What is the best charity to offer on behalf of the deceased? Is it giving food, reciting Quran, giving money or supplicating? What is the best charity to offer on behalf of dead father and dead husband? What is the best continuous charity to offer on behalf of the deceased?
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. The deceased benefits from every righteous deed offered on his/her behalf, be that continuous charity, reciting Quran or a pious son praying for him/her. However, the best righteous deed is performing Haj and Omrah on their behalf especially if he/she hadn`t performed that ritual for it remains a debt on them. The evidence on this is that Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported: A man came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: "Messenger of Allah, my mother has died (in a state) that she had to observe fasts of a month (of Ramadan). Should I complete (them) on her behalf? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Would you not pay the debt if your mother had died (without paying it)? He said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) said: The debt of Allah deserves more that it should be paid."{Related by Muslim}. And Allah the Almighty knows best.
Does the clipping of nails nullify ablution?
No, it does not, and it is preferable to wash the hands afterwards.
Does Istigfar (Asking Allah for forgiveness) between the first and the second part of Friday prayer`s sermon render the prayer invalid?
Talking during Friday prayer`s sermon is disliked, but there is no harm in offering Istigfar between the two parts of the sermon, and it doesn`t invalidate the prayer as it is actually from Sunnah. And Allah Knows Best.
What is the ruling of Sharia on marrying the maternal niece of one`s wife?
All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of The Worlds. May His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
One may not combine in marriage a woman and her paternal aunt, or a woman and her maternal aunt, as stated the Prophet (PBUH). And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
