Скачать или смотреть Part 1: Usuli Institute Ramadan Q&A, 16 May 2020

Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl answers questions from around the world. In part 1, he answers the following questions:

Question 1: On Zakat (Charity) (4:40)
A lot of muslim organizations and communities in some countries claim that they are the only legitimate representatives to which zakat can be given and that it cannot be distributed individually. I would like to ask the Professor if it is recommendable to give zakat directly to the poor and needy or it should be through organizations which claim to be the only legitimate representatives. Is it recommendable for western Muslims to send their zakat worldwide when they themselves have their own needs in their resident countries in the west, especially to establish muslim institutions so important to preserve muslim identity in the west. Didn't the Prophet and early generations spend their zakat locally?

Question 2: On the Hadith concerning the Chaining of Devils during Ramadan (25:00)
I had some queries regarding the narration of the Prophet pbuh. Would love some insights. Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3277; Muslim, 1079. According to al-Nasaa’i: "The most evil jinn are chained up.”
A) Is this an authentic narration? Is it metaphorical? As in Muslims will experience increased guidance, more aligned with the angelic realm and a state of expanded consciousness or do we understand it to mean the entire demonic realm is closed off? How do we understand the evil in our world if this hadith is sahih?
B) So what does that mean for the Satan worshipers and people who are into black magic (real or perceived), clairvoyants, also child abusers, domestic violence...?
C) could it have only applied to the time of the Prophet when the doors of revelation were open or is it throughout time?

Question 3: On Fasting and Prayer Times in certain Time Zones (40:02)
My first question is about timings of fasting and prayer. I live in northern Europe, Sweden. The times for fasting are quite long here. The fasts can become almost 22 hours in the summer. On the other hand, winter time has very short fasts, A little more than 6 hours. What are the rulings in such situations? What about prayer timings in general. During summer, the prayers are far apart Magrib at 2100hrs and isha at 00:00hrs. And its the opposite during winter time. The prayers are so close together that Zohr and Asr are almost joined together. By 1700hrs all 5 prayers are done.

Question 4: On Kinship Ties (silat al-rahim) (47:15)
I was wondering if I could make a request for a specific topic: silat al-rahim (kinship ties). Specifically, what exactly does it entail, to which family members, and how would it apply to kin who might do you harm, e.g., narcissists, etc. This includes any degree of physical violence, as well as verbal/emotional abuse, threats of any kind, damage to property, or other forms of retaliation, e.g., when you resist their attempts at dominance. Also, what to do if they marry or befriend people that are dangerous, including violent people and scam artists, thereby exposing you or other family members to risk. Finally, what to do if they actively rob you, family members, or society, or have done so in the past and might be at risk of doing it again.

Question 5: On Nail Polish (1:07:17)
This may not be the most pressing question today but it is important to me and to so many women. I've read and heard many different responses to this that I don't know what to believe. My question is regarding the permissibility of nail polish and prayer. Does it matter if it’s artificial or just a paint? I’ve heard some say that if someone has polish on (prior to ablution), one should still make ablution and pray without necessarily having to remove it while others have went as far as to say that prayer is completely rejected if one has nail polish on prior to performing ablution. I know that Muslim businesses are capitalizing on this idea of breathable polish. Does it matter if it is breathable but not permeable. Is there something to this concept?! I am asking for myself and for my friends who feel at times, a little anxious to be seen with manicured nails in muslim spaces especially in the mosque.

Continued in Part 2. www.usuli.org