Know Your Deen

Islamic QA for North America

May 19, 2014
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
0 comments

waiting period

Q: Can i leave my home to visit my mother during my iddat. Husband died in accidant. (Text)

A: May Allah (SWT) award your husband jannah. May Allah (SWT) also reward you for your patience ameen.

Iddat is a religious obligation. Their are rules and regulations that surround it and these laws must be observed by those that choose to follow the religion.

Thus, without a valid reason relating to your safety or you suffering serious  illness, you should wait for your iddat to end, prior to leaving your home. By contrast, you can have your mother come over to your home, likewise, you can even pay for her transport so as to have her visit you.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.

May 3, 2014
by admin KyD
1 Comment

Reflect on the wrong and attempt to fix it

Q. Assalamu Alaikum brother Imam, My concern is that I have been trying to get back on the right path and I have gotten my family in huge trouble with the law that I was not aware that I was doing and now I brought such disgrace to my family and my parents want to kick me out and I do not know what to do. I know that I probably deserve it but I fear that I have failed and brought a lot pain to my mother. Now, I do not know how to get them into this trap that I have unintentionally put them into. Please help me find solution as soon as you can. Jazakamullahi Khair

A:  One of the signs of imaan is that a person will reflect upon the wrong they have done an attempt to put it right. Good people will use their past to improve their present and also improve the lives of others.
Sit down with your parents and acknowledge to them that indeed you have made mistakes in your past. Present to them an outline of how you are going to improve your life from here on. For example, you are going to pray on time. You will continue with your job or find a job and be more responsible. You will make a contribution to your family and those around you. You will attend your local Islamic Center. Present to them the changes you are going to make in a very specific manner. Again for example, at 3:30 I am going to read Quran. At 4:30 I am going to exercise. At 7:30 p.m. I will report to a person of parental  choice the things that I have done to improve my life during the cause of the day. Once a week, I will have an evaluation of my behavior.
Parents seeing a positive change typically choose to help the child. At this point, they are still unsure about the wrong things you have done. Prove to them you are going to do better. If there’s anything more I can do for you, kindly call upon me.

Allah certainly knows best.

April 27, 2014
by admin KyD
4 Comments

Can I put my prayers in a bank?

Q: Asalamualikum Imam, hope you’re well inshallah. Since I work usually a 8-12 hour shift everyday, and miss most of my prayers, is it
possible to do them all at once ahead of time? For an example, if I pray my Fajr prayer on time can I pray Dhuhr, Asr, & Maghrib with it because I know it’s not possible to take so many breaks at work to pray? I’m also afraid if I take so many breaks that will be their excuse to fire me.  Thank You!

A: Walaikumsalam, your question is well appreciated. Prayer brings success in a person’s life. Everything we have ever derived is from our Creator Allah (subhanahu wa Ta’ala). We may have an excuse to not give charity, may not be able to go for Hajj, hajj, etc. But we have little excuse to not pray, nor do we have an excuse to not pray at the given time or pray during the range of time for a given prayer. ‘The range’ or flexibility with time is what I am to focus upon based on your needs.

  1. For a person to pray out of its time without a valid excuse is undoubtedly a sin.
  2. Praying at the wrong full-time intentionally lowers the quality of our imaan.
  3. It would be better for you to do the following: when its time for you to pray ‘Asr, and you know that you are going to be working during Maghrib, merely await till the almost end of ‘Asr time. For example, ‘Asr ends at 8:20pm and Maghrib starts at 8:21, perform your ‘Asr and await the time of Maghrib , then perform the Maghrib prayer.  This way you can accomplish two prayers that are very close in time proximity yet reading each prayer on its ‘time range’.

Likewise, a similar rule can be used form other prayers. People that rigid would say that the above is incorrect. The answer is based on the concept of necessity as outlined in your question. Islam is a rational as well as logical religion that takes various situations like yours into consideration.

From your email address, I gather that you are student at a local community college. I appreciate your question. I also appreciate you wanting to do the best thing in your situation. May Allah the Almighty  guide you as He has guided us, ameen

Allah Certainly Knows Best.

April 23, 2014
by admin KyD
0 comments

A matter of a small horse

Q: Is it permissible to wear a  Ralph Lauren jacket and pray?  It has a silhouette of a man on a horse but has no eyes. Regardless of  this, can I still wear it whilst in prayer as it does keep me warm and is a nice jacket. The silhouette is small and located on the top right breast side of the jacket.

Continue Reading →

April 9, 2014
by Ml. Muhammed Shoayb
1 Comment

‘I obviously has a fake profile’ and fell for a guy

Q:Assalamu alykum,
I have a really serious issue here. I got homeschooled from 8th grade and it was an online school that I did. Ever since then, I did lose all my friends in real life because we moved away and everything. To make a long story short, lonliness got the best of me and I got addicted to the internet and I started to do haram things like listening to music and making friends with guys online. It is a despicable thing to do and I wish I could have stopped then but I was really lonely with no  friends anymore and I barely went outside. I used to make fake online profiles though so nobody saw my face.

Well…I am 17 years old now I am in a fix. After having a 2yr break from talking to guys online, I got into it again. I obviously has a fake profile as to not show my real identity and I actually made a profile as a 19yr old  boy. I ended up meeting another boy from Texas who is gay and I fell in love with him. Another two years have passed by since then and we’re really close but he wants to meet and I have no idea what to do. Should I walk away for the sake of Continue Reading →

March 31, 2014
by admin KyD
2 Comments

Sawtul Qur’an, an Islamic lecture series for SLC

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Sawtul Qur’an will be holding a series of seminars as of April 19, 2014. The program will be presented by the Imaams of Salt Lake City and their respective Masajids. It will start at 5:30 pm and will end with Isha (9:30 pm).

This is a must for those who are seeking diversity and recommended for those seeking positive community change. Along with logistical aspects of this Continue Reading →