Q:

1. How can one be humble? How does humility feel like in the heart? Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahimahullah) said that true humility is not felt by a person just like a sleeping person doesn't know he is sleeping. What are the steps one can take to ensure they have no pride in their heart?

2. If someone makes tawbah sincerely, their sins are forgiven. How can one balance this with humility? Humility means seeing ourselves sinful and useless. If one does their best to make tawbah, how can they still feel sinful?

3. Is it against humility to like good traits one has as part of gratefulness to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'aalaa)? How can one differentiate between 'ujb and happiness?

Q: I have noticed a few travel agents advertising Umrah packages with such and such hotel, and the words "or similar", next to that. The price is then stated below.

In a recent incident, a package was booked for and paid for about 50 days prior to departure. At the time of booking, it was confirmed that the hotels stated on the advert were available. About ten days prior to departure, the agent sent out a travel voucher for a different hotel (this was supposedly one of the "similar hotels"). The reason given was that the hotel advertised initially was not available or fully booked. However, on arrival in Madinah Munawwarah, the agent then informed that the hotel was changed again.

In some cases, some travelers were told by the agent that they would be staying one night in a certain hotel and thereafter moving to another hotel for the rest of the stay. (This changing of hotels for one night has happened with more than one agent) None of these hotels were mentioned or spoken about before departure.

In another instance, after payment, the agent advised that the airline changed the flight and hence the 12 night package now became an 11 night package.

Is this type of advertising permissible? Is this type of transaction permissible?

Q: If a woman's water breaks during pregnancy, is that water pure or impure. If this water fell on a carpet then how should it be purified?

Q: Is it permissible to wear shoes which has an outline of a human on the tongue of the shoe? I have a Jordan branded shoe and it has this picture, but it is small and could be partially covered by my pants.

Q: I am an online earner who works as a freelancer on Fiverr. Since I am too old to use my own photo, I have used my father's photo in my profile. I am an expert in this field now.

In Islam, is it permissible to use your father's photo in place of your own in order to make money?

Q:

1. Is it makrooh to smoke cigarettes? Is taubah necessary?

2. Can one work for a cigarette company?

3. Can a Madrasah accept donations from a cigarette company?

4. Can a Madrasah accept donations from a business that sells many items as well as cigarettes?

Q: My friends and I had a business idea to rent out bicycles for couples to go for rides by the beach or something. Like couples going for honeymoon etc... Is this buisness halaal?

Q: I'm going for a fertility treatment. I have 2 boys and I really want a beautiful healthy normal baby girl insha-Allah. I wanted to know, is gender selection allowed in Islam and what are the rulings regarding this.

Q: I was in the UK and a church bell rang for a while as I stood there.

- I am not sure if the church bell is music or not. Should I have plugged my ears?

- Is it true that our Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) mentioned bells are Satanic?

- If so, what is the shar’ie ruling for using bells?

Q: In Islam, a man is allowed to get married to 4 women. If he wants to marry a girl when he already has his first wife, does he have to mention the same amount of mehar that he had given to his first wife or can he give his second wife more than what he gave the first wife as mehar.

If he wants to give his second wife more mehar than the first wife's mehar, is there any problem in that or should he maintain an equal amount of money for both?