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Is it permissible for a woman whose husband is completely sterile to use a sperm bank (a repository of sperm samples from various men that are frozen and then donated to those who need it) to fertilize her ovum in order to have children?

It is not permissible for a man to transfer sperm to the uterus of a woman other than his wife for fertilization inside the womb. It is permissible if the fertilization [of the wife’s ovum with her husband’s sperm] takes place in a test tube and the fertilized ovum is then implanted in the womb of someone other than the wife, although this should be avoided based on recommended precaution.
In both cases, the child is legitimate. As for lineage, the sperm-donor is the father, whereas it is problematic to identify either the ovum-donor or the woman who carried the child during pregnancy as the mother. Therefore, precaution must be observed in terms of the religious rulings related to the male offspring’s status as brother and/or son. However, the child and the woman who carried the pregnancy are mahram to each other even if he might not be technically considered her son.

• child
• parents
• semen

Is it permissible for a pregnant woman to abort her fetus because she does not want more children or because of medical reports suggesting that the fetus is disabled and/or deformed, that it will die after its birth, or if it is from an illegitimate relationship, for example?

It is not permissible to abort a fetus after ensoulment (four months) regardless of the reason. The mere fact that the fetus is deformed or that it will not remain alive after birth does not justify its abortion at all. Thus, it is not permissible for the mother to allow the doctor to abort it, and it is not permissible for the doctor, even if he is requested to do so. The person directly involved in the abortion is responsible for the blood money, whether it is the mother herself, the doctor, or anyone else.
On the other hand, it is permissible to abort the fetus before ensoulment (four months) if [maintaining the pregnancy] results in serious harm to the mother that is usually unbearable, or difficult and unbearable hardship that cannot be averted except by abortion.

• abortion
• child
• permissibility

If a duty-bound person is traveling by plane, train, ship, or a small boat for leisure, for example, such that it is difficult to achieve the necessary stability in prayer, what should they do if they want to perform their prayers?

If the person is not able to pray while fulfilling all the required conditions, they must wait to pray until they reach the ground if there is enough time before it expires. Otherwise, they must pray in the plane, train or on the boat, taking into account the qiblah and stability as much as possible and turning towards the direction of the qiblah every time they move away from it. In the event that it is not possible to stand for prayer in a plane, they must [at least] say takbir while standing and then continue the prayer while sitting.

• prayer time
• prayers

Is obedience to one’s parents obligatory or recommended? Sometimes children discuss vital and essential matters about their future with their parents, including what to study, type of work, travel, marriage, etc., and the discussion may become so intense that the parents become distressed by it. Is it permissible for the children to do so? If it is not permissible, what is the limit the children must not exceed?

It is permissible for children to discuss matters with their parents in which they disagree with their opinions. However, they must be calm and polite, and not look at them disrespectfully or even raise their voice over theirs, let alone use harsh words. Obeying one’s parents is recommended, but if disobedience causes the parents distress, due to their compassion for their children, then it is not permissible [to disobey].

• obligation
• parents

Mixing of opposite sexes occurs when meeting relatives, friends, and colleagues during work, study, and other occasions. It usually entails various forms of courtesy, compliments, the exchange of expressions of emotion, and even gifts such as roses. This type of interaction is frequent on social media using emojis (e.g., like, love, kisses), and it could happen between close relatives like a man and his sister-in-law, a woman and her brother-in-law, or between cousins [of the opposite gender] under the pretext that these family members are like brothers and sisters. What is the Islamic ruling on these matters?

It is permissible to mix and converse with the opposite sex provided that all religious limits are observed, including immunity from falling into sin, such as prohibited touching, looking with lust, joking, flirting, and similar acts that are not permissible with non-mahrams. Moreover, there is no difference between a non-relative of the opposite sex and a man’s sister-in-law, a woman’s brother-in-law, or cousins of the opposite sex when it comes to the application of the rules non-mahrams (i.e., they are all the same).

• family relations

Is it permissible for a female Muslim nurse who works in a medical clinic, dispensary, or hospital to touch the bodies of men, both Muslims and non-Muslims, if it is required by the nature of her work? It may be difficult to change the work because opportunities are not always available.

It is not permissible for a woman to touch the body of non-mahram men, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, unless there is a necessity that lifts the prohibition. However, there is no problem if she wears gloves that prevent direct contact.

• permissibility
• work

Electronic games have become more popular and accessible nowadays and children, adolescents, and youth are very attached to them. So, what is the ruling on playing them or even buying and selling them? What is the role of parents in this regard?

It is permissible per se, as long as the games do not involve gambling and do not entail listening to unlawful music, watching anything that violates chastity [such as images of indecency], or leads to unlawful practices. These games must be avoided if addiction to them results in the neglect of one’s religious obligations, such as performing the obligatory daily prayers at their prescribed times, or if it entails a serious impact on the psychological wellbeing of the person. Parents should be concerned with the proper religious upbringing of their children and keep them away from everything that is contrary to this, like enjoining evil and forbidding what is good, promoting destructive ideas and lewd images that provoke satanic desires, and everything that causes them intellectual and moral decadence.

• permissibility
• purchase
• video games

What is the ruling on growing or trading cannabis (marijuana)? It is a plant that has less powerful narcotic effects than cocaine, for example, and it is also used for medical purposes.

If the purpose of growing it is not for preparing a narcotic substance, then there is no problem in it per se, as long as it has a permissible use as determined by rational people, such as the use of its fibers for making woven fabrics, stationery products, and ropes.

• marijuana
• permissibility

What conditions are placed on someone who identifies himself as a representative or authorized agent of a Jurist? And, what is the mechanism to verify the veracity (truthfulness) of a person who claims that he is an authorized agent of a Jurist?

He must hold a written (documented and signed) authorization letter from the Jurist. 
You may ask him to show his written authorization letter.

• claims

What is the ruling on buying, selling and opening businesses on the ninth and tenth of the month of Muharram?

If it is considered a form of apathy towards what befell Ahl al-Bayt (p) on these two sorrowful days, then it must be avoided.

• muharram
• purchase
• sell