Taraaweeh Salaah

Can one of the females lead the rest of the other females in Jamaat salaah for taraweeh or any other salaah in Jamaa'ah?

Ihtikaaf

He may however appoint someone or delegate someone to buy him something outside the masjid but cannot directly contract from the Masjid. He may, likewise, not buy pre-paid cell phone re-charge cards in the masjid but can delegate someone to buy it outside the masjid due to necessity if there is no family or friend that serves his food requirements. However, it is preferred that these issues be concluded before entering into Ihtikaaf (Opinion by Ahmed Fazel Ebrahim)

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Though it is not advisable to do business whilst in I'tikaaf, it is permissible SO LONG AS THE
COMMODITY is not brought into the Masjid and sold in this way as is set out clearly in the books of Fiqh. Furthermore, food is a necessity in I'itikaaf, and thus ordering the food over the phone should be allowed. And Allah Ta'ala knows best. (Mufti Zubair Bayat, Stanger, South Africa 1/12/2003)

Time Issues

Firstly ascertain the accuracy of the watch you wear or the home clock that you used to see the time. It is possible to download an Atomic time clock synchronization program from the net which will connect to an atomic time server and adjust the PC time to a millionth of a second in terms of accuracy. If that is not possible, see the accuracy of the time from the local telephone or other national time service. You will then ascertain whether you did eat after the lapse of the suhoor time.

Secondly, ascertain details of the perpetual times that you have used. According to Ustaaz, Ahmed Fazel Ebrahim's research and calculation outputs of salaah times for various years, it has been found that there is no true and exact astronomical perpetual time for salaah since the times progressively change by a minute +/- every year for about four years and then the cycle is repeated again in within four year periods. Thus, it is possible that you are using a perpetual time table which is 100 % correct for a specific year, but a minute or more out in terms of another years exact time. There has been neither a consensus on these astronomical calculations and the various programs available to calculate these times differ in the output of calculations and, sometimes, the difference in mazhab or fiqh orientation relating to the astronomical format of calculating salaah times would also influences the time factor just like the Hanafi and Shafi difference relating to the entry time for Asr salaah. There is a need for a national standardization of these issues so that we don't have various ramadhan and salaah timetables distributed and sold. Thus, you may have just made it before the true suhoor ending time.

Thirdly, since most or almost all Muslims are totally indifferent to viewing the horizon and would, presently, fail to differentiate the Qur'anic description of the entry of Al-fajr-us-Saadiq (true dawn), because of the use of watches and clocks as a means to measure the salaah times in conjunction with the astronomical scientific calculations, it therefore becomes obligatory on the individual to ensure that the clocks and watches are accurately set, especially in the month of ramadhan. Since I sold watches for many years and have often also set a few highly recognized brands of watches to the atomic time for atomic time servers that are linked to the internet, it was noted that over time (few months), these watches also loose or gain either +/- minute or more. However, accurately setting these watches just before Ramadhan would be safe for the use of the rest of the month of Ramadhan.

Fourthly, like in the historical Indian apartheid settlements in South Africa, the Muslim community is generally settled around a masjid or few masaajid. In such cases, it would be appropriate for the Masaajid to have the Azaan of Fajr to be immediately after the Suhoor ending time so that the inception of Azaan is indicative of Suhoor end. Unfortunately, due to the absence of co-operation among Muslims, each Masjid within a single town or place would thus, even in ramadhan, have its Azaan times. The people in the locality would hear diverse Azaans proclaimed at diverse times and thus be confused in the absence of inter-masaajid co-operation. The need to establish this level of co-operation and discourse is becoming more vital in the global economy.

Fifthly, the breaking in of true dawn is not a split second change in terms of the Qur'an. It is an astronomical event that spans a few minutes and the astronomical software used to calculate the times cannot claim to give us an exact time which reflects a change of the Shari'ah classified natural event of true dawn which brings the fajr time in. It does, however, reflect a fairly accurate measurement of the fajr entry, provided that the Ulema have did a practical study of the local horizon and have achieved consensus on the astronomical format used for the salaah time calculations. Surprisingly, the (South African) Madressah Zakariyyah perpetual time table which was widely distributed and, now, also forms the basis of the (South African) Transvaal jamiat's perpetual calendar setting, is accepted among the some Ulema purely because it was calculated in Pakistan and has achieved the scholastic approval of one or more Pakistani Ulema who have neither did a practical study of the horizon in South Africa during the various times. Thus, some South African Ulema may not recognize the validity of the salaah times based on the astronomical angle settings of another Islamic body or institution. About five major formats seem to have gained acceptance in the Islamic world, and these formats are often given as choices within Salaah time watches that are sold. The Al-Asr watches have this feature.  Also, scholars have differed with regard to the number of degrees to be used as the angle of astronomical calculation for fajr and Eesha. Thus, the single minute can be ignored in Shari'ah terms.

Sixthly, it is compulsory for all Fard fasting that the intention is made before the break of Al-Fajr-us-Saadiq (True dawn). Thus, if you had intention from the night to fast but woke up after Suhoor entry time, and without checking the time, went to eat due to negligence of the time, then you have violated your obligation to verify the Suhoor ending time and have thus broken the fast. It will, in such a case become obligatory for you to keep the sixty consecutive fasts.

After the above clarifications, if it is ascertained that you have actually taken the medication after the entry of Fajr time, and that this had been through a mistake (not forgetfully) by thinking that a minute or more was still left, then that would break the fast without making Kaffarah (of 60 days) to become wajib. It would also necessitate that that qadha (discharge) of that fast be made.  This ruling comes from the hadith that classifies the fast of a person who has forgetfully eaten (not mistakenly) to remain valid. Thus, forgetfully eating would  be forgiven by Allah since it was not a deliberate violation of the fasting time.

On the contrary, if it is ascertained that you have taken medication after the fajr entry (Fast beginning time) and that this was deliberately done or through negligence relating to the time, then you have nullified that fast and the keeping of 60 consecutive fasts would become obligatory on you as an atonement (Kaffarah) for the missed fasts. The latter is a ruling from a verse of the Qur'an. However, where the medication was deliberately taken due to Dharoorah (Dire necessity) or fear of death, then in such a case the fast would break without making Kaffarah (of 60 days) to become wajib. It would also necessitate that that qadha (discharge) of that fast be made.

 (Ustaaz, Ahmed Fazel Ebrahim, Johannesburg, South Africa 30/11/2003)

Fidya

A person died. He did not fast for ten years. His family is discharging fidya on his/her behalf? Must the fidya be given on the basis of prices prevalent during each of the years in which that person had to fast or must it be given on the basis of the present market prices in the country in which the fidya is distributed?

Issues that break the fast

The format of Eid Salaah according the various mazaahib

Other Issues