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During the coronavirus pandemic, is it allowed to use half of the portion of the Imam (Sahm al-Imam) to supply basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter and prevent people from becoming infected with the disease? Can this be used in advance even though date of khums is still far away?
There is no problem in spending from the sahm al-Imam portion to help believers who are in dire need for basic necessities provided that the religious criteria of distribution are observed.
- clothing
- food
- khums
My grandmother has dementia that is very advanced and irreversible. She cannot make healthcare decisions for herself, so I have to make it for her. Her dementia is so advanced that she does not recognize her own family members, does not eat food or drink water (except maybe once a day), and she is also incontinent.
1. If her heart were to stop due to natural causes, is it required to perform CPR on her and also place a breathing device. The chance of her surviving is very low with these procedures and it will result in a great deal of pain. Is it Islamically appropriate for me to deny resuscitation and life-support?
2. I would like to place my grandmother in hospice care, where they try to make the patient as comfortable as possible, but do not give them any medications that will increase their life. For example, if she has high blood pressure, they will stop giving her high blood pressure medicine in order to avoid the side effects of these drugs. Instead, they will give her only medicine that will decrease her anxiety and pain. These medicines will calm her down and allow her to relax as she passes away naturally from her advanced dementia. Is it Islamically permissible for me to place her in such a facility?
1. It is obligatory to take all possible measures to keep the patient alive, even if it results in their pain, because preserving their life is a priority.
2. There is no problem in placing her in the hospice provided that doing so does not lower her chance of survival. Moreover, it is your obligation to make sure your mother is in good hands, and that she is safe with good treatment, and you feel reassured that you fulfilled her rights as expected by Islam.
- medical issues
- medication
- permissibility
If there are two distinct options, which is better to do, give charity in the name of a deceased person or pay someone to do obligatory hajj on their behalf?
Preference must be given to pilgrimage over charity.
- deceased
- hajj
- obligation
Given the grim circumstances that the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed the world in, is it allowed to use half of the portion of the Imam (p) (sahm al-Imam) for supplying basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter in India and for preventing people from becoming infected with the disease?
Can this be done in advance even though the due date of khums has still not arrived?
There is no problem in spending from the sahm al-Imam portion to help believers who are in dire need for basic necessities, provided that the religious criteria of distribution under the current pandemic conditions are observed.
- clothing
- food
- khums
If I buy gifts for my family and my khums due day arrives before I give my family these gifts, do I have to take out khums on the cash value of the gifts? If I have to take out the khums, let’s say the value was $100 and I take out $20, can I consider the $80 in my calculations for khums for the following year?
Khums is due on the gifts that you purchased during the current year because they remained in your possession. In the following year when you give the gifts to your family, you can consider them part of your expenses for that year, hence you can consider the $80 in your khums calculations.
- khums
I entered a temporary marriage with an Ahlul Kitab lady who used to fornicate. We decided on a specific duration and mahr beforehand, which were confirmed in a text message. She couldn't recite the marriage formula in Arabic completely, and so, she read it in English when we met. I remember having accepted the marriage proposal but cannot recall if this was done during her pronouncing the formula or when she finished. I confirmed this fact later with her and she affirmed that she had pronounced it and that I had accepted after. Were my actions valid with regards to temporary marriage?
Your temporary marriage contract is considered correct, since the woman recited the formula in her language and you accepted. If you feel guilty for not learning the proper way of conducting a temporary marriage, all you need to do is seek forgiveness from God Almighty, for He is indeed all-forgiving and all-merciful.
- temporary marriage
- validity
A girl became Shia so her parents removed her from their house. In this case, is she considered free to marry without the permission of the wali?
A virgin girl who has reached the age of religious obligation (buloogh) and is capable of determining what is in her interest is free to choose her legitimate spouse, yet because she is not in charge of her life’s affairs, her guardian’s consent is required if she wishes to get married. Even if she is in charge of her life’s affairs, she must obtain her guardian’s consent based on obligatory precaution. However, if her guardian (father or paternal grandfather) refrains from taking charge of her affairs, especially marriage, then she is permitted to get married without his consent.
- marriage
What is the religious significance of soyem (third day after death) and Arbaeen (40 days after death). We usually arrange a family gathering in these days and pray for the forgiveness of the deceased.
Arranging a gathering for reciting the Holy Quran and praying for the forgiveness of the deceased is a recommended practice in Islam that can take place any day of the year. As for designating a day like the 3rd, 7th, or 40th, or after one year, these are cultural norms, and since they do not conflict with the teachings of Islam, it is permissible to hold and attend such gatherings.
- deceased
Is it permissible to eat rennet (enzymes) that is used in making cheese?
If you know that the enzymes are extracted from the stomach of animals that are not Islamically slaughtered, or from unlawful to eat animals such as pigs, then it is impure and unlawful to eat. However, if the enzymes are microbial or you do not know their source, then there is no problem in eating it.
- hair
- halal
- permissibility
- rennet
Does intention always matter with the actions that one commits? Is the severity of someone’s sin always based on their intention?
A person's intention (behind any action) simply means that they embark on the action knowingly and purposely. Therefore, if the action is disobedience against God, Glorified and Exalted, the person has committed a sin, and the more they insist on it, the graver it becomes. Hence, one must strive to avoid all sins, and hasten to repentance whenever they commit a sin.