Q: I booked accommodation with a certain guesthouse for the March school break holidays which was originally from the 20th March until the 30th March for a total of 10 nights and payed a sum of R8500.

On the 15th March the President announced that we are facing a pandemic and was putting social distancing restrictions in place as well as non essential travel was to be cancelled. The next day I contacted the guesthouse to cancel my accommodation due to the presidents speech the night before. While negotiating the penalty for cancelation, the beaches were then also closed.

After much deliberation I was penalised 4 nights (40%) of my 10 night paid accommodation without a cash refund however a 6 nights credit for future stay. About 10 days later I was contacted for a refund to be processed. The amount refunded was 60% of what I paid (R5100) resulting in a 40% penalty as per above.

My question is, is it Islamically permissible for this penalty as this cancellation was due to the pandemic as declared by our President.

Q: Which three days should one fast in Shaban, the 13, 14 and 15 Shaban or 14, 15 and 16 Shaban?

Q: What is the sharee ruling regarding fasting in pregnancy:

a. If a woman who is in her third trimester leaves her fasts fearing that she will not be able to bear the hunger and thirst and might end up breaking the fast, will it be permissible for her to miss her fast with this intention?

b. Is doctor's permission required to leave the Ramadan fasts in such condition? What if she is not able to consult a doctor as nowadays due to coronavirus doctors are hardly available.

c. If such a pregnant woman often suffers from nausea and vomiting and misses her Ramadan fasts thinking that she might not feel well, will it be permissible for her to do so?

d. Under what conditions will the pregnant woman be allowed to miss her Ramadan fasts?

Q: I don't know how to read Arabic. I read all my surahs in English. Do I get the reward for reading in English?

Q: During a special time like an epidemic, is it permissible to pray in congregation by following an imam over Skype? For example in Jumu'ah, if the imam delivers the sermon in Skype and leads the prayer, can the muqtadi take part in the congregation from their houses (which is different than the imam's)? Is this congregational prayer valid? If not, what is the basis of this invalidity according to Quran and Hadith?

Q: A waqf is created with the understanding that it collects monies from members of the waqf to pay out to members of that waqf should those members experience a loss.

Can the affected member/s receive more than what they themselves contributed? And then after receiving such, leave the membership of the waqf? Would the additional amount received be considered riba or gambling?

Q: I want to know what is the origin of a masjid to have moon or star as a symbol at the top of the masjid or the dome of the masjid, is it the symbol of Islam? Are all masjids required to have the moon or star symbol?

Q: My husband passed away and we have been given the details of the inheritance which I have to the best of my knowledge and with what I have had in my control given to the inheritors. I have one question regarding his private pension, this was basically set up and usually the wife gets the payments if the husband passes away. Does this money then belong to just the wife or do I have to share it with all the inheritors? 

Q: I want to know if a woman should be doing all the payments for a man while he sends all his money to his family. I know women must assist but not pay for everything while the husband is saving his money for his family. My husband is religious; he reads namaaz 5 x a day. I love him very much. Because I don't have children he takes me for granted to be a slave and support him. Please tell me how how should I approach him without us having a problem. He always tells me that Allah subhanallah is happy with him and no matter how much wrong he do does, his 5 x a day namaaz will get his sins washed away. I don't want to break my marriage.

Q: I am a 27 year old male from India working as a property valuer in the housing finance sector. My work is to valuate the property for which a housing loan will be funded.

Can I continue with this job in that company? I am newly married with a kid.