A. Since there are many evils which accompany this custom, it is not permissible to serve haleem to the public in this manner. This custom has now become haraam on account of the acts of immorality associated with it.

Q. Is it proper for a girls madrasah ustaadh to advise his girl pupils on marriage choices? Some of the girls insist that they need their ustaadh’s permission to get married.
A. It is evil for the ustaadh to become involved with his girl pupils in this manner. He should not advise them in such matters. Their parents are sufficient. The girls do not need the ustaadh’s permission for marriage.This type of ustaadh is guilty of moral turpitude.

Q. What rights does a mother have over her married son? Can his wife prevent him from service to his mother on the basis of there being other sons who can attend to her?
A. The wife has no such right. Regardless of howmany sons there are, every son has the Waajib duty to render service to his mother. If the wives of all the sons act in similar way, who will then tend to the mother? In such service he is not violating any of the rights of his wife. A son should not heed such haraam pressure applied by his errant wife. It is his duty to tend to his mother. As long as his mother’s wishes do not interfere with the wife’s huqooq, the son should obey her (his mother).

Q. If in Qa’dah Akheerah by mistake one recite’s Attahiyaat twice, will Sajdah Sahw be necessary?
A. Sajdah Sahw is not necessary. If Attahiyaat is recited twice in Qa’dah Ulaa, it will be incumbent to make Sajdah Sahw. (Qa’dah Akheerah is the final sitting, i.e. in the last raka’t).

Q. If in the second raka’t one remembers that only one Sajdah was made in the first raka’t, what should be done?
A. When you remember this, immediately make one Sajdah and Sajdah Sahw will also have to be made.

Q. During Salaat if one makes a mistake but is not sure whether Sajdah Sahw should be made or not, what should be done?
A. It is best to make Sajdah Sahw in this case.

Q. After Fardh Salaat the Imaam usually turns to one side for the tasbeehaat and dua. Is it necessary to turn to the left or right?
A. After the Fardh of Fajr and Asr the Imaam may turn to any side, right or left. Both are permissible.

Q. Some people claim that when a non-Muslim embraces Islam, his previous sins are forgiven on condition that he does not continue his sins. Is this the correct view?
A. This view is baseless. Islam effaces all sins. When a non-Muslim sincerely embraces Islam and believes that his misdeeds are sins, then all the sins he had committed during his time of kufr are forgiven. The only condition is that he should accept Islam with sincerity.

Q. Is marriage between cousins permissible? Some say that the offspring of such marriages will be mentally and physically weak.
A. Marriage between cousins is permissible. There is no Shar’i discouragement in this regard. The claim of weak offspring is baseless.Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the Sahaabah too married their cousins.

Q. If due to government law in Europe it is not permissible to sacrifice animals on the occasion of Eidul Adha because of the animal diseases, will it be permissible for Muslims to abstain from Qur’baani?
A. It is not permissible for those on whom Qur’baani is Waajib to refrain from the sacrifice. If the authorities prevent the Qur’baani, the money should be sent to another country where the Qur’baani can be made.

Q. I have a problem. About seven years ago my husband disappeared. Only Allah knows if he is alive or dead. There has been no sign of him or any clue as to what has happened to him. According to western law he is now declared dead. According to Islam can I sit in iddat and remarry? I have small children and I want to make a home for them.
A. Your problem can be solved. You should refer your matter to your local Ulama council. They will investigate your case and will declare your husband dead after following the necessary procedure of the Shariah. You will then be able to get married again.

Q. When a divorced woman married another man, her ex-in-laws took away her two children -a girl of 6 and a boy of 3. They deny the mother visiting rights. Even the maternal grandparents are not allowed to see the children. In such a situation who has the right of custody of the children according to the Shariah?
A. The right of custody belongs to the maternal grandmother, not to the paternal grandparents. The girl will live with her maternal grandmother until she reaches ten years and the boy eight years. Thereafter, the right of custody belongs to the paternal grandfather. The paternal grandparents are acting in violation of the Shariah by denying the maternal grandmother’s right of custody and by preventing the children’s mother access to the children.

Q. The trustees of a Musjid are laymen while the Imaam is an uprighteous Aalim. The trustees instruct the Imaam to give lectures on topics of their choice. Is the Imaam bound to give lectures according to the whims and fancies of the trustees?
A. The Imaam is not under obligation to follow the instruction of the trustees in the matter of Amr Bil Ma’roof Nahy Anil Munkar (Commanding righteousness and prohibiting evil). The Imaam is free to lecture on any subject of Islam.

Q. Is it permissible to attend a school where it is compulsory to wear a tie and during assembly to read from the bible and say Christian prayers? If it is a sin, who is liable for the sin - the pupil or the parents who force the child to attend such a school?
A. It is not permissible to attend these schools. Besides ties and prayers, there are other evils as well prevalent at these schools. If the pupil is 15 years old, both he/she and the parents are liable for the sin.

Q. A relative of mine is getting married. I will not be attending the wedding function because it will be a mixed gathering of males and females. However, if I am asked to assist with the wedding preparations, will I be assisting in sin and transgression?
A. In fact, you will be participating in sin and aggression, not only assisting. It is not permissible for you to assist in any way a haraam function. If you assist, then according to the Hadith you will be regarded to be present at the function even if you are physically absent.

Q. What is the virtue of passing away during the month of Ramadhaan and on a Friday?
A. Maut (Death) on these auspicious occasions is a wonderful fortune. The questioning in the grave is waived. There is no punishment in the grave for one who dies on these occasions.

Q. Is it permissible to make one’s pet animal infertile by some surgical procedure?
A. It is permissible.

Q. Is it permissible to kill an animal if it is ill?
A. Even if an animal is not ill, it is permissible to kill it, e.g. goats, sheep, cattle are slaughtered for human consumption. An animal may be put down if it is in pain. However, only the Islamic method of thabah (slaughtering) should be employed.

Q. Some people regard the vomit of an infant to be paak (taahir). What is the correct ruling? If it is impure, howmany times should a garment be washed to render it paak?
A. The vomit of even an infant is impure (najis). The garment or the body on which it fell must be washed. It should be washed until one is confident that all the impurity has been eliminated. This confidence is attained usually by washing three times, squeezing out the water after each rinse.

Q. I received many gifts in the form of clothing, etc., when my baby was born. Do these gifts belong to me or to my baby? Can I use these gifts for my next child?
A. It is customary to make these gifts to the parents. Although the items are given for the baby’s use, the gifts are made to the mother. You can therefore use the items for your next child. Allah knows best.

Q. Is it permissible to distribute sweetmeats amongs friends and relatives when a baby is born?
A. This custom is not permissible. It is not Sunnat to do so. People have introduced this custom. It is not permissible to adhere to such practices which the Shariah has not ordered.

Q. Is it sufficient to efface only the eyes of a picture to make it permissible?
A. Effacing only the eyes is not sufficient. The entire head should be effaced or covered up or cut off. Jibraeel (alayhis salaam) ordered that the head of the picture on the screen be cut off.

Q. A person writes novels and children’s story books and sells these. Is his earning halaal?
A. If the writings consist of anything haraam, e.g. pictures, immoral stories and the like, the earnings derived from the sale of such books will not be halaal.

Q. I bought some items from a shop. The cashier mistakenly charged less on one item. According to the Shariah am I bound to inform the cashier of the mistake?
A. Yes, you have to inform the cashier and pay the correct amount.

Q. Is it permissible to learn karate for self-defence?
A. If learning karate is not accompanied by any haraam acts, then it will be permissible.

Q. On a journey we were unable to locate the Qiblah direction. We could not agree among ourselves on the direction. Nevertheless, we performed Salaat in jamaat. Did we do right?
A. In this instance of conflict everyone was supposed to have performed Salaat alone, not in jamaat. Each one had to follow his own determination. You have to make qadha of the Salaat. Those who had a contrary opinion about the direction should repeat their Salaat.