Question:Is it permissible to eat burnt rice that is left in the pot? Or eat burnt meat, chicken, fish and other burnt food?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the burnt, if nothing remains safe, then eating it is problematic according to Sharia law. It is a waste according to the mindful. However, the proof of forbiddance lacks evidence and is not clear. Allah knows best.

Question:The narration mentioned that "the Commander of the Faithful (PBUH) came to a bitter melon and said, “Oh No.” Then, he threw it"…. to the end of the narration that says our of love was not sweet? Is it permissible, according to the narration, to throw a watermelon once, perhaps it is intended to be bitter, is this not a waste of grace and disrespect for it, or does the Commander of the Faithful have a mandate and may throw food?

Answer:In the name of Allah, we have known that the mindful person avoids eating bitter unless he is bound by the order of the doctor. As for throwing bitter melon is a rejection of grace. You knew the answer to it previously. Allah is the Guide and Knowing.

Question:It is mentioned in a narration that watercress is the milk of Umayyah, and mentioned that its root is in Hell. Is watercress disliked or forbidden? If it is disliked or forbidden, is it permissible to throw it, if it is found in a meal? Is this not a waste and belittling of grace?

Answer:In the name of Allah, be advised, my son, that Allah Almighty did not create anything in vain, but every food has benefits and harms. The infallibles (PBUT) bore the responsibility of guiding their followers to the benefits and to the harms. Therefore, quitting eating something harmful is not a waste of grace as you imagined. The mindful person is to benefit from the benefits and avoid the harms where they are found. Yes, it has not been proven that it is forbidden to eat it, but it is only disliked. Many narrations indicated that it causes the one who eats it to suffer from leprosy, may Allah protect the Shiites of Ali (PBUH) from it and other diseases. Allah knows best.

Question:Does Satan exist in the month of Ramadan?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the accursed Satan - we seek protection from Allah from his evil - is present in all months of the year, seeking to mislead people and drag them to sin. As for what you have heard, my son, from the hadith narrated from the greatest Prophet (PBUH&HF) that the devils are restricted and chained, it means that they do not strive, and the meaning of the hadith is that fasting with its conditions and adherence to piety makes the devils unable to mislead people who are protected by piety. Allah is the Guide and Knowing.

Question:What is the authenticity of what has been mentioned in the text of the killing in Mubki Al-Uyoon (page: 111) that Imam Sadiq said “our mother Fatima (PBUH) will pray day and night for the one, and his family, who fixes a black banner on his house door or roof on the days of my grandfather’s Al-Hussein (PBUH) lamenting days?

Answer:In the name of Allah, be advised, my son, that we have been ordered to show grief and sadness on the tragic event of Al-Taf. Thus, believers are to grief and lament this tragic event as a way of following the faith. Believers can grief, lament and show sadness in all the ways which are not prohibited. Undoubtedly, showing the signs of sadness on the house door is among those ways. Raising the banner indicates the grief on the master of the martyrs (PBUH). Man may be cautious to do this. Should he fear the enemies of Ahlulbait (PBUT), he may show grief in the way that is possible. Be advised, my son, that we have reiterated that showing grief and sadness on the master of martyrs (PBUH) in the gatherings and sessions, wearing black, and raising the flags and banners are traditions that we have taken from our fathers and grandfathers. We have sacrificed all the invaluable things to continue these Husseini rituals. We will keep practicing them till we deliver them to Al-Hussein’s grandson when he (may Allah hasten his reappearance) reappears. Furthermore, you may ask yourself and others that we, the Shiite, are free to do whatever we want to do in ourselves and properties. Why do the non Shiite prevent that? Do we take from their properties? Do we hit their chests? Do we hit their heads with knives instead of ours? Such kind of prevention of commemorating Karbala tragic event is the habit of People of Umayyad (may Allah curse them) and the enemies of Ahlulbait (PBUT). Those who try to prevent us want to be listed with the enemies of Ahlulbait (PBUT). There is no power or resort but to Allah, the Highest, the greatest.

Question:Is there a narration confirming the beheading of the honorable head of master Abdullah the infant on the day of Ashura and holding it on the spear, dragging it through a rope as the head is small and they could not fix it on the head of spear?

Answer:In the name of Allah, be advised, my son, that the narrations concerning the particularities of Altaf event are various and speculative that it is hard to make certain in most of them. However, we explain then in accordance with what we find in the sources and we allow to the Husseini preacher to recite them unless they events narrated have no offence or lies to the Infallible or any of the prophetic lineage (PBUH). The narrations concerning Abdullah the Infant are also speculative that the Infallible Imams (PBUT) were not able to explain the details of this tragic event for the purpose of dissimulation (taqyah) and submitting to Allah Almighty. There is what is worse and worse than what you have mentioned. Allah knows best.

Question:What is the source of the following hadith narrated about Imam Hussein (PBUH) “if you do not control your money, it will control you. Do not preserve it as it does not preserve you. Eat it before it eats you.” ?

Answer:In the name of Allah, this is narrated by Almajlisi (may Allah sanctify his soul) in his book Biharul Anwar, vol. 78 p 127 taken from the book of Aldurar Albahira. Apparently, it is a manuscript and found in the book of Ilam Aldeen p. 128, and it looks that it is still a manuscript. Allah knows best.

Question:It is said that the land of Karbala is better than the land of Mecca and that prostrating on the Husseini soil is better than prostrating on the holy land. Is this right? How reliable are such narrations? Is it right that Karbala is among the lands of Paradise? Which is better Mecca or Madina?

Answer:In the name of Allah, what you have mentioned regarding Karbala is reported in the reliable books such as Kamil Al-Zyarat by Muhammad Ibin Qawlawiah and other. It is also narrated that some of the infallible Imams (PBUT) in Madina used to prostrate on the soil of Karbala. Concerning what is said that Karbala is part of Paradise, it means that the martyrs who are buried in it are from people of Paradise, or it is interpreted (as it can be so and as some narrations indicate) that the land which has the pure bodies of Hussein and the martyrs with him (PBUT) will be sent to paradise. Allah knows best.

Question:It is narrated by Sheikh Tusi that Imam Alsadiq (PBUH) said “Allah the Exalted gifted quarter of the world to lady Fatima (PBUH) and the Hell and Paradise. She can get her enemies to the Hell and her followers the Paradise. She is the most pious woman known since first centuries? What is the authentication of this narration? What is meant by “woman known since first centuries”? How authentic is the hadith that the water of Furat [Euphrates] is given as a dowry to her?

Answer:In the name of Allah, the Tusi’s narration and other narrations, which you have mentioned, are narrated in the reliable books of our scholars (may Allah be pleased with them). Some of them are reliable in terms of its authenticity where its authenticity is not questionable. As for “she is known since first centuries”, apparently, it refers (Allah knows) to, as narrated, that Lady Zahra’s light along with the lights of the Imams (PBUT) were the source of mercy and cause of divine kindness that the former prophets ordered to know these Imams and to believe in them. Allah knows best.

Question:It is noticed in the books of hadith, especially those of Sunni books, that there is a dispute in an issue which is: who is the best and who is First lady in the worlds and in Heaven? Is she the pious, victimized, martyr Fatima Al-Zahra the daughter of Muhammad (PBUH&HF) or is she Mariam daughter of Imran? Is it useful to use Imam Sadiq’s (PBUH) hadith which is “had Allah not created Ali, Fatima would have no match on earth”, and the hadith narrated about the prophet (PBUH&HF) “Allah would be angry for her anger, and Allah would be pleased for her consent”, in addition to other hadiths which proves Fatima’s (PBUH) preference?

Answer:In the name of Allah, without a doubt, Lady Fatima (PBUH) is the best and most honorable lady ever. The Hadiths that you have mentioned are not to make preferences between Lady Mariam and Zahra (PBUT) though Lady Fatima is better than Lady Mariam (PBUT). Allah knows best.