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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

How to perform the witr prayer in terms of connection (wasl) and separation (fasl)?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The Witr prayer has several forms that vary in terms of virtue:
 
The First Form: Separating every two units (rak‘ah) with a Tashahhud and a Taslim (salutation). This is superior to connecting the units, even if it is only a single rak‘ah. This is based on the Hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray eleven units between the end of the ‘Isha prayer and dawn, performing the Taslim after every two units and performing Witr with a single unit.' (Related by al-Bukhari & Muslim).
 
The Second Form: Connecting the units with only one final Tashahhud at the very end.
 
The Third Form: Connecting with two Tashahhuds—meaning reciting the Tashahhud before the final unit without performing the Taslim, then standing to complete the final unit. This form is considered the lowest in rank so that the Witr prayer remains distinct from the obligatory Maghrib prayer, as stated in the Hadith: 'Do not make the Witr resemble the Maghrib prayer.' (Narrated by Al-Daraqutni, who stated its narrators are trustworthy).
 
It is stated in Bushra al-Karim Sharh al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'It is permissible to connect [the Witr] with one Tashahhud in the final unit—which is better—or with two Tashahhuds in the last two units, as both methods are established in Sahih Muslim from the actions of the Prophet ﷺ. In the connected method, more than two Tashahhuds are prohibited. Furthermore, separating (al-Fasl) is better than connecting (al-Wasl) if the number of units is the same, because the Hadiths supporting it are more numerous and it involves more devotional actions.' And Allah the Exalted knows best."

What is the ruling on the follower`s prayer if the Imam stands for a fifth rak`ah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If the Imam stands up for an extra unit (rak‘ah) of prayer out of forgetfulness, he must return to the sitting position as soon as he remembers, and he should perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw). It is the duty of the congregants (Ma’mumin) behind him to remind him. However, if the Imam is in a state of doubt regarding the extra unit (and not certainty), it is not permissible for him to return.
 
As for the congregants: anyone who is certain that the Imam has stood for an extra unit is forbidden from following him. In this case, the follower has two choices: either intend to separate from the Imam (Mufaraqah) and finish the prayer alone, or wait for the Imam in the sitting position and perform the final salams with him—the latter being the preferred option. If a follower knowingly follows the Imam into an extra unit, their prayer becomes invalid. However, if a follower is in doubt and not certain of the mistake, they must continue following the Imam, as the Imam was appointed to be followed.
 
It is stated in Al-Majmu’ (Vol.4/P.145): 'If [the Imam] stands for a fifth rak‘ah, the follower should not follow him, even if it is assumed that the Imam might have omitted a pillar from a previous unit; because if the reality is known, following him is impermissible since the follower has certainly completed their own prayer. Even if the follower had missed a previous unit (Masbuq) or was in doubt about performing a pillar like the Fatihah, and the Imam stood for the fifth, it is not permissible for the latecomer to follow him in it. This is because we know that this unit is not counted for the Imam and that he is mistaken in performing it.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Is my husband entitled to take my salary?

Your salary is yours, and you may give some of it to him as a kind of free-will contribution.

Does passing wind from the anus affect ritual purity?

Ablution is nullified by the passing of wind from the anus, but washing the anus is not required as wind leaves no impurity.