I was raised a Muslim and know what is halaal and what is haraam. At one point in
my life I forgot my religion. During that period I committed adultery and the result
of that was a child. Now Allaah has blessed me by guiding me back to the true
path. Allaah is also making the child’s mother’s heart lean towards Islaam, and in
sha Allaah she will become a Muslim. We are not married and I don’t know if it is
halaal for me to marry her since we had a child during my dark days. What do I
do?
The other question is: I work in a company that is quite a distance from my home
and the mosque. What do I do about Salaat that is due during the day while I am
working? I can’t be sure whether the place is taahir (clean) so I could pray in one
of the rooms. Can I delay the salaat until Maghrib and do all three at once, or is
there a better solution?
Who has guided you, for you would not be guided if Allah
had not guided you. Praise be to Allah Who has brought you back to the Straight
Path of Truth. We ask Allah to make you one of those of whom He says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance,
and bestows on them their piety." [Muhammad 47:17]
With regard to your first question, we have already answered it on this website.
Briefly, it is permissible for you to marry this woman if you both repent to
Allaah. The child should be named after its mother, according to the consensus
of the scholars.
In response to your second question, it is not permissible at all to offer prayers
outside their proper time. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
". . . Verily the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed times."
[al-Nisaa’ 4:103]
"Then, there has succeeded them a people who have given up the prayer
[i.e., have made their prayers to be lost, either by not offering them, or by
not offering them perfectly, or by not offering them in their proper, fixed
times, etc.] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell."
[Maryam 19:59]
"So woe to those performers of prayers who delay their prayer from
their stated fixed times." [al-Maa‘oon 107:3-4]
It is not necessary to know whether the floor of the office or workplace is
clean or not, because the basic rule is that any place is clean unless you come
to know otherwise. The Prophet (Peace & Blessings
of Allaah be upon Him) said: "The earth has been made for me a mosque and
a means of purification. . ." So choose a suitable spot and pray there
at the appropriate times. Beware of delaying your prayers, especially Salaat
al-‘Asr (the mid-afternoon prayer), because the Prophet
(Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: "Whoever misses al-‘asr,
it is as if he lost his family and his wealth." (Agreed
upon; this version was reported by Muslim, no. 992).
Refer to question # 333 for information on a similar
matter.
I ask Allaah to help us all to repent sincerely and to adhere to His religion
and understand it properly. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.