Q: Certain Muslim restaurants have made it a rule that a 10% hospitality fee (tips for waiters) must be paid over and above the bill. In some cases, it is clearly indicated on menus and notices, and in others, it is not advertised. Is it Islamically correct for restaurants to charge this fee? We, the customer, have no choice in paying this additional tip if we decide to eat there.
Q: Last Friday I was offering my jumma Salaah in a newly built musjid. I reached a little late but before the sermon started. I was sitting on the 1st floor of the musjid as the ground floor was fully occupied. When the prayer started, in between the speaker stopped working and we were not able to hear the Imaam so few men started calling out for the indication called the takbeer. The place where we were performing Salaah there were few adult brothers and 15-20 childrens of 10-12 years of age. As for the indication few men were calling the takbeer and the children found it too good so they were also shouting the same but at some point it happened we were not able to hear the men's call but the children's call was highly audible as it was louder than the men because the men were on the ground floor and we were few with the children. We didn't know what was going on as to what position the Imaam was in. At last the children said As salamualaikum wa rahmatullah the last 2 words in namaz and we ended our namaz but as we peeped out of the window the Imaam was still in Salaah so basically we ended before the Imaam and we have to re-pray but my question is when we ended our namaaz and Imaam was still in namaaz and we have to repeat it, so can we again join the same namaaz as the Imaam was in the last stage of namaaz but it was not ended?
Q: My wedding is yet to come and I am on the look out for a wedding ring for my fiance. I wanted to know can men wear any other ring beside gold as I know gold is haraam for men. Also what if on the ring it has a diamante stud on it? Or does it have to be a plain silver ring weighing less then 4.35g? If you could answer me I would be very grateful.
Q: Is it okay to perform wudhu whilst the azaan is being called out? Can you continue your dua during azaan or must one stop?
Q: Can few people buy one sheep or goat and carry out a nafl qurbaani?
Q: I had learnt in madressa that we must cover food, etc before sleeping because of sickness. My question is regarding water that is collected during the day and night and is left uncovered. Can it be used for wudhu?
Q: Is it necessary to close all the windows and curtains at Maghrib time to protect oneself and one's family from the jins?
Q: On one of your responses on this site, you have mentioned that if a person has come into possession of interest he should distribute it to poor and needy people. If a business is forced (the business has to comply as it is a requirement of the non-muslim government and will not be allowed to operate should it refuse to do so - the interest is earned by keeping cash as securities in a fixed account) to conclude an investment that will generate a substantial interest return, such that the entity decides to employ a full time dedicated employee in order to ensure that the interest money is disbursed properly to various poor and needy organisations, is it permissible to remunerate the said employee from the interest funds bearing in mind that the employee is a Muslim and not zakaatable? Does the money become halaal for that person?
Q: I am a widow since four months. I have two daughters which are married. I don't have any brothers. In the presence of my husband there were 13 lacs deposited in saving. Every month I receive 10 thousand from income which is not enough for monthly expenditure that's why my husband's elder brother supports me. So basically my question to you is that am I supposed to give zakat on the 13 lacs?
Q: I know that anything that stops water from entering your skin is haraam (nail polish, wax, etc). But if I only do white nail tips, or any colour nail polish on the tips of my nails which isn't touching the skin. Is this ok!