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Session Details
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| Guest Name |
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
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| Profession |
A Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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| Subject |
General Fatwa Session
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| Date |
Wednesday,May 19 ,2004
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Time |
Makkah
From...
15:15...To...
16:45
GMT
From... 12:15...To...13:45
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Host
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| Question |
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| Answer |
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brothers and sisters, the session has already started. You can submit your questions. Please, make your questions short and clear so as to help us answer all your questions.
Yours,
Islam Online Fatwa Editing Desk.
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| Name |
Ahmed
- Egypt
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| Profession |
--
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| Question |
I have heard that there is a prayer of 12 rak`ahs that grantees the prayer anything he prays for. How do we pray the 12 rak`ahs. What is the Islamic view on using silver and gold in decoration such as furniture, picture frames, vases, etc.
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
The only prayer of 12 rak`ahs mentioned in the authentic sources is the ten or twelve rak`ahs of Sunnah prayers which are associated with fard prayers.
They are: two rak`ahs before Zuhr, and two after, two after Magrib, two after `Isha and two before Fajr; in some reports four before Zuhr and four after is mentioned. Along with the above one is highly recommended to pray three rak`ahs of witr after `Isha either before retiring to bed or later after waking up from sleep before Fajr.
The use of gold and silver is allowed only if they are not the main ingredient, but only as a negligible part of the thing such as for bordering or shading or repair, etc.
You can also read:
The Virtue of Sunnah Prayers
Decorating Homes: Moderation Is Recommended
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Lamis
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Have Muslim scholars ever disputed as to whether punishment from the grave was definite? If so, how can the collective ‘ijma` or consensus or the Ummah be true, how can the whole Ummah agree, when at one end some debate whether punishment from the grave was true?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Matters beyond death such as punishment in the grave, heaven and hell, etc. are beyond human cognition; they are therefore based solely on revealed texts; they are not subject to speculation or intellectual discretion.
Based on such texts ‘ijma` has concluded that punishment of the grave is a definite article of faith, which all Muslims must adhere to.
So it is simply naive on our part to argue about such matters as if our reason has another way of finding out the truth of the matter.
You can also read:
Punishment in the Grave: Any Mention in the Qur'an?
The Punishment in the Grave
Does Torment of the Grave Afflict Bodies Turned into Ashes?
Al-Barzakh and the Life in the Grave
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Abdullah
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Does the Qur’an contain contradictions in its essence even though the Qur’an says it hasn’t got any? It seems that the Sunnah moulds the contradictions that appear in Qur’an. Is that true? For instance, Allah says in the Qur’an that Jews and Christians will go to heaven, but in the commentary of Qur’an it refers to the actual followers of Jesus and Moses there is also one verse which states that whoever murders a Muslim will go to eternity in hell. This contradicts the other verses in the Qur’an like those referring to the fact that Allah will forgive any sin except shirk but in the Sunnah and Qur’anic exegisi, we know that this is referring to someone who has the intention of killing a Muslim because of his religion. Allah says 'fight them wherever you see them' but we know this verse was referring to a particular situation doesn’t mean that we should kill every kafir, but again only the seerah would be able to explain that apparent contradiction. I know that the Qur’an and the Sunnah go hand in hand. I am asking this question because the kuffar say that the Qur’an by itself has contradictions but the salaf, Sunnah and tafsir scholars have been able to explain away the contradictions. Can you please refute the above misgivings about the verses?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
The Qur'an claims to be wholly consistent and coherent and free from all contradictions; but we must approach it with the sound methodology: the sound methodology is first to consider the principle that one part of the Qur'an explains the other.
As for the first question, the Qur'an makes it clear that everyone who has submitted to Allah while being a doer of good works will be admitted into paradise; now the question remains whether a person who has accepted part of the scripture and rejects another falls in this category; Muslims hold the doctrine that everyone will be judged based on the fact how far he/she has submitted to the truth that he/she has received from God.
We are not to make this judgment about individuals; it is God and God alone who knows who has rejected the truth after receiving the same.
Now coming to the verses on warfare, the categorical statement of the Qur'an which is universal is: "Fight those who fight you and do not commit aggression, for God loves not the aggressors." (Al-Baqarah: 190)
It is further explained, "…if they let you be and extend peace to you and hold of their hands from attacking you, then definitely God has not given you sanction to fight them." (An-Nisaa’: 91) There is nothing anywhere in the Qur'an to contradict these verses; the verse ordering to fight which you have cited refers to the pagans of Makkah who had broken the pact with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and had waged war against him in spite of all promises to the contrary.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Hussain
- Bangladesh
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Dear Sheikh, two days ago my cousin brother committed suicide. Unfortunately, the motive is very unclear and we have found ta`weez near the house where the event took place. The family is surrounded by enemies and the victim in question was not of that sort of character. Throughout his life, he had never done any wrong in his social life and was respected in the community. His mother also suffered from jinni problems whilst breastfeeding him when he was young.
He stabbed himself 5 times and removed his intestines and sliced his liver. According to the police reports that is beyond human capabilities and he didn’t even scream in pain. He recently passed all his exams and was due to come to London. He had a bright future which he was looking forward to and had no reason.
His mother had dreamt that my grandfather saying to her that your son is not yours. Could please advise me what could be the cause and what we can do as a family to pray for peace of his soul. Please could you advise me on the situation.
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
We cannot say anything for sure about your cousin; he is in the mercy of Allah, and Allah alone is in full possession of knowledge as to what really happened to him; we as human beings, however, must act based on whatever evident proofs we have. "We judge by what is evident, and it is Allah and Allah alone is in charge of the secrets."
If there are any indications of foul play we must investigate; that is our duty.
We are not to go beyond that to speak ill of him because of this heinous act, for if he has been a believer, and he is guilty of a sin he is still considered a believer, but a sinful one; and we are to pray for him. Therefore pray for him and do not make judgments based on dreams or feelings, for such methods are not to be relied upon in making decisions, according to the Shari'ah.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Huda
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My fiancé and I have trouble marrying in the country in which we are resident, therefore are trying to marry abroad. This is proving to be difficult as we require to be in the country a few days beforehand, which would be difficult to keep things halal. We can get a civil marriage on the 1sth day. Would this be Islamically acceptable? Must it be an Islamic ceremony?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
If the civil ceremony fulfills the necessary conditions of marriage in Islam then it is good enough: the absolute requirements of marriage are: consent of the parties, consent of the guardian, two reliable witnesses, dower or bridal gift; if these conditions are met then the marriage shall be considered as valid.
You can also read:
Conditions of Valid Marriage
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Amira
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Some days ago, my mother found a new little package of goods near a very big shop. I will not specify here what it is exactly, but it's a little things for using in the bathroom. there were lots of cars not far from it, so probably somebody had lost it on the way from the shop to the car. Nobody was going back to take it, and also perhaps the person who had lost it was already at home. We can't know it. So, my mother take it home.
My question is: Can we use it? Can we take and use things which we found the way like that? And is not it haram to take the thing which we can't find to whom it belongs in that situation?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
The ideal way to deal with them is if they are imperishable to advertise for a year, if no one claims it during that time you can use them; if they are perishable items you are allowed to use them, but if someone comes you must compensate for him/her.
Perhaps even better than the above, in case of valuables that are imperishable, if after due process of advertisement in the neighborhood such as public places, newspapers, etc, if no one comes forward, then instead of ourselves using it, we should give it away in charity. If they are perishables they can be given to the food bank or we can use them.
You can also read:
Lost and Found in a Cab: What Should the Driver Do?
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Sami
- United States
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In a chemistry class, I recently discovered that the alcohol present in cooking extracts is the same alcohol present in wines and hard liquor. I would think it is haram to use them (extracts) in baking and cooking, but I have been counseled to verify this with a scholar. What is the correct teaching on the use of cooking extracts?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
If the alcohol used in cooking extracts is identical with the alcohol present in wines and liquor, then we are not supposed to use it for it shall be deemed as haram.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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doctor
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| Question |
My question is what is jealousy? What are its consequences?
If I heard my friend has brought a new car or something else I get an uneasiness feeling by which I mean that I don’t want any harm nor I want something wrong to happen to him. I feel that why could I not work hard and buy a car or something else? Is this jealously too? How can a Muslim stay away from jealousy?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
You have raised an important question; jealousy is something that we must deal with by working on our inner personality. This is a discipline which takes practice and consistency. I would refer you to Imam Ghazali's ’Ihya ulum al-ddeen which spells out detailed methods of dealing with jealousy.
Let me still deal with your question briefly: For you to wish to have a car like your friend's is not considered bad jealousy unless you wish harm for him, for the Prophet was asked, whether it is a bad idea for a person to wish for good attire or good, he said it is okay.
You can guard against jealousy by focusing on the many blessings you already enjoy presently which many people do not have.
You can also read:
Jealousy: Cause and Cure
Allah Almighty knows best.
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shahnawaz
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As-Salamu `alaykum. If someone does not know du`a al-qunut, what should he read in witr?
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Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
You can read any du`a you wish instead; it is perfectly ok to do so.
You can also read:
Du`a' Al-Qunut
What to Say in Qunut
Allah Almighty knows best.
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maria
- Spain
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Sometimes, I leave my son to my parents who are not Muslims, and sometimes they feed him halal meat. Actually, I bring them halal meet, but they refuse to cook it, fearing it could be "dirty", as I buy it from "immigrants". Now, I am considering leaving him with my parents no more, but I am sure they would be upset, and I want to be kind to them. What do you think?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
You don't have to take our son from your parents for this reason, but explain to them gently why you insist on not giving him halal meat. Perhaps they may understand if you do it properly.
Having said this, I must say, if the meat they are getting is coming from the People of the Book then it is not haram for us to eat it. So you don't have to take your son from them for this reason alone.
Never stop being kind to your parents.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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khadija
- Germany
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I reverted to Islam two months ago together with my boyfriend. We know our relationship was haram, that’s why we married in a Mosque. Anyway, my parents don’t know about it, they hate everything that concerns Islam. My husband suggested to wait sometimes than to have a civil marriage and don’t tell them about the marriage in the Mosque. Are we committing a sin? Thank you and may Allah bless you for the good things you’re doing.
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In your special case because of the circumstances you are faced with you are allowed to wait until such time that you feel comfortable to disclose and publicize your marriage.
So pray to Allah to make things easy for you, for He Alone is the One Who opens the hearts and facilitates things. I pray that Allah make everything easy for both of you and I advise you to never lose hope and remain steadfast on your faith. Allah says, "those who strive in Our Cause, We shall surely guide them unto Our Ways, and verily Allah is with those who are conscious of Him!" (Al-`Ankabut: 69)
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Marjorie
- United States
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What is the Islamic stance regarding enrolling in Health Insurance that is provided by my company?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
It is perfectly halal to enroll in Health Insurance provided by your company. There is nothing in Islam to prohibit such a thing. We are to do everything we can to secure our future and guard against the unforeseeable as best as we can.
Allah Almighty knows best.
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sairabanu
- Tanzania
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housewife
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I have heard that applying lipstick invalidates our prayers for 40 day, especially when it is licked inside, is it true?
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
I don't know how anyone can make such statements when we have no revealed text or analogical proof to support it. We cannot make up religion based on whims and fancies.
You can also read:
Fasting while Wearing Lipstick
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Besma
- Netherlands
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Student
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I have questions concerning the prayers of Maghrib and `Isha’. The thing is that here, during the summer, the `Isha’ is after midnight. This can becomes really a problem during the week, since I also want to perform Fajr (somewhere at 3 am). Which means I hardly get some sleep at night. I am at the end of my M.A and lacking sleep means for me bad research quality.
A friend of mine told me that it is possible to perform Maghrib and `Isha’ together in this situation.
Well, would you be kind enough to give me a clear fatwa about this situation.
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In cases such as yours until the time changes you are allowed to make combination or jam' of Maghrib and `Isha’ if you must go to bed early. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has combined prayers sometimes in order to show the Ummah that it is permissible to do so in special circumstances.
You can also read:
Concession Concerning Praying `Isha in the West
Allah Almighty knows best.
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Editor
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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brothers and sisters, we are so sorry for not answering all your questions because the time is over. We apologize for any inconvenience. Do keep in touch. Join us in coming sessions.
Yours,
Islam Online Fatwa Editing Desk.
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| All Fatwas published on this website (Islamonline.net) represent the juristic views and opinions of eminent scholars and Muftis. They do not necessarily form a juristic approach upheld by this website. Click here to read Full Disclaimer. |
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