What is the ruling on performing the Istikhara prayer after the Witr paryer?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Istikhara prayer (Prayer for seeking guidance) is a Sunnah. It consists of two units (rak’ahs) performed outside of the obligatory prayers, after which the person supplicates with the traditionally narrated du’a. It is permissible to perform it before or after the Witr prayer, as the Istikhara prayer is recommended at all times except during the disliked times—the periods in which prayer is prohibited. This is because its specific reason (the Istikhara and supplication) occurs after the prayer itself, and any prayer with a subsequent reason is not permitted during the prohibited times. It should be noted that the two rak’ahs of Istikhara are not fulfilled by performing only one rak’ah, nor by a prostration of recitation (Sajdat al-Tilawah), nor by a funeral prayer (Janazah). And Allah the Exalted knows best.
What type of illness that permits breaking the fast in Ramadan?
It is an illness that, if one fasts, there is a fear it may lead to their death or cause unbearable hardship.
Is a woman`s prayer considered invalid if non-Mahrams (marriageable men) saw her offering it?
A woman`s prayer isn`t invalidated if non-Mahrams saw her offering it, but she had better pray in isolation.
What is the ruling on brown discharge before the menstrual period? Is it considered part of menstruation (Hayd)?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Dusky discharge (Kudrah), reddish discharge (Humrah), and yellowish discharge (Sufrah) are all considered menstruation (Hayd) if they occur during the time of the menstrual cycle. If their duration exceeds a day and a night, and the period persists from the first sight of the discharge until the cessation of the menstrual blood—provided the total duration does not exceed fifteen days—then all of it is menstruation. However, if the duration exceeds fifteen days, then the discharge is not considered menstruation, but rather chronic irregular bleeding (Istihadah). And Allah the Exalted knows best.
