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In His exalted name. The Beneficent, the Merciful – the One God to whom all praise is due forever, the Lord of all the worlds. He is far beyond the Seat that encompasses heaven and Earth, the Throne that encompasses all intelligible knowledge, and the Will that delivers all sempiternal possibilities. Sight comprehends Him not, yet He comprehends all sight. Imagination comprehends Him not, yet He comprehends all imagination. He has given us names to call Him by, descriptions to recognize Him by, and signs of His truth in the horizons and in ourselves. He was there before there was a “there”, and He existed before there was a “when”. He is apparent in His power, yet He is hidden from comprehension. All things submit to Him, knowingly or unknowingly. He created us, sustains us, nurtures us, takes us to- and-fro, and brings us back to Himself. He is closer to us than our jugular vein, yet the near is not near to Him, and the far is not far from Him. He carries us on the sea and on land. He carries the Throne and those who carry it. Eyes do not recognize Him by way of sight, but hearts recognize Him by the realities of faith. Praise be to Allah. May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon His Servant and His Messenger, Muhammad (s) – the one who found us on the edge of a pit of Fire and delivered us, by Allah’s permission. Allah created the Jinn and the humans so that we may know Him, and none knew Him better than the one for whose sake the cosmos was created. Allah is the Merciful (al-Rahman), so He sealed His message with His mercy to the worlds, the Beloved of Allah (s). He was heralded by the prophets, as his light was transferred from pure loins to pure wombs, generation by generation. He called to the way of his Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation. He patiently forbore persecution and fought in the cause of Allah until he prevailed. May Allah grant us his intercession and that of his Household. May the peace of Allah be upon His Friend and His Comprehensive Argument, `Ali (عليه السلام) – the vicegerent, deputy, and brother of Muhammad (s). He was to Muhammad (عليه السلام) as Harun (عليه السلام) was to Musa (عليه السلام) and as Sham`un (عليه السلام) was to `Isa (عليه السلام). He was the one who was fought in the interpretation of the Quran just as the Prophet was fought in its revelation. He was the one who fought the oath-breakers, deviators, and traitors, just as the Prophet fought the idolaters. Muhammad (s) was the City of Knowledge, and `Ali (عليه السلام) was its Gate. Muhammad (s) was the House of Wisdom, and `Ali (عليه السلام) was its door. May we be divided into his camp on the Day that humanity will be split between his lovers and his haters. May the peace and contentment of Allah be upon all the prophets, saints, martyrs, and righteous men and women. This is a complete translation of the Dictations (Amali) of Abu Ja`far Muhammad b. `Ali b. Babuwayh al- Qummi (d. ~ 380 AH), commonly referred to as al-Shaykh al-Saduq – the Truthful Shaykh. The Amali consists of 97 assemblies (majalis), which were delivered between 367 and 368 AH. Born to another prominent scholar in the holy city of Qum, it is reported that Saduq’s birth was a result of a supplication made by the Mahdi (عليه السلام). Saduq authored some of Shiism’s most seminal works, including Man La Yahduruhul Faqih, Kamal al-Din, al-I`tiqadat al-Imamiyya, Kitab al-Tawhid, Ma`ani al-Akhbar, `Ilal al- Shara’i`, `Uyun al-Akhbar al-Rida, al-Khisal, Thawab al-A`mal, and others. Very little academic attention has been paid to the four Amali books of the Buwayhi period. This particular book mostly contains a compilation of the narrations used by Saduq in these assemblies, rather than the commentary or the discussion that he presumably offered alongside them. Many of the reports in this book are corroborated by other compilations from this era, but many are unique. The Amali was probably penned by an unnamed disciple of Saduq. Most assemblies took place on Tuesdays and Fridays in various places, including Mashhad, Tus, Rayy, and Nishapur. Most of the narrations compiled in this book fall under one of three categories: (1) encouragements for certain meritorious practices (such as special fasts), (2) stories of prophets and saints, often with clear moral lessons, and (3) the virtues of `Ali (عليه السلام) in particular and the Ahl al-Bayt in general. Some reports are thematically organized, and some are topical to the annual occasions of the Shi`i calendar. From the contents of this book, we can only surmise that these assemblies were intended for a public audience. It does not focus on fine legal or doctrinal areas of disagreement, but on exhortations (mawa`ith) and recommended deeds. In the 4th century AH, Iran was incredibly diverse, and most of its population was probably non-Twelver. Unlike most Twelver books of hadith, most of the reports in Saduq’s Amali go back to the Prophet Muhammad (s). This may be due to the universality of his authority; as well as a demonstration of Saduq’s ability to narrate the virtues of `Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt through prominent companions and tabi`in. The sihha and the hujjiyya of many reports seem secondary to who is actually narrating them. The book contains no disparaging remarks against the first two caliphs or the wives of the Holy Prophet. Interestingly, there are many positive reports about Zayd b. `Ali b. al- Husayn, as well as chains that return to Zaydi authorities. Saduq also offers a thorough introduction to Twelver Shiism in the 93rd assembly. The Amali’s focus on character-building, stories, faith, stoicism, and the love of the Ahl al-Bayt makes it a powerful introduction to the core values of Twelver Shiism and universal Islamic principles. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to those, without whom, this work would not have been possible. I thank Hassan al-Qadri for his constant support and for commissioning me for this translation project. I thank Yahya Seymour for his graceful encouragement and inspiration. His mind demands the absolute best from his peers; and his teachings inspired the diligence needed to give this work the depth and breadth that it deserves. I thank Houda Salih, my superior in classical Arabic, for answering my sporadic translation questions and for assisting me with idioms that escape my imagination. I thank Sajad al-Saadi for elegantly assisting me with translating a sermon in the 90th assembly. I thank Zahraa Rizvi for her preliminary translations of the 27th, 28th, and 29th assemblies, which served as a base for my renditions. I thank William Chittick for his translation of the Treatise on Rights, which also served as a base for my translation of the same report. I thank Idris Samawi Hamid for filling my heart with the love of Ahl al-Bayt and the discipline needed to complete a work of this scale. Lastly, I thank my dear and beloved parents, who introduced me to Allah and His Messenger, the Quran and the `Itra, and to Arabic and English. Their teachings, their love, and their support continue to play a pivotal role in my slow progress on the pathway toward God. https://thaqalayn.net/book/29?fbclid=IwAR1pDX7rjvi6AxykgW_x316oKcc1IqfBM-CMIGw17zmKeb1dHP_AOE8OfS8

I would not go so far as to say 'salty', rather I'm bemused about how people socially construct things.

But people know that it's just a slogan and it's not inspired anyone to do any killing. On the other hand as soon as you hear that the Americans are on a new mission to spread, peace, democracy and human rights you immediately know hundreds of thousands will die. Because that happens every time.

The following translation of an article written by Sheikh Hubullah investigates the modern day claims associated to Masjid Jamkaran. Like many other popular modern trends, there doesn't seem to any strong evidence related to these claims and most of them seem to have surfaced in the Safavid/post-Safavid era https://thaqalayn.blog/masjid-jamkaran-and-its-associated-rituals/

Examining social media and references to Iran - Attempt 2 What I used This time I used the following app: vicinitas.io And used their free service. This allows you to type in a Twitter users username and download all their tweets up to a maximum of 3,200. The download is an excel file. What I did I searched for Iran as a search term in Twitter I scrolled down past obvious Iranian names etc. and focused on non-Iranian accounts. I also ignored politicians' accounts, those of activists and those that might have an obvious link with Israel. I was looking for someone with a public profile and who if they appeared in the search might perhaps have a general interest in human rights of various descriptions. The result The first such individual I came across is the British businessman Richard Branson (who founded the airline Virgin) and now has space interests. Since May 2019 to today he has posted 3195 tweets. I searched for various countries' names and had the following results. Bahrain = 0 Egypt = 0 Iran = 26 Iraq = 1 (about a British national) Israel = 0 Libya = 0 Pakistan = 0 (despite the floods in the period) Qatar = 0 Saudi = 0 Yemen = 1 There were some about India, but those referred to issues such as the work of Virgin employees helping with covid. He has posted about specific individuals facing the death penalty in various countries e.g. Singapore, and the U.S. but not in the case of e.g. Saudi. So he definitely fills my definition of someone who cares about human rights, as long as it's Iranians.

True

Salam alaikum brother. To label mut'ah as zina is problematic because the muslimeen are unanimous that this act was initially permissible during the time of the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)). The Sunnis believe it was then forbidden while the Shia position is that the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) never forbid it, rather it was Umar who forbid it during his caliphate. The Sunnis recognize the famous narration where Umar proclaimed it forbidden but insist that this was a reminder and not a new ruling. In reality the discussions and considerations around mut'ah are more complex than what one may initially imagine. From the Sunni perspective it is interesting to note that certain companions, such as Imran b Hussain and Ibn Abbas, are said to have considered mut'ah permissible as well as certain scholars. From the Shia perspective it is important to note that there are conditions to be considered such as permission of a guardian, religion and in general the undesirability of mut'ah with women who were not previously married. Also it is interesting to note additional considerations here: https://thaqalayn.blog/zawaj-al-muta-temporary-marriage-halal-or-haram/

^For those who are convinced that those who are against the Revolution are the majority. People marched in 900 cities across Iran on the day that is known as the day against global arrogance. This was very very recently

If this argument were to be completely accepted, it wouldn't detract from visiting masjid jamkaran. If people innately remember Imam more by going to Jamkaran rather than say the local masjid, this wouldn't be problematic and in fact it would be a good thing, or if people would sit down and worship Allah more because of the association of the masjid to the Imam, even if its not the case in reality, it would be good to go to the masjid even if the masjid itself has no special value compared to other masajid.

Salam Alaikum , I often wonder about this. I work in a profession where I encounter people from a wide diversity of backgrounds. Traditionally i was taught in Madrassah - only the Muslims will go to heaven and the true Shias will be highest in rank . I’m afraid that nowadays I regard this view as short sighted and arrogant - why? Because most of us are born into Shia families. We lead rather insular lives interacting only with our communities our perspectives are rather narrow and simple e.g. we imagine that for example as long as we ‘do good’ we’ll accumulate goodness like money - and on the day of judgement this will be a kind of currency to get us to heaven . Yet we don’t necessarily delve deeper , ask those troubling questions , strive to ‘be better’ . God asks us in the Quran to really sacrifice and strive hard yet we are quite content in our self-importance and laziness not to . And I’m not going to be apologetic and make excuses and back track on this statement . Does this narrow outlook therefore narrow our opinion of others like the Jews outlook ok the gentiles . We imagine that those not born Muslim are wayward and lost until they somehow grasp a theistic outlook of some sort . We also imagine that people of some beliefs are going straight to hell because they’re beliefs involve a form of polytheism . Am I wrong ? I don’t believe myself to be - and I’m talking about my own self and perspectives aswell as what I’ve observed in the community - are we narrow in opinion , shortsighted ?

Kharijites? Wow, the internet is just crazy then. lol. wa alaikum salam. Most of us are twelvers usouli shia muslims. We believe in twelve imams. We are also called Jafaris because of our adherence to Imam Jafar al Sadiq. Zaydi etc brethern are also shia muslims and you can talk to them to know their beliefs. We have some zaydi members here. When someone is making a research, they should talk to the followers of that religion and denomination. I would not ask a Christian about Islam or vice versa. Same goes for denominations. I did not ask what shia islam is to sunnis. Same goes for jurisprudential denominations. You can ask Jafari twelver faith to jafari twelvers and Zaydi faith to Zaydi Shias. And no matter which denomination you choose, always keep loving Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى), his Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and Ahlulbayt and work for unity of Muslims and oppressed nations against global arrogance. ma salam.

All these films are influencing and conditioning the masses on a subconscious level. A lot of sci-fi novels and movies (i.e. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter etc.) depict occult-themed ideas. Notice the one-eyed symbolism throughout the video. Characters like Spider-Man and The Hulk introduce the idea of invincibility through genetic manipulation and DNA tampering. Also, the notion of merging man with machine (i.e. transhumanism) is evident in movies like Iron Man, Terminator and The Six Million Dollar Man. What was once limited to the realm of fantasy in the 1950's and 1960's is well on the way to becoming reality in 2022. Firstly, they introduce esoteric ideas as playful fantasy and harmless speculation. Secondly, decades are needed for such notions to settle with the masses. Once an idea is accepted then the envelope is pushed further and newer boundaries are introduced and set.

Your point here is 100% correct. Sadly. Unfortunately, our Islamic communities and even families fail to teach the real purpose of the hijab and why both women and men should practice hijab, because the hijab is more than just a headscarf and modest clothing. They will talk about how the main reason behind wearing the hijab is to cover up in front of men, and although that is one of the reasons, it is not the main reason. The main reason for the hijab is for the sake of Allah, not for the sake of men. It is solely an act of worship. Why do you think we wear the veil when we're praying salah at home, even though there isn't any non mahram around? That further proves the point of the hijab's purpose. Our communities need to do a better job.

All humans are "hard wired" to be attracted to multiple people. All humans are also "hard wired" to eat sugar in preference to healthy foods, but that doesn't mean we can't choose based on reason over instinct.

One of the jobs in my to-do list is to check out those celebrities, academics and politicians etc. who have voiced support for the anti-hijab protestors and see what else they have said about women's rights in the developing world.

It would be fascinating to observe the committee that 'decides' these things in order to tell the rest of the world what is right and what is wrong.

Salam he has told that Iran has sold some drones to Russia before start of war in Ukraine in similar fashion which any country sells some weapons during peace to each other but on the other hand Iran has has not sold even one drone after start of war also dropping corocodile tears for killing innocents in this war is just using victim card by Ukraine which according to news from both sides drones just have been used for targeting military sites of ukraine which maybe Ukraine has used some of it's people as human shield or just introduces Azof militants as innocent civilians .

its crazy that you'll have some people on reddit fawning over pictures of women before revolution without a hijab but when it comes to the things that really matter, such things won't get posted.

We must thank you sincerely for such an effort with your team. May Allah bless you, it is really an amazing collection of ahadith, and now accessible for those of us whose Arabic Is still limited. May Allah continue blessing you and your family for your sadaqah Jarriya to our community and world at large. Mashallah and Mabrook on your most worthy accomplishment.

There is no such thing as a Muslimah having male friends. What sane male figure would allow his wife, daughter, sister, mother to hang out with another non mahram male due to "friendship"? What sane male figure would allow his wife, daughter, sister, mother to hang out with another non mahram male due to "friendship"? Even non Muslims understand this.

Your actions could be a contributing factor, but he is responsible for his own actions and his own emotions, just as you are responsible for yours. Everything affects the children. Just do your best. If you can change some things and make it better, do that, but you are not responsible for the entire mental health of your household.

The honest answer is that not many of our English-speaking shuyukh will give time and expertise to this crucial issue. If you know someone, then please suggest them below and inshallah we can get in touch with them to produce a follow-up.

A detailed discussion based on any analysis of the primary literature is above my pay-grade, so I'll defer to a secondary source, while acknowledging that others may come along and analyse the reliability of the Hadiths being referenced: https://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/sunna-and-hijab This link has more explicit reference to the Qur'an itself. The following is a discussion of 24:31: https://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/quran-and-hijab Based on what you have said I guess you are already familiar with these arguments, so I am only posting them here for the benefit of those who are reading this thread and who are not.

You have started a topic which I don't think many people want to think about, yet it is very important. The main barrier to getting to Paradise and gaining Ma'arif (true and real knowledge regarding Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) is the ego, i.e. Kibr (arrogance). This (kibr) is the most deadly disease of the soul which noone is immune from. Saying that 'Only Muslims will get into Paradise' is contradicted by the Holy Quran. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ Chapter 2, verse 62 of the Quran: "Surely those who believe, those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does good, shall have their reward with their Lord. Here is an Answer from Sayyid Modarassi regarding this. https://www.al-islam.org/ask/can-modern-christians-who-believe-in-the-trinity-and-worship-jesus-as-attain-salvation-and-enter-jannah/sayyed-mohammad-al-musawi ... Jannah (Paradise) is not under our control to judge who will enter in it or not. Allah, The Glorious, Knows who will be granted Paradise because He only Knows everything about everyone from His creatures and grants Paradise according to His full Knowledge and Mercy. This is the best answer I have heard. When people quote hadith like 'My Shia will be in Paradise' and 'My Shia are the achievers and victorious ones', these hadith by Imam Ali((عليه السلام)) are not talking about those who were born to parents who come from a certain geographical location, or a certain culture. There are hadith that talk about who are the 'Shia' that he is talking about. It has nothing to do with race, language, culture, language, lineage, etc. It has to do with how someone lives their life. What they truly believe with all their heart and soul and because they believe this, they do certain acts, regularly, some of which are difficult, of their own free will. Because of this belief and because of those actions, they will be deemed worthy of entering Paradise by the mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى), because noone enters Paradise because of their deeds alone. Anyone who claims to be a Shia does not understand what this word really means. A real Shia would never claim this, they would simply say 'I am trying to be that, maybe someday, InShahAllah'. About being insular, there is a great ayat in the Holy Quran. يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ Holy Quran 49:13 O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allāh is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware. One meaning of 'know each other' (لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ) means that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) gave to men some qualities that are different than women and some to women that are different than men. He gave certain other qualities to people from different tribes that are good, and others that are bad. He gave the remedy or medicine for those bad qualities in another tribe. There are some bad qualities that men have that can only be remedied, or cancelled out by men seeking out women to help them with that, and other bad qualities in women that can only be remedied by seeking out men. The good qualities in men and women, and in certain tribes and nations enhance good qualities, and some cancel out bad qualities. So human beings, as a whole can only achieve their true potential by mutual respect and trust and cooperating with each other. If each group lives independently and only interacts with those who are like them, then the true potential will never be achieved. If each group (as it basically is nowdays) thinks that they are 'the best' and 'the top and most religious, civilized, etc' and refuses to interact with other groups or thinks of these groups as inferior to them, then you will have what we basically have today, which is lots of small groups fighting with each other, each trying to tear the other down, and most of our efforts will be wasted on this and not achieve anything. This attitude is based in Kibr(arrogance) and ujub (haughtiness) and we all need to be aware and careful of this.

Salam. Main thing is to take it slow and try your best. I get impact shocks too although I am not a revert, so its not a revert exclusive thing. I sometimes internally question too, why was X or Y prescribed. Usually I find though over little time the shock disappears and that thing that shocked me doesn't do so anymore. You may enjoy Sheikh Panahian

Hi Everyone, FYI this is also posted on Reddit so you might see it there as well. This might be a bit of a long thought on Polygamy. But I think there needs to be more discussion about the topic on when it should be used. I think in our modern western society we have forgotten a key use of having more than one wife. When you read this, please have an open mind. First off in the Quran it is clear that we are to look after the orphan (meaning they have no one to look after them.) Also from the example of the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) he has several wives which were widows, hence orphans in the sense that they have no one to look after them. The discussion I wish to start is when is having multiple wives desirable for society, not just an individual. I would like to preface this with I do not think that a man should bring home a 20 year old girl and surprise his wife. However, if a man has the resources to take care of another woman who may be divorced, widowed, etc, why shouldn't he be encouraged to take one of these women as a wife? As a society I think we put too much value on independence over community. If a woman is with out means, divorced or widowed, she will have to live with family (who might resent her being there), or live off of welfare (minimal for a sufficient life). Why deny them the ability to have a good life? Why not encourage these women to become a second wife to someone who can provide for them in a manner that will reduce stress, give them protection against financial hardship and keep them from falling into loneliness and despair? We should encourage this in the sense that it will be for the betterment of society as a whole. For men, they should be encouraged to make sure their community is taken care of. This is one way they can take part in this. By taking a woman who truly is in need as a second wife, he can help build security in his community. Even if it is for one person. It also allows him to build his character. For women who are married, you should encourage your husband do take on a woman as a second wife if it is for one of these reasons. By being jealous, possessive and petty you are allowing a woman to suffer. Is this good character? Instead, encourage your husband to take a second wife if you know of a woman in this situation. You never know, you could be in a similar situation one day and would like to not suffer in this way. I would like to hear your thoughts. I am sure there will be a flame war for a bit. If we are rational, humble, caring and truly thinking of others, it seems as though we can rethink this idea.

Salam brother, This does happen be it a woman or a man. I think there are many reasons why this can happen. The root of all this does go back to not being rooted in tawhid. Once we stray away from our fitrah and don't understand who we are we will start acting unnatural and unfaithful. When someone is obedient and submissive to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) then that translates to all other aspects naturally. Aside from the fundamental which I just mentioned above, I also feel that when we marry the wrong spouse who we have no emotional, spiritual and physical connection to then these problems arise. That's why it's important to marry the right person so we are fully committed to them and can be faithful to them. Even with the right person it does require a lot of work - refining of the soul and constantly growing in nearness to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى). But the root of all problems is straying away from tawhid. Someone who truly believes in God and has that deep connection would never engage in unfaithful behaviour.

Moving is one of the worst activities ever. I learn a lot about myself when I move.

And don’t even get me started on the sexual symbolism in Disney movies. They use subliminal messaging to inculcate immorality within the youth.

Thanks for building on this thread @Eddie Mecca. There’s a weird obsession with homosexuality, transgenderism and feminism in the media. It is symbolic of their opposition to the Allah’s Law.

Salam Shiachat Fam, Inshallah everyone has been doing well, been a while.

@313_Waiter, Hollywood is a diabolical place...here's a real eyeopener from my personal vault...'The X-Men Movies and the Gay Agenda' (Good Fight Ministries) 15 min.

Alekum Salam Wa Rahmatullah... The burden falls on both. The concept of hijab applies to both, although it is different. As it says in the Holy Quran, men are supposed to 'guard their glance' and 'cover their private parts'. Women are also told to do this, and in addition, they are told to 'cast their khimar over their bosoms'. This means, they are already wearing a khimar (head covering), so they are supposed to let it hang down so that it covers their chest area. This command was given to women and not to men. There are more specifics and more authentic hadith from Imams((عليه السلام)) regarding this verse, but I'll leave those off and they have been posted many times here. The maintaining of modesty in society falls equally on men and women. It is like two people carrying a bucket of water and there is a pole going thru the handle of the bucket. Each one grabs one side of the pole. If either person drops their end, the bucket will fall and the water will spill on the ground and be gone. If women 'drop their end', modesty will go out from society, and if men drop their end, it will also go out. Men and women are equal but they are not the same. You can look at this from a historical perspective. Traditionally, for many thousands of years of human society, men were hunters whose main task was to go out and get meat for the family. They accomplished this by being physically strong, fast, and having a very developed and acute vision. You can't be a successful hunter and catch the animal if you can't see it, and can't follow it's movements visually. They needed this for survival of themselves and their family. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) knew this, so he gave them a very acute sense of vision and also many neural connections to different parts of the brain that respond to visual stimuli. So men are stimulated (at least initially) mainly thru the eyes, thru seeing something. Women have a more diverse set of stimuli (taste, touch, smell, sound, and also vision) that lead to the same result and their brain is more complex in terms of stimulation vs. men. Men, when they see a women who is pleasing to them, visually, they will react 100% of the time, because this is how their brain works. This is why in Islam, the ulema say that the first look is not a sin. The first look is something we (as men) can't avoid. It is a innate reaction. We can avoid the second look, and the subsequent looks, if we train ourselves. The difference between a mumin and a non mumin or a non muslim is that a mumin will try very, very hard to keep his reaction internal, i.e. not to burden anyone else with the result of this stimulation event. That is why most women believe, mistakenly, that a guy who is a mumin is not stimulated by seeing an attractive women. That is completely wrong and a myth. He is, but he knows how to control his reaction to it so that this reaction does not go down the path to becoming a sin. A guy who isn't a mumin or isn't a muslim either doesn't know how to do this or doesn't want to / care to do it. This is why ulema or leaders, who have the power to do this, will insist that women who interview them wear hijab. It is not showing any disrespect toward the women (as it is portrayed in the Western Media), it is them trying to protect themselves. They know that if they see an attractive women unveiled they will be stimulated by it and it will distract them and move their thoughts toward areas which they shouldn't go. They are acknowledging their own frailty as a human being and as a man. It is the opposite of showing disrespect, it is showing respect by telling the lady that we should keep the interview focused on the issues at hand and acknowledging that they are important issues and this lady is worthy to discuss them with. All guys who are mumin would do this, if they could. Most of them don't have any say in what women around them are wearing (ie. hijab). The reason why hijab is necessary is because there is an 'in between' group, which is most men. If they don't have this visual stimulus, they will not react and as a consequence, the women of the society will be safe from this reaction, which may sometimes drift into sin / harm, even for the in between group. It is the reaction of this in between group which will determine if the society is corrupt or not, first because they are most men, and second because their reaction is contingent and dependent on the visual stimulus. Their reaction is like the variable in an equation, as opposed to a constant. The other two groups, the mumin, and the corrupt man (fasiq) are like the constants in the equation. The mumin will never let his reaction go into the path of sin and harm not matter what the stimulus is. That is because he has discipline and self control, which is a blessing from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) to him for his Iman (belief). A corrupt (fasiq) person will let his reaction go into the path of sin and harm, if he thinks he can get away with it, whether there is a visual stimulation or not. Hijab or no hijab, this won't change his reaction, so women in a society are never completely safe, because there are always these types of men around, but in most all societies they are a small minority. The proof of this is that think about how many men you pass on the street, and what percentage of those men harass you. If you count, you will see that you might pass a thousand or more men on the street before one of them harasses you. So most of the men you pass don't harass you. If they did, women would never go out on the street. There are corrupt / fasiq men in Najaf, Qum, and Karbala just like there are everywhere else in the world. The main difference is that in these places those men and their behaviour is not generally accepted / 'celebrated' as it is in other places. They are not given the title of 'alpha males' and given accolades as they are in other places in the world. You say this is 'unfair', but that is like saying gravity is unfair. Why is it that if we jump off the top of a roof we will get injured or killed (if it is high enough). Gravity is what it is. It is how Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) made it. Thinking it is fair or unfair won't change it, just like thinking the 'reaction' of men is unfair won't change it. We can, however, use this to our advantage and not to our disadvantage by observing the commands and advice given to us by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) regarding this, i.e. practicing proper hijab.

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ Now if you follow the majority of those [who live] on earth, they will lead you astray from the path of God: they follow but [other people's] conjectures, and they themselves do nothing but guess. Holy Quran 6:116

I'm new here. If anything like other gatherings I've attended, there's a lot of eyes going around and no one saying anything. Maybe the people are tired of the feds infiltrating? LOL. It's ok. I can laugh because I was locked up for over 10 years and considered a violent criminal. I protected my family and told the truth. So, of course I'd be punished in America! LOL. I'm a Choctaw from the Nation of Oklahoma. I graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University in 2019. Recently, I approached the Imam of our mosque here in Topeka, communicating that I wanted to give back, do more, and be around the brothers. He literally told me to go online. LOL. Should probably spend more time searching around and reading, but just like anything else with life, I'd do better when I'm guided lol. I started with an online tutor to work on my tajweed recently. I'm trying to make more time in my life to get back to studying the religion as I once did. If money wasn't an object, I'd rather spend my time raising my family, worshipping God, studying the deen, and helping others. Doesn't everyone??? LOL The age of materialism is beginning to eclipse. What is important will become more valuable than ever before. I'm grateful just for the opportunity to be alive, make the prayer, and recite the Qur'an. A time is coming when those who travel light will be blessed!

Wa alaikum as salam Yes this would be haram as it comes under gambling. https://www.al-islam.org/greater-sins-volume-1-sayyid-abdul-husayn-dastghaib-shirazi/fourteenth-greater-sin-gambling

Not more or less insane than a Muslim Democrat

Some points. 1. Most men are emotionally retarded and clueless when it comes to this. This includes Muslim men, non Muslim men, etc. It doesn't mean they're bad guys. Men have emotions but most were never taught how to talk about them in a constructive way, and also most of them don't think it's even worth it to do this. In contrast, most women were taught this. I won't mention the other issue you mentioned beside saying you know this was wrong, and hopefully you have done tauba and your not still pursuing this as an option. 2. Most newly married women (this includes Muslim and non Muslim) believe that after the wedding and the associated 'activities' that her husband will transform, like a caterpillar into a butterfly, into this incredible, sweet, sensitive, emotionally available and 'getting it' guy. When it doesn't happen (and it almost never happens), the new bride gets disappointed and hurt. This has been happening since the beginning of human history, but only recently did we invent social media, so that women could talk to each other about this topic endlessly, which increases these feelings of abandonment and loneliness, some of which is real, but most of which is imaginary. 3. The Good News. This does happen (man becoming more emotionally available and 'getting it') but it takes time, sometimes many years for the couple to 'gel' together and for them to synch up when it comes to these things. Couples who have been married for 10 + years usually don't have these same problem, or it's not so frequent as to be a major issue. They learn and adapt to each other. So if you just stay married, eventually these things will work themselves out. The asterisk here (*) that I should add is that they will work themselves out so long as you are both dedicated to following the religion (which is sounds like you are) and you both do your best to obey Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) to doing the wajib and avoiding the haram. 4. The Solution. The solution is that you need to be ok with yourself. Whatever trauma happened in the past, you need to work thru this and resolve it. The most difficult thing for a spouse to deal with is when their spouse has emotional baggage then uses it as an excuse to act in ways that are hurtful or harmful, or just annoying. I am not saying you are doing this, but if you are it's not making your situation any better. The solution is to get rid of this baggage by working thru the issues you are having. Whether this involves going to therapy, consulting with an alim, etc. Whatever it is, you need to do it, and do it immediately. You will never have a really good marriage until you do this. Also, if you work thru the issue, then whatever ultimately happens in the marriage, it won't cause you to add more baggage to what you already have and make your potential next marriage impossible to sustain. Yes, you can get rid of the baggage. Most people have had trauma or severe trauma happen to them in their life. Many people find ways to work thru it.It doesn't happen 'magically' but takes time and sustained effort, but it's possible Please take an example from this. Salam and I wish you and your husband the best. Also, if your issues are more severe and you are thinking of harming yourself, we have people here who can help you. Contact me or another mod immediately. Don't wait.

The Iranians are simply venting their opinions whereas the USA actions theirs. I think you should be more worried about the seething mass of anti-US opinion in Arab countries, which gets no chance for expression because of the satraps the US has installed to govern them. One day the pressure cooker will blow. BTW you realise that the conversations we have 5 times a day with our 'imaginary friend', might be considered in some circles as a bit 'unstable'?

It does for some country, for example Finland is good example. In the time of occulation, it is us the Muslims that should develop a System where we can not only secure our religion and faith but also progress intellectually and progress in all different fields that help us to develop ourselves and our society. If we are stuck then we need to change to better and not be in same loop forever. I really do not know and even doubt that Scholars themselves can solve this matter, rather the task should always be given to all those Muslims in general who have good ideas and ways to progress the society in better way. Secular Democracy itself is only good for people who care about the society progress as much it is consider of this worldy life, but we Muslims need to go beyond it, where we consider both success.

There is plenty. The problem is a few greedy men who hoard resources.

Alekum Salam wa Rahmatullah, Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't do everything perfect right away. The voices you hear are the whispering of the Shaitan (Satan) and everyone hears these from time to time. Try to just ignore them. I think at this point, it is very important to find a few friends who are practicing muslim. Brothers if you are a brother, sisters if you are a sister. These people should be sincere in wanting to help you progress in your deen and be knowledgeable enough to not teach you wrong things regarding the basics, like Prayer, Fasting, Hajj, Khums, etc. They should not have any alternate or hidden agendas. Another thing is that find resources where you can learn about these things. There are alot of good ones online nowdays. I can post some here. It sounds like your English is good, but also maybe some brothers and sisters in Portugal or Brazil can post some Portuguese resources. I know there are some on here that visit the site regularly. Here are some good ones that I have found. A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West by Sayyid Sistani https://www.sistani.org/english/book/46/ The Revealer, The Messenger, The Message by Shahid Muhammad Baqir As Sadr https://www.al-islam.org/revealer-messenger-message-sayyid-muhammad-baqir-al-sadr The Characteristics of the Just and the Rightly Guided. Selections from Nahjul Balagha. https://www.al-islam.org/articles/characteristics-just-and-rightly-guided-imam-nahj-ul-balagha That's good for now. If you need more I can post. When you read these books, especially the first one you might have question, because he uses some Arabic terms. If you have any questions, please post and I will attempt to answer.

Thanks for your interpretation. The content belongs to OP a Zaidi and they are not allowed to propagate their view, The matter of OP may be ceased or may be shifted to Minor Islamic Sect forum as per Sc rules, This is my suggestion and request keeping in view the scenario for OP. Wasallam.

* ahem * So does Amnesty International Habibi, for the love of God, don't rely on the Western media for all your information.

Hijab and veil is in Judaism and Christianity as well. Allah's deen has always been Islam that's why the Laws between Judaism, Christianity and Islam are very similar. Since all Prophets came from Allah, they all brought the same message...incrementally.