I became ill while fasting and had to take an intramuscular injection twice on two consecutive days during Ramadan. I continued my fast as usual, as I was told that intramuscular injections do not break the fast. Please advise me so that I can know the correct ruling.
Subcutaneous and intramuscular therapeutic injections are not considered as invalidators of fasting because they do not enter the stomach through an open passage. However, intravenous injections containing nutritional fluids do invalidate the fast, as they are akin to food and drink in purpose. Therefore, your fast is valid. And Allah Knows Best.
Islamic creed is a comprehensive creed, and if there is any defect, the creed of the individual or group is not correct. Is the creed of the Sufis correct or not?
Sufism is the practice of applying knowledge; this is how Al-Imam Al-Sha'rani defined it. If some among them have deviations in creed, it is not permissible to generalize this to all Sufis, as there are those among them who are acknowledged by all scholars for their knowledge and virtue. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
What is the difference between Tahajjud prayer and night prayer, and do they have a particular Witr prayer other than that of Isha (evening prayer)?
Tahajjud and Qiyam-Al-Lail (night prayer) are two words for the same meaning which is offering voluntary prayer at night after sunset, but before dawn break. However, Tahajjud is offered after waking up; whereas, Qiyam-Al-Lail is permissible before sleeping, or after it. Therefore, every Tahajjud is a Qiyam, but not every Qiyam is a Tahajjud. Moreover, there is no specified Witr for both of them, but Witr after Isha is by itself the Witr of Qiyam, and it is a Sunnah to postpone it until after Qiyam if the worshiper thought that he was most probably going to wake up in order to offer it, but if he wasn`t sure of waking up, then he is at liberty to offer it before going to bed as was reported in the Prophet`s Hadith.
Is it permissible for a financially capable woman to pay the Zakat to her sons or one of them?
It is permissible for a mother to give her children from zakat if they are eligible to receive it, even though she is obligated to provide for them. This is based on the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) regarding Zainab, the wife of Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with them): "Your husband and your children are more deserving of your charity" [Al-Bukhari]. And Allah Knows Best.
