: For details, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

 

“Parents’ role in the marriage of their daughters is limited to guiding them to choose compatible marriage partners.

 

Compatibility entails a person’s worth in a spiritual and moral sense: the only primary criterion that makes or breaks a marriage. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If a person of acceptable religion and character presents himself for marriage, marry him, otherwise, there would be widespread sedition and rampant corruption in the land.” (At-Tirmidhi)

 

Therefore, if you made a choice based on the above consideration, then your parents have no right to stop you from marrying the man. Since you are free to choose to the food to eat, likewise, it is your choice to decide whom to choose as a life-long partner.

Having said this let me rush to point, marriage, in order to be valid, must be publicized and it cannot remain a secret.

 

The conditions of marriage as stipulated by Islam can be summed up as follows:

 

1- The consent of the guardian of the woman;

 

2- Presence of witnesses;

 

3- Offering and acceptance;

 

4- And mahr (dower).

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

In conclusion, in light of the above, I would urge you to decide for yourself whether you have followed the above conditions or not.

 

You also have to offer sincere repentance for your illegal relationship with that man.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I have been struggling to accept that my husband would get multiple companions and that it would be selfish of me not to allow him to enjoy this reward. This is bounty of Allah. Then this struck me, what if in MY jannah, there will be no Hoor al Ayn, just me and my husband while in my husband's Jannah he will have hoors? Allah said whatever I desire, so maybe Allah can make a duplicate of my husband and in my Jannah I will be his one and only and his other self can enjoy the Hoor al Ayn in his Jannah? That way we both get what we want!



You are mistaken in taking the statements in regard to the realities of the Hereafter literally. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) has told us, “there is nothing in the next world of this world except names”; in other words, experience of paradise transcends our experience of the world of senses we are used to. Human language is incapable of articulating the experience that transcends the world of senses. Hence the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘in the paradise there awaits us experiences like of which no eyes have seen, no ears have heard about and  no mind could ever conceive.”

 

So rest assured that the above applies to both males and females, for Allah says “And [as for all such believers,] no human being can imagine what blissful delights, as yet hidden, await them [in the life to come] as a reward for all that they did.” (As-Sajdah 32: 17)

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Please help and advice me as I am losing my Iman.I am really confused and was wondering if you could help me. Husbands in Islam have so many rights like wives have to obey him, she has to ask permission for everything to go out and to fast and pray voluntary prayers, like are women just slaves. If woman upsets her husband, Al-Hoor Al-’Ayn will curse her, it is binding on her to have sex with him anytime he wants but not binding on him. He only has to sleep with her once in every four months. The only rights when has are financial and even with limits because a woman who burdens her husband is cursed even in the mahr and the second right is that he has to be kind to her. And good Muslim woman has to be confined to her home, all of this really hurts. Are men in Islam superior to women. May Allah reward you with kindness with any help you may offer me.



It is wrong to say that Islam discriminates against women. Islamic concept of God is based on Oneness of origin and the primordial unity of male and female as proceeding from a single soul: Thus we read,

 

“O MANKIND! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women.” (An-Nisa’ 4:1)

 

And the affirms that the rights of women are no way inferior to those of men:

 

“the rights of the wives [with regard to their husbands] are equal to the [husbands’] rights with regard to them, although men have precedence over them [in this respect]. [216] And God is almighty, wise.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 228)

 

And Islamic view of gender relations is that of partnership rather than subservience of female to the male:

 

“And ( as for)  the believers, both men, and women, they are partners of one another: They [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle. It is they upon whom God will bestow His grace: verily, God is almighty, wise!” (At-Tawhab 9: 71)

 

Therefore, it is entirely wrong to state that wives are slaves to men. There is no basis for the Hoori myth you have referred to, for even as husbands have right to sexual fulfillment in marriage a wife has the same right. That is why we have precedents of the Prophet allowing a woman to divorce her husband for no other reason than his failure to satisfy her in bed while he has no character blemish.

 

One would be truly amazed at the sensitivity with which Allah orders husbands to treat their wives even while they are parting ways; here is the verse:

 

“And so, when you divorce women and they are about to reach the end of their waiting-term, then either retain them in a fair manner or let them go in a fair manner. But do not retain them against their will in order to hurt [them]: for he who does so sins indeed against himself. And do not take [these] messages of God in a frivolous spirit.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 231)

 

And finally, let me cite the words of the Prophet: “The best of you is the one who is kindest to his spouse’ and ‘only honorable men shall honor women, and only the most dishonorable men shall dishonor women.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can you please quote me the Surah and Ayat in which the Earth is round in the Holy Quran. I have a Christian brother who believes the earth is flat. And he asked me to quote the Surah and Ayat in which the Earth is round..... Thank you



There are some verses in the Qur’an which indicate that the earth is round or spherical; here are a few:

 

1- We read in surah 79 verse 30: “He shaped the earth as an egg after that and brought out its waters and plains.” The word used is dahaha comes from the egg of the ostrich. The science today confirms this: “The Earth is slightly flattened at the poles.  Its equatorial diameter is 45 km (28 miles) longer than its polar diameter. But wait, that’s not all. As well as being generally ovoid, the Earth also has a vertical pear-shaped asymmetry, the north pole being 48 m (148 ft)  further from the equatorial plane than the south pole.”  The “pointy end of the egg “, so to speak, is at about 37° west longitude (400 km off the eastern tip of Brazil) where the equator’s longer axis is 159 m (522 ft) greater than its short axis. The “fat” end is just north of east Papua New Guinea.

 

Source:  http://newsrescue.com/the-earth-is-egg-shaped-nasa-validates-quran-ancient-scripture/#ixzz4pLM4fXLB

 

2- And in Surah 39 verse 5, “He coils the night upon the day and coils the day upon the night.” As Yahiya Emerick comments in his The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an in Today’s English, ‘this verse is saying that night and day coil or wind around the earth in a circular fashion – like going around a ball – hence the earth is round!”

 

3- Finally, in Surah 55 verse 17 we read, “He is the Lord of two Easts and Lord of the two Wests.” Once again, let me cite the following note by Yahiya Emerick: “Since the earth rotates on its axis and orbits around the sun, there are two extreme points at which the sun will rise from east and two more extreme points in which it will set to the west during the course of the year, so there are ‘two Easts’ and ‘two Wests. These are called equinoxes.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Should a Muslim men dye his head? For instance, for African some youth are Darking their head for fashion is it allowed in Islam?



On this issue the best I could do is to cite here one of my earlier answers:

 

“There is no disagreement among scholars about the permissibility of dying the hair with other than black color such as yellow or red. For all consider it as either permissible or recommended.

 

As for dying with black, scholars have been clearly divided on this issue while agreeing on two points: 1. It is permissible in jihad; 2. It is wholly impermissible in order to cheat people about his or her real age as is the case in proposing for marriage.

 

Dying with black color in all other situations is contentious.

 

1- One group of scholars considers it undesirable. This is the position of Maliki and Hanbali schools; it is also one of the options in both the Hanafi and Shafi schools as well.

 

2- A second group considers it as haraam; this is one of the views in the Shafi schools; it has been authenticated by Imam Nawawi and a number of other scholars.

 

3- There is a third view held by a minority of scholars who considers it as permissible. This is one of the views in the Hanafi school as mentioned by Ibn Abideen; it has been attributed to Imam Abu Yusuf.

 

4- There is a forth group that made a distinction between man and woman; thus they allowed it in case of women, while disallowed it in the case of men.

 

Perhaps the view that is closer to the evidence is to say it is undesirable, and it is best to avoid it. In other words, one incurs no sin, if he or she were to do it–unless they are using it to deceive people about their real age.

 

The differences among scholars on this issue are because of the conflicting reports on this issue in the sources. There are reports that allow use of black colour in case of war and clear texts prohibiting it if it were done with the deliberate intention of deceiving people of one’s true age where one needs to disclose it.  So there is a virtual consensus on the above two points.

 

While we move away from these cases, we are faced with conflicting evidence. The issue is complicated further when we see reports of a number of companions dying their hair with black in situations different from the above. Those who either permit it or do not declare is as haraam are relying on them. For it is unlikely that the companions would resort to it, if it had been forbidden.

 

The names of those who dyed their hair black included a number of companions, successors and others. The list of the companions who dyed their hair black include Hasan and Husain, the Prophet’s grandchildren,  Uthman b. Affan, the  third caliph, Sa’ad b. Abi Waqqas, Abd Allah b. Ja’far, Uqbah b. Aamir, Mughirah b. Shu’bah, Jarir b. Abd Allah. And the successors included Ali b. Abd Allah b. Abbas, Abu Salamah b. Abd al-Rahman, al-Zuhri and others. Scholars who practiced it in the later generations included Ibn Jurayj, Abu Yusuf, Ibn Abi Layla, Nafi b. Jubayr, Qasim b. Sallam, etc., etc.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Do jinns see the destiny of humans and if they do can they influence it?



We read in the Qur’an that humans have been created with the potential to choose for themselves. They can either elevate themselves spiritually or reduce themselves to the lowest of the low by their efforts.

 

Here are two references from the Qur’an to prove this point:

 

“And a soul and the Power who fashioned it by inspiring it with the thought of what is good for it and what is bad; successful indeed is the one who purifies it; and the wretched and lost is the one who debases it.” (Ash-Shams 91:7-10)

 

“And by the flight of time, verily humans are in a state of utter loss: save those who cherish faith and good deeds and exhort one another for truth and exhort one another for patience.” (Al-`Asr 103:1-3)

 

Therefore, it is wrong to say that the evil spirits or jinn can force humans against their will to alter their destiny. It is, however, true that Satan and other evil spirits will try their best to lead men and women astray by evil suggestions. And God will forsake those who surrender themselves to them.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can I give zakah to a poor person to perform hajj?



It is not good to give Zakah for this especially in today’s world conditions.

 

Zakah is primarily intended for the poor and needy, and its recipients are rather restricted.

 

The eligible recipients of zakah as described in the Quran are the following:

 

“The poor, and the needy, those who are employed to collect it, those whose hearts need to be reconciled, to free the slaves, those in debt, in the way of Allah, and the wayfarer.” (At-tawbah 9: 60)

 

Hajj is obligatory only on those who have the physical and financial ability to perform it.

 

Since in today’s world millions suffering starvation, it is not desirable to give zakah by depriving them. Our priority should be to help them out.

 

If we face no such world calamity, and there is a surplus of funds in Zakah, then there is no objection to helping out someone to perform Hajj.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I experienced wet dream during hajj, what should I do?



You need not worry about this; your Hajj is still valid; however, you need to perform ghusl before you are eligible to offer Salah or carry out the rituals of Tawaf and Wuquf (standing in the plains of Arafah).

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

What is the difference between fidyah and hadi in Hajj?



Generally speaking, Fidyah is expiation or compensation for infractions committed during the state of ihram: Allah says:

 

“And perform the pilgrimage and the pious visit [to Mecca ] in honor of Allah; and if you are held back, give instead whatever offering you can easily afford. And do not shave your heads until the offering has been sacrificed;  but he from among you who is ill or suffers from an ailment of the head shall redeem himself by fasting, or alms, or [any other] act of worship.” (Al-Baqarah 2:196)

 

As Imam Malik says, Fidyah (sacrifice) can be done in Makkah or anywhere else including his home town. As for Hady, it is intended only as a sacrifice to be offered in the Haram to feed the poor. The Hady applies to the following conditions or circumstances:

 

If someone is prevented from continuing with the pilgrimage after having assumed the ihram as mentioned in the verse cited above.

 

If someone is performing hajj tamattu` and therefore has released himself or herself from ihram after the `Umrah  before Hajj,

 

Hady in the case of hunting games while in a state of ihram.

 

Having said this, however, let me also state that the term Hady can be used as more general and Fidyah to be rather more particular.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

If someone dies during hajj, should we complete hajj on his behalf?



The person who dies during the hajj has already fulfilled his obligation and is assured of his reward with Allah. Allah says:

 

“And if anyone leaves his home, in search of the pleasure of God and His Apostle, and then death overtakes him – his reward is ready with God: for God is indeed much-forgiving, a dis­penser of grace.” (An-NIsaa’ 4: 100)

 

And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever travels in the path of Allah, while cherishing firmly the intention to seek the pleasure of Allah, and then death overtakes him, he is a martyr.”

 

Ibn `Abbas narrates the following story: “When a man was performing the ritual of standing in the plains of `Arafah in the company of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he fell from his mount and was crushed to death by the beast. Then the Prophet told his companions: “Wash him… and shroud him in two pieces (of ihram) and do not cover his head, for he will be raised up making the chant of talbiyah on the Day of Resurrection.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

 

And the Prophet (peace be upon him) never told anyone to do the hajj on his behalf.

 

If it had been necessary, he would have said so clearly.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I did not obtain visa this year, will I miss out on hajj rewards?



Allah will reward you for your intentions. Hajj is obligatory only on those who have the ability to do so. Since you were prevented from doing so, you are excused. You should try again, and perform it only when you obtain the visa.

 

Allah says: “Mankind owes the duty to make Hajj to the House: those who can afford it.” (Aal `Imran 3:97)

 

It is evident from this that Hajj is obligatory on those who have the ability to do it.

 

As for your intention, you should be heartened to remember the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Actions are judged by intentions, and everyone will be rewarded accordingly.” (Al-Bukhari)

So, if anyone cherishes a sincere intention to do a virtuous deed, but is prevented from carrying it out for circumstances beyond his or her control, they will be rewarded.

 

Here is a story from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to confirm this.  While returning from the expedition of Tabuk, he told his companions, “We have left behind us people who would always be with us no matter which valley we traversed or path we took; they had shared rewards with us!” when the companions said, “But they are in Madinah?”. He replied, “Yes, they are, but they could not join us this time because of valid reasons.”

 

In light of these, you should not be worried over your inability to do hajj this time; you should try next time and pray to Allah to grant you success to fulfill your cherished desire.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

What are the conditions of making hajj on behalf of others?



First of all, it is important to know that Hajj is an obligatory duty on anyone who can do it physically and financially. So, if a person has the ability, no one else can do it on his behalf.

 

As Imam Ibn al-Mundhir states: “There is a virtual consensus among scholars that no one can do Hajj for another person who can perform it by himself.”

 

Therefore, a person can do hajj on behalf of another who is suffering from a terminal illness and hopes for no recovery, or an individual who is too old to travel, or someone who has passed away without having had the chance to do it.

 

Furthermore, ideally, according to all the scholars, a person who is performing Hajj on behalf of someone else must have performed Hajj on his behalf first.

 

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told someone who was intending to perform Hajj in the name of another relative that he should do so for himself first and then perform Hajj another time on behalf of the other person.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can people with infectious diseases go to hajj?



If a person is suffering from a contagious disease, he or she should not go for Hajj.

 

Those who are facing such medical challenges are excused from performing hajj. Hajj is obligatory only on those who can afford to do it both physically and financially.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us to stay away from causing harm to others. He enforced quarantine upon those who are suffering from contagious diseases so that such diseases are not passed on to others.

 

Since they are staying away from Hajj because of conditions beyond their control, they will still be rewarded for their good intentions.

 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us that if anyone cherishes the intention to do a virtuous deed and yet could not do it because of circumstances beyond his or her control, they would still be rewarded for their intentions.

 

I pray to Allah to keep us safe from all debilitating diseases, both physical and mental and grant relief for all those who are suffering from such ailments.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can passing scissors over short hair substitute for shaving in Hajj?



You are required to shave or trim your hair to achieve the release from Ihram.

 

If the machine or scissors remove the hair wholly, then it is reckoned as shaving and fine. If, however, they only trim or cut the hair without removing them altogether then it is sufficient to fulfill the requirement of trimming or cutting.

 

After having said this, it is always best, in the case of doubt, to follow the safest.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can my robot perform hajj for me?



In answering this question, let me cite my earlier answer on a similar issue:

 

“Pilgrimage, like all other acts of worship in Islam, requires intention and presence of mind/heart as a precondition for its validity. Since a robot has no mind or heart, it is inconceivable of it to perform acts of worship on behalf of humans. Acts of worship are valid only if done by humans who are conscious of their actions.

 

That is why neither a child nor a person who is not in full of senses can be expected to perform Hajj on behalf of another; since taklif (legal responsibility) is lifted from them.

 

This in no way means to suggest that humans cannot use robots for performing mechanical services that require no mental deliberation or conscious will; they can be used in for essential chores or services as we use other devices or instruments.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Can my mother travel to hajj with a mahram?



If you mean to ask whether your mother can travel to hajj with a mahram, the answer obviously is yes.

 

If however, your intent is to know whether she is allowed to travel without a mahram, the answer is she may do so as long as she finds a safe company of women to join.  For details, let me cite her one of my earlier answers:

 

“The Prophet, peace be on him, said: “It is not permitted for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel a distance involving one whole day and night without the escort of a mahram.”

All the laws of Islam are based on infinite wisdom. The wisdom and purpose of the above statement of the Prophet (peace be on him) are undoubtedly intended to ensure the protection and security of women. Based on their understanding of the above wisdom, a number of scholars and jurists have ruled that a woman can travel in the company of reliable women. This is the opinion of great Imams such as Malik and Ash-Shafi`i and has also been authenticated by later scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah.

The above view has also been supported by the practice of the wives of the Prophet (peace on him). During the time of the Caliph `Umar, he allowed them to go for Hajj in a group under the leadership of eminent companions such as `Utham ibn `Affan and `Abd al-Rahama ibn `Awf (may Allah be pleased with them all).

 

As the above journey was undertaken with the permission of `Umar and the knowledge of the companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) and since no one raised any objection against it, it amounts to almost a consensus of the companions.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can I have two intentions while performing hajj?



If by this question you mean to ask whether you can do Hajj for yourself and another person at the same time the answer is no.

 

You can do hajj or `Umrah only for one person at a time.

 

Furthermore, to do hajj on behalf of another person, you need to do hajj first for yourself. We have the following report from the Prophet (peace be upon him). In his farewell Hajj, he saw a person saying, “O Allah, I am here to answer your call for hajj on behalf of Shubrumah’. Then the Prophet asked him, “Who is Shubrumah?’, he said, “my brother or relative,’ then he asked, “Did you hajj before for yourself?’. He said no, he said, “First do it for yourself, then you can do it for your brother or relative (next year).” (Ahmad and others).

 

If on the other hand, you mean to ask whether you can combine the intention of doing hajj and visiting the holy places or doing hajj and exploring business opportunities in the holy cities, then you are allowed to do that as long as your primary intention is hajj.

 

Allah says: “[However,] you will be committing no sin if [during the pilgrimage] you seek to obtain any bounty from your Lord.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 198)

 

Almighty Allah knows best.