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We have recently seen the spread of AIDS, which has many repercussions on society. This raises a number of questions, such as whether the person who has AIDS should be forcibly isolated from people who do not have the disease. What is the ruling on a person who deliberately transmits the disease to others? Is the perso...
Praise be to Allah.Firstly: isolation of the sick. The medical information that is currently available states that the AIDS virus is not transmitted through living with a person or touching him; it is not airborne; it is not transmitted through insects or through sharing food, drink, swimming pools, seats, eating utens...
Is it OK to shave armpit hairs with a razor?
Praise be to Allah.It is permitted, because the object is to remove the hair, whether by plucking, shaving or some other method. Plucking is better, if one can manage it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The fitrah is five things: circumcision, trimming the moustache,...
What is the ruling about a woman shaving her head?
Praise be to Allah.It is not permitted for a woman to shave her head except in cases of necessity, because of the hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Nisaa’i from ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade women to shave their heads. Al-Khall...
A while ago, Allaah guided me and I came back to Islam, praise be to Allaah. I let my beard grow, along with two other brothers, and this sunnah reached some of my family members too. At home we were able to create an Islamic atmosphere and all the sisters in the house put on Islamic d...
Praise be to Allah.Firstly, may Allaah reward you with good for following the guidance of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and for calling your family to do likewise. Secondly, shaving the beard is haraam, and letting it grow is obligatory, as you know. Obedience to the ...
What is the ruling on women wearing hair extensions?
Praise be to Allah.Women are forbidden to add extensions to their hair, whether they are made of hair or anything else, if they could be mistaken for hair, because of the reports that have been narrated concerning that.
Is it permitted to dye the beard black?
Praise be to Allah.It is not permitted for a man to die his beard black because of the reports which command us to avoid that and forbid us to do it. Abu Dawood reported from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah who said: “Abu Quhaafah was brought on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, and his head and beard were like thu...
Is female circumcision sunnah or a bad practice? I read in a magazine that female circumcision in any form is a bad practice that is harmful from a medical point of view, and that it may sometimes lead to sterility. Is this correct?
Praise be to Allah.Circumcising females is sunnah; it is neither a bad practice or harmful, if it is done within moderation. When extreme forms of female circumcision are carried out, harm may result.
What is the ruling on shaving the beard or removing part of it?
Praise be to Allah.Shaving the beard is haram because of the sahih ahadith that clearly state this, and because of the general application of texts that forbid resembling the unbelievers.  Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Be different from the polytheists;...
I am a committed Muslim and I have a beard. I own a barber shop for men. This is my profession, and it means that I shave my customers’ beards and use dryers to style their hair. What is the Islamic ruling on this?
Praise be to Allah.It is forbidden for a Muslim to shave his own beard because of the saheeh reports that indicate that this is forbidden. It is also forbidden for another man to shave a person’s beard, because this entails cooperating in sin, which is forbidden in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… do not h...
My wife is suffering from excessive hair loss, and it was suggested to her that she should cut her hair short to reduce this loss. Is this permissible?
Praise be to Allah.If this is the case, then it is permissible to cut her hair because this will protect her from harm. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 5/182), on the condition that she should not make herself look like men or kaafir women. See Question #1192. And Allaah knows best.
What is the ruling about women cutting their hair short for reasons of necessity? For example, in Britain, the women think that washing thick hair is too difficult in a cold climate, so they cut their hair short.
Praise be to Allah.If that is indeed the case, then it is permissible for them to cut their hair short, but only as short as is necessary, and they are not permitted to cut their hair short to look like kaafir women, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one ...
When my father became very old and was no longer able to take care of his own personal hygiene needs, I used to trim his moustache and shave his pubic hairs for him, but this meant that I saw his ‘awrah (private parts, which should remain covered) without intending to. Is this a sin on...
Praise be to Allah.There is no sin on you if you remove your father’s pubic hair when he cannot do this for himself. What you have heard about having to fast for two months is not correct.
I have seen that some people use materials to dye their hair different colours, be it black, red, etc., and also using something else to make curly hair straight. It is permissible to do such things, and does the ruling apply equally to young and old?
Praise be to Allah.There is nothing wrong with changing the hair colour and dyeing it any colour, except black. There is also nothing wrong with using something to make curly hair straight. This ruling applies to young and old alike, so long as no damage results from doing this and the material used is pure...
What is the ruling on men or women letting their nails grow long? If it is forbidden, what is the wisdom behind this prohibition?
Praise be to Allah.Cutting the nails is part of the fitrah . Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The fitrah is five things: circumcision , removing the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the armpit hairs .” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim). According to...
In our locality there are people who hold celebrations of the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) every year. They think that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not like the rest of mankind, but that he is light from the Light...
Praise be to Allah.alone, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger and his family and companions. Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is an innovation (bid’ah) which goes against the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be...
I did wudoo’ for prayer, and during the prayer I remembered that I had not rinsed my nose. What is the ruling concerning my wudoo’ and my prayer in this case?
Praise be to Allah.Rinsing the nose in wudoo’ is obligatory, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did this and said: “Whoever does wudoo’, let him rinse his nose.” Whoever does not rinse his nose, his wudoo’ is not valid. So you must repeat both your wudoo’ and...
It happens that after I have cleaned myself (after passing water) and done Wudu, I feel some drops of urine come out, which makes me repeat my wudoo, sometimes twice. After the urine has come out, I wait for five minutes until I am sure that it has stopped, but after I finish Wudu, I feel that a few small drops of urin...
Praise be to Allah.If you are certain that some drops of urine have come out, then you have to clean yourself again and repeat your Wudu for each prayer, and you have to wash off whatever urine has got onto your clothes. But if there is some doubt, you do not have to do that. You should not pay attention to doubts, les...
What is the ruling about having tattoos on the body? Does it stop a person who has tattoos from performing the duty of Hajj?
Praise be to Allah.It is forbidden to have tattoos on the body . Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed the one who adds hair extensions and the one who has this done, and the one who does tattoos and the one who has this done.   A tattoo may be on the cheek or lip, or elsewhere on the body,...
My husband and I wanted to know if it were permissable to take Arabic classes at a college where the classes are mixed (men-women). We understand that there is no mixing between the sexes, but confused about the definition of "mixing". Please tell us what is permissable, what is not and give proof
Praise be to Allah.The meeting together, mixing, and intermingling of men and women in one place, the crowding of them together, and the revealing and exposure of women to men are prohibited by the Law of Islam (Shari'ah). These acts are prohibited because they are among the causes for fitnah (temptation or trial which...
AsSalaamu Alaikum. Before I accepted Islam I committed adultery an conceived a child with a married woman. The woman's husband has been told the truth and is aware that the child is not his, but he still wants to keep the child and his wife. Her husband wants to have nothing to do with me(understanda...
Praise be to Allah.All Praises are Due to Allah Islam erases whatever took place before it and after Allah guides you there is no sin on you, regarding something which took place in the past. The rule according to the Shariah (Islamic Laws) is that the child is to the bed and follows the husband, unless he ...
I have a question that everyone I asked had a different answer for. Does the Muslim have to say anything during the sexual intercourse? And does the Muslim "husband and wife" have to pray before the first day of sexual intercourse? Thank you for having this website to help us understand our religion more.
Praise be to Allah.Du`a before sex Among the manners prescribed by the Shari’ah is that the Muslim should say when he commences intercourse with his wife : "In the Name of Allah,  Oh Allah, shield us from Satan and keep him away from us and from what You [may] bestow upon us (i.e. children)" Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Fat...
I made a vow and I have orphans under my care. Can I fulfil this vow from the property of these orphans?
Praise be to Allah. It is not permissible to fulfil the vow from the property of the orphans. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And come not near to the orphan’s property, except to improve it” [al-An’aam 6:152] If we pay this from the orp...
What is the view of Islam towards friendship with followers of different religions
Praise be to Allah.; Reply for this question would be the same as the reply to question #23325. In addition, the following should be noted: We should differentiate between good treatment of non-Muslims and befriending them. We should differentiate between establishing a relationship with a non-Muslim for the purpose o...
Is buying Computer and Technology companies' stocks Halal or Haram? AND WHY?  And if Halal, is giving money to mutual fund company that buy these stock (only Technology stocks) Halal or Hram? and Why?
Praise be to Allah. It is permissible for a person to buy shares in these companies if they do not deal in riba [usury/interest] (and they do not sell anything haraam and they do not do business in a manner that is not Islamic). But if they deal in riba then it is not permitted, because it is cl...
How correct is it to say, “I have done my best and the rest is up to Allah”?
Praise be to Allah.This phrase is not correct, because it means that the one who says it is putting his trust in himself first. What he should say is, “I have done my best and I ask Allah for help.” This is what is correct. Perhaps when a person says “I have done my best and the rest is up to Allah”...
I want to know whether condoms can be used. Or what are the means of preventing pregnancy? What is the advisable means according to Islam?
Praise be to Allah.It is permissible to use condoms so long as this does not cause any harm and so long as both husband and wife consent to their use, because this is similar to ‘azl (coitus interruptus or “withdrawal”). But it reduces the sensation of pleasure, which is the right of both partners, and reduces the chan...
There is a big dispute among Muslim scholars concerning the timing of the beginning of Ramadaan and ‘Eid al-Fitr. Some of them act upon the sighting of the new moon, because of the hadeeth, “Fast when you sight it [the new moon] and stop fasting when you sight it…”; others rely on the calculations of astronomers, sayin...
Praise be to Allah.Firstly: the correct opinion which must be acted upon is that indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Fast when you see it [the new moon] and stop fasting when you see it, and if it is cloudy then complete the month with thirty days.” That is the basis for ...
I would like to ask this question concerning my business, I usually sell cars and finance it by islamic law which mean i dont charge any interest,but to brotect my self i usually charge a late charge fee if they dont pay on time,please advice me is this halal or haram?
Praise be to Allah.This extra fee that you are charging for late payments from the purchaser is the essence of ribaa. Hence when Allaah stated that the ribaa which the people of the Jaahiliyyah used to charge when the debtor delayed payment, when they would charge the debtor more in ...
What is The wisdom behind the creation of dangerous animals ?
Praise be to Allah.There are two aspects to the answer to this question: general and specific. The general answer is that the Muslim believes that Allaah is All-Wise and All-Knowing, and He does not create anything in vain; all of His actions are based on Wisdom. If the wisdo...
  Someone has asked me this question (she is about to become a muslimah). Her statement: 'A lot of others will never meet a Muslim in person. Will they be held responsible for their ignorance? What exactly does this mean: "After the revelation of the Quran who ever receives this message & does not abide by it is a non-...
Praise be to Allah.It is part of the justice of Allah that He does not punish any people until He has first sent a warning to them and unless there is evidence against them. Allah does not treat anybody unfairly. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give war...
It is not possible to see the new moon with the naked eye before it is 30 hours old, and in addition to that, it is sometimes not possible to see it at all because of the weather conditions. On this basis, is it permissible to resort to using astronomical information to calculate the likely time for sighting the new mo...
Praise be to Allah.It is permissible to use telescopes etc. to sight the moon, but it is not permissible to rely on astronomical data to confirm the beginning or end of the blessed month of Ramadan, because Allah has not prescribed that for us in His Book or in the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be...
Since the prophet said "Begin fasting after sighting the moon", how can muslims be fasting one on Tuesday in one part of the world and wednesday in another part. We should all begin our fast at the same time regardless of where we live. We are students in the U.S. and Canada, and we face the same problem every year at...
Praise be to Allah.Firstly: the fact that the moon rises at different times in different places is a well-established fact; no scholar disputes this. However, the scholars differ as to whether this matters or not. Secondly: the question as to whether different times of moonrise is something that matters is a theoretica...
What is the iddah period of a woman who deserts her husband? Is the marriage nullified, or must the husband pronounce the divorce, or does a kuli' go into effect?
Praise be to Allah.; If a woman deserts her husband, the marriage contract will not be nullified. It remains valid until the husband divorces the wife, the wife gets a divorce (khul), or the Qaadi (judge ruling according to Islamic shariah) annuls the marriage contract. Allaah knows best.
  Is the hadith about the coming of Mehdi Saheeh? Because I was told by a friend of mine, that it's not and it's a weak hadith.
Praise be to Allah.There are saheeh ahaadeeth that indicate that the Mahdi (peace be upon him) will appear at the end of time. He is one of the signs of the Hour. Among these ahaadeeth are the following:   1. Abu Saeed al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: "At the...
Is it permissible for the imam to read from the Quran during Tarawih prayers in Ramadan? Are prayers not accepted if the Imam reads from Quran during Tarawih prayers?
Praise be to Allah.There is nothing wrong with reading from the Mus-haf during night prayers in Ramadaan, because this will make the members of the congregation hear all of the Qur’aan. The Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that Qur’aan should be recited in prayer, whether it is from the Mus-haf or from memory. It was proven...
What is the ruling in a case where the fiancée puts the condition that there should be a dog in the marital home?
Praise be to Allah.We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, may Allaah preserve him, who replied as follows: This is an invalid condition, and if he has got married on this condition, he does not have to fulfil it.
In our centre we pray salat'u tarewea but one of the boy's who actas a Immam used to trim his beard inspite that he is good reciter of quran and also has a good voice. 1. The question is shall we allow him to act as imam beside that there is the altenative of boys who can act as imam. 2. My wife is p...
Praise be to Allah. If your imaam shaves his beard, then you should advise him to let it grow, in adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If he refuses, then ask someone else who can recite Qur'aan well, even if he has not memorized as much or does not have as ...
What should a Muslim do if he moves from one country to another during Ramadan, where the people started fasting on a different day?
Praise be to Allah.If a person finds himself in a country where the people have already started fasting, he must fast with them, because he must follow the ruling of the country he is in. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Fast when the people fast, break your fast when the people break their...
What is the importance of 13th, 21st, 22nd, and27th of the Islamic month of Rajab.
Praise be to Allah. There is nothing special about these particular days at all. All the days of Rajab are special, with no exception, because Rajab is one of the Sacred Months, like Dhoo’l- Qi’dah, Dhoo’l-Hijjah and Muharram. The thirteenth day of each month - not just Rajab - is one of the three Ayyaam al-Beed (wh...
What is your view on the practice of burning a tray of coal that emits smoke, which is used to cover every nook and corner of the house, especially on Thursday nights? It is believed that this practice will rid the house of jinn and shaytan. I have been told that the presence of smoke is one element whe...
Praise be to Allah. What you describe is a type of cheating or fraud, which the believer is not permitted to believe in or to do. I warn you against falling into the trap of shaytan. You should read the last two surahs of the Quran and Surat al-Baqarah in the house: this is the strongest protection a...
Will brushing your teeth break your fast?
Praise be to Allah.If toothpaste does not get into the throat, then the fast is not broken. However, it would be better to use toothpaste at night and to use Siwak in the day time. May Allah guide us to His obedience! For more, please see these answers: 13619 , 13767  , 363474  , and 82308 .
I have diabetes type II which is NIDM non-insulin dependent diabetes, I don't use any medicine, I only control diet and I do little physical exercise to keep in right level of my sugar(blood). I have had this disease for one year and two months. Last Ramadan I fasted some days but I could not continue due to my low le...
Praise be to Allah.Can sick people break the fast? It is prescribed for sick people not to fast in Ramadan, if fasting will cause harm or make the sickness worse, or if they need treatment during the day in the form of medicine or pills that must be swallowed. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):  “and whoever i...
A woman sees some liquids (yellow color) in her underware while she is not in period. This frequently happens to her and causes a real difficulty for praying specially out side the home and as you know women in this country go out of their home frequently. What is the judgment on these liquids (pure...
Praise be to Allah. What is well-known is that the scholars say that everything that is discharged from the front and back passages is naajis (impure) except for one thing, semen, which is taahir (pure); apart from that everything else that has substance is naajis and breaks one’s wudoo’. On this basis, whatever flu...
We would like to ask you to explain to us whether what we do during mourning ceremonies or obsequies is correct according to sharee’ah. We do the following: We recite Soorat al-Faatihah over the grave of the deceased. The offering of condolences may last for three days or more, and we eat and drink duri...
Praise be to Allah.There are jaahili customs, or reprehensible innovations, and you have to give them up and explain to others that they are wrong. With regard to reciting Qur’aan over the grave of the deceased, this is not permissible, and none of the Salaf did this. If it were good to do this, they would have done i...
What is the ruling on a person who testifies that there is no god except Allaah and establishes regular prayers, but he does not pay zakaah and does not accept that? What is the Islamic ruling on such a person if he dies – can the funeral prayer be offered for him or not?
Praise be to Allah.Zakaah is one of the pillars of Islam. If a person does not do it because he does not believe that it is obligatory, the ruling should be explained to him and if he persists, then he is a kaafir, and the funeral prayer cannot be offered for him and he cannot be buried in the Muslim graveyard. But if ...
What is the ruling on paying zakah on money loaned to someone who is going through difficulties and may take years to repay? What is the ruling on paying zakah on money loaned to a rich man who is delaying repayment? What is the ruling on a loan given to someone who one knows is rich and will pay it back – of course, a...
Praise be to Allah.If the debtor is going through difficulty or is rich but is delaying repayment, and it is not possible to get the money back from him, either because there is not sufficient evidence to get the matter resolved through the courts, or because one has evidence but the authorities will not help him to ge...
I raise lambs on our farm and have been asked by a group of Muslims to sell them our lambs , my question do I have to have anything special in order to let them slaughter on my farm[have a state inspector check the lambs or the facility]I would like to sell lambs but I don't want the hassle with the ...
Praise be to Allah.It would be a great deed, If you can allow Muslims slaughter lamp according to Islamic Laws. If you can not, the only thing you can do is to sell them the lambs so they could take care of the matter on their own. However, I urge you to try to ease matters as much as possible for Muslims so they cou...
We are from Fall River High School in California. We would like to know about the materials used in making Islamic bridal dresses as well as any religious significance they might have. Thank You
Praise be to Allah.There isn't any special material in Islam for wedding cloths. Islamic Sharee'a( Ruling ) is merciful not to place such provisions. However, there are general guidelines like forbidding men from wearing items that are specific to women such natural silk or gold since both degrade manhood. Furthermore;...
What is the ruling on a matter where a man does not have to fast because of medical reasons yet forces his wife to have relations while she is fasting ?
Praise be to Allah.It is not permitted for the husband to do this no matter what condition he is in since fasting is obligatory on her. If he requires to have sexual intercourse, then it must be between Magrep and Fajr during Ramadaan.
What is the ruling regarding using soap products (ex. hand and bath soaps) that contain pig (khanzeer) by-products or some of the ingredients in the soap originate from pigs.
Praise be to Allah.You will find the answer to your question by reviwing question #210. In summery, the most accurate answer is that it is not permissible to use such soap or products. Allaah knows best.
We have date palms which are growing near the sanitary waste flow.  Is it permissible to eat of their dates?
Praise be to Allah. Yes, it is permissible to eat of the dates of the trees which are irrigated with water from the sanitary waste flow because if there is no taste or smell, that means that the najaasah (impurity) has disappeared.
I would like to ask you if wearing perfume such as CK Eternity, or Aramis which contains Alcohol SD, or Alcohol denat.
Praise be to Allah.We need to talk at length about the issue of perfumes that are said to contain cologne or alcohol . If the percentage of alcohol in perfume is very little, we say that it does not matter, and a person may use them without any concern, such as if the alcohol content is 5% or less. This does not matter...
I have heard that there are ahaadeeth which indicate that it is allowed to recite the Qur’aan in a melodious voice (taghanni). How are we to understand these ahaadeeth?
Praise be to Allah.Reciting in a melodious voice (taghanni) may mean: 1 – Making the voice beautiful when reciting, whilst reciting aloud in a tone that conveys the feelings of humility, softening of the heart and sadness, without making too much effort or exaggerating. Taghanni means reciting aloud, as it was narrated...
My parents bought me a car which they pay intest on the car till now. Is it permissable to continue using the car or not? because they pay the financing.
Praise be to Allah.So long as the purchase with interest has been made and it is not possible to go back on that, you can use the car, but you must advise your parents and explain to them that ribaa is haraam, so that they will not do this again. And Allaah knows best.
So far I have learned 33 of the 99 Arabic names for Allah (SWT), I don't have a list of the rest. Where can I find it on the internet, or perhaps you know them?
Praise be to Allah.Allaah has many names, all of which are indicative of His Greatness, Perfection and Majesty, may He be glorified and exalted. He has told us some of these Names in His Book and through the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); He also has other Names w...
I would be very grateful if you could advise me on the fundamental differences between the main sects of Islam, although I know that originally Islam was a unified religion. Thankyou.
Praise be to Allah.The answer to your question is lengthy and deserves a book to itself. We cannot answer in details here, but we can say the following in brief: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us beforehand that this Ummah would be divided as the previous nations were divided, as stated in...
I work in the restaurant business (12 hour shifts) and I am constantly dirtied by pork products. What are my salaat requirements? Can I perform all five prayers as athaa at the end of the day, after I have bathed?
Praise be to Allah.You have to do the five prayers at the proper times, after removing the najaasah (impure things) from yourself and purifying yourself as Allaah has commanded. You should also look for another job from which you can earn halaal provision, because cooking and serving ...
What do you give for zakatul fitr? Is it money or grain? and what about if you don`t know any body to be given? Is it permissable to give it to the masjid or a kaafir homeless, or kaair in general?
Praise be to Allah.Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made giving a saa’ of dates or a saa’ of barley as Zakat al-Fitr an obligation for all Muslims, slave and free, male and female, young and old, and ordered that it should be given ...
Will Allah accept the prayer and good deeds of a person who is continually committing sin such as fornification eventhough in his/her heart the person is aware that he/she is sinning and is full of guilt and tries his/her very best not to continue committing such sin. Except for this weakness this perso...
Praise be to Allah.Yes, Allaah will accept whatever righteous deeds he does, such as praying, fasting, giving charity etc., and He will also accept his repentance, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you do.” ...
what would be a good du'a or ayah to recite if you want Allah to open the heart of someone very close to you to Islam?
Praise be to Allah.The best thing to do in this situation is to pray for guidance for that person. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did, as is reported in a number of ahadeeth, such as the following: Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that Tufayl ibn ...
Can you tell me what is the ruling in wearing ties. some people say it is haram and others say no.
Praise be to Allah.The Muslim is supposed to be distinct from non-Muslims in his appearance and clothing, because this is what Islam says. Also, the Muslim should not wear anything that is the distinctive clothing of the kuffaar. With regard to neckties, if a person can do without them, this is better, but if he has to...
Why does Islam ,believing that its roots lie with abraham ,nonetheless not believe in the veracity of hebrew scriptures?
Praise be to Allah.Muslims believe in all the Prophets and Messengers without exception; whoever denies any Prophet is a disbeliever. Muslims believe in all the Books that were revealed by Allaah to His Prophets, without exception; whoever denies any Book is a disbeliever. On this basis, Muslims believe in ...
I read your replay to the question regarding working for a life insurance company. The company I work for provides as part of the benefits package a life insurance policy for all employees. Is this haram on my part even if I had not asked for it? What does one do regarding such a ...
Praise be to Allah.So long as it is not you who has set up and agreed to the insurance, there is no sin on you working there, so long as the work is permissible. And Allaah knows best.
I want to know is there a starting point for a man who Is interested in the true religion of Islam. I have been given many different answers.
Praise be to Allah.Yes, there is a very important starting-point, which is to pronounce the Shahaadatayn (Declaration of Faith). This is the only answer to your question.  (For more details please see the questions and answers under the heading: ‘Aqeedah (basic tenets of faith) – important matters for those who wish to...
Alsalam Alykuym my question is regarding a posting i saw in your website that it is preffered for a Muslim to sleep on his right side and not on his stomach. Is that true? and what if a person due to problems with his back can't sleep except on his stomach? Jazakum Allah Khair
Praise be to Allah.If you have no choice but to sleep on your back, there is nothing wrong with doing so, so long as you are keen to follow the Sunnah and the only reason you cannot put this particular aspect of it into practice is your illness. And Allaah knows best.
Assalamu-'alayka I was wondering about praying salah while reading the quraan (the book in your hands). We have a congregation here and no body has memorized the full Quraan in our community. So, instead, the imam is reading the quraan in his hands during Taraweeh. I heard that this is haraam ac...
Praise be to Allah.Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Saheeh: Chapter on a slave or freed slave leading the prayer: Aaishah used to be led in prayer by her slave Dhakwaan whilst he was holding the Mus-haf. (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Adhaan). Ibn Hijr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fath a...
my sister who has shahada is married to a man who is not, at the time she didn;t know that he is haram for her. My husband will not allow me to visit her home because he is not muslim, it this allowed? I would just visit her home when he is not there
Praise be to Allah.There follow some details about the issue of women upholding their ties of kinship, and what they should do with husbands who prevent them from doing so. Upholding the ties of kinship is obligatory even for females, who must uphold them as much as they can. Therefore it is not permissible...
is it wrong for a girl to love someone in her heart and wish allah to marry her to this guy?
Praise be to Allah.If this love is not distracting you from the love of Allah, and will not lead to you doing or saying anything haraam, then there is nothing wrong with this, in sha Allah, or with praying to Allah to make him a part of your future – so long as he is a Muslim who fears Allah.
In the Christian religion, a dove is a symbol not only for peace but also for the Holy Spirit.In the Islamic religion, does the dove hold any significance ?
Praise be to Allah.We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows.  The dove does not have any particular meaning in Islam. It is simply one of the birds that Allaah has permitted us to eat, just like any other permissible bi...
What is the ruling on saying in one’s du’aa’: ‘O Allaah, I ask You by the virtue of So and so’? Is there any difference between this and saying to the occupant of a grave, ‘O So and so, help me!’?
Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible to ask Allaah by the virtue of anyone, not even by the virtue of the Prophets or Messengers or awliyaa’ or righteous people. No one can compel Allaah to do anything. It is not permissible to ask Him in any way except by His Names and Attributes, as Allaah says (inter...
What is the method of confirming the beginning of every lunar month? Is there a certain length of time that the new moon has to be in the sky?
Praise be to Allah.The saheeh ahaadeeth reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) indicate that when the new moon is seen by a trustworthy person after the sun has set on the thirtieth night of Sha’baan or the thirtieth night of Ramadaan, this sighting is considered to be valid, and the firs...
My mother recently passed away, on the first of Ramadan. She never performed Hajj, so I am planning to do that on her behalf. My question is: can I perform Hajj for her even though I have not yet performed Hajj for myself?
Praise be to Allah. I ask Allaah to reward you for your kind feelings towards your mother and your eagerness to perform your filial duty towards her after her death. In response to your question, if a Muslim wishes to perform Hajj on behalf of someone else, he must first have performed it for himself. The daleel (evid...
I am living in Oman, where women follow a practice of remaining in the house for 40 days following the birth of a child. I have asked several people about this. Most people do not seem to know if it is sunnah or not. If it is, I would like to try to follow the practice (I am in the 9th month of my 4th pregnancy).  Howe...
Praise be to Allah.40-Day Rule after Birth in Islam Forty days is the longest period that the woman in nifas can refrain from praying and fasting , so long as blood is still flowing. After that, she should do ghusl and pray, and consider herself to be in a state of istihadah (irregular vaginal bleeding which is neither...
Assalaamualaikum, I have heard that Noah's ark was found a few years ago using references from the Quraán as opposed to the bible. Is this true?
Praise be to Allah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "The people of Nuh denied (their Messenger) before them, they rejected Our slave, and said: A madman! and he was insolently rebuked and threatened. Then he invoked his Lord (saying): I have been overcome, so help (me)! So We opened the gates of heaven wi...
What is the Braylwiyyah sect and what is their belief ?
Praise be to Allah. The Braylwiyyah are a Soofeesect which was born in India at the time of the British rule there. It's followers concernthemselves in exceeding in their love and honour for the Prophets and the "saints" in general, and the Prophet (sal...
I understand that a child becomes "related" to a woman when he nurses from her. Does he also become related if he receives her breastmillk in a bottle ?
Praise be to Allah. Yes, the rules of Radaa' still apply, so long as the child drinks the equivalent of the well-known five breast feedings within the first two years of life.
Assalomu Aleykum My Grandparents are Muslim people. My Parents consider themselves also as Muslims, but they pray and fast time-to-time. They do not follow all roles in Islam. As for me I just open Islam for myself. At the mean-time I am learning praying and other questions about Islam with my Grandm...
Praise be to Allah. Whoever repents, Allaah will turn to him in acceptance. Whoever seeks to draw closer to Allaah, Allaah will draw closer to him. As you have been guided and have returned to Islam and turned to Allaah, then rejoice in the news that Allaah has accepted your repentance and forgiven you. Allaah says ...
Assalamu ALikum Rahmatullahi wa Baraktuh, I want to know about pictures of people in Islam, specifically those used in children's books. Is it permisable to illustrate children's books about Islam with pictures of muslims? If so, what is the basis for this, and if not what is the basis? There is so ...
Praise be to Allah. On the subject of photographs, please refer to question # 365. Know, my sister, that we should be careful about pictures of animate beings, lest we do something that has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger. I wonder what urgent need there can be for putting pictures of Muslims in c...
I need to know, when did the Holy Prophet get married to Hazrat Aisha, there have been claims on newsgroups that the Holy Prophet was a pedophile. I want enough information to be able to answer such allegations. I need to know everything about this particular marriage, quoting sources. Wa-alaikum
Praise be to Allah. The answer to your question may be found in the ahaadeeth of Saheeh al-Bukhaari and the commentary of al-Haafiz al-‘Asqallaani, which are quoted below: ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) married me when I was six years old. T...
Is the niqab a pre-islamic custom if not what is the evidence (qur'an or hadith) to support the wearing of niqab, and is it preferred for sisters to wear the niqab? jazakumallaahu khairan.
Praise be to Allah.We have already spoken about the fact that it is obligatory for women to cover their faces in Question #2198, so please refer to that question. With regard to the niqaab, this is a cover or veil with a hole in it for the eyes. It is a way of dressing that was known to Muslim women at the ...
I have heard a ruling regarding the reasons a male Muslims is allowed to speak to a Muslim female and want to know if it is correct. It said that there are only five reasons one may talk to her: 1. to ask how her family 2. for medical purposes 3. for financial purposes (e.g. in a shop) 4. to find out about her personal...
Praise be to Allah.The conditions for speaking to a woman to whom one is not related are mentioned in the following aayaat (interpretation of the meaning): ". . . And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen; that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts . . ." [Al-Ahzaab 33:53...
If I meet a person and I do not know whether he is a kaafir or a Muslim, should I say salaam to him or return his greeting or not?
Praise be to Allah.It was reported in the hadeeth that you should say salaam to those you know and those you do not (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 12; al-Fath 1/55) but this applies only to Muslims, or those who appear to be Muslim. It was also reported that it is forbidden to say salaam to Jews and Christians, ...
There are people who sit together to read the Qur’aan quietly. Each individual reads one juz’ (part) of the Qur’aan, claiming that the entire Qur’aan will have been read in this gathering. Is this permissible or is it counted as being bid’ah (innovation)?
Praise be to Allah.In my opinion the action mentioned is not permissible, and I do not recall anything of this kind being reported from the Salaf. A person will only be rewarded for what he himself reads or listens to in order to benefit from it. But if another person reads and he does not listen, the rewar...
if someone who is born nonmuslim (christian ) he/she is honest and never commits major sins and he/she belives everybbody is right on their own religion but knows nothing about islam nobody told them about it and they die in this stage  so where will they go on the day of judgement
Praise be to Allah.The person whose situation is described in the question cannot be said to be a Muslim even if his attitude and morals were good, because he did not utter the Shahaadatayn and did not believe in Allaah as his Lord, Muhammad as his Prophet and Islam as his re...
As we know interest is haram in Islam but can you please tell me why it is haram? I have some money but I don't know how to invest the money. There is someone who knows how to manage this money if I gave him my money and fix some amount for him as interest. We both agree on this and we are both pleased with this decisi...
Praise be to Allah.Why is interest haram? Riba (which means adding something extra to certain products, like selling gold for gold, or by not receiving something when a contract is signed, or paying extra in return for extension of a loan) is haram because Allah - Who rules as He wills - has forbidden it. No one can as...
i would like to know can a person cut out any of his childern from the inheritences. because their was some problems between him and his son-in-law. or use it as an excuse to cut his daughters out of the inheritences. can a person that has 10 childern .give one of them more then the other. while he is s...
Praise be to Allah.This will is not permissible, because it goes against the teachings of sharee’ah and is contrary to the justice and fairness that Allaah has enjoined, especially among one's children. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “There is a share for men a...
I was recently reading a description of the physical characteristics of the Noble Prophet. I formed a picture in my mind. Then I saw in a dream, a man who looked like the picture formed in my mind. I do not clearly remember what he said, but I am afraid he might have said that some Muslim brothers who I love very much ...
Praise be to Allah.What did Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) look like? We will quote below a number of hadiths which describe Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). If what you saw in your dream is in accordance with this, then you did indeed see the Prophet (peace and blessings...
Is the doctors knowledge of the fetus in the uterus complete?
Praise be to Allah. Imaam Abu Abdullaah Muhammad ibn Ismaaeel al-Bukhaari reported, in al-Jaami al-Saheeh, which is the soundest book after the Quraan: "Ibraaheem ibn al-Mundhir told me that Man told us that Maalik told me, from Abdullaah ibn Deenaar from Ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Messenger ...
Is setting a date to meet and read the entire Qur’aan for a deceased person and to pray for him, and doing this every year a bid‘ah.?
Praise be to Allah. There is no indication in either the Qur’aan or the Sunnah that would prescribe the actions described in the question. Based on this fact, these actions are bid‘ah (a reprehensible innovation) which is not permitted; we should avoid it and warn others not to do it. The Messenger of Allaah (Peac...
What is the symbolism behind the Muslim star and crescent? I did a keyword search of your site and searched my library's reference books and cannot find anything more than a reference to the flag of the Ottoman Empire. Thank you for your interest.
Praise be to Allah.There is no basis in shareeah for taking the crescent or star as a symbol of the Muslims. This was not known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or at the time of the Khulafa al-Raashidoon (the first four leaders of Islam after the death of the Prophe...
Some people formed a co-operative whereby each male, old or young, pays one hundred dollars at the beginning of the year, so that the money is saved in case any of them has to pay diyah (blood-money) or is faced with some other disaster. Do they have to pay zakaat on this money each ti...
Praise be to Allah.If the situation is as you describe, and the money does not go back to the person who donated it according to the proportion that he donated, but is now no longer owned by any one of them and is to be spent only for the purpose for which they donated it, then there is no zakaat due on it....
Is it permissible for any person nowadays to swear an oath insisting that Allaah should do something that he wants, or not?
Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible to swear an oath saying I swear, O Lord, that You should send down rain, or defeat the Jews, or make So and so rich, or give him such and such, or do for me what I ask in this place, and so on. This implies that a person is obliging his Lord to do something, but it i...
Some of the offices of al-Muntada al-Islami are in countries which use the Gregorian calendar. We use the Hijri calendar, but this causes us problems when we deal with government departments which do not use the Hijri calendar, or when drawing up budgets, paying salaries and preparing financial reports ...
Praise be to Allah.There is nothing wrong with using both dates, so long as the Hijri date is written first, followed by the equivalent Gregorian date. The Hijri date is based on the lunar months, which are clear and can be readily observed by anyone who has eyes to see, but the Gregorian months do not have...
There is a slaughter-house in which some of the people who work there pray, and some do not. Most of the people who work there slander the religion of Islam. Is it permissible to eat the meat they slaughter?
Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible to approve of those who slander the religion in this slaughter-house, even if they pray, because slandering the religion is kufr which puts a person beyond the pale of Islam. As for those who do not pray, they should not be left to do this job if they deny that it is obligatory,...
If one has a child with a woman, and not married to them is it permissable for them to be alone with one another (not being married at the time of conception or after the birth) The 3rd party will always be shayton, and are children suitable chaparones.
Praise be to Allah.We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, who replied:  They will no longer be counted as being alone together (khulwah) if there is a third person present with them, whether he is their child or someone else’s, and whether he is the child of zinaa or the child o...
What is the ruling on a person who does not fast according to the first sighting of the new moon of Ramadaan, but waits until he sees it for himself? Is their interpretation of hadeeth, “Fast when you see it [the new moon] and stop fasting when you see it” correct??
Praise be to Allah.What is obligatory is to fast when the sighting of the moon is confirmed, even if it is seen by only one trustworthy Muslim, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) issued orders to fast when a Bedouin testified that he had seen the new moon. Interpreting the hadeeth “Fast when you...
As-salamo Alikum Wa Rahamtu Allah Wa Barakatoh I pray that Allah grant your Tech. by his mercy. Still he in sha;a Allah got the reward of this valuable home page. Please, visit the following web-site, XXXX it is concerning Hilal sighting and calculation, they claimed that in XXXX they never sight the moon and every ...
Praise be to Allah.Islam is easy and its rules apply to everyone, mankind and jinn alike, regardless of whether they are scholars or illiterate, settled or nomadic. So Allaah made it easy for them to know the times for the acts of worship, and made their beginning and end signs which everyone can know. He made the sett...
as-salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhuplease inform we whether or not i must pay interest on loans i took out before coming to islam, or in my days of ignorance. i intend to pay off all of the principal ,of course, but i hate that i enter a state of war with Allah and His Mes...
Praise be to Allah.If you are able to, then do not pay the interest, so that you will not be counted among those referred to in the hadeeth: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who consumes riba, the one who pays it, the one who writes it down and those who wi...
What is the ruling on visiting zoos with the aim of enjoying looking at the animals?
Praise be to Allah.On the basis of the opinion that it is permissible to keep animals in cages, visiting places designed for the purpose of displaying these animals to the public such as those known nowadays as zoos, for the purpose of enjoying looking at the different types of animals, is permissible. It i...
A very personal and difficult to explain question: I have a boy-friend who is originally from XXX, so he is a muslim. He now lives in the XXX and I live inXXX. I am a christian.He has asked me to marry him and I have agreed. The problem is .... his family. They have arranged a future wife for h...
Praise be to Allah.It is difficult to say what their reaction will be. Most parents want their children to marry in accordance with their wishes, and in most cases they will have chosen a wife for their son from their own country, whose customs and tradition are closer to those of the society in which they ...