From WikiSavior, a source-grounded reference
Marriage, divorce, reproduction, family, children, and women.
Source records: 173
There is a type of ultrasound device that is inserted into a woman's body and includes a camera for viewing inside the uterus and the condition of the ovaries in order to diagnose illness. 1. May a believing woman undergo such an examination if it is performed by a female doctor? 2. If it is permissible, does it break her fast?
What is the ruling on a woman using cosmetics? May she apply makeup, even a small and light amount, and go outside the home wearing it? Does the ruling differ between a married and an unmarried woman?
May a woman adorn herself with makeup for people other than her husband, such as unrelated men or mahram relatives?
May a woman travel on foot to visit the Imams' shrines?
It has become very common for doctors to suggest epidural anesthesia to women during childbirth to reduce pain. Do you recommend this, or does it deprive the woman of some of the reward associated with giving birth as mentioned in narrations?
What is the ruling on a woman uncovering her face in a country where covering the face is customary? Is uncovering or covering it better? Did Fatimah al-Zahra cover her face?
I am pregnant and have experienced bleeding with severe pain. I do not know whether the fetus has died in my womb, and I cannot go to a hospital to verify this. The fetus is still in my womb. What should I do regarding prayer and fasting?
May a woman work in mixed-gender workplaces? Does the ruling differ depending on whether her husband agrees or refuses? She does not need the salary because her husband provides her with a decent living, and her absence from home may require someone else to uncover the private parts of a child under four years old.
I have a twelve-year-old sister who, praise be to God, has believed in the truth and wants to follow God's law. I told her some time ago that she became legally responsible from the age of nine according to the Hijri calendar, and she wants to wear hijab. But our father and mother strongly object, and every discussion of the subject leads to a serious argument. I know that in other situations you have advised brothers and sisters not to act in ways that repel people from the call, but I do not know the limits of this. Hijab is obligatory and part of God's law, while the Quran also commands goodness toward parents but says not to obey them in associating partners with God. Should we continue discussing the matter even though it always leads to an argument, try another way to persuade them, or should she simply wear the hijab and place them before the accomplished fact?
I suffer because my husband has bad character, uses drugs and does not pray. I have advised him without success. What do you advise me to do?
A man severely beat his wife until marks appeared on her body, and he also beat his daughter because she rejected a marriage proposal. Does he owe financial compensation, and what is the ruling on the beating?
May a woman have a passport photograph taken with her head uncovered when the country in which she lives requires this?
I know that makeup is forbidden, but if I have skin blemishes that attract attention and I need to cover them lightly with foundation only on the affected areas to avoid embarrassment, is that permissible?
Which takes priority: studying in the Mahdist hawza or remaining with one's husband for companionship? Likewise, should one attend the hawza or sit with one's mother for the same purpose? I have benefited greatly from the blessed Mahdist hawza, while neither my husband nor my mother believes and discussion with them does not benefit the call of truth.
May a permanent or temporary marriage contract be concluded by telephone or through internet communication programs such as Paltalk, with the witnesses, husband and wife present in a private room while the contract is performed?
I do not know the correct ruling concerning claims by corrupt jurists that it is permissible to contract a marriage with a minor girl merely as a device for entering her mother's home and looking at her mother, or for similar purposes. Is this permissible?
A man has been married for about two weeks and hopes for righteous offspring who will support the Qa'im and the Mahdis. Are there recommended practices before intercourse, such as particular supplications or prayers?
A man committed adultery with a married woman many years ago. They separated and both repented to God. Years later they met by chance and he learned that her husband had died several years earlier. May he now marry her?
A young man committed zina with a married woman and regrets what he did. After several years, may he propose marriage to one of her sisters?
A man had a girlfriend with whom he had sexual relations without a contract. He later contracted a temporary marriage with her, and afterward married her permanently. What is the ruling?
May a believing woman marry a man who does not believe in the call of truth or in the one who bears it?
If an unmarried man is considering marriage, may he marry an ordinary Sunni woman, or should he wait for relief?
May a man marry more than one woman without obtaining his wife's consent? Does the first wife have a say in this matter, or may he legally marry again without consulting her?
May an Alawid woman, whose lineage goes back to the Prophet, marry a man whose lineage does not go back to the Messenger of God?
What is the ruling on a man marrying without his parents' approval?
Is coitus interruptus, meaning ejaculation outside the womb, permissible?
If a man has anal intercourse with another man, may he afterward marry one of the close female relatives of the man with whom intercourse occurred?
A woman's husband has periodic episodes of mental illness and takes medication that keeps him normal, but when he approaches his wife for sexual intercourse the illness returns. What is the ruling on the wife refusing intercourse?
If a permanent marriage is concluded in its legally valid form and is also officially registered with the state so that the woman or the man can obtain residency, may the man waive his rights over the woman, such as the right to marital availability and similar rights? May the woman waive her rights over the man, such as maintenance and similar rights, while the marriage continues between them in this form?
May a temporary marriage contract be concluded for six months, with the mahr specified and witnesses present, while stipulating that the parties may look at one another, speak and travel together but there will be no intercourse or physical touching?
My master, I seek safety from the gravity of what I did and the ugliness of my action, and I seek repentance for what my hands committed. I recently entered a temporary marriage and consummated it with my wife without witnesses or public announcement. Later, when I reviewed the issue in Jurisprudential Answers, I realized my mistake. At the time I was ignorant of the legal ruling. What should I do now? What is required of me after learning what I did? Is what I did considered zina? I call God and His angels to witness that I did not deliberately omit witnessing or public announcement; I did so only because I was ignorant that it was obligatory. Had I known, I would never have omitted it. My master, regret and sorrow overwhelm me and I seek repentance. Relieve me from the torment that has exhausted me and from the ignorance that led me to omit an obligation and commit something forbidden.
A man concluded a temporary marriage with a woman for two years without a third person present because of special circumstances: the woman feared her family and especially her children, and the man wanted to protect his own family from separation. What is the ruling?
A man married a woman temporarily without intercourse, and during the temporary-marriage period he married her with a permanent contract. What is the legal ruling?
What is the ruling concerning temporary marriage? May its formula be pronounced with a mahram merely to make conversation lawful, without intending an actual marriage, when there is some special circumstance involving that person and a relationship cannot actually be formed, with the purpose only of avoiding something forbidden?
Does keeping a temporary marriage secret make it invalid? Is a witness required, or may the contract be concluded only between the two parties?
What rights does a woman have in a temporary marriage, and what duties does she have?
Does a woman in temporary marriage have a waiting period after the term ends, or if the man she married dies during the contract period?
May a believing man enter a temporary marriage with a Muslim woman from another school or with a woman from the People of the Book? And may he enter a permanent marriage with a woman from the People of the Book?
Is an unmarried woman considered to have authority over her own temporary marriage if she supports herself, is 35 years old, her father has died, and she has no older brother?
I want to marry a woman whose father is Sunni and whose deceased mother was Shia. She lives with her grandmother, was raised loving the Ahl al-Bayt, and is now a Ja'fari Shia. Her father has refused the marriage. Is there a way forward? The woman is 21 years old and agrees to the marriage.
Which is better for a young woman, marriage or education? If a believer proposes to her, is it better for her to marry and leave her studies or to complete her education? If she refuses marriage because the prospective husband will not allow her to continue studying, does she sin by refusing? May she marry someone who is not among the believers? May a believing man marry someone who is not among the believers?
It is customary in marriage contracts for a woman's mahr to have an immediate portion and a deferred portion. If, for example, a woman's deferred mahr was 1,000 Iraqi dinars and nearly thirty years have passed since the contract, then she seeks divorce, is her deferred mahr still simply 1,000 dinars at today's value or is it calculated differently? Also, may a woman demand her deferred mahr from her husband after some years of marriage while she is still married to him?
A woman wants a divorce from her husband, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment and whose sentence has been confirmed by the appellate court. He refuses to divorce her, citing their children. She says that even if he is released she will not return to him. What should be done?
A revocable divorce occurred. During the waiting period the former spouses had to meet, and during the meeting they kissed and touched one another with desire. Neither intended to resume the marriage because they thought return occurred only through intercourse. After the three months ended, they learned from Al-Shara'i al-Islam that return can occur through kissing or touching with desire: ‘If he kisses or touches her with desire, that constitutes return, and its permissibility does not require a prior declaration of return.’ May the woman now marry someone else, or is she still married to her first husband?
My wife believes in the truth and has asked me for a divorce because we have no children. Doctors have been unable to help after she underwent IVF three times. What rights am I required to give her if she is the one requesting the divorce?
Does a guardian, such as a father or husband, have the right to declare something forbidden for his daughter or wife? I do not mean prayer, fasting and similar matters, but ordinary matters of life—for example forbidding a particular action or requiring her to refrain from it. If he forbids it, does that make it impermissible for her to do? More generally, what rights does a father have over his sons and daughters?
A head of household has reached an advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease and no longer understands anything. His wife now handles spending. She was told that she may use his money only for his treatment, food and similarly narrow personal needs, which creates serious difficulty when she needs to spend on guests or other household matters, especially because she has no other source of income. The house is also in poor condition, and she wants to sell it and buy another one, leaving some money to invest and use the returns to support both him and herself. May she do this?
In a time full of distractions, how should we raise our children? How do we direct them toward the Quran instead of television programs that do not benefit them and may harm them? How do we plant in them love of Husayn, Abbas and Zaynab? How do we protect them from dangers such as arrogance, selfishness and similar traits? What is the mother's role in making her son Husayni and a true Shia? What is the best way to treat children?
A husband and wife had no children, so a doctor took sperm from the husband and fertilized the wife's egg. The doctor told them that enough sperm had been preserved in a solution to remain usable for many years, so whenever they wanted another child it could be implanted in the wife without taking another sample. If the husband later dies and, years afterward, the widow wants a child with the approval of her family, may the doctor implant sperm preserved from her deceased husband? What is the ruling on the child and to whom is the child attributed?
May parents choose the sex of a fetus, male or female, using modern reproductive technologies if they desire a child of a particular sex?
What is the ruling on aborting a fetus that has congenital abnormalities in the womb?
In an earlier answer about abortion, Imam Ahmad al-Hassan said that if the fetus would cause harm that the parents cannot bear, it may be aborted. Does this include a situation in which the parents want to devote their attention to raising their existing children and believe they cannot have another child because the new child would obstruct their studies and normal life? Would this count as something the parents cannot bear?
Does the Imam encourage women to appear on the television channel, or does he prefer that women avoid it? What advice and guidance does he give to a woman who appears in television programs?
What role do believing women in the blessed Yamani call have at the time of the rise of the Qa'im and the beginning of wars against the enemies of the family of Muhammad? Will women be present on the battlefield, and how can they be true soldiers of Imam al-Mahdi in that stage?
Some women do not observe certain religious rulings concerning hijab, perfume, high heels, tight clothing and other forms of adornment. All methods of enjoining good and forbidding wrong have been tried, and sometimes the matter leads to serious problems that may even reach divorce. What is the solution if the woman herself is a believer in the call?
May a woman undergo cosmetic surgery on her face to improve and beautify it for her husband using modern available techniques?
Spiritual treatment for supposed effects of jinn has become common, especially among women. Some male practitioners treat women alone in locked or closed rooms and prevent anyone else from entering, even though the practitioner is not a mahram, claiming that treatment requires privacy with the patient. 1. What is the legal ruling on such seclusion, and does it matter whether the practitioner is trustworthy? 2. Is there really spiritual treatment that requires being alone with the patient? 3. May a male practitioner touch the body of an unrelated woman, with or without a barrier, under the claim of treatment? Finally, what advice do you give believers to close the doors through which Satan may enter?
What is the ruling on wearing a nose ring, known in English as a nose piercing?
May a woman wear a nose ring in front of non-mahram men?
For the purpose of producing programs for the blessed Al-Munqidh al-Alami channel, may a man film women in a women's program or train a group of non-mahram women in filming and editing? Also, may a non-mahram man transport women in his private car for work connected with the blessed call?
May a woman learn combat sports such as judo or jiu-jitsu in a sports club where all the participants are men, especially since physical contact naturally occurs in such sports?
What is the ruling on publishing photographs of believing women on social-media pages such as Facebook—whether the photograph shows the woman's face and features or only her back? What if the image is not of the believing woman herself but is an image already published online that she chooses as a profile picture? What advice do you give women regarding this?
What is the ruling on a woman wearing sunglasses?
What is the ruling on colored contact lenses worn in front of non-mahram men because of poor eyesight rather than for adornment?
May colored contact lenses be worn solely for adornment?
I have many practical questions arising from my work as a teacher. 1. Sometimes female students violate school rules by wearing noncompliant clothing. After repeated warnings we confiscate these clothes and items such as large hair clips and bracelets. May they be destroyed, or must they be returned to the student or given to her guardian? If an item remains with us for a very long time and the student graduates, what should we do with it? What about items that were destroyed in the past—must we locate those students and seek release from liability? 2. Is it permissible for a woman to wear a large hair clip beneath the head covering so that the head appears enlarged, like two heads, which some narrations compare to a camel's hump? Is this permissible, disliked or forbidden?
Some time ago I had blood tests, and a male worker drew blood from my arm because no female staff were available. This required exposing my arm up to the forearm/elbow area. Is there any sin in this?
May a married woman put henna on her hands and leave the house with it visible to non-mahram men, or is it considered adornment?
What is the ruling on a woman cutting her hair in a short style resembling men's haircuts if she does not intend to imitate men?
May a woman wear a prayer wrap fashioned like an abaya when visiting holy places? At security checkpoints they sometimes prevent it, even though it covers like an abaya and differs only in its dark color.
In medical work, may a female practitioner touch a male patient for examination even when male doctors are available, given that otherwise we will not learn and sometimes we are required to examine men because medicine is a general field rather than one limited to treating women?
I study dentistry in Europe and have two questions. First, during work and study I am required to expose my entire forearm, which does not conform to the legal hijab you explained. What should I do if keeping my arm covered violates the rules of the dental clinic? Second, while working I treat men and women whose heads must be very close to my abdomen so that I can work properly. What is the ruling on treating male patients in this way?
I do not know what to do about my studies in Norway. Should I continue dentistry or change my field?
What is the ruling on a woman riding alone in a vehicle with a male driver?
There is a hadith saying marriage completes half of religion. What if a person never receives an opportunity to marry—what happens to half of his religion?
If someone asks me about a woman he is considering marrying, may I answer in detail, positively or negatively? Likewise, when a man proposes to a woman, may I describe his condition? What are the permitted limits in speaking about the person being asked about?
If a man already has a Hashimite wife, may he marry another woman, whether Hashimite or non-Hashimite, in either temporary or permanent marriage?
I intend to propose marriage and would like to ask about the appropriate mahr in this time, since the official marriage contract in state courts requires a specified amount for both the immediate and deferred portions of the mahr. Must the mahr equal the mahr of al-Zahra, or may it be higher?
A believing woman was divorced because she believed in the Imam, while her husband drinks alcohol. Her children were taken from her. In the official courts, her lawyer and her ex-husband's lawyer agreed that she would live separately as a divorced woman with her children and that he would provide maintenance and housing for her and the children on the condition that she not remarry; if she marries, he takes the children, the housing and the maintenance. Is she legally bound by this agreement so that she cannot marry without his knowledge? May she contract a lawful marriage with a believing man without her ex-husband knowing while continuing to live with her children and receive housing and financial support?
A sister in Iran stipulated in her marriage contract that she could demand her mahr whenever she wished. Years later, because of certain circumstances, she demanded it. Her husband cannot pay cash, and under Iranian law the court may seize his property. If he owns no independent property but has only a share in inherited property, the court can seize and sell his inheritance share even without the consent of the other heirs. If they object to selling the inherited property, the court can require them to pay the husband's share so that the wife receives her mahr. Is this legally permissible even when the other heirs object and are distressed by the sale?
Al-Shara'i states in the chapter on marriage that consummation with a girl before she reaches nine years of age is forbidden. I understood from this that consummation becomes permissible from age nine. Through my work and surroundings, I have encountered many cases in which girls suffer serious bodily harm because their bodies are not yet able to bear sexual relations with a husband. In our present society, a girl of this age is still regarded as a child and lacks sufficient mental and physical maturity to bear the duties and responsibilities of such an important contract. Why did God permit a girl's marriage at such an early age? Is it also true that a girl may be married from birth?
Can some rules of religious law relating to personal status change in certain situations as social and economic circumstances change over time? I understood that a man has more rights than a woman because he has more responsibilities and duties. But what if the man fails to fulfill those responsibilities—do those rights remain or fall away? For example, if a husband does not provide for his family, does not care for his children, and has no meaningful or financial presence in their lives, so that support and upbringing fall entirely upon the woman, does such a husband still retain rights such as obedience and qiwama? Unfortunately, in Arab and Muslim societies there are many families supported by women alone because of the husband's failure or absence, or jointly with husbands because of severe economic circumstances and the domination of tyrants. How does this affect the equation that the husband has more rights because he is the responsible provider?
God says: ‘If a woman fears ill-conduct or aversion from her husband, there is no blame upon them if they make terms of settlement between them, and settlement is best...’ (Quran 4:128). What precisely constitutes a husband's nushuz? Is there a legal punishment for a husband who is in nushuz? What is the ruling on a husband who neglects his home, wife and children?
When the issue of striking a wife in a state of nushuz is discussed religiously, everyone agrees that it must not be a severe beating. But in lived reality severe beatings and bodily harm to wives often occur. What exactly are the limits of striking a wife in nushuz, and what is the punishment for a husband who exceeds them? Would patience, good treatment and reforming character not be more appropriate than physical harm that produces humiliation, especially when directed at someone weaker who is under one's protection and care?
I have been married for eight years. My husband works, praise be to God, but to this day we own no house, car or other property. When one of my children becomes ill or I need something, I have no money. Each month when my husband receives his salary he gives us only a little for food and donates or gives away the rest, sometimes to people who are not needy or for unnecessary things, while my children and I remain in need. What is your ruling concerning my husband? When I have money I share it with him, but he shares his money with others. When I tell him I am not satisfied, he says my satisfaction does not matter. Is that correct?
A believer's wife, who is also a believer, does not pray. He has done everything he can to get her to observe her prayers and has used all lawful means without success. May he strike her because of the prayer, or should he divorce her?
Does a believing husband have the right to insult, curse or strike his wife and blame her for every mistake that occurs in the home?
It is stated that a man who engages in anal intercourse with another male may not afterward marry the mother or sister of the passive partner. What if the active participant had not yet reached the age of legal responsibility? Does the prohibition still arise? What if the person is uncertain whether he had reached puberty when he committed this act?
How is a woman who is ‘known for zina’ identified? If a temporary marriage was agreed for one year but the man later doubts that the woman is faithful to the agreement, may he end the temporary marriage after consummation in order to avoid a problem?
Al-Shara'i, volume 3, states: ‘If she becomes pregnant through zina and then her husband divorces her, she observes the waiting period by months, not by childbirth. If she was intercourse with under mistaken circumstances and the child is attributed to the man who had intercourse with her because the husband was absent, then the husband divorces her, she first observes the waiting period until childbirth for the man who had intercourse with her, then begins the divorce waiting period after delivery.’ If a woman becomes pregnant through zina and has no husband, does she have a specific waiting period? May she marry during pregnancy, whether the man with whom she committed zina or another man?
A believing woman's husband drowned at sea more than six years ago together with the group traveling with him, and his body was never found, like the others. She did not observe the widow's waiting period. A believing man has now proposed to her. Must she observe the waiting period now before marrying him, or what should she do?
Here in Australia, when a person begins working properly, his government payment stops, as may his wife's payment and sometimes even payments for the children. This creates difficulty, especially if he travels and leaves them without those payments so that they must depend on what he earns. Some Iraqis, including some believers, tell the Australian government that they are separated from their wives so that they can work freely without affecting the wife's or children's payments and obtain other benefits. Under Australian law, separation does not mean divorce; it is a status below divorce and requires only filling out a form. What is the religious ruling?
May a father strike his children as part of discipline and upbringing? What are the limits regarding the child's age and the reason that would justify it? May a teacher do so? Would the teacher need the father's permission, and may the father give such permission?
A woman who is known from her condition to have bad conduct, commit zina, use drugs and disregard forbidden acts left a one-month-old baby girl with me—that is, with my wife—and then disappeared for months. We raised the child and she is now eight months old, and all of us have become attached to her. May I keep the girl and register her in official documents so she will not be deprived of schooling and other rights later? Her mother comes to see her only occasionally and has allowed us to raise her and not return her because she lives on the street and has no home.
A sister left the faith after having believed in the call, while her children remain believers. What is the ruling on her cooking and touching the believers' food, clothing and other things with transferable moisture? Is she considered impure, and what are the limits of dealing with her, given that she does not physically harm the believers but opposes the call in her heart and speech?
How do we determine whether a relative is a nasibi? They do not believe in the Imam—may my soul be sacrificed for him—do not believe that the Messenger has descendants, and are annoyed by our mourning for Imam Husayn during Muharram. Are they considered nasibis?
If we become certain that certain relatives are nasibis, may we eat in their homes, such as the home of one's mother or sister? May we shake hands with them and otherwise deal with them?
What is the ruling on relatives or parents who inwardly oppose the call and openly express hostility toward the call and Imam Ahmad, but do not physically harm the believers? Are they considered impure?
My brother and I are among those whom God blessed with belief in this blessed call. We have been opposed by people in our area and now face pressure from our father and brother because they do not believe in this noble call. Our father is poor, but our older brother incites him, and our father threatens to expel us from the home. My brother sometimes begins to lose his temper, and I fear the matter may develop into something regrettable. What should we do?
My brother and his family are believers, but he is not observant and has reached the point of drinking alcohol. We have forbidden him from doing so but he has not stopped. We have also had visions involving the infallible ones telling us to cut him off, not help him, and that the Imam wants to discipline him. His financial situation is extremely poor. What should we do? He is our brother, a believer, and needs our help. May we help him while he is violating religious law in this way?
My mother is not a believer in the call and does not allow me to attend gatherings of the believers. May I attend their commemorative gatherings when she is traveling and does not know, given that my father also does not believe in the call but permits and even encourages me to attend?
Today my father spoke to me about going out to demonstrations and said, ‘If you go out, I will no longer know you and you will no longer know me.’ I replied, ‘From now on I do not know you and you do not know me,’ and I left the house, but he came after me and brought me back. My master, by God I do not know what to do. My family are not believers in the call and oppose me in everything I do because they know that I am a believer. Sometimes they learn about my work for the call and oppose that as well. I want to work for the call, but they oppose me, so I oppose them and problems arise between us, and they say to me, ‘Where is obedience to one's parents?’ My master, is what I am doing right or wrong? Does it please you or not? How should I deal with them? May God grant you success and ease your affairs.
Is it permissible to place girls or boys in mixed schools when separate schools exist but have a lower standard of education, upbringing and attention to students?
A woman believes in the Call of the promised Yamani—peace be upon him—but her husband does not believe and remains doubtful. She has two sons by him and he asks her for a third child, while she believes he is not worthy of having another child from her. What is her religious duty in this matter? Should she remain with him, or seek separation in obedience to the Imam (a)?
If a person disavows his parents because they do not believe in the Call, is he considered disobedient to his parents and one who severs family ties? What should he do?
One of the Ansar brothers behaves badly toward his father because his father insults him and accuses him of many things. He cannot control his temper and often treats his father badly. He asks for a solution to this problem.
What is the ruling if my father does not want to speak to me and is angry with me, and I do not know whether he wants to disown me because he learned that I follow the Shia school while he is Sunni?
What is the ruling on kissing the hands of one's parents or the hands of small children?
What is the ruling on permanent sterilization by cutting or removing the reproductive tubes or ovaries because pregnancy is exhausting for a woman and, as she says, she cannot bear it?
There are different methods of preventing pregnancy, including surgical ligation, contraceptive pills, and an IUD. What is the ruling on these operations or medicines if they prevent pregnancy permanently or for a specified period? What is the ruling where there is a medical need, fear of a large family, the burdens of raising children, or poverty?
Is it permissible to use an IUD to prevent pregnancy, and may a man insert it?
If preventing pregnancy is only possible by using an IUD inserted by a female doctor, may a woman do this even though the procedure requires the doctor performing it to look at her?
Is it permissible to abort a fetus that has not completed four months, before the spirit has entered it, because of living or health circumstances, when the pregnancy occurred despite the family using contraception?
A woman is six months pregnant, and ultrasound examination indicates that because of pills and medicines the child may be born physically deformed or mentally impaired. May the fetus be aborted on the ground that its formation is defective?
What is the ruling on in vitro fertilization for people who cannot have children naturally because of a medical condition affecting one or both spouses and have no other way?
May an egg from a woman, fertilized by her husband's sperm, be implanted in another womb or an artificial womb, whether the other woman is one of the husband's relatives or not, because the wife's womb is incapable or absent?
A believer in the Call donated his sperm to his infertile brother. The sperm fertilized the brother's wife's egg and she gave birth to a girl. He did this out of sympathy so that his brother and his wife would not separate, but he was uneasy about whether it was lawful. This happened three years ago. His brother has since been treated and his wife has become pregnant from her own husband's sperm. What is the religious ruling, how should the donor deal with the girl, and what is the girl's status? The donor also has children, including a son.
What does the ruling of shubhah mean? Is the child considered illegitimate or not, and how is the matter clarified? Should I tell the girl the truth when she grows up, and also tell my own children and the children's uncles? What is my duty toward the girl?
What is the ruling on human cloning, whether involving a womb or otherwise?
Is it permissible to attend a wedding gathering attended only by women if there is dancing and singing?
What is the ruling on tattooing part of the body, and on eyebrow tattooing as practiced today? Tattooing here means piercing the skin with a needle until blood comes out like a wound, leaving a lasting image such as birds, people, or flowers.
May a woman wear kohl in front of non-mahram men?
Is an unmarried woman prohibited from wearing kohl even at home, let alone outside?
What is the religious ruling on a woman wearing trousers together with a head covering, and what is the ruling on the Islamic abaya?
Is covering beneath the chin obligatory for women, and what is the extent of the area that must be covered?
May a woman wear clothing that reveals some of her attractive features in front of her adult brother, father, or adult son—while of course covering the obligatory private parts—such as a nightgown or similar clothing? If not, what are the limits of what she may reveal before these relatives?
What is meant by 'adornment' in the noble verse, and what does it include for a woman? What is the age limit in the phrase 'children who are not yet aware of women's private aspects'? And what is meant by the verse, 'Let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they conceal of their adornment'?
What must a woman cover from another woman, such as her sister?
May a woman choose the color of her head covering and other clothes, and the type of fabric—for example ordinary cloth, linen, or denim—provided the religious limits are observed, or must she avoid particular colors or fabrics?
What is the ruling on a woman wearing transparent stockings?
May a woman wear gold jewelry and leave the house wearing it?
What is the ruling on looking at women shown on television who are not observing religious hijab?
What is the ruling, with respect to looking, when men and women are present in the same place?
May a married woman who is thirty-five years old travel to visit Imam al-Rida (a), with her husband's approval, without a mahram?
What is the ruling on women reciting the Quran according to commonly taught tajwid rules in front of men at Quran competitions where some turbaned clerics are present as judges or in similar settings?
A foundling has been raised by a family for twenty-one years. There are questions about arranging his marriage, attributing him to the father of the household, and whether his future wife must be told his situation. He knows his own circumstances, but he does not pray or fast. What is the ruling?
Which is better: to perform an aqiqah among our Shi'a brothers, or to send it to the Ansar in Egypt so that they perform the aqiqah and hold a gathering with it? May the money intended for the aqiqah instead be used with the intention of helping our brothers among the Ansar?
What is the ruling on women riding bicycles?
What is the ruling for a woman who is carrying a child on whom perfume has been applied while she is in the street, when passersby cannot tell whether the scent belongs to the mother or the child?
May a woman attach hair extensions, whether permanent or temporary?
What is the ruling on kohl, whether liquid or dry? Is wudu valid while wearing it? What is the ruling for a woman who spends a long time removing the kohl, to the point that she may miss the prayer and perform it later as make-up, and exhausts herself trying to ensure that not even a tiny spot remains—one that can hardly be seen without very close attention—until her eye becomes red and painful? What about kohl inside the eyelid, at the place where the upper and lower eyelids meet; must it be removed for wudu?
May I serve as a witness or perform a marriage contract for people who are not among the Ansar, with other witnesses who are also not among the Ansar, while observing the religious rulings of Imam Ahmad al-Hasan?
What is the meaning of the hadith in which the Messenger of God says: 'Whoever has two wives and does not deal justly between them in the division of himself and his wealth will come on the Day of Resurrection shackled and with his side inclined until he enters the Fire' (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 7, p. 214)? Can any man who is not infallible divide himself, his wealth, and his love between two wives with justice?
What should we do if our spouse rejects the truth and denies the Imam?
A sister from the Ansar asks about her husband. She and her children believe in Imam Ahmad al-Hasan, praise be to God, but her husband does not believe in him. During discussions he spoke offensively about the Imam—we seek God's forgiveness and repent to Him. She asks whether she should treat her husband as a nasibi and whether she should divorce him. This matter is very important to her. What is the ruling?
My problem is with my husband, the father of my daughter. For seven months I have been living with my family because we disagreed. He does not stay overnight at home, does not care for me or his child, and has relationships with other women whom he talks to over the internet. Our problems are many, all because of his distance from me and the home and because he is occupied with what he calls his own life and work. He did not want us to have children because he talks about divorce every day and with every problem, however trivial. Sometimes I feel that recently he has begun creating problems with me deliberately. God willed that we be blessed with a daughter who is now a year and a half old and lives with me. He insists on divorce and gives no reason except that we are not compatible, that I do not suit him, and that I create problems. Because I know that divorce is the most hated of permissible things before God, I tried many times with him, and my family tried to persuade him that we return and live together lovingly for God's sake and with forgiveness, especially because we have a daughter. He is at fault, although I do not absolve myself, for the soul commands evil. He treated me well during the first months of our marriage but changed greatly after a year, and today, after five years of marriage, he has decided on divorce. I have been very patient with him and with his behavior toward me, but he wants nothing except divorce. He told me in front of my family and his family that I am divorced from him, and many people know that he does not want to return after they tried to persuade him. I accepted the divorce as he wanted, but now he demands that I relinquish my rights, including the deferred dowry, and sign an undertaking that I will not remarry and that I will give him the child if I do remarry. He has lived with her for only a few months and has not supported either me or her during these seven months. He says that if I agree to these conditions he will divorce me, and if I do not relinquish these rights he will leave me suspended in this state. I am not thinking of remarriage at all, but I do not want to sign anything. I am neither truly married nor divorced. He has divorced me in court, but I want to be divorced from him according to the religious law. I live in Europe, go out to work, and have needs outside the home, and all of that requires the husband's permission while I remain his wife in name only. He neither sees me nor asks about us. My Imam Ahmad, I want a solution. I want to be divorced from him and free to devote myself to raising my daughter and attending to my religion and your blessed Call. I am tired of these problems and of people who do not fear God. Can you divorce me from him, or do you have another solution for me?
I am now asking about the waiting period, because I did not know that I was considered divorced until Imam Ahmad al-Hasan informed me. I am also asking about the religious divorce certificate. The Imam requested in his answer that I write my name and my husband's name, and I did so. When will the religious divorce certificate be written for me?
May I delay marriage even though I have some money? I am a student at the University of Technology and do not have housing, and I want to wait until I have arranged and completed the requirements of life. Please pray that God grants me success in obeying Him and in giving you your due in striving and obedience.
If a family lives in a Western country that pays benefits to families even when they do not work, do the benefits paid for the wife and children belong to them while the father remains the head of the family responsible for their living expenses, or is the matter different? If the woman has income even though she does not work, does the husband have the right to question her about it and order her to spend it on the household and children? Does his obligation to maintain the family cease in such a case?
Today I discovered that my fourteen-year-old son twice engaged in a sexual act with another boy his age after they watched a pornographic film on the internet. The other boy proposed it and my son agreed, and they committed this shameful act together. I do not know what to do. What is his ruling? Should I carry out the religious punishment on him? What should I do, and how do I make him leave this behavior?
I direct my letter to you as a wronged mother suffering from severe depression. I am sixty years old, my health is poor, and I suffer from several illnesses because of my age. God, Glorified and Exalted, provided me with four daughters. I struggled to raise them, stayed awake for their comfort, worked with all my effort to give them security and ease, and labored for their education until they obtained advanced degrees. Praise be to God, I married them all. I do not want to make my message long, but my problem is with my eldest daughter, who is an academic doctor. She is married and, praise be to God, comfortable and financially very well off. She refuses to help me even though I need medical treatment and medicine and have daily needs for food and drink, and our situation is difficult. Her refusal forces me to lower my dignity as a mother to obtain even a little from her. She is even miserly in asking about me when I am ill. What should I do, by God? What is the ruling of Islam? She also asks that you pray that her daughter Nada build her a house, reunite her with her daughters, and keep away the harm of people seeking worldly interests.
A believing man and believing woman wanted to marry and each was satisfied with the other, but the istikhara was unfavorable, so they left the matter. It is often said that istikhara is for uncertainty. Were they mistaken in doing it, or is istikhara recommended even in such cases?
The Imam stated in Shara'i al-Islam that guardianship belongs to the father and grandfather on the condition of faith and justice. Does this mean that guardianship over the son falls away?
It often happens out of ignorance that a mother has her son or daughter breastfed by the child's maternal grandmother with complete, satiating feeds. Does this create a prohibited relationship between the infant's father and mother?
Does an Ansari husband have the right to insult, curse, or hit his wife and blame her for every mistake in the home, even over ordinary matters such as forgetting where something he gave her was placed?
Some women take money from their husbands without their knowledge, saying that the husband does not give them money and they are forced to take some secretly. Is this lawful or unlawful?
What is the ruling on a wife who does not make herself available to her husband because of her psychological condition?
If a wife is staying at her family's home while angry with her husband, may she leave that home to attend to her needs or visit relatives without obtaining her husband's permission?
May she go out for recreation with her married sisters and their husbands, with the women wearing hijab, even though the outing involves mixing, conversation, laughter, going into the sea while covered, and similar activities?
An Ansari woman has long been married to a non-Ansari man and they have children. After a severe dispute she sued him, and a civil judge ruled that she was divorced, although the husband himself did not pronounce a divorce. Is she legally divorced in Sharia and free to marry another after the waiting period, or does she remain married until he divorces her? If he refuses and causes her harm, what is the way for her to obtain a valid Sharia divorce?
Is a wife obligated to care for, clean, feed, and watch the child, such that she sins if she does not do so? If she decides to study or work for a few hours, is caring for the child then the husband's duty? In principle, is custody the responsibility of the wife or the husband, with the wife's participation merely recommended like cooking and cleaning?
Is it correct that a child should not be disciplined or reprimanded until completing seven years of age, and only then should teaching and discipline begin? Does that mean right and wrong should not be explained before seven, or that a child should not enter school or be taught before completing seven?
An Ansari woman is married to an Ansari man who ordered her to abort her fetus because of their difficult financial circumstances and because they already have children, threatening divorce if she refuses. What should she do, and may she abort the fetus?
When a woman reads the Noble Quran, must she observe the same covering that is obligatory for her in prayer?
What is the ruling for elderly women regarding the Sharia hijab, and what may they leave uncovered before unrelated men?
May a woman place her photograph on social-media sites while she is modestly dressed, or is there a Sharia objection?
What is the ruling for Ansari women who live with family members who oppose the Call and naturally prevent them from going out to demonstrations? How should a woman deal with a mother who opposes the Call but loves her and has suffered greatly in life? Are women obligated to demonstrate, and if they refrain so as not to upset their mother, what should they do?
May a woman surgically restore her hymen because she wants to marry? If it is permissible, must she inform a prospective husband?
Is using powder on the face around the eyes to conceal dark circles, especially when going out and meeting people, also considered makeup that is prohibited before non-mahram men?
It is known that women's ululation before men is prohibited. What if only the echo of the ululation reaches the men unintentionally because some women do not know their voices carry from the women's floor of the Hussainiya to the men's floor?
A sister repairs clothing and is asked by women and girls to tighten existing garments so they become fitted and outline the body. Another Ansari sister applies henna designs to women's hands while knowing some of them will go out where unrelated men can see the decoration. What is the Sharia ruling on their work?
A year ago I asked about exposing the hand or arm while studying and working in dentistry. I tried to propose alternatives such as wrist coverings and long gloves, but they refused and said the rule would become stricter the next year, so I left dentistry and moved toward pharmacy. I have now passed the preparatory subjects and applied to university. What is your guidance?
A believing woman with four children was severely abused by her nonbelieving husband and eventually set herself on fire after escalating physical and verbal abuse and isolation. Before her death she described the abuse in the hospital and it was recorded by an investigating official. May the husband be imprisoned if his actions drove her to suicide, and may her family take a tribal settlement of roughly 20 to 30 million?
Changing the interface language does not translate or approve a ruling.