Body

124940

Is it halal to have a sort of mental image of Allah while praying, not an actual imagination of a body but rather just some sort of sense to have orientation what I am praying towards?

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... Answer updated 3 days ago

The images that go through one's imagination are not usually in the domain of halal or haram because they are not entirely under the control of the human being - sometimes the imagination makes up its own images spontaneously, sometimes we try to imagine something, and something an external source can put something in the imagination. Halal and haram are usually confined to physical actions.

It is natural to have some impression of what Allah might be, whether that be a mental image, a feeling, or an impression via the inner senses.

The Qur'an also gives us metaphors for how to understand Allah, such as in the phrases "the hand of Allah is above their hands" or "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth", which might trigger visual imagery, although we understand that Allah does not really have a hand and is not a light bulb, and these are just ideas to help us understand better.

The important thing is to remember that the senses cannot confine Allah and Allah cannot be seen:

* "No vision can grasp Allah, but Allah's grasp is over all visions" (Qur'an 6:103)
* "He [Allah] is too exalted for sight to be able to perceive Him, for imagination to be able to fathom Him, and for the intellect to be able to grasp Him." (related from Imam Rida (A))

So any ideas or images we have about the nature of Allah are just personal impressions, which may change over time, and are not encompassing the Reality.

Beyond that, we are advised to ponder on the attributes of Allah but not to try to imagine the essence of Allah.

Some people might also perceive higher spiritual realities and take them as an image of Allah. However, insofar as narrations remind us that Allah is veiled by veils of light, and that Allah cannot be encompassed by the senses, it is also important to acknowledge that these are just created things and are not actually Allah.

I am reminded of an exercise which some young people were doing in school in the UK where they were asked to draw God and some of the Muslim students drew Allah as a giant cloud. Most people who believe in a force of divinity have some mental model of it.

124305

Hijab . Body . Gym

Can I attend a mixed gym if I am wearing Hijab and cover my body properly?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 1 month ago

Bismihi ta'ala

There are many shar'i concerns regarding a mixed gym, for both males and females.

The dressing of men and women are not within the shar'i boundaries, and any male or female will without choice see someone of the opposite gender with bare minimum clothing, or in provocative positions that for us could be considered immodest in public. This could lead to lustful gaze, and other things that entail haram.

If you are able to avoid all of this, and avoid doing things that would be against a Muslim woman's public modesty, then you can go. This means you would need to go at a time where there are no men at all.

Alternatively, you can go to a women only gym, or purchase gym equipment and use at your own discretion at home.

And Allah knows best.

124124

Body . God (Allah)

Can we ask Allah (swt) to change our appearance or body such as asking Him to make a person taller?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 month ago

You can pray to Allah (SWT) to make you look nice in the eyes of people.

Looking nice can be from your praying on time and performing Night Prayer (Salat Al-Layl) and doing other good deeds.

Wassalam.

122717

Dog . Body . Najis . Clothing

My friend has a big dog and she brings it when we hang out. Would my clothes or body become Najis if I pet or play with the dog although it isn't wet?

If you touch a Najis item e.g. a dog, with wetness, then your touching part of your body or cloth becomes Najis and needs to be washed with water to be Taahir. If you touch a dog or any Najis item with out wetness, then your body of cloth is not Najis.

For health precaution, you are advised not to touch a dog even with dry hands because of the possibility of transfer of microbes or parasites from the dog to your body. You can read on the medical researches published online about the dangerous illnesses which can come to humans from dogs. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5319273/#:~:text=Viral%20infections%20such%20as%20rabies,staphylococcus%20aureus%20are%20the%20most

Wassalam.

117565

Soul . Body . God (Allah)

How can one prove that a soul does not transfer from body to body in different lives? Is it the case that every being created by God has its own individual soul?

There are different ways that people try to gain knowledge about what happens after death. Usually, Muslims look to scripture (Quran and hadith) for information about life after death.

The majority of Muslims interpret the Qur'an and hadith to say that people are only born once and die once (apart from the possibility of the raj'ah, as held by Shi'is, and which is not reincarnation). The standard view among Sunnis and Twelver Shi'is is that people do not reincarnate or transmigrate, and every being has its own soul.

Beyond that, it is hard to say with full certainty what happens after death, since we cannot learn about life after death through conventional means.

If it were possible to prove what happens after death with full certainty in a way that all people would agree and accept it, these things would not be questions. No one disagrees about what happens immediately when you arrive at Los Angeles airport, because it is known and provable. Life after death is a different sort of subject.

While some people argue for reincarnation on the grounds that some young children seem to remember things about previous lives, there are also other non-physical explanations for how they could have this sort of knowledge, so it isn't necessarily proof for reincarnation.

What one can say that, if there were a possibility that people reincarnate, the Qur'an did not consider it important to tell us about it. Instead, it tells us to focus on this life and how we are living right now, and not to guess whether we might be suffering due to wrongdoing in a previous life.

It also tells us to interact with others equally and fairly, based on the idea that they have come to this life newly, rather than what one might guess about their previous life.

Sometimes, belief in reincarnation can lead people to limit themselves or treat others wrongly, due to the belief that they are bearing a karmic burden or something equivalent, and this is against the Qur'anic ethos of justice.

As with all things, God knows best.

Soul . Body . God (Allah)

How can one prove that a soul does not transfer from body to body in different lives? Is it the case that every being created by God has its own individual soul?

The claim of some people that the soul of somebody will be transferred to another person is baseless and it goes against the justice of God. Allah is fully able and He creates for every one his own body and his own soul. Allah's Justice will never put a burden on any one because of the acts of another person. Body and soul of every one will get the results of his faith and deeds and there is no point at all in a person having the soul of someone else. This false claim of incarnation came from non Muslims.

Those who claim incarnation need to prove it, and they could not and will never be able to prove their claim. It is just imagination with no evidence whatsoever.

Wassalam.

110128

Urine . Body . Water . Najis

If one gets a drop of urine on his body, is it sufficient to use a showerhead or water hose to wash the Najis area twice? And is drying off the water required?

Bismihi ta'ala

Yes, using water of that amount would be sufficient, and there is no need for drying off the water.

And Allah knows best.

107485

Ghusl . Head . Body . Washing Machine

While performing Ghusl and after washing the head and neck, is it allowed to wash the body in one go instead of washing the right side and then the left?

Yes it is allowed to wash the body in one go after washing the head and neck.

Wassalam.

101655

Body . Sawm (Fasting)

I fast once or twice a week because I feel mentally relaxed, get mental clarity and gain a feeling of wellbeing in the body. Is this a good reason for fasting?

Fasting has many benefits including what you mentioned and many more. We need to keep our aim from fasting getting the pleasure of Allah which means we fast for the sake of Allah (SWT).

Wassalam.

99245

Tattoo . Body . Qur'anic Verse . Qur'an

Is it allowed to tattoo verses from the Qur'an on your body?

No.
We are not allowed to touch Quranic words or even letters with out ablution. When tattoo is on your body with Quranic words, you must remain always with ablution which is impossible because you need to go to the toilet and sleep etc.

Wassalam.

72945

Body . Soul . Human . Death

Is it correct to say that the body, soul and spirit are 3 components of a human being and that on death the spirit, and not the soul, leaves the body?

Rebecca Masterton, Dr Rebecca Masterton graduated with a BA in Japanese Language and Literature; an MA in Comparative East Asian and African Literature and a PhD in Islamic literature of West Africa. She has been... Answered 1 year ago

Scholars have not agreed upon how the body, soul and spirit are interconnected. Due to the Neoplatonic influences upon the Islamic tradition, some have come to believe that the body is like a shell consisting purely of matter, and that the soul yearns to be free of it to return back to its Creator (a whole stream of thought and practice in the mystical tradition has arisen based upon this idea, e.g. see the work of Shihabuddin Suhrawardi). Others, such as Mulla Sadra, say the body is a manifestation of the soul. However, still influenced by Neoplatonism, Mulla Sadra holds that, as the 'person' progresses through stages of purification, they move away from this material manifestation towards immateriality. Generally, among Muslim thinkers, the soul could be likened to the psyche. It is the part of ourselves that consists of desires, fears, and the characteristics that make up our personality. The Qur'an says that 'every soul (nafs) will taste death' (3:185). The Quran also talks about the experiences that we will have in the next world. The spirit is that which animates the body and gives it life. The spirit is also that which gives the soul life. Therefore, both will leave the body upon death, but it is the soul that experiences the trials and rewards of the next stage of existence.

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Water . Head . Ghusl . Body

Is making water reach every part of head and neck necessary during Ghusl or we can just pass water and make it completely reach the head and neck while washing the whole body? Are the ears included as well in this requirement?

Bismihi ta'ala

Yes, in ghusl, water must reach all parts of the body, but not that you have to scrub it in. Just by allowing water to flow over it would be enough, with some assistance with your hands to make sure its completely reached the parts.

Ears are also included, like everywhere else. But, of course not the inside of the ear, or the inside of the nose. Just outer parts of the body.

And Allah knows best.