New Answers

The majority of scholars, including the four madhhabs, are of the view that it is not permissible to do the prostration of recitation without wudu. Some of the scholars favoured the view of Ibn `Umar and said that it is not stipulated that one should be in a state of purity in order to do the prostration of recitation. The scholars include Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and, among contemporary scholars, the Permanent Committee for Academic Research and Ifta’. However, there is no doubt that the best is for a person to do wudu, especially the reciter who is going to recite Quran. It is prescribed to do wudu before reciting Quran, because it comes under the heading of remembering Allah (dhikr).

The specious argument mentioned in the question is a weak and unacceptable argument which stems from ignorance of what is meant by the word eid and of the fact that an eid is a religious observance for which there must be textual evidence; it also stems from lack of knowledge about what is meant by blameworthy imitation of others.

Artificial intelligence is a permissible tool in principle, but it is not permissible to ask it for fatwas or trust its answers in matters of religion, because it is not qualified to issue fatwas as it does not understand religion or real-life issues, and it does not meet other conditions. The answers it gives are automatically generated from information that may come from unknown sources or be wrong, and it may be biased and not pay attention to differences between people that could have an impact on the fatwa. However, it is permissible for a researcher to use artificial intelligence to collect material or understand the situation, on condition that he verifies the sources. As for the ordinary Muslim, it is not permissible for him to trust a fatwa generated by artificial intelligence and act in accordance with it; rather he should ask trustworthy scholars.

The correct view is that when cleaning oneself with pebbles after defecating, it is stipulated that one must clean the area properly, and that one should not use fewer than three pebbles.