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 […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I came across the hadith permitting the killing of the gecko, in which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) noted that its kind blew on the fire of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Yet the science pages and the AI I consulted say that geckos are […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Is working in logistics for a financial regulatory organization considered impermissible if the work may indirectly facilitate unlawful financial activities? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. Working in logistics for a financial regulatory body is permissible, and the income you earn from such work is […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I know it is recommended to greet and shake hands with the right hand. What is the ruling on shaking hands with the left hand instead? Is it disliked, sinful, or simply contrary to proper etiquette? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. I pray this […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Is there any evidence for folding the arms during the first part of the khutba and placing the hands on the legs during the second part, similar to the sitting posture in prayer? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. According to the Hanafi school, the […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Is uncovering the face without a need impermissible? Are modest, colorful, or patterned clothes permitted if they do not reveal the body’s shape or attract undue attention? And: I once suckled milk from my aunt— does that make my cousin (her son) my mahram? Answer In the Name of […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I heard that if a wife works, she loses her right to financial support (nafaqa) and must contribute to household expenses. Is this correct in Islamic law? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. No, this is not correct according to the general Hanafi ruling. A […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question When calculating zakat on gold jewelry, may I use the lower selling price offered by jewelers rather than the current market value? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. Yes, you may use the buyback price when calculating your zakat on gold jewelry. This is what […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question In my school, “Vande Mataram” has been made compulsory, and refusing risks harassment. May I stand silently without singing it? Is standing itself shirk, or is it sinful but not shirk? Answer In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. Set your heart at ease first: standing silently, […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question In the Hanafi school, the obligatory (fard) is established by decisive (qat’i) evidence such that denying any fard is disbelief, while denying a necessary act (wajib) is not. And how is decisive evidence established across the components of prayer, zakat, and hajj? Answer In the name of Allah, Most […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I have heard there is a consensus that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the best of creation. Did some misguided sects deny that the Quran is uncreated, and even rank a creature above the Quran — would that not be disbelief? Or is it […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question According to Hanafi fiqh, is it permissible to have non-Muslim friends? How do recognized scholars understand Quran 3:28, Quran 5:51, and the hadith that a man follows the religion of his close friend, and how are they reconciled? Answer Yes. Ordinary friendship and good treatment of non-Muslims is permissible, […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question After my obligations and daily study, must I fill the rest of my time with worship and remembrance, as Quran 94:7 suggests? Is reading a novel or following world affairs merely entertainment, and is it wrong even to look forward to it? Answer Lawful relaxation is not falling short. […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What does the Quranic phrase “Be, and it is” (kun fayakun) mean, and what does it teach us about God and about how we are to live? Answer In the name of God, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah bless our Master Muhammad and his folk and Companions. “Be, […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Is there a boundary to the supplications (du‘a) we make? If a person asks Allah Most High to compensate someone they wronged on the Day of Judgment, without directly apologizing to that person, does Allah accept this supplication, or does He reject it because a direct apology was never […]