Q: Are we allowed to wear coloured contact lenses just for the husband/wife?

A: Wearing colour contact lenses for the husband/wife will be permissible. And Allah knows best

Mufti Siraj Desai

Q: Is it permissible to have coffee at a coffee shop that serves alcohol as well? Is it permissible to eat a vegetarian or pasta meal at a haraam resturant that serves alcohol as well? What is the ruling on eating doubtful food? Could you please substantiate from quraan and hadith if possible as I would like to forward the email to friends who eat at such places and claim that the cutlery used is washed seperatly and vegetarian and other meals are cooked separately so there is no contamination.

A: One should abstain from restaurants that serve alcohol or that sell Haraam foods, even if one is only consuming vegetables or coffee.

As for alcohol, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alayhi wa Sallam) said: “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day shall not sit at a table on which wine is served.” (Narrated by Imams Ahmad and Bayhaqi) This means that it is Haraam to be in an eating place where wine is served.

If a thing is doubtful then according to Hadeeth, we are instructed to refrain from it. Indulgence in doubtful things will eventually lead to indulgence in Haraam. This is mentioned in a Hadeeth in Tirmidhi.

Moulana Yusuf Laher

Q: After urination, I feel one or two urine drops coming out. Can I say prayers without changing my clothes?

A: If the spread of the urine on the clothes is less than 12cm in diameter then Salaah can be made in that clothes, otherwise not.

Place toilet paper/tissue after urinating so it can absorb the drops and the clothes can remain clean. Remove the tissue when the drops have stopped and make Wudhu thereafter for Salaah, etc.

Q: Is it permissible to know the gender of a baby before birth via sonography?

A: It will be permissible but what is the purpose of it? Many a time the scan seems to show a gender but at birth it is the opposite.

It is permissible because the baby has already been formed, but it is a futile exercise.

Moulana Yusuf Laher

Q: Can a son send his mother for Hajj with his cousin brother and his mother? (Cousin brother is my mother's brother's son along with sister-in-law).

A: A lady can go for Haj with her brother's son.

Moulana Yusuf Laher

Q: Is it permissible to wear shoes that are from pig skin leather?

A: It is haraam to wear shoes made of pig skin. All parts of the pig are haraam according to the Holy Quran.