Dr. Mahmoud Omar QuestionWhen is the proper time to raise your hands when making du‘a? When I pray in the masjid I see some brothers raise their hands during Jumu‘ah or qunoot in witr, and others do not raise their hands. Sometimes I see the khateeb raise his hands and other times not. So when is it permissible … Read more
QuestionAs-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. I have a question about tenant’s (renter’s) insurance. If a landlord requires tenant’s insurance as a condition for renting an apartment, are we allowed to purchase it? And is tenant’s insurance considered a necessity for living in a rental property in Edmonton? Jazakumullahu khayran. AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, … Read more
QuestionAssalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, respected imam. I have seen many different ways of praying witr. What are all the permitted ways, and where do they get their evidence from? JazakAllahu khayran. AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain. The Nature of Witr Witr is a strongly emphasized Sunnah (sunnah … Read more
QuestionSomeone entered the Miqat for ‘Umrah with the intention of ‘Umrah. But when he got to the hotel, he took off his ihram clothes and wore regular clothes. Does he have to go back to the Miqat and make his intention again, or can he just give a damm (sacrifice)? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, … Read more
QuestionAllah has blessed me with a newborn son. I know that the Sunnah for the ‘aqiqah is to sacrifice two sheep for a boy. Due to my current financial situation, I cannot afford two, and even one sheep is difficult. AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain. 1. Number of Animals … Read more
QuestionSalaam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh. I would like to know if I get the reward of the shade of Allah on the Day of Judgement for paying off some or all of my sister’s debts while she is alive or dead. I read that the lender that forgives the debt of a borrower can earn the … Read more
QuestionIs it permissible for a Muslim who does not understand the language of the khutbah to engage in Qur’an recitation, dhikr, or du‘a silently during the Friday sermon? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain. Evidence from Qur’an and Sunnah – The Asl The Prophet ﷺ said: “If you say to … Read more
QuestionSalam, I was told it was required to get the lowest coverage insurance for my vehicle in Canada because insurance is haram. When leasing or financing a vehicle it is required to obtain full coverage insurance by the company leasing or financing the car to you. Question #1 – Is obtaining full coverage insurance for … Read more
QuestionAs-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.I saw a hadith regarding the Prophet ﷺ making wudu after eating cottage cheese (aqit). As someone who goes to the gym and eats a lot of cottage cheese for protein, I would like to know if this means I have to make wudu when I eat it too. AnswerAlhamdulillah, … Read more
QuestionIs it permissible to have rhinoplasty if it will make the nose more beautiful, provided there was a medical issue that required surgery in the first place? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain. Principle: Limiting the Surgery to the Actual Need Corrective surgery in Islam is permissible when there is … Read more
QuestionIs it permissible to fix the unibrow or monobrow? When the eyebrows join together in the middle above the nose, is it permissible to shave or trim the hair in the middle to split the eyebrows again? I have heard mixed opinions about this, as some say it is not considered part of the eyebrows … Read more
Question Salam Shaykh, : I make up my missed prayers (qada’) before the current obligatory prayer. Is this permissible? Because I am elderly and cannot manage to pray them after the fard prayer. JazakAllahu khayran. Answer Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma‘in. The basic rule is that one should make … Read more
QuestionIs eating at restaurants that serve pork and alcohol haram? If one asks the staff to change the utensils in fear of cross-contamination with haram, but does not know for sure if they actually changed them, is it still permissible to eat the food? JazakAllahu khayran. AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa … Read more
QuestionSalam, if someone says the name of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, or recites Surah al-Ahzab 33:56 mentioning salawat, can the person praying say salawat on the Prophet during the salat? Also, if someone sneezes during the salat, can they say alhamdulillah? Or yarhamukAllah if they hear someone sneeze? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala … Read more
QuestionSalam, I would like to know if working as a salesman at a car dealership is haram? Please let me know. Jazakallahu khayran. AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma‘in. The ruling depends on the type of sales and financing that the dealership uses. Islamic jurisprudence distinguishes between permissible trade and … Read more
QuestionCan interest earned be used to pay off debt? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma‘in. Earning interest (riba) is haram, and a Muslim should avoid placing his wealth where it accrues interest whenever possible. The Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who consumes riba, the one who pays it, the one … Read more
Question A lot of Muslim girls say that the Qur’an does not mention covering the head directly. They quote the verses about drawing the veil over the bosoms and use this as an argument that covering the head (hijab) is not mandatory. Please give advice with Qur’an and Hadith. Answer 1. Qur’an Evidence Together, these … Read more
QuestionCan a woman wear hair extensions or lash extensions to beautify herself? What is the ruling on fake vs. real (human) hair, and the different attachment methods? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma‘in. Principles Hair Extension Methods and Rulings Eyelashes Final Ruling And Allah knows best.
QuestionIs it haram for a person to receive welfare and work at the same time, if the work is only 20 hours a week (less than 30 hours)? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma‘in. The ruling depends on the terms set by the government program: and the Prophet ﷺ said: … Read more
Question I am seeking a religious ruling on using a line of credit for educationI am a dentist living in Canada and I wish to start the Canadian dental equivalency process. In order to register for my first exam and the preparation course, I need a significant amount of money.I previously worked as a dental … Read more
QuestionWhat is the ruling on organ donation and transplantation in Islam? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma‘in. Organ donation raises two values in Shariah: the sanctity of the human body (alive and deceased) and the duty to preserve life. The Qur’an says: “Whoever saves a life, it is as if … Read more
QuestionWhat is the ruling on purchasing full (comprehensive) insurance in Islam? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma‘in. Insurance is a modern financial product that did not exist in classical fiqh, so the scholars have had to analyze it according to the principles of Shariah. Full or “comprehensive” insurance covers not … Read more
Question:What is the ruling on working in the Human Resources (HR) department of a conventional bank? Answer: Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala rasulillah, Riba (usury/interest) is categorically forbidden in Islam, by Qur’an, Sunnah, and ijma‘. The Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who consumes riba, the one who pays it, the one who records it, and those … Read more
Alhamudlilah wasalatu was-Salam ‘ala rasulillah, QuestionIs vanilla extract halal if it contains alcohol? AnswerVanilla extract is usually made by soaking vanilla beans in a solution that includes ethyl alcohol as a solvent and preservative. The question is whether the presence of alcohol makes it haram. Final Ruling: And Allah knows best.
QuestionI lent someone some money. I paid $1000 Canadian Dollars through an app, and he received about 190,000 Pakistani Rupees. Now, he wants to pay me back and I’m in Pakistan, so he will pay me in Rupees. But the value in Rupees changed, and now it’s around 205,000 Rupees to $1000. My question is: … Read more
QuestionWhat is the ruling on paying zakat on student loans? For example, let’s say I pay zakat every Ramadan. So in 2026, I would pay it in the last 10 days of Ramadan in March. In September of 2025 the government gives me $10,000. I use it to pay my tuition for the first semester, … Read more
Question I sent an email to Tim Hortons seeking clarification about the use of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in their Iced Capp. The following is the reply I got from them: “Thank you for contacting Tim Hortons! Many of our products contain flavour ingredients, which may utilize ethyl alcohol as a flavour carrier. Please note that … Read more