I suffer from absentmindedness and constant worries during prayer, what should I do?
You should take refuge in Allah from the whispers of the devil and life worries. You should also seek Allah`s help and offer a lot of Istigfar (seeking the forgiveness of Allah). And Allah Knows Best.
My maternal aunt`s son is living abroad; however, both our families have recited Al-Fatehah declaring our engagement. We have been engaged for three months, but the marriage contract wasn`t concluded because he couldn`t come to Jordan since my mother and brothers are abroad. Is it allowed that he sees my picture without Hijab knowing that the marriage contract will be concluded at the first opportunity?
All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
Betrothal is a promise to marry, so your betrothed is a stranger to you and isn`t permitted to look at you even through a picture. Once your marriage contract is concluded, you become husband and wife and he can look at you as much as he wants. Moreover, he may deputize his father to carry out the procedures of the marriage on his behalf. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
Is it permissible to pay the expiation of an oath to a charitable party as it feeds the poor and needy such as Tkiyet Um Ali?
There is no harm on authorizing someone to handle the expiation of another to the poor and needy, since Shafiee's jurists stated that authorizing someone for the purpose of distributing Zakah, expiation and vow is permissible as stated in [Mughni Al-Muhtajj,vol.3/pp.237]. At last, the intention of the person who intends to authorize someone else suffices in this regard. And Allah Knows Best.
What is the ruling of Sharia on Zina and what is the punishment for the unmarried man who commits this grave sin?
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
The punishment for Zina (Adultery and extramarital relations) is the same for men and women: 100 lashes for the unmarried to be witnessed by a group of the believers. Definitely, this person has incurred the wrath of Allah; however, he must make repentance immediately, refrain from this grave sin, and seek Allah`s forgiveness. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
