Tattoos

Q: What is the ruling on tattoos? Can a person get tattoos? I have heard that it is permissible while some say it is not. Also I want to know what should a person do if he had tattoos before he was a Muslim or if he was a Muslim but ignorant of the fact? Is there any punishment and can they offer prayer with tattoos? Can a person with tattoo perform hajj or umrah? Also should a person get his tattoo removed or not because some of my friends told me that a person is not Muslim if he has tattoos he should remove it? But what if the person can't afford to do so or if the method of removing tattoos is painful?

Living together without walimah

Q: My brother had nikah in a situation where his mother in-law was suffering from cancer and passed away one week before marriage so he had no walima done. Now after Ramdhaan my mother got seriously ill and had to opt for lumbar spine. She has to be in bed for at least three months. We are three siblings, two sisters and brother. Both sisters also married. Is it allowed for my brother to bring his wife without walima to look after my mother?

Investing in shares

Q: Please advise on the permissibility of investing in the following Shares:

1. BHP Billiton Plc: An international resources company

2. Compagnie Financière Richemont SA is a Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company.

3. Anglo American PLC is a global mining company.

4. Sasol is an integrated oil and gas company.

5. Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited

6. AngloGold Ashanti Limited is a holding company for a group of companies which explore for and mine gold internationally

7. Impala Platinum Holdings Limited, or Implats, is the holding company for a group of companies which operate platinum mines

8.Growthpoint Properties Limited is a real estate company in South Africa. The Company owns a portfolio of commercial, retail and industrial (mostly warehouses) properties in South Africa and Australia

9. Mondi Plc is is an integrated paper and packaging group.

10. South32 a globally diversified metals and mining company

Keeping the names of the Ambiya, Sahaaba or the pious of the past

Q: I am waiting for my baby to come. I am in search of a name for the baby. I got a baby girl name manha meaning gift of Allah. For a baby boy I found the name Ayaan. The name Ayaan means gods gift in some sites and has the meaning long night, luck etc in other sites.  Some sites say it's forbidden to name Ayaan for a Muslim because Ayaan in some other language means god of creation etc which contradicts Muslim belief. I selected this name because it has the meaning gods gift which is gift from Allah. Can I name my baby this name and I want to know the exact meaning of the name and does it mean the gift of god?