Is the marriage, which lacks a valid legal contract, a guardian, and a court registration, valid?
It is incumbent that a valid marriage contract be concluded in the presence of a guardian and two trustful witnesses, and it should be registered in the court to protect the rights of the wife. Actually, a valid marriage contract is what differentiates between sound marriage and fornication.
What is the ruling on obtaining a house through the King Abdullah II project (Decent Housing for a Decent Living), knowing that we do not own a house, our financial situation is moderate, our current rental costs are high, and we are eight people living in the household?
If owning the apartment/house is done through the same institution/project then it is permissible, but if this took place through usurious banks then it is impermissible, since dealing with usurious transactions is unlawful. And Allah Knows Best.
Does the deceased hear the supplications or recitations of those visiting his/her grave? And does making constant supplications for the deceased who didn`t adhere to performing the prescribed prayers ameliorate his/her affliction?
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.
In principle, the dead hear the living since it has been rigorously authenticated that the Prophet (PBUH) ordered the bodies of the idolaters slain in the Battle of Badr to be buried. He then approached them and called them one by one and said: "Have you found what your Lord promised to be true for we have found what our Lord promised us to be true." Umar asked him: "O messenger of God! Why do you speak to lifeless bodies?" The Prophet (PBUH) replied: "By the One Who has sent me with the truth! You do not hear my words better than they do except that they cannot respond." [Agreed upon].
However, not all the deceased are in the same situation because Allah The Almighty Knows: "Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up." [Al-Mu`minun/100]. Moreover, supplication reaches the deceased. And Allah Knows Best..
My brother is settling a debt on my behalf and in return he takes 30% interest as an additional amount of the whole sum. Is this lawful or not?
This additional amount is considered prohibited interest (Riba) according to Islamic law, and it is not permissible to take it. And Allah Knows Best.
