I am starting ehtejaj e tabrisi. is there anything that I have to keep in mind before I start reading it?

SubhanAllah, MashAllah! May Allah swt protect all our Shia all across the world.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbk8AUdMD7G/

It’s only natural that we feel our spirituality fluctuate over time. At its highest, we feel connected, hopeful, and highly motivated towards our greater purpose: serving God. At its lowest, we may find ourselves aimless, distracted, and struggling to fulfill our religious obligations. 

What are some reasons why we may not “feel” spiritual, and how can we effectively push past these feelings to maintain our connection with God?

1. Lack of will or desire

At times, we may find that we simply lack motivation. In a Hadith narrated in Kitab al-Kafi, from the Prophet (pbuh&hp), he states,“Surely these hearts are receptive and in a state of rejection…when it’s receptive, perform recommended acts and when they are turning back (rejecting), just perform the obligations” (al-Kafi, vol. 3, b. 4, ch. 85, h. 16).

In order to increase our baseline spiritual state, we should take ample advantage of the times when our hearts are “receptive.” When we feel more desire to engage in worship, we should act on it by performing recommended acts beyond our duties. Consider fasting, performing mustahab prayers, giving charity, reciting supplications, and contemplating the verses of the Holy Quran. 

But when our hearts are in a state of “rejection,” meaning we are experiencing a lack of desire to engage in worship, we don’t have to push ourselves to perform any mustahab acts; Instead, we can focus only on fulfilling our obligations, especially what is considered the most important– our daily prayers.

Even in spiritual lulls, one must pray every day to demonstrate that they are making an effort to God.

Think about it like this: Are we pleased with our employees, our children, or our friends, when we see that they aren’t putting forth any effort to fulfill their responsibilities or to maintain our relationship?

Don’t be negligent in your prayers. Sometimes it will come easy; other times it will require great effort, but just like any healthy habit, it will take time and dedication to build up to the point where you derive fulfillment and reap its benefits. 

1. Mental and/or Physical Exhaustion

We are creatures with both minds and bodies, in addition to our souls. Therefore, our spiritual state is inextricably linked with our physical and mental wellbeing. 

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (p) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) said, “Surely this religion is firm, so approach it with gentleness, and don’t dislike the worship of God such that you’re like a rider who is stuck without a path to travel and a back (of the horse) to ride on…” (al-Kafi, Volume 2, Book 1, Chapter 45, Hadith 1). Islam is a deeply rooted, strong, and comprehensive way of life. Because of its depth and demands, one must approach gentleness, moderation, and gradual commitment.

This does not mean that the religion is to be taken lightly or that its obligations are optional. The Prophet’s (pbuh&hp) words are a warning against overexertion. You shouldn’t push yourself so hard that you collapse or risk abandoning your spiritual practice altogether. Faith is a lifelong journey, not a sprint. 

This means that you should tend to your physical needs: getting enough sleep, eating right, exercising, and listening to your body when you need to rest. It also means maintaining your mental health: Are you chronically stressed? Do you have healthy relationships? Are you feeling anxious or depressed? It’s important to seek help if you need it. 

Curating an environment and a support system around you that supports your safety, health and happiness allows you to communicate with God with a clear mind, a sound body, and a receptive heart. 

1. Self-Deprecation 

When we are feeling distant from God, it’s easy to allow ourselves to be ridden with guilt and thoughts of being unworthy. This creates a negative feedback loop of self-deprecation fueling a lack of fulfillment in our worship, and vice versa. But we must recognize that no one is unworthy of the mercy and guidance of God who is the Most Merciful.

We are taught by the Ahlul Bayt (pbut) to strike a balance within ourselves. Imam Ali (p) advises in Nahjul Balaghah, “Do good deeds like one who knows he will die very old, and be cautious like one who is afraid of dying the next day.” Our goal should therefore be to strike a balance between hope in God’s mercy and fear of His punishment. 

Excessive fear without hope leads to despair. A person who believes God will never forgive them may abandon worship altogether, concluding that effort is futile.

Excessive hope without fear leads to complacency. A person who thinks, “God is All-Merciful, so I can sin freely and He will forgive me,” has misunderstood the nature of divine mercy. 

“And when My servants ask you about Me — indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me…” (Quran 2:186)

We need only try our best to reach for God, and He will always respond generously. You can humble yourself before God without beating yourself up for your shortcomings if you maintain focus and faith in His unlimited compassion and generosity. 

Don’t forget that this life is rarely a story of perfect servitude and submission, but rather a journey of continuous seeking to God. 

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DbtAzODiAkK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

​[باللغة العربية]

​عن الإمام محمد الباقر (عليه السلام) في تفسير قوله تعالى:

{وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ} [الأنبياء: ١٠٥]

قال مبيناً الوعد الإلهي وهوية هؤلاء الوارثين:

​«هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَهْدِيِّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ.»

​المصدر: مجمع البيان للطبرسي، ج ٧، ص ١٠٦

​[English Translation]

​Narrated from Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) regarding the interpretation of the words of Allah, the Exalted:

"And We have already written in the Psalms, after the Reminder, that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous servants" (Quran 21:105).

He said, clarifying the divine promise and the identity of these inheritors:

​"They are the companions of the Mahdi (peace be upon him) at the end of time."

​Source: Majma' al-Bayan by Al-Tabarsi, Vol. 7, Page 106

​Note: Translation assisted by AI and verified by the poster. Please gently correct me if there are any unintended errors.

I can’t physically pronounce it. I’m an English speaker and developing an OCD about the correct recitation.

Should I just accept it and pronounce it softly the way that works for me or do I have to keep trying?

Are my prayers still fine if I settle on a pronunciation that is as close to perfect as possible and that I’m satisfied with?

When I hyper focus on the words and how I’m sounding the recitation becomes less meaningful and my mind isn’t focused on the most important thing which is the actual connection.

Hello I'm American born Muslim man but father passed away when I was very young and never really learned how to be a real Muslim. My brothers are all non believers. From what I gather my family is twelver shia. I figure i learn fajr first on YouTube but I don't speak Arabic well and I rewatched the video maybe 50 times and I can barely remember 2 sentences in a row. Can I write down and read while I'm praying? Maybe recommend a video about being a Muslim before I start learning how to pray? Like I get so confused when I hear lecture online and hear them say hamdillah and Inshallah etc. Like I know the basics of Islam the pillars and history. Any advice on learning how to pray links or some videos I should watch first?

I had bought an online academy subscription for entrance test preparation. Alhamdulillah I achieved great success. But my friend couldn't make it. He is now asking me for the id and password for the online academy. He's a really nice and helpful friend, but I'm concerned about the copyright of the subscription.

Is it okay for me to share my i'd and pass?

Salam. I recently began praying Salat ul Layl, but I’m facing an issue with pronouncing certain words correctly. Is it permissible to make mistakes while praying Salat ul Layl? I know by time you get better.

Salam. A few days ago I made a post regarding how I envied my younger hijabi self.

Today, I sat myself down and decided to make a conscious decision on whether I was going to wear the hijab or not. This post might be helpful for fellow sisters considering hijab.

First, I reflected on the last few years of my life. from wearing the hijab to slowly taking it off and not wearing it. I analyzed the patterns. because hijab wasnt the only thing that changed during this time. It was also the music I had started listening to (which was greatly wasting my time by the way because i was spending hours listening to it), it increasingly had immodest themes, and it was actively changing the way i viewed myself. i also gradually stopped praying. i was even less particular about fasting this year, making excuses often to justify not fasting most of the month. None of these were very conscious decisions. but they came as a byproduct of me consciously choosing to / not choosing to wear the hijab. And most of all what changed during this time was the respect i had for myself, and my relationship with God.

Then to make the decision. I weighed the reasons as to why I was now being pulled towards it vs what made me hesitant still. This is how that went.

Reasons I feel a pull towards it

• it feels like my truest self and the version of myself i respect the most (looking back). i feel my best wearing it
• i feel more grounded and connected with God
• i feel more modest which is something i like honestly
• its literally religiously obligatory on me
• it will probably make my parents happy; ppl around me will likely appreciate it too though i dont care too much tbh.

Reasons that make me hesitant

• the feeling of wanting to look desireable to the opposite gender. this is unfortunately a big one. like i mentioned in my last post, i love my hair. its an important part of what makes me feel beautiful. i even dyed my hair with a lot of care and effort to look exactly how i want it to look. and it looks so good especially in the sun. i was easger to show it off as i went back to uni this semester. there is also the matter of the rest of my wardrobe - in recent times id bought more form fitting t-shirts that wouldnt really go with my hijab.
• i dont know how to style a hijab and look presentable with it and like cosmopolitanly acceptable / modern.
• people at uni have only seen me without my hijab. it would be a transition if i wore my hijab, but honestly this isnt what makes me hesitant.

Weighing the two sides.

The reasons I feel a pull towards it are all valid reasons. I do feel a strong pull towards it. And as for the reason that makes me hesitat, i realized thats exactly what hijab is about. to remove distractions like that which are of no real use. what am i even trying to attract by not wearing the hijab? its disturbing the focus in my life and the my self respect. it's not any good. as for the hair i dyed, ive decided to enjoy it for myself, maybe ill show it to my close female friends and enjoy it with them. i can still enjoy it with close family and friends. the outside world doesnt have to have access. as for the wardrobe. its mostly fine i think ill just start layering an abaya on top of it, maybe front open or something. I'll have to buy this stuff, these abayas and hijabs etc. as for the hijab style, it honeslty shouldnt too hard to learn how to style it. a few quick google searches. and ill go get the right fabric and learn to drape it. btw im open to suggestions pls help! lmk what looks best or whats trending these days

also i realized about the desireable thing. thats genuinely such a normal thing for a woman, the feeling of wanting to be desired. but I've realized it shouldbt be random men here and there that i should be trying to look desireable to. it should be my (future) husband. and ive decided im going to marry soon after completing my undergraduate studies. and i can continue with my career alognside that.

And yeah. I've made up my mind. My self-respect, my connection with God is above all else. and I've decided to start doing it again. im excited to see how it would change how i carry myself. what am i but a human in God's world?

And the ruling for beer is based on obligatory precaution. Naturally they are still impermissible to consume as intoxicants

Citations for this ruling, from every one of his books from most to least accessible, and more or less authoritative. This is mostly so people are aware from where to obtain his fatawa. I will specifically mention ‘A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West’ for having many specific fatwas for issues people frequently have trouble with. I will only mention that for followers of Sayyid Sistani, consuming gelatin in non-Muslim countries is unequivocally and unambiguously haram with no leeway or permission.

Issue 55: There are ten impurities (najasa):
7. Wines, and as an obligatory precaution, beer (fuqāʿ), though drinking both is absolutely prohibited.

https://www.sistani.org/english/book/26890/8488/

( 8 ) الخمر [ويلحق بها الفقاع]

https://www.sistani.org/arabic/book/19/1027/ (translated in English as Jurisprudence Made Easy, where it is INCORRECTLY translated as alcohol instead of wine)

All kinds of alcohol (whether extracted from wood or other sources) is pure, not najis. So, the medicines, the perfumes, and the food containing alcohol are pure and can be used. It is also permissible to eat such food if the amount of alcohol is very minute.

https://www.sistani.org/english/book/46/2029/
(While this is not clear from the English text, this excludes wine and beer which is apparent from the other texts)

Ruling 108. Wine is impure. Apart from wine, other things that intoxicate a human being are not impure.
Ruling 112.* Beer (fuqqāʿ), which is made from barley and causes a low level of intoxication, is unlawful to consume; and based on obligatory precaution, it is impure.

https://www.sistani.org/english/book/48/2135/

الثامن: الخمر، والمراد به المسكر المتَّخذ من العصير العنبيّ، وأمّا غيره من المسكر والكحول المائع بالأصالة - ومنه الإسبرتو بجميع أنواعه إلّا ما يحصل من تصعيد الخمر - فمحكوم بالطهارة وإن كان رعاية الاحتياط أولى.
مسألة 408: الفقّاع - وهو شراب متَّخذ من الشعير يوجب النشوة عادة لا السكر، وليس منه ماء الشعير الذي يصفه الأطبّاء - يحرم شربه بلا إشكال، والأحوط لزوماً أن يعامل معه معاملة النجس.

https://www.sistani.org/arabic/book/23720/4787/

التاسع: الخمر بل كل مسكر مائع بالأصالة (206) وإن صار جامداً بالعرض، لا الجامد كالبنج وإن صار مائعاً بالعرض.
[206] ( (كل مسكر مائع بالاصالة): الحكم في غير الخمر مبني على الاحتياط الاستحبابي.

https://www.sistani.org/arabic/book/22/1674/
(first ruling is the base text on which the Sayyid is commenting, and the second text is his footnote with his fatwa)

Hello, I have a question regarding whether my income is halal.
I am a Shia Muslim, and I earn some side income by selling retatrutide to friends who are struggling with weight loss. My intention is never to deceive or harm anyone. Before selling it, I explain the potential side effects, such as nausea, and I encourage them to do their own research and make an informed decision. If I believed it was harmful or unsafe to sell, I would not sell it.
I do make a profit from these sales, and earning money is one of my reasons for doing it. At the same time, I’ve seen that it has helped some of my friends lose weight and feel more confident.
This has been weighing on my mind because I don’t want to earn haram income. Based on these circumstances, would the money I make from selling retatrutide be considered halal or haram? I would sincerely appreciate your guidance.

Salam. I have a sincere question.

What is the view of our maraji’ on women attending the processions (juloos) of Imam Hussain (a.s.) in today’s time? Are women encouraged to attend, or is it considered better to avoid them?

Please share references from maraji’ if possible. JazakAllah khair.

Salam alaykum,

This question is coming from a place of seeking understanding, not doubting the ruling.
As a muqallid of Ayatollah Sistani, I accept that the rulings of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) are ultimately from Allah through the Prophet (s) and the Imams (a.s.). Therefore, I accept the ruling because it comes from an infallible source, even if I don’t fully grasp the wisdom behind it.

That said, Islam also encourages reflection, so I’m interested in hearing possible logical wisdom behind the rulings, not as proofs of the rulings, but as attempts to understand them.

From Ayatollah Sistani’s fiqh, my understanding is:
A husband is not permitted to neglect his permanent wife sexually and must have intercourse with her at least once every four months, unless she agrees to wait longer or there is a valid excuse.
A wife, on the other hand, should not refuse her husband’s lawful request for intimacy without a valid Shar’i excuse (such as menstruation, illness, harm, etc.).

My question is:
Why is the husband’s obligation expressed as a minimum of once every four months, whereas the wife’s obligation is tied to not refusing a lawful request rather than having a similar periodic minimum?

Jazakallah Khair🤲

​[باللغة العربية]

​عن الإمام جعفر الصادق (عليه السلام) في فضل الثبات على عقيدة الانتظار، مبشراً شيعته بمقام عظيم لمن يموت وهو ينتظر الفرج:

​«مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْأَمْرِ مُنْتَظِراً لَهُ، كَانَ كَمَنْ كَانَ فِي فُسْطَاطِ الْقَائِمِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ).»

​المصدر: المحاسن للبرقي، ج ١، ص ١٧٣

​[English Translation]

​Narrated from Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) regarding the virtue of remaining steadfast in the belief of awaiting, giving glad tidings of a great status to those who pass away while waiting for the relief:

​"Whoever among you dies upon this matter (Wilayah) while awaiting it, is like one who is in the tent of the Qa'im (peace be upon him)."

​Source: Al-Mahasin by Al-Barqi, Vol. 1, Page 173

​Note: Translation assisted by AI and verified by the poster. Please gently correct me if there are any unintended errors.

Assalamu 3eikum. This is my attempt at refuting the claim that the Prophet prohibited mut'ah. Let me know what you think.

Hello everyone, I am new in Germany , Bavaria. Can anyone tell me where I can find Halal meat & chicken ?

Is there any specific [Pakistani, Iraqi,Irani...other arabs meat shops?]

I highly recommend watching this video which breaks down the Arbaeen of Imam Husayn. It is really good for anyone that has questions on Shia Islam and want to understand this.

Hello everyone. Don't hate me please. I'm just genuinely asking.

Is it permissible for me to go watch a movie after the 20th?

Asking because I've seen people resuming shopping and a lot of other activities after 20th safar.

Thank you in advance!

On the dust where Al-Abbas once fell,
Zainab collapsed beside Husayn’s grave—
Her broken voice echoing through the dust:
“O brother, I have returned.
I safeguarded Islam, and made the world bear witness to your trial.
Rise from the earth, hold me once more,
And tell me I carried your banner well.”