Q: Some time ago I asked about a hadith with the words whoever leaves something for the sake of Allah, Allah will grant him something better in return. My curiosity got the better of me and I managed to find the following on a google search. I would like you to please check its authenticity.

It was reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: "Anyone leaves something for the sake of Allah, Allah shall compensate him a better one for that."

This Hadith is Da`if (a Hadith that fails to reach the status of Hasan, due to a weakness in the chain of narration or one of the narrators) and was not authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) by these wordings even if it is well known to many people.

The Hadith was authentically reported by another wording from the Hadith of Abu Qatadah and Abu Ad-Dahma' who said: We came to a man from the people of the desert and asked him: Did you hear a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? He said: I heard him saying: “You will never leave something for the sake of Allah, but Allah will give you something better in return.”

Musnad Al Imam Ahmad (5 / 363). Al Haythamy said in Majma` Az-Zawa’id (10/296) “The Hadith is narrated by Ahmad with different chain of narrations and its narrators are the narrators of the Hadiths that were reported in the two books of authentic Hadiths.

Q: If a person prays a fardh or waajib  prayer sitting down, without a valid excuse, is his prayer considered invalid? I recently heard from a Mufti that the prayer itself would be valid, since he did not miss a fardh element of prayer by sitting down (and not standing). What is the position of the Hanafi madhab in this regard?

Q: I was praying my Fardh Fajr Salaah and I did not recite loud like I do in the loud prayers and more like how I recite in the quiet prayers and so I continued reciting how I was so as to keep consistency in the salaah. At the sitting position in the second rak'ah, I said up to "Ashhadu anna Muhammadan 'Abduhu Wa Rasooluh." and said "Assalaamu 'alaykum wa Rahmatullaah" to my right then faced forward and prostrated (I intended to do the two prostrations of forgetfulness for not reciting out loud like I usually do for Fajr Fardh). During this, I got up from prostrating and raised my index finger and was about to start reciting "Attahiyyatu lillaahi Was-Salaatu Wat-Tayyibaatu." But then, I was confused whether I prostrated once or twice, and I leaned to the decision that I had only prostrated once so far and so I said "Rabbighfirlee" three times and prostrated for what I assume to be my second prostration. I sat back up and said the Tashahhud, Durood and Du'a, then I said both Tasleem. Now I wonder is my salaah valid?

Q: What are some of the main and specific reasons as to why a man can perform Hajj by himself and a woman requires a mahram? I understand one of the reasons being the physical intensity of performing hajj but won't one be able to use the excuse of going with a group of women?

Q: I wanted to know if this is allowed: Someone told me to ask a pious person to write out surah ahzab and then I should keep it with my things in order to get proposals. Are we allowed to do this?

Q: Did both Hazrat Aisha (Radiyallahu Anha) and Hazrat Khadija (Radiyallahu Anha) receive Salaams from Allah Ta'ala via Jibra'eel (Alayhis Salaam)?

Q: I was always thought Ghusl is performed in the following manner. First you must clean the area that is napaak. Then you gargle. Then you clean your nose. And then you wash your entire body thoroughly such that no hair on your body is dry. Are these steps correct?

Q: What are the words for the iqamah? I have heard some people say that everything must be repeated twice and some say that most of the words are repeated once and only the ending is repeated twice.

Q: I am running a computer business for the last 18 years alhamdulillah. It was going well but for the last 2 years it has been going slow. I am thinking if I should close down the business or what should I do please advise me.

Q: Is there any virtue in keeping a childs name Maryam?