Q: What is the duration for a husband and wife to be separated from each other? What if that limit is exceeded?

Q: Before I had an idea about not celebrating birthdays, but on my first birthday in university, I gave a treat thinking that to feed someone is good, but I don't know if it's correct or wrong! Now, my second birthday is about to come and I don't know what to do if they greet me on my birthday, Alhamdulillah this year it's Sunday (I'll be on leave) but what reply must I give to the messages and phone calls from people who greet me (as I don't want to celebrate/give a treat in the name of a birthday), could you please tell me?

Q: I am planning on buying a new house that costs $250,000. However, I do not have enough money to pay the full amount up front and I do not want to pay interest on the house. The deal I have worked out with the company selling the house is that I will pay $300,000 for the house but I will not pay any interest. Meaning, I will pay $2,000 every month for 150 months for a total of $300,000. This way the company will make some money on the house and I will not pay any interest.

Is this a permissible deal for me to make?

Q: I am unable to get how Hafiz ibn Kathir explained Quran in detail in his Tafseer, ie. Introduction of new words like bin kind etc... From what source ibn Kathir rahimahullah learned these things, I am very curious to know about that.

Q: I suffer with gout and there is a Liquid Medication available (Lifetones Acid Clear) which contains Alcohol derived from Sugar Cane. 30 drops of the medication has to be taken in half a glass of water. Is it permissible to take this medication? The package insert states that the water can be boiled to 100 degrees Celcius and then the drops can be added to the boiling water therby evaporating the Alcohol, however while travelling this might not always be possible.

Q: My mother passed away 6 months ago and a fraction of my siblings make it a ritual to visit her grave every Sunday. They have been doing so religiously without fail since the day she was laid to rest. They recite a few verses and the gravesight is made beautiful and has the greenest grass. How does this benefit the dead?

Q: I need help and assistant with something and is very serious. I am a sunni girl and want to marry a man who is a shia. We want to get married so we can start our future together but unfortunately due to him being a shia my parents are not agreeing. I have known this man for a long time and know that he is very kind hearted person and loves me for who I am and wouldnt ever change me. My father says that it is really bad and that I will be jumping into hell if I marry him and will take my parents to hell too. Making me feel like a bad person! I want to marry this person and he believes in Allah (swt), our Prophets, and the Quran so how can he not be a Muslim?! And also he doesnt curse the Sahabahs. And yes I know there are differences but they are opinions and other arguments between sunnis and shias and are politicial rather than religious. Also there are stuff that we both spoke about after we marry for example our kids and cleared all that but my dad is still being stubborn and feels that they feel change me into shia (which I know he wouldn't!) and also that he has read stuff that shows shias are just kafirs basically. He isnt even agreeing to meet him and im stuck because i cant leave either, my family or him! if i was to leave home what would happen then, would i get gunah for marrying a shia man?

Q: What is the proper attire of a woman? Are abayas allowed to have any colour on it at all or should it be completely black? Can women wear colourful abaayas out of the home?

Q: When I was in my prayer (I was waiting for the Imaam to end the prayer with salaam) in congregation,

1. I needed to use the washroom urgently. In that condition, is it permissible to end the prayer by myself and go to the washroom, or is it not permissible?

2. My stomach was well. If my stomach had been upset, would it be permissible to end salaah before the Imaam (the same act which is asked in Question 1)?

Q: Is it permissible to lie down and read Qur'an?