Prayer

Q1: A man staying in London, whose mother is in Nairobi, does not say his prayers? What can his mother do about her son? The man is 27-30 years old.
A1: All mothers should encourage their sons to pray. It is the duty of everyone to enjoin the good.
Q2: What is the obligation on a Muslim who failed to perform the obligatory prayers for several years following puberty? Should he perform them as "qadha"? What is the ruling if he doesn't know how many prayers he has missed since the age of puberty?
A2: He/she must perform qadha for all the prayers not performed. Regarding the number of missed prayers, he/she should make up the number of which he/she is certain of missing.
Q3: Is it permissible to perform prayer in a mosque, which is situated on top of a graveyard?
A3: Performing prayers at a mosque is recommended, but praying at a graveyard is makrooh (undesirable). However if the mosque is built at a graveyard, which is endowed (waqf), then it is considered as a mosque.
Q4: 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 for 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?
A4: There is no objection, however if one recites it more quietly, there is not a ishkaal (problem) either. It is abominable (Makruh) for the follower (Ma'moom) to recite the zikrs so loudly that the prayer leader hears him.
Q5: It is Mustahab that in the first Rak'at one should say A'uzubillahi Minash shaytanir Rajim before reciting Surah al-- Hamd.
A5: Yes, it is mustahab [recommended].
Q6: I would like to know, is it mustahab to say A'uzubillahi Minash shaytanir Rajim loudly, or it is better to say it silently?
A6: It makes no difference.
Q6: As I am working in the sales department of a company and I am used to traveling extensively and very frequently to various towns and citieis of my country. I mostly travel more than forty kms a day and its frequently. What can I do about my prayers and fastintg? Should I offer complete prayers?
A7: If you are traveling frequently and you do not stay in your hometown for more than ten days, you should offer complete prayers and observe fast also.

Prayer Timings

Q1: What is the best time for Salat al- Asr? Is it preferable to perfom it immediately after Salat al-- Dhuhr, or it is better to separate it from Salat al-- Dhuhr and perfom it when the shadow of Shakhis becomes two times bigger than itself?
A1: Based on the most widely known opinion, the Fazilat (best) time for Salat Al-Asr is when the shadow of the Shakhis, (it is a stick, a pole, or any thing similar to it, which acts as an indicator and if made to stand on a level ground, its shadow will fall west wards, when the sun rises in the morning, and as the sun continues to rise the shadow cast by the indicator will reduce in size. When the time for Zuhr comes the shadow cast by the indicator turns eastwards, and as the sun moves towards west the shadow gets longer based on this, begins getting longer again, it is known that Zuhr has taken place) becomes twice its size. However some Shiite Fuqaha (jurisprudents) believe that the Fazilat time for Salat Al-Asr begins (immediately) after rating the Zuhr prayer.
Q2: When does the time of Maghrib Prayer begin?
A2: The time of Maghrib prayer begins when the red cloud in the east disappears and passes over the head.

Prayers behind a Sunni Prayer Leader

Q1: 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?
A1: It is only permissible to pray behind a Sunni Muslim, to show the solidarity of Muslims on when a person is under Taqiyah (dissimulation).
Q2: Is it permissible in all cases to perform prayers behind Sunni, or it is permissible only when there is a necessity for showing the solidarity of Muslims before the representatives of other religions?
A2: According to the Shiite school of thought, it is necessary that the Imam of Jamaat be Adil (just) and believe in the Wilayat (authority) of the infallible Imams (A.S). It is permissible to perform prayers behind Sunnis to preserve the unity of the Muslims.

Prostration

Q1: What are the things on which Sajda (prostration) is valid?
A1: Sajdah should be performed on earth, and on those things, which are not edible nor worn, and on things which grow from earth (e.g. wood and leaves of trees). Performing Sajdah on things which are used as food or dress, or on things which are mineral, such as metals, gold, silver, and also Aqiq and Torquise is void. But Sajdah on mineral stones such as marble, and black stones is in order.
Q2: Is it permissible to perform Sadja on a piece of paper?
A2: It is in order to perform Sajdah on paper, if it is manufactured from allowed sources like wood or grass, and also if it is made from cotton or flax. But if it is made from silk etc., Sajdah on it will not be permissible, as an obligatory precaution.

Pork

Q1: Is it permissible to eat food that contains pork?
A1: It is absolutely forbidden?
Q1: Why is pork prohibited?
A2: The Holy Quran and traditions have prohibited pork strictly. Pork is najis; buy and selling of it are not permissible.

Pornography

Q1: What is the ruling on watching pornography to derive pleasure?
A1: It is prohibited

Period

Q1: Is it necessary for a woman to compensate the prayers and fasts which she missed during menses?
A1: A woman must perform the Qaza of the FASTS which she has missed during her menstrual period. However, Qaza of prayers is not obligatory on her.
Q2: Is sexual intercourse forbidden during menstrual period?
A2: Yes, it is forbidden?
Q3: Is anal intercourse allowed when one's wife is in her menses?
A3: If she is consenting to it, it is hightly abominable (makrooh).

Pictures

Q1: I would like those pictures claimed to be the pictures of our holy Imams, are they really the pictures of our Imams? I would appreciate a reply from you as soon as possible. May ALLAH swt reward you.
A1: No, there is no historical evidence substantiating the claim that these are the pictures of those Imams.
Q2: The artistic and imaginary pictures of the Holy Imams are very common and popular in the Iranian markets but they seemed to me very awful. Now I would like to know whether or not they are permitted according to Islamic Laws. Please advise.
A2: If the pictures are not in relief and are not insulting, there is no problem. However, to believe that the pictures, definitely, are of the Infallible Imams, is not correct.
Q3: Is taking pictures allowed in Islam?
A3: There is no problem.

Paintings

Q1: There are pictures which claim to be of our Holy Imams, are they really so?
A1: There is no historical evidence to substantiate this claim.

Purity

Q1: If a Muslim eats something impure (najis), how can he purify his body? Can he pray when his body is impure?
A1: Firstly, the individual must sincerely repent and beg Allah (swt) for forgiveness. Before praying, the person should perform the necessary ablution. It is a pre-requisite of prayer that the clothes and body of the person are clean and pure (tahir).

People of the Book

Q1: What is His Eminence’s rulings on the purity of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians)?
A1: They are clean, if they are not mushrik.
Q2: What is your ruling on purity of the non People of the Book such as Sikhs, Hindu, Buddhist, and other such groups who may have started out as Monotheistic faiths?
A1: They are not ritually clean.

Polytheism (shirk)

Q1: Does shirk have different degrees and levels?
A1: Yes, Shirk (polytheism) has various degrees the highest of which is when we regard two or more individuals to be creators and effective in the affairs of the universe. One of the degrees of shirk – perhaps its lowest level - is the shirk which most people are afflicted with. That is when we believe that others are effective in matters which deal with our lives. For example, showing respect to the rich in hope of getting money or lowering oneself before powerful people are from the levels of shirk. May God save all of us from all levels of shirk.