A Code of Ethics for Muslim Men and Women

A Code of Ethics for Muslim Men and Women28%

A Code of Ethics for Muslim Men and Women Author:
Translator: Arifa Hudda
Publisher: Islamic Humanitarian Service (IHS)
Category: Jurisprudence Principles Science
ISBN: 1-894701-05-4

A Code of Ethics for Muslim Men and Women
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A Code of Ethics for Muslim Men and Women

A Code of Ethics for Muslim Men and Women

Author:
Publisher: Islamic Humanitarian Service (IHS)
ISBN: 1-894701-05-4
English

Rules relatedTo covering

بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم

يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاساً يُوَارِي سَوْئَاتِكُمْ وَرِيشاً وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ .

“O children of Adam! We have indeed sent down to you clothing to cover your shame, and (clothing) for beauty and clothing that guards (against evil), that is the best. This is of the communications of Allah that they may be mindful.

Al-Qur’an · Surah A’raf · Ayah 26

Covering for Men

A) Clothing Forbidden for Men

79 – Rule: It is haram for men to wear clothing that is made of 100% pure silk, even if it is askull-cap or a belt, regardless of whether or not it can be seen by a man or a woman who is a Mahram or non-Mahram.

It is haram for men to wear clothing that is made of 100% pure silk, but as for things such as a skull-cap, belt or socks which in itself can not be used to cover the private parts, if they are made of 100% pure silk then apparently it is allowed to read the Salat (with these things on the person) although it is against Ihtiyat

Attention: This explanation is in the meaning of Ihtiyat Mustahab and therefore according to his ruling, according to Ihtiyat Mustahab, at the time of Salat, men should not have on things like a skull-cap, socks, etc (made of pure silk)…

It is haram for men to wear clothing that is made of 100% pure silk. Also , according to Ihtiyat Wajib, it is not allowed for men to wear things such as a skull-cap, belt, etc… that in itself can not be used to cover the private parts, if they are made from 100% silk.

80 – Rule: If the entire or a part of the lining of clothingis made from 100% pure silk, then it is not allowed for a man to wear it.

If the amount of silk is less than the size of four closed fingers, then it is not aproblem, and any amount more than this is haram for men to wear.

81 – Rule: It is haram for men to wear clothing that is made of 100% pure silk, even if it is the clothing that is not apparent, for example, underclothing.

82 – Rule: It is not a problem to wear clothing that has braids or laces made of silk, or if ithas a patch or emblem made of silk on it.

83 – Rule: It is not a problem to have something made of pure silk with you, such as a handkerchief in the pocket.

84 – Rule: If a type of clothing is made of a mix of silk and something other than silk, then in the event that the term 100% silkcan not be applied to that clothing, it is not a problem to wear it. However, if it is such that itcan be referred to as 100% silk, then it is not permitted to wear it.

85 – Rule: It is not a problem to wear clothing if one is in doubt whether it is 100% silk or something else.

86 – Rule: It is not a problem to wear clothing thathas been stitched with thread made of silk.

Apparently, itis allowed .

87 – Rule: It is haram for men to beautify themselves with gold, or wear clothing that has been stitched with gold, whether it be something apparent or hidden, and the Salat prayed (by a man who has gold on) is void. Therefore, if for example, a man is wearing gold chain around his neck, then even if itis hidden (under his shirt), it is still haram.

88 – Rule: Itis not allowed for men to beautify themselves with anything made of gold, whether it is something apparent or hidden.

Therefore: It is not allowed for a man to wear a gold bracelet or a gold necklace, even if it is under the clothing andcan not be seen.Also , it is not allowed to wear a gold watch or gold cuff links or any other type of beautification that is made of gold.

89 – Rule: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, men must not wear glasses made of gold either.

It is haram for men to wear glasses made of gold.

90 – Rule: White gold does not have the same ruling as yellow gold, and the wearing of it for men is not a problem, except that which is in reality yellow gold, but only the colour of it has changed.

If white gold is a metal other than yellow gold, then it is not a problem for men to wear it.

If white goldis referred to as gold and is the same thing as yellow gold, then it is not allowed for men to wear it.

91 – Rule: It is not a problem to beautify or decorate one’s self with something that is gold coated, in the event that in reality itcan not be considered as gold.

92 – Rule: If something is a mixture of yellow gold and another metal, and if the yellow goldhas become mixed such that in reality it is no longer considered as yellow gold, then it does not have the ruling as gold.

Itis not allowed for mean to wear anything that is a mixture of gold and other than gold.

93 – Rule: If a man doubts whether an item is made of gold or not, then the usage of it for him is not a problem.

If itis considered as gold, then it is not allowed.

94 – Question: What is the ruling for a man if he purchases a gold ring or a gold watch for his wife, and in order to see if it will fit or to protect it, puts it on his hand? What is the ruling for this if it is during Salat or even otherwise?

Answer: It is haram for the man; and his Salat while wearing it, is void.

95 – Question: A man buys a gold ring for his wife and in order to check the size, he puts it on his finger. Does this amount of wearing it have any relevance or not?

Answer: In this instance, for that amount of time (that he is just trying it), is not a problem.

B) Covering for Men in Front of Maharim, Men, and Others

B) Covering for Men in Front of Maharim, Men, and Others1

96 – Rule: Men must cover their private parts from other men and those women that are hisMahram, however it is not Wajib to cover the rest of their body from them.

97 – Question: Is it sufficient for a man to (only) wear swimming trunks or other types of underclothing which show the shape of the private parts, but do not show the skin, in front of others?

Answer: If there is no fear of falling into sin, then it is not a problem.

Answer: If it leads to corruption or falling into sin, then itis not allowed .

98 – Rule: It is haram for a man not to cover a part of his body with the intention of making others fall into sin.

That amount of the body that must becovered, is the same amount of the body that is haram to be left open, even if others will not fall into sin. As for those parts of the body that are not wajib to be covered, if it (being kept open) will lead one to commit a haram act, then it is wajib to cover that area as well.

99 – Rule: It is haram to take off one’s clothes in the presence of other men or one’s Maharim with the intention of sexually arousing others. One’s spouse is an exception.

That amount of the body that must becovered, is the same amount of the body that is haram to be left open, even if others will not fall into sin. As for those parts of the body that are not wajib to be covered, if it (being kept open) will lead one to commit a haram act, then it is wajib to cover that area as well.

100 – Rule: Doctors are not an exception to the above rules and therefore men must keep their private parts covered in front of them as well, except in the case of necessity.

Summary: That which is an exception to the covering of men is in the case of a necessity. Thus, if a manis compelled , he is permitted to expose his private parts in front of the doctor (for example, some illnesses in which it is necessary to expose the private parts in order to be cured). In cases other than this (such as for birth control, except in the case of necessity), a man must cover his private parts in front of others, even if it may be his father, brother, or son. He must also cover his private parts from other Maharim like such as his sister, mother, aunt, and anyone else.

C) Covering of Men in the Presence of Non-Mahram Women

101 – Rule: A man must cover his private parts when in the presence of non-Mahram women, but it is not wajib to cover the rest of his body.

According to Ihtiyat Wajib, a man must cover his body from non-Mahram women even if it (not covering the body) does not lead one to a haram act; but if it does lead one to it, then without a doubt it is wajib to cover the body in the same way that covering the private parts from the view of non-Mahram women is wajib.

102 – Rule: According to Ihtiyat Mustahab, men must cover other parts of the body that are normally covered by men, while in the presence of non-Mahram women, especially if the man knows that the non-Mahram women may look at them with the intention of lust.

According to Ihtiyat Wajib, men must cover their body from the view of non-Mahram women, even if it does not lead one to a haram act, and if it does, then without doubt it is wajib to cover it.

According to Ihtiyat Wajib, a man must cover those parts thatare commonly covered by men, in the event that he knows that a non-family member woman will look at him.

Therefore: Men must cover the area above their wrist, the chest, thefeet and other parts that men usually cover from non-Mahram women who are in their presence. As for covering the other parts such as the head, face, and hands, it is not necessary.

103 – Rule: It is haram to expose any part of the body with the intention of sexually arousing non-Mahrams.

If it helps or leads one to commit a haram act, then without a doubt it is wajib to cover the body.

Therefore: It is haram for a man to expose his arms,chest or any other part of his body with the intention of having non-Mahram women look at him.Also , it is haram for him to wear a see-thru shirt with the intention of having non-Mahram women look at his body, thus he must also refrain from these acts. If clothing such as a short sleeve shirt is worn, however not with the intention of arousing others, but it is known that others may fall into sin,then according to Ihtiyat Mustahab one should not wear such clothing.

104 – Question: Can a non-Mahram woman give an injection to a man, take his blood pressure, or take an x-ray of him?

Answer: If it necessitates touching or a forbidden look at the body of the man, then it is not allowed, except in the case of necessity.

Looking at the body of a non-Mahram man, if it does not lead one to commit a haram act, then according to Ihtiyat Wajib, is not allowed; and if it will lead one to commit a haram act, then without doubt, it is haram to look at his body. In either scenario, itis not allowed to touch the body of a non-Mahram man except in the case of a necessity.

105 – Question: In the event that a man knows that a non-Mahram woman will look at him, can he expose a bit more of his body than that whichis normally covered by men? For example, can he be in the house with his underclothes on, go out to wash carpets, or his car, etc… roll up his pants in the event that he know that non-Mahram women will look at him, or swim in the presence of non-Mahram women?

Answer: If it is with the intention of leading others into something forbidden, then it is haram; and in situations other than this, it is still better to refrain from it, especially if the onlookers are young women.

Answer: If it leads one to a haram act, then itis not permitted ; but even if it does not lead one to a haram act, according to Ihtiyat Wajib the man must cover his body from the view of non-Mahram.

Answer: If it is with the intention of leading others into something forbidden, then it is haram, and if not, then according to Ihtiyat Wajib, one must still cover that which is normally covered.

D) Covering for Men in the presence of Children

Children that are not Mumayyiz

106 – Rule: It is not wajib to cover any part of the body – even the private parts, if the child is not Mumayyiz, whether the child is a boy or a girl.

If the Child is Mumayyiz

107 – Rule: Men must cover their private parts from a child who is Mumayyiz, whether it is a boy or a girl, Mahram or a non-Mahram.

Therefore: Men must cover their private parts in front of their Mumayyiz children in the showers and other places.

According to Ihtiyat Wajib, a man must cover his body from girls who have not yet completed 9 years of age, but who understand good and bad, even if there is no intention of sexual pleasure.

Covering of Women

A) Covering for Women in the Presence of Non-Mahram Men

108 – Rule: It is wajib for women to cover their entire body from non-Mahram Men; with the exception of their face and hands, as long as the following conditions are met:

Their face and hands must not have any kind of beautification (zinat) on them.

One will not look at their face or hands with the intention of lust.

Women must cover their body and hair from non-Mahram men, even if there is no harm of falling into sin and even if there is no intention of deriving pleasure.

A woman must cover her entire body except her face and hands from non-Mahram men, with the condition that there is no zinat on these parts and that her intention is not that she wants non-Mahram men to look at these parts. However, if non-Mahram men look at her face and hands with the intention of deriving pleasure, then it is not necessary for the woman to cover her face and hands.

According to Ihtiyat Wajib, women must also cover their face and hands from non-Mahram men.

Women must cover the hair (on their head) and their body from non-Mahram men, with the exception of their face and hands; and if they fear that by not covering these parts they will fall into sin, or if their intention of not covering these parts is to make men look at them with a haram look, then in either of these two scenarios, it is not permitted to keep these two parts uncovered.

A Woman must cover her entire body, with the exception of her face and hands from non-Mahram men; and in the event that there is any zinat on her face or hands, such as a ring or if she has shaped her eyebrows, or she has applied Surma to her eyes, even if these things are common among old women, it is not wajib to cover them. In other than these scenarios, a woman must cover her zinat from non-Mahram men. However, according to Ihtiyat Mustahab, a woman should cover her face and hands from a non-Mahram, even if there is no zinat on them.

109 – Rule: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, women must cover a bit more of their face and hands thanthat which is normally covered. (The faceis said to be that part which is wajib to wash in Wuzhu, and it is stated that the hands are the part from the wrist to the fingertips.)

According to Ihtiyat Wajib, the entire face and handsmust be covered from non-Mahram men.

According to Ihtiyat Mustahab, it is better for a woman to cover her face from non-Mahram men.

110 – Question: According to the laws of Islam,is it allowed to expose the sole, top, malleolus and the heel of the foot, in front of non-Mahram men?

Answer: Itis not allowed .

Therefore: Women are not permitted to go in front of non-Mahram men without socks on their feet, or with their feet showing, go to a nearby store to buy even just one item.Also , if there are non-Mahram men in the house, then it is not permitted to come in their presence without having socks on, even if it may be one’s husband’s brother, a sister’s husband, or any other non-Mahram men.

111 – Rule: It is not permitted for women to reveal or expose the part under the chin, the neck, the ears, thechest or the forearm up to the upper arm; and therefore one must ensure that these parts are also covered from non-Mahram men.

Note: Women must pay close attention to the following: In the house or in other places in which there are non-Mahram men present; if one is wearing something with short sleeves, or if one has long sleeves on and one is trying to reach to something which is high up; or taking something from the hands of a non-Mahram man; or offering fruits or other things to the non-Mahram; or when buying things from the store; or when carrying something big and heavy – in all these and other instances in which there is a chance of the sleeves going up and the arm or any part of the body becoming exposed, women must be extra cautious (to ensure that those parts which must be covered, remain covered) .

112 – Question: What is the extent of the Islamic hijab for women? For this purpose, does the wearing of clothing that is long and loose fitting, with pants and a scarf suffice? Essentially, what are the basics in the clothing and covering that a woman must observe in front of others?

Answer: It is wajib that the entire body of a woman, with the exception of the face and hands up to the wrist,is covered from non-Mahram men. The clothing thathas been mentioned , if it covers that part which is wajib, then it is not a problem; but it is better to wear a chador2 . One must also refrain from that clothing which draws the attention of non-Mahram men.

Answer: It is wajib that the entire body of a womanis covered from non-Mahram men, and according to Ihtiyat Wajib, the face and hands must also be covered. The clothing thathas been mentioned , if it covers that part which is wajib, then it is not a problem; but it is better to wear a chador. One must also refrain from that clothing which draws the attention of non-Mahram men.

113 – Question:Is it allowed to wear a mantou3 and pants in which the shape of the body is visible, in the presence of non-Mahram men?

Answer: From the point of hijab and covering, it is sufficient, but in the event that showing the shape of the body would lead to lust or corruption, then itmust be covered .

Answer: If it does not arouse or excite (others), and there is no corruption (in wearing it), and in the event that it is not considered as a zinat, then it is not a problem.

Answer: In the event that it draws the attention of others (non-Mahram men), then it is not permitted.

114 – Rule: Women are not permitted to raise their sleeves (to show their arms) to non-Mahram men in order to get an injection, have their blood pressure checked, taking of the pulse, or for any other reason, except in the case of necessity.

115 – Question:I am a woman who must have an injection everyday and there is a clinic near my house in which a man gives the injections. However, there is another clinic that is further away in which a woman also gives the injection, but because it is far away,I must travel by car (to get to it). AmI allowed to go to the man to have the injection?

Answer: Itis not allowed , except in the case of necessity.

116 – Question: Are women allowed to go to a male doctor without investigating and inquiring if there is a female doctor available or not?

Answer: Itis not allowed .

Answer: In the event that it is an emergency, it is not a problem

117 – Question: In our city, there is a female doctor and a male one, but the male doctor is more specialized and experienced.Is it allowed for women to go to the male doctor?

Answer: In the event that the female doctorcan not treat the illness, then it is not a problem.

Answer: In the event that the male doctor can treat the patient better, then it is not a problem.

B) Rules Related to Wearing Socks

118 – Question: Is it allowed to wear thick socks in which the shape of the foot is visible in front of non-Mahram men, or not?

Answer: In the event that there is no corruption related to it, and the skin of the feet does not show, then it is not a problem.

Answer: If it leads to corruption and sin, then itis not permitted .

Answer: In addition to this, the socks must not be of the type thatwould be considered as a zinat.

119 – Rule: Wearing of thin, see-thru socks in which the skin of the feet is visibleis not considered as covering, and therefore, women must refrain from wearing these kinds of socks in the presence of non-Mahram men.

120 – Question: There are some women who wear pants, and then pull their socks over top of the pants in such a way that the shape of the bottom of their legs show – what is the ruling for wearing socks in this manner?

Answer: It is not a problem.

Answer: In the event that it leads others to excitement or pleasure, then itis not allowed .

Answer: If it leads to sin or corruption, then itis not allowed .

Answer: In the event that it does not lead to falling into sin and there is no corruption, it is not a problem.

121 – Question: What is the ruling for wearing flashy, repelling-coloured clothing, and clothing that draws the attention of others, in places where non-Mahram men are present, such as universities, stores, etc

Answer: With the assumption that the clothing is arousing, it is haram.

Answer: Although it is not a problem, however, Muslims must maintain their dignity even in their (type of) clothing.

Answer: With the assumption that the clothing is arousing, and leads one to corruption, it is haram.

Answer: If the clothing of the womanis clothing that is considered as zinat, then it is wajib to cover it from the view of non-Mahram men, in the same way that it is wajib to cover the body from their view.

C) Rules Related to the Chador

122 – Question:Is it permitted to wear that type of chador that in the sunlight shows a bit of the body – in the presence of non-Mahram men?

Answer: In the event that the skin of the body does not show, and there is no fear of falling into sin, it is not a problem.

Answer: In all instances, the woman must cover her self in such a way so as not to attract the attention of others (non-Mahram men).

Answer: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, itis not allowed to wear such a chador.

123 – Question: What is the ruling on wearing a chador made of Sherman (a type of fabric)?

Answer: In the event that according to the general population it notbe considered as drawing the attention (of others), it is not a problem.

Note: Attracting of attention (of others) is of two types: sometimes in certain places, no women are known to wear this Sherman Chador, and in this case a woman wearing it, would attract the attention (of others), and thus, it is not allowed for her to wear it. In the second instance, there may be a place where women wear the ShermanChador, however, one wears it in such a way so as to attract the attention of others, in which case this too is not permitted.

124 – Rule: It is not allowed to wear those types of chadors in which the hair or the shape of the hand of the woman shows through or to wear these types of chador in which their hair shows or the shape of their hands shows through, especially if there are non-Mahram men (in the house), and women must refrain from wearing these types of chador.

125 – Question: If a woman wears a type of chador in which the shape of her body can be seen through it, but she is wearing enough clothing under the chador, for example, she is wearing a scarf on her head, socks, and long sleeve clothing, then is it Islamically permissible (to wear such a chador)?

Answer: In the event that the body (skin)can not be seen and by wearing such a chador there is no fear of corruption, then it is not a problem.

Note: Thosewomen who use chador as their hijab, in the following examples, must be extra careful of their covering:

1. At the time of buying and selling something with non-Mahram men; while fixing their chador in the presence of non-Mahram men; taking or giving things to them; working in the presence of non-Mahram men, whether it be in the house or outside of the house; washing clothes, dishes or anything else in the presence of non-Mahram men; setting the table and cleaning up after a meal, etc…

2. In all of the above mentioned examples, and those thatare related to these, it is recommended that women should wear sufficient clothing underneath their chador, and that they make use of a scarf or maqnah. Also, they should wear “add-on sleeves” in the event that the clothing they are wearing under the chador is short sleeved so as to observe the complete hijab and to gain the pleasure of Allah ().

126 – Question: If a closefamily member proposes to a girl but she does not accept his marriage proposal, then later on if these two meet each other, and in the event the man is still single, how should the girl act and behave in front of him?Should she observe more than that which wajib in her hijab or be extra careful while speaking to him or not?

Answer: One must keep away from all those actions that may lead to corruption and sins.

Therefore: For example, according to the fatawa of the late Ayatullah Khomeini, if keeping the face and hands open leads the young man to look at her with the intention of lust, then she must cover her face and hands and if speaking to him leads him to falling into corruption, then she must also keep away from this.

D) Rules Related to Beautification (Zinat)

D) Rules Related to Beautification (Zinat)4

127 – Question: Whatis meant by beautification (zinat)?

Answer: Everything that thegeneral public regards as beautification, and people refer to it as such.

128 – Question: If a woman applies surma – not with the intention of it being for beauty, but instead for the benefits that are in it, then in this case,must it be concealed from the view of non-Mahram men?

Answer: If the general population regard it as being a means of beautification then it must be concealed, whether one’s intention for using it is beautification, or not.

Answer: Itwould be considered as zinat.

Answer: If she applies the surma in such a way that even old women or elderly women use it, then even if it is for beautification, it is not necessary to cover it from non-Mahram men.

129 – Question: Must a woman who has had her eyebrows shaped (hair plucked from the eyebrows) cover them (in the presence of non-Mahram men) in order to observe the true Islamic hijab, or is she permitted to have them exposed?

Answer: She must cover them.

Answer: If it is arousing or stimulating, then she must cover them, and in other than this, according to Ihtiyat (she must cover it).

Answer: In the event that according to thegeneral public it would be considered as a beautification, then it is necessary to cover it.

Answer: If beautifying the face (either by plucking the eyebrows or having them shaped) is done in such a way that even elderly women perform it,then it is not necessary to cover it.

130 – Rule: Womenare allowed to cover only that part of the face or hands that has some beauty on it, and it is not wajib that the rest of the face (or hands) be covered.

Therefore: If a woman only has the bottom part of the eyebrows shaped, then she can just cover that part of her face with her scarf or chador; and in the event that the rest of her face does not have any beautification on it, then it is not a problem if that portion is exposed (without the zinat).

Answer: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, in all instances the face and hands must be covered from non-Mahram men, whether they have any beautification on them or not.

Note: The following are some examples of beautification on the hands and thatmust be covered from non-Mahram men:

Bangle

Bracelet

Ring (even if it is one’s wedding ring)

Longfinger nails

Nail polish

Henna

Certain types ofwatches which are worn as a means of beautification

Certain types ofgloves which are worn as a means of beautification

The followingare considered as beautification for the face:

Applying surma

Shaping of the eyebrows

Applying artificial eyebrows

Using any kind of makeup

Having a nose-ring (as is the custom is some cultures)

Earrings

Other than these, anything else that the general population (of that particular area) considers as beautification is also included and thesemust all be covered while in the presence of non-Mahram men.

131 – Question: Do plucking the eyebrows for women constitute beautification (zinat) or not?Also , if a woman has her eyebrows plucked, must she cover her face from the view of non-Mahram men?

Answer: If thegeneral public considers it as a beautification, then it wajib to cover it from non-Mahram men.

Answer: Yes, itwill be considered as zinat and it must be covered from non-Mahram men.

Answer: If the beautification of the faceis done in such a way that is common even among old women, then it is not wajib to cover it from non-Mahram men.

132 – Rule: In the ruling concerning the covering of the face and hands while in the presence of non-Mahram men, in the event that one has any beautification on – there is no difference between the non-Mahram man being a family member or an outsider.

Therefore: In gatherings, or when guests come to one’s house who are family members or otherwise, women must either refrain from applying any type of beautification on their face and hands, or else cover them in front of the non-Mahram men.

133 – Question:I am a woman who wears a wedding ring (that is very simple) and it is not for zinat, but rather for remembrance and loyalty to my husband. Is it wajib forme to cover this from non-Mahram men?

Answer: To wear any kind of ringis considered as zinat, and therefore it is wajib to cover it from the sight of non-Mahram men.

Answer: If it is arousing or stimulating, then itmust be covered and in other than this, according to Ihtiyat (it must be covered).

Answer: It is not wajib to cover those rings that women usually wear on their hands, from the view of non-Mahram men.

Answer: In the event that thegeneral public consider it is a zinat, it is necessary to cover it.

134 – Question: Is there any difference in the type of beautification? For example, if one applies a type of beautification that according to her own custom is considered as zinat, however, for another group of people, not only is it not considered as a zinat, rather it is taken as something repulsive or ugly, then must this type of zinat be concealed from non-Mahram men as well?

Answer: Beautifying one’s self is not related to beauty or ugliness, and anything that thegeneral public considers as zinat must be covered from non-Mahram men.

Answer: If the beautification on the face or handsis done in such a way that is common even among old women, such as shaping the eyebrows or applying surma, then it is not wajib for the woman to cover it from non-Mahram men. In other than this scenario, it is wajib to cover it (whether itis considered as beautiful or ugly).

135 – Question: Is it allowed for men and women to put perfume on or makethemselves smell nice by other means, in the event that the smell of it reaches non-Mahram?

Answer: There is no problem in applying perfume, but if the usage of it for the woman leads to corruption, arousal or stimulation of (non-Mahram men), then it is not allowed.

Question: If a woman applies perfume on herself for a non-Mahram man, is it necessary for her to perform a Ghusl?

Answer: In the event that putting the perfume on is to attract the attention of non-Mahram men, then it is a problem.

Answer: In the above scenario, it is Mustahab for her to perform a Ghusl.

136 – Rule: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, women must cover artificial or synthetic hair, whether ithas been joined to one’s own hair or if it is a wig or hairpiece that has been placed on top of the head.Also it does not make a difference if this joined hair is that of a man or a woman.

Answer: It is wajib for a woman to cover (it) from non-Mahram men.

Answer: If this actionis considered as a beautification, then it is wajib for her to cover it from non-Mahram men.

137 – Question: What is the ruling for a woman beautifying herself for other than her husband, in gatherings where there are only women present such as in weddings, or dinner invitations only for women?

Answer: In the event that non-Mahram men do not see her, it is not a problem.

138 – Question: Is there a problem for women to wear shoes that make noise, such that when one walks, non-Mahram men canher the sound of them?

Answer: In the event that corruption can be associated with it, one must refrain from it.

139 – Rule: If a woman knows that a non-Mahram man will look at her face or hands with the intention of lust, then even if she does not have any zinat on them, she must cover these parts from him.

Answer: In the event thatis leads or helps to commit a sin, then it is wajib to cover (these two parts).

140 – Rule: Itis not allowed to keep the face and hands open with the intention of making others fall into sin.

In the event that it helps to commit a sin, itis not allowed .

141 – Rule: Old women who do not have the hope of marrying - in addition to their face and hands, can also keep a bit of their hair, hands up to the elbows, and the legs up to the knees open, in the front of non-Mahram men.

142 – Rule: Itis not allowed for a woman to go to a place where she knows that non-Mahram men will look at her with the intention of lust.

In itself, going (to such a place) is not a problem, but she must observe the proper clothingso as to not make others fall into sin.

E) Covering of a Woman in the Presence of Other Women

143 – Rule: A woman must cover her private parts from other womenhowever it is not wajib to cover the rest of the body in front of them.

144 – Rule: If a woman knows that other women will look at her body,face or hands with the intention of lust, then it is wajib for her to cover these parts from them.

Therefore: In bathrooms, swimming pools,fitness or sports clubs, and beauty parlors, if a woman sees that other women are looking at her with the intention of lust, the she must immediately cover her body from them.

145 – Rule: It is haram for a woman to reveal her body with the intention of wanting other women to fall into sin.

That amount of the body that is wajib to cover is that (same) amount that is haram to keep uncovered, even if others will not fall into a haram act; butd those places that are not wajib to cover, if it leads or helps to commit a sin, then it becomes wajib to cover them.

146 – Rule: It is wajib for a woman to cover her private parts from other women, even if they will not look at them with the intention of lust, except in the case of necessity.

Therefore: Just as has been mentioned in the previous section on ‘looking’, women are not permitted to show their private parts to a doctor, unless it reaches to the stage of necessity. Even in the matter of birth control, itis not allowed to expose one’s private parts in front of a doctor, and one must refrain from this, except in the case of a necessity. Also in this ruling, it does not make a difference if the doctor is a woman either.

Note: Women must be cautious in places such as public showers that their private parts are covered, and itis also not allowed to wear thin, see-thru clothing in which one’s private parts are not covered properly. In addition, to have x-rays taken (of certain areas), or a sonograph of the womb, or have certain devices inserted into the womb or other related things, if it necessitates the exposing of one’s private parts in front of others, then it is not allowed and one must refrain from it (unless it is in the case of necessity).

F) Covering of a Woman in the Presence of Children

(Those who have reached the age of Mumayyiz or not) (Those who have reached the age of Mumayyiz or not)

147 – Rule: It is not wajib to cover any part of the body, even so far as the private parts, from a child (a girl or a Mahram or non-Mahram boy) who has not yet reached the age of Mumayyiz.

148 – Rule: A woman must cover her private parts from a girl child who is Mumayyiz.

149 – Rule: It is wajib for a woman to cover her private parts from a boy who is a Mumayyiz child and her Mahram.

150 – Rule: In the event that the Mumayyiz child is a boy and a non-Mahram, then not only is it wajib for the women to cover their private parts from him, but according to Ihtiyat Wajib, she must also cover her entire body from him, with the exception of the face and hands.

According to Ihtiyat Mustahab, a woman should cover her body and hair from non-Baligh children who understands good and bad – meaning that he has reached to such a stage that his look would be with lust (meaning that he is Mumayyiz). However, it is not necessary for her to cover the face and hands.

Clothing that is haram for Men and Women

1. Notorious Clothing

1. Notorious Clothing5

151 – Rule: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, itis not allowed for men or women to wear notorious clothing. This means whether it be the type of clothing, type of stitching, its style, or its color or a combination of any of these. The same rule applies to the way of wearing the clothing as well.

Rather, it is haram to wear notorious clothing.

In the event that it leads to disgrace or degradation (of a person), then it is haram to wear it.

152 – Question: What is meant by notorious clothing ?

Answer 1: That clothing whose material, color, the way itis sewn , or the way it is worn, is not common for that person to wear.

Answer 2: That clothing that has certain qualities or characteristics that attract the attention of thegeneral public , causing one to stand out in a crowd.

Note: First of al, anything that is considered as clothing or a covering can be considered under this ruling, therefore it includes clothing such as shoes, a hat, a shirt, a skirt, a head scarf (for women), a Maqne, socks, pants, a Mantou, etc… If any of these are such that theycould be classified as notorious clothing, then they are included in this ruling.

Secondly, it does not make a difference if the clothing is considered as notorious clothing due to the kind or type (of clothing) or the color of it, for example, those types of clothing whose color is loud or repulsive, or the style of clothing which is common among the Punks, or the manner in which it is worn.

Notorious clothing is that clothing which does not suit one’s appearance nor fits his status.

Note: These explanations of notorious clothing are the same as those given by Ayatullah Khomeini in answer one above. The meaning of notorious clothing, is clothingthat is not the usual type that a certain person wears . Thus, if an older person puts on clothing that is the style for children, or a person puts on clothing that is not fitting for his position or status, then that type of clothingwould be referred to as notorious clothing. Therefore, even if wearing a chador in foreign countries, or wearing clothing (specific) to one area in another area draws the attention of others, but if these types of clothing signify the status of that person, then it is not a problem.

That clothing which is made of a certain kind of fabric or its color or ithas been stitched in such a way that it is not common for that person to wear it and could lead to degradation or make him stand out, is referred to as notorious clothing.

The meaning of notorious clothing is that clothing which may lead one to being proud or by wearing it, that person wants tobe known as an ascetic or one who has renounced all worldly pleasures. Whether it is by means of the type of fabric, color, or the way itwas stitched . However, if in actuality a person’s intention is to wear simple clothing and he does not have the intent of showing off, then not only is it permitted, but rather it is a worthy action.

Notorious clothing is that clothing which is made of a type of fabric or color or the way in which it has been stitched is not common for that person to wear and it is degrading or a disgrace (to the one who wants to wear it).

2. Clothing which is Specific to One Gender

153 – Rule: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, itis not allowed for women to wear clothing that is specific to men, and similarly, it is not allowed for men to wear clothing that is specific to women.

For a woman to wear clothing that is specific for a man and vice-versa is problematic.

If a man wears clothing that is specific for a woman or a woman wears clothing that is specific for a man, then in the event that that clothing would be classified as ‘Notorious’, then it is haram (to wear such clothing); and in other than this scenario, according to Ihtiyat Wajib, one must refrain from wearing such clothing.

It is haram for women to wear clothing that is specifically for men, and similarly, it is haram for men to wear clothing that is specifically for women.

(Makarim): It is not a problem for a man to wear the clothing of a woman or for a woman to wear the clothing of a man, except in the event that it necessitates a haram action, in which it becomes not permissible. However, according to IhtiyatMustahab it is better that men and women do not wear clothing that is specific to the other gender.

If a man wears women’s clothing, or a woman wears men’s clothing, then in the event that that clothing becomes customary for them (they become known as one who wears that type of clothing), then according to Ihtiyat Wajib, it is haram to wear such clothing.

154 – Rule: The meaning of clothing that is specific only to men is that clothing which is normally only worn by men; and specific clothing for women means that which is normally only worn by women.

155 – Rule: The meaning of specific clothing includes all those things which are classified as clothing – whether it be something that it is visible when worn, for example a chador, skirt, scarf, or long socks – (where are not allowed) for men; or a coat and pants (suit-type), men’s shoes, etc… - (which are not common) for women. This also includesclothing which may not be visible – such as men wearing women’s under clothing or women wearing men’s under clothing.

156 – Question: Further to whathas been stated that according to Ihtiyat Wajib, men must not wear women’s clothing, and women must not wear men’s clothing, relating to this rule are some questions below:

Is this covering (of specific clothing) limited to being in public or even in (one’s) privacy is it problematic?

In the event that it is problematic, then would it also be a problem for men to wear women’s slippers if it is just inside the house?

Answer:

There is no difference between being in public or private.

According to Ihtiyat Wajib, if the clothing is considered as specific (for one sex), then it is not permitted.

In privacy,it’s being haram is an area of question.

1. In privacy, the condition of it being haramis not known .

There is no problem.

157 – Rule: According to Ihtiyat Wajib, it is haram to wear specific clothing, whether it is in privacy and there is no one else to see the person, or it is in public.Also , it does not make a difference in it being haram if the one who sees the person wearing the clothing is a man or woman, a Mahram or a non-Mahram.

In privacy,it’s being haram is an area of question.

In the event that there is no one to see the person (in privacy), the condition of it being haram is not known.

158 – Rule: It is not a problem to wear non-specific clothing, for example that clothing which the common people would regard as not being specific to men or women (such as pants, certain types of shirts, etc…).

Note: Just by a clothing being labeled “for women” or “for men”, does not make that clothing specific, rather, the usage of the clothing being only for men or women makes clothing that is specific (to that sex). As an example, the wearing of slippers in the house that the common people acknowledge tobe worn by both men and women is not a problem, and thus either one of them can wear those slippers, even if they are referred to as women’s slippers or men’s slippers. However, if there is a pair of slippers that the common people acknowledge as only for women (such as slippers that were asked about in the previous question), then it is not allowed for men to wear them, even if it is only for a moment (such as to get something from the kitchen).

159 – Rule: Itis not allowed , according to Ihtiyat Wajib, to wear specific clothing no matter what the reason is – whether it is for simply trying it on, playing or acting in the theatre, cinema, showing off or anything else.

It is a problematic area for a woman to wear clothing that is specific to men.

It is haram for a man to wear clothing that is specifically for women and similarly for a woman to wear clothing that is specifically for men, however until the point that this is not regarded as notorious clothing, this being haram is an area to ponder upon.

Question:Is it permitted for a woman who is acting in the theatre or in a play and is playing the role of a man, to wear the clothing of a man if she is performing in front of women?

Answer: As long as non-Mahram Men will not see her, it is not a problem.

160 – Question: Are men allowed to use things of zinat that women usually wear – such as a ring, watch, bangle, belt, necklace, etc… keeping in mind that the wearing of clothing specific to women is not allowed for men?

Answer: One must refrain from wearing anything that goes against one’s character.

Answer: It is haram for men and women to beautify themselves with that whichis used as a beautifier for the opposite sex.

Answer: Itis not allowed for men to use any kind of beautification or clothing that is specific to women.

Answer: If the manis considered to resemble a woman or the woman is considered to resemble a man, then it is not permitted.

161 – Question: What is the ruling for a woman who cuts her hair short such that she resembles a man,and also what is the ruling for a man to grow his hair long such that he resembles a woman?

Answer: If it consideredthat the man resembles the woman or the woman resembles the man then it is not allowed.

3. Arousing or Stimulating Clothing

162 – Rule: It is haram for a woman or a man to wear any type of clothing that the common people would consider as arousing or stimulating, or one that attracts the attention of non-Mahrams.

It is problematic to wear clothing that can lead to degradation, loss of one’s self-respect or corruption.

163 – Rule: Arousing or stimulating clothing can be due to its color, style, type of cloth, or any other thing. Thus, it is possible that a woman’s headscarf, mantou,maqnah or shoes are such that they attract the attention of non-Mahram Men and are stimulating. In these instances, it is not permissible to wear them.

Note: The meaning of arousing or stimulating is related to the type of clothing and not the person wearing it. Thus if according to the common people a certain type of clothing is considered as arousing, then it is not allowed to wear it, even if one or a few people would not be aroused or stimulated by it.

Therefore: Clothing such as certain types of gloves with lace, chador, a thin scarf with lace, things that hand (around a person’s neck) such as flowers, and other things of beautification such as gold stitching or lace stitching on the headscarf, chador or mantou, etc… or placing buttons on a specific part of the clothing, keeping the buttons of the clothing open even if underneath there may be clothing, etc… - all of these kinds of clothing, if they are considered as stimulating or arousing, or they attract the attention of others, then it is haram and one must refrain from wearing these (types of clothing).

164 – Question:Are men allowed to beautify their faces with make-up that women use?Also , are men allowed to pluck the hair under their eyebrows?

Answer: It is haram for a man and woman to beautify themselves with those things thatare used by the opposite sex.

Answer: It is problematic.

Answer: If the manis considered to resemble a woman or a woman is considered to resemble a man, then it is not allowed.

4. Usurped Clothing

165 – Rule: It is not allowed to wear clothing that has been usurped, and according to Islamic law, it is haram; and the Salat recited with this clothingwill also be void.

It is haram to wear usurped clothing, and according to Ihtiyat Wajib, Salat recited with this clothingwill also be void.

166 – Rule: If a type of clothing is made or purchased from money thatwas usurped , then it has the same ruling as usurped clothing and thus, the wearing of them is not allowed.

167 – Rule: Even if a part of the clothingis usurped , then the wearing of it is not allowed either, even if it is just a single stitch, a button, a zipper or the lining of the material.

168 – Rule: It is not allowed for a person who has Khums pending on him/her to buy any clothing from that money on which Khums has not yet been paid, since it will be considered as usurped, and the wearing of it is not allowed;also the Salat recited in it is void. (Except those who have received the permission of the Islamic Ruler, or his representative.)

5. Clothing Specific to the Non-Muslims

169 – Rule: It is haram to wear that clothing which only the non-Muslims make useof .

In the event that it endorses the non-Muslims or makes them powerful, then itis not allowed .

According to Ihtiyat, one must refrain from imitating the non-Muslims.

Therefore: It is not permitted for a Muslim man or woman to wear clothing that is commonly worn by Punks, clergymen of the Church, Rabbis, the Hindus, or other groups of non-Muslims.

170 – Rule: There is no problem in wearing that clothing which is common to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

171 – Question: What is the view of Islam on the necktie?

Answer 1: The necktie is the practice of the Christian religion, which has unfortunately become widespread amongst the Muslims.

Answer 2: The necktie is one of the symbols of the Christians, and it is incumbent on the Muslims to refrain from using it.

Answer: The necktie is related to and is one of the symbols of the Christians, thus, it is better that the Muslims refrain from wearing it, even though it is no longer prevalent among the Muslims as being a symbol for the Christians.

Notes

1. In the following rulings, the spouse is an exception.

2. The Chador is the type of ‘hijab’that is commonly worn by Iranian women and consists of a large, usually black cloth wrapped around the body .

3. A long overcoat type covering for women thatis commonly worn in Iran.

4. Itshould be noted that the meaning of Zinat refers to those decorations and beautification that a woman applies to herself, and not that which is natural. (Translator)

5. Please note that the term Libas al-Shuhrah has been translated here as Notorious Clothing for lack of a better term in English. Please refer to the list of definitions at the end of this book for a detailed explanation.

Brief Biographies of the Maraja’ presented in this Book

Brief Biographies of the Maraja’ presented in this Book1

Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘Ali Araki

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘Ali Araki was born in the early 1890’s, but the exact date is not known due to the lack of appropriate birth records at the time, in the Iranian city of Arak.

Following his preliminary religious studies, he demonstrated an aptitude to further his Islamic studies, and commented on the scholarly book, ‘Urwatul Wuthqa some 48 years ago (1952). This is a book upon which all Mujtahidin comment as soon as theyare recognized as an expert in independent theological studies, according to their views. At the time of his review of ‘Urwatul Wuthqa, he was in the company of such great leaders as Ayatullah al-‘Udhma Khunsari, and others.

Although he was learned and a declared Mujtahid, following the demise of Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Khusani and Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein al-Burujerdi, he did not openly declare his Marja’iyyah. He was one of Imam Khomeini’s teachers, having taught the Founder of the Islamic Republic the initial course of the Hawza entitled Jami’atul Muqaddamat. In other classes, he was a contemporary of the late Imam.

Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘Ali Araki was a strong encouragement to the Islamic Republic, and requently guided the government whenever requested. Upon the demise of Ayatullah Khomeini, many of his Muqalladin followed Ayatullah Araki.At the demise of the Grand Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj ash-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu’i (May Allah raise his rank), the Jamiatul Mudarrasin (Council of the Theological Schools) in Qum declared in a communique, the top most Marja’ to be either Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘Ali Araki orAyatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Riza al-Gulpaygani, preferring the later, and on December 10, 1993, following the departure of Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Riza al-Gulpaygani fromthis mortal world, the Council declared the grand Ayatullah Araki to be the Marja’ for the Shi’a world.

Ayatullah Araki, up until his death used to lead students of the Hawza Faiziyah in the congregational Salat. His teaching was active right up to his hospitalization. The President of the Council, Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini, in his Friday sermon on December 10, 1993, said that the Shaykh was “since the time of the late Shaikh ‘Abdul Karim Ha’iri (founder of the Qum Theological Center), one of the most brilliant personalities in the field of theology and religious sciences, and a friend amoung the Ulama…”

Ayatullah Yusuf Sana’i also of Qum said that the Grand Ayatullah has “a high expertise in fiqh and its different topics and also is skillful in manipulating the principle maxims of jurisprudence.” As for his piety, Ayatullah Jawadi Amuli mentioned in a statement that the Ayatullah protected his “soul from wordly desires and his obedience to the Sacred Existence of the Master of the Seen and Unseen…”

The grand Ayatullah died on the 25th of Jumadi al-Akhar, 1994, one year to the day of the demise of Ayatullah al-‘Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Riza al-Gulpaygani, and was buried in Qum on Thursday the27th of Jumadi al-Akhar.

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Taqi al-Behjat

AyatullAh al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Taqi al-Behjat was born in 1915 in the city of Fuman, Iran. His father, Karbalai Muhammad Behjat was a trustworthy and reliable personality of that region. Ayatullah al-Behjat finished his primary education in one of the schools in Fuman. Later on, in that same city, he began his religious education until the year 1929, when he made the journey to Qum.

He completed studies in Arabic grammar and literature during his short stay in Qum, and then migrated to the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, where he attended the lectures of some of the great scholars - such as Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i.

In 1933, he left Karbala for the holy city of Najaf to complete his studies. While there, he attended the lectures of one of Ayatullah Khurasani's students. After participating in the classes of Ayatullah Dia' al-Iraqi and Ayatullah Mirza Naini’, he began attending the lectures of Ayatullah al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammadhusayn al-Gharawi al-Isfahani (known as al-Kumpani).

Ayatullah al-Behjat also benefited a great deal from the lectures of Ayatullah al-Udhma hajj as-Sayyid Abu al-hasan al-Isfahani and al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Kadhim ash-Shirazi.

Apart from Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence), Ayatullah al-Behjat also studied the book al-Isharat of Ibn Sina and al-Asfar al-Arba’ of Mulla Sadra ash-Shirazi, under the late as-Sayyidhusayn al-Badkubi.

In 1944, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Taqi al-Behjat returned to Iran and became a student of Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Kukhmari’s while also attending the lectures of Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein al-Burujerdi on Fiqh and Usul.

For the past fifty years, he has been teaching the Kharij level of Fiqh and Usul in his home to avoid publicity.

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Riza al-Gulpaygani

AyatullAh al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Riza Al-Gulpaygani departed for his heavenly abode on Thursday night,9th of December at the age of 96. He suffered from acute respiratory deficiency and lung infection for which hewas confined at hospital. The Ayatullah who was the supreme religious authority of the Shi'a world, became terminally ill immediately after midnight Tuesday and was shed to the Cardiac Care Unit of the hospital but his condition continued to deteriorate despite the extra care and attention of his doctors.

Ayatullah al-Gulpaygani went into a coma in the wee hours of Wednesday morning and eventually left the mortal world minutes before evening prayers Thursday.

He saw the light of day in the village of Koukeh near the city of Gulpaygan (135 kmsnorth-east of Isfahan) in the closing years of the 19th century and at the age of 20 went to Arak which was the centre of the Theological studies. There, he received his education under Ayatullah al-Udhma ash-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Karim al-Hairi. Later in1921 he went to the city of Qum to complete his studies.

In the early 1960s following the death of Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein al-Burujerdi and during the banishment Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini from Iran, he became superintendent of the Qum Theological Seminary.

He took over the administration of the school at a crucial time when both the theological school and Islamic scholars were in at stake due to repressive measures directed by Shah. At thattime he had about 800 students who attended his classes and received advanced training in religious studies.

Ayatullah al-Gulpaygani is the author of a number of scholarly works and treatises as well as commentaries on various other works of scholastically abstruse character. Among them is an annotation on the ‘al-Urwatul Wuthqa’, 'Tawzih al-Masa’il', ‘Manasik al-Hajj' and many others.

He rendered valuable services during his superintendence of the Theological Seminary in Qum, and also helped establish almost 30 theological schools in various towns and cities throughout Iran, as well as health clinics for students and other types of public utility centers in many parts of the country and abroad as well.

Ayatullah al-Gulpaygani was a great scholar and a Marja’ and he had many followers throughout the world. He subscribed to the concept of Wilayat-e-Faqihi put forwarded by Ayatullah al-Khomeini.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatullah as-Sayyid ‘Ali al-husaini al-Khamenei’, expressed deep condolence over the sad demise of the Grand Ayatullah Muhammad Riza al-Gulpaygani.

He was one of the pillars of the Islamic Revolution and The Islamic Republic, said the leader in a statement.

During the oppressive rule of the former regime and in confronting the bitter incidents which occurred in the years after the banishment from Iran of Ayatullah al-Khomeini (1963), there was some occasions when the voice of this great personality was the only threatening voice against the former regime, which raised from the Qum theological seminary and gave enthusiasm to the Islamic movement.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, he had an active contribution in managing the general affairs of the revolution, said the statement adding that he unequivocally supported the Islamic Republic system and its exalted leadership. Hewas respected and honoured by the late Ayatullah al-Khomeini .

The departure of this divine scholar was a grave and irreparable loss, the statement added. The statement also said that the grand Ayatullah was a Marja' Taqlid for 32 years, and a teacher at the Qum theological seminary for about 72 years while keeping on learning and teaching Fiqh (Jurisprudence) for about 85 years.

He was the first person to establish modern theological seminary and the first great institute for Qur’anic studies in Qum. He was the first person to prepare a table of contents of Fiqh and hadith (Tradition) by using modern technology and knowledge.

He founded hundreds of schools,mosques and Islamic propagation centres in Iran and other countries and brought up thousands of disciples.

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini al-Hindi

On Jamadi al-Thani 20th, 1320 a.h. (24th September 1902) a child was born in Khumayn, a town in the central province of Iran, to a devout family educated in theology and devoted to migration and jihad and the progeny of Her Holiness Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her). The childwas named Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini.

The noble father of Imam al-Khomeini was the late Ayatullah as-Sayyid Mustafa Musawi, a contemporary of the late grand Ayatulah Mirza Shirazi. After acquiring considerable Islamic knowledge during several years of stay in Najaf, and obtaining the license to practice Ijtihad, ImamKhomeinis father returned to Iran and become a religions guide and support for the people of Khumayn. When Ruhulluh was barely five months old his father who had risen against the tyranny of the government agents, in response to his call to search for truth, was martyred while commuting from Khumayn to Arak.

His childhood and youthful years were spent under the supervision of his devout mother (Banu Hajar) herself coming from a family of knowledge and chastity, a grand-daughter of Ayatullah Khunsari (author of Zubdatul-Tasanif), and his noble aunt (Sahiba Khanum), a brave, truth-seeking lady.

By the age of 15, the young Khomeiniwas deprived of the supervision of these two cherished personalities. From his childhood and early in his youth, Imam Khomeini learned, by the grace of his superlative intelligence, a great deal of the conventional sciences and acquired a considerable amount of preliminary knowledge - these included Arabic literature, logic,Jurisprudence and principles. For learning these he had instructors such as Agha Mirza Mahmud Eftekhar al-`Ulama, Mirza Riza Najafi Khomeini, Agha Shaikh `Ali Muhammad Burujerdi, Shaikh Muhammad Gulpaygani, Agha `Abbas Araki, but mostly, his own elder brother Ayatullah Seyyed Murtaza Passandideh.

Shortly after migration of the grand Ayatullah haj Shaikh `Abd al-Karim Haeri Yazdi to Qum, in Rajab 1340 a.h, Imam Khomeini, also migrated to the Qum Theological Assembly and took the complementary lessons with the scholars of the assembly of Qum.These included lessons from the lengthy book of Mutawal on rhetoric (Ma`ani & Bayan) taken with the late Mirza Muhammad-Ali Adib Tehrani; completion of the Level studies with the late Ayatullah Seyyed Muhammad Taqi Khonssari but mostly with the late Ayatullah Seyyed Ali Yathrebi Kashani; (Fiqh) Jurisprudence principles with the master of the Qum Assembly, Ayatullah al-Hajj Sheikh Abdulkarim Haeri Yazdi.

The sensitive and searching spirit of Imam Khomeini could not settle with just Arabic literature and lessons in “Fiqh” Jurisprudence and Principles. He was interested in other sciences as well.Therefore, along with learning jurisprudence and Principles “Fiqh” from the “Fuqaha”, jurisconsults of the time, he took lessons in mathematics, astronomy and philosophy from the late Haj Seyyed Abulhasan Rafiey Qazvini and continued taking the same lessons in addition to spiritual sciences and mysticism from the late Mirza Ali-Akbar Hakami Yazdi. He also took lessons in prosody, and rhyme, as well as Islamic and western philosophies with the late Agha Sheikh Muhammad-Reza Masjid-Shahi Isfahani. He then took lessons in Ethics and “Erfan”gnosticism from the late Ayatullah Haj Mirza Javade-Maleki-Tabrizi and he further studied the highest levels of Theoretical and practical “Erfan” (gnosticism) for a period of 6 years with the late Ayatullah Agha Mirza Muhammad-Ali Shahabadi.

For many years, Hazrat Imam Khomeini taught “Fiqh”, jurisprudence and principles, mysticism and Islamic Ethics in Qum Theological schools including the Faiziyya, the Aazam mosque, the Muhammadiyya Mosque, the Haj Mulla Sadiq School, the Salmasi Mosque etc. He taught “Fiqh” and the knowledge of the Ahl-e-Bayt, at the highest level, for 14 years at the Sheikh Ansari (s) Mosque in Najaf Theological Centre. It was at Najaf that Imam Khomeini (s), for the first time included, in his lessons on “Fiqh”, the Theoretical foundations of the Islamic government. His students declared his lessons and classes among the most credible in the Theological Assembly of Najaf. Some of his classes at Qum had as many as 1200 students which, included scores of established jurisconsults (mujtahedeen) who benefited by the Imam's school of “Fiqh” jurisprudence and principles.

The blessings of Imam Khomeini's teaching included training and education of hundreds, better yet, considering the length of his teaching, thousands of learned men and scholars each one of whom is currently illuminating a theological Assembly. Today's jurisconsults, “mujtahedeen” and prominent Gnostics have been among Imam Khomeini's students in Qum or at other centres of knowledge. Outstanding thinkers such as the great scholar Shaheed Mutahhari and the wronged Shahid Beheshti felt honoured to have benefited by Imam Khomeini's teachings. Today the prominent clergy who guide the Islamic Revolution and system of the Islamic Republic in all civil affairs are all among those educated by the school of Fiqh and politics of Imam Khomeini.

On October 13, 1965 Imam Khomeini, accompanied by his son Ayatullah haj Mustafawere sent from Turkey to their second country of exile, Iraq. Upon arrival in Iraq, Imam Khomeini went on pilgrimage to the holy Shrines of the Infallible Imams in Kazamain,Samarra and Karbala. A weeklater he moved to his residence in Najaf.

Imam Khomeini began his Lecture teachings in jurisprudence, in Aban, 1344 (November, 1965), inspite of all obstacles and oppositions, in the Sheikh Ansari Mosque in Najaf, and continued these classes until his migration to Paris, France. Imam Khomeini's firm fundamentals in (Fiqh) jurisprudence and Principles and his proficency in Islamic sciences was such that after a short time, inspite of all the impediments, his teaching classes came to be known as the most outstanding theological Assemblies of Najaf both qualitatively and quantitatively.

A large number of clergy students of Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan,India and countries of the Persian Gulf area attended his teaching lectures daily. Those attached to the Imam from Iranian theological Assemblies wanted to make collective migration to Najaf, but desisted at the recommendation of the Imam, that, it was necessary to keep the theological assemblies in Iran, active. However, a large number of those deeply attached to Imam Khomeini had already reached Najaf and, gradually, a centre of revolutionary figures who believed in the path of the Imamwas formed in Najaf, and it was this group that undertook the responsibility of relaying the Imam's fighting messages, in those years of strangulation.

On the 12th of Mehr, Imam Khomeini left Najaf for the border of Kuwait. The government of Kuwait did not let the Imam in, on a hint by the Iranian Regime. Previously there was talk of Imam's departure for Lebanon or Syria. However, after consulting his son (Hojjatul Islam Haj Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini), the Imam decided to migrate to France and on the 14th of Mehr, he entered Paris and two dayslater he was stationed in the house of an Iranian, in Noefel Le Chateau (Suburbs of Paris).

During the four-month stay of Imam Khomeini in Paris, Noefel Le Chateau was the most important news centre in the world. Imam Khomeini's various interviews and his visits revealed to the world, his views of Islamic rule, and the future aims of his Movement. Thus a larger number of people of the world, became aquatinted with the Imam's thought and uprising, and it was from this stage and station that he guided the most critical period of the Movement in Iran.During the four-month stay of Imam Khomeini in Paris, Noefel Le Chateau was the most important news centre in the world. Imam Khomeini's various interviews and his visits revealed to the world, his views of Islamic rule, and the future aims of his Movement. Thus a larger number of people of the world, became aquatinted with the Imam's thought and uprising, and it was from this stage and station that he guided the most critical period of the Movement in Iran.

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Fazil al-Lankarani

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Fazil al-Lankarani was born in 1931 in the Holy city of Qum. His father, the late Ayatullah Fazil Lankarani was a great teacher and scholar in the Islamic Seminary of Qum. His dear mother, was a pure and noble woman of descent from the family of the Prophet of Islam, Peace be upon him and his family.

At the age of 13, after the completion of primary school, he began studying Islamic studies in the seminary of Qum, where due to his great ability and aptitude, he was able to finish the preliminary stages of Islamic studies within six years.

At the age of 19, he started attending lessons in Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence) at the Kharij level (the highest level of Islamic studies), which were being taught by Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Burujerdi, May Allah raise his status.

Because of his young age and his ability to pick up information very quickly, his fellow students and his teachers quickly recognized him. One of his close friends and study partners, during his quest for knowledge, was none other than the beloved son of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the late Shaheed Mustafa Khomeini, May he be showered in Allah’s peace.

Ayatullah Lankarani benefited from Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Burujerdi’s lectures in the subjects of Fiqh and Usul for almost 11 years. He also participated in the classes of the late Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini for 9 years. Under these two great teachers, he was able to benefit a great deal, and quickly excelled in his studies.

He also took part in the lectures on philosophy and Tafsir (Explanation) of the Holy Qur’an under the great scholar, ‘Allamah as-Sayyid Muhammad Husayn al-Tabataba'i, May Allah raise his rank, in which he gained much knowledge and enlightenment.

Because of her perseverance and endeavors, he was able to reach to the great stage of Ijithad at the early age of 25, something that his eminent teacher, the late Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Burujerdi gave to him in writing.

For many years, he was busy teaching the intermediate level of studies in the Islamic Seminary of Qum to a great number of students. In addition to this, for the past 25 years, he has been teaching lessons of Kharij in the areas of Fiqh and Usul (Kharij is the highest level of Islamic studies after which, if completed in theirentirety, elevate the person to a Mujtahid).

His lessons are so popular that in any one lesson, over 700 scholars and personalities of the hawza ‘Ilmiyyah of Qum can be seen taking part! In addition to this, for the past few years,his lessons on Fiqh have been broadcast by Iranian Radio , thus, those living within the Islamic Republic, and even those in foreign countries have benefited from his vast amount of knowledge.

From the beginning of the political and social struggle and defiance of Ayatullah Khomeini against the oppression,corruption and tyrannical government of the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran, Ayatullah Fazil Lankarani was one of the helpers and supporters of Ayatullah Khomeini.Step by step in every movement that the defenders of Islam took, Ayatullah Lankarani was there and played an active role. One of his important moves was to be involved with the Jami’ah Mudarasin, a group that consists of the teachers in the hawza ‘Ilmiyyah of Qum in which they were busy spreading the word of Islam and the Islamic Revolution among the masses.

More than this, it was they who announced the Marja’iyat and Leadership of Ayatullah Khomeini…Many times during this difficult period, Ayatullah Fazil Lankarani was jailed, and finally, as if the Shah could no longer take the ‘Ulama and their standing up for the truth, he was forced to exile him to an area known as Bandar Lange. After staying there for 4 months, wewas moved to the city of Yazd, where he was forced to reside for a period of 18 months.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Ayatullah Fazil Lankarani continued to play an important role along side the leader, Ayatullah Khomeini, May his spirit be sanctified, and even today, under the leadership of Ayatullah Khameni’i, he is stillfully supportive and active.

After the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatullah Lankaraniwas appointed as a member of The Council of Experts, and for more than 10 years, served as the administrator of the Islamic Seminary of Qum.

From the earliest of times, himself and his family have been lovers and followers of the Ahl al-Bait, Peace be upon all of them, and as has been noted, weekly gatherings to commemorate the martyrdom of Abu ‘Abdillah al-Husayn, Peace be upon him, and his loyal family and followers, gatherings to commemorate the martyrdom of the Ma’sumin, Peace be upon all of them, and programs to celebrate the birth anniversaries of the Leaders of Islam, Peace be upon all of them, were held by his late father, and even today, continue to be held.

After the passing away of Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Sayyid Shahab ad-Din Najafi al-Mar’ashi, he was inundated with requests from the students of the hawza ‘Ilmiyyah of Qum, as well as from the people of Qum, not to mention from those in charge to oversee and run the daily programs of the haram of Fatimah al-Ma’sumah, Peace be upon her, to lead the Salat al-Jama’at. He humbly accepted this responsibility, and every night, under the graceful eyes of the sister of Imam ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Riza who is buried in Qum, thousands of scholars, students, visitors to this holy city and residents of Qum offered their prayers behind this humble man.

After the death of Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini, May Allahraise his rank, the believers turned to him for Taqlid. After the untimely demise of Ayatullah al-Udhma ash-Shaykh Araki, May Allah raise his rank, Ayatullah Fazil Lankaraniwas officially introduced , by the hawza ‘Ilmiyyah of Qum in their statement, as the number one Marja Taqlid of the Muslim Ummah.

Along with the important task of teaching the future scholars of Islam, andraising up the guardians of the Religion, he also finds time to write and compile books. To date, he has some 40 books to his credit.

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Nasir Makarim ash-Shirazi

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Nasir Makarim ash-Shirazi was born in 1929 in Shiraz, Iran. He completed his primary and high school studies in Shiraz, and at the early age of fourteen, began his Islamic studies in the Agha Bab Khan School. Despite the fact that there were no individuals of a scholarly theological background in his family, a great inclination and abundant love for Islamic knowledge and sciences directed his eminence towards the theological studies and the selection of this path.

When he became eighteen, he moved to the city of Qum, and started his seminary studies. In Qum, he benefited from the lectures of Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein al-Burujerdi and other eminent scholars of that time.

In 1959, Ayatullah Nasir Makarim ash-Shirazi traveled to Najaf, Iraq to continue his Islamic studies. While in Najaf, he attended the lectures of Ayatullah al-Hakim, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i, and Ayatullah as-Sayyid ‘Abd al-Hadi ash-Shirazi. He received the authority of absolute Ijtihad from two of the distinguished Ayatullahs of Najaf, by the time he reached the age of 30!

It was in the year 1960 that he returned to Iran and began teaching Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence). His lectures are very popular among the students and scholars, and he has been teaching these courses continuously now for over 30 years. Itshould also be mentioned that over 2000 students and distinguished scholars of the Qum hawza regularly attend his classes.

Among the other achievements of Ayatullah Nasir Makarim ash-Shirazi are the establishments of the Imam ‘Ali (‘a), Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (‘a), and Imam husayn (‘a) Hawzahs. Recently, a new hawzahas also been opened under his supervision dedicated exclusively to the study of the Holy Qur’an.

He has written over one hundred books, all of which have been published, and some have been repeatedly reprinted – up to 30 editions! Manyhave also been translated and published in Arabic, Urdu, and English to name a few of the many languages .

His comprehensive work, al-Amthal Fi Tafsir-e-Kitab Allah al-Munzal, is an encyclopedia on the commentary of the Qur’an, published in 37 volumes in Arabic, and over 30 volumes in Farsi. He has also opened a new chapter in the field of commentary of the Qur’an, by writing a topic-wise commentary, now totalling 11 volumes inFarsi which are also available in Arabic.

Ayatullah Nasir Makarim ash-Shirazi also played an important role in the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. During the rule of the tyrant Shaw, hewas exiled three times to remote cities in Iran. He also played a vital role in the writing of the Islamic Constitution in the first Council of Experts.

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid ‘Ali al-Husaini as-Seestani

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid ‘Ali al-Husaini as-Seestani was born in 1928 in the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal in the holy city of Mashad, Iran, where the sacred shrine of Imam ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Riza is located. Ayatullah as-Sayyid as-Seestani began his introductory ‘Arabic studies, including Balagha (Eloquence), in Khurasan, under a renowned teacher of ‘Arabic, named Muhammad Taqi Adib Nishaburi.

Ayatullah as-Seestani began his introductory ‘Arabic studies, including Balagha (Eloquence), in Khurasan under a renowned teacher of ‘Arabic, named Muhammad Taqi Adib Nishaburi. He also studied Fiqh, Usul, Mantiq, and Aqaid under the great ‘Ulama and teachers of Khurasan.

It was in this same city, that he took part in Dars-e-Kharij (the highest level of studies in the hawza). At this time, he also benefited from the presence of Allamah Muhaqqiq Mirza Mahdi Isfahani (may Allah sanctify his spirit).

In order to advance further and complete his studies, he traveled to the city of Qum in 1948, so that he would be able to study under various ‘Ulama of the grand hawza in this city.

Ayatullah Seestani who was present in the lessons of Fiqh and Usul, which at that timewere being taught by Ayatullah Burujerdi, was quickly recognized as one of the brightest students in the fields of Fiqh, Usul, and Rijal. He also took part in the classes of Ayatullah al-Udhma hujjat Kuhkumrai and other scholars so that he could further quench his thirst for knowledge.

In the year 1951, Ayatullah Seestani once again moved, this time to Najaf al-Ashraf. For more than 10 years he took part in the lessons of Ayatullah al-Udhma as-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Musawi al-Khu’i (may Allah be pleased with him).

During this time, he also attended the lessons taught by Ayatullah al-`Udhma Mohsin al-hakim (may Allah sanctify his spirit); and he finished one complete course in Usul al-Fiqh under the auspices of Ayatullah al-`Udhma ash-Shaykh Husayn al-Hilli (may Allah be pleased with him).

In the year 1960, in recognition of his achievements he was awarded the distinction certifying that he had attained the level of Ijtihad - deduction of legal judgement in matters of religion, by as-Sayyid al-Khu’i and again, by ash-Shaykh al-Hilli.

In the same year, he was also awarded certification by the distinguished traditionalist and scholar ash-Shaykh Agha Buzurg al-Tehrani, testifying to his skill in the science of ’Ilm al-Rijal (research into the biographies of the narrators of ahadith). He achieved this grand status when he was a mere 31 years of age!

In the year 1961, after years of studies and participating in the lessons of Usul, Fiqh, and Mantiq in the hawzas of Mashad, Qum, and Najaf, he started to teach his own lessons in Dars-e-Kharij, revolving around the book, al-Makasib by Shaykh Murtaza Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him). After teaching Dars-e-Kharij based on the framework found in al-Makasib for several years, he advanced his lessons onto a higher level by teaching from the book Urwatul Wuthqa.

Some scholars of the Najaf center for theological studies (hawza an-Najaf)were quoted as saying that after the death of as-Sayyid Nasrullah al-Mustanbit, they advised the late as-Sayyid al-Khu’i to choose someone for the office of the supreme religious authority and the supervision of the Najaf hawza.as-Sayyid as-Seestani was chosen for his merits, knowledge, and impeccable character. Accordingly, he started leading the prayers in Imam al-Khu’i’s masjid, al-Khadra, during the lifetime of his late teacher, and writing and compiling his annotation based on as-Sayyid al-Khu’i's Tauzhiul Masa’il.

After the passing away of the Marja’ Taqlid of the Shi’a world and the Guardian of the hawza ‘Ilmiyyah, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu‘i (may Allah raise his rank), Ayatullah al-`Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid ‘Ali al-husayni as-Seestani was among the six people who were allowed to take part in his funeral and performed the services on the dead body.

Ayatullah Seestani, for the past 28 years, has been continuing the important task of teaching Dars-e-Kharij in Fiqh, Usul, and Rijal. The fruits of his struggle for knowledge and the accomplishments of this Faqhi have been preserved in writing (now numbering over 40 books) – many of which have been translated into English, Urdu, French, Spanish, German, Turkish, Malay and countless other languages of the world.

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Mirza Jawad at-Tabrizi

Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Mirza Jawad at-Tabrizi was born in 1926 in the city of Tabriz, Iran. After finishing his secular studies, and reaching to the age of eighteen, he entered a theological school in his hometown. Within four years of entering this, he managed to complete the preliminary and intermediate levels of his Islamic studies.

In the year 1948, he migrated to Qum and finished other lessons at the intermediate level. In Qum he reached to the Kharij level; thereupon he attended the lectures of the late Ayatullah al-Hujjat, and Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Burujerdi.

Asides from studying, he also taught the intermediate to advanced courses of Islamic studies in Qum.

Ayatullah Mirza Jawad al-Tabrizi then migrated to Najaf al-Ashraf and was fortunate enough to benefit from eminent scholars such as the late Ayatullah al-Sayyid Abu al-Hadi ash-Shirazi, and the late Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i, where he reached to the level of Ijtihad.

Ayatullah al-Tabriziwas invited by Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i to join the Assembly of Consultants, which was an organized group of scholars that responded to the questions of the people.

Ayatullah al-Tabrizi stayed in the holy city of Najaf for about 23 years, leaving only in the holidays to do propagation in different countries. He later returned to Iran and began teaching Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence) in the Islamic Seminary of Qum, where he currently is until today.

Note

1. We apologize to the dear readers for the brevity of the biographies of some of the Maraja’ Taqlid mentioned in this book. We had repeatedly tried to get more information on these great figures from their offices in Qum, but they were not co-operative with us.


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