Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Do the classical rulings (a child’s status following the slave mother; a master marrying off an enslaved woman without consent) constitute ijma, near-ijma, or majority opinion, are they binding, and if legal slavery hypothetically returned through legitimate warfare would Muslims be obligated to apply them exactly as the early […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What is the ruling on making singing Vande Mataram compulsory in schools and madrasas? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. Some verses of this song raise a theological concern, because they use language of devotion toward the motherland rather than toward God. One should […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question The night (al-layl) begins at Maghrib. But I know that night prayer (qiyam al-layl) is specifically after Isha. My question: when the Quran and hadith describe the virtue of worshipping at night, do they mean only after Isha — or does any act of worship from Maghrib to Fajr […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What religious obligations apply to a child with a cognitive disability, and how should caregivers approach expectations and discipline in such cases? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question, and may Allah […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question A husband authorized his wife to divorce herself; she used the authorization once, was taken back during the waiting period, was later divorced by him, and again taken back, and then, in anger but fully conscious, used the same authorization a second time. Do these events count as three […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Is it permissible to buy and sell gold on a spot basis when the sale completes immediately, but the payment reaches the seller’s bank account a day later due to administrative bank processing? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. Yes, this is permissible. When the […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question For years, I washed my arms from the elbow to the wrist in wudu, not realizing that the hands to the fingertips are included. Must I redo my ghusl and repeat eighteen years of prayers? Answer Be at ease: your worship stands, and you do not repeat eighteen years […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I struggle with extreme misgivings (waswasa) in prayer: I repeat al-Fatiha out of doubt, prostrate afterward out of forgetfulness, and fear my prayers—including a witr — are invalid. Does one prostration cover several mistakes? Must I act on doubts in tashahhud? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I grew up westernized and secular. How do I shed ingrained prejudices and come to love the Arabs and the good culture of this religion? How do I connect with the scholars without knowing Arabic? And how do I see snow as Allah’s beautiful creation rather than mere ice […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question My institution forces students to shave their beards, attend musical programs, wear shorts, and, at times, block prayer. I want to leave, but my parents insist I stay. What should I do? Is istikhara valid here? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah relieve […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question My husband has spent three years fixated on a woman from his past — keeping and kissing her photographs and writing of his desire for her, even presenting her as his wife to colleagues. Is this zina of the eyes? Are my rights violated? Answer In the Name of […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Four witnesses are required to prove zina. Does the same standard apply to someone who has been sexually assaulted? Is she proven innocent only if she brings witnesses? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. No. The four-witness standard is the evidentiary bar for convicting someone […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question A teacher deliberately used a vague, true-sounding statement to make a student believe someone was dating his younger sister, hoping to awaken his sense of honor about having a girlfriend. He corrected it within minutes. Was this within a teacher’s Islamic rights? Answer In the Name of Allah, the […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I am studying theology and need definitions of technical terms the scholars use: sifat, huduth, ‘arad, mahal, mukhassis, jirm, ta‘lil, and tab‘i. Please add any I have missed. Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate These terms are the working vocabulary of Ash‘ari and Maturidi […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question In my youth, I fell into sexual sins that I have long repented from. I fear that people who knew about them could still maliciously expose me. Must I disclose any of this to a prospective wife — and if not, what may I share? Answer In the Name […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Can Quran 17:15 be applied today in accordance with Imam Ghazali’s framework, which distinguishes between those whom the message of Islam never reached, those who received only a distorted version, and those who received it clearly? Is this a valid belief within Islamic theology? Answer In the Name of […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Dear Shaykh, I am a private tutor. Some sessions are one-on-one; others are small groups. May I charge the same per-session fee regardless of group size? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate Yes, charging the same per-session fee for group and individual tutoring is permissible, […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question A woman finds that her clothes have a faint scent from laundry detergent. She chose this detergent for cleaning, not for fragrance. Does this prevent her from attending the mosque? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate Yes, you may attend the mosque. The Sunna discourages […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Sometimes, while preparing food, small pieces of skin from my hands accidentally fall into the dish. Does this make the food impermissible to eat? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. Be at ease. The food remains lawful, and you may eat it without worry. If […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Dear Shaykh, a husband said, “We are divorced” (or a similar explicit phrase) during a moment of anger. Is the divorce valid under Hanafi law? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. This question often comes after a moment of anger that is now regretted. The […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question If a married woman has synthetic braids, does she need to undo them for ghusl? And is her wudu valid in this state? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate Yes, your ghusl is valid with synthetic braids, insha’Allah. The Sunna of the Prophet (Allah bless […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Is the book Ghibtat al-Nazir fi Tarjamat al-Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (غبطة الناظر), published in English as The Onlooker’s Delight, genuinely by Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him)? Answer The attribution to Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (Allah have mercy on him) is credible. Imam Sakhawi, his […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question My engagement broke ten days before the nikah. The break came from his side, without a Sharia reason. We have a written agreement that names the shabka as a gift, with photos and signed messages. His family is now asking for the shabka and the gifts back. Can I […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question According to the Hanafi school, when does exaggerated everyday speech, such as “you’re the best” or “I could admire you forever,” become actual shirk or kufr? Am I responsible for another person’s sincerity in repentance, and is delaying the asking about such fears itself sinful or a form of […]