Tag: Muamalah

  • Q n A : She married an American man who announced his Islam, then he stopped praying and denied that Allah created the heavens. What should she do?


    Q
    She married an American man who announced his Islam, then he stopped praying and denied that Allah created the heavens. What should she do?


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    We ask Allah to make things easy for you and to give you a
    way out of hardship and relief from distress. 

    Secondly: 

    It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to remain married to
    a kaafir, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “O you who believe! When believing women come to you as
    emigrants, examine them; Allaah knows best as to their Faith, then if you
    ascertain that they are true believers send them not back to the
    disbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the
    disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them”

    [al-Mumtahanah 60:10]. 

    Although the scholars differed as to whether the one who does
    not pray is a kaafir or not, they did not differ as to whether the one who
    denies that Allah created the heavens and the earth is a kaafir. 

    If a Muslim apostatises, his marriage to his Muslim wife is
    rendered null and void. If he comes back to Islam, then their marriage is
    reinstated, but if her ‘iddah ends and he is still insisting on apostasy,
    then she is now in charge of her own affairs and may marry someone else if
    she wishes. Based on that, if your husband persists in his ways, then the
    marriage between you is annulled according to sharee’ah and you are no
    longer his wife. 

    You have to strive to get out of this marriage by whatever
    means, either by talaaq or khula’ or something else. 

    Beware of making the children a barrier between you and
    leaving this man. 

    Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have
    mercy on him) said: 

    Many women — Allah forbid — are prevented by the presence
    of children from seeking annulment of marriage. This is a serious matter. It
    should be said: Annul the marriage; it is not permissible you to stay with
    this kaafir who does not pray. Your children will never leave you so long as
    their father is like this. He has no guardianship over them, because the
    kaafir can have guardianship over a believer. “And never will Allaah
    grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers” [al-Nisa’
    4:141]. So you and your children cannot be separated. As for this
    husband, there is nothing good in him. You should forsake this kaafir
    husband and it is haraam to let him be intimate with you; this is a great
    evil. End quote. 

    Al-Sharh al-Mumti’ ‘ala Zaad al-Mustaqni’,
    12/250 

    We advise you to take your case to the Islamic centres in
    your country and to the Muslims, and ask them for help. They know better
    than us how to deal with this problem, as they are present in that country. 

    We criticise your family’s attitude towards you. We
    understand from your question that you chose this husband and chose to live
    with him without your family’s approval. This was a great mistake on your
    part, and you have paid the price for that, but that does not mean that your
    family should abandon you. Keep getting in touch with them and ask good and
    wise people among your relatives to mediate between you and them so that
    they will help you and stand beside you during this difficult time. 

    You should understand that what is happening to you now is
    the result of previous mistakes, among the greatest of which were getting
    married and travelling without your family’s approval, then choosing to
    reside in a kaafir state rather than living in a Muslim land. 

    This is the price for living in that doomed land. 

    You have to try to leave that country without delay, and go
    back to your family and your country; take the children with you and bring
    them up in Islam, teach them to memorise the Book of Allah, instead of them
    seeing the bad example that prevents them from following the true path. 

    Hence it is right that you should weep night and day for how
    you have ended up. But weeping does not achieve any benefit. So hasten to do
    something and strive to change this situation, by annulling the marriage
    contract and not letting him be intimate with you, and by returning to your
    family and your country. 

    We ask Allah to make things easy for you and to protect your
    religious commitment and to make your children righteous. 

    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : She has committed sin and wants to repent


    Q
    She has committed sin and wants to repent


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    We ask Allah to guide you and accept your repentance. 

    We advise you not to tell your husband about this matter and
    strive to repent from it and give it up. 

    Always bear in mind that Allah is watching you and can see
    what you are doing at all times. This is most likely to make you feel shy
    before Him and venerate Him. 

    You should always remember death and the Hereafter and the
    Reckoning. If a person remembers death a great deal he will inevitably
    prepare for it by doing righteous deeds and repenting from sin. 

    Cut off all ties with this girl immediately. If you can move
    from that job, that is essential. Continuing the relationship between you
    means that there is no repentance and that the sin will continue. 

    Rather we tell you: if you can move from that city
    altogether, then do that and do not hesitate. 

    There is no remedy for this disease except keeping away from
    that girl altogether. 

    As for your prayer being accepted, that is up to Allah, but
    be wary of giving up prayer; rather you should strive to do a great deal of
    it and to read Qur’aan, in the hope that this may be a means of Allah
    accepting your repentance and guiding you. 

    Listen to lectures and exhortations by well-known scholars
    and daa’iyahs who are known for their trustworthiness, religious commitment,
    sincerity and knowledge. Think about how Allah is forbearing towards you.
    How can He be forbearing when you are persisting in disobeying Him? If He so
    willed, He could punish you for this sin and you would have a bad end. Think
    about how Allah has concealed your sin. What would you do if your husband
    and other people found out what you are doing; it would be a big scandal.
    How would your life be after that? So hasten to repent before Allah hastens
    your death or punishment, in which case regret would be to no avail. 

    The gate of repentance is open and Allah accepts the
    repentant slave and rejoices over him; He forgives him and accepts his
    repentance no matter what his sin. The one who repent from sin is like one who did not sin at all. 

    We ask Allah to guide you.

  • Q n A : He married her without the knowledge of his first wife, then his secret was found out, and he is still not giving her her rights with regard to his staying overnight with her


    Q
    He married her without the knowledge of his first wife, then his secret was found out, and he is still not giving her her rights with regard to his staying overnight with her


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    When a husband conceals his second marriage, in most cases
    that leads to some kind of injustice for his new wife, as he will be
    confused and uncertain and will be afraid that he may do something that
    would lead to his first wife finding out that he has taken a second wife.
    This may lead him into a series of mistakes. 

    As you agreed to that at first, then you have to put up with
    what happens to you in some ways and you have to try to set things straight
    in other ways. 

    If your husband had an excuse — in your view — before his
    marriage to you was discovered, then he has no excuse now. What he has to do
    is to teach you and his first wife fairly with regard to spending the night.
    However many nights he spends there, he has to spend the same number of
    nights with you, and you have the right to demand this right which Allaah
    has obliged him to give and that Allaah has given to you. If he persists in
    refusing, then you have the choice: either you can accept your life with him
    and put up with it until Allaah grants you relief — which is what we
    recommend — or you can choose to leave him. 

    As the matter has been discovered, we advise you to appoint
    as an intermediary someone who has knowledge and is of good character, who
    can intervene between you to resolve your problem with him and make him do
    that which Allaah has obliged him to do of treating you and his first wife
    fairly, and registering your daughter officially. This is something that is
    essential. How can he accept for his daughter to remain like that, with no
    recorded lineage and with her rights exposed to loss? 

    Now the matter is up to you. Advise him and remind him of
    Allaah, and if he does not respond, then appoint as intermediaries wise
    people from among your family, or from among your family and his, to advise
    him and make him adhere to that which Allaah has enjoined upon him of
    treating his wives fairly and registering his daughter in the official
    records. 

    Ask Allaah to help and guide you and him. We ask Allaah to
    bring you together on the basis of good and to make it easy for you to do
    that which pleases Him. 

    And Allaah knows best.

  • Q n A : His wife behaves badly towards him and he has children from her. Should he divorce her?


    Q
    His wife behaves badly towards him and he has children from her. Should he divorce her?


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    Many women do not understand the difference between jealousy,
    doubt and suspicion, and they do not understand that this jealousy could
    destroy the marriage and lead to break-up of the family. When will women
    understand that? 

    This jealousy on the part of the wife of the brother who is
    asking this question is going to destroy trust between her and her husband,
    and lead to her wrecking her home with her own hands. This way of treating
    the husband will destroy his love for her and cause it to be replaced with
    hatred; it will destroy his desire to continue the marriage and will bring
    it to a hasty end. 

    The wise wife is the one who weighs up matters carefully and
    does not cause trouble to her husband or develop doubt and suspicion about
    his normal activities. Rather she strives to generate trust between her and
    him and to lay the foundations of love and happiness between her and him, so
    that their married life will be harmonious, otherwise she will soon be
    numbered among the divorcees. 

    Secondly: 

    Our advice to the husband is to take it easy and not be
    hasty. The nature of women is different from that of men, and there is no
    one who is happy with his wife but there is some crookedness in her actions
    and behaviour, which may be more or less according to her level of religious
    commitment, common sense and good behaviour. 

    It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of
    Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “Woman is created
    from a rib that will never become straight. So if you enjoy her, then enjoy
    her with the crookedness that is in her, for if you try to straighten her
    you will break her, and breaking her means divorcing her.” Narrated by
    al-Bukhaari (3153) and Muslim (1468). 

    Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

    This hadeeth indicates being kind towards women and treating
    them gently, and putting up with crookedness in their nature and the
    possibility of weakness in their intellect, and shows that it is not right
    to divorce them for no reason, and that a man should not hope to straighten
    her. 

    Sharh Muslim (10/57). 

    What we think you should do is put up with her attitude and
    try to reconcile with her and increase her knowledge and faith, giving her
    what is required for that of beneficial books and tapes and good companions.
    And you should make your kind treatment of her another means of achieving
    that, as well as offering a great deal of supplication. 

    You should understand that divorce is a means of breaking up
    and scattering families, and it affects the wife and children in most cases.
    Many people put up with bad behaviour on the part of their wives for the
    sake of their children and in the interests of the children, so that they
    raise them in a good way so that they could help their mother to be obedient
    and to mend her ways. This is something that is tried and tested, and this
    is what we think you should do. 

    But if you cannot put up with her behaviour and you would end
    up mistreating her and denying her her rights, then divorce her. Perhaps she
    will come to her senses after the first or second divorce (talaaq), but if
    she persists in the way she is behaving and you cannot put up with her, then
    there are many other women besides her and Allaah says (interpretation of
    the meaning):

    “But if they separate
    (by divorce), Allaah will provide abundance for everyone of them from His
    Bounty. And Allaah is Ever All‑Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All‑Wise”

    [al-Nisa’ 4:130]. 

    And Allaah is the source of strength.

  • Q n A : He said to his fiancée: If you conceal anything from me, you will be haraam to me after marriage


    Q
    He said to his fiancée: If you conceal anything from me, you will be haraam to me after marriage


    A

    Praise be to Allah.Firstly: 
    The fiancé or husband has no right to ask about his wife’s past. It is sufficient for him that she is righteous and is known for good at the time of marrying her, and there is nothing wrong with her religious commitment or chastity. As to whether she did anything haraam in the past, but then repented from it and became righteous, it is wrong to ask her about that and make her choose between telling lies or getting divorced, or make her tell her secrets and disclose that which Allaah had concealed for her, then if she tells him the truth, that opens the door to doubt and suspicion. 
    What some people call for, of each spouse being frank with the other and telling them of things in the past that Allaah has concealed, is wrong and ignorant. Rather they should be pleased that Allaah has concealed it and they should praise Allaah for it. 
    Secondly: 
    A wife or fiancée is not obliged to tell us what happened in the past that Allaah has concealed. Rather she must conceal herself, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “Avoid this filth that Allaah has forbidden. Whoever does any such thing, then let him conceal it with the concealment of Allaah.” (Narrated by al-Bayhaqi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 663). 
    And Muslim (2590) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah does not conceal a person in this world but Allaah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection.” 
    If her husband or fiancé persists in asking, then she may use a double entendre, such as saying: Nothing happened between me and that man — meaning that nothing happened today or yesterday, because she is enjoined to conceal it and there is no interest to be served in telling him. So it is prescribed for her to use a double entrendre, and in fact some scholars said that it is permissible to tell a lie in that case. For more details on that please see the answer to question number 83093. 
    Based on that, we hope that there will be no sin on you because of the lie that you told, although it would have been better to use a double entendre. 
    Thirdly: 
    If a man says to his fiancée: You will be haraam to me after the wedding if you concealed anything from me, then she conceals something from him, she will not be divorced and no zihaar will take place, because divorce and zihaar can only take place after marriage, and the fiancé is saying this before the marriage contract has taken place. So no divorce or zihaar takes place. 
    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It should be noted that divorce can only take place after marriage, because it is the dissolution of the marriage bond. So before marriage there is no divorce. Even if a man says to a woman: If I marry you, then you are divorced, then he marries her, she is not divorced. Or if a man’s wife said to him: I heard that you want to take a second wife and I do not agree to that, and she put pressure on him, and he said to her: Will you be pleased if I say that if I marry a woman, she is divorced? And she said: I am pleased with that, then he said it and did not get married, and if he did get married she would not be divorced, because that took place before the marriage. End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti’ (13/7). 
    We ask Allaah to accept your repentance and to set your affairs straight. 
    And Allaah knows best.

  • Q n A : She is jealous because her husband cares more about his sister than her


    Q
    She is jealous because her husband cares more about his sister than her


    A

    Praise be to Allah.Firstly: 
    The relationship between a man and his family
    should not get in the way of his relationship with his wife and children. The smart wife is the one who is keen for her husband to develop a
    strong relationship with his own family and for there to be friendship and love between them. She should not be an obstacle in the way of the
    happiness of her husband’s family. 
    The smart wife is wise in her dealings if she
    sees some shortcomings in the way he treats his children and wife, and she is wise if she sees him exaggerating in his concern for his family at
    the expense of his wife and children. So she makes him aware of his mistake by hinting, not by stating it bluntly, and she advises him without
    hurting his feelings, and shows him the right way without making him feel that he is wrong, letting him feel that she loves his family and cares
    for them. 
    A woman should not think that her husband’s
    care for his family will make him fall short in his duties towards her and his children. There is a difference between a husband falling short in
    his duties towards his wife and children and his loving his family. What makes a man care for his family is his love for them, not his negligence
    towards his wife and children. 
    Secondly: 
    Your husband has rights and you have duties.
    Each of you should do that which is enjoined upon him or her by sharee’ah. Sharee’ah cannot make a man stop loving his family because he has got
    married, and we cannot ask him to suppress his feelings for the sake of his wife and children. They were his family before he got married and they
    will remain his family after he gets married. 
    You have to try hard to deal with your own
    feelings, and advise your husband when he falls short in his duties towards you and his children. You do not have the right to denounce him for
    his love for his sister or his family. There is the fear in such situations that the man will say, “I can find a thousand wives but I cannot find
    another brother or sister.” So beware of making the matter reach that state. 
    At the same time we advise the husband to be
    pay attention to his wife’s feelings and to take care of his wife and children. We also advise the sister to give her brother similar advice. 
    Islam enjoins doing that which is in the
    interests of all concerned, so that they may share in building the family, not destroying it. All of us must do the duties that Allaah has
    enjoined upon us, without exaggeration or neglect. 
    And Allaah is the Guide to the straight path.

  • Q n A : She dreams of death and is afraid of it


    Q
    She dreams of death and is afraid of it


    A

    Praise be to Allah.
    Fear of death is a feeling that affects most people. Allaah
    has created man in such a way that he loves life and fears the unknown, and
    He has made death part of the world of the unseen which cannot be fully
    understood except by the one who enters it. When a person thinks of it, he
    cannot help but feel feelings of loneliness and fear or anxiety about that
    unknown future. 

    This is the natural explanation for man’s fear of death in
    general. 

    But the believer who submits to the will and decree of
    Allaah, and in whose heart love of Allaah is instilled and who thinks
    positively of Allaah realises that by his death he is returning to a
    generous Lord and a merciful God, Who will reward him for good deeds with
    good things and Who will pardon his bad deeds by His mercy and forgiveness.
    That is only for the believer who puts his trust in Allaah and whose heart
    is humble before Him, the Accepter of repentance. Allaah says
    (interpretation of the meaning):

    “No doubt! Verily, the Awliya’ [close friends] of Allaah,
    no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. 63. Those who
    believed, and used to fear Allaah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and
    sins and by doing righteous deeds). 64. For them are glad tidings, in
    the life of the present world, and in the Hereafter. No change can there be
    in the Words of Allaah. This is indeed the supreme success”

    [Yoonus 10:62-64]

    Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

    Here Allaah is telling us that His close friends are those
    who believe and are pious, as their Lord describes them. So everyone who is
    pious is a friend of Allaah. “No fear shall come upon them” means
    with regard to what they encounter of the terrors of the resurrection. “Nor
    shall they grieve” means for what they have left behind them in this
    world. End quote. 

    Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-‘Azeem,
    4/278 

    This is how you should be. 

    We should all strive to be friends of Allaah, so that we may
    obtain His love and pleasure, and so that His love will be the most
    beautiful thing in our hearts. Then death will become no more than moving to
    be under the care of the Most Generous, Most Merciful, may He be glorified,
    and liberation from the limitations and bonds of this world to the expanse
    and pleasures of the Hereafter. 

    It was narrated from Abu Qataadah ibn Rib’i that he used to
    narrate that a funeral passed by the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and
    peace of Allaah be upon him) and he said: “One who has found relief and one
    from whom relief has been found.” They said: O Messenger of Allaah, who are
    the one who has found relief and the one from whom relief has been found? He
    said: “The believing person has found relief from the troubles of this
    world, and the people, the land, the trees and the animals have found relief
    from the evil person.”

    Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6512) and Muslim (950). 

    It was narrated from ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit that the Prophet
    of Allaah said: “Whoever loves to meet Allaah, Allaah loves to meet him, and
    whoever hates to meet Allaah, Allaah hates to meet him.”

    ‘Aa’ishah or one of his wives said: We hate death. He said:
    “It is not like that. When the believer is dying, he is given the glad
    tidings of the pleasure and honour of Allaah, and nothing is dearer to him
    than that which is ahead of him, and he loves to meet Allaah and Allaah
    loves to meet him. But when the disbeliever is dying, he is given tidings of
    the punishment and wrath of Allaah, and nothing is more hated to him than
    what is ahead of him, and he hates to meet Allaah and Allaah hates to meet
    him.”

    Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6507) and Muslim (2683). 

    Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

    This dislike of death is a natural dislike which stems from a
    feeling of aversion, which is difficult to bear. Undoubtedly it exists in
    everyone, except the one who Allaah blesses with love for Him and he
    realized the beauty of being close to Him. That person’s love for Allaah
    overwhelms him and he will say when it is his time to depart this world,
    addressing death and its agonies, as Mu’aadh (may Allaah be pleased with
    him) said: A beloved one has come at a time most needed, and the one who has
    any regrets today will never prosper, so take my soul as You will, for by
    You, my hearts loves You. 

    al-Mufhim, 2/644 

    If this meaning is established in your heart and soul, and
    you have done righteous deeds in preparation for the day of departure from
    this transient life, death will not harm you if Allaah wills, and your fear
    of it will be no more than a reason to make you do good and turn to Allaah,
    not a reason for doom, anxiety, panic or frustration. 

    Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked the
    following question:

    Should the believer not be afraid of death? If that happens,
    does that mean that he does not want to meet Allaah? 

    He replied:

    Believing men and women must fear Allaah and put their hope
    in Him, because Allaah says in His Holy Book (interpretation of the
    meaning): 

    “so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true)
    believers”

    [Aal ‘Imraan 3:175] 

    “Therefore fear not men but fear Me”

    [al-Maa’idah 5:44] 

    “and fear none but Me”

    [al-Baqarah 2: 40] 

    “Verily, those who have believed, and those who have
    emigrated (for Allaah’s religion) and have striven hard in the way of
    Allaah, all these hope for Allaah’s Mercy”

    [al-Baqarah 2:218] 

    “So whoever hopes for the Meetingwith
    his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the
    worship of his Lord”

    [al-Kahf 18:110]

    There are many similar verses. 

    It is not permissible for the believer, male or female, to
    despair of the mercy of Allaah or feel secure against the plan of Allaah.
    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “Say: “O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against
    themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of
    Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most
    Merciful”

    [al-Zumar 39:53] 

    “and never give up hope of Allaah’s Mercy. Certainly no
    one despairs of Allaah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve”

    [Yoosuf 12:87] 

    “Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allaah?
    None feels secure from the Plan of Allaah except the people who are the
    losers”

    [al-A’raaf 7:99]

    All the Muslims, both male and female, must prepare for death
    and beware of being heedless, because of the verses quoted above and because
    of what is narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon
    him) who said: “ Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures – death.” 

    and because being heedless about it and not preparing for it
    are among the causes of a bad end. It is proven that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah
    be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of
    Allaah upon him) said: “Whoever loves to meet Allaah, Allaah loves to meet
    him, and whoever hates to meet Allaah, Allaah hates to meet him.” I said: O
    Prophet of Allaah, do you mean hating death, for all of us hate death? He
    said: “It is not like that, but the believer, when he is given glad tidings
    of Allaah’s mercy, pleasure and Paradise, loves to meet Allaah and Allaah
    loves to meet him. But the disbeliever, when he is given tidings of Allaah’s
    punishment and wrath, hates to meet Allaah and Allaah hates to meet him.”
    Agreed upon. 

    This hadeeth indicates that there is nothing wrong with
    disliking or fearing death, and that does not indicate that a person does
    not want to meet Allaah, because when the believer dislikes death or fears
    its approach, he wants to do more acts of obedience to Allaah and do more to
    prepare to meet Him. Similarly when the believing woman fears death and does
    not want it to come to her, she is only doing that in the hope that she can
    do more acts of obedience and prepare to meet her Lord. End quote. 

    Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz,
    6/313-314 

    And Allaah knows best.

  • Q n A : Is Suicide Due to Depression Haram?


    Q
    Is Suicide Due to Depression Haram?


    A

    Praise be to Allah.Is suicide haram?
    Suicide is a major sin , and the one who does that is faced with a warning of eternity in the Fire of Hell, where Allah will punish him with the means that he used to commit suicide.
    Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever throws himself down from a mountain and kills himself will be throwing himself down in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself will be sipping it in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever kills himself with a piece of iron will have that iron in his hand, thrusting it into his belly in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari (5442) and Muslim (109)
    Thabit ibn Dahhak (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever kills himself with something will be punished with it on the Day of Resurrection.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari (5700) and Muslim (110)
    Jundub ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “A man among those who came before you was wounded. He panicked and took a knife and cut his hand, and the bleeding did not stop until he died. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, said: ‘My slave hastened his death; I have forbidden Paradise to him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari (3276) and Muslim (113)
    Patience in the face of calamities and hardship
    The believer has to be patient and to seek the help of Allah, may He be exalted, and understand that no matter what hardship befalls him in this world — no matter how severe it is — the punishment of the Hereafter is worse than it. It is not acceptable according to anyone who is of right mind to run away from the heat of the desert and throw himself into the fire. How can he flee from temporary hardship and difficulty — which inevitably will come to an end — to an eternal punishment which has no end?
    The Muslim should ponder and realise that he is not the only one in this world who is affected by calamity and hardship . Calamities befell the greatest of mankind, namely the prophets, messengers and the righteous. They also befell the worst of mankind, namely the disbelievers and atheists.
    Calamity is part of the natural order of things and hardly anyone is safe from it.
    If the believer handles it well and is patient, and it becomes a means that makes him turn back to Allah and strive hard in worship and righteous deeds, then the calamity will have been good for him and will be expiation for his sins, and perhaps he will meet Allah with no burden of sin.
    The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No pain, hardship, sickness or grief befalls a believer, not even worry that befalls him, but some of his bad deeds will be expiated.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari (5642) and Muslim (2573)
    Al-Tirmidhi (2399) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Calamities will continue to befall believing men and women in themselves, their children and their wealth, until they meet Allah with no burden of sin.” (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah (2280)
    Committing suicide because of mental illness
    If the suicide is due to mental illness that has had such a far-reaching impact on a person’s reason that he is not aware of what he is saying or doing, if in such a case it so happens that he killed himself, then he will not be with the sinners who have committed the major sin of suicide; rather he will be excused. That is because this person was no longer accountable due to severe mental illness that led to loss of reason.
    And Allah knows best.

  • Q n A : She is studying in a mixed university and she wants to leave it and wear niqab even though her parents object


    Q
    She is studying in a mixed university and she wants to leave it and wear niqab even though her parents object


    A

    Praise be to Allah.

    Firstly: 

    We ask Allaah to protect you and keep you and increase you in faith and
    guidance, and we say: May Allaah love you for Whose sake you love us. 

    Secondly: 

    Women are required to cover their entire bodies in front of non-mahram men,
    because of the evidence that we have previously discussed in the answer to
    question number 11774. 

    Thirdly: 

    It is haraam for men and women to mix in educational institutions and
    elsewhere, because of what that leads to of falling into many things that
    are forbidden in sharia, and because of the evils that result from it. See
    the answer to question number
    1200 and 103044. 

    Fourthly: 

    Because of the situation in which Muslims are living in your country, and
    the open war against niqab and hijab, and because of what you have mentioned
    about the parents refusing to let their daughter give up her studies and
    because she is about to finish her studies, then we hope that there will be
    no blame on her if she continues her studies, whilst striving to reduce the
    evil as much as possible. So she should not converse with men, or give
    anyone any reason to speak to her or get to know her, and she should not go
    out to the University except when she has to. 

    See the answer to question number
    113431. 

    Fifthly: 

    It is not permissible to copy discs whose authors have not given permission
    to copy them, so as to protect copyright, which is a legitimate right which
    it is not permissible to transgress against, and in accordance with the
    conditions agreed to by both parties to the transaction, unless the discs
    belong to a company in a country which is in a state of war against the
    Muslims, in which case there is nothing wrong with it, or the copy is for
    personal use, especially when the original is not available and one cannot
    afford to pay for it. 

    See the answer to question number
    72848. 

    We ask Allaah to guide us and you, and to make us and you steadfast. 

    And Allaah knows best.

  • Q n A : Her husband is forcing her to wear niqaab and she wants advice


    Q
    Her husband is forcing her to wear niqaab and she wants advice


    A

    Praise be to Allah.The evidence of the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicates that it is obligatory for women for cover their faces. This evidence includes the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way)”
    [al-Ahzaab 33:59] 
    The cloak (jilbaab) is a garment that the woman places over her head and lowers over her face. 
    So you have to fear Allaah in this matter and respond to two commands: the command of Allaah and the command of your husband. Undoubtedly this will be very good for you. This matter will make your husband happy and bring happiness to your home. Feelings of difficulty will pass if you are patient and get used to it. These feelings of difficulty will turn to joy when you see the effect that your way of dressing has on him, so you will be responding to Islamic commands and the command of your husband which is in accordance with the laws of Allaah. You will be closing the door to the shaytaans of those who may look at you, and will also be protecting the gaze of chaste and good people from looking at something which they are not permitted to see. And there are other benefits which you will see and appreciate when you respond to this command. 
    Sisters who wear niqaab often come to regret the years in which they used to uncover their faces, after Allaah honoured them with the niqaab. If one of them were to be given all the wealth in the world to uncover her face, she would not do it. We have even seen many chaste women who have left their husbands because they wanted them to take off the niqaab. So think about the great difference between your situation and theirs. Where now can we find a man who is keen to keep his family chaste and covered? There are very few of them. Should we disregard these few or should we appreciate their actions which spread good in society? 
    We remind you to fear Allaah, and we remind you of the actions of the believing women when they responded to the command of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): 
    “and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)”
    [al-Noor 24:31]
    al-Bukhaari (4481) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “When this verse was revealed, the muhaajir women took their waist wrappers and tore them at the edges, and covered their faces with them. 
    See also the answer to question no. 21134, which explains the obligation of women covering their faces. 
    Your husband should also read question no. 20343, which explains the husband’s duty to offer sincere advice to his wife, and ways of doing that. 
    And Allaah knows best.