Discharge While Praying

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Remembering the Sunna to Find Love
Question: I come from an irreligious family, how I can change them? Also, I have a lot of vaginal discharge so I always use the bathroom before I pray and wash off any discharge and change my pantyliner. But then when I’m praying I feel a little wetness and I don’t know whether it’s discharge or urine. Do I have to do wudu again and repeat my prayer?

Answer:

Assalamu alaykum,

Thank you for your question. First, let me congratulate you on your obedience to Allah and His Messenger, it is truly inspiring to see a young lady like yourself covering and praying and hoping to help her family change. May Allah reward you greatly.

Discharge

Your discharge situation is simpler than you think. You are correct to use the bathroom, wash, make wudu, and pray. This is the best way to ensure that you have wudu. Keep in mind that it may not be necessary to change your panty liner, as, in the Shafi’i school, regular discharge is not considered filth, it only invalidates the wudu.

As for any wetness that you feel afterward, you don’t need to worry about it all. You don’t need to go to the bathroom to check and see what happened. Very often, one can feel something, but there really is nothing there.

You also should not push toilet paper into your private part (insertion), because it is safer and healthier not to insert anything in the privates, especially if you are unmarried. The shari`ah would never ask such a thing of you.

Also, make a point of drying yourself well after using the bathroom, as leaving any wetness there, can lead to infection, especially if your underwear is not cotton. So keep up with what you are doing, without all the extra checking.

Parents

As for your parent, it is difficult to see them live a lifestyle that is not pleasing to Allah, and the best thing that you can do is be a good example of generosity, kindness, and service. They should correlate your new religious behavior with your increase in good character and maturity. Don’t be mean, impatient, or critical or they will associate that with Islam and be displeased with it.

Continue to tread on the path of righteousness and gain Islamic knowledge and apply it as you go along. Don’t worry too much about their amulet, because as their religion grows, they will drop these little habits. I pray that you can be a guiding light for your parents and their source of pleasure and happiness whenever they look at you.

[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.

Wet Dreams and Ghusl

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Question: I understand the general rule for wet dreams is that any wetness you see in the morning after waking up, regardless if you saw a dream or not, you should assume that you need to take a ghusl. I have a problem with excessive waswasa, I always understood that I should ignore any doubts, but sometimes I have days where I do ghusl almost every day. What is the ruling on this?

 

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

You are correct in your understanding mentioned above that – if one wakes up and notices wetness of sexual fluid (i.e. not sweat, urine, or other), on their body or clothing they must perform a ritual bath, regardless of recalling a dream or not [Ala’ al-Din Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya].

The Basis: Never Act on Doubts

Wet dreams are not a common daily occurrence. The basis is that you did not experience a wet dream and you would need reasonable surety to act contrary to this basis. The reasonable surety cannot be established without some sort of proof distinguishing it from mere conjecture. An example of proof is finding visible sexual fluid in the vicinity of your private part.

Another important basis to keep in mind is that you do not have to check unless you have reasonable surety of wetness – not just a mere sensation of wetness. If you are not reasonably sure or certain that there is wetness don’t look, ignore.

Misgivings (Waswasa)

For the one who suffers from doubts and misgivings abandoning caution is the best cure.

“As for the one who is often inflicted with misgivings, it is necessary for them to sever the cause of the misgivings and not to give it any consideration. This is because it is the doing of Shaytan and we have been commanded to oppose him” [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar].

No Undue Hardship in Religion

You must know that Allah Most High informs us that He does not intend to burden us unduly.

He Most High says, “It is not Allah’s Will to burden you but to purify you and complete His favor upon you, so perhaps you will be grateful” [Qur’an; 05:06].

Burden (haraj) in the above verse refers to undue hardship. Thus if you are finding your religious duties unduly difficult and burdensome something is wrong.

Knowledge

The long-term cure for these constant doubts is to seek a deeper understanding of Islamic Knowledge. With knowledge, Shaytan can not deceive you with his whispers and plots. I would advise that you find authentic scholars in your area and study with them a basic text in Islamic Jurisprudence.

Please note that SeekersGuidance.org has classes available in Islamic Jurisprudence and many other subjects.

Hope this helps.
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences

Stunning Chickens and Halal Certification

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Question: There is a certain halal food auditing company that has certified as halal chicken that is stunned before slaughter? Can I rely on this certification?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

When stunning does not kill the animal, then the process is still haram, but the meat will be halal to eat. This is probably why they gave the certification.

In the UK, it is better to rely on HMC than other organizations. You can find out which shops/restaurants they have given a certificate to here: https://halalhmc.org/outlets/

Please also read:
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/hanafi-fiqh/a-guide-for-consuming-various-meats-foods-alcohol-animal-by-product-ingredients-and-cosmetics/
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/hanafi-fiqh/can-we-eat-machine-slaughtered-meat/

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language

Student Loans in the UK

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Sunna Prayers after Jumu‘a
Question: What is the ruling on student loans especially the British student loan system? What are the alternatives/practical ways to afford university?

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

I pray you are well.

Interest Is Forbidden

Thank you for your important question. It is a matter which has been discussed by many scholars in our time. The problem with the loan system – as it currently is – is the interest element. I am aware of the clause of the debt being wiped away if one does not earn over a particular threshold. It doesn’t affect the ruling.

The issue is that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) cursed the one who takes interest, the one who gives it, the one who documents the contract, and the one who is a witness to it. He said they are all the same, in sin, that is (Muslim). Entering into the contract is a problem, so the loans are not permissible.

Alternative Solutions

As it is, there are not many practical financing solutions. You could try borrowing from friends and family. Taking a year or two out to pay for a couple of years, and working during that period part-time to pay for the final year is also an option.

It might not sound easy, but if you try with the aim of pleasing Allah you’ll get a lot more coming back to you from Allah in the long term. This is something the Muslim community needs to work towards having a workable solution for.

Failing this, you could enroll in a program that is subsidized or paid for, such as various NHS funded courses. Or maybe the University will accommodate a payment plan.

Banu Isra’il and the Sabbath Test

“Ask them about the city by the sea, when they transgressed the Sabbath at a time when the fish would come openly on the Sabbath, but not on other days…” (Qur’an, 7:163) This is verse a dear friend of mine referenced when I asked him what he would do about his son’s higher education.

He saw this situation as being similar to what Banu Isra’il faced – except that they were tested like this due to their constant rebellion. The similarity is that a haram option exists and it is easy to take, but it leads to problems. I know a number of people who were afflicted with problems in their life after taking out such loans.

In the end, he and his son decided that it would be better for him to apply for an apprenticeship. This is a viable option. It can lead to a good career, and you get paid whilst learning. It might not be the same as studying in a university, but it will, at least, lead to a guaranteed job.

See it as the test it is, and pray an istikhara. Ask Allah for the best course in your life – one that will enrich you in this life and the next. May Allah facilitate the matter for you.

[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.

Women’s Covering During the Ritual Prayer 

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Question: Is it necessary for the same garment which covers the hair to cover the chest and neck area or can hijab be worn with different garments covering each of these parts of the body? Please reference your school of thought also. 
Answer: 
Assalāmu ‘alaykum Dear Sister in Faith,
The covering of one’s nakedness (‘awrah) during the Ritual Prayer (salah) is a condition for its validity by the consensus of the Jurists of all Sunni Schools of Thought [Shurunbulali, Imdad al-Fattah].

For a woman, this includes all of her body except her hands and face.

As for her feet, it is a matter of legitimate disagreement among the Jurists.  The prevalent view of the Hanafi School is that the portion of the feet that is below the ankles is not necessary to cover in the Ritual Prayer [Marghinani, al-Hidayah; Zabidi, al-Jawharah an-Nayyirah].

The style of clothing or means by which a woman chooses to cover herself during the Ritual Prayer is not stipulated by the Sacred Law.  The obligation is to cover the required area with clothing that is not form-fitting nor transparent.
May Allah clothe us in the Garb of Obedience, in this world, and the Robes of Paradise, in the next.
[Ustadha] Iman Badawi

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Rulings on Vaginal Discharge

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Acquisition of the Clear Light
Question: Is it necessary to do ghusl after vaginal discharge? What are the rulings on vaginal discharge in the Hanafi School? 
Answer:
Assalāmu ‘alaykum Dear Sister in Faith,
The release of Leukorrhea, more commonly know as vaginal discharge, is a normal, healthy aspect of a women’s physiology. In fact, women who suffer from vaginal dryness know just how great of a blessing it is.
Leukorrhea can be white, yellow, or green. Discolored discharge that is accompanied by an odor, irritation, itching, pain, or inflammation is abnormal and is usually a sign of infection.
However, the regular whitish or yellowish discharge that a woman experiences on a daily basis is pure in accordance with the sounder view in the Hanafi School [Tahtawi, Hashiya on Maraqi al Falah].
It is not necessary to remove it from one’s clothing before prayer. Its release would not necessitate ghusl nor wudu.
[Ustadha] Iman Badawi

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Responsibilities of an Muslim Chaplain in a University

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Question: What are the responsibilities of an Imam or a Muslim Chaplain in a non-Muslim university with a growing population of Muslim students?

Answer: 

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

The general responsibilities include leading ritual prayers, giving general Islamic advice to students, and helping Muslim students find answers to their questions from reliable sources.

On a deeper level, a chaplain is to give spiritual advice on interpersonal relations and help Muslim students navigate their studies and careers in an Islamic way.

The chaplain also must help the Muslims carve out a separate yet balanced Muslim identity that is welcoming and that provides a clear safe haven for students that struggle to find themselves and their Islamic identity in a tempest of ideas and social pressures.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid Dingle

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language

Making Ghusl With An Injury

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The Journey of Death and Life

Question: How would you make ghusl if you had an injury, or a catheter or insulin pump attached to your body?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

In the Shafi’i school, if you cannot perform a complete ghusl for a medical reason, then one must:

1) Wash as much of the body as possible
2) Wipe over that which is not possible (over the bandage if possible)
3) Make tayammum (before or after the ghusl)

This is based on a hadith in Abu Dawud in which a man had an injury and made ghusl and then died because of it. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that it would have been enough for him to wrap something over the injury, make ghusl, wipe over the bandage and make tayammum.

Please also see:
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/hanafi-fiqh/can-perform-tayamum-rather-wudu-cut/

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language

Is It True That the Black Stone Was Originally an Angel?

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Question: Is it true that the black stone was originally an angel?

Answer: Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

No, it doesn’t seem to be the case that the black stone was originally an angel since nothing sound has reached us stating that.

Even if it was originally an angel, or is still an angel for that matter, kissing or touching it would not constitute worshipping gods besides Allah.

The source of the hadith

As far as this imperfect researcher can tell, the only source stating that the black stone was originally an angel is the Shiite hadith collection of hadith, al Kafi by Kulini (d. 329 AH). Now that by no means makes it automatically weak, but at the end of the day, the hadith does not cite the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) or any of the Prophetic Companions as a source (Bihar al Anwar, Majlisi).

Had there been anything even passably authentic, Ibn Hajar would have mentioned it in his commentary on Bukhari on the discussion of why Sayyidna Umar did not want to kiss the black stone (Fath al Bari, Ibn Hajar al Asqalani).

As for whether or not the black stone has or will have a tongue, this is established in Sahih Ibn Khuzayma and other reliable works.

Shiite hadith sources

One of the beautiful things about the Islamic tradition in general, and the Sunni tradition in specific, is that it is very objective and non-partisan.

A hadith is narrated and its narrators are judged based on the likelihood of them lying, and the likelihood of there being errors in their reports. Lying about the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is quite a big thing in any Muslim’s eyes, for which reason only the worst of certain extreme sects of Islam deemed it permissible to intentionally fabricate hadiths.

Consequently, we frequently find hadiths in reliable Sunni books in whose chains Shiite and Kharijite hadith narrators are found. In contradiction to Shiites, for Sunnis, you don’t have to be in our camp, or of our persuasion, for your hadith to be sound. You just have to be a solid and accurate preserver and narrator of hadiths.

Even when it comes to critiquing hadith, we rely on Shiite scholars like Ibn Khirash (d. 283 AH).

Gray areas of shirk

Shirk is a very clear cut thing: you either worship a god besides Allah, or you don’t. Showing veneration to a created thing, such as a parent, scholar, angel, book (e.g. mushaf), or a building (e.g. Kaaba or a grave) is not shirk in and of itself. Rather, when one believes that such a thing has the power to benefit or harm independent of Allah, this is when it becomes shirk. (Imdad e Fatawa, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi)

Thus, if it turned out that the black stone was actually a living being, it would not constitute worshipping a god besides Allah.

Conclusion

In all likelihood, the black stone was not originally an angel, and even if we were to say that is was kissing or touching it would not constitute worshipping gods besides Allah.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid Dingle

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language

 

Paying Zakat on Shared Jewelry

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Question: If gold and silver jewelry is shared by two or three people, like sisters, mothers, and daughters, and it reaches or is above the nisab amount, how can zakat be calculated on it for each person, as it is shared by these people?

Answer:

Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh,

I pray you are well.

The Owner Pays the Zakat

Whoever owns the gold and silver is the one that has to pay zakat for it. This is usually whoever purchased the jewelry, or whoever it was given to as a gift, for example.

If they are all the owners of the jewelry, the value of the jewelry is to be divided, and everyone is to calculate their own zakat with their share’s value. If it is not clear, you have to first establish who the owner is and move forward from there (Quduri, Matn al Quduri).

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
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.