Q:

1. If a person intentionally does not recite surah fatiha in the third or fourth rakat of a fard prayer but stands for the duration of three subhanallahs or more and then goes into ruku will that person’s prayer be valid or invalid. And if that person stands for less than the duration of three subhanallahs and then goes into ruku will that person’s prayer be valid or invalid.

2. If a person forgets to recite surah fatiha in the third or fourth rakat of a fard prayer but stands for the duration of three subhanallahs or more and then goes into ruku will that person’s prayer be valid or invalid. And if that person stands for less than the duration of three subhanallahs and then goes into ruku will that person’s prayer be valid or invalid.

Q: What is the most correct view regarding Sayyiduna Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) hearing hadith from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah and Sayyiduna Ali (radhiyallahu anhuma)?

Q: My home is very near to the masjid and the voice of the imam can be clearly heard in my room through the loud speaker of the masjid.

Can I join the prayer from my room as the imams congregation and qirat can be heard from my home? Due to the pandemic of corona the government has ask us to stay at home.

Q: How should we Hanafis call out the adhan during the lockdown in the masjid?

If in a masjid only 3 people from the community are permitted to go then how should the adhan be called out?

NB: The community is also interested in the adhan.

Q: I recruit people to join a holiday club. The members will be asked to pay subscriptions. The money collected will be used to purchase holidays at various resorts and hotels in South Africa. The members will then be entered in a draw and the winners will go on the holiday. Some portion of the collected monies will be used for expenses. Is this permissible?

If it is, will I be accountable for the people, maybe non Muslims eating and drinking haraam food and partaking in such activities that they would do while on holiday?

Q: I would like to have some clarity regarding the issue of having a shower while in sunnat itikaaf. According to some Ulama, the only time one could have a ghusl, not a shower, is if one had a wet dream in the musjid and is forced to make ghusal.

The permissibility of allowing people to have have showers with no valid reason has started very recently over the last few years and was never heard of in the past unless compulsion of ghusal.

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 recite all my surahs in English. Will I get the reward which is promised in the Hadith by reciting the surahs in English?