Q: Please can you help me with the following:

When I flush the toilet, drops of water fall on the seat, does this make the seat napak? If something napaak falls on the toilet seat, I usually wipe the seat with a wet cloth then wipe it with a dry tissue. Sometimes my thigh gets a bit wet when I sit on the seat as the seat is not completely dry after I have dried it, will this make my thigh napaak? 

Q: If I forgot to say Bismillah before doing ritual bath, is my ghusl valid? Is Bismillah mandatory before ghusl?

Q: I bought an electronic item from a store and it was discussed that the amount would be 67000 INR even if I pay once or in 3 installments. On the bill it was mentioned that 22333x3 will be deducted from my card every month for 3 months and also it was mentioned as 65300 as principal and 1700 as interest. Is this allowed as the amount was fixed?

Later, I found out in the statement that around 100 rupees was charged extra and total amount which they took was 67100 INR.

Q: My son has seen a girl in our town and is interested in proposing to her. He would like to do it the correct way by approaching the parents to ask her hand.

However, he would like to first make Istikhara to see if she is a suitable spouse. As his parents, we feel she would be a good match as she is a homely girl who doesn't gallivant the streets and keeps to herself.

Please provide us with the Istikhara dua or namaaz that he can read in order for him to make his decision.

Q:

1. Should a muqtadee say the takbeers when moving with the imam or straight after the imam, if he did so after the imam would the salaah be valid?

2. Should the muqtadee say the tasmee and tahmid or only the tahmid? If he did both would the salaah be valid?

Q: Please advise who is responsible in the following scenario:

Ahmad gave permission for Ilyaas (his employee) to purchase on his company's name from ABC stores. This carried on for a whole year where he would purchase on behalf of Ahmad's company and payment for the goods would be done 60 days later, as per agreement with ABC stores.

However, without ABC stores knowing, Ilyaas resigned from Ahmad's store. In that month after he resigned, he was still making purchases on Ahmad's name and when the time came for payment, Ahmad refuses to pay as the purchases made in that period were not authorised by him, nor was Ilyaas employed by him, nor did he receive any goods. Ilyaas no longer comes to ABC stores and cannot be reached or found.

Who is liable for the goods in this situation?

Q: Some Islamic Scholars organize large scale events. People here scream and shout Takbeer. Audience is comprised of both genders with separate seating arrangements. Though the purpose of the event is Islamic lectures and motivational talks, the ambience feels like a concert. These have been going viral since recent days.

What is the ruling on such events? 

Q: In a Masjid where there is one hall but men and women pray side to side but women are in a space next to the men separated by a wall and a divider and there is a gap of a more than a space a person can stand in between the men and women. If in this set up, some women on their side end up being ahead of men on the men’s side, would the prayer of the men they are ahead of or on the same line on be invalidated, would anyone’s prayer be invalidated?

Q: What is the ruling on a person if in past he has taken interest based loans to buy a home, plot or any electronics item and keep repenting.

Are those items lawful as he has bought from his own money?

Q: The following is from an assignment of someone doing B.Ed Honours:

"You want to investigate how LBQTI+ learners find safe spaces in the school and plan to interview them using a snowball sampling technique. Discuss the ethical considerations that will inform your research project. Attend to the following in your response:

• An overview of the issues of LBQTI+ in education (100 words)
• Ethics in research (300 words)
• Doing research with vulnerable groups (500 words)
• Issues of confidentiality, anonymity and privacy (500 words)"

What are the effects that these types of assignments/exams will have on the state of a Muslim's imaan?