Is it permissible for a person to sever ties with his sister because her husband had quit prayer and done him harm?
A sister is a blood-relative and maintaining blood-relations is obligatory in Islam. As regards her husband, he should be invited to the way of Allah with wisdom and beautiful preaching.
Generally speaking, I`m dutiful to my mother and opt for obeying her. However, she chose a certain girl to be my future wife, but I`m not pleased with her choice although that girl comes from a good family and enjoys good character. Should I obey my mother or choose another girl that lives up to my expectations?
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.
One must obey their parents in whatever is in compliance with the teachings of Sharia and within one`s capacity. However, you aren`t to blame for not marrying that girl, but it is better that you tell your mother about that and it is preferable that you perform Istikharah prayer. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
What is the ruling on praying behind an undesirable Imam?
It is permissible to pray behind an Imam who is undesirable for committing religious violations, and it is disliked for such an Imam to lead the prayer. Still, If he was undesirable for a personal, or a worldly matter, then such argument doesn’t hold water. And Allah Knows Best.
What is the ruling on having brotherly ties between a strange man and a strange woman, and is the former considered a Mahram (unmarriageable) to the latter?
Such a relation between a strange man and a strange woman is forbidden in Islam because it involves forbidding what Allah has allowed by marriage, and allowing what Allah has forbidden such as looking and the like. Such a relation doesn`t render any act lawful between them, thus they are forbidden to look at each other, have a Khulwah (seclusion), and travel together.
