Fiqh-e-Shafi Q and A

Hazrat Tariq bin Suwaid رضي الله عنه reported that he asked the Prophet ﷺ about using alcohol as medicine. The Prophet ﷺ replied that alcohol is not a cure, but it is a disease. This narration is mentioned in Musnad Ahmad 18862. Based on this hadith, Islamic scholars state that the Islamic ruling is that drinking alcohol for treatment or using pure alcohol on the body for treatment is haram, even...

According to a narration from Hazrat Abu Umamah, when Hazrat Bilal رضي الله عنه used to say the Iqamah, the Prophet ﷺ replied to the words of the Iqamah. When Qad Qaamatis Salah was said, the Prophet ﷺ replied with Aqamahallah wa adamaha. He replied to the rest of the Iqamah in the same way as answering the Adhan. This narration is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawood 538. Based on this hadith, Islamic s...

According to Islamic scholars in Shafi fiqh, if a latecomer joins the imam during the final tashahud and sits with the imam, then after the imam finishes and the latecomer stands to complete his prayer, he should not recite Dua Istiftah. However, if the latecomer joins the prayer without sitting with the imam and directly stands for his prayer, then he may recite Dua Istiftah. This is the Islamic...

According to Islamic scholars, if a chicken belonging to someone else lays an egg in your house and the owner is unknown, the egg is treated as a small lost item. This means it can be used without public announcement. This ruling is based on the fatwa that small lost items, which the owner would usually not search for, may be used. However, if the owner is later identified and asks for the value o...

If a person’s clothing is torn in the awrah area but it can be covered with the hand, is prayer valid in such clothes? And can the person pray while keeping the hand on the torn area for the whole prayer? The Answer According to the Islamic ruling explained by Islamic scholars, if clothing is torn in the awrah area but the opening is small enough to be covered by the hand, then praying in such clo...

The main purpose of a sutrah is to warn people not to pass in front of someone who is praying. If a person spreads a prayer mat with this intention, so that no one passes in front of him within the sutrah area, then such a mat or chatai, which is about two and a half to three arms in length, fulfills the purpose of a sutrah. In this case, it is enough to be considered a sutrah, and passing in fron...

According to this fatwa, if a person enters the mosque when the khateeb is already on the pulpit and the second adhan of Jumuah has started, he should not start Tahiyatul Masjid right away. He should remain standing, not sit down, and reply to the words of the adhan. After the adhan is completed, he should then pray Tahiyatul Masjid. This is the Islamic ruling mentioned by Islamic scholars in this...

Islamic scholars explain that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked about water where animals and cattle drink frequently. He said: “If the water is two Qullah, it will not be considered impure.” (Sunan Abi Dawood 63) Therefore, if a dog puts its mouth in abundant water ( Maa e Kaseer ), the water does not become impure as long as there is no change in its colour, taste, or smell. If any of these quali...

According to Islamic scholars, if ants fall into honey or sugar and are completely cooked while preparing tea, or if they remain in honey for many days until their body parts dissolve and mix, then eating that honey and drinking the tea is allowed. This fatwa is based on the ruling that when insects like bees or flies fall into food and their parts disintegrate, the food does not become haram.

This Islamic ruling is based on authentic hadith and the understanding of Islamic scholars. Hazrat Anas رضي الله عنه asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ where to keep the gaze during prayer. The Prophet ﷺ replied that one should look at the place of sajdah. Another hadith from Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه states that the Prophet ﷺ would keep his gaze on his index finger while pointing to it....

According to this Islamic ruling and fatwa of Shafi fiqh, the person who recites Iqamah has full choice to recite it from any place. There is no fixed or specific place required for Iqamah. However, since the purpose of Iqamah is to alert people to prepare for the congregational prayer, it is better to recite it behind the Imam in the middle row. Islamic scholars also state that it is mustahab to...

According to the hadith of Abdullah ibn Abbas, the Prophet commanded that seven parts of the body must touch the ground in Sajdah and nothing like hair or cloth should block them. In another hadith, the Prophet told a man to make Sajdah and place his forehead directly on the ground. Based on these texts, Islamic scholars state that keeping the forehead uncovered and touching the ground is obligato...

According to Islamic scholars, a person with urinary incontinence may use tissue paper instead of cloth, pads, or underwear. Some tissue papers are made specifically to clean impurities, so they are not considered honourable items. For cleaning impurity, it is required to use something that is not honourable, and tissue paper meets this condition. Islamic scholars explain that honourable paper is...

According to the fatwa, Hazrat Aisha narrated that the Prophet said he does not allow a menstruating woman or a woman in a state of major impurity to stay in the mosque. Because of this hadees, Islamic scholars say it is haram for a menstruating woman to sit or remain in the mosque. However, she may enter and pass through the mosque with dislike, as long as there is no chance of impurity harming t...

According to the fatwa, if a person cannot memorize Dua e Qunoot, he may recite another dua such as Rabbana aatina fid-dunya hasanah or Rabbana la tuakhizna in naseena . Islamic scholars explain that the specific wording of Allahumma ihdini fiman hadayt is not compulsory. Any Quranic verse that contains a dua meaning can be used as qunoot. Imam Nawawi stated that if someone recites a Quranic verse...

Hazrat Ali (RA) narrated that during Hajj al-Wada, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) asked for a bucket of Zamzam water, drank from it, and performed ablution with it. This hadees shows that using Zamzam water for wudu or for gaining purity is allowed. Islamic scholars and jurists explained that even though Zamzam water is sacred and blessed, using it for wudu or ghusl is not disliked. This fatwa clearly s...

In the hadees of Hazrat Fadalah bin Ubaid (RA), a man made dua without first praising Allah or reciting durood. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) told him that he rushed in his dua and taught that when a person finishes prayer and sits for supplication, he should first praise Allah, then send durood upon the Prophet, and then ask for his needs. Another man followed this method, and the Prophet (ﷺ) told him...

According to this fatwa and the statements of Islamic scholars, if people are sitting in the mosque and there is empty space in the front rows, then a person may step over the people to reach that empty space. But if the front rows are full, then stepping over people is not allowed. The Hadith in Sahih Ibn Hibban mentions that Abdullah bin Busr reported: A man came on Friday and stepped over peopl...

According to this fatwa and the statements of Islamic scholars, if a woman uses medicine that permanently stops her ability to get pregnant, then it is haram. But if she uses something only for a short time because of a genuine need, and it only delays pregnancy, then it is makrooh. This ruling is based on the explanations of Imam Dmiyati and Imam Ramli in Shafi fiqh.

According to the hadith of Abu Huraira, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that when a person fights with his brother, he must avoid hitting the face. Based on this hadith, Islamic scholars clearly forbid hitting the face, even for punishment or discipline. They explain that the face is delicate and is the main place of beauty, so Shariah does not allow striking it. Some scholars also point out that the...

According to the Islamic ruling in the Shafi school, if the arm is cut above the elbow and only some flesh below that point is hanging, washing it during wudu is mandoob. Washing above the elbow is not wajib. But if any part of the elbow itself is hanging, then washing that part becomes wajib. Islamic scholars explain that whatever remains of the area that must be washed in wudu must be washed, wh...

The fatwa explains that Hazrat Abu Qatada reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When any one of you enters the mosque, he should perform two rakah before sitting.” (Muslim 714) Based on this, Islamic scholars such as Imam Nawawi state that praying Tahiyatul Masjid is mustahab every time a person enters the mosque, and sitting without praying it is makrooh. Therefore, if someone enters while the adhan...

According to the fatwa, Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever dies on Friday or the night of Friday, Allah protects him from the trials of the grave.” This is recorded in Tirmidhi (1074). Islamic scholars state that this hadeeth clearly shows that a Muslim who dies on Friday or its night is kept safe from the punishment of the grave. They also mention that if a person...

According to the Islamic scholars and the fatwa given in the texts, Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr said that he saw the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him counting tasbeeh on his hand. Ibn Qudama explains that this refers to the right hand. Hazrat Aisha also said that the Prophet peace be upon him used his right hand for clean actions and his left hand for disliked actions. Because of these hadiths, the...

Hazrat Saad bin Ubadah (R.A) asked the Prophet (PBUH) if he could give charity on behalf of his mother who had passed away. The Prophet (PBUH) said yes. When he asked which charity is best, the Prophet (PBUH) said that giving water is best. This is in Nasai 3694. From this Hadith, Islamic scholars say that giving charity on behalf of a deceased Muslim is allowed, and the reward reaches the decease...