I hadn't planned on it, but now maybe I will......
[hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"][font class="text20b"]Khameini: Don't masturbate during Ramadan
[/font][span dir="right"][span class="text16g" dir="ltr"]Iran's supreme leader answers questions on masturbation and other topics on his website[/span] [p style="margin-top: 8px;"][span class="text14" dir="ltr" style="color: rgb(100, 100, 100);"]Yaakov Lappin [/span] [table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"][tbody][tr][td class="text12g"] Published: [/td][td class="text12g"]10.04.06, 19:55 [/td][/tr][/tbody][/table][a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3311189,00.html"]http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3311189,00.html[/a]
[/p]Khameini, who is Iran's most powerful political and religious figure, was asked on his website: "If somebody masturbates during the month of Ramadan but without any discharge, is his fasting invalidated?"
"If he do not intend masturbation and discharging semen and nothing is discharged, his fasting is correct even though he has done a hara-m (forbidden) act. But, if he intends masturbation or he knows that he usually discharges semen by this process and semen really comes out, it is a h?aram intentional breaking fasting," the Iranian leader said, posting the reply on his website.
Another reader asked: "Once in the holy month of Ramadan, I forgot to brush my teeth, and some tiny bits of food remained in my mouth. I swallowed the bits unintentionally. Do I have to perform the qad?a (repent) for that day's fast?"
"If you did not know that some bits of food remained between the teeth, or you did not know that they would reach the throat, and they were swallowed unknowingly and unintentionally, then you are not liable to make (repent) of the fast," said Khameini.
'Drink water while standing'
On the website, Khameini also tells Iranians that only jockeys are permitted to gamble on horse races.
He is also asked whether it is permissible for a man to marry a woman only in order to be able to live in his wife's country. "Can a man conclude a marriage contract for a year with a European girl after getting her agreement with the purpose of going to her country?" A reader asked.
"There is no problem in that if they are serious in contracting marriage and it is done with her father's permission if she is virgin," Khameini ruled.
The Iranian leader also told readers they were allowed to "to drink water while standing" at nights. It was "not permissible" to take part in meetings attended by both men and women, he told another reader.
"In Islam's view, rulers and governments exist just to serve people and carry out works in the interest of the public and this is what God demands us, as authorities, to fulfill," Khamenei was quoted Tuesday telling Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
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Wow! That is one strict-ass god. I'm glad I'ma godless heathen infidel
Every day I thank God I'm agnostic.
I don't understand anymore but thats okay I think. Tired of religious nut cases.
"[span dir="right"]The Iranian leader also told readers they were allowed to "to drink water while standing" at nights."
Boy, am I ever in trouble. No garden full of virgins for me, damnit. [/span](//forums/richedit/smileys/Sad/11.gif)
Hehe. Interesting. I've heard of Muslims who actually chew gum though technically, they're not eating, the gum apparently keeps hunger/thirst at bay.
We have Muslim patients who don't come in for dental treatment during this holy month for fear of swallowing water.
Lise wrote: [div style="font-style: italic;"]We have Muslim patients who don't come in for dental treatment during this holy month for fear of swallowing water.[/div]
How bizarre. Why aren't they supposed to swallow water? That the oddest thing to prohibit I can think of, next to telling them not to breathe.
TehBorken wrote:
How bizarre. Why aren't they supposed to swallow water? That the oddest thing to prohibit I can think of, next to telling them not to breathe.
It's because they're fasting.... sort of purification of the body and soul which means no water or food must pass their lips during the month of Ramadan.
Lise wrote It's because they're fasting.... sort of purification of the body and soul which means no water or food must pass their lips during the month of Ramadan.
But that is only during the daylight hours, isn't it? At night they can break their fast, or so I understand. That brings up another question. Orthodox Jews have someone (non-Jewish) to prepare their meals on the Sabbath. So Muslims have the same thing during Ramadan?
Lise wrote:
It's because they're fasting.... sort of purification of the body and soul which means no water or food must pass their lips during the month of Ramadan.
No way...they don't eat or drink for a month? Is that possible?
[span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"] kitten wrote:[/span][br style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"][span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"]But that is only during the daylight hours, isn't it? At night they can break their fast, or so I understand. [/span]
Yes.
[span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(128, 0, 0);"]That brings up another question. Orthodox Jews have someone (non-Jewish) to prepare their meals on the Sabbath. So Muslims have the same thing during Ramadan?[/span]
Um... no on both. Most Orthodox Jews prepare their own food before the Sabbath begins and use slow-cooking crock pots and water heaters to supply continuously hot food over the 24-hour period. The idea is that the day should be free from all forms of deliberate creation or destruction (i.e., labour), and simply be a time to enjoy life in its essence. Jews are actually encouraged to eat well every Sabbath, and also to have sex (with your [span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"]spouse[/span] of course). You prepare your home with timers on lights or just arrange your lights in such a way as to be able to benefit from them without operating them.
You're thinking of the infamous "Shabbos goy", a person who is not Jewish, who is employed to do things which Jews cannot do on the Sabbath because they are not bound by the same rules. Unfortunately this is done by some Orthodox Jews, but is technically a no-no. You're not supposed to cause anyone else to violate the Sabbath just because they're not Jewish. The reason being that the rules come from God, and don't only apply to Jews as far as God is concerned.
Having a "Shabbos goy" is considered cheating or at least bending the rules, and under no circumstances should that person be working in the kitchen on the Sabbath.
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As for Ramadan, Muslims prepare their food as they would normally do; they just don't eat from morning to evening. The hadiths are full of interesting rules.
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Thank you so much for the information, Trollio. I find it all very interesting and now I must look up more on these other celebrations. You've given me something to go on.
Kitten - as Trollio pointed out, yes, they can fast from sunrise to sunset. Immediately after sunset and prayers, they're able to break fast with a huge meal. At the end of Ramadan, there's usually a big festival-type meal to celebrate the end.
TehBorken - You're able to fast during a month if you put your mind to it. You just have to not think about food and drink the whole time. Hard when you're not used to it but you can train your body if you really want to. I guess in the Muslim culture, they're brought up to do this once a year so it's probably no big deal to them.