Chatting
Q1: Is it permissible for a girl to chat with a na-mahram on the internet?
A1: If there is a fear that a girl or a boy may be drawn towards sin, it is not permissible. Normally chatting ends up in a sin for both sides.
Cloning
A1: Human cloning is not permissible because of a secondary ruling.
Q2: What is your ruling about animal cloning?
A2: Animal cloning is permissible.
Q3: What is your ruling regarding the cloning of animals or human beings?
A3: Producing animals through non-sexual means is allowed, however producing humans, because of a secondary ruling is not permissible.
Clothing
Q1: Clothing products in the West are made in many countries (China, India, etc…) and many leather products do not specify what kind of leather it is. In this case, what is the ruling on wearing such products?
A1: If the leather is artificial, there would be no Ishkaal (objection) in it. However, if you know for sure that the leather is natural and comes from an animal, which has not been slaughtered according to Islamic rites, it would be Najis. But if you are in doubt and you do not know whether or not the animal, whose hide has been turned into leather, has been slaughtered according to Islamic rites or there is a possibility (chance) that it might, in this case the leather is clean but prayer is not Saheh (valid) with it.
Q2: What is the ruling on small items made of leather such as a belt, cap or a patch on one’s pants?
A2: If it is smaller than the size of a satir (something by which genitals could be covered), there would be no objection in it.
Q3: What is your ruling on products made of leather made in non-Muslim countries – things like shoes, wallets, purses, etc..
A3: Same as the first answer (A1).
Q4: A lot of the cars made in North America and Europe now boast leather interiors however there is no mention of where the leather comes from or from what source. What is the ruling on this?
A4: Same as the first answer (A1).
Contraceptives
Q1: A woman wishes to have temporary birth control and there are only three ways for it but from which two ways, that is taking tablets and injection, are harmful to her health as after using that she suffers from a health problem. Now the third and the last way is to fix up a coil in her body for the temporary period and for that she has to show the private part to the lady doctor. Do you allow this as she already has two babies.
A1: It is not permissible, and it is only allowed in the case that she gets it done by her husband.
Q2: I have two children and a lot of financial problems. I do not want to become pregnant or have another child. Can I prevent pregnancy by using contraceptives?
A2: In your situation, where you already have two children, and will not be able to raise and give proper training to more than two children, there is no Ishkaal (objection) in preventing pregnancy.
Q3: What is the Islamic verdict on birth control in all of its forms – for both men and women? This is for methods, which are temporary and reversible?
A3: There is no Ishkaal (objection) in it, if the method is not permanent and irreversible.
Q4: What is the Islamic verdict on birth control in all of its forms – for both men and women? This is for methods, which are permanent and not reversible?
A4:It is not permissible.
Chess
Q1: What is your ruling on playing chess? Does this ruling hold the same for chess on the computer?
A1: Playing chess is haram unless no money is gambled on and it is proven that chess board is no longer an instrument of gambling. Playing chess on computer is not haram, if no money is involved.
Q2: Is it permissible to play chess, according to Ayatollah Lankarani?
A2: According to his ruling (fatwa), first it must be ascertained that chessboard is not a means of gambling in the local Ufr (custom), and until this has been determined, playing chess is not allowed.
Q3: According to Ayatullah Lankarani, is it permissible to play chess? If one mujtahid considers a thing haram and another mujtahid does not, can a muqallid of the first mujtahid make taqlid in this matter from another mujtahid?
A3: According to the fatwa of Ayatullah Lankarani, playing chess is haram unless it firstly involves no form of financial gambling, and secondly it can be proved that the chessboard used has not been used as a means of gambling. According to the ruling of Ayatullah Khomeini, a muqallid must only follow the taqlid of his chosen mujtahid.
Q4: I was wondering if you could answer the following question for me. Is Chess Haram or is it alright to play? As well I would like to know the reason why it is or it isn't alright?
A4: A - Playing chess is haram unless no money is gambled on and it is proven that chess board is no longer an instrument of gambling.
B. The Quran states explicitly that gambling is haram. Generally speaking, Islam has opposed very strongly gambling and that which is a means or an instrument of gambling. You can, with a brief study see as a result of gambling, what capital was lost, what amount of thought and time of men was spent on this useless thing. It is because of this that playing with the instrument of gambling, even though money is not involved is haram.
Besides all that, gambling has been clearly prohibited in the Quran and it is has been mentioned as one of the tools of the Devil in order to create enmity among people. In the Holy Quran, Surah the Food V:91 "The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer…"
In this holy verse the wisdom behind the prohibition of gambling is the creation of enmity and hatred amongst the people, This is something natural, because if someone, through gambling, gets the capital and savings of another, without effort, hatred will be created between them. Furthermore, the traditions (Ahadith) show the prohibition of gambling unambiguously. These traditions are located in the book Wasail Al-Shia, Vol. 17.
Co-education
Q1: What is the fatwa about co-education? Is co-education permissible?
A1: If there is an evil in co-education, it is not allowed and Islam does not permit it. Normally, co-education is coupled with evil.
Clothes in Prayer
Q1: What is the verdict about wearing black clothes in prayer? Is the tradition that says 'wearing black clothes during prayer is undesirable' authentic?
A1: Yes, the tradition which says so is correct but wearing black clothes when mourning the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s.) and the other Infallibles is desirable.
Q2: Should a woman wear socks and cover her feet while praying?
A2: It is not necessary for a woman to cover her feet while offering her prayer. But she must cover them in front of a na-Mahram.
Q3: Is it permissible to pray with cat hair on your clothing?
A3: If a person knows that there is cat hair on his clothe or on his body, his prayer is not valid. Q4: Clothing products in the West are made in many countries (China, India, etc…) and many leather products do not specify what kind of leather it is. In this case, what is the ruling on wearing such products?
A5: If the leather is artificial, there is no objection to offering prayers with it. If it is natural, and there is likelihood that it might be najis, it is considered clean but you cannot offer your prayers with it. Similar rule applies to the leather when you maintain doubt about the leather.
Congregational Prayer
Q1: I have a few friends who perform Namaz. Is it permissible for us to perform congregational prayer with one of us as Imam, if there is no confidence that he surpasses the others in personal qualities? What is the conditions which a prayer leader must bear?
A1: It is Mustahab to perform congregational prayers and you can perform prayers behind one of your friends who is Adil (just) and whose Qiraat (recitation) is correct.
Q2: I know that a person should pronounce Takbir, Zikr and Dua (in prayers) in such a manner that he should at least hear the whisper. Is it necessary congregational prayers? Some brothers say that Ma'moom (follower) shouldn't pronounce Tasbihat Arba'ah and Zikrs in such a way that other followers hear him. Are they right?
A2: There is no objection, if one recites it more quietly. It is however abominable (Makruh) for the follower (Ma'moom) to recite the zikrs so loudly that the prayer leader hears him.
Q3: I am 19 years old and a convert to Islam of five months. My question is, being a practitioner of Twelver Jaf'ari Islam is it permissible for me to pray behind a Sunni Imam for Salaatul-Jummah and for regular congregational prayers, and is it required to prostrate on Turbah inside a mosque?
A3: Taking part in Friday and congregational prayers of the Ahl-e Sunnat is permissible in areas where Taqiyah (dissimulation) is required. If you are not going to face a problem, you should, as far as possible, prostrate on a stone or anything upon which Sajda (prostration) is permissible. Prostration on carpets in the case of Taqiyah or out of necessity is permissible and there would be no objection in it. But if you are not offering with them out of Taqiyah it is not necessary to attend their congregational prayers and you must offer your prayers separately.
Q4: Is it permissible to perform prayers behind a Sunni Muslim at any time, or is it permissible only when there is the necessity to show the solidarity of Muslims before the representatives of other faiths?
A4: It is only permissible to pray behind a Sunni Muslim, to show the solidarity of Muslims on when a person is under Taqiyah (dissimulation).
Q5: If a person joins the Imam when he is in the state of qiyam of third or fourth Rak'at, he should recite Surah al-- Hamd and the other Surah. Should he recite it loudly or silently(depending on which Namaz it is)?
A5: The namaz should be recited quietly even if it is one of those [prayers] which must be recited loudly.
Q6: Is it permissible to follow a prayer leader who is illegtimate by birth?
A6: No, it is not permissible.
Cheating
Q1: I am your follower and I want to ask that in my matriculation examination I used to cheat and achieve good marks.
Now I have realized that I have committed a sin by doing so. I have now promised to cheat no longer and do everything with my own efforts. Now kindly tell me whether or not admission in college is permissible. What is the ruling about getting a job and the income which is earned through it?
A1: If you get your university degree without cheating and be employed with it, there would be no Ishkaal (problem) in it. Of course, your cheating in the past had been illegal.
Crescenting Sighting
Q1: What is the rulings of His Eminence Grand Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani (May Allah protect him) on sighting of the new moon crescent and determining the 1st day of the month?
Previously I believed that if there are two locations and the crescent is sighted in one of them, the sighting of the crescent is valid only for the location which is united in horizon with or is close to the location where the crescent has been sighted. But after reviewing the issue and considering carefully its various aspects, I have come to believe that if the crescent is sighted in any place, it is valid for another place or other locations if they share, even for a little part, the same night with the place where the crescent has been sighted.
In sighting crescent it does not make a difference whether the crescent is sighted with naked or equipped eyes. Therefore, sighting the crescent with a telescope would be sufficient as it is (sufficient) with eye-glasses, binoculars and their likes.
Q2: If according to astronomical calculations sighting of the crescent is not possible in Stockholm on the completion of 29th Ramadhan but the crescent for Eid-ul-Fitr has been ascertained by being sighted at a location in Russia that shares the same latitude as of Stockholm, is it permissible to break the fast and observe Eid-ul-Fitr
A2: Scientific and astrological calculations are not sufficient except for when one who gains certainty through it. {Read the answer to the first question.}
Copyrights
Q1: What is the ruling on copying computer software, movies, audio CDs and other such things, which bear the wording “All Rights Reserved” or “Copyright”? Does this rule apply equally to Muslim made products and those made by individuals and or companies which are not Muslim?
A1: Copying is not permissible in all of the aforementioned instances.
Q2: A lot of Islamic books and software have copyrights on them. What is the Islamic view of copyrights? If I photocopy a book or duplicate a CD with a copyright am I doing a sin?
A2: Copying or duplicating a book or software without their owner's permission is not permissible.
Q3: Can I use cracked CD software?
A3: If someone else has cracked the software, you can use it but you are not allowed to copy or burn it. Q4: Is it obligatory (wajib) or recommended (mustahabb) to observe copyrights?
A4: According to the fatwa of Ayatullah Lankarani, copyright must be observed.
Cat's hair
Q1: Is it permissible to pray with cat hair on your clothing?
A1: Cat's hair is Najis. If a person knows that there is cat hair on his clothe or on his body, his prayer is not valid.