QUESTION

Is the plucking of the eyebrows permitted?

I have recently received a good job offer to work as a fraud investigator.

My job will involve investigating fraud and crime within the gambling industry.

The role is with the Gambling Commission in Birmingham, a new regulatory body set up by the Government in order to control/regulate the gambling industry ie. casinos, gaming machines, bingo, internet betting sites etc.

The duties of the job itself seem fine as I am looking into criminal activity and fraud and trying to prevent that in conjuction with the relevant Law Enforcement bodies. However, the nature of the field is obviously dubious.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

I recently asked a question about going to the masjid for Qiyam-Al-Layl and you replied that women should not go to the masjid.

I'm a bit confused because the Prophet (SAW) never prevented the women goin to the masjid and even encouraged them to go for the eid prayer.

After what you said i will probably not go for Qiyam-Al-Layl because i would be alone at night. However, I would like to go for jummah and tarawee.

I know some people say women should not go because of the fitna but why is it ok for women to go to drop the kids to school, go to the supermarkets, work etc. but when it come to the house of Allah they are not allowed.

We have the same spiritual needs as men, praying in jummat had more reward, although, i know it says its better for women to pray in the comfines of a room in their home. But if it wasn't allowd then the Prophet (SAW) would have forbade it and not encouraged.

Please explain because I find a lot of peace goin to the masjid now and again.

QUESTION

I wish to know if Zakat is due in the follwoing case:

My wife and I both borrowed an interest free loan of more than £100,000 as a deposit to purchase a house from our brother in law. On top of this I borrowed a further £150,000 from an Islamic bank as a mortgage for the same property in London. Thus, we are effectively in debt of £250,000 since February this year. My income is in excess of £35,000/yr. Do I have to pay any Zakat on any savings after a year and my wife on her jewellery which is in excess of the Nisab in weight?

Is it permissible to consider more than one person at the same time as a prospective spouse? Or should you consider one person at a time individually? At the moment i am considering someone for marriage but because i feel slightly apprehensive at times (perhaps it is just waswasa.. Allahu A'lam), can i keep my options open and consider other people at the same time? Or does that remove the barakah from the situation because i am not soley depending on my istikhara?