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wagwan aight basically, i read about istihalah and im bare confuddled innit. Like what even on earth is happening. SO AS WE KNOW ISTIHALAH MAKES ANY NON HALAL CONSUMPTION PRODUCT, SUCH AS GELATIN, WINE, ETC HALAL 100% SINCE IT IS NOT CONSIDRED THE ORIGINAL PRODUCT ANYMORE VIA CHEMICAL CHANGE OR PRODUCTION. IM NOT CONFUSED ABOUT THIS I ALREADY KNOW THIS BIT READ BELOW PLS: iM CONFUSED ABOUT HOW AM I MEANT TO DETERMINE IF something has gone thru istihalah, for example a gelatin is used in marshmellows, but that gelatin is heated, boiled, baked and blah blah, and a marshmellow clearly looks nothing like gelatin (nor tastes looks or feels like it ) many i have heard sheikhs say that any product saying "gelatin" on the back is halal bcuz its gone thru istihalah I DONT DOUBT THEM NOT SAYING I DO BTW !! SO DONT COME @. ME. WHAT IM SAYING IS... HOW DO I KNOW THAT THING HAS GONE THRU ISTIHALAH IS IT COMMEN SENSE OR MORE INTRICATE MY OPNION CURRENTLY IS THIS ALL products labelled to have gelatin in them are perbissible to eat due to the process of chemical change it undergoes THIS IS ALSO THE OPINION OF LATE AYATOLLAH KHUI (رضي الله عنه) alaamun alaykum, The following question on gelatine and beef fat was kindly answered by Moulana Rizvi. He has provided an extensive discussion on the question of gelatine, and Agha Khui's fatwa on this matter. Wasalaam, Mustafa Rawji Moderator, ABDG-A ___________________________________________________________________ INITIAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Question 1: What is the ruling on Gelatin? Can gelatin derived from cows and pigs be used? Answer RE: Gelatin On the queston of gelatine, I am quoting what I have written in January 1989 in the Shama newsletter produced in Vancouver, BC. I have just added few comments to further clarify the issue. A. What is Gelatine? Gelatine is an animal protein substance having gel-forming properties, and is used primarily in food products. It is derived from collagen, a protein found in animal skin and bone. This means that gelatine can be derived from animal skin or animal bone. B. The Basic Rule of the Shari`ah: The shari`ah rule about animal skin differs from that of animal bone: SKIN: Animal skin or anything made from it can be considered tahir (pak) only if the animal had been slaughtered Islamically. Consequently, the gelatine derived from animal skin would be considered najis unless we know that the animal had been slaughtered Islamically. [Those present-day mujtahids who consider the animal slaughtered unIslamically as tahir but haram -- their opinion does not affect this answer that much because in their opinion, even if that animal skin is tahir, it is still haram for consumption by human beings.] BONE: Animal bone is considered tahir even if the animal had not been slaughtered Islamically. Bones have been exempted from the rule of maytah [i.e., an animal slaughtered unIslamically or died by itself]. However, this does not include the bones of pigs and dogs. (See Minhaju 's-Salihiyn [vol. 1, p. 109 and vol. 2, p. 336] of the late Sayyid al-Khu`i and al-`Urwatu 'l-Wuthqa, p. 20-21) Consequently, the gelatine derived from animal bones (other than pigs and dogs) is tahir even if the animal was not slaughtered Islamically. C. The Practical Problem: Having stated the above, we are faced with a practical problem: The labels on food products do not specify whether the gelatine was derived from animal skin or animal bones. So what should we do? Can we assume that it has been derived from animal bones and consider it tahir or not? When I sent this question to the late Ayatullah al-Khu`i in December 1989, he replied: "Yes, it can be considered tahir." This answer is based on the shari`ah principle that if an item can originate from two sources: one pak and other najis -- in cases of ambiguity, you can assume that it is pak. D. Accepted that it is tahir; but is it also halal? There are some people who would not be satisfied with the answer of Ayatullah al-Khu`i and pose the following question: "Accepted that it is tahir (pak); but is it halal for consumption as food item?" In my question to Ayatullah al-Khu`i, I gave the example of cheese and sweets with gelatine. It is quite obvious that I was asking the late marja` about eating those items, and not just touching and feeling them!!! However, to satisfy those who would like to see the words "halal and religously eatable," I will quote a detailed answer of the Ayatullah al-Khu`i to three questions sent to him from London. Q. Is gelatine derived from dog or pig tahir? Is gelatine derived from halal animals (like cows, goats, etc) but not slaughtered according to shari`a tahir? Is gelatine derived from non-halal animals other than dog or pig, tahir? A. "If a najis or haram matter from any category whatsoever changes into another than its original category, then it is considered tahir as long as it did not come into contact with another source of najasat. And the rule for gelatine in all the three cases is same as what we have mentioned above. "But in case the gelatine does not change, then: "If it is derived from parts of dogs and pigs or an animal which feeds on human excrement and has not been quarantined, then it is haram and najis. "Similarly, [it is haram and najis] if it is derived from those parts of the maytah which are other than its bones. "But if the gelatine is derived from the bones of other than dogs and pigs, and has not become najis because of a secondary najasat, then it is permissible to eat it and eat whatever has been mixed and submerged into it." The last paragraph of Ayatullah al-Khu`i's answer fully supports what I had written in Shama in Janaury 1989. E. Issue of Istihalah in Gelatine: In the first part of Ayatullah Khu'i's answer, he says: "If a najis or haram matter from ANY CATEGORY whatsoever changes into another than its original category, then it is considered tahir as long as it did not come into contact with another source of najasat." This is based on the rule of istihalah -- chemical change which makes a najis item tahir (mutahhirat). To know if such a change occures in the final product known as gelatine, we have to refer to the experts of food industry. After my article was published, a brother from Minnesota, USA, was kind enough to send for me a copy of an hand-out distributed by General Foods (the manufacturer of Jell-o, the gelatin dessert). A paragraph in that hand-out, in my opinion, clearly gives the expert's view about the chemical change (istihalah) which takes place in manufacturing of gelatine. While reading the below quotation, keep in mind that these people do not have the slightest clue about the issue of istihalah in our shari`ah! It says: "It is interesting to note that during manufacture of gelatin, chemical changes take place so that, in the final gelatin product, the composition and identity of the original material is completely eliminated. Because of this, gelatin is not considered a meat food product by the United States government. The plant is under supervision of the Federal Food and Drug Admininstration. If the government considered gelatin a meat food product, the plant would operate under the Meat Inspection Branch of the Department of Agriculture." (From General Foods Corp. New York.) If this is not istihalah, then what is it? In final conclusion, all types of gelatine is tahir and halal. For those interesting in reading my 1989 article on 'RENNET, PEPSIN & GELATINE' may contact my office at: Islamic Education & Information Centre, 135 Sheppard Avenue East, North York, Ontario, Canada M2N 3A6 Tel: (416) 223-2162 Fax: (416) 223-2528 Question 2: A change in the state of a najis substance is deemed to make it halal. Can you elaborate on this? What level of change is required? Is beef fat or other animal fat used in cookies/dougnuts/cakes/fries deemed to have been transformed so as to make it halal? Answer: You are talking about istihalah which we have mentioned above in answer to question no. 1. Istihalah means change or more precisely, a chemical change which places the item under a list which is different from its original grouping. The examples you have mentioned do not qualify for istihalah; and are, therefore, still najis and haram. On details on the issue to taharat and najasat, see my "RITUAL & SPIRITUAL PURITY" available from IEIC whose address and tel. # have been given under answer no. 1. Yours in Islam, Sayyid M. Rizvi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: Just for clarification, you stated in the last posting regarding gelatine that "all types of gelatine is tahir and halal." Does this mean that when we see gelatine in a list of ingredients where nothing else is questionable, ethn we are to assume that the gelatine comes from an animal other than a pig or a dog i.e. an animal that is tahir but has not been slaughtered according to Shari`ah. Please answer this question as per Ayatullah Khui and Seestani. ANSWER: As mentioned under "C" in the original answer, you can assume that it is tahir and halal. And if you read the last part about istihala "E", then all kinds of gelatine becomes tahir and halal. Yours in Islam, Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi

I was looking through this list (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_Maraji) due to wanting to resolve an issue regarding Mut’ah. I planned on emailing all of the Maraja I could regarding a specific instance, considering the fact that it is often resolved using “obligatory precaution”. While doing so, I stumbled up the following Fatwa from Grand Ayatollah Nassab: Question: Is covering a Muslim woman's hair obligatory in Islam? Answer: Covering the body of a Muslim woman is obligatory in Islamic law. However, the ruling on covering the hair of a Muslim woman based on the Qur'anic verses and Islamic narrations which will be mentioned is that it was one of the Islamic governmental rulings to differentiate the free Muslim woman from the non-free maid in a certain period of time when the system of slavery was still in place. Source: http://www.hoseini.org/Esteftaat-English.asp Is the Ayatollah implying that covering of the hair is not required? Is he the only Current Marja of Taqleed who have come forward with this opinion? I believe Ayatollah Al-Haydari has also implied something similar to this, but he hasn’t written on his website that the hair covering is not wajib for women. (P.s. does anyone know a method in which I can contact Sayed Al-Haydari, I couldn’t find it on his website.)

(Salam) I am follower of Ayatullah Ali Sistani (hz). I read his (hz) fatwas on net about Zanjeer Zani (Hitting one's back with Knives hanging with chains) that one should avoid this because if a non-muslim sees this he does not understand it. I intend to do Zanjeer Zani this year. I live in Lahore/Pakistan where majority is muslim and even during the procession `majorty is Shia`. My question is that if it is not declared absolute haram by Ayatullah Sistani (hz), then i will like doing this year.

Salaam alaykom In sha Allah you are all well. Does anyone have fatwas in regards to not partaking in halloween...? Hadith too on not partaking in other religious or cultural activities such as this holiday would be great too. I have 1 fatwa but am hoping for others for my lecture in sha Allah. Shukran. Fee aman Allah Sr. Zaynab

Salaam. I need to know if there's any fatwa (ruling) or any masoom's(ASWS) hadees about parents forcing a career choice on their children. Like is it allowed? Please, please let me know if there's any such hadees or ruling. I can't find any. And I really need at least one really urgently. Thank you!

Salam. This topic was posted a while ago. This is a paper I co wrote with Br. Basim Ali and Sis Bint Al Hoda (no longer active on the site). It was originally shared as a google doc. It is now shared with 253 people, I guess that's the max google will allow. I have placed in my google drive as a public document, so we no longer have the 'request access' limit. I will post this document periodically as people request access to it. I guess there is a lot of interest in this topic. Enjoy ? https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JDUJ0Oj3VhWSqoAULydoSPgb627bLNSsO4_KiyeTUGI/edit?usp=sharing

Grand Ayatollah Mirza Shirazi 1882. Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammed Hassan Husayni Nouri Shirazi (Persian: میرزای شیرازی‎, Arabic: آية الله العظمى السيد محمد حسن الشیرازي) famously known as Mirza Shirazi (1814–1896), was a famous Iranian cleric. He is widely known for his verdict (misunderstood as a fatwa) against the usage of tobacco in what became known as the Tobacco Protest in the Qajar era. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirza_Mohammed_Hassan_Husseini_Shirazi

I wanted to ask can a mujtahid give fatwa on killing someone? And if he can give command of performing jihad against evil forces or only imam(a.s) or rasool (s.a.w.s) can give this order

Asslamoalaikum Wa Rehmatullah Hae Wa Barakatu. My Question is that I came to know that one can not offer prayer in a room where pictures are hanging. In my room there are pictures handing behind me when I offer prayer and certain on my left side on the wall and on right side on the wall. Can I offer prayer in this room. There is no picture in front when I face Qibla. Please specially tell the fatwa of Ayatullah Ali Al Sistani (hz)

Assalamu Alaykum I would like to ask a favor. Does anyone read arabic well? I have a fatwa written in arabic, but I can´t speak arabic. I would appreciate it a lot if someone can help me, please.

Assalaamualeikom, I found my mujtahid taqleed do not have (or at least do not give) fatwa nor do give a precaution on particular matters in certain issue, meanwhile other a'lam mujtahid has a fatwa on that specific matter because he indeed has more fatwas on his risala. Here are the examples: 1. In my mujtahid risala, he does not mention if a mohr sticks to the forehead, one must put it back to the ground, or another saying that may indicate that specific act must or do not have to be done regarding to that matter, must I follow that verdict even if I am not in taqleed to the mujtahid that release that mohr fatwa in issue of ritual prayer? 2. Something are described as recommended acts (also in prayer) by other mujtahid, meanwhile my mujtahid taqleed has no mention to those things. Are those things is considered mustahabb for me? I need your advice, thanks a lot. Assalaamualeikom

Salaam, as an ex-smoker I use a vape pen to satisfy my cravings, I was wondering if vaping whilst fasting would invalidate my fast? I've tried looking around for fatwas but I can find them regarding smoking, not vaping. Can anyone help me out? Jazakallah

Salam, Can a person follow fatwas of two marji on same issue? Thanks!

Salam, When a person follows a particular maraja, does he needs to follow the rulings of another maraja in any matter. For instance, i follow ayatollah sistani he gives a fatwa that a particular thing is allowed. But another maraja says it isn't haram but ihtiyat mustahib or ihtiyat wajib or lets say if it is haram. In that case what should a person do. There are dozens of maraja and its impossible to follow rulings of everyone,

Asalamalekum, Is this the authentic email address english@alsistani.org to acquire fatwa from Ayatollah Sistani representatives. Because on their website it is written as english@sistani.org. At english@alsistani.org they ask me to send all email to them instead of getting a fatwa from najaf.org, also is there any way i can speak to someone in English or Urdu through telephone. Because getting touch with them through email is little confusing. I contacted the numbers on their website, but either they are arabic or persian. Regards.

AsSalam aleykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, I am not sure if this question was asked previously since I am new here, but here is the question: Why a lot of modern muslims use term suchs as "slightly religious," " moderately religious" etc (not as something bad but rather to what extent, in their opinion, Islam should be practiced). We have a Prophet (saw) , Ahlu Bayt (a.s) and our Imams (a.s) and they all followed the same religion, in the same manner. So are we trying to say that they were (authubillah) fanatics and we should not strive to be like them? If not then why muslims are using these terms ? Or are we just covering our lack of ibada by giving it a "moderate" name not to feel too guilty? WasSalam

(BISMILLAH) (Salam) So, I came across this article recently, in which Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi has some sort of fatwa against faster internet in Iran: http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2014/08/makarem-internet/ Isn't this a bit too extreme? I mean, it's like opposing the invention of printing just because it can be used to create fashion magazines. Now, I understand that, maybe, what he is saying is that the internet, in general, is unlawful until it has been strictly filtered for Haraam content by the religious institutions. Any care to explain what seems to obviously be too "Wahabi" a fatwa coming from this very famous jurist?

****He does not mean Ahlul Sunnah is the enemy as a whole, but those who hide behind it (ISIS and like), extremists, killing and slaughtering all, women and children, destroying shrines and mosques, taking over cities.

A wr wb Considering the current scenario,we need a fatwa that prohibits birthday parties at home or a hotel or at beach.Since the behaviour in such parties is void of Islamic belief,these need to be strictly prohibited to stop the Muslims from ruining further .Atleast the authority be called competent enough to handle situations like these and alert to the happenings in different places amongst Muslims.

I am trying to understand and I love to learn about Islam. To many people, many of the fatwas that are announced in the media seem to orchestrate a safety issue - maybe even a global safety issue. Now Wikipedia defines fatwa simply as an opinion. I read that a Muslim – (forgot his name and everything else) – said something to the affect that it was ok to rape woman in some place. This was a fatwa. I want to be respectful, but find It hard to select the appropriate words about this person. So a question is what can we say about this fatwa? Clearly raping a woman is disgusting, no matter situation and circumstance, and anybody that does disgust them selves. Is a fatwa like described above not a severe sin against God? Does it not dishonor Islam? If a fatwa is an interpretation of the law in the Qur'an, than this fatwa is claming that you can rape according to the Qur'an ??? What ?? All of this makes me sad and confused. I hope someone can help me understand this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzekz_kY8cU

Takfiri Deobandi Taliban Officially Declared Outcast by Consensus Fatwa of Sunni Ulema In a major and bold statement today, main stream Sunni muslim scholars issue a religious decree against Takfiris yesterday in Pakistan, calling them Kharjites (out-cast) of modern era. (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) -In a major and bold statement today, main stream Sunni muslim scholars issue a religious decree against Takfiris yesterday in Pakistan, calling them Kharjites (out-cast) of modern era. The clarity of words in the decree show the intent is quite clear. Main stream sunni ulema used to condemn takfiris in past and as a result many of them being killed by takfiris in Pakistan.It is interesting stats that post creation of Pakistan, 1947, Deobandi (Wahabi/Takfiri) sect was only 4% of Pakistan population where vast majority follow Barelvi (Hanafi) tradition or Sufism. The Wahabbism took root in Pakistan in 1980′s era when US backed ‘jihad’ started in neighboring Afghanistan and Saudis came in to Pakistan to spread Wahabbism to generate human resources to support it. Ever since then Wahabism is part of Pakistan ruling establishment and with government support and Saudi money it is considered to have spread up to 10% of Pakistani population with majority still following Sunni Barelvi. Remember Kharjites formed in early Islamic history and raises in Imam Ali(a.s.) era sticking to wrong interpretation of Islam and declaring every other person infidel, including Imam Ali (a.s) (naouzbillah). They assassinated Imam Ali (a.s) and were also part of Yazeed (L.A) army in Karbala. Imam Ali (a.s) declared them infidel and did jihad against them.http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&id=436792 The consensus Fatwa issued by fifty Ulema of SIC termed the crushing of those resorting to an armed revolt against a Muslim state as mandatory on part of the government. “The Pakistani Taliban who declare the killings of Muslims as legitimate are actually the outcasts of the present era,” the statement said. The statement further said that murder is the next big sin after Shirk (having faith in more than one God). “Attacking mosques, Mazars, hospitals, funerals, educational institutions, markets and security forces is not Jihad but chaos. Those who shed the blood of girl students, foreign mountaineers and innocent human beings are defectors of Islam and rebels of Pakistan,” it declared. It said extending cooperation to the government for a Jihad against terrorists is a duty of every citizen. “The right place for waging a Jihad against the US is Afghanistan and not Pakistan,” it added. The Fatwa declared the drone strikes as violation of international laws and atrocity on part of the US. http://abna.co/data.asp?lang=3&Id=436370

(bismillah) Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh I have not writen on this forum for a while . but i came across this dcree "Fatwa" by then the Sharif if Mecca his emmenance Al-Husayn Ibn 'Ali , which came about during the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by then the Ottoman Turks . This reafirms my love for the shia and true muslim belife of love for humanity and the protector of the oppressed just like our blessed Hussein (peace be upon him and his family ) the guradian of all who are opressed . can any religious leaders refrim this fatwa and if it still stands today , and what place Armenian Apostolic christians hold in the house of Mohammed (peace be upon him ). Thank you [Decree issued in 1917 by the Sharif of Mecca for the Protection of Armenians.] The Hashemite Royal Court In the Name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful We Thank Only God And No One But God From Al-Husayn Ibn 'Ali, King of the Arab Lands and Sharif of Mecca and its Prince to The Honorable and Admirable Princes — Prince Faisal and Prince Abd al-'Aziz al-Jarba — greetings and the compassion of God and His blessings. This letter is written from Imm Al-Qura (Mecca), on 18 Rajab 1336 [A.D. 1917], by the praise of God and no God except Him. We ask peace upon God's Prophet, his family and his companions (may peace be upon him). We inform you that in our gratitude to Him we are in good health, strength and good grace. We pray God that He may grant us and you His abundant grace. What is requested of you is to protect and to take good care of everyone from the Jacobite Armenian community living in your territories and frontiers and among your tribes; to help them in all of their affairs and defend them as you would defend yourselves, your properties and children, and provide everything they might need whether they are settled or moving from place to place, because they are the Protected People of the Muslims (Ahl Dimmat al-Muslimin) — about whom the Prophet Muhammad (may God grant him His blessings and peace) said: "Whosoever takes from them even a rope, I will be his adversary on the day of Judgment." This is among the most important things we require of you to do and expect you to accomplish, in view of your noble character and determination. May God be our and your guardian and provide you with His success. Peace be upon you with the mercy of God and His blessings. Al-Husayn Ibn 'Ali

(salam) I am acquainted with a few idiotic fatwas over the years, but the new ones from Egypt are absolutely nuts...and extremely poor political judgement. According to the news this Friday (008Feb13), "hardline clerics" in Egypt have issued fatwas to their followers to kill christians' and secularists' leaders. Now if that ain't some dumbed-assed way to start a civil war. So let us have three cheers for the wackos :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

(salam) Ibn Munzar quotes from Qasim ibn Muhammad that he said: “some people asked Muawiyah about two sisters who are bondwomen of a person and he goes to bed with both of them. Muawiyah said that: "áíÓ ÈÐÇᘠÈÇÓ" “There is no problem” Nu’man ibn Bashir heard this and asked Muawiyah that: “Did you issue this fatwa?” He said that: “Yes”, Nu’man said that: “So, you think if his sister becomes his bondwoman, it will be allowable to go to bed with her!” Muawiyah said that: [1]"ÇäãÇ ÇãÇ æ Çááå áÑÈãÇ æ ÏÏÊäí ÇÏј¡ ÝÞá áåã: ÇÌÊäÈæÇ Ðᘡ ÝÇäå áÇ íäÈÛí áå㺠ÝÞÇá: [åí] ÇáÑÍã ãä ÇáÚÊÇÞå æ ÛíÑåÇ" “I swear to Allah that I would wish to know this matter, tell them not to do this act which is not allowable. Then, he said: surely relationship is relationship, and there is no difference between freedom and slavery (it means that as it is not allowable for free men to get married with two sisters at the same time, it is not allowable for Mowla (lord) to go to bed with two bondwomen sisters).[2] [1] - al- Dur al- Manthur, vol. 2, p. 137 and vol. 2, p. 477. [2] - Shafi'i Shahrudi, A comprehensive selection of Al- Ghadir, p. 985.