Ask a Shia

[Karbala]

But they also dont pray behind the Imam I mean they dont attach to the line and they dont follow the Imam. But to be precise those are the Iranians.

Right this is even stranger. I went on Hajj last year and I was with an iranian group. We were given direct orders from the Iranian Foreign office to NOT pray on our own and join in Jama'a. They even refused to let us pray in the Iranian foreign consulate building, instead we had to walk to the nearest masjid. This was a direct command from Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader in Iran. I really dont know what you saw but it is not my experience for iranians to be like that at all.

Karbla what about praying on the Turba Husainyah????? why is it a must that shia carry a small stone made of the dust of Karbala? how far this is essential in perfroming prayer?

No this is not essential. It is essential that one prays on earth or anything that grows out of it. Hence Shia do not pray on carpets. Instead they carry a turbah to pray on. But one can equally pray on stone, dust, mud, straw, wood etc. This seems to be the Practise of the Prophet of Mercy(Saw) himself.


Sahih Bukhari


Volume 3, Book 33, Number 244:


Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:


"I saw with my own eyes the mark of mud and water on the forehead of the Prophet"


http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/h...ri/033.sbt.html


Sahih Bukhari


Volume 2, Book 22, Number 299:


Narrated Anas bin Malik:


We used to pray with the Prophet in scorching heat, and if someone of us could not put his face on the earth (because of the heat) then he would spread his clothes and prostrate over them.


http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/h...ri/022.sbt.html


The Prophet also used to pray on a Khumrah


Sahih Bukhari


Volume 1, Book 8, Number 376:


Narrates 'Abdullah bin Shaddad:


Maimuna said, "Allah's Apostle was praying while I was in my menses, sitting beside him and sometimes his clothes would touch me during his prostration." Maimuna added, "He prayed on a Khumra (a small mat sufficient just for the face and the hands while prostrating during prayers).


This Khumra was made of leaves or palm fibres.