Bridegroom staying in the house of bride Q77 :An ancient social custom in my part of the world differs from what prevails in most other places, in the sense that after marriage, it is the bridegroom who stays in the house of the bride. Some religious preachers from outside the city are now saying that…
Read MoreChildren: Restricting number of children Q98 :In a discussion with friends recently, some of us were of the opinion that there should be no restriction on the number of pregnancies or child-bearing. Others insisted on allowing time between every two pregnancies to give the mother a chance to recover and the child a chance to…
Read MoreDivorce: Reconcile honourably or separate with kindness Q167 :Reconcile honourably or separate with kindness A167 : When the husband has divorced his wife and the period of iddah is passing, he has two alternatives : either to reconcile with her honourably - that is, to return to her with the intention of living in peace…
Read MoreDurood: the best form Q184 :What is the best form of blessing the Prophet. How many times should it be said every day? What do you think of the book called Dala'il Al-Khairat, a collection of "Duroods". A184 : I have on several occasions warned against using Dala'il Al-Khairat because it includes phrases and things…
Read MoreEducation: Ijtihad to make it obligatory Q188 :It is an undeniable fact that education is the most important thing in life. Perhaps the main reason for the failure of the Muslim world in recent history is the lack of knowledge and education. Why is it that this very important factor is not included among the…
Read MoreGifts to children: Must be equal Q235 :May I seek a clarification of what you have mentioned previously of the necessity to make gifts to children equal. Does this mean that if a person divides his wealth among his children during his lifetime, he should divide it equally among his sons and daughters? A235 :…
Read MoreGood deeds: Could they come to naught? Q238 :I heard a religious scholar in my country speak on the radio and comment on the Qur'anic verse which states: "Those who earn bad deeds and become besieged by their error are the people of the fire who will abide there forever." He said that if a…
Read MoreHadith: Its meaning & authority Q245 :You often speak of the importance of Hadith and Sunnah. It is well known that the best compilations of Hadith are those made by the six famous scholars. However, I have read in some of these books reports of the type that the Prophet and his wife, Aisha, used…
Read MoreHumanitarian duties Q260 :We Muslims seem to take lightly our duties toward other people. Hence, our humanitarian feelings are very low. Is this because our education system tends to mix up our list of priorities? Some of the responsibility should be placed on our parents. Many of us seem to be forgetting that to be…
Read MoreIn-laws and the women's dress code Q272 :Could you please explain the importance of purdah in Islam. What is the ruling concerning the purdah in the case of aunts, cousin-sisters and sisters-in-law? Does their married status make any difference as to how they should appear? People seem to have different view, but what is the…
Read MoreInvestors: With savings to invest, the Islamic way Q296 :Investors: With savings to invest, the Islamic way A296 : The question of lawful investment and the attraction of interest continue to trouble many a Muslim who have small savings to invest but are unable to determine which way to turn. They have learned that bank…
Read MoreKafir: Describing one as 'Kafir' Q314 :In a discussion with a friend, I told him that a person who deliberately omits to offer obligatory prayers is considered a non-Muslim. I have heard from scholars that the criterion which distinguishes Muslims from non-Muslims is prayer. My friend argues that we cannot call anyone a 'kafir'. Please…
Read MoreLarge family and poverty Q320 :No human being can be certain about his future or his fortune. Why, then, do we go on producing many children, mainly females, who are the worst sufferers in this life as they are subjugated and dominated by men. Would you also explain to me why 90 percent of people…
Read MoreLaw and regulations with retroactive effect Q321 :Does Islam permit the enactment of laws which have retroactive effect? In this connection, is it permissible for one of the parties to a contract to go back on it after the contract has been completed and acted upon? May I mention the case of a law which…
Read MoreMarriage: A chosen practice of the Prophet & those who do not marry Q341 :I know a Hadith which states clearly that marriage is part of the Sunnah of the Prophet and whoever turns away from the Sunnah does not belong to him. In our country, a well-known person who works hard for the implementation…
Read MoreObedience as an aspect of worship Q409 :There is much confusion and contradiction among scholars in our country over the meaning of worship, or 'ibadah'. Some argue that ibadah means as an act of worship only, such as prayers, fasting, etc. and the word does not have any connotations of obedience. Others maintain that the…
Read MoreObligations: Of a wife Q414 :May I ask about the duties of a wife toward her husband? A414 : When we speak of duties within the family, we have to remember that there are different levels of rights and duties. There is firstly the "legal" duty for the omission of which one is liable to…
Read MorePilgrimage: Some highly sinful practices Q439 :If a person has been guilty of some very serious offenses such as worshipping graves, attending death anniversaries of pirs and grand pirs, do these practices reflect on his faith? Suppose he offers pilgrimage, is he forgiven for his sins? Suppose he gives up these practices but is unable…
Read MoreQur'an: Are certain parts of the Qur'an superior? Q538 :I am in the habit of reciting Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas) often, but a scholar told me that approach was not the right one. He suggested that if I read this surah 1000 times at the same spot, I have actually sold my soul to Allah, which…
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