Nikaah & Marriage Issues

Making dua to be blessed with male children

Q: I am the eldest child of my family (a male), and have 4 younger sisters Alhamdulilah. I am also Alhamdulilah married and have 2 children (1 boy and 1 girl). However, when I was younger I always wanted to have brothers but never did.

Is it permissible to pray to Allah Ta'ala for Him to bless me with more son’s or only sons if I have future children inshaAllah? Before my daughter was born, I made a lot of dua to Allah Ta'ala to bless me with another son but I was still very happy Alhamdulilah to be blessed with a daughter. But I would really want my other children to be sons InshaAllah. Please advise what I should do?

Impotent husband

Q: I've been married since 5 months. My parents made me get married against my will even when istikhara was not right but I accepted it and started this life honestly and happily with my husband.

After marriage, on the very first day I got to know that my husband is completely impotent. During these 5 months we never had intercourse. Apart from that, he doesn't even care for me either I'm sick or anything happens to me. He works in a mill, comes home in the evening, has his dinner and sleeps. That's his daily routine.

He told me that he has consulted a doctor and taking medicines for his impotency. I believed him and remained calm but there's no difference. I haven't even seen him taking any medicines.

My parents too are not supporting me. This relation is now nothing more than a useless weight on my shoulders. I'm so depressed and sick since a month.

I've heard somewhere that if spouses never have intercourse when they're living together then they're automatically divorced. Is it true?

And, can I ask for khulaa (divorce) myself now? Feelings of hatred are buillding up in me against him. I feel like I'll kill him or myself someday. May Allah Paak forgive me for such thoughts but this hatred is not is my control. What shall I do?

Boy getting married without his parents approval

Q: I am a new Muslim. I am currently married to a Christian and seeking a divorce. After divorce and iddah time is final, I desire to marry a Muslim man. It is the same person that helped lead me to Islam and helped me with my Shahaadah.

The problem is that I am a Caucasian American and he is an Arab Egyptian. His parents do not accept me because I am from a different culture. I have been married before and I am not Muslim by birth. His parents want him to marry a virgin from his culture. Me and him tried not to, but we have fallen in love and want to marry. He is 25 and I am 26. In order to keep his parents desires for him, I am willing to accept a polygamous marriage. But they still don't approve. He is now asking me to marry him without his parents knowing, and tell them after the marriage. I want to marry him and he wants to marry me, but I do not want to start off a marriage with haraam ways. I want my marriage to be halal. Can you give me sound advice to this situation?

Homosexuality

Q: 'I am in a very difficult situation, my family is now persuading me to get married. However, the problem lies in the fact that I'm only attracted to men. I have no feelings for women whatsoever... I consider myself practising. I wouldn't want to get married and wreck somebody else's life... What do I do?! I'm somebody who'd rather stay single and control my desires but it's a really sticky situation. 

The rights of a foster mother

Q: Firstly, when a relation of a milk mother (foster mother) or "Razaat" is established through breastfeeding a child, is this status of a mother given to the breastfeeding woman because of respect only and can she be regarded as a step mother?

Secondly, does this status of milk mother make her equivalent to a biological mother in terms of rights and all aspects which a biological mother has.

Mother of the child giving azaan and tahneek for the newborn

Q: I need advice on a few of the following issues relating to my new born baby.

I am due in a few weeks time inshAllah and my husband has requested for his grandfather to give the adhaan and perform the tahneek of our baby... After doing some research and finding out from a few aalims, I have come to the conclusion that the person who performs the tahneek and adhaan of the baby should be someone of piety. Now I'm not saying that I'm a brilliant Muslim but my husbands grandfather does not even read one salaah, and he poses no good qualities.

1. I wanted to know if there was a way to allow my grandfather in law to give the babies adhaan and avoid the tahneek and make my niyyah that an aalim of my choice perform the two at a later stage.

2. Or will it be possible if I as the mother perform it myself, both the adhaan and tahneek? I do understand that it is the most important part of my baby being brought into this world but I am stuck in a position of making everyone happy. If I have to tell my husband that I chose someone else, his whole family will have an issue because his grandfather performs all the adhaan and tahneek of all the babies being born in their families. And they dont choose the old man based on a deeni perspective, instead they choose him based strictly on the fact that hes the eldest living family member.