Obligatory of wearing Hijab to recite the Holy Quran

June 1, 2018 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Hijab, Islamic Laws, Taharat, The Holy Quran, Wudhu Tagged Haiz, Hijab, Junub, Menstruation, Non-Mahram, Obligatory Sajdah, Period, Quran, Tayammum, Wudhu

Question 358: Assalam o alaikum, I am a Pakistani and lived my whole life in a different society than the Arabs. So naturally few things I am seeing in this culture are quite different from mine. Today I picked out one such thing for my Question to improve my knowledge.

In subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) females usually cover their heads when they hear the sound of Azan or sound of recitation of Holy Quran.

But, here in my school the Arab teachers teaching Holy Quran never covers their head. They say it’s not necessary to cover the head for recitation of Holy Quran or Azan.

We only need to cover head in front of non-Mahram or for prayer.

Kindly explain is it necessary to cover head or not while recitation of Holy Quran and Listening Azan. Regards

Answer 358: According to Islam, it is not obligatory on you to have Hijab while you are reciting the holy Quran, unless there is a non-Mahram can see you. So, it would be considered as wajib upon you to observe Hijab just because of the presence of non-Mahram. Read More

Direction of Qibla: Offering prayers on a plane

May 6, 2018 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Islamic Laws, Rules of Prayer Tagged Earth, Plane, Planet, Prayer, Qibla, Tayammum, Wudu

Question 327: If someone is traveling on a plane & time of prayer falls within his/her travel time, what will be the direction of Qibla he/she should turn his/her face for salat? According to me, usually Qibla will be downwards (but not east, west, north or south) when you are on a flight….so do you know what is the ruling of major marja-e-keram about this? How offering prayers on a plane should be toward Qibla?

Answer 327: Under no circumstances or conditions is it permissible to discard Salah, as it is wajib. Salah must be offered in any possible situation. If possible, a person who is in flight, space, or any other means of travel should try to settle in a fixed location using the available means in order to complete salah. If a person cannot do that, then they should offer their salah in any way possible, even if they can only use motions. Read More

Ziyarat Ghusl: Performing Ghusl for the Ziyarat of Masoomin (as)

August 19, 2017 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, The Fourteen Infallibles, Ziyarat Tagged Ghusl, Masoomin, Mustahab, Tayammum, Wudu, Ziyarat

Question 596: In terms of ablution, is it then mandatory to do Ziyarat Ghusl or tayammum before entering sacred places or doing salat?

Answer 596: The Fuqaha have mentioned many more Mustahab Ghusls, one of which is Ghusl for the Ziyarat of the Masoomen (A.S.)

The followings are some fatawa of our maraja regarding visiting the holy Shrines of our Infallible Imams (pbuth).

Imam Khomeini (ra): You are supposed to perform Ghusl for the Ziyarat of the holy Shrines of the Imams (as) with the Niyyat of ‘Raja’.

Sayyid Sistani (ha): Performing Ghusl for the Ziyarat of Masoomin (as) has not proved as a Mustahab act, but if one wants to do it, he/she should, as a precaution, perform it with the Niyyat of ‘Raja’, (i.e. with a hope that it might be a desirable act).

Makarem Shirazi (ha), Safi Golpayegani (ha) and the late Bahjat (ra): It is mustahab to perform Ghusl for Ziyarat of Masoomin (as).[1]

Note: If you want to offer the five daily obligatory prayers you have to perform Wudu first. And if there is a barrier preventing water from reaching it you would be allowed to perform Tayammum instead of Wudu or Ghusl.

For further information in this regards, please read the following answers:

Index: Impermissibility of making Wudu after Ghusl, answer 035.

Index: The validity of Ghusl even a barrier finds out after a week, answer 031.

Index: Number of things which invalidate Wudu (ablution), answer 556.

[1] . Risalah Tawzih al-Masael of Nine Marja, edited by Rashedi, Haaj Sheikh Latif, Pgs. 367-368, under issue 645, Payam Edalat Publication, Omidvar Publisher, first edition; The official website of the office of grand Ayatollah Saafi Golpayegani, Q&A section, Fiqhi questions, Mustahab prayer, q 374.

Rules concerning Janabat during the holy month of Ramadan

June 5, 2017 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Fasting Tagged Adhan, Fajr, Ghusl, Ihtilam, Janabat, Kaffarah, Mohtalim, Qada, Ramadan, Suhoor, Tayammum

Question 394: What is the ruling on Ehtelam in Ramadan? If a person doesn’t perform ghusal before Imsak then what about the Fasting? And if a person is taking a nap afternoon, and something like this (2-3 drops not sperms) happens, what is he supposes to do, is ghusal wajib on him? and what about that fasting, is it makrooh, haram, batil? A friend needs help 🙂 Jurisprudent: Ayatollah Sayed Khamenai or Sistani I guess.

Answer 394: If a person enters the state of Janabat during a night in the month of Ramadhan, and does not take Ghusl intentionally till the time left before Adhan is short, he/she should perform tayammum and observe the fast. However, it is a recommended precaution that its qadha is also given.

If a person in Janabat in the month of Ramadhan forgets to take Ghusl and remembers it after one day, he should observe the qadha of the fast of that day. And if he remembers it after a number of days he should observe the qadha of the fasts of all those days, during which he is certain to have been in Janabat. For example, if he is not sure whether he was in Janabat for three days or four, he should observe the qadha of three days.

If a person who does not have time for Ghusl or performing tayammum in a night of Ramadhan gets into state of Janabat, his fast will be void and it will be obligatory upon him to give qadha of that fast, as well as Kaffarah.

If a person investigates whether or not he has enough time at his disposal, and believing that he has time for Ghusl, goes into state of Janabat and when he learns later that actually the time was short, he performs tayammum, his fast will be in order. And if he presumes without any investigation that he has enough time at his disposal and gets into Janabat and when he learns later that the time was short, keeps the fast with tayammum, he should, as a recommended precaution, observe the qadha of that fast.

When a person in Janabat goes to sleep in a night of Ramadhan and then wakes up, the obligatory precaution is that if he is not sure about waking up again, he should not go to sleep before Ghusl, even if he has a faint hope that he might wake up before Fajr if he sleeps again.

If a person in Janabat in the night of Ramadhan feels certain that if he goes to sleep he will wake up before the time of Fajr prayers, and is determined to do Ghusl upon waking up, and oversleeps with that determination till the time of Fajr prayers, his fast will be in order. And the same rule applies to a person who, though not absolutely certain, is hopeful about waking up before the time of Fajr prayers.

Ihtilam During Day Time: If a person observing fast becomes Mohtalim during day time, it is not obligatory on him to do Ghusl at once.

When a person wakes up in the month of Ramadhan after the Fajr prayers and finds that he has become Mohtalim his fast is in order, even if he knows that he became Mohtalim before the Fajr prayers.

Note: There are three characteristics of semen as follows: 1) A sticky liquid that smells like dough. 2) Its color is milky with a hint of either green or yellow. 3) It is ejaculated when orgasm is reached, after which the body feels relaxed.

There must exist three characteristics for it to be called semen. They are: Sexual desire, ejaculation, and resultant relaxation of the body. In sick people, however, sexual desire is sufficient. So, if you saw the drops (as you are sure it is not sperm) that has not the above mentioned sings of the three characteristics it would not regarded as sperm and then no need to perform Jinabat ghusl. As a result, your fast is in order.

When one cannot ascertain whether the fluid emitted from one’s body is semen, urine or something else, it will be treated as semen if it is thrown out with lust and if the body is slackened. If all or some of these signs are not present the fluid will not be treated as semen. In the case of illness, the fluid may not come out with sudden swiftness and the body may not slacken; but if the emission takes place with lust, it will be treated as semen.

So, if he becomes sure the drop is semen or any other najas thing the clothes is treated as impure. Otherwise, it is considered as clean. As a result, if it is not semen performing ghusl is not obligatory upon him.[1]

For further information regarding Kaffarah, please refer to the following answer:

Index: Things from which a person keeping fast must abstain & Kaffarah (Expiation), answer 372.

[1] . Official Website of Sayyid Sistani (ha), Rules concerning Fasting, Remaining in Janabat or Haidh or Nifas till Fajr time; Ayatollah Khamenei (ha), Ajwabat al-Istiftaat, Q 180; Ibid, Istiftaat, rules concerning Jinaba ghusl, Q 177, Pg. 229.

Wiping performed on socks invalidates Wudu

May 5, 2017 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Wudhu Tagged Ahlul Sunnah, Severe Cold, Shoes, Socks, Taqiyyah, Tayammum, Wipe, Wudu

Question 037: What is the ruling in Jafari fiqh about making wudu over socks or are we supposed to take the socks off every time we make wudu?

Answer 037: According to all maraja, wiping performed on socks or shoes is void. If one is unable to remove his socks or shoes because of severe cold, or fear of life, or a robber and the like, there would be no problem to wipe on socks or shoes, and then his wudhu is considered as valid. If there was so cold but one would have enough time to perform his wudhu later under normal condition (on time of prayer) it is impermissible to wipe on the socks and shoes.

According to most of Ahlul Sunnah, wiping on the socks and shoes is permissible, even you are under normal condition. As a result, what the reason which is behind the permissibly of wiping on the socks and shoes is on the time when you are under Taqiyyah, according to Shia scholars.

Note: Ayatollah Sistani (ha) says: according to an obligatory precaution, one can wipe on the socks or shoes, and then perform tayammum. If a person is under Taqiyyah (hiding one’s faith), it would be enough for him to wipe on his socks and shoes.[1]

[1] . Tawzih al-Masael (with annotation), Sayyid Roohullah al-Moosavi al-Khomeini, Vol. 1, Pg. 159, question 259, eighth edition, 1424 A.H. – For further information in this regards, please refer to: Moghniyah, Muhammad Javad, Al-Fiqh ‘ala al-Madhahib el Khamsah, Vol. 1, Pg. 37; Makarem Shirazi, Naser, Shia Pasokh Midahad (Shia Answers), Pg. 207.

Making Wudu when you are going to bed

March 14, 2017 by Admin Posted in All Q&A, Ethics and Mysticism Tagged Bed, Blessing, Night, Purity, Tayammum, Wudu

Question 032: I have read two things: 1) It is recommended to be in wudu when you go to bed at night and 2) certain things invalidates wudu, including being unconscious/asleep. So, why is it recommended to go to bed in wudu when you just have to redo it when you wake up? Is there some sort of narration that says wudu protects you during sleep? If not, then what is the purpose in this practice.
Answer 032: Although, a sleep which overwhelms the senses of sight and hearing (as a result of which the eyes do not see, and the ears do not hear) invalidate wudu, but one of the reason which is behind performing wudu before going to sleep and has been recommended by the Infallibles (pbuth) is that the wudu help the soul of a believer to have a divine and positive inspirations during sleep. Unlike those who have been done bad actions during day they would dreamed the actions during night.

The following are some ahadith our Infallibles (pbuth) recommended us perform wudu:

The Prophet (saws) has said, ‘Perform ablution frequently and Allah will increase your life, and if you are able to be in a state of purity throughout the night and day, then do so, for if you die in the state of purity, you will die a martyr.[1]
The Prophet (saws) said, ‘The man sleeping in the state of purity is as the man praying and fasting.[2]

Imam Sadiq (as) said: whoever performs wudu before going to bed, the bed would be like the mosque for him. And if he remembers in the bed that didn’t perform wudu he can do tayammum on the coverlet, so if he sleeps with wudu or tayammum he likes offering prayers as long as he remembers Allah (SWT).[3]

Imam Ali (as) said: None of the Muslims are going to bed while they haven’t performed wudu and if there is no water they can do tayammum, because Angels take the soul of a believer (who sleeps) and climbs into the sky and Allah (SWT) accepts it and send blessing to it; if he is doomed to die He keeps the soul and if not the Angles return it to his body.[4]

[1] . Amali al-Mufid, p. 60, no. 5.

[2] . Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 25999.

[3] . Mahasen, Pg. 47, H. 64.

[4] . Khisal, Vol. 2, Pg. 402; Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 10, Pg. 91.