Nikaah & Marriage Issues

Q: Is it necessary for the husband to give his wife an allowance?

Q: I am getting married to a woman who already has a daughter, from a previous marriage. Would I be a Mahram for this girl, because Allah says:

وربائبكم اللاتي في حجوركم من نسائكم اللاتي دخلتم بهن فإن لم تكونوا دخلتم بهن فلا جناح عليكم

Would it be ok for me to travel with this girl?

Q: There is a tradition when the bride's parents go to the groom's house for discussion, they leave the bride at home. The groom, his parents, bride's parents, everyone are present in the discussion related to marriage, except the bride. The bride is not even allowed to see her in laws house before marriage.

I feel all these rules are made by the society to deprieve a woman of her rights. Since it is her marriage, the bride should be allowed to be present during the discussions, just like the boy. And she should be allowed to see her in laws house before marriage, as she will be spending her entire life there. I am getting married soon, so I just want to know if visiting the groom's house with parents and taking part in discussions, will not be against Islam.

Q: A woman was once involved in many sexual sins like masturbation and pornography. But she understood the severity of these sins and left those sins and repented. Now she really doesnot fear to fall in those sins. If she doesnot get married ever will she be sinning.? She really doesnot want to get married ever. She will take necessary steps to stay away from haram. Will it be permissible for her to stay unmarried forever?

Q: What do we do with the placenta after birth?

Q: I am an Indonesian, married to a Sudanese (living in Madinah, KSA). We married in my parents' house (un listed in government), while all his family members and his mother knew that we were getting marriedm except his father. His father actually knew but he said himself that officially he din't know because he doesn't accept our marriage, because my husband is still studying. The problem now, my parents want us to make it in government soon and everything is just being controlled. While I really wish for his father to bless us for our marriage, what do I have to do?

Q: Somedays ago my father in law was ill. He is 76 yrs old and suffering brain stroke. When he was ill my mother in law was taking off his shirt because he was sweating. But she couldn't do it, so I helped her and touched my father in law's hand. Then I saw that his hand and my husbands hand is almost same type. I did not know what was the exact feeling, is it funny or surprising. Then I didn't give attention to it and I normally helped him. It was total of 1 or 1.5 min that I touched his hand. But I can remember very clearly that I felt disgusted when I touched his body because he was sweating. Then I removed my hand and washed it. Does that cause any harm in my relationship? My father in law cannot walk by himself, can't do anything without other's help. He can't move when he is lying in the bed. He can't even take his meal himself.

Q: Can a Sunni girl marry a Shi’a boy? He does not believe that Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) was the next prophet nor does he place more importance to him, they believe in Allah and that Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is the last messenger. They also follow the same Qur’an and have respect for all the other companions and family of the Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).

Q: I read somewhere that when a couple date before marriage, the sins of dating could sabotage the happiness in the marriage and when things are done the halaal way then there’s less likelihood of problems arising. But, if anything should go wrong even when done the halaal way, then at least they would know that it was a test from Allah and that the sins of dating did not contribute to it since they would not have done so. Therefore, if they did everything in the halaal way, they wouldn’t have any regrets thinking they should have done things differently.

Q: What does the Ulama say about umbilical cord banking? Nowadays some people from hospital take away the newborn childs umbilical cord by saying that it will be preserved and used for the same baby in case of any serious disease in the future. How is this right for society and upto what extent?