Q: I have breast cancer and will undergo a full mastectomy. The surgeon suggested the use of pig skin in the reconstruction process. Is this permissable?

Q: Can a person who does not read his 5 daily salah perform taraweeh salah? This person performs his jumuah salaah.

Q: I am a software engineer, currently working in a software house, I wanted to switch my job and later on I got a job in a very nice & reputable company. But they worked for banks, basically they are a banking solution provider, I know this thing from the very first day, but due to the lack of my knowledge, I was assuming that working in banks is impermissible and as I will not be going to work in a bank that's why I didn't bother. But when I got the offer letter, I did Istakhara. I did not see anything in my dream or I didn't get the clear picture of what I should do, then I searched on the Internet that what Islam says regarding this issue. I've found in many places that its forbidden to work
for bank or work for such companies who gain their profits from banks, so I refused.

I wanted to know that is it allowed in Islam to work for such companies that help banks? Keeping this in mind that I didn't know at the time of refusal that what kind of software they were requiring me to make.

Q: I am considering one of the following names for a baby girl:

• Nuha
• Taskeen
• Zakiyah
• Zarifah
• Zakirah

Can you please give me the meanings of the above names and comment as to their suitability.

Q: Please could you advise on the meaning of Amani and the correct spelling.

Q: Our Hindu neighbour makes and sells papads, sweetmeats and other savouries. It is unlikely that haraam ingredients would be utilised. Can Muslims buy these items or not? As one is never certain what ingredients have been used.

Q: What is the fist length of the beard? Is there any measurement as in inches or centimeters?

Q: I was fasting one day in Ramadan and I didn't know that if one gargles and water goes down one's throat then the fast is invalid. So one day I was performing ghusl and I gargled 3 times and I may have accidentally swallowed some water. Is my fast invalid?

Q: I am 32 years old and I am married with 2 kids. My father in law and mother in law are divorced. After the divorce my  father in law remarried. His new wife was always kind and caring towards myself and my kids. Now that my father in laws wife and me get along, my own mother in law has an issue about it and she hates that my father in law's wife is a good person. She doesn't want myself and my kids to be good with her. I want to know if its wrong to be good with her or if its right to listen to my mother in law?

Q: I am single with a 10 month old baby from a Pakistani. We live together but I don't want to get married because he is already married. I assisted him with his permit which allowed him to travel to Pakistan and he has now impregnated his wife. I asked him to leave as I no longer wish to be in a relationship and want to live my life as a pure Muslim woman. Is this wrong?