Learn
Scholar library
234 questions answered by Sh. Mustafa Umar. Search in your own words or pick a topic.
If I did something bad, like write a bad book, but then asked Allah to forgive me, am I responsible if other people keep reading that afterwards?
If you are able to put a stop to the spread of that book then you must, but if you cannot like if people keep making copies without your permission or you have sold the rights to the book, then you are not responsible for that. Allah does not hold anyone accountable beyond their capacity.
Should I wear an amulet (ta`widh) for protection?
Wearing something with the name of Allah written on it, or with verses of the Qur’an, was not done by the Prophet or the Companions. They did not hang up names of Allah or verses of the Qur’an as a way of seeking Allah’s protection. Instead, they asked Allah to protect them and that is what you should do. It is fine to wear something like that as long as you do not think the object itself protects you, because objects can neither harm nor benefit anyone. It is best to ask Allah to relieve you from problems or illness as well as resort to medical treatment.
How do I convert to Islam? Do I have to say the declaration (shahadah) in public?
There is no special procedure to convert to Islam, or any prerequisites, as there is in other religions. The moment you are convinced that the essential teachings of Islam are true, you are a believer in the sight of God. So other people know this, you must declare your beliefs by saying the declaration of faith (shahaadah) which is: “I declare that there is no other god besides Allah and I declare that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” These exact words are not required so anything reflecting that meaning suffices. This verbal declaration is only necessary for others to know you are a Muslim for social purposes as well as legal purposes like marriage, inheritance distribution, receiving a Muslim burial, etc.
Can I seek the help of a non-Muslim healer to cure Blackmagic or other spiritual illnesses?
It is fine to go seek the services of a non-Muslim doctor due to their expertise in medicine. However, seeking the services of a non-Muslim on account of their piety, righteousness, or closeness to God is wrong because that would be an approval of their false beliefs and they may use amulets or spells that contain Satanic things contrary to what Allah approves.
When does a virtuous act become a sinful innovation (bid`ah)? If I hold a Qur’an recitation gathering, hug people three times on Eid day, or make specific supplications daily, is this an innovation?
If you think or teach that something is prescribed in Islam, but it is not, then it is a sinful innovation (bid`ah). For example, there are two units of morning (Fajr) prayer. If someone prays three instead, even though it is more prayer, and prayer is good, this is wrong and sinful. Likewise, it is permissible (mubah) to hug people three times on the day of Eid. If you claim this specific act is recommended (mustahabb or sunnah) or required (wajib or fard), then this means you are misrepresenting what Islam really teaches. Instead of being rewarded by Allah for showing love to your fellow Muslims, you will be sinful for altering the religion of Islam and falsely claiming that Allah or His Messenger would have validated your claim.
Where is Allah?
Allah is beyond time and space. He does not exist in a specific location or physical direction. So using the word ‘where’ for Allah is an invalid question.
Should I ask pious people to pray for me? Will this help my request be answered? Can I ask the Prophet or a deceased righteous person to pray for me?
Normally, you should only ask Allah for help. There is no need to think that Allah will not answer your prayers due to your sins so you can get around that by having a righteous person ask Allah on your behalf. Nonetheless, it is fine to ask other people to pray for you, since the Prophet even asked his Companions to pray for him. However, you should never ask a dead person to pray for you such as saying, “O Prophet, please ask Allah to forgive my sins”. Also, it is allowed to mention the Prophet or a righteous person when asking Allah for something, since this action was approved by the Prophet a few times. Mentioning the Prophet or a righteous person in your supplication is like saying, “Allah, I have so few good deeds, but I love people You love, like the Prophet. So count that as a good deed for me and accept my request.”
What are the main things a Muslim needs to believe in? There are many groups like Sunni, Shia, Salafi, and Sufi which often make it confusing to know what is really necessary and important.
Fundamental beliefs are established by clear and unambiguous texts from the Qur’an and Sunnah and are crucial to Islam. An example is to believe that Muhammad is the final prophet and messenger. Denying this results in rejecting Islam. Any group that rejects an essential teaching of Islam is no longer considered Muslim.
Can I do a good deed on behalf of a dead person?
Everyone is responsible for performing their own deeds. Neither good deeds nor sins transfer between people. However, if you asked Allah to send the reward of a good deed you did to another person, it is not wrong of you to ask that, and Allah may accept this request of yours. Nonetheless, this was not a normal practice of the Prophet or the Companions, so it should not be done regularly. The best way to help the deceased is to constantly pray for them.
Can I swear an oath of citizenship to a non-Muslim country like the USA?
It is allowed to take the oath as long as it does not entail disobedience to Allah. For example, the oath of citizenship for the USA in 2020 was: “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.” The first amendment to the US Constitution also states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” Therefore, since there is a lot of room for interpreting many of the statements in the oath, it will not entail disobedience to Allah and is therefore allowed.
What is the Dawoodi Bohra sect and what do they believe?
Dawoodi Bohras are a group within the misguided Ismaili Shia sect. There are only about one million of them in the world and they live mostly in India and Pakistan. They believe that the 20th Shia Imam Al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah established the office of the Da’i al-Mutlaq (“unrestricted missionary”) to act as vicegerent to the Imams in seclusion. These people are Allah’s representatives in this world. The current leader is the 53rd Da’i-al-Mutlaq named Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin who lives in India. All Bohras take a covenant to accept the spiritual guidance of the leader unconditionally. On the 18th of Dhul Hijjah all Bohras renew their covenant vows every year. The word Bohra comes from the Gujarati word vohrvu or vyavahar which means ‘to trade’ because that was historically their main occupation. The term Dawoodi comes from the support given to the 27th Da’i al-Mutlaq (“unrestricted missionary”) Dawood Bin Qutubshah during a schism that the community faced in 1592.
Are some superstitions true and lead to bad luck?
Sadly, many people believe in superstitions. They think that if you break a mirror or if a black cat passes by you, something bad will happen to you. Several Muslims often fall for such baseless ideas in their culture and people assume that those superstitious ideas might have some basis in Islam. Islam does not believe in superstitious ideas or bad luck. The Prophet fought against such ideas that existed in his time.
Do good and bad deeds of children count?
Children are rewarded for the good deeds they do even before they have reached the age of maturity. Children are not accountable for their bad deeds until they reach the age of maturity. Therefore, the bad things they do are not considered sins.
These answers are general guidance. For your own situation, ask a scholar.