To Change Fitrah Money into Commodities
Question1: Can we provide the poor person with the materials and items he needs instead of money as zakat al-fitrah?
Answer: It is not enough to do so. But you can get the power of attorney from him to receive the money on his behalf and buy the goods he needs.
Making Ghusl with a Hair Prosthesis
Question2: A person has a hair prosthesis on his head. Is his ghusl/ wuḍū’ valid?
Answer: In case of a detachable wig, he must remove it before ghusl and wuḍū’.
However, if it is a hair prosthesis and prevents water from reaching the scalp and its removal is not possible (or requires unbearable hardship or loss), patch (jabīrah) ghusl or wuḍū’ should be performed and, as a aution, tayammum should be performed as well. And after removing the hair prosthesis, he should recite the prayers again as an obligatory caution.
To Join Imam in Congregation before His Rukū‘
Question3: Is it possible to Join congregational prayer when the Imam is bending for rukū‘ but has not reached the rukū‘ position?
Answer: There is no problem to do so in the first and second rak‘ahs, but when imam is in the third or fourth rak‘ah, it is a caution to wait and join him in rukū‘.
A Patient's Fasting
Question4: A mother was not able to fast nor to make up for them late in her life due to a serious illness. Should her eldest son perform the fasts?
Answer: If her illness continued until the next month of Ramadan, there were no need to make up for the fast. However, one mudd (equivalent to 750 grams) of food (such as wheat, barley, flour, rice) must be given to the poor for each day. For this purpose, they may use a part of her estate.
To Use Found Items
Question5: I have found a ring, is it permissible to give its price to the poor and use it myself?
Answer: If it is worth two and a half grams of silver or more and it has a sign so that its owner can be found, it should be announced for one year (as stated in practical laws of Islam). If the owner of the property is not found, you can:
a) take it for yourself with the intention that whenever the owner is found, give him a similar one in return or;
b) keep it for him until he is found, but it is a recommended caution to give it to the poor as sadaqah on behalf of the owner. Of course, if you become frustrated with finding the owner during the year in which you are announcing the item, it is obligatory caution to give to the poor as sadaqah.
Note: You have the choice to give the very ring or its price to the poor.
Informing the Landlord about najāsah of Food and Other Things
Question6: If someone, like a guest or a tenant, makes household items najis, is he obligated to inform the landlord?
Answer: If it is used in eating and drinking, he must inform the landlord. If it is something that lack of knowledge about its being najis invalidates wuḍū’ or ghusl, one must inform the landlord by obligatory caution. Otherwise, informing is not required.
How to Pray as an Excused Person
Question7: Can a person who cannot prostrate on the ground sit on a chair and perform qiyām (i.e. reciting Hamd and the other surah while standing), rukū‘ and sajdah?
Answer: Such a person must start the prayer standing up and, if possible, perform rukū‘ as usual, but for sajdah, sit on a chair and perform it with the help of a table (or something like that) placed in front of him. Of course, during sajdah, if he can, in addition to placing his hands on the table, he must also place the tips of his big toes on the ground.