Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I want to follow the Hanafi view that allows taking easier valid opinions and combining opinions (talfiq) in certain cases. The scholars mention a condition: the muqallid may not return to what he has acted upon (la yarji‘ al-muqallid fīma qallada fīh). What does this condition mean, and how […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question If one questions how a hadith stating that a people led by a woman will not succeed applies in specific cases—such as if a woman rules strictly according to Islamic guidance—does this does it require repentance? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. What you are […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Can principles like maslaha (public interest) or istihsan (juristic preference) be used to address systemic harms in areas such as women’s rights in marriage or divorce, or to justify publicly exposing injustices like imprisonment or exploitation for the sake of reform? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question After committing major sins involving the rights of others, then sincerely repenting, making du’a, giving charity on their behalf, and reforming my actions, will Allah Most High forgive me, lift the hardship, and conceal the past? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. The fact that […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question When scholars describe creation as “akin to non-existence,” do they mean that creation is real, but its reality is only through Allah, and that only Allah has true, independent existence? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. Your understanding is sound. This is the position of […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question A Muslim does not feel they love Allah and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) more than themselves or others. Does this constitute disbelief or shirk? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question A woman left her abusive husband and sought khula. He now demands she return briefly, claiming he swore an oath on the Quran not to harm her. Is she required to return? Would refusing be disrespecting the Quran? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. I […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Can I enroll in a health benefits package that includes life insurance if I need the medical coverage for treatment? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. Yes, it is permissible to enroll in such a package when the primary benefit is lawful, and the need […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question How can I deal with this high-standard-feeling issue? Because of this, my spiritual growth feels unstable, rushed, and hard. Answer In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. I hope you’re doing well, in sha’ Allah. Spiritual growth is meant to be steady, not rushed. The feeling […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What should I do if my husband is abroad and neither supports me nor communicates with me? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. Seeking Your Rights With Wisdom You have a right to seek your rights, but this should be done with consideration, intelligence, and […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question How can we know which scholars are reliable to follow, and what should we do if we are unsure? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. Knowing Truth Before Knowing People Imam Ghazali states in The Book of Knowledge from Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din: “Whoever determines the […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question How is love of this world a source of evil, according to the hadith? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. The Prophetic Counsel Regarding Worldliness The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Renounce worldliness and Allah will love you.” The term “dunya” […]

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat Question Does jokingly saying talaq, without intending divorce, result in divorce? Answer I pray you are well. Yes, it does. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) mentioned that there are three types of statements in which seriousness and jest are treated the same. He said: “There are three […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What is the ruling on undertaking a forty-day spiritual seclusion (khalwa)? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. The short answer is: do not do this without a qualified guide, and do not abandon the congregation. Spiritual seclusion (khalwa) has a sound basis in the Quran […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What are the signs of arrogance, and how can one prevent it from entering the heart? Answer In the Name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate. The Reality of Arrogance Arrogance, or kibr, is to have a high sense of self and to look down on others. The Messenger […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question How do we understand the prophetic hadith that it is permissible to be envious of someone who has knowledge? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah purify our hearts from blameworthy traits and grant us sincerity in seeking what is pleasing to Him. The […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question How should I seek guidance and emotional clarity if I am married under pressure but remain attached to someone else? Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. The basis is to remain in your marriage and cultivate love and mercy within it. Knowledge empowers the believer […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What is the ruling on a gifted house without a full transfer of ownership? How should it be distributed after the parent’s death? Answer In the Name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate. The Importance of Clarity in Ownership Matters of ownership are very critical in Islam. The early […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I lied to a friend about a decision, not knowing that she would act on it. Am I sinful? Answer In the Name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah grant you sincerity, truthfulness, and the ability to uphold what is pleasing to Him in all of your […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question How should a person address years of missed prayers without a valid excuse? Can deliberately missed prayers be made up? Answer In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate. The Obligation of Making Up Missed Prayers Yes, deliberately missed prayers must be made up. This is obligatory by […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question If I join the prayer during the imam’s tashahhud, but I do not sit on time, must I recite the tashahhud if I fear falling behind? Answer In the Name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate. Reciting the Tashahhud When Joining the Imam If a person joins the prayer […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question With knowledge readily available online, is it still necessary to learn from a teacher? Answer In the Name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate. Yes, it is necessary to learn from qualified teachers. Allah Most High has commanded us to ask those who know if we do not know, […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Are doubts about Islam a natural part of one’s faith journey? Answer In the Name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate. Faith itself is to confirm as true what the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) has come with. A believer is one who affirms […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question How should we deal with people who speak on religious matters without proper knowledge? Answer In the Name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate. The Presence of the Unlearned in Every Age There have always been people who speak about matters beyond their knowledge. In our times, however, the […]