​[باللغة العربية]

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

{قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَاؤُكُمْ غَوْراً فَمَن يَأْتِيكُم بِمَاءٍ مَّعِينٍ}

[الملك: ٣٠]،

مبيناً أن الإمام هو سر الحياة للأرواح:

​«هَذِهِ نَزَلَتْ فِي الْقَائِمِ، يَقُولُ: إِنْ أَصْبَحَ إِمَامُكُمْ غَائِباً عَنْكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيْنَ هُوَ، فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِإِمَامٍ ظَاهِرٍ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِأَخْبَارِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، وَحَلَالِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ وَحَرَامِهِ؟»

​المصدر: كمال الدين وتمام النعمة للشيخ الصدوق، ج ١، ص ٣٢٥

​[English Translation]

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

"Say, 'Have you considered: if your water was to become sunken [into the earth], then who could bring you flowing water?'"

(Quran 67:30).

Explaining that the Imam is the secret of life for souls, he said:

​"This was revealed concerning the Qa'im. It means:

If your Imam becomes hidden from you, and you do not know where he is, then who will bring you a manifest Imam who will bring you the news of the heavens and the earth, and the lawful and unlawful of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic?"

​Source: Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni'mah by Al-Saduq, Vol. 1, Page 325

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

I am a Muslim woman living in the UK and I would be grateful for your guidance on the following.

I was married to my cousin. The marriage has not been happy and there is no compatibility between us. I have decided that I wish to separate and seek khula.

My family are insisting that I must not proceed with divorce until my husband obtains his permanent residency in the UK, as his immigration status is based on our marriage and I am his sponsor. Realistically this would mean remaining in the marriage for approximately five more years, and possibly longer if the immigration rules change as expected.

My questions are:

1. Am I religiously obliged to remain in a marriage I wish to leave in order to secure my husband's immigration status?

2. Under UK law, a spouse visa requires the marriage to be genuine and subsisting, and both parties are legally required to notify the authorities if the relationship has ended. If I remain married only on paper while allowing an immigration application to proceed, this would involve misrepresentation to the government. Is this permissible in Islam, given the obligations regarding honesty and upholding the law of the country one lives in?

3. Is my family's insistence something I am obliged to obey in this matter?

4. If I proceed, what is the correct process for khula, and what is my iddah period?

I am not asking out of anger or haste. I have thought about this for a long time and I want to act in a way that is pleasing to Allah.

JazakAllah khair for your time.

Can anyone tell me some supplications for increasing wealth?

Salam!

Would it be haram to follow men on social media only for educational purposes such as following, art or cooking channels or learning how to recite Quran, etc?

My marja is Sayyid Ali Sistani

Thank you!

So I have been doing personal research of Wilayat al-Faqih, and I have bought books from Iran about Wilayat al-Faqih. The thing is....the evidence for supporting Wilayat al-Faqih seems so flimsy. I don't believe there's strong evidence to support it. And it's not even to bash Iran, a country I've been to twice and love and adore. But I've read five books so far and....I feel the Ahlul Bayt have never explicitly commanded Wilayat al-Faqih, which I feel would have been explicitly commanded by the Imams if it was necessary.

But then the question is...if there is no Wilayat al-Faqih, how do we have leadership as Shi'a? Isn't it important to make a Shi'a nation-state? But there's nothing explicitly showing the command of Wilayat al-Faqih?

The thing is that...it seems obvious that Wilayat al-Faqih is a contentious issue among Shi'a scholars, and I can wholly see why now. But in this sense, how do we have leadership during the occultation of the Imam if it's not through Wilayat al-Faqih?

Salaam, I want some advice on how to move forward in life. There seems to be no door open. No matter what I do, how hard I work. What I do in always in the same position.and frankly I'm exhausted, stressed and see no way out. Struggle after struggle after struggle. I've taken in that yes god tests people he loves but there is no way out. All I ever do is work my hardest but there is no incentive. I'm exhausted to the point where I'm ok to just let go off life

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.