Questions on Religious Matters

Question

May you be in good health – insha Allah. Can a father give his Zakat al-fitr to his poor child or vice-versa? Can a poor person who has received Zakat al-fitr use the amount to pay for his medical or health expenses?

Answer

If a poor person is dependent upon another individual for his daily expenses, like father or mother or child, he cannot give him or her his Zakat al-fitr. A poor person can spend Zakat al-fitr on his daily expenditures.

Question

Salamun alaykum. There is a housemaid who sometimes dines in her own house and other times in the house of her employer. If she happens to be in her own house on the night of Eid al-Fitr, who is supposed to give her fitra? Should she herself give it or is

Answer

If she is in the employer's house before sunset of the night of Eid al-Fitr and she is considered 'dependent' on the employer, it is obligatory upon him to pay her fitra.

Question

My question is about Zakat al-fitr. Is it necessary to give each fitra to one person or it can be distributed among a few poor people?

Answer

As a measure of obligatory precaution, the amount of Zakat al-fitr given to one poor person must not be less than one Sa'a (approximately three kilograms).

Question

What is the Shari'ah law about chatting online with a non-mahram (unrelated) girl? Does it make a difference if the conversation is about religious and social issues?

Answer

If it is feared that they might fall into a sin, it is not permissible.

Question

Salamun alaykum, I pray to Allah for your wellbeing and success. My question is about wearing perfume and cologne as well as smelling flower in the month of Ramadan. Do they affect the fast? May Allah grant you success.

Answer

It is makrooh (reprehensible) for a fasting person to smell fragrant plants. However, it is recommended to wear perfume and it is one of the good deeds a fasting person can do to attain more reward.

Question

I hope you receive this email in the best of your health. How should teachers and students who travel to another city on a regular basis go about their prayers and fast considering the fact that they stay in that city or in their dormitories for less tha

Answer

Teachers and students who go back and forth between their hometowns and universities at least once in less than ten days should offer 'full' prayers and observe fast at the destination point and on their way to and from the university except for the first

Question

Salamun alaykum. Is the fast valid if a person is unable to throw out his mucous or phlegm and it goes down his throat without him being in control of it?

Answer

If it does not reach his mouth and it goes down his throat, there is no problem and his fast would be valid.

Question

Salamun alaykum. What is the kaffara (penalty) for breaking one's fast unintentionally? Is it permissible to pay it in cash?

Answer

The kaffara for breaking a fast unintentionally is 750 grams of food stuffs like wheat, barley, bread, rice and the likes. There is no objection in making the payment in cash if the following two conditions are met: First, he should tell the poor person