Muslimah

Question I would like to know: 1- If during the time of Prophet, was there any such practice as putting a clause in the marriage contract that husband would not take any wives after this? Does this not amount to making a halal thing haram? 2- If a husband promises his wife that he would not take another wife, does he forego his right to take more wives? Please note that this promise is not a condition in the marriage contract but is done after few years of marriage. 3- If answer to question 2 is yes, then does it still hold if the husband made this promise under some pressure? 4- Would the husband be sinning if he breaks the promise made to first wife and goes ahead with the marriage?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: If the wife stipulates that her husband should not take another wife, this is a valid condition and he must adhere to it; if he does take another wife, she has the right to annul the marriage contract. That is because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (2721) and M...

Question What is the ruling on a woman travelling without a mahram because her work requires that of her? Answer It is haraam because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No woman should travel without a mahram.” This was narrated by Ahmad from the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) in his Musnad. Even if her work requires that of her, we say that if she cannot find a mahram then she should not travel.

Question What is the ruling on taking a woman’s picture in order to have a passport issued so that she can travel with her husband for the purpose of da’wah? Answer Praise be to Allaah. It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (1/496): “A woman should not allow anyone to photograph her face whether for a passport or for any other purpose, because it (her face) is ‘awrah, and because the existence of pictures in passports and elsewhere is one of the causes of fitnah… unless that is the case of necessity.” Based on that, it may be said that if the purpose of the woman’s travel is da’wah, to call people to Allaah, then this is not something necessary that would make this action permissible. In many foreign countries women attend the mosques and Islamic centers and benefit from what the daa’iyahs are doing there . So there is no need for this woman to expose herself to fitnah or the risk of doing some haraam actions, especially since there is such a great need for da’wah in the country whe...

Question A woman wants to go and perform Hajj, although she has performed this obligatory duty before. Her stepdaughter will be going with her, and the husband of her stepdaughter. Is he regarded as a mahram for her, and is it permissible for her to travel with him?  There is another scenario, which is a woman who is going to travel with her son, and her (female) neighbour wants to go with them. Is that permissible, knowing that the female neighbour is not a mahram for the son of her neighbour?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: In order for Hajj to be obligatory for a woman, she should have a mahram who can accompany her on her journey, because al-Bukhaari (1862) and Muslim (1341) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No woman should travel except with a mahram, and no man should enter upon her unless she has a mahram with her.” A man said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I want to go out with the...

Question I know that a woman is not permitted to travel without a mahram with her. I would like to know what is meant by (traveling) exactly. Where should we start measuring the distance, from the beginning (a place in the desert), or from where? My father has a farm on Misr-Ismailia way, and he likes us to visit him every so often, this farm is about 75 minutes maximum from home. Is this considered traveling? Considering that there are many new cities, schools, companies, and farms along the way. Answer Praise be to Allaah. The saheeh Sunnah indicates that it is not permissible for a woman to travel except with a mahram. This travelling is not defined by a specific distance, as is the case with shortening the prayers or breaking the fast, rather everything that is called travelling, whether it is long or short, is not permitted for a woman unless she has a mahram with her. Al-Bukhaari (1729) and Muslim (2391) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet...

Question Can women live alone? If they can live alone, why can't they travel alone?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. A woman may live alone subject to the condition that she is trustworthy and is not a woman of dubious character. With regard to a woman travelling without a mahram, it is clearly not allowed, as in the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (1729) and Muslim (2391) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No woman should travel except with a mahram, and no man should enter upon her unless a mahram of hers is present.” A man said: “O Messenger of Allaah, I want to go out with such and such an army and my wife wants to go for Hajj.” He said: “Go out (for Hajj) with her.” This is completely wise, because travel involves hardship and exhaustion, and because of her weakness a woman needs someone to help her and stay by her side. Things may happen to her that may cause her to lose control when her mahra...

Question I want to go fo Umah but as i cant go without Meam, i'm stuck & sad, my husband is vey much busy with his wok cant leave the site fo8-10 days , kindly guide me how can i p fom umah & please pay fo my family & husband. Answer Praise be to Allaah. A woman who does not have a mahram to travel with does not have to go for Hajj or ‘Umrah, and she is excused if she does not go. It is haraam for her to travel for Hajj or for any other reason without a mahram, and she has to be patient until Allaah makes it easy for one of her mahrams to travel with her. The ways of goodness are many. If a Muslim cannot do one act of worship, he may strive hard in those acts of worship that he can do, until Allaah makes it easy for him to do the acts of worship that he could not do. By the bounty of Allaah towards His believing slaves, if a person resolves to do an act of worship but he is unable to do it because of some excuse, he will be granted the reward of one who does it. Al-Bukh...

Question Please accept my apology if this questions offends, but in the pursuit of Islamic knowledge, we cannot afford to be shy for fear that if we are not well advised, we may commit a sin. I have been advised by a friend that there is a "qawl" (opinion) among some ulamaa' (scholars) that it is permissible to conduct anal sex (anal penetration) (between man and wife only) during the time of the wife's haydh (menstruation). Is this correct? Please also advise the laws and penalties relevant to it. Answer Praise be to Allah. Your apology is accepted. Striving to understand the rulings of Sharee'ah in this and similar matters is not haraam or shameful; it is necessary. As regards your question, anal intercourse with one's wife is a major sin, whether it occurs at the time of menstruation or not. The Prophet SAWS (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) cursed the one who does this: "Cursed is the one who approaches his wife in her rectum" (Reporte...

Question What is the ruling on one who is intimate with women but does not commit zina, i.e. kissing etc?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Zina (adultery, fornication) does not refer only to penetration, rather there is the zina of the hand, which is touching that which is forbidden, and the zina of the eyes, which is looking at that which is forbidden, even though zina that is committed with the private parts, is the zina which is punishable with the hadd punishment. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has decreed for every son of Adam his share of zina, which he will inevitably commit. The zina of the eyes is looking, the zina of the tongue is speaking, one may wish and desire, and the private parts confirm that or deny it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5889; Muslim, 2657. It is not permissible for the Muslim to long for the things that lead to zina, such as kissing, being alone, touching and looking, for all these thin...

Question Very Happy to reach your site, hope I find my solution here, here's my story. I am a 23-years mother with two kids. I have met a 30-years Muslim man, talked together on phone, things went well, and finally I met him face to face last Saturday when we talked for 5 minutes before he leaves. Then we met again on Sunday, went to see a movie, and he kissed me on my lips. I am not sure of his adherence to Islam, all I know is that he doesn't smoke nor does he drink alcohol. He even advises me to keep away from such two bad habits. My question is : can a Muslim behave seriously with a woman like me with two children (not cheating)? A Muslim sister answered me with "No" because I am not a virgin in addition that dating is not allowed in Islam. I am feeling badly as I love him much and respect his religion. I can't imagine how his family will look to me if both he and me keep this relation? Will they think ill of me as a bad woman who has two kids and go out with ...

Question I am in state of confusion. I am engaged, i love my fiancee however before engage, she used to act like Canadian girls which i knew but smoked cigarette etc while she was in high school I did not know. When we got engaged she told me that she loved and was crazy about this guy but never had a boyfriend, she used to hung around with rougth bad and black guys just like friends and she is virgin, she escaped so many school days and the reason is that she used sat with friend in the back of school or in their house watching Indian movies and used smoke because her friend led her to this path. HOwever, she stopped everything after we got engaged. But I did not liked these things she said and i start disliking her little by little because i thought she is lying to me. The quesiton is i always thougth to myself that a girl like her being so open to guys, wearing open cloths and her parenth did not care much how come she would not have a boyfriend(in this easthern society)it is imposs...

Question I have been accused repeatedly for finding a boyfriend while wearing hijab. Personally i don't think wearing a hijab should stop me from choosing a suitable partner. When i found him, i showed him to my parents asking for their openion on him. Some say "better not to wear hijab at all than doing this". Am i right to say that Islam does not prevent any girls from finding a suitable partner and wearing hijab has nothing to do with it?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The Muslim woman must know that she is obliged to wear hijaab and observe proper Islamic hijaab at all times. It is not permissible for a woman to make a wanton display of herself (tabarruj). Tabarruj is a major sin for which the one who does it deserves the wrath and punishment of Allaah.  A woman, as the saying goes, is a jewel, and when she is shown to people and makes a wanton display of herself she loses her value. So I advise the questioner and every Muslim woman to adhere to proper Islamic ...

Question What is the ruling on a wife’s maternal uncle visiting her when she is alone during the time her husband is working? This situation has come up more than once. Answer Praise be to Allaah. The maternal uncle is a mahram for all the daughters and granddaughters of his sisters, because Allaah says in Soorat al-Nisa’, defining women who are forbidden in marriage: “Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters” [al-Nisa’ 4:23] So there is nothing wrong with his visiting his sister’s daughter and being alone with her or travelling with her, so long as there are no reasons for suspicion, such as if he is an evildoer and cannot be trusted with his sister’s daughter. If there are any grounds for suspicion, then he is not allowed to be alone with or visit her when her husband is not present. Some of the salaf – such as ‘Ikrimah and al-Sha’bi – were of the vi...

Question What is the definition of the ‘awrah between a woman and her brother? What is the ‘awrah between a girl and her mother or sister?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The ‘awrah of a woman in front of her mahrams such as her father, brother and nephew is her entire body except that which usually appears such as the face, hair, neck, forearms and feet. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their (Muslim) women” [al-Noor 24:31]. So Allaah has permitted a woman to show her a...

Question Is wearing niqaab one of the conditions of Islamic dress for women? Answer Praise be to Allaah. Hijaab in Arabic means covering or concealing. Hijaab is the name of something that is used to cover. Everything that comes between two things is hijaab. Hijaab means everything that is used to cover something and prevent anyone from reaching it, such as curtains, door keepers and garments, etc. Khimaar comes from the word khamr, the root meaning of which is to cover. For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Khammiru aaniyatakum (cover your vessels).” Everything that covers something else is called its khimaar. But in common usage khimaar has come to be used as a name for the garment with which a woman covers her head; in some cases this does not go against the linguistic meaning of khimaar. Some of the fuqahaa’ have defined it as that which covers the head, the temples and the neck. The difference between the hijaab and the khimaar is that the hij...

Question what people can a muslimah take her hijab off from? Answer Praise be to Allaah. It is permissible for a woman to take off her hijaab in front of her mahrams. A woman’s mahram is a person whom she is never permitted to marry because of their close blood relationship (such as her father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc., and her son, grandson, great-grandson, etc., her paternal and maternal uncles, her brother, brother’s son and sister’s son), or because because of radaa’ah or breastfeeding (such as the brother and husband of the woman who breastfed her), or because they are related by marriage (such as the mother’s husband, the husband’s father, grandfather, etc., and the husband’s son, grandson, etc.). More details on this subject are given below: Mahrams by ties of blood These are the ones mentioned in Soorat al-Noor, where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s fathe...

Question Does a Muslim man have the right to marry a Christian or Jewish woman as the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) married Maariyah al-Qibtiyyah?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not marry Maariyah al-Qibtiyyah, rather she was his concubine. The Muqawqis, the ruler of Egypt, gave her as gift to him after the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyah. It is permissible to have intercourse with a slave woman, even if she is not Muslim, because she is part of “what one's right hand possesses,” and Allaah has permitted “what one's right hand possesses” without stipulating that the slave woman be a Muslim. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts) 6. Except from their wives or (the slaves) that their right hands possess,.. for then, they are free from blame” [al-Mu’minoon 23:5-6] With regard to marrying a Christian or Jewish woman, this...

Question Why are women not allowed to have 3 or 4 husbands but men can have 3 or 4 wives? Answer Praise be to Allaah. This is connected primarily to faith in Allaah. All religions are agreed that it is not permissible for a woman to have intercourse with anyone except her husband. Among these religions are those which are undoubtedly of heavenly origin, such as Islam and the original versions of Judaism and Christianity. Belief in Allaah dictates submission to His rulings and laws, for Allaah is All-Wise and All-Knowing, He knows what is in the best interests of mankind. So we may understand the wisdom behind the ruling of sharee’ah, or we may not be able to grasp it. With regard to the permissibility of multiple spouses for men and its prohibition for women, there are several issues which are obvious to every intelligent person. Allaah has made woman like a vessel, but man is not like that. If a woman becomes pregnant (when she has had intercourse with a number of men at one time), th...

Question This is an import matter about which I am confused. What is the ruling on jihad for women?. Answer Praise be to Allaah. Jihad is not obligatory for women. Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: In order for jihad to be obligatory there are seven conditions: being Muslim, being an adult, being of sound mind, being free, being male, being physically sound and being able to afford it financially. With regard to being Muslim, adult and of sound mind, these are essential conditions for all Islamic duties, because a kaafir is not to be trusted in jihad, an insane person cannot go for jihad and a child is physically weak. Ibn ‘Umar said: “I presented myself to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the day of Uhud when I was fourteen years old, and he did not let me join the fighting.” Agreed upon. … With regard to being male, this is stipulated because of the report narrated from ‘Aa’ishah who said: “O Messenger of Allaah, do women have to ...