ali_fatheroforphans

Salam Alaykum, It must be tough and generally it is becoming very difficult finding jobs in Pakistan which is why many students come overseas. It's just the nature of the economy and how sometimes a deserving individual does not find a job very easily. I know tonnes of individuals for example engineers who have struggled finding work in Pakistan. The Qur'an explicitly states that we all will be tested in some way [Qur'an 2:155] - it may be hunger, financial loss, health, loss of life etc. This world is never meant to be perfect and once you are part of it then it is impossible to expect yourself to be free from problems. The hereafter is eternal and that is where we will happily live a stress free life if we make it to heaven insha'allah. But the good news is that if you are patient through these difficult times there will be good times to follow even in this world, therefore never despiar and always be hopeful. Sometimes we create our own difficulties or it may be by others or society at large. The thing is that you are part of this system and there are things out of your control whereas other things are in your control. If you focus on things that you can directly change you will feel less stressed. The things that are not in your control such as your parents getting sick, behavioural issues from father - trust Allah's wisdom in placing you in such situations, it may be that this is necessary for you. And remember that our aim in life is to do whatever necessary to get closer to God and to eventually get into Jannah. As long as you are surviving and are getting closer to Allah in the process this is all what matters in reality.

This is a result of the modern world limiting everything to the five senses.

I despise anyone who: - Normalises relationship with Israel - Speaks against the resistance - Calls for a two-state solution

Walaikum Salam, Yes I am still alive. Ramadan Mubarak, Keep me in your prayers during the Qadr nights

If you re-read what I said - there is nothing wrong in questioning, asking and having discussions with others. If we come across any doubt or something concerning such as trinity, we should investigate it and resolve our doubts. Keep in mind, obtaining conviction ourselves regarding beliefs is one thing but being able to convey, teach and resolve the doubts of others is another thing which requires skill and more thought. The gist of my post was on the importance of using our wisdom as seekers of knowledge and also being mindful of potential holes we could end up in by uttering the wrong things and compromising on akhlaq. There are many hadith that don't encourage unccessary arguing. Silence is also a virtue. A characteristic of a good scholar is that he is silent unless he needs to speak and has something to offer which is of value. You are kind of diverting from the topic a bit by giving this example. I emphasised that these issues be discussed in an appropriate environment which puts those learned scholars in a situation where they can explain their reasoning. If that individual is against the doctorine as understandably it contradicts his fitrah and is a self-evident matter then he may have already obtained conviction himself. But if his aim is to try to change the beliefs of those Priests then it requires more thought and understanding the key principle that those Priests may have been applying. Maybe it comes down to the idea that they need to have 'faith' in God. It is not easy arguing on matters which are self-evident. If one has discounted the use of their mental faculty then what would one even achieve by spending and wasting hours arguing with those priests. On another note, we have stories of scholars who would spend money to buy books of other non-Muslim scholars to try to understand their aqeeda and then would compile books refuting their ideas. When one wants to properly address concerning beliefs that are prevelent in society, be it of other faiths etc. it is not always the most straightforward task and someone who is a true seeker of knowledge would tackle them in a way that would more likely yield the best results. Opening up forums to badmouth other beliefs, exposing scholars or obsessively preaching in comment section of social media platform or making short unthoughtful dawah clips usually is not expected from a wise student of knowledge and is not the way people learn. It is not the right way to even address an issue. This is where our wisdom comes into play since we are dealing with the beliefs of others and not only our own beliefs. Yes I agree with you on this when it comes to aqeedah issues, although we can refer to scholars and their explanation but ultimately yaqeen has to come from our heart.

The way the modern technology is set up is to feed our ego and as long as we are using these platforms we are not safe. Scholars are not even immune from this as we are all human beings with this desire to be recognised and love. In the past, the scholars were more focused on saving Islam, growing, presering history and had loftier goals. They wanted to critique ideas and had love for knowledge. Life was also less complicated and one didn't need to work hours and hours to earn an income. So those classical scholars although not that they are immune from corrupted intentions (history is full of writers, historians, scholars who had the wrong goals), but they were not living in a society like our modern one which has devalued knowledge so much and has turned it into some commodity that helps us generate an income and to compete with others. I am talking in a general sense of how the modern world is set up to increase our hunger for the material. This is why the seekers of knowledge, preachers and scholars who are an asset are those who have benefited from their knowledge and those who take care of it. Yes even though they are well-learned strong students they know how to take care of their knowledge. They don't start spreading it everywhere except when their wisdom dictates. They don't always dwell into controversial issues or matters that could raise further doubts in the masses unless it is in an academic environment where it can be properly explained. This is the danger of technology and the structure of the modern world, we don't know how to interact with information and data, We have access to a lot of content but how much of it have we understood and used to develop well-informed opinions. As a general rule of thumb the less we show, talk and share the less chance of us getting ourselves in trouble. I think putting a tape on our mouth at least for the first few years when studying islam unless it is in an academic environment or during study/discussion groups - this should be obligatory.

Al-Jannah.

At least if you're talking about formal logic (mantiq suri) which is taught in hawza, it mainly deals with the formulation of arguments (i.e the body/structure) and does not assess the strength of the premises. It may be that a conclusion is valid (i.e it follows based on the premises) but is not true. Logic is there is to teach us the tools in order to avoid mistakes and in hope that it safeguards us from incorrect thinking (not that it is always guaranteed). It can even be applied to ahadith when an appropriate meaning has to be derived, obviously with other pieces of tools and information. I am not aware of any works because logic is taught as a science and it is up to the scholars on how they utilize the tools that they have learnt and its application. There are many arguments in the Qur'an which follow a very effective logical format to help us reach a conclusion regarding certain beliefs. I think the best way is to study mantiq ourselves under guidance of a teacher preferably and then we will be more equipped to see various propositions in the Qur'an and be able to better classify them under the categories discussed in the science.

Sorry I didn't understand are you married to her or not?

Ramadan Mubarak Sister, I do recall you and we will all keep you in our du'as. After every hardship there is ease. And there are plenty of examples of successful cases even after the women was divorced of eventually finding one. Its far from the end of the world.

What angle do you ask this question from? Do you mean equal in size? physical/biological aspects? in their intellectual abilities? value as a human being? Equal in the sight of God or in front of others? Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) has clearly defined what success is in the Qur'an, those who purify themselves. If a women succeeds and purifies her soul to a greater extent than a man, she is of a greater status. Lady Fatima (sa) has a superior status than any male scholar in this world. Our focus should be to appreciate the way God has created us and use what is at our disposal to achieve the purpose of life.

If you have a sister perhaps tell her to be more social in the mosque and at various Islamic programs. If your sister can get to know another sister that may give you a good idea on who is a good option. It is generally better to know what a person is like without actually talking to them because people change and act different when they know you are interested. Then after that you can involve your parents. This method I know has worked for some.

Salam Alaykum, I am not quite sure what you mean by attachment issues. Perhaps because when we are young our heart is fresh and less contaminated with sins, our heart has that capacity to experience a taste of the divine. This explains the mukashafat (unveilings) people may experience when they enter islam initially or start taking it seriously, it is an overwhelming state of awe. The mukashafat may vary in terms of degrees but what is clear is that there is some form of a religious experience. As we grow older our greed may increase combined with life stressors, this can take our attention away from God and the immaterial. Also as we grow older we may overthink and care about others, this may impact our intentions. When someone is young they care less about others and may approach religion with more sincerity.

Salam Alaykum, Has anyone here been to Hajj before? I am trying to prep myself to go to Hajj as soon as I have the 'ability'. What are some good Hajj packages that you are aware of? (I live in Australia for context) What is the minimum price I will have to pay? If you did go did you have a Shi'a 'alim to guide you and help with the ahkam?

Ramadan Reflections: One of the obstacles when someone embarks on this journey of deepening their understanding of Islam is studying it to reinforce what they already know and interpreting everything and seeing through the modern lens. This is an obstacle and hinderance to obtaining a deep understanding. It is an easy way out as it requires little to no effort. The one who is not willing to engage in extensive research by studying the works of classical scholars, gaining a good understanding of the development of various sciences within Islam and being able to understand and use the tools in those sciences, simply will not be able to break these barriers and move past the surface. The problem lies in the attitude of individuals. The ones who realise their limitations in piercing through the surface level understanding, should either make some sacrifices to properly ground themselves through extensive research and study of the traditional sciences obtaining mastery or simply be students of knowledge who refer to the expert scholars. I find it deeply concerning when individuals start taking the third route that is in spite of their inability to attain some level of mastery they start excessively sharing their own opinions, quoting hadith to derive rules and to push forward certain theological points. This third route is not about whether someone is ultra-orthodox or overly modern in their approach. The issue is to be sharing opinions and speaking without a strong foundation of Islamic sciences. If the individual in his entire lifetime not been able to translate one sentence from the classical works in the 4th or 5th century, he should refrain because there is a chance that he is missing a lot of the puzzle pieces. This arises from ignorance and despite good intentions it cannot be endorsed because speaking without knowledge is disliked in Islam. Please note that having frank discussions with qualified scholars and sharing our opinions in academic settings to be corrected is a different matter. I am referring to those individuals who start preaching to others in every street, mosque, gathering, forum etc. and start confidently stating their own opinions especially on matters that require expertise to be able to arrive to an understanding.