Surah ‘At-Tawbah’ and ‘Bismillah’ Q633 :Why does surah 9 not start with the normal beginning which translates as “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent”. A633 : Surah 9 entitled ‘At-Tawbah’ or ‘repentance’, exposes the true qualities of the hypocrites and threatens them with a woeful doom. It can be likened to a…

Supporting a large extended family Q632 :I am the only child of my mother. A few years ago, my father married another woman by whom he had five daughters. My stepmother died in a car accident. My father is unable to work and he has little money of his own. I realize that I have…

Supplication: When supplication is not answered Q631 :1. Finding my mother very sad and depressed, I tried to get her to explain the reason. She told me that she has been supplicating for a very long time, praying Allah to grant us the same things, hoping that our social and economic problems will be relieved,…

Supplication: Through an intermediary Q630 :In my home country, there are tombs of dead scholars who are considered to be in a favoured position with Allah. People visit their graves to request them to recommend to Allah to accomplish any need or to solve any problem which they may have. Recently, I objected to this…

Supplication: Raising hands in supplication Q629 :A learned man has said that it is an innovation to raise one’s hands in supplication after an obligatory prayer. Is this correct? A629 : It has been authentically reported that the Prophet raised his hands in supplication during prayer. It is also reported that when he raised his…

Supplication: Prolonged Q628 :Is it advisable to make a prolonged supplication [after completing tashahhud and durood i.e.] just before concluding an obligatory or voluntary prayer? A628 : The short answer is that a prolonged supplication is not advisable, particularly if it becomes disproportionate to the other parts of the prayer. Some people are in the…

Supplication: In modern toilets Q627 :When one goes into a bathroom where both toilet and washing facilities are joined together, as is the case in todays houses, is one expected to say the prescribed supplication? How is this to be reconciled with the restriction of carrying anything on which a name of Allah is written…

Supplication: Collective supplication. [Ijtemaee Dua’] Q626 :Is it the practice in mosques in certain parts of the Muslim world that the imam offers supplication after he has finished the prayers and the congregation answer with ‘Amen.’ Is this supported by Sunnah? A626 : It is true that this practice is quite common in many parts…

Sunnah: Practical aspects Q625 :A friend of mine said that only what the Prophet said is Sunnah. If he simply did something but did not state that people should do it, then it is not Sunnah. My argument is that everything the Prophet said or did is Sunnah. Please clarify. A625 : Your friend’s argument…

Sunnah: Muakkadah and non-muakkadah Q624 :You have stated in various answers given by you that by not observing a sunnah, a Muslim does not commit a sin or an act of disobedience. As you realize, sunnah is divided into “muakkadah” and “non-muakkadah.” The first is compulsory, and the second voluntary or recommended. Obviously, non-observance of…