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On Last Ten Days and Zakat al-Fitr (Fatwa Session)

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
28 May, 2019

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.

Wednesday, May. 29, 2019 | 09:00 - 11:00 GMT

Session is over.

Assalamu alaikum sir, my question seems strange, but I can't resist my curiosity. It seems to me that, men gets more advantage from marriage at the expense of women. So I need to know true Islamic perspective of marriage. Does marriage benefits men more than it benefits women according to Islam ? Or marriage benefits both men & women in equal amount? Is it true that men have less burden in marriage & women have more burden in marriage? I'm eagerly waiting for authentic & fair answer cause I'm sorry to inform that I'm already spiritually traumatised due to unfair judgement about women & wives by both layman & scholars (of course not all) & I am already fed up knowing of women's being in miserable state in marriage & her taking more burden in marriage while at same time married men are more relaxed at the expense of his wife 's ovearall wellbeing & life satisfaction. As a result I literally fear marriage as a woman. So, I hope you don't judge me. Thank you.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

I commend you for raising this important question. Your question is justified if we were to consider the experience of Muslim women in many communities today. However, I would not confuse it as due to the sound teachings of Islam; instead, we ought to treat it as due to a misogynic mindset among Muslims, including many scholars and leaders.

 

Islam cannot be blamed for such misinterpretations. Even a casual reader of the Quran would be impressed by gender equality explicitly stated in the Qur’an: Here are three verses:

 

“And thus does their Sustainer answer their prayer: “I shall not lose sight of the labour of any of you who labours [in My way], be it man or woman: each of you is an issue of the other. Muhammad Asad comments on this verse: I.e., “you all are members of one and the same human race, and therefore equal to one another”. (Aal `Imran 3:195 )

 

“Whereas anyone – be it man or woman – who does [whatever he can] of good deeds and is a believer withal, shall enter paradise, and shall not be wronged by as much as [would fill] the groove of a date-stone.” (An-Nisaa’ 4: 124)

 

And here is another verse, making it crystal clear:

 

“VERILY, for all men and women who have sur­rendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves [before God], and all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women,  and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity, and all men and women who remember God unceasingly: for [all of] them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward.” (Al-Ahzab 33: 35)

 

Finally, the Quran makes it abundantly clear that believing men and women are equal partners and protecting friends of one another and that they ought to stand up as witnesses of truth and justice together as a single body:

 

“As for the believing males and females, they are partners and protecting friends of one another: Together, they shall enjoin what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong.” (At-tawbah  9:71)

 

Having said this, I should also mention another important point: The fact that men and women are equal in the sight of Allah does not mean that their roles in life are identical. Islam considers the role of a mother as the noblest of all spiritual states. That is why the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Paradise lies at the feet of your mother.” When someone asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, who deserves the kindest treatment, he replied, your mother, and when the person asked the question three times, he said, your mother and only on the fourth time, he said, your father.

 

In conclusion, it is imperative that we Muslims restore women to the place of honor and dignity bestowed on her by the Creator and thus end all discriminatory practices against them. Only when we do so, that we can take the necessary step towards lifting the community out of the sorry state of backwardness we steeped.  There is no liberation for us unless we liberate women who are the better half of humankind.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Can women do itikaf?



It is permissible for women to do I’tikaf in the mosque —provided they have special arrangements for them to do so. Most of the mosques in the city, however, do not have adequate facilities for women. Sadly enough we find women often being relegated to a dark room or crowded corner, which is indeed a disgrace to womanhood. It is undoubtedly against the teachings of our beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, as he always ordered us to treat them with respect and dignity.

So until proper arrangements are made for women to observe the Sunnah of itikaf in the mosque, it is best that they do it in their own homes. For as scholars and jurists such as Imam Abu Hanifah have ruled women may perform the Sunnah of itikaf in their own musalla (Prayer-place) at home.

Women, however, need not despair; they may do well to recall an important point raised by Imam Shah Waliullah in his study of the philosophy of Shari’ah. He says,

 

“The Shari`ah is based on a fine principle of compensation which allows a person who cannot do a certain act of worship to reap the same rewards by doing what he or she can possibly do according to his/her circumstances or means. This is because of the fact that the Shari`ah is based on the infinite mercy of Allah who dispenses His graces freely to all of His servants.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Is it necessary to pray Eid al-Fitr prayer?



Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others report on the authority of Umm Atiyyah: ‘The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered us to take out with us to the place of Eid Prayer everyone including women who are menstruating as well as those who are isolating themselves with the only exception that those who are menstruating should stay away from Prayer. However, all of them should be witnessing the great (celebration) and participate with fellow Muslims.” (At-Tabarani)

 

Although there are various views among scholars in regards to the specific status of Eid prayer, some say it is obligatory on every individual, others saying it is a mandatory duty imposed on the collective body of Muslims and some others view that it is strongly recommended.

 

However, the fact that the Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered everyone, including women with valid reasons to skip the Prayer shows the importance of Eid prayer.

 

It is clear from the above report of Umm Atiyyah since it is a celebration of the community of believers, every Muslim should consider it as his or her duty to attend it – unless one is prevented by unavoidable or inexcusable circumstances beyond his or her control.
Almighty Allah knows best.

 

What should I do in laylat la-qadr?



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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

There is no specific number of rak’ ahs of prayer to attain the blessings of the night of Qadr.

Therefore, you are free to choose to pray as many rak`ahs; however, ideally, it would be best to pray eight rak`ahs on top of taraweeh.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Allaahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbu al-‘afwa fa’fu annee (O Allah, You are the Forgiving and You love to forgive, so forgive me.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

How much is zakat al-fitr?



Zakat al-Fitr entails providing for a full meal for the day of Eid. As the standards vary from country to country, one should follow the rule set by the scholars in every country.

 

So, it would be best if you considered the ruling of the eminent scholars of Bangladesh in observing this essential religious duty.

 

You should know that since you are part of the community of believers, you should not do so individually according to your desire or opinion.

 

Having said this, however, let me also point out another advice of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah: “while following the standard of the country, it is still better to offer more than the standard especially if one is well to do and can afford to do so, for even as he would be celebrating.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalamualaikum... I have a question regarding fasting. My question is a friend of mine who started fasting in Turkey is traveling to India by end of the Ramadan. Since the Middle Eastern Countries are one day ahead of the South East Asian countries, how will he manage if he reaches there and the Ramadan will be of 30 days there and he will have to fast for 31 days..... Wasalaam..



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

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

 

“If you start fasting one day earlier in one country and end up in another country for ‘eid al-fitr, where they start a day or two late, then you do not fast, but simply observe ‘Eid with them. You are not allowed to eat and drink in public in order to observe the sanctity of Ramadhan.

 

Having said this, I must add, the above answer only applies if you have already completed 30 days of fasting. Otherwise, you should fast with them.

 

The above ruling is based on the tradition reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Fast with the people; break your fast with the people, and celebrate sacrifice with the people.” (Reported by Tirmidhi on the authority of Abu Hurayrah). Commenting on this tradition, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah states: “Based on this, a person traveling from one country where they started the fast earlier to another country where they started late, should follow the latter in the ‘Eid celebration. For such matters are not left to individuals to decide on their own; rather one should do so with the community.

 

This is also in conformity with the general principles of Islam, which counsel Muslims to foster a sense of unity and brotherhood. The Prophet said, “Hold firmly to the community; for a wolf preys easily on the stray sheep.” (Quoted by Nawawi in al-Majmu’)

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Aselam Aleykum. Does pumping exclusively count as breastfeeding? Also, if the mother is not scared for her health or her baby’s health, but just finds fasting really exhausting and hard, is she still excused? JZK



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

If you are pumping for feeding your infant, you are allowed to skip the fast if you are exhausted and unable to endure the pangs of hunger and thirst.

 

However, you ought to make up for the fasts you miss later.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Hello, Thank you for hosting a live session. I have a few questions that I would like to ask. First, can you lick your lips during fasting? Can you lick your lips once, and then again immediately after? I have read from a website that swallowing the saliva after licking your lips is not allowed since it breaks your fast. I'm concerned that I may have done this (I have done this), but I did not have the intention to break my fast. In addition, I'm also confused on the ruling of this matter itself since swallowing saliva itself doesn't break the fast by any means, but swallowing saliva from the lips does? In any case, was my fast valid or do I need to make it up? Second, A short while ago, while I was praying, I had a bad thought that I think qualifies as disbelief. Of course, I truly believe in Allah and Islam. I feel horrible about my thought, and I didn't have the intention of believing in that thought. I warded off the thought as best as I could. Then, a little while later, I had another bad thought, but I did not mean anything by it. Are my prayers/fast still valid? In general, do bad thoughts while fasting break it even when you don't believe in them? What can one do about these thoughts, especially when become convinced that you did this on purpose? I struggle immensely with whispers, and I feel like I'm always doing something wrong. I try to repent as much as I can. Third, it has only been a few days since Ramadan has started, and I keep thinking that none of my fasts are good enough--as in, I keep doing things that may have broken my fast. (licking lips, bad thoughts etc.) What can be done about this and do I need to make these days up? Thank you for reading these questions, and I look forward to your reply.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

Fasting entails refraining from food and drinks and sexual activities as well as staying away from sins.

 

Licking lips or swallowing one’s saliva do not fall in the category of food or drinks. If that was a requirement, the Prophet, peace be upon him, would have stated it clearly. As Muslims, we believe that the Prophet, peace be upon him,  has told us everything we ought to do in regards to the essential practices of our faith, especially the five pillars.

 

As for your questions on thoughts, I cannot do any better than citing one of my earlier answers:

 

“Such thoughts that you experience could very well be whisperings of Satan in order to tempt you away from your prayer. Whenever such thoughts occur to you, you must turn your attention immediately away from them by seeking refuge in Allah (i.e. by saying: a’udhu billaahi mina al-shaytaani al-rrajeem; I seek refuge and protection in Allah from Satan, the accursed). The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Allah has forgiven my Ummah of the whisperings of their souls so long as they do not talk about it, or act accordingly.”

To explain this further: Our thoughts can be divided into different categories:

1) the constant self-talk or idle thoughts that assail our minds on which we have no control.
2) Thoughts that we dwell on; 3) Intentions that we formulate based on those thoughts. We are not accountable for the first stage, namely the self-talk unless we dwell on them and nurture them in our minds since we have no control over them. We are accountable if we dwell on them as well as for the deliberate intentions that we formulate based on these thoughts.

Having said this, it is also crucial for us to consider the treacherous nature of our hearts (more precisely our carnal souls) and must exercise vigilance against them. The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us that “Hearts are ever changing”. The word qalb in Arabic means twisting and turning. So we must take care to dismiss and reject bad thoughts that assail our hearts/minds by ever turning to Allah for refuge and protection. We must also recognize that ultimately we have no power to master these evil inclinations except through the help of Allah. The remedy and cure therefore lies in consistency in Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and Istighfaar (seeking refuge in Allah).
.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, has taught us the following Du’as (supplications) to master the evil inclinations of our souls, and, accordingly, these must form part of the daily spiritual regimen of every believer:

Allaahumma yaa muqalliba al-quloob thabbit qalbee alaa deenika
(O Allah, O You who are the twister of hearts, so make Thou my heart firm and steadfast on Your religion).

Rabbi a’oodhu bika min hamazaati al-shayaateen.
(My Lord, I seek Your refuge and protection against the whisperings of devils).

Finally, read the Sayyid al-istighfaar (master supplication) in the morning as well as before retiring to bed:
Allaahmma anta rabbee laa ilaaha illaa anta khalaqtanee wa ana abduka wa ana alaa ahdika wa wa’dika ma istata’tu a’oodhu bika min sharri maa sana’tu abu’o laka bi ni’matika alayya wa ab’ou bi dhanbee fa ighfir lee fa innahu laa yaghfru al-dhunooba illaa anta.
(O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You have created me, and I am Your servant; I stand firm on my covenant with You according to the best of my ability; I seek refuge in You from the evils of my own actions. I acknowledge Your favors upon me; I confess my sins to You; so forgive me, for no one has power to forgive sins except You.)

Finally, examine yourself, and see if you have been guilty of any major sins; if you have been, make sincere repentance to Allah from all of them without delay.”

 

Finally, we are not accountable for whisperings as long as we do not act upon them; but it is our duty to drive away the  Satanic suggestions by seeking refuge and protection with Allah as mentioned earlier.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatu I have a question about Ramadan normally I remove my bodyhair and cut my nails every jummah before jummah prayers. can I do it also during fasting in Ramadan? or I must do it after maghreb? its true that's forbidden to remove the body hair and cut the nails in night? one told me I must do it all 40 days only.... is it true? thank you for your help



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

You are allowed to cut your hair or clip your nails and perform all hygienic practices while fasting. None of these activities would nullify your fast. We are not allowed to make up the rules of religion based on hearsay or customs of people without any basis in the authentic teachings of the Quran and the precedents of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

 

As Muslims, we ought to trust that the Prophet, peace be upon him, has communicated the message. If it had been necessary for us to abstain from such normal activities, then he would have said so clearly. Since there is nothing in the sources to indicate that, we ought to dismiss such beliefs and practices as innovations. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Whoever innovates anything in this religion without our sanction, it must be rejected.” (Ibn Hibban)

 

It is an excellent practice to do such hygienic chores once a week; if you cannot do so, then at least once in every forty days.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I'm not sure if I have any ramadan make up fasts to do from when I was younger. If i fast any nafl fasts, would they count towards any ramadan fasts that I may have missed and don't remember or do make up fasts require the specific intention?



If you did not observe the fast of Ramadan in the past, then you ought to repent and ask forgiveness of Allah and make it up as soon as possible. If you cannot do so because of ill health, then you must feed the poor. It entails feeding a poor person for each of the days you have missed.

 

Your priority is to make up the obligatory fasts you have missed. For doing so, you need to formulate the intention. Voluntary fasting without that intention cannot count towards that. However, as some scholars have ruled, one may make double intention: Make up for the obligatory fasts and observing optional fasts.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Assalamu alaikum shaikh, If any male or female does not fast in ramadan intentionally without valid reasons for many years, how he /she can correct his/her sin? Does he/she have to make up & offer expiation for these fasts or they need to ensure not to repeat sins in future?



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

If you have broken you fast intentionally, then you ought to make it up as best as you can. If you cannot do so because of valid reasons, then you should expiate by feeding the poor. It is called the Fidyah. Fidyah entails feeding a poor person for every fast you have broken.

 

Furthermore, you also should repent and ask forgiveness of Allah and resolving in your mind never to do the same.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Hello, I broke a Promise to Allah that I made to myself. I read that I either manumit a slave, feed 10 people or fast 3 days as KAFFARA. Now Ramadan is approaching if i fast on Ramadan will it suffice the KAFFARA or If I fast on the month of Shawwal 6 days after Ramadan will it suffice? I hope I made myself clear, JAZAK-ALLAH!!



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

Fasting the month of Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam enjoined upon every Muslim. Only individuals in particular categories are allowed to skip the fast. Those excused include persons with health, traveling, or elderly who cannot endure the pangs of hunger and thirst, and in case of women (those menstruating or undergoing postnatal period of bleeding, or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding).

 

The case of Kaffarah for a broken oath is different; if you have broken a sworn oath, you are obligated  to expiate for the offense, and it must be done outside the month of Ramadan; the obligatory fasting of Ramadan cannot count towards that; as such, it cannot absolve you of your duty of this duty.

 

However, it is possible to do so while fasting the six days of Shawwal as some scholars including those of the Shafi school have ruled: they allow for a double intention in case of voluntary fasts.

 

I pray to Allah to grant us steadfastness in the practice of Islam.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Assalamualaikum brother, I worked as a Web Developer for last few years. When I developed websites, I had to use FEMALE photos in some of the website. It did not feel okay to me. So, I contacted with a Mufti and he told it would be HARAM to develop such kind of website. So, I gave up that profession. Now, I'm thinking about bug bounty. It is the system of Finding Security Bugs in a website and notify the administrator of the website. In this case, the websites I'll test for security vulnerability may have FEMALE photos. My question is will it be HALAL for me? Because I've nothing to do with the FEMALE PHOTOS rather just test the website.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

You may work in finding security bugs even if there are female photos as long as they are free of nudity and obscene pictures.

 

As a Muslim, we need to ask whether the work we do is ethical and helping promote virtue or is it promoting or condoning corruption and vice.

 

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “There are among people those who serve as keys to virtue and locks to evil and corruption; then there are those who are keys to corruption and vice and locks to virtue. So, blessed are those who serve as keys to virtue and locks to corruption.”

 

I pray to Allah to bless us to serve as keys to virtue and locks to corruption and vice in the world.

 

So, if you do think your work may end up promoting vice and corruption, you should not consider such a job.

 

You should pray to Allah to bless your efforts in finding a job that is free of vices.

Here is a du’a you may use for seeking Allah’s help:

 

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

 

(O Allah, make me content with what You have made halal for me so that I do not turn to that which is Haraam, and make me satisfied with Your obedience so that I am not coerced to disobey you and make me content with Your favor so that I do not need to look for favors of mortals.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Assalam Walaikum, I want to know watching pornography or reading adult book is Zina? some people say it is close to zina. but I want to know for sure if it is really factually a Zina? what if someones wife is not in the condition that she can do sex with her husband and husband is not doing it for months! so if the husband wants to qatch pornograhy or read adult book when he can not resist himself anymore will it be zina? I know at the month of ramadan it is not the perfect time to ask this question but I want to for clarification .. thank u adult book no picture no graphic only story



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

On this, I would advise you to refer to the answer posted here:

 

Married Couple Watching Pornography: Permissible?

 

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Assalam,o,alaikum.Sir,what was the significance of the verses recited by the Holy Prophet(Sal.Allah.u.Alaihe Waalehi Wasallam)?one tradition has it that Syedina Abu Bakar R.A cried when he heard those verses.Why?And why did the Holy Prophet (PBUH) say that he may not be amongst his people the year after? I have to prepare my lecture on it.your precious guidance is required.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

There is not only one but three instances or occasions in the life-history of the Prophet, peace be upon him, made some of the eminent companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, to cry over his imminent death.

 

The first was the revelation of the verse no. 3 of Surah al-Maidah stating, “Today I have completed your religion for you and consummated My blessings upon you and have chosen for you Islam as a way of life.”

 

When Umar heard the above verse for the first time, he realized as signaling the completion of the Prophetic mission, which made him cry. It was during the same time that the Prophet, peace be upon him, addressed the people in his farewell sermon in Hajjatul Wada’ said, “O People! Learn your hajj rites from me. I am not sure I would do another Hajj with you. Alternatively, in another narration, I may not meet you again after this year.”  (Muslim and others)

It was, again, in the final days of his farewell pilgrimage, the surah al-Nasr was revealed, which was an intimation to the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he has completed his mission and therefore, he would be soon called back to his Lord. The Prophet, peace be upon him, as well as some the eminent companions also discerned that the Prophet’s time of meeting his Lord is approaching. Accordingly, they grieved over it.

 

And finally, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, came out for the last time during his final illness to deliver a farewell message.  Among his words were: “A servant of Allah has been given a choice to attain the glory of this world or prefer what He has kept in store for Him in the next world, and the servant has chosen the latter.”  (At-Tirmidhi). When Abu Bakr heard his words, he started crying as he realized that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was not going to recover from his illness.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalamualeikum sheikh, I've been married 3 years alhamdulilah but they have been a test. My wife suffers from Borderline personality disorder and it has destroyed me and my relationship with my family. I've been patient but over the course of 3 years I have issued 2 divorces, today during a really bad episode, my wife had said things that were really bad and painful and I told her before never to repeat them or I will divorce her. She said them and I told her I'm done with her and the relationship. I proceeded to leave but she begged and begged and dragged me back, I know this is part of the disorder, they fear abandonment but will cycle back once things calm down. Anyhow I'm done with the marriage and I feel like it's too late but she says I was angry and saying I'm done doesnt count. I was angry but not out of my mind and I knew what I meant when I said I'm done. Please tell me what the status is of my marriage jak.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

If she provoked you and you pronounced the divorce in extreme anger, it does not count. If, however, you did so in a sober state of mind and with the intention of divorcing her then you are divorced.

For details, I would like to cite one of my earlier answers:

“If you never had the intention to divorce your wife and never even contemplated divorcing her and you made the above statement in a state of extreme anger, then it cannot be deemed as a valid divorce. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Actions are reckoned by their intentions.” Moreover, you stated that you made the statement in a state of extreme anger. Concerning this issue, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, “There is no (valid) divorce in an extreme state of anger”; this is due to the fact that in such a state, a person is not in his right mind; rather he may be unsure and unaware of his words and actions. In this sense he is no different than a drunkard whose actions are not considered valid in Islam. Since marriage in Islam is a solemn contract, it cannot be broken by such whimsical words and actions that do not represent any premeditated intention on your part.

 

So do not consider yourself divorced from your wife simply based on such thoughtless remarks or statements; rather ask forgiveness of Allah and be resolved never to indulge in such reckless statements or behavior again. It may be a good idea to expiate your mistake by offering any amount you can afford in charity to the poor.

 

After having said this, I must caution you against indulging in such impulsive behaviour in the future. It is important that you keep in mind the following:

 

  1. You must learn to control your anger: Remember anger is the vehicle of Satan, and unless we learn to control it, we may end up saying or doing things we will regret later. This is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised a man who had come to ask him for advice saying, “Don’t get angry”; when the man repeated the same question three times, the Prophet repeated his answer three times. What the Prophet meant was that we are not to allow ourselves to be carried away by our anger so that we do things that are either sinful or undesirable; rather we must restrain ourselves against such actions by realizing the ugliness of anger.
  2. Divorce is the most abominable of all permissible things in the sight of Allah. That is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that Satan will send his troops to seduce the children of Adam in diverse ways every day; when they return to him to report their day’s work he especially salutes those who have succeeded in splitting up a man and his wife. So never allow yourself to succumb to the temptations of Satan, but rather cherish your marriage and foster it.
  3. It seems to me that you are unable to balance your duties towards your spouse with the duties you owe towards your parents, brothers and sisters. You should not compromise one for the other, but you should give each one his/her due. You must realize that no two members of your family are identical in nature, rather each is different from the other.
  4. Often, due to ignorance, parents, brothers and sisters interfere in the marriage of their sons or brothers. They may simply be jealous of their in-law or harbour some kind of malice towards her, and they may even try to incite him against her. It is therefore the duty of the man to deal with the situation wisely. He should never neglect the dark side of human nature and never allow himself to be deceived by their stories about her. He needs to be firm and resolute in making them understand that they cannot interfere in his marriage, otherwise, he may end up by being unjust (zulm) towards his wife. Remember that Islam considers zulm to be one of the worst crimes.
  5. If there are outstanding issues between you and your wife and you are not able to sort them out, you should resort to counselling. If you are able to find qualified and knowledgeable people who have experience in this field then get their help. That is the way to deal with problems in marriage rather than resorting to emotional outbursts and using the word of talaq to intimidate or take revenge. Using the words of talaq in this way is akin to jesting with the laws of Allah which are instituted for the purpose of restoring justice, equity and balance in settling human affairs. May Allah guide all of us to be truthful in our words and actions and may He save us all against the evil inclinations embedded in our nature – ameen.”

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Salaam Wrb, dear respected scholar, I recently found a hadith in Sunan Abi Dawud that says "Do not keep any one in company but a believer and do not feed anyone you food but the pious" in other translations it says "Do not associate with anyone but a believer". But I found a fatwa that says that you can act friendly with them for the cause for them to convert to Islam, and I am finding this hard to put my niyyah for this. So my question is CAN MUSLIMS BE FRIENDS WITH NON-MUSLIMS? please answer the hadith that I mentioned(for example: "the hadith that you mentioned is daeef" or "there is a context", just explain the hadith that I have mentioned). Jazakallhu Khair may Allah SWT bless you during the month of Ramadan.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

This hadith is not of the well-attested category; it has some weak chain in transmission. Even if one accepts it as sound, it should be interpreted in such a way as it agrees with the general principles of the Quran.

 

Feeding the poor is one of the primary teachings of the Quran. It is an essential trait of true believers: We read in Surah al-Insan: “They feed the poor, orphans and the prisoners – even though they cherish it dearly (because of their dire need).”

 

The prisoners mentioned are the pagans taken in war.  Moreover, in one of the early Makkan Surahs, namely, Surat al-Ma`oon, those who are slack in doing so are considered as being slack in faith or faking the Prayer!. Also, nowhere we find a distinction between Muslim and non-Muslim.

 

Thanks to this Quranic imperative, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, arrived in Madinah, he addressed the people saying:  .

 

“O, people! Spread the greeting of peace with everyone, feed the poor, foster the ties of kinship, and pray when people are asleep: You can enter paradise easily.”

 

Abdullah ibn Salam, the Jewish rabbi of Madinah, reported the story and he soon converted to Islam and became one of the eminent companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

It is a well-known fact that the majority of the people of Madinah then were non-Muslims. So, we cannot take a  dubious report you cited above to contradict such an essential Quranic imperative.

 

As for the order not to keep company with the corrupt, it should not be taken to mean we are not allowed to befriend non-Muslims; it is merely a warning against cozying up to the wicked and cherishing their companionship at the risk of being corrupted by them.

 

So, we cannot say that Muslims are not allowed to befriend non-Muslims. Islam spread all over the world because of Muslims interacting and befriending people regardless of race, religion, and ethnicity.

 

Historians, Muslims, and non-Muslims tell us that one of the main reasons for the spread of Islam was the openness of Muslims and their egalitarian attitude towards the local populations.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Asalamualikum I want to perform second umra and my question is that can i perform second umra by wearing ihram at masjid e ayesha or masjid e jurana or should i go to one of 5meeqt again? I live in dammam and will stay at jeddah for 15 days and want to perform second umra on 16th day. Kindly guide



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

You are allowed to perform extra Umrahs. If you are in Makkah, you should go outside the boundary of Haram: Masjid Aishah is the best option. It was the one that the Prophet, peace be upon him, told his wife Aishah to go to when she expressed her desire to perform Umrah as she could not do so as part of her hajj due to menses.

 

If, however, you are staying in Jeddah for a few days before going to Dammam, then you should assume ihram from Jeddah for in this case you the rule of the residents of Jeddah apply to you.

 

The scholars agree that the people of Jeddah who desire to make Umrah or hajj do not need to go elsewhere to assume ihram; they can do so from home before proceeding to perform Hajj or Umrah.

 

I pray to Allah to accept your Umrah and bless you with a safe journey back home.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Assalam alaikum, Sir, whenever I go to bathroom to pass urine.i protect myself from it but after 3-4min or sitting anywhere after urine,some drop of it(urine) comes out. To protect myself from urine,I use tissue paper and plastic bag and wrap around my ...... So I am clean for prayer.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

In answering this question, I would like to cite her one of my earlier answers:

“The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, ‘ if during of the course of prayer one doubts whether his/her wudu is broken or not, he/she need not leave the place (to renew wudu) unless he/she senses some foul smell (of passing gas) or hears the sound (of farting).”

 

Likewise, if you are in doubt about discharge of urine, you need not leave the prayer unless you feel the wetness. If after the completion of prayer, you felt the wetness in your underwear or body, then you ought to renew your wudhu and repeat your prayer.

 

However, if you are suffering from incontinence (inability to control your bladder/bowel) then you certainly fall in the category of those who are allowed special dispensations because of your specific condition.

In this case, what is required of you is to wash yourself and perform your wudu as closely as possible to the prayer you are about to perform. Once you have done so you need not worry about what happens after. Your prayer is considered as perfectly valid because of your specific health condition. For Allah says, “Allah does not wish to impose on any soul such burdens that it has no strength to bear.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 285)”

 

I pray to Allah to help you overcome this condition.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

Salaams. I work in supporting people with fertility using nutrition and natural approaches, and have recently come across deer antler which is highly beneficial for supporting fertility, and would like to enquire whether it would be considered halal.It is made from the tips of deer antler that hasn't ossified, and humanely harvested from stags when their antlers are soft and abundant with nutritional compounds. The animals are not harmed in the process, and the manufacturer I am reviewing follows has a solid reputation for ethical practices.I would appreciate your perspective in whether such a product would be considered permissible for Muslims please. Shukran.



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

You are allowed to use this product. Body parts of animals that are deemed halal for us to consume are considered pure; if they are harvested without torturing the animals, they are halal for use.

 

It is not different from shaving the wool of lambs for use by humans.  Allah counts use of wool for humankind as one of His blessings.  The case of deer antler is analogous to the use of wool. Enhancing fertility is a legitimate purpose.

In conclusion, you are allowed to use this product if it has been proven to be beneficial or a physician has recommended its use.

 

I pray to Allah to bless you in your desire to enhance your fertility potential and bless you with a  righteous offspring.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

 

Assalamu alaikum, My nikah had already been done a year ago and my walima was done 3months back. ...before a month of my walima I had family problems going on with my husband and his family regarding living separately.... Before my husband told he will give me a separate home as this is my right and his parents were also okay with it but now suddenly things have changed. His parents don't want my husband and me to live separately and my husband told me that even if he can he will not as he said that his parents are important to him and he doesn't want to lose the paradise below his mother's feet. I told him that I never told him to leave his parents... I understand that it's his obligation to take care of them and I will fully support him regarding that and help him in it with happiness...all I was asking was for a separate accommodation near his parents house and when we live separately and incase he doesn't take care of them then I will force him or I myself will take care of them and I will happily do that for them. His father told that if I really wanted to live separately then I should have mentioned in the nikah contract but I believe that this is my right and don't have to mention this obvious thing. My husband thinks that he will do the wrong thing if he gives me a separate house by disobeying his parents so now we are living together and he only comes in the room for sleeping and doesn't spend time with me as we he says he has to spend time with his parents and is with them the whole day. Is my husband wrong by forcing me to live with his parents or should he give me a separate home? And if he doesn't give me a separate home is he oppressing me by taking my right? Is he sinning all the time iam living here and will he be questioned on the day of judgment regarding this? Please answer... Iam falling into stress and depression each day as iam not happy here as small problems are happening. Is there any solution now or is there anything that my husband can do now?



Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

 

You have a right to ask for a separate living quarter, and your husband should provide the same for you if he can afford it.

 

You also have a right to your time with your husband; duty towards one’s parents in no way means depriving you of your rights.

 

Islam teaches us to balance our responsibilities: The Prophet’s words should guide a Muslim to do so: “Your body has rights, your eyes have rights, your guest have rights, your spouse has rights.” (Al-Bukhari)

 

Therefore, your husband ought to balance the rights of parents with those of his wife: he cannot sacrifice one for the other. In other words, he cannot say: Since I must honor my parents, I am allowed to neglect my wife. If he persists on such behavior, he is guilty in the sight of Allah.

 

I would urge you to ask for your right to privacy while being respectful of his parents and supporting him in taking care of or serving his parents.

 

If nothing works, then you may need to reconsider your relationship; he may not be a person who can balance his spousal duties with his duties towards his parents.

 

It is hard for such people to have a successful marital life.

 

You may do well to study together with the book entitled, Blissful Marriage: A Practical Islamic Guide by Ekram Beshir and Mohamed Rida Beshir.

 

I pray to Allah guide both of you to act rightly and preserve your marriage.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.

I had sexual intercourse unable to Perform Ghusl because I can’t move,bend,of fully straighten my leg what should I do I can do Wudu



You are required to perform ritual ghusl as best as you can. I cannot understand how someone can engage in sexual intercourse and yet is unable to bathe! Ritual ghusl does not require any rigorous exercise. It is a simple procedure. For details, let me cite here one of my earlier answers:

 

“The proper method of ghusl (ritual bath) involves the following steps:

 

1- Make the Niyyah (intention) to perform ghusl for purification.

 

2- Wash your private parts thoroughly with water.

 

3- Perform wudu’ (ablution) except for washing of your feet, which you can do later while bathing the body.

 

4- Wash the entire body, starting with your head and the right side, followed by the left.

 

5- It is preferable to wash the whole body three times. However, the minimum is once, and it would also suffice.

 

Having completed the above, you are considered eligible to perform the salah (prayer).”

 

Having said this, I would like to add: If you are not able to follow each of these steps because of your ill health, it is enough to pour water over your body at least once. By doing so, you are eligible to perform salah and other acts of worship.

 

In conclusion, you ought to perform at least the minimum form of ghusl unless your physician orders you that you cannot use water or water is not available.

 

Almighty Allah knows best.