Custody of children

Q: I am divorced. I became unemployed and was unable to provide the total maintenance for my son every month. As a result in a 3 year period I am at least 1yr behind on his fees which was his right on me to provide for him. He is now 6 years old and his mother remarried to a non mahram. I only got to see my son as his mother wishes. Mostly Sundays maybe sat nights and Wednesday. I feel this is not nearly enough time. My son can feed clean and clothe himself. I want him to come and live with me and he wants to come and live with me and he expresses it. His mother says because I owe her for his maintenance fees she is with holding him. She does not want him to come with me and threatened to leave the country with her new husband to stop me from having him. Islamically can she deny my right of custody because I owe her? Does my son have a right to be with me if he wants? I need advice and rulings. I realize this is very technical. I owe her money for my son’s maintenance, mother is remarried. I want to have my son; son wants to be with father. Mother does not want father to have son.

Digital prayer mats which count the number of rakaats

Q: What is your opinion on this:

http://homeshopping.pk/products/Digital-Prayer-Mat-in-Pakistan-.html

It shows the rakats prayed on near the place of the sajdah, so the one praying can see the number of rakats he has prayed. But according to hanafi fiqh reading and understanding such as from a piece of paper during salaah is makruh? I heard in a lecture that Aisha radiAllahu anha would switch her ring from finger to finger to keep the rakaats in record. And also the qawl of Ibrahim an Nakhai that there is no harm in doing so. True?

Developing software for banks

Q: I work for a software company where we create call centre software (IVR) related products. Not all of our clients are banks, but right now, we have two clients which are banks. The call centre software is mainly used (as per my knowledge) for changing the ATM pin, complaining about lost cards, etc. The software connects the caller with the agent of the company so that the caller may explain his/her problem to the agent. Our software is not involved in the transactions of the bank in any way. Is my job permissible?

Written Talaaq

Q: My aunt got divorced on paper. But her husband says he did not intentionally give divorce to her. He divorced her under pressure of his second wife. He says he was not thinking clearly while signing papers. He also said he did say the words by mouth. Did the divorce take place or not?