Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * Ruling on one who offers an udhiyah but does not pray

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What is the ruling on one who offers an udhiyah but does not pray; is that right?
Praise be to Allah.
In the answers to questions no. 5208 and 9400 we stated that not praying constitutes kufr that puts one beyond the pale of Islam. Based on that, any good deed done by one who does not pray will not benefit him and will not be accepted from him.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) said:
With regard to fasting when one does not pray, it is of no value or benefit, and it is not valid if one does not pray. No matter what other acts of obedience a person may do, they will not benefit him so long as he does not pray, because the one who does not pray is a kaafir, and the good deeds of the kaafir are not accepted from him. So there is no benefit in fasting if one does not pray. End quote.
Al-Muntaqa min Fataawa al-Fawzaan(39/16)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a person fasts but does not pray, no fasting will be accepted from him, because he is a kaafir and an apostate, and no zakaah, charity or any other righteous deeds will be accepted from him, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)); and that they came not to As-Salat (the prayer) except in a lazy state; and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly”
[at-Tawbah 9:54].
If their contributions – which refers to benefitting others – are not accepted from the disbelievers, then it is more appropriate that acts of worship, the benefit which is limited only to the doer, should not be accepted either. Based on that, the one who fasts but does not pray is a kaafir, Allah forbid, and his fasting is invalid. Likewise, none of his righteous deeds will be accepted from him. End quote.
Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darbby Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (124/32).
If the one who does not pray wants to offer an udhiyah, then he has to repent to Allah, first of all, for not praying. If he does not do that, and he persists in his ways, then he will not be rewarded for that sacrifice and it will not be accepted from him. If he does the slaughtering himself, then it comes under the heading of maytah (“dead meat”, from an animal that was found dead) and it is not permissible to eat from it, because meat slaughtered by an apostate comes under the heading of maytah and is haraam.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a man who does not pray slaughters an animal, that meat cannot be eaten. Why? Because it is haraam. But if a Jew or a Christian slaughters an animal, that meat is permissible for us to eat. So the meat slaughtered by (the one who does not pray) – Allah forbid – is more unclean than meat slaughtered by the Jews and Christians.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(12/45)
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, & Dought & clear, - * ‘Umrah on the part of a child who has not reached the age of discernment

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I am intending to perform ‘Umrah, by Allah’s leave. My husband will be with me along with my three children, all of whom are below the age of four years. I hope that you can explain how they should enter ihram, perform the rituals and exit ihram. Is it preferable in their case to shave the head or to cut their hair?
Praise be to Allah.
Hajj and ‘Umrah are valid on the part of children who have reached the age of discernment and those who have not reached that age, according to the majority of scholars; in fact it was narrated that there was consensus on this point.
With regard to ‘Umrah on the part of a child who has not reached the age of discernment, i.e. a child who is below the age of seven, his guardian should form the intention on his part, after dressing him in ihram garments and keeping him away from things that are forbidden whilst in ihram. He should form the intention that the child has entered ihram.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
He should enter ihram on his behalf, i.e., form the intention that this child has entered the state of ihram. He should not form the intention that he has entered ihram on behalf of the child, because this is not correct. Rather he should form the intention that this child has entered the state of ihram. If he does that, the child has entered ihram.
End quote fromSharh al-Kaafiby Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him).
Similarly, he should also form the intention of tawaaf (circumambulation of the Ka ‘bah) and sa‘i (going between as-Safa and al-Marwah) on the child’s behalf. He may carry the child during these two rituals. If he does carry him, then it is preferable for him to do tawaaf on his own behalf and then on behalf of the child, but if he does one tawaaf it is sufficient for both of them, according to the correct scholarly view.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: if the one who is carrying another person intends tawaaf on his own behalf and on behalf of the one whom he is carrying, and if he intends sa‘i on his own behalf and on behalf of the one whom he is carrying, that is acceptable according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not instruct the woman who asked him about Hajj of a child to do tawaaf for him on his own. If that had been obligatory, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would have said so.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/257
Shaykh Ibn Jibreen was asked about that and he said: As ihram for a child is valid, the guardian is responsible for him. So he should dress him in the ihram garments, form the intention of ihram for him, form the intention of the rituals on his behalf, recite the Talbiyah on his behalf, and hold his hand during tawaaf and sa‘i. If the child is incapable, such as one who is very small or is still breastfeeding, there is nothing wrong with carrying him, and one tawaaf is sufficient for both the one who carries and the one who is carried, according to the correct opinion. If the child does anything that is forbidden whilst in ihram out of ignorance, such as wearing a fitted garment or covering his head, he does not have to offer any fidyah because he did not do it intentionally. If he did do it intentionally, such as needing to wear regular clothes because of being cold and so on, then his guardian should offer the fidyah on his behalf.
End quote fromFataawa Islamiyyah, 2/182
Once the child has done tawaaf and sa‘i, there remains the issue of shaving the head or cutting the hair. Shaving is preferable, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered supplication three times for those who shaved their heads and one for those who cut their hair. Narrated by Muslim, 1303. But if he is afraid that the child may be affected by cold and the like, then it is sufficient to cut the hair, but hair must be taken from all parts of the head, as is the view of Malik and Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them both. And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, & Dought & clear, - * The days of Tashreeq

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What are the days of Tashreeq? What is special about them and distinguishes them from other days?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The days of Tashreeq are the 11th, 12thand 13thof Dhu’l-Hijjah. There are several verses and ahaadeeth which speak of their virtue:
1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And remember Allaah during the appointed Days”
[al-Baqarah 2:203]
These are the days of Tashreeq. This was the view of Ibn ‘Umar and most of the scholars.
2 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning the days of Tashreeq: “They are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah.” Dhikr (remembering Allaah) is enjoined during the days of tashreeq in several ways:
- Remembering Allaah immediately after the prescribed prayers by reciting Takbeer. This is prescribed until the end of the days of Tashreeq according to the majority of scholars.
- Remembering Him by sayingBismillaahandAllaahu akbarwhen slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The time for slaughtering the hadiy and udhiyah lasts until the end of days of Tashreeq.
- Remembering Allaah when eating and drinking. It is prescribed when eating and drinking to sayBismillaahat the beginning, and to praise Him (sayAl-hamdu Lillaah) at the end. According to the hadeeth narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Allaah likes His slave when he eats something to praise Him for it, and when he drinks something to praise Him for it.” Narrated by Muslim, 2734.
- Remembering Him by saying Takbeer when stoning the Jamaraat on the days of Tashreeq. This applies only to the pilgrims on Hajj.
- Remembering Allaah in general. It is mustahabb to make a lot of dhikr during the days of Tashreeq. ‘Umar used to recite Takbeer in Mina in his tent, and when the people heard him they recited Takbeer too and Mina echoed with the sound of their Takbeer. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So when you have accomplished your Manaasik [rituals of Hajj], remember Allaah as you remember your forefathers or with a far more remembrance. But of mankind there are some who say: “Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!” and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.
201. And of them there are some who say: “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!””
[al-Baqarah 2:200-201]
Many of the salaf regarded it as mustahabb to make a lot of du’aa’ during the days of tashreeq.
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “These are days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah” indicate that eating and drinking during the days of Eid are means that help one to remember Allaah and obey Him; perfect gratitude for the blessing means using it to help one obey and worship Allaah,
In His Book Allaah commands us to eat of good things and thank Him for them. So whoever uses Allaah’s blessings to commit sin is showing ingratitude for the blessing of Allaah, so he deserves to have it taken away from him.
3 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade fasting on these days: “Do not fast on these days, for they are the days of eating, drinking and remembering Allaah.” Narrated by Ahmad, 10286; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inal-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 3573.
See Lataa’if al-Ma’aarifby Ibn Rajab, p. 500.
O Allaah, help us to do righteous deeds and make us steadfast until death; have mercy on us, O Most Generous Giver. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the World.

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Pilgrimage, & Dought & clear, - * Hajj does not waiveobligatory duties such as expiations and debts

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Praise be to Allah, last year I had the opportunity to perform the obligation of Hajj. As you know, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said in the hadeeth: “An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise.” When the Muslim performs the obligatory Hajj, all the sins that he had committed are forgiven and he goes back from Hajj (free of sin) as on the day his mother bore him, and he goes back to the fitrah (sound human nature). My question is: I have some days to make up from Ramadan from two years ago. After performing Hajj, do I still need to make these days up, or will Allah forgive me for what is past because of the Hajj that I did?.
Praise be to Allah
There are many hadeeths about the virtues of Hajj which indicate that it erases sins and expiates for bad deeds, and the individual returns from it (free of sin) as on the day his mother bore him.
See the answer to question no. 34359
But this virtue and reward does not mean that obligatory duties are waived, whether they are duties owed to Allah, may He be exalted, such as expiations and fulfilment of vows, or duties that he has not yet fulfilled, such as zakaah that he has not paid or fasts that he has to make up, or duties owed to other people, such as debts and the like. Hajj brings forgiveness of sins, but it does not mean that these duties are waived, according to scholarly consensus.
If a person delays making up Ramadan fasts, for example, and that is without an excuse, then he does Hajj and it is accepted, his Hajj brings forgiveness for the sin of delaying, but the obligation to make up those days is not waived.
It says inKashshaaf al-Qinaa‘(2/522): ad-Dumayri said: In the saheeh hadeeth it says: “Whoever performs Hajj and does not utter obscenities or commit sin, will emerge from his sins as on the day his mother bore him.” This has to do specifically with sins that are connected to the rights of Allah, may He be exalted, in particular, and not the rights of other people. The duties themselves are not waived. So if a person owes prayer, expiations and other rights of Allah, may He be exalted, they are not waived, because they are duties, not sins; rather the sin is delaying them. So the delay is waived by Hajj, but the duty itself is not. If he delays it after that, the sin is renewed. So an accepted Hajj brings forgiveness for the sin of non-compliance, but does not waive the duties themselves. This was stated inal-Mawaahib. End quote.
Ibn Nujaym (may Allah have mercy on him) said inal-Bahr ar-Raa’iq(2:364), after mentioning the difference of opinion about Hajj being expiation for major sins: To sum up: the matter is controversial and there is no c rtainty that Hajj expiates major sins involving the rights of Allah, may He be exalted, let alone the rights of people. If we say that it expiates everything, that does not mean, as many people think, that debts are waived thereby. The same applies to making up prayers, fasts and zakaah because no one says that. Rather what is meant is that the sin of delaying payment of the debt is waived, but if after standing in ‘Arafah he delays paying it, he is sinning now. The same applies to delaying prayers until after the time for them has ended. The sin is erased by means of Hajj but the duty to make them up is not waived. Moreover, after standing in ‘Arafah, he is still required to make them up, and if he does not do so, he is now a sinner according to the view of those who say that he should make them up immediately. And the same applies to other actions by analogy. To sum up, no one suggested that the hadeeths which speak of the expiation of sin by virtue of Hajj are general in meaning, as is clear. End quote.
To conclude: you still have to make up the days that you owe of Ramadaan, and your duties cannot be discharged except by doing that.
And Allah knows best.

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Welcome to Islam, - * From Kabul to the ultimate truth

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This is the story of Yvonne Ridley's journey that started in a Kabul prison and put her on a quest to discover the truth.
Islam is by far the most misunderstood religion in the world today thanks to centuries of medieval-style propaganda successfully peddled by bigots and religious zealots. So I should not have been entirely surprised by the almost hysterical reaction in the mainstream media to news that I am considering becoming a Muslim. Some of the comments were )nasty( and snide, other journalists asked me stupid questions showing a distinct lack of research or understanding. One even accused me of suffering from Stockholm Syndrome as a result of spending ten days in the hands of the Taliban!
My spiritual journey, like that for many reverts, was meant to be a personal affair between myself and God. Sadly it has now become a very public issue and so I have decided to share with readers my feelings and thoughts on Islam to prevent any more misunderstandings or misconceptions.
Yes, my journey did begin in the unlikely surrounds of an Afghan prison where I was being held by the Taliban facing charges of entering their country illegally, disguised in the all-enveloping burqa. One day, during my captivity, I was visited by a religious scholar who asked me what I thought of Islam and if I would like to revert. I was terrified. For five days I had managed to avoid the subject of religion in a country led by Islamic extremists. If I gave the wrong response, I had convinced myself I would be stoned to death.
After careful thought I thanked the scholar for his generous offer and said it was difficult for me to make such a life-changing decision while I was in prison. However, I did make a promise that if I was released I would study Islam on my return to London. My reward for such a reply was being sent to a ghastly jail in Kabul where I was locked up with six Christian fanatics who faced charges of trying to convert Muslims to their faith. )After being bombarded with their bible readings, happy-clappy Christian songs and prayers twice a day, I think we can discount the accusations of Stockholm Syndrome(.
Several days later I was released unharmed on humanitarian grounds on the orders of Mullah Omar, the Taliban's one-eyed spiritual leader. My captors had treated me with courtesy and respect, and so in turn, I kept my word and set out to study their religion. It was supposed to be an academic study, but as I became more engrossed with each page I turned I became more impressed with what I read.
I turned to several eminent Islamic academics, including Dr. Zaki Badawi, for advice and instruction. I was even given several books by the notorious Sheikh Abu Hamza AI-Masri whom I spoke to after sharing a platform at an Oxford Union debate. This latter snippet was seized upon by some sections of the media in such a ridiculous fashion that outsiders might have thought I was going to open a madrassa )school( for AI-Qaeda recruits from my flat in Soho!
Thankfully the support and understanding I have been given from my brothers and sisters )for I regard them as that( has been unstinting and comforting. Not one of them has put pressure on me to become a Muslim, and every revert I've spoken to has told me to take my time. One of the big turning points for me happened earlier this year when the Israelis began shelling The Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, one of the most precious monuments for Christians.
Every year thousands of school children re-enact the Nativity at Christmas time, a potent symbol of Christianity. Yet, not one Church of England leader publicly denounced the Israelis for their attack. Our Prime Minister Tony Blair, who loves to be pictured coming out of church surrounded by his family, espousing Christian values, was silent. Only the Pope had the guts to condemn this atrocity. I was shocked and saddened and felt there was no backbone in my religious leaders. At least with Islam I need no mediator or conduit to rely upon, I can have a direct line with God anytime I want.
While I feel under no pressure to revert by Muslims, the real pressure to walk away from Islam has come from some friends and journalists who like to think they're cynical, hard-bitten, hard-drinking, observers of the world. Religion of any form makes them feel uneasy, but Islam, well that's something even worse. You'd think I had made a pact with the devil or wanted to become a grand wizard in the Ku Klux Klan.
Others feared I was being brainwashed and that I would soon be back in my burqa, silenced forever like all Muslim women. This, of course, is nonsense. I have never met so many well-educated, opinionated, outspoken, intelligent, politically aware women in the Muslim groups I have visited throughout the UK. Feminism pales into insignificance when it comes to the sisterhood, which has a strong identity and a loud voice in this country. Yes, it is true that many Muslim women around the world are subjugated, but this has only come about through other cultures hijacking and misinterpreting the Qur’an.
I wish I had this knowledge )and I'm still very much a novice( when I was captured by the Taliban, because I would have asked them why they treated their own women so badly. The Qur’an makes it crystal clear that all Muslims, men and women are entirely equal in worth, spirituality and responsibility.

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Welcome to Islam, - * Experience of a Canadian woman

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Many may ask why a young, Canadian-born, Caucasian woman would embrace a religion that not only supposedly oppresses women, but takes all her freedom and independence and treats her as a second class citizen.
I reject such accusations and pose to them the following question. "Why is it that so many women who have been born and brought up in the so-called 'civilized' societies of Canada, USA, and Europe are willing to reject their liberty, and independence, to embrace a religion that supposedly oppresses them and is widely assumed to be prejudicial to them?"
As a Canadian revert to Islam, I can only present my personal experience and reasons for rejecting the freedom, that women claim to have in this society, in favor of the only religion that truly liberates women by giving us a status and position which is completely unique when compared to non-Muslim counterparts.
As a child growing up in a non-religious home, I often asked my parents if there was a God, who is He, and where did He come from? Their response was always, believe in what you want to believe. This confused me, because many of my friends had religions, and I never understood why I didn't.
I remember when I was six or seven years old, I attended Sunday School, at a Church with a friend a couple of times. I found it very boring. I didn't feel comfortable around the other children, and felt pressured by the instructor and other children because I didn't know anything about Jesus Christ, may Allaah exalt his mention. Feeling this way I stopped going to the Sunday school, and continued growing up without a religion, with no knowledge of God, which made me feel very lonely.
It wasn't until I was in high school when I learned about religion in my social studies class, and remember vividly how my teacher told us women in Islam have no rights, women are denied education, must be circumcised, and how women must obey men, otherwise, the men can beat them.
This made me think
No matter what this teacher said, something in my mind kept telling me this couldn't be true. Ironically, around the same time I was learning this, I met a Muslim, named Khaled )who is now my husband( at the place where I worked and asked him about what my teacher said. He was shocked to hear the school boards were teaching this about Islam and told me they were all untrue. When discussing this with my teacher in front of my fellow students, the teacher told me that my source is wrong, and he has the information in his books, otherwise he wouldn't be teaching us this stuff.
My teacher pretty much made me look stupid; however some of my friends believed me. I continued talking to Khaled at work about Muslim women and was very curious about the role of Muslim women. I have to admit that I never agreed all the time with what Khaled said, but I was also a non-believer at that time, and never understood fully what Islam was. I was )and still I am( always fascinated with how the Muslim women would cover themselves, they always seemed to have the look of peace on their faces. I would never have guessed that I would one day be one of those ladies who is fully covered.
Two years later, Khaled and I were married and had our first child, Al-Hamdulillah. It wasn't until one year after my second child was born, Al-Hamdulillah, when I began to feel depressed and adrift, feeling a large spirituality void. I felt there was a big chunk of my life still missing. This was when I began to read about various religions, and it wasn't until I bought a translation of the Holy Quran when I finally understood the true meaning of life, and that there is none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah(. The Quran answered all the questions I was looking for, and some that I never even thought of.
One week before the holy month of Ramadan, I taught myself to pray, memorized two suras )Quranic Chapters(, and said my Shahadah )Testimony of faith(. I no longer felt adrift and I believed in Allaah. It was like having the feeling and guidance from Allaah.
Wearing the scarf for the first time made me feel as though I had more peace, I was someone, not only a someone, but a Muslim. I was )and am( protecting myself from all evil. I felt a lot more close to Allaah, because He has ordained women in the Noble Quran to cover themselves.
I know in my heart that it bothered my husband a lot to have a wife who did not only embrace Islam, but to see her practicing it when he wasn't. My husband and I have no differences anymore in terms of raising our children )as Muslims(, and have never been so happy since he and I started practicing Islam.
My life has changed a lot since I embraced Islam )all for the best(, and I'm loving every minute of it! I recommend it to everyone out there, whether a Muslim, Christian, Jew, Hindu, to pick up a copy of the Noble Quran and to read not just some of it, but all of it. May Allaah give everyone the strength and courage that He has given me during the past year.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Can a woman who is experiencing non-menstrual vaginal bleeding (istihaadah) fast?

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Can a woman who is experiencing non-menstrual vaginal bleeding (istihaadah) fast?.
Praise be to Allaah.
During the time when the woman who is experiencing istihaadah believes that the blood is menstrual blood, then she is menstruating and the rulings on menses apply to her. When the menses ends, then she is taahir (pure) and she should do ghusl, fast and pray and her husband may have intercourse with her, even if she is still bleeding.
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: Faatimah bint Abi Hubaysh came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, I am a woman who experiences istihaadah and I do not become pure. Should I give up praying?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No. That is just a vein, and it is not menses. When your menses comes, then stop praying, and when it ends, then wash the blood from yourself and pray.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 226; Muslim, 333.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, explaining the phrase “that is just a vein”:
This indicates that if the blood which is flowing is blood from a vein – which includes bleeding that results from surgery – then that is not regarded as menses, so the things that become haraam in the case of menses are not haraam in this case, and a woman has to pray and to fast if that happens during the day in Ramadaan. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 11/question no. 226.
It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that one of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) observed i’tikaaf with him, and she was experiencing istihaadah and could see the blood. Sometimes she would place a basin beneath her to catch the blood. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 303. And Allaah knows best.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Her period comes regularly but the bleeding stops for half a day or a day at the beginning and end

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My wife gets her period regularly, but it starts with a little bleeding, which then stops for half a day or a full day. The same thing happens at the end of her period. When should she stop fasting and praying and when should she resume?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If a woman sees menstrual blood she must stop praying and fasting, and if the bleeding stops during the period it depends:
1 – If traces of blood remain, such that if she inserts a piece of cloth or whatever it comes out with traces of blood, then the period is not regarded as having ended, and she should still refrain from praying and fasting, whether that happens at the beginning of the period or at the end.
2 – If the bleeding stops altogether, such that if she inserts a piece of cloth it comes out clean with no traces of blood, then this is the sign that her period has ended, so she is taahir (pure). She should do ghusl and pray and fast and do all that women who are taahir do. Then if the bleeding resumes she should stop again.
The ruling that being free of any trace of blood during the time of menses is regarded as tuhr (purity) is the view of the Maalikis and Hanbalis.
SeeMataalib Ooli al-‘Nuha, 1/260.
In the answer to question no. 37839we have mentioned the view of the scholars of the Standing Committee:
If the menses stops for one day or one night during the time of menses, then she should do ghusl and pray whatever prayers come when she is taahir, because Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “If she sees blood that is heavy or copious, she should not pray, and if she sees the tuhr for a while, she should do ghusl. End quote.
Majallat al-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah(12/102)
And Allaah knows best.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * She had an operation on her uterus

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If a woman has an operation on her uterus and bleeds as a result, is that blood regarded as menses?.
Praise be to Allaah.
A woman may experience something that causes her to bleed from her vagina, such as an operation on the uterus or close to it. This falls into two categories:
1 – If she knows that it is not possible for her to menstruate after the surgery, such as if she has an operation to remove the uterus altogether (hysterectomy) or blocking it so that no blood can come from it. This woman does not come under the rulings on istihaadah (non-menstrual vaginal bleeding); rather she comes under the rulings on one who sees some yellowish or brownish discharge or some wetness after her period ends. So she should not stop praying and fasting, or refuse to let her husband have intercourse with her, and she does not have to do ghusl in this case. But when she wants to pray she should wash the blood from herself and put a piece of cloth or something similar over her private part to prevent the blood coming out, then she should do wudoo’ and pray. She should only do wudoo’ after the time for the prayer has begun, if there is a specific time for the prayer such as the five daily prayers, or when she wants to offer a naafil prayer.
2 – If she knows that there is no reason why she should not menstruate after the operation and it is possible that she may menstruate. This comes under the ruling of istihaadah and is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Faatimah bint Hubaysh: “That is a vein and is not menses. When the time of menses comes, then stop praying.” The words “when the time of menses comes” indicate that the ruling on istihaadah may apply to one who has a period that comes and goes. If a woman does not have a period then her bleeding is regarded as coming from a vein in all cases. End quote.
Risaalah fi’l-Dima’ al-Tabee’iyyah li’l-Nisa’ by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).

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For children, - Holy ProphetMuhammad (Peace be Upon him) in dream

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A man from a respectable background came to Balkh which is situated in the south of Iran, accompanied by his wife and daughters. Shortly after their arrival the man fell ill and later died, leaving his wife and daughters. Without his support they became poor and suffered. So fearing the mockery of enemies, she fled Balkh with her daughters to Samarkand.
On the day she arrived the weather was very cold, so she left her daughters in a mosque and went out in search of food. She passed by two groups of people. One was gathered around a Muslim who was the Sheikh and the other group around a Zoroastrian (Majusi) who was the security officer of the city.
She first went to the Muslim Sheikh and described her situation saying, "I am a woman of a respectable family, with daughters whom I have left in the local mosque and I have come in search of food." He asked her, "Bring me proof that you are from a respectable family." She replied, "I am a stranger in this town and therefore do not know anyone to testify for me." She departed from him brokenhearted. She then went to the Zoroastrian and explained her situation to him, telling him about her noble background and her orphaned daughters who were, waiting her return in the local mosque. She also mentioned to him how the Muslim Sheikh had treated her. The Zoroastrian stood up and sent some womenfolk to bring her daughters and took all of them to his house. There he showered them with honour and generosity. He fed them fine food and clothed them in rich garments.
That night the Muslim Sheikh saw in a dream the Day of Resurrectionand the banners were unfurled around Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him). Ahead of him, was a green palace made of emeralds, its balconies of pearls and rubies and domes of pearls and corals. He asked Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him), "Messenger of Allah, for whom is this palace?" Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him) replied, "For a Muslim." The Muslim Sheikh replied, "I am a Muslim!" Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him) said, "Prove to me that you are a Muslim?" At that, the Muslim Sheikh was dumbstruck. Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him) then said, "You asked a woman to produce proof of her respectability and therefore my question to you is, can you produce proof that you are a Muslim?" At this point the Muslim Sheikh felt remorse about his treatment towards the woman and her orphaned daughters.
In the morning, he immediately set out to find the woman. He learnt she was staying with the Zoroastrian and so called for him. When the Zoroastrian arrived, the Muslim Sheikh requested that he sends the woman and her daughters to him. The Zoroastrian replied, "Under no circumstance! I have received great blessings from her." The Muslim Sheikh said, "Take a thousand dinars from me and bring them to me." Zoroastrian shouted, "Impossible! The one who showed you the palace in your dream has made it (the palace) for me. Are you surprised because I am not a Muslim? By Allah (SWT), I did not sleep last night, before I and my family accepted Islam at that noble woman's hand and I dreamt something similar to what you dreamt; Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him) asked me, "Is that noble woman and her daughters with you?" I replied: "Yes, Messenger of Allah." Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him) said, "This palace is for you and your family. Allah (SWT) created you a believer in eternity." At that the Muslim Sheikh remained sorrowful and grieved for the missed opportunity of earning a lofty position in Paradise, due to his neglect of the widowed woman and her daughters.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon him) has said, "The one who strives on behalf of the widow and the needy is like a warrior in the path of Allah". (Bukhari and Muslim) May Allah guide us to what is right for indeed, He is Generous, the most Kind, and the most Merciful!

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Womens Work, - Dought & clear, - * Ruling on women selling their goods in the market

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I have a wife who wants to go and buy and sell on Thursdays in a market where men and women come together. She is very modest and covers herself.
Please advise us.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible for her to go to the market to buy and sell, if she needs to do that and if she covers all of her body in clothes that do not describe its shape, and she does not mix with men in any way that would give rise to suspicion. If she does not need to go and buy and sell, then it is better for her not to do so.
Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 13/17

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Womens Work, - Dought & clear, - * Women working in thesecurity services

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Can women take part in jihaad along with men? What about women working in the women’s sections of the security services?
Praise be to Allaah.
Jihaad by the sword and with other weapons is not obligatory on women. It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, do women have to do any kind of jihaad?’ he said, ‘Yes, jihaad in which there is no fighting – Hajj and ‘Umrah.’” – Narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 24794). Because men are responsible for defending women. Hence it is not permissible to draft them into the army like men, because of the bad consequences that result from that. The state of affairs in countries which have allowed that clearly demonstrate the harmful effects to which this leads. But if the army needs nurses to tend the soldiers’ wounds and there are women who can do this well, then their services may be used, so long as due attention is paid to the guidelines of sharee’ah, and proper Islamic etiquette is observed.
Similarly, it is not permissible for women to work in the police and other security organizations if this work has to do with men. If, however, it has to do with women, such as a women’s division in the police force to deal with women, or supervision of women prisoners in jails, or inspecting women in airports, and so on, then this is permissible and may indeed be necessary. They should be employed in such cases so that women will not be forced to mix with men and uncover themselves in front of them.
Wilaayat al-Mar’ah fi’l-Fiqh al-Islamiyyah, p. 688

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Womens Work, - Dought & clear, - * Islam cannot be divided into immutable matters and variables

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Is it possible to divide Islam into immutable matters and variables?
Praise be to Allaah.
Praise be to Allaah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah, his family and companions, and those who follow him.
Recently we have started to hear people saying that Islam can be divided into immutable matters and variables. But as far as we know these phrases were never used by any of the scholars, because the religion of Allaah is all immutable. The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not die until Allaah had completed the religion through him and had established the rulings. So it cannot be altered or changed until Allaah inherits the earth and everyone on it. No one after the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has the authority to alter or change anything. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”
[al-Maa’idah 5:3]
The religion, with its concessions and definitive rulings, has been established and after the death of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) it cannot be altered; nothing can be added or taken away:
“Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise (Allaah)”
[Fussilat 41:42 – interpretation of the meaning]
These words – immutable matters and variables – which trip off the tongues of some seekers of knowledge may be abused by those who follow their whims and desires who may try to change some rulings which do not suit their wishes and desires. Allaah says concerning this (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if the truth had been in accordance with their desires, verily, the heavens and the earth, and whosoever is therein would have been corrupted!”
[al-Mu’minoon 21:71]
If these words which some students say may be interpreted in any correct way, they would mean the ijtihaad of the scholars with regard to matters concerning which no text has been narrated. For the opinion of the mujtahid may change from time to time, according to the evidence that is available to him and depending on the circumstances. ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, when his ijtihaad differed concerning matters of inheritance, “At that time, that was our decision, and this time this is our decision.” The ijtihaad of the mujtahid is no more than his opinion, which cannot be said to be the ruling of Allaah; rather it may coincide with the ruling of Allaah or it may go against it. The opinion of everyone except the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) may be accepted or rejected. The opinions of the mujtahids cannot be divided into immutable matters and variables because they are all open to being changed if it is proven that they go against sound evidence. But the rulings of Allaah and His religion cannot be changed or altered. So the seekers of knowledge must be cautious in their speech and not say anything which opens the way for those who follow their whims and desires and who promote false arguments, because they (seekers of knowledge) are speaking with the words of the scholars and what they say may be taken as evidence concerning matters of religion. May Allaah grant us all knowledge and help us to do righteous deeds. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan, member of the Council of Senior Scholars and of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas.

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For children, - Dawah, Cheap Ticket to Paradise

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بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم -
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-Every Friday afternoon, after the Jummah service at the Central Mosque, the Imam and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out "Path to Paradise" and other Islamic literature.
This particular and fortunate Friday afternoon, as the time came for the Imam and his eleven year old son to go to the streets with their booklets, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring rain.
The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad, I am ready!' His 'Al Mualim' dad asked, 'Ready for what?'
'Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out.' Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's also pouring rain.'
The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, are not people still going to hell, even though it's raining?' Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.'
Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go? Please?' His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are the booklets. Be careful son.' 'Thanks, Dad!'
And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a pamphlet or a booklet.
After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone chilled wet and down to his very last booklet. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a booklet to, but the streets were totally deserted.
Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.
Finally, this eleven year old Dawah (Inviting to the way of submission and surrender to Allah) expert turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch!
He rang again and this time the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a very sad looking elderly lady. She softly asked, 'What can I do for you, son?'
With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I am sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that 'Allah really loves and cares for you' and I came to give you my very last booklet which will tell you all about God, the real purpose of creation, and how to achieve His pleasure."
With that, he handed her his last booklet and turned to leave. She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'
Well, the following Friday afternoon after Jummah service the Imam was giving some lectures. As he concludes the lectures, he asked, 'Does anybody have questions or want to say anything?'
Slowly, in the back row among the ladies, an elderly voice was heard over the speaker. As the voice went on, a hint of glorious gaiety and contentment was plainly evident in it even though she was not to be seen, "No one in this gathering knows me. I have never been here before. You see, before last Friday I was not a Muslim. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Friday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.
So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, I will wait a minute and whoever it is will go away.
I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder.
When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His smile, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead to leap to life as he exclaimed with a cherub like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that Allah really loves and cares for you!' Then he gave me this booklet, 'Path to Paradise' that I now hold in my hand.
As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this book. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I would not be needing them any more.
You see, I am now a happy vicegerent of the One True God. Since the address of your congregation was stamped on the back of this booklet, I have come here to personally say Thank You to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell.
There was not a dry eye in the mosque. And as shouts of Takbir! Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest)! rented the air, even among the ladies.
The Imam (dad) descended from the pulpit to the front row where the little angel was seated. He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no Jamaat (Assembly) has had a more glorious moment and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love and honor for his son, except for one, this very one.
You are the best community evolved for mankind; you enjoin the right conduct and forbid indecency and you believe in Allah. Noble Qur'an (3:110)
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious. Noble Qur'an (16:125)
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- /-{Alhamdulillaah}

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Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * Ruling on one who offers an udhiyah but does not pray

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What is the ruling on one who offers an udhiyah but does not pray; is that right?
Praise be to Allah.
In the answers to questions no. 5208 and 9400 we stated that not praying constitutes kufr that puts one beyond the pale of Islam. Based on that, any good deed done by one who does not pray will not benefit him and will not be accepted from him.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) said:
With regard to fasting when one does not pray, it is of no value or benefit, and it is not valid if one does not pray. No matter what other acts of obedience a person may do, they will not benefit him so long as he does not pray, because the one who does not pray is a kaafir, and the good deeds of the kaafir are not accepted from him. So there is no benefit in fasting if one does not pray. End quote.
Al-Muntaqa min Fataawa al-Fawzaan(39/16)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a person fasts but does not pray, no fasting will be accepted from him, because he is a kaafir and an apostate, and no zakaah, charity or any other righteous deeds will be accepted from him, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)); and that they came not to As-Salat (the prayer) except in a lazy state; and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly”
[at-Tawbah 9:54].
If their contributions – which refers to benefitting others – are not accepted from the disbelievers, then it is more appropriate that acts of worship, the benefit which is limited only to the doer, should not be accepted either. Based on that, the one who fasts but does not pray is a kaafir, Allah forbid, and his fasting is invalid. Likewise, none of his righteous deeds will be accepted from him. End quote.
Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darbby Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (124/32).
If the one who does not pray wants to offer an udhiyah, then he has to repent to Allah, first of all, for not praying. If he does not do that, and he persists in his ways, then he will not be rewarded for that sacrifice and it will not be accepted from him. If he does the slaughtering himself, then it comes under the heading of maytah (“dead meat”, from an animal that was found dead) and it is not permissible to eat from it, because meat slaughtered by an apostate comes under the heading of maytah and is haraam.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If a man who does not pray slaughters an animal, that meat cannot be eaten. Why? Because it is haraam. But if a Jew or a Christian slaughters an animal, that meat is permissible for us to eat. So the meat slaughtered by (the one who does not pray) – Allah forbid – is more unclean than meat slaughtered by the Jews and Christians.
And Allah knows best.

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Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * Does haraam wealthaffect the acceptance of the sacrifice (udhiyah) if it was bought by a group, some of whose wealth is haraam?

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If a group of people share in offering an udhiyah, such as if seven people share in a cow or camel, and the wealth of one of the people who joins us is haraam, and he paid his share of the udhiyah with haraam wealth, will that affect the udhiyah?
Praise be to Allah.
It is permissible for seven people to share in the udhiyah, if it is a camel or a cow, because of the report narrated by Muslim (1318) from Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: We offered the sacrifice with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the year of al-Hudaybiyah, a camel on behalf of seven and a cow on behalf of seven.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is permissible for seven people to share in a camel or a cow, whether the sacrifice is obligatory or voluntary, and whether all of them want to offer a sacrifice, or some of them want to do so and the others just want the meat.
End quote fromal-Mughni(3/296)
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 45757
The share of each of those who join together, if they are seven, is one seventh of that udhiyah. It does not affect the partners in that case if one of the partners shared in that udhiyah with them using haraam wealth, if they were not aware of that, because each of them is responsible for his own efforts and actions, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another.
But if the partners were aware of the situation then they should not help him in disposing of his haraam wealth and benefitting from it. Rather what they should do is denounce him for that, and it is prescribed for them to shun him so as to deter him from his sin and from consuming haraam wealth.
Finally, we appreciate your praise for our website, and we ask Allah to help us and you to obey Him, and to make us among those who call to good. We are very happy to hear that you tell people about the website so that they can benefit from it. Muslim (2674) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever calls others to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. And whoever calls others to misguidance will have a burden of sin like that of those who follow it, without it detracting from their burden in the slightest.”.
And Allah knows best.

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Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * Can the pilgrim remove something from his hair if he wants to offer an udhiyah?

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Is it permissible for the one who intends to do Hajj to remove anything from his nails or hair, knowing that he is going to offer an udhiyah and that this year he delegated one of his sons to slaughter the udhiyah?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
It is not permissible for the one who is going to offer an udhiyah to remove anything from his hair or skin after the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah begin, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the ten (days of Dhu’l-Hijjah) begin, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let nothing touch his hair or skin.”
Narrated by Muslim (1977)
This ruling applies specifically to the one who is offering the udhiyah; as for the one whom he appoints to buy it, slaughter it or distribute the meat on his behalf, he is not included in this ruling.
Please see the answers to questions no. 7092and 33743
Secondly:
If a person does Hajj and also wants to offer an udhiyah or to appoint someone to offer the udhiyah on his behalf in his own country, he may remove some of his hair at the time of exiting ihram following his ‘umrah or Hajj, because removing some of the hair at the time of exiting ihram is one of the rituals.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
There is a man who is intending to do Hajj and he intends to do tamattu‘ (‘Umrah followed by Hajj, exiting ihram in between); he has also left instructions for the udhiyah to be done. What is the ruling if he wants to exit from his ihram following the rituals of ‘umrah?
He replied:
He has to shave his head or cut his hair, regardless of whether he is appointed to offer the udhiyah on behalf of someone else or is offering it on his own behalf. He must do that if he is doing tamattu‘, after completing his ‘umrah, before doing any of the things that are prohibited whilst in ihram. End quote fromMajmoo‘ al-Fataawa(17/233)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: When the pilgrim has done ‘Umrah, he must cut his hair, even if he wants to offer an udhiyah in his own country, because cutting the hair following ‘Umrah is one of the rituals.
And Allah knows best.

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