Amina Inloes

You don't lose anything by studying and praying. Even if you do not get into the institute, you still retain the knowledge that you learned, as well as the discipline and willpower you strengthened by studying. You also still enjoy the benefits of prayer such as an increased closeness to Allah.

However, when something doesn't work out repeatedly, sometimes it is not meant to be. While there is no harm in continuing to try to get into the institute, it would be good to also look for other options or opportunities (and to pray to also have other options and opportunities). Maybe there is something better out there that you would not have seen before, or something related to your life path that is meant to be somewhere else.

Insofar as you have been studying very hard and are determined to succeed, I am sure you are qualified for many institutes and many things.

With duas for your success, wherever it may lie!

No one agrees on this or knows for sure. A literal reading of hadith indicates he is a real person. However, possibly some things were foretold in a way we could understand which is metaphorical. 

When it is time, we will know.

It is not required to have a shaykh to perform an Islamic marriage ('aqd, nikah). 

However, in most cultures, a religious, spiritual, or community leader customarily performs a marriage. This lends a certain sanctity to it, and also gives it a social and communal recognition and situates it into the tapestry of the community, moving it from merely a private relationship to a communal one.

It also adds an extra security or safety network in case there are, later, questions or difficulties about the marriage. 

In my observation, Islamic marriages which are conducted privately by the bride and groom, or informally (say, by the bride and groom's friend) and which are done outside of a social structure often do not seem to have the longevity of marriages which are done by a third party who is recognized by the community.  Or, sometimes there is something about the situation that is not quite right. 

Exceptions  apply of course. This is not a matter of halal or haram, merely an observation.

If one is planning to get married without a shaykh or religious leader involved, a good question is why - is there a genuine reason why this is being done, and is all well? Or is there something not quite right about the situation that they don't want someone to know about, that might later resurface and cause problems in the marriage? 

Just some thoughts. Wishing everyone the best in their marriage life!

There are several surviving recitations (qira'at) of the Qur'an with very minor differences (mostly related to pronunciation such as a vowel sound or dots). Most of them are unused.

The differences typically have little impact on the meaning, although may be considered in jurisprudence or tafsir.  

This is not considered to be tahrif (alteration) of the Qur'an, especially since it is nearly inconsequential. 

In Sunni hadith, the Qur'an is said to have been revealed in seven dialects (ahruf).

The Shi'i view is that there is only one original correct revelation and recitation, even if, in reality, there exist multiple qira'at. 
 

This is a popular idea mentioned historically by some Sunni and Shi'i authors. However, it factually seems unlikely. Many of these sources, such as Tarikh Baghdad, are not always reliable.

Sometimes these ideas come about as a way of honoring a person or to convey some theological ideas (such as the link between Jesus (A) and the Prophet (S)). 

Ages ascribed to him by historians as well as narrations range from about 80 years old to 500 years old, with 250-300 years being a common account. So, it is not certain when he was born, or whether or not he had an unusually long lifespan. What can be deduced is that, at least, he was long-lived. 

God knows best. 

Do you think you might have an allergy to some things on other people (such as cologne, pet dust, laundry detergents, foods, etc) which become magnified when you are in a crowd close together, or some things at the mosque (carpet, dust,  mold/mildew, etc)? 

And could there be a psychological reason too, such as social anxiety? 

Anyway I hope you are able to find a cure for your itching, inshallah. 
 

This is excessive.

Jahannum is like a rubbish heap and the people who are in the worst space of jahannum are trash - that is, those people who have no redeeming qualities and no hope of improvement because they have destroyed themselves. For instance, despots who wantonly rape, torture, and kill; or people who cheat the poor and live lavishly and show it off in their faces. 

Allah mentions in the Qur'an those people whom He does not love (oppressors, etc), and from this list, we can get an idea of some of the biggest things that lead people deep into hell. Clothing style is not mentioned on this list. 

However, one should remember, in the hereafter, our outer deeds are weighed along with our intention. So a person might do something that seems small in this world, but it would become big there because of their intention. So, for instance, if someone wears a certain clothing style with the goal to challenge or mock Allah and to spread a destructive ideology, this would be something very serious. Conversely, Allah might forgive a major sin like murder because He understands the circumstances. 

So we cannot say 100% what are the results of our actions, but, in general, the worst parts of hell are for the people who do the worst things, like Firawn. 

Some people say things like what you say based on some narrations which, when you dig into them, are rather questionable. 

People focus on the outer more than the inner because it is apparent and because people have other challenges that relate to being a social being or controlling their own nafs, but Allah takes the whole picture into account.

No, it is customary. It is not haraam to wear other colours, but sometimes people impose restrictions or expectations and are judgmental towards other beyond what Allah requires. 

I am sorry to hear that you are not entirely happy in your marriage.

May I suggest, this is the sort of thing that one should consider before marriage. While there are sometimes some surprises that cannot be known before marriage, weight is an obvious physical feature that is easier to determine. While cultures have various customs regarding marriage, Islamically, it is good to look at one's prospective spouse before marriage to be sure one is happy with him/her.

Anyway, as a wise person once said, "Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards." There will almost always be things that one does not like about one's spouse, some of them are obvious physical features and others are more subtle. It is good to appreciate the good and accept the rest. 

It is good to also look at it from the other side - it is an unpleasant surprise, after marriage, to learn that your spouse doesn't like one of your physical features - it can make you feel hurt or insecure. I am sure you would not like it if, after marriage, you realized that your wife did not like your height or some other physical feature. So it is good to be sensitive to that and to try to avoid making it something that causes difficulty in the relationship. 

Also, keep in mind that weight changes throughout life. Women often gain weight during pregnancy or at middle age anyway; just because someone is thinner at the time of marriage doesn't mean that is a permanent situation. (The same for men, of course!)

This is the same for any other feature. Many features or faculties change throughout life. For instance, someone with luxurious hair might go bald or get alopecia, someone with good eyesight may lose it, etc. So it is good to appreciate the blessings of health or beauty that we have, while we have them. The human being does not always stay the same physically. 

In cultures where thinness is valued for women, women who are overweight are often shamed and receive the message that their only value as a human being comes from being thin. Society usually treats it as a moral problem rather than as a medical problem (even though no one would shame an overweight horse or cat, rather they would ask what is wrong with them medically).

So, if you wish to discuss the subject of weight with your wife, may I suggest being extremely objective and polite about it; let her know that you love her and that your love of her (or indeed the survival of the marriage) does not depend on her weight, but it is simply an aesthetic preference. 

If you have access to good medical care, and if she is genuinely overweight (as opposed to just not being as thin as you would like), you could encourage her to visit a doctor to make sure there is no medical problem which is treatable (such as hypothyroidism or a hormonal imbalance) which is making her gain extra weight. (If she hasn't done so already). Of course, this should be done with tact! Most people would not appreciate this "suggestion" if it is done in a condescending or critical manner; rather, it should be given with concern and love. 

Also, you can always do du'a for yourself to be happy with your wife. Contentment is the best riches!

Inshallah you will both get through this and have many happy years to come!

It is good to be a scholar, and it is good to be a doctor. Society needs people do to all the different jobs, or else it wouldn't function. Ideally, it is good for you to do the job that you are most talented at and most committed to.

It is narrated that the Prophet (S) said: ‘Knowledge is of two categories:
knowledge of religions and knowledge of the physical body.’ So this narration celebrates and values both kinds of knowledge (religious and medical).

(Of course there are other important jobs and fields of study as well!)

As you know, there are many narrations from the Prophet (S) and Ahl al-Bayt (A) about various medical ailments, so it was clearly a subject that was important to them. So inshallah you are also following in their footsteps by being a doctor. 

Sorry to hear that - it can be difficult to find a good spouse, and a family is blessed when someone suitable wishes to marry their child; not everyone has the opportunity to marry a compatible spouse. 

In addition to the advice already given, du'a is also good.

Qur'an 2:7 says: "Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and there is a covering over their eyes"

This refers to the loss of the ability to perceive the truth, especially about matters of the divine, truth, or right and wrong. (It does not refer to physical seeing and hearing, but rather seeing and hearing as metaphorical faculties for understanding. Similarly, the heart here is understood as a spiritual organ which perceives the truth.)

Although the verse attributes the sealing of the heart and ears to Allah, it is generally understood to mean that human beings bring this upon themselves through repeated transgression and obduracy against the truth, or denying the truth for personal gain. For instance, in the time of the Prophet (S), some of his enemies were trying to kill him or torturing the Muslims. Over time, this eats away at the capability of the heart (or other faculties) to perceive the truth, until it becomes blocked.

The verse does not specify who is covering their eyes, only that they are covered, and this suggests that they themselves are drawing blinders over their ability to perceive. (In the time of the Prophet (S), some people did this directly - for instance, plugging their ears when around the Prophet (S); today, some people do this by intentionally only going to media websites which reflect their views and ideologies and refusing to consider that they could be wrong.)

Some people who hold there is a reality to deeds in the unseen world would say that the performance of certain transgressions leaves an impact on the spiritual heart - that is to say, people plug up their hearts (ears, etc) through wrong deeds, just like one might plug up a drain over a long time through running detritus through it and not cleaning it out (through repentance and good acts). 

So it is a matter of cause and effect, or action and reaction, based on our own free will. 

However, Allah is the ultimate doer of all acts and all chains of cause and effect ultimately go back to Allah since Allah is the ultimate power in the universe. Furthermore, all things happen with Allah's permission and within the framework of what the divine decree allows, as well as the physical and spiritual laws of the universe. So for these reasons, the sealing is attributed to Allah. 

As for whether Allah intends for all of us to go to heaven... as one of the few creatures around us with free will, heaven and hell are possibilities for all of us, although we can be certain of Allah's justice, and hope for Allah's mercy and the intercession of the Prophet (S) and awliya (A).