skills/sistani-guidance/references/books/west/pages-277-288.md

# A Code of Practice for Muslims in the West

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## PDF PAGE 277

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Question: At times while washing the dishes, rice grains go
down the drain. Is this allowed? Is it necessary to prevent the
rice from going down the drain, regardless of the quantity,
knowing that it is difficult to prevent it?
Answer: It is not permissible to let it go into the drain if its
quantity is big enough to be used in feeding the animals. But if
it is small or dirty, then it can be put in the dustbin in a way
that is not considered an disrespectfull, in eyes of the people, to
the blessings of Almighty Allah.
Question: Is it permissible for a poet to organize a gathering
where poetry is recited and where he knows that women
without hijab and indecent dress would also attend?
Answer: By itself, there is no problem in it; but he must fulfill
the duty of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, if the
conditions exist.
Question: Students are asked to draw a human being or an
animal; the requirement is such that it is difficult for the
student to refuse the assignment. Are they allowed to do the
drawing? What is the ruling if they are asked to do a sculpture
work instead of the drawing?
Answer: Drawing a non-sculptured figure is allowed. Based on
obligatory precaution, it is necessary to refrain from drawing a
sculptured picture of a living being. And to say that it is a
compulsory part of the school work does not justify violating
the obligatory precaution. This prohibition is relaxed, only in
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## PDF PAGE 278

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the event of necessity; for example, if not carrying out such an
assignment would lead to the student expulsion from the school
and that would put him in difficulty of the kind that is normally
untolerable.
Question: Is it permissible to buy a carving or statue of a
totally naked human being, male or female? Is it permissible to
buy a carving or statue of an animal and hang it for decoration?
Answer: There is no problem in the second [case of the
animal]; as for the first case, if it is [considered a way of]
promoting indecency, it is not allowed.
Question: Fortune tellers and palmists claim to foretell a
person’s future. Is it permissible for the palmist to do so, if the
customer is going to plan [his life] according to his
predictions?
Answer: Since the information given by the palmist has no
value, it is, therefore, not permissible for him to give
information with certainty, just as it is not permissible for the
customer to plan according to it, except on legal or reasonable
grounds.
Question: Is hypnotism permissible? Is invocation of spirits
permissible?
Answer: If it puts a person in harm’s way, it is haram, and
therefore forbidden.
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## PDF PAGE 279

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Question: Is invocation of the jinn with a view to solving the
problems of the faithful permissible?
Answer: The same rule mentioned earlier is applicable here.
Question: Is cockfighting and bullfighting with permission of
their owners allowed?
Answer: It is permissible but disliked as long as it does not
cause loss of property.
Question: What is the [minimum] limit of the difficulty (al-
haraj) that lifts the prohibition? Is exorbitant price [for a halal
item] that could still be bought with [financial] strain or by
getting a loan a [valid] example that would make a haram [but
cheap alternative] item permissible religiously?
Answer: The circumstances are different in this [case], and the
criterion is the extreme hardship that is not normally tolerable.
Question: What is the present day equivalent in mithqal or
grams of the weight in gold known as “al-himsa”?
Answer: Al-Himsa is  ٤٢/١of the mithqal as-sayrafi; and the
latter is  ٤٦٫٤grams; so the weight of al-himsa will be  ٣٩١٫٠
grams.
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## PDF PAGE 280

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Epilogue
It is important for me to stress at the end of this book that my
first attempt in writing Islamic Laws for Muslims in non-
Muslim countries is in need of evaluation. This being so to
establish a body of laws for Muslims in those countries that
deal with various aspects of their lives and so that those issues
could be governed by noble principles of the Islamic shari‘a.
The number of Muslims, be they citizens or residents in non-
Muslim countries —especially America and Europe— is
increasing. The percentage of the immigrants coming to this
part of the world from Muslim lands has also gone up. On the
other hand, the pace of change and transformation in these
societies is very fast. This on its own poses more questions and
creates new situations that must be studied carefully so that the
right solutions could be presented. This is needed to keep pace
with change in reality, and be proactive rather than reactive.
I should also point out the importance of writing in this subject
without loosing sight of spirituality as seen by Islamic ethics
and morality, especially in an environment that is attached
almost totally to materialism and all that the latter stands for.
I have attempted here and there to emphasize some of Islam’s
values, as espoused by the Qur’anic verses and the noble
ahadith: This was done in a bid to blend the codes of ethics
with jurisprudence just as I have previously done in my book,
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## PDF PAGE 281

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al-Fatawal ’l-Muyassara (Jurisprudence Made Easy) since I
have detected the active link between the theoritical and the
practical planes [of life]. Also because I can see the need that
these teachings should find their way to materialization in the
day-to-day conduct of Muslims, especially those who reside in
the midst of non-Muslim societies.
It is sufficient for me that I have tried.
I seek the help of Allah, hope for His aid, and pray for his
acceptance since He is the Most Merciful of the Mercifuls. All
praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. And may Allah be
pleased with our master, Muhammad, and his pure and
infallible progeny.
Author
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## PDF PAGE 282

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Specimen of Ayatullah as-Sistani's
answers
Specimen of the Answers of His Eminence Ayatullah as-
Sistani
to some of the questions in this Book
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful His
Eminence, the Grand Ayatullah As-Sayyid 'Ali al-Husyni as-
Sistani (dama dhilluh). As-Salamu 'alaykum wa rahmtullahi wa
barakatuh. I request your kindness in answering the following
questions with the hope that the answers would be in simple
form that can be understood [easily] by the readers who are not
specialist in this science [of Islamic Jurisprudence]. And you
shall have an abundance of reward [from the Almighty].
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## PDF PAGE 288

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