Ijtihad and the most knowledgeable

Question: What’s the way I can find out if a scholar is a mujtahid and he’s the most knowledgeable?

Answer: It can be established by those who are from the ahlul kibra, whom are able to know and distinguish who’s a mujtahid or not and who’s the most knowledgeable.

Divorce by phone

Question: If two people live far from one another and they wish to divorce, can they do the divorce by the means of the telephone?

Answer: Two witnesses are conditional for the divorce to be valid, meaning they must hear the pronunciation of the divorce by the man, so if this is possible and two men are present with the man and hears him divorce the wife then it’s permissible.

The ruling on creams used on the face

Question: A lot of times we use facial creams like Vaseline and in the winter the weather is very cold, does this cream affect ones wudu and is it obligatory to remove it with water?

Answer: If the cream remains on the face and its easily removed when one washes his face during wudu then its fine but if it’s so much that its thick and is a layer on top of the skin then one must remove it.

Marriage between Shia and Sunni

Question: What is the ruling on the marriage between a Shia and a Sunni, is this marriage possiable? If yes then are there conditions?

Answer: This type of marriage is fine because what’s required for a Muslim and the permissibility to be married is the recitation of the shadatain(Theres no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger)

Agreement between husband and wife on prevention from pregnancy

Question: Is it permissible for the husband and wife to both agree on not wanting to have a baby after Allah has already gifted them with several sons or daughters?

Answer: It’s allowed but one must see which way he chooses to take and it must be allowed, such as allowing the sperm to exit outside the woman, pulling out before the sperm exits from the man. However the operation in which the woman ties her tubes and prevents her from ever getting pregnant is a problem.

Fasting on the day where’s there doubt

 Question: What do we do no the day where there’s doubt whether it’s the first day of the month of Ramadan or the last day of Shaban?

Answer: Fasting on the day where there is doubt with the intention that its Ramadan is void, but if one makes the intention that if it’s the last day of Shaban then it’s a mustahab fast and if it’s it the first day of Ramadan, then it’s a wajib fast.

Dentist

Question: A person went to a dentist and the dentist told him to not eat solid foods but only liquids, it becomes very difficult to do so while fasting, is it permitted in such a situation to break ones fast?

Answer: If one fears harm upon himself then its permitted to break his fast and to make it up latter.

Permissibility of looking at a woman whom you plan to marry

Question: Is it allowed to look at a woman whom you plan to marry without the hijab, and what other parts of the body can be seen as well?

Answer: It suffices to look at the woman’s face but if you fear that she may have some type of deformity then its ok.

Eating chicken in non-Islamic countries

Question: What is the ruling of eating chicken in different countries?

I was with a friend who’s Iraqi and he told me that the chicken here in Turkey is slaughtered Islamically, with that said is this chicken permissible?

Answer: If you have satisfaction and accept what your friend has said then there’s no problem.

The way the wife should interact with a husband whos an open sinner

Question: Im a muslim woman who is a mother, who finds it very difficult to explain and reason with my husband about whats a true muslim.

He doesn’t pray nor fast and is an open sinner, how do I deal with this situation?

Answer: If he’s not being negligent in providing a home and money for living and he doesn’t force you to leave that which is obligatory such as prayer or fasting in the month of Ramadan nor has he done something which is forbidden such as removing the hijab in front of strange men, then be patient with him and give him good advice with wisdom and don’t say such things which may cause him to remain upon the state he’s in.

What’s very important is to make sure you properly focus on upbringing your children with a good upbringing by sitting with them and speaking with them continuously and earn their trust. May Allah help you with this responsibility.