Orthodontic treatment Q418 :May I ask whether Muslims are permitted to have orthodontic treatment, whereby teeth are pulled together to close gaps between them? Does this come under the same heading as changing what Allah has created? A418 : There is an authentic Hadith in which the Prophet has cursed women who try to give…
Orphans: Bringing up and adoption Q417 :The Prophet has spoken very highly of those who bring up orphans and said that they will be rewarded generously by Allah. Yet we see in society that orphans, particularly if they do not have known parents, are not accepted in the society; much less in homes. Fostering parents…
Oppression Q416 :Oppression A416 : Oppression is, indeed, the most hateful practice a human being may follow. It is degrading to the one who commits it and to the one at the receiving end of it. It is for this reason that Islam stresses in a variety of methods the importance of justice. The Prophet…
Obligations: Towards parents Q415 :Now that I am married, do I have any financial obligation towards my parents, when they have to pay debts to others? A415 : Your attitude of helping parents settle their debts is highly commendable. Indeed, it is the attitude to be expected from every dutiful son. You cannot abandon your…
Obligations: 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…
Obligations: Of a daughter Q413 :May I ask about the duties of a daughter towards a mother, who very frequently gets into fits of temper and abuses her for no reason. When this becomes very frequent, it has very depressing effect. One feels one’s unimportance very keenly and gets black thoughts. A413 : Every child,…
Obligation and duty [fardh and wajib] Q412 :What is the difference between fardh and wajib? A412 : The two terms fardh and wajib are very close in meaning. Nevertheless there is an important difference between them when they occur within the context of Islamic worship. In order to appreciate the difference, perhaps we should give…
Objecting and avoiding embarrassment Q411 :I was once invited to a dinner by a friend of my sister-in-law. I noticed that the cutlery were made of silver, while the plates were trimmed in gold. I whispered my objection to my sister-in-law. Because she was a very intimate friend of our hostess, she went to the…
Obedience to parents and their order to divorce Q410 :Since I came to work in Saudi Arabia, my father has been writing me asking to divorce my wife on grounds that she does not obey his orders. He says that unless I obey him and divorce her, I will not be allowed to enter his…
Obedience 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…
