Is My Marriage Valid If My Husband Doubted the Truth of Islam?

/in , , /by

Question:
Assalamalikum. What is the ruling if a spouse in a marriage expresses doubt in faith (like not being completely sure or fully confident that the Qur’an is the book of God)? Later, he realized his mistake and repented. Is this marriage valid? If there is a difference of opinion among the scholars, what is the ruling according to Shafi Madhab?

Answer:

Wa alaykum al-salam

Thank you for writing to us.

 

Disbelief or Satanic Whispers?

It is important to distinguish between thoughts of disbelief and satanic whispers, on the one hand, and doubt, on the other. If a person doubts whether the Qur’an is the word of Allah, he is neither confirming nor rejecting this. As he has not accepted the word of Allah, he is not considered a Muslim.

A person who has thoughts of disbelief or experiences satanic whispers, while believing in his heart that the Qur’an is the word of Allah, has not left the fold of Islam. [Nawawi, Kitab al-Adhkar]

The Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Certainly, Allah has overlooked for my ummah what arises in their minds as long as they do act it out or vocalize it.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

 

Has He Left the Fold of Islam?

Accordingly, one must determine whether the spouse doubted in the above-mentioned sense, or whether he or she merely had thoughts of disbelief or experienced satanic whispers. In the former case, the spouse has left the fold of Islam. In the latter case, he or she has not.

 

The Status of the Marriage

In the case where a spouse, whether husband or wife, has left the fold of Islam, the spouses must be separated immediately, and the marriage will continue to exist pending the expiration of the woman’s iddah. If the iddah expires while one of the spouses is an apostate, the marriage is dissolved. If the apostate spouse accepts Islam at a later stage, the marriage will have to be performed afresh. However, if the apostate spouse returns to Islam during the iddah, the marriage continues to exist. [Nawawi, Minhaj al-Talibin]

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Abdurragmaan Khan

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdurragmaan received ijazah ’ammah from various luminaries, including but not restricted to: Habib Umar ibn Hafiz—a personality who affected him greatly and who has changed his relationship with Allah, Maulana Yusuf Karaan—the former Mufti of Cape Town; Habib ‘Ali al-Mashhur—the current Mufti of Tarim; Habib ‘Umar al-Jaylani—the Shafi‘i Mufti of Makkah; Sayyid Ahmad bin Abi Bakr al-Hibshi; Habib Kadhim as-Saqqaf; Shaykh Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh; Maulana Abdul Hafiz al-Makki; Shaykh Ala ad-Din al-Afghani; Maulana Fazlur Rahman al-Azami and Shaykh Yahya al-Gawthani amongst others.

Should I Leave the Sunna of the Tooth-Stick (Miswak)?

/in , , , /by

Question:

Should I leave the sunna of the tooth-stick (miswak) and go back to using a toothbrush, if the stains of my teeth are not going away, rather getting worse?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

With regards to oral hygiene, there are two sunnas. The first and most fundamental of the two is that the mouth be cleaned; this entails removing the stains as well as freshening the breath. The second is the use of the tooth stick specifically.

The first sunna can be achieved by any means that accomplish the desired result alluded to above; this would include the use of toothpaste and toothbrush. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]

The second sunna, however, is not achieved by the mere cleaning of the mouth. For this reason, it is a reasonable solution to use both the toothbrush with toothpaste and the tooth-stick. In this way, you will achieve both sunnas and the desired hygiene.

 

Remaining Steadfast on the Sunna

The sunna of the tooth-stick is a great blessing of Allah Most High to the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The prayer performed with the tooth-stick (i.e. used during the wudu) is better than the prayer without it seventy fold.” [Bayhaqi]

He also said, “If it was not that I would cause my community hardship, I would have commanded them to use the tooth-stick all the time.”

May Allah always keep us firm on the Prophetic way.

I hope this helps,
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.

Should I Follow What the Schools of Fiqh Teach on the Women’s Prayer or the Hadith?

/in , /by

Question:

Asslamu ‘alaykum. I have learned how women should pray according to the schools of fiqh, but I heard a scholar say there is no difference in the prayer of men and women. He based it on a hadith that says the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us to pray as he did and that the other narrations are weak. What should I do?

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

You should follow what the schools of fiqh state. They are based on the positions of scholars of the highest caliber who lived very close to the time of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). The proofs of the schools have been checked many time over the centuries.

I recommend you take our course on “How Islam Works” to get clarity on this matter, please refer to this reader on the prayer of women too.

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.

Do I Have To Make Wudu With Contaminated Water?

/in , /by

Question: 

Do I have to make wudu with contaminated water?

Answer:

I hope you are doing well, insha’Allah.

If the water is unsafe to drink but safe for external use, then you can make wudu and rinse the mouth and nose with drinking water.

If the water is even unsafe for external use, then boil water, and store it for wudu and ghusl.

But this, on its own, would not be a sufficient excuse for tayammum. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

 

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani spent ten years studying with some of the leading scholars of recent times, first in Damascus, and then in Amman, Jordan. His teachers include the foremost theologian of recent times in Damascus, the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas (may Allah have mercy on him), as well as his student Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, one of the leading Hanafi fuqaha of the present age. He returned to Canada in 2007, where he founded SeekersGuidance in order to meet the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge–both online and on the ground–in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He is the author of: Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School (White Thread Press, 2004.) Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.

How Does One Dispose of Haram Wealth?

/in , , /by

Question:

How does one dispose of haram wealth if it has already been consumed and/or mixed with other wealth?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

If one acquires money by prohibited (haram) means, it is obligatory for them to free themselves of that money by giving it away. Giving it away is not done with an intention of charity, rather, with the intention of removing that wealth (takhallus) from one’s ownership. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

 

Prohibited Wealth Mixed with Permissible Wealth

If the wealth was not yet mixed with the remainder of one’s assets, the specific haram wealth must be given away. [Ibid.]

For example, if one acquires a £100 note in a haram manner and they have not mixed it with their other money, they must give that specific note away.

If, however, the haram wealth was mixed with other money, the obligation is attached to the amount. [Ibid.]

For example, if one acquires £500 of haram money and it is deposited into their bank account with other money, it is obligatory for them to give away the amount of £500.

I hope this helps,
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

 

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.

What Is the Ruling of Reciting the Suras in Order?

/in , , /by

Question:

What is the ruling of reciting the Suras in order in the various types of prayer? What should one do, if they accidentally began reciting from Sura al-Nas in the first rak’a?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

 

Reciting Qur’an in Order

It is prohibitively disliked to intentionally recite in a backwards order in the obligatory and/or necessary prayers. This does not apply to voluntary prayers. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

If one accidentally recited in a backwards order, it is not disliked. In such a case it is best for them to continue and not disrupt the recitation. [Ibid.]

 

Sura al-Nas in the First Rak’a

If one recites, in the first unit from Sura al-Nas, it is best for them to recite the Fatiha and some part of Sura al-Baqara in the second – if possible. There is no dislike in this as the order has not been changed. [Ibid.]

Likewise, due to the praise of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), who was asked, “What action is most beloved to Allah?” He replied, “The one who finishes (reciting the Qur’an) then starts anew.” [Tirmidhi]

I hope this helps,
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.

What Is the Ruling Regarding Giving One’s Zakat To Build a Well for a Late Relative?

/in , /by

Question:

What is the ruling regarding giving one’s Zakat to build a well for a late relative?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

 

Transferral of Ownership

One of the integral conditions for one’s Zakat to be valid is that there must be a transferral of ownership from the giver of the Zakat to an eligible recipient.
The recipient must be a person in order for the transferral of ownership to count. [Maydani; al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab]

In regards to this Allah Most High says, “Alms-tax is only for the poor and the needy, for those employed to administer it, for those whose hearts are attracted to the faith, for freeing slaves, for those in debt, for Allah’s cause, and for needy travellers. This is an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [Qur’an; 9:60]

In the above verse, the mentioning of only limits the avenues in which Zakat can be given to those mentioned. [Maydani; al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab]

Note that this condition applies to all obligatory and necessary charities, such as Zakat, Sadaqa al-Fitr, or expiations. [Ibid.]

 

General Charity

It is permissible and highly rewarding, however, to give one’s voluntary charity toward any permissible avenues.

Building a well in your late grandmother’s name is a great way to gain reward and mercy for yourself and your late grandmother (Allah have mercy upon her).

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When the child of Adam dies his deeds cease except three: continuous charity, knowledge from which others benefit, and a righteous child who supplicates for them.” [Tirmidhi]

I hope this helps,
Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.

Does Taking the Morning After Pill During the Day in Ramadan Require Expiation If One Did not Intend To Fast?

/in , , /by

Question:

If someone took the emergency pill (also known as the “morning-after pill”) in Ramadan when she would have otherwise fasted, is she liable to making the fast up or is kaffara instead due?

Answer:

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

I hope you are doing well, insha’Allah.

In the case, as described, you would need to (a) make up the missed fast, but (b) no expiation (kaffara) would be due—because the fast was not intended on that day and there was the semblance of an excuse for not fasting. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Thattawi, Madhhar al-Anwar]

However, in the future, it is more sound to take medication or medical treatment before or after the day when possible during Ramadan.

And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.

Wassalam,

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

 

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani spent ten years studying with some of the leading scholars of recent times, first in Damascus, and then in Amman, Jordan. His teachers include the foremost theologian of recent times in Damascus, the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas (may Allah have mercy on him), as well as his student Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, one of the leading Hanafi fuqaha of the present age. He returned to Canada in 2007, where he founded SeekersGuidance in order to meet the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge–both online and on the ground–in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He is the author of: Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School (White Thread Press, 2004.) Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.

Are Prayers Without a Beard or With a Short Beard Accepted?

/in , , /by

Question:

Some preachers and scholars in the Indian subcontinent say that all of our daily prayers are suspended if we perform without a beard (meaning: shaving). Is this true?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate

Wassalam,

I hope you are doing well, insha’Allah. Not having a beard—or having a short beard—does not affect the soundness or acceptability of the prayer itself.

The validity and soundness of the prayer are dependent on fulfilling its obligatory (fard) and necessary (wajib) actions of the prayer itself. The prayer is completed by fulfilling its sunna actions. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

If one prays with anything disliked that is not related to the actions of prayer, this disliked-ness does not affect the soundness of prayer—and the prayer doesn’t need to be repeated. [Ibid.]

 

Keeping a Beard—Or a Full Beard?

For men, it is necessary to keep a beard, if able. Keeping a full beard is generally reported to be a sunna in most of the books of the Hanafi school. [Marghinani, Hidaya; Zayla’i, Tabyin; others]

While some texts, such as Ibn al-Hunan’s brilliant Fath al-Qadir mention that it is “not permitted” to trim the beard less than a fistful, this is considered to be when done either (a) with the intent of imitating disbelievers; or (b) imitating the corrupt. Other schools took this text to refer to general impermissibility of trimming the beard. We respect such differences.

 

Shaving, Trimming, and the Acceptability of One’s Prayer

Either way, the beard is not from the actions of the prayer itself. If one shaves the beard, this is impermissible, but it does not affect the soundness of the prayer. If one keeps a short beard, this may be disliked, but also does not affect the soundness or acceptability of the beard.

 

Uphold the Sunna, Follow Trustworthy Scholars, and Leave Differences to the Scholars

One should strive one’s utmost to follow the sunna of the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him), both outwardly and inwardly, as best one can. To do this, one follows upright, Godfearing, qualified scholars. As for the differences of opinions between the scholars, leave these for the scholars.

And Allah is the giver of success and facilitation.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani spent ten years studying with some of the leading scholars of recent times, first in Damascus, and then in Amman, Jordan. His teachers include the foremost theologian of recent times in Damascus, the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas (may Allah have mercy on him), as well as his student Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, one of the leading Hanafi fuqaha of the present age. He returned to Canada in 2007, where he founded SeekersGuidance in order to meet the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge–both online and on the ground–in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He is the author of: Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School (White Thread Press, 2004.) Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.

What Are Some of the Sunnas in Feeding and Caring for a Baby?

/in , , /by

Question:

How should we raise our children following the sunna, for feeding in particular?

Answer:

Assalamu alaykum,

Thank you for your question. I am very pleased to see that you are concerned with teaching your child according to the religion of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. May Allah give you success in this!

 

Breastfeeding

I am not familiar with any particular sunnas related to breastfeeding, but you will find a good overview here:
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/20759/ruling-on-breastfeeding-and-the-wisdom-behind-it
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/is-there-an-age-limit-to-breastfeeding/

 

It Is Up to the Parents

Islam does not dictate whether to use formula or breastmilk,  or whether to use baby-led weaning or any other kind; that is left up to the parents. Usually, parents would choose a method that would be healthy for the child and not too exhausting for the mother. Employ istikhara to make your decisions, even small ones, as that is the habit of many pious people and scholars.

 

Fear Allah As Much as You Can

The advice that I would give you would be the same advice that I would give on raising older children. Be a role model for your children, be a loving father, make your home a haven of Qur’an, modesty, generosity, cheerfulness, fill it will the halal things, and leave all the haram out. The good environment of your home will raise them Islamically. Make the habit of looking to other religious Muslim families who have successfully raised pious children and seek their advice on important matters.

 

Resources

I highly recommend you take these courses with your wife and learn your obligations towards your child.

https://seekersguidance.org/courses/keys-to-raising-righteous-children-eight-lessons-on-successful-parenting/
https://seekersguidance.org/courses/40-hadiths-on-parenting-a-prophetic-guide-to-raising-righteous-muslim-children/
https://seekersguidance.org/courses/nurturing-children-key-lessons-from-the-prophet-as-a-parent-educator/

 

Please see:

https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/children-and-marriage/

https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/how-do-i-protect-my-children-from-bad-influences-in-society/

https://seekersguidance.org/answers/hanafi-fiqh/recommended-books-on-jurisprudence-raising-children-and-marriage/

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.