Is everyone obligated to follow the fatwas of his country, and if we adopt the fatwas of scholars of other countries, is it considered a sin?
: It is permissible for one who do not specialize in Shari `ah sciences to apply the opinions of renowned scholars whom he trusts ,whether they be from his own country or not ,but if the scholars don`t arrive at a consensus concerning a certain matter then he must consult someone who is more knowledgeable than himself .It is preferable that you(the inquirer) specify the case of your interest ,so that we could give you a more specific answer since some scholars deliver fatwas based on atypical opinions which should not be applied no matter what .And Allah ,The Exalted, knows best.
Is it permissible for one to masturbate in order not to commit fornication?
This is called committing the milder of the two evils such as eating a carcass in fear of death, and this happens when committing fornication is very likely to occur.
Should the Zakah(obligatory charity) giver tell the poor recipient that this is the Zakah of his money?
No, he shouldn`t. But, the Zakah giver should make an intention in his heart that it is the Zakah of his money when he gives it to the poor.
My mother inherited a share from my late father`s and brother`s property; however, the inheritance, a piece of land, wasn`t divided amongst the eligible heirs because it was hard to sell. While alive, she used say that she wanted these shares to be distributed amongst the poor and needy. What is the ruling of Sharia on this?
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may His Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and companions.
This is a will, so we have to consider the estate she had left behind. If the piece of land, which she had willed, equals one third and less of her estate, then the will must be executed. But, if it is more than one third, then one third must be executed and the rest of the estate, if the heirs agreed, is to be executed as part of her will as well. However, if the heirs haven`t approved of that, then what remains, excluding that one third, must be divided amongst them according to the Islamic rules of inheritance. Moreover, we recommend that you pay a visit to the Iftaa` Department to make things clearer for you. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
