688. What Are The Conditions Of The Floor Where We Pray?

By Asma Bint Shameem

Just make sure there’s no obvious najaasah on the floor when you pray such as saliva, urine, feces etc. 

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said:

“If a person were to touch an impurity which is wet, then he should wash what has touched his body from it due to the contamination found therein. As for if the impurity is *dry*, then he should not wash what has touched his body from it since there is no reason for contamination. ”

(al-Muntaqa of Fataawa al-Fawzaan 48/18)

But if there’s certainty that the dog had passed urine (or feces) or dribbled his saliva in a particular place or object and it’s *wet*, then avoid that place for praying. 

As long as you pray in an area that looks clean and no Najaasah can be identified, it is permissible to pray there. 

And Allaah knows best.

687. Laser Removal

By Asma bint Shameem

Laser hair removal is allowed in and of itself. 

But it depends on *where* you’re using the laser. 

It’s not allowed to expose one’s awrah to anyone except the spouse or to a doctor for medical purposes 

The awrah that’s really important in this aspect is the area between the navel and the knees. 

So unless you use the laser yourself, or ask your husband to remove the hair for you, it is not allowed for anyone else to look at the area between the navel and the knees.

And Allaah knows best

686. Your Husband Is Your First Priority

By Asma Bint Shameem

Every one of us is supposed to honor and respect and obey our parents. 

That’s one of the very basic teachings of our Deen. 

But once a girl gets married, although her duties remain with her parents but the husband takes PRIORITY. 

So she MUST obey her husband and put his interests *before* her parents. 

Just as obeying the parents is an order of Allaah, similarly it is Allaah’s order to obey the husband. 

And that is MORE important than obeying the parents.

Allaah says:

“Therefore the righteous women are *devoutly obedient* (to Allaah and to their husbands), and guard in the husband’s absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity and their husband’s property)” 

[al-Nisa 4:34]. 

Ibn Taimiyyah said:

“When a woman gets married, her husband has more authority over her than her parents, and obeying her husband is more obligatory for her.”

And if there is a conflict between obedience to one’s husband and obedience to one’s parents, then obedience to one’s husband takes *priority*. 

Imaam Ahmad said concerning a woman who has a husband and a sick mother: 

“Obeying her husband is *more obligatory* upon her than (taking care of) her mother, unless he gives her permission.” 

(Sharh Muntaha al-Iraadaat, 3/47). 

So your primary responsibility is towards your husband and kids. 

However, that doesn’t mean that you *neglect* your mother. 

A wise woman would strike a *balance* where her husband is number ONE in her life but she also uses her *wisdom* in such a way that her parents are also taken care of, respected and not neglected. 

So use your time wisely, and plan everything out. 

Do your best to help out your mother, serve her, and visit her whenever you can, perhaps when the husband and kids are not home. 

It doesn’t have to be completely this way or that way. 

With careful planning, a good combination of fulfilling *both* responsibilities can be worked out In Shaa’ Allaah. 

And Allaah knows best.

685. Waleemah

 By Asma Bint Shameem

Waleemah is the wedding feast that’s usually given by the groom, as a celebration for the blessings of marriage and to announce the wedding. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said to ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf radhi Allaahu anhu when he got married:

“May Allaah bless you. Give a waleemah even if it is with just one sheep.” 

[al-Bukhaari (5155) and Muslim (1427)]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: 

“It (the waleemah) is prescribed for the husband, because the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

said to ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf radhi Allaahu anhu: 

“Give a waleemah,” and he did not tell his in-laws to do that. 

And because the blessing is greater for the husband than for the wife, because he is the one who sought the woman; it is very rare for the woman to seek the man.“

(al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 12/321)

So it’s usually the groom that arranges for the reception. 

But if the girl’s side is also arranging a *separate* reception or *combining* with the groom’s side and giving a *joint* reception, there’s nothing wrong with that either. 

Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said: 

“Accepting an invitation to this feast is obligatory. 

Similarly, if it is organised jointly between the husband and the woman's family, accepting the invitation to it is obligatory, because the husband is the one who is enjoined to provide the wedding feast, because the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said to ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf: “Give a wedding feast, even if it is with one sheep.” 

If the wedding feast is provided by the wife's family only, and the husband is going to offer another feast when his wife comes to join him, it is not obligatory to accept the invitation of the wife's family; rather accepting it is Sunnah.”

(Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb)

So this Fatwa clarifies that it’s permissible for the bride’s family to have a separate celebration or they may do a combined reception. 

Whatever is convenient and better for both parties can be worked out. 

The scholars said:

“From this we may note that it is permissible for the wedding feast to be organised jointly between the husband and wife, or the wife's family may organise it. Similarly, the wedding expenses may be shared as agreed between the two parties, and each of them may offer a wedding feast, as is customary in some countries. If there is some dispute as to who is obliged to provide the wedding feast, it is to be provided by the husband, as stated above. But other wedding expenses, such as having a party in a hotel and so on, should be done according to mutual agreement.”

(Islamqa Fatwa #138358)

It’s *recommended* to have the Waleemah after consummation of the marriage but there’s no hard and fast rule about that. 

Whatever’s convenient for both parties is good.

Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan said: 

“The time for giving the wedding feast flexible, starting from the time of the marriage contract until the end of the days of the wedding.”

(al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi, 2/364)

Make sure the people who are invited to the Waleemah are not just the rich and elite. 

Rather it’s good to invite even your poor relatives, friends, neighbors. 

Abu Hurayrah radhi Allaahu anhu said: 

“The worst of food is the food of a waleemah to which the rich are invited and the poor are ignored. 

Whoever does not attend has disobeyed Allaah and His Messenger.” 

(al-Bukhaari)

When giving a wedding feast, there should be no extravagance, or wasting food. 

Or involve any sin or anything un islaamic practices, like music, free mixing of the genders, women dressed inappropriately, etc. 

And Allaah knows best