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 from the University of Exeter in the philosophical and mystical readings of Mulla Sadra in the context of the schools of Tehran and Qum.

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Please see the video below which I hope will address it:

May you always be successful

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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... Answer updated 3 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. There is no problem in taking the covid vaccine or other vaccinations in the arm whilst fasting.

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. It is not obligatory to recite the tashahud loudly in prayers.

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Enjoining the good and forbidden the evil is dependent on the effectiveness of your actions or words, not on whether the person will feel bad for a time, even if that be your own parents. Rather, what is important is to maintain respect and gentleness if you think your message will reach open ears. 
 

As for playing haram music at your wedding you can state quite clearly that you would be opposed to that.

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Even when we repeatedly promise and break our promises we can only keep seeking forgiveness from Allah, with renewed intention of not repeating that action. Sometimes it is hard to do something and we repeatedly fall back into the same mistakes. But just keep trying and begging for help and forgiveness. As long as we don't take our promises lightly and truly mean them, there is always a chance for us to not break them the next time.

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The cycle of porn and masturbation is a very difficult one to break, but at the same time it is a cycle that breaks masculinity. As such the first step is to really get to grips with why both porn and masturbation are bad for you and why they are such destructive habits that if not changed may rob you of a happy sex life in the future. The momentary guilt is not usually enough to break the cycle as the excitement after that guilt has passed will push you to repeat. As for porn the first step is to cut all access to porn and to put yourself in positions where you cannot really look at it, such as leaving your room door open, or facing your laptop such that family members walking by could see what is on the screen. And any other tactic that you can use to cut it out. For relapses you need consequences and to carry out those consequences. Such as a 10k run straight after. Some take a freezing cold shower every time they are about to consciously masterbate. These methods are hard but effective in really changing your psychology such that masturbation and porn are no longer attractive and you will think twice before doing them. But the key in kicking these habits is your determination. Do it for yourself and know that at the end what waits for you is your success in both worlds, your becoming in control of your destiny, your self respect and the respect of all those who know what its like to give up a destructive habit.

May Allah make you successful 

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Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Shirk is to limit Allah in any way such that even the conception of another god would be possible. Even to say He is a god is not satisfactory as that would entail a genus of gods under which God would be a species with only one referent. Numerical oneness is limited, as in numbering God as one a person gives the possibility of two gods. Numbers themselves are a factor of the material world. Rather, Allah is above being numbered as a number entails a limit and He is above all limitations.

As for prostration, it is clear that if a person prostrates to a being in worship then that is completely forbidden in Islam and Shiism as a sect within Islam. However, prostration does not only entail this meaning and is also a symbol of humbleness. For this reason God commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam (as), not in worship or out of polytheistic intent. So too Prophet Ya'qub (as) prostrated in front of Prophet Yusuf (as).

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The peace treaty brought the battle to an end as Muawiya's tactics had caused confusion in the army of Imam al-Hasan (as) making the continuation of armed struggle unwise. The Imam was unable to continue fighting because of discord in his army and so agreed to the treaty.
 

The meaning of vicegerency is that he is charged with acting on God's behalf and has the merit to do that. This is due to his complete servitude and spiritual station. There is no dichotomy between the decision of God and the decision of the Imam.

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. It is not considered tahir, but if the amount is less then the tip of the thumb to the first crease on your thumb, then it is alright to pray with that amount of blood as long as it has not come into contact with water. For the specific amount of blood there may be differences in opinion and so please also refer to the book of Islamic laws of your Marja.

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. It is generally allowed to use discount coupons attained in a halal way for halal products. If there are exceptions that would be for specific circumstances that are outside of the general permissibility . 

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. In our scriptural sources women are not encouraged to have these feelings as they are considered a blameworthy type of ghirah (when you want something only for yourself). They are feelings that are not validated. Similar to the feelings of jealousy and depression when someone doesn't want anyone to do better than them, it is not upon people to not do better than that person, but upon the person to control and work on themselves.  As to the wisdom of allowing polygyny there is much wisdom, such that the feelings of the first wife in some cases is not enough of a reason to make it impermissible. Rather, the first wife has to control these tendencies and get used to the idea in the knowledge that this is something that God has allowed. At times, if polygyny is done with wisdom it can improve the situation of the first wife and the relationship between her and her husband. 

These feelings are also enhanced by expectations and cultures, which are again not factors that influence permissibility as it is upon Muslims and Muslim society to create expectations and cultures in line with what is permissible and impermissible.

May you always be successful 

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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 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. The nature of hypothesizing is such that many things are hypothetically possible. However, the proofs for the existence of God, based on causality or on the nature of possibility and necessity are such that they only prove the existence of one first cause or one necessary being. In order to posit more than one God, there would need to be proof of that.

If the existence of God is derived from an inductive proof that there is order in the universe, then unless some Attributes of God are presupposed, the limitation of such an argument is that while it establishes the existence of a powerful, intelligent being, it does not prove that that being is One. Islamic philosophers do not seek to establish that from this proof either. But by the same token, it also doesn't establish more than one being and so that would have to be supposed. What it argues for is at least one being. However, what is misunderstood here is the conception of what is meant by the Oneness of God and assuming that it is numerical oneness rather than the lack of any limitation.

The Oneness of God is established through our conception of Him, and this is derived from the scriptural sources that describe Him as without limitations such that even the conception of a second is not possible. This method of argumentation is perfectly acceptable and is why the philosophy of religion discusses the conception of God before His existence as it is important to first know what is being established. In this sense, if God is unlimited, it is logically impossible for there to be two or more gods and that would contradict the concept of an unlimited Being.

May you always be successful