Using a Part of the Inner Chamber of the Mosque to Expand the Kitchen
In case a mosque needs a bigger kitchen as its current kitchen is too small, is it permissible to separate the kitchen from the mosque itself in order to expand it?
There is no issue with it if it doesn’t disturb the worshippers and it doesn’t reduce the place for performing prayers and it is a necessity for the mosque.
Difference between Mosque and Hussainiyyah
Why it is not permitted to do what can be done in a mosque in hussainiyyah (place of mourning Imam Husayn (‘a), and vice versa? Because if it is permitted we can have one place which can be used both as a mosque and a husainiyyah in order to prevent the wastage of land and costs of building.
There are some limitations for women and sometimes for men for entering mosques; however, there are much fewer limitations for entering hussainiyyahs. Of course one will be granted a much greater reward for performing prayer in the mosque compared to a husainiyyah and this is why both kinds of building are constructed.
Decorating the Mosques
Is it permissible to decorate the mosques and hussainiyyahs?
There is no problem with it if the mosque is not decorated with gold and the picture of living creatures and on the condition that it does not lead to extravagance and the wasting of resources.
Expanding a Mosque into the Land of Another Mosque
There are two mosques which are built next to each other, one for summer and the other for winter, and the winter mosque is too small to meet the needs of people particularly in the month of Muharram; is it permissible to expand the winter mosque by taking some space from the summer mosque?
It is not permissible based on the obligatory precaution; however you can open a door from one mosque to the other.
Testifying to the Wilāyah of Amir al-Mu’mineen (‘a) in Adhān (call to prayer)
Since when has the phrase for testifying to the wilāyah of Amir al-Mu’mineen Ali (‘a) been recited in the adhān (call to prayer)?
According to some traditions, this phrase has been recited as a part of the call to prayer since the age of the Infallible Imams (‘a) but it was not widely recited in that era. Later on it became the motto of the Shiʻa school (for more information, refer to the valuable book of “al-Mustamsak”, chapter on adhān and iqāmah).
The Chador of Women during Prayer
Should the Chador of a woman during prayer be in the way that her body is not visible from any side? And is it necessary to cover the ornaments of her face and hands during prayer in a place where there are no non-maḥrams present?
It is necessary for women to cover all of the body except the face, the hands up to the wrist and the feet up to the instep. Further, a woman’s body must be covered from all four sides during prayer and if ornaments are worn over the clothing they can be kept during prayers.
Placing Curtain between Male and Female worshippers
There was a wall or curtain between men and women f r o m the past and now some people say that there is no need for a wall or curtain to be between men and women during prayers or sermons, what is your ruling in this regard?
If rows of women are behind men there is no need for a curtain but if they are beside each other the obligatory precaution demands that a curtain separates them.
Qiblah in Non-Muslim Countries
In which direction should Muslims of Los Angeles who live in west of America perform their prayers in order to be correctly aligned towards the qiblah? Albeit, famous qiblah-finders like “Razm Ara” and others show the direction of the qibla for New York which is situated on the east coast of America. The qibla for Los Angeles which is a six–hour-flight f r o m New York cannot be found using these devices. This is why people don’t know exactly what their duty is, and they perform their prayers toward just any direction according to the verse “اَیْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ”1 (so whithersoever you turn, there is the face of Allah); What is the duty of these people?
Stand in the direction which is well-known among the Muslims as the direction of the qiblah and that would be enough.
A Person who Doesn’t Perform Prayer in the Direction of Qiblah
If a person stands in a direction other than the direction of the qiblah and we know the correct direction is it our duty to tell him/her? Is the act of enjoining the good and prohibiting the evil necessary here?
It is not necessary but it is better to correct their mistake.
Performing Prayers with Black Clothing
Wearing black clothing for prayer is makrūh; does it also apply to black Chadors worn by women and black cloaks worn by clerics?
It is well-known that wearing black clothing for prayer is makrūh and the reason behind it applies to both men and women; but cloak is an exception and it is likely that black Chador is also an exception.
