Jurisprudence & Religious affairs
Abortion
My wife is three months pregnant. After several tests, the doctor came to know that the fetus is not fully developed. After the birth, it will not live more than five years, are we allowed to abort it?
Liability of Gifts to Khums
I presented an amount of money to my wife as a gift toward the end of my religious fiscal year (at which time the payment of khums becomes due). Do I have to calculate this gift into my surplus income that is liable to the religious tax of khums?
MONTHLY AHKAM | JANUARY 2020
This section contains the latest inquiries about the practical laws of islam answered by the istifta' committee of the supreme leader's office. (updated monthly)
Gelatin
Is it allowed to eat food, e.g. some candies, in which animal gelatin is used?
To Prostrate for Other than Allah
Visiting the shrine of the infallible (a.), some people prostrate at the entrance? Is it permissible?
Broadcasting Religious Speeches and Recitation of Elegies outside a Venue
Is it permissible to broadcast the speeches, recitations of elegies, etc., that take place inside such venues as mosques and ḥusaynīyyahs on loudspeakers outside the venues so that they can be heard in the vicinity?
Using Musical Instruments in Religious Mourning Ceremonies
What is the rule concerning the use of musical instruments, such as the organ, in religious mourning ceremonies?
Tapping into Municipal Electric Grid for Use in Religious Mourning Ceremonies
Is it permissible to bypass government-installed electricity meters and tap directly into the municipal electricity grid in order to power religious mourning ceremonies and other such religious events?
Making Use of Items Belonging to a Specific Religious Institution
question| Can we make use of items that belong to a specific ḥusaynīyyah or religious institution for a religious ceremony at a different place?
Printing Sacred Words on Articles of Clothing
question| Is it permissible to have the verses of the Qur’an or the names of the Holy Infallibles printed on articles of clothing, which is an especially common practice with regard to black clothes, in view of the fact that people might touch them without having ritual purity? Can we wear such clothes?
Wearing Black Clothes to Mark Our Grief for the Death of the Holy Household of the Prophet
question| Is it a meritorious deed to wear black clothes as a sign of mourning in commemorating the death of the members of the Holy Household of the Prophet?
Broadcasting Religious Ceremonies on Loudspeakers
Our ḥusaynīyyah[1] broadcasts Qur’anic recitation and the mourning ceremonies of Imām Ḥusayn on external loudspeakers with such high volume that it can be heard from outside town. This is greatly distressful to those living in the vicinity of the ḥusaynīyyah, but the people in charge and the speakers are unyielding in their insistence that this manner of broadcasting must be continued. Is their approach right?
Using Government Facilities for Personal Purposes
What is the rule as regards taking advantage of the facilities of the Islamic government for personal use, such as using the electricity at a government office to charge one’s cell phone?
Eying Prospective Wife
Is a man intending to marry a woman allowed to see the woman he wishes to marry without her usual cover (ḥijāb)—which she is otherwise supposed to wear in the presence of non-maḥram men—in order to verify her physical features?
Spending Khums to Renovate Mosque
Can we use our khums to pay for the renovations of a mosque?
Participating in Online Wagers
Can we place bets on the outcome of a soccer match via online wagering websites?
Performing Canonic Prayers while Seated on a Chair
How can a worshipper who has a valid and canonically recognized reason to perform his canonic prayers while sitting on a chair carry out his prostrations? Should he raise the turbah and place his forehead on it?
Using a Bank-Provided Financial Aid for Other than the Specified Purpose
Is it permissible to use financial aids granted by banks in the Islamic Republic of Iran to individuals and entities for purposes other than those specified in the agreement?
