Zoheir Ali Esmail

Alaykum salaam

Thank you for your question. There is no problem with using the tasbih app on your phone to count

May you always be successful 

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The idea of knowledge which comes from Allah through metaphysical means, rather than through normal means of acquisition has been derived by Muslim thinkers reflecting on verse 18:65 in which Khidr is described as having this trait.

If the definition of ilm al-ladunni is as mentioned above then revelation is the highest form of this type of knowledge, followed by hadith qudsi and then other types of mystical experience. We have plentiful reports about such types of mystical experiences occurring in the life of the Prophet (saw) and the Imams (as). If it seems incoherent that the knowledge of the Imams (as) is only acquired from their study of the Prophetic sunna, then a reasonable explanation would be some level of ilm ladunni. Some commentators have explained ilm al-ladunni as prophethood, and Allah knows best.  

May you always be successful

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. One of the conditions for amr bi al-ma'ruf and nahy an al-mukar is that it should have an effect. So if you are sure certain actions will not have an effect the conditions to carry out that action have not been fulfilled.

May you always be successful

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The space between two objects is not an object, while at the same time it is filled with tiny objects such as atoms, microbes etc. An object is a 3 dimentional body, and the space between objects is the space between their limitations. However, just because it is not an object doesn't mean that it doesn't exist as part of the corporeal world. Existence is reality and so since the space exists it is real, even if we do not classify space as a body or an object.

May you always be successful 

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Shias do not have any restrictions for other denominations of Muslims to enter a mosque. Rather, a mosque should be a safe space for all Muslims. Perhaps there may be local cultural sensitivities which you will have to assess on a case by case basis.

May you always be successful 

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Annihilating in God's Essence is impossible to conceive of as the human, who is essentially a limited being would have to become unlimited. This is a contradiction as something cannot be limited and unlimited at the same time. Rather, what is meant by the term annihilation is the annihilation of the ego such that all that a person witnesses within their being are the signs of God. Those signs, which manifest divine perfections, seem unlimited to us as their limitations are beyond our perception. At this stage, a person only sees God through the mirror of their soul. This view is compatible with Shii scriptural sources such as this part of the munajat of Shaban:

"My Lord, (please) grant me absolute devotion to You and illuminate the vision of our hearts by the light of their gaze looking towards You. Until the vision of our hearts pierces the curtains of light to reach the core of supremacy and that our souls become suspended by the majesty of Your Holiness."

May you always be successful

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. In short, you have to keep trying until the sexual desire starts to subside. When you have committed sins relating to sexual desires the desire becomes more intense and so trying to prevent it takes a lot of willpower. At times, in the beginning, the desire overcomes the willpower even if you know what you are doing is wrong which results in a lot of guilt. That guilt needs to be used to increase your willpower until you can finally break the cycle and then over time the desire will become subdued and controllable. It is also important to seek halal means to fulfil sexual desires so that you have an outlet as sexual desires without an outlet become all the more intense.

Just keep going and don't give up. In the end with a lot of effort, you will succeed and after a time those sins will be a thing of the past.

May you always be successful

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. What is being referred to in this hadith is perhaps along these lines: Physical beings are senses with the physical senses and since Allah is not confined to matter and doesn't have a material form He cannot be seen with the physical eyes. But the human is endowed with senses that are capable of comprehending the metaphysical. In order to make use of them a person cannot be in doubt of their existence. The realities of faith are sensed with these senses and this is the field of religious experience. God is seen through the veil of His Perfections deep within the being of a human.

May you always be successful 

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Time is a factor of the material world and of that which is connected to matter. It is a measure of the relationship between two objects. Like how long it takes for the earth to orbit the sun. So there is no meaning to time beyond the barzakh and the corporeal realm as there are no objects related to matter.

May you always be successful 

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Supplication from and with the heart is perfectly fine. Indeed, our very poverty is an existential supplication to the Almighty.

May you always be successful 

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The reason for why God cannot have parts is that it would mean that He would be needy of a part to bring about the whole. Just like water cannot be water without one of its constituent elements and is therefore in need for each element in the right mix. However, God is not in need of anything to exist, rather his existence is so intense that it is necessary.
 

This whole hypothetical scenario in which we consider God having parts fundamentally goes against His Oneness, where His Oneness does not mean numerical oneness, but that He is completely limitless. In order to even think of parts we have to first posit limits in order to distinguish one part from another or in order to conceive of a single part at all. That itself is not possible for the an unlimited being as it renders Him limited.

May you always be successful 

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. To diagnose spiritual traits a person needs to be aware of their actions, attitudes and states and then they need reflect on why they act or feel the way they do.
 

For this reflection it helps to understand some schemas of the soul and how personality development is viewed in Islam. When a person is aware of something that they would like to improve, the next stage is to seek methods that will facilitate that movement towards the desired outcome.

Sometimes simply being aware and controlling impulsive behaviour is enough to deal with some traits and at other times real life changes are the only way to get rid of persistent problems. The ones that need more work are the traits that are more deeply rooted. There are some fundamental changes a person can make to deal with a host of problems, but the development process is a life long journey, full of successes and failures, progression and regression, remembering and forgetting. At the same time, when meaningful change is achieved it results in coming closer to a truly Islamic personality.

May you always be successful