A Statement on the Importance of Getting Fatwa from its Reliable Sources to Maintain Unity of the Muslim Ummah

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Where should a woman following her husband or another man in prayer stand?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.

If a single woman prays with a man—whether she is his wife or a non-mahram (Ajnabiyyah)—the Sunnah is for her to stand behind the Imam and be shielded by him. If the Imam is leading both a man and a woman, the man should stand to the Imam's right, and the woman should stand behind the male follower (Muqtadi). In this way, she is shielded from the Imam by the male follower and remains at a distance from the follower and his line of sight. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is required of one who doubts the number of rakʿāt during prayer?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

If a person doubts the number of rakʿāt he has prayed, he should build upon the lesser number, as that is what he is certain of. He should then perform the prostration of forgetfulness (sujūd al-sahw) before the final salām at the end of the prayer. ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When any one of you is in doubt during his prayer and does not know whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, let him pray one more rakʿah and then perform two prostrations while seated before the salām. If the rakʿah he prayed was a fifth, these two prostrations will make it even; and if it was the fourth, then the two prostrations serve as a humiliation for the devil." (Reported by Abū Dāwūd.)

It is stated in al-Muqaddimah al-Ḥaḍramiyyah — one of the foundational texts of the Shāfiʿī school: "If one doubts whether he has prayed three rakʿāt or four, he is obliged to build upon the lesser number."

However, if such doubt recurs repeatedly and reaches the level of obsessive whispering (waswasah), he should not build upon the lesser number in that case — rather, he should build upon the greater number. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Is a person rewarded for refraining from all that breaks their fast when required to do so, and is it considered a valid fast?

If a person eats or drinks thinking that Fajr has not yet arrived, but then someone informs them that Fajr had already begun, they must refrain from eating for the rest of the day and make up the fast later.

If they observe the required restraint (imsak), they will be rewarded for obeying the command because fulfilling an obligation brings reward.

However, this is not considered a valid fast in terms of rulings. For example:

● It is not disliked (makruh) for them to use a miswak after noon.

● They are not encouraged to hasten the breaking of the fast at sunset.

● Other fasting-related rulings do not apply to them.

How many rak‘ahs are there in Tarawih prayer?

The most complete form of Tarawih prayer consists of twenty rak‘ahs, excluding Shaf‘ and Witr. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars, both past and present, and it is the practiced tradition in the two Holy Mosques.

However, Tarawih is valid with any even number of rak‘ahs, even two rak‘ahs, as long as it is performed with the intention of Qiyam al-Ramadan.

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A Statement on the Importance of Getting Fatwa from its Reliable Sources to Maintain Unity of the Muslim Ummah

Author : The General Iftaa' Department

Date Added : 08-09-2022

A Statement on the Importance of Getting Fatwa from its Reliable Sources to Maintain Unity of the Muslim Ummah

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

We pray that Allah drives this epidemic and affliction away, blesses everyone with good health, cures all patients, and blesses our country with peace and security.

We remind our fellow citizens that the General Iftaa` Department receives all religious questions day and night. It is well known that the Muftis of this Department are specialized scholars and, in this regard, Allah Says (What mean): "And We sent not (as Our messengers) before thee other than men whom We inspired - Ask the followers of the Remembrance if ye know not! " [An-Nahil/43].

The Muftis-May Allah reward them with all that is good-shoulder the responsibility of answering questions in accordance with a moderate approach based on the Quran, Prophetic Sunna, and the Ijtihad conducted by the righteous predecessors from amongst the four schools of Islamic thought. However, they take into consideration: the situation of the questioners, customary practices as well as the differences of time and place upon which the rulings of Sharia are founded.

Out of concern for maintaining the unity of the Muslim Ummah, Fatwa must be taken from its reliable source, which is the Iftaa` Department; particularly concerning public issues so as to achieve benefit and ward off evil. In fact, there were individuals from amongst the righteous predecessors who specialized in issuing Fatwa, such as the Mufti of Mecca and the Mufti of Medina…etcetera.

Consequently, we advise individuals, who aren`t in charge of delivering Fatwa, to stop doing that. This is because their Fatwa mostly represents one viewpoint that may not suit the everyday reality, leading to inciting the people and spreading doubts. In other words, its harm outweighs its benefit.

We call on all citizens not to take Fatwa from other than the Iftaa` Department, which is the reliable authority in charge of Fatwa affairs.

We also stress that the Muftis of our Department are willing to answer all questions all the time, be that via telephone, internet, or short messages. And All success is attributed to Allah.

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible for women to gather in one of their homes to pray Tarawih?

Yes, it is recommended (mustahabb) for women to pray Tarawih in congregation if they gather, even if it is not in the mosque.

In fact, praying at home is better for them, as it avoids the potential concerns associated with going to the mosque.

Is the multiplication of reward for prayer in the sanctuaries of Makkah and Madīnah limited to the obligatory prayer, or does it include the voluntary prayer as well?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

There is no difference between the obligatory (farḍ) and the voluntary (nafl) prayer in the ḥadīth on the multiplication of reward in the two Sanctuaries (al-Ḥaramayn), because the authentic ḥadīths are unrestricted and general in wording. It is therefore not permissible to restrict or specify them without evidence. Shaykh al-Islām Imam al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Our school holds that the superiority of prayer in the two mosques of Makkah and Madīnah is not limited to the obligatory prayer, but includes both the obligatory and the voluntary.” [al-Majmūʿ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab, Vol.8/p.476]

The multiplication of reward applies to whoever prays in al-Masjid al-Ḥarām or anywhere within the sanctuary (ḥaram). Al-Shirwānī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The more correct view according to al-Nawawī is that the multiplication of the prayer’s reward covers the whole sanctuary, and is not limited to the mosque, nor to Makkah itself.” [Tuḥfat al-Muḥtāj with the glosses of al-Shirwānī and al-ʿAbbādī, Vol.10/p.95]. And Allah Almighty knows best.

Does the intention (niyyah) of the principal (muwakkil) suffice for the sacrifice (dhabḥ) of the udhiyyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

If a person appoints an agent (wakīl) to perform the slaughter (dhabḥ) on their behalf, the intention (niyyah) of the principal (the one appointing the agent) suffices, and there is no need for the agent to have this intention himself. In fact, even if the agent is unaware that he is performing the sacrifice on someone's behalf as an udhiyyah (sacrificial offering), this does not affect its validity. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Is it permissible to sacrifice imported livestock (Such as Romanian, Australian, etc.)?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.

As long as the sheep meets the prescribed Sharia age and is free from disqualifying defects, it is valid for sacrifice regardless of its country of origin. Therefore, it is permissible to offer sacrifices from various sources, such as: Romanian, Australian, Spanish, Indian, Sudanese, local (Baladi) livestock, and others. And Allah the Almighty knows best.