Pearl of Wisdom

'Now it is obligatory upon a ruler that the distinction he achieves, or the wealth with which he has been exclusively endowed, should not make him change his behaviour towards those under him. Rather the bounties that Allah has bestowed on him should increase him in nearness to his people and in kindness towards his brethren. Beware then that it is my duty towards you that I should not keep anything secret from you except during war, nor should I decide any matter without consulting you except with regards to the commands of religion, nor should I postpone the fulfilment of any of your rights nor desist until I discharge it fully. And that all of you are equal to me in your rights. When I have done all this , it becomes obligatory upon you to thank Allah for this bounty and to obey me.'

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib [as]
Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 50

Latest Answers

Receive Qul Updates

Name:
Email:



Ask Qul is a new secure and private medium for asking and answering your Islamic questions by our educated, experienced and qualified scholars from the Hawza Islamic University in Qum, Iran and renowned Sheikhs from around the globe.

View Questions Within Shia Sunni Dialogue
# Subject Question Status
100 Praying open hands to close hands Did the Prophet Muhammad pray open or close hands, and when did this division take place?
Answered
105 Shia view on Taraweeh what is the Shia view on teravi? Is it considered haram to participate in teravim or is it just not recommended?
Answered
116 brushing teeth during fasting How can i explain brushing my teeth during fasting to our brothers from the Sunni school of thought?
Answered
140 different Adhan in Shia and Sunni Why do the Shia and the Sunni schools recite the adhaan differently, when did this division come into play?
Answered
204 misc enquiry Assalamuiliekum Wa rohmatolahi wa barkartu,

May peace and blessings be upon you always.

Hello my name is Faruq. I am a Muslim revert from Australia who now lives in Indonesia with my wife.

I have some questions about Shia Islam that I hope you can answer for me.

So far I have been following Islam mainly according to the Maliki school of fiqh. Which although uncommon I feel Imam Maliks rulings make the most sense for me.

I have however always believed in the complete unification of this Ummah because from what I have read it is what the prophet Muhammad wanted from us, to be unified. Thus I have always kept communication open to all Islamic groups and mixed freely with them all, including Shia.

Now in Indonesia I have no Shia friends like I used to have in Australia. There are some questions though that have resurfaced for me recently through listening to some of Prof. Hussanain's lectures on Tauweed.

1. Shia follow 12 imams after the Prophet and the Sahaabat. Do these imams introduce new aspects to Islam or new Dalal outside what we received from the first generation of Muslims who accepted the original message? Or can they be compared to the four Imams of the major mazhabs in Islam?

2. Do all Shia practice self mutilation? Is this a practice from the 12 Imams or because of cultural spiritualisim (like sufisim)?

3. Is there disagreement amongst Shia scholars on the permissibility of Muta'ah/Temporary Marriage?

I hope you can answer my questions and my sincere hope is that my questions can bring me closer to my Shia brothers in Islam for Allah has made us all brothers in faith and we should honour this always.

Wassalamuiliekum wa rohmatolahi wa barakartu,
Answered
252 insulting personalities What is your view of what is found in media (satellite TV canals and internet) that is explicit insult and disgrace towards the wives of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S.W.A) using offensive language against her and charging her with things that throw her chastity and honor as a wife of the Nobel Prophet Muhammad (S.W.A) into question?

It goes without saying that these behaviors have created great troubles within the Islamic Ummah and put the Muslims, especially the followers of Ahl al-Bayt (a.), in a state of stress.
Answered
286 combing of prayers by the Shia Why do Shiites combine their prayers? Is it permissible to do so?
Answered
313 Is Ali higher status then Prophets? Why do Shia believe that Imams(AS) are superior to all prophets except our last prophetSAW???

Can you prove from Quran and Sunni Hadeeths??
Answered
396 Imam Ali being superior - how Why do Shia believe that Imams(AS) are superior to all prophets except our last prophetSAW???Can you prove from Quran and Sunni Hadeeths??
Answered
403 different Shia Schools of Thought Salaam 'Alaykum,

I have heard that there are two schools of thought in relation to Taqlid - The Akhbari School and the Usooli School of thought. Can you please explain each in detail, including the history of each and what our Mujtahideen's opionion is on each of these.

Thank You
Answered
461 discussion discource I was having a discussion with a Sunni sister yesterday and I told her the Shia Ithna Asheri definition of a "kaafir".. such like.. a kaafir's sweat is najis for us .. a kaafir's cooked food is najis for us. She was pretty apalled at my words.. and told me that since Allah S.W.T. Has Created us all clean and pure, how is it possible that we can be so unclean to one another, based on our beliefs, whatever they may be. I told her the treatment we extend to kaafirs is synonymous with the treatment we extend towards dogs... but I know that I was limited in my knowledge to adequately satisfy her..and that's why I need help to explain this issue to her.. and please, if I fell short when explaining to her, do tell me.
Answered
470 explaing matam to Sunni Salaam i was just wondering,how to explane to sunni muslims about doing matam? I mean alot of sunni muslims have said that in Nahjol balagha imam ali says that if you hit yourself all your good deeds will go away. So is there any hadith or anything we can say to make them beleive why we do matam?
Answered
488 Was Prophet Muhammad martyred According to shia sect, Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was martyred?
Answered
866 Um Kalthoom Salamu Alaykum,

Sunni scholars attempt to downplay the Shia faith and their beliefs by insisting that Imam Ali (a.s) had married his daughter to Umar ibn al Khattab. They insist that this proves the piety and faithfulness of Umar since a man like Imam Ali (a.s) agreed to hand his daughter in marriage to him. Is this a true event or is it fabricated. I have read some literature suggesting that Umar was married to a different Um Kalthum. Can you please explain the matter from the Shia Faith under the guidance of the true scholars of Islam. If it is true, what would be the logical reasoning of Imam Ali (a.s) behind it?
Pending
1043 Website What school of thought does this website follow?
Pending
1073 clarification am ibrahhim
my question is about the terms used by your web users, i saw the quote {AS} infront of some names like ALI while others like ABUBAKAR you dont? is it a religious believe why you do so or a typing mistake? if it is a religious believe what supportive evidence do you have?
thanks
Pending
1243 IthnaAshari perspective Letter for guidance




Salam ,

I need to question whether it is obligatory in IthnaAshari Islam for the son/ daughter of a criminal father to say Salam and live forcefully with their parent ?
Recently I have been involved in a case that I have lodged against my father . In brief , my father had Khula from my mother . They lived separately for many years. Around 5 years back I decided to stay with my elderly father . All was ok generally. After a year my second sister joined me , so we decided to start a business together . We had waqf money that we would receive every year. Our guardian would usually handle that and we never asked for it because were living relatively comfortably at home. When we thought of doing a business we realized we needed to invest cash . We wanted to deal in textile. We asked our guardian to give us our waqf . He refused. Then he decided to give us 3000 per month , where as we would receive 40 000 each yearly . We agreed for a year with that decision but told him that the next year we would require the total in one go as was entitled to us by the waqf. Next year Muharum came and he just flatly refused. We stopped talking to him or associating with him completely even though my sister and I and our guardian lived in the same apartment .

Then around 6 months into the year , we discovered that he had gotten in touch with some local sheikhs and they jointly with the neighbor told the maid to adulterate our food and drink with sleeping agents and nijis drugs to make us daft and dumb and lethargic. Also the maid started to put garlic and scrub weird potions to our locked bedroom door from the outside .
My sister and I shifted into one room for safety and would only eat packed food items and go out of our room only when the guardian was sleeping. Then one day the guardian got angry because the maid had a tiff with us in the kitchen . He told us we better respect the maid or he would get the guard to take our belongings out and lodge us into the drivers servants quarter downstairs and he would call the big Shiekh and tell them we are Shia kafirs .Then his brother and family intervened and we explained to them our point of view. They saw our fashion clothes and business investments and clothes articles we had collected and eventually it was decided we could have our waqf in full. We took our waqf but refused to mend ties with the guardian . That made the guardian very angry . Eventually on Friday 17 Rabiul Awal around 1:10 pm the father left the apartment , let assassins in to burn us alive . We called the fire department and the assassins left and we came out safe despite the fire . We then lodged a case against the father and his accomplices . Now I thought it was an easy judgement to pass and the criminals would face justice soon , but that is not the case.
The status of the father is like an idol . After all this the court says that even though the father may be kafir , the son/ daughter must say Salam to the father and even live with him . I can go in more detail ,but that is basically it. I argue that in IthnaAshari Islam let the father act like a human first then we can talk of Aq and Bir al Walidaan . I have asked for total disassociation from my guardian and taqseem al wiratha so I can live separately in peace . Instead the court has give me 1000 riyals monthly for living as in nafaqa food and clothing etc and 500 for lodging per month. In 500 riyals you cannot live in the same location I used to live in . It will be a cheaper district I'll have to move to and my living standard will fall drastically . 500 a month ? A decent printer comes for 500 riyals . I have said I want all that is sharian on my name to be given to me . The court can't see beyond nafaqa and Sakan and I have said how can a mujrim be paying for my well being , it is nijas on me to accept it . He should be in jail or a mental ward.
The court said bring me IthnaAshari literature that says you don't have to say Salam to a kafir parent .
I need that literature .
Many thanks ,
Miss Hussain
P.S I can send more detailed drafts of my reports I presented to court if required . This is a serious case and I need serious assistance and guidance .
Pending
Copyright © 2024 Qul. All Rights Reserved.
Developed by B19 Design.