WHAT IS ISLAM’S VIEW ON DINOSAURS?

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The Quran is a book of guidance and everything which supports this goal [of guidance] has been mentioned in this Holy Book. The method used in expressing matters is: focusing on the general aspects and less on the details and particulars, and the reason for that may be the unimaginable amount of specific topics and Islamic laws. (For more information, see: “Vicegerency and Religiosity”, Studies in Islamic Political Thought: Dr. Mehdi Hadavi Tehrani – Pages 47-57.) In the Quran, even though much has been mentioned about the reality of life, various creatures, classification of living organisms into plants (Sura An’aam (The Cattle) – Verse 99:Read More →

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Studying means: to look over something with precision and attentiveness in order to understand or to gain information about it.             Hence studying is in conjunction with meticulousness and precision and any research or studying which does not have these specifications can not be called ‘studying’. (Method of Studying and Summarizing: Abdul-Rahim Mogahi – Page 23, Lines 1-4) Its is undeniable that in order for one to abandon the island of ignorance and enter the ocean of knowledge, necessary preparations and conditions must first be set up in order for one to be able to achieve ideal and beneficial studying.             In order to reach this blessed goalRead More →

WHAT DOES ISLAM SAYS ABOUT THE LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS?

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Man has always pondered the thought of whether or not there are other living organisms or intelligent life forms in other galaxies or on other planets; however a definite answer has yet to be found.             Interpretations of the Quran have indicated the existence of living creatures in the heavens, such as: 1.      The expression “Min Dabbah”: Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and whatever creatures He has scattered in them and He is able to gather them whenever He wishes. ({42:29} وَمِنْ آیَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِیهِمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ وَهُوَ عَلَى جَمْعِهِمْ إِذَا یَشَاء قَدِیرٌ) 2.      The phrase “Man Fil Samawat”: EveryoneRead More →

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Living on other planets is a legitimate modern day question. And two aspects come to mind when we think about living on other planets: Of course, answering these questions is the responsibility of astronomers and researchers in the field of natural sciences. After the possibility of living on other planets has been proven, then this issue will face the next question, as to what are the responsibilities which one would have and how would one carryout his Islamic duties there? This second question is what pertains to Islamic scholars and legal authorities. It is their job to use the ayats of Quran, authoritative hadith, and theRead More →

WHAT ARE THE RELIABLE SOURCES OF RELIGIOUS THOUGHT IN ISLAM?

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Needless to say religious thought, like other forms of thought, must have reliable sources from which the raw material of its thought originates and upon which it depends. Similarly, the process of reasoning necessary for the solution of mathematical problems must have a series of established mathematical facts and principles.The single source upon which the divinely revealed religion of Islam depends and upon which it is based, inasmuch as it is based on a revelation of celestial origin is none other than the Holy Quran. It is the Quran which is the definitive treatment of the universal and ever-living prophet hood of the Prophet andRead More →

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In response to the foregoing question, we must mention a few points: A) We have enquired the office of late Ayatollah Bahjat about whether or not the Ayatollah had said those words and they denied that he had said them. Instead, His Eminence had said that whenever difficulties and problems increase, then the time of reappearance is near (“اذا اشتد الامر قرب الفرج”). This saying by Ayatollah Bahjat is derived from a narration which says: “Before the reappearance, the seditions become visible and the world will be filled with oppression and injustice.” B) When it comes to fixing the time of the reappearance of theRead More →

WHICH ONE OF THE HOLY IMAMS (AS) RECITED DUA FARAJ?

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The term “faraj” means remedy or improvement or relief from grief and sorrow. (Ibn Manzur, Muhammad bin Mukram, Lisan al-Arab, vol.2, p.343,  term “al-Faraj”, Dar Sadir Publications, Beirut, Third  Edition, 1414 A.H; Turaihi, Fakhruddin, Majma’ al-Bahrain, researcher and editor: Sayyid Ahmad, vol.2, p.323, Murtazawi Bookstore Publications, Tehran, 3rd edition, 1416 A.H.) The hadith books which include this term and also duas and deeds (a’amāl) have referred to the same meaning.   We suffice to mentioning a few examples of duas which have been named “dua Faraj” or “Namaz-e Faraj”:1. A dua, which has also been called “Dua Faraj”, has been narrated from the Holy Prophet (S) as such: «اللَّهُمَّRead More →

WHAT IS THE THEOLOGICAL BASIS OF MAHDIISM?

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A thorough analysis of the theological basis of Mahdiism (the belief in Imam Mahdi as and his coming) calls for a detailed and profound discussion which we will leave for another time. Here, we will briefly mention a portion of the basis of this concept and belief: Great theologians link the concept of Mahdiism to the “Law of Grace” which is a famous one in theology and have proven the necessity of the existence of an imam through this law. Khajeh Nasiruddin Tusi, a great Muslim theologian says:  انحصار اللطف فیه معلوم للعقلاء و وجوده لطف و تصرفه آخر و عدمه منا (Kashful-Murad, pg. 363.)Read More →

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF IMAM ZAMAN’S (AS) DHUHUR (REAPPEARANCE) AND WHICH ONES ARE RELIABLE?

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1- The rise of Imam Zaman (as) is one of the most important incidents to take place in this world, to the extent that he has been given the title of “The Promised one of all Religions” and “The Universal Reformist to the People of the World”. 2- Since his appearance is of so much significance, it must be accompanied by signs that have never taken place before, like the birth of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) which was accompanied by several extraordinary signs. 3- The reasons and benefits of such signs can be summarized in the following: a) Some of these signs are so great thatRead More →

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF THE REAPPEARANCE OF IMAM MAHDI (ATF) AND THE EVENTS THAT SHALL TAKE PLACE THEREUPON?

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Your question concerning the reappearance of the Imam of Time can be investigated around four focal points: First: The signs for his coming are categorized into different groups, one of them being their classification into “certain” and “uncertain” signs: According to some hadiths, five signs are considered “certain” which we will mention them cursorily: Abu Hamzah Thumali says: “I told Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) that his father, Imam Muhammad Baqir (as) once said: “The emergence of an individual by the name of Sufyani is for sure, the echo of a call from the skies is also for sure, as is the rise of the sun from theRead More →