Day Questions

Did Imam Ali (peace be upon him) accept Abu Bakr as a caliph and give him his oath of allegiance after the martyrdom of Sayyida Fatima (peace be upon her)?

He did not accept the caliphate, but he paid the allegiance to protect the religion.

Some people say that our Imams (peace be upon them) know when they are going to die, but the Holy Quran states that “No soul knows what it will earn to-morrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die” (34:31). Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) knew that he was going to die in Karbala, how is this?

The meaning of the verse is that a human being by his nature does not know the time of his death. This does not mean that all people are like that. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) came to know this from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) and the latter was informed of this by revelation and contact with the unseen world.

How do we explain the punishments imposed by the Sharia for various crimes, such as the death penalty for apostates, while the Quran says that there is no compulsion in religion?

Applying the Sharia-defined punishments is the duty of the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them). No doubt, applying them is a form of justice and not an oppressive act. The punishment is set in the Sharia after the evidence is established and becomes clear in such a way that the noncompliant is considered as an oppressor against himself and the society. As such, the Sharia-defined punishment is not considered against human rights. The verse alluded to refers to the fact that the religion is based on beliefs, and beliefs are not imposed, and does not indicate that there is no punishment imposed by the Sharia for disbelief out of stubbornness and transgression.

Are war or revolutionary songs and music permissible?

If such music and singing is of the type that can arouse ‘tarab’, then it is prohibited to listen to; otherwise it is allowed. ‘Tarab’ means the psychological interaction with the music or singing, whether it leads to joy, sadness, pride or any other emotion.

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