Fatawa
by Mufti Husain Ahmad Madani
Question: I am an Uber driver and
sometimes find money or other items
left behind by customers in my car. I
usually keep such items in case the
owner calls looking for it. However,
after an extended period of time, am
I still required to hold such items as a
trust? Or would it be permissible for
me to keep or dispose of them?
Answer: In the aforementioned scenario,
such items must be kept as a trust
and one should do his/her utmost to
find the item’s owner. The amount of
time an item must be kept as a trust
would be in accordance to the value of
the object (e.g. for items with a higher
value, one would search for a longer
period of time and vice-versa for a
lower value item). If such an amount
of time has passed that it is understood
that the owner has likely given up his/
her search for the lost item, the item
may then be given away in charity to
zakat-eligible individuals. It would be
impermissible for one to keep such
items unless they are eligible for zakat.
However, if the owner is later found after
giving the item away in charity, the
person who gave away the item can still
be held liable for the item from an Islamic
perspective.
Question: Are we allowed to show the
top part of our legs (thighs) or private
parts to a non-Muslim woman so that
she can remove the hair using a laser?
What if she uncovers very small parts,
uses the laser, and covers it before
moving upwards in those areas?
Answer: A Muslim is obliged to cover
his/her ‘awrah. A woman’s ‘awrah regarding
other women is the area between
the navel and the knee. It is only
permissible to uncover the ‘awrah in
cases of necessity, such as necessary
medical treatment. In the aforementioned
scenario, the laser treatment
will not be deemed a necessity. Hence,
it would be impermissible to undergo
such treatment even if the ‘awrah is
uncovered little by little. However, one
may investigate laser hair removal machines
that can be used from home on
oneself.
Question: While keeping the original
shape of our eyebrows, can we shape
our eyebrows and make them smaller
or shapelier? Also, can we remove stray
hair around the eyebrows?
Answer: The issue of removing hair
around the eyebrows is a matter in
which one must exercise extreme caution.
‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud g narrated
that the Messenger of Allah s said, “Allah
has cursed those women who alter
their eyebrows or ask others to do it for
them” (Bukhari).
We learn from this hadith that it is impermissible
for women to modify their
eyebrows in any way or form. However,
scholars have mentioned that it
would be permitted for women to clip
off a ‘few’ stray hairs around the eyebrows
if they look defective. This does
not mean it is permitted to remove a
whole line of fine hair from around
the eyebrows (as is the style nowadays).
Likewise, if the eyebrows are extremely
dense, one may trim them down to a
normal size. However, one must exercise
extreme caution that she does not
fall under the prohibition mentioned
in the hadith above.
Question: What is the sunnah method
of applying kuhl (surmah)? Is it permissible
to apply it during the daytime or
is it only at nighttime? Is it sunnah to
apply surmah on the day of Jumu’ah?
Answer: The answers to your queries
are as follows:
A) Ibn Umar g has related that
the Messenger s used to apply
antimony (surmah) thrice in the
right eye and twice in the left eye.
He would start with the right eye,
then the left, and then continued
in this manner until he would finish
with the right eye (Tabarani).
In another narration, it is mentioned
that the Messenger s
would apply antimony in the right
eye thrice, then the left eye thrice
(Shama’il al-Tirmidhi). Both
aforementioned methods are
Sunna and one should act upon
each one occasionally.
B) The messenger s would apply antimony
at nighttime. Therefore, this
would be the best time to apply it.
However, it would be permissible to
apply it during the day as well.
C) Applying antimony is a general
Sunna that could be done at any
time. There is no particular virtue
pertaining to the application of it
on the day of Jumu’a.
Question: I am looking to invest in
companies with minimum risk. There
are certain investment schemes that
guarantee a return of the capital or a
certain amount of return in profit. Are
such investment schemes permissible?
Answer: In principle, when a person
invests in a company, he/she is essentially
becoming a partner in ownership
over the company in proportion to
the percentage of shares he/she owns.
When the company makes a profit, he/
she will receive a profit proportionate
26 January – February 2021 | AL-MADINAH