Islam

Question:

I have a question about where to place our hands after the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) in Salah (Prayer): Are we supposed to place our hands below the navel or above or on our chest? Someone told me the other day that it was incorrect to place the hands below the navel as we are required to place it on our chest? I have been brought up in the Hanafi school, and I have been taught all along to place my hands on below my navel while praying. I would like you to clarify this issue for me.

Question:

How should I call my young brothers who are around the age of ten to be religiously committed, so that they will grow up as committed Muslims? What methods should I use with them?

Answer:

Praise be to Allah.

We advise you to teach them the Qur’an and the saheeh Sunnah, and the good manners of Islam, such as honouring one’s parents, upholding ties of kinship, honesty, trustworthiness, etc.

Question:

My husband is a strict follower of the Shafi'ee madhab, while I prefer to choose the fatwa which my mind tells me is based on stronger daleel no matter what the origin of the school is, whenever there is a difference between the well-known madhabs. My husband tells me that I don't have the right to do this since I am not a scholar myself. Is he right?
Please reply if at all possible, because there has been a lot of tension in my household because of this.

Answer:

Praise be to Allah.
In order to answer this question, we must shed light on three things:

we must point out the importance of avoiding sectarianism in following any school of thought, whether it has to do with fiqh, thought or anything else. We should get into the habit of following the Qur’an and Sunnah and letting them be our guide.

Question:

My question is concerning silk ties for men. I have heard at some conferences that silk ties are allowed since it does not touch the skin. However, I read in Bukhari that the Prophet (peace be upon him) has said that the most silk a man could wear is four fingers width. Also, the Prophet (peace be upon him) says a man who wears silk in this world will not wear it in the hereafter. What is Islamic opinion on this?

Answer:

Wearing of attire made of pure silk in the form of a shirt or tie, etc. is forbidden for men; there is almost a scholarly consensus on this issue. However, some scholars permit it in rare, exceptional cases such as allergic reaction or a dire necessity, or because of not finding anything else to wear, etc.

Question:

I became Muslim before my husband. We were both married in a Christian church before we became Muslim. Do we have to get married again? My guardian when I was married was not a Muslim.

Answer:

Your marriage in Christian church before you became Muslim is a valid one; since both of you became Muslim, it has been carried over into Islam. It is, therefore, absolutely unnecessary for you to remarry.

Question:

A family member recently bought a new house. After entering the house, the Adhaan (Adhan) was called. Is this Islamic or Bid’ah (innovation)? What is the proper procedure, if any, to mark this new place of residence?

Answer:

Adhaan (Adhan) is a form of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah); it has been prescribed as a summons to prayer for the specific purpose of informing people of the arrival of the time of Prayer.

While mentioning the specific benefits of Adhaan, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that it drives away the Satan while eliciting positive responses from good spirits.

Question:
In Islam they talk about cleanliness; I am not circumcised, and I want to convert to Islam as soon as possible, at least before or right after Ramadan. I do not have the means (money) to get the procedure done. Am I required to get circumcised before embracing Islam? Or am I supposed to do it at the time? I was told it is a very painful procedure. Please help me with this question.

Answer:
Circumcision for males is one of the important rites in Islam. The Prophet, peace be upon him, tells us that it is one of the five ingredients of natural religion and therefore part of the common legacy of Prophets, peace be upon them.