By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: The holy month of fasting- Ramadan ushers in new energy and vibrancy among the Muslims. Fasting from dawn to dusk and engrossed in ibadat of Almighty, there are often minor doubts and queries which need to be redressed in the light of Islamic Shariah.
Gone are the days when clarification of such doubts required time and long distance travel to meet a person of learning. Solutions to queries related to Ramadan are just a phone call away in Lucknow. Several prominent Muslim clerics have started Ramadan Helpline offering rapid solutions to the rozedars related to their queries.
The service has been well received by the Muslims as volume of calls is increasing with each passing day of Ramadan. Not only from Lucknow, calls are received from far flung areas including Faizabad, Basti, Gorakhpur and some of them even from abroad. “People who belong to Lucknow and are now in foreign lands often call up to ask their query. We are receiving good number of calls daily,” said Naib Imam, Aishbagh Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli who also has initiated a Ramadan Helpline. For the Shia community, the queries are addressed by Chief, Markazi Chand Committee, Maulana Saif Abbas.
The questions asked by the people may appear general but they had put them in piquant spot. Sample these:
Q: Will my roza remain valid if I drench my head?
A: Roza will be batil if full head is drenched, only half head can be made wet.
Q: Do We need to offer Isha Namaz before Taraweeh?
A: Yes, it is farz to offer Isha Namaz.
Q: Can I put some ear drops as it is aching too much?
A: It might be tricky, but Farangi Mahli stated that putting few ear drops does not amount to breaking roza.
Q: Is vaccination and injections allowed if I am regular on them?
A: Go ahead, they will not have any adverse effect on your roza.
Q: Oops, inadvertently I gulped water, what to do?
A: Relax, the roza will be valid as the act was not done intentionally.
Q: I was going for namaz and a dog brushed aside me, Shall I take a bath as I am napak?
A: No need, if the dog is dry you are not napak.
Q: Can I offer namaz wearing Itr?
A: Yes go head, you can wear Itr while offering namaz.
Q: For the pregnant ladies, is it compulsory to observe fast ?
A: No if it will adversely affect the foetus. But she has to observe them later.
Q: How about lighting incense sticks and lobaan for some fragrance in the room?
A: Avoid them, it is not allowed.
Q: Oh no, I swallowed saliva, what shall I do?
A: For just one or two incidents, it is allowed, your roza is valid.
The questions are often asked when the person is really worried and needs answer. He/she may have passed through the same situation and thus the condition often hovers over his/her head. “The Ramadan helpline is very useful service as we are often not aware about small things related to Ramadan. It is good that our queries are taken care of and responded immediately so that we can observe our fast with peace of mind,” said Abdul Rab, a caller on the helpline.
Ramadan Helpline at Lucknow:
0522-2252700, 9415023970, 9335929670, 9415102947, 9839097407, 9415580396