Q. A woman teacher who has been homebound for more than one and a half years due to a medical condition is being paid 82 percent of her salary. She is on leave on medical grounds. May I ask whether, from the Islamic point of view, it is permissible for her to receive such a salary?

(Name and address withheld)

A. If the illness is genuine, preventing her from discharging her teaching duties, and the law of employment which is applicable to her permits such payments, then it is perfectly permissible for her to receive the salary. Governments have to cater for all situations in their legislation.

Since some people succumb to long illnesses, and teachers are not exempt from such illnesses, then each government has to put in place legislation catering for such cases. This normally comes under the health insurance that a government provides for its employees.

Even if this arrangement continues for several years, the salary the teacher receives is perfectly legitimate, provided, however, that there is no foul play, either by pretending to be ill, or by circumventing the legal provisions.

Zakah on Land

Q.1. I have bought three plots of land: One to use for building a house for living, and one each for my two daughters. What is my zakah liability?

Q.2. Which sexual acts are forbidden during a woman’s monthly period?

W. Ijaz

A.1. The land you intend to build a family home on is exempt from zakah. You do not have to pay any zakah on its value, even though you may not start building the house for several years.

It may happen that someone buys a land to build a house, but his financial situation may not help to fulfill his intention for sometime. As long as his intention remains the same, the land is not zakahable.

I am not clear on the position of the other two pieces of land. You say that they are for your two daughters, but you did not say for what purpose. If they are intended as an investment, then they are liable to zakah. If you actually give them to your daughters now, stating even verbally that this land is for this girl and the other for her sister, and both are intended as investment, or savings, then each of your daughters is liable to pay their zakah. If you are the one holding the plots and you intend to give them to your daughters in due course, then you are the one who pays their zakah. Each of the two pieces should be evaluated every year on the zakah date of the person holding it and zakah is paid accordingly. The person incurring this must be a zakah payer, which means that he or she has more than the threshold of zakah, which is equivalent to 85 grams of gold. The zakah rate on such a scheme is 2.5 percent.

If the lands are actually given now to your daughters and they are also intended to build houses on them for the owners, then they are not liable to zakah.

A.2. What is forbidden during a woman’s monthly period is sexual intercourse. Courtship and sexual play is permissible. A man went to Aishah, the Prophet’s wife, and said: “I want to ask you a question but I feel too shy.” She said: “Ask it; I am your mother.” By saying this she reminded him that the Prophet’s wives were the mothers of all believers in all generations. He asked her: “What is lawful for a husband during his wife’s period?” She said: “Everything except intercourse.” Needless to say, under “everything” she referred only to what is ordinarily permissible and legitimate.

Genuine Repentance

Q. A man started a premarital relationship with a woman and she became pregnant. In their difficulty, the woman arranged for an abortion. Both sincerely regretted their action and are about to be married. Although they have sought God’s forgiveness, they wonder whether their repentance can be accepted.

(Name and address withheld)

A. What the couple did is certainly grave. They have compounded the very serious sin of adultery with another, very serious one of abortion. But the good thing is that they have realized that this is far from acceptable and they are willing to mend their ways. God is always compassionate and He looks at the errors of His servants with sympathy when they genuinely repent their sins. Genuine repentance means that one is truly and deeply sorry for violating God’s laws, and that one is fully resolved not to repeat the same sin again. If this is the case and we pray to God to forgive us, He will do so if He pleases.

We should remember that God forgives all sins except that of associating partners with Him. But forgiveness is always dependent on genuine repentance and firm resolve not to repeat the violation.