Ask Mufti

Q: Could you please explain all the details pertaining to a woman in iddat (widow). How should she receive visitors including non-mehrams?

A: Whether the woman is in Iddat or not, only those classified as 'Mahram' i.e. those who can never marry her, e.g. brother, uncle, etc. are allowed to see her.

IDDAT E WAFAAT - UPON THE DEATH OF THE HUSBAND
The iddat of wafaat or death commences from the date of death of the husband. Hence, if the wife only learns of his death a few days later, she is still obliged to calculate her iddat period from the day he died, not from the day she learnt of his death. It should be remembered that in the iddat-e-wafaat consummation of marriage is not a necessity. So even if the husband passes away immediately after marriage, before coming together with his wife, she still has to observe the iddat-e-wafaat.  In this case the iddat has been imposed as a period of mourning and grief, not to determine any state of the womb.

Duration of this iddat
The iddat-e-wafaat is four months and ten days. If she is pregnant then her iddat expires as soon as she delivers her child. (See details of a pregnant woman’s iddat under a separate heading further on.) It should however be noted here that delivery of the baby will only be considered as termination of the iddat if the wife was already pregnant at the time of her husband's demise. If this was not the case, and the pregnancy only became apparent after the husband's death then she will have to observe iddat of three months, which is the iddat of a woman who does not menstruate. This is because during pregnancy a woman does not have her menses. Her iddat will, therefore, be three months.

Q: We recently viewed a show on 3rd Degree where haraam meat was being sold as halaal. MJC was involved in giving halaal certification. They were not aware of the above occurrence. They then revoked the certification. Many of the sweets that contain gelatine are certified through MJC. are these sweets permissible to consume?

A: Gelatine manufactured from animals that were not slaughtered according to Shari'ah or from pig is Haraam. The gelatine manufactured in non-Muslim countries is derived from either pig, which is called PORCINE GELATINE or from the hides and hooves of Haraam cattle, which is termed BOVINE GELATIN. Both types are Haraam. Fish gelatine is Halaal but this is rarely used and it will be clearly stated on the packaging. The bovine and porcine gelatine are Haraam.

Gelatine manufactured in Muslim countries, such as Pakistan or Malaysia, will be Halaal because such gelatine is derived from cattle that were slaughtered according to Shari'ah. Find out which gelatine is being used in those sweets.

Mufti Siraj Desai

Q: If a lady observes a dried white substance on her clothes without experiencing lust or passion, is  ghusl needed?

A: Ghusl is not needed. Wash the area and change or wash the clothes.

Moulana Yusuf Laher

Q: Is it allowed to cut the nails after maghrib?

A: It is permissible to cut the nails at night. It is recorded that the Ruler Haroon Rashid asked Imam Abu Yusuf (Rahmatullaahi Alayh) regarding cutting nails at night. The Imam answered that it is permissible and advisable because Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said that "good work should not be delayed". (Al Hindiyyah)

Moulana Yusuf Laher

Q: I joined a jamaat salaah thinking it was zohr as hanafi asr had not started. Upon completion I found out it was in fact an asr jamaat as the time for asr for Shafi etc had begun. Was it obligatory for me to read the salaah again?

A: You had the intention of Zohar and they were performing Asr, so you will have to repeat your Zohar Salaah and perform Asr when the Hanafi time has entered.

Moulana Yusuf Laher

Q: I am a Hanafi and my husband is a Shafee. What is the ruling regarding distribution of meat to non-Muslims? (stomach or head of animal)

A: A Shaafi'ee is not allowed to give Qurbani to a non Muslim. You can give from your Qurbani. The alternative is that the Shaafi'ee husband gives his Hanafi wife a portion of his Qurbani. After she becomes the owner of it, she can now give from it to a non Muslim.
Allah Ta'aala knows best.

Moulana Yusuf Laher