Q: Does a leather sandal become pure by just being rinsed under a tap? (It was messed with urine and impure water). 

Q: A Muslim works in the government sector of a non-Muslim country and in his office, after completing the final bill or on providing development permission, the non-Muslim contractor or non-Muslim architect gives him some money. Is it permissible for a Muslim officer to take the money from a non-Muslim. Is there any jawaaz?

Q: I've heard that the Holy Prophet used to mention his wives in front of the Sahabah. Is it true? Also what kind of things he mentioned about them, did he used to mention their likes and dislikes?

Q: I know the hadith that when rulers are tyrants we should look at our aamaal. So, does this imply that we are collectively accountable for the aamaal or even if we do aamaal at an individual level, Allahs support in terms of being saved from their evils, will come at an individual level or does it have to be at collective level? What are the implications of the hadith?

Q: I am really struggling at the moment to keep my faith. I was born Muslim. I have had lots of issues in my life. The most recent one being that I am training to be a GP. I am at the end of my training but keep failing the last exam. It's odd as I have the knowledge and on the mock test score very high. But always fail by a small margin. This time by 4%. My issue is such, I try and be a good Muslim by praying. I even did the dua ya haseebo 11000 for 3 days before the exam. But still failed. One of my friends told me that she thinks I have some form of black magic done to me to stop me from passing and being successful. This may well be true as I was married before, and this ended and at that time I was told that it was as a result of black magic. It's been over 10 years now and I am married again with 2 children. Happy, but still struggle with even the smallest things in life.

My question is how do I find out if it is true about the black magic and if it is, what do I even do about it. I can see why people may think this, as how can I keep failing an exam I know so well, in a job I do everyday. Please can you advice me, as I feel I am stuck.

I have one last attempt and then I can't be a GP no more, as they only allow a certain attempts at the exam. This will mean I have wasted all these years of my training, and will have to start over again. Which will be very hard for me with 2 young children. Please advice what I can do.

Q: In an Islamic after-school madrasah, boys and girls come to learn how to read the Quran and other essentials of Deen. Male teachers are appointed to teach the boys and female teachers for the girls. However, there is some interaction between males and females and I would like to know the Islamic ruling about that.

1. Is it allowed for male teachers to teach female students who are in their teens or for male teachers to take exams for such students? And can female teachers teach boys who are in their teens?

2. Is it permissible for a male teacher to teach the female teachers tajwid and in particular look at their face uncovered to see if they are reading the letters properly?

3. Is it permissible for male teachers and female teachers to sit together in meetings without any barrier in between?

4. Are male teachers and female teachers allowed to socialise with one another outside of the madrasah hours by going to restaurants etc or have friendly chit-chat and joke with one another?

5. Is it permissible for a male and female teacher to be alone with one another in any part of the madrasah building such as an office or madrasah room, or a corridor where they cannot be seen by anyone else? Is it allowed for a male teacher to be alone with a female teacher in a room with a window where they can be seen by others or where there is a cctv camera?

6. Are male teachers allowed to talk to female parents and vice versa? Please kindly provide answers to the questions above in light of the Hanafi fiqh.

Q: With all due respect. How do I stop myself from thinking bad. Sometimes I also think bad about Islam.

Q: Are there any verses in the Quran that are motivational for normal everyday work and not just deeni work? Like any verse that says if we work hard we will succeed?

Q: Is it mentioned in the Quran that failures are only experienced by people who try, and we cannot experience failure from people who never try?

Q: I got married when I was 21, and my husband was 36. When we met he was a non-Muslim, but reverted to Islam a month before we married. We have now been together for 14 years and have 3 Masha'Allah children. When we married, I did not practice Islam, or wear Hijab. About 2 years ago I realised that I had to make a change immediately and started wearing Hijab, making Salaah, and educating myself and my children on Islam. My husband was never interested. He always has an excuse, and has now even stopped going to Friday prayers. This is a huge concern for me as I worry about the example he is setting for our children. Whenever I try to speak to him about this, he laughs and says that I worry about everything. I've asked my father for help but he told me that I need to sort out my own problems. My husband has never had a fulltime job in all the years that we have been together. This means that I have to provide for him and our children (home, food, schools, transport, health, etc.) I earn a decent salary and I am able to provide for them but I'm exhausted all the time. Because when I get home from a full day's work, I still have to cook, see to the children, check that everything is prepared for the next day, clean, etc. There is almost no communication between us as we disagree on almost everything. I need to understand what my options are. I know that divorce is frowned upon, but I don't want to be married to a man who has no interest in Islam, or in me. What should I do?