Day Questions

I used to offer prayers behind an imam that does not recite the second Sura. Is my prayers valid?

The prayer behind such a person is invalid. Your previous prayers are in order if you believed that this person satisfied all the conditions of the imam of the congregational prayer and you did not know that he was not offering the second Sura.

Is marriage due to predestined? If so, it means that a person does not have a choice in their marriage and does not have free-will.

Everything in this universe is under the godly control but Almighty Allah gave the human the ability to act and enabled him to do the act or not to do it. Therefore, the individual should choose the life partner based on what is good for him in this life and the hereafter.

To convert from being a non-Muslim to a Shia Muslim, what Kalima is to be recited?

One should recite the two testimonies – the testimony of one’s belief that there is no god but Allah, and the testimony that Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) is the Messenger of Allah. In addition, one should belief in the guardianship (wilayah) of Imam Ali and the other eleven Imams (peace be upon them).

What is your ruling on apostates who convert from Islam to another religion? In your expert opinion, is there a punishment? If so, what is it?

There is no doubt that they deserve a very high punishment in the Hereafter. Almighty Allah said: “As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein.” (2:257) The punishment in this life is not our duty.