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 […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I am a Hanafi in the United Kingdom. Is a “celebrity crush” (finding a celebrity attractive and feeling romantic attraction, with no sexual desire or fantasy) haram, makruh, or permitted, and where does the line fall between a permitted feeling and an impermissible attachment? Answer In the name of […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I am weighing the Islamic and Christian narratives of the crucifixion. Two things trouble me. First, the Christian claim that many people saw Jesus alive after the crucifixion, as recorded by his early followers. Second, if he was raised to Allah and not crucified, why did he not tell […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question A young woman shared photos with you for the purpose of marriage consideration, on the condition that you do nothing inappropriate. You agreed. You later returned to the photos to assess whether you were attracted to her and whether you wished to pursue marriage. You feel you broke that […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Will there be education in Heaven? For example, will there be universities and grades there? Answer In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate. Two things at once: Paradise is not arranged like the schools we know, with universities, terms, and grades; yet learning, knowledge, and a ceaseless […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question My mother’s conduct has changed over time in ways I find immoral, and it is harming me inwardly. When I try to advise her, she answers with financial pressure and emotional manipulation. How should I deal with this when it feels as though her role as a mother has […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I left school to memorize the Quran. I grew close in heart to a fellow student whose character I admired, hoping for a friendship that would benefit us both. Over two years, that admiration mixed with desire and improper thoughts. I have cut her off several times, yet I […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I try to call my family and friends to Allah, but they refuse and argue with me. How do I keep doing this without losing heart? Answer It is a sign of love that you want for others what you have found, and it is no small grief when […]

Answers by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question Two SeekersGuidance answers appear to say opposite things about smoke and fasting. One says passive smoke breaks the fast; the other says incidental inhalation of gas or ambient smell does not. Which applies to my situation? I am worried about make-up fasts in three cases: (1) talking with a […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question I carry complex, unwitnessed grief—multiple significant losses that were not seen or honored by family or community. What spiritual practices and Prophetic supplications are appropriate for compound grief of this kind, so that I may draw nearer to Allah Most High through it rather than away? Answer In the […]

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani Question What is the role of the Qadi (judge) in Islam, and can the office exist in a non-Muslim country such as the Netherlands? What authority does he hold, and what are his limits? Can he enforce punishments or summon witnesses? If I face a crime such as robbery, am […]