Know Your Deen

Islamic QA for North America

September 6, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
3 Comments

sadaqatul-fitr

Assalamualaikum Shaik,
Hope you find this post in good state of Iman and health. May Allah accept our fastings and make us sincere in our actions.
I have some questions. InshaAllah, you may clarify them.

1) Is it ok to cut the nails or trim beard during fasting? Or do we need to wait till we break the fast? or wait till end of Ramadan?

2) When is the best time to give zakat-ul-fitr? Is it anytime in Ramadan month or late towards Ramadan? And how much is the amount for each person?

JazakAllahu khairan.

Time: Thursday September 3, 2009 at 2:18 pm

Answer:

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Likewise, we wish you and your family the very best as well. Ameen to your duaa, may Allah the Greatest accept it for all Muslims.

1) yes, once the beard is beyond a fist length it can (and should) be groomed for neatness. Likewise nails too can be cut whilst fasting.

2) Earlier you give it, the better it is for you. Our fast remains suspended until we have discharged our sadaqatul fitr obligation to the poor. Should one forget to give it prior to the end of Ramadaan, or be irresponsible relating to its discharge, they can give it at later point. To do this intentionally would be wrong.

For the year 2009, the amount has been set at $7 per mature adult. (Preferred that it be given personally to a local poor Muslim person. If this remains impossible, then one can give it to families abroad, or to your responsible local/national Islamic centers and organizations.)

Allah Certainly Knows Best

p.s. We think you are referring to sadaqat-tul-fitr and not zakat-ul-fitr in your query. Please correct us should we be incorrect.


September 5, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
1 Comment

wine seller must first feed his own soul

Q. To eat at the house of person that sells alchol. Is it permissible? We were in a house of a host and they said that the quran was silent about the matter. So therefore it is allowed… Is this true? (In office question)

A.More then the question you  have outlined, I am more disturbed by your social circle and the lowness of conversation that permeate in such environments. Your have intoxicated your mind with pure filth, and sadly, you have ask questions to verify its implications. The Hadith makes clear:

???? ????? ???????? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?????????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ????????? ???????? ????? ?????????? ?????????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????: ????? ????? ?????: ????????? ???????????? ??????? ??????? ????????: ??? ?????????? ?????: ??????? ?????????? ??????????? ??????? ??????????? ???????: ????? ???????? ??????

To knowingly attend the houses of transgressors wrong. To justify a haram could well lead to kufr. Befriending such people only encourages their wrongful actions, and this shows poor taste on your path.

For people to feed there children from such food is a violation of the (Amaanah) trust Allah (Subhanahu Wata’Ala) has placed upon parental figures.

It would be best to attend the home of the fajir (transgressor) to express a few kind words of religious inspiration,then attain a plate of food from an undignified open violator. It would also be more rewarding to not expose the alcoholic dealer, but to continue to give him/her advice.

Quran demands we eat pure pure. Pure foods and wealth earned to pure measures (Ayah). For a pure sustenance enables greater remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu Wata’Ala).

Allah Ceratinly Knows Best.

September 3, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
0 comments

iftar party must not become shaytans party

Q. Last week was the ramadaan iftar party. It was at one of the salt lake islamic center and few of them had events. (So the audience must not assume. I saw some girls from high school and now I am in college.  And you know the rest (possibly). I partied…. Now is my fasting valid? That night I missed my first tarawee. And when u read quran I feel guilty. And when u talk after tarawee it makes me want to disappear.  I got your email from a msa member….

A.

  • This is why Islam demands separation between men and woman in such instances, so as to curb unwanted desires from exposing themselves
  • If you feel that it is difficult for you to control your eyes, limbs, etc. then do not come to such events. Although it may be difficult for you to abstain due to its temptation, your imaan would be safe guarded by you spending your moments elsewhere
  • Guilt for wrongs committed is a good thing. It shows you have shame. Make a sincere repentance and do not let your emotions toy with your faith and trust in Allah (Subhanahu Wata’Ala).
  • Place a positive penalty upon yourself by coming regularly to the musjid. If two parking lots exist, then park your car far away from the female parking lot. Do not look at woman as an atonement for your committed sin.  Ask Allah(Subhanahu Wata’Ala) to turn that given ‘evil’ night into the most positive of moment for you.  Allah(Subhanahu Wata’Ala) has no need to punish anyone who has commitment themselves towards a sincere repentance.

Allah Certainly Knows Best

September 3, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
0 comments

lip ice

Q. My lips crack a when fasting. Can put on my lip cream (ice/balm) on em?

A.Yes, so long as it does not go down your throat, you fast would remain valid.

Allah Certainly Knows Best

September 1, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
0 comments

knee first or hands first for sajdah?

Q. can a person from standing position going to sujdah do so with hands going before the knee in sajdah? Would it not be better to perform salaah on a chair instead of doing it this way?

A. Doing so can be done with a valid reason and would prove more worthy then performing salaah on a chair. Sayidinah ibn Umar (RA) used place his hands before his knees. This was due to a valid health reason. A boy did tried to emulate him (RA) and he stopped the boy claiming that he did so due to a valid excuse. It was not the correct way for a healthy person.

Thus, for a valid reason, a person can do so as you have described.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.

September 1, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
0 comments

look inside or outside?

Ramadan Question

Salaam ul aikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu,

I am trying to memorize the Qur’an but have only been doing so diligently for a short time so my question is, which is better: to memorize more in Ramadan or to read the Qur’an more? Or are both equivalent?

Jazakullah Khair.
Time: Tuesday August 11, 2009 at 3:48 pm

A.

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Depends on your situation. For some, it is a time for greater levels of review; for others, they can use Ramadaan as a time to move ahead of their current pace due to them lazing around within other parts of the year. It would differ from person to person. A good combination of both would be ideal.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.

August 30, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
0 comments

‘do not talk lies about me’ (part one and two)

Question 1)

How do i confront a person that has backbitten about me?

Question 2)

Assalamualaikum,

According to Islam what is the nice way to tell a person(who is senior than me) that he/she is backbiting to me? or should I just be quiet and don’t correct?

Is it true that if I could criticized a person in front of him then I could talk about that behind him too?would that still be backbiting?

Time: Tuesday August 25, 2009 at 3:30 pm

Answer to question 1: ?????? ?????? ????? ???? ???????

If you have proof that a person is backbiting, you have the following the choices:

  • Confront the person and have the person who possibly conveyed that message to you become your enemy. The person who spoke ill of you may relish this new conflict. You may lose two friends rather than one!
  • Forgive the person and pray for their betterment of character
  • Or merely say the following to the backbiter: “I know that I sometimes do things that may not be the most favorable; however, regarding your claim of X, y and Z, I honestly may have given you a false impression. The truth of the matter is that you are incorrect in your assertions. Let us not become distant and make shaytan happy as a result of your given claims
  • Backbiting is against the Quran. It cannot be done under general circumstances Continue Reading →

August 30, 2009
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
7 Comments

say what you mean, and mean what you say

Q.

assalamo alikom,

I have a question about Talak uttering. I told my wife not to do something that I thought it is bad to do. After many times she is still doing it, then I told her you will be Talak if you do that. In my mind I just wanted to threaten her without any intention in my heart to have Talak. Later she explained to me the situation about what she does and I hate it. Then I told her that’s fine you can do it.
What’s my problem now? Does this mean Talak? What shoul I do?

Thanks so much.

Time: Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 4:38 am

Answer:

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In jest or seriousness, talaq is talaq, and it goes through (derived from hadith)

In your case, one talaq-e-rajiya has taken place.

Merely take her back into your nikah and safeguard yourself form an eventual irrevocable talaq situation. (You would take her back into your nikah by what can be called actions of shared intimacy.)

You have two talaqs left. May Allah (Subhanahu Wata’Ala) protect you from using them.

Be more cautious in what you utter. She must be more cautious in fulfilling that which is necessary to stay within the confinements of the marriage. Marriage is not about proving points or showing one’s toughness or arrogance on matters of seriousness. We hope both of you would take this consideration seriously.

Allah Certainly Knows Best

(approved and seconded by:

Ml. Ans Shaikh (Ifta student)