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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

Due to controversy on moon in India between Shia community

Salaam to all I was approached by someone about the matter of Hijab. I will not get into specifics for keeping it short but I want to know of Maraji which have mroe lenient laws regarding hijab By more lenient I mean they do not require covering of hair... etc

If you click on any of the five choices, you are pretty unique! Congratulations! PLEASE NOTE: "Unique" has NO basis in fiqh. It is NOT a valid way of making taqlid. I am simply curious. I am weird, and this type of stuff interests me.

My Marja’ (Saanei) is non-responsive to questions posed on his English website. It is literally illegal to send money from the US to Iran, so what are people’s thoughts on giving khums to whatever person or group would be in greatest need directly? There are Shi’a here in the US that need help just as much as in Qom or Najaf.

Salam, I am a follower of Ayatollah Saanei living in the UK. I'm having trouble finding out when it is he has declared Ramadan to begin (in the UK) this year. If anyone can let me know or point me in the correct direction I will be very grateful. Also, I find it rather difficult to stay up to date with his fatwas as his website is barely ever updated. If anyone can let me know how I can stay up to date with his rulings, it will be very helpful Thank you

Salam, has someone ever heard that a person is allowed to ignore impurity? I can't live with that. I have a few problems and it makes it even worse. I just want a normal life but I can't. I am allowed to pray even if I had gas coming out while praying because of my problems with that. Is there the possibility to ignore impurities to? When I ask my ayatollah (Makarem Shirazz or Khamenai still not sure) I just get the standard answer "if you are not 100% sure". But this don't help me. I just can deal with that. Problems don't just disappear thank you Salam

Bismillah! Allahumma Salli Ala Muhammad Wa Ala Alae Muhammad! Salaam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh Brothers And Sisters, I Was Just Wondering If Anyone Could Recommend Some Good Shia Scholars That Do Lectures And Talks About Shi'ite And Islam ? I Appreciate Any And All Assistance/Recommendations! Thank You For Taking The Time To Read This Post! Jazaak Allaah! Alaikum Salaam!

Salam, There is this Marja that I would like to follow but he has passed away. Can I Do Taqlid to a Marja that is dead? **I'm planning to follow Ayatollah Sistani on new issues**

Salam, I am curious if there is any Marja that permits the eating of Lobster and Crab. Maraja that classify Lobster and Crab as Makhrooh are mentionable as well. I know Ayatollah Sistani and Khamenai say Lobster and Crab is haram. I am looking for Maraja that say otherwise.

Hello (Assalam Alaikum) I'd like to know the difference between Ayatollah Sistani and Ayatollah Khamenei. Thank you

Salam to all, I have a question in mind. When we had a foreign intervention in Lebanon, Nasrallah emerged and now is consider a leader of Shias and as a source of protection, welfare and rights of Shia in lebanon. When we had a foreign intervention of Iraq in Iran, Ayatollah Khomenei emerged from Iran, totally altered the Iran. But my question is, when there was a foreign intervention of USA in Iraq, we had a chance to alter the Iraq but on the contrary Ayatollah Sistani avoided it for some reasons. Iraq is still suffering. What do you think? I want some fruitful discussion. What is your opinion? What do Ayat. Sistani say about getting a system of Iran in Iraq? Ayatollah Sistani had the most followers in this World which he could use to unite Iraqi people atleast? Why he is not ready to become a wilayat-e-faqih of Iraq?

why and why not? how long have you been doing taqleed and which maraja have you been doing taqleed of? how has been your experience?

Salam, Does anybody here know about Sayed Sistani's brother? All i can find on the internet is these pictures; Someone says that he is killed by Iranian regime. Is this true?

(BISMILLAH) (Salam) So, I was reading this article recently, which claimed that Ayatollah Seestani allows the depiction of the Prophet, as long as it is respectful: "By contrast the leading figure among the Shias of Iraq, Ayatollah Sistani, has said the depiction even of Muhammad is acceptable, as long as it is done with proper reverence." I wasn't aware of this before. Can anyone provide me with a source?

For a long time I have been saddened by the inhumane treatment and clearly unjust prosecution of Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi, a cleric who advocates for the separation of religion and government and, more freedoms and human rights in Iran. He has been preaching a traditional form of Islam which separates religion from politics in a poor neighbourhood of South Tehran. He is at the moment suffering from multiple heart complications, including respiratory problems and kidney stone complications, a loss of 80% of his vision due to cataracts and as well as losing 36 kilograms, where he is not receiving proper care in prison. In October 2006, a warrant was issued for Ayatollah Boroujerdi's arrest, where many of his supporters, students and many others over a 1000 people surrounded his house to prevent him for getting arrested by authorities where police had to forcefully repel them. Ayatollah Boroujerdi was eventually arrested with hundreds of his staunch supporters. He was charged behind closed doors in June 2007 in the Special Clerical Court where he was deprived of access to an independent attorney. He was unfairly charged for "waging war against god", acting against national securitie, having links with anti-revolutionaries and spies, using the term religious dictatorship instead of "Islamic Republic" in public discourse and radio interviews and last of all, publicly calling political leadership unlawful. He was sentenced initially sentenced to death, but due to many appeals he was later sentenced to 11 years. Some of these charges are just obviously ridiculous and unjust and made up for political reasons, while this man is a pious, modest and religious man and also shouldn't there be any freedom of speech in this country? According to Amnesty International, he is living in unsanitary and poor prison conditions, and receives regular torture and ill-treatment, which has led to a deterioration in his pre-existing medical conditions. He is currently in kept in solitary confinement with his hand and feet in chains. The poor man has went on regular hunger strikes, to protest against his treatment and also suspension of visits and telephone calls from his family and lawyers. He is not allowed to leave prison to receive proper attention and medical treatment, what sought of authorities anywhere in the world would do all of these barbaric things to someone. Ayatollah Borouherdi enjoys a lot of support among Iranians and his bravery in the face of this regimes repression is truly breathtaking.

(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?

Salam un Aliekum Readers, I am glad to start a thread on a discourse regarding Namaz. We all try to prostrate infront of our God in Namaz but the question is: What to think while praying Namaz?Some say to focus on wordings of the Namaz but my answer to them is quite natural. If I try to focus on wordings in every namaz then it will make namaz boring i.e same wordings in every Namaz.. but Namaz is a mairaaj of momin and has to be something that is to be making a person nearer to God. Can anyone share some quotes regarding thinking while Namaz or Does anyone know that what Ayatollahs and Marajai thinks while praying Namaz. Please share it in detail so that it could bring us nearer to God.

Peace be upon you brothers and sisters. This is my first post so I shall make it a good one inshAllah. I recently found an article about a Mujtahid living within the USA, this goes to show that Haqq(riotousness) is everywhere if you look hard enough. What do you think? here is the link http://alimdeen.blogspot.com/

In the name of Allah Hello everybody The modern world is a world in which the people of nations should prove themselves. The people will not achieve anything by standing aside, staying idle and pinning their hopes on others. The people can achieve success by staying vigilant and brining their capacities into the arena 02/05/2012

Assalamu Aleykum, I am thinking of changing my marja and i came across Ayatullah Saanei so if anyone would like to share thoughts or knowledge on him that would be great :rolleyes:

Why Calling Ismaili's Non-muslims Is A Great Sin? This post is addressed to the Ithnashari young and old people in this forum. In this last month of Ramadan, the Insults to the Imam-e-Zamana reached fever pitch by the young ignorant Ithnashari and their poorly educated religious scholars, whose knowledge and research, in the exegesis of the Holy Quran, the Hadith, history, archeology and other sciences needed to establish the truth is Poor and Shoddy. They have neither took up any great intellectual challenge and solved any mystery. Thus, for comparison, I pick a Sunni scholar who has made a name in recent times. This scholar's name is Sheikh Imran Hosein. Below are the two links to the same video, one with Bangla subtitles (as it is also my native language) and the other has the biography of the Sheikh at the end which is very important. His family moved to Trinidad as an "indentured" servants. I am sure none of your Ayatollahs from Iran or India ever went thru such harsh life to cook their personality. 2012 Imran Hosein - Sufi, Salafi and the End of Times - YouTube It is also true that your Ayatollah Khamenei, Ayatollah Sistani, do NOT reach the scholarly level of the Sheikh Imran Hosein. He has written perhaps as many if not more books and treatises than your Ayatollah Khomeini (ra). In particular, he has now written on the TIMELY and RELEVANT topic of the end times. However, here my purpose is different. This video of his talks about the issue, whether, Ismailis are muslim or not. Ismaili Tariqah is a Sufi Tariqah, with only one difference, the Sufi master is also the Imam-e-Zamana, from the first Imam Ali or Mawlana Ali (Salawat). The Jamat Khana is like a Sufi Khanaqah. It has no music or dancing in the Jamat Khana. There was a time, there was such persecution of the Ismailis after than fall of Alamut by mean spirited and chandah-collecting ithnashari clergy, that a clean separation was made and sharia was totally abandoned. That is what saved the Ismailis from the ithnashari clergy. In any country, where civil laws of harassment and stalking were operational, it would be fairly easy to stop the harassment via a civil harassment restraining order against the clergy. But unfortunately, this did not work in Iran. The Ismaili practices in the Jamat Khana are PRIVATE practices as in the Khanaqah. There are many sufi Ithnashari tariqah where men and women sit, women without any hijab, and they sing and dance. These are bonafide persian men and women. They dont believe in sharia in the sense that they believe it but have reached tariqah and dont practice it. This is because they already practice the ADAAB which means respect legal and civil rights or others. Sharia is nothing but codification of the civil and criminal laws. The wahhabis call the Prophet the law-giver. As a result, the Ismaili, Nizari, Agakhani practices are private and not the business of anyone other than the member of this sufi tariqah. Next, it is true that some of the members of the Tariqah, specifically the Khoja who speak Gujjarati have posted the videos of the gatherings on the internet. These are NOT the videos of the religious congregation but rather the SOCIAL functions. I can show you many videos or photos of Ithanshari women of Iranian without hijab. I can show you videos of the Pakistani women anchors without hijab and new and new daily makeup and clothes in that poor country. Benazir Bhutto, her Iranian mother Nusrat Bhutto never wore HIJAB. I am for hijab but that is not the reason for calling the Ismailis non-muslims. In Lebanon, the shia live all the time with sunni and christian and druze women who wear western clothing. In "the muslim village" that the Sunni Sheikh Imran Hosein describes, you cannot stop the Ismailis from their Jamat Khana practices, or you will be thrown out faster than federal express. Yes, you can keep your arms on the side, or fold them on your chest or above the belly, any way, but you cannot call each other non-muslims. I urge you to listen to Sheikh Imran Hosein and bring ONE single AYATOLLAH of yours who has written any treatises on this important subject of Akhir-u-Zaman. I know that he has criticized our Imam and called him a stooge of the west. But he forgot that the previous Imam, who worked so much more to build a relationship between Islam and the West was the one who worked for the building of Aligarh university and Allameh Iqbal Lahouri himself came out and muslims separated the engine of the railway and dragged his rail-car personally in honor of his services for the muslims of India. Infact, my Bangladesh would not have separated from the West Pakistan, had the muslims of Pakistan listened to him and adopted Arabic as their first national language. This itself is a miracle that your pakistani elite could not see or none of your scholars from the sunni or shia could reach that stage of foresight. He says in his speech clearly, that he will become UNPOPULAR, but none of your Ayatollah could reach that level of insight or foresight. In addition, only one sunni scholar has admitted in the retrospect and called him the grandfather of pakistan and that is Dr Israr Ahmad whose speech video is on the internet and I saw it once on this forum. Can someone bring it out than trying to hide it that post? The gujarati nizari khojas are responsible for this issue as they are putting the videos that are supposed to private. In addition, Imam-e-Zamana himself brought a case against several of his gujarati khojas in Canada for publishing his private firmans etc. If there are things that are holding us back from progress, it is the gujju khojas who are not obeying the firmans of the Hazar Imam. The Holy Prophet could not be held responsible for the disobedience in later times of Talha and Zubayr and those who faught among themselves. I urge you to listen to this scholar, Sheikh Imran Hosein and his lecture on the resolution between Salaf and the Sufi and TRANSER and APPLY that to the way to resolution between Shia Imami Ismaili Nizari (who originated Risail Ikhwan As-Safa) and Shia Ithnashari. Shariat, Tariqat, Haqiqat, Ma'arifat. Ithanshari use the term IRFAN. Sheikh Imran Hosein uses the term IHSAN.

Salam All, With the increasing popularity of the respected Ayatollah Haydar Karrar we have decided(with the permission of Ayatollah) to open a official forum/office so that the curious people can ask the grand ayatollah questions and solve any problems mainly regarding the kingdom of "Shiachat" alongwith any other topic staying within the limits. As the official wakeel of grand ayatollah first i will state his rules. Najasa and Tahaara There are 2 types of Najis: Najis Al-Forumiyya and Najis Al-Chatroomiyya. Najis Al-Chatroomiyya is vulgar comments, links, and videos and spam posted in the Chatroom Al-Haraam. Because this Najasa is limited to only those in the Chatroom Al-Haraam, it will be suffiecient if dust is wiped on the computer screen. Najis Al-Forumiyya is vulgar comments, links, videos, threads, topics, and spam posted in the Forumiyyaat (Forums). Because this Najasa is open to every citizen of Shiachat, one must wash the computer screen 1 time under running water. 3 times will be Mustahab. If a Shiachat Citizen has used so much Najasa that he is veiwed regularly by the peopele as a "Spammer" or "Troll", then it is Waajib to ban him. Schiachat Citizens who insult the essence of Maji'iyya are all Najis. Please refer to the Fatwa http://www.shiachat....a/#entry2522670 Inappropriate Threads It is Waajib to refrain from inapropriate threads. Inappropriate meaning one where there is talk of sexuality between males and females. However, if males discuss these thing with males or females with females, then it will be permissible if not done out of lust. It is Haraam (based on Obligatory Precaution) for males to enter the Sisters Forum and for females to enter the Brothers Forum. Forumnication is punishable by banning. Rules of Banning Based on Obligatory Precaution, before banning a Citizen, the Moderator or Administrator doing so must first inform other Shiachat Citizens. That way, it will also clear up what has been done wrong and will serve as a lesson to others. It will also calm Fitna that can be caused among the Moderators and Administrators. Based on Obligatory Precaution, any Moderator or Administrator may not ban a Shiachat Ayatollah. Marriage Marriage may take place on Shiachat. The benifits are that a male and female can private message each other. The ceremony must be done in the Chatroom Al- Haraam. It is Makruh to open a thread about it in the Forumiyyaat. Mut'ah can also be done, so that private messaging will only last the set amount of time. After that it will become Haraam. If a couple is doing Mut'ah, it must be done in Chatroom Al-Haraam. It is absolutely Haraam to open a thread about it in the Forumiyyat. A couple must private message divorce to each other 3 times before the can seperate. A female member must wait her Iddah (time in which she will recieve 3 notifications) before she can marry again. These have been the Basic Rulings. If you have any questions about what has been mentioned here or maybe something that hasen't, please do not hesitate to contact us: The ayatollah will add more rules with the passage of time and according to the public demand. Regarding the Khums please contact me and i will make sure the ayatollah gets 90% of it(grocery have gotten too expensive). Now you can ask your questions anytime and the grand ayatollah al-shiachati will reply ASAP. Best Regards, Brbrkrr (Wakeel of the Grand Ayatollah Agha Haydar Karrar Al-Shiachati)

(I hope I am allowed to post this) Shia Marja Ayatollah Shaykh Hossein al-Mo'ed converts to Sunni Islam: Compare this man to Tijani (Note: I am not using this video to prove that Sunni Islam is the true Islam).