Peace be upon you! I am a married woman and I have been pregnant twice but I lost my pregnancy for no apparent reason both times. A sister offered taking me to a lady who has a long experience in women’s health issues. She said she is able to diagnose the disease just by putting her hand on a woman’s stomach! I went to the woman but I was surprised to find her asking about my name and my mother’s name. I got up and pretended I had to leave urgently but she asked me again to leave my name and my mother’s so that she could pray Istikharah and discover what is wrong with me. I refused and did not go there again. My question is: Could this woman be a charlatan? If she is one, is it permissible to warn other women from going to her? Finally, I want you to guide me to someone in Makkah who treats diseases according to Shari`ah, with the help of the Qur’an and also herbs.

I am not sure if this woman is a charlatan or not but I advise you to visit doctors and pray to Allah frequently, asking for forgiveness.

Dear Sheikh! I am a Mauritanian Muslim living in the capital of Angola where there is only one mosque. After finishing the first Khutbah of Jumu`ah Prayer, the Imam gives the second Khutbah, which is a translation of the first one in Portuguese, the country’s official language. So no Arabic word is said during the second Khutbah, except any Ayah or Hadith. My question is: Is it permissible to pray behind an Imam who does not say the second Khutbah in Arabic?

The basic ruling is that both Khutbahs should be given in Arabic and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars. On the other hand, Abu Hanifah (may Allah be merciful to him) declared it permissible to give the Khutbah in another language. Thus, there is no problem in praying behind this Imam, especially if the people do not understand Arabic well. Yet, we advise the Imam to repeat some Arabic sentences in the second Khutbah, such as “Udhkuru Allah Yadhkurkum (remember Allah and He will remember you)” and “Istaghfiru Allah Al-`Azhim Innahu kan Ghaffara (Seek forgiveness from Allah, for He is All-Forgiving)” and the like. These sentences will remove any doubt in the whole matter. We ask Allah to grant us all success!

Someone suffering from a fatal disease wishes to grant most of his inheritance to a certain group of his heirs, for he knows they are more in need compared to his other heirs. Is it permissible for him to grant huge amounts of his wealth to some heirs? Can he take an oral or written pledge from the other heirs to give up their shares?

The basic ruling, according to many scholars, is that a Muslim on his death bed cannot grant any of his wealth to anyone, for he is not legally competent at that time. In addition, it is not permissible for him to prefer some heirs to others.
Yet, it is permissible for him to ask the rest of the heirs to give up some of their inheritance to the poorer ones. If the heirs comply after his death, it will be good and they will also be acting dutifully towards him, but if they do not, there is no harm on them because giving this gift is not binding as long as it was not received as such. It is a gift related to someone’s death, and thus it is not binding, unless the rich heirs wish to do it. In which case, it will be better and preferable. Only Imam Malik declares it is binding and believes it is permissible for the poor heirs to sue the richer ones for them (the poor) to receive this gift. Allah knows best!

Dr. Abdullah ibn al-Mahfouz ibn Bayyah, former Mauritanian justice minister and vice chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, was asked about his opinion concerning ending boycott of Arla, a Danish company, as recommended by the conference held in Bahrain. He answered:

All praise is due to Allah. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon all his Companions. I see that the boycott should be lifted of this company. I expressed this point of view in a conference held in Bahrain that combined scholars, intellectuals, and researchers. It is based on the following reason:

1. The general principle stated in the Quranic verse “And no laden soul shall carry the load of another”. The other verse in the chapter of al-Najm reads “Or is it that he has not been told of what was in the Scriptures of Moses and of Abraham- who proved ever true [to his Lord’s word: That no laden soul shall carry the load of another; and that there is nothing for a person except that for which he strives.” This principle is found in all heavenly legislations and in all human laws.
2. I believe that the apology presented by the company, along with its renouncement of what these people did, is enough, when added to the first reason, to lift boycott of this company.

3. Taking interests into consideration, we should deal with reasonable persons who desire to build good relations and treatments. We should deal with them equally and should stretch our hands to those who stretch their hands to us. The basic principle in the relations is to have kind and equitable treatment with those who do not fight us or launch war against us- be it verbal or military war. Almighty Allah says “Allah does not forbid you from [honorable relations with] those who have not fought you over religion, nor expelled you from your dwellings- that you relate kindly and equitably with them. Indeed, Allah loves those who are just.” This company did not do harm against us and consequently, it deserves our kind and equitable treatment.

4. Forgiving, pardoning, tolerance, and kind treatment are values and principles beyond doubts in Islam.

Through our conduct and behavior and through stretching our hands to others we can embody these values. Conversely, through our improper conduct we may cause tremendous harms to our interest and our call to Islam which is a call to peace, love, and cordiality. I believe that this attitude is the appropriate one that helps Muslims’ need to create public opinion that deals with the West. If we are to reject every hand stretched to us, this will mean that we will unconsciously provoke others against us, which will be short-sidedness. I believe that this will cause tremendous harm to our interests and will provoke people against us; and thus our call will not reach others and our words will not be listened to. Thus, the interest is to stretch our hands to them.
Finally, I prefer that lifting the boycott should be on the basis of a meeting held between this company and the general secretariat of the conference. This meeting can reach a binding agreement based on some conditions declared by the company that may help in changing the typical image that the West has. This is my opinion. Almighty Allah is the One who says the truth and guides to the right path. Almighty Allah knows best.

Peace and blessings be upon you, together with the mercy and blessings of Allah. Your eminence Sheikh! I work in a big company and I have good and respectable relations with many people from different religions and sects (Shi`ites, Christians, …). I will be married soon; and my question is about inviting them to my wedding and whether this involves showing alliance to them. I want to find a solution to this embarrassing problem in a way that conforms to the Shari`ah. Peace be upon you together with the mercy and blessings of Allah.

All praise is due to Allah alone. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. And upon you be peace, together with the mercy and blessings of Allah. With regard to the wedding feast, is it permissible for him to invite those whom he deems as deviating from the truth or those who are not Muslims. The issue is broad if there is a need or necessity to invite these persons – such as to avoid severance of relations, rancor or hatred, or to bring a benefit that will set things aright. The evidence for this is the report mentioned by Ibn Hisham, Ibn Sa`d, and other scholars of the Prophet’s biography that, by the end of the three days he stayed in Mecca to perform `Umrah according to his agreement with Quraysh, men from Quraysh (Ibn `Amer and Ibn `Abd al-`Uzza) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asking him to leave quickly, according to the agreement. He said to them, “What wrong will fall on you if you allow me to make my wedding among you and to make food to serve you when you attend it.” [Reported by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (6796) on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)]
This was an invitation from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the idolatrous people of Mecca to attend the wedding feast he would make because of his marriage to Maymonah (may Allah be pleased with her). This is the basic principle if there is a benefit or need that one should deal with non-Muslims or with persons toward whom he has a particular attitude.

Accordingly, I say that the issue is broad and we have mentioned the evidence. Three opinions were reported from Imam Ahmad concerning this issue, as mentioned in Al-Insaf, and the third one mentions the permissibility of congratulating, offering condolences to non-Muslim, and visiting the sick among the non-Muslims, if there is a benefit from this. This was also chosen by Ibn Taymiyyah. Thus, if there is a benefit, this makes things easier and also allows him to invite these people to his wedding feast without feeling uneasy. Allah knows best.