According to Islamic jurisprudence, may one pleasure one’s wife with a vibrator?

I would appreciate advice regarding the following. The young lady is a British-born Sayyida whose parents immigrated here from Pakistan, the young man a Sayyid from Hyderabad, India. Sayyid identifies descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through Imam Ali (A.S). Both are practising believers – mumins – and would like to marry each other.To assist her family in its enquiries, when he proposed, the young man presented them with a copy of his family tree. He also provided the names and addresses of character witnesses in India as well as of his cousins in England. Initially, the girl’s family asked a Hydrabadi, returning for her son’s wedding, to investigate the young man’s family. She came back with the news that they are ‘good people’. Regrettably, the girl’s family did not approve because he is from India. Her brother consulted a cleric who said, ‘Its better you don’t get into this. Find her someone suitable in Pakistan, at least her children will then be Pakistani.’ May Allah forgive me – Astaghfirullah – this is not the attitude our beloved Prophet (PBUH) and Imams (A.S) taught us. When this young man asked her family for their decision, they asked to see the original of his family tree! They have treated him so very badly that, had he not been a true mumin, he would have left them a long time ago. The girl’s father died on Hajj a few years ago and her grandfather has also passed away. In Islam, neither uncles, brothers or other relatives have any rights in this matter, and she is free to proceed with her plans.What should be done?

A married lady with four children turns to Islam through the blessed path of the progeny of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) – Ahl al-Bayt (A.S), while her husband declines Islam but agrees not to place obstacles in her way. If Muslim women may not marry non-Muslims on either a permanent or fixed-term basis, may she continue her marriage with him?What should she do and what is the status of the marriage?

According to Islamic jurisprudence, is it appropriate for husband and wife to read each other erotic literature?

Some six months ago a friend confided his enjoyment from an illicit relationship. However, he recently told me that, to keep from haram, he was going to marry a very worthy Muslim lady – muslimah – whom I regard as a good friend. Should I warn her of his dissolute past?

As a self-supporting 25 year-old male I have chosen, as my life partner, a compatible, distantly related young woman from our community. While my fiancée’s parents are overjoyed by our impending marriage, my father is displeased. He is upset because he felt that it should have been he who chose my wife for me and that to do so was his right and duty.Is he correct? The whole family agrees with my choice but feel obliged to defer to the ‘head of the family’. Does a man require his parents consent to marry someone of his own choice?

I am an American woman, married for eight months to an Iranian. Although I have a general idea of Allah Almighty’s basic laws regarding husband and wife, there are things I am not clear about.My husband accused me of talking to a non-Muslim man who lives in our area. I denied this, and by Allah who holds my life in His hands, I told the truth. At my husband’s request, I bathed – ghusl – and repented for all my sins – tawbah. I then took up the Qur’an and asked Allah Almighty to punish me if I told a lie. He also asked Allah’s punishment if it was not true that he believes me. However, all this was of no use because, even though he said he believed me, he does not and continues to bad mouth and accuse me.I want our marriage to work but he now tells me it is haram for him to take care of me or to give me money despite the fact that I work to pay the rent and other bills. It is very difficult for me to hear the bad things that he says to me. But Allah al-Rahman, knows that I do listen to my husband and do whatever he wants me to do, even though it is becoming exceedingly difficult for me to continue doing so. I do not want to stop and thus displease Allah.What is the law concerning this? He does not want to go to any religious teacher – shaykh – for help because he says none here can help. He is more learned than I am and says we have to help ourselves. I need help to keep a clear heart to prevent myself hating him and thus incurring Allah’s displeasure. Please advise me.

If a Muslim girl falls in love with a non-Muslim, how should the situation be resolved?

I am 21 and plan to marry my 19-year-old fiancée in two years’ time. We have great love for each other, which arouses equally great passions of love and affection. When we met after a three-month separation we were so excited that we could not stop ourselves from embracing and hugging and kissing each other.We fear Allah and do not know what to do. Our financial situation is such that we cannot marry for another two years, we live in a Pakistani Sunni society in which fixed-term marriage – mut’a – is disapproved, but Allah knows we also cannot control ourselves. Please advise me how we may avoid sin.

I met my husband to be, an Indian Muslim, at college. It was his influence which guided me to the Right Path. Now an Indian Muslimah convert, we have been married for four years and have one child. Although we married as per the shari’ah applicable in Saudi Arabia, my parents-in-law, regrettably, have not accepted me or our marriage. For peace of mind, and to please the family, we had a second marriage ceremony in Iran. This however has made no difference at all to my parents-in-law who refer to a scholar – alim – who claims to be in contact with the 12th Imam in occultation - Imam Zaman (A.S). He apparently says that he has been informed by the Imam (A.S) that I am an unbeliever – kafir – and that our marriage is forbidden – haram. He tells my in-laws that everything I do is pretence and that neither I, nor my husband, if he remains with me, are to join in any Shi’ah gatherings. When my mother-in-law happened to attend a meeting at which I was present she requested the others to send me away. They did not and she left in anger.Is it possible for that alim to be in contact with Imam Zaman (A.S), and would he make such comments? Is our marriage legal? May I attend Shi’ah gatherings?I am disheartened and disappointed and would greatly appreciate your response.

I am engaged to my cousin, a moral and devout woman, but have become concerned about the likelihood of our children suffering from congenital disorders as the result of intermarriage. I at first thought that ‘inbreeding’ was simply the idle chatter of foreigners who think they know everything. But it is now even being discussed on the radio in Iran. Allah tells us in our Holy Qur’an that ‘nothing can touch us, unless Allah wills’. Please do advise me.

A friend who left his family and is now newly married still communicates with his wife via telephone and e-mail. These communications are of such an intimate, explicit and stimulating nature that both of them sometimes peak in a climax of sexual excitement.Is this a legitimate outcome of discussions about private matters?

I live in Hyderabad, India. There is a girl whom I like and want to marry. Although she is a Hindu, she is ready to convert to Islam. My parents are strictly against this. I do not want to hurt my parents. I love them more than anybody else and moreover they are the best people I have seen in the whole world. But I do not want to hurt this girl either. What am I supposed to do in this situation? Am I permitted to marry a convert to Islam? I am overcome by this enormous problem and only write to you because I want the very best advice. Once again, I like this girl very much and I don’t want to hurt her. I eagerly await your reply.

Scientists in the USA now claim that homosexual desires are determined by biological and genetic factors. If this is so, is marriage – nikkah – and fixed-term – mut’a – considered permissible – halal – between such individuals of the same gender.

Are we allowed to marry Jewish or Christian women? If we are, is any restriction or qualification stipulated for such ‘mixed’ marriages? Are any Islamic rulings specifically applicable to Shi’ah men and women?

As for the directing role – qawamah – that men have over women, mentioned in Qur’an 4:34, ‘Men are the protectors and maintainers of women’, this does not apply nowadays when women already own houses, cars, and so on. The new converts have already directed their lives in such a manner as to be better off financially and educationally than many Muslim men whom they meet. How then, can a Muslim man come into this situation and begin to direct? Sorry if the question offends you, but it is quite important to many women here in the West.

A man, who has no religious affiliation, is happy for his wife and children to follow whatever religion they choose. His Roman Catholic wife is a potential convert to Islam, but has declined to commit herself because she knows that Muslim women may not marry non-Muslim men. She is concerned that, if her husband does not also convert, she could not remain his wife. What is her position?

I have been told that according to Shi’ah jurisprudence, a Muslim man may not take a non-Muslim woman as a permanent wife. Is this correct, and if it is, why is this so?

I was told that, provided I tried not to hurt my parents, it would be in order for me to marry a muslimah who recently forsook Hinduism for Islam. To soften my parents’ hearts, would you please provide me with hadith which illustrates our beloved Prophet’s views on such matters.

My family chose a wife for me, but after three years she still doesn’t love me. She behaves as though she cannot bear the sight of me. We do not sleep together and only have sexual intercourse if I coerce her. In this way we were blessed with one daughter. We try to strictly adhere to religious rulings.What can I do about this situation? What do you advise? Should I try to find another wife?