Sheikh Mateen
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Name: Sheikh Mateen
Age: 39
Location: Virginia, US
Expertize: Aqaed and Fiqh ('Ibadaat)
Question:What's the difference between Imams and prophets? Can we distinguish knowledge from the Prophet Mohammad (SAWW) and any Imaams?

And also, what's the differences between purpose and the message from the Imaams and prophets?

What about their lifestyles?

Any other resembles?

Ayatollah:N/A

Answer: عقيدتنا في صفات الإمام و علمه‏
Chapter 25: Belief in the Attributes and Knowledge of the Imam
و نعتقد أنّ الإمام كالنبيّ يجب أن يكون أفضل الناس في صفات الكمال من شجاعة و كرم و عفة و صدق و عدل، و من تدبير و عقل و حكمة و خلق و الدليل في النبيّ هو نفس الدليل في الإمام.
{We believe that the Imam, like the prophet, must be the best among mankind, and that he must excel in all human qualities, such as bravery, generosity, chasteness, truthfulness, justice, prudence, reason, wisdom and morality. The reason for this is the same as that which we gave for the prophet's superiority.}

One of the reasons, as we mentioned before, is the one who holds the position of Imam must be the most superior of all mankind, because it would be against the intellect and reason to select someone who is less qualified over the most qualified.

Imam Ali (as) is reported to have said: “How did the people choose an ignorant coward as their Imam?! One who used to worship idols, while the Imam must be knowledgeable and cannot even have ignorance ascribed to him.”
أمّا علمه فهو يتلقى المعارف و الأحكام الإلهية و جميع المعلومات، من طريق النبيّ، أو الإمام من قبله. و اذا استجدّ شي‏ء لا بدّ أن يعلمه من طريق الإلهام بالقوّة القدسيّة الّتي أودعها اللّه تعالى فيه، فإن توجّه إلى شي‏ء و شاء أن يعلمه على وجهه الحقيقي لا يخطأ فيه و لا يشتبه، و لا يحتاج في كلّ ذلك إلى البراهين العقليّة، و لا إلى تلقينات المعلمين و إن كان علمه قابلا للزيادة و الاشتداد و لذا قال- صلّى اللّه عليه و آله- في دعائه: «رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْماً»
{He derives his education, the Divine commandments and all his knowledge from the Prophet or from the previous Imam. When a new question arises, he knows the answer from Divine Inspiration through the pure mind that God has given him. If he gives attention to some matter in order to know it, he will obtain a perfect understanding with no error, for the Imams do not derive their knowledge from methodological reasoning, or from the teachings of men of knowledge, although it is possible for their knowledge to be increased and strengthened. For the Prophet said: “O Lord, increase my knowledge!” Quran 20:114}

Some accuse us of associating partners with God, by saying that we say the Imams (as) are all-knowing like God. What these critics fail to realize is that the knowledge given to Ahl ul Bayt (as) is not independent of God, but rather it is a divine gift that God has given to them and through inspiration from God they are able to know whatever it is that they would like to know. No one, outside of another infallible, has ever taught any of the Prophets or Imams. They gain their knowledge through divine inspiration and we see that they are dependant on God for their knowledge as the Quranic verse mentioned above where the Prophet (s) asks God to increase his knowledge.

There are 2 categories of knowledge:

1. 1) One is that which is known only to God. Bada falls under such knowledge, however when things change in this knowledge the first beings this knowledge becomes available to are the Ahl ul Bayt (as).

1. 2) The second category of knowledge is what is known by Prophets, Imams and angels. We have a narration that states that there are 27 parts of knowledge. Mankind only knows 2 parts whereas the Imam knows all of them.
(أقول): لقد ثبت في الأبحاث النفسيّة أنّ كلّ إنسان له ساعة أو ساعات في حياته قد يعلم فيها ببعض الأشياء من طريق الحدس، الّذي هو فرع من الإلهام بسبب ما أودع اللّه تعالى فيه من قوّة على ذلك.
{It has been shown by psychological investigations that every man has, during his lifetime, one or two moments in which he is able to understand something by intuition. In fact, this is a kind of inspiration from God.}
و هذه القوّة تختلف شدة و ضعفا و زيادة و نقيصة في البشر، باختلاف أفرادهم. فيطفر ذهن الإنسان في تلك الساعة إلى المعرفة من دون أن يحتاج إلى التفكير و ترتيب المقدمات و البراهين أو تلقين المعلمين. و يجد كلّ إنسان من نفسه ذلك في فرص كثيرة في حياته،
{This power has not been given to mankind equally, but in different degrees, according to their capacities. At such a time the human mind is capable of discovering certain facts without thinking or reasoning, and without guidance from someone else. Everyone acknowledges this condition from his own personal experience many times during his life.}
وإذا كان الأمر كذلك فيجوز أن يبلغ الإنسان من قوّته الالهامية أعلى الدرجات و أكملها، و هذا أمر قرّره الفلاسفة المتقدمون و المتأخرون.
{Therefore, it is possible that a human may attain to the
highest degree of this state, one which both ancient and contemporary philosophers have described.}

I personally believe that, as some scientists state that mankind only uses a portion or percentage of their brains, the Imams (as) are in use of their full capacity and ability.
فلذلك نقول- و هو ممكن في حدّ ذاته-: إنّ قوّة الإلهام عند الإمام الّتي تسمّى بالقوّة القدسيّة تبلغ الكمال في أعلى درجاته، فيكون في صفاء نفسه القدسيّة على استعداد لتلقّي المعلومات، في كلّ وقت و في كلّ حالة، فمتى توجه إلى شي‏ء من الأشياء و أراد معرفته استطاع علمه بتلك القوّة القدسيّة الالهامية، بلا توقف و لا ترتيب مقدمات، و لا تلقين معلم، و تنجلي في نفسه المعلومات، كما تنجلي المرئيات في المرآة الصافية لا غطش فيها و لا إبهام.
{We maintain that the powers of the Imams to receive inspiration have reached the highest degree of excellence, and we say that it is a Divinely given power. By this means the Imam is able to understand information about anything, anywhere, and at any time, and he understands by means of this Divinely -given power at once, without recourse to methodological reasoning or guidance from a teacher. When he desires to know about some matter, it is reflected in his pure mind as if in a polished mirror.}

A man came to Imam Baqir (as) and said to him, “Your Shia’s claim that you know everything, even the total amount of all the drops in the Tigris River and even the weight of each drop.”

Imam Baqir (as) replied: “Is God capable of giving such knowledge to a mosquito?”

The man replied: “Yes.”

The Imam (as) then said “I am more honorable in the eyes of God than a mosquito.”

In the Holy Quran we see that God says:

‎وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَسْتَ مُرْسَلًا قُلْ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ

“And those who disbelieve say: You are not a messenger. Say: God is sufficient as a witness between me and you and who has with him knowledge of the Book.” Quran 13:43

From tafasir we know that this one who God says is a witness to the prophethood of Muhammad has knowledge of the whole book. This person is Imam Ali (as). We know from looking at other verses that nothing is left out from the book.

‎وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

“And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures-- none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book.” Quran 6:59

and that God keeps everything recorded with the manifest clear Imam:


‎إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ

“Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down what they have sent before and their footprints, and We have recorded everything in a clear Imam.” Quran 36:12

Unfortunately, many translators have translated the words إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ (Imam Mubeen) as a clear book, but if God wanted to say that it was a clear book He would have refered to it as He did in the the ayat previously mentioned 6:59
‎ كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (Kitab Mubeen). This is to mislead the people about Imamate and to hide the virtues and true position of the Holy Imams (as).

So, these proofs from the Quran suffice us for this discussion about the knowledge of the Imams (as).

It also shows the high status of the Imams (as) who have complete knowledge of the book, whereas prophets like Musa (as) and Isa (as) only had partial knowledge.

Imam Sadiq (as) said that the tablet of Musa (as) said “From the things of knowledge” and Isa (as) said “I will explain to you some of what you dispute about” However when it comes to Imam Ali (as) he knows the whole complete knowledge of the book.

The question arises, do the Imams (as) know when the day of judgement is? If I were to tell you that I had knowledge of everything that would happen up until Friday and then you ask me when is Friday and I reply that I do not know how would I be truthful in my claim? If the Ahl ul Bayt (as) state that they have knowledge up until the day of judgement then the mind necessitates that they must know when the day of judgement is.
Imam Sadiq (as) said “Our knowledge is of what will be (ghabir), of what is past (mazbur), of what is marked in hearts (nakt fi al-qulub), and of what is tapped into ears (naqr fi al-asma). We have the red case (jafr), the white case, and the scroll of Fatima (s.a.) and we have (the document called) al-jami'a in which is everything the people need."
He was asked to explain these words and he said: "Ghabir is knowledge of what will be; mazbur is knowledge of what was; what is marked in the hearts (nakt fi al-qulub) is inspiration; and what is tapped into the ears (naqr fi al- asma) are words of angels; we hear their speech but we do not see their forms. The red case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the weapons of the Apostle of God (s). It will never leave us until the one (destined) among us members of the House, to arise (qa'im), arises. The white case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the Torah of Moses, the Gospels of Jesus, the Psalms of David and the (other) Books of God. The scroll of Fatima, peace be on her, has in it every event which will take place and the names of all the rulers until the (last) hour comes. (The document called) al-jami'a is seventy yards long which the Apostle of God (s) dictated from his own mouth and Ali b. Abi Talib (as) wrote in his own handwriting. By God, in it is everything which people need until the end of time, including even the blood-wit for wounding, and whether a (full) flogging or half a flogging (is due).”
He also used to say “We have the tablets of Moses and we are the heirs of the prophets.”
Sheikh Mufid reports in Kitab al-Irshad: “The Shia give an account of the tablet that Gabriel brought down to the Prophet (s) from heaven. The Prophet gave it to Fatima (as). In it are the names of the Imams after the Prophet (s). The Shia also report that God sent down to His Prophet a document sealed with twelve seals. He ordered him to give it to the Commander of the Faithful (as) and to break the first seal and he should act according to what is in that part of the document. At the time of his death he should pass it to his son al-Hassan (as) and tell him to break the second seal and act according to what is in that part of the document. At the time of his death he should pass it on to his brother al-Hussain (as). He should tell him to break the third seal and act according to what is below it. Then at his death he should pass it to his son Ali ibn al-Hussain (as) and he should instruct him in a similar way. Then Muhammad ibn Ali (as) should pass it down to his son right down to the last of the Imams (Imam Mahdi).”
When Imam Mahdi was 7 days old he recited from the books of Adam, Idris, Nuh, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Torah, Zabur, Injeel and the Quran. Then he went on to narrate stories of all the prophets until his own time.
و يبدو واضحا هذا الأمر في تاريخ الأئمة- عليهم السّلام- كالنبيّ محمّد- صلّى اللّه عليه و آله- فإنّهم لم يتربوا و لم يتعلموا على‏ يد معلم من مبدأ طفولتهم إلى سنّ الرشد، حتى القراءة و الكتابة، و لم يثبت عن أحدهم أنّه دخل الكتاتيب أو تتلمذ على يد أستاذ في شي‏ء من الأشياء مع ما لهم من منزلة علميّة لا تجارى. و ما سئلوا عن شي‏ء إلّا أجابوا عليه في وقته، و لم تمر على ألسنتهم كلمة (لا أدري)، و لا تأجيل الجواب إلى المراجعة أو التأمل أو نحو ذلك،
{It is clear from the histories of their lives that, like the Prophet, the Imams were not trained or taught by anyone at all, not even in reading and writing, from their childhood's to the maturing of their minds. No author or teacher was seen to instruct one of them, but they were incomparable masters of knowledge, so that they were never asked about any problem without being able to answer it immediately, and they never said that they did not know. They never required time to consider a question before replying.}

We have the famous phrase that Imam Ali (as) said where he asked the people to ask him before they lose him. He could have answered anything for them but these ungrateful people squandered this opportunity and asked silly questions like how many hairs do I have on my head.

Imam Ali (as) said “O Kumayl, God educated the Prophet (as); he educated me and I educate the believers and leave behind me the good education to the honorable people.

O Kumayl, I am the opening of every aspect of knowledge and Al-Qa’im (as) will be the sealer. O Kumayl, we are the offspring of one another. God is All-hearing and All-seeing.”

Lady Hakima says Imam knows the thoughts before they’re spoken. She said: "By God, whenever I wanted to ask him (Imam Mahdi (aj)) something he used to tell me about it before i could even ask and it also happened many times that i faced a problem then with with the blessings of his eminence I got the solution to it at the same moment, even without me asking about it."

Imam Mahdi (aj) said: “Our hearts are the utensils of the Divine will so when God wishes something, we too wish the same.”

He also said: “We are not heedless to your life affairs and do not forget mentioning of you. Indeed, we have thorough knowledge, which encompasses your news (incidents and affairs of life). And nothing of your news remains hidden from us.”
Imam Al-Mahdi (aj) wrote in a letter to Ash-Shaykh Al-Mufid: "We are aware of your circumstances and nothing of your affairs is concealed from us."
Imam Baqir (as) said: "When our Qaim rises, sets his hand (authority) over the heads of the servants, then, he will give them intellectual development and complete their patience and insight. After that, God will extend their sight and their hearing so that there will be no barrier between them and the Qaim when he decides to speak with them, then they hear, and they can watch him while he is in his place."
في حين أنّك لا تجد شخصا مترجما له من فقهاء الإسلام و رواته و علمائه إلّا ذكرت في ترجمته تربيته و تلمذته على غيره و أخذه الرواية و العلم على المعروفين و توقفه في بعض المسائل أو شكّه في كثير من المعلومات كعادة البشر في كل عصر و مصر
{In comparison with this, it has never been said of any Islamic scholar, narrator or scientist, in his biography, that he did not study or was not educated by some other scholar, or that he never had any doubts about any problem, for human nature has always been thus.}

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Question:My child is enrolled in a daycare. He is learning many things over there but he has also started to dance on music. I guess they make him dance on Rhymes. I had seen the previous daycare too, making kids dance.

I had mentioned this specifically while enrolling in this daycare, that I don't want him to be made to listen to musical rhymes or dance but they seem to have not paid attention to that and usually they can't stop one child from a musical activity, while all others are doing it, because a child cannot understand and be forced.

I'm thinking of many alternatives, but it's not working out for me currently. I wanted to know if it is obligatory to avoid musical rhymes fir kids or it's acceptable? These days, every toy is musical and my kid has also started to ask to play rhymes on ipad /mobile. So should I avoid that too? What's the ruling? How to solve this issue?

Ayatollah:Sistani

Answer: The general rule of Ayatollah Sayed Sistani is If the music that is suitable for entertainment and amusement gatherings comes out of it then it is not permissible.

These children’s rhymes do not seem to be the music that are used for night clubs for example. However the child listening to these and getting involved in these things may eventually lead them to want to listen to the other types of music when they get older. It is very difficult to navigate these things when our children go to school in the West and may Allah help us all. We should strive to teach them as much as we can at home without overwhelming the children of course. We can tell them that there is no benefit in these types of entertainment and the real benefit is in other things which lead us closer to Allah.
Question:Do Qadha prayers for Fajr, Maghreb and Isha have to be prayed in a loud voice?

Ayatollah:Sistani

Answer: Yes
Question:How many daughters did imam Hussain (as) have?

Ayatollah:Sistani

Answer: https://www.al-islam.org/nafasul-mahmum-relating-heart-rending-tragedy-karbala-shaykh-abbas-qummi/children-imam-husayn-and
Question:In the last year of my bachelor's degree, there was some issue at my home due to which I went into the phase of severe depression and as a result of that I became ill. My brain was just burning inside out and the rest of the body was very hot. I consulted the doctors and they suggested me to go for outing. I did that and the burning of the head stopped. But I knew that it wasn't the proper solution to my problem. I wasn't able to perform my Zikr o Ibadat because I wasn't getting happiness and satisfaction from that. While performing tahajjud (Namaz e Shab) I got scared every time. So I left offering my tahajjud. But my health was good. Now after 6 months the same burning of head and lot of pressure on brain started again. I went to a spirtual doctor, syed baba who was shia, for finding the solution to my problem. He said that I have an evil eye of a Jinn. He gave me some taweez. But stil I have some burning and pressure on my head. Also I was wearing a Feroza on my right hand but unfortunately I lost that ring somewhere. My mother told me that as I have lost my Feroza and now I am not wearing it so that's why this pressure and burning of head is occuring. Can you please tell me that what's wrong with me and what should I do now?
Can you please evaluate to tell me that is there any effect of an evil eye of a Jinn?
Please tell me some methods to get rid of this illness.

Ayatollah:Sistani

Answer: I suggest that you see a specialist and explain to them to see what is going on. In the meanwhile keep up your daily prayers and try to keep yourself engaged in positive activities to stay busy. Whenever you feel that pressure call someone and talk with them to get your mind off of it. Inshallah you feel better soon.
Question:In namaz e Witr while praying for the magfirat of 40 momins, can we take non shias' names as well? or even of non muslims, especially when they ask us to pray for them?

Ayatollah:Sistani

Answer: When we refer to mumin it means Shia Ithna Ashari.

As for other you can pray for their guidance.
Question:My friends asked me that approx 1400 years have been passed after the tragedy of Karbala. Still why we Shia's mourn?
Yes imam was martyred very brutally but that incident happened quite long time ago. Can you please help me out with this?

Ayatollah:Sistani

Answer: One of the companions of Imam Al-Sādīq (peace be upon him) said to him, “My master, my I be sacrificed for you. When someone loses a loved one, they sit by the deceased, mourning and lamenting. Yet, I see you and your Shī`ā (followers), lament (mātām) and mourn (`azā) from the beginning of the month upon al-Husāyn b. `Ālī (peace be upon him).

Our master Imam Al-Sādīq (peace be upon him), “O you, when the crescent of Muharram arrives, the angels circulate the heavens with the blood stained shirt of Imam al-Husāyn (peace be upon him), a shirt that shows the marks of the swords. We see this, us and our Shī`ā, not with the naked eye, but with our hearts, and upon witnessing us our eyes explode in tears”.

Imam Ridha (as) said:

“The month of Muharram was a month that even those who lived in the era (time) of ignorance used to sanctify. They would forbid fighting in this month. Yet, our blood was made lawful, our sanctity transgressed, our descendants and women were taken captive, our tents were burnt, and all that we owned within the tents were stolen. The sanctity of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him & his family) was not reverenced through our matter. The day of Husayn (peace be upon him) has wounded our eyelids, shed our tears, and humiliated (disgraced) our loved ones on the lands of Kārb (adversity) and Balā (affliction), and made us inherit adversity and affliction till the Day of Judgment. Hence, for the likes of Husayn, let the weepers weep, for the tears that are shed eradicates the greatest of sins.”
Question:We consider our 12 Imams higher than the Prophets except Prophet Muhammad.
But Prophet Ibrahim was also made an Imam by Allah. How are our 12 Imams still at a higher rank than Hazrat Ibrahim?

Ayatollah:None

Answer: Prophet Ibrahim earned the level of Imamate through tests yet the 12 Imams were always Imams since birth.
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