Sunnah: Before Maghrib Q623 :After the athan of Maghrib, some people offer two voluntary rak’ahs inside the mosque, before the obligatory prayer. Other people say that it is forbidden to pray in between the obligatory prayers of Asr and Maghrib. Please explain. A623 : It is not correct to say that prayer is forbidden between…

Sunnah: Basic definition of Q622 :Sunnah: Basic definition of A622 : Sunnah is something that has been recommended to us by the Prophet. Voluntary prayers are sunnah, some of which have been given more emphasis than others, and these are called “mu’akkadah”. In prayer,.certain voluntary prayers were observed by the Prophet, and these are termed…

Suicide: How does Islam view suicide? Q621 :Suicide: How does Islam view suicide? A621 : Committing suicide is a grave sin. Many scholars view a person who has committed suicide as someone who has turned his back on Islam altogether. However, a man committed suicide at the time of the Prophet. The Prophet did not…

Suicide: And sacrifice of life Q620 :Is there any situation which permits suicide? A620 : Islam views suicide very very seriously, because it is an affront to Allah, the giver of life. A person who commits suicide actually puts himself on the same level as Allah, saying to Him, in effect: “You have given me…

Sufism: Degrees of knowledge and sufism Q619 :May I know what is meant by “tareeqah”, “ma’rifah” and “haqeeqah”. Some people suggest that in addition to normal and statutory prayers, there are other prayers which bring a person in closer communication with Allah. The practice, according to them, was taught by the Prophet to his cousin…

Suffering: Something to erase past mistakes Q618 :It is stated that when somebody falls ill or suffers misfortune, it is a way of Allah to provide forgiveness of his sins. Is this statement true? If it is, then does this mean that one should keep off from getting medical help to earn blessings. Please comment.…

Stoning married adulterers is the Sunnah, not the Qur’an Q617 :I read in a book entitled Punishment in Islamic Law by Muhammad Al-Awa that a Qur’anic verse was abrogated. He refers to this in his discussion of stoning as the punishment for adultery. He also says: “Umar asked the Prophet to allow him to write…

Stocks & shares: Buying & selling Q616 :I believed that it is permissible for a Muslim to buy, own and sell shares and stocks. On this basis, I confidently brought some shares in a newly opened bank in my country. Recently, a friend led me to understand that having such shares cannot be permissible because…

Status of the Prophet’s family Q615 :What is the status of the members of the Prophet’s family? What has he said about their importance? May I also ask about the significance of the tragedy of Karbala in Islam? A615 : No special status is accorded to any human being other than Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s messenger…

Status as the best community Q614 :Why do we, Muslims, always think that we are the best people on earth, whether we do well or badly. We believe as if heaven is waiting for us. Such an attitude is certainly not helpful in identifying our own faults. Please comment. A614 : There is a Qur’anic…