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Questions
& Answers
Questions may also be sent to:
Al-Farouq Iftaa Department, PO Box 4280, Korsten, 6014, South Africa
Fax: (041) 457-1326
Q) Is it permissible in the Shariah for a
mother-in-law to take care of the newly weds for the first ten days after the
nikaah & for 40 days after the birth of a child?
A) This is a custom which has no basis in
Shariah. There is no such law in Islam. However, caring for one who is in need
is very meritorious but is not confined to specific periods. Whenever the need
arises, such care and service may be rendered by any family member, preferably
by one who is familiar with and close to the patient.
If the wife has given birth and needs attention, especially
when it's her first baby then by all means her mother (or mother-in-law) may
take care of her. But there is no time limit on this. Such care should last for
as long as the wife requires it. If well before 40 days the wife is up and about
and able to fend for herself, there is no need for anyone then to render
assistance. No one may impose upon the couple. they are free to accept the
service of whomever they wish.
Q) Should the son still provide for his
parents after he is married, even if the parents have a stable income?
A) If parents are
self-sufficient, it is not incumbent upon the children to provide for them, be
it before or after marriage. This is stated in the famous work on Shariah Law, Al-Hidayah.
Q) Is it permissible for a woman to remove the
hair between the two eyebrows?
A) Yes, it is permissible for a woman to remove
hair between eyebrows
Q) If a person gives his wife one talaaq, and
she sits her iddat period, during that period one had no contact with her. But
after the iddat has expired, one would like to reconcile. Can one take her back
or does she have an option of getting married to another person?
A) In the case you mentioned, that after talaaq
the husband had no contact with the wife until the iddah expired, the woman has
the right to marry another man. Should she agree to come back to the first
husband, the couple (first husband and his ex-wife) must make another nikah. He
cannot take her back without a new nikah. Also remember that for her ex-husband
to marry her there is no need for her to get married to another man. But, if she
refuses to get married to her ex-husband, no one can force her and there is
nothing he or anyone else can do about it. Thus, after iddah the choice is
entirely hers to marry the husband who divorced her, or to marry another man.
Q) I would like to know why Muslims should eat
halaal food and why should women cover their heads? (Question from a non-Muslim
female intending to embrace Islam)
A) The reason for halaal food is also related
to health. Slaughtering in the Islamic manner expels all blood from the animal
thus ensuring removal of bacteria and other germs or viruses that assail the
body via the blood.
As for animals besides pig such as lions, tigers, etc., due
to their man-eating habits the meat of such animals are extremely harmful to the
human body. Some animals are prohibited because they eat filth and so become a
health-hazard to man. Others again are simply not digested by the human
digestive system.
As for the covering of the head, Islam has realistically
acknowledged the potential danger in intermingling of sexes. In order to
regulate this there had to be a properly devised system that would be
implemented. At the same time Almighty Allah also knew of the needs that would
arise compelling a woman to emerge from her home. As a result, Almighty Allah
ordained a dress code for women designed to protect them from the gaze of men
and thus avoid situations of danger and evil. Today it is because this dress
code has been neglected that there is so much strife and sin in the world. Some
years ago the Newsweek or Time magazine carried a remark by a top European model
(names and dates now evade me) calling upon women to "cover up" in
order to avoid being raped and molested. Now here was a non-Muslim female who
earned her living displaying her body, yet she was driven to this conclusion
that a more conservative form of dress would be in the best interests of women.
This is basically where the covering of the hair comes in. It is simply part of
that code of dress which Islam has ordained for a woman in the broader
perspective of matters.
What you need to explain to the lady is that many teachings
of Islam will be better understood once a person enters the fold and starts
practicing
Q) In Al Farouq vol 1, no 6 the question
concerning artificial toenails for beautification purposes only. Your answer
states that, if the nails are permanently fixed on the toe nails then wudhu or
ghusl will be permissible, however there is no real reason for her to wear these
artificial nails, so according to your answer one could think that wudhu will be
valid even if one uses cutex/nail-polish (for beautification purposes)?
A) There is a difference between
the two. Cutex and nail polish are removable, though with some difficulty,
whereas I had specified in my answer that if the nails could be removed
then washing is necessary. However, if these nails are permanently fixed, then
though she had no real reason to wear these, it is now not possible to remove
them hence the need to pour water over them. The ruling hinges on whether these
nails are removable or not. If it is established that there is no great
difficulty in removing these nails then it will be wajib to remove them
before making wudhu, otherwise not.
Q) The question regarding wedding rings, your
answer is that Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) wore his ring on the right
hand. Does that mean that it is a sunnat to wear a wedding ring for males as
well as females?
A) The ring which Rasoolullah
(sallallahu alaihi wasallam wore was not a "wedding ring". There is no
significance in a 'wedding' ring for males. His ring was used to affix a seal
onto letters which he wrote to Kings and other Leaders. This was necessary in
those days to affirm authenticity of the sender. Therefore, his ring contained
the inscription in Arabic of "Muhammad Rasoolullah". This would be
embossed or imprinted onto the letter before despatch. This is the ring we are
discussing. Today if a man wears a ring for this purpose, it would be allowed.
Otherwise it is makrooh for men to wear rings.
Q) Is it permissible to walk on the beach at
night?
A) The hadith teaches us that
after Esha we should make our way home to prepare for bed. It is, therefore, not
advisable to go out at night after Esha. If one feels the need to take the
family out once in a while, this is allowed but ensure that the area visited is
lit up and in close proximity to people so as to avoid being robbed or mugged.
Q) Does an injection break the fast? And what
about the asthma pump?
A) An injection does not break
the fast. Using the asthma pump will break the fast.
Q) How do I separate interest money from my
bank account? Do I just make a Niyyat and say that this from my account for such
and such from the interest money earned?
A) Yes, a niyyat is enough. In
fact there is no other way of separating the interest from halaal money.
Even if one withdraws the interest money one has to have an intention that the
funds I am currently withdrawing is interest and will be used as such.
Q) Are we allowed to wear Jeans?
A) Jeans is a form of dress that
is fashionable among the kuffar. Furthermore, because it is tight fitting it
appears very immoral. If a wife wears this only for the husband in the bedroom,
it will be permissible. But generally in the household there are children as
well. If jeans are worn at home in front of kids, they, too, will develop a
liking for this form of dress and would want to wear the same. How will you
explain to them that it may be worn only inside the home and not outside? It is,
therefore, not allowed to wear jeans even inside the home, unless there are
no children around and the wife wears it only for the husband. As such, a
woman who is not married may not dress like this. As for the man, he, too,
should consider his children, if he has any. The father should not set a trend
for his children to follow which is not Islamic. It is therefore makrooh for a
man to wear a jeans.
Q) Can leftover food particles be washed down
the drain when washing dishes?
A) Any particles of food that may be eaten
should not be thrown away. At the very least throw it somewhere where the
insects or birds or animals may eat it. Otherwise it will be sinful to waste
food by throwing it down the drain.
And Allah Knows Best.
Words of Worth
by Hazrat Haji Muhammed Farouq sahib R.A.
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The fruit of silence is success. (The moment you utter a
statement there is the possibility of it being contrary to the Shariah, such
as a lie, gheebat, etc., and there is also the danger of being taken to task
for it. On the other hand, if one adopts silence then the possibility of
being punished for something that was never said does not exist.)
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Bay’at is a sunnat promise. (Bay’at is a sunnat
practice through which one pledges and promises to remain steadfast on the
teachings and advice enjoined at the time. This was the sunnat promise
Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam extracted from the Sahaaba at
the time of bay’at.)
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The reality of tauba is remorse.
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