My friends and I get together one night a week to recite a few verses of the Book of Allah, so as to learn how to recite the Qur'an, then after that we talk about various things. But we heard that it is not permissible to gather to recite Qur'an and that is only permissible for the purpose of memorization. Is this true?

Which is more important: dealing with feelings and thoughts that Allaah dislikes, such as destructive envy, hatred, arrogance, showing off, thinking highly of one's deeds, hard-heartedness, etc., which form the evil that resides in the heart, or focusing on doing outward naafil deeds such as prayer, fasting and other acts of worship and fulfilling vows even though those other things are present in the heart? Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good.

1. I would like to know the dividing line between hypocrisy and courtesy, because in many cases I feel that there is some two-facedness in people's behaviour and dealings, based on their interests and whims and desires, and it is said that it is just courtesy. Is this true? 

2. Is it possible for true friendship to be mixed with a little hypocrisy? I have a friend who does not love me as I thought she did. She held a special place in my heart that was shared by no one else, but recently I found out that my status with her is zero, and her behaviour with me for many years was superficial. I thought, and everyone was certain about that, that our friendship was strong, and until now I do not know how to end this friendship after finding out what is really going on. 

3. Can the way this friend behaved be regarded as hypocrisy? 

4. What is the punishment for hypocrisy in friendship?

If one Muslim brother loves another Muslim brother, does he have to say to this brother "I love you for the sake of Allah?

Is it permissible to ask the Muslims -when meeting with them- about the state of their faith or their hearts? One of them said to me that this is a matter of the unseen and that it is not appropriate to ask about it.

What are our duties towards our Muslim brothers who have been stricken by calamities and disasters throughout the world?

If the sin involves the rights of another person then what form should repentance take?

I am from a Muslim background, but I never used to offer the obligatory prayers and even when I tried to pray once, I did not do it right. In other words I did not prepare to do it in the proper manner. I ask Allah to forgive me. I heard that the one who does not pray is a disbeliever and is not a Muslim, but whoever offers the five daily prayers, or one or two of them and omits the rest, is regarded as a Muslim. Also, I did not pay zakah on my wealth, but for at least two years I have completed the fast of Ramadan, and I intend to continue doing so. I want to learn how to pray and make it part of my life, along with other acts of worship. 

Is it obligatory for me to pay zakah for all these many years (when I did not pay it), and to make up the days that I did not fast at the time when I was not praying? 

Please note that I have now reached the age of thirty-one years; perhaps you will understand that this may cause me a great deal of hardship; to ward off that hardship, can I start over? Will Allah forgive me if I do that?

I want to make my children keen to pray, because they will pray once then forget about prayer many times. I always advise them and pray to Allah to guide them. How can I encourage them and make them love prayer?.

I read the words: "The scholars are unanimously agreed that fatwas may change according to time, place, local custom and situation so it is essential to take new developments into account". But I am not convinced of this. Is this view correct? I hope that you can answer with evidence from shareeطah and the Sunnah. May Allah reward you with good.

Firstly: I apologize for asking such a question, and so that there will be no room for doubt about my intention I will say that I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and I am completely content with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as my Prophet.   

I am asking about the Sunnah, because there are many reports of a single hadith. For example, we may find in Saheeh al-Bukhaari a hadith that appears in a form different than that in which it appears in Saheeh Muslim. Why isn't the Sunnah like the Holy Qur'aan? What is the difference between the Sunnah and the Holy Qur'aan? Is the Sunnah part of the Wahy that was revealed to the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) or is it just his words and deeds? Is it one of the characteristics of Prophethood or what?

Sometimes we hear opinions that were narrated from the Sahaabah, or sometimes other opinions that were narrated from the imams (leading scholars) on various occasions, although the basic principle directs us to follow the Qur'an and Sunnah. When does the Muslim have to follow the opinion of the Sahaabi or imam? How can we reconcile between this and the obligation of following the Qur'an and Sunnah?