Ali ibn Mansour reported that Husham ibn Al-Hakam told him that: In Egypt there was an atheist (1) named Abd Al-Malik(2) who had heard a great deal of reports about Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) (3), so he decided to go to Medina to have a debate with him. Whe...

Ali ibn Mansour reported that Husham ibn Al-Hakam ...

Prostration on Karbala Soil You Failed to understand Him so you Denied his existence?! Our duties during occultation For 13 years in Mecca the Prophet (pbuh) was ordered to pray towards Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and to make the Ka’ba in between wh...

Prostration on Karbala Soil You Failed to understa...

Good manners are half of religion Fearing Allah (swt) Some Q&A about Taqlid; Following a Jurist Hawzah News Agency - In this paper the author proposes to describe the teachings of Shi‘ite Islam about authority in a manner accessible to Catholic pa...

Good manners are half of religion Fearing Allah (...

Firstly it has to be made clear that Shias believe that Allah should be obeyed the way he wants and he showed us the way by sending messengers and their successors (a.s). It also has to be made clear that Shias believe it is not obligatory to do pros...

Firstly it has to be made clear that Shias believe...

An atheist entered the court of Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rida (a.s) when the Imam was in audience with a group of people. Abu Al-Hassan (a.s) addressed the atheist, “O´ man, have you realized that if the truth is as you people say(1), although it is no...

An atheist entered the court of Abu Al-Hassan Al-R...

There are various acts that can answers these questions, but one of the most important is praying for the Imam especially praying for his “Faraj” or relief. The Imam (a.s) himself stated, “And increase your supplications to hasten Al-Faraj (relief), ...

There are various acts that can answers these ques...

A. This claim (there is a creator for every existing thing) is a fallacy(1) and the question is a loaded question. Who says that every existing thing needs a creator? Q. Then why do you state that the heavens, earth, mountains, rivers, oceans, plant...

A. This claim (there is a creator for every existi...

The one who is an ascetic in the transient world is at ease and his heart and body are at ease, both in the world and the next life. However, the one who seeks that which is in the world (the material pleasures) - his heart and body will be fatigued ...

The one who is an ascetic in the transient world i...

1. On his own chain of transmission Shaykh Saduq narrates that Imam al-Baqir (as) said, «کان صومه قبل شهر رمضان، فلمّا نزل شهر رمضان ترك.» “The fast of the day of ‘Ashura used to be observed before the Qur’anic verse about the fast of t...

1. On his own chain of transmission Shaykh Saduq n...

There is a number of hadiths that have mentioned the fast of ‘Ashura: With recourse to Shi‘ah sources of hadiths, we come to know that it has been narrated in some hadiths that the one who quits this fast has to atone and expiate for his actions for...

There is a number of hadiths that have mentioned t...

When we study history, we come to know that the Jews organized their traditions around their own calendar. The Jews had their own months which did not coincide with the Islamic calendar. There is no logic in saying that they ‘fasted on the 10th of Mu...

When we study history, we come to know that the Je...

1. Qadi ‘Ayni says, “They have differed about the judgement of fasting during the early days of Islam. Abu Hanifah has said that it was wajib to fast on the day of ‘Ashura in the past. Shafi‘i’s companions have given two opinions: the most famous opi...

1. Qadi ‘Ayni says, “They have differed about the ...

The question which is put forward at this juncture is this: Does this permission mean that Imam al-Husayn (as) gave his companions clearance from duty and acquittal from the obligation of fighting? Does it imply that they were free from any obligatio...

The question which is put forward at this juncture...

In a previous discussion, although we considered the topic of Imam al-Husayn’s (as) divine knowledge about his martyrdom, it is possible that this question has not been fully answered as regards the other Imams. The question which remains is, “Why d...

In a previous discussion, although we considered t...

The topic of Imam al-Husayn’s (as) knowledge about his own martyrdom is something that is not hidden to any researcher of history and can be proven in a variety of ways: 1. In general, all Shi‘ahs believe that Imam al-Husayn (as) and all the other I...

The topic of Imam al-Husayn’s (as) knowledge about...

1. Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrates from ‘Amir Shatibi, “I once accompanied ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib on a journey. He was traveling to Siffin. When he reached the valley of Naynawa, he shouted out, ‘O Aba ‘Abd Allah! Bear patiently near the River Euphrates.’ ‘Ami...

1. Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrates from ‘Amir Shatibi, “...

Clay from Karbala is one of the soils on earth which Allah, the Exalted, has blessed for certain reasons, and one of the reasons is that this piece of the earth is where the pure and noble body of the Doyen of Martyrs, Imam al-Husayn (as), rests. Wh...

Clay from Karbala is one of the soils on earth whi...

From the viewpoint of both Sunni and Shi‘ah traditions, it can be inferred that certain parts of the earth, and likewise the people dwelling therein, are endowed with qualities of either wickedness or prosperity and salvation: 1. On his own chain of...

From the viewpoint of both Sunni and Shi‘ah tradit...

The Philosophy behind Prostrating on the Soil of Karbala One of the subjects which has attracted the attention of both Sunnis and Wahhabis is why the Shi‘ahs prostrate on soil from Karbala, known as the soil [turbat] of Imam al-Husayn (as). They que...

The Philosophy behind Prostrating on the Soil of K...

The world has certain rules and regulations legislated by the Creator, who is All Knowing and does not do anything without a reason. We see nothing except glory and grandeur of the Creator in this world. His rules and traditions do not suffer from s...

The world has certain rules and regulations legisl...

In this connection, I would like to narrate one incident that happened during the conquest of Mecca. When the Prophet Muhammad (known as "mercy for the universe" in the Qur'ān) marched into the city of Mecca in the 8th year of hijra, he declared a ge...

In this connection, I would like to narrate one in...