The Creed of Compassion-Islamic Teachings & Answering Doctrinal Misconceptions

Issue No. 1333- If somebody is reluctant in his intention to break or not to break a specified obligatory fast or the fast of the month of Ramadan, or decides to cancel his intention of observing a fast, his fast becomes invalid. If he also intends to perform an act which invalidates the fast, for example, he decides to eat something, his fast becomes invalid even if he does not eat anything at all. However, if he has not paid attention at that time that (for example) the said act invalidates the fast, his fast remains valid.

Issue No. 1334- If while observing an obligatory fast the time of which is not fixed (e.g., a qaḍā fast), a person intends to break the fast or wavers whether or not he should do so, and if he does not break it and makes a fresh intention before ẓuhr, his fast will be in order. As regards recommended fasts he may make the fresh intention until maghrib.

Issue No. 1368- If divers hide their heads in diving helmets and then dive under water, their fast is correct.

Issue No. 1223- If a person hires several people for offering the qaḍā prayer of a dead person, it is not necessary that he should fix a time for each one of them. Rather, they can offer the prayer at any time they wish to. However, in order for the qaḍā prayer to be offered in proper order, the recommended precaution is to fix a time for each one of them. For example, he will agree with one of them to offer the qaḍā prayer between morning and noon while another person offers the prayer from noon to night. In addition, it would be better that the number of prayers offered by them be similar. For example, if one of them starts offering prayer from ẓuhr prayer and ends with fajr prayer, (irrespective of whether he offers the prayer of one day and night or more), the other person should also start from ẓuhr prayer and end with the fajr.

Issue No. 1214- One can be hired to offer some mustaḥab acts like Zīyārat of shrines of the holy Prophet and Imams (ṣ), on behalf of living persons, yet, the obligatory precaution is that the wages should be taken for preparatory procedures. He can also offer mustaḥab acts of worship and dedicate the reward of those acts to living or dead persons.

Issue No.1860- A woman can be hired for her milk, and it is not necessary for her to get her husband’s permission. However, if her husband’s right is affected owing to her giving milk (to the child of another person), she cannot take up the job without the permission of her husband.

Issue No.1120- A person whose outward and return journey is eight farsakhs (43 KMs approximately) should shorten his prayer, irrespective of whether his outward journey is 4 farsakhs (21.5 KMs approximately) or less or more. As long as his outward and return journey is eight farsakhs, the four-rak‘at prayers should be shortened to two rak‘ats even though he may not return on the same day or night. However, if he decides to stay there for ten days, he cannot shorten his prayer.

Issue No.831- Holding mourning ceremonies, religious celebrations, etc., and related affairs such as pitching tents, hanging black curtains, and taking tea or food into the mosque is permissible provided that it does not harm the building or does not impede performing prayer in the mosque.

Issue No.68- In houses where the toilets are built (intentionally, mistakenly or merely due to not knowing the ruling) towards the qiblah, one should use the toilet in such a way that the front or the back of one’s body does not face the qiblah, otherwise, it is haram.

Issue No.24- If original najis like urine or blood falls in kurr water and the water acquires the smell, colour, or taste of that najāsah (najis substance), it will become najis, and if not, then it will not be najis.

Issue No.268- For wuḍū, it is obligatory to wash the face and the arms once, and the obligatory precaution is to not wash for the second time, and washing three times or more is haram. “Once” here means to wash the face or arms thoroughly whether it is with one handful of water or several; when washing is finished it is counted as one time.

Issue No.542- The first cloth loincloth must cover all around the body from navel to the knees, and it is better that it covers the body from the chest to the feet. As an obligatory precaution, the shirt should be long enough to cover all around the body from the top of the shoulders down to the middle of the calves. The full cover cloth as an obligatory precaution should be so long that it may be tied at the head as well as at the feet and its breadth should be such that its one edge should overlap the other.