What are the valid excuses for abstaining from congregational prayer in the mosque?
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Concessions (Rukhsah) are granted to abstain from congregational prayer in the mosque due to general excuses, such as: rain that causes hardship in going out, strong winds at night, heavy mud that cannot be traversed without the risk of soiling oneself, hot winds, and extreme heat or cold. There are also specific individual excuses, such as: illness that makes walking as difficult as walking in the rain, severe drowsiness, evident hunger or thirst, the suppression of bodily wastes (urine, stool, or gas), and fear for one's life, limb, physical faculty, wealth, or honor, among other valid excuses. And Allah the Exalted knows best.
Is it permissible for a woman to ride a taxi without a Mahram (unmarriageable kin) in order to attend a gathering of knowledge?
It is permissible for the woman to pursue the knowledge that she needs in order to perform the religious requirements due on her if there was nobody to teach her at home, provided that there is no temptation involved. Moreover, we don`t recommend that she rides a taxi without a Mahram although such an act isn`t from the forbidden Khulwah (seclusion).
Does smoking break the fast?
Yes, smoking breaks the fast because smoke particles intentionally enter the lungs, which are considered part of the body cavity (jauf).
What is the ruling on the cessation of blood after (40) days from delivery, but later continued sporadically during two days of Ramadan?
Once postpartum bleeding (Nifas) ceases, and the woman is certain that it won`t reoccur, then she becomes ritually pure and so she is free to make Ghusl (purificatory bath), pray, and fast. If the bleeding reoccurs before fifteen days from its cessation, and before the end of (60) days after delivery, then the ruling on postpartum bleeding is effective, and her fasting and prayer are null and void, thus she must make up the fasting that she missed and not the prayer during those particular days.
