A To Z of Women's Modern Fiqh (Complicated)

Qabeel at Hosna | Student Notes
May 2012
Qabeelat Hosna Complicated?: A to Z of Womens Modern Fiqh
May 2012 Shaykh Waleed Basyouni
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Tabl e of Contents
Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Chapter One: Rulings Related to Female Newborns and Children ....................................... 12
A) Virtues of Having Daughters ............................................................................................ 12
B) Naming the Child ............................................................................................................... 14
C) The Aq!qah ........................................................................................................................... 16
D) Shaving the Hair ................................................................................................................. 17
E) The Urine of the Female Infant ........................................................................................ 18
F) Circumcision ........................................................................................................................ 19
G) Photography, Paintings, and Sculpture .......................................................................... 19
H) Childrens Toys ................................................................................................................... 21
I) Sleeping Arrangements ...................................................................................................... 22
J) Clothing ................................................................................................................................. 22
K) Signs of Puberty .................................................................................................................. 23
Frequently Asked Questions .................................................................................................. 23
Chapter Two: Rulings Related to Worship which are Specific to Women .......................... 31
A) Rulings related to !ah!rah, Wu!", and Ghusl ................................................................. 31
B) Rules Relating to "ay# (menstruation), Isti!"#ah (bleeding outside of
menstruation), and Nif!s (post-partum bleeding) ............................................................. 38
C) Rulings related to $dh%n, Iq!mah, !al"h, and Dhikr ........................................................ 51
D) The Rulings Related to al-Jan!iz (Funerals) and al-"id!d (Mourning) ....................... 60
E) The Rulings Regarding Zak!h, !adaqah, !awm, and !ajj ................................................ 67
Chapter Three: The Rulings Related to Clothing and Beautification ................................. 77
A) General Guidelines Regarding Clothing and Beautification ........................................ 77
B) Rulings Regarding Womens Clothing ............................................................................. 79
C) Beautification ...................................................................................................................... 80
Frequently Asked Questions: ................................................................................................. 82
Chapter Four: Rulings Related to Social Interaction ............................................................. 96
A) Important Qualities of the Muslim Woman ................................................................... 96
B) Rulings Regarding the Dealings of Women with Non-Relative Males ....................... 98
Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................................ 105
C) Rulings Regarding the Dealings of a Woman with her Family .................................. 107
D) The Ruling Regarding the Muslim Woman with her Friends .................................... 112
Chapter Five: Rulings Related to the Role of Women in Society ........................................ 116
A) The Ruling Regarding Leaving the Home ..................................................................... 116
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B) Education of Women ........................................................................................................ 117
C) Participation in Dawah .................................................................................................... 120
D) Womens Participation in the Workforce ..................................................................... 122
E) Womens Participation in Politics .................................................................................. 125
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 127

Disclaimer: The following are student notes, which are not endorsed by the instructor or
AlMaghrib Institute.

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Overvi ew

This weekend will be filled with information, knowledge, interesting discussions and
stories both funny and inspiring. We will answer so many questions that are asked.

Why is this class called Complicated?? The complexity of this class is not related to
the subject we are focusing on (females). It is not referring to women being
complicated. It is called this because of the nature of the topic we are addressing,
which is the fiqh (Islamic rulings) related to women. They are complex, especially when
we discuss the modern issues. It needs to be simplified. Its about time someone comes
forward and provides a comprehensive approach to all the fiqh issues related to women.
We are focusing on issues related to the modern time. We wont talk about owning
cattle, goats, and sheep and how much zak%h is due. We will talk about working women
who have stocks and how they give zak%h. We will discuss what proper &ij%b is and if
skirts or pants with a long shirt is proper &ij%b or not. We will also discuss the issue of
mixing and interactions between men and women.

Some people today are calling upon the Saudi government to make sure there is one
day for men and one day for women during 'aw%f for "ajj. Some people take it to an
extreme. On the other hand, there are others who completely disregard this issue. One
very big and respected scholar says the concept of mixing between men and women is
unIslamic and there is nothing in Islam that says there is separation no mixing or
between men and women. We have these two extremes mainly because people cannot
see this issue and the complexity of it because there are so many scenarios and
circumstances.

Regarding the issue of &ij%b, so many people have different opinions and approaches.
We will discuss cosmetic surgery and what modern scholars say. We will see the
complexity of it. Also, we will discuss the issue of purification and menses. Im%m
A!mad (ra&imahull%h) said he spent nine years studying the subject of menses. It took
him this long to fully comprehend the subject because of the complexity.

The goal of this class is to simplify this subject so that you can understand it and
worship All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) and go through your daily activities while
understanding what the Islamic rulings related to the issue are. How can we achieve
this goal when it took Im%m A!mad nine years to study?

Shaykh Waleed decided to take an interesting approach to this course. This course falls
under one section: the fiqh department of AlMaghrib. This course has so much
knowledge for those interested in learning fiqh. You will learn so much about how the
Muslim jurists think and apply rules and debate over the issues. Shaykh Waleed
decided to do two things:
1. Start with the main principle regarding each topic and the main evidence.
2. The modern part and the application of the principles are in the forms of
questions and answers.

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Any time Shaykh Waleed teaches a class, he is asked to have a special Q&A session with
the sisters. We will answer more than 200-300 questions. Shaykh Waleeds style in
teaching fiqh is:
1. He makes sure we understand the differences of opinions on an issue.

2. He makes sure we understand the level of the opinions.
Not every opinion is recognized as a valid opinion by the Muslim jurists. There
are some opinions known as sh%dh opinions (rejected, weak). We live in a time
where Shaykh Google can tell you so many weird things that you have never
heard about. You can find an opinion for anything. There are so many people
taught religion based on ignorance. Im%m al-Ghaz"li said that the problem with
fiqh is that so many people said opinions based on ignorance that were
documented and passed on.

3. Shaykh Waleed doesnt mention who said the opinions because it isnt
knowledge to know who said what.
Who said it doesnt make the opinion accepted or rejected. What makes it
accepted or rejected is what kind of evidence the opinion is based on. The
important thing is the proof behind the position. We need to know why people
said different opinions and their evidences. Whenever you are only exposed to
an opinion and dont know the evidence behind it, then you will never value the
opinion and will not have respect for it. People dont know the value of the
different scholars, such as al-Layth b. Sad. People dont know who scholars are.
They dont value the person. To build the sense of respect for an opinion, we
learn what it is based on.

Also, you should respect the opinion you disagree with. We always think that
the other opinion is ridiculous because we dont know what evidence it is based
on. Ibn Rajab (ra&imahull%h) said, The first stage of knowledge makes you
arrogant (because you know one thing). When you enter the second stage, you
are humbled. When you enter the third stage, you will realize that you are
ignorant.

When M#sa (alayhil-sal%m) said he knew everything, All"h sent him al-Khidr to
teach him that there are so many things he didnt have knowledge on.

By knowing the evidence behind the opinions, you will have respect and
tolerance towards the opinions and those who hold them.

In this class, you may hear an opinion that you have never heard in your entire life. We
are not trying to change what you do but to teach you to respect the other opinion.
The goal of this class is to educate.

When Shaykh Waleed started researching for this class, one of his goals was to find out
if there was any truth to what the feminist movement said. Shaykh Waleed didnt find
any single example that there were anti-women opinions from the four madh%hib. The
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scholars were only motivated by one thing: what All"h said. They were motivated by
the evidence. They never looked at the issue in terms of women and men. They looked
at what All"h said and what the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said. They used the
same method they used to establish rules for men to establish rules for women.

Be 100% confident in the great scholars and im%ms. When they said what they said,
they were really looking at what will please All"h the most and not what will please
women or men. Shaykh Waleed saw this very clearly in his research.

Shaykh Waleed noticed that the modern scholars and students of knowledge are much
more strict when it comes to many womens issues versus the old scholars. Some
people blame this on corruption, but corruption has always been there. This is not an
excuse for them to put stricter rules on women than on men. There is a big problem in
modern issues that we cannot differentiate between the ruling and the impact of the
culture on the ruling. Certain cultures are by nature very strict. There are certain
cultures where women are very submissive. This is not the religion. You cannot take
the culture and make out of it rulings, especially for people living in the West. How do
we draw the line in the middle? We need ijtih%d for fatwas. It took Shaykh Waleed a lot
of research and consulting senior scholars because these are fatwas and new issues that
need answers.

Shaykh Waleed noticed that a lot of strict rules come because it is very easy for people
to say no. Ulem% said, The great faq)h is not the one who says no but the one who
says yes and why. As a mufti, there is no option of the safe side. There are only five
options: &ar%m, w%jib, obligatory, recommended, not recommended. Giving fatwa is
very difficult. The person asking the question has the option of the safe side. The
answer of the ulem% when giving the ruling is to give one of these five rules. The real
ilm is not to tell people about the safe side. It is to tell which category the issue fits
into.

We differentiate between the culture overseas and the culture in America. We have our
own culture in America, and that culture has to be used as a reference to understand
some of the rulings. For example, how is what is a proper manner or improper manner
determined other than the Shar)ah? From the culture. In America, it may be culturally
acceptable to use some language, but if you use this language overseas, it is not proper.
In u(ull-fiqh, there is even urfl-kh%( (special culture). For example, inside a masjid it
may be acceptable do some things that are not acceptable outside in public. For
example, someone may cover better when they go to the masjid than when they go to
the mall. When you go to the masjid, a lot of people have a staring problem and check
you out, but when you go to the mall, there is no staring problem. The urf (culture) in
that particular the place will govern the issue. Understanding this is a key point for
success and to have a balanced approach in this subject.

There are so many fat%wa out there that were not designed for us. A fatwa is a specific
case.

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What are we going to do in this class? What will we cover?
We will start with an important introduction about the role of women in society in
general in the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and through the history
of the Islam. Then we will start with the issue of newborn girls and the fiqh rulings
related to them. Shaykh Waleed is not here to speak about womens psychology. We
are here for one purpose: to discuss the fiqh rulings and what is &al%l and what is &ar%m.
Through this study, we will have a lot of motivating and inspiring stories. Shaykh
Waleed will only discuss issues related to women. For example, what are the different
rulings related to baby girls? Shaykh Waleed will talk about childhood and reaching
the age of puberty.

Then we will discuss the fiqh rulings related to the acts of worship. Shaykh Waleed will
talk about modern issues that we see in daily life. For example, if sisters are at a house,
should they pray together or pray separately? When women are praying together, is
the woman leading the prayer in the front row or in line with the others? We will
discuss (al%h, siy%m, zak%h, "ajj, and purification.

Then we move on to an interesting discussion on purification and clothing. We will
then discuss the fiqh rules related to social issues: dealing with friends, family
members. We will discuss the womens role in society, starting with education. Can
they study in another state? What kinds of schools can they go to? How do we deal
with mixing in public schools? We will also discuss the issue of what role Muslim
women play in dawah. Can a woman work? If she can work, what are her financial
responsibilities? If her husband is rich, can she still work? What is the proof?

The important thing about this course is that the d)n will not be used for personal gain.

We will discuss the womans participation in society and politics and the right of
women to vote. This was allowed in the early stages of Islam, but only recently was it
allowed in America. We will also learn about womens role in politics and if she can be
the head of a state or a judge.

Ibn $Abb"s said the way to gain knowledge is by asking questions.

Introducti on

Lets go back to the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam). One of the most
difficult moments during the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) life was when he was
left in the battlefield surrounded by no more than ten of his companions during the
Battle of U!ud. His enemy knew where he was. A group of the mushrik)n called upon
each other that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was in a place, and their goal
was to kill the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and bring an end to this dawah. In
this critical moment, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was injured. He wiped his
face and found the blood on his hand. He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Success will
never be achieved by people who will do such things to their prophet. Was he making
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du% against them? No. When he said this, he then said, O All"h, please forgive my
people for what they have done to me because they dont know. [Bukh"ri]

At that moment, when he needed his friends and the supporters and allies the most,
Im%m Bukh"ri, books of Sunan and history reported the following:
At that moment, whenever he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) looked right and left, he only
saw her Nusaybah bint Kaab, known also as Umm Ammarah. He found her
protecting me by shooting arrows and by picking someone up from the floor and
helping the injured. She pulled them up to go back to the battle. One of her sons was
badly injured and bleeding. She put a bandage on his wound and said, Son, stand up
and fight! The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) is alone in the battlefield and I need
your help!

She saw someone coming from behind the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), and she
protected him with her own body, so the man hit her in her shoulder instead of hitting
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam). For an entire year, this wound was bleeding
after the battle. She then picked up a sword and struck the horse so that the men fell
off the horse, and then she killed him. In a moment like this, you would think that the
people standing in that position and at that moment were men. You would not think
that this is a place for women to play a major role.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) documented to us that one of the people he
remembered that day was Nusaybah bint Kaab. He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, O
All"h, I ask you that she and her two sons be in my company in Paradise. She said that
when she heard this, everything became easy and she didnt care about what happened
to her. She did what she did because she felt that she had an important role to play in
society. She was among a group of a few women who came all the way to the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) from Mad%nah to Makkah and gave the second bayah to the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) before he migrated to Mad%nah. Part of the pledge
of allegiance was, Ya Mu!ammad, we are giving our pledge of allegiance and
commitment to the d)n and to spread the d)n. It was not only men who gave that
allegiance. Because of that commitment, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) made
the decision to move from Makkah to Mad%nah because he found people willing to
sacrifice their own lives for the d)n. She lived up to the commitment.

It is so easy to have good principles in life, but what is hard is to live up to these
principles. One of the words of wisdom of Shaykh Bin B"z is: It is easy to die for the
sake of All"h. It is hard to live for the sake of All"h.

On the day of U!ud, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was left alone with a few
people and the army of Muslims was scattered around. In the Battle of &unayn, the
same scenario was repeated again. Everyone was running in different directions, and
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was left with only a few people, and among
them again was this woman. She was willing to give up her life before anyone reached
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam).

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Did it stop there? Her son, &ab%b, was taken by a man known in history as The Liar
M#saylimah al-Khadhdh%b. He tortured and crucified him. He cut him alive. When she
heard about her son, she said, I swear by All"h that I will free my son and kill
M#saylimah. She made this oath and commitment when she was in her 70s (if not her
80s). She was in the front line with the Muslim army. Some people when they read this
&ad)th think that it is before U!ud, but this is after fat&l-Makkah and after the death of
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam). She was with the first batch that entered the
garden of death (&ad)qatl-mawt). So many people died in this garden that was owned
by M#saylimah. This place exists until today in Saudi Arabia, and you can see the
marks on some of the graves.

This woman was there and she lost her hand in the process. She saw M#saylimah and
took the sword and struck. He managed to move so that she missed her, and he then
cut off her hand. Abu Bakr and Umar visited her when she came back, and they told
her that one of her body parts is ahead of her in Jannah, and her body must be gathered
together. They were giving her the glad tidings of Jannah.

This woman was a single woman in a society filled with hundreds of women like this.
They were always there in the moment when advice, protection, and decisions were
needed the most. One of the most famous leaders in Islam was Abdull"h b. al-Zubayr.
At one moment, he needed advice, and he turned to Asm" bint Abi Bakr. She said to go
and not turn his back. She said, Ya bunayy, I would rather see you dead while you have
your dignity than have you alive and be humiliated. Go and protect the rights that you
fought for.

The Muslim woman during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) played a
major role in society in every single aspect. She was a role model given to us.

In the Qur'"n, there is a verse in which All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) says, All"h wants to
give an example for the believer and someone for them to follow. When hearing this,
many think that this verse refers to a man. Who is All"h speaking about? Two females:
Maryam and (siyah. Many times we dont realize the position that All"h has given
women and the status All"h has raised them to. The role of women in society was
never meant to be secondary. When All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) created Eve from (dam,
He created her from his rib. She was not created from his feet so that he can step on
her, and she was not created from his head so that she can rule, but she was created
from his rib so that she can be near his heart.

There is a woman by the name of Hend who was the mother of Mu"wiyah. A man said
to her, Watch this kid. If he grows up, I think he will be someone special and lead the
Arabs. She looked at her son and then the man and said, He is such a loser if he is
only going to lead the Arabs. I want to prepare him to lead the whole world! He was
the king who ruled the whole world.

Mothers made great men. There is a righteous scholar by the name of Im%m al-Awz"i
who was very close to his mother. When she was old, she lost her sight. Every night,
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she would go to a place in the house and touch the floor. If she found the place warm,
she would say, Al&amdulill%h, and then pray fajr. If she found it cold, she would say,
La &awla wa la quwwata illa bill%h. She went to the place where he would pray the
night prayer. If it was warm, it meant he prayed, but if it was cold then it meant that
he was sick or something was wrong.

One of Shaykh Waleeds friends went to one of the countries previously a part of the
Soviet Union. This man went to the Grand Mufti of that city who said that he wanted to
introduce him to the person who preserved Islam in their city during the Communist
time. This person was his mother-in-law. He said that when they were under the
Communist rule, she kept a copy of the Qur'"n even though it was not allowed and
anyone who had it would be executed. She also had a copy of Bukh"ri and a copy of
Riy%# al-*%li&)n and another book. She would go to the basements of houses and have
halaqas teaching. He said that his father learned from her and he learned from her. All
of her daughters memorized the Qur'"n and married influential people. She was one
woman, and she saved Islam in an entire city.

Many times people ask, What is the womans role today in society? A woman has to
believe in herself and have the interest and be excited to take herself to the next level.

Women always played a major role in society in all areas. Abu M#sa al-Ashari said,
When the companions of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) had a dispute, they
would go to (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha). She would tell them what the position of the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was.

In the second generation, Abdul-Ra!m"n b. Q"sim said that he wanted to learn, so he
came to Mad%nah. All of a sudden Sa%d b. M#sayyib told him that if he wanted the deep
knowledge and real knowledge and the best teacher, he told him to go to Amrah bint
AbdulRa!m"n because she was like an ocean of knowledge.

Look at the contributions of our sisters and mothers throughout history. It is
something unmatched. Ibn Kath%r said that he never saw Ibn Taymiyyah get so worried
and think twice about an answer for one of his students like he did when a woman
named F")imah came. She had memorized the entire book of al-Mughni.

Im%m A!mad once wanted to soften the hearts of his students. He brought his students
and told them that they would visit Rabiah al-Adawiyyah, who was a good woman
(many things were made up against her which she never said or did). They came to
her, and she was sleeping on her bed, and there was a curtain between them. He said,
Ya Rabiah, remind us of All"h and the %khirah. Im%m A!mad was looking to soften his
heart and went to a woman.

Where is this today in our society? Where is it today in our society where women play
a major role? Where is a woman like this today? There is a woman named Mun%bah
who was very sick and about to die. Al-&asan al-Ba*ri went to visit her and said, Ya
&ab)bati, why are you crying? She said, Im crying. He said, Dont worried, you will
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be fine. She said, Im worried that this is my death coming so soon. He said, You
will go to All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la). She said, Thats not what makes me cry. Im
crying because Im going to die so early and didnt spend enough time worshipping
All"h. I wish I would be given more time to enjoy worshipping All"h. The enjoyment of
worshipping All"h during this age is something different, and Ill miss it. Where is this
today in the lifestyle that we have?

When we look at our mothers and sisters and women throughout history, you will be
amazed by their contributions and righteousness. There was a woman named Ama bint
Kh"lid b. al-(*. She was born in the non-Muslim country of al-&abashah. She said,
Why are we here and not with the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) in Mad%nah?
Her father told her of the torture that happened, and she asked why they didnt now go
to Mad%nah in the 7
th
year of hijrah. They were given farewell by al-Naj"shi. When they
arrived to Mad%nah, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was welcoming them to
Mad%nah. From the entire crowd, one young person by the name of Ama stepped
forward representing the entire group. She was a teenager. She said, Ya Ras+lull%h,
when we were leaving Abyssinia, al-Naj"shi sent his sal%m to you. He said, Give my
greeting to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) said, Peace be upon you and him. She was not pulled back and told not to
speak. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) later gave her a gift, as narrated in *a&)&
Bukh"ri. She wore the garment and came to show the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam), and the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Beautiful (in the Abyssinian
language). The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) knew how to communicate with
them in their language, which is a lesson for educators today.

There are so many examples of names of great women. Hopefully this introduction
raises the bar higher for all of us. Step one to reach that level is to know your d)n, be
proud of it, and know why you do things and why you dont do things. The women who
built the legacy of the past were not raised upon the lyrics and musical instruments.
They were not raised memorizing more poetry than Qur'"n. They were not women
who did not know hay% and modesty. They were not women who did not learn the
religion. They were not of those who didnt pray on time and didnt perform extra
prayers.

Start thinking about our community and our society and where those women are
today. What can make you like them? The responsibility falls on the shoulders of the
sisters first to step up to the challenge and take on the task. It is for the community to
support them.

The more we strengthen our sisters in society, the more it will lead to the
strengthening of the ummah.

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Chapter One: Rul i ngs Rel ated to Femal e Newborns and
Chi l dren

A) Vi rtues of Havi ng Daughters

There is not a single verse or &ad)th speaking about the virtue of having a son. Why is
there an emphasis on the virtues of having daughters? It was something emphasized.
During the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), people were ashamed of
having daughters and would bury them.

Women during that time were treated badly not only in Arabia. When the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was 30 years old, in France they finished a discussion on the
nature of women. They came to the conclusion that women have the body of a human
being and the soul of the devil. In Arab culture, they would bury girls alive.

Part of Arab culture was also that if the father died, the son would inherit the mother.
In Hindu culture, until not long ago, if a husband died, then the wife threw herself in
fire. In England in the 18
th
century, the husband had the right to sell his wife. It is sad
when you look at the world at the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
because women were treated badly. Islam came and talked about the virtues of having
daughters.

To All!h belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates
what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children] and He gives
to whom He wills males. (al-Sh+ra, 42:49)

The mufasir)n said that All"h started with females before males in this verse because
there is a virtue for having daughters. There is more ajr, which is why All"h started
with them. The Qur'"n teaches the story of al-Khidr. When he killed the boy, All"h
said, All"h wanted to replace this boy with a better child (a daughter). The Qur'"n
makes us pay attention to the fact that boys are not better than girls.

!ishah reports that the Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever
was given any female children and took good care of them, they will be a shield for him
from the Hellfire. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

In another &ad)th, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said two girls, and in another
&ad)th, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said three girls. The narrator said that
even if he was asked about one girl, he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) would have said that
they will be a shield for them from the Hellfire. Ulem% also said that this applies to
13

adopting a girl. If you adopt a girl or take care of your husbands daughters or your
wifes daughters, then the &ad)th applies to you. It is someone you take care of and look
after. This &ad)th also applies to teachers who spend hours teaching the children good
manners. It is not just applicable to those related to you. In another narration, the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said until they reach puberty or until they get
married.

In another &ad)th, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, and treat them well.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever All"h blessed with a daughter
and he doesnt favor his son over her, he will enter Jannah. Another narration gives
more conditions: and he was merciful with them.

Extra material: how female women are treated in the world today. Today women in
China and India and other countries are still being buried alive. There are so many
injustices happening to women around the world.

J!bir reports that the Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever has
three girls, takes good care of them and is merciful with them, he deserves nothing less
than Jannah. They asked, Oh, Messenger of All!h, what if they are two? He replied,
Even if they are two. Some narrators added that if the Prophet had been asked about
one, he would have also affirmed that. (al-H!kims Mu!tadrak)

In another narration, (If one has) three or two daughters or sisters, then he is
conscious of All!h in his care for them and treats them well, but that he will enter
Jannah. (al-Tirmidhi)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever takes care of two young girls
until they reach maturity, he will come on the Day of Resurrection with me, like this,
and he joined his fingers together. (Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever has a female child and he does
not kill her, disrespect her, and he does not favor his son over her, then All!h will enter
him into Jannah. (Abu D!w"d)

And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face
becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people
because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in
humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they
decide. (al-Na&l, 16:58-59)
14

Whenever al-Im"m A!mads son used to give him the news of getting a baby girl, he
would say, The prophets were fathers of girls.

B) Nami ng the Chi l d

There is no narration indicating the superiority of any particular female name. There
are a&ad)th that recommend names for boys, but there are no recommended names for
girls from the Qur'"n and Sunnah.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) changed the names of some girls. He changed
!!iyah (disobedient) to Jam!lah (beautiful). He changed Barrah (righteous) to
Juwayriyyah and Zaynab.

The governing rules in the area of naming are:

1. All names are mub!" (permissible) unless there is a particular proof indicating that
it is forbidden or recommended.

How do we know if a name is not allowed? If the name in your own language refers
to a meaning that is known in Islam to be &ar%m or refers to something evil, then it
is &ar%m. You cannot name your daughter Shay'%n or Firawn. If it is in your
tongue, some names are completely different. For example, in Urdu, there is a
name Sanam. In Arabic, sanam means idol. In Urdu, sanam means something
you love so much. Shaykh Bin B"z was once asked about a name Ilahibaksh, and
he asked what the name means in the persons culture and language and was told it
means the gift of God, so Shaykh Bin B"z said that it is allowed. If the person
asking was an Arab, then it would have been &ar%m to have the name. We look at
the meaning based on the language of the people.

2. The meaning of the name must be acceptable religiously, linguistically, and
culturally.

Any name with a bad meaning is not allowed. Give her a name she will be proud of
when she grows up.

3. It is disliked to give a name that is self-praising.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Dont name someone Aflah.
[Muslim] The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said dont name someone
Nafi, meaning the one who helps or benefits others. All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la)
praised Himself with this.

15

The four madh%hib said that it is disliked to give your son or daughter a self-praising
name such as the name Abr"r (the righteous one), Barrah, Abidah (the worshipper).

What about the names +m"n, Islam, Huda, Bayy"n? Shaykh Uthaym%n disliked for
these names to be used because there is some self-praise. Shaykh Waleed doesnt
think this is a very strong argument because these names are not meant as a
description. In modern days, when people use these names, they use them to refer
only to the individual as a title but not as a description for the person. In the old
days, when they said Barrah, they meant that the person is full of righteousness.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah was asked that his name his Taqil-d%n, and he said,
Wall%hi, I dislike it. My parents gave me this name, but I dont like it. Because it
was not forbidden, he did not change his name.

It is not acceptable to call your daughter Ra!matull"h or Kalim"tull"h because
these names fall under the category of self-praising.

Also, avoid any name that has a bad meaning according to the language commonly
used. What if the parents have different languages or cultures? Avoid names in
both languages that may cause a problem in the meaning. There are so many good
names that can be used.

Also make sure that the name given to your daughter does not refer to something
Islamically unacceptable such as a name of a god. What about using certain names
that refer to gods / deities? For example, can you name your daughter Denise,
which is a name of a Greek god? Can you name your daughter Rama? These are
not allowed because the names until today refer to gods. If there is a name that was
used at a certain point in history to refer to an idol and it no longer is used, then if
the name is still known in the culture and history as a name of a god, then it would
not be recommended, but it would not be &ar%m.

What about naming your children after an angel? Shaykh Bin B"z, Ibn al-Qayyim
and the &an"bilah said it is not allowed. Shaykh Waleed doesnt see any proof for
this. Shaykh Waleed asked Shaykh Bin B"z, and he said that Ibn al-Qayyim said it
was not allowed. However, Ibn al-Qayyim never brought a clear evidence to forbid
giving the name of an angel to children. Ibn al-Qayyim also said that you cannot
your son or daughter with one of the names of the Qur'"n, which is why Shaykh
Uthaym%n said you cant name your daughter Bayy"n. However, there is no proof
that you cant use a name for the Qur'"n for children. The default rule is that all
names are permissible unless there is a proof that it is not allowed.

The names of Prophet Mu!ammads ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) daughters:

Zaynab Ruqayyah Umm Kulth!m F!)imah

16

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) named a girl Jam!lah. In the Sunan of Ibn
M"jah, the man this incident happened with was Umar b. al-Kha))"b. The &ad)th in
*a&)& Muslim doesnt mention the mans name. A man came and said the name of is
daughter is !!iyah (the disobedient, the sinner). The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) said, Change the name to Jam!lah (the beautiful one).

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also named someone Juwayriyyah, meaning the
little, petite girl. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) used Zaynab for his
daughter and another woman. A woman said her name was Barrah (the one who is so
righteous), so the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) told her to change her name to
Zaynab or Juwairiyyah.

C) The Aq!qah

Many Muslims are ignorant of this very highly recommended act of worship. The
Islamic rulings are of five categories: w%jib (obligatory), recommended, forbidden,
disliked, and permissible. The obligatory are of so many levels and not just one level. If
you say al-sal%mu alaykum, it is obligatory for the person to respond with walaykum
al-sal%m. Treating your mother with respect and honoring your parents is w%jib and at
a higher level.

The recommended acts are also of many levels. Ibn &ibb"n wrote a book called the
*a&)& of Ibn &ibb"n, and he classified the book into more than 360 chapters. The first
section of the book was on the obligatory things and then he covered the
recommended acts and said that they are classified into 87 categories. He classified the
forbidden into different categories. For example, shirk is not equal to backbiting or
lying. This was a great work, but it was lost. How could someone look up something in
the book? You would have to be an alim to do it. Another scholar Ibn Baghb"n redid
the entire book and re-organized it alphabetically so that it is easier to find a &ad)th.
The book of Ibn &ibb"n survived until the time of Ibn Baghb"n. Ibn Baghb"n did save
the introduction of Ibn &ibb"n, which has a huge benefit and lots of knowledge in it.

The aq)qah is the top of the recommended actions. It is highly recommended. Other
highly recommended acts are the witr prayer and sunnah of fajr and ta&iyyatl-masjid.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever wishes to perform a sacrifice on
the occasion of a newborn, then he should sacrifice two sheep for his son and one for
his daughter. (al-Nas!i)

The vast majority of scholars agree with differentiating between males and females and
sacrificing two sheep for the boy and one for the daughter. Im%m M"lik disagreed and
said to sacrifice one sheep for boy or girl. He based his opinion on a &ad)th of the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) where he did the aq)qah on al-&asan, &usayn and
his daughter with one sheep for each.

17

If you dont have the money to offer two sheep for a boy, you can offer one sheep.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Each and every newborn is connected
(attached) to his aq)qah on the Day of Judgment. What does this mean? The ulem%
debated over the meaning.
- Im%m A!mad said, Your child will not intercede for you on the Day of Judgment
unless you offer the aq)qah. This refers to the children who are born and die.
Refutation: This limits the &ad)th to one circumstance, which is a narrow
understanding of the &ad)th, and there is no proof for it.

- Another understanding is that the righteousness of the boy depends on the
aq)qah, and the benefit of the child in the dunya and %khirah depends on the
aq)qah.
Refutation: If it is said that the aq)qah is a condition for the righteousness of the
children, this would not be fair because it is not the childs fault if the parents
dont do it.

- The strongest opinion is what Ibn al-Qayyim said and Shaykh Uthaym%n
supported. It is a famous opinion amongst the later scholars who interpreted
this &ad)th. They said: there is a certain goodness / righteousness and extra
things that All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) will give to the child and parents if they
perform the aq)qah. Why? The aq)qah is a form of being thankful and grateful
to All"h. All"h said, If you are grateful to Me, I will give you more. This is the
meaning of the &ad)th, and All"h knows best.

The aq)qah can only be done with two types of animals: sheep and goats.

There are many narrations from the tabi)n that the bones of the animal cannot be
broken in the aq)qah, but there is nothing from the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam).
The tabi)n said this out of being optimistic, but there is no proof of that.

What if the child passes away? If the child passed away before being born, then it is not
recommended to do the aq)qah. It is only recommended if the baby is born.

If someone cannot afford the aq)qah, then can people collect money and donate it to
them for it? Yes, this is allowed.

Are baby showers permissible? Yes, they are permissible. It is part of the culture of the
people here, and there is no religious significance. This does not replace the aq)qah.

D) Shavi ng the Hai r

It is not permissible to shave the head of a female child because shaving is of the
specific characteristics for males. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that the
female who shaves her head is cursed. (al-Bukh!ri)
18

On the 7
th
day, it is recommended to sacrifice the animal and name the child and for the
childs hair to be saved. The &ad)th says kullu ghul!m, meaning every boy. Does
shaving the head apply to boys and girls? There is a difference of opinion.
- The &anbalis said that the head of the girl is not shaved because shaving the head is
something related to men and not to women. It is &ar%m to shave the head of the
girl. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, All"h cursed the woman who
shaved her head. Shaving her head is absolutely forbidden in Islam unless there is
a necessity. The concept of shaving the head is an act of worship, and it is only
related to men.

- The famous opinion among the M"likis and &anafis is that they allowed shaving the
head of the baby girl. Ibn &azm also said this. Why? They base their argument on
dal)l (evidence) and reason. The dal)l is that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
shaved the head of his granddaughter Zaynab and two grandsons &asan and
&usayn.
Refutation: This &ad)th is a weak &ad)th. It is narrated in the Muwa''a of Im%m M"lik
and is a weak narration; therefore, using this as an evidence is not a good argument.

Their other evidence is that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said every
ghul%m which applies to boys and girls. They said it applies to boys and girls unless
there is a proof that there is a distinction. Shaykh al-Alb"ni said the &ad)th said that
you shave the head and move al-ada, which refers to things that are unwanted from
the delivery and applies to both girls and boys.
Refutation: the &an"bilah said the &ad)th did not say removing the ada is by
shaving, but the &ad)th said that there are two things you do: you remove the ada
and you shave, so you can remove it without shaving. They said that there is no
connection and the claim cannot be made that shaving is the tool to remove the
ada.

Shaykh Waleed follows the position that you should not shave the girls head. Those
who said that you can shave the head of the girl say that it can only be done when she
is a newborn (not older).

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that you shave, the weight of the hair and
give an equal amount in weight of silver as a form of (adaqah. For the girl, you dont
weigh the hair because you are not shaving it, but you can give a (adaqah in any form
you want.

E) The Uri ne of the Femal e Infant

Umm Karz narrates that a male infant was brought to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) and urinated on him. He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) had water sprayed on it. A
female infant was brought to him and urinated on him. He had it washed. (A!mad)

19

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The urine of the male child is to be
sprayed, and the urine of the female child is to be washed. (Abu D!w"d and al-
Tirmidhi)

This ruling is related to infants who are still nursing and have not begun to eat solid
food.

F) Ci rcumci si on

The circumcision of boys is a must. The circumcision of females is a hot topic. There
are certain practices of circumcising girls in a way that is inhumane, un-Islamic and
harmful to the girl. There is no doubt that this is forbidden in Islam. Is there any
evidence that females can be circumcised? There are two types of evidence. There are
statements that female circumcision is allowed, but these are weak narrations or not
authentic narrations. There are some a&ad)th that are not explicit, which mention
female circumcision.

The bottom line: the ulem% said that even those who said that there is circumcision for
females and it is permissible (not obligatory or recommended), the condition is that it
cannot be done in a way that will harm the girl in the future.

Abu Hurayrah says, I heard the Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) say, Al-
fi'rah is in five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache,
trimming the nails, and plucking the underarm hair. (Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said, If the two circumcised parts meet,
then ghusl becomes mandatory. (Muslim)

These are the only authentic a!ad"th related to this subject, but they are not explicit.
Other narrations specifically reference female circumcision, but they are not authentic.

According to the majority of the fuqah!, female circumcision is permissible with the
condition that it is not harmful.

The !ad"th related to female circumcision was narrated via many different chains, all of
which contain problems and are weak. They cannot be used as evidence.
- A,!m "b"di in Awn al-Mab+d

G) Photography, Pai nti ngs, and Scul pture

In order to understand this concept, we have to understand photography. The word
for photography in Arabic is ta(w)r. There are so many different views on this issue.
20

Photography, painting, and making pictures have to be classified into different
categories.

1. The first type of making pictures is doing it by your own hand, for example:
painting, drawing, and sculpting.

2. The second category of making pictures is photography by camera.
You are not drawing or making anything. You are freezing the reflection of the
image. Shaykh Uthaym%n used to give fatwas that videotaping was not allowed.
Shaykh Waleed asked him why. Shaykh Uthaym%n had thought the film has
images. Shaykh Waleed explained that was not the case and then Shaykh
Uthaym%n changed his fatwa and allowed such tapes because no one is making
images or pictures. Shaykh Waleed believes that videotaping and pictures does not
fall in the category of ta(w)r because you are not making a picture. You are only
freezing the image.

3. The third issue is the issue of hanging pictures.
It is not permissible to hang images or venerate them. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) said that angels do not enter the home that has a dog or image. (al-
Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The vast majority of the ulem% said that this applies to all houses when the pictures
are displayed. Ibn &ibb"n has a sh%dh opinion and is the only one to say that this
&ad)th is restricted only to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and the angel
Jibr%l. He said that this &ad)th is mentioned when the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) refused to enter a house because there was a dog and picture in a house. He
said that it referred to angel Jibr%l. Ibn &ibb"n also said that angels are with you all
the time, so they will enter the house.
Refutation: this &ad)th is referring to the angels of mercy.

How are pictures defined in Islam? The definition of a picture that you are not allowed
to make / display:
- The picture of the animals and human being. Ibn $Abb"s said this, and it was
agreed upon.
- The image is related to the face. If you have an image that does not show the
face, then it does not take the rules and doesnt fall into the category. It doesnt
make it &al%l to put a line across the neck.
- The picture must represent something that has a soul. If it is an imaginary
picture or image, then it will not fall under this category and is &al%l. If
someone draws a dragon, then it is okay. Cartoon characters do not fall under
this category because the condition of having a soul is missing. Shaykh Bin B"z
said it is allowed to make and draw cartoon characters.

4. The next category: there are images made for the purpose of worship. Making
these pictures is an act of kufr. For example, the father of Ibr"h%m.

21

There are images that are displayed in the house but the way they are displayed is not
in a form of honoring. For example, if there is an image of an animal on your carpet or
blankets with animals on them. This is permissible and allowed. This displaying of
these images and pictures is not a form of honoring or displaying as a form of
beautification.

The ulem% said that any images you make or draw for the purpose of entertaining is
permissible. All toys fall under this category. They would make dolls and play with
them. (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) used to have a horse with wings and dolls. She had
them on shelves and covered the shelves with curtains. Some people are very strict
and said that these dolls must be like the dolls during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam).
Refutation: What the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) had in his time does not give
the permissibility to the same exact toy but it gives permissibility to the concept.

It is another subject to look at what the dolls represent and what the dolls teach.

Ulem% said, If we allow toys and making images for the purpose of entertainment,
then prior to this, it would be allowed for the purpose of education. It improves the
skills children had. They used qiy%s when saying this.

Painting pictures, drawing pictures or making sculptures of a human or animal is not
permissible unless it is for education or play.

Computers have programs to make images. Is this allowed? This falls under the
category of things you didnt make because the computer makes it. Another person
may say that you did make it because you pushed the button, and this seems to be a
stronger opinion.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that among the severest of people in
punishment on the Day of Resurrection are those who make these images. (al-Bukh!ri)

Photography and videotaping are exempt from this rule.

H) Chi l dren s Toys

!ishah said, I used to play with dolls with my friends. When the Prophet entered,
they would leave, and when he left, they would come back. (al-Bukh!ri)

!ishah said, The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) came back from one of his trips,
to either Tab#k or Khaybar, and a wind came and blew a curtain covering a shelf where
I had placed my toys. He asked, What are those? I said, Those are my dolls. With
them, he saw a horse with two wings. He asked, What is this? I said, A horse. He
asked, With wings? I told him, Didnt you hear that Sulaym!n had horses with wings?
The Prophet laughed until I could see his premolars. (Abu D!w"d)
22

Al-Rab% bint Muawwadh said relating the fasting of the Day of !sh+r%: And we used
to take our children to the masjid (fasting). If they cried for food, we used to give them
the toys we made out of cotton to play with until if'!r time comes. (al-Bukh!ri and
Muslim)

The default ruling regarding childrens toys is that all are permissible unless there is a
specific reason forbidding the particular toy, such as an image of an idol, a
representation of Shay'%n, a cross, etc.

ACTIVITY: What are the best five toys for girls?
I) Sl eepi ng Arrangements

Children should be separated while sleeping at the age of ten. The Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) said, Separate between them in their places of sleep at ten. (A!mad)

If you have two girls, they cannot sleep together after the age of ten. What does
separate them mean?
- Two different beds
- They must have two different covers if you cannot give them two different beds
- She must be wearing proper clothes (i.e. long pants). The mother must also be
properly covered if sleeping with her daughter. In the old days, they would
sleep and not wear clothes, which is why ulem% were very strict about this.

Even with the pajamas, it is better to separate them in the covers.
J) Cl othi ng

"ij!b is not obligatory upon pre-pubescent girls unless her body has matured. In that
case, she should dress modestly.

It is recommended to train girls in dressing modestly and wearing &ij!b during their
childhood, as we train them in praying from the age of seven.

It is recommended to train girls to be modest in their dress and behavior and in their
dealings with the opposite gender.

You should educate and inspire her to wear the &ij%b from a very early age so that she
will be attached to it and get used to it. If she is 10 years old and has started praying,
then she needs to know what the proper &ij%b for praying is. It is not good to let your
children go free from a very young age. Even if she is two or three years old, dont let
her wear really short clothes. Put the concept in her head and heart that she is modest
and shouldnt expose herself.

ACTIVITY: Share your first experience with &ij!b.
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K) Si gns of Puberty

1. Having wet dreams

2. Menstruation

3. Pregnancy

4. Growth of coarse pubic hair
The &anbalis, M"likis and Abu Y#suf said that it has to be coarse, thick hair. Light
hair is not considered a sign of puberty. The &anafis, Sh"fiis and some M"likis said
the growth is not a sign of reaching puberty because some kids grow this very early.
The &anbalis and some M"likis do believe that it is a sign because the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) treated the one who grew this hair as an adult in the
incident of Bani Quraydah.

5. Reaching the age of 15 without any other signs showing first (Sh!fiis, &anbalis, Abu
Y#suf and Mu!ammad b. al-&asan al-Shaybani) or 18 (Abu &an%fah and M"likis).
They said this because during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam),
Ibn Umar came to participate in the army at 14 and was sent home, but when he
came back the next year, he was accepted. Al-Sh"fii said that this happened to
several of the companions, so 15 means the age of an adult. Al-Zuhri said that it is
the Sunnah of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and the companions that
when a person is 15, he is treated like an adult.

M"lik and Abu &an%fah said that when a child reaches 18 and hasnt had any of the
other signs, then he has reached puberty. M"lik said if you have become 18, then
you are an adult. Im%m Abu &an%fah said 18 for a boy and for a girl, it is by the end
of the 17
th
birthday (right before reaching 18). Where do they get this? How did
they come up with 18? From a verse in the Qur'"n: You are not allowed to spend
the money of the orphan until the orphan reaches the age of ashuddah and then
they can control the money after that. The orphan reaches the age of being an
adult and having control of his money at the age of 18 according to Ibn $Abb"s.
Because of this narration, M"lik and Abu &an%fah said 18.

Frequentl y Asked Questi ons

1. When is naming a girl necessary?
You can decide on a name before she is born, but you cant give the name to her
before she is born. Does the name have to be given in the first day? The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The newborn must be given the name on the
seventh. Some scholars said that this means you name your child on the seventh
day. Does that mean you are not allowed to name your children until the seventh
day? No, this is not the correct understanding. This &ad)th means that the name
must be given by the seventh. There is a proof that the name can be given before
24

the seventh. In Bukh"ri, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, A child was
born to me tonight, and I named him Ibr"h%m. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) named him the same time he was born, so it shows that it is allowed.

It is not allowed to have a baby and not name him/her after the seventh day.

What if the mother and father have a dispute on the name? Who has the final say?
The father has the final choice because the child is going to carry the name of the
father. Husbands and wives should try to both come to a mutual agreement.

How do you start counting the days? Im%m M"lik stated that you start from the day
after the baby was born. If the baby was born on a Friday, then Saturday is day 1.
The day the baby was born doesnt count. What if the baby was born Saturday
night? Sunday is the first day.

2. Can a name be changed later?
Yes, the first name can be changed later.

Can a person change his/her name that the parents gave them? You can take
another name if you ask your parents and they agree. The parents feelings must be
considered.

3. Can I give my daughter a middle name?
Yes, you can give a middle name.

4. Are Arabic names recommended? What about names taken from the Qur!n?
Arabic names are not recommended. Any name that you like can be given. There is
no proof to say that Arabic names are recommended. What is recommended is to
give her a name that is valued and that she will be proud of when she grows up.

Ibn Sad reported that the (a&%bah named most of their children who died in the
battle of U!ud to keep the legacy of those people alive. It is important to think
about what kind of legacy your son or daughter will revive when they grow up.

Naming children by randomly opening the Qur'"n and putting your finger on a
word is an innovation. This method of picking the name is an innovation and a
wrong method.

Is it recommended to name your children after the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam)s daughters? Someone may say it is Sunnah because the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) did it. No, it is not recommended. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) gave these names to them as part of his culture, and if his actions are
from culture, then it is not sunnah ib%dah, and it is not recommended religiously for
us to do it.

25

5. Are there recommended days for offering an aq!qah? What if it is difficult to
perform it on the recommended days?
On the seventh day. Im%m M"lik said dont count the day he was born in unless he
was born the previous night, then it is counted.

There is a famous statement from (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha): The 7
th
, 14
th
, 21
st
.
This is a statement also attributed to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam). It is
commonly known in the books of fiqh as a statement of the (ishah (ra#yAll%hu
anha).

What if you cant do it on one of these days? The point is not eating or cooking it
but sacrificing the animal. Sacrificing the animal should be done on one of these
days, and the party can be done on the weekend. You can sacrifice the animal on
the 7
th
and serve it to the people on the 10
th
or 11
th
.

Can you do it overseas or in another country? Can you do it using Islamic Relief?
Yes, you can.

It is just recommended to it on these days, and it is okay that you do it on another
day.

6. My daughter is an adult, and I did not perform an aq!qah for her. Can I still do it?
Yes, because these days are just recommended days. You can do it any time, even if
you are an adult right now.

7. Should I perform an aq!qah on myself if my parents didnt?
Many parents dont know the ruling on aq)qah. The ulem% have two approaches:
- You are not allowed. Why? The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, It will
be performed on his/her behalf. This is a form of being grateful and thankful
to All"h by the parents.
- You are allowed. You can do it on behalf of yourself because there is no proof to
prevent you from it. The point is to offer the meat and feed the poor and thank
All"h for this life, so you can do it on behalf of your parents. You do it on their
behalf. It is like you are giving (adaqah on their behalf.

The stronger opinion is that it seems to be permissible.

Im%m al-&asan al-Ba*ri was asked if someone could do it on behalf of their parents
since they didnt do it for him, and he said that it was allowed. This is an evidence
that it is allowed.

8. Is it permissible to shave my little girls hair to improve its texture/thickness?
Shaving is forbidden when she is a few years old. When she has passed the infant
age, then shaving the head is forbidden.

26

9. My daughters urine got on the bed and dried without washing. What is the ruling?
Umm Karz reported that a male infant was brought to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) and he urinated on him. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) had
water sprayed on him. A female infant was brought to him and urinated on him,
and he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) had it washed.

Im%m M"lik and one narration among the Sh"fiis say that the urine of the boy and
girl are treated the same: spray water on it. They said that the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) ordered it to be washed because it was more urine on it, so
spraying would not take care of it. This understanding is not correct because in
Sunan Abi D"w#d and al-Tirmidhi, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) clearly
stated that the urine of the male child is to be sprayed, and the urine of the female
child is to be washed.

This is why the majority of the Muslim scholars like Im%m al-Sh"fii (his most known
opinion) and the vast majority of Sh"fiiyyah and a narration of Im%m M"lik and the
madh-hab of Im%m al-Awz"i and Sa%d b. M#sayyib stated the same position of the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam): spray the urine of the boy and wash the urine
of the girl.

Abu &an%fah (ra&imahull%h) and some of the M"likis said to wash both of them
because there is no difference. However, the &ad)th is very clear in differentiating.

Why is there a differentiation? The urine of the boy usually falls in one place, but
the urine of the baby girl does not.

An infant in Shar)ah means someone who depends only on the milk of the mother
or bottled milk. The moment the baby starts eating other food, then he/she is not
considered an infant. Then the urine is najas and must be washed.

Any way the naj%sah (impurity) will be removed is permissible. If it is removed by
the sun, the time, etc. it is acceptable. What does removing the impurity mean?
There is no more smell and no more stain and no more wetness. You cannot smell
it, feel it, or touch it, or see the color. If it disappears, then it means that it is pure.
If there is a stain, then you have to wash it. What if there is a stain after you wash
it? Then it is okay because you have washed it.

10. My daughters urine got on the carpet. Can I clean it using chemicals, or must I pour
water on it?
Chemical cleaning is fine.

11. Is it enough to wash a dirty diaper or sheet in a washing machine? Is it permissible
to wash unsoiled items along with it?
Yes, it is permissible and will be sufficient. In the washing machine, it is washed
and rinsed.

27

12. Does touching my daughters urine or feces break my wu#!?
No. Touching any impurity will never break your wu#!.

Once the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was praying and all of a sudden when
he was praying, he took his shoes off, so the (a&%bah did the same. Afterwards, the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Jibr%l told me that I had impurity on my
shoes. Ulem% said that carrying naj%sah, even if you dont touch it will break the
(al%h. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) had to take his shoes off.

The fuqah! said, If you carry a bottle full of urine in the (al%h, then the (al%h is
invalid.

What if you didnt know about it until you put her down? Then it is fine and it
doesnt break it because you didnt know.

13. Does touching my babys private parts while cleaning them break my wu!"?
This goes back to the concept of touching the private parts. The ulem% have a
debate over this. Some ulem% said touching the private part of anything will break
the wu#! immediately, and this is the position of the majority (M"liki, &anbali,
Sh"fii). Whoever touches his private part must make wu#!.

The &anafis and Ibn Taymiyyah said that anyone who touches his private parts in a
sexual meaning, then it will break the wu#! but not just touching, so if you are
touching for cleaning purposes, then it does not break wu#!. They said that the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that touching the private part is like
touching part of the body. Shaykh Waleed believes that this is the strongest
opinion: touching without lust does not break the wu#!.

Even if you believe in the majority position that touching private parts breaks the
wu#!, for the mother and the father, there is an exception. The babysitter and
daycare is also an exception. Ibn al-Qayyim said that even those who take the
position that touching the private parts breaks the wu#!, they made exceptions for
the ones who take care of the children because they have to deal with this
constantly, and it would be very hard to keep making wu#!. If anything puts you in
a difficult situation, ease will be brought to you.

14. Is babys vomit or spit-up impure?
The vast majority and the four madh%hib said that vomit is impure. Im%m M"lik has
one condition: he said that if you put water and it comes out pure water, then it is
pure, but if it is water mixed with chemicals of the stomach or the color or smell
changed, then it is najas. All the four madh%hib made an exception for the mother
and the babys vomit because it is hard to protect herself from it. If the baby is
vomiting, then you have to change your clothes all the time. Because of the need,
an exception is made.

28

If someone has waswasa that their daughter vomits everywhere and on the carpet,
the scholars say that even if the child did and it isnt clean, an exception is made.

Spit-up is pure. If it is only from the mouth, then it is pure. If it comes from the
stomach, then it is impure.

15. Can I perform (al!! in clothing stained with breast milk?
Breast milk is pure, so there is no problem.

16. Can I buy character dolls such as Barbie, Bratz, celebrity dolls, etc.?
If it is a cartoon character like Buzz from Toy Story or Cars, then it is permissible.
What about Barbie? It is not recommended to buy things like this unless you
educate your daughter and make sure what kind of message you are sending to her.
It is not allowed to buy dolls which have girlfriend-boyfriend or who are singers
because these things are not allowed in Islam. Some cartoon characters may
promote magic or worship other things (i.e. Pocohantas) and are not allowed.

17. Can I buy kids toys which contain music?
The vast majority of scholars differentiate between listening to music and hearing
music. One is with intention and one is without intention. You may be in a store
and they are playing music, but you are not listening to the music. The vast
majority of Muslim jurists allowed hearing it but not listening to it.

If the toy is based on listening to the music or if it is a musical instrument, then it is
not allowed. They are &ar%m because music is not allowed in Islam. The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, A time will come when people will make musical
instruments &al%l.

If the toy is not a musical instrument but happens to have music in it such as a
train, then muting it is better if you can. Some toys you cannot mute. The vast
majority of toys contain music and it is very hard to avoid. It is something common
and cannot be avoided, so it is allowed, and you try to limit the &ar%m as much as
you can.

Is it allowed to buy musical instruments or CDs with music? No. What about toys
that contain music then? There are rules in Islam, which say: certain things in
Shar)ah are allowed to be used, consumed, and possessed if it is part of something
else (but by itself it is &ar%m. For example, drinking blood is not allowed. What if
you like your steak rare or medium rare? Does it make the meal &ar%m? No,
because the blood is part of the meat. Another example is eating the date or apple
that has a worm in it. It is allowed to eat it, but worms by themselves are not
allowed to be eaten. The music is part of the toy, and you are allowed to purchase
the toy.

18. Can small girls be dressed in short clothing?
It is allowed, but it is better to train her to wear modest clothes.
29

19. What are the rulings regarding watching cartoons and movies?
There is a good lecture called The Third Parent by Shaykh Mu!ammad AlShareef.
Cartoons and movies have become babysitters. There is no more communication.
When you have an entertainment system in your car, the kids will want to watch a
movie the moment they get in the car. Before, people would communicate with
each other in the car. The TV kills a sense of connection between the family.
Watching TV and movies can be harmful to your relationship with your daughter.
There is no more family time, which is not right.

There is so much junk even in cartoon movies. There is an article at the end of the
course material talking about cartoons and the messages in them.

What about movies that contain music? It is better to control the sound. It is not
really a form of listening because you are watching the movie. Some movies have
songs, and that part of the movie should be avoided and volume turned off. The
vast majority of Muslim scholars today say that it is not allowed to watch movies at
all because they contain un-Islamic meanings and music, etc.

20. Until what age can I shower with my daughter?
All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) said in the Qur'"n, If your child cannot understand the
concept of awrah, then she is allowed to see. The moment she understands what
that means, you have to cover yourself in front of her. As long as they dont
understand what it means in a sexual context, it is allowed.

All"h said in S+ratl-N+r: They dont understand the awrah of the woman. Some
ulem% said that the child will not recognize the beauty of the girl. For example, if a
boy comes and doesnt understand what makes a woman beautiful, then you can
take your &ij%b off in front of him. In this society, kids can understand these issues
in a very early age.

What about you showering the kids? You can see the awrah until the age of
puberty, but you should give them their privacy. Start from an early age to make
them feel modest.

21. Can my young daughter touch the Qur!n without wu!"?
Shaykh Bin B!z said if she is less than 7 years old, she is not allowed to touch the
Qur!n.

A better way is to not restrict to the age but to the manner of the child. If the child
can respect the Qur'"n, then it is fine.

22. Can my young daughter combine maghrib with ish% in order to sleep early and get
enough rest for school the next day?
No. Shaykh Bin B!z was asked about this and he said it is not allowed because (al%h
has a specific time and you cannot change the d)n. You have to teach your children
30

to pray the (al%h on time. If they havent reached the age, then it is not a sin if they
miss it.

23. Do young girls need to wear &ij!b while praying?
A)a, a great scholar from the tabi)n, said it is enough to wear something proper.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Teach your kids how to pray at the
age of seven. Part of teaching them how to pray is teaching them how to dress
while praying. This means that you should encourage them to wear &ij%b while
they prayer.

24. Is underarm hair a sign of puberty?
By the consensus of the Muslim scholars, no.

Can I witness my friend or my cousins delivery?
It is allowed as long as you are not going to see her awrah or private parts.

Is it allowed to watch a documentary movie about delivery?
Yes, it is allowed for a purpose like this. The husband can lower his gaze when there is
no need to look. It is allowed for the educational purpose.

What are the rights of the baby when it comes to breastfeeding?
It is optional for the mother but recommended. The common practice at the time of
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was for women to pass their children on to
other women to breastfeed them. It is not w%jib on a mother to do it, but it is highly
recommended. If a husband divorces his wife and she is breastfeeding, he must pay her
for the services.

Can children wear images on their shirts and pray?
It depends on the image. It is disliked for a big image to be in the masjid. If it is small
and a trademark and not very clear, it is allowed.

31

Chapter Two: Rul i ngs Rel ated to Worshi p whi ch are
Speci fi c to Women

The cardinal rule in this chapter is that females and males carry all the same rulings unless there
is specific evidence proving otherwise because the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said,
Females are the other halves of males. (A!mad)
A) Rul i ngs rel ated to !ah!rah, Wu!" , and Ghusl

1. If a womans dress is long and drags and it gets dirty from walking outside, there is
no need to change or wash it. Even if it touches something impure, the land will
purify it unless you see a wet impurity, which must be washed. When asked by
Umm Salamah regarding her clothes that drag, he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said,
It will be purified by the land. (Abu D!w"d)

A womans clothes may be long and drag on the floor. There may be naj%sah on the
floor. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that even if the clothes touch
impurity, when you walk and touch the dry land afterwards, then it takes care of it
and is a purification for the clothes.

Ulem% made an exception: if you see a clear naj%sah on your clothes later on, then
you need to clean it.

Any water on the floor is pure until proven otherwise.

2. Internal vaginal wetness is pure according to the strongest scholarly opinions, as al-
Im!m al-Sh!fii stated.
1) The discharge after being intimate with the spouse. This discharge is impure
and needs to be cleaned and you need to make wu#!.

2) If it comes after having intercourse with your spouse, then the discharge needs
to be cleaned, and you need to take a shower. If it is out of reaching orgasm
even without intercourse, you need to take a shower.

3) Natural discharge. The strongest opinion amongst the Muslim scholars is that it
is pure and will not break the wu#!. Why? It is something natural. If you are
asked to make wu#! for it, then it will be very difficult. This discharge existed
during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), and we have not
heard him ever say to be careful about this discharge. It means that they
understood that the default ruling is that it does not break the wu#!. (The vast
majority of Muslim scholars said that this discharge, if you see it in the form of
stain, then it will break the wu#!.)

The ghusl can be delayed as long as it wont interfere with the (al%h time.

32

How do you make ghusl? There are two formats:
1) Perfect and complete.
After intercourse or finishing the menses, start by cleaning the private parts.
Then make wu#!. Then wash the right side. Then wash the left side. Then
cover the entire body from the head all the way down.

What if the hair is in a braid? You dont need to undo it. Umm Salamah said
they did not undo it in jan!bah or &ayd (even though it is commonly thought
that you undo it if it was &ayd). It is enough to take the water and put it on your
hair because it will go to the roots of the hair.

2) Sufficient / minimum required:
Wash the entire body with water so it covers the body from the head to toes.

3. Rulings regarding vaginal discharge:

(a) If the discharge (madhi) is a result of sexual emotions or activity without
intercourse or an orgasm, it is impure and must be washed. The genitals and
anything soiled must be washed. It breaks the wu!" and does not necessitate
ghusl by the consensus of Muslim scholars.
(b) If the discharge (mani) is a result of intercourse, a wet dream, or an orgasm,
then ghusl is necessitated.
(c) If the discharge is not related to sexual arousal and is of natural secretion,
then it is pure and does not break the wu!" according to the strongest
opinion. The silence of the Shar!ah on this issue despite its common
occurrence is an indicator of its purity.

4. The escape of trapped air from the vagina does not break the wu!".

5. A woman must perform ghusl after intercourse, regardless of whether there was any
orgasm, discharge or not. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said, If the
two circumcised parts meet, then ghusl becomes mandatory. (Muslim)

6. It is permissible to delay the ghusl for jan!bah until the time for prayer, but it is
recommended to hasten to wash the private parts and make wu#!.

7. During ghusl for jan!bah, a woman must wash her hair with water reaching the
roots of all hair. !ishah said, When one of us wanted to make ghusl from jan!bah,
she would pour three handfuls of water onto her head (al-Bukh!ri). If a woman
has her hair in braids, she does not have to undo them before ghusl.

8. There is no difference between the ghusl of jan!bah and the ghusl for the completion
of menstruation.

33

9. It is permissible to wipe over the khim!r during wu!" as it is permissible for men to
wipe over a turban. If she is able to include wiping the forefront of her hair and
then wipe over the khim!r, that would be safer.

It is permissible to wipe over the khim!r because the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) wiped over the turban [Muslim]. To be on the safe side, try to touch part of
your hair. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) wiped over the hair in front of
his head and the turban. Some said that he wiped over the front of his turban and
not the hair. Touch anything from your hair with wet fingers just to be on the safe
side and accommodate the opinions of all the Muslim jurists. Wiping over part of
the hair is enough.

When you wipe over your hair, do you need to wipe all of it? You wipe over your
head and not your hair. The verse in the Qur'"n says the head. It is the wiping over
the hair above the head.

1. Does a woman wipe her head during wu!" in the same way that a man does?
When the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) would make wu#!, as reported in the
*a&)&, he would take his wet hands over the head to the back of the head and then
go back forward to the top.

(ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) was asked this questions, and she said she moved her
hands back and stopped (did not go back forward).

Im%m A!mad was asked about women wiping over the hair, and he said it is
sufficient for her just to wipe over the front of her head. (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha)
used to do that and would only wipe the part in the front of her head.

Do you need to wipe more than one time? The Sunnah is to do it one time. You can
do it more, but it is sufficient to do it one time.

2. Can I wipe over my socks if they are thin and transparent?
There are 8 companions who reported the &ad)th of wiping over the socks. The
socks of the companions were not leather. &anafis believe that you can only wipe
over leather socks. However, this is not a strong opinion because the companions
used to have socks made of cloth.

Some Muslim jurists put some conditions on wiping over the socks for which there
is no proof such as they must be thick and free of any holes.

The socks of the (a&%bah had holes and were not necessarily thick. The condition is
that the socks must cover from the ankle to the toes. If the socks are very
transparent and see-through, it is allowed to wipe over them. The purpose of
34

wiping over the socks is to make it easy for you. That reason applies to any type of
sock.

The part of the ankle must be covered because the feet have to be washed.

Condition: you must put on your socks after you make wu#! and wash your feet.
You have 24 hours from the moment you put the socks on if you are a resident. If
you are a traveler, then you have 3 days.

Umar b. al-Kha))"b has an opinion where he doesnt put a time limit on wiping over
the socks. It seemed that he didnt hear about the &ad)th that put a time limit the
majority said that he did not hear the &ad)th. Ibn Taymiyyah said that Umar s
opinion is talking about a different situation. For example, what if you are going to
a very cold place or if you are in a place where you will keep your shoes on for more
than 3 days, then the rukhsah of Umar applies in this case. Umar gave the
exemption for very special cases like this.

3. Does touching a male break your wu!"?
No. Touching a male will not break your wu#!. It was narrated that the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) kissed his wife and went to pray without making wu#!.
Also, he moved his wife while praying. One time the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) was praying, and (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) was looking for him in the room
and touched his feet while he was praying. It did not break his wu#!.

The Sh"fii scholars said that touching a male will break the wu#! if it is direct
touch, skin to skin. Abu &an%fah and a lot of the &an"bilah said only in the case of
sexual lust will this kind of touching will break the wu#!. The Sh"fiis who believed
that touching the male will break the wu#! said that if she touches and not if she
has been touched. If a male touches a female, it will break the wu#! of the male and
not the female. The Qur'"n said, If you touch women, that will break the wu#!.
Ibn $Abb"s said that All"h is being modest when saying the word touch.

If you have gloves on, then it does not break the wu#! by the consensus of Muslim
scholars.

4. Is mani pure or impure?
It is pure, so if it is a stain on the bed or clothes, it is pure. (ishah (ra#yAll%hu
anha) said, I used to see the stain of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)s
sperm on the thawb when he was going to the masjid. If it was impure, then she
would have washed it. This is the opinion of many scholars.

Other scholars said that the mani is impure.

The Sh"fiis said the human being was made out of something pure.

35

5. If I find a stain on the bed after intercourse, do I have to wash it?
If it is from the sperm of the husband, then it is not naj%sah. If it is madhi or the
mani of the woman, then it should be washed because it is najas.

6. If I take a bath or swim, would that suffice as ghusl?
Dip yourself all the way in.

7. If I stand under the shower so that water runs all over my body, would that be
sufficient for ghusl?
Yes, it is sufficient as long as you wash your body. The M"likis have a condition that
you have to rub the body, but there is strong evidence for this. The M"likis came up
with the idea of rubbing the body during ghusl because you have to wash. They
took the literal meaning). The wives of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
never said that he rubbed his body when he made ghusl, which is why the majority
of the fuqah! dont agree.

The &an"bilah have the condition that you need to rinse your mouth and blow your
nose. Their proof is that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Rinsing the
mouth and blowing the mouth is part of washing your face.

8. Are ghusl and showers sufficient substitutes for wu!"?
If the ghusl is w%jib or recommended, it is sufficient. For example, after you finish
the menses, it is must to take a shower. Even if the shower is just water going over
your body, it is sufficient for wu#!. A recommended ghusl is for Friday.

What if you are taking a morning shower? Are you allowed to make (al%h after
without making wu#!? The vast majority of scholars of the past and modern times
said no, it is not allowed unless you make wu#! while taking the shower.

A few scholars (the &anafi madh-hab) said it is sufficient if you have the intention. If
you have the intention to pray afterwards, it is sufficient. They say that you dont
have to do the wu#! part in order. They said the point is that the entire body is
covered with water, so it is sufficient.

If there are multiple reasons for making ghusls, then one ghusl is sufficient. For
example, it is a Friday and you have jan%bah and you just finished your period. One
ghusl is sufficient for all of these.

9. Do women have to do ghusl for Jumuah?
Do women have to do ghusl for Jumuah? It is highly recommended for any woman
going to attend Jumuah prayer to take a ghusl. Ibn &ibb"n has a chapter in his
Sunan: it is recommended for women who attend Jumuah to take a shower. If you
are not going for Jumuah prayer, then its not recommended to take a shower.

10. If I have my hair in a bun, do I have to undo the bun?
In ghusl, you wash the hair.
36

11. Would a gynecological check break the wu!"?
No. The doctor is wearing gloves so it doesnt break her wu#!. It doesnt break the
womans wu#! because it is not one of the reasons for breaking wu#!. Any blood
that comes out doesnt break the wu#!.

12. If I have creams or oils in my hair, do I need to wash them out before wu!"?
The rule: If the cream on your body prevents the water from reaching the skin or
the hair, then you have to remove it before making wu#!. If the lotion is mixed /
absorbed with your skin, then it is allowed.

Nail polish is above the nail and prevents the water from reaching the nail, and so it
is not allowed. Henna is allowed because the water can reach the nail.

13. Can I make wu!" while wearing makeup (foundation, blush, mascara, nail polish,
etc.)?
Some foundations and mascara are waterproof. If the water can go through to the
skin, it is permissible. If the foundation or mascara creates a layer above the skin
that prevents the water from going through it, then it is not allowed.

14. Can a bride make tayammum so as not to mess up her makeup?
No, she cannot. It is not an excuse to do tayammum.

15. Does touching the private parts break the wu#!?
The strongest opinion is that it will not break the wu#! unless it is done out of
sexual lust. There are a&ad)th which are weak which say that whoever touches the
private parts needs to make a new wu#!.

16. Does one ghusl for multiple reasons suffice?
Yes.

17. Can a woman read Qur!n during her menses or touch the mu(!af?
The vast majority of Muslim scholars said a woman in jan%bah cannot touch the
mu(!. Only Ibn &azm disagreed and said it is permissible.

What is the evidence the scholars use to say that it is not permissible? The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) stated clearly that Qur'"n should not be touched by a
woman in the status of &ayd or junub, but this &ad)th is weak. There was a debate on
the authenticity of the &ad)th that only the '%hir touches the Qur'"n. The only
strong &ad)th they have is about an incident in which a mans wife caught him
coming back in the middle of the night and she thought that he had gone to one of
his other women. He said that he didnt do anything, and he was lying. She told
him that if he didnt do anything, then he should read Qur'"n. He made poetry and
recited in the same way you recite the Qur'"n, and she bought it because she didnt
know the entire Qur'"n. The next day he felt bad and went to the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) and was afraid that he said something wrong, and the Prophet
37

((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, What you have said about All"h is true (that He is
above the Throne and the angels are beneath him). The jamh+r (vast majority of
scholars) said that this incident shows that it was very clear in the mind of the
companions that if you have sexual impurity, then you cannot read the Qur'"n.
Because of this incident, they say that you cannot recite Qur'"n if in junub.

There is consensus that if you are in a state of jan%bah, you cannot read Qur'"n. Ibn
&azm said that you can if you are in jan%bah because the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) sent letters to the king of Persia with verses of the Qur'"n in them, and
these kings were not Muslim and never took ghusl. The arguing of Ibn &azm is not
valid. Why? These are verses in a letter, and we allow things that are part of
something. The Qur'"nic verses being read as part of a letter is allowed and
touching it is allowed, but if it was the mu(&af, then it would be &ar%m.

If you have sexual impurity, you are allowed to make dhikr. You can say the adhk!r
before sleeping. What if the adhk!r is verses of the Qur'"n? There is no clear
answer on this.

18. Can a woman make adhk!r while on her menses?
Yes.

True or False: The only images you are not allowed to display are those that you draw
or make with your own hands.
Answer: False because displaying it has nothing to do with how it was made.

Is it allowed to let your kids use a coloring book? Yes, because it is similar for dolls.
They can be used for entertainment.

Why did some scholars say drawing images like dragons are permissible? Because it
doesnt represent something that has a soul. Why is there this condition? The &ad)th
said the people who will who made images will be told to give it a soul on the Day of
Judgment.

38

B) Rul es Rel ati ng to "ay# (menstruati on), Isti!"#ah (bl eedi ng
outsi de of menstruati on), and Nif!s (post-partum bl eedi ng)

Menstruati on

(ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) used to tell women not to be worried about the issue of
missing (al%h and not to rush to declare the end of the period. The female companions
were worried. Calm down and take things easy. Try to understand the principle we
will learn and apply it to your situation. There is an extra article telling the difference
between &ayd by doctors and the Muslim jurists. The Shar)ah defines it a little
differently than a doctor would.

Muslim jurists define &ayd as:
Menstruation is the blood that the female naturally releases without any outside cause
and during certain specific times.

The period is defined by the appearance of the blood. It has no starting day or ending
day. The Shar)ah never defined a specific start day or end day. A woman may have a
period that changes in the number of days throughout her life. There are many factors.

Menses typically occurs between the ages of twelve and fifty although a woman may
have it before or after depending upon her condition and environment. Women start
their periods at different ages. Most women have a period lasting between 6-7 days.
Also, there is no limit to &ayd in terms of time. It can come early or late or longer or
shorter. The period can be irregular.

There is a great deal of dispute amongst the scholars regarding the period of time a
woman is considered to be in &ay#. The strongest opinion is that there is no limiting
number of days for the existence of &ay# regardless of whether the bleeding is light or
heavy. This is the opinion of al-D!rimi, the choice of Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah,
and, in all likelihood, the correct opinion because it is substantiated by evidences from
the Qur!n, Sunnah, and good analogy.

The flow of blood can be heavy or light. Ibn &azm thought that the period is heavy
from beginning to end, which is not true. The amount of blood is not a factor. The
blood in itself is the factor.

The woman who experiences &ayd must be categorized in different categories:
- A woman who has a regular period.
90% of women fall into this category. Women who have regular periods judge their
periods based on their habits. It may be six days or seven days. They also judge the
period based on the appearance of the blood. If she sees the blood, then she does
not pray.

39

Sometimes it may be delayed or come early or there may be spotting. There may be
blood one day and then it is completely clear the next day. Ulem% debated about
this day in between: is it part of the period or not? As long as it is within the same
number of days (six or seven), then it is still your period even if you dont see a drop
of blood and are completely clear. Im%m al-Sh"fii holds this opinion. The
&an"bilah said that you have to take a shower and pray, but this is not a strong
opinion, and the refutation is: what happens if she starts again the next day? A
woman in her iddah would have her three iddahs in a few days?

What if a woman doesnt have a regular period? She should wait 24 hours. After 24
hours, see if she starts bleeding. If she starts bleeding after 24 hours, then consider
it part of her period.

When does she declare the end of her period? The blood of &ay# is dark, thick,
smells. As long as these signs exist, it is the blood of a period.

- A woman who just started her period.
How does she know if it is her period? She can tell by the color and nature of the
blood if she is of the age when she can get her period. Until she knows what her
usual length is, she sees what her sister has. If she doesnt have her sister, then she
goes by the mother when she was her age if they lived in the same place.

- A woman who is starting to lose her period.
This also goes by the blood. She may have periods on and off until it completely
stops.

- A woman who has no regular period at all.
For someone like this, she takes the number of days she used to have when she had
a regular period and counts these. If she never had a regular period, then she looks
at her sisters or friends or people of her background. If she has no one, then we
assign to her 6 or 7 days based on the majority of the women.

You can know the end of your period by two things:
1. A white clear discharge. Some women see this and others dont.
2. The place where the blood comes from is completely dry. If it becomes clear by
the end of your days, then you declare purity. What if blood is seen after? This
blood is not seen as impurity even if it looks the same.

Some women see brown or yellow discharge. Any color that we see after the
declaration of the purity is nothing. If at the end you only see the brown or yellow
discharge and dont see white clear discharge and it isnt completely dry, then it is still
part of your period.

Ulem% said that the maximum number of days is 15, but there is no strong proof for
this.

40

And they ask you about menstruation. Say, It is harm, so keep away
from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they
are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them
from where All!h has ordained for you. Indeed, All!h loves those who
are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.
(al-Baqarah, 2:222)

There are many types of changes that affect the state of menses:

Fi rst: An increase or decrease, e.g. a period that normally lasts for six days continues
for one more day or a period that normally stays for seven days ends on the sixth day.

Second: Advancement or delay, e.g. a woman having her normal period at the end
of each month finds herself menstruating at the beginning of the month or vice versa.

Thi rd: Yellowish discharge (which looks like yellowish pus) or kudrah: looking
between yellowish and blackish discharge. If this occurs during the !ay" period or
immediately after it and prior to the state of !ah"rah (cleanliness), then it is to be
considered as !ay" with all the rulings of !ay" being applicable. If these discharges
occur after the state of !ah"rah, then it is not !ay" in lieu of the saying of Umm
A!iyyah, We never considered yellowish discharge after cleanliness as a thing of
importance (as menses). (Abu D!w"d).

Also !ishah said some women used to send the pads of cotton with traces of yellowish
discharge to her (for the verdict to know whether they had become clean from menses
or not), and !ishah would say, Do not hurry till you see al-qu!!atl-bay!" (white
discharge from the womb; the cotton pad will be white), meaning the perfect
disappearance of menses. (al-Bukh!ri)

Fourth: Discontinuity in menstruation such that blood flows on one day and it stops
the next day. There are two circumstances associated with this type:
(1) Discontinuity occurs all the time. In this case, this blood is considered a blood of
isti!"#ah, and all rulings of isti!"#ah are applicable.
(2) Discontinuity occurs only sometimes and there is a period of cleanliness.
Scholars differed regarding this period of cleanliness: is it really a period of
!ah"rah whereby the laws of !ay" are not applicable, or is it part of the !ay"?
According to al-Im!m al-Sh!fii, Ibn Taymiyyah , and Im!m Abu "an#fas school
41

of thought, this associated period is part of !ay" because al-qu!!atl-bay!" was
not seen, and if it were to be considered as !ah"rah, then there will be difficulty
and hardship upon women. Certainly this is against the essence of the Islamic
principles.

The Rul i ngs Regardi ng Menses:

1 - The bl ood of menses i s naj as:

Menstrual blood is najas (impure), and if it gets on a womans clothes, she has to wash
them. If it touches anything, then it has to be washed.

2 - Prayers:

Women are not allowed to perform (al!! (prayers) in the state of menstruation. She
does not need to make up the prayers that she missed. !ishah reported that the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Stop formal prayer when your menses begins.
When it is finished, wash off the blood from your body and return to formal
prayer. (al-Bukh!ri)

3 - Fasti ng:

Menstruating women are exempted from fasting, regardless of whether they feel
themselves weakened by it or not. All!h has not permitted them to fast in His Infinite
Wisdom, which the believers are required to accept unquestioningly. Abu Sa!d al-
Khudri quoted the Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) as saying, ...a woman
can neither pray nor fast during her menses. (Muslim)

However, the menstruating woman must make up the missed days after Rama!"n.
!ishah said, When we would have our menses during the lifetime of the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), we were ordered to make up the days of fasting that we had
missed but were not ordered to make up the prayers that we had missed. (al-Bukh!ri)

4 - !ajj Ri tes:

With regard to the rites of !ajj, menstruating women are allowed to perform all of
them, with the exception of the formal prayers and the rite of walking around the
Kabah seven times ('aw!f).

!ishah said, We set out with the sole intention of performing !ajj and when we
reached Saraf (a place six miles outside of Makkah), my menses began. The Messenger
of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) came to me while I was crying and asked, What is
the matter with you? Has your menses started? I replied, Yes. He said, This is
something which All!h has destined for the daughters of "dam. So do all the rites that
the pilgrims do, except 'aw!f. (al-Bukh!ri & Muslim).
42

!ishah also related that she told the Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
that -afiyyah bint &uyayy began menstruating (before the farewell 'aw!f) and he
said, Perhaps she will delay us. Did she make 'aw!f? We replied, Yes. He then told
her to go ahead. (al-Bukh!ri)

What do you do if you have your period and are going to leave Makkah? Ibn Taymiyyah
is the only one to give this fatwa, and after he gave this fatwa, every madh-hab follows
and refers to it. (True scholars give rulings for needed issues before they are forced
into it). Traditional books said that women have two options: if you put a condition
when making the ihram, then the "ajj can be broken and is invalid and has to be made
up or if no condition was put during ihram, then you have to stay in a state of ihram
until coming the next year for "ajj. Ibn Taymiyyah said: one of the objectives of
Shar)ah is that you have only been asked to do what is required, so if a woman knows
she will not finish her period, then she cleans herself and then makes 'aw%f while she
has her menses and it will be sufficient. This is for 'aw%fl-if%#ah.

5 - Touching and Reciting the Qur!n and Dhi kr:

Most scholars have prohibited menstruating women and people in a state of sexual
defilement (jan!bah) from reciting the Qur!n or touching it. However, some of them
are of the opinion that she can recite the Qur!n without touching it except with her
hand covered.

Ibr!h"m al-Nakhai said, There is no harm on menstruating woman reciting a Qur!nic
verse. It was also the opinion of al-Im!m M!lik [Fat! al-B!ri]

The menstruating woman is allowed to mention All!h. Umm A)iyyah reported that
they were instructed to let the menstruating women come out for the ,ds and say
All%hu Akbar (All!h is the Greatest).
(al-Bukh!ri quoted this anecdote to show that since menstruating women were
instructed to speak All!hs Names and His Attributes, they should also be allowed to
read the Qur!n, in which All!hs Names and Attributes are also mentioned.)

Ibn Abb!s quoted Abu Sufy!n as saying, Heraclius asked for the letter from the
Prophet and read it. It began: In the name of All!h, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful. O
people of the Scripture, let us come to a common principle between us, that we do not
worship anyone (or anything) besides All!h. (al-Bukh!ri).

Reading the Qur'"n: The majority of the &anafis, Sh"fiis, &anbalis, M"likis said she is
not allowed to read Qur'"n while on her menses because there is a &ad)th: the woman
who has her menses or is in jan%bah cannot read anything of Qur'"n. [Ibn M"jah] This
is a weak narration. Every evidence used by those who hold this opinion is a weak
narration. This is the opinion of many of the successors.

43

Other scholars said it is allowed for a woman to read Qur'"n while she has her menses.
Individuals within the different madh%hib said this. Their refutations for the majority
opinion are:
- Bukh"ri took this opinion and has a &ad)th he used to prove it: The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Do everything the &ujj%j do except 'aw%f. Part
of what the &ujj%j do is recite Qur'"n.
- There is no authentic &ad)th to say that it is forbidden for a woman on her
menses. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also never mentioned it, and it
is something important that would need an explanation. There is not a single
authentic narration that he said this.
- Those who say a woman cannot read Qur'"n while on her menses say that it is
similar to a woman who has in jan%bah. Since a woman in jan%bah cannot recite
Qur'"n, the woman in menses cant.
Refutation: The woman in jan%bah is in this state for a short period of time. The
woman in menses is in this state for a long time. A woman has a choice to get
out of the status of jan%bah but cannot get out of her menses by choice.
Therefore, you cannot compare them.

The majority of the modern scholars disagree with the majority of the older scholars.

What about touching the mu(&af?
The four madh%hib say that it is not allowed for a woman on her menses to touch the
mu(&af. Ibn Taymiyyah agreed. The modern scholars also agreed. All"h said in the
Qur'"n, The Qur'"n will not be touched by anyone except the one who has been
purified. A woman in her menses is not purified. Is a woman on her menses not a
'%hir? All"h sent wa&y to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) when he was lying on
(ishahs lap while she was in her menses. A woman is not najas when on her menses.
The naj%sah is only the blood but not the body. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
said, Every mumin is '%hir.

When All"h wants to refer to the believers, he never referred to them as those who
have been purified. When He referred to the believer, He said they are the ones who
purify themselves. The Qur'"n should not be touched by anyone except those who have
purity, which means that you make wu#! or ghusl. The Qur'"n says about women who
have menses: until they have been purified. If they purify themselves, you are
allowed to approach them. This means until their blood stops. They have been
purified by All"h and All"h decrees it is the end of the period. If they purify
themselves, then it means they take a shower. When the Qur'"n talks about someone
who has been purified, then it is referring to All"hs action. This verse says, They will
not be touched by anyone except by those who have been purified. Scholars say that
this is referring to the angels and not the human beings.

Touching the mu(&af while she has her menses is permissible. This is reported by Ibn
$Abb"s, al-Sh"bi, Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Qurtubi, al-Shawk"ni, Bukh"ri.

44

Shaykh Waleed says it is not recommended to touch the mu(&af while you have your
period because it is recommended to have wu#! before you touch the mu(&af.

6 - Enteri ng the Ma!j i d:

The scholars have differed regarding the permissibility for a menstruating woman to
enter the mosque.

Those who permitted it used the following evidence:
- Rule of general permissibility due to absence of prohibition
- The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) never instructed the woman who used
to clean the masjid not to do so while menstruating. Her story is in al-Bukh!ri.
- He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) told !ishah when she got her menses during
!ajj, Do everything the one performing !ajj does except 'aw!f. (Muslim)
- The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The believer does not become
impure. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)
- The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) asked !ishah to pass him a cloth from
the masjid while she was menstruating. (Muslim)
- Maym#nah narrated that she used to put the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) cloth in the masjid while she was menstruating. (A!mad)

Those who prohibited it used the following evidence (majority opinion):

O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are
intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of jan!bah,
except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed
[your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes
from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and
find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your
hands [with it]. Indeed, All!h is ever Pardoning and Forgiving. (al-Nis%,
4:43)

!al"! is taken to mean places of (al!! in this verse. Qiy!s was made comparing the
menstruating woman to the one in the state of jan!bah.

45

- The Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) request that the menstruating women
not sit in the prayer area during the ,d congregation. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)
- The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) would let !ishah braid his hair while
she was menstruating, while she was in her home and he in the ma!jid.
- Its been narrated that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, I do not
permit the masjid to one in the state of jan!bah or a woman during
menstruation. (Abu D!w"d)

It seems that women are allowed to enter the masjid if there is a need.

The masjid means the prayer area, not the community hall or the bathroom. Women
in the old days would go to the masjid to pray. (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) used to have a
&alaqah in her house and not in the masjid. Traditional books speak about women not
going to the masjid because there was not a reason for her to go.

Today, there are reasons for going to the masjid during the menses such as for an event
or lecture or Sunday school. The vast majority of Muslim scholars say a woman is not
allowed to enter a masjid while on her menses. They have their own evidence. They
said that the woman who has her menses is like the woman who has the jan%bah. The
moment you break the analogy, then this falls apart. This analogy is not correct.

They have another evidence: during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam), he ordered all women to attend ,d prayer. At the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam), they prayed ,d outside of the masjid. The majority of fuqah% said that
when they went to pray ,d, he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) ordered the women on their
menses to not gather in the area where the women will pray. The ulem% said that if
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) ordered them to avoid the prayer area, then we
should order them to avoid the prayer area in the masjid.
Refutations:
- This &ad)th is about a desert area and not about the masjid. To make the analogy is
problematic. They say that it is qiy%s and that if she cant enter the prayer area in
the desert, then she cant in the masjid. Why did the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) forbid them from entering the prayer area on ,d when it is not a masjid?
Theyre not going to pray, so they dont need to sit there. He ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) was organizing the crowd.
- Bukh"ri adopts the opinion that women can enter the masjid, and he said the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) told (ishah to do everything the &ujj%j do
during "ajj except 'aw%f, and the &ujj%j enter the masjid.
- The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) told (ishah, Give me the cloth from the
masjid. This &ad)th was not clear was he in the masjid or was he in his house?
Maym#nah in the Musnad of Im%m A!mad said, The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) ordered me to take this cloth and put it in the masjid while I had my period.
- During the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), there was a woman who
would stay in the masjid and clean it. She lived in the masjid. If women are not
allowed to stay in the masjid while they have their menses, then the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) would have told her, but he never said this.
46

It is highly recommended for a person to pray two rak-ahs before sitting in the masjid. It
is not recommended for a woman to go to the masjid while she has her menses unless
there is a need for it. For example: a school you are part of, a &alaqah you cannot miss,
a speaker you want to hear.

7 - Havi ng sexual i nti macy wi th the husband:

You are allowed to be intimate without have intercourse as long as you cover the
private parts.

Having intercourse with a menstruating woman is forbidden, based upon the Words of
All!h, the Most High:

They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an adha (a harmful
thing for a husband to have sexual intercourse with his wife while she is
having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses
and go not unto them till they have purified (from menses and have
taken a bath). (al-Baqarah, 2:222)
Whoever does so must seek forgiveness from All!h and turn to him in repentance, and
he must give a d!n"r or half a d!n"r in charity as an expiation for what he has done, as
reported by al-Im!m A!mad and the compilers of the Sunan with a good chain of
narration, on the authority of Ibn Abb!s that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
said, concerning one who had had sexual intercourse with his wife while she was
menstruating, Give a d!n"r or half a d!n"r in charity, and whichever of them you do (i.e.
a d!n"r or half a d!n"r), you will have its reward. (Abu D!w"d).

It is permissible to be intimate with your husband but without having intercourse. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Do everything except intercourse. (Muslim)

!ishah said, If one of us was menstruating and the Messenger of All!h (!"##"##$%&
("#")%* +" ,"##"-) wanted to be intimate with her, he would tell her to wear an iz!r
(waist wrapper) at the peak of her menstruation, then he would be intimate with her.
(al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

Ikrimah narrated from one of the wives of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) that
when the Prophet wanted to engage in any intimacy with one of his wives when she
was menstruating, he would put a piece of cloth over her private part. (Abu D!w"d)
47

8 - Ghusl :

You must take a shower when you finish your period.

It is obligatory for a menstruating woman, when her bleeding stops, to perform a
complete ghusl; based on the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) statement to F")imah
bint Abi &ubaysh, When the menstruation starts, leave off (al!"; and when it is
finished, then perform a ghusl and offer (al!". (al-Bukh!ri)

9 Di vorce:

It is prohibited to pronounce divorce when a woman is on her menses. Instead, she
must be in a period of purity (between menses) in which her husband has not had
sexual relations with her. Abdull"h b. Umar reported that he had divorced his wife
while she was menstruating and his father had asked the Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) about it. He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) replied, Instruct your son to
take her back and keep her until she is clean. Then he should wait until she
menstruates and becomes clean again. If he then wishes to divorce her, he may do so
without having intercourse with her. That is the period which All!h prescribed for
divorcing women. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The pronouncement of divorce during menses is still counted as a pronouncement.
Y#nus b. Jubayr asked Ibn Umar, Is the pronouncement of divorce counted if a person
divorces his wife while she is in a state of menses? He replied, Why not? Was he
helpless or foolish? (al-Bukh!ri)

However, one who does so has committed a sin. When Ibn Umar was asked about a
person who divorces his wife while she is menstruating, he replied, If he pronounced
one or two divorces, All!hs Messenger ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) would command him
to take her back, allow her respite until she enters her second menses, allow her respite
until she is purified, then divorce her without having sex with her. If he had
pronounced three divorces, he would have disobeyed his Lords command regarding
divorce, but she would be irrevocably separated from him. (al-Bukh!ri)

I sti &!dah

Isti!"#ah is vaginal bleeding for reasons other than menstruation or childbirth. In some
women, bleeding never stops. In others, it continues for longer than a normal period,
but it does stop for a short period. The woman affected by it is in one of three
conditions:

1. She had a known regular menses before the onset of the isti!"#ah. She should
calculate when her period would normally come and stop offering !al"# during the days
of her calculated period, and all the other rules of menstruation would apply to her
48

during that calculated period. For the rest of the days, her bleeding should be treated as
isti!"#ah.

2. She did not have a regular period or does not remember when it used to occur, but
she can distinguish between the two kinds of blood based on color, thickness and smell.
(Menstrual blood is dark, thick, and with a strong odor. Isti!"#ah is bright red, thin, and
less disagreeable in smell.)

3. She didnt have a regular period and even cannot distinguish between the two types
of blood either because its always the same or because its always changing. She should
go by the average period of most women; so for 6 or 7 days every month, she should
consider herself as menstruating and that should be calculated from the time she first
noticed vaginal bleeding. The rest of the days should be treated as isti!"#ah.

There is no difference between a woman beset by isti!"#ah and a woman who has a
complete cessation of menstrual flow, except as follows:
a) If the woman beset by isti!"#ah wants to perform wu!", she should wash the
blood from her vaginal area then apply a menstrual pad or wrap the area with a
clean rag on top of a wad of cotton to catch the blood; any blood coming out
after that is of no account.
b) She must perform wu!" for every single far! (obligatory) !al"#, as the Prophet
(!allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) ordered a woman in this condition: Perform wu!"
for every !al"#. (al-Bukh!ri)

"ad)th: You make wu#! for each and every (al%h. The problem with this &ad)th which
al-Q"sim narrated is that Im%m M"lik and others believe that it is an addition to the text
by the tabii. If you have one wu#!, you can pray and keep praying. This is the position
of Im"m M"lik. The majority of the fuqah% disagree with him because they agree with
the authenticity of the narration that you have to make wu#! for each and every (al%h.

Shaykh Waleed believes you should make wu#! for every (al%h because it is not
difficult, and it is a discharge coming out that requires you to make wu#!.

Nif!s

This has the same ruling of &ayd.

Nif!s is post-partum bleeding (after the birth of a baby or during delivery, or two or
three days before delivery accompanied by labor pains). The following are the rules for
nif!s:

1. There is no minimum limit to the length of the bleeding; the upper limit is
generally within 40 days.

2. Most of the rules of nif!s are just like the rules of menstruation (&ay#)

49


1. Does the blood following a miscarriage or abortion take the same ruling as post-
partum bleeding?
Scholars say if the miscarriage or abortion happen before 80 days, then no, just
make wu#! for the (al%h because the majority of fuqah! dont consider this a baby
yet it is just a clot of blood. If it is after 80 days, then it is exactly like nif!s and you
stay 40 days. She stops praying and stops fasting until she sees sign of clarity.

2. Should I stop praying if the amniotic sac ruptures before labor?
If the water breaks and she sees blood while she has contractions, her post-partum
bleeding has started even before delivering the baby. The nif!s has started, and you
dont need to pray or make up your prayers. Nif!s is the one that comes with the
delivery.

3. Is bleeding that occurs prior to childbirth part of the nif!s?
Same ruling.

4. I became pure during the 40 days post-partum, but then bleeding resumed after
some days of purity. What is the ruling?
Anything after the clarity is isti!"#ah. What if the blood is seen afterwards the
period? If you recognize the blood as blood of the period, then you consider it as
the start of the period and count the days. If it is not the period, then consider it
like isti!"#ah and make wu#! for each (al%h.

5. Can a woman get her period while pregnant? While breastfeeding?
If you are pregnant, it is impossible to have your period. Yes, you can have your
period while breastfeeding.

6. What is the ruling related to bleeding associated with the placement of an IUD?
This is not considered &ayd. Make wu#!, and thats it.

7. What is the ruling of taking medication to delay the onset of menstruation in order
to complete !ajj or fasting?
You must consult a doctor. If the doctor says that it is safe, then you are allowed to
use it. It is not encouraged to do it.

8. What is the ruling on a menstruating woman reading tafs!r?
It is allowed. It is not Qur'"n.

9. When a menstruating woman becomes pure before sunrise is it obligatory upon her
to perform the maghrib and ish! prayers? Similarly, if she becomes pure before
sunset, is it obligatory upon her to perform the ,uhr and a(r prayers?

50

If she finishes her period before sunset, the ulem% said that if the time was left to
take a shower and to pray, then she has to pray a(r. The &anafis said that if there
was enough time to pray one rakah, then you have to pray it. The Sh"fiis said that
if there is enough time to pray 4 rakahs, then you have to pray it. The &anbalis said
if you have enough time for one takb)rah, then you have to pray it. The &anbalis
said that you have to pray it because it became obligatory upon you. The three
other madh%hib disagree with them and say that you have to be able to take a
shower first.

The &anafi opinion is the strongest. If you have the time to take a shower and pray
one rakah, then you have to pray a(r.

The &anbalis and Sh"fiis say that if you finish the period at a(r time, then you have
to pray ,uhr and a(r. Why? They said because she takes the same ruling of those
who have been given an excuse like the traveler. The &anafis disagree with this
and say she only prays a(r, and this is the strongest opinion and Shaykh Uthaym%n
takes this opinion.

What if you start your period after ,uhr adh%n is called? When you finish your
period, do you need to pray ,uhr? The &anafi school and Ibn Taymiyyah said that
you dont have to pray ,uhr when you finish your period because ,uhr is not w%jib
on you 10 minutes after the adh%n is called. You can pray after an hour. They said
in the books of fiqh that unless her period comes and by the time she starts her
period, she doesnt have time to make takb)ratl-i&r%m. If this is the situation, then
she has to make up this prayer later on. The vast majority of fuqah% said that she
has to make up ,uhr because it becomes w%jib upon her once it enters. Every
opinion has a strong argument.

10. How can a woman determine that her period has ended so that she can pray?
- Clarity
- White fluid

Where does the number 40 come for the number of days of nif!s? The medical
community thinks that it is 40 days. Ulem% say that it is based on the narration from
Ibn Abb"s and Abdul-Ra!m"n b. Awf, and none of the companions disagreed with
them. Another opinion is that 60 days is the maximum because al-Awz!i said that
there was a women in his area who had 60 days of nif!s. This is not a valid way of
determining this.

What do you do if you finish your period when you are at work?
You wait until you go home and then make ghusl. Go home as soon as you can, and
insh%All%h it is an excuse for you to delay if you cannot leave your school or work.

What if you go to sleep and wake up after fajr and have your period?
You dont know when your period started. What do you do? You go with the certainty.
You are certain that you didnt have the period when you went to sleep. Treat like you
51

didnt have your period. When you are done with your period, then you have to make
up the prayer.

You had your period in the night and wake up after fajr and are pure. You are certain
that you had your period, so you dont pray fajr.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The best deeds to please All"h with are
praying (al%h on time. Dont delay your (al%h. Pray your (al%h on time.

Sa%d b. M#sayyib was once tortured and he was asked if he was crying because of it,
and he said he was crying because for the last 40 years he had prayed in the first line of
the (al%h, and that day he didnt.
C) Rul i ngs rel ated to $dh%n, Iq!mah, !al"h, and Dhi kr

1. The Ma!jid, !dh"n and Iq!mah

Women are allowed to call !dh!n amongst themselves.
It is not recommended for a woman to call !dh!n or iq!mah. Ibn Umar said, !dh"n and
iq!mah are not for women. It is permissible for her to do so between women. It is dhikr
of All"h, and no one will prevent you from making dhikr.

Man and woman cannot pray together in a small room because of khalwah. There is no
man and woman alone in an isolated place except that Shay'%n is the third. If there is a
barrier and the door is open and it isnt a closed environment, then it is fine.

Women are allowed to gather in the ma!jid. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
said, Do not prohibit the female slaves of All!h from the mosques of All!h. (Muslim)

!ishah said, The believing women used to witness the fajr congregation with the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) in the ma!jid. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, I consider elongating my prayer, but
when I hear a child crying, I make it short because I do not want to make it difficult
upon its mother.

ACTIVITY: One of the people who will be under the shade of All!h is the one whose
heart is attached to the ma!jid. This applies to males and females. How can we improve
the relationship between us and the ma!jid? How can we make our mas%jid friendlier
toward women?

During the time of Prophet Mu!ammad ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), the women used to
hurry home after prayer so as not to mix with the men.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) assigned a specific entrance for women.
52

When a woman comes to the ma!jid, she should avoid wearing perfume or makeup. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If one of you (women) witnesses the (al!h in
the ma!jid, she should not wear perfume. (Muslim) In another !ad"th, They should
come tafil!t (i.e. not beautifying themselves). (Abu D!w"d)

There was a black woman who used to clean the masjid, then she died. The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) asked after her and was told that she had died. He said,
Why did you not inform me? Show me her grave. Then he went to the grave and
offered the funeral prayer over it. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

2. !al"h and Dhi kr

Prayer on time is equally obligatory on women and men.

Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified
times. (al-Nis% , 4:103)

The Prophet (!allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) was asked, What is the most beloved deed to
All!h? He replied, Praying at the beginning of the appointed time. (al-Bukh!ri)

When a woman prays, it is obligatory that she covers her body with loose clothing and
only shows her face and hands according to the majority of the scholars. Abu !an"fah,
al-Sh!fii, al-Thawri, and al-Muzani added the feet. Scholars who view it obligatory for
women to veil their faces in the presence of non-ma!ram men view that a woman
should cover her face during prayer if non-ma!ram men are present.

If part of the area that should be covered becomes uncovered, the (al!h is invalid and
must be repeated ONLY if the uncovered area is large and remains uncovered for a long
time.

If a woman prays with a male, ma&ram or non-ma&ram, she should pray behind him.
Anas reports that he prayed with an orphan boy behind the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) and his mother prayed behind them. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The best lines for men are the front rows
and the worst for them are the back rows. And the best lines for women are the back
rows and the worst for them are the front rows. (Muslim)

53

It is permissible for women to pray in congregation with one of them leading as im!m,
but it is not obligatory upon them. !ishah and Umm Salamah led women in prayer.
(Abdul-Razz"q in al-Mu(annaf)

A woman who is leading a congregation may stand among the first row, which was
done by !ishah and Umm Salamah, and if she stands in front of it, the prayer is
correct.

It is not permissible for a woman to lead men in prayer. The !ad"th of Umm Waraqah
that states that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) gave her permission to lead her
family in prayer is weak.

A woman may read aloud in prayer as long as there are no non-ma&rams present.

It is not permissible for one man and one woman who are unrelated to pray together in
seclusion. Some of the scholars from the Sh"fii and &anbali schools disliked that a man
lead a group of women in prayer unless another male or a female relative was present.

The manner of performing prayer is the same for both males and females except in the
instances where there is specific proof otherwise. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) said, Pray as you have seen me pray. (al-Bukh!ri)

Some of the scholars, such as al-Bayhaqi, brought forth some differences, such as:
- Woman should bring her thighs together during suj!d.
- Woman should not raise her hands high during the takb!r.
- Woman should not extend her arms away from her sides during suj!d.
- Woman should lock her arms closely on her chest during qiy!m.
- Woman should not stretch out her body during suj!d.
There is no proof for any of these differences.

Valid differences, based on !ad"th, include that a woman must clap to alert the im!m to
a mistake as opposed to saying Sub&!n All%h. Clapping is done by tapping the back of
the left hand with the right.

It is from the Sunnah to have special advice for women during the ,d khu'bah. J!bir and
Ibn Abb!s witnessed the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) approaching the women
during ,d al-Fi'r and speaking to them. (al-Bukh!ri)

If an adult woman walks in front of a man within the area of his suj!d or between him
and his sutrah, it will invalidate his prayer. This is the opinion of Ibn Umar, Anas, Abu
Hurayrah, al-&asan al-Ba*ri, the majority of Ahll-!ad"th and Ibn al-Qayyim. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The woman, the donkey, and the dog break
the prayer. (Muslim) The majority of the Muslim jurists say that it will not invalidate
the prayer, but it breaks the concentration of the person. This is the position of
!ishah, al-Thawri, and the four im!ms. They support their opinion with the !ad!th in
54

al-Bukh!ri which states that !ishah used to lie down in front of the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) while he prayed the night prayer.

Umm A)iyyah said, We were ordered to go out for the prayer on the day of ,d, even
the young virgins and the menstruating women, so that the women were behind the
men. We used to make takb!r upon their takb!r, and du! upon their du!, seeking the
blessing and purification of that day. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim) Women are allowed to
make their dhikr out loud when it is unlikely to be fitnah.

All adhk%r that are in masculine format should be changed to feminine. For example,
All%humma inni abduk should be said, All%humma inni amatuk.

What are the differences between men and women during (al%h?
- The awrah is different
- Men say sub&%nAll%h when correcting the im%m and women clap by tapping
the right hand on the outer part of the left.
- Women do not call !dh!n or iq%mah.

It is commonly thought that men and women place their hands in different places, but
this is not correct. They put their hands on their chest. Many people think there is a
difference between men and women while standing in (al%h, but there is no proof for
this. Some people think women have to be close when making suj!d, but this isnt
correct. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) when making suj!d had his arms out
and his underarms could be seen. Some people think that women cant stretch their
body in suj!d, but there is no proof for this. These things became popular in books of
fiqh, but there is no proof from the Sunnah of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) or
from the companions. Men are women do the same thing while sitting in the (al%h.

What if the awrah shows during the (al%h? Look into two things:
1) How much is uncovered?
2) How long has it been uncovered?
If you start the (al%h and know that part of your awrah is not covered, then the (al%h is
not valid. There are four possibilities:
- A lot of the awrah is showing for a short period of time
- A lot of the awrah is showing for a long period of time
- A small part of the awrah is showing for a short period of time
- A small part of the awrah is showing for a long period of time
The only one that breaks the (al%h is: so much of the awrah is showing for a long period
of time.
If a lot of the awrah shows but a short amount of time, then the (al%h is still valid.
If part of the awrah is showing unintentionally, it is allowed even if it is for a long
period of time.

55


1. Can I repeat after a digital or recorded %dh!n?
Vast majority of scholars say that no, it is not allowed. This !dh!n is not a Shari
!dh!n. It is like following the im%m on the TV, which is not allowed because he is
the im%m for the people in the place he is.

What if the masjid doesnt have a muadhdhin and only have a digital one? Majority
of scholars disagree with this.

2. I missed so many prayers in my life. I have repented now. What should I do?
If you used to pray and missed one or two prayers, and you can identify these
prayers, then you have to make them up. If you dont remember how many, be safe
and overestimate the number.

If someone wasnt praying before, then do they need to make it up? One position is
that yes, you still have to make it up and you make it up. You set out an hour and
pray fajr, .uhr, a(r, maghrib, ish%. This is not practical. The other position is that
you need to make a lot of voluntary prayers. This is the position of Ibn Taymiyyah,
and he said in Shar)ah, there is no proof that if you miss something intentionally
you can make it up later on. You make it up only if you were sleeping or forgot
about it. To leave the (al%h for no valid reason, there is nothing in Islam giving you
the option to make it up later. Shaykh Uthaym%n said that if someone missed the
siy%m intentionally, you cannot make it up because you intentionally broke it. You
have to repent to All"h and fast extra days and maybe All"h will forgive you.

Shaykh Waleeds opinion is that you dont need to make up the days because you
need to make tawbah and a lot of extra (al%h.

3. Can I pray while sitting in the car if there are no mas%jid close by and the prayer
time is about to end?
No. If it is an obligatory prayer, you are not allowed to pray in the car, and if you
prayed in the car, then it is an invalid prayer. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) said, Pray standing. All four madh%hib said that standing in the (al%h is one
of the pillars of the (al%h. You cant pray sitting unless you are riding on a ship or
an airplane. You are not allowed to pray inside the car because it is a rukn in the
(al%h to be standing.

For voluntary prayers, it is allowed to pray sitting even if you can stand.

In an airplane, you can pray sitting by qiy%s because the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) gave permission to pray sitting on a ship.

4. Can I pray while wearing pants?
If you are wearing tight pants and a shirt only to the waist: does the shirt cover all
of the body and the pants cover all of the body? Is the neck covered? Yes, but the
56

clothes are tight. There is almost consensus of the scholars that as long as the
awrah is covered, the (al%h is valid. Some say it is disliked, but the (al%h is valid.

This is referring only to praying like this and not going outside dressed this way.

5. I was too shy to let my family know that I was menstruating, so I prayed. What is
the ruling regarding that?
It is &ar%m, and you should be shyer from All"h than your father or mother. It is
&ar%m to pray while you have your menses. The &anafis are the strictest about this.
The &anafis said that if somebody prayed while they know they dont have wu#!,
then this is kufr.

6. Can a female lead a boy who has not yet reached puberty in prayer? Can a young
boy lead an adult female?
Yes, you can lead him in the prayer. The boy can only lead the prayer if he hasnt
reached puberty if he knows how to pray. He has to know what he does if he makes
a mistake.

7. Can I stand beside my husband in prayer?
No, stand behind him because the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) prayed and
Anas was behind him and his mother was behind him.

If she prays next to him, the (al%h is valid, but the Sunnah is to stand behind.

8. What is the rule regarding carrying a baby with a dirty diaper during prayer?

9. When women line up for (al!h, should their bodies touch each other like in the
mens lines?
Yes, they should. It is not allowed to keep big spaces between people.

10. Ive seen some women praying .uhr after Jumuah. Is there a basis for this practice?
There is no basis for this. Some scholars said that since Jumuah is not obligatory for
women and .uhr is obligatory, then they have to pray .uhr, but this understanding
is not correct because if you pray Jumuah, then it is a replacement for .uhr. If you
pray both, then you have prayed 6 times in 24 hours, and by consensus All"h
ordered five, so it is an innovation.

The fuqah! mentioned it and said it is a form of innovation. Im%m al-Nawawi said
there is a consensus amongst the scholars that if you pray Jumuah, it will be
sufficient for you and you dont need to pray .uhr.

11. Should a child passing in front of a praying person be prevented?
There are 40 a&ad)th in Bukh"ri that talk about the sutrah. In some of the a&ad)th, it
has to be the length of 2/3
rd
s of an arm. You put it in front of you when you pray,
and it is far from the place where you make suj!d by the length of an arm. If anyone
57

wants to pass in front of you, they must pass in front of this point. Anyone who
tries to walk between you and the sutrah, you should stop them.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was once praying in a garden and a sheep
came, and the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) moved closer to the wall until the
sheep passed behind him, and then he moved back.

12. Would a woman passing in front of another woman break her prayer?
If a woman passes in front of another woman, there is consensus that she will not
break the womans (al%h. If a woman passes in front of a man while he is praying,
then it will break the mans prayer. The majority of the fuqah! say that it will
reduce the ajr of the (al%h, but this doesnt apply to a woman walking in front of
another woman.

Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If a woman,
black dog, or donkey passes in front of a person who is praying will break the (al%h.
This is a controversial &ad)th. (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) was so angry when she
heard this and said, May All"h forgive him, he is associating us with donkeys and
dogs. (ishah used to be lying down in front of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) while he was praying and it did not break the (al%h. But the &ad)th is talking
about a person walking. Other companions also narrated this &ad)th. It is a valid
&ad)th. It doesnt invalidate the (al%h but reduces the ajr. Ibn &azm took it literally
and said it will break the (al%h.

13. At the !aram in Makkah, people pass in front of those praying continuously due to
crowding. Do passing women break prayer in such a scenario?
The fuqah! said that in Makkah, the ruling of preventing someone from passing in
front of you and the sutrah is exempt. The ulem% said that this applies to Mad%nah
too because of the same reason. From this, ulem% said if any overcrowded masjid
will lead to harm the mu(all)n, then the ruling of the sutrah is dropped and you can
pass. In a case like this, you can pass in front of the person, and you dont stop
them because of the small size of the masjid and people needing to go back to work.
It makes it similar to Makkah and Mad%nah.

Shaykh Bin B"z has a famous fatwa in regards to this as well.

14. Is it permissible for me to join prayers if I am at the mall or at work and there is no
masjid close by?
No, it is not an excuse to join the prayers unless it occasionally happens. For
example, if you are a doctor and are in surgery it is allowed. If this is the default
and every day you are joining the prayers, it is not allowed. The Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) joined the prayers without the reason of rain or traveling just to
make it easy for the ummah.

15. !ishah said, If the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) had witnessed what women
are doing today, he would have prevented them from coming to the ma!jid, as the
58

women of Bani Isr%)l were forbidden from going to their places of worship.
(Muslim) What does this narration mean?
Women were coming wearing perfume and not dressing properly. The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Dont prevent women from coming to the masjid,
and if they come to the masjid they should come tafilat (not wearing fancy dress).
This doesnt mean you come with dirty clothes, but it means not to wear the really
fancy clothes.

16. Do we have to have partitions between men and women in the ma!jid?
The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)s masjid did not have a partition between
men and women. During the time of the (a&%bah, successors, and after, it was never
known for there to be a partition. Does this mean that a partition is bidah? No. We
dont worship All"h by the partition and we dont believe that (al%h with the
partition is better. It is simply permissible.

The partition is mainly meant for the benefit of the women so that they can have
their privacy. When women came to make itik%f at the time of the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), they put up a tent and created their own partition.

We shouldnt make a big deal of the issue on partitions.

If the partition prevents women from seeing or hearing the im%m, it is not allowed
to have it. If they are praying in a place, they must be able to see and hear the im%m
or the people behind the im%m.

17. If there is a partition in the ma!jid, what would be the best line for women, the front
or the back?
If there is a partition, Shaykh Bin B"z said the front line is the best. If there is no
partition, then the back is the best.

18. Must I have wu!" and wear &ij!b during suj!dl-til!wah and suj!dl-shukr?
No, you dont have to. You can make these suj!d without wu#! and without &ij%b
and without facing the qiblah.

19. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) prevented women from wearing perfume
when going to the ma!jid. Does this apply to deodorants, body sprays, lotions with
smells, etc.?
No, this doesnt apply to deodorant. You are allowed to put lotions and body sprays
if the smell wont travel far. Fuqah% said that if you wear a type of perfume where
the fragrance wont travel, then it is permissible.

Ulem% said that the perfume of the women will travel a distance that will be
forbidden, but if it is meant for cleanliness, it is permissible.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said to the women when they take a
shower, Take this musk and wrap your body with it, especially your private area,
59

so that you will smell good. Women will go outside after that. It is like shampoo
or body lotion. From this, we say that any perfume in body lotion, soap, or
shampoo is permissible.

20. Do the a!"d#th that mention rewards for remaining in dhikr after prayer apply to
women praying at home?
Im%m M"lik said yes. For example, it has been narrated that the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever prays fajr in jamaah and stays in his place and
makes dhikr until after the sun is up, then he receives the reward of Umrah. This
applies to women who pray at home too.

You can pray in a place where there are pictures up (i.e. in a university). The evidence
is that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) prayed at the Kabah with so many idols
around, and the (a&%bah also prayed. You are not allowed to pray to the picture.

Issue of women leading the prayer:
Can a woman lead men in the prayer? No scholar ever said that it is permissible for a
woman to lead the Jumuah prayer. Ghazalah from the Kharijites is the only woman to
do this.

Other than Jumuah, there is a difference of opinion. A great Sh"fii scholar al-Muzari
and al-.abari and Abu Thaw said that it is allowed for a woman to lead men in prayer.
Im%m A!mad said it is allowed only in tar%w)& if she lives in an area where no one has
memorized much of the Qur'"n. She can lead men from behind while she is with the
womens lines. No one amongst those scholars said that she goes in front of the men.
While she is behind them, she prays with a loud voice and makes takb)r and they follow.

This position is not correct. Their position is based on the following evidence: there is
no proof to prevent women from leading prayer. But there is a proof.
1. There was never a single incident amongst the companions where a woman led
the prayer of men. The mothers of the believers never did this. This shows that
it is not allowed.
2. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said if a woman passes in front of a man,
then it reduces the (al%h, so what about if she leads the prayer?
3. The best line for women is in the back.
They say that there is a &ad)th reported by Abi D"w#d that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) gave a woman permission to lead her family members in prayer. They say
men, but family may mean men. Also, this is a specific situation, and permission was
just given to her. Also, this narration has some unknown narrators, so this &ad)th is
considered weak.

Revi ew:
True or False: It is narrated that Im%m A!mad allowed women to lead men in prayer
(.uhr, a(r, etc.) as long as she knows more Qur'"n than the men.
Answer: False. He said she could lead in tar%w)& only. In regular prayer, it can be led
by someone who recites S+ratl-Ikhl%(, which most people know. Al-.abari said that
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generally speaking she is allowed to lead men and women in the prayer, but there is a
condition: she has to lead from the back.

Debate requires more skills than knowledge. You may have less knowledge but can win
a debate.

True or False: It is not allowed for women to call !dh!n.
Answer: False. She is allowed to call !dh!n amongst sisters and in her house. Ibn
Umar said, Who can prevent her from dhikr of All"h?

If there are a group of sisters in the house and the !dh!n was called for a(r. Should
they pray individually or pray together?
Answer: They can pray together. Is it recommended for them to pray in congregation,
or can they pray individually? They can pray individually, but it is highly
recommended for them to pray together. If men are together, they are not allowed to
pray individually and have to pray jamaah. Jamaah is not w%jib on women. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The ajr of praying in congregation is higher
than praying by yourself by 24 times (another narration: 23 times, another narration:
27 times).
D) The Rul i ngs Rel ated to al-Jan! i z (Funeral s) and al -"id!d
(Mourni ng)

A woman is to be in the state of &id!d for four months and ten days. She is not to
beautify herself or wear perfumes, and she may not get engaged or married during this
time. Some scholars add that she is not allowed to leave the house of her husband
unless there is a need.

And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind -
they, [the wives, shall] wait four months and ten [days]. And when they
have fulfilled their term, then there is no blame upon you for what they
do with themselves in an acceptable manner. And All!h is [fully]
acquainted with what you do. (al-Baqarah, 2:234)

It is not permissible for a woman who believes in All!h and the Last Day to practice
&id!d for more than three nights on a dead person, except for her husband, four
months and ten days. (al-Bukh!ri)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, He who slaps the cheeks, tears the
clothes and follows the traditions of the Days of Ignorance is not from us. (al-Bukh!ri)
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The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, A Muslim whose three children die
before the age of puberty will go to Jannah. (al-Bukh!ri) In another narration, he was
asked, Even two? He replied, Even two.

He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said, The n!i&ah (one who wails and screams
loudly, usually accompanied by hitting the body and saying things that show extreme
anger at al-qadar), if she does not repent before she dies, she will be brought on the Day
of Resurrection in a dress of tar and an outer garment of scabs. (Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, All!h does not punish because of the
tears of the eyes or the sadness of the heart, rather he punishes or gives mercy because
of this, and he pointed to his tongue. (Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) cried over the death of many of those who
passed away during his lifetime.

If a woman passes away, if her hair is long enough, it should be braided into three
braids and placed behind her back.

A woman is shrouded in five sheets, while a man is shrouded in three.

Umm A)iyyah said, We were forbidden from following the funeral procession, but we
were not prohibited from doing so. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

Al-Bukh!ri and al-Sh!fii stated that the dead body cannot be carried by women; it can
only be carried by men during the funeral procession.

An im!m stands facing the middle of a womans body during her jan!zah prayer, as
Samurah ibn Jundub described the Prophets prayer over a dead woman. (al-Bukh!ri
and Muslim)

When there are multiple dead bodies, they are arranged with males closest to the
im!m, then children, then women, as practiced by Ibn Umar, Ibn Abb"s, and others.

A woman visiting the graveyard is an issue of dispute among the scholars. Ibn Hajar
said that the majority of scholars viewed it as permissible. In one narration, al-Im!m
A!mad forbade it. Those who forbade women from going to the graveyard looked to
the &ad!th, All!hs curse is upon the female visitors of graves. Those who believe it is
permissible consider this &ad!th abrogated: Visiting the graves reminds you of death,
so visit them. (Muslim)

When !ishah visited the grave of her brother Abdul-Ra!m!n, she was asked
regarding the prohibition, and she replied that they had been forbidden but were later
given permission. (al-&!kim and al-Bayhaqi)

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Explanation of what the word &id!d means:
"id!d is a period of time where the woman cannot get married and cannot get engaged.
She spends the night in the house, and she doesnt wear any kind of jewelry. She
doesnt wear makeup and she doesnt wear fancy clothes. The point is to purify herself.
She avoids spending the night outside the house of her husband or the house of the
person who passed away (her father, her brother).

In the old days before Islam, &id!d also included things that Islam forbids such as
hitting herself and weeping over the dead in a loud voice and talking about the virtues
of the person who died and gathering people to weep.

What is the period of time?
For the woman who lost her husband, the Qur'"n is clear that it is 4 months and 10
days.

1. Can a woman stay in any house during &id!d, or must it be her home that she had
shared with her husband?
There is a difference of opinion amongst the companions. Ibn $Abb"s said that All"h
ordered women in the Qur'"n to do &id!d and specified the time but not the
location. He said that there is nothing in Islam that orders the woman to spend the
4 months and 10 days in the house of her husband. (ishah also took this position
and didnt believe that you have to spend the &id!d in the house of the husband.
She went for Umrah with her sister Umm Kulthum bint Abi Bakr while Umm
Kulthum was in her &id!d. Umm Kulthum left Mad%nah to go to Umrah while in her
&id!d. She believed you dont have to spend the time in the house of the husband.
This is also the position of am)rl-mumin)n Ali b. Abi ."lib. J"bir b. Abdull"h and
A)a b. Abi Rab"h also held this position.

Umar b. al-Kha))"b and his son Abdull"h b. Umar and Abdull"h b. Mas#d (the
great faq)h amongst the scholars) said she must stay in the house of her husband
and is not allowed to leave. Umar heard about a woman traveling from Mad%nah to
Makkah while in &id!d to make Umrah , and he sent an officer to escort her back to
Mad%nah and stay in her home until she finished the &id!d. A woman said to Ibn
Mas#d, Ya Abdull"h, I get scared when I stay alone at home in my husbands
house. Can I go outside and visit my friends? He said, Yes, you can go visit them
in the day, but you come back in the night and stay at your husbands house. What
is their evidence?
- "ad)th of Fariyah: She said, Ya Ras+lull%h, my husband passed away and my
family doesnt live in Mad%nah. Can I go to them? He said, Okay. Then he
thought about it and called her back and said, No, go and stay at your
husbands house. Jibr%l had come and corrected him ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam). Tirmidhi, Abu D"w#d, Ibn M"jah. Abu &an%fah, M"lik, Sh"fii, A!mad
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took this position because of this. She has to stay in her husbands house unless
it is not safe.

There is an interesting debate about the authenticity of the &ad)th of Fariyah, and
All%hu alam, it is a &asan (sound, acceptable) &ad)th, which is why Shaykh Waleed goes
with the majority position that she stays in her husband house.

2. Can I go to work or school during &id!d?
Yes, you are allowed to go to school and to work. Avoid jewelry, fancy clothes, and
makeup. You are allowed to do your daily earning. You can go to the market to buy
groceries. Ulem% said that you should avoid things that are meant for
entertainment. You dont go to the theater or mall just to go shopping.

3. Should one dress in black during &id!d?
This has not ever been recorded in the Sunnah of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) and was never followed by any of the companions or successors. In Islam,
no color has been designated.

4. Can a woman be in &id!d over anyone other than her husband?
The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) answered this question clearly and said, It
is not allowed for a woman who believes in All"h and the Day of Judgment that she
declares &id!d for anyone other than her husband for more than three days.
Yes, it is allowed for a woman to be in &id!d over anyone other than her husband
but not for more than three days. After three days, it is forbidden.

5. Can a woman in &id!d wear jewelry?
No, she is not allowed to wear jewelry. Can a woman wear her wedding ring? Does
she need to take it off? Wedding rings are not something women wear for the
purpose of beautification, so Shaykh Waleed would be lenient with this.

6. Is it permissible for a woman to visit Prophet Mu!ammads ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) grave and give him sal!m?
This issue is part of a bigger issue: are women allowed to visit the graveyard?
Ulem% have a debate over this issue based on different evidence that was reported.

The majority of the fuqah! allow women to visit the graveyard. Their evidence:
- The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) gave a general statement saying, I
forbade you from visiting the graveyard and now I give you the permission to do
so. This applies to men and women. If you are going to exclude women, then
you need a proof.
- There are so many examples of women going to the graveyard. (ishah
(ra#yAll%hu anha) took permission from the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
to visit the grave of her brother AbdulRa!m"n, and the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) granted her request.
- The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) passed by a woman sitting next to the
grave of her son or husband crying, and he told her, Be patient. She said,
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Stay away from me. You dont have what I have. (You are not experiencing
what I am experiencing.) Later, people told her that was the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) and she apologized. The point is that she was at the grave of
her son or husband when the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) passed by.
- (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) narrated the &ad)th of the du% to say when you enter
the graveyard in Bukh"ri. If she was taught this by the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) and asked about this du%, then it means it is allowed for women to
visit the graveyard.

Some of the &an"bilah disagree and say that women are not allowed to visit the
graveyard. They said:
- When the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, I give you permission to
visit the graveyard, it was an exception because the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) stated clearly, All"h cursed those women who visit the grave often
and those who write on the grave, and All"h curses those who put light or make
fire next to the grave.
- The graveyard is meant to be a place to remind of the %khirah and not a place for
men and women to gather together. The graveyard is small, and there would be
mixing between men and women and women may be crying or in a position
where some of her awrah appears.
- Graveyards are deserted areas and far from the city, so there is the possibility of
women being attacked and bothered.
- Many women cannot control their emotions, and they may start hitting
themselves or weeping like in the days before Islam.
- Women may come to the graveyard and cemetery dressed up because not
everyone wears &ij%b and dresses properly.
- It may have a negative impact on the woman. Islam wants you to remember the
%khirah and death, but it should not be in a negative way and should not make
you depressed. Men are stronger emotionally.

The only good point they have is the &ad)th of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam). This &ad)th cannot be abrogated because it is attached to things that were
never abrogated: writing on the graves, building over the graves, and putting light
by the grave. These things have never been abrogated and are in one &ad)th.

Im%m al-Qurtubi tried to reconcile between the two groups and said, The &ad)th of
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) is related to the women who go often
because the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said zaww%r%t (the women who go a
lot). If a woman goes a lot, then it is &ar%m. As long as it is not a habit, it is
permissible.

Shaykh Waleed disagrees with this understanding. Why? We can ask everyone who
agrees with this a simple question: What is the ruling in relation to visiting the
graveyard? Which one of the five categories does it fall into? A recommended act.
When you do a recommended act many times, then it should lead to the love of
All"h and not the curse of All"h. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that
65

All"h said, My servant will continuously offer voluntary good deeds until I will love
my servant. If you do something recommended and will be cursed, then it goes
against a fundamental principle in Shar)ah. This is not a good way to reconcile
between the evidence.

Shaykh Waleed holds the opinion that it is not allowed for a woman to go to the
graveyard. (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) asked permission to go to the graveyard to
visit her brother, which means it is not allowed and she needed an exception. Also,
the incident in which the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) passed by the woman
who was next to the grave of her son was a single incident, and rules are not
derived from an incident like this. We dont leave a clear text for an incident with
unknown circumstances. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) chose the right
time to educate people. It was just one incident, and a general rule for
permissibility cannot be derived from it.

Both opinions are very respected.

The grave of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) is not a cemetery, and also, you
cannot visit it because it is isolated from the public by four walls. Women are
allowed to go and say sal%m to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam). It is
different from going to the funeral and witnessing it.

7. Ive heard the &ad!th, The dead is punished by the weeping of his family over him.
Is this &ad!th authentic and what does it mean?
Yes, this &ad)th is authentic. The &ad)th is reported in Bukh"ri and Muslim by Ibn
Umar. When (ishah heard this, she said Ibn Umar is wrong and the &ad)th is that
the k%fir will be punished by the weeping of his family over him. This was said in
relation to a Jewish lady who had passed away. She said, How can the mumin be
punished by the sin of someone else? Then she recited the verse: You should not
be responsible for someone elses actions.

If she uses this verse as a basis of her argument, she should not say only the k%fir
will be punished in the grave for the weeping of his family. If you cannot bear the
consequences of this action, then this applies to all humans and not Muslims.
Therefore, the ulem% said, If this is the basis of her argument, she should not say
that this applies only to the k%fir. We should say that no one is punished in the
grave over the weeping of a family member.

Ibn Umar was not the only one who heard the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
said this. What does the &ad)th of Ibn Umar mean? It was part of Arab culture that
when someone dies, he designates some money to hire family members or others or
to encourage the wife or daughter to weep and hit themselves with a loud voice.
They thought that the louder they were, then the better person they were. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that if this were their request, then they
would be punished in their grave. This &ad)th came to deal with a certain culture at
that time.
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This &ad)th applies to the following:
- Someone who requested this in his will
- Someone who knows his family will do this and never disapproved of it or never
wrote in his will to not do it. He will be punished for not fulfilling his rights to
educate his family members.

There is another twist to the &ad)th. The scholars said, The dead person will not be
punished but will suffer just like the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said
traveling is a suffering (adh%b). The dead person will suffer when his family
members weep over him because he will hear them weeping and will wish that he
could communicate with them to tell them not to, especially the mumin. He will be
hurt by their sadness, weeping, and crying over his death. Linguistically, this
meaning is possible. Ibn Hajar, al-Nawawi and other scholars mentioned this
understanding of this &ad)th.

It is allowed to cry over the dead person. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
cried when his son Ibr"h%m and his daughters and his friends passed away. In one
narration, it is said that his tears were like rain when he buried Uthm"n b.
Madh#n.

8. Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to wash a dead body?
Yes, it is permissible. There is no proof to prevent such a woman from doing this.
Im%m al-Nawawi said it is permissible even if a woman has jan%bah. Im%m M"lik
disliked a woman in jan%bah to do this, but there is no evidence.

Al-&asan al-Ba*ri preferred that she doesnt but there is no proof.

She is allowed because she is '%hir.

9. Can a person wash his/her spouse?
The majority of the Muslim jurists said you are allowed to wash your spouse after
death. This is the opinion of Im%m M"lik, Im%m Sh"fii, and Im%m A!mad. They said
it is allowed for a man to wash his spouse because of the following evidence: The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) told (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha), Ya (ishah, if
you die, I will wash your body and pray on you. (ishah said, If we go back in
time, no one will wash the body of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) except
his wife. When the wife of Abu Bakr died, he washed her body, and this was during
the time of the (a&%bah and no one objected to it. Ali washed the body of his wife
F")imah. Abu M#sa al-Ashari washed his wifes body when she passed away.

Abu &an%fah said it is not allowed. Sufy"n al-Thawri also said it is not allowed to
wash the body of your spouse. Why? They said that the moment she dies, she is no
longer his wife any more. Their logic is that if she dies, then the husband is allowed
67

to marry her sister the next day, and a man is not allowed to marry two sisters at
the same time.
Refutation: There is a problem when you leave textual evidence and have only logic
like this. Marrying her sister does not change the fact that she was your wife.
Because she is dead, you are allowed to marry her sister. All"h says in the Qur'"n,
You inherit half of what your husband left. Even though he passed away, All"h
still calls him zawj. Your spouse will be your husband/wife in Jannah.

10. Can a woman wash the body of ma&ram male relatives other than her husband and
vice versa?
Can you wash the body of your sister or mother? Yes, it is permissible. This is the
position of Im%m al-Awzai and Im%m M"lik. Many scholars mention the
permissibility of these things because there is no proof to forbid them from doing
this. He is her ma&ram.

Im%m A!mad and Im%m Abu &an%fah said it is not permissible and that your mother,
sister, daughter should be handled by a female and not by you (a male). Their
proof: when the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) daughters died, he did not
wash their bodies. He let females handle their bodies, but this is not a proof. Just
because he didnt do it does not mean it is not allowed. Ibn Qud"mah (a &anbali
scholar) said that this is not a very strong argument.

Shaykh Waleed believes it is permissible to do so if there is a need for it.

11. Can &id!d apply to men?
No, it only applies to women.
E) The Rul i ngs Regardi ng Zak!h, !adaqah, !awm, and !ajj

1. Zak!h and !adaqah

Zak!h expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those
employed to collect [zak!h] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam]
and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the
cause of All!h and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed]
by All!h. And All!h is Knowing and Wise. (al-Tawbah, 9:60)

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When All"h (sub&%na rabbi al-ala) described those who give for the sake of All"h, He did
not mention only the male donors. He (sub&%na rabbi al-ala) mentioned the males and
females.

Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and
believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful
men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the
humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable
women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their
private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember
All!h often and the women who do so - for them All!h has prepared
forgiveness and a great reward. (al-A&z%b, 33:35)

Indeed, the men who practice charity and the women who practice
charity and [they who] have loaned All!h a goodly loan - it will be
multiplied for them, and they will have a noble reward. (al-"ad)d, 57:18)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Oh women, give in charity, for I have
seen you as the majority of the people of the Hellfire. They asked, What is the
reason? He replied, You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. (al-
Bukh!ri)

Zaynab, the wife of Ibn Mas!d, once said to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), I
heard you encouraging women to give in charity today, and I was going to do so with
some jewelry that I own, but Ibn Mas!d claimed that the best form of charity is to give
it to him and his children. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) replied, Ibn
Mas!d has spoken the truth. Your husband and your children are the most deserving
of your charity. (al-Bukh!ri)

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The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Every single day, there is an angel who
says, O All"h give those who give for the sake of All"h a replacement. What is the
replacement? All"h replaces the money with other money in the dunya and with
reward in the hereafter. There are two replacements. You give one thing and you get
double.
There is an angel every day who says, O All"h give those who give for You a
replacement. All"h gives two replacements: the reward in the hereafter and increase
in money in the dunya.

Those males and females who give for the sake of All"h are like someone who gives a
loan to All"h. Why does the Qur"n refer to (adaqah as a loan? It means that you are
going to get it back.

There is a brother in Houston who said he was in a critical moment in his life and was
about to take a loan with interest for his business, and he was so worried and scared
because he knew it was &ar%m. In the midst of this, he donated generously to the masjid
when a (adaqah opportunity came up. In less than 2 weeks, a contractor came during
the I-10 expansion and said they wanted to put sand on his property and give him
$500K. While they were dumping the sand on the land, another person came and asked
to buy the sand from him. He made another $150K selling some of the sand.

Give, and All"h will give you. There is no doubt about this. Anything you give for the
sake of All"h, All"h promised you a replacement for it. All"h speaks to women and says,
O women, give in charity. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, O women,
give in charity. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If one of you cooks food,
make sure you add more water to make more soup so you can donate the soup to your
neighbor.

You should be giving every day. Ayy#b al-Suhktiy"ni said, When I heard this &ad)th, I
used to give something every day even if it was an onion. One of the salaf said, If I
couldnt find a poor person to give that day or if I had nothing to give, I would feed the
ants with part of a cookie. This was his (adaqah for the day. Make this something on a
daily basis. Make a commitment that you give something for charity every day.

1. Can I give zak!h to my parents, husband or children?
There is a debate amongst the scholars on this. The vast majority of Muslim
scholars among the four madh%hib said no. This is the position of Im%m A!mad.

Other scholars allow giving the zak%h to your parents.

Can you give your zak%h to your parents or children? The majority of the Muslim
scholars said no. Ibn Taymiyyah and other scholars said it is permissible to give
zak%h to your parents or children because there is no proof to forbid you for doing
this as long as they deserve the zak%h. Females are not obligated to support them
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financially. Even if you have to support them financially, you can give them from
the zak%h after you support them financially. If your parents dont make any
money, and you want to support them and you give them money but it will not
cover their debt, and at the end of the year you have to give your zak%h, then your
parents are the best people to benefit from it. In a case like this, you should. The
Qur'"n is very general about the categories (the mas%k)n). Also, Ibn Mas#ds wife
came to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and said, Ya Ras+lull%h, Ibn Mas#d
said he and our children deserve our zak%h. Should I give them? He ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) said, Yes.

One condition: you cannot do this as a trick to get your money back. You cannot
deceive All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la).

This is the strongest opinion and All"h knows best.

2. Do I have to get permission from my husband if I want to give charity from my own
money?
The strongest opinion amongst the scholars is no, you dont have to take
permission to give. Some scholars say you have to, but there is no proof for that.
Also, there is evidence against taking permission. When the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) advised women to give (adaqah on ,d, they started taking off their
jewelry and did not ask permission. Exception: if you know your husband has a
problem with an individual or organization.

3. Do I have to get permission from my husband if I want to give charity from his
money?
No, you dont with one condition: you cannot give from his money in a way that
can harm him financially. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If a woman
gives from her husbands money without his permission and without harming him
financially, both take the ajr. [Bukh"ri and Muslim]

4. If my husband gives zak!h on my behalf, would that be sufficient?
Yes, it is sufficient.

5. Is zak%tl-fi'r obligated on me or on my wali?
It is obligatory on you if you live independently and in your own house. If you live
with your father, then he is responsible. What if you work and still live with your
father? Your father is still responsible. If you want to give it, then that is fine.

6. Do I have to give zak!h on dowry which I have not yet received?
No. Zak%h is only given on the money you possess. This is the strongest opinion.

There is another famous opinion amongst the scholars that says they differentiate
between someone rich and capable of paying you back and someone who is not.
Shaykh Waleed believes that this opinion is not very strong because even if you are
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rich, you can be broke in no time. Wait until you receive the money and then give
the zak!h. Dont give zak%h on money you dont have access to.

7. Do I have to give zak!h on the jewelry that I use?
Yes, you have to give zak%h on the jewelry you wear according to Umar b. al-
Kha))"b, Ibn $Abb"s, Ibn Mas#d, Abdull"h b. Umar, J"fir, Sa%d b. al-Jubayr, Ibn
Sir%n, A)a, Im%m al-Zuhri. It is the position of Im%m A!mad, Im%m Abu &an%fah, and
so many Muslim jurists.

Im%m Sh"fii, the M"likis, and a long list of scholars from the companions and other
than the companions like Ibn Umar, Asm" bint Abi Bakr, (ishah, Is!"q b.
Rahaway, and others say that you dont give zak%h on the jewelry that you use.

Those who say that you give zak%h on the jewelry you use say that the Qur'"n
doesnt differentiate between the jewelry you use and possess. The Qur'"n says,
Those who possess gold and silver and dont give zak%h on it will be punished on
the Day of Judgment. The Qur'"n and a&ad)th never differentiate between the gold
you use and gold you have as an investment. If a woman is not supposed to give
zak%h, then the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) would have at least once said
this because it is something that needs to be taught, and the role of the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was to teach the Muslims. Because of this, you must give
zak%h on the gold you use. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) on two different
incidents saw women wearing gold and asked them if they give All"hs rights over
the gold, and they said no, and he said, Would you like All"h to replace it with
rings of fire? They said no and took it off and gave it in zak%h. When the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, All"hs rights over the gold, he meant the zak%h.

The other group said it is exempt from qiy%s. They said that the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) said, You dont give zak%h on the ride you use or the house you
live in or the clothes that you wear. Anything that you use, you do not give zak%h
on. They said, similarly, if the gold is something that you use, you dont give zak%h
on it.

Can the qiy%s or logical evidence be used against clear texts? No.
The Sh"fiis and M"likis said, Where is the clear text? In the incident of the
women wearing gold bracelets, the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) did not ask
if they had met the ni(%b or had it for a hijri year. This means that what he is talking
about is not necessarily zak%h. It is not a clear text.

These two opinions are well respected among the scholars. Shaykh Waleed goes
with the opinion of giving zak%h on the jewelry that is worn.

8. If I dont have cash to give zak!h on my jewelry, what should I do?
You can delay the zak%h until you get cash. For example, if you have a business and
dont have the cash, then you can delay it until you are able to pay it. Most ulem%
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said that you can give it in advance and delay it a little. If you dont have any at all,
then you can sell your jewelry.

Jewelry means gold and silver only. You dont give zak%h on stones. What about
white gold? It depends. Sometimes white gold refers to platinum. There is no
zak%h on platinum.

2. Fasti ng:

Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives
better than you - submitting [to All!h], believing, devoutly obedient,
repentant, worshiping, and s!i"!t (traveling/fasting) - [ones] previously
married and virgins. (al-Ta&r)m, 66:5)

The Prophet (!allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) divorced !afs"h and he was told by Jibr!l that
All!h ordered him to take her back, for she was one who fasted and prayed frequently.
(Al-!"kim in al-Mu!tadrak)

The Prophet (!allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Fasting is a protection and absolute
fortification from the Hellfire. (A!mad)

Whoever fasts one day for the sake of All!h, All!h will keep his face safely away from
the Hellfire at a distance of 70 years. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

It is not permissible for a woman who is menstruating or experiencing post-natal
bleeding to fast. It is permissible for a woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding to
refrain from fasting during Rama!"n.

It is not permissible for a woman to fast a voluntary fast without her husbands
permission unless she knows that he would not mind. The Prophet (!allall!hu alayhi wa
sallam) said, A woman should not fast while her husband is present except with his
permission. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

It is permissible for a woman to taste food during fasting without swallowing it.

It is permissible for a woman to perform itik!f at the masjid during Rama!"n with the
permission of the wali provided that safety is ensured, because the Prophets wives did
itik!f with him as reported by al-Bukh!ri.

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3. !ajj:

The Prophet (!allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Islam was built on five pillars: ...And the
pilgrimage to the House. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

!ishah said, O Messenger of All"h (!allall"hu alayhi wa sallam), we hear that jih!d is the
best of deeds. Should we not then participate in jih!d? He said, No, but the best jih!d
is a pure, accepted !ajj. (al-Bukh!ri)

The Prophet (!allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) said, When a woman is in the state of i!r"m,
she may not wear niq!b or gloves. (al-Bukh!ri) If a woman typically veils her face, then
she should cover it with other than niq!b when non-ma!rams are present. !ishah said,
When men passed by us, we would lower our covers over our faces, and when they
left, we would lift them. (A!mad)

There is no obligation upon the menstruating woman or the woman with postpartum
bleeding to perform the farewell 'aw!f, according to the authentic narration from Ibn
Abb!s, may All!h be pleased with him, who said, The people were ordered (i.e. by the
Prophet) to make their last commission (the circumambulation of) the house (of All!h),
except that this has been removed as an obligation upon the menstruating
woman. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

1. What are the rulings regarding the days of Rama!"n I missed and didnt make up
when I was younger?
If you missed them intentionally, then you cannot make them up. Instead, repent
and fast extra fasts. Otherwise, try to figure out the maximum number of days
missed and make those up.

2. I dont remember the number of days I missed during Rama!"n. What should I do?
Go with the maximum number of days you think. If you are not sure about 5 or 6
days, then you are certain about 6 and doubtful about 5. Go with the higher
number. It is recommended to write down the number of days you miss so that you
dont forget.

3. Do I have to make up my missed fasts from Rama!"n as soon as I can?
No, you dont have to. (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) used to make up the missed days
10 months after Rama!"n.

4. What should I do if Rama!"n begins and I have not yet made up all the days I missed
from the previous year?
- Repent to All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) because this is a sin.
- After Rama!"n finishes, immediately start making up the days from the last
year.
- Ibn $Abb"s said that you feed one misk)n (poor person) for each day.
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5. What should pregnant and breastfeeding women do in relation to the days that
they miss?
There are 3 positions amongst the Muslim scholars:
1) Some ulem% said that a woman like this is only required to make up the
days. She can divide them over a few years. She tries her best to finish
them. There is no penalty.
2) She doesnt need to make up her days from breastfeeding or being pregnant.
She needs to feed a person a full meal for each day.
3) Ibn $Abb"s, the &an"bilah: If she breaks her fast because she is worried
about herself, then she only needs to make up the days. If she breaks the
fast because she is worried about the child, she makes up the days and gives
a meal for each day.
If she is worried about herself, then she takes the ruling of someone who is
sick, so she only has to make up the day later. If she is worried about the
child, then she makes up the days because she missed a day so she needs to
make it up, and she has to pay because Ibn $Abb"ss proof is from the verse
that in the beginning fasting Rama!"n was an option. A person could fast or
if they didnt, then they could feed a person a fidya for each day missed you
are capable of making siy%m but you choose not to, so you pay a fidya. Ibn
$Abb"s believed that this was never abrogated and kept for cases like those
who are breastfeeding or pregnant. Shaykh Bin B"z and Shaykh Uthaym%n
follow this opinion.
Shaykh Waleed doesnt think this is the strongest opinion because you dont
make up one thing by doing two things in the Shar)ah. It goes against the
norm in the Shar)ah.

Shaykh Waleed follows the opinion that all she needs to do is feed one
person as replacement and doesnt need to fast. This is the opinion of so
many scholars.

6. Does a woman carry the penalty of having intercourse during fasting in Rama!"n or
only the husband?
There is a debate about this. This penalty doesnt apply to a woman unless she
forced her husband into this action. Why? When a man told the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) about the incident, he ordered the man to do certain things, but he
didnt tell the mans wife to do the same. The penalty was directed towards the
man. Ulem% say that this is unless she forced him into it then both would have to
carry the penalty.

7. Can I eat and drink openly while not fasting for a reason such as menses during
Rama!"n?
Traditional fiqh books say that you cannot eat openly in the street, but this refers to
in the Muslim world. In front of your children, you are allowed to eat or drink.
Some women think that they cannot eat or drink while they are on their menses in
Rama!"n, but what is the point of not fasting if you are not going to eat or drink?
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In America, it doesnt apply unless you do it in front of the masjid or community. It
is disrespectful to eat in a place where there are a lot of Muslims who are fasting.

8. Can I fast the 6 days of Shaww!l or Arafah or !sh"r# before making up my missed
days from Rama!"n?
The vast majority of scholars say no. It has been recorded in the a&ad)th that there
is ajr for fasting the 6 days of Shaww!l. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said,
If you fast Rama!"n and then follow it with the 6 days of Shaww!l, it is as if he
fasted the year. If you dont fast all of Rama!"n, then this &ad)th doesnt apply.
Refutation: Women will not be able to get this reward. When the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said fasting Rama!"n, he meant fasting the days they are
capable of fasting. If you miss days in Rama!an because you are traveling or because
of your menses, then fast them later on any time in the year, and you still deserve
the title that you fasted Rama!an.
If you fast any six days after Rama!"n, then you reach the same conclusion of the
reward of fasting a year. There is no logic to make it must on the woman to fast the
6 days of Shaww!l after she makes up all the days. Even if she fasted all the days
except for the days of her period, she still deserves the title of fasting Rama!"n. She
broke the days with a valid excuse. The only logic they use is that they can count
360 (each of the days counts as 10).

It is not allowed to join the two intentions of fasting the day of Shaww!l and making
up for Rama!"n. If you fast Arafah, most of the ulem% said that you have to have
one intention only: only Arafah or only a day to make up of Rama!"n.

9. Must I take permission from my husband to perform !ajj?
No. Ulem% said that your husband has no power to prevent you from going to "ajj.
The permission of the husband to go for "ajj is not a must. He does not have the
power to stop you from "ajj. This doesnt mean your husband comes home and
finds a sticky note saying, I left for "ajj. The Muslim jurists say that he doesnt
have the power to prevent you from going. The four madh%hib agreed upon this.

10. Can I travel to !ajj without a ma!ram?
This is related to the issue of traveling without a ma&ram for a reason. Im%m M"lik,
Im%m Sh"fii, and one opinion among the madh-hab of Im%m A!mad said yes, it is
allowed for a woman to travel without ma&ram for a valid reason ("ajj, Umrah ) with
the condition that she will be safe and secure during her travel. Evidence: during
the time of Uthm"n b. Aff"n (ra#yAll%hu anhu), (ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) traveled
with a group of women and not all of them had their ma&rams. The only man with
them was Abdul-Ra!m"n b. Awf who is not a ma&ram to (ishah or the other
women. This was with the approval of Uthm"n (ra#yAll%hu anhu) and (a&%bah
witnessed this and did not object. Ulem% said that because of this narration, they
allowed traveling without ma&ram if there is a need and the company of women and
a safe and secure environment.

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You cannot compare "ajj and Umrah to traveling to a place like Vegas or Hawaii.

12. Is my husband obligated to take me to !ajj?
No, he is not, but it is a good thing to do.

13. Are there any special requirements for clothing of i!r"m for women?
No, there are no specific colors. The i!r"m must cover your body. You cannot wear
niq!b while in i!r"m. If you want to cover your face, then you put a piece of cloth on
the head that can be folded over to cover.

14. Can I perform !ajj before I am married?
Yes, you can. "ajj is one of the pillars of Islam, and marriage is not a pillar of Islam.

15. How should a woman cut her hair when ending i!r"m?
If she has short hair, she can cut from the front and sides. If her hair is in a braid,
she cuts the length of the tip of the finger.

16. Can a woman raise her voice with talbiyah?
M"lik, Sh"fii, al-Awzai said that she cannot say it out loud. Some of the fuqah! like
Ibn Abdul-Barr said there is agreement amongst the fuqah! that she should not.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) encouraged us to raise our voice in talbiyah.
If you say that women cannot, then what is the reason? They said that it could be
fitnah.
Refutation: What kind of fitnah is this? This is too much to say that it is fitnah.
(ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) raised her voice with talbiyah and men heard her making
talbiyah. Many fuqah! disagree and say that she can raise her voice with the
talbiyah. If she finds herself in a situation where there could be fitnah, then she
shouldnt, but generally speaking, she can.

17. Is it recommended for a woman to walk fast during specified sections of !aw"f and
say?
(ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) said, O women, we made "ajj with the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) and we never ran in this portion while men did. Dont do
something of your own. Thats how we made "ajj and how the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) approved it).

Ibn Umar said the same thing as well.

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Chapter Three: The Rul i ngs Rel ated to Cl othi ng and
Beauti fi cati on

You cannot say something is &ar%m unless there is a proof. The realm of &al%l is much
bigger than the realm of &al%l when it comes to dressing and beautification. Some
people make it seem like there are no choices. In business transactions, people also
make everything &ar%m except for a few things, which is wrong.

At the same time, when you live in a corrupt society, people always look for the &ar%m.
Look at the bigger picture, which is the &al%l.

Matters are by their objectives and intentions. Some things are allowed except when
the intention is bad. For example, you can dye your hair or wear colored contacts, but
it is not allowed if it is done to deceive and seduce.

The default rule when it comes to any kind of clothing and making and jewelry is that it
is &al%l unless there is a proof to say otherwise.

One of the ultimate goals of the Shay'%n is to expose our awrah. Shay'%n loves to expose
the awrah. One of the ultimate goals of Shar)ah is to help us to control our desires.
Everyone has the desire to beautify herself. It is something natural, and every woman
is proud of her beauty, but it should not control us. We should control our desires.
Dont let our desires control us. We are human beings and mumin, and we control our
desires. Remember to control the desires and not spread f%&ishah in the community.

A) General Gui del i nes Regardi ng Cl othi ng and Beauti fi cati on

The goals and principles of Shar!ah that govern this area are:

1. Prohibition (Ta!r"m) and Permissibility (Ta!l"l) are sole rights to All!h.

And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, This is
lawful and this is unlawful, to invent falsehood about All!h. Indeed,
those who invent falsehood about All!h will not succeed. (al-Na&l, 16:116)

2. The realm of &al!l is vast and options are plenty. There is no need to delve into the
&ar!m or doubtful matters.

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3. Matters are by their objectives and intentions.

4. The default ruling regarding clothing and beautification is that all is permissible
except that which is prohibited in the Shar!ah.

5. One of the goals of Shar!ah is to cover awr!t, and one of the goals of Shay'!n is to
expose them.

But Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was
concealed from them of their private parts. He said, Your Lord did not
forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the
immortal. (al-Ar%f, 7:20)

6. One of the goals of Shar!ah is to establish modesty and morality in society.

7. The Shar!ah rules are intended to help a person control his/her desires and channel
them in the right direction, not to be controlled by them.

8. Of the goals of Shar!ah is beauty, for All!h is Beautiful and Loves beauty.

9. The presence of difficulty requires that allowances be made to effect ease.

10. One must not imitate non-believers or evildoers (f!siq) in what is known to be
specific to them. Imitation on the exterior level often affects the interior.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) saw two red garments on Abdull"h b. Amr b.
al-!*, so he said to him, This is among the dress of the non-believers, so take it off.
(Muslim)

11. A woman must not imitate what it specific to males and vice versa.

12. Common culture is a reference, as long as it is within the guidelines of Shar!ah.

13. The Shar!ah came with rulings to block the means to &ar%m. Saddl-dhar!", closing
the door against possibility of committing illegal things. Sometimes a permissible act
may be forbidden by the law because it leads or may most probably lead to illegal
actions.

14. Extravagance and wasting money are prohibited in the Shar!ah.

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O children of !dam, take your adornment at every ma"jid, and eat and
drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit
excess. (al-Ar%f, 7: 31)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Eat and drink and dress and give in
charity without excessiveness or arrogance. (al-Nas!i)

15. Wasting time is prohibited in the Shar!ah.

All"h is Beautiful and loves beauty. Sometimes when people become religious, they
dont care about their beauty anymore or think that they dont need to look beautiful.
Beauty is one of the goals of the Shar)ah. Be beautiful from the inside and outside.
B) Rul i ngs Regardi ng Women s Cl othi ng

"ij!b was made obligatory upon believing women once they reach the age of puberty.

O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the
believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments.
That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And
ever is All!h Forgiving and Merciful. (al-A&z%b, 33:59)

And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the
display of the former times of ignorance. (al-A&z%b, 33:33)

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The scholars have mentioned the following conditions regarding &ij!b:

1) The garment itself must be intrinsically lawful.
2) It covers the body, with a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding
the face and hands, and Abu &an!fah and one narration of M"lik adds the feet.
Abu Y!suf also added the lower arm.
3) It may not be transparent or tight so that it details any part of the body.
4) It cannot be particularly eye-catching.
5) It should not resemble clothing that is specific to non-Muslims, evildoers (f!siq),
or men.
6) It may not be perfumed.
7) It should not be a dress of shuhrah (something that makes a person ostensible).
The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, He who wears a garment of
shuhrah, All!h will dress him in a garment of humiliation and Fire. (Abu D!w"d)

Al-tabarruj is to display the beauty that All!h commanded be covered in public, and this
act is a sin in Islam. When Umaymah bint Ruqayqah pledged allegiance to the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) in Islam, he said, I will take your pledge that you will not
commit shirk, that you will not steal, that you will not commit adultery, that you will
not kill your child, that you will not make a false claim, that you will not wail (in
mourning), and that you will not display your beauty as was the display of the former
times of ignorance. (A!mad)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Of the people of Hell, there are two types
whom I have never seen: The one possessing whips like the tail of an ox and they flog
people with them. The second one, the women who would be naked in spite of their
being dressed, who are seduced to wrong paths and seduce others with their hair high
like humps. These women would not get into Paradise and they would not perceive its
odor, although its fragrance can be perceived from such and such distance. (Muslim)

He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said, The example of the one who flaunts her
beauty to other than her family, she will be in complete darkness with no light on the
Day of Resurrection. (al-Tirmidhi)

C) Beauti fi cati on

The Prophet (*allall!hu alayhi wa sallam) said, All!h is Beautiful and He Loves
beauty. (Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Ten things are part of the fi)rah: Cutting
the moustache, letting the beard grow, using siw!k (tooth-stick), snuffing up water into
the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger-joints, plucking the armpit hairs, shaving
the pubes and washing the private parts after relieving oneself. Zakariyya said,
Mu*ab said, I have forgotten the tenth but I think it was rinsing the mouth.
(Muslim)
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The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever grows his hair should take good
care of it. (Abu D!w"d)

Alqamah related that Abdull!h said, All!h curses women who tattoo and are tattooed,
women who pluck their eyebrows, and women who file their teeth to make gaps for
beauty, altering All!hs creation! Why should I not curse those whom the Prophet, may
All!h bless him and grant him peace, cursed when that is in the Book of All!h: So take
what the Messenger assigns you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from
you. (59:7) (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

Hish!m ibn Urwah related from his wife F!)imah that Asm! bint Abi Bakr said, The
Messenger of All!h (*allall!hu alayhi wa sallam) cursed the woman who joins on hair
and the one who has it joined on. (al-Bukh!ri)

The wives of the Prophet (*allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) used to cut their hair short so
that it came just past their ears. (Muslim)

!ishah said that a woman handed the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) a book
from behind a curtain. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) did not take it right
away and looked confused. The woman said, Oh, Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam), why did you not take it? He asked, I did not know if this is the hand of a
woman or a man. She said, A woman. He said, If it is, why did you not color your
nails with henna? (al-Nas!i)

Cl eanl i ness i s of fai th i s not a statement of the Prophet. The meani ng,
however, i s correct.

Conditions for the &ij%b:
1) The garment must be lawful

2) It must cover the body. The majority of the fuqah! said she can uncover her face
and hand. Abu Yusuf said that the hand includes the part of the arm next to the
hand because it is impossible to not cover this part. He made an exception for
this because of the necessity and the Shar)ah cannot come with something
where it is impossible to cover. In the past, the clothes didnt have buttons.

3) The &anafis said the feet is not part of the awrah because it is like the hand.

4) The &an"bilah position and among the &anafis: the women must cover her face
when she is in public. Other scholars say it is only recommended.
If you are in a situation where someone is staring at the beauty of your face,
then you should cover your face. When you look at incidents of the (a&%bah,
many show that the women during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) cover and uncover their face.
No one amongst the Muslim scholars said it is &ar%m or bidah to cover the face.
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5) Women should uncover the face for the purposes of identifying themselves.
Im%m A!mad did not allow the munaqqabah to buy and sell in the market so that
she can be identified. She has to remove her niq%b when buying and selling.
The buyer has the right to ask her to remove the niq%b so that he knows who he
is buying from. She can remove the niq%b in front of a police officer (even male)
so that she can be identified.
Frequentl y Asked Questi ons:

1. What is the awrah of a woman in front of another woman? Can I remove my &ij!b
in front of a non-Muslim?

The awrah is the part of the body that must be covered. Is there a difference
between a Muslim and non-Muslim woman? The ulem% debated over this. The
vast majority of the early scholars said there is a difference, and a woman is not
allowed to show her awrah to a non-Muslim woman and must keep the &ij%b on.
The vast majority of the later scholars took the opposite position. The jamh+r later
on disagreed with it. In books of tafs)r, they said it was impossible to be practiced
today. Those ulem% were living in a Muslim country 700 years ago and said it was
impossible to follow this.

What does the Qur'"n and Sunnah say?
For those who say you cannot take your &ij%b off in front of the non-Muslim, they
say the Qur'"n says, Women should not show their beauty in front of anyone
except their fathers and husbands. What does their women mean? Does it mean
the women who are muminah and Muslimah like them or does it mean same
gender? Some say it means the muminah like them and others say it means from
the same gender. The stronger opinion is that it refers to the gender, which is
female. Why? If you say it means muminah like them, then it means you cant take
off your &ij%b in front of a f%siqah. Also, referring to the gender goes more with the
language of the Qur'"n. How did the companions interpret this verse? Ibn $Abb"s
and companions and successors talk about this. Every single narration that talks
about women not being allowed to show her awrah in front of the non-Muslim
mention two things:
1) When women go to the &amm%m (a public place with hot water where women
would take off their clothes and get washed). The non-Muslims ran these
businesses, which is why the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, It is not
allowed for a woman to believe in All"h and go to the &amm%m. The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, A woman is not allowed to take off her clothes
in the &amm%m. The &ad)th are talking about the public place where people
would take off their clothes. Because of this, the salaf were very strict about not
showing their awrah, which is the strict awrah of the private parts.
2) The narration that says we arent allowed to use a non-Muslim midwife. You
are not allowed because she will see the mughalalah awrah. Mughalalah is the
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awrah that you should absolutely cover, the major awrah. The minor awrah is
your hair and your arms, etc.

Later, some of the Muslim jurists referred to socialization because the non-Muslims
may describe the woman to non-ma&ram men. Doesnt this also apply to Muslim
females as well? Yes, therefore it has nothing to do with Muslims and non-Muslims.

Take your &ij%b off in front of Muslim and non-Muslim women after educating them
if you think she will respect it.

What can be shown in front of another woman?
- What you usually show at home. This is the word Im%m A!mad and Awzai
used, but this is relative. Z)natahun means the part of the body that displays
your beauty, or you display on it something that beautifies you like your face,
hair hands, feet, or legs. Or it means an area that you use to display something
to beautify you like the upper part of your neck. In the old days women would
put something on the upper part of the arm. Ulem% say you are not allowed to
show your thigh, back, or stomach in front of other women.
- The majority of the fuqah! said the awrah of the woman in front of another
woman is the awrah to the knees. This is the position of the four madh%hib.
Their proof is that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The man
cannot look at another mans awrah, and a woman cannot look at another
womans awrah. They said that because this is all in one &ad)th, they made
analogy that the awrah of the man in front of another man is the same as the
awrah of a woman in front of another woman.
Refutation: This analogy is not really clear. The %yah is clear that the only thing
you are allowed to show is where you show the z)na, which is the area of your
body where you display your beauty. Therefore, the other opinion is stronger.

2. What is the awrah in front of male relatives?
Your hair, neck, arms. It is different when there is a teenage brother or if a father
drinks alcohol, etc. Some girls are molested by male relatives. Dont take these
things lightly. If you have a brother through breast milk, you dont show to him
what you show to your mom or sister. What you show in front of your mother is
not the same as what you show to your father. Have modesty in general.

3. Do I have to wear a jilb!b or ab!yah? Is it okay to wear a skirt or pants with a long
shirt or jacket? Is dressing in shalw!r kam"z sufficient?
Shalw!r kam"z is permissible because it is loose and covering. It has always been
commonly accepted by the ulem% as long as the conditions of &ij%b are met.

Do you need a jilb!b or ab!yah? It means clothes you cover your clothes with.
There is nothing in Shar)ah that requires this. Nobody in Shaykh Waleeds opinion
could bring a clear evidence to say that a woman must have double or three layers
of clothes on. "ij%b in Shar)ah is what meets the conditions of being loose, covering
the body, something not revealing and not tight. If this can be achieved by one
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piece of garment or two pieces of garment, then it is fine. If she is wearing a long
dress that covers her body, then she doesnt need another long dress on top to
make a double layer there is no proof for this.

In the old days, they had one piece of cloth and covered the entire body. Jilb!b is
one piece that goes from the top all the way down and covers the entire body.
Women were known to wear the kam!z (long shirt) during the time of the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), and she would wear an izhar covering the lower part of
the body, which is very close to what a skirt today is.

There is no clear evidence to support wearing two layers as long as the body is
completely covered in a way that is not tight and not revealing.

If you wear pants and a long dress covering your private area and bottom and all
the way to the thigh is fine.

Women look down at other women who are not wearing an outer layer, which is so
sad. A skirt and a long blouse meet the condition of the &ij%b.

Some people ask, I will see the shape of her legs if she wears pants and a long
shirt.
Response: Even if she has an ab!yah, you know that she has legs. If you use this
logic, then if she wears ab!yah, you will know the size of her hand and the shape.
This is not an excuse to say that it is not allowed to wear pants and a long shirt.

Modesty is something great and encouraged. You may be in a position where you
have to go to work and be in a certain dress. Dont make things &ar%m on you which
are not &ar%m in the Shar)ah.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) gave Us"ma b. Zayd some clothes, and he
gave it to his wife. They was designer clothes made in Egypt. The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Make sure that if she wears it, then she wears
something to cover her private area because this may describe that area. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was worried about covering this part of the
body being properly covered and not showing the shape. This shows that there is a
certain emphasis on this part of the awrah, and you should make sure not to show
it.

4. Does &ij!b have to be black or a dark color?
At the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), women wore different colors.
The default rule is that all colors are &al%l. If someone says a color is &ar%m, then
they need to give a proof. At the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
women often wore black because it was culturally accepted but it doesnt mean that
it is &ar%m to wear something else.

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There are many evidences showing that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
approved of clothes and gave clothes that were not black. The Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) gave Umm Kh"lid, the woman from Abyssinia, a green dress.
Bukh"ri has a chapter on women wearing clothes that are green in color. Abdul-
Ra!m"n b. Awf mentioned a story in which his wife was wearing green. Many
books like the M+sannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah and the M+sannaf of Abdul-Razz"q have
an overwhelming number of narrations showing that the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam) wives in "ajj and Umrah and on different occasions wearing different
colors. Alqamah said he saw the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) wife wearing
red. There are other narrations where they wore yellow.

5. One of the conditions of &ij!b is that the clothing is not an attraction in and of itself.
What is considered inherent beauty or attraction? Is it okay if it is glittery? Is it
okay if it all matches in color and style?
There are many fat!wa online from Saudi Arabia that say it is &ar%m, but it is related
to the culture itself. This has to do with the culture because if you wear this in the
street in Saudi, then people will look at you with a question mark. This is not the
case in America. There is no problem in the culture here.

There is a &ad)th that a woman came to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and
was complaining about her husband and she was wearing frilly clothes. Ibn Hajar
commented and said it was a type of stylish clothing. She took a piece of lace on
her clothes and was moving it. This shows that even at that time their dress had
style. If this style is acceptable, then it is fine. If it is out of the ordinary, such as
wearing a sombrero and has things on the sombrero, then it is not acceptable.
Some people wear things that are very attractive, which defeats the purpose of the
&ij%b.

We are in a very colorful society, so sometimes wearing black can bring more
unwanted attention than other colors would.

Sometimes if you wear certain clothes in the masjid, it will bring more attention to
you, and if you wear it in the mall, then it wont bring attention to you. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that when you come to the masjid, dont
come with fancy clothes. Come in a modest way of dressing to the masjid.

6. Can I dress according to the latest fashion?
Dont be a slave to fashion! The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, You
should not be the one who blindly imitates others. Dont do or not do something
just because of fashion.

7. Can I wear clothing made of animal leather or furs?
Fur is allowed, but animals should be treated better than this. There is a debate
amongst the scholars about leather. Most of the ulem% said that pig leather even if
tanned will not be pure (M"likis, Sh"fiis, &anafis). Dont use leather made of pigs.
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Many purses, shoes, and wallets are made of pig leather. To be completely safe,
dont carry it while in the (al%h.

Al-Zuhri and other scholars disagreed and said if it is tanned, then it is pure. Their
evidence is that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said that any skin if tanned
is pure. Shaykh Waleed personally agrees with this opinion.

All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) said that the pig is najas and impure.

8. Can I wear makeup in public? What about kohl or henna?
All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) said, Women should not display their beauty in public.
The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The woman who goes outside
displaying her beauty in front of the public men and women is in darkness on the
Day of Judgment.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, They are hypocritesthose women
who on the end of the days display their beauty (wearing tight or see-through
clothes). They are cursed by All"h and His Messenger and are in the Hellfire.
[Bukh"ri]

Would you walk through the gates of Jannah dressed like that? The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said women who dress this way will not smell the
fragrance of Jannah.

If it is full make-up, then it is not allowed to be displayed in public. There is no
doubt about this.

Make-up that is not meant for beautification as much as for covering blemishes and
thatis not noticeable is allowed.

At the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), women would sometimes
wear kohl. Also, women during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
would usually have something similar to henna on (i.e. dying the hand with a color,
which is a form of beautification available at that time).

The &an"bilah have an interesting position about showing beauty in public. They
said that it is allowed for a single woman who is about to get married to do that, but
it is not allowed for a married woman to do it. They base their argument on a very
weak &ad)th and a very authentic &ad)th. Weak &ad)th: O women who have not
been married, beautify yourself when you go out. It may bring All"hs rizq to you.
[Sunan] There is an authentic &ad)th in Bukh"ri: A man came to a woman in her
iddah and she beautified herself and was about to leave, and he told her that her
iddah had not finished yet so she could not go like that but the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) allowed her to go. She beautified herself before she left to signal
that she was ready to get married. Some may say that maybe she was going to a
womens gathering and was not going to be in the public.
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Beautifying yourself in public is not allowed. It is tabarruj and not allowed. A single
girl usually takes care of herself more than married women. This is natural and
normal, and it is okay as long as no laws are broken.

Any extra makeup or strong makeup is not allowed in public. If it is makeup that
covers something wrong on your face, then it is permissible. Any light makeup is
allowed because women in the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) did
this. Anything that does not stand out and is not very attractive or seductive is
permissible. If it is very appealing and defeats the purpose of the &ij%b and people
pay more attention to you because of the makeup, then it is not allowed.

It is expected for single girls to care more about their appearance and look than
others. It is a cultural and natural thing.

9. What is the ruling regarding going out in high heels?
If the high heels make you walk in a way where the hips sway, then it is not
allowed. If the heels are small, then there is nothing wrong with it. Your shoes
dont need to be completely flat. If the heels change the way you walk, then it is not
allowed in Islam. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The women who
are dazzling while they are walking will not enter Jannah.

You can wear high heels at home with your husband or to a sisters party /
wedding.

10. Is dressing in traditional Chinese, Japanese, Native American, etc. clothing
considered imitation?

There is no restriction. It is not specific to them. There are so many of them that
are Muslim. Also, their clothes have become a common trend.

11. What is the ruling regarding wearing jewelry that was originally associated with
pagan beliefs?

If this represents an idol, or pagan, or wrong belief, even if its not commonly used
but this is the association, then it is not allowed. It is only permissible if the
association is completely gone.

12. What is the ruling regarding wearing clothing that has images or crosses?
If it has a cross, it is not allowed. You have to remove the cross. Whenever the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) saw a cross, he would change it and not keep it.

If the cross is part of something else, then there is a debate. For example, a cross
may be part of a flag. Those who allow it use the rule: If it is part of something else,
then it is acceptable, but if it is by itself it is &ar%m.

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Can you wear clothes with images? It depends on the image. It is not allowed to
wear a picture of a celebrity on the shirt. If you are wearing the Lacoste trademark,
then it is allowed because it is small and tiny. In *a&)& Muslim, as long as the
picture or image is part of the clothes, it is allowed.

13. Am I allowed to buy clothes that I dont need?
Many people buy clothes they dont need. Yes, it is permissible with one condition:
you dont have israaf (wasting money). What does wasting money mean in Islam?
Many people exaggerate in this area and think that anything you dont use is israaf.

What is the concept of isr%f?
- To spend money on something &ar%m, even if it is $1. Im%m A!mad said, [Isr%f
is] to spend it on something impermissible.
- You spend money in something that has no benefit in at all. For example,
throwing twenty cents in a fountain. This is &ar%m in two ways: wasting money
and making a wish in these circumstances. (Note: benefit can be psychological
and entertainment)
- You put the money in something that is not necessary / important while there
is another area in your life that requires this money. For example, you buy an
extra pair of shoes while you are in debt or while you are paying interest on a
debt. You are spending money on a vacation when you couldnt pay the tuition
for your childrens school. Your wife cannot have enough money to survive,
and the husband spends money on luxuries. It is a form of isr%f to spend money
unnecessarily while there are necessities that are not met.
- Ziy%dl-f%&ishah: When you overspend. This is subjective from one family to
another. For one person something may be considered isr%f and it may not be
isr%f for another person depending on their income. A multimillionaire may
spend $100,000 on a wedding, and it is nothing to them, but a person who earns
$60K a year and spends $100K is wasting money, and this would be isr%f.

Im%m M"lik had 200 turbans. He had about 300 pairs of shoes when he passed away.
Im%m M"lik would wear new clothes when narrating a &ad)th to honor the a&ad)th.

If you like to buy a lot of clothes, purses, shoes, then Shaykh Waleeds advice is:
donate your old things. Dont just accumulate things in your house. You are then
fulfilling whatever desire you have in your heart, and other people are benefitting
from your extra clothes.

You have to know yourself, and Islam encouraged us to be modest in general. The
society is driven by sexual lusts, and it is a big problem. The morality level is so low.
The Shay'%n plays with peoples head and makes them feel like they did something
good. Culturally if a woman walks out in her underwear it is something bad, but if she
wears a bathing suit, it is acceptable. Things are upside down!

Since Shaykh Waleed has come to America, he always asks All"h to always allow him to
see what is right as right and to allow him to see what is wrong as wrong. The Shay'%n
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can make you see the most &al%l things as backwards and the &ar%m and evil things as
right.

Hudhayfah said, One of the signs of the Day of Judgment is that the Muslim in the
morning will see the &aqq as truth and by the night he will see the &aqq as falsehood. In
the morning, he will see the falsehood as falsehood, but by the night, he will see the
falsehood as &aqq. It will be completely switched. There are so many elements such as
peer pressure and media that can make a person see things in a way that is completely
different from reality.

14. What is the ruling regarding wearing unisex clothing?
It is permissible to wear unisex clothes.

15. Is it permissible to wear shorts or swimming suits at a girls only pool party?
You must maintain the awrah amongst women so what youre wearing must cover
it.

16. Are Burkinis allowed in public? Can I swim with my clothes on?
The Burkini by itself is not allowed to wear it in public because it is very tight. It
can be used along with something on top of it (i.e. ab%yah or long dress).

The problem with wearing clothes in the water is that when you get out of the
water, the clothes are very tight. In a case like this, let your relative (husband,
brother) get a towel ready for you and hand it to you when you get out of the water
so that you can cover your body with it when you leave.

Try to choose a place and time when it is not too crowded.

17. Is it permissible to dress in a way specific of evildoers (f!siqs) in front of my husband
only?
You can do whatever you want in front of your husband. Shaykh al-Alb"ni was
asked if a woman could wear a belly dancer outfit in front of her husband, and he
said yes.

18. What is the ruling regarding wearing simple jewelry that can be seen, such as a
ring, nose ring, or necklace over my ab!yah?
Ibn $Abb"s said, The only thing that can appear from her is a ring. You should not
wear a ring that stands out a lot (i.e. multicolored) because that is tabarruj. Shaykh
Waleed doesnt support showing a lot of jewelry like necklaces because it is
tabarruj.

19. Is it allowed to purchase gold or silver using a credit card?
This is &ar%m.

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20. Is it allowed to wear a nose ring or get a navel piercing or piercings in other areas in
the body? Can I wear more than one earring?
You can wear more than one earring. Nose rings are permissible. You can wear it
in public because it is commonly accepted. Piercing can be dangerous and people
can harm themselves. What about a navel piercing? It is not &ar%m to do it, but it is
something Shaykh Waleed dislikes.

21. What is the ruling on colored eye lenses?
It is permissible. It is removable and like putting on lipstick.

22. Is it permissible to bleach my eyebrows?
Yes, it is permissible to bleach your eyebrows.

23. Can I remove the hair above my nose that connects my eyebrows?
Yes, you are allowed to do this because it is not considered part of the eyebrows
that is forbidden to be removed. The fatwa committee in Saudi Arabia gave this
fatwa.

24. What is the ruling regarding fake eyelashes or fake nails?
This is a modern issue. The modern scholars have two opinions:
- The majority of the ulem% consider it &ar%m because it is part of hair
extensions, and the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) forbade attaching hair
to your hair.
- Shaykh Salman al-Ouda said and Shaykh Uthaym%ns son-in-law wrote an
article on this and said it is not part of al-wa(l because it is a small amount of
hair, and the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was referring to human hair.
Also, they said that it is just extra beautification to the hair and no big change
happens.

Shaykh Waleed doesnt have a personal opinion on this. If she does it for her
husband, he wouldnt be too strict about it. To wear it outside is part of tabarruj
and can cause attraction.

Fake nails are of two types:
- The nails that are very long and curved are &ar%m because Islam forbade us from
growing our nails for longer than 40 days. This is imitation of animals, and we
are forbidden from imitating animals.
- There is another type that is put on the nails but they look fine. You can wear
these during your period and can wear it during the night and remove it for fajr.
You have to remove them to make wu#! for (al%h.

25. What is the ruling regarding cosmetic dentistry?
You can use braces because All"h created you with perfect teeth and they can
become misaligned. What is not allowed is filing the teeth to make them the same
length. If the length of the teeth is normal, then it is not allowed to do this. If it is
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abnormal, then it is allowed. In the old days, they would make spaces between her
teeth, but this is not allowed.

26. What is the ruling regarding using food for external skin care?
For example, what if there is a mask made out of honey or olive oil? Yes, it is
permissible because All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) said, Everything in this earth has
been created for us to use it.

27. What is the ruling regarding cosmetic surgery?
Ulem% agreed that cosmetic surgery for correction is permissible by consensus. A
companion lost the tip of his nose, and he asked Ras+lull%h if he could replace it with
a tip made of silver, and he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said yes. Then the
companion said it smelled, so the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said to correct
it with one made of gold.

If someone is born with an extra finger, it is permissible to remove it. If a woman
had a C-section and stitches were not proper, she can have surgery to fix it. If
someone has a burn, they can have surgery.

What if it is solely for the purpose of beautification? The vast majority of the
scholars said that it is not allowed. Why? This changes the way All"h created you.
It is deceiving because it is a permanent change. It is not allowed because there is a
risk involved in it. The risk can be outweighed by the need to look better.

If the Shar)ah forbade plucking the eyebrows and hair attachment, which are minor
changes, then how can the Shar)ah allow a major surgery that plays with how a
person looks? Cosmetic surgery is a very big issue in society.

Lebanon ranks top in cosmetic surgery in the Middle East and number ten
worldwide.

We have to keep in mind that sometimes there is a woman who may be in a great
need for this kind of surgery for beautification because they are deeply depressed,
and the psychological need is no less than the physical need. For example, a woman
may have a very small breast and it makes her very depressed and it may affect her
relationship with her husband. In a case like this, ijtih%d can allow her to have
surgery.

Generally speaking, we close the door, but there may be exceptions in very specific
cases.

Shaykh Salman al-Ouda wrote a very good article on this issue.

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28. Is it allowed to get a tattoo? What if is it removable?
Tattoos are forbidden and are a major sin in Islam. Ulem% said the tattoo is the ink
under the skin. Any ink above the skin is not a tattoo and is permissible. A fake
tattoo has the same ruling as henna, which is on the skin and not under the skin.

29. If I have a tattoo from before Islam, what I should do?
Removing the tattoo is painful and expensive. If you dont have the ability to
remove it, then you dont need to do it. If you cant and it has an image, then make
sure to cover it when going to prayer.

30. Is it permissible to use the products from the Dead Sea?
Yes, you can use products from the Dead Sea. Many people think that the Dead Sea
is where All"h destroyed the people of L#), but this is not true. This is not where
the people of L#) lived, and All"h didnt tell us that He let the ground swallow them
(when the ground swallows them, then it would be replaced by water). All"h sent
rocks from the heavens down on them. Ibn Kath%r said it is not where All"h
destroyed the people of L#).

31. Can I cut my hair short?
Yes, you can cut your hair short. How short can it be cut? In a way that you will
not look like a man. Im%m Muslim reported that the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) wife (ishah cut her hair to her ear lobes after the death of the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam).

32. Can I cut my hair according to trend or get a haircut that a celebrity has?
Yes, as long as it is not a form of imitation / veneration.

33. What is the ruling regarding wearing wigs? What if its for my husband? Because of
illness?

For the scholars who say that human hair when cut is najas, it is allowed to wear a
wig that is made from manufactured hair (not human hair).
For those who do not allow extensions regardless of whether it is real human hair
or manufactured because it is deceiving, it is not allowed to waer a wig because the
wig is deceiving.

Can you use it in the case of illness? Shaykh Uthaym%n said yes, you can use it for
example in the case of cancer. A woman was sick and about to get married and the
father asked the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) if she could wear something,
and he said no. Shaykh Uthaym%n said that this was because it was deceiving for
the husband.

34. Are there any restrictions regarding dyeing the hair?
There is no restriction for women. Black was only related to men. It is not allowed
for the purpose of deceiving. For example if a woman is old and grey and someone
wants to marry her and she colors her hair.
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There was an incident with Abu Bakrs father who had very white hair, and the
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) told him to dye his hair and avoid black or avoid
black for him. Most ulem% say to avoid black. A great scholar in &ad)th said that it
was added to the &ad)th the for him and not from the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam). Other scholars disagreed with him. This addition is in *a&)& Muslim. If it is
from the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), then is it forbidden to dye your hair in
black color or is it disliked? Lets look at how the companions understood this. A
large number of the greatest (a&%bah including Umar, Uthm"n, Sad b. Abi Waq"*,
al-Mughirah b. Shubah, al-&asan, &usayn and others dyed their hair black. The
tabi)n understood that it was disliked but not forbidden, and it was disliked based
on the situation. If someone is very elderly, it would not be befitting for his age to
dye it black. Most of the fuqah! of the four madh-habs say that it is disliked only
because it is not proper for an old man or woman to change the look to appear too
young, so they should choose another color.

Some ulem% say black is not allowed for men and women. Al-Nawawi said there is
no difference between men and women and neither can dye their hair black.
Shaykh Bin B"z and al-Alb"ni take this position.

The vast majority says that it is just recommended to not use black but it is not
&ar%m. Some say there is no restriction on black at all.

Shaykh Waleed holds the opinion that it is disliked for the very old man and woman
to dye the hair black.

You can dye your hair blonde, brown. Highlights are permissible. Can you dye it in
different colors like green or purple? If it is something commonly accepted in your
society and culture, then it is permissible. The dyes are not permanent in most
cases.

35. What is the ruling on hair extensions?
Wearing hair extensions for your husband is permissible because you are not
deceiving him. What is &ar%m is to deceive.

Hair extensions are forbidden by consensus of the scholars if it is from human hair.
Why? Ulem% differ. The Sh"fiis said it isnt allowed because human hair when cut
is najas. The majority of fuqah! disagreed and said human hair is not najas because
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) would cut his hair and give it to people, and
this is the stronger opinion. The reason they say it is &ar%m is because it is
deceiving. The &an"bilah and M"likiyyah say that if you make a hair extension
with something other than human hair, then it is permissible. For example, you
can put hair made of threads of wool because everyone will know that it is not part
of your hair.

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What if it is not from human hair? For the Sh"fiis, it is allowed to wear it because
the illah is only that if it is najas you cannot wear it. For the others, it is not allowed
because it is still deceiving.

36. Can I pluck my eyebrows if this pleases my husband?
Plucking the eyebrows is not allowed in Islam. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) said, The one who plucks the hair What hair? Some scholars said any
hair in the body. Some scholars said any hair on the face (al-Ghaz"li said this) this
is not a correct opinion.
Some restrict the plucking to only the eyebrows. Shaykh Waleed follows this
opinion.

Is it restricted to plucking the eyebrows or removing the eyebrows? Some scholars
said it is specifically for plucking, which is why the &an"bilah said another method
can be used (i.e. by shaving). Bleaching makes it disappear by other than plucking.
For those that say you cannot touch the hair say that bleaching the eyebrows is
&ar%m. They believe that when the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said
plucking, he meant touching the hair in any form or shape.

The M"liki scholars are the most liberal in this area and believe that this &ad)th is
only related to the woman in her &id!d. This opinion has no proof, so it is not a
strong opinion.

Shaykh Waleed believes that you are not allowed to pluck. If you bleach or shave or
cut short / trim the hair is permissible.

&anafi, M"liki, &anbali and some of the Sh"fiiyyah say it is allowed to pluck the
hair for the husband. The reason that it is forbidden is that it is deceiving, and
there is no deceiving for the husband. Shaykh Waleed doesnt feel comfortable with
this position, but if a woman has a hard time, then he wont be too strict with it.

37. What is the ruling regarding removing hair on arms and legs?
Is it allowed to remove the hair on the arms and legs?
- It is &ar%m to remove the hair on your head (i.e. by shaving).
- There is also hair that is w%jib to remove: underarm, pubic hair, hair around the
anus. Ibn Hajar mentions this specifically. The maximum that you can keep it is
40 days. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said to Anas that you must
shave after 40 days.
- Hair that the Shar)ah doesnt say to keep or remove: arms and legs. Whatever
All"h did not mention a ruling for is permissible.

38. What is ruling on laser hair removal?
It is allowed to remove your hair with laser hair removal even if it is permanent.
The Shar)ah wants you to remove the hair. You can remove the hair in any means
you want.

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39. Is there a specific way that underarm or pubic hair must be removed?
This is a must. You cannot let it grow more than 40 days.

40. Can I work as a beautician? Hair stylist?
It is permissible as long as you adhere to Islamic rulings.

41. Can I have someone else help me remove hair from my body?
Is there a specific way to remove the hair of the underarms? Al-Sh"fii hired
someone to remove it because it was hard for him. You can shave this hair.

What about the pubic area hair? It is Sunnah to shave it. Can you hire someone to
do this for you? No. It is absolutely &ar%m. The only circumstance when it is
allowed for someone to do this for you is if you cannot do it for you (i.e. if someone
is so big and cannot reach or if she is pregnant). She can ask her husband to do it
for her or the nurse to do it for her.

42. Can we have community fashion shows?
If the awrah will not be shown, then it is allowed. Dont imitate the way the models
act.

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Chapter Four: Rul i ngs Rel ated to Soci al Interacti on

- Women are equal to men in all rulings except in the case of specific evidence assigning
the ruling to males or females in particular.
- Good manners and morality are of the ultimate goals of Shar!ah.

A) Important Qual i ti es of the Musl i m Woman

Your teeth are not awrah, and you can show them! If you see a sister doesnt have a
smile on her face, give her one of yours. Some people have lost their smiles, but the
good thing is that the smile hasnt gone anywhere and is right under your nose.

Be truthful. Dont be empty. Be someone with ambitions and have good principles and
live up to them.

1. Truthfulness

O you who have believed, fear All!h and be with those who are true. (al-Tawbah, 9:119)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Be truthful for truthfulness leads to
righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. If a man tells the truth and nothing
but the truth, he will be registered with All!h as the truthful one. Beware of lying, for
lying leads to sinfulness and sinfulness leads to Hell. If a man tells a lie and nothing but
a lie, he will be registered with All!h as a liar. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he
breaks his promise and when he is entrusted he betrays the trust. (al-Bukh!ri and
Muslim)

2. Patience and Tolerance

So be patient with gracious patience. (al-Ma%rij, 70:5)

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And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed]
which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is
enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. (Fu((ilat, 41:34)

And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult
except for the humbly submissive [to All!h]. (al-Baqarah, 2:45)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said to al-Ashajj b. Abd Qays, You have
two qualities that All!h and His Messenger love, forbearance and patience. (Muslim)

3. Respect

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, He is not of us who does not show
respect to our elders and does not have mercy on our young. (al-Bukh!ri in al-Adab al-
Mufrad)

Part of respecting All!h is to respect the elder and the carrier of the Qur!n who is not
extreme, and to honor the just ruler. (Abu D!w"d)

4. Af!f (Chastity, Decency, Modesty)

Al-Hay! (modesty) is of faith. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The believer is not a slanderer, nor a curser, nor one who used vulgar or indecent
language. (al-Tirmidhi)

Renounce the world and All!h will love you, and renounce what people possess and
people will love you. (Ibn M!jah)

5. Generosity

And spend in the way of All!h and do not throw [yourselves] with your
[own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, All!h
loves the doers of good. (al-Baqarah, 2:195)

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Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of
All!h] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, All!h
is Knowing of it. (%le-Imr%n, 3:92)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was more generous than the fast wind. (al-
Bukh!ri)

Intercede on behalf of your brothers and you will be rewarded. (al-Bukh!ri)

6. Humility

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, All!h has revealed to me that you should
be humble with one another so that no one oppresses another and boasts over
another. (Muslim)

He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said, No one humbles himself for the sake of All!h
but All!h will elevate him. (Muslim)

7. Smiling and Cheerfulness

Jar!r said, The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) never saw me but that he smiled.
(al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, You will not win people over with your
wealth but with your cheerful face. (al-Bazz!r)

B) Rul i ngs Regardi ng the Deal i ngs of Women wi th Non-
Rel ati ve Mal es

1. We are all brothers and sisters

When we deal with each other as a community, we should remember something
important: we are all brothers and sisters! All!h called us brothers and sisters, and it is
what defines our relationship with each other. Care about each other like your brother
and sister. Start looking at each other not as an object but as your sister / brother. We
need to revive this in our minds and hearts. If we do this, we will have respect for one
another.

All!h (subhanahu wata'ala) described the relationship between us as males and
females:
Mumin!n (male and female) love one another for the sake of All!h and care and
support one another.
Dont look at each other with question marks and question each others intentions.

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The believers are but brothers. (al-"ujur%t, 49:10)

The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. (al-Tawbah, 9:71)

2. It is not permissible for a non-related man and woman to be together in seclusion.
The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, No man is alone with a (non-
ma&ram) woman but the Shay'!n is the third one. (A!mad)

Al-Ha!an al-Ba*ri said, Dont be alone with a woman, even if you are teaching her
Qur!n.

3. It is allowed to look at men as long as it is not with desire; then it will be forbidden.

And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard
their private parts (al-N+r, 24:31)

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Women are not allowed to look at men with sexual lust, but they are allowed to look at
men in daily life for needs. You are allowed to interact with each other and look at
them. Can men look at women? The majority of the fuqaha say you can look at women
with no sexual lust. It is forbidden to look at her with sexual lust. If he fears fitnah,
then he should lower the gaze. Ibn al-Qayyim was very strict and did not allow looking
at women in any circumstances other than the first look (unless there is a necessity).
This is not he most popular position amongst the fuqaha.

There is a lot of debate about this. Dont open the door widely. To communicate for a
need is permissible.

4. The voice of the woman is not awrah, but she is not allowed to speak in a seductive
way.

And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a
partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. (al-A&z%b, 33:53)

O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you
fear All!h, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart
is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech. (al-A&z%b,
33:32)

The voice of women is not awrah. Sometimes the voice of a woman can be fitnah if she
speaks in a seductive way, and this is not allowed.
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5. A woman is not allowed to touch a male who is not from her ma&rams, especially if it
is with lust. Shaking hands with an old man or in the case of necessity or need would
range from permissible to disliked.

Touching a male: the default rule is that you should not touch a male who is not one of
your ma&ram. If there is a need for this, then it is acceptable. Note: there is a difference
between need and necessity. Need will make it permissible and applies to both
genders. There are rules in Shar)ah that anything that was forbidden because of what it
can lead to, you can make exemptions for it in the case of necessities or need. A need is
something important and something that will help you function properly in life. A
necessity is something you cannot function without.

If anything is forbidden for itself, it is not allowed unless there is a necessity. Example:
riba. If there is a need for gharar, then it is allowed. There is no necessity, but there is a
need for it and so it is allowed.

Shaking hands or touching the hands of a male or female is forbidden because of what
it can lead to: fitnah, zina, forbidden relationship. What is the example of a need? A
doctor may need to touch the patient. If you go into an interview for a job, you may
need to shake hands with the other person.

When Muslim women deal with males, she should be modest and have hay%.

A woman is not allowed to be with a man alone in a secluded place. Seclusion means a
place which other people have no access to. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
said, If a man and woman are alone, then the Shay'%n is the third. Al-&asan al-Ba*ri
said even if you teach her Qur"n. Khalwah is forbidden for what it can lead to, which is
why it is allowed in the case of necessity or need. Sometimes at work you cannot avoid
it.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The eyes may commit zina, the hands
may commit zina, the feet may commit zina, and the private parts may commit
zina. (A!mad)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, I do not shake hands with
women. (A!mad)

It has been narrated that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If one of you
were to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle, it would be better for him than
touching a woman whom he is not permitted to touch. (al-.abar!ni)

6. Women are allowed to interact with men when there is a need and is considered
appropriate according to the customs of the society that they are living in. This culture
must not oppose the Shar!ah.

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!ishah said, When the Messenger of All"h came to Mad#nah, Abu Bakr and Bil"l came
down with a fever. I visited them and asked, Father, how are you? Bil!l, how are you?
When Abu Bakrs fever worsened, he said, Every man is struck down among his people
in the morning, when death is closer than the strap of his sandal.
When the fever left Bil!l, he raised his voice: And whether one day I will go the waters
of Majinnah! Will the mountains of Shama and Tafil appear to me? !ishah
continued, I then went to the Messenger of All!h and told him what they had said. He
said, O All!h! Make us love Mad"nah as we love Makkah or even more! Make it healthy.
Bless us in its (a and its mudd. Take its fever away and put it in al-Ju!fah. (al-Bukh!ri)

Anas reported: The Prophet, peace be upon him, saw a woman crying by the grave of
her son, and said to her, Fear All!h, and be patient. She replied, What do you care
about my tragedy? When he went away, someone told her, Indeed, that was the
Messenger of All!h, peace be upon him. The woman felt extremely sorry and she
immediately went to the Prophets house, where she did not find any guards. She called
out: O Messenger of All!h! I did not recognize you. The Prophet, peace be upon him,
said, Verily patience is needed at the time of the first affliction. (al-Bukh!ri and
Muslim)

Anas bin M!lik reported: After the death of the Messenger of All!h, Abu Bakr said to
Umar, Let us visit Umm Ayman as the Messenger of All!h used to visit her. As we
came to her, she wept. They (Abu Bakr and Umar) said to her, What makes you weep?
Do you not know that what All!h has in store for His Messenger is better than (this
worldly life)?
She said, I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for the
Messenger of All!h (in the Hereafter) is better than this world, but I weep because the
Revelation has ceased to come. This moved both of them to tears and they began to
weep along with her. (Muslim)

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And when he came to the well of Madyan, he found there a crowd of
people watering [their flocks], and he found aside from them two women
driving back [their flocks]. He said, What is your circumstance? They
said, We do not water until the shepherds dispatch [their flocks]; and
our father is an old man. So he watered [their flocks] for them; then he
went back to the shade and said, My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever
good You would send down to me, in need. Then one of the two women
came to him walking with shyness. She said, Indeed, my father invites
you that he may reward you for having watered for us. So when he
came to him and related to him the story, he said, Fear not. You have
escaped from the wrongdoing people. (al-Qa(a(, 28:23-25)

7. Mixing with men will be forbidden if any of the following exist:

- When the woman and the man are in seclusion.
- When the woman is not wearing &ij!b.
- When they are so close to each other that they may touch each other.

If the mixing is for a short period of time and cannot be avoided, or there is a greater
benefit and the fitnah unlikely, it will be permissible.

Mixing today is something that has become very common and cannot be avoided in our
society. That is why the strictness of the rules should be reduced.

And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a
partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. (al-A&z%b, 33:53)
The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) enforced separation of men and women even at
All!hs most revered and preferred place, the mosque. This was accomplished via the
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separation of the womens rows from the mens; men were asked to stay in the mosque
after completion of the obligatory prayer so that women will have enough time to leave
the mosque, and a special door was assigned to women. Evidence of the
aforementioned are:
Umm Salamah said that after All!hs Messenger ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said al-
sal!mu alaykum wa ra&matullah twice announcing the end of prayer, women would
stand up and leave. He would stay for a while before leaving. Ibn Shih!b said that he
thought that the staying of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was in order for the
women to be able to leave before the men who wanted to depart. (al-Bukh!ri)
All!hs Messenger ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, We should leave this door (of the
mosque) for women. N!fi said, Ibn Umar never again entered through that door
until he died. (Abu D!w"d)
Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The best of the
mens rows is the first and the worst is the last, and the best of the womens rows is the
last and the worst in the first. (Muslim)
Abu Usayd al-An*!ri narrated that he heard All!hs Messenger ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) say to the women on his way out of the mosque when he saw men and women
mixing together on their way home: Give way (i.e., walk to the sides) as it is not
appropriate for you to walk in the middle the road. Thereafter, women would walk so
close to the wall that their dresses would get caught on it. (Abu D!w"d)
There are so many circumstances for mixing with the opposite gender:
- There is an area which is clear cut, which is when men are women are sitting
close to each other and touching each other. Some fuqaha said that if you can
feel the breath of each other, then they are too close to each other. If there is a
close proximity in a sitting arrangement, it is not allowed. If there is a space
between them, it is allowed.
- Any mixing between men and women in seclusion is khalwah and mixing in
Shar)ah, which is not allowed. Some ulem! said that it is even if the mixing
happens to be in the place where women are not wearing proper &ij%b, and it is
&ar%m.
- Mixing is forbidden because of what it can lead to. It is allowed in cases of need
and necessity. An example of a need: The first line of women and last line of
men was allowed and there was no partition put by the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi
wa sallam). !aw%f during "ajj is allowed for men and women at the same time. A
woman came to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) when he was among
men, and she was standing while he was sitting, and she started hitting the duff
and she said, I made an oath that I would do this if you come back from battle.
She had made a nadhr she wanted to fulfill, and it was a temporary time. Any
mixing that is temporary and not regulated is exempt. For example, you go to a
meeting and the only place left is next to a man, then it is okay because it is
temporary and not regulated to be this way all the time.
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Partition between men and women:
This seems to be only for the wives of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), and the
ayah in the Qur"n is restricted to his wives. It was not practiced by the companions.

Can men and women be friends?
Girls live in a dream where they think that men and women can be friends. The Qur"n
never referred to the relationship between men and women who are not related to
each as friends. The Qur"n refers to them as brothers and sisters. It takes the sexual
aspect out. Friends brings a social closeness which is not meant to be there between
men and women. A coworker is not a friend but someone you know. It is a different
relationship. Men and women cannot be friends and share personal secrets.

You should know your family and it is part of your duty as a Muslim. A sign of )m%n is
(ilatl-ra&im. A sign of kufr is cutting ties with relatives.

1. Can I have a male friend at school?
It really isnt possible to be just friends. Friend is a tricky word, which is why
the Shariah says brother and sister. They can be your classmate, coworker, etc., but
friend is different.

2. At work, I sometimes have to meet alone with a male in the office for a short period
of time. What is the ruling regarding this?
If it is for a need, it is permissible. If something happens that you are not
comfortable with, then file a complaint with the HR department.

3. Can I have male friends via social media?
You are not allowed to have a male who is a friend on Facebook who has access to
your personal profile. If this door is opened, it creates a lot of fitnah. So many
people fall into &ar%m over social media.

It is the right of parents to talk to their daughters about the internet. Dont give
them full access to social media without checking on them.

4. Can I use an informal way of writing to a group of people including males (e.g. Use
smileys, lols, etc.)?
This depends on the culture. In todays culture, no one understands that a lol or
happy face means that you are hitting on them.

5. Can I tell a man I love you for the sake of All!h?
There is a chapter in Bukh"ri on when a man tells a woman that he loves her for the
sake of All"h. The ulem% said that it depends. If there is a sister who anonymously
writes it to a teacher, it is okay. If a sister goes up to a brother and says, I love you
[pause]for the sake of All"h, then this is not allowed. The &ad)th in Bukh"ri is:
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the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) saw a group of women of the an(%r and said,
I love them for the sake of All"h. He ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was referring to a
group and not a single person.

6. Can I ride alone with a male taxi driver? What about elevators?
An elevator ride is a short period of time and there is no seclusion. The mixing in
the elevator is allowed because of the need.

Being with a taxi driver is permissible as long as it is within the city because the car
is open and it is in a public place. If you are going from Houston to Dallas in a taxi,
then it is not allowed.

7. Can I give sal!m to males or reply to their sal!m?
Yes. In Bukh"ri, there are two chapters on this: men greeting women and women
greeting men. Giving sal!ms is part of brotherhood. It is not w%jib to reply out loud,
and if you feel uncomfortable or if it will be misunderstood, then judge the
situation. If there is a possibility of fitnah, then avoid it.

8. My voice is naturally soft and attractive. Should I avoid talking to males at all?
All women think that way their voices are naturally soft and attractive. If this
actually is the case, then try to avoid too much talking. Dont speak to people too
much who may misunderstand. You judge for yourself.

9. Can a woman advise a male who is not related to her?
Yes, she can. There are many examples in our history. This is for advice and not for
building a relationship. You can speak out against something that is munkar. Many
great women gave advice to kings, ministers, shuyukh.

10. Do we have to have partitions in MSA meetings? Are their any conditions for the
sitting format?
Do not sit next to each other. It is better to have men in front and women in back
like (al%h, but if there is a discussion, then have men and women on different sides.
Try to have meetings on the phone or internet it saves time and there is less
fitnah.

11. Can I sit with my husband while he is spending time with his friends?
If there is a need for it, then yes. Otherwise, no. If you and your husband are going
out to a restaurant and his friend is there, he can come. If All"h gives you space in
your house, then have men and women separately. If there is no space, then the
sisters are next to each other and the brothers are next to each other.

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was invited by a man to come to his house,
and he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said he was bringing his wife or he wouldnt go,
so he took his wife. They had small houses then.

12. Can a woman look at a man, such as a teacher or lecturer, for a long time?
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Yes, as long as she has a pure intention and there is no sexual lust attached.

13. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) told two of his wives, when Abdull"h b.
Umm Makt!m entered, to sit behind a partition, and when they replied, Isnt he
blind?, he said, Are you two blind? How do we reconcile this &ad!th with when
he gave !ishah permission to see the Abyssinians dancing in the masjid?

This &ad)th is not authentic. It was reported from al-Zuhri and another person from
Umm Salamah who is unknown. It also contradicts a &ad)th in Bukh"ri and Muslim
when the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) allowed (ishah to watch the
Abyssinians dancing.

C) Rul i ngs Regardi ng the Deal i ngs of a Woman wi th her Fami l y

1. The Parents

And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to
parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age
[while] with you, say not to them [so much as], Uff, and do not repel
them but speak to them a noble word. (al-Isr%, 17:23)

The Prophet of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The pleasure of the Lord is in the
pleasure of the father, and the displeasure of the Lord is in the displeasure of the
father. (al-Tirmidhi)

Abu Hurayrah said, The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was asked, Messenger of
All!h, to whom should I be dutiful? Your mother, he replied. He was asked, Then
whom? Your mother, he replied. He was asked, Then whom? Your mother, he
replied. He was asked, Then whom? He replied, Your father. (al-Bukh!ri and
Muslim)

Abu Bakrah reported that the Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said,
Shall I tell you which is the worst of the major wrong actions? Yes, Messenger of
All!h, they replied. He said, Associating something else with All!h and disobeying
parents. He had been reclining, but then he sat up and said, And false witness. Abu
Bakr said, He continued to repeat it until I said, Is he never going to stop? (al-
Bukh!ri)

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Abdull"h ibn Amr said, A man came to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and
said, I have come to make you a pledge that will do hijrah although I have left my
parents in tears. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Go back to them and
make them laugh as you made them cry.

Ibn Umar said, Making parents weep is part of disobedience and one of the major
wrong actions.

2. The Husband

And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that
you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection
and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought (al-
R+m, 30:21)

Men are in charge of women by [right of] what All!h has given one over
the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth (al-
Nis%, 4:34)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, No human being is permitted to
prostrate to another, but if this were permitted I would have ordered wives to prostrate
to their husbands, because of the greatness of the rights they have over them.
(A!mad)

A woman came to ask the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) about some matter, and
when he had dealt with it, he asked her, Do you have a husband? She said, Yes. He
asked her, How are you with him? She said, I never fall short in my duties, except for
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that which is beyond me. He said, Pay attention to how you treat him, for he is your
Paradise and your Hell. (A!mad)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If a woman prays her five daily prayers,
fasts her month (of Rama!"n), obeys her husband and guards her chastity, then it will
be said to her: Enter Paradise by whichever of its gates you wish. (A!mad)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Shall I not tell you about your wives in
Paradise? We said, Of course, O Messenger of All!h. He said, They are fertile and
loving. If she becomes angry or is mistreated, or her husband becomes angry, she says,
My hand is in your hand; I shall never sleep until you are pleased with me. (al-&!kim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If a man calls his wife to his bed and she
does not come, and he goes to sleep angry with her, the angels will curse her until the
morning. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

If the husband is a miser, and spends too little on her and her children, then she is
allowed to spend as much as she needs from his wealth on herself and her children, in
moderation. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) stated this to Hind bint U)bah, the
wife of Abu Sufy!n, when she came to him and said, O Messenger of All!h, Abu Sufy!n
is a stingy man. What he gives me is not enough for me and my child, unless I take from
him without his knowledge. He told her, Take what is enough for you and your child,
in moderation. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Among the worst type of people in the
sight of All!h on the Day of Judgment is a man who enjoys his wifes intimate company,
and she enjoys his intimate company, then one of them goes and discloses the secret of
the other. (Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, No woman should talk about another
woman, or describe her to her husband (so that it is) as if he sees her. (al-Bukh!ri)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, It is not permissible for any woman who
believes in All!h and the Last Day to travel except with a ma&ram. (al-Bukh!ri and
Muslim)

And those who say, Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and
offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the
righteous. (al-Furq%n, 25:74)

Acti vi ty: How can I win the hearts of my in-laws?
Listen to the lecture online: In-laws and Outlaws.
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3. The Chi l dren

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, All of you are shepherds and each of you
is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of the people of his house and he is
responsible. A woman is the shepherd of the house of her husband and she is
responsible. Each of you is a shepherd and each is responsible for his flock. (al-Bukh!ri
and Muslim)

4. Extended Fami l y

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever believes in All!h and the Last
Day, let him maintain the bonds of kinship. (al-Bukh!ri)


1. Do I need to take permission from my father or husband every time I leave the
house?
This is based on culture. If you live in a culture where there is a general permission
to go to school, get groceries, etc. then you only need to get permission if going
somewhere out of the ordinary. General permission is something generally
accepted because Hend came to the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) to ask a
question without getting permission from her husband, and Ibn Hajar said women
are allowed to leave the house for what is commonly accepted without getting
permission from the husband.

2. Does my husband have the right to prevent me from visiting my family or to
prevent them from visiting our home?
No, he cant stop you from doing this. He cannot prevent your children from
visiting them because they are related to them as well unless there is a reason such
as if the wifes father smokes or watches bad movies or uses vulgar language. If this
is the case, then communicate to find a middle ground.

If the husband owns the house solely, then he has the right to prevent them from
coming to the house. If you have joint ownership, then he has no right to stop
them. You have to have a line of communication.

3. What are the rights of my in-laws upon me?
To treat them with respect. To honor them because it is part of honoring your
husband. They are not relatives to you and it is not like (ilatl-ra&im unless they are
also your relatives. Treat them well out of the rights of your husband upon you. Be
generous with them and host them.
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4. If I am not in the mood for intimacy and my husband wants to be intimate, is it
sinful to refuse?
No, it is not sinful to refuse. It is a valid reason to not want to be intimate. A
psychological reason is equal to a physical reason. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) said, You are only required to do what you are capable of.

Some women always say no and that they are not in the mood. This is a problem.
Many men complain about this issue that their wives are not fulfilling their needs.
There is an overwhelming complaint by husbands about this.

5. Who has more right over me: my parents or my husband?
It depends on the issue. Generally speaking, the husband has more rights over you
for issues related to the house. In issues of du%, your parents have more rights.

6. Do my parents have the right to invade my privacy?
Yes, they have the right to do this. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said,
You and whatever you possess belong to your father. Advice: this doesnt mean
that the parents dont respect their daughters privacy. Respect it and teach her
that you do respect her privacy. There is a difference between privacy and secrecy.
There are no secrets in the house.

Dont ever hesitate to check on your kids in high school and college all the time.
Some parents know nothing about what their kids do. Dont give absolute trust to
the children yet (you trust them but not absolute trust).

7. What should I do if I am invited to a family celebration that contains impermissible
practices?
If there is a great benefit from going, you go and limit your participation to a
minimum in time and action. You dont have to stay the whole time, and you dont
dance or drink with them. Limit your participation to the minimum needed from
you. The wedding of your brother is different from a distant relative. Generally
speaking, dont be in a place where sin is openly practiced.

8. A woman who has been married several times passes away. Which husband will she
be with in Jannah?
Worry about Jannah first. There are three opinions among the Muslim scholars:
- She will be with the one with the best manners because there is a &ad)th where
someone asked the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and he said, The wife
will be with the one with the best manners / treated her the best. This is a
very weak &ad)th.
- "ad)th: She will be with the last one of them. [Tabar"ni, al-Alb"ni said it is
authentic, others said there is weakness in it]
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- Shaykh Uthaym%n: she will be given a choice. Im"m al-Qurtubi also mentioned
this opinion.

D) The Rul i ng Regardi ng the Musl i m Woman wi th her Fri ends

Choosing a Good Friend:

And (remember) the Day when the wrong-doer will bite his hands and
say: Woe to me! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger. Woe
to me! If only I had not taken so- and-so as a friend! He has led me astray
from this Reminder (the Qur!n) after it had come to me. And Satan is
ever a deserter to man in the hour of need. (al-Furq%n, 25:27-29)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, A person is likely to follow the way of his
friend, so look at whom you befriend. (Abu D!w"d)

The Prophet Mu!ammad ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, The example of a good
companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk, and the one who
blows the blacksmiths bellows. So as for the seller of musk, then either he will grant
you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him.
As for the one who blows the blacksmiths bellows, then either he will burn your
clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him. (al-Bukh!ri)

Purify your heart, tongue and gatherings:

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O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people;
perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other]
women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one
another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is
the name of disobedience after [ones] faith. And whoever does not
repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed,
some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would
one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would
detest it. And fear All!h; indeed, All!h is Accepting of repentance and
Merciful. (al-"ujur%t, 49:11-12)

No good is there in much of their private conversation, except for those
who enjoin charity or that which is right or conciliation between people.
And whoever does that seeking means to the approval of All!h - then We
are going to give him a great reward. (al-Nis%, 4:114)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever sits in a gathering where All!h
is not mentioned, such a gathering will be regretted in the Day of Resurrection.
(Muslim)


1. Can I have a non-Muslim friend?
We are recommended to have a righteous friend. You can have a non-Muslim
friend and it doesnt contradict al-wal% and al-bar%. Make sure they understand
what is allowed and not allowed. Be careful of peer pressure.

Friends have more influence on you than anything else in your life. The Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said the lifestyle you have is according to the lifestyle of
your friends. There is a study that shows that if one person in a group of friends
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starts losing weight, then they all become more health conscious. On
themasjid.org, Shaykh Waleed talks about friends and the influence of friends on
people.

2. My friend is not religious. Would it be okay to continue my friendship with her?
Make sure that you are friends with someone who fears All"h. If they have bad
habits that may rub off on you, then avoid them.

3. Are stereotypical jokes considered &al!l?
For example, blonde jokes, jokes about people from a certain place. Stereotypical
jokes exist in every culture. If it is a stereotypical joke that is about someone in the
crowd who will be hurt by the joke, then everyone says it is forbidden because you
are not allowed to hurt peoples feelings.

Ulem% debate over this: some say it is okay and others say it is &ar%m. They are
coming from the point of: is this considered a lie or not? The ulem% define lie in
two different ways. The first definition is to say something different than the
reality, so then you are not allowed to lie. The second definition is to tell something
different from what you believe. If no one believes it really happens, then it is not a
lie. The second definition is the strongest definition. If you agree with the first
definition, then it is problematic in so many different areas.

(ishah (ra#yAll%hu anha) said to Umar once, Kadhabt, and she meant, you are
mistaken because he said something different from reality.

Acting and movies are not considered lies. Al-Shawk"ni mentioned both opinions
in the tafs)r.

4. What is the ruling regarding womens only parties that contain dancing and music?
Music is &ar%m. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, A time will come
when people will make musical instruments &al%l. The only exceptions are the two
,ds and weddings. Most of the ulem% restrict the music to the duff. In these two
circumstances, there may be room for ijtih%d because the duff is the instrument that
existed in the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam). Does using the duff
give the permissibility to either the concept or to the duff itself? There is a debate.

Ulem% also added that in case of a great victory or great incident. For example,
when the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) migrated from Makkah to Mad%nah,
the people were welcoming him with songs and duff. !alaa al-badru alayna is a song
that was sung when he ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) came back from Tab#k.
Th%niyatl-wada is north of Mad%nah, and when the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam) entered Mad%nah from Makkah, he entered from the south.

5. Sometimes when I sit with my friends, they backbite. What should I do in such a
case? What should I do if I backbite someone?
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Advise them to stop. The sisters who are talked about have a right upon you to
defend her honor. If you are sitting and witnessing someone else being attacked
and do nothing, it is &ar%m. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, If your
Muslim brother or sister is mentioned in his/her absence and needs your support
and you dont, then All"h will forsake you when you need His support the most. If
you stand up for him/her and defend them in their absence, then All"h will stand
up for you in a time when you need Him the most. Dont let anyone talk bad about
someone in your presence.

If you participated, then make istighf%r, ask All"h to forgive you and praise her in
her absence. Do you need to tell the other person? No because in most of the cases,
you will open the door for more problems.

6. Should I wear &ij!b in front of female or male homosexuals?
Yes, if he is a male homosexual. What about lesbians? If she looks at you in a way
which is not cool, then wear &ij%b in front of her.

7. What should I do if I feel like another female is looking at me in an unusual way?
Cover yourself in a usual way.

8. If Im sleeping over at my friends house, can we sleep in the same bed?

9. Sometimes girls use improper words when referring to each other such as lover,
bed buddy, freaki-tiki girl. What is the ruling regarding that?
Do you want to come on the Day of Judgment with freaki-tiki girl written? You
are accountable for everything that you say. It is not &ar%m but using excessive
language like this is not allowed. Bed buddy is terminology that is not allowed in
a society like we have.

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Chapter Fi ve: Rul i ngs Rel ated to the Rol e of Women i n
Soci ety

Islam sees women as an important element in building the society politically,
economically, educationally, and socially.

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made
you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most
noble of you in the sight of All!h is the most righteous of you. Indeed,
All!h is Knowing and Acquainted. (Al-"ujur%t, 49:13)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Women are the other halves of men.
(A!mad)
A) The Rul i ng Regardi ng Leavi ng the Home

!ishah said, Sawdah went out after &ij!b was made obligatory, and she was a large
woman. Anyone who knew her before &ij!b would easily recognize her. Umar saw her.
He said, Go back Sawdah, for by All!h, we can recognize you. She quickly went back.
The Messenger of All!h ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was in my home and was eating his
dinner, and in his hand was a bone with meat on it. Sawdah entered and said to the
Messenger of All!h, I went out to do something and Umar said such to me. I saw the
Prophet receiving the revelation until it was finished, and the food was still in his hand.
Then, he said, All!h has given you permission to go out for your needs. (al-Bukh!ri
and Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) also said, Do not forbid the female slaves of
All!h from the mosques of All!h. (Muslim)

If you look at the women in the Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) time, they were
among those who were tortured in Makkah, and some of them were martyred. They
were among those who migrated to al-&abashah and al-Mad%nah. They participated in
war. They were in the company of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) on his
journeys. They are seen learning in the masjid, buying and selling in the market,
helping their families on their farms, tending sheep, celebrating ,d and victories in
public, and participating in other areas of public life.

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And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the
display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give
zak!h and obey All!h and His Messenger. All!h intends only to remove
from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophets] household,
and to purify you with [extensive] purification. (al-A&z%b, 33:33)

These verses are addressing the wives of Prophet Mu!ammad ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam), but the address includes all women by the consensus of the scholars.

Abu al-Dard" said, The worst woman is al-Salfaah (the woman who has a bad tongue,
no shame, and is always out of her home.) (al-&arbi in Ghar!b al-!ad"th)

The Prophet (*allall"hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Any woman who wears perfume and
passes by men so that they can smell the fragrance, she has committed a form of
adultery. (A!mad)

Leaving the home excessively for no benefit is disliked. It is more disliked if it leads to
mixing with the opposite gender. It becomes forbidden if it is accompanied by !ar!m in
action or purpose.

B) Educati on of Women

Education is a right given by the Shar!ah to both males and females alike. All texts
related to the virtues of seeking knowledge, scholarship, and teaching are equally
applicable to males and females.

Abu Sa%d al-Khudri reports that the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was
approached by the women. They said, Men benefit from you more than we do. Can you
give us a special time to teach us? He promised them a day. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

!ishah was described by her nephew Urwah who said, I accompanied !ishah, and I
have never seen anyone who was more knowledgeable regarding a verse revealed
(where and why it was revealed), the rulings of inheritance, the ways of the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), poetry, history of the Arabs, genealogy, jurisdiction, or
medicine than she was. I said to her, My aunt, where did you learn medicine? She said,
I used to get sick and treatment was prescribed to me, or others would fall sick and
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treatment would be prescribed to them, so I used to memorize that, and that is how I
learned. (al-Dhahabi in al-Siyar)

ACTIVITY: What are the biggest challenges a Muslim female faces in public schools?
What are some practical ways to deal with these challenges? (Group discussion)

Is it true that women are not allowed to leave the house? A woman was giving a
khu'bah and said, What a great woman. She only left her house twice: once when she
left her parents house to her husbands house and then from her husbands house to
her grave. These people talk like this and make this the role model. There are some
fatwas that say a woman cannot leave her house unless there is dar+rah (necessity). Is
this true?

If we look at the Qur"n and Sunnah of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam), you will
see this is not the case. Women went to work, the war, classes, the masjid, asked
questions. The women were out in the society. When All"h (sub&%nahu wa ta%la) said,
And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the
former times of ignorance [S+ratl-A&z%b, 33], Muj"hid explained that it refers to the
woman who will always be excessively in and out of her house and mixes with men and
shows her beauty. Women were tortured in Makkah and died as shah)d. One of the first
shuhad% was a female. Women migrated to &abashah and participated in war. They
accompanied the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) on journeys and bought and sold
in the market and went to the masjid.

Women have been asked to be educated and learn their d)n and learn knowledge. The
Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said learning the d)n is for every Muslim. This
includes everyone.

There are many great women scholars in religious and other fields.

Education in our times in the US is not in any way less important than the education for
men. In America, we dont have the social support system that they have overseas. If
you are divorced overseas, then your family members will take care of you, but in
America, you are on your own. Mas%jid dont support them. There is no structure to
socially support the sisters who live here. She must have an education that will provide
a proper source of income for her in the future. The reality is that her family members
will not take care of her. Education is a necessity.

One of the things debated over in AMJA when discussing student loans and if it is
allowed to take a riba loan, they debated over it and Shaykh Waleed is part of the 50%
who say it is a necessity. Shaykh Salman al-Ouda considered it a form of necessity.

If you say no student loans, then most Muslim kids cannot go to law school or medical
school or high level of education in society. You need money to do this and no one has
a million dollars to be a doctor. Very few are capable of doing that.

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For sisters, Shaykh Waleed believes that work and education is important. There are
different situations.


1. There is no doubt that there is a lot of mixing between genders and fitnah during
high school and college. What is the ruling regarding this?
Your d)n is more important than your college. If you are compromising your d)n,
then look for another college or school. Mixing is permissible in cases of need.

2. Some subjects may contain ideologies and ideas contradictory to Islamic theology.
What is the ruling regarding entering those fields?
For example: philosophy, biology. It is allowed to study it. You can bring your
perspective as a Muslim and may change some theories known in the field. It
requires for you to be well educated in Islam. You should first be educated in this
area.

3. Is it allowed to study medicine even though I will be doing autopsies on men and
studying male body parts?
Yes, it is allowed. Bukh"ri has a chapter on the permissibility on women treating
men. It is in cases of need and not just necessities. All fat%wa of the Muslim council
allow this. If you are a doctor, try to treat females. In America, there is no option
and you may lose your license.

4. If there are Islamic schools in my area that I can afford, is it permissible to put my
children in other schools?
It is permissible but Shaykh Waleed doesnt recommend it. If everyone pulls their
children out, how will the schools improve? We have to be patient and support and
develop it.

5. What should I do in P.E., art, and music classes?
If you have to take them, then you have to take them. Avoid swimming in P.E.
Wear a long shirt and pants. All of this can be dealt with.

6. If my exams are in Rama!"n, is it allowed to break my fast?
No, it is not allowed to break your fast. If during the test you get dizzy because you
were studying all night, then yes you can break the fast because you are sick.

7. Is it allowed to combine between prayers because of school timings?
Only occasionally. It cannot be regular. For example, it is okay if there is an exam
and you couldnt get out of it. It is not allowed to do it for an entire semester. The
rukhsah is for an occasional incident.

8. I got accepted in a university in another state. Can I move there alone to study? Is it
permissible to travel without a ma&ram to attend Islamic classes and conferences?
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Can you study in a different state without your ma&ram in that city? There is no
proof in Shar)ah stating that a woman must live in the same place where her
ma&ram lives. She should travel with her father or brother to that place and live in
a secure place. If it is a secure place and she is safe from fitnah and there is a need
to go there and her parents will take her and they are happy with that and agree
with it, then it is permissible. If the parents are not happy with it, then it is better
to be in the company of your parents.

What about going for conferences and Islamic classes? Traveling without ma&ram
for a need like education is permissible if you know how to travel and it is safe to
travel. Shaykh ibn Jibr%l took this fatwa. The majority from the four madh%hib
disagree with this because they say the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, It
is not allowed for a woman who believes in All"h and the Day of Judgment to travel
without a ma&ram.

9. In my school we have to study in groups of both males and females. What should I
do?
Keep proper etiquettes of talking and dont sit next to males.

10. I arrived late to class, and the only open seat was next to a boy. What should I have
done?
It is a temporary incident, so it is permissible to sit there.

11. Do we have to separate between genders in Islamic schools? Beginning from what
age?
Separating between genders help boys and girls to focus while studying. Schools
dont have funds to do this and it isnt practical, so it is allowed to have them
together.

12. Can a woman teach men?
Yes, she can.

C) Parti ci pati on i n Da wah

The Qur'"n tells us that women have their own earnings. This means that they have
their own sources of income. At the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam),
women participated in the workforce and there is no evidence that she did this only in
the case of necessity. The wife of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) Zaynab
worked and made things and sold them. She had her own business. Other sisters would
make perfume and sell it. Another woman would make a container made of leather to
put water in, and Umar said they bought a lot of these containers from her on the day
of U!ud. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) entered the date farm of Umm Bash%r.
J"bir narrated that a woman had her own garden and she asked the Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) if she can go supervise the people collecting dates while in her iddah,
and he said yes.
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Umm Shurayq ran a guest house. The minbar of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
was owned by a woman who had a carpenter working for her. Abdull"h b. Mas#ds
wife worked and made money and supported him financially. She is the one who
earned. There are so many examples where women participated in the workforce
during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and after.

The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They
enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and
give zak!h and obey All!h and His Messenger. Those - All!h will have
mercy upon them. Indeed, All!h is Exalted in Might and Wise. (al-Tawbah,
9:71)

And who is better in speech than one who invites to All!h and does
righteousness and says, Indeed, I am of the Muslims. (Fu((ilat, 41:33)

Khad!jah and "ishah are among the best examples of females who supported the
religion and helped it spread.

Women participated in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil. They used to
narrate the !ad"th, teach fiqh, and write books form the early generations until today.

It is obligatory upon the Muslim woman in our society to carry the responsibility of
dawah, especially to other women.


1. Is it allowed for a woman to give lectures to mixed audiences?
Yes, with the proper etiquette. The number one issue the American public has
misconceptions on is Muslim women. To counter this, sisters should speak up and
participate. Some Muslim organizations want to put women on the stage just
because she is female, but that is wrong.

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Dont have a woman emcee just to use her. We shouldnt do that and our sisters
deserve more respect than this.

2. Can a woman participate in TV interviews?
Yes.

3. Is it allowed for women to participate in a Dawah Table in school or on the street?
Yes but with the condition: the dawah table is very small so if a female and man are
next to each other, it is not allowed. They should take turns or keep more space.

4. Can a female be the head of an Islamic organization?
Yes, she can.

5. Can a female be a masjid board member?
Yes, she can. It is something needed for all mas!jid to involve the sisters and not
just in sisters issues but also in the masjid issues. We should have more sisters
involved in Islamic organizations.

6. My husband prevents me from participating in dawah activities. What advice do
you have for us?
If your husband closes one door, there are still twenty doors open. Find out why he
doesnt want you to participate and deal with the issue. He may be jealous or you
may neglect his rights, so communicate with him. Try to involve him in the dawah
activities. Dawah is not limited to giving lectures or helping with AlMaghrib and
you can do things from home.

D) Women s Parti ci pati on i n the Workforce

And do not wish for that by which All!h has made some of you exceed
others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a
share of what they have earned. And ask All!h of His bounty. Indeed
All!h is ever, of all things, Knowing. (al-Nis%, 4:32)

It is permissible for women to work for earning income, although the father or husband
is financially responsible for her.

Al-Rab% bint Muawwadh and al-&awl! used to make perfumes in Mad"nah and sell
them. (Ibn Sad in al-!abaq%t and Ibn &ajar in al-I(!bah respectively)

123

The Prophets wife Zaynab used to sew and embroider things for sale and give from her
earnings in charity. (Muslim)

The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) entered the date farm of Umm Bishr al-
An(!riyyah. (Muslim)

Umm Sulay) used to make leather water skins. (al-Bukh!ri)

Umm Shurayk used to own and run a guesthouse. (Ibn Abdul-Barr in Alist!"b)

The Prophets ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) minbar was made by a womans carpentry
business. (Muslim)

Ibn Mas!ds wife used to work and support him. (A"mad)

It is related that Asm! bint Abu Bakr said, When al-Zubayr married me, he had no
land as property and no slave. He had nothing but a camel for drawing water and his
horse. I used to fodder his horse and fetch water and sew his bucket and prepare dough,
but I was not good at making bread and so some of our an(!ri neighbor-women used to
make the bread for me. They were women of truthfulness. I used to carry the date
stones on my head from the land of al-Zubayr which was granted to him by the
Messenger of All!h, may All!h bless him and grant him peace. It was about two-thirds
of a farsakh away. One day while I was coming with my the date stones on my head
while I met the Messenger of All!h, may All!h bless him and grant him peace, who was
with a group of the an(!r. He called me over and then said, Ikh! Ikh! so that he could
carry me behind him. I was too shy to travel with the men and I remembered al-Zubayr
and his jealousy. He was the most jealous of people. The Messenger of All!h, may All!h
bless him and grant him peace, saw that I was shy and so he went on. I went to al-
Zubayr and told him, I met the Messenger of All!h, may All!h bless him and grant him
peace, while I had the date stones on my head. He had some of his Companions with
him. He made his camel kneel so that I could ride, but I was too shy of him and I know
your jealousy. He said, By All!h, your carrying the date stones is harder for me than
your riding with him! She said, [This continued] until Abu Bakr later sent me a
servant to tend to the horse and it was as if he had set me free. (al-Bukh!ri and
Muslim)

"t is related that !ahl said, There was a woman among us who planted garden-beet
(silq) on the irrigation channels in a field she owned. On the day of Jumuah she would
pull up the beet by the roots and put them in a pot. Then she would put in a handful of
barley and cook it. The beet roots were like meat. After finishing the Jumuah prayer we
would greet her and then she would bring us that food and we would eat it with our
fingers. We used to look forward to the day of Jumuah because of that food of hers. (al-
Bukh!ri)

J!bir narrates, My aunt was divorced and she wanted to go out to collect the dates
from her farm. A man told her to go back to her home. She went to the Prophet
124

((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and he said, No, go collect your dates. Perhaps you may give
in charity or do something good with them. (Muslim)

The Guidelines Regarding the Working Muslim Woman:

1. The work must be permissible in its nature.
2. It will not cause fitnah in her religion.
3. It does not conflict with the rights of others like the husband and children.
4. The permission of the wali.

Activity: What kinds of career choices do you think may be problematic for a Muslim
woman and why? (Group discussion)

Thamil Qahram!nah was the first female judge in Islam. She passed away in 928 C.E. in
Baghdad.


1. If I work, am I obligated to help with household expenses?
It depends. If there is a condition in the contract prior to the marriage where the
husband says that if the wife works she needs to participate, then she must
contribute. If there is no condition, it is better and nice if she does, but she is not
obligated to participate in household expenses.

2. I work as a doctor and I sometimes must examine men. What is the ruling?
Yes, it is allowed. Nurses during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
took care of injured men.

3. Theres a possibility that I might fall into some &ar!m at work. What is the ruling
regarding that?
Does this mean a major sin or minor sin? It may mean khalwah or shaking
someones hand or mixing. In a case like this, the general rule is: if the vast
majority of your work is in the &al%l, then we judge it by the majority of the work.
The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, Your business will always be mixed
with what is permissible and impermissible. Purify it with (adaqah. Always give
(adaqah from your salary to purify whatever may happen.

4. Is it permissible to accept a gift from a male coworker?
If the gift is something common and there is nothing personal, then it is
permissible.

5. Is it allowed to work night shifts?
Yes, if it is safe and your wali is okay with it.

125

6. Can a woman be a judge?
The first woman judge was in 928. Ulem% have a different opinion about women
being a judge.
- Some of the Sh"fii and M"liki scholars and al-.abari say she is allowed to be a
judge because there is no proof to forbid her from this. Making a judgment is a
form of fatwa. The only difference is that the answer of the mufti you are not
entitled to and you are entitled to the ruling of the judge. Giving the fatwa is
allowed for a woman, so giving a ruling is allowed for a woman. A judge is a
mufti with power. This is their main evidence.
- Abu &an%fah allowed her to be a judge in certain areas where she can give
testimony. He doesnt allow women to give testimonials in all areas but only in
limited areas.
- The vast majority of Muslim jurists say she is not allowed to be a judge because
the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) never appointed a female judge and
none of his companions appointed a female judge. Also, they said judges deal
with criminals and may go to crime scenes, but in modern days, this is not
necessarily true. Refutation: culturally during the time of the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) was not acceptable.

The majority of the fuqah! say two women witnesses equal two men, but we
dont agree with this. This is only when it comes to business transactions.
Other than that, one woman is equal to one man in testimony. Ibn Taymiyyah
wrote an article defending this position and showed that it is only restricted in
business transactions. She is equal in other things.
Also, there is a difference between a witness and a judge, and a judge is closer to
a mufti in position than a witness, so the qiy%s is not correct.

Shaykh Waleed believes the permissibility of being a judge is a strong opinion.

7. Can I work in the army or law enforcement?
Conditions: The nature of the job must be permissible and there will be no &ar%m
during the job or the potential for &ar%m is very small.
We need women in these areas because they have to deal with women. Umar b. al-
Kha))"b hired a woman to be in charge of the market in Mad%nah. She was in
charge of catching anyone cheating or making a bad transaction. She had a stick
with her to reprimand anyone who did something wrong.

Women participated in the army during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa
sallam). The system and the job must be looked at because it is more complicated
than in the old days.
E) Women s Parti ci pati on i n Pol i ti cs

Women participated in the second bayah of al-Aqabah, in which they pledged their
support and the protection of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) and the religion.
They participated in the bayah of al-Ri/w"n. When Abu Bakr was elected as khal!fah,
126

they participated by giving him the bayah as Anas reported, All the people of Mad!nah
gave bayah to Abu Bakr. When Umar was stabbed, &af!ah talked to her father about
appointing a khal)fah after him. (al-Bukh!ri and Muslim)

Women of Mad%nah were consulted by Abdul-Ra!m"n b. Awf when choosing between
Uthm"n and Ali as the khal!fah after Umars death. (Ibn Kath!r)

The role of women in advising rulers is known. Umm Salamah advised the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) during Sul!l-&udaybiyah. When Umar became khal)fah,
Khawlah bint Thalabah gave him moving advice. Umm al-Dard! advised Abdul-M"lik
b. Marw!n.

Umm H!ni gave her word of protection to someone from Bani Hubayrah against Ali b.
Abi .!lib who was going to kill him. The Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said, I will
protect whomever you give your protection to. (al-Bukh!ri)

!ishah and Umm Salamah had active roles in the political arena around the time of
Uthm"ns death.

Women participated in jih!d during the time of the Prophet ((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam)
and after. Umm Im!rah participated in the Battles of U!ud, &unayn, and al-Yam!mah.
Al-Bukh!ri has many chapters related to womens participation in jih!d as do other
scholars of &ad!th.

Women always had a place to play in politics. When Uthm"n b. Aff"n was about to be
elected as khal)fah, Abdul-Ra!m"n b. Awf asked the people in Mad%nah (muh%jir)n and
an(%r) both men and women (even those who had never been married) if they would
choose Uthm"n or Ali, so this means they participated in the election process.
Females narrate most of the a&ad)th that talk about the Day of Judgment. This is an
interesting observation. For example, Umm Salamah, Zaynab bint Ja!sh and others
narrated about political changes happening in the Muslim ummah. If women didnt
care about politics, then why would they care about memorizing and narrating a&ad)th
like this? They know that they have a role to play. (ishah played a great role in
trying to fix the problem when there was fitnah amongst the companions. They
participated in politics.

1. Can a woman be head of state?
There is consensus that a woman cannot be the caliph because the head of state
leads the prayer, "ajj, and army, and these things cannot be done by females. Also
the head of state has ultimate power, and a father and husband has rights over the
woman.

Ibn $Abb"s said, All"h favored men over women by having them be the head of
state. They are responsible for supporting the family financially and are the head
127

of the state. These are the only two things that All"h favored men over women
with, and this is more responsibility. It is not something that makes men better
than women, but it is more responsibility on the shoulders of men..

There is ijm% that women cannot be the head of the state. The Prophet ((allall%hu
alayhi wa sallam) said that when the Persian Empire was led by women that it would
never achieve success.

Two modern scholars (the Grand Mufti of Egypt and another) allow women to be
the head of state in modern societies. Why? In modern society, there is no concept
of the caliph who leads the entire Muslim world. Also, the modern state is different
than the old style of ruling. In modern states, you dont have ultimate power and
you dont lead the army. The responsibility is distributed, so it is not like before.
The situation is completely different today. Also, they said that when the Prophet
((allall%hu alayhi wa sallam) said no nation will achieve success if led by women, here
the woman is not leading the country alone. She is leading with a cabinet, ministry,
and advisors.
Refutation: All of these issues can all be countered because the khulaf% also had a
cabinet and advisors and head of the army.

This issue needs to be looked at more and more research should be done.

2. What about other political positions?
No one disagrees with this and she can take on another position.

3. What are the rulings regarding female participation in elections?
They did this during the process of electing Uthm"n.

4. Is it permissible for a woman to be in a leadership position over males?
Yes, she is allowed. Umar gave a woman the leadership position in the market. If
Umar gave her this wil%yah, then she can be given a bigger wil%yah as well.
Concl usi on
Somebody asked me a question: Shaykh, we attend a lot of classes and have learned a
lot of knowledge. How can we keep up with all of this?
If you forget a little bit after you leave, it is normal. You have the basis and foundation
and can always go back to it. Two things will help you retain the knowledge, and
Shaykh Waleed measures the success of his course through these:
1) Taking the exam. There is so much you learn in this weekend and it is
impossible to absorb this 100% over one weekend. After this class, study in a
group. Review it so that you can take the exam and keep the information fresh
in your head.
2) Dont make this the end. Seek knowledge and learn. Continue participating in
future classes and in your locality and masjid. Benefit from the time and
knowledge. Talk about it with your family members.

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