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What if initially I were sure that I have done the istibra and later I have doubts?

Salam everyone, Lately I'm having a lot of doubts because of Ya'juj/Ma'juj story. A) the story of Dhul Qarnain (عليه السلام) and him building the wall against Gog/Magog ressembles other stories like those in the Alexander Romance and the Syriac Alexander Legend. Of course, it could be that those stories are based on a true event, hence the ressemblance. This isn't my main concern. B) the main issue -- which I want to discuss here -- is that we don't know the location of the barrier of Dhul Qarnayn (عليه السلام) despite the fact that such a barrier made out of iron and copper would be easily visible using satellites. Since G/M are so numerous (1000 times the number of Muslims according to some ahadith) they would also be quite easy to spot, being located behind that barrier. So, I was wondering whether it is possible that Ya'juj and Ma'juj are already out in the world (released from the barrier) and that they'll attack only at the end of times. If that's possible then I think my doubts would decrease. The quranic verses on that subject are the following: I searched (sunnii) hadiths and that's what I found out typing "Gog", "Yajuj" and then "Ya'juj": - Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri narrates in one hadith (I didn't find any other) explicitly stated that people would continue performing Hajj and Umra AFTER the release of Gog and Magog and that the Hour would come only when Hajj is abandoned (https://sunnah.com/bukhari/25/79) - Many other ahadith (up to 9 I think, but all from the same original narrator) say that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) informed Zaynab that an opening was made into the wall. She then asked " Shall we be destroyed even though there are pious persons among us?" and the Prophet said "Yes, when the evil person will increase" (https://sunnah.com/bukhari/60/26). To me it looks like these ahadith is telling us that we'll be destroyed as soon as G/M are released. - There is a couple of ahadith narrated by Abu Hurrairah in which G/M will not escape until they utter "Inchallah" and it seems as if they will cause destruction as soon as they are released (https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/36/155) - Then there are different versions talking about the coming of Jesus (عليه السلام). One hadith tells the story of Hazrat Isa (عليه السلام) fighting against the Dajjal and, after the latter is defeated, the release of G/M. From the wording it seems like the release of G/M and they killing everyone happens at the same time (https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/36/150). There is also a similar hadith but it simply indicates that "the people will return to their own lands and will be confronted with Gog and Magog people": we can't infer anything from this narration (https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/36/156). Four other similar ahadith instead mention that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will warn Isa (عليه السلام) and order him to take the Muslims to Tur in safety and then Gog and Magog will emerge and they will, as Allah describes, "swoop down from every mound." : again we can't infer anything based on that (https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/36/150). --> to sum up, there are a few verses about the barrier and I'm not sure if they could be interpreted as God already having freed G/M. As for the ahadith, we have only one hadith explicitely stating that the moment of release of Ya'juj/Ma'juj and the moment they'll cause destruction are separated in time but all the other ahadith make it seem like G/M won't wait at all and will destroy everything as soon as they are released. So, according to you, brothers and sisters, is it possible to interpret the verses and ahadith in the way I mentionned above?

Assalaamualeikum, I have a problem with my doubting mind tendency, it seems like focusing on every act in prayer does not help me to get rid of my shakk problem. This suffering leds me to a question. I am in taqleed to Sayyid Sistani, one of his verdicts says Now please look at the phrase frequently doubts, for example, one might consider single doubt in three prayer successions and three doubts in single prayer to be condition that katheer al shakk rules may apply. Now, if I get three same shakks in single namaz or one same shakks in every three prayers succesions happened to me, and consider this as a unity of "three same shakks" and it is preceeded directly by another distinct shakk, 1. will I not be able to ignore a new doubt if i get shakk in the other act, because since I get the unity of "three same shakks" even after the preceeding distinct doubt, I have been considered as a particular-doubting person? 2. Is my understanding of the rule makes a good sense in namaz? Since it is kind of very difficult to list all of event in namaz, not even just to remember that one is in state of katheer al shakk or not. This problem just causes a doubt for a doubt in my mind. 3. If not, how must I do regarding this verdict? I mean, how is this rule exactly applied in one's prayers? I suggest the rule of Sunni brothers regarding to doubts is simpler since their parameter is just are the doubts is felt like a waswas or not, and as far as I know, not considering which act the shakk happens to. I hope Allah will give me guidance from your answers Jazakallahu Khayran Katheeran

Salam aleikoum, First, glad to be here, I am a new member and I am very excited to have discovered this forum Now, my first ever question is : what if, after having done taharat with water, you check if you are clean with a piece of toilet paper and you see that there is what looks like very small particles of feces (because it has the same color). Thus, you wash it again and again but you still doubt whether it is clean or not. So you lose a lot of time doing that and often the morning prayer will be qazah because of that. Do you have the same problem as me ? I must say I am a person who doubts a lot, not only for taharat but also for prayer and wudhu. Still, I dont know whether I can ignore my doubt in this case since there is a chance that I would not be tahir for salat ! N.B. : on Syed Ali Sistani website (see below), it is said that if tiny and invisible particles remain after taharat with other things than water, it is okay. However, I dont know if this rule apply here since I use water for taharat and because I am not sure whether the particles can be considered as invisible (you can see it by looking closely) or tiny (it must be about little less than one centimeter). 69. If one makes oneself totally Pak with stone, clod or cloth once, it will be enough, though it is better to do it three times. In fact, it is better to use three pieces. And if one does not get totally Pak after three times, he may continue till he is Pak. However, there in no harm, if invisible, tiny particles are still there. Thanks a lot for your answers.

Sallam! I've been, for a few months, doubting Islam. Now I'd like to believe in a God, though I always thought, what if Islam isn't the correct path to said God. In the Quran, it describes God's majesty, the beauty of his creation, my religion classes explained to me the being who created the seed for the tree, must've created the tree, the land for it and all that sustains it, therefore the one God must have created the Earth and skies, though who says this God is Allah? Another thing is the issue of predestination. Now I won't go into detail as I know there is a thread about it, but for God to not be limited by time means he can, and this is me excluding his omniscience, know what happens and in 'our future' and return to 'our present'. This makes time linear, which means unchangeable and that God has simply 'programmed' us to live the way we do. Black magic also is something I feel highly unlikely to exist, that and envy; despite the fact they were mentioned in the Quran. Now, I am unsure what black magic is capable of, but I am sure that Satan has no power, as is mentioned in the Quran, rather only influences those around him, so how can black magic and envy both be possible if, given that God doesn't allow it himself? And also the 'minor mistakes' (a polite way of saying contradictions) in the Quran. I will post a few: If I go astray, I go astray to my own loss (34:50) How many days did it take Allah to destroy 'Aad? One day [54:19] or several days [41:16; 69:6,7] First earth and then heaven [2:29], heaven and after that earth [79:27-30]. Is the evil in our life from Satan [38:41], Ourselves [4:79], or Allah [4:78]? There is also the problem of Prophethood and Imamate being basically the same thing under a different name. The story of Adam and Eve is unclear and raises a lot of questions; if in heaven there are no lies, how did Satan trick them? And wasn't Satan kicked out of heaven? And prior to that, how did the angles know the 'evil' nature of man? There is also miracles which have been disproved by science, such as The Flood and the tearing of the moon. Finally, 'Isma or infalliablity. Honestly, this 'trait' is non-existant, in the Quran it says Adam disobeyed (3asa) his Lord, it really doesn't get clearer than that, but I have a few examples if this isn't clear: Surah At-Tahreem first ayah. The story of Prophet Yousef, and him asking for help from other than God (not that major, but if it wasn't, why was he punished for it?) The fact that Ya'qoub favoured Benjamin and Prophet Yousouf over the rest of his children. And Prophet Yunus leaving his people. I still pray and fast, though with a lot less kushu', but my faith has been a lot more shaky recently. Wassalam.

For a long time, I enjoyed one specific aspect of religion which I considered the biggest treasufe of those who are devout: faith. An inquestiomable faith that won't allow doubt and fear to strike and shake our lives. When accepted religion, I understood faith as some sort of inner space in which you can grab energy and strength when you most need it. Without it, one searches for strength in the wrong sources (either in needing people, either in needing drugs, etc.). Faith allows our mind to gain strength from it when we need it, without requiring any external help. Reminds me much of the "Reconfiguring Happy" blog entry that Haji posted recently (great one imo). However, there is need for doubt. And that is one thing many atheists can't even think of when trying to understand why the truths of religion seem to be hidden. Because it is in doubt when we are alert, and it is in doubt where faith becomes a valuable characteristic in people. It is in doubt where those who mantain firmly in the straight path will reach their original goal and not deviate. Indeed, faith is required to know and stay in the right path. But doubt is also required to stay alert and value faith in ourselves more than anything else. The doubt not precisely about religion, but about what is decreed, about our fate. The biggest mistakes I have sadly committed and for which I can't explain with words how much I repent came not because of lack of faith, but lack of doubt, because I wasn't alert. But we tend to be like this. When money, health and our people are with us, we stop caring, we go on some sort of stand-by mode, and our faith isn't actively playing an important role in our faith. Think of it as a muscle that if not used ends up getting smaller and smaller,unable to work correctly when required. The cruelest moments of my life, which affected me in those three aspects (poverty, fear from being seropositive, and the separation of my parents) stroke me in such a way I really expected nothing but the worst type of life for me. But staying in the right path when doubt appears, even when we lose our hope, even when we blame God for everything we have lived, even when our cries fade in vain, even when we forget the count of our tears... is a manifestation of self love to what we used to be one day, to what we originally are. I really miss everything, absolutely all the good things I had, but farewells are required, and it is better to say farewell through God rememberance than getting deceived by doubt, as that will only drive us to depression, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or whatever decadent choice we end up taking (which will only make it worse).

Does the Shia follow the Prophet’s traditions? Question by: Suran Explanation: Do you know the traditions of the prophet? Do you act upon the prophet’s traditions? First Question Dear friend, if you take a quick look into our books you will find that they are filled with narrations and traditions from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) (SAWS). On the other hand, according to Ibn Athir Jezri[1] the six righteous books of the Sunni’s, having omitted repeated narrations and traditions, has 9483 narrations whereas on the Shia references, Usool Al Kafi alone has 16199 narrations. Also notice that according to many narrations from Imam Sadegh and Imam Bagher (A.S) they state that they take all their narrations from their fathers and from their grandfathers Imam Ali (A.S) and the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) and they never narrate from themselves and never compare either. Take a look at this narration as an example: حدّثنا أحمد بن محمّد، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي، عن جابر قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام : يا جابر! واللّه لو كنا نحدث الناس أو حدّثناهم برأينا لكنّا من الهالكين ولكنّا نحدّثهم بآثار عندنا من رسول اللّه‏ صلي الله عليه و آله و سلم يتوارثها كابر عن كابر يكنزها كما يكنز هؤلاء ذهبهم وفضّتهم. بصائر الدرجات ص 320 ، باب 14: باب في الأئمة ان عندهم أصول العلم ما ورثوه عن النبي ص لا يقولون برأيهم حديث Imam Bagher (A.S) said: Oh Jaber, by Allah, if we narrate or issue a ruling based on our own opinions we shall be doomed. We narrate and issue rulings to people based on the works and narrations which have been passed on by one by one of the hearts to us[H1] and we protect these works and narrations just like the lovers of the world whom protect their gold and silver. الإمام الصادق‏ عليه السلام : «حديثي حديث أبي، وحديث أبي حديث جدّي ، وحديث جدّي حديث الحسين، وحديث الحسين حديث الحسن، وحديث الحسن حديث أميرالمؤمنين، وحديث أميرالمؤمنين حديث رسول اللّه صلي الله عليه و آله و سلم، وحديث رسول اللّه صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم قول اللّه عزّ وجلّ . جامع أحاديث الشيعة، ج 1، ص 127 باب 4 : باب حجية فتوى الأئمة المعصومين من العترة الطاهرة عليهم السلام بعد الفحص ، حديث 102 . Imam Sadegh (A.S) said: My sayings and narrations are those of my father’s, and that of my father’s is of my grandfather, and my grandfather’s narrations are the narrations of Hussain (A.S) and Hussain’s (A.S) narrations are of Hassan (A.S) and Hassan’s narrations are of Amirul Momenin [imam Ali (A.S)] and the narrations of Amirul Momenin are of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) and the narrations of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) are that of God Almighty. Therefore dear friend, we have enough knowledge of the Holy Prophet’s (S.A.W.S) traditions. Answer to the Second Question If you had studied a little bit about the manners and methods of the Shia you would have found that the only group which has defended the prophet’s traditions have been the shia whereas, unfortunately, it was the leaders of the Sunni school which said “God’s book is enough for us and we do not need the prophets writings (meaning the traditions)”[2] in the event of Ghertas[3] when the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) asked for paper and pen to write something and insure the Islamic nation from being misled forever. صحيح البخاري ج7 ، ص 9 ،کتاب المرضي و الطب ، باب قول المريض قوموا عني و ج 8 ، ص 161، کتاب الإعتصام بالکتاب و السنة، باب كراهية الخلاف و ج1 ، ص 37 ، کتاب العلم ، باب کتابة‌ العلم Also, in those first days after the death of the prophet they gathered all the narrations of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) and burnt them. قالت عائشة جمع أبي الحديث عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وكانت خمسمائة حديث فبات ليلته يتقلب كثيرا قالت فغمني فقلت أتتقلب لشكوى أو لشئ بلغك ؟ فلما أصبح قال أي بنية هلمي الأحاديث التي عندك فجئته بها فدعا بنار فحرقها ... تذكرة الحفاظ ، ذهبي ، ج1 ،‌ ص5 و علوم الحديث ، دكتر صبحي صالح ، ص30 . Aisha says: “My father had gathered 500 narrations of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) (and put them with me) and he was agonized when he wanted to sleep at night.” Aisha continues saying “I asked my father: Is there a problem or have you heard some bad news that you are agonized like that? When morning came he said: Dear daughter, bring me the narrations which I have given to you, and I brought him the narrations, then he asked for some fire and burnt all of God’s prophet’s narrations… And just as they became the caliph’s they declared that people should put aside the traditions of the prophet and only speak of God’s book. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) had predicted these days. We will quote two of such narrations as an example for you: وعن عبيد الله بن أبي رافع عن أبيه قال : قال رسول الله ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ) لألفين أحدكم متكئا على أريكة يأتيه الأمر من أمري مما أمرت به أو نهيت عنه فيقول : لا أدري ، ما وجدنا في كتاب الله اتبعناه . مسند شافعي ص 151 ، باب ومن كتاب اليمين مع الشاهد الواحد ، و ص 234 ، باب ومن كتاب الرسالة إلا ما كان معادا ؛ سنن إبن ماجه ج1 ، ص 6 و 7 ، باب 2 : باب تعظيم حديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم والتغليظ على من عارضه ، حديث 13 ؛ سنن أبي داود ج 2 ، ص 392 ، باب 6 : باب في لزوم السنة ، حديث 4605 ؛ سنن ترمذي ج 4 ، ص 144 ، باب10 : باب ما نهى عنه أنه يقال عند حديث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، حديث 2800 ؛ مسند ـ الحميدي ـ ج 1 ، ص 252 ، حديث 551. Abdullah ibn Abi Rafe’ [4]quotes his father saying: I heard the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) say: I see a day coming when one of you shall be leaning on the bench (of administration), a narration of mine, which I have either told you to do something or prevented you from something, shall be brought to him, so he shall say: What are these things [i don’t understand why we need them]?! I shall follow what I find in God’s book (whatever isn’t in the Quran has no authenticity for us). عبد الله بن أبي رافع عن أبيه أبي رافع قال : سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : ألا لا أعرفن ما بلغ أحدا منكم حديث إن كان شيئا أمرت به أو نهيت عنه فيقول وهو متكئ على أريكته : هذا القرآن ، ما وجدنا فيه اتبعناه وما لم نجد فيه فلا حاجة لنا به . جامع بيان العلم و فضله ـ ابن عبد البر ـ ج 2 ، ص 190 ، باب موضع السنة من الكتاب وبيانها له ، ناشر : دارالکتب العلمية ـ بيروت ـ سال چاپ 1398 ه . ق . Abdullah ibn Abi Rafe’ quotes his father saying: a narration of mine, which I have either told you to do something or prevented you from something, shall be brought to one of you, and while leaning on his chair he will say: God’s book is amongst you, whatever I find in the book I shall follow and that which I do not find in the Quran, I need not. (Notice that the narrations are encountered in such a way despite the Quran saying: ما آتاکم الرسول فخذوه و ما نهاکم عنه فانتهوا Surah Al-Hashr, Verse 7. So we should actually say that those whom treated the Holy Prophet’s (S.A.W.S) narrations in such a way were not following the Quran either). Also, the gathering[5] of hadith in the Sunni school started from the time Omar ibn Abdul Aziz[6] and before that period it was illegal to gather narrations. As you know, by the time Omar Ibn Abdul Aziz took power many of Sahaba and those who had memorized the narrations had died and the few who were left, due to the long period from the prophet’s death till that day, had forgotten much of the narrations they had heard because they were not allowed to express them, so it was natural to forget something which you have not repeated and expressed after such a long period. So you whom claim that you are the follower of the prophet’s tradition should ask yourself how much of the true traditions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) you have received. In my opinion, it would be more honorable if you call yourself the followers of the book instead of the followers of the tradition (اهل السنه). Doubts Group, Vali Asr Research Institution Acknowledgements: http://valiasr-aj.com/fa/page.php?bank=question&id=1318 and Pedram * Translation might not be precise ** Any editing ideas are welcomed :) [1] ابن اثیر جزری [2] حسبنا كتاب الله [3] قزطاس [4] عبيد الله بن أبي رافع [5] tadvin [6] عمر بن عبدالعزیز [H1]سينه به سينه به ما رسيده

(bismillah) (salam) As many of you may know I have had many many doubts mainly regarding Ghusl, Wudhu and Salah. The doubts I had made religion sooo hard for me to follow and I was making it difficult for myself because of my doubts, alhamdulillah I doubt less now and I would hate for others to doubt like how I did so I made this thread. I would like whoever has doubts to send me a PM about their doubt and insha'Allah I can help them solve it. The reason why I believe I will be able to help them is because I have gone through countless scenarios doubting about many different things. The reason why I am saying PM me is because if you write it here others may pick up the doubts, for example one of the doubts which I got was because my friend told me about his doubt and I ended up doubting about that same thing because he told me about it. I don't think I will pick up the doubt as I have probably had the doubt before myself. Edit: I must have used the word 'doubt' alot of times in there :lol: (wasalam)