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| 9320-1: Paying khoms on student loans and scholarships |
| Q: College students receive financial aid, which is not considered
to
be a form of income. Thus, it is simply an agreement between the student and the government, a sort of financial contract in which the student agrees to pay back the money when he has matriculated and has the wherewithal to do so. Granted the above noted stipulations, is it incumbent for the student to pay khoms on his property during this period? What happens if the student occasionally engages in work such as tutoring, etc. and earns an income? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: Financial aid granted by the government to
the
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| 9320-2: Paying khoms on a mortgage loan |
| Q: To the extent that a person borrows a sum necessary to purchase
a private dwelling, will khoms be incumbent on him? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: Whether one’s savings account is for living
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| 9320-3: Physical contact with non-Muslims |
| Q: Studying in the West necessitates contact and association
with
the unbelievers (kuffar). For example, a professor or other people invite a person to a social gathering. To decline [on religious grounds of not mixing with the kuffar] will be misunderstood, with the possibility of giving a negative impression (of Islam and oneself). In such a situation, what is the ruling on consuming food that has come in contact with them (on the condition of observing and avoiding all haram ingredients, such as non-Islamically slaughtered meat, etc. . .)? What is the ruling if there is a possibility in coming in (physical) contact with them? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: The mere possibility of coming in contact
with the
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| 9320-4: Participating in university
social functions where
both alcohol and halal food are served |
| Q: In the collegiate environment [in the West], it is common practice
(‘oref) for students and professors to get together for various occasions. In these gatherings, along with alcoholic beverages, halal food and drink is also served for the Muslim students. Now, it is certainly not obligatory to attend these gatherings, but to not attend may cause misunderstanding and lead to difficulties. On the other hand, attending such gatherings may create a positive impression of Muslims when they see us not consuming alcoholic beverages. Thus, with reference to the above explanation, what is the ruling on participating in such gatherings? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: It is not permissible to participate in gatherings
in
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| 9320-5: Eating baked goods with uncertainty
to the origin of
the shortening |
| Q: Certain goods that are purchased at the store, such as sweet
breads, are made with shortening which may be of vegetable or animal origin. If it is not indicated which type of shortening was used, and it is possible that either one was used, is it permissible to consume such a food? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: Granted the above noted supposition, the ruling
is
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| 9320-6: Eating fish and canned fish
when the presence of
scales is not known |
| Q: There are some fish and canned fish in which it is not precisely
known [to the consumer] whether or not scales are present (and hence permissible to eat). What is the ruling on such items? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: As supposed above, the ruling is that it is,
on the
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| 9320-7: Permissibility of eating crab, clams, and mussels |
| Q: What is the ruling on the identification and permissibility of certain
seafood such as crab, clam, and mussel? A: With the exception of scale-bearing fish and shrimp, all sea
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| 9320-8: Eating food in a restaurant prepared by non-Muslims |
| Q: Is it permissible to eat food prepared in a non-Muslim restaurant
when it is not clear if a kafir has touched the food while preparing it? In general, what is the ruling regarding food prepared by a kafir? Is one of the necessary criteria actually seeing a kafir prepare the food? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: Further contact of food by the hand of a kafir
from
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| 9320-9: Children in daycare playing
with non-Muslims and
eating their food |
| Q: If a (Muslim) child is in a (non-Muslim) daycare or kindergarten,
may
they eat the food that is served there if nothing in it is haram? Just how important is it for a child to avoid touching or coming in contact with the non-Muslim children? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: There is no problem in eating their food if
there
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| 9320-10: Staying in hotels and houses used by Buddhists |
| Q: Where we live, the majority of people are Buddhists. What is the
ruling on purifying and cleaning a house that a (Muslim) student wishes to rent (from a Buddhist)? Is it necessary to purify and clean such a place? Please note that most of the house and its furniture are made of wood and it is not possible to purify such items. What is the ruling on staying in their hotels and guesthouses and using the appliances there in. A: Bismehi Ta’aala: Until you obtain certainty of the wet hand
or body
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| 9320-11: Observing property rights of
the non-Muslims in a
non-Muslim city |
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Q: What is the ruling regarding observing the public and private property rights of the kuffar in a kafar city, by way of example, using certain facilities for educational purposes in a manner which is beyond the bounds of normal usage and permissibility? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: It is of the utmost importance to strictly
observe
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| 9320-12: Brothers from different
schools of jurisprudence
leading each other in prayer |
| Q: Where we are, Muslims from all the various Sunni countries of the
umma meet from group and Friday prayers. It is a very effective means of fostering brotherhood and unity among the various Muslims. However, most of the time, the prayers are led by laymen, and sometimes, by brothers not known to us. What is the ruling on saying prayers behind such people (as Shiites)? Is it necessary to repeat those prayers? If a Iranian (i.e. Shiite) is asked the lead the prayer (for a majority Sunni group) may he accept? A: Bismehi Ta’aala: It is not a problem to prayer behind them.
And if
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