Q.1. If a father wishes to distribute his property among his children and heirs before he dies, how should he do it?
Q.2. When the moon is sighted in a particular place, to what area is the sighting applicable?
Q.3. Some people pray in the mosque while wearing their shoes which they have used in the street. Please comment.
Q.4. Some people use their miswak before and after prayer. Should this not be at the time of performing ablutions?
C.A.K. Koya, Alkhobar
A.1. It is wrong for a parent to distribute his property to his heirs and children before he dies. To do so is to precipitate God’s actions, which is not what a Muslim may do. Besides, justice cannot be maintained in such a distribution, because the person concerned cannot be sure who of his heirs will survive him and who will have died by the time he himself dies. It is infinitely better to leave matters to take their course and those who are entitled to inherit from him will do so at the time when such inheritance becomes operative.
A.2. The moon sighting is applicable to the area where it is sighted. In the old days, when fast means of communications were not yet invented, people tried to cite the moon in every locality. Thus, the moon may be sighted in one place, while some 30 or 50 km away it may not be sighted because the sky is overcast. Nowadays with our means of communications we are able to extend the validity within each single country. That is appropriate. It is also possible to extend it to other countries. But the proper way is to make use of scientific information to ensure the correctness of our sighting and the area to which it is applicable.
A.3. Wearing shoes while praying is acceptable, provided one is certain that no impurity has attached to them. To wear shoes inside the mosque is allright if we can be sure that we do not dirty the place.
A.4. The proper time for using the miswak to brush one’s teeth is during the performance of ablutions, or wudhu, when one rinses one’s mouth. People use it before prayers because they misunderstand a Hadith which says: "Had it not been for the fear of making things difficult for my community, I would have ordered that they brush their teeth for every prayer." Another version of this Hadith replaces the word "prayer" with the word "ablution", which explains the Prophet’s purpose, because it is the logical, cleaner and more hygienic way is to rinse one’s mouth after brushing one’s teeth. This can be done only when one is performing ablutions. To use the miswak as one stands to pray does not avail one of the chance to rinse one’s mouth or wash his miswak.
