New Answers

1.The sacred months are four: Rajab, Dhul-Qa`dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram. 2.What appears to be the case is that reward and punishment are multiplied during the sacred months in quality, but not in quantity, because a good deed done during the sacred months is greater than a good deed done at other times that are not sacred, and a bad deed done during the sacred months is more grievous than a bad deed done at other times that are not sacred.

The view that is most likely to be correct is that of the majority of scholars, which is that a dog’s saliva is impure (najis), and it is not permissible to pray in a garment on which there is anything of a dog’s saliva, until it has been purified in the manner explained above. As for the view of the Malikis, that a dog’s saliva is pure, and there is no blame on the one who prays wearing that garment [on which there is some dog’s saliva, and his prayer is valid, and he does not have to do anything, if someone follows this view [of Malik] because he is satisfied with the evidence, or he follows the view of one of the imams or scholars who hold that view, then he is not to be denounced, because the difference of opinion regarding this matter is an acceptable difference of opinion, and each group has its evidence which it believes supports its view.