The Official Website of the Office of His Eminence Al-Sayyid Ali Al-Husseini Al-Sistani

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11 Question: Use of contraceptives is popular these days. If use of the pill and similar things causes harm or difficulty and the only remaining choice is (the insertion) of some devices ó by a male or a female doctor ó which requires exposing the local area, is it permissible for the woman, knowing that pregnancy would cause her harm or difficulty?
Answer: It is permissible as long as she faces, in both the pregnancy and the use of alternative contraceptive methods, such hardship and danger that cannot be normally endured. If this requires, in addition to exposing the genital organs, other parts of her body surrounding the genitalia, then she must refer to a female doctor. If this is not possible then she may refer to a male practitioner .
Contraceptives - Birth Control
12 Question: How should we say our salat in trains and cars? Is it necessary to do prostration (sajda) on something or is it not necessary, in that would bending of the neck be sufficient?
Answer: It is obligatory to say salat in the usual way where possible. So, one should face the qiblah in all stages of the salat; if not, at least while saying the opening takbir. Otherwise the condition of facing the qiblah will be dropped. Similarly, if it is possible to do the bowing (ruku') and prostration (sajdah) normally (e.g., in the aisle of the bus or the train), those parts of salat should be done normally. But if it is not possible, then one should try to bow normally for ruku' and sajdah [for example, from a sitting position on the seat or the berth of the train].
For sajdah, one has to put the forehead on an item on which sajdah is valid, even if by lifting that item to the forehead. If bowing normally is not possible, one should just indicate by bending the neck [halfway for ruku and fully for sajdah].
Qibla
13 Question: What are the minimum requirements of Hijab (Islamic modest dress) for a Muslim woman?
Answer: Woman should conceal all her body (including arms and legs) and hair from a man who is non-Mahram, and as an obligatory precaution, she should conceal herself even from a Na-baligh boy who is able to discern between good and evil, and could probably be sexually excited. But she can leave her face and hands upto wrists uncovered in the presence of Na-Mahram, as long as it does not lead him to casting a sinful, evil glance or her to doing something forbidden; for in both these cases, she must cover them.
Hijab (Islamic Dress)
14 Question: Is it permissible to shave beard, if one is faced with an unavoidable or a difficult situation?
Answer: It is not permissible for a Muslim to to shave his beard (obligatory precaution), unless if he is fears harm to his life by not shaving or if growing the beard would put him in difficulty (for example, if it becomes a cause of ridicule and humiliation that is not normally tolerable by a Muslim).
Beard
15 Question: What is the general ruling regards to artificial insemination?
Answer: There is no problem in it per se, however, since the process may involve masturbation, and implanting involves touching and seeing the private part, insemination would only be allowed when the parties involved may face difficulty in their life which is not normally bearable.
Also, regards to the matters of inheritance and Mahramiyat the parties involved need to refer to the specific Islamic Law rulings.
Artificial Insemination
16 Question: Pilgrims are faced with one more problem regarding slaughtering, the animals slaughtered [in Mina] are wasted in spite of the fact that there are many poor people amongst us spread all over the Muslim countries who go without tasting meat for days! So is it acceptable for us to do the slaughtering in our own cities; or is there a religious solution that you can suggest for the people
Answer: It is necessary to fulfill the religious duty by doing the slaughtering in Mina. As for the sin of wasting the meat of the animals slaughtered, if it actually happens, it is not the fault of the pilgrim.
Hajj - Pilgrimage
17 Question: Is the chin obligatory to be covered as a form of Hijab, or is it part of the face, and not obligatory to be covered?
Answer: When the woman wears Hijab, usually her head, neck and body is covered, including the chin and some extra area, this part is not compulsory to cover.
Hijab (Islamic Dress)
18 Question: Is it permissible to look carefully at the body, with exception of the private parts, of the woman one intends to marry with sexual motivation or without it?
Answer: It is permissible to look at the woman’s features like the face, the hair, and the hands but without lustful intention. When a person has come to know about her features by the first look, it is not permissible to look again. The look should be without any lustful intentions, and avoiding involving any prohibited acts.
Marriage
19 Question: Is it permissible for me to pray behind a Sunni Imam for Friday and for regular congregational prayers, and is it required to prostrate on Turbah inside a mosque, for example, in the mosque of the holy city of Medina?
Answer: Taking part in Friday and congregational prayers of the Ahl-e Sunnat is permissible in areas where Taqiyah (dissimulation) is required. If you are not going to face a problem, you should, as far as possible, prostrate on something upon which Sajda (prostration) is permissible. Prostration on carpets in the case of Taqiyah or out of necessity is permissible and there would be no objection in it. Also, it is obligatory upon you to recite first chapter al-Hamd and the second chapter yourself – with the recitation in a low voice though.
In any case, Friday prayers performed with them is not sufficient for Dhuhr prayers. Therefore, it is necessary to perform Dhuhr prayers separately.
Congregational Prayers
20 Question: What is the minimum requirement for keeping a beard?
Answer: Shaving the beard is Haram based on obligatory precaution, and this includes the hair that grows on the sides of the face. However, there is no problem in shaving the hair that grows on the cheeks and the necks. The minimum requirement of beard should be as much as the custom norm (Urf) state that "this person has a beard", even if is for example trimmed to a beard size 3.
Beard
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