Optional aspects of ablution

'Sunnah' (optional) Acts of Ablution:
The following acts are not obligatory, yet, once done, are rewarded for
since they constitute the way the Prophet used to perform ablution:
Reciting 'Bismillah' (saying: 'Bismillahir-rahmaanir-raheem', which
means: 'In the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Most
Compassionate).
Washing the hands, threetimes, up to the wrists.
Brushing the teeth with atooth-stick (Miswak).
Rinsing the mouth, thrice.
Sniffing water into the nostrils, thrice.
Combing the beard with the fingers (this is called Takhleel in Arabic).
Passing the fingers of both hands against each other, and also passing
them through the toes (the Takhleel of the fingers and toes).
Washing each limb, threetimes.
Wiping the whole head with wet hands once
Wiping the two ears (inside and outside).
Performing the Wudhoo' in the proper order (as stated above).
Washing each part, one after the other, without pause, to ensure that no
part dries up before the next step.
Humraan, the freed slave of 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan narrated that 'Uthmaan
once asked for a tumbler of water in order to perform ablution; when it
was brought to him, he poured water from it over his hands and washed
them thrice, and then put his right hand inthe water container and
rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and then
blowing it out. Then, he washed his face thrice and then his forearms up
to the elbows thrice; then, he passed his wet hands over his head and
then washed each foot thrice. After that, 'Uthmaan said: "I saw the
Prophet performing ablution like this of mine, and he then said: " If
anyone performs ablution like that of mine and offers a two-Rak'ah
(units) prayer during which he does not think of anything else (not
related to the present prayer) then his past sins will be forgiven." "
Actions that require ablution as aprerequisite:
There are three actions that require ablution as aprerequisite in order
for them to be accepted Islamically. These are:
1- Any type of prayer (Salaah)
This involves only obligatory, voluntary, or funeral prayers. This is
based on Allaah's statement (which means):
"O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your
faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipeover your heads and wash
your feet to the ankles." [Quran 5:6]
Also, the Messenger of Allaah said,
"Allaah does not accept a prayer from a person who is not in a state of
purity. Nor does He accept charity from misappropriated booty." [Muslim]
2- Circumambulating the Ka'bah
Ibn 'Abbaas reported that the Messenger of Allaah said,
"Circumambulation is a type of prayer, but Allaahhas permitted speaking
during it. Whoever speaks during it should only speak good."
[At-Tirmithi and others]
3- Touching a copy of the Quran
Abu Bakr Ibn Muhammad related from his father on the authority ofhis
grandfather that the Prophet sent a letter to the people of Yemen, which
stated:
"No one is to touch the Quran except one who is purified."
[An-Nasaa'i and others]

Is it permissible for her to get an invoice for medication from a pharmacy from which she did not get this medicine?.

Dought & clear, - I work in a government department and our medical
costs are covered by this department; we have to bring an invoice for
the cost of medical consultations from any doctor as well as invoices
from any pharmacy showing the price of medicine, and the department
will cover the cost of these invoices.
My questions are:
Sometimes the doctor who treats me prescribes medicine for me, some of
which can be found in the pharmacy and some of itcannot, so we buy it
from him, but he does not write me an invoice showing the price of
these medicines.
Is it permissible for me to get an invoice from any pharmacy to show
the price of this medicine, but showing the name of some other
medicine that is in the prescription? On one occasion I went to the
doctor and my sister waswith me, and she had some problems, so she
asked the doctor and he wrote a prescription for her. But when I asked
him whether I should pay for this consultation,he refused. Is it
permissible for her to submit it to the department in which myfather
works, because children get half of their medical costs covered bythe
department in whichthe father works?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The employee should approach his work with an attitude of
trustworthiness, dignity and honesty, and should avoid haraam
earnings, lying, cheating and deceiving.
He should do the work required of him in a proper manner, without
cheating in his earnings or doing anything that will lead to regret in
the Hereafter.
See the answer to question no. 4651 .
Secondly:
Saying that the medicinementioned is not available in pharmacies is a
dubious statement, because the basic principle is that medicine is
more available in pharmacies than in doctors' clinics; the doctor may
have free samples that he getsfrom (pharmaceutical) companies and the
like.
Whatever the case, it seems to us, and we know from experience, that
if you had looked more, especially in larger pharmacies, you would
certainly have found the medicine that you were looking for or you
would have found a suitable alternative to it. It does not seem to us
that there is any concession concerning what you are asking about,
especially as it is not a case of necessity. So it is not permissible
tohasten to tell lies or resort to deceit and tricks when there is no
case of necessity and no pressure to do so.
Even if we assume that there is no alternative for this medicine, and
that it is only available from this doctor (which cannot be the case),
either the doctor should sell it with an invoice, or you can talk to
your superiors at work so thatthey can find out the facts about the
matter.
Thirdly:
If children have half of their medical costs covered, as you say,
thenit is not permissible for them to submit papers showing anything
but the true facts. If on this occasion you did not payany of the
costs for this consultation, then you do not have the right to ask the
administration atwork for anything.
If you did pay for it, thenyou have the right to askfor what you are
allowed to, according to the conditions stipulatedby your father's
work, but that is on condition that the papers you submit are truthful
and are not made up.

She died and left behind two daughters, asister and a nephew (brother’s son).

Dought & clear, - A lady died and left behind some money. Shehad two
daughters, a sister and a nephew (brother's son). How should the
wealth be shared out between them?
Praise be to Allah.
If a woman dies and leaves behind two daughters, a sister and a nephew
(brother's son), the estate is to be divided as follows:
The two daughters get two-thirds, each one getting one third, because
Allah, may He beexalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): "if
(there are) only daughters, two or more, their share is two thirds of
the inheritance" [an-Nisa' 4:11].
The sister gets the remainder of the inheritance on the basis that she
is a relative through the father.
The nephew (brother's son) does not get anything.
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahmaanas-Sa'di said: If there is anything left after
the daughters have taken their share, it should be given to the
sisters, and they should not be overlooked in favour of relatives on
the father's side who are more distantly related than them, such as a
nephew (brother's son) or paternal uncle.
End quote from Tafseer as-Sa'di, 1/170
And Allah knows best.

The best helper at the face of tyranny

A student had spent thirty years acquiring knowledge. His teacher said
to him: "Let me ask you a question. If you know the answer, I shall
give you your diploma. The question I am going to put to you is not
about the Quran or Traditions, yet it is not unconnected with these.If
you have understood just a little of what you have learned, if your
studies have been at all fruitful, you will be able to answer. But not
if youhave learned without understanding."
The teacher then asked his student this question:"How many days'
journey is your home country from here?"
"It takes three months," the student replied.
"If Allah wills, you will receive your diploma and make that long journey."
"Yes, if Allah has so destined."
"On your way, will you pass nomad encampments with flocks of sheep,
and will they have sheepdogs to guard the flocks?"
"Of course! I will pass all of these on the way."
"Well then, suppose you were to be set upon suddenly by five or six
ofthose sheepdogs as you were passing by on yourway home. What would
you do? If you have understood your lessons,if you have got
anythingfrom the blessed Quran and Traditions and if history has
taught you anything, then you will answer the questions correctly,
pass this examination, receive your diploma, go back home and become a
preacher whose sermonswill benefit the people in this world and the
Hereafter."
The student gave this reply: "My respected teacher! If I encounter
savage dogs along the way I shall fight them offwith the staff I
carry."
"It is no easy matter to contend with half a dozen savage dogs. You
may beat off three, but the other three will bite you meanwhile. That
is no answer."
"I shall drive them off with stones."
"That is not possible either."
"Then I shall use a gun."
"In that case you will notescape the owner of the dog. Sheepdogs are
veryvaluable."
The student had failed the exam; He had not been able to give the
right answer to the question. "My son," said his teacher, "you have
learned a lot, but you have not understood. Think things over for a
while, then come back to me." After reflecting for some days, the
student approached the teacher again. "Have youfound the answer to my
question?" The teacher asked him. "No sir," he said. "I then
explained:"My son, if you should run into such a situation,do not try
to fight the dogs! Leave them alone and call the shepherds atonce. The
shepherd will tell the dogs not to attack you. You should understand
that tyrants are Allah's savage dogs. In the life ahead of you, in
your own country, you may at any time encounter such tyrants. If you
try and fight them,they will bite you and tear you apart. If you
killthem, their master will call you to account and you will be
condemned. The best course is to appeal to Allah; the dogs' true
Owner. Only by His grace can you hope to be delivered from such
tyrants. What a fine helper is He!"