Life

67359

What is the Islamic response for those who wish they were not born into this existence, who wish they were not part of the world in this life or the next and want neither the punishment nor the reward?

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 3 weeks ago

Every human being who has basic intellectual faculty believes that his
existence in this life is the most valuable. That is why you find
that everyone including small children try to avoid any danger on
life and they do whatever they can to save this life. Those who have
mental or psychological problems feel sometimes that they wish they
were not born. This feeling goes against the basic instinctive
knowledge of all human beings and cannot be taken as normal feeling
but it needs to be dealt with as a mental and psychological problem.
Hence it needs to be treated through specialist health experts and
other ways of treatment. No doubt the best treatment for mental and
psychological conditions is remembering Allah (SWT). Remembering Allah
(SWT) is the source of peace of mind and tranquility.

Even those whose claim that they wish that they were not born are not
sure about their feelings and that is why you find them if they face
any danger then they try to avoid it and save their lives. So their
feeling itself is not firm.

Islam teaches us to appreciate the bounties which we have been granted
and one of the greatest bounties is that Allah (SWT), the Most
Merciful, the Most Compassionate has granted us life after we were not
existing as Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an : Has there not been
one moment in time when he was not existing (Surah al-Insan : verse
1).

Such people need to be looked after with more sympathy and should be
morally and medically supported. They should be advised to remember
the source of peace of mind and keep on remembering Allah (SWT). That
will make them feel the taste of life and enjoy it and thank the
Creator Allah (SWT)

Wassalam.

Life . Punishment . Dunya

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 3 weeks ago

It sounds like this person is going through a tough time.

Life has easy and difficult times, sometimes very difficult times. It is good to have faith that there is light at the end of the tunnel and to contemplate on the verses of the Qur'an about Allah's mercy. Nothing stays the same forever and things often change in ways we could never imagine. Until then, however, it is sometimes necessary to walk in the darkness until reaching the light. The good thing about darkness, however, is sometimes it makes the light clearer.

Existence is not a choice, since a person who dies continues to exist. However, it is good to have faith that Allah has a plan and does not create anything in vain; just because we do not understand why we, individually, were created does not mean that we do not have our own specific reason for being.

Some might argue that Qur'an 7:172 which speaks of human beings testifying to the existence and lordship of Allah (in the realm of pre-existence, or in some other way) implies that we gave a sort of agreement to existing, even if we do not remember it now. Some might also argue that Qur'an 33:72 implies a sort of willingness to exist and accept the risks/consequences of free will, even if we currently do not want it - God knows best.

If this person is also dealing with depression or a psychological condition (either as a condition by itself or as a response to challenging circumstances), they could also look into psychological/psychiatric interventions and see if they are useful and appropriate at the moment to help get more zest for life.

If it is more of a spiritual or existential crisis (and all of the above can go hand in hand), more study and reflection of the Qur'an and theology and the big questions of life may help. In the end, while Muslims, like others, offer answers to questions such as "why do we exist?", it is one of those big questions that people have pondered for millenia, and although religions can provide answers, I think it is also something people often need to find answers for inside themselves.

Life . Punishment . Dunya

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 3 weeks ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. It is God who decides who exists and that is not the choice of an individual. What is in their choice is what they do with the life they are given, and not wanting life, reward or punishment is not something that absolves them from that responsibility.

May you always be successful

66173

Life . Paradise . Salah (Prayers) . Sawm (Fasting)

For those who enter Jannah, do certain actions that are obligatory in this life remain obligatory over there as well, such as prayers and fasting?

No. There is no purpose to fasting without a physical body, anyway.

However there are different forms of worship associated with greater awareness of Allah and greater nearness to Allah which is part of being in jannah.

66147

Life . Punishment . Justice

How can we respond to people who say that no crime in the time-bound finite life of a man can entail everlasting punishment for all time to come? How does that reconcile with Divine justice?

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. There are a number of responses to this question as the question is usually raised with a number of presuppositions. The Justice of God is not measured by the benchmark mentioned in the question as what it means for God to be Just is that He accords everything and everyone their rightful place. Justice is not an issue of time in punishment, as otherwise it may be asked that why should someone, who in a short moment in their life did something awful, like killing a child, for example, face a lifetime in prison.

As such, one responses is that the time in which humans are tested within a corpreal plane is enough for them to make a decision about their actions. There are only certain people that will face everlasting punishment and they are the type of people that are not repentant for their wrongful actions and as such would continue performing them into perpetuity. They are therefore deserving of everlasting punishment as given the opportunity they would oppress in such a manner too. Everlasting punishment is, therefore, the correct place for them.

May you always be successful

64991

Life . Insurance . Islam

Is whole term life insurance allowed in Islam?

Yes, life insurance is allowed according to our leading scholars because it is taken as what is known in jurisprudence as (هبة مشروطة) ( Conditional gift) because of the agreement between the costumer and the insurance company that he gives to the insurer a certain amount ( premium) with a condition that the insurer must give him or his family a certain amount if any thing happens to him or his family, etc.

Wassalam.

64218

Life . Number

Where can I find a list of all the obligatory acts that a male has to do in his life and also the number of times you have to perform them?

You need to read brief books of jurisprudence e.g. Jurisprudence made easy which can be found in websites like:

www.sistani.org

www.sistani .net

www.rafed.net and many other websites.

Wassalam.

62789

Life . Children . Hereafter . Procreation

In the next life, can a believing male and female procreate and have children in the same way they did in this world?

I am not aware of any Sunni or Shi'i texts that speak of producing new human beings in Paradise.

I don't wish to contradict myself because I just finished typing that people in Paradise can have whatever they want. However, perhaps they will not want to have children there because the situation is different. Also, often our desire to have children in this world is affected by hormones or society, or the desire to procreate is put into our hearts through divine mechanisms to carry out the plan of God for humanity. God knows best!

53885

Life . Du'a (Supplication)

What is the best Du'a to remove obstacles in life?

We have many Du'as and recitations to remove obstacles like :

1. DU'A Al-Jawshan Al-Sagheer.

2. Ziyarat Ashura.

3. Salatul Layl ( Night Prayer or Namaz Shab).

4. Repeating Estigfaar.

5. Repeating Salawaat.

6. Repeating LA HAWLA WALA QOWWATA ILLA BILLAH.

7. SADAQA.

Wassalam

51426

Philosophy of Religion . Sin . Tenets . Life . Tawbah

If I haven't prayed or participated in religion that much, but I haven't done any major sins either, and I still believe in its tenets and do wish to change, how may I still transform my life for the better?

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 9 months ago

Bismihi ta'ala

As you know Islam encourages a positive and healthy spiritual and moral lifestyle, where one of the most important elements of life is building a relationship with our Creator, Almighty God. This can be done by offering a minimum of a few minutes a day and devoting it to praying to the Almighty.

What God wants from us is not that much, and all the benefit will come back to us.

Avoiding sin is one side of religion, and indeed an important side, but so is participation. A Muslim must try to practice as much of Islam as possible, furthering his or her spiritual progress.

Change will occur when you put your mind to feeling God in your practical life. When you surround yourself with Allah ta'ala, you will automatically turn to following His commands. You will feel an inner strength, and this will make your go through the transform that you need.

Living an Islamic lifestyle will give you the enlightenment that you need as a human being, and it will fulfill your purpose in this dunya.

I would encourage you to read books on Islamic Akhlaq, like certain books written by the late Shaheed Ayatullah Dastghayb.

Wassalam

52255

Islam . Soul . Body . Life

What does Islam teach about our soul existing before it enters our body? What life were we living before being born physically?

The Hadeeth says: Allah has created the spirits f people two thousand years before He created their bodies.

The spirits were living where ever Allah has made them to live. We believe in The World of Thar where all people were created but not in their bodies but before that.

51533

Islam . God (Allah) . Life . Qur'an

What principal belief of Islam does this verse relate to: “O believers, respond to Allah and the Messenger when He calls you unto that which will give you life” (Qur’an 8:24)? What is the core meaning of this verse and what does 'life' refer to?

This verse means that the real human life can never be achieved with out True faith which is the call of Allah (SWT) and the Messenger (SAWA). With out Real Faith and practice, disbelievers are like animals or even worse (Sura Al-A'raaf; 179) also (Sura Al-Forqan; 44)

In Sura Muhammad ;12, Allah (SWT) says about he disbelievers : They enjoy and eat like the animals eating and the hellfire will their destination.

Responding to the call of Allah and His messenger leads to the Real life in this world and hereafter.