Muslim parents Q- A family of a father, a mother and eight children – four males and four females – were all Christians. Three of the sons and one daughter accepted Islam. Later on their father died, leaving behind large inheritance amounting to approximately SR18 million. Do the sons who accepted Islam have a right to inherit from their father who died as a disbeliever? A – If the matter is thus, then the Muslim children whose father died as a disbeliever do not inherit. This is based on the narration of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Usamah Bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) who reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The Muslim does not inherit the disbeliever, neither does the disbeliever inherit the Muslim.” (Al-Bukhari, no. 6764, and Muslim, no. 1614) – Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Verdicts; Fatawa Islamiyah, vol. 5, pg. 80 Learning from disobedient teachers Q- What is your opinion regarding some who invite to Allah, displaying sincerity in intention and deed outwardly, but who perpetrate some acts of disobedience and sin? Should this stop us from benefitting from their knowledge and what they are inviting to? A – It is not a requisite for a teacher or a da'ee to be perfect in order for us to listen to him. Instead benefit can be derived from him even if he has some deficiencies in his character. This, however, should not prevent us from advising him and instructing him to do what is good with gentle words in a good manner. The teacher may be lazy about praying in congregation, so he must be advised. He may let his garment fall below the ankles, so he must be advised. He might shave his beard, so he must be advised, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Trim your moustaches and let your beards grow. (Al-Bukhari, no. 5892, and Ahmad, 2/229) – Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz; Fatawa Islamiyah, vol. 8, pg. 47 Charity for an orphan Q- We took an orphan into our home after his parents died. Some of his relatives want to help him and give him money, and that money comes to us. We consider him to be one of our own. What should we do? A – There is nothing wrong with you taking from charity that is given to him as long as that amount equals your expenditure on him or is less than it. If it is more than what you spend on him, then you should save that excess amount for him. And rejoice of a good reward for raising him and for showing kindness to him. – Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz; Fatawa Islamiyah, vol. 8, pg. 150 __
