Aqaaid

Q: What happens to animals once they have passed away? Can one reunite with their pets in Jannah?

Q: At work, non Muslims will give new year messages. I know that new year celebrations and messages are not allowed in Islam.

Is it permissible to respond with a general statement not connected to the new year such as "I hope you enjoyed your break and all the best for the year".

Q: It's Christmas season now. Can we wish our associates and friends a prosperous new year and all the best for 2024. Not wishing happy christmas as a usual.

Q: Is it a sin to point out a sin of someone else? 

Q: I see kufr images in my head and hear whispers of kufr. I try not think about it but it keeps on coming and my own soul tells me that I believe this things. I don't know what to do. Can you kindly advise me.

Q: Is it really so that our evil thoughts are forgiven so long as we don't bring them in action because of the hadith in bukhari narrated by Abu Huraira (radhiyallahu anhu):

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, "Allah has forgiven my followers the evil thoughts that occur to their minds, as long as such thoughts are not put into action or uttered." And Qatada (radhiyallahu anhu) said, "If someone divorces his wife just in his mind, such an unuttered divorce has no effect." Sahih al bukhari hadith no 5269

Q: There is a tradition on thanksgiving where 2 people pull the wishbone of a turkey and whoever is left with the bigger part of the bone that persons wish will come true. I know celebrating thanksgiving is not allowed and I know that only Allah grants things, but if I pull the wishbone with my cousin not with the intention of getting my wishes come true but with the intention of just having fun, is it kufr?

Q: Please recommend some kitaabs for women to read and take benefit from.

Q: Kindly advise me on the following:

have been taught that to make Taqleed is Waajib in terms of Fiqh related matters, that is why we make Taqleed of the 4 Imaams.

Due to multitude of Fitan that are present in the Ummah today, is it Waajib to make Taqleed of a fatwa department or 1 of any of the organisations Or what should be done?

Q: A Muslim doctor advises something called “My DNA origins” on her website. I would appreciate Mufti Saheb’s comment on the permissibility of such tests. In the description it states:

The modern human (Homo sapiens) originated in Africa, the continent where we have spent most of our existence, some 200 000 – 300 000 years ago. It was onlyabout 60 000 – 70 000 years ago that a small East thAfrican population migrated out-of-Africa, giving birth to all non-African populations. As genetic diversity continues to increase with time, so the greater genetic diversity within the much older African population can be better explained.

One group of the out-of-Africa migrants moved east, reaching India, Southeast Asia and finally Australia approximately 50 000 years ago.

Another group of out-of-Africa migrants moved to the Near East/Arabian Peninsula, and further split into two groups; one eventually reaching and settling in Europe about 45 000 years ago, and the other returning to the continent to settle in North Africa. The populations that settled on the Asian continent eventually reached Siberia. Approximately 15 000 – 20 000 years ago they crossed the Bering Strait, reaching the American continent for the first time.

Ancient DNA studies showed that when the modern humans travelled out-of-Africa, they crossed paths with other human groups, namely Neanderthals and Denisovans. Hence, the genome of current European and Asian populations has approximately 2.3% of Neanderthal input; and the Southeast Asian population can have up to 4% of Denisovan input in their genomes. Interestingly, the Sub-Saharan African population does not have any input of either Neanderthal or Denisovan in their genomes, as these groups were never present in Africa.

Given the origin and migration of our species, human populations have primarily been organised into three large ancestral groups: African (Sub-Saharan Africa), Asian (more precisely East Asia) and Eurasian (not only Europe, but related by ancestry, Southwest Asia, North Africa and to some extent Central Asia).

There are gradients of genetic diversity between the human populations – some DNA variants are more frequent in certain regions than in others. Thus, as we analyse millions of DNA variants at the same time, we acquire an excellent resolution in identifying the origin of an individual based on their specific genetic profile.