فتاوى بالانجليزية من دار الافتاء المصرية ( متجدد بإذن الله )

[abomokhtar]

Throwing papers containing Quranic verses and the beautiful Names of God in trash cans, is it permissible?
Answer
It is necessarily known in the religion that it is impermissible to treat the names of Allah Almighty and the Prophet [pbuh] and Qur`anic verses with contempt. Whoever purposely practices such abuse is considered an apostate. But the person who does so unintentionally out of carelessness and lack of concern—tempted by the temporary life of this world and heedless of the everlasting world of the Hereafter—commits an enormity as long as he remembers the ruling but ignores it without being forgetful of it, mistaken or coerced.
It has become common to write the names of Allah Almighty and Qur'anic verses on pieces of paper, plastic bags, containers, on governmental envelopes and requests and so forth. This causes excessive difficulty for those who are legally responsible upon whom it is obligatory to observe the rulings of Allah. This is because this responsibility demands that they dispose of these objects in a manner that befits the sanctity of Allah, His Book and the Prophet but which may include excessive hardship upon them due to lack of time or resolution. They have no other alternative but to desecrate the name of Allah, His Book, and the name of the Prophet [pbuh] under the pretext that the practice is common and it is difficult to dispose of these objects in any other manner.
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http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=6307

[abomokhtar]

Is it right to celebrate Sham El-Neseem's day, and if it is not right what is the reason?
Answer
The occasion of Sham al-neseem day is a national Egyptian habit and it does not include anything contradicting to the Shari'ah.
It is established in the Shari'ah that common social customs are permissible as log as they are compliant to the legal rulings. Claiming that this occasion originally contradicts the Shari'iah does not affect the matter, since it was forgotten by the passage of time. What really remain now are the forms of joy, going out and pleasing one family and the like as long as it does not contradict the Shari'ah. If these forms of celebration go beyond the limits of the Shari'ah and Islamic morals, it becomes then unlawful.
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx…

[abomokhtar]

When a male doctor examines female patients, does the examination invalidate his ablution?
Answer
Scholars differ as to whether skin-to-skin contact with a person of the opposite *** invalidates ablution, or wudhu. All agree that such contact between a man and a woman whom he cannot marry, such as his mother, daughter, sister, etc. has no effect on his ablution. As for other women, including his wife, the stricter view is that any such contact renders the ablution invalid, even when the contact is unintentional. The extreme opposite view is that no casual contact with anyone invalidates ablution. In between there are different views.
The view I feel to be more accurate is that such casual contact invalidates wudhu if it is associated with feelings of ***ual nature. Casual contact, such as when giving something to a woman, does not invalidate ablution. [During Tawaf casual contact between husband and wife is essential and in fact such contacts with other women are not infrequent either. No body says that a fresh ablution becomes necessary.] But deliberate contact, particularly when extended, as in the case when a man shakes hands with a woman and continues to hold her hand longer than normal, requires a fresh ablution.
http://www.dar-alifta.org/Foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=7841

[abomokhtar]

What is the difference between night vigil prayer and tahajjud prayer?
Answer
Night starts at sunset and continues until true dawn. Qiyamul-Layl (night vigil prayer is only performed after ‘Isha prayers.
Difference between Qiyamul-Layl and Tahajjud
1- - Qiyamul-Layl is spending the night, or even a brief period of it, praying or performing another act of worship. It can be performed either before or after sleeping. Qiyamul-Layl does not necessarily have to be comprised prayers or that it takes up the majority of the night. Additionally, it is not a condition to be preceded by sleep. Whoever spends the night or a brief portion of it reading the Qur`an, or listening to hadiths or glorification of Allah, or in invoking peace and blessings upon the Prophet, whether before or after he has slept for a portion of the night, is considered to have performed Qiyamul-Layl.
2-- Tahajjud is one of the forms of Qiyamul-Layl. It is performed by praying at night after sleeping. It is specific to prayers that are preceded by sleep. If Tahajjud is not preceded by sleep and does not comprise prayers, it is not considered Tahajjud but Qiyamul-Layl. Tahajjud is the optimal form of Qiyamul-Layl. This is because the Prophet (pbuh) used to perform Tahajjud. Allah the Almighty says, “And during the night, wake up and pray, as an extra offering of your own” [17:79).
The best time to perform Tahajjud is the latter part of the depths of the night. This is due to the report of Amr Ibn Absa who said, “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! During which part of the night are prayers most likely to be answered?’ he replied, ‘The middle of the latter portion of the night, so pray at that time with whatever you wish’” [recorded by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi).
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http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=6849

[abomokhtar]

Is it permissible for me to wear silk ties?
Answer
In the Shari'ah, it is permissible for men to either manufacture or wear silk neckties.
This is based on the opinion of the majority of scholars who maintained that the prohibition concerns wearing pure natural silk items or garments made from fabrics that contain a higher percentage of silk.
Nevertheless, it is permissible to wear garments accessorized with silk either due to a need or for adornment. This is because it is not considered wearing silk. This permissibility includes wearing silk neckties because they are not regarded as garments but as accessories used for adornment. As such, they are included under the silk that is deemed permissible for men.
Ruling
It is permissible in the Shari'ah to wear silk neckties since they are accessories and not essential garments.
http://www.dar-alifta.org/Foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=7035

[abomokhtar]

At what age does prayer become obligatory?
Answer
It becomes obligatory for a Muslim to observe prayers upon reaching the age of puberty. Puberty is defined by natural manifest signs, some of which are common to both genders, and others are exclusive to just one gender.
Common puberty signs:
- The discharge of the ***ual fluid (semen) either in a state of sleep or in an awake state when ***ually aroused.
- The appearance of pubic hair, which is removed by shaving, unlike the fuzz that appears prior to attaining puberty.
Two more signs specifically distinguish females:
- Menstruation: it is the sign for female puberty based on the hadith narrated by the Mother of the Believers, lady ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) who narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who experiences menstruation (i.e. who has reached puberty) except if she prays with her head covered (with a khimar)”[recorded by Abu Dawud in his Sunan).
- Pregnancy: God the Almighty creates the fetus from the ***ual fluid of both man and woman.
The above-mentioned signs are an indication of puberty; otherwise, puberty is considered by age. Shafi’i and Hanbali scholars as well as Abu Yusuf and Muhammad Ibn al-Hassan from the Hanafis have maintained that, for females and males, the age of puberty is by completing 15 lunar years.
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=7869

[abomokhtar]

Is it permissible to combine and shorten prayers at home before traveling?
Answer
It is impermissible to combine and shorten prayers at home before traveling because one is called a traveler once one departs the borders of one’s country. Combining and shortening prayers was originally intended to exempt a traveler.
And God the Almighty knows best.
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=7949

[abomokhtar]

What is the ruling of Muslims who do not perform the daily prayers, are they become non-Muslims?
Answer
According to the opinion of the majority of scholars, a person who neglects to perform prayers is not deemed a disbeliever (kafir) provided he does not deny its obligation. The word “Kufr” mentioned in the hadith means that this person commits an aspect of an act of disbelief and manifested an act of disbelievers since prayer is the act of worship that differentiates between a Muslim and a non-Muslim.
Scholars have unanimously agreed that a person who neglects to pray must be commanded to observe it. However, an apostate is not commanded to observe prayer; rather he must revert first and then be commanded to pray. In his book Al-Majmou’, Imam al-Nawawi said, “Muslims are still allowed to inherit those who neglect to pray and vice-versa. If deemed a disbeliever, a person who neglects to pray will never be forgiven and it would be prohibited to inherit from him or vice-versa.”
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=7873

[abomokhtar]

I conducted my marriage contract without consummating it. Now the bride requests a divorce. What are her rights in Islamic law?
Answer
Divorce before consummation of marriage is final.
A wife's unilateral request for divorce
A woman is entitled to those rights that she and her spouse agree upon if she requests divorce. In such a case, she attends the divorce sitting and absolves her husband of all or some of her rights that are prescribed by Islamic law.
Divorce through khul'
A wife whose husband does not wish to divorce her and who is granted a divorce through khul' [divorce initiated by the wife in return for remuneration to the husband] is to return to him both the advanced portion of her mahr [dowry] which includes the shabka [the gift that the groom traditionally gives his fiancée, usually jewelry] and the items included in the registry of furniture and absolve him of the deferred portion of the dowry.
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http://www.dar-alifta.org/Foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=8239

[abomokhtar]

Do science and faith collide in Islam?
Answer
Islam is the last word of God to all the worlds and it is the final testament which was conveyed to us through Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Islam has the unique feature of being adequate to become the reference point of all paradigms of knowledge and in total harmony with all the scientific facts. Muslims believe that the divine revelation is God’s written book and that the whole universe is God’s seen book and both of them come from God. The divine revelation comes from the world of command and the universe comes from the world of creation and whatever comes from God does not contradict each other. Therefore God says in the Quran, “Unquestionably, to Him belongs both creation and command; blessed is Allah , Lord of the worlds.7:45
For this reason knowledge in Islam has two sources: divine revelation and universe. Islam admits that science does not know the final word as God says, “but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.” 12:76
And Islam also admits that a true believer should be in a continuous search for facts and whenever he finds it, he should be the most rightful to adhere to it. The Prophet says, “Wisdom is the lost property of the believer, so wherever he finds it then he has a right to it.”
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http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=4809

[abomokhtar]

What is the ruling on shabka (the gift that the groom traditionally gives his fiancée) in the event of khul'?
Answer
It is established in Islamic law that a woman is entitled to receive half of the dowry by virtue of the marriage contract and the full dowry after the consummation of marriage. According to customs, the shabka (what a man traditionally gives his fiancée upon the marriage agreement, usually gold jewelry) is considered part of the dowry because people agree on it before the marriage takes place. It is not a gift. Islamic legislation takes into account customs due to the words of Allah Almighty Who says:
Hold to forgiveness; command what is right. [Al-A'raf: 199]
Ibn-Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in a non-prophetic narration, "What Muslims deem to be good, is good according to Allah and what Muslims deem to be evil, is evil according to Allah" [Recorded by Ahmed his Musnad and by Al-Taylalsy in his Musnad]. Therefore, the shabka is part of the dowry.
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http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=3833

[abomokhtar]

Can insurance be Islamic?
Answer
Since insurance in its various forms is a novel transaction which the Shari‘a [Islamic law] has not provided specific evidence concerning their legality or lack thereof – in this respect it is like bank transactions – engaging in it falls under the judgment of scholars and their research deduced from the general meaning of textual evidence, such as God Most High saying,
“Assist one another in piety and being mindful of God, but do not assist one another in sin and enmity. Be mindful of God; indeed, God punishes severely” [5:2].
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The example of believers in their love, sympathy, and compassion for one another is similar to the example of a single body: when a single part complains it calls upon the others vigilance and for defense”. And there are numerous other texts on this topic. Scholars have two opinions on the permissibility of Insurance:
- One group of scholars considers it an unlawful transaction because of its inherent risk, gambling, betting, and unlawful increase [riba].
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http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=5851

[abomokhtar]

Can we have mixed gatherings in the community center next to the mosque?
Answer
Yes, this is permissible so long as it does not lead to anything deemed prohibited by Islamic law.
According to the practice of generations of Muslims from among the predecessors and successors, the mere presence of males and females in the same place is not prohibited in itself. Rather, the prohibition concerns the manner of their gathering and whether it contradicts the rulings of Islamic law. This includes, for example, women uncovering the parts of their bodies which they have been commanded by Islamic law to cover, gathering to commit abominable acts or unlawful private meetings with a member of the opposite ***. Prohibited gender mixing involves physical contact and not merely being present in the same place.
The ruling
It is permissible to attend such gatherings and no one is blameworthy except those who exceed the limits of Islamic law. However, it is impermissible to attend if one fears temptation.
And God the Almighty knows best.
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=9384

[abomokhtar]

What is the permissible rate of profit in cash and installment sales?
Answer
Allah the Most High says:
But God has allowed trade and forbidden usury. [Qur`an 2:275]
Islamic law does not specify a maximum or minimum rate of profit in cash and installment sales. However, we advise the inquirer to be merciful with those he deals with and not to overcharge others. The Prophet [pbuh] said, "May Allah have mercy on the man who is generous when he buys, sells, and demands (his due)" [Bukhari].
The above answers the question and Allah Almighty knows best.
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/ViewFatwa.aspx?ID=283

[abomokhtar]

Why did prophet Muhammed order us that we must differ from Christian and Jews?
Answer
This means to be different from them concerning the things which are part and parcel of their beliefs and are at odd with Islamic law. This does not include contradicting them in everything. Ibn 'Abass (may God be pleased with them) narrated, "The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) used to let his hair loose, while the disbelievers used to part their hair.
The people of the Book [Ahl al-Kitab] used to let their hair loose and the Messenger loved to be in compliance with them as per the matters which are left open in Islamic law. Then the Messenger of God used to part his hair".
(Bukhari)
http://eng.dar-alifta.org/foreign/Vi...a.aspx?ID=5994