could you please advise us about how improve our manners, and raise our children to have good manners? As many of the scholars mentioned, they studied under their teachers for years to learn proper manners. I am very concerned because it seems that we are surrounded by bad examples and role models, and the standards of society are very low. I am a revert to Islam so I was not raised with good Islamic manners. I don't have the knowledge or training to be a very good role model. My childrens TV watching is very restricted, but they still interact with cousins and friends who pick up bad words and attitudes from TV. We also educate our children at home. But as much as we shelter them and instruct them, they seem to pick up some of the attitudes of the greater society. I am torn between whether I should continue trying to remain patient and remind them gently, or I should become more strict to enforce better behavior. We would really appreciate any advice that you could offer.

A young man proposed to a girl, but when the marriage contract was done, the girl’s father had a disagreement with his daughter’s fiancé, and refused to do the marriage contract. But the girl, her mother and her brother wanted the marriage to go ahead, so they left their house and rented an apartment, and they left the father who refused to do the marriage contract, and the marriage contract was done; the maternal uncle of the girl was the one who acted as her guardian (wali) in this marriage contract, in the presence of her brother. They argued that the father does not pray and they did not want him to be the wali of his daughter. How valid is this marriage contract?

Is it sufficient to use tissue only when cleaning oneself after defecating, or is it essential to use water?.

What is the ruling on eating the food (rice, meat, chicken or cake) that is given to us by a Christian friend that he made for his birthday or for Christmas or the Christian New Year? What is your opinion on congratulating him by saying, "Insha Allaah you will continue to do well this year" so as to avoid saying Kull 'aam wa antum bi khayr (approx. "season's greetings") or "Happy New Year" etc?

May Allah reward you with good for answering my question, but I think that it needs further explanation of the issue of sprinkling hot water on the private part, because the wet dream occurred at the time of ‘Asr prayer, and I have a problem, which is that maniy and even madhiy continue to come out for a considerable period after they are first emitted. It often happens with me that one of them is emitted at the time of prayer, whether that is because of thinking or because of a wet dream, but in order not to miss the prayer, I sprinkle hot water (on my private part) so that whatever is left will come out. Please note that I do not feel any desire when I use this method. Now I am going to make up the fast of that day that I told you about, in sha Allah, but what should I do if maniy continues to come out whilst I am praying? Should I pray in that case?

A Sikh friend of mine was given some literature to read. While reading it, he raised this objection: “You say that Allah speaks to the prophets and through these special people He sent a universal way of life for all mankind. The question is, why is such an important way of life prescribed in this one particular language [Arabic], which is used only in one particular geographic location? Why could not that Almighty Allah create one universal language for all of mankind so that all people could benefit from that equally? Arabic Qur'an is certainly beneficial for the Arabs only.”

A non-Muslim friend of mine asked how I could prove the existence of God and why He has given us life, and what its purpose is?
My answer did not satisfy him, please tell me what I should tell him?