Plucking and Shaping Eyebrows

Q: Are women allowed to pluck or shape their eyebrows?

A: A lady should not trim her eyebrows, get it trimmed by someone else, nor should she trim the eyebrows of others. The Hadeeth has forbidden these acts and such people have been cursed in the Hadeeth. (Al Bahrur Raa'iq V16 P78)

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Make Up and Eye Shadow

Q: Are women allowed to use make up or eye shadow?

A: If make-up or eye shadow is used to please the husband, it will be permissible. It will not be permissible for any other reason. Ensure that the make-up does not contain any Haraam ingredients.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Psalms and Music

Q: What does the Zaboor (Psalms) say about music or singing?

A: We are not aware of the ruling of the Zaboor regarding music and singing. We follow the Qur'aan and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam). The Qur'aan and the Sunnah has cancelled out and replaced all previous books and religious systems. Thus, the ruling of the Zaboor on these two issues is irrelevant to us. The Qur'aan and the Sunnah has forbidden music, singing and dancing, and this ruling is binding upon us.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Performing Umrah while Uncircumcised

Q: Can my son, who is one and a half years old, perform umrah without being circumcised (khatna)?

A: He can perform Umrah without Khatna. The Khatna should be done as soon as possible.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Long Hair and Bathing (Ghusl)

Q: What is the fatwa concerning women with long thick hair in the state of janaabah (impurity)?

A: When taking a Ghusl (bath), it will be compulsory to wet all the hair and to ensure that water has also reached the roots of the hair. If this is not done, the Ghusl will not be valid.

If the woman’s hair is tied into plaits then it is not compulsory upon her to open the plaits and wet the hair when bathing. She must just ensure that water reaches the roots of her hair. However, hair that is already loose at the time of Ghusl must be washed completely. Failing to do so will render the Ghusl invalid.

Mufti Siraj Desai

Qasr Salaah and Comfort

Q: Can you perform qasr salaah when on holiday at a holiday house with all comforts available?

A: Qasr Salaah is a gift from Allah Ta'aala to this Ummat, and a Divine gift should not be refused. The criterion for Qasr Salaah is the distance being travelled and the duration of stay at the temporary venue. One who travels 77.7 km and will stay at one place for 14 days or less, qualifies as a Musaafir. The comforts of the venue have no part to play in this criterion. Thus, if the criterion is fulfilled, Qasr Salaah will be compulsory, notwithstanding the comforts available at the holiday house, etc.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Woman and Orgasm

Q: If a woman experienced an orgasm but no intercourse took place, is ghusl (bath) necessary?

A: Ghusl will be compulsory upon the woman who experiences an orgasm.

Mufti Siraj Desai

Praying for my Mother

Q: How do Isend dua (supplication) for my mother who has died, since I can not read Arabic? Can I get a transliteration?

A: Du'aa is not compulsory in Arabic, nor is there a need for a transliteration. Make Du'aa in your own language for her forgiveness, comfort in the grave, elevated status in the hereafter, etc. The Du'aa that you understand will be more effective, heartfelt and sincere.

Please make an effort to learn Arabic so that you can read Qur'aan, Salaah, etc.

May Allah Ta'aala grant your mother Maghfirat (forgiveness), and a lofty status in the hereafter. Aameen.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Sucking Wife's Breast and Bathing

Q: If I suck my wife breast, do we both need to do ghusl (bath)? There was no intercourse.

A: Sucking the breast of the wife does not make Ghusl necessary. Ghusl will become necessary if ejaculation of sperm takes place or when the private part of the male enters the female private part, irrespective of whether there is ejaculation or not.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Anal Sex

Q: Can a man have anal sex with his wife?

A: Anal sex is totally prohibited in Islam. It is counted among the major sins. The vagina has been created for sexual gratification and not the anus. Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah (Radhiyallaahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam said: Accursed is that person who enters the anus of his wife. (Abu Dawood). He narrates another Hadeeth: Allah will not look at that person (with mercy) who has anal sex with his wife. (Ibni Maajah)

A person who commits this Haraam act will be accursed and will deprive himself of the mercy of Allah. May Allah Ta'aala save the Ummat from this forbidden act. Aameen.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Toilet and Cleanliness

Q: I always have problems with cleanliness when leaving the toilet because I am in a rush. How can I rectify this?

A:. The answer is simply – do not rush! Cleanliness (Tahaarah) holds a very important position in the life of a Muslim. Salaah will not be valid without proper cleanliness. By being neglectful in matters of cleanliness, one is placing Salaah, etc. in jeopardy. By way of example, the Hadeeth is very explicit and stern with regard to splashes of urine on the body and clothes and warns of punishment in the grave for one who is negligent in this.

Spend so much time in the toilet which is needed to attain proper cleanliness.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Types of Talaaq (Divorce)

Q: What are the types of talaaq?

A: There are three types of Talaaq:

1) Talaaq Ahsan: This is when a man gives his wife Talaaq while she is clean (not menstruating) and has not had intercourse with her since the last period. He then stays apart from her until her Iddah is completed (three consecutive periods). This is the best type of Talaaq because it allows the man to take back his wife before the Iddah period is over. If the Iddah period expires and thereafter he wishes to have her back, a new Nikah must be performed.

2) Talaaq Hasan (Sunni): In this type of Talaaq a man gives three Talaaqs, one in each of three consecutive clean periods (when she is not menstruating) and during which he has not had intercourse with her. If he wishes to take her back, he may do so after the first or second Talaaq, but not after the third Talaaq has been issued.

3) Talaaq Bid'ee: This is when a man issues three Talaaqs in one sentence or three Talaaqs within one clean period. Although it is sinful to issue Talaaq in this manner, nevertheless the Talaaqs will be valid and she will no more be his wife.

It will also be regarded as Talaaq Bid’ee if a man has intercourse with his wife and then issues Talaaq within the same non-menstruating period; or he issues Talaaq during a menstruating period.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked ana approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Advice for Reading Fajr

Q: We are not offering prayer fajr salaah. What can we do to start offering it?

A: You have to have the concern from the night. Try to implement the following suggestions:
1) Make Du'aa that getting up for Fajr becomes easy on you.
2) Go to sleep immediately after Eshaa so that you can get enough sleep.
3) Do not sleep with a full stomach and do not have any liquids before sleeping.
4) Set the alarm and also get someone to wake you up or phone you at the time of Fajr.
5) Recite the last few verses of Surah Kahf before sleeping (from Innalladheena Aamanoo).
6) Recite the following verse regularly, especially after every Salaah (Surah Ebrahim v40):
رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ

May Allah Ta'aala make it easy upon you and accept all your Ibaadat. Aameen.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Seeing the Husband's Private Part

Q: Can a wife see her husband's private part?

A: Although it is permissible to view each others private parts, modesty demands that husband and wife cover themselves, even at the time of sexual relations. This is advice in the Hadeeth (Musannaf Abdur Razzaaq Vol 6 P194). This Hadeeth says that when going to the wife (to fulfill one's desire), do not be naked like asses.

It is mentioned that viewing each others private parts causes forgetfulness.

Prepared by: Moulana Yusuf Laher
Checked and approved by: Mufti Siraj Desai