Tag: Q n A

Praise be to Allah.This method of fertilisation, putting the egg with the husband’s sperm in the womb of the other wife is a method that is not permissible according to Islamic teaching, and many of the scholars are of the view that it is prohibited. Two statements concerning it have been issued by the Islamic Fiqh Council belonging to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and by the Islamic Fiqh Council belonging to the Muslim World League, which originally thought that this method was permissible, then retracted that view. There follows some of what was mentioned in these two statements:
1.. The statement of the Fiqh Council belonging to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference):
The session of the Islamic Fiqh Council that was held 8-13 Safar 1407 AH/11-16 October 1986.
After examining the issue of artificial insemination (test-tube babies), studying the research presented, and listening to the explanations given by experts and doctors, and after discussing the matter, the council determined:
That the methods of artificial insemination that are known at present are seven:
1.. Fertilisation occurs between sperm taken from the husband and an egg taken from a woman who is not his wife, then the embryo is implanted in the wife’s uterus.
2.. Fertilisation occurs between the sperm of a man who is not the husband and an egg taken from the wife, then the embryo is implanted in the wife’s uterus.
3.. Fertilisation occurs between the sperm and egg of the couple, then the embryo is implanted in the uterus of a woman who volunteers to bear it (surrogate pregnancy).
4.. Fertilisation occurs externally between the sperm of a man and the egg of a woman [not of the married couple] and the embryo is implanted in the wife’s uterus.
5.. Fertilisation occurs externally between the husband’s sperm and the wife’s egg, then the embryo is implanted in the uterus of the other wife.
6.. Sperm is taken from the husband and an egg is taken from his wife and fertilisation occurs externally, then the embryo is implanted in the wife’s uterus.
7.. Sperm is taken from the husband and injected into the right place in his wife’s vagina or uterus, so that fertilisation may occur internally.
The council determined:
The first five methods are all haraam according to Islamic teachings, and are to be completely banned because of the way in which they are done, or because of what results from them of mixing of lineage and the child not being brought up with his real mother, and other matters that are contrary to Islamic teachings.
Regarding the sixth and seventh methods, the council thinks that there is nothing wrong with using them in the case of necessity, whilst affirming that it is essential to take all necessary precautions. End quote.
Majallat al-Majma‘ (3/1/423).
2.. The statement of the Islamic Fiqh Council belonging to the Muslim World League:
Praise be to Allah and blessings and peace be upon our master and Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and upon his family and companions. To proceed:
The Islamic Fiqh Council, in its eighth session, held in the headquarters of the Muslim World League in Makkah al-Mukarramah, Saturday 28 Rabee‘ al-Aakhir 1405 – Monday 7 Jumaada al-Oola 1405 AH (19-28 January 1985 CE) examined the concerns expressed by some of its members regarding what the council had permitted in the second clause of the fifth statement having to do with artificial insemination and test-tube babies, which was issued during its seventh session that was held 11-16 Rabee‘ al-Aakhir 1404 AH, the text of which was:
“Regarding the seventh method, in which the sperm and egg are taken from the married couple, and after fertilisation in the laboratory, the fertilised egg is implanted in the uterus of the other wife of the same husband, as she volunteers willingly to carry that pregnancy for her co-wife, who has had a hysterectomy: it appears to the council that this is permissible in the case of necessity, in accordance with the general conditions that have been mentioned.
Summary of the concerns:
The other wife, in whose uterus the fertilised egg of the first wife is implanted, may become pregnant before her uterus closes following implantation of the fertilised egg, as a result of her husband having intercourse with her around the time that the fertilised egg is implanted, then she may give birth to twins and not know which came from the fertilised egg and which resulted from intercourse with her husband. As a result, it will be not possible to know who is the mother of which twin. Moreover, one of the two embryos may die in the early stages of pregnancy, and not be expelled except with the birth of the other, and it will not be known whether the surviving child grew from the fertilised egg or from the pregnancy that resulted from the husband having intercourse with her. This would result in mixing of lineages and it would not be known who the true mother is of either child, and this would affect rulings that are connected to that. All of this dictates that the council should retract its ruling regarding the case mentioned.
The council also listened to opinions presented by gynaecologists and obstetricians who attended the session and confirmed the possibility that a pregnancy could result from intercourse with the husband at the same time as the pregnancy resulting from the implanting of the fertilised egg, and that could lead to mixing of lineages in the manner mentioned in the concerns referred to.
After discussing the topic and exchanging views on it, the council decided to retract its view regarding the permissibility of the seventh method referred to in the statement previously issued by the Council in its seventh session held in 1404 AH. End quote.
Qaraaraat al-Majma‘ al-Fiqhi (p. 159-161).
Based on that:
It is not permissible to take the sperm of the husband and the egg of the wife and put this mixture in the uterus of the husband’s other wife.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.I thank you for your trust and ask Allaah to give us and you strength and wisdom, and to show us what is true and help us to follow it, and to show us what is false and help us to avoid it, and not to let it confuse us and lead us astray… With regard to what you asked about, my comments on it are as follows: 
1 –Thinking about the matters of our daily lives, and our private and public affairs is something that is essential and important, it is necessary in order for us to deal with these matters and benefit from them in the appropriate manner. The Qur’aan – which is the word of Allaah – urges us to think, in more than one verse, for example: 
“…and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:191] 
“And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty.
And also in your ownselves. Will you not then see?” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:20-21] 
“Will you not then take thought?” [al-An’aam 6:50] 
“Have you then no understanding?”[al-Baqarah 2:76]
And there are other verses which encourage us to think about our affairs and indeed about the life and creation around us. 
So thinking in and of itself is not a problem, rather it is required, important and essential, and it is enjoined by our religion and encouraged by our Qur’aan. 
2 – This “thinking” may become a psychological or social problem if it prevents a person from playing his natural role that is expected of him in life. 
Such as thinking that things are more serious than they really are, or thinking too much about matters where thinking about them will not change anything at all, rather that only causes distress and becomes an obstacle prevents one from taking any initiative, and make him hesitant and confused, and unable to take any decision. 
Thinking may become a problem in shar’i terms if it makes a person go beyond his intellectual limits in thinking about matters of the unseen and things that he can never comprehend, which may open many doors for the accursed Shaytaan to influence him. 
3 – With regard to thinking a great deal about everything and worrying about every problem, this is to some extent a natural thing, so long as it does not prevent you from living your lives in a natural manner. What I mean here is, is this thinking helping you to come up with solutions to these problems that you are facing? Do these situations deserve all the time that you are spending on thinking about them? If the answer is yes, then there is no problem! But if the answer is no, then you yourself are admitting that they do not warrant that, and then you are halfway to solving the problem, which is to identify the problem and take a decision concerning it. Because when we know what the problem is, it is easy for us to find the right way of dealing with it. 
4 – Overcoming these problems needs some discipline and some time. You can make the decision to start and you are able, with the help and support of Allaah, to do that. You have to trust yourselves in this regard! 
5 – I suggest to you that you divide your concerns and problems into three categories or levels: 
·Concerns and problems that have a direct impact upon your married and social lives in a serious manner that may lead to breakdown in relationships. These must be given their due measure of objective thought and you should try to reach an agreement and settle the matter. They should not be ignored for so long that it becomes too difficult to deal with them.
·The second level is concerns or problems in which the positive and negative aspects are equal and in which you are involved. In these cases you should pray istikhaarah to Allaah, and it is o.k. to consult others concerning them and to weigh up alternatives, then decide what you think is the solution, bearing in mind issues of sharee’ah and custom, without going to extremes in worrying about it.
·The third level is concerns and worries that do not concern you at all, because they have to do with other people. It is better not to get involved in them and waste your time with them, because they simply do not concern you and your opinion does not matter.
6 – The concerns and matters of our daily lives inevitably fall into one of three categories: 
·Matters which are in the past and are over and done with. We should not worry about these too much, except to the extent from which we can learn from our mistakes and experiences when dealing with things in the future. The past cannot come back and there is no need to worry about things that are over and done with.
·Matters which lay ahead in the future. It is more appropriate not to think about these a great deal before they happen, because the future is part of the unseen, and all that we have to do in this case is to examine the choices we have in this matter if it comes to pass. When the time comes, we have to put our trust in Allaah and take a decision.
·Matters of day-to-day life. This is where we attempt to weigh up all the available alternatives, and it is o.k. to consult others with regard to these things and to exchange ideas without going to extremes or worrying too much. In the end, things will turn out as we hope, by Allaah’s leave, so long as we pursue the means of praying istikhaarah and consulting others, and good lies in that which is chosen by Allaah.
7 – Getting used to this requires some discipline. You could agree with your husband to cooperate in this matter and remind one another when you are worrying more than you need to about a matter. Gradually you will find that you are becoming able to deal with day-to-day matters in an objective manner. 
8 – There is a good book on the topic of anxiety which gives practical means of dealing with this matter, and I advise you to read it. It is called How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie. 
9 – First and last, have a good intention and pray sincerely that Allaah will give you strength and help you and set your thinking straight.

Praise be to Allah.My brother, have great hope in Allah, and do not let the devil cause you to despair of the vast mercy of Allah which He has guaranteed for His believing slaves. What you are telling yourself about this being a sign that you will die following something other than that which Allah wants is only insinuating whispers (Waswas ) from the devil and his deviant ideas by means of which he wants to tempt the slaves of Allah and lead them away from their religion. 
So he comes to a righteous slave and whispers to him that his good deeds are of no avail, or that he is doing them not for the sake of Allah but to show off to people, so that they will think he is good.
 All of these are the usual ways with which the devil tries to trick the slaves of Allah, especially those who show signs of being righteous – of whom I think that you are one, although I do not praise anyone before Allah – to hinder their efforts. We seek refuge with Allah from him. 
You need to increase your hope and trust in Allah Who forgives all sins, and who accepts the slave who seeks His protection and refuge, for He is the Most Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving and the Most Loving.  
You should increase your good deeds , such as reading the Quran, giving charity , remembering Allah (Dhikr ), upholding the ties of kinship, etc. 
The weakness which you feel also happens to others, for it is something natural. How many people were examples followed by others and had a great deal of drive and ambition, then they lost their drive and ambition for a long time, then it came back to them by the grace of Allah. 
Remember the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Everybody has his time of energy, and every time of energy is followed by a time of lethargy. But if a person tries to follow a moderate path, then I have hope for him, but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the street), then do not think anything of him.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 2453; classed as sound by Al-Albani in Sahih At-Tirmidhi, 1995) 
What is meant by “Everybody has his time of energy” is eagerness for a thing, energy and the desire to do good.
What is meant by “every time of energy is followed by a time of lethargy” is tiredness, weakness and lack of movement.
“But if a person tries to follow a moderate path” means that the one who has energy does his deeds in moderation and avoids going to extremes when he is feeling energetic and avoids being negligent when he is feeling lethargic.
“Then I have hope for him” means, I have hope that he will be successful, for he can continue following a middle course, and the most beloved deeds to Allah are those which are continuous.
“but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the street)” means, if he strives hard and goes to extremes in doing good deeds so that he will become famous for his worship and asceticism, and he becomes famous and people point him out to one another,
“then do not think anything of him” means, do not think that he is one of the righteous, because he is showing off. He did not say, “do not have hope for him,” as an indication that he has already fallen, and he will not be able to make up for what he has missed out on. [Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi] 
Think about this Hadith, and relate it to your own situation and the situation of others: you will see a clear similarity. This Hadith clearly states that man goes through a stage of incomparable eagerness and great focus and ambition, then suddenly he becomes weak and loses that focus and eagerness and ambition. When he reaches this stage, he must strive even harder to do obligatory duties and avoid prohibited things. If he does that, then there is the hope that he will succeed and progress, but if he falls into prohibited things and stops doing obligatory things, he will be lost and doomed.
So you must turn to Allah a great deal, seek His forgiveness and ask Him to make you steadfast until death. I also advise you to keep away from prohibited things. May Allah forgive your sins and make things easier for you.
For more details, please see the following answers: 9356 , 10776 , 14041 , and 223615 .
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Many young men in our ummah nowadays are facing addiction to pornography, because it is so easily available online. This type of addiction makes a person unable to be content with real-life, permissible intimacy with his wife, because he is addicted to a haraam virtual reality and because of his following his whims and desires.
The issue is not merely one of whether he feels happy with you and enjoys intimacy with you; rather it has to do with his addiction to viewing other women, especially as he did this in the first month of his marriage to you.
This addiction is a sickness which needs a remedy.
Some of the greatest and most effective remedies for addiction include: keeping away – voluntarily or otherwise – from the source of this addiction; keeping oneself busy with things that will benefit one in this world or the hereafter; and visiting a psychologist who can intervene with medicines and talk therapy, if necessary.
This requires effort on your part to help him give up this addiction, by trying to distract him from electronic devices that opened the door to that, and speaking to him about research that warns against addiction to these devices. You can also try to fill his time with beneficial matters, both worldly and religious, and help him to strive to obey Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
If you find that he is reluctant and rejects these attempts, then you can suggest to him to go to a psychologist, to try to rid himself of his addiction to these devices and the symptoms of anxiety that result from that.
We advise you, as a matter of urgency, to consult a trustworthy and religiously committed female advisor, even if that is online, so that she can advise you in detail about how to handle different issues of life with him in general, and your marital relationship in particular.
Please note that it is not permissible to divulge details of your marital relationship and the like to any man other than your father, whether he is a psychologist or otherwise, because of what that may lead to of opening the door to temptation or haraam infatuation.
In brief, your aim here is to distract him with yourself from others, and make him content with that which is halaal so that he will not seek that which is  haraam. Strive hard to achieve that and seek reward with Allah with regard to this important matter.
With regard to him looking at clips of the third sex – may Allah guide us and him – this is perverse behaviour, because he is enjoying looking at something that is perverse. But that does not necessarily mean that he is homosexual, because a homosexual man does not usually enjoy looking at female forms; rather it is the exact opposite.
We ask Allah to guide us and you, for He, may He be glorified, is indeed able to do that.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Firstly: 
Undoubtedly what you are feeling towards your sisters is caused by the shaytaan and his plots and tricks. According to what you say in your letter, these sisters have not done anything to make you treat them in this manner; even if they made some mistakes or did something wrong, all people are like that; who is there who never did anything wrong? 
This indicates that the matter is no more than a trick of the shaytaan to make you fall into the situation you are in now. We are sorry to see that he has succeeded in that and that he has made these friends hateful to you and caused you to give up on doing acts of obedience and worship. 
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytaan (Satan), then, verily, he commands Al‑Fahsha’ [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse)], and Al‑Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; and to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islam)]”
[al-Noor 24:21]
You should understand that the tricks that the shaytaan uses with those who are obedient to their Lord are: 
1.Sowing discord among the Muslims, especially between righteous  friends
It was narrated that Jaabir said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “The Shaytaan has despaired of being worshipped in the Arabian Peninsula, but he will sow seeds of discord among them.” Narrated by Muslim (2812). 
Al-Nawawi said: This hadeeth is one of the miracles of Prophethood. What it means is that he has despaired of being worshipped by the people of the Arabian Peninsula, but he will strive to sow discord among them, with arguments, disputes, wars, tribulations and so on.
Sharh Muslim (17/156). 
2.He makes righteous company hateful to them, and causes them to prefer harmful isolation
It was narrated that Abu’l-Darda’ said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There are no three men in a town or in the desert among whom prayer is not established, but the shaytaan has taken control of them, so you must adhere to the jamaa’ah, for the wolf only eats the sheep that wanders away on its own.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood (547) and al-Nasaa’i (847); classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 
It was narrated from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The shaytaan is the wolf of man like the wolf of sheep takes the stray sheep and the one that wanders far. Beware of division, and adhere to the jamaa’ah.” 
Narrated by Ahmad (22029); classed as hasan by the editors of al-Musnad. 
Al-Manaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: i.e., he corrupts man, by tempting him, and he destroys him, like a wolf running loose among a flock of sheep. 
“He takes the stray sheep” i.e., the one that wanders far from its companions. This is a metaphor for the one who is separate from the jamaa’ah (main body of Muslims) and keeps away from them, then the shaytaan overpowers him, like the sheep that wanders away from the flock, then the wolf catches it because it is alone.  
The metaphor ends with a warning: “beware of division” i.e., beware of separation and dissent. “And adhere to the jamaa’ah”, affirmation after affirmation, i.e., cling to it, stay with the main group, for the one who drifts away will end up in the Fire.  
Fayd al-Qadeer (2/350). 
Strive to bar both ways to the shaytaan, and do not open any doors to evil. You did not become bored and lose resolve to obey Allaah until after the shaytaan was able to overpower you and lead you in the way he wanted. Perhaps if you compare your situation now with your situation before, you will be able to see that it is the result of the shaytaan’s plots and tricks, so beware and pay attention. 
Righteous friends are one of the greatest means by which a Muslim can remain steadfast in adhering to his religion, so strive to form such friendships as Allaah has prescribed. 
It was narrated from Abu Moosa that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The believers are like a structure, parts of which support other parts.”
 Narrated by al-Bukhaari (467) and Muslim (2585). 
‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “You should seek sincere brothers, for they are an adornment at times of ease and a support at times of calamity.” 
Strive to do acts of worship and righteous deeds, for they are the best help in remaining steadfast, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):  
“Allaah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allaah Alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allaah will cause to go astray those who are Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers), and Allaah does what He wills”
[Ibraaheem 14:27] 
“but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their (Faith)”
[al-Nisa’ 4:66] 
Strive to persist in saying du’aa’ and beseech Allaah to make you steadfast in adhering to His religion, and to increase you in guidance and strength and righteousness, for this is the state of the believers, as Allaah tells us of them in the verse where He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“(They say): ‘Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower’”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:8]
It was narrated that Anas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) often used to say: “O Turner of the hearts, make my heart steadfast in adhering to Your religion.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2140) and Ibn Maajah (3834); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.  
Setting things straight between you and them need not take a great deal of effort. You can restore this good relationship by replying to their messages, talking to them, and telling them that you have some personal problems, with no need to tell them the details; it is sufficient to be a lesson for you in the future. 
Secondly: 
Beware of being alone and remaining isolated, because they are the first steps on the road to deviation and falling into the pit. If your withdrawing is for the purpose of worship and devotion, then it has some basis in sharee’ah, but the kind of isolation that leads to apathy is a haraam kind of isolation. In that case mixing with your friends becomes obligatory, so you should pay attention to that. 
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 
As for the words “is it better for the one who is striving hard to be isolated or mix with people?”, although people disagree concerning this issue, in whole or in part, the truth of the matter is that mixing with people may, at different times, be obligatory or mustahabb, and an individual may, at different times, be required to mix with people or to isolate himself. It depends: if mixing with people will involve cooperation in righteousness and piety, then he is enjoined to do it, and if it will involve cooperation in sin and transgression, then he is forbidden to do it. Mixing with the Muslims for some types of acts of worship, such as the five daily prayers, Jumu’ah, the eclipse prayer, prayers for rain (istisqa’) and so on, is something that is enjoined by Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).  The same applies to mixing with them at the time of Hajj, when fighting the kuffaar, even if the leaders are evildoers or there are evildoers among those groups. 
The same applies to meetings which increase a person in faith, either because they benefit from him or he benefits from them, and so on. 
But there are times when the believer must be alone in his du’aa’, dhikr, prayer, thinking, taking stock of himself, setting himself straight, and private matters which have nothing to do with anyone else. At these times he needs to be alone, either in his house –as Tawoos said: The best cell of a man is his house, where he restrains his gaze and tongue – or elsewhere. 
Choosing to mix in absolute terms is wrong and choosing isolation in absolute terms is also wrong. So too the amount of each that a person needs, and what is best for him in each case, is something that depends on each person, as stated above. 
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (10/425, 426) 
You should realize that the calamities that have befallen your heart, of resentment and envy are all connected to the situation you are in. The reward of a good deed is another good deed like it, and the punishment of a bad deed is another bad deed. 
If you had understood things as they should be understood, you would know that Allah knows best about His creation, and He raises some of them above others in status, by His knowledge of His creation and His wisdom for a purpose that He wants for them.  
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“See how We prefer one above another (in this world), and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment”
[al-Isra’ 17:21]
“Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: ‘Is it these (poor believers) whom Allaah has favoured from amongst us?’ Does not Allaah know best those who are grateful?”
[al-An’aam 6:53]
Shaykh Ibn Sa’di said: i.e., this is a way in which Allaah tests His slaves, whereby He makes some of them rich and some poor, some noble and some lowly. When Allaah blesses a poor or lowly person with faith, that is a test for the rich and noble. If his aim is to find the truth and follow it, he will believe and become Muslim, and the fact that there are poor and lowly people who are less then him in wealth and status who are Muslim does not prevent him from embracing Islam. But if he is not sincere in seeking the truth, this will be an obstacle that will prevent him from being among the followers of the truth.  They said, mocking those whom they regarded as inferior to them, “Is it these (poor believers) whom Allaah has favoured from amongst us?” That prevented them from following the truth. Allaah said, responding to their words which implied objection to Allaah for guiding these people and not guiding them: “Does not Allaah know best those who are grateful?”, those who acknowledge the blessing and appreciate it, and do what it requires of righteous deeds. So He bestows His grace and favour upon them, and not those who are not grateful, for Allaah is wise and does not bestow His grace on those who are not deserving of it; those who objected do not deserve it, unlike those whom Allaah has blessed with faith of the poor and others, who are grateful. Tafseer al-Sa’di (258). 
What you should have done was to hasten to do good deeds, and give up evil, and compete with people in that, as the Lord of the Worlds says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“so compete in good deeds. The return of you (all) is to Allaah; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ”
[al-Maa’idah 5:48].
Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Whoever competes with you in religious commitment, compete with him, and whoever competes with you in worldly matters, give it up to him. 
But refraining from doing good deeds and being preoccupied with these problems, this is not the action of wise people at all. 
We ask Allaah to guide you to that which He loves and which pleases Him, and to set your thinking and your affairs straight, and to make your heart steadfast in faith and obedience. We hope that you will understand what we have said about reviewing your disconnection from your sisters, including being keen to resume those good friendships, and keeping away from the traps of the shaytaan and shunning his waswaas. We hope that Allaah will help you to do that. 
And Allaah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.We are happy to see your concern for this young man and your eagerness to find an effective remedy to offer him in the hope that Allah will benefit him thereby. By doing that you are strengthening the ties of Islamic brotherhood. We hope that Allah will reward you for that. 
You have explained this young man’s situation, and we will reply in the following points: 
1 – In this dunya (this world – the name in Arabic carries connotations both of that which is close and that which is base and vile), a man’s life is not consistent, rather his circumstances will vary between that which he likes and that which he does not like.  The wise man, when he thinks about this world, will realize that he needs to develop an optimistic outlook and put an end to worries and distress that could disturb him and cause him stress.  
What the Shaytaan wants to do is to cause the Muslim grief and stress. Being introverted and thinking constantly about pain and sorrow gives the Shaytaan a great opportunity and may cause the worries and stress to multiply. Looking forward to a happy life and being optimistic is one of the means of feeling content and at peace. It is known that this world is a mixture of ease and hardship, joy and sorrow, hope and pain, so why should a person help the dark side to prevail over the bright side? 
Wisdom dictates that if a man cannot make optimism prevail, then at the very least he should think in a balanced and objective manner. 
Secondly: 
Feelings of stress and that life is too hard do not control a man’s mind unless there are reasons that provoke these kinds of feelings. Rather they are indicative that the relationship between a person and his Lord is not sound. The more a man turns to Allah and focuses on Him, the more he will feel a sense of peace and comfort, to an extent that no one knows except Allah. Hence those who know Allah, are close to Him and fear Him are the happiest of people, to such an extent that one of them said, in a well known expression: “If the kings and the sons of kings knew what joy we have, they would fight us for it with the sword.” This is also what is expressed in the Quran, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” [al-Nahl 16:97]
But feeling stressed is a kind of wake-up call that alerts a person to check on his relationship with his Lord, because sins may have the effect of making a person feel scattered and unfocused. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Quran nor acts on its teachings) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection” [Ta-Ha 20:124]
There is a great deal of goodness in the young man whom you are asking about, for he is a person who is keen to seek knowledge, and he does naafil acts of worship such as fasting, and he upholds ties of kinship with his aunt. However you must draw his attention to the fact that he has to check on his relationship with Allah, for there may be some sin that is preventing him from achieving this sense of happiness, some sin that he has committed with regard to the rights of Allah or the rights of others. So encourage him to repent and seek forgiveness a great deal, especially since you said that he sometimes sleeps and misses the prayer – this is a serious matter although many people take it lightly. 
Thirdly: 
It may be that this test of this person through disasters and calamities is something that has been decreed by Allah for him in order to raise him in status, if he persists in obeying what Allah has commanded, which is to be patient and accept whatever Allah decrees. Everything that Allah decrees for a believer is good for him and his affairs, both spiritual and worldly. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for all his affairs are good, and that applies to no one except a believer. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him, and if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is also good for him.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2999) 
If something bad happens to a believer, he either bears it with patience or panics. If he is patient he earns a great reward and accepts the will and decree of Allah, because he knows that it comes from Allah, so he feels content with it and accepts it. So what reason is there to panic and feel stressed? 
On the contrary, if he is not patient and he reacts to what befalls him of sin with panic and anger, and worry and stress, he will lose the reward that Allah has promised to those who are patient. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning” [al-Zumar 39:10]
Fourthly: 
He should sincerely turn towards Allah and call upon Him (du’a’), beseeching Him to relieve him of this waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and seeking refuge in Him a great deal from the accursed Shaytaan. For it annoys the Shaytaan to see a believing slave feeling peace of mind and contentment, so he whispers to him to distract him from that and make him fearful and confused.  
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us a du’aa’ by which we may ward off worries and distress. Ahmad (3528) narrated that ‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ood said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“There is no-one who is afflicted by distress and grief, and says: ‘Allahumma inni ‘abduka ibn ‘abdika ibn amatija naasyati bi yadika, maada fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka. As’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghayb ‘indaka an taj’al al-Qurana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’ huzni wa dhihaab hammi (O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your maidservant; my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You, that You make the Quran the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety),’ but Allah will take away his distress and grief, and replace it with joy.” He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, should we learn this?” He said: “Of course; everyone who hears it should learn it.” 
(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 199) 
Fifthly: 
Try to suggest that he change something in his daily routine, to allow himself the opportunity to do different kinds of permissible things that will relieve him of boredom and renew his energy. There is nothing wrong with travelling for leisure purposes or to relax, so long he does not go to extremes. Even better than that is if he can travel for the purpose of ‘Umrah and to visit the Prophet’s mosque, because a change of scene can be very beneficial. 
Sixthly: 
He has to keep away from places that he feels make his worry and distress worse, or that stir these feeling up again. He should avoid reading novels that tell sad stories, and he should try not to sit with people who are worried and distressed, even if his intention is to console them.  On the contrary, he should try to read useful books that will take him away from these worries. If he feels stressed and upset, he should not isolate himself or think constantly about his problems in this situation.  
Finally: 
Our advice to this young man is that he should raise his head and look forward, and view the future with optimism and the certainty that he will succeed. I say to him: You have a great deal of potential for success and high achievement, and a lot is to be expected of someone like you. We hope that these troubles and worries will be lifted from you. May Allah make things easy for you and relieve you of your distress and worry. 
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Firstly:
We praise Allah, may He be exalted, for guiding you and enabling you to repent, and we ask Him to help you and grant you a full recovery.
Secondly:
You must do what you are able to of religious duties, and you will be excused – in sha Allah – with regard to what you are unable to do or what is definitely too difficult and is more than you can bear, according to your situation.
Your praying in the mosque is something that is required according to Islamic teachings, and it is also part of your recovery, because mixing with people and good people will have a beneficial impact, in sha Allah.
If you sleep and miss Zuhr, or it is too difficult for you to go out to pray in the mosque, then you may pray at home or when you wake up, because of the report narrated by Muslim (684) from Anas ibn Maalik, who said: The Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets a prayer or sleeps and misses it, his expiation is to offer that prayer when he remembers it.”
Thirdly:
Fasting is an important obligation which it is not permissible to omit except when one has an excuse. If you will be harmed by delaying taking your medicine until after iftar, this is an excuse which makes it permissible for you not to fast, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
{O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.
 [Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] – then an equal number of days [are to be made up]} [Al-Baqarah 2:183-184].
If you will not be harmed by delaying taking your medicine until after iftar, then you must fast.
If you will face hardship and find it too difficult to carry on fasting during the day, even though you are physically healthy – meaning that you are not feeling any symptoms of sickness, not even a headache, for example – then you must intend to fast from the night before, then if you start finding it too difficult to carry on and you become certain that it is beyond your capability to continue fasting, and you fear that you may be harmed by severe thirst, then you may drink, then you must refrain from eating and drinking for the rest of the day, and make up that day later on.
It says in Fatawa al-Lajnah ad-Da’imah (10/233): It is not permissible for the accountable person not to fast during the day in Ramadan just because he is working.
But during the day, if he faces extreme hardship and realises that he has no choice but to break the fast during the day, he may do so by eating or drinking that which will ward off the hardship, then he should refrain from eating and drinking until sunset and break the fast with the people, and he must make up that day on which he broke the fast. End quote.
But if you are suffering from illness, such as a severe headache, this makes it permissible to not fast.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said: There are several different scenarios with regard to the sick person and fasting.
1.. He will not be affected by fasting, such as if he has a mild cold, a mild headache or a toothache and the like. In this case, it is not permissible for him not to fast, even though the scholars say that it is permissible for him not to fast because of the general meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning): {and whoever is ill} [al-Baqarah 2:185].
But we say: If this ruling is connected to a scenario in which breaking the fast will ease the hardship for him, then in that case we say that he may break the fast. But if the sick person will not be affected by fasting, then it is not permissible for him not to fast, and he is obliged to fast.
2.. If it is difficult for him to fast (because of his sickness), but it will not harm him, then in this case it is disliked (makruh) for him to fast, and it is Sunnah for him to not fast.
3.. If it is difficult for him to fast and it will harm him, such as a man who is suffering from kidney disease, diabetes or the like, then in that case fasting is prohibited for him.”(Ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘  6/341).
We advise you to offer a great deal of supplication and beseech Allah, may He be exalted, to accept your repentance and grant you good health. Strive to offer supplication at the times when a response is likely.
We ask Allah to comfort you, make things easy for you and accept your repentance.
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.Faith becomes weaker as a result of neglecting obligatory duties and doing haraam things. So long as you are doing your duty towards Allaah and heeded His prohibitions, your introversion and keeping away from people, and your fear of them,  will not harm you. But if your fear keeps you from doing any obligatory duty then you will have committed sin thereby, for example, if your fear stops you attending prayers in congregation in the mosque, or stops you denouncing any evil action that you could change by speaking out or taking action, or stops you from offering advice that you should offer to those who need it. 
You should not give in to these fears or accept them, rather you should look for the causes and try to deal with them. It may help you to know that created beings have no power to bring benefit to themselves or to ward off harm, rather if the nation were to gather together to benefit you in some way, they could not do so unless Allaah has decreed that for you, and if they were to gather together to harm you in some way, they could not do that unless Allaah has decreed that for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried. 
Everything is in the hand of Allaah, and He is the One Whom you should fear and put your hopes in. The criticism of people has no value and carries no weight; it is sufficient for the believer to attain the pleasure of Allaah even if all the people are displeased with him. 
Whoever adheres to the command of Allaah and persists in doing so, is the most honoured of people, for Allaah has decreed honour for His believing slaves. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“But honour, power and glory belong to Allaah, and to His Messenger (Muhammad), and to the believers…”
[al-Munaafiqoon 63:8]
The effects of this honour should be manifested in the believer’s words and actions, in all circumstances. He should speak up for the truth, offer sincere advice, remind people and teach them. His approval and anger should be for the sake of Allaah, and he should only get angry when the limits of Allaah are transgressed. 
This is what a person will be able to do when he becomes aware of his role in life, for he is commanded to worship Allaah and to convey and spread His religion as much as he can. This means that he should mix with people and bear any annoyance they cause with patience, especially close relatives. According to a hadeeth narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1307 and Ibn Maajah (4032) from Ibn ‘Umar, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The believer who mixes with people and bears any annoyance they cause with patience, is better than the believer who does not mix with people and does not bear any annoyance they cause with patience.” (This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 6651). 
Perhaps you can start to get to know some righteous friends with whom you can feel comfortable and secure, who can help you to overcome your feelings of fear of people, and this will help you to find the sincere brotherhood, good treatment, clear goals and sincere intentions that you are missing in the people around you. 
We also advise you to go to a doctor who specializes in treating psychological illness, perhaps he could help you to solve your problem. 
We ask Allaah to help you and give you strength.

Praise be to Allah.Ruling on men imitating women
Islam forbids men to imitate women and women to imitate men , and in fact it emphatically forbids that, to such an extent that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed those who go against the human nature with which Allah created them. 
It was narrated from Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed men who imitate women and women who imitate men, and he said: “Throw them out of your houses.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 5885) 
Undoubtedly one of the most obvious signs of an effeminate man is that he wears women’s clothing and imitates their ways. 
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed the man who wears women’s clothing and the woman who wears men’s clothing. (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 4098 and classed as authentic by An-Nawawi in Al-Majmu`, 4/469 and by Al-Albani in Sahih Abu Dawud) 
`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed masculinized women. “Narrated by Abu Dawud, 4099; classed as good by An-Nawawi in Al-Majmu`, 4/469 and as authentic by Al-Albani in Sahih Abu Dawud) 
Al-Munawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:  
“As An-Nawawi said, this indicates that it is prohibited for men to imitate women and vice versa, because if it is prohibited with regard to clothing then imitating them in one’s movements and tone of voice is even more abhorrent. So it is prohibited for men to imitate women and vice versa with regard to clothing that is unique to one’s sex, and the one who does that is subject to the threat of being cursed.” (Fayd Al-Qadir, 5/343) 
Once this is established, we will know that the Islamic ruling on this kind of sexual perversion is that it is prohibited, and it is a major sin. So it is not permissible to do that whether alone or with one’s wife, because going against the sound human nature (Fitrah) that Allah has created in us can only result in corruption and evil. Allah has created man with masculine qualities that cannot go with wearing women’s clothing or imitating women’s mannerisms. 
Undoubtedly the one who seeks to be effeminate and derives pleasure from that and thinks that it fulfils his desire is sick with a disease that the doctors describe as a “fetish”. They have behavioural programs to treat such cases that are presented to them, so anyone who is faced with this problem should not hesitate to go to a psychologist to supervise his treatment for this sickness. 
Remedy to issue of men imitating women
All we can do is remind him of Allah and make his religious commitment a positive and effective factor in ridding him of this Waswas . He should remember the wrath of Allah towards effeminate men, and he should remember that He can see everything they do, and that this life is a few short days that will quickly cease to be, and a man will be left with his deeds in the Hereafter. 
We remind him to seek the help of Allah, for He is the best of helpers and the best One to ask for help. If a person is sincere in his du’a’ and seeking help and turning to Him, Allah will answer his prayer and relieve him of his problem. But part of praying sincerely is sincerely applying the means and striving hard and being patient until full healing comes and he gives up these evil haram practices. And for his efforts and patience he will be rewarded by Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. 
The best thing that will help him to give up this inclination is marriage, because it opens the door to satisfying sexual desires in good and permissible ways. Whilst he is waiting for that, he should distract himself from desires by filling his time with acts of worship and beneficial habits, and he should try to fast, because it is very helpful in controlling desires. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said concerning it: “Whoever cannot afford (to get married) should fast, for it will diminish his desire.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 1905 and Muslim, 1400) 
One of the most important things that will help him is: respecting the sacred limits set by Allah, by refraining from looking at people’s `Awrahs and refraining from thinking of desires, because looking at prohibited things is the basis of every calamity, and that is what leads one to these bad, perverted habits that he sees among some perverts.  
Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:  
“Looking generates thoughts, then thoughts generate ideas, then ideas generate desire, then desires generate will, then the will grows strong and resolves to do the deed, and then the deed will inevitably take place unless there is something to prevent it. Concerning this it was said that patience in lowering the gaze is easier than patience in bearing the pain that comes afterwards.” (Al-Jawab Al-Kafi, p. 106) 
It should be noted that thinking about such perversions will inevitably lead to doing them, so it is essential to divert oneself from such thinking, and to distract oneself with permissible kinds of pleasure with one’s wife. He should not try to connect fulfilment of desire with those bad practices. That is the whispers of the Shaytan.
Undoubtedly the best kind of pleasure is that which is achieved in accordance with the sound human nature with which Allah has created people. 
We ask Allah to guide you to the straight path. 
And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah.It is not permissible for a Muslim to hate life and despair of what Allah, may He be exalted, could grant him of relief and good health. What is required of him is to bear with patience whatever he is facing of what Allah has willed and decreed, and to seek reward with Him, may He be exalted, for what befalls him of calamities, and to ask Him, may He be glorified, to avert that from him, to help him and to reward him for what He decrees should befall him of that. And he should wait for relief from Allah, as He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning): “For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.  Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease” [ash-Sharh 94:5-6]. It is makrooh for a Muslim to wish for death because of some harm that befell him, such as sickness, hardship or anything else. In as-Saheehayn it is narrated that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No one of you should wish for death because of some harm that befalls him. But if he must do that, then let him say: ‘O Allah, cause me to live so long as life is good for me, and cause me to die so long as that is good for me.’” From the wording of the hadith, we understand that this is a kind of delegating one’s affairs to Allah and submitting to His will and decree. Whatever befalls a Muslim of calamities in this world is an expiation for him, if he seeks reward for that with Allah, may He be exalted, and does not become discontent. This is a wake-up call to turn away from heedlessness, and a lesson for the future.
And Allah is the source of strength. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh, Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’ (25/398).