Question: If two people have a dispute, is it permissible for one of them to go to a kafir court in order to get his right that he would otherwise not be able to get?

Shaykh Tahir Wyatt: If he believes that the law [of the court] to which he is complaining does not contradict Islam in this particular matter, then it is permissible. Otherwise, it is not.

Reference: Silsilatul Hudaa wan-Noor (Series of Guidance and Light), Tape #624

Question: What is the ruling on wearing trousers in the following scenarios: If they are tight? What if they are loose-fitting, but worn in a way that resembles the style of Westerners? And what if the style is different [but loose-fitting]? What is the ruling of wearing suits and ties and other clothes worn by non-Muslims?

 Does the ruling change in the event that wearing them becomes custom among the Muslims, such that it is not believed that there is an intention of imitating non-Muslims? Finally, what attire is it permissible for a Muslim to wear in these times? What is the ruling on all of these things? May Allah have mercy on you.

Shaykh Tahir Wyatt: The general rule is that it is permissible to wear anything except for that which the Sharee’ah has specifically prohibited, like gold and silk for males barring cases of scabies and other skin diseases. Wearing trousers is not specific to non-Muslims. However, wearing tight trousers that clearly identify the body parts including the awrah[1] (private area) is impermissible. As for wearing loose-fitting trousers, this is permissible as long as they are not worn with the intention of imitating non-Muslims. The same ruling applies to suits and ties, as this attire is not something specific to non-Muslims. Therefore, it is permissible to wear them, unless the one wearing them is doing so with the intention of imitating non-Muslims. So the general rule is that all types of clothing are permissible except that which legislative evidence indicates is prohibited, as has preceded. And with Allah lies success.

May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.

Footnote
[1] The men’s awrah is from his navel to his knees.

Reference: Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (Vol. 24, p. 41 #4257)

Question: This question is from a group of brothers living in the West. Many of our scholars have given fatawaa stating the permissibly of non-Muslims entering the masjid when there is a benefit. From amongst those scholars were Bin Baz, Al-Albaani, al-Uthaymeen, (may Allah have mercy on them), and it is also the fatwa of The Permanent Committee [for Islamic Research and Verdicts]. As for the Eid prayer, it will be performed in a public park with permission granted by the local government; thus, it is quite possible that local and security officials will attend [i.e. you cannot prevent someone from coming to a public park]. In fact, we would like to invite some of these officials so that they can witness the excellence of Islam, listen to its virtues, and understand its rejection of extremism, terrorism and other accusations made through the media. This is especially important since we live under a non-Muslim government and these relationships will help repel evil directed towards Islam and the Muslims. So, we would like some advice from you as it relates to this affair. May Allah reward you with good.

Shaykh Tahir Wyatt: Firstly, the only Masjid that is not permissible for the non-Muslims to enter is al-Masjid al-Haram (i.e. Makkah). As for any other masjid, there is no text (i.e. Qur’an or Sunnah) which prevents a non-Muslim , whether Christian, Jew or Idolater, from entering the masjid for the purpose of hearing the message of Islam. So the only masjid [that they cannot enter] is al-Masjid al-Haram, as Allah mentioned:

“Verily the Mushrikun (i.e. polytheists) are impure so let them not come near Masjid al Haram after this year…” (9:28)

As for any other masjid, then there is leeway in this issue, [especially] if there is a possibility for them to listen to the message of Islam. Allah says:

“If one of the Mushrikun seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah” (9:6)

Listening to the message of Islam and clarifying that the religion of Islam is one of mercy and gentleness, one that calls to the servitude of Allah alone and strictly prohibits the worship of human beings – there is no doubt that this will be a cause for the guidance of these people. And I don’t think that anyone from the scholars who are firmly grounded in knowledge would say that it is impermissible for the non-Muslims to enter into the Masjid.

The Questioner said: “No. O noble sheikh, what they are saying is that ‘calling the government officials who are non-Muslims is not from our way (i.e. manhaj)’ and the likes of this type of speech.”

The Sheikh responded by saying: “The Prophet directed his da’wah towards the kings of the earth. He sent messengers to call them to Islam. He sent a messenger to the King of Rome, another to the King of Persia, another to the Emperor of Egypt, and he also sent messengers to the King of Ethiopia; and Allah says to you:

“Indeed you have in the Messenger of Allah a good example to follow…” (33:21)

So if it is possible to call the leaders and government officials to the religion of Islam, then this is a benefit for them as well as benefit to the call (i.e. da’wah) to Allah’s religion.

Question: Sheikh more and more Muslim families are turning to vasectomies as a choice of birth control. What is the legal postion on this method?

Response: Alhamdulillah: The base rule in Islam for everything not directly related to ritual worship is that it is permissible. Therefore, what we eat, how we sleep, what we wear, etc, is deemed 'halal' unless the texts and/or principles of Islam prove its impermissibility. Since birth control is not directly related to a ritual act of worship, any form would be considered permissible in the absence of a prohibiting text. However, there are a number of texts that restrict the absolute permissibility of birth control. The Prophet (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace) has encouraged men to marry prolific women and mentioned his desire to have a large ummah, which indicates that having many children is desirable in Islam. This does not mean that TEMPORARY forms of birth control are impermissible, but this issue requires a more detailed discussion not suited for the nature of this correspondence.

As it relates to the question at hand, namely vasectomies, there is an explicit text that indicates its impermissibility. In a hadith collected in Sahih Muslim the Prophet (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace) prohibited Uthman ibn Math'oon (may Allah be pleased with him) from "at-tabattul", which, in the case, refers to celibacy. Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), a great companion and the narrator of this hadeeth, went on to say, "Had the Prophet permitted [celibacy], we would have castrated ourselves." The scholars have extracted from this hadith, in addition to other texts and principles, that any surgery leading to permanent sterility is impermissible except in cases where pregnancy would be life-threatening or cause severe harm. In addition to the fact that a vasectomy constitutes permanent sterilization, there are many men who have chronic pain even years after the procedure, and some even report losing a great deal of ejaculatory sensation.

Some final advice: I do not know the identity or circumstances of the questioner, but I am aware that a man will often opt to have a vasectomy after deciding that he and his wife do not want any more children. The wife may not want to take birth control pills due to unwanted side effects, and condom use may be inconvenient for a number of reasons. This, however, does not justify doing something forbidden. A man simply cannot guarantee the future. His current wife may not live until tomorrow and he may want to remarry. His current marriage is not guaranteed to last forever; divorce occurs even among people who still love each other. Some women actually encourage their husbands to have vasectomies as a sign of devotion to their marriage and their everlasting love. This is not permissible! If the spouses have decided that they do not want more children, they should explore other forms of temporary contraception. And Allah knows best.

Question 2: What is the response to those men who lay claim to the reversibility of the (vasectomy) procedure?

Response: If a man is NOT attempting a permanent method of birth control, why opt for a vasectomy in the first place? One of the greatest maxims in Islam is "actions are by intentions", and the intention towards permanent sterility is impermissible. I will take the liberty of assuming that almost all men who get vasectomies are intending to be sterile for the rest of their lives. The fact that there is a reversal surgery does not change this ruling because the impermissible intention still remains. Additionally, I am not aware of any medical professional that can guarantee a return of fertility after a vasectomy reversal, even though some claim high success rates. Furthermore, with the presence of alternatives, such as IUDs, BCPs, etc. vasectomies are unnecessary. For those reasons, combined with the possible undesired side effects mentioned previously, the "latest...technology" cited in the question does not change the ruling. And Allah knows best.