Amina Inloes

Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the Islamic College in London and also the Managing Editor of the Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies.

196236

Statue

Someone gifted me a mini statue of me and my family. The faces on the statues are amazing and you can tell they are mini versions of us. Must I really get rid of them?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 1 year ago

Personally, I would find it weird to have it around. However, according to Ayatollah Sistani and Sayyid Khamene'i, it is not necessary to get rid of statues of humans.

196880

History . Sunni-Shi'a

Can you identify some individuals named Abu Bakr from historical books, considering that anti-Shia websites assert it was a rare name in earlier times and only mention two notable Abu Bakr figures?

Here are some historical Abu Bakrs:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Bakr_(name)

195745

Eyes . Salatul Layl

What might be the reasons for experiencing lights in my vision or seeing flying lights in the sky while I am engaged in my night prayers?

It is normal for some people to see lights, colors, and so forth when their mind is in a relaxed and contemplative state.

194435

Son . Halal . Meat . Conversion to Islam . Food

Is it allowed for my 11-year-old son, who recently reverted to Islam, to eat non-Halal chicken in our remote Irish town where Halal options are scarce and costly and also because he has dietary restrictions due to allergies?

I wanted to add that it is very nice of you to take the trouble to look into what he should or should not be eating, and he is fortunate to have a supportive parent. I do sympathize with the dietary restrictions and allergies.

If it is available and affordable, and if you have storage space and can take delivery at home, halal meat can sometimes be purchased online. You may have already looked into that, but just putting it out there!

194645

Scholars . Sunni-Shi'a . Abdullah b. Saba

Some non-Muslim historians and Shia scholars claim that Ibn Saba is a mythical figure. However, he is mentioned in works like Al-Khisal and Mu'jam al-Ahadith al-Mu'tabara. Is Abdullah ibn Saba a historical figure?

It is deeply unlikely that Ibn Saba was a real person. There are strong arguments against his existence, and the reports on him are weak and via a questionable reporter.

It seems that these reports may have spread, despite their weakness, because they present a nice and cozy picture of early Islam, in which everyone is getting along and there is a convenient explanation for disagreement in the community by attributing it to a plot. This is desirable to those who want to see all the sahabah as perfect. However, in reality, there was a lot of fighting and disagreement during the first three caliphates, and afterwards, and the real picture is not nearly as comfortable.

The Shi'ite Encyclopedia (which is available on al-islam.org) has a very comprehensive discussion of the sources of these reports and their reliability and other factors.

Among Shi'i sources, Rijal al-Kashshi lists him as a person but rejects him. Anyway, this seems to be responding to the narrative that was popularized. As for the single mention of his name in al-Khisal in a dialogue, there is insufficient context to say anything meaningful about it, except that, were he taken as a real narrator, he would have been rejected, but most Shi'i scholars hold that he didn't exist.

194414

Community . Ramadan . Sunni-Shi'a

Why do Shias begin Ramadan a day later than Sunnis? What is the reasoning behind this difference? If someone lives in a predominantly Sunni community, is there any issue with starting Ramadan when they do?

There isn't a fixed difference between Sunnis and Shi'is for determining the beginning of the month of Ramadan. However, many Sunnis follow the announcement from Saudi Arabia for the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Unfortunately, sometimes, Saudia Arabia announces the sighting of the moon at a time when it is astronomically impossible to see it. (One can verify this using astronomical software)

Most Shi'is follow local moonsighting (or via a shared horizon; either via the naked eye, as per Ayatollah Sistani, or with the help of an optical aid, such as Ayatollah Khamene'i). Some Sunnis do this also.

Where one is in the world also affects differences in determining the beginning of the month. (You can visit moonsighting.com to see graphs of where the moon is visible and when.)

Anyway it is fine to fast on the last day or days of the month of Sha'ban, but counting the days of the month of Ramadan is useful for observing laylat al-qadr.

193154

Sin . Repentance (Tawbah)

Is it allowed to establish a routine for making Tawbah, such as praying for forgiveness every morning, every night, weekly, or after each sin, even if one continues to commit the same mistakes repeatedly?

It is good to pray for forgiveness regularly, as long as it does not become too much of a habit and lose sincerity or focus - tawbah should be from the heart.

193037

Rajab . Sawm (Fasting)

Is my fast on the 27th of Rajab considered valid if I don’t wake up in the night to perform the 12 Rak’at prayers and read the recommended Surahs?

Yes (as long as you did not do anything that breaks the fast)

192871

Salah (Prayers) . Hanafi

Are the prayers of Hanafi followers of Sunni Islam considered valid?

Yes, insofar that they believe they are doing what is most correct.

Allah is not miserly.

193067

Shirk . Law of Attraction

If a person reprograms their brain to achieve beauty and high exam scores through the law of attraction and low-frequency messages, could this be considered Shirk?

Insofar as Allah has granted us an imaginative faculty and the creative faculty, it is not shirk to imagine a future that we would like, or to change our thinking (as long as it is not causing harm or something haraam).

Of course, you will still need to study for your exams!

193146

Ramadan . Sawm (Fasting)

If I share with someone I trust that I am fasting during a month other than Ramadan because I enjoy sharing, does that make my fast a pointless act?

You are allowed to share.

192374

Woman . Height . Husband . Modesty

Is it acceptable for a woman to consider height and appearance alongside character in a potential husband if she finds these traits attractive, or should she lower her gaze out of modesty in such cases?

It is good to see whether you are attracted to someone before marrying them (although attraction tends to be different from just specific features, such as height).

There is nothing wrong with considering height or certain traits of appearance, but sometimes people have a bias about what sorts of features they like or dislike, and this might lead to rejecting someone who you might otherwise be compatible with. So it is good to keep an open mind about what a prospective husband might look like. Someone who looks different from the idea you have in mind could be a pleasant surprise!