Conversion to Islam and How to Remove Major Ritual

Impurity – Shaykh Rami Nsour

Answered by Shaykh Rami Nsour

Question: Please I have this question on how to convert back to islam, I

want to know the words I will need to say when I want to convert back to
islam and how to do it. I want also to know what should I do for jahnaba
after meeting with a woman. Please advice.

Answer: May Allah accept your tawbah (repentance) my dear brother. If you
would like to convert back to Islam, once you have the firm belief that Islam is the
religion that you want to follow, then you are at that moment a Muslim again.

Once you have that firm belief, then you can take a full shower (ghusl). You
would make sure that water reaches all your body and that you rub that water
with your hand or a cloth. You would also have to intend that you are washing for
a ghusl.

To announce your Islam, or return to Islam, you should pronounce the testimony
of faith (sha-ha-dah) where others can hear you say it. You would say, in any
language or Arabic, “There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and

1
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” In Arabic it would be “La illaha illah
Allah, Muhammadun Rasul Allah.”

The washing (ghusl) after meeting a woman is the same as a ghusl for shahada.
You make sure that water reaches all your body, you rub that water on your skin
(lightly) and you have an intention to that it is a ghusl.

May Allah accept your actions.

Rami Nsour

2
Expiation for Breaking an Oath to Fast in the Maliki
School – Shaykh Rami Nsour

Answered by Shaykh Rami Nsour

Question: What can I do if I have broken an oath of ibada? I made an oath to

fast every second day and I was not able to continue. Do I have to start
again doing every second day or is there an expiation I can do in this case? I
have heard that if its an oath to do with a promise to do a certain ibada
then you must fulfill it? Also, this is too many fasts for me to make up, so
what should I do?

Answer: To begin, an oath to make a non-obligatory action (nafila) obligatory is

called a Nadhr (‫ )نذر‬and is recommended to do if it is a one time act. If the nadhr
is to do something on a regular basis, then it is disliked (makruh) according to
the Maliki school. In any case, once a person makes the nadhr oath, then they
complete it or pay an expiation (kaffara) if they do not do it or break the promised
habit.

If the nadhr was a regular fast and not fulfilled, then the person would have to
pay an expiation (kaffara) even if the person went back to the fasting.
Additionally, once the nadhr is broken and the expiation is paid, then the nadhr
is no longer binding. The expiation (kaffara) is one of three methods:

1) Feeding ten poor people each a mudd (0.5 liter measure) of a staple grain (it is
recommended for those outside of Medina to give 1.3 mudds to each miskeen), or
giving them each two loaves of bread weighing two Baghdadi ritls for each loaf, or
satiating each poor person (miskeen) with two separate meals for each person.
The definition of a poor person (miskeen) according to the Maliki madhab is a

3
person who does not have food for more than one day.

2) Clothing ten poor people. For each man a thobe is given. For each woman a
thobe and and hijab. A child may also be included in the ten.

3) Freeing a slave as a person would do in dhihar.

If all of these three are not a possibility for the person, then a person can fast for
three days consecutively.

And Allah knows best.

Rami Nsour

4
Is Circumcision Required Before a Man Becomes
Muslim?

Answered by Shaykh Rami Nsour

Question: What are the rulings on circumcision for males in the maliki
madhhab?

If an adult male was to become Muslim then is it wajib for him to get
circumcised?

Answer: If a person wants to become Muslim, they do not have to be circumcised

first. A person believing in Islam should pronounce his faith without any delay.

According to the Maliki madhab, the circumcision of a male is a highly

recommended act (sunna). It is not an obligation (wajib). The ruling is the same
whether the male is a child or an adult. [Risala of Ibn Abi Zayd]

5
Aqiqa in the School of Imam Malik (ra) – Shaykh Abdullah Bin Hamid Ali

What are the rulings regarding the ‘aqiqa’. Shaykh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali
provides some description in accordance with the school of Imam Malik (ra)

Question: What is the fiqh of the newborn and young children in the Maliki
School, especially with reference to the following issues:

1. naming

2. aqiqa

3. circumcision (and female?)

4. shaving the head

Answer: The ‘aqiqa’ is the name given to the animal sacrifice done for a new born
child on the seventh day after being born. It is recommended for the one who can
afford it to sacrifice an animal permitted to eat like a sheep or goat on the seventh
day after the child is born. If the child is born during daylight hours, the
calculation of days begins from the following day after fajr, just as the ‘aqiqa’ is
not valid if it is slaughtered during the hours of the night between maghrib and
fajr. And when one waits until maghrib enters after the seventh day to make the
sacrifice, the reward of the ‘aqiqa is also missed.

An ‘aqiqa can be done for every child born regardless of its gender. And even if a
woman gives birth to twins, triplets, quadruplets, or more, an ‘aqiqa should be
done for each individual child.

6
It is recommended to perform the ‘aqiqa after sunrise, to shave the baby’s head,
to give in charity the equivalent in the value of gold or silver an amount equal to
the weight of the child’s hair that was removed, and to name the child on that
day. But if parents do not have plans to perform an ‘aqiqa, they may name the
child on any day they wish.

Amongst those things considered undesirable to do with regard to the ‘aqiqa are
that one circumcise the child on the seventh day after it is born, and it is also
disliked to have a reception similar to the reception held for a wedding. Rather,
one should merely give the meat of the animal in charity, invite one’s neighbors
over to one’s home to eat and present to them some of the meat of the sacrifice.

7
Qunut Supplication: Audibly or Inaudibly? – Group du’a, dhikr, and Qur’anic
recitation (Maliki school)

How should we make the qunut supplication? Why did Imam Malik (ra) oppose
group dhikr?

Shaykh Abdullah provides a brief answer in his response to the following

question about Qunut

Question:

When making the qunut for a peril is it required that the du’a is said out loud
with the hands raised? Are only our qunuts said silently? Also, when joining the
Imam in the second rakat of Isha, do I make the tashahhuds with him? I am very
grateful to Allah to have your assistance. May He reward you with good

Ma Salaama

Answer:

In the view of Imam Malik, the only time hands are to be raised for du’a is during
the prayer for rain. Group dhikr and du’a is considered to be disliked in our
madhhab even though a great many Maliki scholars have taken the view of the
majority that it is permissible in both cases. Part of the rationale is that anytime
du’a is done publicly one runs the risk of it not being sincere. For that reason,
Imam Malik disliked group du’a, dhikr, and Qur’anic recitation; also, because it
wasn’t the norm in Medina during his time. Other than that, it is recommended
to say the qunut du’a inaudibly in our school, although it is permissible to say it
audibly.

8
was Salam

Shaykh Abdullah Bin Hamid Ali

9
A Summary of the Non-Obligatory Prayers in the Maliki School (Shaykha
Mona El-Zankaly and Ustadha Saira Abu Bakr)

Answered by Shaykha Mona ElZankaly and Ustadha Saira AbuBakr

Question: Assalaam alaykum,

I wanted to know the Maliki opinion for sunnah rakats for each fard prayer.
I have been given different information regarding the sunnah prayers for
Dhuhr and Isha, specifically.

Also, what are the amount of sunnah prayers to be performed for Jumah?

Jazak Allah khayr.

Answer: Walaikum salaam wa RahmatuAllah,

JazakuAllahu khairun for your question.

The witr prayer is the only daily confirmed sunnah prayer, in the Maliki school.
The other daily non-obligatory prayers that are prayed immediately before or after
the five obligatory prayers are considered confirmed nafilah (nafilah muakkadah).
The exception to this is the fajr prayer i.e. the two non-obligatory rakahs that are
prayed before the dawn obligatory prayer (subh prayer). These two rakahs fall
under the category of raghiba. This category is considered below a sunnah but
higher than a nafila. There are no other prayers in this category.

Summary of the non-obligatory prayers:

10
2 before the Subh prayer (Fajr prayer) Ruling: Raghibah

4 before Duhr and 4 after Duhr prayer. Ruling: Nafilah Muakkadah

4 before Asr prayer. Ruling: Nafilah Muakkadah

2 (but ideally 6) after Maghrib prayer. Ruling: Nafilah Muakkadah

3 Witr prayer- Ruling 2 shafi-Nafilah Muakkadah; 1 Witr-Sunnah Maukkadah

Sunnah Mukkadah/ Confirmed Sunnah: Voluntary prayers that Rasul Salla

Allahu alayhi wa salaam never left and always performed.

Nafilah: Voluntary prayers that Rasul Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam sometimes
preformed and sometimes left.

Raghibah: The word essentially means desirous and it is the ruling giving only to
the two rakahs before the obligatory dawn prayer. It is given this name as Rasul
salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam encouraged us to perform it.

There are no specific recommended nafilah/sunnah prayer for Jumu’a rather it is

makruh (discouraged) to pray nafila after completing the Jumu’a prayer in the
masjid (until people have dispersed/time has come for them to disperse and it is
best to pray nafilah at home). It is haram to perform nafilah once the Imam has
entered the masjid to deliver the sermon (khutbah). So one would not perform the
greeting masjid prayer (tahiyyatul masjid) if one comes late.

The nafilah/sunnah prayers are prayed two rakah at a time, not 4 rakah at a

11
time. If one mistakenly adds a third rakah one would complete a fourth rakah
and perform two prostrations of forgetfulness before saying the salaam.

Below is what has been mentioned in the two main texts (Mukhtasar Khalil is the
text that contains the dominant opinion of the school):

There is a general recommendation for the supererogatory(nafil) prayer (all the

time). The recommendation is confirmed (takkadah) after the sunset (maghrib)
prayer and (in general) after all (five) daily prayers, but specifically before and
after dhuhr and before Asr without an (upper) limit such that if a person did two
or four or six he has fulfilled the original recommendation.

Having said this, it is better or more complete (worship) that one performs four
before and after dhuhr (due to what has been narrated in the prophetic
traditions), four before Asr and six after maghrib. Furthermore, there is a
confirmed recommendation for praying the morning prayer (Duha). The least of it
is two, six is the middle number, eight is the upper limit and any more is
considered makruh. (Taken from Al Sharh al Kabir on Mukhtasar Khalil)

It is recommended to pray two rakahs after maghrib and if one does more then it
is beneficial (khair). There is a general recommendation to pray nafila prayers
between Maghrib and Isha. Prophetic narration: The one who prays six rakahs
after maghrib and does not utter vile speech between them, is equated with (a
reward) of 12 years of worship. (Taken from Kifayatul Talib alRabbani Sharh of
Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd Al Qayrawani)

Approved by Shaykh Rami Nsour

12
Conditions of Jumu’a Khutba – Shaykh Abdullah Bin Hamid Ali

Question:

Could you tell me what are the conditions of the khutbayn in order for them to be
valid for the jum’ah?

Answer:

The traditional conditions for the validity of the khutba in the School of Malik are
the following:

1- that they be done while the Imam is standing,

2- that they be done after the sun has passed the meridian,

3- that they fulfill what the Arabs customarily consider to be a khutba like for
the Imam to say:

“Fear Allah in what He has commanded and desist from what He has forbidden
rebuked..”,

4- that they be delivered inside the masjid,

5- that they be delivered before the salaat is performed,

6-that at least 12 men who are sane and at the age of puberty are in attendance,

7- that the Imam delivers them audibly, and

8- that that they be delivered in Arabic.

13
Was Salam

Abdullah

14
Is it Permissible to Cook Food with Alcohol? – Shaykh Abdullah bin Hamid
Ali

You go to a restaurant and on the menu you find a seafood dish that has been
cooked with alcohol. The waiter informs you that the alcohol content of this food
has been ‘burned off’ by cooking. Is it permissible to eat this seafood? Shaykh
Abdullah bin Hamid Ali responds to the question regarding the permissibility of
cooking food with alcohol and then eating this food.

Question: In a article found on the internet, the question was asked “Does
alcohol burn off in cooking”. The question was asked how quickly does alcohol
burn off. The article states:

“…James Peterson, a cookbook writer who studied chemistry at the University of

California at Berkeley, mentioned it in his encyclopedic cookbook, Sauces
(Canada, UK). He says you need to cook a sauce for at least 20 to 30 seconds
after adding wine to it to allow the alcohol to evaporate. And there is some sense
to that, since alcohol evaporates at 172°F (78°C), so any sauce or stew that is
simmering or boiling is certainly hot enough to evaporate the alcohol.” See full
article HERE

If the alcohol is scientifically proven to be burned off from the food is this food
now permissible?

A. In the school of Imam Malik, you can’t cook with najasa, and you can’t cook
najasa. Even if you believe the effects of the wine will be burned off, it is not
permissible to corrupt the food with najasa. One sure wouldn’t pour urine, feces,
blood, or semen on food. (Of course, the taste and smell of wine for many is not
as repulsive as those things).

15
I think it’s important we consider another ethical concern. It is a concern like
others that often result from fatwas of accommodation. If one gives fatwa allowing
one to eat food with wine, this encourages and indirectly validates the sale of
wine. All the schools to my knowledge declare it haram to sell grapes to those we
know will use them to make wine. To me, the former as a fatwa has similar
implications as the latter. Allah knows best.

16