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To find an answer to a question on Islamic Practical Laws (jurisprudence questions), select a category from the left or search for your question in the field below. If you are not able to find an answer to your question, you can submit a new question by clicking here.

What is your question?

If a man or woman is working as a barber, then can they wear gloves and cut the hair of a person of the opposite gender?

Answer

There is no objection to cutting the hair of a person of the opposite gender per se, nor is there an objection to looking at the hair if the woman is mubtadhilah (does not observe hijab), as long as you look without lust and there is no fear of falling into sin. However, despite this, it is best to avoid such work.

Tags
  • mahram
  • non mahram
What is your question?

If I am praying outdoors in cold weather, is it permissible to pray with my shoes on?

Answer

Your toes need to touch the ground during sujood; hence, it is permitted if the shoes are not very thick such that your big toes [on each foot] can still touch the ground. Furthermore, the shoes need to be pure (tahir) and permissible for use (i.e. not usurped).

Tags
  • prayers
What is your question?

Is it permissible for a sayyid [a Hashemite from the descendants of the Prophet (pbuh&hp)] woman to marry a non-sayyid man or for a sayyid man to marry a non-sayyid woman?

Answer

It is reported in a hadith, “If someone of suitable religiosity and moral character proposes marriage to you, then you should marry them. Otherwise, it will result in disorder and great corruption in the world.” Therefore, a believer should especially bear this in mind, take into consideration the suitor’s faith and character, and not give importance to other factors that have no significance and are far removed from what Islamic law deems to be critical to the foundations of society.

Notes

According to the opinion of Sayyid al-Sistani

Tags
  • marriage
What is your question?

Is it permissible for a sayyid woman [Hashemite, from the descendants of the Prophet (pbuh&hp)] to marry a non-sayyid man? Or, is it permissible for a sayyid man to marry a non-sayyid woman?

Answer

Marriage between a sayyid and a non-sayyid, men or women, is permissible in Islam. The criteria for a suitable spouse is faith and good character and morals.

Tags
  • marriage
What is your question?

Is it permissible to get a COVID-19 vaccination while fasting in the month of Ramadan if the duty-bound person knows or thinks there is a strong likelihood of side-effects like nausea or pain that will make fasting difficult?

Answer

It is permissible to get the vaccination [during the month of Ramadan], and it might even be obligatory under certain conditions such that delay is not warranted. Getting the vaccine (via intramuscular injection) does not invalidate the fast, even if it subsequently results in nausea or pain, because it is not considered to be one of the fast-nullifiers. If the person is forced to break their fast because they are unable to bear it then it is alright to do so and they must make it up later.

Tags
  • COVID-19 (coronavirus)
  • fasting
  • vaccine
What is your question?

Does a woman have the right to demand that her future husband not engage in polygamy in their marriage contract?

Answer

The wife has the right to stipulate in the marriage contract that her husband not perform polygamy.

Tags
  • marriage
  • women
What is your question?

Can a previously unmarried Muslim woman marry without her guardian’s permission if he is non-Shia and won’t allow her to marry a Shia man?

Answer

If the guardian unjustly prevents her from marrying any individual who is religiously suitable and considered to be appropriate for her by common understanding, then it is permissible for her to marry without his consent.

Tags
  • marriage
What is your question?

I had a miscarriage. How many days do I have to wait before resuming my prayers?

Answer

If after the miscarriage you experience bleeding that is commonly considered postnatal, you would treat it as nifas, which ends when the bleeding ceases or at the completion of ten days, whichever happens first.

Tags
  • prayers
What is your question?

The coronavirus is spreading rapidly and people are using hand sanitizers to clean their hands from germs. These hand sanitizers, at least the ones recommended by the World Health Organization and the US Center for Disease Control, contain 60% or more of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) in them as the main active ingredient for killing germs and viruses. Is it permissible for us to use these hand sanitizers and can we consider our hands to be clean and not impure or najis after using them?

Answer

Ethanol alcohol is considered pure, hence there is no problem in using it as a sanitizer.

Tags
  • alcohol
  • permissibility
What is your question?

Is it permissible to invest in stocks?

Answer

It is permissible to invest in stocks provided that it does not include any transactions based in usury or selling of alcoholic beverages or other prohibited items.

Tags
  • investments
  • stock market