Day Questions

I am not following the rulings of Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammed Saeed Al-Hakeem, but wish to follow his rulings in regards to marriage issues. If I do so, will my marriage be valid?

If the marja who you emulate has an actual edict on the issue related to marriage – or any other issue – then you must act in accordance to his edict and you are not permitted to refer to another marja. If the opinion of your marja is compulsory precaution on a particular ruling, then it is permissible to refer to the opinion of another marja.

It seems to me that most orientalists do not rely on hadiths at all and they seem to say most of it is fabrications. If the hadiths are fabricated or doubtful, then how can we rely on historical books or book of jurisprudence?

We cannot cover this issue in detail here, but we can draw your attention to the following points: First: Orientalists – in general – are not an honest source of opinion since they do not base their search in Islamic history on an objective view. They place their study on a prejudicial and religiously biased vision. There is no doubt that such a vision affects the conclusions they reach, and it their findings will therefore not be based on research that is objective and a sincere desire to search for the truth. Second: The existence of false narrations does not make all narrations fabricated. Scholars do not accept any narration, but they first verify the authenticity of the content of the narration in addition to the chain of narrators. They rely on the narration after it satisfies the conditions of being a religious evidence. Third: When we look at the movement of the Islamic history in general and when it written, we can reach a conclusion that the incidents and the events that took place were largely reported by a people who were not loyal to the Ahlulbait, and they were not written during the rule of governments that tolerated the teachings of the Ahlulbait (peace be upon them) or under circumstances that had such toleration.

I am traveling due to my Hawza studies eight times a month and staying in a dormitory that the Hawza provides for students. Can I consider this place as a home?

Such a place is not considered as a home for you in this scenario. You are required to shorten your prayers there.

I have heard that it is necessary to cut your nails before ghusl of menstruation. Is this true?

It is not obligatory to trim or cut the nails before ghusl of menstruation.