Question: Is escargot (snail) halal to eat?

Answer: Walaikum As-salaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

According to the Hanafi school, it is impermissible to eat snails. This applies to both land- and water-dwelling varieties.

Land Snails

Land snails (which are used for escargot) are judged to be impure and therefore impermissible to eat. Such snails are impure because they are considered pests and also because they are bloodless creatures (rather than blood, they have hemolymph, which is found in spiders and crustaceans). These qualities render them from al-khaba’ith (impure, foul, or evil things) that Allah the Exalted has prohibited in the Qur’an. [7:157]

Sea and Freshwater Snails

Snails that live in water are similarly impermissible to eat. This is because, according to the Hanafi school, the only water-dwelling creatures that can be eaten are fish (samak). [Shurunbulali, Ascent to Felicity]

Further Resources

Please see the following reader for more information on halal and haraam food:

A Reader on Halal Meat

Also see the following answer from Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam, which lists some general principles regarding halal and haram food:

What Animals Are Halal and Haram to Eat in the Hanafi School?

May Allah give us the tawfiq to only eat that which is lawful and pure.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan,
-Wasim

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Question: Who is better to give my zakat to: (1) a Muslim working on a project for an impoverished nation, (2) an imam in an impoverished country building a mosque, (3) to a mosque in an impoverished nation , or (4) to a friend who is extremely poor?

In regard to the Muslim’s project, he has a stronger conviction since the project is more personal for him. He  says 25% of my income would be sufficient. Our communication has become strained due to my hesitance and often he throws insults my way.

Also, how can I give charity and avoid vanity?

Please advise me regarding these matters.

Answer: Walaikum As-salaam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Firstly, I pray that Allah provide you with much wisdom, increase you in guidance, shower you in His grace and blessings.

Introduction - General Conditions of Zakat
When it comes to zakat, the eligible recipients include: the poor, the indigent (who possess less than the nisab), those with overwhelming debt, and travelers cut off from their wealth at home.

It cannot be given to non-Muslims, the wealthy, Hashimis (those from the Prophet’s clan), and certain relatives (parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, and spouses). It also cannot be used to pay off the debt of the deceased. [Shurunbulali, Ascent to Felicity]

One of the conditions of zakat is that it entails a transfer of ownership to an individual; as such, we cannot use our zakat to pay for the construction or support of Islamic institutions. Rather, this money goes specifically to the individuals listed above.

Who can receive my zakat?
You mention four possibilities: a) the Muslim working on a project, b) the Imam building a mosque, c) an impoverished mosque, or d) a poor friend.

- For the first 2 (the Muslim and the Imam), zakat would only be permissible if you are giving the money to them, and not their efforts (the project/mosque). You need to ensure that they are poor or indigent, meaning they have less than the nisab.*

- For the third (the mosque), zakat is impermissible, so any money given to it will count as sadaqa.

- For the fourth (the friend), zakat is permissible so long as that person is Muslim and possesses less than the nisab amount.

If, after taking into account the above considerations, you still have more than one choice, then you can give the zakat to whomever you please, and you can even split it between multiple recipients.

*The nisab amount today (April 16, 2012) is around $4943. Remember that the nisab does not include daily essentials (residence, clothing, furniture, transportation, etc.). [Check http://www.e-nisab.com/ for up-to-date calculations]

Donating Locally
Although the choice is yours, I would specifically recommend that you give a good portion of your zakat to local people and causes. Giving zakat in this manner fulfills local needs that would otherwise not be met, and it also increases the bonds of brotherhood and love within the Muslim community.

Assuming that your friend (option 4) is eligible for zakat, then that person would probably be the most deserving of your zakat given the above considerations. Of course, this is a weighty decision, so consider your options, pray istikhara, and then pay your zakat, and insha’Allah it will be of maximum benefit both in this world and the next.

Giving Charity to a Mosque
As you mentioned, giving the money towards building a mosque is considered voluntary charity (saqada) and not zakat. The amount you give is up to you, and remember that every dollar you give carries with it a major reward. Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told us that “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” [al-Tirmidhi]

If you fear vanity, find a way to give the money anonymously. If you cannot do that, then make dua asking Allah for protection from vanity before you give it.

Someone Demanding Your Charity
If I understand this scenario correctly, you did not make any promises or guarantees to fund the project, yet money is being demanded from you. If this is the case, then there is no requirement for you to give to the project. The question of whether you helped the project in the past is irrelevant. The money is under your possession, so only you have the final say as to where it goes.

As for the person asking for the money, he has no right to demand money from you for this project, and 25% is a very large portion to demand or expect from someone. Based on your description of this person, I would actually advise against working with him. By insulting you and demanding large portions of your money, he is displaying very poor adab (Islamic etiquette). This casts doubt on his ability to handle your money in a proper manner as well.

Be Mindful of Who Handles Your Donations
I highly advise you to give your sadaqa (voluntary charity) to more reputable organizations and products run by Muslims who are trustworthy and have good character. Only give what you are comfortable in giving: 25% is a very large amount of one’s income, and oftentimes that conflicts with one’s obligations to supporting themselves, their families, day to day needs, and maintaining extra funds for emergencies.

I therefore encourage you to be generous, but in a manner that takes into account those other financial necessities that you may have. Remember that the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised us to “tie our camel” as well as to “rely on God”, meaning that we take the necessary precautions to safeguard ourselves and our property while also realizing that all of it comes from Allah. [Sunan al-Tirmidhi]

Conclusion - The Prophetic Understanding of Charity
After paying your required zakat to someone who is eligible, the amount of money you give in charity, and who you give it to, is your choice. The sunnah is to give much in charity and to give not just your money, but also your time and your sincere concern as well. He (peace be upon him) said that even if you have no money to give, simply doing the good and refraining from the evil can be considered a form of charity. [Sahih al-Bukhari]

I pray that Allah guides us to be more generous, and that He makes our matters easy for us. And Allah knows best.

Baarak Allahu Fikum,
-Wasim

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Question: Is it allowed to pray in a room with simple pictures of children?

Answer: As-salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

May Allah reward you for your concern with regards to the validity of your prayers!

It is disliked (makruh) to pray in the presence of a picture of an animate creature. It is prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) if the picture is in front of the person praying, above him, to his left, or to his right. It is mildly disliked (makruh tanzihan) if it is behind him.

However, it is no longer disliked (makruh) in any of these cases if the picture is very small, meaning that if it were placed on the ground, a standing person wouldn’t be able to make out its details. It is also not disliked if it is covered, if its head or faced is severed, if it is missing a limb required for its life, or if the picture is of an inanimate object.

So in your specific case, it is disliked to pray in a room where there are pictures of children present. It is better to either remove them or cover them while you pray, or to pray in a different area.

If none of these options are possible, and if the pictures in question are photographs (and not drawings), then you could follow the opinion of some Hanafi scholars that photographs are permissible. This would entail that praying in a room with photographs is permissible, although even then one should try their best not to face the picture while they are praying.

Keep in mind, though, that prayer is an intimate meeting with your Lord, and that greater care and scrupulousness in your prayer will result in greater reward. As such, I highly advise you to do what you can to make sure your prayer room, or at the very least the direction in which you pray, is free of pictures.

For more details on praying with images, see the following answer:

Is It Permissible to Wear Items With Animal Logos on Them?

For more details on the difference of opinion regarding photography, see the following answer from Shaykh Muhammad ibn Adam:

A Clarification Regarding the Ruling on Photographs

[Shurunbulali, Ascent to Felicity; Haskafi, Durr al-Mukhtar; ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Jazakum Allahu Khairan,
-Wasim

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Question: As-salam Alaykom wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

1) This summer i am free i will work 3 weeks and then i have all the summer on me. I do not know how to use the summer effectively.

Do you have any advice for me how to use it and how to find a teacher?  I plan on studying with someone who is a  convert but studied in many years and become a shaykh of a tariqa.  I hope to learn a little bit of tazkiyat al nafs from him.

2) I heard that the more you have knowledge the more you will be tested from Allah and those who are near to Allah are much teasted i have always thought that if you got knowledge and higher rank in islam you will live a humble life and you’ll be happy and live a good life but it seems that the better you are the more you are tested from Allah. This makes me lose motivation to study and I then think that living as a simple Muslim is better since I won’t get tested as much.

Can you clarify this?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate,

As salamu alaikum,

Thank you for your letter. To answer your questions:

Using Your Summer Vacation Wisely

Fill your summer with productive activities. Most of all, try to achieve balance. For example, make time to seek sacred knowledge by taking a course at a local masjid, or online at the SeekersGuidance Academy, but also make time for recreation and social interaction.

Perhaps engage in a sport, volunteering opportunity or a constructive hobby. Meet with practicing Muslims, and try to pray in congregation more often. Give yourself projects to work on, such as reading the entire Quran with a translation, or another book or lecture series. Working part-time is good also as it allows you to save money to spend for various good purposes.

Purification of the Heart and Finding a Guide

It is highly recommended to engage in purification of the heart (Ar. tazkiya or tasawwuf) at the hands of a qualified spiritual guide, while studying the sacred sciences under qualified, mainstream traditional Islamic scholars.

One should prioritize learning one’s basic fiqh (sacred law) and aqeedah (beliefs) while working on the inward science of tazkiya, which focuses on building sincerity and love for Allah, along with prophetic character traits.

If there are no scholars in your area, try online options. I am not aware of the person you have named, so I cannot comment. Consult other reliable scholars or imams in your area who understand the importance of Islamic spirituality regarding your next steps.

The Responsibility that Comes with Knowledge

The more knowledge one has, the more one is accountable for in front of Allah Most High, since people are called to act upon their knowledge, and not merely to accumulate information. This does not mean ignorance is an excuse in front of Allah; every human must learn at least enough to live in accordance with the sacred law in every situation of their lives. Learning beyond that is the pursuit of the scholars.

The purpose of seeking knowledge is to gain the pleasure of Allah by shaping our lives and the lives of those around us to be in harmony with what He has commanded us to do, which will only benefit us in this world and the next. This is how we develop true love for Allah, the Most Loving.

The Good Life is a Life of Righteousness

Seeking knowledge – then acting upon it- allows one to live a righteous life, which is the essence of a good life. A good worldly life is not one that is free of any challenges or hardship whatsoever; rather, that is the life of the Hereafter in Paradise. It is a mistake to think the perfect life can be achieved here.

The reason we lose motivation to study upon learning about the tests and responsibilities that come with knowledge is because we are seeking other than Allah from our studies, without realizing it. If we are seeking an easier life with no trials, that is not the correct intention for studying sacred learning. One who finds Allah, finds everything; the one who does not find Allah, finds nothing worth finding, even if he acquires the whole world and what it contains.

The Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets.” [Tirmidhi] This inheritance is not wealth, but sacred knowledge. But along with inheriting knowledge, one also inherits something of its tests and challenges and responsibilities. When one focuses on seeking Allah through this knowledge, one also inherits a type of tranquility in one’s heart, which brings peace of mind and satisfaction even in turbulent times, and added joy and thanks in times of ease.

I say these words to myself first. May Allah Ta’ala keep us all firm on His path, make us sincere to Him, and teach us what will benefit us and benefit us through what He teaches us.

Wassalam,

Abdullah Anik Misra

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Question: As’Salamu Alaykum,

I have a problem with myself in that I keep having these images of harming myself somehow or committing suicide and I don’t know what to do. I’m at a difficult stage in my life right now. I have very bad family issues, financial problems and problems with myself in terms of my heart. I just feel like ending my life so I can escape all of my problems. The last few years have been very hard for me in that I’ve been unemployed for a while and I have mounting debts that I can’t pay off and other issues. Counselling hasn’t helped.  I’ve turned to Allah and prayed long and hard but then suddenly I’ll become lax in my prayers etc. I feel like I’m being pushed away from worshipping Allah. I have started doing some SG courses and they help but I still find myself weak and vulnerable. And lately the suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming myself have started terrifying me. It’s like I don’t have the guts to hurt myself but at the same time I dont know what I’m capable of doing.

Please help me before I end up hurting myself.

Answer:  In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate,

Wa alaikum as salam,

Dear brother in Islam: you possess the most valuable thing that any person could wish for: iman, or true faith in Allah Most High.

Remember that mankind’s sworn enemy, Shaytan, is insanely jealous of how much mercy Allah Most High envelopes you in at each moment, and how much Allah loves you. Even in your lowest, most sinful, most problem-ridden, most heedless, depressed state, you mean so much to Allah.

This is why Shaytan will do everything in his power to drive you out of true faith: so that you end up damned like him. Shaytan is an evil whisperer; his way of misleading you is to whisper doubts into your heart: doubts about the things around you, about your faith and your sanity, and ultimately, about Islam and Allah Himself.

Horrible Thoughts Are Whispers from the Shaytan into the Heart of the Believer

The thoughts and images you are seeing start from satanic whisperings (waswasa). You have become tricked into adopting them and believing that they are your own thoughts. You might feel disgusted, shocked and scared. But the thoughts are not really yours; you don’t really want to hurt yourself. They are devilish illusions, that while painful, cannot truly hurt you, or cause you to hurt yourself, unless you allow them to become a part of you.

Passing bad thoughts are normal for a Muslim, but they must be disregarded quickly and shunned. Once, the Companions confessed to the Prophet [peace and blessings be upon him]: “Indeed, we are finding thoughts within ourselves that any of us would find abominable to mention!” So the Prophet asked, “Do you really find that within yourselves?” They replied, “Yes.” So the Prophet said: “That is a clear sign of faith.” [Muslim]

Ridding Oneself of Bad Thoughts

The thoughts may be difficult to erase once the mind has adopted the whisperings. Firstly, at the onset of any of these images or doubts, I would advise that you immediately declare in your heart – with authority and certainty- that these are not your thoughts, and tell the Shaytan you are not about to fall for his tricks. Tell him your Lord is Allah, and that you are so grateful for that, and that you are not scared of him and his whisperings, as you have the greatest Protector watching over you.

Then, flee to Allah Ta’ala in your heart, and seek refuge in Him from the Shaytan with full sincerity, consciousness, and in utter neediness. Recite the final surah of the Qur’an with presence of heart, while knowing the meaning of its verses [Surah 114: al-Nas].

Admit to Allah Ta’ala that He is your only Lord; your only hope; your rock and your only refuge. Tell Allah that no matter what the thoughts say or provoke, you only want to stand by Him and worship Him. Confess your sins to Him, and repent for them. Then, ask Him to protect you and rid you of those thoughts forever. Completely consign the problem and solution to Him.

Shun Bad Influences, Live a Pure Life, And Trust in Allah

Once you’ve done that, do your best to rejoice and feel thankful for your faith- Shaytan hates to see that and is driven away by a believer rejoicing in his Lord. Shun and avoid negative, sinful influences in your life that enter your heart through your eyes and ears: violence, sexuality and pornography, or other vices.

Cut the mental noise out of your life: stop reading useless blogs and articles, watching TV or ads, or surfing the net. Seek out the company of good people, in good places like the mosque or a study circle.

Repent from your sins regularly, maintain a state of ritual purity as much as possible, eat lawful food only, be consistent in your daily prayers, recite some Quran each morning and evening, and try to keep in the remembrance of Allah through dhikr. Don’t go into hyper-mode praying, as that won’t solve your problem; this is Shaytan’s trick to exhaust you till you quit. Rather, stay balanced and moderate, but keep your heart focused on loving Allah as much as possible. Love of Allah is everything.

The Importance of Seeking Both Professional and Spiritual Help

Lastly, I would advise you to continue to seek counseling for this issue, as we are commanded to use the best means at our disposal, while turning to Allah in prayer and supplication, knowing that the results are in Allah’s hands. Only He creates happiness in the heart. Do not see the challenges in your life as insurmountable; you still have many blessings, so take things a day at a time, seeking Allah’s help.

Everything I’ve advised you is what I have gleaned from my spiritual guide; may Allah forgive my shortcomings and mistakes. It is best for you to consult a qualified spiritual guide and master of Islamic spirituality yourself when you can. May Allah Most High bless you, relieve you of your troubles, protect us all, and make us all into His righteous and beloved servants, Ameen.

Wassalam,

Abdullah Anik Misra

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Question: As salaamu ‘alaikum,

I have a book by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani detailing the fard, wajib and sunna actions of prayer and have glanced through it but I often find myself thinking that I haven’t performed a recommended action of the prayer and repeat it. Sometimes praying the 4-cycle fard prayer turns into 12-cycles via 3 repetitions.

Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate,
Wa alaikum as salam,

I pray all is well. Thank you for your question. This is a clear case of baseless misgivings from the Shaytan (waswasa). The basis of the ritual prayer is that once we understand its basic integrals and perform them, we assume validity of the prayer unless we know with sure knowledge that something invalidated it. Sure knowledge is not through suspicions, guesses or doubts.

You should ignore all of these misgivings entirely. Passing thoughts, doubts or even sleeping through prayer accidently or from laziness (though sinful) does not remove one from the fold of Islam.

The Validity of the Prayer

Leaving out a recommended (sunnah) act in prayer does not affect the validity of the prayer- it need not be repeated, nor does the forgetfulness-prostration need to be performed. If you are in the prayer and cannot remember if an integral action was performed or not, ignore the doubts and assume everything was performed correctly, since you are aware of the basics of how to pray.

In terms of clothing, a palm-sized area of filth is excusable on your clothing for the validity of the prayer. Make your wudhu washing within a maximum of 45 seconds, and unless you remember breaking it thereafter with certainty, assume you have ritual purification. Ignore any misgivings about purity during or even after the prayer.

If you complete the prayer, do not ponder over how it could have been invalidated. Ignore all whisperings and assume validity, asking Allah to accept your prayer and engage in His remembrance and in supplication. The Shaytan hates when a servant is grateful and joyous over Allah’s mercy for him.

The Shaytan’s trick is to get you to repeat your prayer through baseless doubts until you are so tired, you cannot carry on worshipping Allah, and eventually fool you into thinking that you have left Islam. Nothing can take you out of Islam but the denial of the two statements which bring you into faith or denying something necessarily and undisputedly known about the religion.

It is good that you have the book the Absolute Essentials of Islam, but it is not enough to simply flip through it; you should register for the course online here at Seekers Guidance and study it properly under its author. With sure knowledge, Shayton’s misgivings will away, insha Allah.

Wassalam,

Abdullah Anik Misra

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers:

A Reader on Waswasa and Baseless Misgivings

Question: I hope you are doing well. I have a question regarding the issue of balance transfers at 0% APR which are offered by some credit card companies in order to delay payments for up to 12 months. This is usually associated with a balance transfer fee of 3% or 5% on the amount of the balance which is transferred.

Is this type of transaction permissible, or does the balance transfer fee fall under the category of riba?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

A balance transfer fee is permissible as it is considered a fee for a service rendered, not interest.

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Question: Lately, Isha prayers have been starting really late, for example at 11 pm and Fajr is at around 4 am. As I go to school, I have to wake up at 6.30 am and this means I won’t get much sleep. I also have health problems when I don’t get enough sleep. I still want to pray Isha, but I have to go to sleep before the Adhan for Isha is given.

Now, my question is: Until when can I pray Isha? I heard Isha is still valid up until Fajr Namaz. It is makruh and disliked but the prayer is still valid (from what I’ve heard). This would mean that I could wake up (e.g. 30 or 40 minutes) before Fajr Namaz and pray Isha and then wait for the Fajr Adhan and go pray Fajr as well.

Is it okay for me to pray Isha that late and will my prayer still be valid if I do so? I follow the Hanafi Madhhab, and from what I know it is not allowed to combine prayers but is this what I just said combining prayers? I believe not, because every Salah is prayed in its given timing, right?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

It is somewhat disliked (makruh tanzihan) to delay isha past half the night, yet is still considered to be ‘on-time’ (ada’) as long as performed before the break of dawn (fajr). [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

It is best to pray isha before one sleeps, and in general disliked to sleep after maghrib prayers. Yet if there is undue hardship in this, one may perform isha any time in the night, as long as it is done before fajr. One should also be aware of the different ways of calculating fajr: the 18 degree method is the earlier one and closer in accuracy than the 15 degree.

As long as each prayer is performed in its respective time, then it is not considered ‘combining prayers’, which is not allowed in the Hanafi school (aside from two cases on hajj).

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers:

What Happens If the Current Prayer Time Exits While I Am Praying?

Can I Delay Prayers During Emergency Situations?

Question: I am currently a volunteer teacher at an Islamic Sunday School. We teach the various subjects, such as ‘Aqeedah, Fiqh, Adab, Qur’anic Recitation, etc. For the fiqh aspect, most especially Salah, how do we go about explaining the to the children (8-13) about the different Mathhabs and which mathhab do we teach for Salah?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

The answer is, one doesn’t teach kids about the different schools (madhahib). Rather, one simply teaches them “Salat”, i.e., how to pray, based on whatever school one knows. Then when they grow up and mature intellectually, they can learn about the different schools and appreciate difference of opinion at a deeper level.

As for what school (madhab) to teach, one teaches whatever school one has learned.

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani

Question: What would be the ruling for praying behind someone who -

1) Does not have a beard
2) Is not wearing a prayer cap

3) Is not dressed at his best (i.e. clothes only covering awrah)
4) With parts of clothes folded e.g. folding the sleeves, folding trousers above ankles etc.
5) All the 4 combined together

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.

The ruling for praying behind someone who:

1) Does not have a beard

Shaving off the beard is disliked and sinful according to the Hanafi school, yet merely disliked (and not sinful) according to the Shaf’i school. So while the imam should certainly keep a beard, praying behind an imam without a beard is valid and, in light of the difference of opinion, one would not need to make up that prayer.

For the legal verdict of this issue according o the Shaf’i school, please see the following:

The Ruling of Shaving and Shortening the Beard in the Shafi`i School

2) Is not wearing a prayer cap

Not wearing a prayer cap in the prayer is slightly disliked (makruh tanzihan) for men. Hence praying behind such a person is valid and not a problem.

3) Is not dressed at his best (i.e. clothes only covering awrah)

This is an issue of proper comportment/etiquette (adab): As long as his nakedness (`awra) is completely covered, the prayer of such a person, as well as of those behind him, is valid. Yet this is certainly not ideal, and the congregation should - if possible - offer the imam a proper garment, or else select another person to lead the prayer (if doing so doesn’t lead to dispute).

4) With parts of clothes folded e.g. folding the sleeves, folding trousers above ankles etc.

According to some scholars, this is also an issue of adab (as long as it doesn’t lead to fiddling around in the prayer, which is severely disliked). Hence, praying behind such a person is valid.

5) All the 4 combined together

The prayer is valid and would not need to be made up. However, such an imam should be advised (with adab!) to take the prayer seriously and adopt the utmost manners and etiquette for the prayer, which is intimate discourse with the Divine.

[Shurunbulali, Ascent to Felicity, Maraqi Falah; Hashiyat Tahtawi; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani