Chapter 2
Polytheism (Shirk) and its different forms
21524: Can the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) hear those who call upon him when he is in
his grave?
Question:
Some people believe that the Prophet Muhamamd
[(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] is "Shaheed"
and is in BArzakh where he can hear us if we send
`darood' on him and also if we ask his `wasta' [by virtue of
his closeness to Allah]in praying to God.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) is alive in his grave in the sense of the life of
al-barzakh, so he enjoys the blessings that Allaah has prepared
for him as a reward for his great good actions that he did
in this world. But the life in the grave is not like the life
of this world, or the life in the Hereafter. Rather it is the
life of al-barzakh which comes in between his life in this
world and his life in the Hereafter. Hence we know that he
died as other Prophets and other people before him died.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We granted not to any human being
immortality before you (O Muhammad); then if you die, would
they live forever?"
[al-Anbiya' 21:34]
"Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish.
And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and
Honour will remain forever"
[al-Rahmaan 55:26,27]
"Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they
(too) will die"
[al-Zumar 39:30]
And there are other verses which also indicate that
Allaah caused him to die. Moreover, the Sahaabah (may
Allaah be pleased with them) washed him, shrouded him,
offered the funeral prayer for him and buried him; if he had
been alive in the worldly sense, they would not have done
the same as is done for others who die.
Faatimah (may Allaah be pleased with her) asked
Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) for her
inheritance from her father (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) because she was convinced that he had died, and
no one among the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased
with them) differed with her concerning that. Rather Abu
Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) responded to her
request by saying that nothing could be inherited from
the Prophets.
The Sahaabah agreed unanimously to choose a
khaleefah for the Muslims to succeed the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and that was done
with the appointment of Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased
with him) as khaleefah. If the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) had been alive in a worldly
sense, they would not have done that. So this indicates that
there was consensus among them that he had indeed died.
When the tribulations (fitan) and problems
increased during the time of `Uthmaan and `Ali (may Allaah
be pleased with them both), and before and after that,
they did not go to his grave to consult him or ask him for
a way out of those tribulations and problems, or the way
to solve them. If he had been alive in a worldly sense,
they would not have overlooked that when they were in
such great need of someone to save them from the trials
that surrounded them.
With regard to the soul of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), it is in the highest part
of `Illiyyeen, because he is the best of creation, and
because Allaah has given him al-waseelah which is the
highest position in Paradise.
The life of al-barzakh is a special life. The Prophets
and the shuhada' (martyrs) are alive in al-barzakh as
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "The Prophets are alive and they pray in their graves."
(Narrated by al-Mundhiri and al-Bayhaqi who classed
it as saheeh because of corroborating reports in
al-Saheehayn.)
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And say not of those who are killed in the way of
Allaah, `They are dead.' Nay, they are living, but you
perceive (it) not"
[al-Baqarah 2:154]
This is a special life, the nature of which is known
to Allaah. It is not like the life of this world in which
the soul remains with the body.
The basic principle concerning the dead is that they
do not hear the words of the living sons of Adam,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"but you cannot make hear those who are in graves"
[Faatir 35:22]
Allaah confirmed that those whom he (the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) was calling to
Islam could not hear, by likening them to the dead. There
is nothing in the Qur'aan or in the saheeh Sunnah to
indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) can hear every du'aa' or call from human
beings. Rather it is proven that the only thing that reaches
him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is
the blessings and salaams of those who send blessings
and salaams upon him. This was narrated by Abu
Dawood, 2041, with a hasan isnaad from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is
no one who sends salaams upon me but Allaah will
restore to me my soul so that I may return his salaams."
This does not mean that he hears the words of the one
who sends salaams. Rather it is possible that he comes to
know of those salaams when the angels convey that to him.
If we assume that he hears the words of the one who
sends salaams, this is an exception from the general rule, as
in the case of the dead hearing the footsteps of those
who carry his bier, and as in the case of the slain kuffaar in
the well at Badr who heard the call of the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when
he said to them: "Have you found your Lord's promise to
be true? For we have found our Lord's promise to be
true." (See Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa'imah, 1/313, 318, 321).
With regard to calling upon the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asking him
directly, this is the essence of shirk which the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent to forbid
and to fight against its people. For more details on the
ruling on that, see Question no. 10289, 11402, 1439. We
ask Allaah to bring the Muslims back to the right path.
And Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings and
peace upon his Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
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13490: Praying at graves and the conditions of intercession
Question:
I was in a converstation with a follower of the sufi way
of islam and that person asked me what did i think
about praying at the graves, or about religious
scholars interceding during the day of judgement. i told that
person that praying to someones grave is shirk and no one
can interceed except the prophet. and i wanted to know
what was the ruling of the people of knowledge on this
matter and where can i look for proof ?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
1 _ The issue of praying at graves
Praying at graves is of two types:
The first type is praying to the occupant of the
grave. This is major shirk which puts a person beyond the
pale of Islam, because prayer is an act of worship, and it is
not permissible to do any act of worship to anyone other
than Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Worship Allaah and join none with Him (in worship)"
[al-Nisa' 4:36]
"Verily, Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting up
partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He
wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners
in worship with Allaah, has indeed strayed far away"
[al-Nisa' 4:116]
The second type is praying to Allaah in the
graveyard. This covers a number of issues:
1 _ Praying the funeral (janaazah) prayer at the
graveside, which is permissible.
Example: if a person dies and you are not able to
offer the funeral prayer for him in the mosque, then it
is permissible for you to offer the prayer for him after he
is buried.
The evidence for this is that this is what the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did. It was
narrated from Abu Hurayrah that a black man or a black
woman used to clean the mosque, and he (or she) died.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
asked about him and they said, "He died." He said, "Why
did you not tell me? Show me to his grave (or her grave)."
So he went to the grave and offered the funeral prayer.
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 458; Muslim, 956).
2 _ Praying the funeral prayer in the graveyard, which
is permissible
Example: a person dies and you are not able to offer
the funeral prayer for him in the mosque, so you go to
the graveyard and offer the prayer there before he is buried.
Shaykh `Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: "It is permissible to offer the funeral
prayer for the deceased inside the graveyard just as it
is permissible to offer the funeral prayer for him after he
is buried, because it was proven that a woman used to
clean the mosque and she died. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked about her
and they said, `She died.' He said, `Why did you not tell
me? Show me to her grave.' So they showed him and he
offered the prayer for her, then he said, `These graves are
filled with darkness for their occupants, but Allaah
illuminates them by my prayer over them.'" (Narrated by
Muslim, 956.)
From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 8/392
3 _ Praying in the graveyard _ apart from the
funeral (janaazah) prayer _ this prayer is invalid and does
not count, whether it is an obligatory prayer or a naafil prayer.
The evidence for that is as follows:
(i) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "All the earth is a mosque apart from
the graveyards and bathrooms."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 317; Ibn Maajah, 745;
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn
Maajah, 606).
(ii) The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "May Allaah curse the Jews and the
Christians, for they have taken the graves of their Prophets as
places of worship." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 435; Muslim, 529).
(iii) Praying in graveyards may be a means that leads
to worshipping the graves, or to imitating those who
worship graves. Hence, because the kaafirs used to prostrate
to the sun as it was rising and setting, the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us to
pray when the sun is rising or setting, lest that be taken as
a means that leads to worshipping the sun instead of
Allaah, or to resembling the kuffaar.
4 _ Praying towards the graveyard, which is
haraam, according to the correct opinion.
Example: you pray with a graveyard or grave in
the direction of your qiblah, but you are not praying in
the graveyard, rather you are praying on some other
ground that is close to the graveyard, with no wall or
barrier between you and it.
The evidence for this being haraam:
(i) It was narrated that Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said:
"Do not sit on graves, or pray towards them."
(Narrated by Muslim, 972). This indicates that it is
haraam to pray towards graveyards or towards graves or towards a
single grave.
(ii) The reason why it is not allowed to pray towards
a graveyard is the same as the reason why it is not
allowed to pray towards a grave. So long as a person is
facing towards the grave or graveyard in such a way that it
may be said that he is praying towards it, then this comes
under the prohibition, and if it comes under the prohibition
then it is not valid, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Do not pray …"
The prohibition here is on praying, so if a person prays
towards a grave, he is combining obedience and disobedience,
and it is not possible to draw closer to Allaah in such a manner.
Note: If there is a wall between you and the
graveyard, then the basic principle is that it is acceptable to pray
in this case and it is not prohibited. Similarly, if there is
a street or a considerable distance which would mean
that you cannot be regarded as praying towards the
graves, then this is acceptable. And Allaah knows best.
See al-Mughni, 1/403; al-Sharh
al-Mumti' by Ibn `Uthaymeen, 2/232.
2 _ The issue of intercession
You were mistaken when you said that no one
will intercede on the Day of Resurrection except the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Rather
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
will intercede and so will others among the believers.
See Question no. 11931.
But we will add here an issue that was not
mentioned there, which is that there are conditions attached
to intercession:
1 _ Permission must be granted by Allaah to the
intercessor to intercede.
2 _ Allaah must approve of the one for whom
intercession is to be made.
The evidence for these two conditions is the verses
in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And there are many angels in the heavens,
whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allaah
has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with"
[al-Najm 53:26]
"and they cannot intercede except for him with whom
He is pleased"
[al-Anbiya' 21:28]
As for the imaginary intercession which the
idol-worshippers think their gods perform for them, this is
an invalid intercession, for Allaah does not
permit intercession unless He is pleased both with the
intercessor and those for whom intercession is made.
See al-Qawl al-Mufeed Sharh Kitaab
al-Tawheed by Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah
have mercy on him), p. 336-337.
The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and the believers will intercede does
not justify asking them to intercede, as some people do
when they ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) to intercede for them even after his death.
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13245: Ruling on making fun of the hijab
Question:
What is the ruling on one who makes fun of a
woman who wears the correct Islamic hijaab and covers her
face and hands?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever makes fun of a Muslim man or woman for adhering to the Islamic sharee'ah is a kaafir, whether
he is mocking a Muslim woman for observing correct
Islamic hijaab or for some other reason. `Abd-Allaah ibn
`Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) narrated
that during the campaign of Tabook a man said: "I have
never seen anything like these Qur'aan readers of ours.
They have the biggest bellies, the most lying tongues and
they are the most cowardly when meeting the enemy."
Another man said, "You are lying, and you are a hypocrite. I
will most certainly tell the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) [what you have
said]." He told the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), then Qur'aan was revealed.
`Abd-Allaah ibn `Umar said:
"I saw him (that man) hanging onto the saddle of the
she-camel of the Messenger of Allaah, (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), stumbling over the stones,
and he [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him)] was saying,
"Was it at Allaah, and His Ayaat (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and
His Messenger that you were mocking?"
Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had
believed. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others
amongst you because they were Mujrimoon
(disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals)"
[al-Tawbah 9:65-66 _ interpretation of the meaning]
So mocking the believers is equivalent to mocking
Allaah, His verses and His Messenger. And Allaah is the
Source of strength.
Al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, in al-Fataawa al-Jaami'ah
li'l-Mar'ah al-Muslimah, part 3, p. 813
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10397: Making fun of some aspects of the Sunnah
Question:
What is the ruling on making fun of the beard,
short clothes and other aspects of the Sunnah? What is
your opinion on those who, when these acts of worship
are enjoined upon them, point to their hearts and say
"Piety is here"?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. Making fun of the beard or
clothes whose length etc. is in accordance with the Sunnah
or other aspects of the Sunnah makes a person a kaafir, if
he knows that this was proven from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he is
thereby making fun of the words and actions of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). In this case he
is opposing the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) and making fun of his Sunnah, and the
one who makes fun of the Sunnah and knowingly
mocks things that are proven to be part of the Sunnah is not
a Muslim.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: `Was it at Allaah, and His Ayaat (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His
Messenger that you were mocking?'
Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed"
[al-Tawbah 9:65-66]
If a person is called to observe one of the rulings of
Islam and says that piety is in the heart but he does not
follow the shar'i ruling, he is an evil liar. For faith includes
both words and deeds, it is not simply the matter of what is
in the heart. This view is the same as that of the
evil innovators of the Murji'ah who restricted faith to the
heart and said that it had nothing to do with outward
actions. Moreover, if the heart is sound and filled with faith,
that will be manifested in a person's actions. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "In
the body there is a piece of flesh which, if it is sound,
the entire body will be sound, and if it is corrupt, the
entire body will be corrupt. Indeed it is the heart." (Narrated
by al-Bukhaari, 52; Muslim, 1599). And he also said:
"Allaah does not look at the outward appearance or wealth of
any one of you; rather he looks at your hearts and deeds."
(Narrated by Muslim, 2564)
Whatever the case, these words of those who
stubbornly refuse to follow the truth and carry out the commands
of Islam is a sign of their lack of faith by means of
which they want to stop those who seek to call them to
Islam and advise them.
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21394: Ruling on praying in a mosque in which there is
a grave
Question:
Is it correct to pray in mosques in which there are graves?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Prayers should not be offered in mosques in which
there are graves. The graves should be dug up and the
remains transferred to the public graveyards, with each set
of remains placed in an individual grave as with all
other graves. It is not permissible for graves to be left
in mosques, whether that is the grave of a wali ("saint")
or of anyone else, because the Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade that and
warned against that, and he cursed the Jews and Christians
for doing that. It was narrated that he (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "May Allah curse the
Jews and the Christians, for they took the graves of
their Prophets as places of worship." `Aa'ishah (may
Allaah be pleased with her) said, "He was warning against
what they had done."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1330, Muslim, 529.
And when Umm Salamah and Umm Habeebah told him about a church in which there were images, he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When
a righteous man died among them, they would build a
place of worship over his grave and put those images in it.
They are the most evil of mankind before Allaah."
(Saheeh, agreed upon. Al-Bukhaari, 427; Muslim, 528)
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Those who came before you took the graves of
their Prophets and righteous people as places of worship.
Do not take graves as places of worship _ I forbid you to
do that."
(Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 532, from
Jundab ibn `Abd-Allaah al-Bajali). So the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade taking
graves as places of worship and he cursed those who do
that, stating that they are the most evil of mankind. So we
must beware of that.
It is known that everyone who prays at a grave is taking
it as a place of worship, and whoever builds a mosque
over a grave has taken it as a place of worship. So we
must keep graves far away from the mosques and not put
graves inside mosques, in obedience to the command of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
and so as to avoid the curse issued by our Lord against
those who build places of worship over graves, because
when a person prays in a mosque in which there is a grave,
the Shaytaan may tempt him to call upon the deceased or
to seek his help, or to pray to him or prostrate to him,
thus committing major shirk; and because this is the action
of the Jews and Christians and we are obliged to differ
from them and to keep away from their ways and their
evil actions. But if the graves are ancient and a mosque
was built over them, then it should be knocked down,
because this is an innovated thing, as was stated by the
scholars, and so as to avoid the means that may lead to shirk.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al0Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have
mercy on him), 10/246.
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26284: Ruling on seeking blessing from righteous people
Question:
What is the ruling on seeking blessing from
righteous people?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Seeking blessing from righteous people is of two types.
1 _ Seeking blessings by asking them to make du'aa'
to Allaah for one. This is permissible, subject to the
condition that they be known to be righteous and pious and
that they will not be exposed to fitnah thereby.
2 _ Seeking blessing through their relics, such as
their clothes and belongings, etc. This is not permissible
and is a form of reprehensible bid'ah (innovation).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-`Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). (www.islam-qa.com)
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26312: Ruling on building mosques over graves
Question:
Some people say that there is nothing wrong with
building mosques over graves, basing that on the
aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"(then) those who won their point said (most
probably the disbelievers): `We verily, shall build a place of
worship over them'" [al-Kahf 18:21]
Is what they say correct? What is the answer to that?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Building mosques over the graves of Prophets
and righteous people, or over places connected to their
lives, is something which the perfect sharee'ah of Islam
came to forbid and warn against, and curses those who do
that, because it is one of the means that lead to shirk
and exaggeration about the Prophets and the righteous.
Reality confirms the soundness of the message brought
by sharee'ah, and proves that it is from Allaah, and
offers definitive proof that what the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought from
Allaah and conveyed to the ummah is true. Everyone who
looks at the state of the Muslim world and the shirk
and exaggeration that have come about because of
building mosques over tombs, venerating them, adorning them
and appointing custodians for them, will realize that this
is indeed a means that leads to shirk, and that one of
the beauties of sharee'ah is that it forbids this and
warns against it.
Among the reports that were narrated concerning that
was the hadeeth narrated by the two Shaykhs,
al-Bukhaari (1330) and Muslim (529) _ may Allaah have mercy
on them both _ from `Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased
with her) who said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: `May Allaah
curse the Jews and the Christians, for they have taken the
graves of their Prophets as places of worship.'" `Aa'ishah
said: "He was warning (the Muslims) against (doing) what
they had done." And she said: "Had it not been for that,
the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) would have been made prominent but he
was afraid it might be taken (as a) place of worship."
In al-Saheehayn it is also narrated that Umm
Salamah and Umm Habeebah (may Allaah be pleased with
them) told the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) about a church that they had seen
in the land of Abyssinia, and the images that were in it.
He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"When a righteous man died among them, they would build
a place of worship over his grave and put those images
in it. They are the most evil of mankind before Allaah."
(Al-Bukhaari, 427; Muslim, 528)
In Saheeh Muslim (532) it is narrated that Jundub
ibn `Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
"I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) say: `I stand acquitted before
Allah that I took anyone of you as a close friend (khaleel),
for Allah has taken me as His close friend, as He
took Ibraaheem as His close friend. Had I taken any one of
my ummah as a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr
as a close friend. Those who came before you used to
take the graves of their Prophets and righteous men as
places of worship, but you must not take graves as places
of worship; I forbid you to do that.'"
There are many ahaadeeth on this subject. The
leading scholars of the Muslims, the imams of all four
madhhabs (schools of thought) and others, have stated that it
is forbidden to build mosques over graves, and they
have warned against that, following the Sunnah of
the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), sincerely advising his ummah and warning against
falling into the same trap as those who came before us,
the extremists among the Jews and Christians and their
ilk among those of this ummah who have gone astray.
Some people use the story of the People of the Cave
to support their specious argument that this is allowed:
"(then) those who won their point said (most
probably the disbelievers): `We verily, shall build a place of
worship over them'" [al-Kahf 18:21 _ interpretation of
the meaning]
The answer to that is: that Allaah has told us about
the leaders and powerful people of that time, and that
they said these words. That does not imply that He liked
that or approved of them, rather He said that by way of
blaming them and condemning their action. This is indicated
by the fact that the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) to whom this verse was revealed and
who was the most knowledgeable of people as to how it
should be interpreted, forbade his ummah to build mosques
over graves, warned them against doing so, and cursed
and condemned those who did that.
If that had been permissible, then the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would
not have discouraged it in such emphatic terms, and gone
to the extent of cursing those who did it, and said that
they are the most evil of mankind before Allaah. This
is sufficient to convince the seeker of truth. Even if we
were to assume that building places of worship over
graves was permitted to those who came before us, it is
not permissible for us to follow their example in that,
because our sharee'ah abrogates the laws that came before it,
and our Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) is the Final Messenger whose sharee'ah is
complete and universal. He has forbidden us to build mosques
over graves, so it is not permissible for us to go against
him. We must follow him, adhering to that which he
brought and abstaining from anything from the ancient laws
that goes against that or any custom that appeals to the
one who does it but goes against that. For there is
nothing more perfect than the laws of Allaah and there is
no guidance better than the guidance of the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Allaah is the One Whom we ask to help us and all
the Muslims to adhere firmly to His religion and to
follow the sharee'ah of His Messenger Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in all that we say
and do, both outwardly and inwardly, in all our affairs,
until we meet Allaah, for He is the All-Hearing,
Ever-Near. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon His slave
and Messenger Muhammad and his family and
companions, and those who follow his guidance, until the Day
of Resurrection.
From Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat
Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have
mercy on him), 1/434.
For the ruling on praying in mosques in which there
are graves, see Question no.26324 .
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (220 pages)
22445: Astrology vs. astronomy
Question:
Are we allowed to read our star signs?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari said in his Saheeh: Qutaadah said:
"Allaah created these stars for three purposes: to adorn
the heavens, to stone the devils and as signs by which
to navigate. Whoever seeks anything else in them is
mistaken and does not benefit from them, and he is wasting
his time and effort in seeking something of which he has
no knowledge." (Saheeh al-Bukhaari,
Baab fi'l-Nujoom, 2/240)
The study of the stars is divided into two kinds:
1- Study of the influence of the stars (astrology)
2- Study of the positions and movements of the
stars (astronomy)
Study of the influence of the stars (astrology) is
divided into three Islam & Muslims:
1 _ The belief that these stars have a real influence in
the sense that they create events and evil. This is major
shirk (shirk akbar), because whoever claims that there is
another creator alongside Allaah is a mushrik in the sense of
major shirk, for he is regarding a created thing that is
subjugated as a creator which subjugates.
2 _ Making this a reason to claim to have knowledge
of the unseen, so from the movements and changes in
the stars he deduces that such and such will happen
because such and such has happened to such and such a star.
For example, he may say that one person's life will
be miserable because he was born under this star, and
that another person's life will be happy because he was
born under that star. This person is taking knowledge of
the stars as a means to claim that he has knowledge of
the unseen, and claiming to have knowledge of the unseen
is kufr (disbelief) which puts one beyond the pale of
Islam, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the
Ghayb (Unseen) except Allaah"
[al-Naml 29:65]
The grammatical structure used in the original Arabic
_ starting with the negation laa (translated here as
"none") followed by the word illa ("except") _ is one of the
most emphatic ways of expressing exclusivity. So if a
person claims to know the unseen, he is effectively
disbelieving what the Qur'aan says.
3 _ If he believes that the stars are the cause of good
or bad things happening, this is minor shirk (shirk
asghar), i.e., when something happens he attributes it to the
stars (and only attributes it to the stars after it has
happened). The basic principle is that whoever believes that one
thing is the cause of another when Allaah has not made it so,
is overstepping the mark and not acknowledging Allaah
as He should be acknowledged, because the One Who
makes things happen is Allaah alone. For example, if a
person seeks healing from a piece of string (tied around his
wrist), and says, "I believe that healing is in the hand of
Allaah and this string is simply the means," we would say
to him, "You have saved yourself from major shirk but
you have fallen into lesser shirk, because Allaah has not
made string a clear means of healing. By doing this you
have transgressed against His position of Controller
and Sustainer, by making something a means to
something else when Allaah has not made it so." The same
applies to one who regards the stars as the cause of rainfall
when this is not the case. The evidence for that is the
hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (801) and Muslim (104)
from Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani who said: "The
Messenger of Allaah SAWs (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) led us in praying Fajr at al-Hudaybiyah,
following rainfall during the night. When he had finished
praying, he turned to the people and said, `Do you know
what your Lord has said?' They said, `Allaah and His
Messenger know best.' He said, `This morning one of My
slaves became a believer in Me and one became a
disbeliever. As for the one who said, "We have been given rain
by virtue of Allaah and His mercy," he is a believer in
Me and a disbeliever in the stars. But as for the one who
said, "We have been given rain by such and such a star," he
is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the stars.'" So
the one who attributes rain to the stars is saying that the
stars caused the rain.
Study of the positions and movements of the
stars (astronomy) is divided into two Islam & Muslims:
1 _ If their movements are used to define things that
serve a religious purpose, this is something that is necessary.
If that helps in the case of religious obligations, then
learning it is obligatory, such as using the stars to determine
the direction of the qiblah (direction of Makkah).
2 _ If their movements are used to define things that
serve a worldly purpose, there is nothing wrong with that.
This is of two types:
(a) Using the stars to work out directions, such as
knowing that the pole lies to the north, and that the Pole Star,
which is close to it, revolves around the North Pole. This
is permissible. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And landmarks (signposts, during the day) and by
the stars (during the night), they (mankind) guide themselves"[al-Nahl 16:16]
(b) Using the stars to work out the seasons,
through learning the phases of the moon. Some of the
salaf regarded this as makrooh while others permitted it.
The correct view is that it is permissible and there is
nothing makrooh in it, because there is no shirk involved in
it, unless one learns it in order to attribute rainfall or
cold weather to it, and says that this is what is causing
that. That is a kind of shirk. But simply knowing the time
of year from it, whether it is spring or autumn or
winter, there is nothing wrong with that.
See al-Qawl al-Mufeed by Shaykh Muhammad
ibn `Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him),
2/102. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (220 pages)
22292: Regarding a ringing in the ears as a good or
bad omen
Question:
Some people regard it as a good or bad omen when
they hear a sound in one of their ears, or if their eyelid
twitches, and so on. Is there any basis for this?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
There is no basis for this. The Muslim has to put his
trust in Allaah. Regarding things as bad omens is a kind
of tiyarah (belief in evil omens), which the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) declared to be
false and stated that it is a form of shirk. If a person
notices any such thing (ringing in the ears, etc.), he should
ignore it and go ahead with his plans, and not hesitate.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Tiyarah is that which makes you go ahead or
refrain." The Muslim should also recite the following
du'aa': "Allaahumma la ya'ti bi'l-hasanaat illa anta wa laa
yadfa' al-sayi'aat illa anta, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata
illa bika (O Allaah, none can bring good things except
You, and none can ward off evil things except You, and
there is no power and no strength except with You)." As
for seeing something and interpreting it in an
optimistic manner, this is good, and the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to like optimism.
Optimism means thinking well of Allaah.
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan
From al-Daw'ah magazine, issue # 1809, p. 58. (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (220 pages)
21316: Chain letter telling lies about Zaynab
Question:
There is a chain letter which reads as follows:
"In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful.Blessings and peace be upon the most noble
of the Prophets and Messengers, our master
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and
upon his family and companions. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
`No doubt! Verily, the Awliyaa' of Allaah, no fear
shall come upon them nor shall they grieve' [Yoonus 10:62]
Allaah the Almighty has spoken the truth.
My dear Muslim brother/sister. A 13-year-old girl fell
ill. She was very sick and the doctors were unable to
cure her. One night her sickness became very bad and she
cried herself to sleep. In her dream she saw that
al-Sayyidah Zaynab (may Allaah be pleased with her) put drops in
her mouth. When she woke up she was fully recovered
from her sickness. Al-Sayyidah Zaynab (may Allaah be
pleased with her) asked her to write out this story 13 times
and distribute it among the Muslims, so that they might
learn about the power of the Creator and how His
power manifests itself in His creation, glorified be He
above that which they associate with Him. So the girl did
what was asked of her, and what happened was the following:
1 _ The first copy ended up in the hands of a poor
man, who wrote it out and distributed it; 13 days later,
Allaah willed that this poor man should become rich.
2 _ The second copy ended up in the hands of a
worker who ignored it; 13 days later he lost his job.
3 _ The third copy ended up in the hands of one of
the rich people who refused to write it out; 13 days later
he lost all his wealth.
After reading this story, my Muslim brother/sister,
hasten to write it out 13 times and distribute it among the
people, then you will get what you wish for from Allaah.
May Allaah bless our master Muhammad and all his
family and companions."
How correct is this chain letter, and what is the ruling
on distributing it?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
When I examined this fabricated chain letter I
thought that it is my duty to comment on the claims made by
its author, connecting benefits and interests to the one
who writes it out and distributes it, and harm to the one
who ignores it and does not pass it on. This is a lie which
has no sound basis; rather it is the fabrication of liars
and imposters who want to divert the Muslims from
putting their trust in their Lord alone, with no partner or
associate, to bring them benefits and ward off harm, whilst
also taking the means that are prescribed in sharee'ah and
are permissible, and who want to make them put their
trust in and focus on something other than Allaah in
seeking to gain benefits and to ward off harm, and seek false
means that are neither prescribed in Islam nor permissible,
and to call people to depend on and worship something
other than Allaah.
Undoubtedly this is one of the plots of the enemies of
the Muslims who want to divert them from the true
religion by any means possible. The Muslims have to beware
of these plots and not be deceived by them. They should
not be deceived by this chain letter and similar letters
which surface from time to time. We have previously
drawn attention to a number of them. It is not permissible for
a Muslim to write these chain letters or to distribute
them under any circumstances whatsoever. That is an evil
action and the one who does it is sinning. There is the fear
that he may be subjected to punishment in this world or in
the Hereafter, because this is a form of bid'ah
(innovation); bid'ah is a great evil and its consequences are severe.
This kind of chain letter is a form of
reprehensible innovation, and is one of the means that lead to shirk
and exaggeration about the Ahl al-Bayt (members of
the Prophet's household) and others among the dead, and
may lead to people calling upon them besides Allaah
and seeking their help and believing that they may
being benefit or cause harm to those who call upon them
and seek their help. It is also a form of telling lies
against Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It is only those who believe not in the Ayaat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)
of Allaah, who fabricate falsehood, and it is they who
are liars"[al-Nahl 16:105]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Whoever innovates anything in this matter
of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not part of it will have it rejected."
(Saheeh, agreed upon).
All Muslims who receive this chain letter or similar
letters should tear them up and destroy them, and warn
people against them. They should not pay any attention
to promises or threats mentioned therein, because these
are false letters which have no sound basis and will not
result in anything, good or bad. But those who fabricate
them, write them out, distribute them, advocate them and
spread them among the Muslims are committing sin, because
all of that is a kind of co-operating in sin and
transgression, which Allaah forbade in His Book when He
said (interpretation of the meaning):
"Help you one another in AlBirr and AtTaqwa
(virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another
in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah
is Severe in punishment"
[al-Maa'idah 5:2]
We ask Allaah to keep us and the Muslims safe and
sound from all evil. Allaah is Sufficient for us and He is the
best disposer of affairs, the best to deal with those
who fabricated this and similar chain letters and
introduced into the religion of Allaah something that is not part of
it. We ask Allaah to deal with them as they deserve,
because they have told lies against Allaah and propagated
those lies, and called the people to the means of shirk
and exaggeration about the dead, and to occupy
themselves with something that will cause them harm and bring
them no benefits. These comments have been written out
of sincerity towards Allaah and His slaves.
May Allaah send blessings and peace upon His slave
and Messenger Muhammad, and his family and companions.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-`Allaamah `Abd al-"Azeez
ibn `Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on
him), vol. 8, p. 346 (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (220 pages)
22303: Singing the Qur'aan is apostasy
Question:
What is the ruling on using a verse of the Qur'aan as
a line in a poem? And what is the ruling on singing a
verse of the Qur'aan accompanied by music?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Including a verse of the Qur'aan in a poem is
not permitted, and singing a verse is even more
forbidden. This is a form of mocking the Qur'aan, which
amounts to apostasy from the religion of Islam.
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan from
Al-Hisbah magazine, issue no. 35, p. 14 (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (220 pages)
13631: Bad attitude of some writers towards Allaah,
may He be exalted
Question:
One of them wrote in an article, "Woman is the
best decision that Allaah ever made." What is the ruling
on such a comment?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
This is disrespectful towards Allaah. Such words,
which indicate debauchery and a lack of knowledge of the
rights of the Lord, should not be spoken. Allaah has willed
and decreed matters which are greater than the creation
of woman, such as His Oneness (Tawheed) and His
exclusive right to be worshipped.
It is not permissible for a man to look at the beauty of
a non-mahram woman, as Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from
looking at forbidden things), …"
[al-Noor 24:30]
A man is permitted to enjoy the beauty of his wife,
whom Allaah has blessed him with by causing him to enjoy
the pleasure of living with her. There are many other
phrases similar to the one mentioned above, written by those
who claim to be writing literature but which indicate that
they are insolent and that they do not show any respect
towards Allaah, that they do not honour the Lord and that they
do not know how to speak properly of Him. We must
advise these people and fight their falsehood. And Allaah is
the Source of strength.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (220 pages)
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