فَسۡـَٔلُوٓاْ أَهۡلَ ٱلذِّڪۡرِ إِن كُنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon our leader Muhammad, his family, his companions, and those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment. Whomsoever has been guided by Allah, none can misguide, and whomsoever has been misguided by Allah, none can guide him.

1.      The deen of Islam

Q. What does Islam mean?

A. Islam is the deen (religion), which Allah has sent Mohammed (p.b.u.h) with. Allah made it the last of religions and perfected it for his creation; He made it a completion of his favors upon them, and chose it to be their deen. No other religion is accepted from anyone except the deen of Islam. Allah (s.w) says:

“Mohammed is not the father of any man among you, but he is the messenger of Allah, and the last (end) of the prophets” (Qur’an 33:40)

He also says:

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, and completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Al-Islam as your deen.” (Qur’an 5:3)[1]

“Say (O Mohammed) ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the messenger of Allah to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. La ilaaha illa huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but he): It is he who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and his messenger (Mohammed p.b.u.h), the prophet who can neither read nor write, who believes in Allah and his words, and follow him so that you may be guided”  (Qur’an 7:158)[2]

The deen of Islam is Aqeedah (creed) and Sharee’ah (legislation), and it is perfect in both. Islam commands:

1. The Tawheed and forbids Shirk (setting associates with Allah)

2. Truthfulness, and forbids lying.

3. Justice, and forbids oppression.

4. Trustworthiness, and forbids treachery.

5. Faithfulness, and forbids betrayal.

6. To be good and dutiful to one’s parents, and forbids being disrespectful to them.

7. Keep ties with relatives of kinship, and forbids severing the ties with them.

8. To have good relations with one’s neighborhood, and forbids all forms of ill treatment to the neighbors.

Generally speaking, Islam commands all noble morals, and forbids all ill and despicable manners; it also commands righteousness and forbids wrong. Allah says:

“Verily, Allah enjoins Al-’Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allah) and Al-Ihsaan, and giving help on kith and kin, and forbids Al-Fahshaa’, Al-Munkar, and Al-Baghy.” (Qur’an 16:90)[3]

2.     Altered water because of its being in a place for a long time.

Q. What is the judgment of water if its color or taste is altered because of being in a place for a long period except its adore?

A. As to water being altered because of its being in a place for a long period, it is considered pure according to the majority view of scholars. As to the running Nile, if altered because of impurity mixed with it, it is impure. But if mixed with pure and impure elements and there is a doubt as to whether it is pure or not, doubt is not sufficient basis to regard it as impure. In general seas don’t change because of these elements, but if there is a certainty that it is changed by impure elements, it is impure. But if changed by pure elements, then the two traditional views are quoted here.

3. Wiping over the head cover (over Hijab)

Q. What about wiping the head cover when we make ablution (oudu)?

A. Praise be to Allah, if there is any fear cold, she could wipe over the veil. It was reported that Um Salamah was used to wipe over her veil. She should wipe some of her hair along with the veil. But if there is no need to wipe over the veil, the scholars differ in such case.

4. Reading the Qur’an during puerperium (Nifas)

Q. What about a woman in puerperium (during after giving birth): is she allowed reading the Qur’an while in confinement? Is she allowed to engage in sexual intercourse before the forty days are over? If the forty days are over but the woman has not performed the purificatory bath, is she allowed to engage in sexual intercourse?

A. The four scholars unanimously agreed that it is unlawful for a woman to engage in sexual intercourse before the bleeding stops. If the bleeding stops before the forty days are over, she is to perform the purificatory bath and pray. However, her husband is not allowed to copulate with her before the forty days are over. As for reading the Qur’an, if she does not fear forgetting the verses she memorized, she is not allowed to read the Qur’an.

However, if she does fear forgetting them, she is allowed to read the Qur’an, according to some of the scholars. It is unanimously agreed that when the bleeding stops and the woman performs the purificatory bath, she can read the Qur’an and pray. If she cannot perform the purificatory bath due to the absence of water or on account of some disease, she is to perform the dry ablution (teyemum) instead, which is equivalent to the purificatory bath.

Allah knows best.

We pray to Allah, the exalted, to keep us on the right path to which he has guided us, and to bestow on us a blessing from him, he is indeed the most merciful.