Tuesday, September 16, 2008

What should a person do if it is too hard for him when the imam prostrates for a long time?

Q) If it is too hard for me when the imam prostrates for a long time, what should I do? Should I prostrate with the imam then rise before him, or delay prostrating behind him?.

A) Praise be to Allaah.

If he cannot prostrate from the time when the imam says the takbeer until he rises, then he should prostrate with the imam, then if it becomes too hard for him to continue prostrating, he may rise a little but stay as close as possible to the ground, and this will not mean that he is differing from his imam. If he cannot prostrate on the ground, then he may prostrate as close as he can to the ground. End quote.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him).



Al-Durar al-Sanniyyah (4/421).

The meaning of the aayah “then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall”

Q) I was wondering when I read in the quran in sura albaqara in verse 187 that allah say " and continue your fasting until the night " and most of us break our fast and the mughrib time . could u explian this situation forme please.


A) Praise be to Allaah.

There is no contradiction between this aayah and the fact that the fast is broken after the sun sets, because night begins when the sun sets. The beginning of the night is sunset, and the end of the night is when dawn comes. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When night comes, and day ends, and the sun has set, then let the fasting person break his fast.” What the hadeeth means is that when the sun has set, night has begun and day has ended, and at that time it becomes permissible for the fasting person to break his fast. See Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi (7/209).

And Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.



Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

She could not find a poor person to feed instead of fasting in Ramadaan – should she give the money in charity?

Q) I am a sick woman suffering from a chronic illness. My doctor advised me not to fast and I cannot find any poor person to feed. How much money may I give instead?

A) Praise be to Allaah.

We ask Allaah to bless you with healing and to make this sickness an expiation for your sins and to raise you in status in the Hereafter.

The person who is chronically sick and unable to fast or make up the missed fasts is not obliged to fast, but he must feed one poor person for each day, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day).”

[al-Baqarah 2:184]

‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: This has not been abrogated. It refers to an old man or an old woman who are unable to fast; they should feed one poor person for each day. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4505.

The sick person for whom there is no hope of recovery comes under the same ruling as an old man.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The sick person who has no hope of recovery may break the fast, and he should feed one poor person for each day, because he is like an old man. End quote.

Al-Mughni, 4/396

The Muslim lands are full of poor and needy people who cannot find enough to feed them and their families. There is no state that is without its poor, even if they are hard to find in some countries. No country is without its charitable committees who take on the task of making sure that zakaah and charity reach those who are entitled to them.

Even if you cannot find a poor person to give food to, what are you going to do with the money that is equal to the value of the food? To whom will you give this money? This means that the problem is still there. It is not permissible to give this money – even if it were permissible to give it in the form of money – to anyone but the poor and needy who are entitled to it.

Whatever the case, you must try hard to look for poor and needy people in your country. Even if you do not know them, you can delegate someone whose religious commitment you trust to give this food to someone who is entitled to it. It makes no difference whether it is an individual or a charitable organization.

Remember that it is not permissible for you to give money – no matter how much – instead of giving the fidyah that has been enjoined upon you, because Allaah has enjoined upon you “to feed a Miskeen (poor person)”, and He has not enjoined you to give money. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskeen (poor person) (for every day).”

[al-Baqarah 2:184]

We have explained that in the answer to question no. 39234 .

And Allaah knows best.



Islam Q&A

The discharge which is passed continuously by a woman does not have any effect on the fast

Q) Please tell me if a transparent fluid like water is excreted which becomes white coloured after drying is our fast and prayer valid? is ghusl farz on us or not.please please tell me because I pass this thing alot and find it on my underwear and I do ghusl 2 or 3 times a day to make my fast and prayer valid.plz tell me whatis this and what should I do.

A) Praise be to Allaah.

This kind of discharge is passed a great deal by women. It is taahir (pure) and not naajis (impure), and there is no need to do ghusl because of it. All it does is invalidate wudoo’.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about it and he replied:

After researching the matter, it seems to me that the discharge that is passed by women, if it does not come from the bladder but rather from the womb, then it is taahir…

This is the ruling on this discharge with regard to tahaarah (purity) – it is taahir and does not make the clothes or the body naajis.

With regard to wudoo’, the ruling is that it invalidates wudoo’, unless it is continual, in which case it does not invalidate wudoo’, but the woman should not do wudoo’ for each prayer until after the time for the prayer has begun, and she has to use a pad.

But if it starts and stops, and it usually stops at the time of prayer, then she should delay the prayer until the time when it stops, so long as there is no fear that the time for prayer will end. If she fears that she will miss the prayer, then she should do wudoo, use a pad and pray. It makes no difference if there is a little or a lot, because it is all coming from the front passage so a little or a lot invalidates wudoo’.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 11/284

Using a pad means placing a piece of rag or cotton etc in the vagina so that less of this discharge will come out, and to prevent it getting on to the clothes or body.

Based on this, there is no need to do ghusl because of this discharge, and it does not affect the fast. With regard to prayer, wudoo’ must be done for each prayer after the time for the prayer has begun, if the flow is continual.

And Allaah knows best.



Islam Q&A