Communicating religious beliefs, outreach activity, and related public conduct.
Question 149 · outreach
I ask whether it is permissible to describe religious opponents using descriptions that God uses for opponents in the Holy Quran and that occur in the sayings of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. The Quran says: ‘We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are heedless.’ For example, someone who claims knowledge may not even distinguish a she-camel from a male camel, then enters a debate and, when unable to stand in the discussion, tries to flee to another subject. We expose his ignorance, but may we say to him, ‘You are a beast’ or ‘more astray than a beast’? May openly hostile people and nasibis be described as children of prostitutes or as more impure than impure dogs? May jurists of misguidance who carried the Torah and then did not carry it be described as donkeys or dogs? There are simple, ignorant people listening who cannot themselves distinguish truth from falsehood and do not understand why such language is being used; they hear only the descriptions and then say, for example, ‘You have no morals; you insult people—is this the character of the supporters?’ Enemies also exploit this before their followers and simple people, and this can become an obstacle for people who are influenced by personalities rather than taking the truth from its proper source. What is correct? What are the limits when dealing with such nasibis, ignorant people or misguided people in front of ordinary people?
Question 141 · outreach
Must a person who is deaf and unable to speak be informed of the call?
Question 142 · outreach
In Malaysia, one of the strongest ways opponents turn people away from the call is by labeling us Shia. Society is very afraid of this word, and if people associate us with it they place us into a stereotype and avoid us. So we usually say that we are supporters of Imam al-Mahdi and are not Shia, but this is difficult because our school is Shiism and people can discover that easily. As I understand it, the supporters are lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt because they believe in all of God's proofs from the first to the last. What is the best approach toward society? Should we say we are Shia but not like the other Shia groups, or say we are supporters of Imam al-Mahdi and not Shia? What should we do?
Question 143 · outreach
What is our duty in Iran: should we wait for a specific instruction, or convey the message to the general public?
Question 144 · outreach
Here in Iran the security situation is very difficult, as you know. While conveying or spreading the call in whatever way God wills, we encounter people who work for the government, and we receive information that they pass reports to the authorities and encourage the government to act against us. We know these informants and they live among us. May we threaten them, for example by saying that if the government does anything to us we will do such-and-such, even though we would not actually carry out the threat and would say it only to frighten them?
Question 145 · outreach
Some brothers think that taking personal photographs at demonstrations reflects ego and is a test; others see it as supporting the oppressed; another says that whatever comes from God is good, praise be to God. What is the ruling?
Question 24 · outreach
After I took over the administration of a school, I witnessed religious and ethical violations by members of the teaching staff. I advised and admonished them until the matter reached the point of quarrelling, but the situation became worse and I became disliked by some of them, meaning the bad ones. I ask for your advice and the religious ruling regarding the offenders. Some teachers force students to take private lessons and promise that they will pass all subjects in return for large sums that may reach five hundred thousand dinars. There are also immoral relationships with students' mothers in return for ensuring their children's success.
Question 29 · outreach
What is the ruling on someone who remains waiting before believing in the blessed Call? Should he continue following a jurist, and if so whom, or should he act according to precaution? What is his religious ruling?
Question 30 · outreach
What is the ruling concerning members of the community and relatives who claim that they did not know about the Call despite the proclamation of the truth, the preaching, and the publications? Are we required to make each individual person hear about it, or is general propagation sufficient to discharge our responsibility?
Question 31 · outreach
What is the ruling on a community that sold the Book of God, the Noble Quran, and wrote with its own hands a book that it made its constitution instead of the Muslims' constitution; that sold the purified progeny (a), represented by Imam al-Hujjah ibn al-Hasan (a), and pledged allegiance to other people who do not rule by God's judgment? Is it to be treated like the community that turned back against the Messenger of God (s)? Is it described as unbelieving, unjust, or sinful? Is it called to repent? And do the treacherous and misleading scholars bear its sin?
Question 35 · outreach
Is it permissible to attend gatherings that call people to corrupt jurists?
Question 36 · outreach
I live in a city where, as is customary, there are gatherings for supplication, jurisprudential issues, gatherings for Abu Abdillah al-Husayn (a), lectures, and social seminars. The subject of the Call is never mentioned in them. Is there a problem with my attending, especially since not attending causes problems for me?
Question 67 · outreach
A matter occurs in our Ansar of Imam al-Mahdi room on Paltalk: some of the Ansar enter under names and present themselves as questioners. This is done for two reasons. First, to stimulate and activate the room when there is no questioner. Second, guests enter alongside visitors, and this is done to know who enters in relation to the guests. Is this practice permissible?
Question 131 · outreach
I am a teacher in a hawza affiliated with one of the maraji and I love my profession, teaching jurisprudence, biography, and ethics. I hope to remain there so that I can indirectly correct some matters concerning the Call. Should I remain in their hawza for a time or leave my profession?
Question 195 · outreach
What are the differences between the uncorrupted Torah, Gospel, and Quran?
Question 196 · outreach
I have two questions. First, is mubahala something exclusive to the infallible Imam, or may believers perform it when opponents of the blessed Call repeatedly demand it and assume they are correct if the believers refuse? Second, if a mubahala takes place, do the opponents die immediately, or do they have time to repent?