Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

www.alhassanain.org/english

Your Questions Answered

(Volume 6)

Author: Allamah Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi

Publisher: Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania

www.alhassanain.org/english

Notice:

This version is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

The composing errors are not corrected.

Table of Contents

Preface 7

Q. 1: How To Deal With Atheist and / Or Agnostic? 8

Q. 2: My teacher (A Christian) says: 10

Q. 3: Allah and Khuda: 11

Q. 4: To Overcome Depression: 12

Q. 5: Shi'a Belief About Qur 'an: 13

Q. 6: The Beacon of the Qur an: 14

Q. 7: The Aim of Creation: 15

Q. 8: BEGGING FROM ALLAH: 16

Q. 9: Meaning of the Tablet and the Pen: 17

Q. 10: Why do you write D FOR ض ? 18

Q. 11: About Bohoras: 19

Q. 12: Who was the Mother of the 12th Ikum (A. S) ? 20

Q. 13: Concerning the Above Answer: 22

Q. 14: Did the Special Deputies see the Imam in his Minor OCCULTATION? 23

Q. 15: do you know anyone meeting imam-e-zaman (a.s) in Tanzania or India in this decade? 24

Q. 16: Bending our heads on hearing the name of the Imam (A.S): We Shi 'as bend our heads at the mention of the name of Imam Baqiyyatullah; what is the theological explanation for that? 25

Q. 17: The significance of the word, Imam: 26

Q. 18: Is Ijtihad undesirable? 27

Q. 19: Is Taqleed Wajib? 29

Q. 20: Selection of an A 'lam 31

Q. 21: Mothers of 'AwN AND Muhammad: 32

Q. 22: Children of Amru'l-Mu'mineen: 33

Q. 23: False claimants of Prophet hood: 34

Q. 24: Where is Imam Husayn's head buried? 35

Q. 25: WHEN DID ISLAM REACH ZANZIBAR? 36

Q. 26: About Bilal Muslim Mission: 37

Q. 27: Islamic Activities in Tanzania: 38

Q. 28: Islamic Cure for Aids: 39

Q. 29: Root cause of Children 's indicipline 40

Q. 30: Love Letters 41

Q. 31: Non-alcoholic beer!! 43

Q. 32: Selling Liquor in obedience of parents: 44

Q. 33: Marriage with Sister-in-law? 46

Q. 34: Music At Jama 'at's Musafirkhana 47

Q. 35: 'Aq of parents: 48

Q. 36: A CHILD OF MUT"AH MARRIAGE: 49

Q. 37: EXECUTOR OF WILL: 50

Q. 38: VALIDITY OF A CERTAIN WILL: 51

Q. 39: ABOUT SUSPICION AND ACCUSATION: 52

Q. 40: Jama 'at 's meeting in Husainiya 53

Q. 41: Using Obscene language: 54

Q. 42: Helping Sunnis ' Projects: 55

Q. 43: USING SADQA MONEY FOR GENERL WELFARE: 56

Q. 44: CATEGORIES OF HEIRS AND THEIR SHARE: 57

Q. 45: DOES A GRANDCHILD INHERIT IN PRESENCE OF A SON OR A DAUGHTER? 58

Q. 46: Distribution of deceased's estate: 59

Q. 47: Concerning the above: 60

Q. 48: Protection of the minors ' shares: 61

Q. 49: Expenses concerning the minors ' shares: 62

Q. 50: Taxes recognised in the Shari 'ah: 63

Q. 51: Any other Income or wealth Tax? 64

Q. 52: Customs Duty and Sales Tax: 65

Q. 53: A voiding Income Tax and Customs Duty: 66

Q. 54: Cheating a bank or shop 67

Q. 55: Selling a worn out freezer: 68

Q. 56: Concerning a disused cemetery: 69

Q. 57 On Various hair-do 's: 71

Q. 58: Using water is harmful: 72

Q. 59: Wudhu after Ghusl-e-Janabat: 73

Q. 60: How the Prophet (S.A. W) used to pray? 74

Q. 61: Should Salaam in prayer be said loudly or in WHISPER? 75

Q. 62: This refers to your reply to my earlier question 76

Q. 63: PRAYING BEHIND A WOMAN: 77

Q. 64: Praying in a Sunni mosque: 78

Q. 65: Why 3-time prayers? 79

Q. 66: PERFUME IN PRAYER 80

Q. 67: THE FIRST MOSQUE BUILT: 81

Q. 68: RECITING SHAHADATAIN IN FUNERAL PROCESSION: 82

Q. 69: WHEN AND BY WHOM WAS THE SYSTEM OF WASHING THE FEET IN WUDHU INTRODUCED? 83

Q. 70: Reciting Surah Without Bismillah in Sunnah Prayers 84

Q. 71: DROPPING BISMILLAH IN QUR'AN KHWANI: 85

Q. 72: FOLDING ARMS IN PRAYERS? 86

Q. 73: SAYING 'AMEN' IN PRAYER: 87

Q. 74: KADHALIKAALLAHU RABBI 88

Q. 75: SAJDAH ON WOOLEN CARPETS 89

Q. 76: TURNING HEAD RIGHT AND LEFT IN PRAYER: 90

Q. 77: ON SALAAM AND TASHAHUD 91

Q. 78: CORRECT PRONOUCIATION OF SALAWAAT 92

Q. 79: HOW ADHAN WAS INSTITUED? 93

Q. 80: Changes In Adhan 94

Q. 81: BID'AH IN TARAWIH 95

Q. 82: SPECIAL NAWAFIL FOR THE MONTH OF RAMADHAN: 96

Q. 83: DECLARATION OF NEW MOON BY MUJTAHID'S ORDER: 97

Q. 84: IHRAM BY NADHR: 98

Q. 85: DID THE PROPHET(S.A. W) PERFORM TAWAFUN NISA '? 99

Q. 86: GIVE ME AHADITH ABOUT TAWAFUN NISA 100

Q. 87: WHY IS TAWAFUN-NISA' WAJIB BUT NOT A RUKN? 101

Q. 88: WHAT IF A SUNNI DOES NOT PERFORM TAWAFUN NISA '? 102

Q. 89: IN WHICH THINGS ZAKAH AND KHUMS WAJIB? 103

Q. 90: One Has Never Paid Khums 104

Q. 91: Accounting of Khumus on a certain saving: 105

Q. 92: IS MUT'AH LEGALIZED PROSTITUTION? 106

Q. 93: GHUSL JANABAT AND CONDOM: 107

Q. 94: IS IT TRUE THAT A CERTAIN SUNNI SCHOOL OF JURISPRUDENCE PERMITS HOMOSEXUAL ACT WITH YOUNG MEN/BOYS? 108

Q. 95: POLYGAMY AND POLYANDRY: 109

Q. 96: DIVORCE UNDER PRESSURE 110

Q. 97: IS ABORTION ALLOWED AFTER RAPE? 111

Q. 98: ON ATHEIST 112

Q. 99: JIHAD IN SUPPORT OF OPPRESSED MUSLIMS: 113

Q. 100: Freedom Of Choice VS.Death Penalty For Apostate: 114

Q. 101: IS BETTING ON HORSES ETC. ALLOWED? 115

Q. 102: PLAYING CHESS? 116

Q. 103: Octopus and Shrimp: 117

Q. 104.FISH DIED IN NET 118

Q. 105: FISH WITHOUT SCALE: 119

Q. 106: BURNING A MUSLIM DEAD BODY? 121

Q. 107: QUR'ANIC INJUNCTION AND PUNISHMENT BY BURNING: 122

Q. 108: TAFSIR OF A QUR'ANIC VERSE: 123

Q. 109: TAFSIR OF VERSE 24:3 124

Q. 110: In the ayat 102 of Sura 20 (TAHA), it says: 125

Q. 111: TALKING WITH A DEAD PERSON: 126

Q. 112: ON THE BOOK "HUSAIN, THE SAVIOUR OF ISLAM": 128

Q. 113: ON TAFSIR-AL-MIZAN 129

Q. 114: ON BLACK AND WHITE TURBANS: 130

Q. 115: WANT TO WEAR BLACK TURBAN 131

Q. 116: ABOUT BLACK SHOES: 132

Q. 117: ABOUT SOME MARAJI'-E-TAQLEED 133

Q. 118: EATING CHUNA (BURNT LIMESTONE) 134

بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم

Preface

الحمد لله رب العالمین و الصلوة و السلام علی خیر خلقه محمد و آله الطاهرین

With humility I offer my thanks to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta 'ala that He gave me the chance to compile this sixth volume of the series, Your Questions Answered. This book contains replies to 118 questions received between October 1990 and December, 1994, from The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand; India, Pakistan, Iran, U.A.E. and Muscat; Sweden, Norway, Germany and U.K.; U.S.A., Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana; Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania.

As it happens many of the questions are on burning topics of the current social environment, and I hope this volume will prove more popular and useful than the previous ones in this series.

و ما توفیقی الا بالله علیه توکلت و الیه انیب

Dar es Salaam

15th March 1965

Syed Saeed Akhtar Rizvi

Q. 1: How To Deal With Atheist and / Or Agnostic?

What is the best way to convince an atheist who claims that there is no God, or an agnostic who says that man's only recognition can be of the phenomenal world, and that man does not and cannot know anything about a spiritual existence, either of God or man or of any after-death state? How can we convince him about Islam?

How would you reply to someone who after hearing the arguments says, "Nobody really knows if this is all true! Nobody knows if there is a life hereafter"?

A: The best and safest course for such people will be to believe in a Creator and in the Day of Judgement. The following tradition of Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S) shows the reason Why?

Ibn Abil 'Awja' and Ibn Muqaffa' were sitting in Masjidul Haram at the time of pilgrimage, with some of their fellow atheists. (They pretended to be Muslims just to save their skins; but were always openly arguing against the belief in God).

Ibn Muqaffa' said, pointing towards the space around the Ka'bah: "Do you see this mob? None among them could be called a human being except that old man (i.e., Imam Ja'far Sadiq A.S). As for the others, they are nothing but catties and animals."

Ibn Abil 'Awja' asked him as to how could he say such a thing.

Ibn Muqaffa' said: Because I have found with him (such virtues and knowledge) which I did not find anywhere else. Ibn Abil 'Awja' said: Now it is necessary to test whether what you say is true.

Ibn Muqaffa' tried to dissuade him. But Ibn Abil 'Awja' went to the Imam (A.S). He came back after sometime and said: "O Ibn Muqaffa'! He is not just a human being. If there were in this world a spiritual thing which became a body if he wished so, and turned into a spirit if he wanted to, then it is he."

Ibn Muqaffa' said: How come?

Ibn Abil 'Awja' said: I sat near him. When all others went away, he started talking (without my asking anything) and said:

"If the fact is as they believe and He is as they (i.e. the pilgrims) say, then they would be saved and you would be in trouble. And if the fact is as you (atheists) say, and not as they say, then you and they both would be equal (and no harm would come to either group.)" I said: "May Allah have mercy on you, what is that which they say and what is that which we say? My belief and their belief is but one."

Imam (A.S) said: "How could your belief and their belief be the same? They say that there is to be resurrection, and reward and punishment; and they believe that there is a God." (And you do not believe it.)

Imam (A.S) meant that if there was in reality no God and no Day of Judgement, as Ibn Abil 'Awja' said then the believers and non-believers both will be in the same condition after death. Both will perish for ever and nobody will suffer for his belief or disbelief.

On the other hand, if their Is a God and a Day of Judgement, as the believers say, then after death the believers will be saved and will be blessed, while the atheists and non-believers will have to suffer. Therefore, it is the dictate of wisdom to have Faith and Belief in God and Day of Judgement, to save oneself from the possibility of disgrace and eternal punishment.

Q. 2: My teacher (A Christian) says:

My teacher (a Christian) said to me that if what the Qur 'an says about man (that he was created of clay) is true, then why do we not find any trace of dust or clay in the human body? He was referring to the verse, And certainly We created man of clay... (Qur'an, 15:26). Please enlighten me, so that I may reply to him.

A: Well, water is made of oxygen and hydrogen. Why do we not see these gases in water? Of course when water "disintegrates" then each of its components goes its separate way, and then can be "seen". Likewise, when man's body disintegrates after death, most of it turns into dust, thus proving that it was made of dust or clay.

If your teacher is really a Christian, then he must have read the following statements in the beginning of the Bible:

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis, 2:7).

(God said to Adam) ".... till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return." (Genesis, 3:19)

I think he must have heard the last sentence hundreds of times spoken by Christian priests during funeral services.

Q. 3: Allah and Khuda:

Why we call Allah as 'Khuda' while in His 99 names there is no 'Khuda'. Then how can we say 'Khuda'?

A: The 99 names are in Arabic language. Other languages have got their own words to refer to Allah. "Khuda" is a Persian word, also used in Urdu and some other languages.

Q. 4: To Overcome Depression:

At times I am driven to despair. I have generally been depressed, since I rarely get what I aspire for.

A: I think the last phrase is the clue to your problem. Remember that nobody can ever get all that he aspires for. Human ambition always remains high. Man's aspirations are limitless while the provisions of this world are limited.

Naturally it results in dissatisfaction for most of the people. Its cure is found in the sayings of our Imams who have given us this advice: "In material things, do not look at those who are above you; rather look at those who are below you; while in spiritual things, you should look at those who are higher than you."

When you will look at those who are less fortunate than you, you will sincerely be grateful to Allah that He has given you so much more than many of your fellow human beings. And when you will look at those who have attained a higher spiritual status, you will be inspired to reach nearer to them. Contentment with what Allah has given you is the key to satisfaction, the cure of depression and the only way to overcome worldly worries.

Then next step will be to remember Allah Ta'ala in all conditions. In comfort and discomfort, in affluence and poverty, in health and sickness. Allah says in the Qur'an: "Those who believe and whose hearts are set at rest by the remembrance of Allah; now surely by Allah's remembrance are the hearts set at rest." (Qur'an, Sura 13, Verse 28).

Q. 5: Shi'a Belief About Qur 'an:

A person suggested that Shi'as are doing "Taqiyah" when denying "Tahrif" in Qur 'an. Perhaps you wouldn t mind "leaking" the "inside-secret".

A: I will advise you to get a copy of my Urdu book, Itmam-e-Hujjat, from Maulana Ahmad Ali Abidi (or from Najafi House) and read the first chapter which is on Tahreef. Also my English booklet, The Qur'an: Its Protection from Alteration, (published by Ahlul Bayt Assembly of North America, P.O.Box 76568, Super Centre Postal Outlet, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R ON5) will prove very helpful.

From these two sources you will find that the Sunnis themselves narrate traditions of Tahreef in their Sihah Sitta and other books. They also believe that "Whatever is narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim is 100% correct and it is Wajib to believe in it."

Also, you will see that many traditions in these two books mention some verses and surahs which were lost after the Prophet (S.A.W). Then you will learn that the Sunnis try to explain such traditions by saying that those verses and Surahs are mansukhut-tilawah, i.e. their reciting was abrogated (while the law contained in some of them continues.)

The very serious question arises that if those Surahs and verses were lost or eaten up by a goat after the death of the Prophet (S.A.W), then how and by whom were they abrogated? Did there come any prophet after the Prophet of Islam (S.A.W)?

While we, on our part, are not bound to accept any tradition (written in any book) as "Sahih". We put every hadith to tough tests, then either accept it or reject it on its merits. As for Taqiyah, please study my booklet on this subject; you will find it useful and interesting.

Q. 6: The Beacon of the Qur an:

I quote here the following sentences of Hazrat Ali (A.S), from "Guidance from Qur 'an" (p. 35): ".... For all of you there is a beacon (in the Qur 'an), try to be guided by it. Islam has its aim for each of you to aspire and to attain it... " The question is: How can one find this beacon in the Qur'an, so that one can try to be guided by it?

A: The Qur'an was revealed as the guidance for man. It guides one in matters of faith; it shows the way to reach nearer to Allah through sincere belief and worship of Allah; it helps him build noble character through its unparalleled ethical teachings. And all these aspects have briefly been described in this very book, "Guidance from Qur'an".

Q. 7: The Aim of Creation:

Referring to the same quotation, how can one locate this seemingly particular aim, because to attain an objective one must know and understand it and then aim at it?

A: Study those verses which describe the purpose of creation, then you will be able to proceed towards it. For example:

1. And I have not created the jinn and the human beings except that they should worship Me. (Qur 'an,51:56)

2. Surely we have created man from a small drop of intermingled life-germ, in order that we test him; so we have made him hearing, seeing." (76:2). (Then it goes on describing the chastisement of the disbelievers and the blessings reserved for the righteous.)

3. And the greatest bliss reserved for man is "the pleasure of Allah", that the righteous would be pleased with Allah and Allah would be pleased with them, and they would become nearer to Him. As He says: O tranquilled soul, return to your Lord, well- pleased with Him, well-pleasing to Him; so enter among My servants and enter into My garden. " (89:27-30).

Q. 8: BEGGING FROM ALLAH:

Hazrat Ali (A.S) further says in the same hadith that "One should not make the Qur 'an an instrument of beggary in society". By nature a human being is certainly in need of many things. What could the sentence mean, because we are supposed to beg Him for our reasonable wants?

A: You have not read the full sentence which goes on like this "do not make Qur'an an instrument of beggary in society because it teaches you how to seek help from God." Clearly the Imam forbids begging from people and advises man to address all his needs to Allah. What objection or ambiguity is there in this teaching?

Q. 9: Meaning of the Tablet and the Pen:

Do Shi'as believe that Tablet (lawh) and Pen (Qalam) are two angels?

A: This is what Shaykh Saduq (R.A) has written in his book, al-I 'tiqadat.

Q. 10: Why do you write D FOR ض ?

Why do you write d in the English Al-Mizan to indicate ض , when the pronunciation ofis not like D?

A: Arabic alphabets contain many letters which have no equivalent in English. For example, there are four letters, ظ, ز,ذ and ض And there is only z in English with a sound like ز How will you transcribe Arabic words containing ض ,ظ or ذ into English and writing. The Western scholars have devised two or three systems for correctly transcribing Arabic words. The one I am using is called the Glasgo system.

There are for example four words in Arabic ذل , زل , ظل and ضل according to the Glasgo system they will be transcribed as zalla, dhalla, zalla and dalla. The dot under d indicates that there is ض in that place. It does not show what is the pronunciation of ض in Arabic.

The English Al-Mizan is being written for people in the Western countries, and therefore it is necessary to follow a system which they are familiar with.

Q. 11: About Bohoras:

A friend of mine is an IsmailI Bohra (follower of 21 Imams and 52 Dais).I managed to argue with him by showing the weeklies and books. But he does not agree with me in the matter of lmamate. I have given him books and traditions of Prophet (S.A.W) and Imams.

A: I advise you to get a copy of Hollister's book, Shi 'a of India. Hollister was a Christian Missionary and he was more sympathetic to the Ismai'lis (Bohoras and Aga Khanis) than to the Ithna-'Asharis. He has described in that book, inter alia, the faith and practices of both branches of Isma'ilism. I am sure you can find a copy in Osmania University's library.

Another book in Urdu, “Bohra Mazhab Haqiqat Kay Ayene Me ” by late Maulana Sa'adat Husain Khan, Mujtahid) will be of more help to you. You may get a copy from Lucknow. Probably Imame Zamana Mission (Jet House, Shaheed Yar Jang Rd, Himayat Nagar, Hyderabad 500 029) can help you in getting this book.

Meanwhile, you may point out to your friend the following:-

As you will see in my book, Imamate, the number of 12 Khalifas was foretold by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), as was the information that the 12th Imam will go into Occultation and will re-appear before Qiyamat. And these most important traditions are recorded even in the Sunni books.

Now if the Bohoras have to believe in a hidden Imam, is it not more reasonable to believe in the hidden 12th Imam (A.S) of ours, whose birth, occultation and reappearance were foretold by the Prophet (S.A.W) -- as Shi'a and Sunni traditions prove rather than believing in a hidden 21st Imam whose continued existence no other Islamic sect confirms?

Q. 12: Who was the Mother of the 12th Ikum (A. S) ?

Dr. Jassim Husain writes in his book "Occultation of the Twelfth Imam ", that the view that Imam Mahdi s mother was a Byzantine princess is incorrect. He concludes with proof that his mother was a Nubian slave girl. Do you agree with his deductions?

A: Mr. Jassim Husain is a good Muslim. But in this matter he has not understood the hadith correctly. Remember that merely being an Englishman does not make one competent to understand every book on Philosophy, Physics, Chemistry or Higher Mathematics, just because they are written in English The same is the case with Islamic Islamic subjects including hadith.

Our 8th Imam (A.S) had no son until he was 46 years of age. Then Imam Muhammd Taqi (A.S) was born from a Nubian slavegirl. Not surprisingly, his complexion was not fair; so much so that his enemies used to spitefully call him "Aswad" (Black).

The other fact which Mr. Jassim Husain has overlooked is that, because of the political prominence and greatness of our 8th Imam (A.S), not only the 9th Imam (A.S) but even the 10th and 11th Imams (A.S) were called "Ibnur-Rida" (the son of ar-Rida). By the same token, all of them could be called "Ibnun Nubian", (son of the Nubian lady).

Keeping this background information in mind, read the relevant parts of the hadith quoted by Mr. Jassim Husain as his proof. It has been narrated by Kulayni (R.A) not in the chapter concerning Sahibul 'Asr (A.S), but in the one concerning "Indication and Declaration (of Imamate) about Abu Ja'far (A.S)" i.e. Imam Muhammad Taqi (A.S).

It is a long hadith describing how the uncles and brothers of Imam Rida (A.S) showed their annoyance saying that "there never was a dark-complexioned Imam among us".

Then they, on their own, called some experts of physiognomy (al-Qiyafah = the art of judging someone's parentage by studying his features), although it was not recognised in Islam at all. But the Imam (A.S) did not prevent them, in order to complete his evidence and proof against them. Those experts, who did not know anyone in the gathering, unanimously pointed to the 8th Imam (A.S) as the father of the child.

'"Ali ibn Ja'far (the uncle of the 8th Imam A.S) says: 'Then I stood up and kissed the mouth of Abu Ja'far (9th Imam A.S) until his saliva entered my mouth; then I said to him: "I bear (by late Maulana Sa'adat Husain Khan,witness that you are my Imam in presence of Allah." then ar-Rida (A.S) wept and said: "O uncle! Did not you hear my father saying: 'The Messenger of Allah (S. A. W) has said:

"May my father be sacrificed for the son of the best of the slave girls, the son of the Nubian girl, of pleasant mouth, of chosen womb. (Woe on them, may Allah curse the low Abbasid and his progeny, the companion of mischief!!!) And he will kill them for years and months and days; and he will humiliate them and make them drink a bitter cup; and he is the exiled fugitive whose father and grandfather will be (unjustly) killed;

the man of occultation (about whom) it will be said: Did he die or perish? In which valley did he go?'" (Then the Imam A.S said:) "Will this happen, O uncle! except through me?" I said: "You are right, may I be your ransom!

The 8th Imam, 'Ali ar-Rida (A.S), by narrating that hadith of the Prophet (S. A. W), wanted to show to his uncle that the Prophet had called the 12 th Imam (A.S) "the son of the Nubian girl", and it was not to happen "except through me", because the 8th Imam did marry the Nubian girl, who gave birth to the great-grandfather of the 12th Imam, and thus he would be the son of that Nubian mother, in the same way as he would be the son of Imam ar- Rida (A.S).

The sentence, "Will this happen, O uncle! except through me?", clearly shows that it was Imam 'Ali ar-Rida (A.S) who was destined to marry a Nubian lady, and not Imam Hasan 'Askari (A.S).

Q. 13: Concerning the Above Answer:

Thank you for the kind letter and the books you sent; may Allah reward you generously. Concerning J. Husain s not understanding the hadith of Kulayni (R.A) correctly, I agree with you. He does though quote that Nu'mani andal-Saduq (A.S) related other narrations which indicate that al-Qa 'im s mother (A.S) was to be a black slave-girl. He gives the references: N. Al-Ghayba, 84, 85, 120;Kamal, 329.

A: The book al-Ghaybah of an-Nu'mani is not with me here.

However, the book Mission's library (Published in Qum, 1405 A.H.) and I could not find in it the tradition that the Imam 's (A.S) mother was to be a black slave. Rather, there is a whole chapter (41 st) pp.417-423; with the heading, Chapter about what has been narrated about Narjis,

the mother of al-Qa'im, peace be on them both; and that her name is Malikah, daughter of Yashu 'a son of the king Qaiser ". The only tradition given there is another version of the one which you have questioned.

Q. 14: Did the Special Deputies see the Imam in his Minor OCCULTATION?

During the 12th Imam's (A.S) Minor Ghaybat did his Special Representatives see him physically when they got instructions and 'Fatwa'?

A: Yes, certainly. They were the only persons who knew the Imam (A.S)'s whereabouts at a given time and went to him whenever necessary.

The word, fatwa, is used for the rulings of a mujtahid. The Prophet's or Imam's words are "orders" of shari'ah, not fatwas.

Q. 15: do you know anyone meeting imam-e-zaman (a.s) in Tanzania or India in this decade?

A: In Tanzania, No. In India or Pakistan, I have no knowledge.

Q. 16: Bending our heads on hearing the name of the Imam (A.S): We Shi 'as bend our heads at the mention of the name of Imam Baqiyyatullah; what is the theological explanation for that?

A: It is done to show respect to our present Imam (A.S); and it is based on the 6th Imam's teaching and action. It is reported that once when he mentioned the name of the 12 th Imam (A.S), he stood up to show respect to that name. This show of respect is perfectly OK from the shari'ah point of view.

Q. 17: The significance of the word, Imam:

Note: A new convert from U.S.A. wrote in his letter some paras which equated "Imam Khumayni" with the 12 Imams. This reply was sent to him:

A: We Shi'as believe in the Twelve Imams who came one after another after the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.) first of whom was 'Ali (A.S) and the last is the Imam al-Mahdi (A.S) who is alive but in occultation by order of Allah and will re-appear near Qiyamat to establish the kingdom of God on the earth.

These twelve Imams were Ma'sum (Sinless, Infallible) and Mansus min Allah (appointed by Allah) as you will read in my book, Imamate, which I am sending to you together with God of Islam, Justice of God and Ritual and Spiritual Purity.

The literal meaning of the word, Imam, is leader hence the leader of congregational prayer is called Imam. Also the Muslims (mostly the Sunnis) have been using this adjective for their top-most scholars, e.g. Imam Abu Hanifah in jurisprudence and Imam Bukhari in hadith. It is in this sense that the Iranian leaders started using this adjective for the Founder of the Islamic Revolution, "Imam" Khumayni.

This usage is not, and was never, meant to place Imam Khumayni in the line of the Twelve Ma 'sum Imams who were appointed by Allah.

Its only purpose was to make the general (Sunni) Muslims understand the knowledge, piety and status of Imam Khumayni (May Allah be pleased with him). And such Imams are not necessarily from the family of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). They may be, or may not be. Nor are they Infallible or appointed by Allah.

I had to write this explanation as there appears to be some confusion in your letter.

Q. 18: Is Ijtihad undesirable?

Some people say that there are ahadith which condemn ijtihad in the masa'il of shari'ah. And that the ijtihad is something which early Shi'as were opposed to. What is the truth behind this allegation?

A: This question requires detailed answer which at present I don't have the time for. However, I'll give you a brief outline of the facts.

The Sunni Khalifas and their Imams habitually used their own views and inclination to give fatwas. This is known in their Usulul Fiqh as Qiyas (analogy), Istihsan (application of discretion) and maslihah (what is deemed to be in public interest). In those days, this method was called "Ijtihad" and such people were called "Mujtahids".

Naturally, our Imams condemned and opposed this play with shari'ah; and naturally they used the same name for condemnation with which it was known at that time, i.e. ijtihad. In those days, Shi'as used the name 'Faqih' (plural, Fuqaha) for their scholars of jurisprudence. And our Imams encouraged such Fuqaha to give Fatwas even in their own presence, examples of which are scattered throughout the books of traditions and Rijal.

This was a continuous process since the days of Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S) till that of Imam Hasan 'Askari (A.S), Then our 11th Imam directed the Shi'as to do taqleed of those Fuqaha who protected their souls (from sin), obeyed the commandments of their Lord, went against their own inclinations. Here also the Imam used the word "Fuqaha" and it means scholars of Fiqh, whose taqleed was thereby ordered.

These terminologies continued more or less upto the 6th century of hijrah. The Sunni system of using analogy, discretion and public interest for giving a Fatwa was called Ijtihad, and those Shi'as who endeavoured their best to find the rules of Shari'ah from Qur'an, ahadith, and laid down principles, were called Faqih.

Now every linguist knows that by passage of time words acquire new meanings. A meaning which is understood from a word in 1993 cannot be applied to the same word used in 1193. Old English was quite different from modern English. The same is the case with Arabic. Just to give you one example: Sayyarah nowadays means automobile, car. Now read the following verses in Surah Yusuf:

A brother of Yusuf (A.S) is quoted as saying: "and cast him down into the bottom of the pit if you must do (it, so that) some Sayyarah may pick him up". (Verse 10).

Then it says: "And there came a Sayyarah and they sent their water-drawer..." (verse 19). Now the word used here is "sayyarah". If you translate it according to the current usage, you will have to admit that there were automobiles in the days of Hazrat Ya'qub. (Actually, the word meant "travellers" in the days when the Qur'an was revealed.)

However, in the same way, the word mujtahid gradually changed its connotation until in the 7th century. Muhaqqiq Hill (A.R) (died 676 A.H.) used it for the Shi'a Fuqaha and since then both words have become synonymous in the Shi'a sect; although many western scholars, who know only the Sunni interpretation, translate it as "independent reasoning" but this interpretation is not applicable to the Shi'a ijtihad which is not independent; it is always based on the Qur'an, Sunnah and the principles laid down by our Imams (A.S).

Those who try to use those traditions which condemn ijtihad (of the old meaning), for opposing the Shi'a Ijtihad (of the new meaning), should also declare that there were automobiles in the days of Hazrat Ya'qub!