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.

174648

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 2 mesi fa

It seems that, after we die, we just detach from the physical body and move on to the barzakh life, which includes questioning in/around the grave by Munkar and Nakir. So we do not lose awareness (or "die") before that happens; we just shed the physical body and possibly move into some type of body appropriate for the barzakh. 

Rather, after we have lived in the barzakh, we "die" and are woken up/resurrected for the final judgment, which is not carried out by Munkar and Nakir. 

Anyway, we will find out. 

174057

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 mesi fa

It is good to use the time to have a solid grounding in the Qur'an (memorizing the Qur'an and studying it). Also, if Arabic is not your language, studying Arabic. It is usually easier to do these things while younger. Beyond that, study whatever is available to you (there are online programs these days) and practise the religion as much as possible, both in terms of the required practices and also ethics.

I am sure some others may have some advice also. 

Best wishes!

173669

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 mesi fa

The presence of similarities with other religions does not invalidate Islam. As Muslims, we believe that everyone shares the same fitrah (inner nature) that guides us to what is right, so it is natural that many people will share common views, for instance, universal ethical principles. Also, human beings in general suffer from the same challenges, such as anger and greed, so most religions have ways of dealing with these things. We also benefit from similar spiritual practices such as fasting. We are all also dealing with the same spiritual realities, so it is natural that people across cultures will share similar views about spiritual realities. The Qur'an also says that Allah sent prophets too all peoples, to there should be some similarities. In general, the exterior of most religions differs, but the more spiritual or mystical part tends to be similar (for instance, a sense of love, cosmic unity, compassion ,and so forth). 

173554

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 mesi fa

May I suggest, this is nothing to do with a revert. When anyone is having a medical emergency, the medical emergency comes first, and hijab comes second. If he is jealous of ER personnel who are treating you, he is the one having a problem.

Situations where women died due to prioritizing hijab over life - for instance, when girls fleeing a burning school in Saudi were sent back inside to get their hijabs, and burned to death - are not noble; they are sad. 

It could be worthwhile considering Islam and the marriage, as separate issues. Being a Muslim is not the same thing as being married to this person. It could be worthwhile to consider how the marriage is going, and whether it is a healthy marriage and offering what you need (especially since you are not living together). Even if you are a revert, the job of a husband is not to be the religious police; it sounds like he may want a situation where he can be in control, but this may become tiring over the years. On your side, there are many resources about Islam available online these days, and it would be good to focus more on learning on your own, rather than being dependent on him to teach you, which can set up an unhealthy psychological dynamic. Conversely, it could also be worth considering whether or not you would remain a Muslim if the marriage broke up. 

Hope your situation improves!

173102

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 mesi fa

There is an extensive discussion of this in Tafsir al-Mizan for verse 7:172. You can read it in English at https://almizan.org/

 

169573

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 mesi fa

Just because a hadith has an unknown narrator does not mean for certain it was fabricated. Possibly the narrator was known in the past, but we do not know them now because we have lost books and information. Also, possibly the information in the hadith is correctly transmitted even if we don't know the transmitter. It is better to say that hadith with unknown narrators lack verification. 

173269

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 mesi fa

Based on historical sources, there is about a 6-month gap between when Yazid took power, and when Imam Husayn (A) left Mecca. There was also some time gap between when Mu'awiyah died and the news reached Medina (I don't know how long it took for messages to travel then). 

Here is a timeline based on what is related:

Rajab 680 - Mu'awiyah dies
28 Rajab 680 - Imam Husayn (A) leaves Medina
3 Sha'ban 680 - Imam Husayn (A) enters Mecca
Dhu al-Hijjah - Imam Husayn (A) leaves Mecca for Iraq

 

153199

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 mesi fa

Yes

There are some narrations about this in books such as Tibb al-A'immah

172541

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 mesi fa

There isn't a single answer from shari'ah to this question.

Generally speaking, Muslims have a choice of whether or not to vote, and whom to vote for. Many Muslim leaders today encourage voting so that Muslims can also exert some influence over society and develop a stronger public identity rather than being an invisible group, and to try to direct society on a good course. However, as you point out, in some cases, there may be no good option.

In some cases, Muslim leaders such as maraji' may give direct guidance on voting. 

172598

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 mesi fa

Yes

172556

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 mesi fa

If you think that you have an object that is causing you a problem due to unwanted spirits, put the object in a different location (outside your new home) and see if it helps.

I have always assumed that part of the reason why drawings/statues of animate beings, as well as certain other items, are discouraged in hadith (Sunni and Shi'i) is due to the possibility that they can sometimes become inhabited by unwanted spirits (even if this does not usually happen) (that is to say, it is not only about idolatry, as it is usually understood today). 

 

172125

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 4 mesi fa

Strictly speaking, astrology in the premodern era was often considered a natural science, not a theology. Therefore, the religious orientation of an astrologer is irrelevant to whether or not one decides to listen to them (just like the religious orientation of a doctor is irrelevant to their capability as a physician).

Hadith and scholarly views about astrology among Shi'a have varied significantly historically.