Advice

Convincing one's parents that one wishes to study something Islamically beneficial

Q: I want to pursue a career that is more or entirely Islamically alligned but my parents want me to pursue architecture in which I have little to no interest especially as it is not Islamically beneficial (except obeying my parents). I can convince my parents and they will accept but they will not accept very happily. What should I choose?

Being forced to divorce one's second wife

Q: I'm in a very tough situation which involves a​ second wife. A bit more tham two years ago my first wife went to the UK to give birth to our 3rd child. Alhamdulillah my first daughter was born. After that she had to stay in the UK since her family had decided to buy a house and she took a while to come back home to Kenya. I married a second wife which I told her about after four months when she came for a short period in Kenya. It was a though moment but I managed to calm her down until the news spread to our families. She is the daughter of my mum's brother. To cut the story short I am now being forced to divorce my second wife by both our family members and herself. She has also asked for a divorce now and I am being told I will not be allowed to see my children. I have never ever stopped taking care of her and the kids. I am now in another country pursuing further studies in orthopedics. My question is, are my parents right to force me to divorce my second wife? Even though I love both my wives and do not wish to do so. I told them I will not divorce any one of my wives but now they are saying I will be cursed and my life will be nothing but a disaster without parents' blessings. Please advise on the options I have as I believe divorcing without her being at any fault just to save my family's face will be like zulm amd probably lead to a bigger calamity in my family. I love my parents like any other human being but my mother's and father's tears are clouding my judgement for now.

Thinking of death

Q: For the past couple of days, I have been going out of my mind. I feel that my death is near. I have bad anxiety and panic attacks thinking about my death. I constantly feel like my death is today or tomorrow. And each day I think it’s my last. I can’t eat, sleep or even look after my child. My heart is throbbing and I am constantly crying.

Is this a sign and a way for me to get closer to Allah properly? Or are these actuall signs that I will die today or tomorrow or soon!

I also understand that death should be a reminder for me to do good but it shouldn’t make me go crazy right?

Overcoming depression

Q: I'm a 20 year old boy. I struggle very much with depression and anxiety. I do not feel that I can manage anything in my life. I do poorly at school and struggle socially. I pray everyday and make dua but do not feel happiness or peace, and it has made me feel hopeless. It would be a great help if you could give me  some tips.

Boy getting married without the permission of his father

Q: I met a boy and we have been chatting for around 8 months now. He wants me to marry him. He spoke to my parents without consulting his own as we are young and still schooling. We want to do it the correct way and make things halaal. Are we still allowed to get maaried without the permission of his father and if not, how should we go about speaking to his father as he is really scared to?