Women’s Corner
Mufti Abu Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari Madani
Wudu and ghusl when wearing kohl
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say regarding the validity of a woman’s wudu or ghusl if she performs them whilst wearing kohl? Will she have to remove the kohl before wudu or ghusl?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: It is not wājib (necessary) or sunnah for water to reach the inner parts of the eye during wudu or ghusl. If a woman is wearing kohl whilst performing wudu or ghusl, both actions shall be entirely valid.
If kohl comes upon the outward corners of the eye or upon the eyelashes, this must be removed during wudu and ghusl, as washing the corners of the eyes and eyelashes is obligatory during wudu and ghusl.[1]
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
Marrying a late husband’s younger brother
Question: What do scholars of Islam say regarding the following: the husband of a woman with four children passed away. She has also completed her waiting period (ʿiddah). Can she marry her late husband’s younger brother despite there only being a difference of four years in age between him and her eldest child?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: It is permissible for a woman to marry her late husband’s younger brother provided there is no additional obstacle in doing so.
The Quran clearly explains muḥarramāt: women with whom marriage is perpetually disallowed and haram; the woman referred to by the questioner is not included amongst this category. The fact that the brother of the deceased husband is younger than the woman referred to is not considered an obstacle in them getting married.[2]
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
When menstruation begins during a voluntary fast
Question: What do the scholars of Islam say about a woman who keeps a voluntary (nafl) fast, but begins to menstruate during it? Must she make up for this voluntary fast later or not?
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Answer: Based on the scenario presented in the question, she must make up for this fast later.
It is stated in Durr al-Mukhtār, ولو شرعت تطوّعاً فيهما فحاضت قضتهما – “If a woman begins menstruating whilst observing a voluntary fast or offering voluntary prayer, making up for them is compulsory upon her.”[3]
Muftī Amjad ʿAlī Aʿzamī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه said, “If a woman begins to menstruate or her post-natal bleeding starts during a voluntary fast, said fast becomes invalid, and she must perform it again later. Making up for it is obligatory (farḍ) if the fast was obligatory, and necessary (wājib) if the fast was voluntary.”[4]
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم
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