Diwali sweets

Answer:

Diwali sweets 

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 64 Surah Tagabhun verse 16:

16     So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey; and spend in charity for the benefit of your own souls: and those saved from the covetousness of their own souls they are the ones that achieve prosperity.

Your Question: ....but please tell me what should i do to avoid it, my father is a government servant, and he gets huge boxes of crackers and sweets on occasions like diwali and pongal, what should we do with it, we can say that we dont burst crackers and avoid it, but what about sweets, we are surrounded by hindu neighbours and they give sweets, i feel its not right to tell them openly that we wont eat these food because it is haraam.

If your family happens to receive gifts or food from their disbelieving brethren and neighbors at pagan festivals, you are under no obligation to inform your disbelieving brethren that their food is haraam and that you will not consume it!!  If the food offerred to you by your disbeleiving friends is indeed from amongst the 'haraam', you are at liberty to dispose off the food, or distribute it amongst the poor and needy disbelievers which surround you.

Your Question: ....in india we are surrounded by kafirs every where and we find it difficult to find halal things here, even in vegetable shops people recite their prayers in the name of some idol every morning before their business starts, isn't this food haram, can we eat them, please tell me what should i do, how to keep away from haram things, help me!!!

Just because a disbeliever happens to invoke their pagan idols when they start their stores for business every morning does not make their products or their foods necessarily 'haraam' or unlawful in Shariah. 

Only those foods upon which a name of any other deity other than Allah Subhanah is invoked, or any food which is dedicated to the pagan deities like 'prasad' (offerrings of temples), etc. are considered 'haraam' or unlawful for the believers to consume.  A beleiver who chooses or happens to live surrounded by disbelievers in a pagan land must indeed be careful and strive as hard as they possibly can to avoid consuming the unlawful food which might be on offer. 

Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 65 Surah Talaq verse 2 (part):

And for those who fear Allah He (ever) prepares a way out.

Ruling on working woman after marriage

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Answer:

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

unless her husband is not able to and not capable of fulfilling the family`s needs. Is this true?

The Lord Creator Who created the man and the woman, gave each their distinct nature and a role to perform in a righteous society, and in His Absolute and Perfect Knowledge and Wisdom has assigned specific and equally important duties and responsibilities to both, the men and the women, according to their distinct nature.  Unfortunately today because this material and un-Godly world weighs everything with money, the role of work that brings in money in the house is looked upon with respect and adoration, but the equally important role of the maintaining the peace, tranquility, and well-being in a family is looked down upon with contempt and disrespect.

Just as it would create a major imbalance in society if both the husband and the wife decided to stay home and maintain the well-being of the family; if both the husband and the wife choose to go out and work, it too would create a major imbalance and adversely effect the well-being of the family!

The complete financial responsibilities of running a household is laid upon the man in Islam, and a woman, even if she is a millionaire in her own right, is not required to spend even one cent on the running of the house!  It would be the husband’s responsibility in Islam to provide the complete expenses for the running of the house. 

There is nothing in Islam which prohibits a woman from working is she wishes to do so, provided none of the social laws of the Lord All-Mighty are transgressed.  The money she earns is hers to keep and she is not required in Islam to spend even a cent of the money she earns in helping to run or share the expenses of the house, if she does not will to do so.

Your Question: Why should muslim women not be alowed to work?

Beloved Sister in Islam, there is nothing in Shariah which would prohibit a believing from working, provided none of the boundaries of Islam are transgressed.  The noble, chaste and beloved wife of the Messenger of Allah (saws), Hadrat Khadijah (r.a.), used to run her own International trading business, and was a very rich and successful businesswoman in her own right.  In fact, it was her association with the noble character of the Prophet (saws) during one of her business dealings which encouraged her to propose marriage to him!

Your Question; if she is willing to work although her husband doesnot allow her, can she go against him?

The husband and the wife are both responsible for the well-being of their sacred bond of marriage, and if one does something which the other strongly opposes and sees no need for it to be done, it would lead to all sorts of trouble in their marital relationship.

If the wife sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day, knows and respects and fulfills the role that her Lord has bestowed upon her which would earn her the eternal Gardens of Paradise in the Hereafter, and if she sincerely loves her husband and her marriage, she would not do anything that she knows would bring about disharmony in her relationship with her husband. 

A wife is well within her rights to choose to disobey her husband and go to work even if her husband does not allow her to do so, provided she is willing to face the consequences of her actions if her disobedience to her husband brings about the break up of her marriage!  If the husband does not allow his wife to work for any reason, and if the wife feels that her going to work is more important to her than her relationship or even marriage with her husband, she is well within her rights to choose to do so.

Graphic designer

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Answer:

Graphic designer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.834      Narrated by Muslim

We were with Masruq at the house of Yasar bin Numair. Masruq saw pictures on his terrace and said, "I heard 'Abdullah saying that he heard the Prophet (saws)  saying, "The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers.' "

Graphic designing or drawing portraits and pictures of animate objects is absolutely forbidden.

My question is, being a designer i have to place pictures like of hero, heroines, models, hindu bhagwans etc.. in magazines / pamplet / posters. i want to ask whether it is halal / haram.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Anaam verse 74:

74      Lo! Ibraheem said to his ‘Abi’ (father) Azar: "Takest thou idols for gods? For I see thee and thy people in manifest error!"

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48

Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this.  For whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin.

My dear beloved brother, In the sight of Allah Subhanah,  the most heinous of all sins is ‘shirk’ or associating,  invoking,  worshipping or sharing of any of Allah’s Attributes with anyone or anything else.    This sin of ‘shirk’ is so heinous and so monstrous,  that Allah Subhanah has declared this sin unforgiveable on the Day of Judgment,  and made Paradiseharaam for those who die while in the state of shirk.

What is absolutely and categorically prohibited in Islam, and what has been categorized as the one absolute unforgivable sin and crime of ‘shirk’.

Respected brother in Islam, it is not permissible in Shariah for the believers to make animate objects leave alone selling idols or statues!  It is also not lawful in Shariah to buy or sell or derive any benefit whatsoever from such unlawful objects.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 2 (part):

……Help ye one another in righteousness and piety but help ye not one another in sin and rancor: fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 19 (part):

85      Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein: and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in the burden (of the sin): and Allah hath power over all things.

Thus if one works for or is employed by a business which deals solely in ‘haraam’ products or services, or whose primary business is from unlawful products….for example bars serving alcohol, or gambling casinos, or prostitution dens, or interest-based commercial banks, or making idols, etc…..without an iota of a doubt, one would share an appropriate burden of the sin for dealing in and facilitating products and services which have been clearly declared as ‘haraam’ by Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.267         Narrated by An Numan bin Bashir

The Prophet (saws) said "Both legal (halaal) and illegal (haraam) things are obvious, and in between them are (suspicious) doubtful matters. So whoever forsakes those doubtful things lest he may commit a sin, will definitely avoid what is clearly illegal; and whoever indulges in these (suspicious) doubtful things bravely, is likely to commit what is clearly illegal.  Sins are Allah's Hima (i.e. private pasture) and whoever pastures (his sheep) near it, is likely to get in it at any moment."

Dress in islam

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Answer:

Dress in islam

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.  

The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself, his chaste and noble family, and his noble companions themselves wore the dresses which were worn by their people of the times.  Allah and His Messenger (saws) have neither specified nor limited the believers to a particular Islamic dress, but rather gave some conditions which the dress a believer adorns himself/herself with must be fulfilled:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 26:

26      O ye children of Adam! We have bestowed clothing upon you to cover your shame as well as to be an adornment to you; but the clothing of ‘taqwa’ (piety, righteousness, etc.) that is the best.  Such are among the Signs of Allah that they may receive admonition! 

Provided that the below five conditions of apparel are not violated, there is absolutely no restriction on the type or color of clothing the believers are allowed to wear in Islam:

1. Clothes worn should not announce arrogance.  
2. The ‘satr’ of the person (man or woman) must be covered in the presence of their non-mehrams.
3. The clothes worn must not be tight so as to display ones figure and curves, and should not be transparent.
4. The clothes worn must not be an imitation of the pagans or disbelievers.
5. Men should not imitate women in their clothing; nor should women imitate men in their clothing.  

Thus if the culture or tradition of the people where one resides is shirts and pants, skirts or blouses, saris, or whatever else; there is absolutely no harm if a believer adorns himself with his/her prevalent cultural clothes, as long as none of the above conditions of Islam are violated.

Three divorces

Answer:

Three divorces

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 229-230:

229    A divorce is only permissible twice: after that the parties should either hold together on equitable terms or separate with kindness.  It is not lawful for you (men) to take back any of your gifts (from your wives) except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah.  If ye (judges) do indeed fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah there is no blame on either of them if she give something for her freedom. These are the limits ordained by Allah; so do not transgress them.  If any do transgress the limits ordained by Allah such persons wrong (themselves as well as others).

230    So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably or 3^rd divorce) he cannot after that remarry her until after she has married another husband and he has divorced her.  In that case there is no blame on either of them if they reunite provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah.  Such are the limits ordained by Allah which He makes plain to those who understand.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2189       Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘There are three things which, whether undertaken seriously or in jest, are treated as serious: Marriage, divorce and taking back a wife (after a divorce which is not final).’

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3292   Narrated by Mahmud ibn Labid

When Allah's Messenger (saws) was informed about a man who had divorced his wife, declaring it three times without any interval between them, he (saws) arose in anger and said, "Is a mockery being made of the Book of Allah Who is Great and Glorious, while I am amongst you?"  As a result a companion got up and asked, "O Messenger of Allah (saws) shall I kill him?"

The absolute majority of the scholars are of the opinion that if one pronounces three divorces to one’s wife at one time, they will count as three and an absolutely irrevocable divorce will be established in the marriage.  That was the ruling of even the noble companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) of the stature of Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (r.a.) and of Hadrat Abu Hurayrah (r.a.), etc.

Al-Muwatta Hadith 29.37

Yahya related from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Muhammad ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Thawban that Muhammad ibn Iyas ibn al-Bukayr said, "A man divorced his wife three times before he had consummated the marriage, and then it seemed good to him to marry her. Therefore, he wanted an opinion, and I went with him to ask Abdullah ibn Abbas and Abu Hurayra on his behalf about it, and they said, 'We do not think that he should marry her until she has married another husband.'

Al-Muwatta Hadith 29.1

Yahya related from Malik that he had heard that a man said to Abdullah ibn Abbas (r.a.), "I have divorced my wife by saying I divorce you a hundred times. What do you think my situation is?" Ibn Abbas (r.a.) said to him, "She was divorced from you by three pronouncements, and by the (other) ninety-seven, you have mocked the Aayat of Allah."

Absolutely regardless of whether the husband declared the divorces in seriousness or in jest, absolutely regardless of whether he was angry or happy, absolutely regardless of whether or not there were any witnesses present…… if the husband has declared three divorce pronouncements upon his wife, an absolutely irrevocable divorce would be deemed established in their marriage in the Sight of Allah Subhanah……and the couple can never ever lawfully remarry again, unless and until the wife marries another person, and her new husband happens to divorce her, or he dies.

There are indeed some scholars who hold a difference of opinion and opine that three divorces declared at one and the same time would constitute as only one pronouncement of divorce.  And Allah Alone Knows Best.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws),   one can be assured of never ever being misled;   but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Attend parties with alcohol

Answer:

Attend parties with alcohol

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3732  Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘He who does not accept an invitation (without a genuine or valid reason) which he receives has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (saws).

The Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded and guided the believers to accept the invitations of their believing brethren; and in light of the above guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), if one rejects an invitation without an absolutely genuine or valid reason has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (saws).

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 90-91:

O you who have believed!   ‘Khamr’ (all types of intoxicants),  games of chance,  idols,  and divining arrows are all abominable works of the Shaytaan;  therefore,  stay (far) away from these so that you may attain success.   Indeed,  the Shaytaan seeks to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of ‘khamr’ (intoxicants) and gambling,  and to prevent you from the Remembrance of Allah and from Salaah.   Will you not,  then,  abstain from these things?

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2776        Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) invoked the curse of Allah on ten people in connection with wine: the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4477        Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

The Prophet (saws) said, "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must not sit at a cloth (table or gathering) where wine is being circulated."

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3765  Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the sitting at a cloth (table or gathering) on which wine is drunk.

Allah Subhanah has commanded the believers to stay far far away from any and all types of intoxicants, and the Messenger of Allah (saws) explicitly forbade the believers to sit or join in a gathering where alcohol is being served.  

Thus, if one has prior knowledge that alcohol will be served at a gathering or party, it would be purer and better for them to fear Allah and abstain from attending such gatherings, for Allah indeed has the biggest right that He be obeyed.  

But if one attends a gathering or party, knowing that alcohol will be served there, even if they do not consume alcohol themselves, they will indeed share a burden of the sin. 

Thus as much as it is an extremely preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to accept the invitations of their believing brethren, if one has prior knowledge that alcohol will be served at the gathering, it would be best to decline such an invitation.

The sin of abortion

Answer:

The sin of abortion

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 140:

Most surely they became losers, who, in their folly and ignorance killed their own children;  and made unlawful what Allah had provided them as sustenance,  falsely ascribing prohibitions to Allah.   Surely, they went astray and were not at all rightly guided.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 31:

Do not kill your children for fear of want; for it is We Who provide for them, and for you as well.   Indeed, their killing is a heinous crime!

Respected sister in Islam, whatever deeds one might have done in one’s past, if one turns to Allah Subhanah in sincere ‘Taubah’ and seeks forgiveness,  Allah Subhanah has promised in the Holy Quran that He will forgive all the sins of such a repentant believer, even if one has committed the gravest sin of all: ‘Shirk’!  Not only that, your Lord is so Merciful and Generous, that He not only will forgive the sins of such sincerely repentant believers, He will change their evil deeds done into good deeds!  

The conditions or ways to seek sincere Taubah or Repentance from the Merciful Lord are:

• One is aware that he has sinned,  and feels sorry and ashamed at their sin.
• Makes a solemn covenant and promise with Allah that one will not repeat that sin again.
• Turns to Allah and seeks forgiveness, before one has met with their appointment of death.
• Is a believer and does righteous good deeds thereafter. 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verses 53-54:

(O Prophet) say: “O My servants who have wronged their own souls….Do not despair of Allah’s Mercy!  Surely,  Allah forgives all sins.   He indeed is the All Forgiving,  All Merciful.   Return to your Lord and submit to Him before the scourge overtakes you;  for then you may get no help from anywhere.”

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 135-136:

Allah likes such good people very much, who,  if ever they commit a base deed or wrong their own soul by the commission of a sin,  remember Allah instantly,  and ask for forgiveness from Him for their shortcomings.  For who,  but Allah,  can forgive sins?   (And Allah loves those) who do not knowingly persist in the wrongs they did.   These will be rewarded with forgiveness from Allah,  and with Gardens beneath which canals flow,  and they will reside therein forever!   How excellent is the reward of those who do good deeds!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verses 63-71:

The (true) servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth.   When the ignorant people behave insolently towards them,  they say, “Peace to you”;  (And those) who pass their nights in prostrating themselves and standing before their Lord and pray, “O our Lord,  save us from the torment of Hell,  for its torment is killing!  It is an evil abode,  and an evil resting place”.  (And those) who,  when they spend are neither extravagant,  nor miserly,  but keep the golden mean between the two extremes.  (And those) who do not invoke any god but Allah Alone,  nor kill a soul unjustly,  which Allah has forbidden,  nor commit adultery… He who does this shall be punished for his sin,  and his torment shall be doubled on the Day of Resurrection,  and he shall abide in a state of ignominy;  EXCEPT THE ONE WHO MAY HAVE REPENTED (AFTER THOSE SINS),  AND HAVE BELIEVED AND DONE RIGHTEOUS DEEDS.   For then,  Allah will change his evil deeds into good deeds,  and He is very Forgiving and Merciful.   In fact,  one who repents and does righteous deeds,  returns to Allah as one rightly should!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 54:

When those come to you who believe in Our Signs,  say: "Peace be on you!  Your Lord had inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy.  Verily if any of you did evil in ignorance,  and thereafter repented and amended (his conduct),  Lo! He is Oft-Forgiving,  Most Merciful."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2357        Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2338        Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Allah accepts a servant's repentance (taubah) till he gives up his spirit in death."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2339        Narrated by Abu Sa'id

Allah's Messenger (saws) said that the Shaytaan said, "By Thy Might, my Lord, I shall continue to lead Thy servants astray as long as their spirits are in their bodies!"  The Lord, Who is Great and Glorious, replied, "By My Might, Glory and Exalted Station, I shall continue to pardon them as long as they ask My forgiveness!"

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6499     Narrated by Abu Dharr Ghaffari

Allah's Messenger (saws) said that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, stated: “He who comes with goodness, there are in store for him ten like those and even more than those; and he who comes with vice, it is only for that that which he is called to account. I even forgive him as I like, and he who draws close to Me by the span of a palm, I draw close to him by the cubit; and he who draws close to Me by the cubit, I draw close to him by the space (covered) by two hands; and he who walks towards Me, I rush towards him; and he who meets Me in the state that his sins fill the earth, but not associating anything with Me, I would meet Him with the same (vastness) of pardon (on My behalf)."

Respected sister in Islam, as grave and as heinous the sin of aborting an unborn child may be, do not despair of the Mercy of your Lord Most Merciful.  If you are indeed repentant at the commission of your sin and seek sincere ‘taubah’ from your Lord for your transgression, it is expected that you will find your Lord Forgiving and Merciful.