I am a fresh Imam in the US. Yesterday an American man declared his conversion to Islam Alhamdulillah. He was addicted to alcohol and had a girlfriend and used to do a lot of haram stuff like that. I see that if I told him right now to stop everything haram he used to do at one shot he may reconsider his conversion to Islam. What is the best approach from the Islamic point of view in this case? Fi Aman Allah!Imam.

Alhamdu-li-llah wa as-Salatu wa as-Salamu ‘ala Rasool-il-llah,

Al-Bukhari reports from ‘Aisha, she said:
“‏ ‏إنما نزل أول ما نزل منه [القرآن] سورة من ‏ ‏المفصل ‏ ‏فيها ذكر الجنة والنار حتى إذا ‏ ‏ثاب ‏ ‏الناس إلى الإسلام نزل الحلال والحرام ولو نزل أول شيء لا تشربوا الخمر لقالوا لا ندع الخمر أبدا ولو نزل لا تزنوا لقالوا لا ندع الزنا أبداً”
“The first part of the Quran to come down was a chapter from al-Mufassal, in which there was a reminder about the paradise and the hell fire, so when the people returned [to their lord] the verses pertaining to the lawful and unlawful were revealed and had it been that the first revelation was don’t drink wine, they would have said: we shall never forego wine, and had it been, don’t commit fornication, they would have said we shall never give up fornication.” In light of this hadeeth, I would recommend that you don’t overwhelm new Muslims early with details. If you review the hadeeth of the man who didn�t know how to pray and learn from it how the Prophet taught the beginners, you will find simplification for a beginner to be his way. You should also assign a certain knowledgeable person to mentor that new Muslim, something like a big brother or a big sister. That is likely to cause less confusion for him or her and to be consistent. That is better than multiple people teaching him different things that may be conflicting.
Now, that all doesn’t mean giving that new Muslim misinformation when he asks you. We have no authority to change the deen for any reason.
Allah says,
“But say not - for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,- “This is lawful, and this is forbidden,” so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah, will never prosper.” [Q 16:116]
The sins you mentioned are enormities in Islam and should be given priorities, still with wisdom because he may need the help of a physician for instance to stop his addictions.
So, work to enhance their iman, and tell the truth, but it doesn’t have to be all told at once. Graduality is important.

Allah knows best.

Assalamu alaikom, yesterday ,I was fasting to make up some of the days I missed in Ramadan and my mom prepared a dessert for us where she used store bought dough, which I never buy myself because I doubt that some of the ingredients might be haram. I would also never eat anything I doubt, so I was eating it unknowingly and even when I found out I finished the piece that I was eating even though I had my doubts. Did I sin in doing so and does this affect my fast for that day because I might�ve consumed something haram? Thank you.

Alhamdu-li-llah wa as-Salatu wa as-Salamu ‘ala Rasool-il-llah,

I commend you for your pious caution. May Allah grant you more. However, regarding this particular issue, I feel that this may be bordering on excessiveness. The companions of the Prophet were simpler people, and, as authentically reported by Abu Dawood, when they went to Persia, they ate the cheese of the Zoroastrians, while knowing it is made of the enzymes extracted from the animals they eat, which are not lawful for us to consume. They did that because those enzymes are najis (filthy) through proximity, not in their essence, and they are used in trivial amounts that should be exempt. Allah says in reference to the Messenger PBUH,
“وما أنا من المتكلفين”
“And I am not of those who are excessive/ superfluous.” May Allah reward you for your feelings of unease, but you didn’t do wrong, because it is extremely unlikely that this dough will have anything haram.

Allah knows best.

assalamualaikum my question is about divorce. Actually i was given talaq from my husband last year. we were living together. we had some problems and we thought that divorce is the best solution. Well he signed 3 papers of talaq at the same time in the presence of 3 other persons and me. i want to know if the talaq is valid since im going to get married again soon. i am in doubt as some other people are telling that its not valid since we were living together and were having a physical relationship few days before the divorce. please let me know as soon as possible thank you Allah Hafiz

Alhamdu-li-llah wa as-Salatu wa as-Salamu ‘ala Rasool-il-llah,

Though that divorce is impermissible, since you were having conjugal relations a few days prior to it, it is valid according to the vast majority. At times, the position upheld by Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymeah and some of the righteous predecessors regarding the invalidity of this talaq is used to make some concessions in cases of dire hardship where the family breakdown leads to much harm. This doesn’t pertain to your case.
Sister, you are divorced according to the four respected madhahib.

Allah knows best.

I went to a fortune teller 5 years ago and I believed in all the things she told me now I want to repent for believing in fortune telling. I know what I need to do to repent, regret it, try to not do it again and in my case also I must not believe anything she said, this is where the problem comes. now (5 years on) I can only remember some of the things she told me, I have forgotten the rest. I remember after I visited her I went home and wrote down everything she told me in a book, I still have the book. if I look in it now I will be able to recall all the things she said to me (including the ones I forgot). I was so ready to repent, I had deep regret in my heart, I was determined to never commit this mistake again and anything which I do remember she told me I completely disbelieve in them now then this person came and confused me. he said my tauba will only be valid if I disbelieve in EVERYTHING she told me, I can’t because I have forgotten most of it, he then said I have to look in my book (which contains everything she said to me) and I have to disbelieve in all of them only then will my tauba be valid. is he correct? anything which I do remember I disbelieve in should I just ignore him and repent or is he right do I need to disbelieve in all that she told me in order for my tauba to be valid. this man really confused me please tell me what to do I just want to repent

Alhamdu-li-llah wa as-Salatu wa as-Salamu ‘ala Rasool-il-llah,

This advice you received is entirely mistaken. Please throw that book away and ignore the advice.
May Allah accept our and your repentance.

Allah knows best.

I just want to inquire about a situation where I was doing some volunteer work for a person by making some flyers and printing them , then she would pay me the money that I spent at the printshop and she gave me about a dollar more than the amount that I payed .I took it hesitatingly from her,as she told me not to worry about it .Is this considered a form of riba because I took more than the amount I payed ? Should I give this dollar for charity? Thank you.

Alhamdu-li-llah wa as-Salatu wa as-Salamu ‘ala Rasool-il-llah,

No, this is money that she willingly permitted you to have. The Prophet PBUH said,
“لا يحل مال مسلم إلا بطيبة من نفسه”
“A Muslim�s wealth is not permissible to others unless he gives it willingly”
Riba is exchanging money for money with an increase or the exchange of certain usurious items. Your case has nothing to do with Riba.

Allah knows best.