Islam: Questions And Answers - Schools of Thought, Religions and Sects

ISLAM: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Schools of Thought, Religions and Sects Volume 8 of a Series of Islamic Books by Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman

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Islam: Questions And Answers Volume 8 Schools of Thought, Religions and Sects

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Islam: Questions And Answers Volume 8 Schools of Thought, Religions and Sects

Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman B.Sc., DipHE

MSA Publication Limited

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© Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman, 2004 ISBN for all volumes 1 86179 080 5 ISBN for volume 8 paperback 1 86179 291 3 ISBN for volume 8 hardback 1 86179 292 1 ISBN for volume 8 pdf eBook 1 86179 293 X ISBN for volume 8 Microsoft eBook 1 86179 294 8 ISBN for volume 8 Palm eBook 1 86179 295 6 All rights reserved

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Designed, Typeset and produced by: MSA Publication Limited, 4 Bello Close, Herne Hill, London SE24 9BW United Kingdom

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Contents Introduction .............................................................................. 1 Chapter 1................................................................................... 3 General ................................................................................. 3 34576: Freemasonry and ruling on joining the Masons ...................................................................... 3 10469: Questions from a confused Christian .................. 7 30905: To whom is the book Nahj al-Balaaghah attributed?...................................................................... 14 27328: The book Ihya’ ‘Uloom al-Deen........................ 18 10714: It is not correct to differentiate between the Salafis and Ahl al-Sunnah ....................................... 20 Chapter 2................................................................................. 22 Religions ............................................................................ 22 48987: Did Islam exist before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? .............. 22 33679: Islam and the west between strength and weakness ................................................................. 26 20884: Muslim man marrying a non-Muslim woman ........................................................................... 28 27093: The differences between Christianity and Islam ....................................................................... 33 22029: Ruling on reading the books of Ahl al-Kitaab and debating with them on the internet ......... 35 12713: Is the trinity that the Christians believe in mentioned in Islam? .................................................. 39 21534: Attitude of Islam towards other religions .......... 43 26728: Ruling on saying “We are the children of Allaah” ...................................................................... 46 26301: Can a person who believes that Jesus is the son of God be a Muslim? ........................................ 50 9607: Guidelines of the true religion ............................ 53 2912: Who are the Jews and Christians who will enter Paradise? ....................................................... 60 v

14055: Mankind’s need for religion .............................. 64 21525: Categories of religion ........................................ 68 9905: The misguidance of the Jews with regard to ‘aqeedah ......................................................... 71 9341: The authenticity of the hadeeth about fighting the Jews ........................................................... 77 9461: Some Mormons are visiting him and trying to make him doubt his religion ........................... 78 9459: The Jews’ idea that ‘Uzayr is “a son of Allaah” ...................................................................... 82 8769: Is there a difference between Arab Christians and non-Arab Christians? ............................ 83 5976: A Christian is asking about the Muslim attitude towards Catholicism and peaceful co-existence .................................................... 84 314: The Muslim belief concerning the destiny of atheists in the Hereafter ............................................ 88 300: Who are Ahlul Kitab( The people of the book)........................................................................ 89 Chapter 3................................................................................. 92 Schools of Thought and Sects ............................................ 92 22473: Deobandis ......................................................... 92 47431: He is asking about Sufism and the Jamaa’at al-Tableegh ..................................................... 97 45563: Ruling on hating the Sahaabah........................ 100 43322: Who are the Naasibis and what is the ruling on them? ........................................................... 106 26139: A brief look at the beliefs of the Druze ........... 110 34531: Acquiring knowledge from the Ash’aris ......... 116 45435: Some lies of the Qaadiri tareeqah ................... 118 11529: Al-Ibaadiyyah .................................................. 122 20760: She is confused about which groups and sects are telling the truth ....................................... 125 34759: What is the Zaahiri madhhab? ........................ 130 37742: Taraaweeh prayer is not obligatory, and the ruling on breaking fast with followers of bid’ah ...................................................................... 131 vi

6083: Are the words spoken in a state of spiritual intoxication forgiven? ................................... 133 20375: Sufi tareeqahs and the ruling on joining them ................................................................ 137 5770: Placement of the hands in prayer between Ahl al-Sunnah and others .............................. 141 13473: Who was al-Ghazzaali?................................... 145 26269: Adhering to a madhhab when one knows that other madhhabs have stronger evidence....................................................................... 153 21065: Are the contemporary Islamic groups among the seventy-three sects? ................................... 154 10121: Are the Islamic groups among the misguided groups? ...................................................... 157 10554: Characteristics of the saved group .................. 160 10777: Who are Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah? ......... 164 9340: The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not extend his hand to anyone from his grave .................................... 165 9338: The Rifaa’is who stab themselves with knives but are not affected by it .................................. 167 11737: She is going to move to another country where they differ from the Sunnis .................. 168 1087: Ruling on saying “I am a Salafi” ....................... 170 9429: Joining Islamic groups ...................................... 173 4569: She loves a man who is not a Sunni and wants to marry him ............................................... 174 9832: University student confronted with some kinds of bid’ah ................................................... 176 7974: An Ismaili is asking about the differences between us and them ................................ 178 9389: Repeating the name of Allaah on its own, or the pronoun “Huwa” (He), is a Sufi bid’ah ................................................................ 181 11180: The attitude of Islam towards deviant (political) parties and those who indulge in them ............................................................ 186 vii

6280: The perseverance of Islam despite splits and divisions ...................................................... 187 8571: Jamaa’at al-Ahbaash (the Habashis) ................. 190 5459: Does a madhhab take priority over a hadeeth? .................................................................... 204 10216: ‘Abd-Allaah al-Harari al-Habashi ................... 206 7691: Who was Ibn ‘Arabi? ........................................ 207 1393: All the followers of the various sects of the this Ummah will be in Hell apart from one ........... 219 5638: Some people claim that there is an aayah which supports Sufism ...................................... 222 1059: What should I say if I am asked about my madhhab? .............................................................. 225 5523: Which of the four Madhhabs is most correct? ........................................................................ 226 5869: A misguided group says that people’s property is permissible for them, and they do not look at anyone except members of their own group ........................................................... 227 4060: Qadianiyyah in the light of Islam ...................... 230 4045: Islamic groups adopting a banner or symbol, and the ruling on using the crescent as a symbol .................................................................. 239 3321: Can one be a muslim and a communist at the same time? ......................................................... 241 4983: Are the Sufi shaykhs really in contact with Allaah? ................................................................ 242 3043: A father is neglecting his family and going out with the Jamaa’at al-Tableegh ..................... 250 206: Characteristics of the Victorious Group: Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah ......................... 257 1098: Can the Muslims live in peace in Palestine? .................................................................... 262 3440: The misguided sect of al-Qur’aaniyyeen .......... 266 2017: An ignorant atheist does not differentiate between a Prophet and an astrologer ........................... 268 viii

2854: Janaazah (funeral) prayer behind a Qadiani (Ahmadi)........................................................ 273 2130: Which madhhab is the most correct? ................ 274 783: Sects in Islam and influence by other religions ....................................................................... 275 159: Manhaj al-salaf and ahl ul-sunnah wal-jamaa’ah ............................................................... 276

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Introduction Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His last Messenger, Prophet Muhammad, and on his family and his companions. This book, Schools of Thought, Religions and Sects, is the eighth volume of a series of authoritative Islamic books entitled Islam: Questions And Answers. The overall series discusses issues relevant to Islam, and present accurate and reliable information based on the true beliefs and practices of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) and his companions. The objectives of the various books include: to teach and familiarize Muslims with various aspects of their religion to be a source for guiding people to Islam to assist in solving the social and personal problems of the Muslims in an Islamic context The books are directed towards Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Subject areas include, but are not limited to, Islamic fiqh and jurisprudence, Islamic history, Islamic social laws (including marriage, divorce, contracts, and inheritance), Islamic finance, basic tenets and aqeedah of the Islamic faith and tawheed, and Arabic grammar as it relates to the Qur'an and Islamic texts. The books are compilations of questions and responses about Islam, from both Muslims and Non-Muslims. The responses are handled mainly by internationally re-nowned Islamic shaykhs and scholars, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn Katheer, al-Albaani, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn alQayyim, Al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam, al-Nawawi, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem, al Khudayr, Al-Dhahabi, al-Qurtubi, Al-Sindi, alShawkaani and al-Bastawi using only authentic, scholarly sources based on the Qur'an and sunnah. References, which include Haashiyat Ibn Maajah, Sharh Saheeh Muslim, Fataawa al-Lajnah 1

al-Daa’imah, Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah, Al-Mawsoo’ah fi Ahaadeeth al-Mahdi al-Da’eefah wa’l-Mawdoo’ah, Al-Manaar al-Muneef and Fataawa Islamiyyah, are provided where appropriate in the responses. The book provides the reader with cross references of other pertinent responses not necessarily in the same volume, but also in other volumes of the series. However, each volume is complete in itself. The book records accurately the answers the contributing Sheikhs and scholars gave to the questions put to them. These are not necessarily the answers which other sheikhs and scholars would have given. Depending on circumstances, for example, Islam permits different solutions to some questions The book also provides the reader with cross-references to other pertinent responses not necessarily in the same volume, but also in other volumes of the series. However, each volume is complete in itself. It is intended that this present series of Books will cover the following subject areas (insha-Allah): Aqeedah (Basic Tenets of Faith); Usool ul-Fiqh (Science of evidence that serve as basis for Fiqh), Fiqh (Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings), Da'wah (Inviting others to Islam), Aadaab (Manners), Akhlaaq (Character and Morals), Tareekh wa ul Seerah (Islamic history and biography), Tarbiyyah (Pedagogy, education, and upbringing) and Mashakil Nafsiyah wa Ijtimaa'yah (Psychological & Social Problems). May Allah reward the owners and maintainers of www.islamqa.com for granting me full, exclusive, assignable and transferable rights to use and display all the questions and answers needed for the compilation of these books. May Allah grant everyone involved in the promotion of this project good in this world and the Hereafter and protection from the fire of hell.

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Chapter 1 General 34576: Freemasonry and ruling on joining the Masons Question: What is Freemasonry, and what is the ruling on it in Islam? What is the ruling on joining the Masons?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Freemasonry is a secret political society whose goal is to put an end to all religions and good morals, and to replace them with man-made laws and non-religious systems. It strives to provoke ongoing revolutions and to replace one regime with another, on the basis of its call for freedom of thought and freedom of belief. This is what they have stated clearly. This is what was announced by one of them in the Students’ Conference held in 1865 CE in the city of Liege which is considered to be one of the centers of Freemasonry. He said: Man must prevail over God, and declare war on Him. He should demolish the heavens and tear them like paper. It says in the Masonic Grand Lodge (1922, p. 98): We will strengthen the freedom of individual thought with all the powers at our disposal, and we will declare war against the real enemy of man, which is religion. The Masons say that Masonry takes the human soul as its object of worship. 3

They say: It is not enough for us to prevail over the religious people and their places of worship, rather our basic goal is to wipe them out of existence. Minutes of the World Masonic Conference, 1903 CE, p. 102. They say: Freemasonry will take the place of religion and its Lodges will take the place of places of worship… and there are many other statements which clearly point to the intensity of their enmity towards religion and their uncompromising war on religion. The Freemasons are one of the most ancient secret societies which still exist and its origins are still unknown to many people and are still unknown to many of their members, because the plots of their leaders are very secret and hidden and they are so keen to conceal their plots and aims. Therefore most of their affairs are conducted verbally, with no written record. When they want to write an idea or announce it to the public, it is first subjected to the scrutiny of Masonic censors who decide whether it may be released or not. The foundations of Freemasonry were based on theories taken from several sources, mostly from Jewish traditions. This is supported by the fact that Jewish ideas and teachings were taken as the basis for the founding of the Grand Lodge in 1717 CE with its principles and symbols. The Masons still venerate the Jew Hiram and the temple that he built, from which they take the design of the Masonic lodges in the world. The greatest Masonic leaders are Jews and form the backbone of the Masonic movement, and they are the ones who represent Jewish organizations in Masonic lodges. It is to them that the spread of Masonry and global cooperation between Freemasons is to be attributed. They are the driving force behind Freemasonry and this Jewish elite are leading 4

different secret cells, running their affairs and directing them secretly as they wish. This is supported by a report in the Masonic Acacia magazine (1908, issue no. 66) which says that there is no Masonic lodge that is free of Jews and that all the Jews do not follow one way or another exclusively, rather there are only principles for them to follow. And this is also the case with the Masons. Hence the Jewish synagogues are our [Masons’] support and we find many Jews among the Freemasons. This is also supported by what it says in the Masonic publications: that the Jews are certain that the best means of destroying religion is Freemasonry. The history of the Masons is similar to the history of the Jews in belief. Their symbol is the six-pointed Star of David. The Jews and the Freemasons both consider themselves to be the spiritual sons of the builders of the Temple of Solomon. The Freemasonry which distorts other religions lends full support to Judaism and its followers. The Jews took advantage of people’s simple-mindedness and good intentions, and infiltrated Freemasonry and reached high positions within it, thus they breathed a Jewish spirit into the Masonic lodges and subjugated them to their own aims. One of the clearest indications of their intense desire to conceal their plans to destroy religions and provoke political revolutions is what it says in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, where it says: we will concentrate these cells under a single leadership that is known to us alone. This leadership will be composed of our scholars and these cells will have special representatives, so that the true location of our leadership will be concealed. This leadership alone will have the right to decide who will speak, and to draw up the plans of the day. In these cells we will plan to lay traps for all the socialists and classes of revolutionary society. Most of the secret political plans are known to us and we will decide when to implement 5

them. But the agents of the international secret police will be members of these cells. When the conspiracies start throughout the world, that will mean that one of our most dedicated agents will be at the head of these conspiracies and of course we will be the only people to direct the Masonic plans. We are the only people who know how to direct them and we know the ultimate goal of each action, whilst the illiterates – meaning non-Jews – are ignorant of most of these things, especially Masonry, and they can only see the immediate results of what they are doing. And there is other evidence which points to the strong connection between the Jews and the Masons, and the cooperation between the two parties in revolutionary conspiracies and stirring up destructive movements. Even though Freemasonry outwardly appears to be a call to freedom of belief, tolerance and social reform in general, in fact it is really a call for permissiveness and destructive factors which cause social disintegration and the loosening of bonds between nations and destruction of religion and morals and the spread of mischief. Based on this, any Muslim who joins a Masonic group knowing the true nature of Freemasonry and its secrets, and carries out its rituals and is keen to do so, is a kaafir who should be asked to repent. If he repents, all well and good, otherwise he is to be put to death and if he dies in that state then his recompense will be that of the kaafirs. Whoever joins the Freemasons but does not know what they really are, or know about their plots against Islam and the Muslims, and their spreading evil and the evil that they are planning against everyone who tries to bring people together and reform nations, and he joins them in their general activities and talk that does not apparently contradict Islam, is not a kaafir, rather he is excused in general because of their concealing their true nature from him, and because he does not share their basic beliefs or 6

aims. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Acts are but by intentions, and each man will have but that which he intended.” But he must disavow himself of them when he finds out what they really are, and he must tell people about their real nature and strive to spread their secrets and their plots against the Muslims, so that this will cause a scandal for them and will undermine their efforts. The Muslim should surround himself with good people who will cooperate with him in his religious and worldly affairs. He should be far-sighted in choosing close friends so that he will be safe from being tempted by these apparently attractive ideas and be safe from the evil consequences of honeyed words, and so he will not fall into the traps of the people of shirk which they set up to ensnare those who are easily deceived, follow their whims and desires and are weak in reasoning. From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 2/312-315. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 10469: Questions from a confused Christian Question: I read in the newspaper that 15% of the Koran is about Jesus Christ; and I also read in the English version of Koran that Mohammad believe in Christ, Abraham, The prophets and their writings which preceded Koran. If so, why does the Koran accept some doctrines of the bible, like the miracles of Christ, his sinlessness, being a prophet, etc. and contradict many of its doctrines like the deity of Christ as written in Isa.9:6 & John 1:1, 3:16, and the atonement both in the old and new testaments? 7

If the Koran is without error, why are there sects in Islam namely, shuhite& shiite respectively? Why does the Koran allows polygamy, while the Bible is against it as written in Gen. 2:24 & Matt. 19:5 ? My soul needs THE TRUTH. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Allaah often mentions the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary) in His Book the Qur’aan for a number of reasons, including the following: 1. He is one of His Prophets, indeed he is one of the Messengers of strong will whom He sent to His creation and His slaves. It is obligatory to believe in him as in all the other Prophets, as enjoined by Allaah in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allaah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibraaheem (Abraham), Ismaa’eel (Ishmael), Ishaaq (Isaac), Ya’qoob (Jacob), and to Al-Asbaat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya’qoob (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Moosa (Moses) and ‘Eesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)” [al-Baqarah 2:36] 2. The first people whom we should be concerned about when calling others to Islam are the People of the Book, i.e., the Jews and the Christians, because they are the 8

closest of later nations to whom the later Messengers were sent. Both the Jews and the Christians knew of the coming of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his attributes were written in their books, the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel). So they should not deny what they find in their books and they should hasten to believe in him, because they already believe in the Messengers who came before him, unlike other nations who worshipped idols. Because they did not believe in the Last Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as they were enjoined to do, they had to be refuted and shown how they had distorted the message of divine Oneness (Tawheed). This is why they are frequently mentioned in the verses of the Qur’aan. 3. Tawheed (the Oneness of God) is the basic principle upon which everything else, both religious and worldly affairs, is to be built; through Tawheed people will be saved from Hell and admitted to Paradise. This means affirming that Allaah is One. We see that the Jews and Christians differed concerning ‘Eesa ibn Maryam. The Jews said that he was a charlatan who told lies about God, so he had to be killed. The Christians differed from them greatly; some of them said that he was God, and some of them said that he was the son of God, but was one with Him in the Trinity, so that outwardly he appeared to be the son of God but he was in fact God. And some of them said that he was the third person of the Trinity which is a rejection of Tawheed. Others said that he was a Messenger from God and was human like the rest of mankind, but that Allaah singled him out to perform miracles in order to establish proof against people. The last group are the ones who were right. So it was essential to explain the matter and describe ‘Eesa in befitting terms. As with all the other Prophets and Messengers, it is not inappropriate to say that he was a human being, created from clay, whom Allaah chose from among all of mankind to be created without a father, as a manifestation of the power of Allaah 9

to create a man outside the usual means. The likeness of ‘Eesa before Allaah is like Adam, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, the likeness of ‘Eesa (Jesus) before Allaah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’ — and he was” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:59] This is the correct belief concerning the creation of the Prophet of Allaah ‘Eesa, which was a miracle for all the people to see. But the miracle of Adam’s creation is greater. For ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) was created without a father, but Adam was created without a father or a mother, and this is more expressive of the power of Allaah to create; it is more miraculous than the creation of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him). For all these reasons and others, it was essential to explain the issue of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) and put matters straight. In conclusion, the miracles which Allaah gave to ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) were just like the miracles of all the other Prophets, to prove that he was speaking the truth and that he was truly a Messenger from Allaah. But those who distorted the religion confused the matter for the simple-minded people and used his miracles as a justification to say that he was the son of God or that he was God. All of that is a distortion of the teachings and message of the Messiah (peace be upon him). If everyone who follows a Prophet were to take the miracles which Allaah bestowed upon him as a sign that he was a god, then all the Prophets would be gods and each Prophet would be different from the others. For the mountains glorified Allaah along with Dawood (David – peace be upon him), but they did not do so with ‘Eesa. 10

The sea was parted for Moosa (Moses – peace be upon him) and he spoke with his Lord and his Lord spoke with him, so he was known as Kaleem-Allaah (the one who spoke with Allaah), but this did not happen to ‘Eesa (peace be upon him). Allaah flooded the earth in response to the supplication of Nooh (Noah – peace be upon him) and that did not happen to ‘Eesa (peace be upon him). Allaah singled out Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to speak to him and to protect his miracle from being lost or distorted; he alone was sent to all of mankind, and he was given miracles that were not given to ‘Eesa. So how could that be taken to mean that they were all gods? Secondly: With regard to the view that if the Qur’aan were not distorted there would not be all these many sects such as the Shi’ah and other groups. The answer to that is that the Qur’aan cannot force people to choose the right path, because the Qur’aan is simply guidance (and it is up to people to choose). Allaah has warned us about these sects and groups, and He has forbidden us to imitate the nations who became divided in religious matters. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and be not of AlMushrikoon (the polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah). Of those who split up their religion (i.e. who left the true Islamic Monotheism), and became sects, [i.e. they invented new things in the religion (Bid‘ah), and followed their vain desires], each sect rejoicing in that which is with it” [al-Room 30:31-32] 11

“And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:105] Allaah has commanded them to adhere to His Book and to follow the Sunnah (way, path) of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as He says (interpretation of the meanings): “And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah (i.e. this Qur’aan), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allaah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allaah makes His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:103] “O you who believe! Make not (a decision) in advance before Allaah and His Messenger, and fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is AllHearing, AllKnowing” [al-Hujuraat 49:1] i.e., do not say or do anything that goes against the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). What is meant here is that Allaah forbade the people to split into various groups, and He commanded them to be united, but they followed their own whims and desires, and they cast the Book of Allaah behind their backs, and if they were confused about a verse from the Book of Allaah, they did not refer to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in 12

order to understand it, rather they let their own opinion and corrupt reasoning be the judge. All of that is not from the Qur’aan and not from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Thirdly: With regard to the question about plural marriage in Islam and its being forbidden in the New Testament, it should be noted that Allaah gave each Messenger his own laws and path. Allaah enjoined Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allaah) upon every single Prophet whom He sent, but the laws varied and some of them abrogated others. Some things that were permissible at the time of Adam (peace be upon him) were abrogated at the time of Nooh (peace be upon him). The laws that existed at the time of Moosa (Moses – peace be upon him) were partially abrogated at the time of ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him), as Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning): “To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah 5:48] So once this is understood, we will realize that plural marriage did not exist only in the law of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), rather it existed in the laws of all the previous Prophets. For example, Ya’qoob (Jabob – peace be upon him) had two wives and was married to two sisters at the same time, according to the Old Testament, as it says in the Book of Genesis 29:15-35. The father of the Prophets, Ibraaheem (Abraham – peace be upon him) was also married to two women, Haajar (Hagar) and Saara (Sarah). The Old Testament mentions 13

that the Prophet of Allaah Dawood (David) had seventy or ninety-nine wives, and Sulaymaan (Solomon) had one hundred wives. These and other examples demonstrate that each of the Prophets implemented the laws that Allaah had prescribed. Plural marriage is not only for this ummah (nation – i.e., the Muslims). The fact that the Christians do not allow it may be for two reasons: 1 – This is one of the laws of Allaah which was binding before the time of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 2 – They introduced their own innovation and went to extremes in this matter, as in the case of monasticism which they invented and which was not prescribed for them, but they sought to earn the pleasure of Allaah thereby. We ask Allaah to guide you and to help you find the true religion, which is Islam, and the path of the Prophet of Mercy (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) according to the understanding of his noble Companions. And Allaah is the Guide to the Straight Path. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 30905: To whom is the book Nahj al-Balaaghah attributed? Question: I would like to ask how authentic the book Nahj alBalaagha is and what your opinion of it is? Answer:

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Praise be to Allaah. The book Nahj al-Balaaghah is one of the books that are attributed to Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him), but it contains many things concerning which those who claim to be Muslims have disputed. Following the great scientific principle which was followed by the imams of Islam in obedience to the shar’i command to verify reports, we have no choice but to refer to the scholars and specialists to check on the veracity of the things that are attributed to ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), because what is narrated from the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) has an effect on sharee’ah, especially in the case of someone like Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), concerning whom some people have exaggerated or fallen short, but Allaah guided the Ahl alSunnah to follow a middle course. By referring to the words of the scholars concerning this book and comparing its contents with what has been proven with saheeh isnaads from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), it becomes clear that there is material in this book that contradicts what was proven from him (may Allaah be pleased with him). So we should look at what some of these great scholars have said: Imaam al-Dhahabi (may Allaah be pleased with him) said in his biography of al-Murtada ‘Ali ibn Husayn ibn Moosa al-Moosawi (d. 436 AH): I said, he was the compiler of the book Nahj al-Balaaghah which is attributed to Imam ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), but the reports contained therein have are no isnaads. Some of it is false and some of it is true, but it contains some frabricated reports of things that the Imam would never have said. But who is the fair-minded man who would look at it in an objective manner?! It was said that it was compiled by his brother Shareef al-Radiy. It includes slander against 15

the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); we seek refuge with Allaah from knowledge that is of no benefit. Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’, 17/589 Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Most of the khutab (sermons) that the author of Nahj al-Balaaghah includes in his book are lies against ‘Ali. ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) is too noble and too worthy to have uttered such words. But these people fabricated lies and thought that they were praise, but they are neither truth nor praise. Whoever says that the words of ‘Ali or any other human being are above the words of any other created being is mistaken, for the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are above his words, and both of them are created beings. Moreover the correct meanings that are to be found in the words of ‘Ali are to be found in the words of others, but the author of Nahj al-Balaaghah and his ilk took many of the things that people say and made them the words of ‘Ali. There are some words narrated from ‘Ali that he did say, and some of them are true words that would have been befitting for him to say, but in fact they are the words of others. Hence in Kalaam al-Bayaan wa’l-Tabyeen by al-Haafiz and in other books there are words narrated from people other than ‘Ali and the author of Nahj al-Balaaghah attributed them to ‘Ali. If these sermons which were transmitted in Nahj al-Balaaghah were really spoken by ‘Ali, they would have been found in other books that existed before this book was written, and they would have been narrated from ‘Ali with isnaads and otherwise. It is known from those who are well versed in the study of narrations that many of them (these sermons) – indeed most of them – were unknown before this, therefore it may be concluded that they are fabrications. So the narrator should state in which book 16

they are mentioned, who narrated it from ‘Ali, and what its isnaad is. Otherwise, anybody could say something and claim that it was said by ‘Ali. Those who are wellversed in the knowledge of the hadeeth scholars and of reports and isnaads and are able to tell what is sound and what is not sound would know that these people who transmitted reports from ‘Ali are the least likely people to know about reports and be able to distinguish the sound from the unsound. Manhaaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah, 8/55. Other scholars who pointed out the lies in this book was al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi, in al-Jaami’ li Akhlaaq alRaawi wa Adaab al-Saami’, 2.161; al-Qaadi Ibn Khalkaan; al-Safadi, and others. The things that have been said against it may be summarized in the following points: 1. There are seven generations of narrators between ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) and the author of this book, and he did not mention any name whatsoever. Hence we cannot accept his words without an isnaad. 2. If these narrators are mentioned, it is essential to research about them and find out whether they are trustworthy. 3. The fact that most of these sermons did not exist before this book was written indicates that they were fabricated. 4. Al-Murtada – the author of the book – was not one of the scholars of reports, rather he was one of those whose religious commitment and competence were debatable. 5. The slander that it contains against the leading Sahaabah is sufficient to count it as false. 6. The insults and slander that it contains are not the

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characteristics of the believers, let alone their leaders such as ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him). 7. It contains contradictions and clumsy expressions from which it may be known for certain that it was not produced by one who was prominent in eloquence and fluency. 8. The fact that the Raafidah accept it and are certain that it is as true as the Qur’aan, despite all these objections, indicates that they do not pay attention to verifying sources and ensuring that they are sound with regard to the matters of their religion. Based on the above, it is clear that this book cannot be attributed to ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), therefore nothing in it can be used as evidence in matters of sharee’ah, no matter what the issue is. But whoever reads it in order to find out what it contains of eloquence, the ruling is the same as that on all other books on Arabic language, without attributing its contents to Ameer alMu’mineen ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him). See Kutub hadhdhara minha al-‘Ulama’, 2/250 Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 27328: The book Ihya’ ‘Uloom al-Deen Question: Do you advise us to read the book Ihya’ ‘Uloom al-Deen by Shaykh Abu Haamid al-Ghazzaali? Answer: 18

Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] was asked about this book, and he replied as follows: “With regard to the books Qoot al-Quloob and the similar book al-Ihya’, which speak of the actions of the heart such as patience, gratitude, love, trust in Allaah, Tawheed (belief in Allah alone) and so on, Abu Taalib [the author of Qoot al-Quloob] has more knowledge of hadeeth, reports and the views of scholars who spoke of spiritual matters among the Sufis and others than Abu Haamid alGhazzaali, and his words are more correct, more precise and further removed from bid’ah (innovation). But nevertheless Qoot al-Quloob includes da’eef (weak) and mawdoo’ (fabricated) ahaadeeth, and many unacceptable things. With regard to what is said in al-Ihya’ about things that may doom a person to Hell, such as pride, selfadmiration, showing off, malicious envy, etc., most of it is taken from al-Haarith al-Muhaasibi in al-Ri’aayah; some of it is acceptable and some of it is to be rejected, and some of it is controversial. There is a great deal of good in al-Ihya’ but it also contains some blameworthy material and some corrupt material such as the words of the philosophers on Tawheed, Prophethood and the Resurrection. When he deals with Sufi topics it is like one who has taken an enemy of the Muslims and dressed him in Muslim garb. The leaders of Islam denounced Abu Haamid for this feature of his books, and they said that he was made sick by al-Shifa’, meaning Shifa’ Ibn Seena, which is about philosophy. [Shifa’ literally means “healing” in Arabic]. Al-Ihya’ contains da’eef (weak) ahaadeeth and reports, and even many mawdoo’ (fabricated) reports. It contains many of the errors and myths of the Sufis. Nevertheless it also contains some of the words of Sufi 19

shaykhs who correctly understand the actions of the heart in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and it speaks of acts of worship and etiquette in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah; such material outweighs the material that is to be rejected. This is why people differed and disputed concerning it.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, vol 10, p. 551). Hence our advice is that people should not read it, especially since there other books in the same field which mean that there is no need for it, such as Haadi al-Arwaah, al-Fawaa’id, Zaad al-Ma’aad by Ibn al-Qayyim; al‘Uboodiyyah and al-Eemaan by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah; Lataa’if al-Ma’aarif, and Risaalat alKhushoo’ fi’l-Salaah, by Ibn Rajab. There is also a summary of Ihya’ ‘Uloom al-Deen from which one may benefit, such as Mukhtasar Manhaaj al-Qaasideen by Ibn Qudaamah. In the case of a student (taalib al-‘ilm) who has a strong foundation of knowledge, there is nothing wrong with him reading it if he is able to distinguish between what is saheeh (sound) and what is da’eef (weak), what is true and what is false. For more information on al-Ghazzaali and his book, please see Question no. 13473. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 10714: It is not correct to differentiate between the Salafis and Ahl al-Sunnah Question: What is your view of those who differentiate between 20

the Salafis and Ahl al-Sunnah, and who regard the Salafis as a more specific group than Ahl al-Sunnah, and they say that the principles of this group are based on the opinions of the group’s shaykhs? Answer: This is not correct, because the Ahl al-Sunnah are those who follow the Sahaabah and the path of the Salaf (the early generations of Islam). These are not two distinct groups, and the Salafis are not a more specific group! According to the terminology that is well known, the Salaf are the Sahaabah and those who follow their path, and the Ahl al-Sunnah are those who follow the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). They are the ones concerning whom the hadeeth was reported: “Whoever follows the same path as me and my Companions” (The hadeeth about the saved group). Stirring up disputes and conflict on the grounds of names alone is not permissible. Allaah has commanded the believers to be united and has forbidden them to be divided and warned them against that. The individual’s aim must be to seek the truth, and when he speaks he should say what is fair and just, and not hate individuals in such a way that his hatred makes him reject the truth that the person is saying, or look for faults in him. He should not come up with things that are ambiguous or far-fetched for that purpose. This is not the way of Ahl al-Sunnah, and the Muslim has to like for his brother what he likes for himself. He must be sincere towards him, and hold love and sincerity in his heart. Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah al-Ghunaymaan (www.islamqa.com)

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Chapter 2 Religions 48987: Did Islam exist before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Question: Was there a religion called Islam before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It should be noted that the word “Islam” may refer to two things: a general meaning and a specific meaning. Islam in a general sense means submitting to Allaah alone, which implies worshipping Him alone and obeying Him alone. Everyone who believes in Allaah alone and worships Him according to His laws that have not been abrogated is a Muslim. Shaykh al-Islam said in al-Tadmuriyyah, p. 168-170: This religion is the religion of Islam, besides which Allaah will accept no other religion, either from the earlier or the later generations. All the Prophets followed Islam. Allaah says of Nooh (interpretation of the meaning): “And recite to them the news of Nooh (Noah). When he said to his people: ‘O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, 22

verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allaah. So devise your plot, you and your partners, and let not your plot be in doubt for you. Then pass your sentence on me and give me no respite. 72. ‘But if you turn away (from accepting my doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allaah), then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allaah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims (i.e. those who submit to Allaah’s Will)’” [Yoonus 10:71-72] And Allaah says of Ibraaheem (interpretation of the meaning): “And who turns away from the religion of Ibraaheem (Abraham) (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself? Truly, We chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. 131. When his Lord said to him, ‘Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)!’ He said, ‘I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).’ 132. And this (submission to Allaah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibraaheem (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya’qoob (Jacob) (saying), ‘O my sons! Allaah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims — Islamic Monotheism)’” [al-Baqarah 2:130-132] And He says of Moosa (interpretation of the meaning): “And Moosa (Moses) said: ‘O my people! If you have believed in Allaah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allaah’s Will)’” [Yoonus 10:84] 23

And He says of the Messiah (interpretation of the meaning): “And when I (Allaah) inspired AlHawariyyoon (the disciples) [of ‘Eesa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: ‘We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims’” [al-Maa’idah 5:111] And He says of the previous Prophets (interpretation of the meaning): “…by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allaah’s Will …” [al-Maa’idah 5:44] And He tells us that Bilqeez said (interpretation of the meaning): “My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit [in Islam, together with Sulaymaan (Solomon)] to Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen(mankind, jinn and all that exists)”[al-Naml 27:44] This is the religion of Islam, besides which Allaah does not accept any other. This means obeying Allaah at any given time by doing what He commanded at that time. So initially the command was to face towards the Rock [in Jerusalem] in prayer, then the command came to face towards the Ka’bah. Both actions come under the heading of the religion of Islam, because religion is obedience and worship in both cases, but the actions varied in some regards which was the direction faced in prayer. Similarly the religion of all the Messengers is one and the same, but their laws varied. End quote. With this general meaning of the word “Islam” in mind, it is correct to say that there was a religion called Islam before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent. 24

All the Prophets who were sent were Muslims, and their followers who adhered to their true religion, before it was distorted or abrogated, were Muslims. Before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came there were a few individuals who followed the true religion with which Allaah had sent ‘Eesa (peace be upon him). This is indicated by the report narrated by Muslim (2865) from ‘Iyaad ibn Himaar al-Mujaashi’i, that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said one day in his khutbah: “Allaah looked at the people of the earth and was angry with them all, Arabs and non-Arabs, except for the remainder of the People of the Book. And He said: ‘I have only sent you to test you and test others by you…’” Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Maqt (translated here as “angry”) means extreme anger. Looking refers to the time before the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent. What is meant by the remainder of the People of the Book is those who continued to adhere to their true religion without altering it. End quote. With regard to Islam in a specific sense, this is the religion with which Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). In this specific sense, it is not correct to say that there was a religion called Islam before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent. Shaykh al-Islam said in al-Tadmuriyyah (p. 173-174): People have disputed concerning those who came before them of the nations of Moosa and Ibraaheem – were they Muslims or not? This is a semantic dispute, because Islam in the specific 25

sense with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the law of the Qur’aan is not followed by anyone except the ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is what is meant by Islam nowadays. But with regard to Islam in a general sense, referring to every law with which Allaah sent one of His Prophets, this includes the Islam of every nation that followed one of the Prophets. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 33679: Islam and the west between strength and weakness Question: Looking at the calamities faced by the Muslims in all places, I want to know what is the difference between the Islamic way of life and the life of wealth, progress and strength in the west, and between the rulings on women in both societies. I am asking because I am sad about the situation of the Muslims in those countries. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The disasters and calamities that are befalling the Muslims are only happening because they have forsaken the laws of Allaah regarding themselves, their societies and their nations. They do not support (the cause of) Allaah so how will He support them? When some of the Muslims disobeyed the Prophet (peace 26

and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Battle of Uhud, Allaah punished them with defeat, even though the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the senior Sahaabah were among them. So what about the Muslims nowadays when they are disobeying Allaah night and day and transgressing His sacred limits, except for those on whom Allaah has mercy? Secondly: Although the Muslims are living through disasters and calamities, and are suffering a great deal, what the west is facing in its societies and in their personal situations is even worse, with regard to faith, security and the family, especially in matters pertaining to women. If you look at recent statistics from western countries, you will see that they are more deserving of pity because of their situation. We will look at a few examples: 65% of female workers are faced with sexual harassment in the work place in some European countries. 18% of women in America have been raped or have been faced with attempted rape at some stage in their lives. More than half of the women who are raped are under the age of 17. Ihsaa’aat, Diraasaat, Arqaam, p. 140. According to a phone survey in Canada, covering 12,300 women throughout Canada between February and June 1993: Half of Canadian woman have been exposed to an incident of physical or sexual violence after the age of 16. 45% were attacked by men who were known to them. 23% of them were attacked by strangers. 27

23% were attacked with weapons as the result of marital disputes. Ihsaa’aat, Diraasaat, Arqaam, p. 141 In America: One million illegitimate children are born each year. 12 million children are homeless and living in unhealthy circumstances. There are one million abortions each year in America. In Britain: 25 million obscene phone calls were recorded in one year. 40 million children are homeless in Latin America. The law in Sweden allows marriage of brothers and sisters. Ihsaa’aat, Diraasaat, Arqaam, p. 150. Thirdly: We appreciate your pride in Islam, and your protective jealousy concerning the Muslims. We ask Allaah to give us and you strength. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 20884: Muslim man marrying a non-Muslim woman Question: A non muslim girl wants to loves a muslim guy and has 28

decided to marry him. she is also ready to accept islam. does islam permits a muslim guy to marry a non muslim asian girl. both love each other very much and cant stay without each other. what must be done now, how and when can she accept islam. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Through this website we will send a message to this nonMuslim woman and others, telling them that no one can attain true life, happiness and peace of mind unless he believes in Allaah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad as his Prophet. For all of the universe is created, and its Creator is Allaah. He is the One Who raised the heavens with no pillars and spread out the earth, and created the mountains to stabilize it, and created the sea and the rivers. “Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)!” [al-A’raaf 7:54 – interpretation of the meaning] Once this is clear, it should be understood that Allaah sent Messengers to His slaves, to show them the way, teach them and guide them to the path of salvation. “Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allaah after the (coming of) Messengers” [al-Nisa’ 4:165]

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And He ended the series of His Messengers with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets” [al-Ahzaab 33:40 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah sent him with the religion of Islam other than which He will not accept any religion from anyone: “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85 – interpretation of the meaning] Secondly: With regard to when and how she may become Muslim: It is very easy indeed. All she has to do is to say “Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illaaha ill-Allaah wa ashhadu anna Muhammad ‘abduhu was rasooluhu (I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).” Once she says that, she becomes Muslim. She should hasten to do that, because death may come suddenly, and no one knows whether he will live until tomorrow or not. We welcome her as our sister in Islam, and we ask Allaah to inspire her and guide her to do that which will bring her happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. Thirdly: What is stated in this question is that the woman is “nonMuslim”. This may be understood as meaning that she is one of the people of the Book – i.e., Jewish or Christian – 30

or it may be understood as meaning that she is something else – such as Buddhist, Zoroastrian or communist. If the woman who wants to marry a Muslim man is one of the people of the Book, there is no shar’i impediment to this marriage, so long as it fulfils the shar’i conditions, such as the requirement that she be chaste. But the Muslim husband should be keen to bring his wife into Islam so as to save her from eternity in the Fire and so that he and his children will have a home that is based on Islam. But if the woman who wants to marry a Muslim man is not one of the people of the Book, then it is not permissible for a Muslim to marry her. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And do not marry Al-Mushrikaat (idolatresses) till they believe (worship Allaah Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress), even though she pleases you. And give not (your daughters) in marriage to AlMushrikoon till they believe (in Allaah Alone) and verily, a believing slave is better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater), even though he pleases you. Those (Al-Mushrikoon) invite you to the Fire, but Allaah invites (you) to Paradise and forgiveness by His Leave, and makes His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to mankind that they may remember” [al-Baqarah 2:221] Ibn Katheer said: Here Allaah forbids the believers to marry mushrik woman who worship idols, and if this were general in meaning, it would include every mushrik woman, whether she is of the people of the Book or is an idol worshipper,

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but the woman of the people of the Book are excluded from that in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “(Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girlfriends” [al-Maa’idah 5:5] ‘Ali ibn Abi Talhah said, narrating from Ibn ‘Abbaas concerning the words “And do not marry Al-Mushrikaat (idolatresses) till they believe (worship Allaah Alone)”: Allaah excludes from that the women of the people of the Book. This was also the view of Mujahid, ‘Ikrimah, Sa’eed ibn Jubayr, Makhool, al-Hasan, al-Dahhaak, Zayd ibn Aslam, al-Rabee’ ibn Anas and others. And it was said that what is meant is the mushrikoon who worship idols, and it does not mean the people of the Book at all. This meaning is close to the first meaning. And Allaah knows best. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/474 Whilst noting that this is permissible, we should also remember that Islam encourages the Muslim man to marry a Muslim woman who is religiously committed, because the Muslim’s life with his wife is a complete and comprehensive life which involves chastity, lowering the gaze, and protecting and looking after the house and children. These and similar things cannot be achieved except with a religiously-committed wife. See the answer to question no. 12283; also the answer to question no 20227, which gives more details on the bad consequences of marriage to a non-Muslims woman. In 32

the answer to question no. 3320 it states that it is not permissible to allow her to celebrate (non-Islamic) festivals inside or outside the home. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 27093: The differences between Christianity and Islam Question: What are the factors which causes a widening gap between muslim and christian communities?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are many great factors that widen the gaps between Muslims and Christians. The differences in belief between us and them do not let us get close unless they give up their kufr (disbelief) and misguidance, and join the monotheists who believe in One Lord and God, and bear witness that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is His Messenger, and believe that ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him) was a human being. These are the most significant deviations in their religion, which widen the gap between us Muslims and them: 1. The Christian belief that the Messiah is the son of God. 2. The Christian belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is a god alongside God and that he is the second person of the holy trinity, according to their beliefs. 3. The belief that divinity may be incarnated in humanity.

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4. The belief that God is formed of three Persons, which is known as the doctrine of the trinity. 5. The Christian belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) was crucified by the Jews on the command of Pontius Pilate, and that he died on the cross. 6. The Christian belief that the Messiah died on the cross as a ransom for mankind and as expiation for original sin. 7. The Christian attitude towards the Jews who disbelieved in Jesus (peace be upon him) and claimed that they crucified him and killed him, and they accused his mother Mary (Maryam) of fornication – of which she was innocent – yet despite all that their attitude towards them today is one of support and loyalty, and their attitude towards the Muslims who venerate Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother is one of enmity and disavowal. 8. Their distortion of the Book of God the Gospel (Injeel), whether they distorted the words by changing them or by adding words, or they distorted the meaning, and in doing that they attribute things to God that cannot be attributed to Him. 9. The doctrine of redemption, which is their belief that God sent His only son to redeem mankind from a sin committed by the father of mankind (Adam – peace be upon him), but God was unable to forgive his sin, so He sent His only son who had no sin, to sacrifice himself in order to do away with sin. This is an attribution of imperfection to the Lord of the Worlds and a denial of the fact that Adam (peace be upon him) repented and Allaah saved the Messiah (peace be upon him) from death. 10. Their disbelief in the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), even though he is mentioned in the Old and New Testaments. 34

11. Their belief in the soundness of the distorted Torah that they have in front of them today, which contains insults against God, describing Him as having shortcomings, and insults against the Prophets and Messengers, saying things that one can hardly dare utter, but we mention them in order to highlight the abhorrent nature of the kufr (disbelief) that they follow. They describe God as weeping with regret for the Flood which drowned the people of Noah, until His eyes became sore, and the angels came to visit Him – exalted be He far above that. They describe Lot (peace be upon him) as committing incest with his two daughters, and Noah as drinking wine until he became drunk and his ‘awrah (nakedness) became visible. And there are even more foolish stories than that. See Hidaayat al-Hayaara fi Awbah al-Yahood wa’lNasaara by Ibn al-Qayyim; Naqd al-Nasraaniyyah by Dr. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Saheem And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 22029: Ruling on reading the books of Ahl al-Kitaab and debating with them on the internet Question: My worry is the propogation of false notions about quran by some christians through internet.i even sent a mail to the so called muslim to christians about their fabricated stories.i want to know what should be our response regarding alkexander the great whom they say according to history died young at 33 and in koran it states that he died at a ripe old age. 35

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to read the specious arguments that the Christians propagate on the internet or via other media, or to engage with them in religious disputes and debates, except for those who are qualified to do so, who have proof and evidence and who know how to present arguments. A number of scholars have stated that it is haraam to look at any of the books of the People of the Book, except for those who have deep knowledge, because we are commanded neither to believe nor disbelieve what they tell us about stories that are not present in our religion. There is no guarantee that the ordinary person who has no knowledge will not end up believing in falsehood and rejecting the truth. Moreover, man is weak and specious arguments may take root in the heart and it may be difficult to get rid of them. The following fatwa was issued by the Standing Committee: “A great deal of distortion, addition and subtraction has befallen the previous divinely-revealed scriptures, as Allaah has stated, so it is not permissible for a Muslim to read them and study them, unless he is one who has deep knowledge and is seeking to explain the distortions and contradictions therein.” (3/311). So whatever Christian books have come to you, you must hasten to get rid of them. With regard to what you say about Alexander the Great, this is a specious argument which is indicative of the stupidity and ignorance of the Christians. We may respond to that from several angles, as follows: 1 – There is no mention in the Qur’aan of how long Dhu’lQarnayn (Alexander) lived, or of the era in which he lived. 36

2 – Dhu’l-Qarnayn who is mentioned in the Qur’aan is not Alexander the Macedonian or Greek who built Alexandria. This Alexander is the one who died at the age of 33, as mentioned in the Christian books. He lived 323 years before the birth of the Messiah (peace be upon him). Dhu’l-Qarnayn who is mentioned in the Qur’aan lived at the time of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and it is said that he became Muslim at the hands of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and he went on pilgrimage to the Ka’bah walking. The scholars differed concerning him, as to whether he was a Prophet or a righteous slave and just king, but they agree that he was a Muslim, a monotheist (believer in Tawheed) and one who was obedient to Allaah. The correct view is to refrain from stating what he was, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I do not know whether Tubba’ was a Prophet or not, and I do not know whether Dhu’l-Qarnayn was a Prophet or not.” (Narrated by al-Haakim and al-Bayhaqi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 5524). 3 – The difference between this righteous slave, and the Macedonian Alexander who was a kaafir, is well known to Muslim scholars. Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Badaayah wa’l-Nahaayah (1/493): “It was narrated that Qutaadah said: Alexander was Dhu’lQarnayn and his father was the first of the Caesars, and he was one of the descendants of Saam ibn Nooh (Shem the son of Noah). As for Dhu’l-Qarnayn, he was Alexander son of Philip… ibn Roomi ibn al-Asfar ibn Yaqaz ibn al-‘Ees ibn Ishaaq ibn Ibraaheem al-Khaleel. This is the genealogy of him given by al-Haafiz ibn ‘Asaakir in his Taareekh. (He is known as) the 37

Macedonian, the Greek, the Egyptian, builder of Alexandria, on the events of whose life the Greeks based their calendar. He came much later than the first Alexander. This was approximately three hundred years before the Messiah. The philosopher Aristotle was his minister and he is the one who killed Daar ibn Daar (Darius) and humiliated the kings of Persia and invaded their land. We have drawn attention to him because many people think that they are one and the same and that the one who is mentioned in the Qur’aan is the one whose minister was Aristotle, which has resulted in a lot of mistakes and far-reaching corruption. The former was a righteous believing slave and a just king, and the latter was a mushrik and his minister was a philosopher. There were more than two thousand years between the two, so what comparison can there be between them? They are not alike at all and they have nothing in common, except in the mind of a fool who does not know anything.” 4 – The Christians have no information in their holy book about the second Alexander, let alone the first. All they have is the story of the visions of Daniel, which they claim refer to the rule of this infidel Alexander, and the division of his kingdom after his death. 5 – If we assume that there is a difference between what the Qur’aan says and what their book says about a person or an event, why should that be regarded as strange? There are many such differences, especially in the stories of the Prophets such as Ibraaheem (Abraham), Nooh (Noah), Loot (Lot), Moosa (Moses), Dawood (David) and ‘Eesa (Jesus) (peace be upon them). The Christians have no reliable and continuous chain of narration for this book in which they believe, and they know nothing about those who translated it. Moreover it contains dozens of contradictions which effectively nullify any claim to infallibility or to have been written with inspiration from 38

the Holy Spirit. It is sufficient to note the contradictions in the genealogy of Jesus (peace be upon him)! So how can we take what is in these distorted books as a standard by which to judge the Holy Qur’aan which is preserved by Allaah?! And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 12713: Is the trinity that the Christians believe in mentioned in Islam? Question: In christianity the word TRINITY is used as the main pillers of the religion.is there any mention of this belief mentioned in Qurran.If this is a true belief,will this not come within the perview of SHIRK. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Yes, this belief is mentioned in the Qur’aan, but that is by way of refutation and proving it to be false, and describing the one who believes in it as a kaafir and mushrik. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)” [al-Maa’idah 5:17] “Surely, disbelievers are those who said: ‘Allaah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).’ But there is no Ilaah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilaah (God —Allaah). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them” [al-Maa’idah 5:73] 39

“And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth! They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allaah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] to worship none but One Ilaah (God — Allaah) Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)” [al-Tawbah 9:31] This is something that is well known among the Muslims, and they are unanimously agreed that the Christians are kaafirs, and even that those who do not regard them as kaafirs are also kaafirs. Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd alWahhaab said concerning the things which are unanimously agreed to nullify Islam: “Whoever does not regard the mushrikoon as kaafirs, or doubts that they are kaafirs, or thinks their religion is correct, is himself a kaafir.” (See also question no. 31807). We are surprised at the question, in which the questioner appears to think that the shirk which exists among the Christians also exists in the religion of the Muslims. Hence we advise the questioner to read the books of ‘aqeedah which explain Tawheed (the Oneness of Allaah) and discuss its meaning and rulings, and also describe the various kinds of shirk. He should also listen to useful tapes on this topic, for this is one of the most important 40

obligations that are enjoined upon people. This trinity in which the Christians believe is not one of the things that lead to shirk, rather it is the essence of shirk. The trinity that the later Christians have fabricated has no evidence in reason and fitrah (the innate nature of man), and there is nothing to support it in the divinely-revealed Books which Allaah sent down. Ibn al-Qayyim said: This is the attitude all the people of misguidance with their leaders and followers. When a monotheist (believer in Tawheed) disputes with the ignorant Christians and points out that their trinity is false and self-contradictory, they say, “The answer is with the priest.” The priest says, “The answer is with the archbishop.” The archbishop says, “The answer is with the patriarch.” The patriarch says that the answer is with the three hundred and eighteen clergymen who gathered at the time of Constantine and enjoined upon the Christians this trinity and shirk which contradicts sound reasoning and religion… Miftaah Daar al-Sa’aadah, 2/148. With regard to the word “trinity” (tathleeth) it is not mentioned in either the Qur’aan or the Sunnah, rather the word tathleeth (in the sense of doing something three times) is mentioned by the scholars when they discuss cleaning onself with pebbles after relieving oneself, or when discussing wudoo’, ghusl, washing the dead, saying tasbeeh when bowing and prostrating, asking permission to enter a house, etc. What is meant in all of these cases is doing something three times, and it has nothing to do with the trinity of the Christians, which Allaah mentions describing their words and commanding them to believe that He is One (Tawheed) and to believe that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is a Messenger and not a god. 41

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth. The Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (‘Be’ — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so believe in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: ‘Three (trinity)!’ Cease! (it is) better for you” [al-Nisa’ 4:171] In this verse Allaah referred to ‘trinity and incarnation, and forbade both of these beliefs. He states that the Messiah is only “a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (‘Be’ — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him”. And He says, “so believe in Allaah and His Messengers”, then He says, “Say not: ‘Three (trinity)!’ Cease! (it is) better for you”. Al-Jawaab al-Saheeh, 2/15 Some Christians – because of their ignorance – think that the plural pronoun which is used to show respect in verses such as “Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory” [al-Fath 48:1] and “Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’aan…” [Yoosuf 12:2] is proof of their false belief in trinity. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The view of the salaf (early generations) of this ummah and of its imams and later generations is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard the Qur’aan from Jibreel, and Jibreel heard it from Allaah. The use of plural forms in such phrases is the style of 42

Arabic speech used to refer to one who is of high standing and has helpers who obey him. So if his helpers do something by his command, he says, “we did it”. This is like when a king says, “We conquered this land, we defeated this army” and so on. Because he did that through the actions of his helpers. Allaah is the Lord of the angels and they speak not until He has spoken, and they act in accordance with His commands; they do not disobey the commands of Allaah, rather they do what He commands. Moreover He is their Creator and the creator of their deeds and their power. But He has no need of them; He is not like a king whose helpers do things by their own strength. So what He says when He does something through His angels is, “We did it”, this is more appropriate and He is more entitled to say it than some king. This plural form is ambiguous and the Christians try to use it as evidence against the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when they find such phrases in the Qur’aan as “Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory” [al-Fath 48:1], etc. But Allaah condemned them for ignoring the clear verses in the Qur’aan which state that God is One, but they cling to the ambiguous verses which may be interpreted as referring to one who has a peer with him, or to one who has helpers who are his slaves and creation. They follow the ambiguous verses, seeking to stir up confusion in this manner. This is confusion in the heart, by thinking that there are many gods, and seeking to twist the meaning. No one knows the true interpretation except Allaah and those who are well versed in knowledge. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 5/233, 234 See also question no. 606 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 43

21534: Attitude of Islam towards other religions Question: I have some questions about Islam, could you explain them for me? What does Islam say about people of other religions? Are all non-Muslim people regarded as sinners because they do not follow Allaah and Islam? Can any non-Muslim person enter Paradise without following Islam?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The ruling of Islam concerning other religions is that they are all either fabricated and false, or abrogated. The fabricated and false religions are those like the ancient Arabian practise of worshipping idols and stones. The abrogated religions are those which were taught by the Prophets who came before our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). They are valid in that their origins are from Allaah, but Islam came and took their place, not with regard to basic beliefs such as the existence of God, the angels, Paradise and Hell, for these are matters which all the Messengers have in common, but there are differences between them with regard to ways of worshipping and drawing close to Allaah by means of prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, alms, etc. The later followers of the Prophets have fallen into deviations of belief and shirk, but Islam came to point that out and bring people back to the correct belief taught by the earlier Prophets. It was narrated that Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allaah be pleased 44

with him) said: ‘Umar brought some pages of the Tawraat to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, these are some pages of the Tawraat which I took from a brother of mine from Banu Zurayq.” The expression of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) changed, and ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Zayd – who had been shown the adhaan [in a dream] – said, “Has Allaah taken away your mind? Do you not see the expression on the face of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?” ‘Umar said, “We are pleased with Allaah as our Lord and with Islam as our religion and with Muhammad as our Prophet and with the Qur’aan as our guide.” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) relaxed [?}, and said, “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if Moosa were to come among you and you were to follow him and leave me, you would have gone far astray. You are my share among the nations and I am your share among the Prophets.” (Narrated by Ahmad, 15437). Ibn Hajar said: All the isnaads of this hadeeth are such that they could not be taken as evidence individually, but when taken together they prove that this hadeeth is correct. (Fath alBaari, 13/525). The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah says (interpretation if the meaning): “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85] Imam al-Tabari said in his commentary on this verse: 45

What Allaah means by that is that whoever looks for a religion other than Islam to follow, Allaah will never accept that from him, “and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” meaning, one of those who deprived themselves of their share of the mercy of Allaah.” (Tafseer al-Tabari, 3/339) Islam does not regard them (followers of other religions) only as sinners, but as kaafirs (disbelievers) who will abide forever in the Fire of Hell, as stated in the verse quoted above. He (the kaafir) will be a loser in Hell, and will not come of out it. It is not possible for a kaafir to enter Paradise unless he becomes Muslim. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, those who belie Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle (which is impossible). Thus do We recompense the Mujrimoon (criminals, polytheists, sinners)” [al-A’raaf 7:40] It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One is Whose hand is my soul, no one of this nation, Jew or Christian, will hear of me and not believe in that with which I have been sent, but he will be one of the people of Hell.” (Narrated by Muslim). We ask Allaah to guide the seekers of truth from other religions to look into the religion of Islam and its Book, the Qur’aan. May Allaah guide them and open their hearts to enter Islam. 46

Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 26728: Ruling on saying “We are the children of Allaah” Question: What is the rulling on, when a Muslim say “We believe we are all children of Allah” Basing it on the weak Hadeeth (All creations are sustained by Allah). Please provide details of the ruling. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The hadeeth mentioned was narrated by al-Bazzaar and Abu Ya’la from Anas, and says, “All of mankind are the dependents of Allaah, and the most beloved of them to Allaah are those who are most helpful to their dependents.” This is a very weak (da’eef jiddan) hadeeth as al-Albaani said in Da’eef al-Jaami’, hadeeth no. 2946. Any Muslim who says, “We believe that we are all the children of Allaah” should be asked to explain what he means before any judgement is made concerning him. 1 – If what he means by being children is the metaphorical meaning, which is that people are dependent upon Allaah, and he is using this word for a purpose allowed in sharee’ah, such as refuting the Christians who say that the Messiah is the son of God, then there is nothing wrong with that if he uses it only with Christians in order to show that their belief is false, but he should not use it with others lest that generate confusion and misunderstanding. That is because one of the means of showing the Christians’ beliefs concerning ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) to be false is to use the same expressions as 47

are mentioned in their holy Book (the Bible) to prove that others were described as “sons of God” as well as ‘Eesa, which clearly indicates that what is meant by being a son of God in the texts of the Gospels is not “sonship” in the literal sense, which St. Paul claimed for Jesus in order to lead them astray from belief in Divine Oneness (Tawheed). St. Paul based his argument on the confusion that may arise from the use of the words “father” and “son”. Some of the Bible texts that may used to refute their argument are as follows: In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said of those who believed in him: “They are like the angels. They are God’s children since they are children of the resurrection.” [Luke 20:36] And in the Book of Isaiah: “Bring back My sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth” [Isaiah 43:6] And this is what was said describing God as the Father, as it is narrated in the Gospel of Matthew that the Messiah said to his students: “If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” [Matthew 6:1] In the Gospel of Luke: “When you pray say, ‘Our Father, Who art in heaven…’” [Luke 11:2] 48

In the Gospel of John: “I am returning to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.” [John 20:17] The Christians do not say that the angels, the Children of Israel and the Disciples were sons of God in a literal sense, or that God was their father in a literal sense, rather they interpret that in a metaphorical sense, i.e., that He is a father to them in the sense of blessing them, being kind to them, protecting them and taking care of them, and they are His children in the sense that they worship Him, need Him and are dependent upon Him. This demonstrates the falseness of their understanding of ‘Eesa being the son of God, basing their argument on some texts that say that he is the son of God. 2 – If he means that all people are children of Allaah just as ‘Eesa is the son of Allaah, in the sense of the Christian belief, then this is kufr (disbelief) that is worse than the kufr of the Christians. 3 – If he means that we are all children of Allaah or dependent upon Him, with no difference between Muslims and kaafirs, and he means that the Jews, Christians and idol-worshippers are not kaafirs, then this is riddah or apostasy from Islam, because whoever doubts that the Jews and Christians are kaafirs or approves of their religions is a kaafir, according to scholarly consensus. 4 – If he means thereby to justify using the word “brother” for Jews and Christians, because we are all the children of Allaah, this is false, because there is no brotherhood between the believers and the disbelievers. The hadeeth (which some may interpret as meaning that all men are 49

brothers) has been proven to be not saheeh. Even if it was saheeh, it could not be interpreted in this fashion. We must beware of using confusing words which may cause a person to fall into something haraam or make people think badly of him, especially words which have to do with the Oneness of Allaah (Tawheed) and His Uniqueness in His names and attributes. For the rights of Allaah take precedence and must be taken care of, and we must avoid anything that may violate them, especially when those words are used by the Jews and Allaah quotes them in the Qur’aan in the context of condemnation. “And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are the children of Allaah and His loved ones.’ Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins?’ Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created…” [al-Maa’idah 5:18 – interpretation of the meaning] And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 26301: Can a person who believes that Jesus is the son of God be a Muslim? Question: Can you be a muslim and still believe that Jesus is the son of God? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. One of the most important principles of belief in Allaah is to declare that Allaah is above all attributes that imply 50

shortcomings. One of the attributes that imply shortcomings that the Muslim must reject is the notion that Allaah has a son, because that implies need and that there is a being who is like unto Him, and these are matters which Allaah is far above. Allaah says in Soorat al-Ikhlaas, which describes an attribute of the Most Merciful and is regarded as being equal in reward to reciting one-third of the Qur’aan: “Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the) One. AllaahusSamad [Allaah — the SelfSufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none coequal or comparable unto Him” [al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4 – interpretation of the meaning] Because the Christians believe that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the son of God – exalted be Allaah far above what they say – many verses of the Qur’aan deny this claim and refute it, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!” [al-Tawbah 9:30] “O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth. The Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (‘Be!’ — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so 51

believe in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: ‘Three (trinity)!’ Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allaah is (the only) One Ilaah (God), glory is to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allaah is AllSufficient as a Disposer of affairs” [al-Nisa’ 4:171] “The Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddeeqah [i.e. she believed in the Words of Allaah and His Books]. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allaah does not eat). Look how We make the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them; yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)” [al-Maa’idah 5:75] “And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!” [al-Tawbah 9:30] Because this false belief existed among the Christians, it was essential for those among them who entered Islam to give up these false beliefs which contradict Islam, one of which is this belief. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever bears witness that there is no god except Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger and that ‘Eesa is His slave and Messenger, and His Word which He bestowed upon Maryam and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is 52

real and Hell is real, Allaah will admit him to Paradise (and grant him a position therein) according to his deeds.” (al-Bukhaari, 3435; Muslim, 28). Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: From this it may be understood what the Christian must be taught to say when he becomes a Muslim. Fath al-Baari, hadeeth no. 3435. Based on this, a person can only be regarded as a Muslim if he disavows himself of this false belief, and believes that Allaah is above all shortcomings. Whoever acknowledges the greatness of Allaah will find it easy to give up his old beliefs that are not appropriate with regard to Allaah. We ask Allaah to help us to venerate Him and appreciate how great He is. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 9607: Guidelines of the true religion Question: What are the attributes of the correct religion? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Every member of a faith tradition believes that his community is following the truth. Every follower of a religion believes that his religion is the best religion and the straightest way. Whenever you ask the followers of deviant religions or the followers of man-made traditions about the evidence for their beliefs, they tell you that they 53

found their fathers doing this so they are following in their footsteps, then they tell you stories and reports that have no sound basis and whose texts are not free of faults and discepancies. They rely on inherited books of which it is not known who wrote or said them, or in which language they were originally written, or in which land they originated; rather they are a mixture that has been gathered and written in a book that is venerated, then they were passed down from generation to generation with no proper scientific examination of the source of the text or of the text itself. These unknown books and stories and blind imitation do not provide valid proof with regard to religions and beliefs. Are all these deviant religions and human traditions true or false? It is impossible that they could all be true, because the truth is one; there are not many “truths”. And it is impossible that all these deviant religions and human traditions could have come from Allaah and all be true. If they are many, and the truth is one, then which of them is the truth? So there have to be guidelines by which we may recognize the true religion and distinguish it from false religions. If we find that these guidelines apply to a religion then we will know that it is the truth; if these guidelines or one of them is absent from a religion then we will know that it is false. The guidelines by which we distinguish the true religion from false religions 1 – The religion should have come from Allaah, revealed through one of the angels to one of His Messengers, to convey it to His slaves, because the true religion is the religion of Allaah, and Allaah is the One Who will judge mankind and bring them to account on the Day of Resurrection according to the religion which He revealed to them. Allaah says: 54

“Verily, We have sent the Revelation to you (O Muhammad) as We sent the Revelation to Nooh (Noah) and the Prophets after him; We (also) sent the Revelation to Ibraaheem (Abraham), Ismaa’eel (Ishmael), Ishaaq (Isaac), Ya’qoob (Jacob), and AlAsbaat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya’qoob (Jacob)], ‘Eesa (Jesus), Ayyoob (Job), Yoonus (Jonah), Haaroon (Aaron), and Sulaymaan (Solomon); and to Dawood (David) We gave the Zaboor (Psalms)” [al-Nisa’ 4:163] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)” [al-Anbiya’ 21:25] Based on this, then any religion which is introduced by some person who attributes it to himself and not to Allaah is undoubtedly a false religion. 2 – It should call for the worship of Allaah alone, and forbid shirk (polytheism or the worship of anything other than Allaah). It should also forbid the means that lead to that, because promoting Tawheed (belief in the oneness of Allaah) is the basis of the call of all the Prophets and Messengers. Every Prophet said to his people: “Worship Allaah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him” [al-A’raaf 7:73 – interpretation of the meaning] Based on this, any religion that includes shirk and joins others in worship with Him, such as a Prophet, angel or wali (“saint”) is a false religion, even if its followers attribute it to one of the Prophets. 55

3 – It should be in accordance with the principles advocated by the Messengers, such as the worship of Allaah alone, calling people to His path, and forbidding shirk, disobedience to parents, unlawful killing and immoral deeds, both hidden and open. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)” [al-Anbiya’ 21:25] “Say (O Muhammad): Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty — We provide sustenance for you and for them. Come not near to AlFawaahish (shameful sins and illegal sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly; and kill not anyone whom Allaah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand” [al-An’aam 6:151] “And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint aalihah (gods) to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious (Allaah)?” [al-Zukhruf 43:45] 4 – It should not be self-contradictory, so it should not issue one command that is contradicted by another, or forbid something then allow something very similar for no reason, or forbid something or allow it for some but not for others. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Do they not then consider the Qur’aan carefully? Had 56

it been from other than Allaah, they would surely, have found therein many a contradiction”[al-Nisa’ 4:82] 5 – The religion should guarantee to protect people’s religious commitment, honour, wealth, lives and children though the commands, prohibitions and morals that it prescribes, which protect these five holistic principles. 6 – The religion should be a mercy to mankind, freeing them from the wrongs that they do to themselves and to one another, whether those wrongs have to do with violating their rights, giving control of wealth to the few or leaders misleading the masses. Allaah says, telling us of the mercy that was contained in the Tawraat which He sent down to Moosa (peace be upon him: “And when the anger of Moosa (Moses) was calmed down, he took up the Tablets; and in their inscription was guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord” [al-A’raaf 7:154 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah says, telling us how He sent ‘Eesa (peace be upon him): “And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allaah)” [Maryam 19:21 – interpretation of the meaning] And Allaah says of Saalih (peace be upon him): “He said: O my people! Tell me, if I have a clear proof from my Lord, and there has come to me a mercy (Prophethood) from Him” [Hood 11:63 – interpretation of the meaning] And He says of the Qur’aan:

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“And We send down of the Qur’aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe” [al-Isra’ 17:82 – interpretation of the meaning] 7 – It should include guidance regarding the laws of Allaah and should show people what Allaah wants, and should tell them where they came from and where they are going. Allaah says of the Tawraat: “Verily, We did send down the Tawraat (Torah) [to Moosa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light” [al-Maa’idah 5:44 – interpretation of the meaning] He says of the Injeel: “and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light” [al-Maa’idah 5:46 – interpretation of the meaning] And He says of the Qur’aan: “It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam)” [al-Tawbah 9:33 – interpretation of the meaning]. The true religion is that which contains guidance concerning the laws of Allaah and brings security and peace of mind, so that all whispers of the Shaytaan are driven away and all questions are answered, and all confusing matters are cleared up. 8 – It should advocate the best attitudes and actions, such as truthfulness, justice, trustworthiness, modesty, chastity and generosity. And it should forbid bad attitudes and actions, such as disobedience to parents, murder, immoral

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actions, lying, wrongdoing, oppression, miserliness and promiscuity. 9 – It should bring happiness to those who believe. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “TaaHaa. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.] We have not sent down the Qur’aan unto you (O Muhammad) to cause you distress”[Ta-Ha 20:1-2] It should be in accordance with the sound natural disposition of man (al-fitrah): “Allaah’s Fitrah (i.e. Allaah’s Islamic Monotheism) with which He has created mankind” [al-Room 30: 30 – interpretation of the meaning] It should also be in accordance with sound reason and common sense, because the true religion is the laws of Allaah, and sound reason is the creation of Allaah, and it is impossible that the law of Allaah and the creation of Allaah would contradict one another. 10 – It should point towards the truth and warn against falsehood. It should show the way to true guidance and steer people away from misguidance. It should call people to the straight path in which there is no crookedness. Allaah tells us that when the jinn heard the Qur’aan, they said to one another: “O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book (this Qur’aan) sent down after Moosa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to the Straight Path (i.e. Islam)”

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[al-Ahqaaf 46:30 – interpretation of the meaning] It does not call them to that which would cause them misery. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “TaaHaa. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.] We have not sent down the Qur’aan unto you (O Muhammad) to cause you distress”[Ta-Ha 20:1-2] And it does not enjoin them to do anything that would cause their doom. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allaah is Most Merciful to you”[al-Nisa’ 4:29] It does not differentiate between its followers on the grounds of race, colour or tribe. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allaah is that (believer) who has AtTaqwa [i.e. he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious)]. Verily, Allaah is AllKnowing, AllAware” [al-Hujuraat 49:13] The only distinguishing feature for which people may be preferred over others, according to the true religion, is piety or fear of Allaah. In the light of the guidelines by which we may distinguish between the true religion and false religions, supported by that which what is said in the Holy Qur’aan, which 60

indicates that these guidelines apply to all the truthful Messengers who were sent from Allaah, we may then discuss different types of religions. From Kitaab al-Islam Usooluhu wa Mabaadi’uhu, by Dr. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Saalih al-Suhaym. (www.islam-qa.com) 2912: Who are the Jews and Christians who will enter Paradise? Question: For the time being, I do not have the resources to quote the exact Quranic verse, nor can I tell you what sura it has been taken from. However, I believe it is a common verse. I understand little Arabic; hence I found that in English. The verse can be interpretted as such: The godfearing Jews, muslims and christians will not have fear (on that day). I am not exactly sure of the bracketted phrase. Now my question to you: is it mistranliteration? We know that christians and jews in general cannot be hoped to have any sanction in the life hereafter. So, how do we understand the verse? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. What you refer to in your question is mentioned in two similar aayaat in the Qur’aan. The first of them is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day 61

and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [al-Baqarah 2:62] The second is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, those who believe, those who are the Jews and the Sabians and the Christians – whosoever believed in Allaah and the Last Day, and worked righteousness, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [al-Maa’idah 5:69] In order to understand these aayaat correctly, we need to refer to the scholars of Tafseer (Qur’aanic commentary). The great Imaam Ismaa’eel ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in his tafseer of the aayah from Soorat al-Baqarah: “Allaah, may He be exalted, points out that whoever of the previous nations did well and was obedient, will have a good reward, and this will be the case for everyone who follows the Unlettered Prophet [Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) until the Hour comes – he will have eternal happiness, and they will not fear what they are going to face, nor will they grieve for what they have left behind. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘No doubt! Verily, the awliya’ of Allaah [i.e., those who believe in the Oneness of Allaah and fear Allaah much, and love Allaah much], no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve.’ [Yoonus 10:62]. And Allaah tells us what the angels say to the believers at the time of death (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Verily, those who say, “Our Lord is Allaah,” then they istaqaamu [stood straight, i.e., truly followed Islam], on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): “Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!”’ [Fussilat 41:30] 62

As far as the Jews are concerning, their faith meant believing in the Tawraat (original Torah) and following the way of Moosa (peace be upon him) until ‘Eesa came, after which whoever continued to follow the Torah and the way of Moosa, and did not leave this and follow ‘Eesa, was doomed. As far as the Christians are concerned, their faith meant believing in the Injeel (original Gospel) and following the laws of ‘Eesa; whoever did this was a believer whose faith was acceptable to Allaah, until Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came, after which whoever did not follow Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and leave the way of ‘Eesa and the Injeel that he had been following before, was doomed. The aayah (interpretation of the meaning), “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85] is a statement that Allaah will not accept any way or deed from anyone, after sending His Final Messenger, except those that are in accordance with the laws of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Prior to this, however, anyone who followed the Prophet of his own time was on the Straight Path of salvation. So the Jews were those who followed Moosa (peace be upon him) and referred to the Tawraat for judgement at that time. When Allaah sent ‘Eesa (peace be upon him), the Children of Israel were obliged to follow him and obey him, and so they and others who followed him became Christians.. When Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as the Final Prophet and a Messenger to all the children of Adam, all of mankind was obliged to believe in him and obey him, and refrain from what he prohibited. Those who did so are the true believers. The ummah (nation) of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are called the believers because of their deep eemaan (faith) and conviction, and because they believe in all the past 63

Prophets and in the prophesied events that are yet to come.” Commenting on the aayah in Soorat al-Baqarah, Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “What is meant is that every group believed in Allaah and the Last Day, which is the appointed Day of Reckoning, and did righteous deeds. But after Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent to both mankind and the jinn, true belief can only be in accordance with the way of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Whoever follows his way will not fear the future or grieve for what they leave behind. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih AlMunajjid (www.islam-qa.com)

14055: Mankind’s need for religion Question: Why do people need religion? Isn’t it enough to have (man-made) laws that will regulate people’s lives? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Man’s need for religion is greater than his need for any of the other necessities of life, because man needs to know what pleases Allaah and what angers Him; he needs to acts in his own interests and to ward off things that will harm him. Sharee’ah is what distinguishes between actions that will bring benefit and actions that will cause 64

harm. This is Allaah’s justice towards His creation, and His light which shines for His slaves. People cannot live without laws (sharee’ah) to help them distinguish between what they should and should not do. Because man has a will, he has to know what he wants, is it beneficial or harmful? Is it good for him or bad for him? Some of these things may be known instinctively, some of it may be known by working it out in a rational manner, and some of it may only be known from the teachings and guidance of the Messengers. See al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 213, 214; Miftaah Daar al-Sa’aadah, vol. 2, p. 383. No matter how impressive and attractive the atheist, materialist schools of thought may be, and no matter how many ideas and theories there may be, individuals and societies can never do without the true religion, they can never answer the needs of body and soul. The further the individual sinks into those ways, the more certain it becomes that he cannot find security or quench his thirst, and that there is no way out except through the true religion. Ernest Renan says: “It is possible that everything we love could disappear and that rational thinking, science and industry could cease to exist, but it is impossible that religion could be eliminated. Rather it will remain as proof that materialistic thought which wants to restrict man to the narrow path of the base life of this world is false.” (See al-Deen by ‘Abd-Allaah Darraaz, p. 87) Muhammad Fareed Wajdi says: “It is impossible that the idea of religion could diminish, because it is the most refined inclination of the soul and its noblest emotion, in addition to being the inclination that ennobles man. Rather this inclination will increase and the religious nature of man will remain so long as he retains that reason which enables him to distinguish between beauty and ugliness. 65

This instinct will increase according to his level of rationality.” (Ibid., p. 87) If man is far away from his Lord, then according to his level of knowledge and understanding he will realize the extent of his ignorance of his Lord and His attributes, and his ignorance of his own self and what is good for him or bad for him, what leads to bliss and what leads to doom, and his ignorance of such basic matters as astronomy, mathematics and the like. At this point the wise man will move from the state of arrogance and pride to humility and submission, and will realize that behind all this knowledge is the All-Knowing, All-Wise, and that behind nature there is an almighty Creator. This truth compels the objective seeker to believe in the unseen and acknowledge the true religion, and to respond to the call of human nature and innate instinct. If a person fails to do that he is going against his innate nature and sinking to the level of the dumb animals. Thus we may conclude that following the true religion – that which is based on belief in Allaah alone (Tawheed) and worshipping Him in the way that He has prescribed – is an essential element of life if man is to be a true slave to the Lord of the Worlds, and to attain happiness and be free of tiredness and exhaustion in this world and in the Hereafter. It is essential in order to perfect man’s rational thinking. In this way alone can reason fulfil its desires; without it man cannot fulfil his higher ambitions. It is an essential element for purifying the soul and disciplining the emotions, for in religion the noble emotions find fertile ground and an inexhaustible spring to help them achieve their goals. It is an essential element for strengthening will power and supplying it with the greatest motives and power to resist the factor of helplessness and despair. 66

On this basis, if there is anyone who says that man is sociable in nature, we must say that man is religious by nature. (See ibid., 84, 98), because man has two strengths, knowledge and willpower, and his ultimate happiness depends on him acquiring both. Full knowledge can only be attained by knowing the following: 1- Knowing Allaah, the Creator and Provider Who created man from nothing and bestowed blessings upon him. 2- Knowing the names and attributes of Allaah, and the effect of these names upon His slaves. 3- Knowing the way to reach Him. 4- Knowing the obstacles that prevent man from knowing this way and the great blessings to which it leads. 5- Knowing yourself in a true sense, and knowing what your soul needs, what is good for it and what is bad for it, and knowing its faults and shortcomings. These five matters will complete a person’s knowledge. Achieving perfect will power can only be achieved by paying attention to the rights of Allaah over His slaves and fulfilling them sincerely, adhering to that and bearing witness to the blessings of Allaah. These two strengths can only be perfected with the help of Allaah, so man needs Allaah to guide him to the Straight Path to which He guides His close friends. See al-Fawaa’id, p, 18-19. Once we know that the true religion is the divine support that directs the potentials of man, then we know that religion is also a protective shield for society, because human life can only be strong when there is co-operation among the members of society. This co-operation can only be achieved by means of a system that regulates the relationships between them, defines their duties and protects their rights. This system needs a deterrent that will deter one from transgressing and encourage one to 67

follow the system, one that carries weight in people’s hearts and prevents them from overstepping its limits. What is this authority? I say that there is no power on earth that can match the power of religion in protecting the sanctity of the system, guaranteeing the coherence of society and the stability of its system, and providing the means of peace and security. The reason for that is that man differs from all other living beings in that his voluntary actions and dealings are governed by something that can be neither seen nor heard, namely the religious belief that disciplines the heart and guides his faculties. Man is inevitably led by his belief, whether it is sound or corrupt. If his belief is sound, everything else will also be sound, but if it is corrupt then everything else will also be corrupt. Belief and faith are the two things that regulate man and – as we can see in most cases – they are of two types: (1) Belief in the importance of virtue and human dignity, and other abstract values which make noble souls feel ashamed to go against their principles even if they are spared the consequences of physical punishment. (2) Belief in Allaah and that He is always watching and knows what is in our hearts, and that He knows secrets and that which is more hidden. The authority of sharee’ah is based on its commands and prohibitions, and makes a person feel shy before Allaah, either out of love for Him, or out of fear of Him, or both. Undoubtedly this type of faith is the stronger of the two and carries more weight in human hearts. It is more able to resist the storms of desire and the upheavals of emotion, and it has more effect on the hearts of the masses and the elite. For this reason, religion is the best guarantee for ensuring that people will deal with one another on a basis of fairness and justice, and hence it is a social necessity. It comes as no surprise that the relationship of religion to the ummah 68

is like that of the heart to the body. Nowadays we see that there are many religions in the world, and each people has its religion which they cling to. What is the true religion which will fulfil the aspirations of the human soul? What are the guidelines of the true religion? From al-Islam Usooluhu wa Mabaadi’uhu by Dr. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Saalih al-Suhaym. (www.islam-qa.com) 21525: Categories of religion Question: What are the different categories of religion that exist in the world? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. People are divided according to their religions into two categories: 1 – Those who have a Book that was revealed from Allaah, such as the Jews, Christians and Muslims. The Jews and Christians, because of their lack of knowledge of what was narrated in their books, and because they took humans as lords instead of Allaah, and because a long time has passed (since those Books were revealed), have lost their books which Allaah revealed to their Prophets. So the rabbis and priests wrote books for them which they claimed came from Allaah, but they are not from Allaah, rather they are the work of forgers and the distortion of fanatics. With regard to the Book of the Muslims (the Holy Qur’aan), it is the last of the Divine Books to be revealed, and the most reliable, and Allaah has guaranteed to 69

preserve it – He did not leave that to human beings. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr 15:9] It is preserved in men’s hearts and on paper, because it is the final Book in which is Allaah’s guidance for mankind, and He has established it as proof against them until the Hour begins. He has decreed that it will abide and He has created for it in every age people who will follow its guidance, learn it by heart, implement its laws and believe in it. 2 – Those who do not have a Book that was revealed from Allaah, although they may have an inherited book that is attributed to the founder of their religion, such as the Hindus, Magians (Zoroastrians), Buddhists, Confucians and the Arabs before the coming of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). There is no nation that does not have knowledge or act according to what is in their best worldly interests. This is part of the general guidance that Allaah has given to all people, and indeed to all animals, as He guides animals to eat food and drink that are good for them, and to avoid those that are harmful. Allaah has created in them love for the former and hatred towards the latter. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, Who has created (everything), and then proportioned it. And Who has measured (preordainments for everything even to be blessed or wretched); and then guided (i.e. 70

showed mankind the right as well as the wrong paths, and guided the animals to pasture).” [al-‘Alaa 87:1-3] And Moosa (peace be upon him) said to Pharaoh: “Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright” [Ta-Ha 20:50 – interpretation of the meaning] And Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) said: “Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me” [al-Shu’ara’ 26:87 – interpretation of the meaning] See al-Jawaab al-Saheeh fiman badala Deen al-Maseeh, vol. 4, p. 97. Every intelligent person – who has the slightest insight – knows that the followers of different religions have more beneficial knowledge and do more righteous deeds than those who are not followers of any religion, so there is nothing good to be found with the non-Muslim followers of other religions, and what the Muslims have is more perfect. The followers of different religions have something that others do not have. Knowledge and actions are of two types: The first type is knowledge that is acquired through mental reasoning, such as mathematics, medicine and manufacturing. These things are the same for followers of religion and for others, indeed they are more well versed in them. But with regard to matters which cannot be known merely through mental reasoning, such as divine knowledge and knowledge of religions, this is something that belongs only to the followers of religion. This includes matters for which rational evidence can be produced, and the Messengers guided mankind and pointed out to them the rational basis of this knowledge, thus it is rational and shar’i at the same time. 71

The second type is that which can only be known from the words of the Messengers. There is no way to acquire this knowledge through mental reasoning. This includes information about Allaah, His names and attributes, the reward in the Hereafter for those who obey Him, the punishment for those who disobey Him, His laws, and news of the earlier Prophets and their dealings with their nations. See Majmoo’ Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, vol. 4, p. 210-211. From al-Islam Usooluhu wa Mabaadi’uhu by Dr. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Saalih al-Husaym. (www.islam-qa.com) 9905: The misguidance of the Jews with regard to ‘aqeedah Question: we know where the christians went wrong, where did the jews go wrong ? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Undoubtedly the mistakes that the Jews made are more serious than those which the Christians made, although both of them have erred and are kaafirs. The Qur’aan mentions a number of the ways in which the Jews went astray. 1. Among them there is a group which claims that Allaah has a son, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!” [alTawbah 9:30] 2. They described Allaah as having shortcomings, and 72

they killed the Prophets and Messengers of Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The Jews say: ‘Allaah’s Hand is tied up (i.e. He does not give and spend of His Bounty).’ Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His Bounty) as He wills” [al-Maa’idah 5:64] “Indeed, Allaah has heard the statement of those (Jews) who say: ‘Truly, Allaah is poor and we are rich!’ We shall record what they have said and their killing of the Prophets unjustly, and We shall say: ‘Taste you the torment of the burning (Fire).’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:181] 3. They distorted the word of Allaah, i.e., the Tawraat (Torah). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places” [al-Maa’idah 5:13] “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, “This is from Allaah,” to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby” [al-Baqarah 2:79] 4. They deserved the curse of Allaah, because of what Allaah has said about them. Allaah says: “Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawood (David) and ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allaah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to forbid one another from Al-Munkar 73

(wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do” [al-Maa’idah 5:78-79] The lies that they have fabricated against their Prophets are many, such as the following: 1. The Jews claimed that the Prophet of Allaah Sulayman (Solomon) was an apostate and that he worshipped idols, as mentioned in I Kings 11:5. 2. The Jews claimed that Loot (Lot) – peace be upon him – drank wine and committed incest with his two daughters, as mentioned in Genesis 19:30ff. 3. The Jews claimed that the Prophet of Allaah Ya’qoob (Jacob) committed theft, as mentioned in Genesis 31:12. 4. The Jews claim that the Prophet of Allaah Dawood (David) committed adultery, as a result of which Sulaymaan (Solomon) was born to him, as mentioned in II Samuel 11:4. — and so on, may Allaah curse them and put them to shame. Allaah and His Messenger cursed them in numerous places in the Qur’aan and Sunnah because of their shameless actions. For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “And they say, ‘Our hearts are wrapped (i.e. do not hear or understand Allaah’s Word).’ Nay, Allaah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe. And when there came to them (the Jews), a Book (this Qur’aan) from Allaah confirming what is with them [the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], although aforetime they had invoked Allaah (for coming of Muhammad) in order to gain victory over those who 74

disbelieved, then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it. So let the Curse of Allaah be on the disbelievers” [al-Baqarah 2:88-89] “Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right places and say: ‘We hear your word (O Muhammad) and disobey,’ and ‘Hear and let you (O Muhammad) hear nothing.’ And Raa‘ina [in Arabic, this means ‘Be careful, listen to us, and we listen to you’, whereas in Hebrew, it means ‘an insult’] with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion (Islam). And if only they had said: ‘We hear and obey’, and ‘Do make us understand,’ it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allaah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few. O you who have been given the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Believe in what We have revealed (to Muhammad) confirming what is (already) with you, before We efface faces (by making them like the back of necks; without nose, mouth and eyes) and turn them hindwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbathbreakers. And the Commandment of Allaah is always executed.” [alNisaa’ 4:46-47] “So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them” [al-Maa’idah 5:13] “Say (O Muhammad to the people of the Scripture): ‘Shall I inform you of something worse than that, regarding the recompense from Allaah: those (Jews) who incurred the 75

Curse of Allaah and His Wrath, and those of whom (some) He transformed into monkeys and swines, and those who worshipped Taaghoot (false deities); such are worse in rank (on the Day of Resurrection in the Hellfire), and far more astray from the Right Path (in the life of this world).” [al-Maa’idah 5:60] “The Jews say: ‘Allaah’s Hand is tied up (i.e. He does not give and spend of His Bounty).’ Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His Bounty) as He wills. Verily, the Revelation that has come to you from your Lord (Allaah) increases in most of them (their) obstinate rebellion and disbelief. We have put enmity and hatred amongst them till the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allaah extinguished it; and they (ever) strive to make mischief on the earth. And Allaah does not like the Mufsidoon (mischiefmakers). [al-Maa’idah 5:64] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “May Allaah curse the Jews, for they have taken the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.” “May Allaah curse the Jews: fat was forbidden for them, but they melted it down and sold it,” These two hadeeths are both narrated in Saheeh alBukhaari. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) described them well when he said: “The nation upon whom is the Divine wrath are the Jews, the people of lies, slander, betrayal, conspiracy and 76

trickery, the killers of Prophets and consumers of ribaa (usury) and bribes. They have the most evil hearts of all nations, and the worst attitude. They are the farthest removed from (divine) Mercy and the closest to (divine) wrath. Their way is enmity and stirring up hatred. They represent the house of witchcraft, lies and trickery. They do not see anything wrong in rejecting and disbelieving in Prophets whom they did not like. With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant [cf. Al-Tawbah 9:10]. They do not respect the rights of those who agree with them, or show any compassion towards them, nor do they show any justice or fairness to those who work with them. There is no safety or security for those who mix with them, and there is no sincerity towards those who use their services. The most evil of them is the one who is most intelligent, and the cleverest one among them is the one who cheats the most. The one who is good at heart – which it is unlikely to find among them – is not a Jew in any real sense. They are the most bad-tempered of people, with the gloomiest houses and the filthiest courtyards. They have very bad manners – their greeting is a curse, and meeting them is bad news. Their slogan is wrath and they are filled with hatred.” (Hidaayat al-Hayaaraa, p. 8) These are just a few drops from a flood of information. Whoever researches the matter will find out a great deal about their shameful actions and the forms that their kufr and deviation take. We ask Allaah to suppress them, humiliate them, put them to shame and defeat them, and to grant the Muslims victory over them sooner rather than later. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 77

9341: The authenticity of the hadeeth about fighting the Jews Question: Is the hadeeth saheeh which says that there will come a day when the Muslims will be victorious over the Jews, so that a rock beneath which a Jew is hiding will call out, “There is a Jew underneath me, come and kill him”? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘The Jews will fight you and you will prevail over them, then a rock will say, “O Muslim, here is a Jew behind me, (come and) kill him.”’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 3593). It was also narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said. “The Jews will fight you and you will prevail over them until a rock will say, “O Muslim, here is a Jew behind me, (come and) kill him.”’” (narrated by Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi, who said, this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth). And it was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘The Dajjaal will come down to this pond at Marriqanaat (a valley near Madeenah), and most of those who go out to follow him will be women, such that a man will go back to his wife, mother, daughter, sister or (paternal) aunt and will tie them up lest they go out to join him. Then Allaah will grant the Muslims victory over him, and they will kill 78

him and his party, until a Jew will hide beneath a tree or a rock, and the tree or rock will say, ‘Here a Jew beneath me, (come and) kill him.’” (Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad). This was also narrated by Ibn Maajah from Abu Umaamah al-Baahili from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning the Dajjaal. And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 3/91 (www.islamqa.com) 9461: Some Mormons are visiting him and trying to make him doubt his religion Question: I am a muslim, but have the unfortunate blessing of living in the USA. I go to a school where my beliefs are daily insulted by the christians. Recently mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) missionaries have been repeatedly coming to my house and their evil children harrassing me at school. It doesn’t matter if I say no, they believe they will be saving my soul. Are they even christians or some lower cult scum? They say if islam is so right to refute their own scripture, the book of mormon. How should I go about doing this or should I even at all? Thanks. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. My dear brother, you have to know with absolute certainty that the religion of Islam is the true religion which is 79

pleasing to Allaah, and that Allaah will accept no other religion from anybody apart from Islam. Islam is based on the worship of Allaah Alone with no partner or associate, and on following the Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is the implication of bearing witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. If these beliefs are firmly entrenched in the heart of the Muslim, he will not care about any opposition or mockery on the part of others. Rather he will pray to Allaah and act in accordance with the religion of Allaah, and he will say, “I am one of the Muslims.” Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “And who is better in speech than he who invites (men) to Allaah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: ‘I am one of the Muslims.’” [Fussilat 41:32] “Therefore proclaim openly (Allaah’s Message Islamic Monotheism) that which you are commanded, and turn away from AlMushrikeen (polytheists, idolaters, and disbelievers). Truly, We will suffice you against the scoffers, Who set up along with Allaah another ilaah (god); but they will come to know” [al-Hijr 15:94-96] The Christians are among these mushrikeen because they worship the Messiah and his mother, and they worship the cross. So do not pay any attention to them or their mockery; turn away from them and do not enter into debate with them, lest they make you confused with their specious arguments. If you can change schools and move 80

to a school where you will not be exposed to this trouble, then do so. The Mormon sect appears to be Christian because they mention their book, which is the Gospel (New Testament), and they say that if Islam were like this, i.e., opposing their religion, it would have refuted their book. This is ignorance and confusion on their part, for Islam does not refute the Injeel which Allaah revealed to ‘Eesa; in fact the Qur’aan confirms it and the Books that came before it. But Islam refutes the religion of the Christians who have taken the Messiah and his mother as gods instead of Allaah, and Islam refutes the distorted Gospels which are in the Christians’ hands. Allaah says, after mentioning the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel): “And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it” [al-Maa’idah 5:48] i.e., the Qur’aan confirms the Books which came before it, such as the Tawraat and Injeel. The Messiah has disowned these mushrik Christians and their way, and he will disown them on the Day of Resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allaah is the Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary).’ But the Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)] said: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’” [al-Maa’idah 5:72] “And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?’ He will say: ‘Glory be to You! 81

It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my innerself though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only You, are the AllKnower of all that is hidden (and unseen). Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me to say: “Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.” And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things.’” [al-Maa’idah 116-117] We ask Allaah to make you steadfast in Islam and to suffice you against the evil people. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islam-qa.com) 9459: The Jews’ idea that ‘Uzayr is “a son of Allaah” Question: What does this beginning part of Surah Taubah 9:30 refer to? “The Jews call ‘Uzair (Ezra) a son of Allah...” Please answer as thoroughly as possible and feel free to provide references to more detailed and extensive discussions of this matter (Arabic langu Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 82

When Allaah issued the command to fight the Jews and Christians, in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allaah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (al-Tawbah 9:29) — He then stated the reason that made it obligatory to fight them, which was their disbelief in Allaah and their shirk – which included their speaking ill of Allaah by attributing a son to Him, when He is the One, the SelfSufficient Master, He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him. The Jews said that ‘Uzayr is a son of Allaah, and the Christians said that the Messiah was a son of Allaah. ‘Uzayr was a righteous man from among the Children of Israel, who was venerated by the Jews. It was said that the reason why he was venerated was that he had memorized the Tawraat (Torah), so the Jews, or some of them, exaggerated about him and claimed that he was a son of Allaah. So Allaah condemned them for that and told them that by saying this they were doing the same as the mushrikeen who said that the angels were daughters of Allaah. The Christians also spoke ill of Allaah when they said that the Messiah was a son of Allaah; by doing so they resembled the Jews and mushrikeen. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!” [alTawbah 9:30] 83

See Tafseer Ibn Katheer, the second part of his tafseer of Soorat al-Tawbah; Tafseer Ibn Jareer; Tafseer al-Qurtubi. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islamqa.com) 8769: Is there a difference between Arab Christians and non-Arab Christians? Question: Is there a difference between Arab Christians and nonArab Christians? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There is no difference between Arab Christians and non-Arab Christians. From Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 12/252 (www.islam-qa.com) 5976: A Christian is asking about the Muslim attitude towards Catholicism and peaceful co-existence Question: I am wondering what your relationship is with the Catholic Church. For I am from the USA and Muslim countries seem so foreign to me. I don’t know much, but is seems to me that Muslims are very hostile to the Catholic Faith. Are they open to dialogue? Why don’t you believe in the Lord Jesus? Is not the Eternal Love of Allah so great that He could descend to us to save us from our sin so that we may live with him forever? 84

Also, why is there such fighting in the middle east, ? Does Islam not see or accept the saving power of Christ, with His command to love others (St. John 13:34) so that, if you and I obeyed (“Islam = total submission) all would go well with mankind? Some answers Please! God bless you! Answer: Praise be to Allaah. According to Islam and for the Muslims, taking a position of enmity is not something haphazard. On the contrary, it is governed by principles and guidelines, and thus is like all the other rulings of Islamic sharee’ah. These principles and guidelines come from Allaah, Who is above having any shortcomings and to Whom belong the Most Beautiful Names and Sublime Attributes. The sources of rulings for us are the Qur’aan and the proven Saheeh (authentic) Sunnah (the words and deeds of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). The Qur’aan and Sunnah brought a clear message and ideology, which is the belief in Tawheed (Divine Unity) based on the testimony that there is no god except Allaah, and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allaah, the Seal of the Prophets [i.e., the final Prophet] and the Imaam (or leader) of the Messengers. We do not associate any other god in worship with Allaah; on the contrary, we regard Him as Unique in His Divinity and Lordship, and in His Names and Attributes. We do not claim that He has any spouse or son. We take as friends those whom Allaah takes as friends, and regard as enemies those whom He regards as enemies. We hate those who slander Him and attribute to Him a wife or son, for Allaah is Unique, He is the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He 85

begotten, and He has no wife or son. Glory be to Him, how can He have a child? To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth. He has no partner and He does not need children as human beings do. He is the Creator of the father and of what the father begets. Muslims follow the commands of Allaah and have no choice with regard to His rules and regulations, rather they adhere to the rulings of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error” [al-Ahzaab 33:36] Among these rulings is that we should love for the sake of Allaah and hate for the sake of Allaah. But there is also plenty of room for debate with the Muslims; indeed, in His Book Allaah commanded the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his ummah (nation) after him to engage in debate and dialogue with the People of the Book, i.e., Jews and Christians. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”Say (O Muhammad ): ‘O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allaah (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allaah.’ Then, if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:64] We believe in Jesus (‘Eesa) - peace be upon him - as a Prophet sent by Allaah, but God forbid that we should describe Jesus as a god or lord as the Christians claim, and fail to distinguish between the Messenger and the One Who sent him, between the Creator and His creation. 86

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?’ He will say: ‘Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (and unseen). Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me to say: “Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.” And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things.’ (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world).” [alMaa’idah 5:116-117]. And Allaah says - addressing you and your fellowChristians, and you will be blessed if you respond (interpretation of the meaning): ”O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth. The Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (‘Be!’ - and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so believe in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: ‘Three (trinity)!’ Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allaah is (the only) One Ilaah (God), glory is to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allaah is AllSufficient as a Disposer of affairs.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:171] Islam is the religion of guidance, mercy and love, but there are people who force the Muslims to fight when 87

they stand in the way of their conveying the guidance to mankind. The Muslims do not fight anyone until they have told them about the religion of Allaah and given them the choice between two things, either accepting Islam or, if they refuse Islam and keep their own religions, paying the Jizyah (tax) to the Muslims in return for protection. If they refuse both of these choices, then they are to be fought. When we Muslims fight, it is for the sake of saving people from worshipping other people, and teaching them to worship the Lord of the Worlds, and bringing them out of the injustice of other religions to the justice of Islam, and freeing them from the constrictions of this world so that they may enjoy the bounty of this world and the Hereafter. We believe that Jesus (‘Eesa) - peace be upon him - did not die, but Allaah took him up to Himself. Jesus will come back to this world at the end of time and will rule according to Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ”Jesus will descend to Damascus, by the white minaret.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4/117; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him). Islam cancels out the messages that came before it, and Allaah will not accept any other religion from anyone who comes to know of Islam during his lifetime. If people submit in Islam to the Lord of the Worlds, follow the Best of the Messengers, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and do righteous deeds, then Allaah will be pleased with them and will bless them with a good life in this world and the next. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islâmic 88

Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).” [al-Nahl 16:97] We hope that we have answered your questions. We ask Allaah to guide us all and help us all to follow the truth. Peace be upon those who follow true guidance. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 314: The Muslim belief concerning the destiny of atheists in the Hereafter Question: What do Muslims believe will happen to Athiests in the Hereafter Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The athiest is destined to Hell fire in the Hereafter. This is mainly because an athiest refuses the most basic belief which is the existance and oneness of Allaah. I ask Allaah to guide us all to the truth and help us to follow it, for He is the best Supporter and Helper. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 300: Who are Ahlul Kitab( The people of the book)

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Question: Who are the AHLUL KITAB? Are they the ones who believe in oneness of Allah? Or do they include the ones who believe in trinity? If they include Trinitarians, is trinity not SHIRK? And are present day christians in Africa also amongst the people of the book? Answer: Praise be to Allah. People of the Book consist of both believers and disbelievers, as indicated in the Qur’aan, where Allaah (AWJ) mentions the disbelievers among them (interpretation of the meaning): “O people of the Scripture!: Why do you disbelieve in the verses [about Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him)] of Allaah, while you (yourselves) bear witness (to their truth)”. (Aala Imraan, 3:70) And: “Say: O people of the Scripture! Why do you stop those who believe from the path of Allah, seeking to make it crooked, while you (yourselves) are witnesses? And Allaah is not unaware of what you do”. (Aala Imran, 3:99) And Allah (AWJ) said about the believers among them, making clear the difference between them and the aforementioned (interpretation of the meaning): “Not all of them are alike; a party of the people of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Verses of Allaah during the hours of the night, prostrating themselves in prayer. They believe in Allaah and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right and forbid evil and they 90

hasten in good works; and they are among the righteous. And whatever good they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for Allaah knows well those who are the pious”. (Aala Imran, 3:113-115) These people also believe in our Prophet (S) and the Quran which was revealed to him as mentioned (approximate translation of meanings is): “And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture, those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the Verses of Allah for a little price, for then is a reward their Lord. Surely, Allah is Swift in account”. (Aal Imran, 3:199) The disbelief of the disbelieving People of the Scripture, that include Jews and Christians, in our times does not expel them from being People of the Scripture. So, the rules and regulations related to them regarding permissibility of eating their food and marrying their chaste women, in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, are still applicable to them. See also question #103. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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Chapter 3 Schools of Thought and Sects 22473: Deobandis Question: Are Deobandis part of Ahlus Sunnah? Are they within the folds of Islam? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Deobandis are one of the groups of Muslims. This group is connected to and named after the University of Deoband – Dar al-Uloom – in India. It is an intellectual school of thought that is deeply rooted, and everyone who graduated from that university was influenced by its academic characteristics, so that they became known as Deobandis. The University of Deoband was founded by a group of Indian ‘ulamaa’ (scholars) after the British had put a stop to the Islamic revolution in India in 1857 CE. Its establishment was a strong reaction against western advancement and its materialistic civilization in the Indian Subcontinent, aimed at saving the Muslims from the dangers of these circumstances, especially when Delhi, the capital, had been destroyed following the revolution and the British had taken full control of it. The scholars feared that their religion might be assimilated, so Shaykh Imdaadullaah al-Muhaajir al-Makki and his student Shaykh Muhammad Qaasim al-Nanatuwi, and their companions, drew up a plan to protect Islam and its teachings. They thought that the solution was to establish 92

religious schools and Islamic centers, thus al-Madrasah al-Islamiyyah al-Arabiyyah was established in Deoband as a center for Islam and Sharee’ah in India at the time of British rule. The most prominent figures of this intellectual school: 1- Muhammad Qaasim 2- Rasheed Ahmad al-Kankoohi 3- Husayn Ahmad al-Madani 4- Muhammad Anwaar Shah al-Kashmiri 5- Abu’l-Hasan al-Nadvi 6- Al-Muhaddith Habeeb al-Rahmaan al-A’zami Thoughts and beliefs With regard to basic tenets of belief (‘aqeedah), they follow the madhhab of Abu Mansoor al-Maatreedi. They follow the madhhab of Imaam Abu Haneefah with regard to fiqh and minor issues. They follow the Sufi tareeqahs of the Naqshbandiyyah, Chishtiyyah, Qaadiriyyah and Saharwardiyyah with regard to spiritual development. The thoughts and principles of the Deobandi school may be summed up as follows: - Preserving the teachings of Islam and its strength and rituals. - Spreading Islam and resisting destructive schools of thought and missionary activity. - Spreading Islamic culture and resisting the invading British culture. 93

- Paying attention to spreading the Arabic language because it is the means of benefiting from the sources of Islamic sharee’ah. - Combining reason and emotion, and knowledge and spirituality. See al-Mawsoo’ah al-Muyassarah fil Adyaan wal Madhaahib (1/308). Because the Deobandis follow the Maatreedi madhhab with regard to belief (‘aqeedah), we have to define what al-Maatreediyyah is: This is a philosophical (kalaami) group which is named after Abu Mansoor al-Maatreedi. It is based on using rational and philosophical proof and evidence in disputes with opponents from among the Mu’tazilah, Jahamiyyah and others to establish the truths of religion and Islamic ‘aqeedah (belief). With regard to sources, the Maatreediyyah divide the bases of religion into two categories depending on the source: 1 – Divine or rational: these are matters which are established independently by reason and the reports follow that. This includes issues of Tawheed and the Divine attributes. 2 – Legislative matters or transmitted reports, These are matters which reason states may or may not exist, but there is no way to prove rationally that they exist, such as Prophethood, the torment of the grave and issues of the Hereafter. It should be noted that some of them regarded Prophethood as coming under the heading of rational issues. It is obvious that this is contradictory to the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, because the Qur’aan, Sunnah and consensus of the Sahaabah are the sources 94

of guidance in their view. This is in addition to their bid’ah (innovation) of dividing the sources of religion into rational matters vs. transmitted reports, which was based on the false notion of the philosophers who assumed that the religious texts contradict reason, so they tried to mediate between reason and the transmitted reports. This led them to force reason into fields where it has no place, so they came up with false rulings which contradicted sharee’ah, and that led them to say that they did not know what the texts mean and that only Allaah knows their meaning, or to misinterpret them altogether. In the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, on the other hand, there is no contradiction between sound reason and the sound transmitted reports. See al-Mawsoo’ah al-Muyassarah fi’l-Adyaan wa’lMadhaahib al-Mu’aasirah, 1/99 Attitude of Ahl al-Sunnah towards the Maatreediyyah It was narrated from the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that this ummah would split into seventy-three sects, all of which would be in the Fire apart from one. The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained that the saved group is the Jamaa’ah, which is the group that follows the same path as the Messenger SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions. Undoubtedly Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, who adhere to the Qur’aan and Sunnah in terms of both knowledge and actions, are the saved group, and this description applies to them, i.e., they adhere to that which the Messenger SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions adhered to in terms of knowledge and actions. It is not sufficient for an individual or group merely to 95

claim to belong to the Sunnah whilst going against the methodology of the salaf, namely the Sahaabah and Taabi’een. Rather it is essential to adhere to their methodology in knowledge, action, approach and spiritual development. The Maatreediyyah are one of the groups whose opinions include true and false views, and some things that go against the Sunnah. It is known that these groups vary with regard to the truth, how near or far they are; the closer they are to the Sunnah, the closer they are to the truth and the right way. Among them are some who went against the Sunnah with regard to basic principles, and some who went against the Sunnah with regard to more subtle issues. There are some who refuted other groups who are farther away from the Sunnah, so they are to be praised with regard to their refutation of falsehood and what they have said of truth, but they have overstepped the mark in so far as they have rejected part of the truth and gone along with some falsehood. So they have refuted a serious bid’ah by means of a lesser bid’ah, and refuted falsehood with a lesser form of falsehood. This is the case with most of the philosophers (ahl al-kalaam) who claim to belong to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah…” (From the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, alFataawa, 1/348). There remains one important question to be answered, which is: what is our duty towards the Maatreediyyah and groups who hold similar beliefs such as the Deobandis and others? The answer varies according to differences in the persons involved. If someone is stubborn and propagates his bid’ah, then we must warn others about him and explain where he has gone wrong and deviated. But if he does not propagate 96

his bid’ah and it is clear from his words and actions that he is seeking the truth and striving for that purpose, then we should advise him and explain to him what is wrong with this belief, and guide him in a manner that is better; perhaps Allaah will bring him back to the truth. This advice is included in the words of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Religion is sincerity (or sincere advice).” We [the Sahabah] asked, “To whom?” He said, “To Allaah and His Book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” (Narrated by Muslim, 55). Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 47431: He is asking about Sufism and the Jamaa’at alTableegh Question: Is the “Da’wah and Tableegh” group one of the misguided groups? And what about Sufism?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is important for us to understand, firstly, that the words “Tasawwuf” and “Sufism” are modern terms which refer to something that is not automatically approved of in sharee’ah as the words eemaan (faith), Islam and ihsaan are. Neither is it automatically condemned like the words kufr, fusooq (immorality) and ‘asyaan (disobedience, sin). 97

In such cases, we need to find out more about what is meant by such words before we can pass comment. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The words al-faqr and al-tasawwuf (i.e., Sufism) may include some things that are loved by Allaah and His Messenger, and these are things that are enjoined even if they are called faqr or tasawwuf, because the Qur’aan and Sunnah indicate that they are mustahabb and that is not altered if they called by other names. That also includes actions of the heart such as repentance and patience. And it may include things that are hated by Allaah and His Messenger, such as some kinds of belief in incarnation and pantheism, or monasticism that has been innovated in Islam, or things that go against sharee’ah and have been innovated, and so on. These things are forbidden no matter what names they are given… And it may include limiting oneself to a certain style of clothing or certain customs, ways of speaking and behaving, in such a way that anyone who goes beyond it is regarded as an outsider, although this is not something that has been stipulated in the Qur’aan or Sunnah; rather it may be something that is permissible or it may be something that is makrooh, and this is a bid’ah that is forbidden. This is not the way of the friends of Allaah (awliya’ Allaah); such things are innovations and misguidance that exists among those who claim to follow the Sufi path. Similarly, among those who claim to be servants of knowledge there are innovations that involve beliefs and words that go against the Qur’aan and Sunnah, using phrases and terminology that have no basis in sharee’ah. Many such things happen among those people. The wise believer agrees with all people in that in which they are in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah and obey Allaah and His Messenger, but he does not agree with that in which they go against the Qur’aan and Sunnah and disobey Allaah and His Messenger. He accepts from 98

every group that which was taught by the Messenger… when a person seeks the truth and justice, based on knowledge, he is one of the successful friends of Allaah and His victorious party… Al-Fataawa, 11/280-290. But what Shaykh al-Islam said about the view of Sufis depending on their situation is almost too theoretical for our times, when the objectionable matters that he referred to have become part of the path of those who call themselves Sufis nowadays, in addition to the different occasions they celebrate such as the Mawlid, and their exaggeration about their living shaykhs, and their attachment to shrines and graves, where they pray and circumambulate the graves and make vows to them, and other well-known practices of theirs. Because of these matters, the correct approach now is to warn against them with no reservations. This is what was agreed upon by the Standing Committee in their answer to a question about the ruling on the Sufi tareeqahs that exist nowadays. They said: Usually those that are called Sufis nowadays follow bid’ahs (innovations) that constitute shirk, as well as other kinds of bid’ah, such as when some of them say “Madad ya sayyid (Help, O Master)”, and call upon the qutubs (“holy men”), and recite dhikr in unison using names by Allaah has not called Himself, like saying “Huw, Huw (He, He)” and “Ah, Ah (a contraction of the word ‘Allaah’)”. Whoever reads their books will be aware of many of their innovations that constitute shirk, and other evils. With regard to the Jamaa’at al-Tableegh, this is one of the groups that is active in the field of da’wah, calling people to Allaah. They do a great deal of good and make commendable efforts. How many sinners have repented 99

at their hands, and how many have now become devoted to worship of Allaah. But this group is not free of some innovations in knowledge and action, to which the scholars have drawn attention. But whatever the case they cannot be described as being one of the misguided groups. We have quoted above the words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah: The wise believer agrees with all people in that in which they are in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah and obey Allaah and His Messenger, but he does not agree with that in which they go against the Qur’aan and Sunnah. For more information on this group, see the answer to questions no. 8674 and 39349. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 45563: Ruling on hating the Sahaabah Question: I was having a discussion with some people about the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them), and he told me that it was possible for any one of us to hate any one of the Sahaabah without that contradicting Islam. He said perhaps that (hating the Sahaabah) may put a person beyond the pale of faith but he would still remain a Muslim. We hope that you can explain this matter to us. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Undoubtedly it is a sign of great misfortune and misguidance if a person’s faith is based on slandering the companions of the best of mankind (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or arguing about the disputes that arose among them, instead of occupying himself with 100

doing that which will benefit him in both his worldly and spiritual affairs. No one should have any reason to slander or hate or bear grudges against the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Their virtues are many, for they are the ones who supported Islam and spread the faith; they are the ones who fought the mushrikeen; they are the ones who transmitted the Qur’aan, Sunnah and rulings. They sacrificed themselves, their blood and their wealth for the sake of Allaah. Allaah chose them to be the companions of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so no one slanders them or hates them except a hypocrite whose does not love Islam or believe in it. It was narrated that al-Bara’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “The Ansaar: no one loves them but a believer and no one hates them but a hypocrite. Whoever loves them, Allaah will love him, and whoever hates them, Allaah will hate him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3672; Muslim, 75. If a man who hates the Ansaar cannot be a believer and that makes him a hypocrite, then how about one who hates the Ansaar and Muhaajireen and those who followed them in truth, and slanders them, curses them and denounces them and those who love them as kaafirs – as the Raafidis do? Undoubtedly they deserve more to be regarded as kaafirs and hypocrites, and of not being believers. Al-Tahhaawi said, discussing the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah: We love the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and we do not neglect to love any one of them, nor do we disavow 101

any one of them. We hate those who hate them and who criticize them, and we only mention them in good terms. Loving them is part of religious commitment, faith and ihsaan, and hating them is kufr, hypocrisy and wrongdoing. Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan said: The way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is to love the family (ahl al-bayt) of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Naasibis love the Sahaabah but hate the family of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), hence they were called Naasibis because they set themselves up (nasb) as enemies of the family of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Raafidis are the opposite: they love the Prophet’s family (ahl al-bayt) – or so they claim, but they hate the Sahaabah, whom they curse, denounce as kaafirs and criticize. Whoever hates the Sahaabah hates Islam, because they are the bearers of Islam and the followers of the Chosen Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). So whoever hates them hates Islam, and this indicates that there is no faith in the hearts of such people and that they do not love Islam. This is an important basic principle which the Muslims should understand, namely loving and respecting the Sahaabah, because that is part of faith. Hating them or hating one of them is kufr and hypocrisy, because loving them is part of loving the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and hating them is part of hating the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah. 102

Some of the scholars explained in detail what is meant by hating the Sahaabah. They said: If a person hates some of them for some worldly reason, then that is not kufr and hypocrisy, but if it is for a religious reason, because they were the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then undoubtedly this is hypocrisy. This is a good explanation which does not contradict what we have mentioned above, rather it explains it further and reinforces it. Abu Zar’ah al-Raazi said: If you see a man criticizing one of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then know that he is a heretic. Imam Ahmad said: If you see a man mentioning one of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a bad way, then call his Islam into question. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: If a person slanders them in a way that does not impugn their good character or religious commitment, such as describing one of them as being stingy or cowardly or lacking in knowledge or not being an ascetic and so on, then he deserves to be rebuked and disciplined, but we do not rule him to be a kaafir because of that. This is how the words of those who were not regarded as kaafirs by the scholars are to be understood. If a person curses them and slanders them in general terms, this is an area of scholarly dispute, depending on whether this cursing is motivated by mere feelings or religious doctrines. If a person goes beyond that and claims that they apostatized after the death of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), apart from 103

a small group of no more than ten or so individuals, or that most of them rebelled and did evil, then there is no doubt that such a person is a kaafir, because he has denied what is stated in more than one place in the Qur’aan, that Allaah was pleased with them and praised them. Indeed whoever doubts that such a person is a kaafir is himself a kaafir, because this implies that those who transmitted the Qur’aan and Sunnah were kaafirs or evildoers and that the best of this ummah which is described in the verse “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:110 – interpretation of the meaning] – the first generation – were mostly kaafirs and hypocrites. It implies that this ummah is the worst of nations, and that the first generations of this ummah are the most evil. No doubt this is blatant kufr, the evidence for which is quite clear. Hence you will find that most of those who proclaim such views will sooner or later be shown to be heretics. Heretics usually conceal their views, but Allaah has punished some of them to make an example of them, and there are many reports that they were turned into pigs in life and in death. The scholars have compiled such reports, such as alHaafiz al-Saalih Abu ‘Abd-Allaah Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Waahid al-Maqdisi, in his book al-Nahi ‘an Sabb alAshaab in which he narrated the punishments that befell such heretics. In conclusion, there are some groups of those who slander the Sahaabah concerning who them is no doubt that they are kaafirs, others who cannot be judged to be kaafirs, and others concerning whom there is some doubt regarding that. Al-Saarim al-Maslool ‘ala Shaatim al-Rasool, p. 590591. 104

Taqiy al-Deen al-Subki said: … This refers to one who slanders some of the Sahaabah. But if a person slanders all of the Sahaabah, then he is undoubtedly a kaafir. The same applies if he slanders one of the Sahaabah just because he is a Sahaabi, because this is demeaning the virtue of the Sahaabah and indirectly slandering the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). So undoubtedly the person who does this is a kaafir. Based on this, the words of al-Tahhaawi, “and hating them is kufr” should be understood as meaning that hating all of the Sahaabah is undoubtedly kufr, but if a person slanders a Sahaabi not because he is a Sahaabi but for some personal reason, and that Sahaabi was, for example, one of those who became Muslim before the Conquest of Makkah and of whose virtue we are certain – such as the Raafidis who slander the two Shaykhs [Abu Bakr and ‘Umar] – then al-Qaadi Husayn stated that the one who slanders the two Shaykhs is a kaafir. The reason for the scholarly dispute on this issue is if a person slanders a specific person it may be for some personal reason, or he may hate someone for a worldly reason etc. This does not imply that he is a kaafir. But undoubtedly if he hates one of the two Shaykhs because he was a companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then this is kufr, and indeed hating any of the Sahaabah who was lower in status than two Shaykhs just because he was a companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is also definitely kufr. Fataawa al-Subki, 2/575. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A 105

(www.islam-qa.com) 43322: Who are the Naasibis and what is the ruling on them? Question: I would like to know about the following terms: 1- What is the definition of a Naasibi? 2- What is the ruling on such a person – is he a Muslim, a kaafir (disbeliever), one who has gone astray, or an innovator? 3- Are there some references which speak about the Naasibis?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Nasb in Arabic refers to setting something up or raising it. Mukhtaar al-Sihaah, 1/275. In al-Qaamoos it says that the Naasibis (al-nawaasib, alnaasibah and ahl al-nasb) are those whose religious beliefs include hating ‘Ali – peace be upon him – because they set themselves up against him, i.e. took a hostile stance against him. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The Naasibis are those who set themselves up against Ahl al-Bayt (the members of the Prophet’s household) and hated them and slandered them. They are diametrically opposed to the Raafidis (Shi’ah). Sharh alWaasitiyyah, 2/283.

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Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, explaining the ‘aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah: They (i.e., the Sunnis) love the people of the household of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); they regard them with love and loyalty, and they heed the command of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning them… but they reject the way of the Raafidis who hate the Sahaabah and slander them, and they reject the way of the Naasibis who insult Ahl al-Bayt in words and deed. Ahl al-Sunnah do not indulge in discussions about the disputes that took place among the Sahaabah. Al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah, Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 3/154. So the Naasibis are those who hate Ahl al-Bayt, especially ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), and some of them slander him and some accuse him of being a rebellious evildoer, and some of them regard him as a kaafir, as was referred to by Shaykh al-Islam (Manhaaj al-Sunnah, 7/ 339). One of the most well-known groups who emerged from among the Naasibis were the Khaarijis who rebelled against ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) and regarded him as a kaafir, and they added other innovations to that. Undoubtedly rebelling and hating the Ahl al-Bayt and other Sahaabah is a serious kind of bid’ah (innovation) that implies slandering this religion which was transmitted to us via the Sahaabah, the Ahl al-Bayt and others. With regard to whether they are to be regarded as kaafirs, this varies according to the level of hatred for the Sahaabah, and their motives. In brief, if they hate them for some worldly reason then that does not mean that they are kaafirs or hypocrites, but if it is for a religious reason, because they are the companions of the Messenger 107

of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then this is kufr. Anything in between that is an area of scholarly dispute in general. See question no;45563 With regard to the ruling on the Khaarijis – who have a similar mentality to the Shi’ah and added to that hatred of the Sahaabah, regarding the one who commits a major sin as a kaafir, and other kinds of bid’ah – there is some difference of opinion among the scholars. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The ummah is agreed on condemning of the Khaarijis and regarding them as having gone astray, but they dispute as to whether they are to be regarded as kaafirs. There are two well-known views in the Madhhabs of Maalik and Ahmad. In the madhhab of al-Shaafa’i there is also a dispute as to whether they are kaafirs. Hence there are two views in the madhhab of Ahmad. The first is that they are wrongdoers, and the second is that they are kaafirs like the apostates, so it is permissible to kill them first, to kill those taken prisoner, and to pursue those who run away. If possible they should be asked to repent as in the case of apostates: if they repent all well and good, otherwise they are to be executed. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 28/518. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: With regard to viewing them as kaafirs and stating that they will abide in Hell for eternity, there are also two well-known scholarly views, which were both narrated from Ahmad. The two views apply to the Khaarijis and those who went astray such as the Harooris, Raafidis and others. The most correct of these views is that their beliefs which are well known to go against what the Messenger brought constitute kufr. Similarly their actions which are like the actions of the kuffaar against the Muslims are also kufr. I have mentioned the evidence for that elsewhere. But to 108

declare a specific individual among them to be a kaafir and to judge that he will abide in Hell forever is dependent upon the conditions for declaring a person to be a kaafir being met and the impediments to so doing being absent. When we quote the verses and reports which speak of promises and warnings, and who is a kaafir and a faasiq, we should quote them in a general sense. We cannot judge that any specific individual is included in the general meaning of those texts, unless one of the conditions is met with no impediment. We have already discussed this principle in Qaa’idat al-Takfeer. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 28/500). And Allaah knows best. The questioner should note that in their books the Raafidis who go to extremes with regard to ‘Ali and the Ahl alBayt, and slander the Sahaabah and regard them as kaafirs, often accuse those who disagreed with their falsehood of being Naasibis, but by Naasibis they mean Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. They do this to express their dislike of them for going against their falsehood and following the way of truth. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “With regard to Ahl al-Sunnah, they regard as friends all the believers. When they speak it is on the basis of knowledge and fairness, unlike those who are ignorant or follow their whims and desires; they reject the way of both the Raafidis and the Naasibis and they hold all of the early generations in high esteem, and they recognize status and virtue of the Sahaabah and respect the rights of Ahl al-Bayt as prescribed by Allaah. They also recognize the varying status of members of the early generation, and they recognize that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar enjoyed precedence and had virtues that were not shared by anyone else among the Sahaabah. Manhaaj al-Sunnah, 2/71 Based on this, we have to know who uses this word and who they are referring to by that, lest we reject the truth, because of their describing the people of truth in an 109

incorrect manner. Because one of the characteristics of the people who follow innovation is to attack Ahl alSunnah and describe them in offputting terms. What counts is that which is in accordance with the Qur’aan and Sunnah and the way of the earliest generations of this ummah, no matter how much the followers of falsehood try to distort it. Among the books which speak of the Naasibis and refute them and their ideas, and discussed those who went to the other extreme, namely the Raafidis, is Manhaaj alSunnah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah. You can refer to this book or some of its abridged editions. We ask Allaah to guide us and you to follow His Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and to protect us from misguidance and temptations both obvious and subtle. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 26139: A brief look at the beliefs of the Druze Question: Can you give me a brief idea about the beliefs of the Druze? What is the Islamic ruling concerning them?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Druze originated as a secret sect among the esoteric (baatini) groups that appear outwardly to be Muslim and who sometimes pretend to be religious, ascetic and pious. They make an outward show of false pride in religion, pretending to be various kinds of Shi’ahs, Sufis and lovers 110

of Ahl al-Bayt (the family of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). They claim to carry the banner of peace and reconciliation amongst people, and they talk about uniting people in order to deceive them and lead them astray from their religion. When the opportunity arises, when they become stronger and find supporters among the ruling classes, they show their true colours and proclaim their real beliefs and aims, and they start to promote evil and corruption, and try to destroy religious teachings, sound beliefs and morals. This is clear to anyone who studies their history and follows their progress from the day the Jew ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Saba’ lay the foundations and planted the seed, a legacy which has been handed down from one generation to another, as they have tried hard to implement these principles, and this has continued until the present day. Although the Druze are one of these esoteric groups, they have their own characteristics as regards their origins and the time when they emerged, and the circumstances which helped them to become established. We will mention some brief details concerning that and the rulings of the scholars concerning them. 1 – The Druze are named after Durzi, whose full name was Abu ‘Abd-Allaah Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel al-Durzi. His name is also given as ‘Abd-Allaah al-Durzi and Durzi ibn Muhammad. It was said that Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel al-Durzi was Tashtakeen or Hashtakeen alDurzi. It was also said that they are named after Tayrooz, a city in Persia. Al-Zubaydi narrated that the correct form of the name is Darzi, based on the phrase “awlaad darzah” meaning those who are base and vile. 2 – Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel al-Durzi appeared at the time of al-Haakim bi Amrihi, Abu ‘Ali al-Mansoor ibn al-‘Azeez, one of the ‘Ubaydi kings (known in the west as Fatimids) who ruled Egypt for nearly two hundred 111

years and who falsely claimed to be descended from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) though Faatimah (may Allaah be pleased with her). Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel al-Durzi was originally a follower of the esoteric Ismaili sect who claim to be the followers of Muhammad ibn Isma’eel ibn Ja’far al-Saadiq. Then he left this group and contacted the ‘Ubaydi alHaakim, approving of his claim to divinity, and he called the people to worship him alone. He claimed that God had become incarnate in ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, and that the soul of ‘Ali has migrated to his sons one after another, until it reached al-Haakim. Al-Haakim gave him authority in Egypt so that the people would obey him in his call. When his true intentions became clear, the Muslims in Egypt rebelled against him and killed some of his supporters. When they wanted to kill him, he escaped and fled to al-Haakim, who gave him some money and told him to go to Syria to spread his call there. So he went there and stopped in Waadi Taym-Allaah ibn Tha’labah, to the west of Damascus, where he called them to deify al-Haakim and spread the principles of the Druze among them, and distributed money to them, and they responded to his call. Another man also spread the call of the deification of alHaakim, a Persian man whose name was Hamzah ibn ‘Ali ibn Ahmad al-Haakimi al-Durzi, one of the leading baatinis. He had contacted the leaders of the secret call of al-Haakim’s party, and he called for his deification in secret until he became one of their main leaders. Then he proclaimed that openly and claimed that he was the messenger of al-Haakim, and al-Haakim supported him in that. When al-Haakim died and was succeeded by his son who was known as Al-Zaahir li I’zaaz Deen Allaah (the supporter of the religion of Allaah), and he disavowed himself of his father’s claim to divinity, this call was chased out of Egypt. Hamzah fled to Syria and was 112

followed by some of those who had responded to his call. Most of them settled in the region that later came to be known as Jebel el Druze in Syria. Their principles are as follows: (a) Incarnation. They believe that Allaah was incarnated in ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him), then in his sons after him, one after another, until He was incarnated in the Faatimid al-Haakim Abu ‘Ali al-Mansoor ibn al‘Azeez. They believe that al-Haakim will return and that he disappears and reappears. (b) Dissimulation (taqiyah) – i.e., hypocrisy and concealment. They do not tell anyone their real beliefs except those who are of their number. Indeed they do not disclose their secrets to anyone except those whom they trust from among their own group. (c) Infallibility of their imams. They think that their imams are infallible and protected from sin. Indeed, they deified them and worshipped them instead of Allaah, as they did with al-Haakim. (d) Esotericism (baatiniyyah). They claim that the texts of sharee’ah have an esoteric or secret meaning other than the apparent meaning. They based their heresy concerning the texts on this, and distorted the meanings of the reports, commands and prohibitions. With regard to their heresy concerning the reports, they deny the perfect attributes of Allaah and they deny the Day of Resurrection with its reckoning and recompense of Paradise and Hell. They replaced that with something that they call the transmigration of souls, the belief that the soul of a person or animal moves, when he or it dies, to the body of another person or animal when he or it is born, to dwell therein being either blessed or tormented. They believe that the universe is eternal and is no more 113

than wombs giving birth and the earth swallowing the bodies of the deceased (i.e., a never-ending cycle of birth and death). They do not believe in the angels or the message of the Prophets, and they follow the philosophers who followed their own whims and desires and the principles and theories of Aristotle. With regard to their heresy concerning the texts which stipulate commands and prohibitions, they distort them. They say that salaah (prayer) really means knowledge of their secrets, not the five daily prayers; siyaam (fasting) means concealing their secrets, not refraining from things that break the fast from dawn until sunset; and that Hajj (pilgrimage) means visiting the shaykhs whom they venerate. They regard immoral actions, both outward and inward, as permissible, and they allow marriage to daughters and mothers, and other kinds of tinkering with the texts and denying things that are clearly known to be the laws of Allaah that He has enjoined upon His slaves. Hence Abu Haamid al-Ghazaali and others said concerning them: outwardly their madhhab is Raafidi (Shi’ism) but inwardly it is pure kufr. (e) Hypocrisy and deceit in their call. They make an outward display of being Shi’ah and of loving Ahl alBayt (the Prophet’s household) to those whom they call. When they respond to them, they call them to Shi’ism and openly criticize the Sahaabah and slander them. If they accept that then they disclose to them the alleged faults of ‘Ali and slander him. If they accept that, then they go on to slander the Prophets and say that they have secrets that go against the message to which they called their nations; they say that they were smart and devised new laws for their nations for them to achieve worldly interests, and so on. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about how the Druze and Nusairis should be judged. He replied: 114

These Druze and Nusairis are kaafirs, according to the consensus of the Muslims. It is not permissible to eat the meat they slaughter, or to marry their womenfolk. They do not agree to pay the jizyah, so they are apostates from the religion of Islam and are not Muslims, nor are they Jews or Christians. They do not agree that the five daily prayers are obligatory, or that fasting Ramadaan is obligatory, or that Hajj is obligatory. They do not regard as haraam that which Allaah and His Messenger have forbidden of dead meat or wine, etc. Even if they pronounce the Shahaadatayn, with these beliefs they are kaafirs according to the consensus of the Muslims. As for the Nusairis, they are the followers of Abu Shu’ayb Muhammad ibn Naseer, who was one of the extremists who say that ‘Ali is a god, and they recite these words: “I bear witness that there is no god except Haidar [i.e., ‘Ali], and no screen covering him except Muhammad, the honest and trustworthy one, and there is no way to him except through Salmaan the all-powerful.” Haidar is a title given to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him). With regard to the Druze, the followers of Hashtakeen al-Durzi, who was one of the freed slaves of al-Haakim whom he sent to the people of Wadi Taym-Allaah ibn Tha’labah and he called them to believe in the divinity of al-Haakim and they call him “the creator, the allknowing”, and swear by him, they are among the Ismailis who believe that Muhammad ibn Isma’eel abrogated the law of Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah. They are worse kaafirs than many other extremist groups. They believe that this universe has no creator and they deny the resurrection and the duties and prohibitions of Islam. They 115

are among the esoteric Qarmatians (al-Qaraamitah) who are worse kaafirs than the Jews, Christians and mushrik Arabs. Basically they follow the philosophy of Aristotle and his ilk, or the Magians. Their ideas are a mixture of Magian philosophy but they make an outward, hypocritical display of being Shi’ah. And Allaah knows best. Shaykh al-Islam also said, refuting the ideas of some sects of Druze: The fact that these groups are kaafirs is something concerning which there is no dispute among the Muslims. Rather whoever doubts that they are kaafirs is a kaafir like them. They do not have a status like that of the People of the Book or of the mushrikeen, rather they are misguided kaafirs and it is not permissible to eat their food, their women may be taken captive and their wealth may be confiscated. They are heretics and apostates whose repentance cannot be accepted, rather they should be killed wherever they are found, and they may be cursed because of what they are. It is not permissible to employ them as guards and gatekeepers. Their scholars and leaders must be killed, lest they lead others astray. It is haraam to sleep with them in their houses or to be friends with them, or to walk with them or to attend their funerals, if their death is announced. It is haraam for the Muslim authorities to neglect to carry out the hadd punishment that Allaah has enjoined by whatever means they see fit. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek and in Whom we put our trust. From the fatwas of the Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas. Majallat al-Buhooth alIslamiyyah, 36/85-89. (www.islam-qa.com) 34531: Acquiring knowledge from the Ash’aris 116

Question:

Is it permissible to study fiqh or ‘uloom al-hadeeth (sciences of hadeeth) with an Ash’ari individual?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Ash’aris are a sect that is named after Imam Abu’lHasan al-Ash’ari (may Allaah have mercy on him). AlAsh’ari passed through three stages – as mentioned by Ibn Taymiyah in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 4/72 – which may be summed up as follows: a Mu’tazili stage; then following Ibn Kilaab; then following Ahl al-Sunnah, chiefly Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Al-Ash’ari clearly stated his final position in his three books: Risaalah ila Ahl al-Thaghr, Maqaalaat al-Islaamiyyeen, and alIbaanah. Whoever follows al-Ash’ari at this stage is in accordance with Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah in most issues. Whoever follows his path at the second stage is going against al-Ash’ari himself, and is going against Ahl al-Sunnah in many issues. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Fataawa, 3/338: Those later scholars who called themselves after Abu’lHasan al-Ash’ari were following the second of his stages of ‘aqeedah. They followed the method of misinterpreting most of the divine attributes, and this only affirmed the seven attributes mentioned in the following line of verse: “Ever-Living, All-Knowing, Able (to do all things), He speaks, He wills, He hears and He sees.” They also differed with Ahl al-Sunnah as to how these attributes are to be understood. 117

The Standing Committee issued a fatwa (no. 6606, vol. 3/220): The Ash’aris are not kuffaar, rather they erred in their interpretation of some of the Divine attributes. Based on this, it is better for a Muslim to study Islamic knowledge and sharee’ah only with scholars who are well known for their knowledge and sound belief (‘aqeedah), and to keep away from those who follow bid’ah and go against Ahl al-Sunnah, including the Ash’aris. This is something that is easy to do – praise be to Allaah – because the means of learning have become readily available to all people. The knowledge of the scholars of Ahl alSunnah is available through many means such as Islamic tapes, books, and leaflets; there are Islamic bulletin boards and sites on the internet, and many easy ways of accessing knowledge – praise be to Allaah. O Allaah, teach us that which will benefit us, benefit us by that which we learn and increase us in knowledge. For more information see Question no. 10693. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 45435: Some lies of the Qaadiri tareeqah Question: There is a qaseedah (ode) composed by Shaykh ‘Abd alQaadir al-Jilaani, the shaykh of the Qaadiri tareeqah. What is your opinion on this qaseedah?.

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani was one of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah. He was a follower of Sunnah, not an innovator, and he followed the path of the righteous Salaf and, in his writings, encouraged and enjoined following the Salaf. He told people to give up innovations in religion, and he clearly expressed his opposition to the scholars of ‘ilm al-kalaam among the Ash’aris and others. There are some errors in his writings, and some bid’ahs that may be insignificant compared to his great achievements. To learn more about these matters and the ways in which he was mistaken, please see the book Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani wa Araa’uhu alI’tiqaadiyyah wa’l-Sufiyyah by Shaykh Dr. Sa’eed ibn Masfar al-Qahtaani, 440-476. See also question no. 12932. Secondly: The followers of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani have told many lies about him and attributed to him things that he did not say and would not have approved of, which go against the way he lived and his call to follow the Salaf and avoid innovations. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] mentioned in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (27/127) some of these lies, when he said: “There is no doubt that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani did not say this or enjoin it. Whoever says such things is telling lies about him.” 119

One of these lies is the false attribution of this qaseedah to him, and we know for certain that Shaykh ‘Abd alQaadir is innocent of what it says in it. The Standing Committee was asked about this qaseedah, and they replied: This qaseedah indicates that its author is ignorant and makes claims for himself that are all kufr and misguidance. He claims that all the knowledge of the scholars is derived from his knowledge and are mere branches thereof; and that the conduct of the worshippers is in accordance with what he has enjoined for them and prescribed for them; and that he would be able to close Hell by his might, were it not for the prior covenant of the Messenger; and that he helps the mureeds (devotees) who are sincere towards him, and that he saves them from calamity and gives them life in this world and in the Hereafter, and protect them from all fears; and that he will be present with him on the Day of Resurrection when their deeds are weighed in the Balance. These false claims can only come from one who is ignorant and does not know his limitations, because complete knowledge belongs to Allaah alone and the affairs of the Hereafter and the control of all affairs belong to Allaah alone, not to any angel who is close to Him or to any Prophet who was sent, or to any righteous person. Allaah commanded His Messenger, who was the best of His creation, to recite to the ummah the following verses (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘I possess no power over benefit or hurt to myself except as Allaah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe’” [al-A’raaf 7:188] 120

“Say: ‘It is not in my power to cause you harm, or to bring you to the Right Path.’ Say (O Muhammad): ‘None can protect me from Allaah’s punishment (if I were to disobey Him), nor can I find refuge except in Him’” [al-Jinn 72:21-22] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined the closest of people to him and their children to protect themselves from the punishment of Allaah by believing in Him and following His laws, and he told them that he could do nothing to help them before Allaah [on the Day of Resurrection]. He told them that Adam, Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosa and ‘Eesa will all, on the Day of Resurrection, say, “Myself, myself,” so how can the Shaykh of the Qaadiri tareeqah or any other human being possess the means of saving his mureeds and protecting those who fulfil their covenant towards him and being with them when their deeds are weighed on the Day of Resurrection? How can he possess the power to close the doors of Hell by his might? This is an obvious lie and blatant disbelief in the laws of the Lord of the World. The author of this qaseedah goes even further in his exaggeration and transgression of the limits of common sense and sharee’ah, when he claims that he was exposed to the light of Muhammad before anything was created; and that he was with Jibreel and Muhammad (peace be upon them both) when they met together; and that he was with Nooh (peace be upon him) in the ark, and he witnessed the Flood; and that he was with Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) when he was thrown into the fire, and that this fire became cool because of his du’aa’; and that he was with Ismaa’eel, and the ram was only sent down because of his fatwa; and that he was with Ya’qoob (peace be upon him) when he lost his sight, and his eyes were only healed by his spitting on them;’; and he is the one who brought Idrees (peace be upon him) to Jannat 121

al-Firdaws; and that he was with Moosa (peace be upon him) when he spoke to his Lord, and the staff of Moosa came from his staff; and that he was with ‘Eesa in the cradle; and that he is the one who gave Dawood the best voice in recitation. And he made even more outrageous claims that that, he claimed that he is Allaah in three lines of his qaseedah. The most blatant of his claims is when he says: “I am the One, the Only, the Great in and of himself… I am the one who is describing Him, the one who is described, I am the shaykh of the tareeqah.” Exalted be Allaah far above that. What kufr can there be after this? – Allaah forbid. It is evil enough for you to listen to this qaseedah. You do not need to know all the details of the history of the Qaadiryyah when you have heard the lies, kufr and falsehood in the qaseedah of the shaykh of this tareeqah. Strive to learn the truth from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the explanations given by the Sahaabah and those who followed them of the Qur’aan and the saheeh Sunnah. Please note that we believe that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani, after whom this tareeqah is named, is innocent of this qaseedah just as the wolf was innocent of shedding the blood of son of Ya’qoob; his followers tell many lies about him and attribute to him things of which he is innocent. And Allaah is the Source of strength, May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 11529: Al-Ibaadiyyah 122

Question: Who are the Ibaadis?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 1 – Definition. The Ibaadis are a group of Khaarijis who are named after their founder, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ibaad al-Tameemi. They claim that they are not Khaarijis, and they deny this origin. But the truth is that they are not extreme Khaarijis like the Azraqis, but they agree with the Khaarijis in many issues such as denying the divine attributes, saying that the Qur’aan is created, and allowing rebellion against oppressive rulers. 2 – After whom are the Ibaadis named? Their first founder was ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ibaad from the tribe of Banu Murrah ibn ‘Ubayd ibn Tameem. He was named after Ibaad which is a village in al-Yamaamah known nowadays as al-‘Aarid. ‘Abd-Allaah was a contemporary of Mu’aawiyah and died at the end of the reign of ‘Abd al-Maalik ibn Marwaan. 3 – Their most important beliefs: · From their books it seems that they deny the divine attributes, and they agree to a large extent with the Mu’tazilah in the misinterpretation of divine attributes. But they claim that their views are based on sound evidence, when they interpret the divine attributes in a metaphorical sense, which explains the meaning without likening Allaah to His creation. But the truth of this matter is the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, who follow the evidence and affirm the names and attributes of Allaah as He Himself has affirmed them, without denying them, 123

discussing how, they are, misinterpreting them or likening Allaah to His creation. · They deny that the believers will see Allaah in the Hereafter. · They misinterpret some matters having to do with the Hereafter and deny that they are real, such as the Balance (Meezaan) and the Siraat. · The attributes of Allaah are not additional to His Essence, they are His Essence. · The Qur’aan in their view is created, and they agreed with the Khaarijis in that. Al-Ash’ari said in Maqaalaat al-Islamiyyeen, “All the Khaarijis say that the Qur’aan was created.” Maqaalaat al-Islamiyyeen, 1/203. · In their view the one who commits a major sin is a kaafir in the sense of being ungrateful to Allaah or being a hypocrite. · In their view people fall into three categories: - Believers who are sincere in their faith - Mushriks whose shirk is obvious - People who have affirmed belief in Tawheed and Islam, but who do not adhere to its practices and acts of worship, so they are not mushriks because they have affirmed belief in Tawheed, but they are not believers either because they do not adhere to the requirements of faith. So they are included with the Muslims in rulings having to do with this world, because of their affirmation of Tawheed, and they are included with the mushriks in rulings having to do with the Hereafter because they were not sincere in

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their faith and they went against the requirements of Tawheed. · They believe that those of the people of the qiblah who differ from them are kaafirs but not mushriks; it is permissible to marry them and inherit from them. Their weapons, horses and anything that may be used for war is permissible as war booty and everything else is haraam. · The one who commits a major sin is a kaafir and when he is committing sin and persisting in it, he cannot be admitted to Paradise if he has not repented, for Allaah does not forgive major sins unless those who commit them repent before death. · They call the one who commits a major sin a kaafir, claiming that this is kufr in the sense of ingratitude to Allaah or in the sense of hypocrisy, not in the sense that he is a kaafir who is beyond the pale of Islam. Ahl alSunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah on the other hand call such a person disobedient or a sinner. Whoever dies in such a state – according to Ahl al-Sunnah – is subject to the will of Allaah: if He wills, He will forgive him by His grace, and if He wills, He will punish him by His justice until he is cleansed of his sin, then he will be moved to Paradise. But the Ibaadis say that the sinner will abide in Hell forever, so in this regard they agree with the rest of the Khaarijis and Mu’talizah who say that the sinners will abide in Hell forever. · They deny that there will be any intercession for the sinners who are believers in Tawheed, because sinners – in their view – will abide in Hell forever, so there can be no intercession for them to be brought forth from Hell. · Some of them criticized the caliph ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, Mu’aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan and ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with them). 125

Mawsoo’ah al-Adyaan wa’l-Madhaahib al-Mu’aasirah, 1/63. (www.islam-qa.com) 20760: She is confused about which groups and sects are telling the truth Question: I know you have already explained the fact that the way to find the real jammah is one which follows hadith and sunna, as these poeple cannot go astray. i was with eh-le hadith (saudi salafis) until lately i have received so much info from hanafi’s and also shaikh faisal too. they criticise the salafs so much and off cousre with hadith, which i cant really reject. so i put these arguments forward to the salaf and they quoted hadith too and they were equally persuasive, so i cant really reject them too. i cant leave the salafs because they are the only sound jammah in my little (unnoticed town) where no other organisations are present. apart from the grave? peer worshippers. and if i do follow them would that constitute me blind following the salafs cos as the hanafi say we must follow only one imam? to sum up all what is the best solution? why do majority of these groups,sects whatever always quote hadith and then say it has saheeh sanad, but they contradict other hadith? so how can they be authentic? so what is to be done??????. Answer:

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Praise be to Allaah. We have discussed in many of our answers the standard by which the Muslim can judge the groups, sects and parties that go against Islam. We will explain it in more detail here: With regard to differences which you see between the Muslim nowadays, Allaah has not left the people confused and unable to distinguish the true from the false, rather Allaah has created signs by which the truth and those who are sincere may be known, and He has created clear evidence and proof for the correct path, from which no one deviates but he is doomed. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) spoke of the ummah splitting into seventy-three groups, he said that they would all be in Hell apart from one, the one which follows the same path as him and his companions. This is the standard, so we have no choice but follow in the footsteps of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). It is not sufficient for a person to quote a hadeeth and say that it is saheeh, then use that as evidence to support his madhhab or his point of view according to his own understanding of that hadeeth; rather what he should do is to research whether the Sahaabah understood this hadeeth in this manner or not. This is the criterion which divides those who really follow the truth from others. This means referring the interpretation of Islam to our righteous forebears, the Sahaabah and those who followed them in truth, for they are the best and most knowledgeable of this ummah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said. Anyone who examines the groups that have deviated from the Straight Path will see that they have confused the 127

people by quoting a verse or a hadeeth out of context, so that people think that they are following the Qur’aan and Sunnah, but they cannot prove that this is the way in which the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) understood these texts. Those who distort the attributes of Allaah, those who worship graves and circumambulate them, those who dance in dhikr, those who deny the divine will and decree (al-qadar), those who say that the Qur’aan was created, and other deviant beliefs and ways, none of them claim that his belief is the same as the belief of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Even if they claim that they have a verse or hadeeth to support them, they cannot prove that their interpretation is the same as that of those who witnessed the revelations and heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), namely the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). This is an important and precise standard by means of which a person can know whether what he hears and reads of beliefs and ways whose proponents say is true guidance is in fact true or false. If you follow what the Salafi scholars tell you of Tawheed, fiqh and hadeeth, this is following true Islam, which Allaah wants for all people. The Shaytaan may come and tell you and whisper to you that this is taqleed (blind imitation) and is not permissible; undoubtedly that is the first step towards deviation from the right path. Allaah has enjoined upon the ordinary Muslim to ask the scholars and to follow their opinions and fatwas. You know that the closest of them to the right path and the truth are those who follow the path of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in their understanding of the Qur’aan and Sunnah; they are the followers of the righteous Salaf. 128

The Muslim who has some measure of Islamic knowledge can find out for himself whether what he hears or reads is sound or not, by studying and comparing it with that which has been proven from the righteous salaf. There is no reason why the one who goes against the way of the Salaf should not be right in some cases, but no way or madhhab can be sound apart from the way of the salaf or first generations of this ummah, the Sahaabah and Taabi’een and those who follow them in truth. Everything quoted by the Salafi scholars is the view of the Sahaabah and of Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib, al-Zuhri, Mujaahid, ‘Ata’, Maalik, Hammaad ibn Zayd, Hammaad ibn Salamah, al-Shaafa’i, Ahmad, al-Bukhaari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, and other prominent scholars. You will find that the innovators quote that which they think supports their view, and ignore that which clearly proves that they are wrong. You will find them mentioning things in their books that goes against the Sunnah, and rejecting the Sunnah because it goes against their books, distorting that which is stated clearly in the Qur’aan, describing as da’eef that which is clearly stated in the Sunnah because it goes against their opinions and their whims and desires, and so on. For this reason they are called ahl al-ahwa’ (people of whims and desires). With regard to Ahl al-Sunnah, they are more objective, they look at the Sunnah without any bias or preconceptions, and they give the Sunnah – if it is saheeh – precedence over everything else. They do not have any whims and desires that they follow to the extent that they reject a hadeeth or distort a verse for their sake. In fact there is no contradiction between the texts of the revelation, rather there may appear to be a contradiction in some cases. Every field of knowledge has specialized 129

scholars, so in the field of hadeeth there are scholars who can explain what is saheeh (sound) and what is not, and can explain what is meant and dispel confusion, and reconcile between reports which seem to contradict one another. To sum up: The best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the people with the most knowledge of this guidance are the scholars of hadeeth, namely the righteous salaf. Those who follow them will be saved and those who go against them will be doomed. So you must adhere to this path and ask Allaah for guidance and steadfastness. With regard to the questioner saying that Ahl al-Hadeeth are the “Saudi salafis”, this restriction is not correct. Ahl al-hadeeth are not restricted to a particular country or to certain people, rather Ahl al-hadeeth includes everyone who follows the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and understands it correctly in accordance with the understanding of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) and those who follow them in truth. And Allaah is the Guide. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 34759: What is the Zaahiri madhhab? Question:

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We have heard of the Zaahiri (literalist) madhhab – what is its main idea? Do they follow the Sunnah?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Zaahiri madhhab is well known. It is the madhhab followed by Dawood ibn ‘Ali al-Zaahiri and Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm and those who follow their line of thought. What it means is following the apparent meaning of the texts and not looking at the basis of rulings, and they do not believe in making analogies. Rather they go by the apparent meaning of commands and prohibitions and they do not pay attention to the basis and reasons behind these rulings. They are called Zaahiris (literalists) for this reason, because they go by the apparent meaning and do not pay attention to shar’i bases, wisdom and analogies which are indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. But in general their way is better than the way of those who only refer to reasoning, analogy and arguments, and who do not pay much attention to the shar’i evidence of the Qur’aan and Sunnah. But they are falling short and are to be criticized for focusing only on the apparent meanings of the texts and not paying enough attention to the bases, wisdom and reasoning which the Lawgiver referred to and the objects which sharee’ah aimed to achieve, hence they made mistakes with regard to many issues which are referred to by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat li’l-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/218 (www.islam-qa.com)

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37742: Taraaweeh prayer is not obligatory, and the ruling on breaking fast with followers of bid’ah Question: What is the ruling on a person who does not pray Taraaweeh at all during the month of Ramadaan with no valid excuse? Is there any sin on him because of that? I work for the Aramco company and sometimes my work requires me to stay until after Maghrib, so I have to break my fast at work. I am just about the only Sunni Muslim there, the rest are Shi’ah and Isma’ilis. Is it permissible for me to break my fast with them?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. If a Muslim does not pray Taraaweeh, there is no sin on him for that, whether he has an excuse or not, because it is not obligatory. Rather it is a confirmed Sunnah which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did regularly and encouraged the Muslims to do as he said: “Whoever prays qiyaam in Ramadaan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 37; Muslim, 760. But the Muslim should not neglect Taraaweeh prayer. If he cannot pray it with the imam in the mosque, then he should pray it at home. If he cannot pray eleven rak’ahs then he should pray as much as he can, even if it is only two rak’ahs, then he should pray Witr. And Allaah knows best. With regard to breaking your fast with the Shi’ah and Isma’ilis, if you think that breaking your fast with them will serve the purpose of softening their hearts and calling 132

them to follow the Sunnah and give up the innovations that they are following, then this is something that is prescribed in Islam. But if you think that your breaking your fast with them will not serve any purpose, then it is better not to break your fast with them, and to avoid them, so as to denounce the innovations that they are following and lest they confuse you with their specious arguments when you do not have enough knowledge to realize that what they are saying is false, thus exposing yourself to fitnah (temptation, tribulation). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 6083: Are the words spoken in a state of spiritual intoxication forgiven? Question: hamza yusuf said, when speaking about the fears people have about sufism ,”the fourth reason is fear for the generality that they might be lead astray by following esoteric doctrines without upholding the letter of the law as happens to many ignorant people. so ignorant people might hear some statement which is said by a sufi and they completely misunderstand it. and abu yazid albistami put in imam dhahabi’s tabaqat is considered a faqih (jurisprudent). imam dhahabi is considered a student of ibn taymiyya and he considers abu yazid al-bistami a reasonable and sound source of hadith. yet abu yazid albistami is the one who is noted for saying ‘subhanee’ which means ‘glory to me!’ this is known in the technical vocabulary of the sufis as a shatha, an ecstatic utterance. if a person says it in a state in which their self is absent 133

they are not taken to account for it we have proof of it in sahih bukhari about a slave in the middle of a desert in which the prophet (s) says that because he finds his lost beast he shouts out in joy ‘allah you are my slave and i am your lord!’ the prophet explained that that slave made a mistake in his ecstatic state after finding his animal. this is someone who finds their animal, so how much greater for someone who has found his lord?! what about his state of ecstasy? does the hadith in bukhari mean that blasphemous utterences are excused if someone is in a so called state of “spiritual intoxication”?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Abu Yazeed al-Bistaami is Tayfoor ibn ‘Eesa, d. 261 AH. He is not known to have studied hadeeth. Al-Dhahabi did not state that about him in his biography. Rather he mentioned something about him which could be taken as meaning that he mocked Ahl al-Hadeeth and claimed to get his knowledge directly from Allaah! That is that he said, “Who do these muhaddithoon (hadeeth scholars) think they are? If a man narrated to another man, our heart has narrated to us from the Lord!” Many shatahaat (ecstatic utterances) have been narrated from him, such as his saying “There is nothing inside this cloak except Allaah” and “What is the Fire? I will lean on it tomorrow and say, ‘Make me a sacrifice for its people, otherwise I am going to swallow it’” and, “What is Paradise? It is a children’s game and the desire of the people of this world.” Because of these statements, which appear to be kufr and heresy, some of the scholars ruled that his beliefs were 134

corrupt and that he was an innovator, but other scholars excused him. Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It was narrated that he uttered some weird shatahaat, for which many of the fuqaha’ and Sufis tried to find acceptable interpretations by explaining them in a far-fetched manner. Some of them said that he spoke these words in a state of oblivion. Some of the scholars labeled him an innovator and said that he was wrong, and they said that this was a major form of bid’ah, and that it was indicative of corrupt beliefs that were entrenched in his heart and manifested themselves at certain times. Al-Badaayah wa’l-Nahaayah, 11/38 If you refer to Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’ by al-Dhahabi you will see that al-Dhahabi did not describe Abu Yazeed as a faqeeh, and he did not regard him as a source of hadeeth. Rather he narrated some good words from him, and he also narrated these shatahaat from him, and said: There were narrated from him – i.e., from Abu Yazeed – some weird things that cannot be accepted. If it is proven that he said them, or that he said them in a state of oblivion and ecstasy, then they should be overlooked and should not be quoted as evidence, because their apparent meaning is heresy, such as “Glory be to me” and “There is nothing in this cloak except Allaah” and “What is the Fire? I will lean on it tomorrow and say, ‘Make me a sacrifice for its people, otherwise I am going to swallow it’” and, “What is Paradise? It is a children’s game and the desire of the people of this world.” Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’, 13/88 Perhaps the reason why some of the scholars tried to make excuses for him is the fact that some good words have been narrated from him, which encourage following 135

sharee’ah and adhering to the limits it sets, and the fact that it is narrated that when he came around (from his state of oblivion), he denied these shatahaat. See Manhaaj al-Sunnah, 5/357; Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 2/119 It should also be noted that at best, the one who says such words may be excused for them and not blamed for them. It is not correct to take these words as a sign of being a wali (“saint”) or having attained a high degree of knowledge. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said: Those who quote Abu Yazeed as saying that he was united with the Creator and denied that there was any difference between him and the Creator, and excuse him for that, say that he became oblivious to the extent that he said “I am the truth” and “Glory be to me” and “There is nothing in this cloak except Allaah”. They say that when love overwhelms a person who is weak, he loses his mind and can only think of his beloved and is unaware of anything else; he will only think of the One Who created him and will no longer be aware of his own existence, focusing so completely on the One Whom he is remembering and not aware of what he is doing at all. When a person reaches that state, he can no longer see any distinction between the Lord and the slave, between what is enjoined and what is forbidden. This is not a state in which a person can produce knowledge or speak sense, rather the best that we can say is that he has lost control of his mental faculties by which he can distinguish between this and that, and at best he is to be excused and what he says cannot be considered to be deep insight or knowledge. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 8/313

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Moreover, this excuse can only be accepted when a man reaches that state of oblivion involuntarily. If he does it deliberately, however, he is undoubtedly to be blamed for doing that, such as if he drinks alcohol or starts to dance in the circle of dhikr until he reaches a state of oblivion. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said: But some of those who have this experience may become intoxicated and irrational when in that state of oblivion, in which state they may say things like “Glory be to me” or “There is nothing in this cloak except Allaah” and other such words that were narrated from Abu Yazeed alBistaami. Whatever an intoxicated person says is to be overlooked; it should not be narrated or told to others, if his intoxication has not come about through haraam means such as forbidden acts of worship or performing acts of worship in ways that are not allowed. But if the cause of intoxication is something haraam, then the intoxicated person is no longer to be excused. In this regard there is no difference between physical and spiritual intoxication. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 2/461 But praising such words, or praising the words of the man who in his intense joy made a mistake and said, “O Allaah, You are my slave and I am your Lord” is a serious error. How can we praise such words when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has described them as a mistake, as he said, “He made a mistake because of the intensity of his joy”? These words indicate that a person is not aware of what he is saying, or that he has completely lost control of his mental faculties. How can losing control of one’s faculties

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be regarded as something praiseworthy or a sign of perfection or “sainthood” (wilaayah)?! The companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were the most perfect of mankind, after the Prophets, in their fear of Allaah and their hopes in Him. They attained the status of true slaves and close friends of Allaah. But it is not narrated that they uttered such words, because of their perfect wisdom and perfect following of sharee’ah. May Allaah be pleased with them all. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 20375: Sufi tareeqahs and the ruling on joining them Question: In the sufis thariqa’ there was a term call syari’a,thariqa’,haqiqa’ and ma’rifah.Is this term really have been tought by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)to his companion according to the definition by the thariqa’ it self. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We must understand that the word al-soofiyyah (Sufism) refers to wearing woollen clothes [the Arabic word soof means “wool”] and nothing else. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The word al-soofiyyah (Sufism) refers to wearing woollen clothes; this is the correct meaning. It was said that it comes from the word safwat al-fuqaha’ (the elite of the fuqaha’) or from Soofah ibn Add ibn Taanijah, an Arab 138

tribe that was known for its asceticism, or from Ahl alSuffah (poor Muslims in Madeenah at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who used to stay in the mosque), or from al-Safa (the mountain in Makkah), or from the word al-safwah (meaning elite), or from the phrase al-saff al-muqaddam bayna yaday Allaah (the foremost rank before Allaah). All of these views are weak (da’eef); if any of them were true then the word would be saffi or safaa’i or safawi, not sufi. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/195 Sufism (tasawwuf) did not appear until after the first three generations which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) praised when he said, “The best of mankind is my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them…” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2652; Muslim, 2533; from the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood). Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the word soofiyyah (Sufism), it was not known during the first three generations, rather it became known after that. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/5 This tareeqah and its like are among the innovated ways that go against the Qur’aan and Sunnah and the way followed by the best generations. All the shaykhs of these tareeqahs have made up their own wirds (phrases to be uttered as dhikr), hizb (books of du’aa’ to be read daily by their followers) and ways of worship by which each of them may be distinguished from the others; this goes against sharee’ah and divides the ummah. Allaah has blessed this ummah by perfecting its religion and completing His Favour upon it, so everyone who 139

comes up with an act of worship or a way that was not brought by sharee’ah is effectively rejecting what Allaah has said and accusing the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) of betraying the trust. Along with this innovation of theirs, they may also be lying by claiming that they received their tareeqah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or that they are following the path and guidance of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs (al-khulafa’ al-raashideen). The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: Is there any such thing in Islam as the numerous tareeqahs like the Shaadhilyyah, Khalwatiyyah etc? If there is such a thing, what is the evidence for that? What is the meaning of the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may become AlMuttaqoon (the pious)” [al-An’aam 6:153] “And upon Allaah is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path. But there are ways that turn aside (such as Paganism, Judaism, Christianity). And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind)” [al-Nahl 16:9] What are the ways that separate people from the path of Allaah, and what is the way of Allaah? What is the meaning of the hadeeth narrated by Ibn Mas’ood, according to which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) drew a line and said, “This is the path of guidance,” then he drew lines to its right and 140

another to its left and said, “These are other paths and on each path there is a devil calling people to it”? They answered: There is no such thing in Islam as the tareeqahs that you mentioned, or anything else like them. What there is in Islam is what is indicated by the two verses and the hadeeth that you quoted, and what was indicated by the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews split into seventyone sects, and the Christians split into seventy-two sects. My ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of which will be in Hell except one.” It was asked, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Those who follow the same path as I and my companions are on today.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “A group among my ummah will continue to follow the truth and to be victorious, and they will not be harmed by those who forsake them or oppose them, until the command of Allaah comes to pass when they are like that.” The truth lies in following the Qur’aan and the saheeh, unambiguous Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is the path of Allaah, this is the Straight Path. This is the straight line mentioned in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood, and this is what was followed by the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (may Allaah be pleased with them and with their followers among the early generations (salaf) of this ummah, and with those who follow their path). All other tareeqahs or groups are the paths mentioned in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “… and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path…” [al-An’aam 6:153] 141

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 2/283, 284 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 5770: Placement of the hands in prayer between Ahl alSunnah and others Question: I am confused between the way a Sunni prays and the way a Shi’te prays. My father is a Shi’te and he has taught me to pray with my hands on my sides but I do not know what is the differnce. Why is there such difference between the two? Also, I would be very grateful if you tell me which form was used originally by Mohammad. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 1 – The difference between the Shi’ah (Raafidis) and Sunnis (Ahl al-Sunnah) is very great, because of the difference in the sources to which each group refers. The Shi’ah rely on books and scholars who are insignificant in the eyes of the Sunnis. For example, after the Qur’aan, the Sunnis rely on Saheeh al-Bukhaari, but the Shi’ah do not regard it as a reference and they do not regard its author as significant. They even differ from us with regard to the Sahaabah. The Shi’ah regard all the Sahaabah as kaafirs apart from a few of them. Some of them even claim that the Qur’aan which is in circulation among the Sunnis is missing some parts and has been altered; those who do not say that the Qur’aan is missing some parts and has been altered say that it has been misinterpreted and reject the tafseer (interpretation) that has been narrated from our imams. 142

Al-Shu’bi said: I warn you against misguided groups, the worst of which are the Raafidis. ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib burned them with fire and expelled them from the land, and the proof of that is that the ideas of the Raafidis are like the ideas of the Jews. The Jews said that only a man from the family of Dawood could be a leader, and the Raafidis say that only a man from among the descendents of ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib could be a leader. The Jews said that there can be no fighting for the sake of Allaah until the Dajjaal (“Antichrist”) appears and some support comes down from heaven, and the Raafidis say that there can be no fighting for the sake of Allaah until the Mahdi appears and a voice calls out from heaven. The Jews delay the evening prayer until the stars appear, and the Raafidis do likewise. According to a hadeeth narrated from the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “My ummah will continue to adhere to the fitrah (sound natural disposition of man) so long as they do not delay Maghrib prayer until the stars appear.” (Abu Dawood, 418; Ibn Maajah, 689; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 444). The Jews turned away slightly from their direction of prayer, as do the Raafidis. The Jews sway back and forth in prayer, as do the Raafidis. The Jews regard it as permissible to shed the blood of every Muslim, as do the Raafidis. The Jews do not observe any ‘iddah (waiting period) when a woman is divorced or widowed, and neither do the Raafidis.

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The Jews reject the idea of three-fold talaaq (divorce), as do the Raafidis. The Jews altered the Tawraat (Torah), as the Raafidis altered the Qur’aan. The Jews hate Jibreel and say, “He is our enemy among the angels.” Some of the Raafidis do likewise and say that he made a mistake by giving the Revelation to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Al-Sunnah by al-Khallaal, 3/497-498. These are some of the misguidance and myths of the Shi’ah. Hence it is no surprise that they put their arms at their sides when praying, which is clearly contrary to the saheeh Sunnah. With regard to the evidence for placing the right hand over the left when praying, there is a great deal of such evidence. For example: It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa’d said: The people were commanded to put the right hand over the left forearm when praying. Abu Haazim said: I only know that this is attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 707). “[The Prophet] (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to place his right hand on his left hand.” (Narrated by Muslim, 401). The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by a man who was praying, and who had placed his left hand on his right hand. He grabbed his arms and put his right hand on his left.” (Ahmad, no. 12671) It was narrated from Waa’il ibn Hajar that he saw the 144

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) raise his hands when he started to pray and say Takbeer, and according to Hammaam he raised his hands level with his ears. Then he wrapped his hands in his garment, putting his right hand on his left. When he wanted to bow in rukoo’ he took his hands from beneath his garment, raised them, then said Takbeer and bowed. When he said “Sami’a Allaah liman hamidah,” he raised his hands, and when he prostrated, he prostrated between his two hands.” (Narrated by Muslim, 401). It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “We Prophets have been commanded to hasten the breaking of our fast and to delay our suhoor, and to put our right hands over our left when praying.” (Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan, 3/13. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Sifat al-Salaah, p. 87). Ibn Hajar said: Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: There is no different report narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and this is the view of the majority of the Sahaabah and Taabi’een. This is what was mentioned by Maalik in al-Muwatta’, and Ibn al-Mundhir and others did not narrate anything different from Maalik. Ibn al-Qaasim narrated that Maalik had said that the arms should be held at the sides, and most of his companions followed him. And it was narrated that he said there is a difference between obligatory and naafil prayers. Some of them regarded it as makrooh to hold one hand with the other. Ibn al-Haajib narrated that this means it is makrooh when one does it for the purpose of resting the hands.” Fath al-Baari, 2/224. And Allaah knows best. 145

Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 13473: Who was al-Ghazzaali? Question: Could you shed some light on who Imam al Ghazzali was? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Al-Ghazzaali was Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Toosi, who was known as alGhazzaali. He was born in Toos in 450 AH. His father used to spin wool and sell it in his shop in Toos. The life of al-Ghazzaali needs to be discussed at length because he went through a number of stages. He indulged in philosophy, then he recanted and rejected that. After that he indulged in what is known as ‘ilm al-kalaam (Islamic philosophy) and gained a sound grasp of its basic principles; then he rejected that after it became clear to him that it was corrupt and filled with contradictions. He was focusing on ‘ilm al-kalaam during the period when he refuted philosophy, and at that time he was given the title of Hujjat al-Islam, after he had refuted the arguments of the philosophers. Then he recanted ‘ilm al-kalaam and turned away from it. He followed the path of the Baatiniyyah (esotericists) and learned their knowledge, but then he rejected that and showed the beliefs of the Baatiniyyah to be false, and exposed the manner in which they tamper with the texts and rulings. Then he followed the path of Sufism. These are the four stages that alGhazzaali went through. Shaykh Abu ‘Umar ibn al-Salaah 146

(may Allaah have mercy on him) spoke well of him when he said: “A lot has been said about Abu Haamid and a lot has been narrated from him. As for these books – meaning al-Ghazzaali’s books which contradict the truth – no attention should be paid to them. As for the man himself, we should keep quiet about him, and refer his case to Allaah.” See Abu Haamid al-Ghazzaali wa’l-Tasawwuf by ‘Abd al-Rahmaan Dimashqiyyah. No fair-minded person would deny the rare level of intelligence, ingenuity and cleverness that Abu Haamid al-Ghazzaali attained. Al-Dhahabi said of him: “AlGhazzaali, the imaam and shaykh, the prominent scholar, Hujjat al-Islam, the wonder of his time, Zayn al-Deem Abu Haamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Toosi al-Shaafa’i al-Ghazzaali, the author of many books and one possessed of utter intelligence. He studied fiqh in his own town, then he moved to Nisapur in the company of a group of students. He stayed with the Imaam al-Haramayn and gained a deep knowledge of fiqh within a short period. He became wellversed in ‘ilm al-kalaam and debate, until he became the best of debaters…” (Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’, part 9, p. 323) You will find that even though Abu Haamid al-Ghazzaali had such a deep knowledge of fiqh, Sufism, ‘ilm alkalaam, usool al-fiqh, etc., and even though he was such an ascetic and devoted worshipper, and had such a good intention and vast knowledge of Islamic sciences, he still had an inclination towards philosophy. But his philosophy emerged in the form of Sufism and was expressed through Islamic ideas. Hence the Muslim scholars, including his closest companion Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi, refuted his ideas. Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi said: Our shaykh Abu Haamid went deep into philosophy, then he wanted to 147

come out of it but he was unable to. There were narrated from him opinions which sound like the Baatini way of speaking, and that may be verified by looking in alGhazzaali’s books. See Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, part 4, p. 66. Even though al-Ghazzaali was very advanced in knowledge, he had little knowledge of hadeeth and its sciences, and he could not distinguish between sound ahaadeeth and weak ones. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If we assume that someone narrated the view of the salaf but what he narrated is far removed from what the view of the salaf actually is, then he has little knowledge of the view of the salaf, such as Abu’l-Ma’aali, Abu Haamid alGhazzaali, Ibn al-Khateeb and the like, who did not have enough knowledge of hadeeth to qualify them as ordinary scholars of hadeeth, let alone as prominent scholars in that field. For none of these people had any knowledge of al-Bukhaari and Muslim and their ahaadeeth, apart from what they heard, which is similar to the situation of the ordinary Muslim, who cannot distinguish between a hadeeth which is regarded as saheeh and mutawaatir according to the scholars of hadeeth, and a hadeeth which is fabricated and false. Their books bear witness to that, for they contain strange things and most of these scholars of ‘ilm al-kalaam and Sufis who have drifted away from the path of the salaf admit that, either at the time of death or before death. There are many such well-known stories. This Abu Haamid al-Ghazzaali, despite his brilliance, his devotion to Allaah, his knowledge of kalaam and philosophy, his asceticism and spiritual practices and his Sufism, ended up in a state of confusion and resorted to the path of those who claim to find out things through dreams and spiritual methods. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, part 4, p. 71). 148

He also said: Hence, even though Abu Haamid refuted the philosophers and classed them as kaafirs, and expressed veneration of Prophethood [as opposed to philosophy], etc., and even though some of what he says is true and good, and indeed of great benefit, nevertheless some of his writings contain philosophical material and matters where he followed the corrupt principles of philosophy that contradict Prophethood and even contradict sound common sense. Hence a group of scholars from Khurasaan, Iraq and the Maghreb criticized him, such as his friend Abu Ishaaq al-Margheenaani, Abu’l-Wafa’ ibn ‘Aqeel, al-Qushayri, al-Tartooshi, Ibn Rushd, al-Maaziri and a group of earlier scholars. This was even mentioned by Shaykh Abu ‘Amr ibn al-Salaah in his book Tabaqaat Ashaab al-Shaafa’i, and was confirmed by Shaykh Abu Zakariya al-Nawawi, who said in his book: “Chapter explaining some important things for which Imaam al-Ghazzaali was denounced in his books which were unacceptable to the scholars of his madhhab and others, namely his odd statements such as what he said in Muqaddimat al-Mantiq at the beginning of al-Mustasfa: ‘This is the introduction to all knowledge, and whoever does not learn this, his knowledge cannot be trusted at all.’” Shaykh Abu ‘Amr said: “I heard Shaykh al-‘Imaad ibn Yoonus narrating from Yoosuf al-Dimashqi, the teacher of al-Nizaamiyyah in Baghdad, who was one of the famous deans of the school, that he used to denounce these words and say, “Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and So-andso and So-and-so…” meaning that these great leaders had a great deal of certainty and faith even though they had no knowledge of this Muqaddimah and of any of the ideas contained in it.” (al-‘Aqeedah al-Isfahaaniyyah, part 1, p. 169). Al-Dhahabi narrated in his book Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’ 149

that Muhammad ibn al-Waleed al-Tartooshi said in a letter which he sent to Ibn Muzaffar: As for what you mentioned about Abu Haamid, I have seen him and spoken to him, and I think that he is a man of great knowledge, he is intelligent and capable, and has been studying all of his life, spending most of his time in study, but then he drifted away from the path of the scholars and entered the crowd of worshippers. Then he became a Sufi and forsook knowledge and its people, then he got involved with “inspiration”, those who claim to have spiritual knowledge, and the insinuating whispers of the Shaytaan. Then he mixed that with the views of the philosophers and the symbolic phrases of al-Hallaaj, and he started to criticize the fuqaha’ and the scholars of ‘ilm al-kalaam. He almost went astray from the religion altogether. When he wrote al-Ihya’ [i.e., Ihya’ ‘Uloom al-Deen], he started to speak of the inspiration and symbolic words of the Sufis, although he was not qualified to do that and had no deep knowledge of such matters. Hence he failed, and filled his book with fabricated reports. I (al-Dhahabi) say: as for al-Ihya’, it contains many false ahaadeeth, and it contains much that is good. I wish that it did not contain etiquette, rituals and asceticism that are in accordance with the ways of the philosophers and deviant Sufis. We ask Allaah for beneficial knowledge. Do you know what is beneficial knowledge? It is that which Allaah revealed in the Qur’aan, which was explained by the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in word and deed, and the type of knowledge which we are not forbidden to acquire. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever turns away from my Sunnah does not belong to me.” So, my brother, you must ponder the words of Allaah and persist in studying al-Saheehayn, Sunan alNasaa’i, Riyaadh al-Nawawi and al-Adhkaar by alNawawi, then you will succeed and prosper. 150

Beware of the opinions of the philosophers, the practice of spiritual exercises, the starvation of monks, and the nonsense talk of those who stay alone for long periods in their monasteries. All goodness is to be found in following the pure and tolerant way of the haneefs. And seek the help of Allaah. O Allaah, guide us to Your straight path. Al-Maaziri praised Abu Haamid with regard to fiqh, and said that he had more knowledge of fiqh than of usool alfiqh (the basic principles of fiqh). With regard to ‘ilm alkalaam which is usool al-deen, he wrote books in this field, but he did not have deep knowledge of it. I realized that he was lacking in experience in this field, because he studied the branches of philosophy before he studied usool al-fiqh, so philosophy made him audacious in criticizing ideas and attacking facts, because philosophy goes along with one’s train of thought, without any shar’i guidelines. A friend of his told me that he spent a lot of time studying Rasaa’il Ikhwaan al-Safa, which contains fifty-one essays. It was written by someone who has studied sharee’ah and philosophy, then had mixed the two. He was a man who was known as Ibn Seena, who filled the world with his books. He had a good knowledge of philosophy, which led him to try to refer all the basic principles of ‘aqeedah to philosophy. He strove hard and achieved what others had failed to do. I have seen some of his books and I noticed that Abu Haamid quotes him a great deal when he speaks of philosophy. With regard to Sufi views, I do not know where he got them from, but I have seen that some of his companions mention the books of Ibn Seena and their contents, and he also mentioned the books of Abu Hayyaan al-Tawheedi. As far as I am concerned, he picked up his Sufi ideas from him. I was told that Abu Hayyaan wrote a huge book about these Sufi ideas, and al-Ihya’ contains a lot of baseless ideas… 151

then he said: In al-Ihya’ he mentioned ideas that have no basis, such as starting with the index finger when cutting the nails because it is superior to the other fingers, as it is the finger used in tasbeeh; then moving on to the middle finger because it is to the right of the index finger, and ending with the thumb of the right hand. He narrated a report concerning that. I (al-Dhahabi) say: this is a fabricated report. Abu’l-Faraj al-Jawzi said: Abu Haamid wrote al-Ihya’ and filled it with fabricated ahaadeeth which he did not know were fabricated. He spoke of inspiration and deviated from the framework of fiqh. He said that what is meant by the stars, moon and sun that Ibraaheem saw was the barriers of light that keep a person from Allaah, not the things that are well known. This is like the words of the Baatiniyyah. (Siyar A’laam al-Nubala’, part 19, p. 340). Then at the end of his life, al-Ghazzaali (may Allaah have mercy on him) came back to the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. He focused on the Qur’aan and Sunnah and condemned ‘ilm al-kalaam and its proponents. He advised the ummah to come back to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and to act in accordance with them, as was the way of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them and those who follow them in truth until the Day of Judgement). Shaykh al-Islam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: After that he came back to the path of the scholars of hadeeth, and wrote Iljaam al‘Awwaam ‘an ‘Ilm al-Kalaam. (Majmoo Fataawa, part 4, p. 72) A glance at Iljaam al-‘Awwaam ‘an ‘Ilm al-Kalaam will prove to us that he had indeed changed in many ways: 152

1 – In this book he advocated the belief of the salaf, and pointed out that the way of the salaf was the truth, and that whoever went against them was an innovator or follower of bid’ah. 2 – He emphatically denounced ta’weel (interpretation of the attributes of Allaah in a manner that differs from their apparent meaning). He advocated affirming the attributes of Allaah and not misinterpreting them in a manner that would lead to denying the attributes of Allaah. 3 – He emphatically denounced the scholars of ‘ilm alkalaam and described all their principles and standards as “reprehensible innovations” which had harmed a great number of people and created trouble for the Muslims. He said: “The harm caused to a great number of people is something that has been seen, witnessed and experienced. The evil that has resulted since ‘ilm al-kalaam began has become widespread even though people at the time of the Sahaabah forbade that. This is also indicated by the fact that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah, by consensus, did not follow the way of the scholars of ‘ilm al-kalaam when they produced arguments and evidence and analysis. That was not because they were incapable of doing so; if they had thought that was something good, they would have done it in the best manner, and they would have studied the matter hard, more than they did with regard to the division of the estate among the heirs (al-faraa’id).” He also said: “The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) needed to prove the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the Jews and Christians, but they did not add anything to the evidence of the Qur’aan; they did not resort to arguments or lay down philosophical principles. That was because they knew that doing so would provoke trouble and cause confusion. Whoever is not convinced by the evidence of 153

the Qur’aan will not be convinced by anything other than the sword, for there is no proof after the proof of Allaah.” See Abu Haamid al-Ghazzaali wa’l-Tasawwuf. These are a few of the comments that trustworthy scholars have made about al-Ghazzaali (may Allaah have mercy on him). Perhaps this is enough for those who wish to be guided. And Allaah is the Guide to the straight path. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 26269: Adhering to a madhhab when one knows that other madhhabs have stronger evidence Question: What is the ruling on adhering to a madhhab when it is clear that other madhhabs have stronger evidence)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. If a person adheres to a particular madhhab, then he finds out that it is likely that another madhhab has stronger evidence, this is a serious error. It is not permissible to do that. This is included in what is mentioned in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allaah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were 154

commanded [in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] to worship none but One Ilaah (God — Allaah) Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)” [al-Tawbah 9:31] This implies turning away from the guidance of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). (www.islam-qa.com) 21065: Are the contemporary Islamic groups among the seventy-three sects? Question: There are some who say that the groups which we are commanded to shun in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah are the Islamic groups such as the Salafis, the Ikhwaan (Muslim Brotherhood) and the Tableeghis. What do you say concerning that? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. When Hudhayfah asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, we were in a state of ignorance and evil, then Allaah brought us this good. Will there be any evil after this good?” the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Yes.” Hudahyfah asked, “Will there be any good after that evil?” He said, “Yes, but it would be tainted with dakhan (i.e. a little evil).” I asked, “What will its dakhan be?” He said, “There will be some people who will guide 155

(people) according to something other than my guidance and will lead them according to something other than my Sunnah. You will see their actions and disapprove of them.” Hudhayfah said, “Will there be any evil after that good?” He said, “Yes, there will be some people who will invite others to the doors of Hell, and whoever accepts their invitation to it will be thrown in it (by them).” Hudhayfah said, “O Messenger of Allaah, describe those people to us.” He said, “They will be from among us and speak our language (i.e., from among the Arabs).” Hudhayfah asked, “What do you command us to do at that point?” He said, “Adhere to the jamaa’ah (group) of the Muslims and their leader.” Hudhayfah asked, “What if there is no jamaa’ah and no leader?” He said, “Keep away from all those different sects, even if you have to bite (i.e. eat) the root of a tree, till you die while you are still in that state.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). This important hadeeth explains to us that the Muslim is obliged to adhere to the jamaa’ah of the Muslims and to co-operate with them wherever they may be, whether it is a jamaa’ah that is found in the Arabian Peninsula, or in Egypt, or in Syria, or in Iraq, or in America, or in Europe, or in any place. When the Muslim finds a group that is calling people to the truth, he should help them and be one of them, he should aid them and encourage them, help them to remain steadfast in adhering to the truth. If he cannot find a jamaa’ah at all, then he should adhere to the truth and he will be the jamaa’ah even if he is only one, as Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to ‘Amr ibn Maymoon: “The jamaa’ah is that which is in accordance with the truth, even if you are on your own.” The Muslim has to seek the truth. If he finds an Islamic center which promotes the truth, or a group in any place which promotes the truth – i.e., which calls people to the 156

Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, and to sound belief – in Europe or Africa or in any place – then he should join them and seek the truth, doing so with patience, and being with the people of truth. This is what is obligatory upon the Muslim. But if he cannot find anyone who calls people to the truth, whether a state or a group, then he must adhere to the truth on his own and be steadfast in doing so. In that case he will be the jamaa’ah, as Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to ‘Amr ibn Maymoon. In these times – praise be to Allaah – there are many groups which are calling people to the truth, as in the Arabian Peninsula (the Saudi government), the Yemen, the Gulf, Egypt, Syria, Africa, Europe, America, India, Pakistan and other parts of the world. There are many groups and Islamic centers and Islamic societies which are calling people to the truth and proclaiming the message, and warning against that which is opposed to it. So the Muslim who is seeking the truth in any place has to look for these groups, and when he finds a group or a center or a society which is calling people to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he should follow it and adhere to it, such as the Ansaar al-Sunnah in Egypt and Sudan, Jama’iyyat Ahl al-Hadeeth in Pakistan and India, and other groups which are calling people to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), devoting their worship sincerely to Allaah alone, and not calling upon anyone else such as the occupants of graves or others. 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. 179 157

(www.islam-qa.com) 10121: Are the Islamic groups among the misguided groups? Question: What do you think of those who say that these Islamic groups are among the groups which call people to Hell, and which the Prophet commanded us to keep away from? Is this correct or not? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Anyone who calls people to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not of the misguided groups, rather he belongs to the saved group mentioned in the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The Jews split into seventy-one groups and the Christians split into seventy-two groups. My ummah will split into seventy-three groups, all of which will be in the Fire except for one.” He was asked, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Those who follow the path which I and my companions are on today.” According to one report: “They are the jamaa’ah.” What this means is that the saved group is the group (jamaa’ah) which adheres steadfastly to the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions (may Allaah be pleased with them), i.e., believing in and worshipping Allaah alone (Tawheed), obeying His commands and heeding His prohibitions, and adhering steadfastly to that in word, deed and belief. These 158

are the people of truth, the ones who call to right guidance, even though they may be scattered throughout the world, with some in Arabia, some in Syria, some in America, some in Egypt, some in the African countries, some in Asia. They are many groups, but they are known by their ‘aqeedah and their deeds. If they follow the path of Tawheed and belief in Allaah and His Messenger, and they adhere steadfastly to the religion of Allaah which was brought by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then they are Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah and the saved group, even though they may be scattered in many parts of the world. But at the end of time they will be very few in number. In conclusion, the guideline concerning this issue is whether or not they adhere to the truth. If there is a person or a group which calls people to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and advocates belief in Tawheed and adhering to the Sharee’ah, then they are the Jamaa’ah and the saved group. But those who call to anything other than the Book of Allaah, or anything other than the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then they are not part of the jamaa’ah; rather they belong to the misguided and doomed groups. The saved group is those who call people to the Qur’aan and Sunnah, even though they may be groups here and there. So long as their aim and their belief is the same, it doesn’t matter if one is called Ansaar al-Sunnah, and another is called alIkhwaan al-Muslimeen, and so on. What matters is their ‘aqeedah (belief) and their actions. If they adhere steadfastly to the truth and to Tawheed, and they are sincere towards Allaah and follow the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in word, deed and 159

belief, then names do not matter. But they have to fear Allaah and be sincere in that. If some of them are called Ansaar al-Sunnah, and others are called al-Salafiyyeen, or al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen, or whatever, it doesn’t matter so long as they are sincere and adhere steadfastly to the truth by following the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah, and judge according to them, and adhere steadfastly to them in belief, word and deed. If any group errs in some way, then the scholars have to warn them and guide them to the truth if there is clear evidence. The point is that we must co-operate in righteousness and piety, and deal with our problems with knowledge, wisdom and good manners. If any of these groups or others makes a mistake that has to do with ‘aqeedah, or something that Allaah has commanded or forbidden, they should show them the shar’i evidence in a gentle, wise and polite manner, so that they will follow the truth and accept it, so that they will not be put off from it. This is what all the Muslims should do, co-operate in righteousness and piety, and advise one another to follow that; they should not let one another down in such a way that the enemy may take advantage of them. Kitaab 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. 181 (www.islam-qa.com) 10554: Characteristics of the saved group Question: What are the most prominent characteristics of the saved group? If a person is lacking in any of these characteristics does that mean that he is not one of the saved group? 160

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The most prominent characteristic of the saved group is adherence to the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in ‘aqeedah (belief), ‘ibaadah (worship), manners and attitude, and dealings with others. The saved group has distinct characteristics in these four areas. In matters of ‘aqeedah you will find that they adhere to that which is indicated by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), i.e., absolute Oneness (Tawheed) of the Divinity and Lordship of Allaah, and of His Names and Attributes. In matters of worship, you will find that this group is distinguished by its total adherence to and application of that which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do with regard to different kinds of acts of worship, how they are done, to what extent, where and when, and for what reasons. You will not find them introducing innovations into the religion of Allaah, rather they show the utmost respect towards Allaah and His Messenger, so they do not put themselves forward before Allaah and His Messenger (cf. al-Hujuraat 49:1) by suggesting any innovated act of worship for which He has not granted permission. In matters of manners and attitude, you will also find that they differ from others by virtue of their good attitudes such as wishing the Muslims well, being content, having a cheerful countenance, speaking well, being generous, being courageous, and other noble and good characteristics. 161

In matters of dealings with others, you will find that they deal with others in an open and sincere manner. They are the ones to whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) referred when he said: “The two parties (to a transaction) have the choice (of proceeding with the transaction or cancelling it) until they separate. If they are sincere and open, their transaction will be blessed for them, and if they are lying or deceitful, the blessing will be lost.” If a person is lacking in any of these characteristics, then does not mean that he is not one of the saved group, but for all, there will be degrees according to that which they did (cf. al-Ahqaaf 46:19). Falling short in matters of Tawheed may put a person outside the saved group, such as lacking in ikhlaas (sincerity or purity of intention). The same applies to bid’ah, as a person may do acts of bid’ah which put him outside the saved group. In matters of morals and dealings with others, defects in such matters do not put a person outside this group, although they may reduce him in status. We need to look in more detail at the matter of attitude and manners. One of the most important matters of attitude and manners is unity and uniting upon the truth. This is what Allaah urges us to do in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “He (Allaah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islamic Monotheism) which He ordained for Nooh (Noah), and that which We have revealed to you (O Muhammad), and that which We ordained for Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosa (Moses) and ‘Eesa (Jesus) saying you should establish religion (i.e. to do what it orders you to do practically) and make no divisions in it (religion) (i.e. various sects in religion)” [al-Shoora 42:13]

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Allaah tells us that those who divide their religion and break up into sects, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has nothing to do with them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad) have no concern in them in the least” [al-An’aam 6:159] Unity and harmony are among the most prominent characteristics of the saved sect – Ahl al-Sunnah wa’lJamaa’ah. If any dispute arises among them, stemming from ijtihaad in matters where ijtihaad is permitted – they do not bear ill-will, enmity or grudges against one another. Rather they regard one another as brothers even though these differences arise between them. One of them will pray behind another even if he thinks that he does not have wudoo’ whilst the imaam thinks that he does have wudoo’. For example, one of them may pray behind another who has eaten camel meat, and this imaam thinks that this does not break wudoo’ whereas the person praying behind him thinks that it does break wudoo’. So he believes that his prayer behind this imaam is valid, but if he himself were to pray in that state on his own he would think that his prayer is not valid. All this is because they believe that differences which arise from ijtihaad in cases where ijtihaad is allowed, are not really differences, because each of them has followed evidence (daleel) as he is obliged to do, and which should not be ignored. So they believe that if their brother differs from them with regard to some action because he is following the evidence (daleel), then in effect he is agreeing with them, because they advocate following the evidence wherever it is. So although he differs from them, he is still following evidence from the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The scholars are not unaware of the differences 163

of this nature that arose among the Sahaabah even during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but he did not rebuke them. When he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back from the campaign of al-Ahzaab, and Jibreel came to him and told him to go out to Bani Qurayzah, who had broken the treaty, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told his companions, “None of you should pray ‘Asr until he reaches Bani Qurayzah.” They set out from Madeenah to Bani Qurayzah, and they were worried about missing the ‘Asr prayer. Some of them delayed the ‘Asr prayer until they reached Bani Qurayzah, and they prayed it after the time for the prayer had passed, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had said, “None of you should pray ‘Asr until he reaches Bani Qurayzah.” Others prayed ‘Asr on time, saying that all the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had meant was that they should hasten to go out (to Bani Qurayzah); he did not mean that they should delay the prayer. These are the ones who were correct, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not rebuke either of the two groups, and neither expressed enmity towards the other. The Muslims who claim to follow the Sunnah should be one ummah and not divide into groups, fighting one another verbally and arguing and hating one another for a matter in which it is allowed to have different opinions. There is no need to mention every group by name; the smart person will understand what I mean. I think that Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah should unite even though they differ in the ways in which they understand those texts which may be interpreted in different ways. That is a matter in which there is room for differences, may Allaah be praised. What matters is harmony and unity. No doubt the enemies of Islam want the Muslims to be divided, whether they are enemies who 164

express their enmity openly or they are enemies who make an outward display of friendliness towards Muslims and Islam, but that is not real. We must be distinguished by this characteristic which is the characteristic of the saved group, i.e., being united. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il li Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, vol. 1, p. 38-41 (www.islam-qa.com) 10777: Who are Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah? Question: Who are Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah are those who adhere to the Sunnah and who unite upon it, not turning to anything else, whether that be in matters of belief (‘aqeedah) or matters of actions which are subject to shar’i rulings. Hence they are called Ahl al-Sunnah because they adhere to it (the Sunnah), and they called Ahl al-Jamaa’ah because they are united (mujtami’oon) in following it. If you examine the followers of bid’ah (innovation), you will find that they differ concerning that which they are following, with regard to beliefs, methodology and practices, which indicates that their being far removed from the Sunnah is commensurate with the extent to which they have introduced innovations. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh 165

Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1. p. 37 (www.islam-qa.com) 9340: The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not extend his hand to anyone from his grave Question: What is the correct opinion about the stories narrated from one of the famous Sufi leaders, al-Sayyid Ahmad alRifaa’i, which say that he visited the Mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Madeenah and made du’aa’ at his grave, and the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) reached his hand out to him and he kissed it? This is a widespread belief among the followers of his tareeqah and it is a belief they hold firmly, even though he lived in the 6th century AH. How true is this story? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This is false and has no basis of truth, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died as decreed by Allaah and as Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily you (O Muhammad) will die and verily, they (too) will die” [al-Zumar 39:30] According to a saheeh hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has angels who travel about in the earth and convey to me the salaams of my ummah.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 166

“There is no one who sends salaams upon me but Allaah will restore my soul to me so that I may return his salaam.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of your days is Friday, so send more blessings (salaah) upon me on that day, for your blessings will be shown to me.” They said, “O Messenger of Allaah, how will they be shown to you when you (your body) have disintegrated?” He said, ‘Allaah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets.” And there are many ahaadeeth which say similar things, but it is not narrated anywhere that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that he would shake hands with anybody. This indicates that this story is false. Even if we were to assume that it is true, then it could be that that was a shaytaan (devil) who shook hands with him in order to deceive him and lead him and others astray. What all Muslims have to do is to fear Allaah and to adhere to His sharee’ah which is indicated in His Book and in the Sunnah of His trustworthy Messenger, and to beware of anything that goes against that. May Allaah reform the Muslims and grant them understanding of His religion and cause them to adhere to His sharee’ah, for He is the Most Generous, Most Kind. 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. 9, p. 31 (www.islam-qa.com) 9338: The Rifaa’is who stab themselves with knives but are not affected by it Question: What is your opinion of those who call themselves 167

daraaweesh (pl. of darweesh or “dervish”) and stab themselves with knives, daggers, etc? Whilst they do that, before they say “Ya Allaah (O Allaah)”, they say, “Ya Rifaa’i (O Rifaa’i).” What is the shar’i view of this? Is there any evidence (daleel) for what they do? May Allaah reward you with good. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. They are liars and cheats. There is no basis for their actions. In fact they are tricksters who use things to deceive the people so that the people will think that they are stabbing themselves when that is not really the case. It is a trick whereby they deceive the eye and bewitch people. This is like what Allaah said about the sorcerers of Pharaoh, that they were trying to frighten the people and that they bewitched their eyes. The point is that it is not permissible to believe in this kind of people – evildoers and deceivers – who have no basis for what they do. They are liars and tricksters who deceive people. When they call upon al-Rifaa’i, or anybody else, this is shirk akbar (major shirk), as is the case of one who says “O Rifaa’i” or “O Messenger of Allaah, grant us victory: or “intercede for us” or “O ‘Ali” or “O Seedi” or “O Husayn” or “Ya Seedi al-Badawi” and so on. All of that is shirk akbar and it is all worship of people or things other than Allaah. All of that is like the actions of those who worship graves, and those who worshipped al-Laat and al-‘Uzza and their ilk. It is shirk akbar – we seek refuge in Allaah from that. When these people stab themselves with daggers and knives, it is trickery and deception which has no basis; by doing this they are liars and evildoers. The authorities – if there are Muslim rulers in their countries – have to

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put a stop to this, and they must punish them and discipline them until they repent from their evil actions. 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. 9, p. 285 (www.islam-qa.com) 11737: She is going to move to another country where they differ from the Sunnis Question: I was curious as to the distinction of Sunni Muslims. How does this sect of Islam differ form the mainstream practicies? I am about to move to Uzbekistan for two years where this is the predominate faith and I would like to know more about it. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews split into seventy one sects, and the Christians split into seventy two sects. This ummah (nation) will split into seventy three sects, all of whom will be in the Fire apart from one.” It was said, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Those who follow the same path as I and my companions follow.” So whoever follows the same path as the Prophet and his companions is following the truth and is safe from all falsehood. The basis of this truth is the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I am leaving among you two things, which if you adhere to them you will not go astray after I am gone: 169

the Book of Allaah and my Sunnah.” Whatever goes against them is a deviation from the truth. The Sunnis (Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah) are those who follow the truth, who honour Allaah and His Messenger, who follow what is said in the Qu’raan and Sunnah, and follow the righteous predecessors, the Sahaabah and Taabi’een (the companions of the Prophet and the subsequent generation) and those who followed them in truth; they do not go beyond their guidance or differ from their way, because they are the most knowledgeable of people about the Qur’aan and Sunnah, which came in their language and in their Arabic idiom. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “An Arabic Qur ’aan, without any crookedness (therein)…” [al-Zumar 39:28] Truth lies in following them, and their way is guidance, because they followed what was brought by the Qur’aan and Sunnah; whoever does anything that is contrary to that will have it rejected. Shaykh Waleed al-Firyaan (www.islam-qa.com)

1087: Ruling on saying “I am a Salafi” Question: I have come to know a person who follows the Salafi da’wah and I have read a book about this movement. I believe that the Salafi da’wah is correct and that those who follow it have the sound ‘aqeedah belief), but there 170

are some matters I want to ask about How correct is it from an Islamic point of view to use the word “Salafi” and to describe oneself in this way? If a person says that he is a Salafi, is he praising himself? Is this considered to be dividing the ummah? If we tell the Sufis that their madhhab is not correct, and that neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his Companions taught it, they will respond that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or his Companions did not use the word “Salafi” either, so how should we reply to them? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We can answer this question with the following points: Each person is obliged to follow the guidance of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions. This is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah and the followers of the righteous predecessors (al-salaf al-saalih). Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my way; I invite unto Allaah with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me with sure knowledge. And Glorified and Exalted be Allaah (above all that they associate as partners with Him). And I am not of the mushrikeen (polytheists… those who worship others along with Allaah or set up rivals or partners to Allaah).” [Yoosuf 12:108] “And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We

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shall keep him in the oath he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination!” [al-Nisa’ 4:115] Whoever follows the way of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) belongs to the salaf al-saalih, even if the people call him something else; by the same token, whoever goes against it and deviates from the Sunnah is an innovator, even if he claims to be a Salafi. If a person calls himself a Salafi to express his gratitude for having been guided to this way, or to clearly distinguish himself from innovation, then this is OK and is allowed in Islam. But if he says it only for the purpose of praising himself, then this is not allowed, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… therefore justify not yourselves…” [al-Najm 53:32 – Yusuf ‘Ali’s translation]. Similarly, it is not allowed if it is said in a spirit of tribalism or sectarianism, because such attitudes are forbidden, as is clear from the following story: Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: “A man from the Muhaajireen shoved a man from the Ansaar from behind, so each man’s people gathered around him, saying ‘O Muhaajireen (come and help)!’ or ‘O Ansaar (come and help)!’ News of this reached the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he said, ‘Stop this, for it is repulsive.’ Then he said, ‘What is this call of the people of jaahiliyyah? What is this call of the people of jaahiliyyah?’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 14105; the hadeeth is also to be found in al-Saheehayn). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called it the call of the people of jaahiliyyah and described it as repulsive, even though the words “Ansaari” and “Muhaajiri” are Islamic words, the first referring to those who supported Allaah and His Messenger, and the second referring to those who left the land of kufr and migrated to Allaah and His Messenger. Why were they described in this manner? Because in this instance, the words were 172

not used in a permissible fashion; the usage was a sectarian and political one that could have led to fighting between the two groups. The same applies to the word “Salafi”. If the Ahl al-Sunnah and the salaf draw a line between themselves and the innovators, this is not considered to be dividing the ummah, as those who criticize the use of this word think is the case, but this distancing of oneself has to be done in accordance with the degree of bid’ah – whether it is major or minor – and should be regulated by the overall interests of the Islamic da’wah. The Sufi claims mentioned in the question are not valid. The denunciation is not merely because of the word “Sufi”, which is a general word that may be applied to things approved of in Islam, such as asceticism (zuhd) and fear of Allaah, or it may be applied to innovations such as monasticism and extremism. Rather the denunciation is because of the various types of shirk, major and minor, that are connected with Sufism and its tareeqahs. The word Tasawwuf (Sufism) now refers to the Sufi tareeqahs and the kinds of innovations they have. Sufism – as is obvious from their books and how Sufis actually are – includes deviant ideas of kufr, such as hulool (incarnation or the belief that the Creator may be indwelling in His creation – exalted be Allaah above what they say), ittihaad (union) and wahdat al-wujood (pantheism or the unity of existence, which is the belief that the Creator and His creation are the same thing, and that everything in existence is Allaah – exalted be Allaah above what they say), and going to extremes in what they say about the awliya’, in addition to their innovations in the matter of acts of worship and awraad (du’aa’s). The one who is seeking salvation has to work hard to gain beneficial knowledge and do righteous deeds, and 173

he should avoid vain arguments and futile discussions in which there is no benefit. We ask Allaah to help us and you to follow the truth and act upon it. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 9429: Joining Islamic groups Question: A lot of Muslim youths are asking about the ruling on joining Islamic groups and adhering exclusively to the methodology of a particular group. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is obligatory on every person to adhere to the truth, what Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, not to adhere to the methodology of any group, whether it is the Ikhwan alMuslimeen or Ansaar al-Sunnah or any other group. He should adhere to the truth. If he joins the Ansaar al-Sunnah and helps them with regard matters in which they are following to the truth, or he joins the Ikhwaan alMuslimeen and agrees with them on matters in which they are following the truth, without going to extremes or being negligent, there is nothing wrong with that. But if he adheres to their set of beliefs and never deviates from it, this is not permitted. He has to follow the truth 174

wherever it leads him. If the truth is with the Ikhwaan alMuslimeen, he has to follow it, and if it is with the Ansaar al-Sunnah, he has to follow it, and if it is with another group, he has to follow it. He has to follow the truth, and help all other groups with regard to the truth, but he should not adhere to a particular way of thinking never forsaking it even if it turns out to be false or mistaken. That is wrong, and is not permitted. He should be with the group in every way in which they are correct, and not with them in the matters in which they are wrong. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanaawi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), p. 237 (www.islam-qa.com) 4569: She loves a man who is not a Sunni and wants to marry him Question: i need to find some useful info about shias and thier difference between us sunnis... i know this man and he loves me very much and wishes to marry me - forever not the mut aa type of marraige, however i know his bsiefs are not in line with the sunnis so i ahve discussed this wiht him and he has agreed to to research the differences - i ma hoping that this way he will be able to decide for himself which is the right path my problem is that i ma not able to find any sights whihc provide proper comparison and which do not directly accuse shias as being wwrong - i wish to talk to someone about this aaas i know there I wll be questions raised between me and this person however i need assistance and would much apreciate it if i could talk to someone or get a source where even he could study which would not make him 175

feel as if his beiefs are being pout down - i think that telling soeone softly and nicely will amke a person more willing to listen than saying his beilefs are worng Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We Sunnis wish all people well, and we ask Allaah to guide all those who are misled and to reward all those who obey Him. We hope that Allaah will guide those Raafidis… The differences between the Ahl al-Sunnah (Sunnis) and the Raafidis are very great and are fundamental. For example, the Raafidis say that the Qur’aan was altered, and they condemn most of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) and think that they went astray; they exaggerate about their imaams and worship them, and give them precedence over the Prophets and angels; they go on pilgrimages to mashhads (shrines) and graves, where they do all kinds of actions of shirk, associating others in worship with Allaah. They also believe in hypocrisy (as a tenet of faith) and call it taqiyah (dissimulation), and they believe in al-badaa’(the notion that Allaah “changes His mind”), al-raj’ah (the Return, i.e., the raising of the dead to life again for some time in the same form as they were before) and absolute infallibility of their imaams, and in prostrating on a handful of clay… We advise you to read “Al-Khutoot al-‘Areedah” by Muhibb al-Deen al-Khateeb [this book is available in English – Translator], or Mukhtasar al-Tuhfat al-Ithna’ ‘Ashariyyah by al-Dahlawi, or Fikrat al-Taqreeb bayna Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Shee’ah by Naasir al-Qaffaari.

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And we advise you not to think of marrying this man… Whoever gives up something for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better. We ask Allaah to make you strong and grant you a good life in this world and in the Hereafter. We would also remind you that it is not permitted to have relationships with non-mahram men, as you will find explained clearly in Questions 2005 , 9465 And 1114 We ask Allaah to help you to do all that is good. Shaykh Muhammad Aal ‘Abd al-Lateef (www.islam-qa.com) 9832: University student confronted with some kinds of bid’ah Question: I currently attend a large University in America(University of Maryland). I have met many muslims with strange views while here. Some believe Allah has no hands, which really mean power, some believe Allah is everywhere, some believe that Abu Baker and Omar are Kafirs(Raafidah’s). My question is how do I deal with these people when I have shown them the evidence in Quran and Sunna that goes against these deviant beliefs but they don’t listen to me. Should I not pray behind or with these people when I often find myself having no Khooshu and I can’t concentrate on Allah because I keep thinking about their deviancy. Do I still continue to Salam them and talk with them about other things instead of Islam? Please respond soon, for I am a student and I am faced with this everyday and I am tensed and don’t know what to do. 177

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We advise you to learn Islam and ‘aqeedah (belief, tenets of faith) from the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and from the books of the salaf (early generations) of this ummah. You should read the books of ‘aqeedah written by the earliest generations, such as al-Sunnah by Imaam Ahmad and his son ‘Abd-Allaah; al-Sunnah by Abu ‘Aasim; alEemaan by Ibn Abi Shaybah, and other books written by the scholars who did not join or take sides with any group or sect, but rather relied on the clear evidence (daleel) and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Undoubtedly the beliefs that you refer to in your question are bid’ah, for these people deny the attributes of Allaah such as His having a hand; they interpret it as meaning strength or power, despite that fact that Allaah has affirmed that He has a hand which is as He wills. They claim that Allaah is everywhere, denying the aayahs which speak of His istiwaa’ (rising above the Throne) and being high and exalted, etc. And the Raafidis describe the Sahaabah as being kaafirs. All of these people are innovators (followers of bid’ah) and there is no evidence (daleel) for their bid’ah. We advise you to keep away from people like these if they cannot be convinced. You should strive to convince them and to show them books of salafi ‘aqeedah and the books which discuss the dubious arguments of those innovators, such as the books of ‘Uthmaan ibn Sa’eed alDaarimi, who wrote two books refuting the Jahamiyyah and others. If they are not persuaded, then keep away from them and do not pray behind them; stay with people who follow the salafi ‘aqeedah. Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen (www.islam-qa.com) 178

7974: An Ismaili is asking about the differences between us and them Question: The suni mulsim was RESITING QURAN we are also resiting quran they are also reasiting ead namaz we are also we are also reasiting ead namaz and etc. THEN WHY WE HAVE TWO RELIGIOUS SHIA & SUNI Answer: Praise be to Allaah. All of those who belong to Islam and bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah recite the Qur’aan and affirm that salaah, fasting, zakaah and Hajj are obligatory. But they are divided into different groups, each of which has its own way as regards beliefs and acts of worship. The best of these groups is Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, who adhere to the Qur’aan and Sunnah both outwardly and inwardly, and who follow the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the first Muslims, the Muhaajireen and Ansaar. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’44—n and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:31] “And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens 179

under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success” [al-Tawbah 9:100] The worst of these groups are the hypocrites (munaafiqeen) who make an outward display of faith whilst concealing kufr (disbelief). They speak words which do not reflect what is in their hearts. They are the ones of whom Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: ‘We believe in Allaah and the Last Day,’ while in fact they believe not… And when they meet those who believe, they say: ‘We believe,’ but when they are alone with their Shayaateen (devils — polytheists, hypocrites), they say: ‘Truly, we are with you; verily, we were but mocking’” [al-Baqarah 2:8, 14] Between these two groups are others which vary in their degree of closeness to good and evil. The Ismailis are an extreme Raafidi group who make an outward display of loyalty to Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) whilst concealing disbelief in Allaah, His angels, His Books and His Messengers. Hence some of the scholars said concerning the Faatimis, who were same as the Ismailis, that they make an outward display of being Raafidis, but they conceal in their hearts pure kufr. They are also called Baatinis because they claim that the texts and laws have hidden (baatin) meanings other than those which are known to the Muslims. For example, they say that the five prayers refer to the knowledge of their secrets, the fast of Ramadaan is the concealment of their secrets, and Hajj is travelling to meet their shaykhs. But the baatini school of thought – which includes the Ismailis – is based on secrecy. Their real beliefs are secrets which are known only to 180

their leaders, and these leaders are deluding the ordinary people, enslaving and exploiting them, demanding from them sums of money to be paid at certain times, expecting absolute obedience from them and scaring them by telling them that if they go against them they will be stricken with calamities. They command them to be different from the Sunnis with regard to fasting, ending the fast and Hajj, although they may show some tolerance and act friendly in order to deceive them. You are one of the ordinary Ismailis, and you do not know the secrets that the leaders have. They do not think that you are qualified to know them, because they know that if you and others like you were to discover these secrets, you would be disgusted and would have nothing more to do with them, and you would reject their beliefs. They want you to continue being a follower, enslaved to them, and they want to retain their leadership over you. Fear Allaah and free yourself from this enslavement to someone other than Allaah and following someone other than the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because there is no one who should be followed apart from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). May Allaah bless you with guidance to the Sunnah and keep you away from the path of bid’ah; may He open your eyes to the truth that He is Able to do all things. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Tahmaan ibn al-Barraak (www.islam-qa.com) 9389: Repeating the name of Allaah on its own, or the pronoun “Huwa” (He), is a Sufi bid’ah 181

Question: Is there any harm in repeating the names of Allah SWT? As zikr, or anything else? I understand saying “Astagh firullah” or “Subhan Allah” or “Alhamdo Lillah” are ok... Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There is no doubt that it is bid’ah to mention the name of Allaah on its own or –even worse – to repeat the pronoun “Huwa” (“He”). Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The Name of Allaah on its own, either as a noun (“Allaah”) or a pronoun (“Huwa”) is not a complete phrase or meaningful sentence. It has no implications to do with eemaan (faith) or kufr (disbelief), commands or prohibitions. This was not mentioned by anyone from the Salaf (early generations) of this ummah, and it was not prescribed by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It does not bring any knowledge to the heart or bestow any kind of benefit upon it. All it does is give an unclear idea which is not defined by any negation or affirmation. Unless there is previous knowledge in a person’s mind or he is in a state of mind where he could benefit from this, he gains no benefit at all. Islam prescribes adhkaar which in and of themselves bring benefit to the heart, without any such need for anything else. Some of those who persisted in this kind of “dhikr” ended up in various kinds of heresies and ideas of “wahdat al182

wujood” (unity of all that exists, pantheism), as has been explained in detail elsewhere. It was mentioned that one of the shaykhs said: “I am afraid of dying between negation and affirmation”, but this is not an example to be followed, because it is obviously erroneous. If a person were to die in this state, he would die according to his intention, because actions are judged by intention. It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to tell the dying person to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, and he said, “Anyone whose last words are Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah will enter Paradise.” If this word (Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah) was something which required caution, why should we tell the dying person to say something which, if he dies in the middle of saying it, will lead to an improper death? Rather, if this were the case, he would be told to say “Allaah, Allaah” or “Huwa, Huwa.” Mentioning the pronoun on its own is further removed from the Sunnah and is a worse kind of bid’ah, which is closer to the misguidance of the Shaytaan. If a person says “Yaa Huwa, yaa Huwaa (O He, O He)” or “Huwa, Huwa (He, He)” and so on, the pronoun does not refer to anything except whatever his heart imagines, and hearts may be guided or misguided. Some shaykhs use as evidence to support saying “Allaah” (the name on its own) the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: ‘Allaah.’ Then leave them…” [al-An’aam 6:91]. They think that Allaah commanded His Prophet to say His Name on its own, but this is a mistake according to the consensus of the scholars, because the meaning of the phrase “Say ‘Allaah’” is that it is Allaah Who sent down the Book which was brought by Moosa. This is in response to the question: 183

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who then sent down the Book which Moosa (Moses) brought, a light and a guidance to mankind which you (the Jews) have made into (separate) paper sheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing (much). And you (believers in Allaah and His Messenger Muhammad) were taught (through the Qur’aan) that which neither you nor your fathers knew.’ Say: ‘Allaah (sent it down).’” [al-An’aam 6:91 – interpretation of the meaning], i.e., Allaah is the One Who revealed the Book which was brought by Moosa. This is a refutation of the view of those who said, “Nothing did Allaah send down to any human being (by Revelation)” [al-An’aam 6:91 – interpretation of the meaning]. Allaah says: Who then sent down the Book which Moosa brought? Then He says: Say Allaah sent it down, then leave these liars to play in their vain discussions. What we have said above is further explained by the comments of Seebawayh and other grammarians, who noted that when the Arabs say “Qaala” (or other forms of the verb meaning “to say”), they do not quote verbatim, rather they state what was said, giving a complete meaning. So what follows is a sentence with a complete meaning, or a nominal sentence or a verbal sentence. Hence after saying “qaala” they give a kasrah to the particle “anna” (making it “inna”); “qaala” cannot be followed by a noun standing alone. Allaah did not command anyone to mention His Name on its own, and it is not prescribed for the Muslims to say His Name on its own. Saying His Name on its own does not enhance faith or explain anything about the religion, according to the consensus of the scholars of Islam; it is not enjoined in any act of worship or in any case where Allaah addresses them. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 10/226-229) And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) also said: Repeating the Name of Allaah on its own, such as saying 184

“Allaah, Allaah,” or the pronoun, such as “Huwa, Huwa” is not prescribed in either the Qur’aan or the Sunnah. It is not reported that any of the salaf of this ummah or any of the righteous scholars who are taken as examples did this. It is only spoken by misguided people of the later generations. Perhaps they are following a shaykh who had no control over himself in this regard, such as al-Shubli who, it was narrated, used to say ‘Allaah, Allaah.’ It was said to him, ‘Why do you not say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah?’ He said, “I am afraid of dying between the negation [saying La ilaaha (there is no god)] and the affirmation [ill-Allaah (except Allaah)]”! This is one of the mistakes made by al-Shubli, who may be forgiven for it because of the sincerity of his faith and the strength of his emotions which overwhelmed him. Sometimes he would go crazy and would be taken to the asylum, and he would shave off his beard. There are other instances of this type in his case, which are not to be taken as examples, even if he may be excused or rewarded for them. If a person intends to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, and he dies before completing it, that will not harm him at all, because actions are judged by intentions, and what he intended to do is what will be written down for him. Some of them go to extremes in this matter, and say that saying the name of Allaah is for the ‘elite’ whilst saying La ilaaha ill-Allaah is for the ‘masses.’ Some of them say that saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah is for the mu’mineen (believers), saying ‘Allaah’ is for the ‘aarifeen’ and saying ‘Huwa’ is for the muhaqqiqeen. One of them may restrict himself to saying, when alone or in a gathering, ‘Allaah, Allaah, Allaah’ or ‘Huwa’ or ‘Yaa Huwa’ or even ‘La Huwa illa Huwa (there is no He except He)’! Some of those who have written about spiritual matters 185

have expressed approval of this, quoting some known figures who, however, were in a state of overwhelming emotion at the time, or quoting opinions, or quoting false reports – for example some of them reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib to say ‘Allaah, Allaah, Allaah.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said it three times, then he told ‘Ali to say it three times so he said it three times. This hadeeth is fabricated (mawdoo’), according to the consensus of the scholars of hadeeth. It is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught people various adhkaar to say, and the best of dhikr is Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. This is what he urged his paternal uncle Abu Taalib to say when he was dying. He said, “O uncle, say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and I will defend you thereby before Allaah.” And he said: “I know of a word which no one says when he is dying but his soul finds rest in it.” And he said, “Anyone whose last words are Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah will enter Paradise.” And he said, “Whoever dies knowing that there is no god except Allaah will enter Paradise.” And he said: “I have been commanded to fight people until they bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. If they do that, their blood and wealth will be safe from me, except for what is due from them [e.g., zakaah etc.], and their reckoning is with Allaah.” And there are many similar ahaadeeth. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 10/556-558) Whoever makes the Qur’aan and Sunnah his points of reference concerning his worship will not fail to distinguish right from wrong. We ask Allaah to bring us back to His religion in a gentle manner. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 186

11180: The attitude of Islam towards deviant (political) parties and those who indulge in them Question:

Some people are Muslims but they indulge in political parties, and those parties follow either Russia or America. These parties are many and varied, such as the Progressive party, the Socialist party, the Independence party, the Liberal party, the Nationalist party, the Youth party, the Democratic party, and other parties which are all more or less similar. What is the attitude of Islam towards these parties, and towards Muslims who indulge in these parties – is their Islam sound? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Whoever has an understanding of Islam, strong faith, Islamic integrity, farsightedness and eloquence, and is thus able to exert some influence on the direction of the party so that it will take an Islamic direction, may get involved in these parties or with the one which is most likely to be more receptive towards the truth – in the hope that Allaah will benefit others through him and guide whomsoever He wills to give up deviant political trends and follow the just politics of sharee’ah, thus bringing the ummah together on the Straight Path. But he should not follow their deviant principles. Whoever does not have such strong faith and integrity and fears that he may be influenced by them instead of wielding influence, should keep away from those parties, so as to avoid fitnah and to protect his religious commitment from the same fate as they suffered, lest he fall into deviance and corruption as they have done. 187

Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 12/385 (www.islamqa.com) 6280: The perseverance of Islam despite splits and divisions Question: Unity and Diversity in Islam. Islam has suffered splits and divisions to the faith, could you explain what these have been and why they have emerged. How is it that despite the differences in Islam, it has been possible for Muslims of different persuasions to feel a sense of unity? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Know, may Allaah guide us and you to the truth and enable us to follow it, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not die before he had shown the way clearly to his ummah [nation]. There was no major or minor matter but he gave us knowledge about it from Allaah. At the end of the last Hajj [pilgrimage] performed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) there was revealed the aayah [verse] (interpretation of the meaning): “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3] The Sahaabah [Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] (may Allaah be pleased with them) adhered very closely to this path, and thus

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Allaah protected the followers of Islam from splitting in this blameworthy manner. They were followed in that by the Taabi’een [the generation that followed the generation of the Sahaabah] (may Allaah have mercy on them), but some internal and external factors led to the emergence of some reprehensible divisions following the three best generations. Among the external causes of that were: Mixing with other, non-Muslim nations, such as the Persians, Romans, Indians and Greeks, and contact with other religious groups such as Jews, Christians, Sabians, Magians, Indian religions and others. Among the internal causes were: Following whims and desires, giving room to doubts, turning away from learning the religion and sharee’ah of Allaah, ignorance, extremism, and imitation of nonMuslims… etc. All of these reasons, and others, led to some small groups splitting from the right path which the majority of the Muslims followed, so there emerged some groups, innovations and opinions that differed from the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions, and the Taabi’een and those who followed their path. But we may note that these groups and factions were in fact a discordant note that differed from the majority of Muslims, and their followers were shunned and opposed by the scholars, khulafaa’ [khaleefahs or Muslim rulers] and majority of Muslims, which meant that they were contained and their influence was prevented from becoming widespread during most periods of Islamic history. 189

The majority of Muslims remained on the Sunni path – in general – and when forms of bid’ah emerged among them, the scholars of truth have always hastened to oppose them and point out their falsehood. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that these divisions would emerge; he warned us about them and commanded us to adhere to the jamaa’ah [main body] of the Muslims. He said: “The Jews and the Christians split into seventy-two sects, all of which are in Hell; this ummah [nation] will split into seventy-three sects, all of which will be in Hell apart from one.” They asked, “Which one is that, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Those who follow the path which I and my Companions are on today.” He said, “A group of my ummah will remain following the truth and will prevail, and those who oppose them will not harm them, until the Day of Judgement begins.” There are many reasons why the Muslims have always felt a sense of unity, some of which we have mentioned above. But the most obvious reason is that this religion comes from Allaah and it is protected by Allaah. If any other religion had been exposed to the wars, conspiracies and plots that Islam has been exposed to, it would have vanished a long time ago (as we see in the case of other religions). Every rational person will see that a belief which for more than 1400 years has stayed exactly the same as it was at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and is still renewing itself in the hearts of its followers (in love and adherence) like the renweing of a flower in spring – this is the strongest evidence that the religion of Allaah is the true religion. And Allaah is the Guide to the Straight Path. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 190

8571: Jamaa’at al-Ahbaash (the Habashis) Question: what’s the Islamic point of view concerning the new group that appeared in Islam “AL AHBASH”? what are we supposed to do with them? and would you please tell me in brief what are the mistakes they have in their Aqeedah? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Praise be to Allaah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there is no Prophet, and upon his family and companions. The Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwaas (al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftaa’) has received questions and requests for information concerning Jamaa’at al-Ahbaash (the Habashis) and about the person after whom this group is named, one ‘Abd-Allaah al-Habashi, who is based in Lebanon. This group conducts activities in various European countries, and in America and Australia. The Committee therefore examined the books and articles published by this group, in which their beliefs, thoughts and call are stated clearly. After examining this material and pondering the matter, the Committee issued the following statement to the Muslims: Firstly: It was reported in al-Saheehayn from the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of people are my generation, then the generation 191

that follows them, then the generation that follows them.” And there are other versions of this hadeeth. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I advise you to fear Allaah and to listen and obey, even if a slave is appointed as your leader. Whoever among you lives after I die will see differences arise. I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the way of my rightly-guided successors (al-khulafaa’ al-raashidoon); clench your teeth on it (i.e., hold fast to it). Beware of newly invented things, for every innovation (bid’ah) is a going astray.” (Narrated by Ahmad, and Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi, who said, it is a saheeh hasan hadeeth). One of the most important characteristics by which those first generations were distinguished and by which the achieved a higher level of righteousness than all other people, was the fact that they referred all their affairs to the Qur’aan and Sunnah; the Qur’aan and Sunnah were given precedence over all individual opinions, no matter whose opinion it was; they understood the texts of the two noble Revelations (i.e., the Qur’aan and Sunnah) in accordance with the principles of sharee’ah and the Arabic language; the sharee’ah was adopted in its entirety, and with regard to every single detail; ambiguous texts were referred to clear texts. Hence they upheld the sharee’ah and adhered to it, and they held fast to it. They did not add anything to it or take anything away from it. How could they add anything to it or take anything away from it when they were adhering to the divine texts which free from mistakes and errors? Secondly: Then these generations were succeeded by others among whom there were many innovations and invented matters, 192

where everyone who had an opinion was enamoured of his opinion and forsook the texts of sharee’ah, and the texts were deliberately misinterpreted and distorted to suit people’s desires and ideas. Thus they went against the Trustworthy Messenger, and followed a way other than that of the believers. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!” [al-Nisaa’ 4:115] It is a part of the grace of Allaah towards this Ummah that in each age He sends to it scholars who are well versed in knowledge and who can stand up against every kind of bid’ah that distorts the beauty of the faith and contaminates its purity, and competes with or tries to destroy the Sunnah. This is the fulfilment of Allaah to protect His religion and sharee’ah, as He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr 15:9] And according to the hadeeth narrated in the books of Saheeh, the Sunans, the Musnads and others, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A group of my ummah will continue to adhere to the commands of Allaah, and they will not be harmed by those who let them down or oppose them, until the Command

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of Allaah comes to pass, and they will be prevailing over the people.” And there are other versions of this report. Thirdly: During the last quarter of the fourteenth century AH there emerged a group led by ‘Abd-Allaah al-Habashi, who moved from Ethiopia to Syria, taking his miguidance with him, and he moved about in that region until he settled in Lebanon, where he started to call people to his way. His number of followers increased and his ideas – which are a mixture of the ideas of the Jahamiyyah [a group which misinterpreted the attributes of Allaah], the Mu’tazilah [a philosophical group many of whose ideas differ from those of Ahl al-Sunnah], grave-worshippers and Sufis – began to spread. He fanatically supported his ideas by engaging in debates and printing books and leaflets which propagate them. Anyone who reads what has been written and published by this group will see clearly that their beliefs go beyond the pale of Islam, i.e. Jamaa’at al-Muslimeen (Ahl alSunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah). Among their false beliefs, for example are the following (this is not a complete list): 1. With regard to the issue of faith, they follow the school of thought of al-Irjaa’ [those who believe that sin does not matter so long as one is a believer] which is condemned in Islam. It is known that the belief of the Muslims, which was that followed by the Sahaabah, the Taabi’een and those who follow their path until the present day, is that faith (eemaan) is the matter of words spoken by the tongue, beliefs held in the heart and actions done by the body. Belief must be accompanied by submission to the laws of Islam, otherwise that so-called faith is not valid.

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There are many reports from the Salaf which confirm this belief, for example the words of Imaam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him): “Among the consensus of the Sahaabah and the Taabi’een and those who came after them, and those whom we have met, is that they say: faith is words, actions and intentions; one of these three will not be complete without the others.” 2. They allow seeking help from and seeking refuge with the dead, and praying to them instead of to Allaah. This is shirk akbar (major shirk) according to the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and the consensus (ijmaa’) of the Muslims. This shirk is the same as the religion of the earlier mushrikeen, such as the kuffaar of Quraysh and others, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings: “And they worship besides Allaah things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say: ‘These are our intercessors with Allaah’” [Yoonus 10:18] “Verily, We have sent down the Book to you (O Muhammad) in truth. So worship Allaah (Alone) by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allaah’s sake only. Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allaah only. And those who take Auliyaa’ (protectors, helpers, lords, gods) besides Him (say): ‘We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allaah.’ Verily, Allaah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allaah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever” [al-Zumar 39:2-3] “Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and the sea (dangers like storms), (when) you call upon Him in humility and in secret (saying): If He (Allaah) only saves us from this (danger), we shall truly, be grateful.’” [al-An’aam 6:63]

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“And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah” [al-Jinn 72;18] “Such is Allaah, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmeer (the thin membrane over the date stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad) like Him Who is the AllKnower (of everything)” [Faatir 35:13-14] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Du’aa’ (supplication) is worship.” This was narrated by the authors of Sunan with a saheeh isnaad. And there are many aayaat and ahaadeeth which say the same thing. This indicates that the earlier mushrikeen knew that Allaah was the Creator and Provider, the One Who brings benefit or causes harm, and they worshipped their gods so that they would intercede for them with Allaah and bring them closer to Him. Thus they committed shirk. Allaah ruled that they were guilty of kufr and shirk, and commanded His Prophet to fight them until all worship was for Allaah Alone, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism, i.e. worshipping others besides Allaah), and the religion (worship) will all be for Allaah Alone” [al-Anfaal 8:39] The scholars have written many books on this topic in which they have explained clearly the true Islam with which Allaah sent His Messengers and revealed His Books. They also discussed the religion and beliefs of 196

the people of the Jaahiliyyah, and their actions which went against the laws of Allaah. One of the best writers on this topic was Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), in his numerous books. One of the most concise of his works is Qaa’idah Jaliyyah fi’lTawassul wa’l-Waseelah. 3. In their view, the Qur’aan is not the Word of Allaah in the true sense. It is known from the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and by the consensus of the Muslims, that Allaah speaks whenever He wills, in a manner that befits His Majesty, may He be glorified, and that the Qur’aan, both its letters and meanings, is the word of Allaah in the true sense. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “And if anyone of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allaah” [al-Tawbah 9:6] “and to Moosa (Moses) Allaah spoke directly” [al-Nisaa’ 4:164] “And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice” [al-An’aam 6:115] “a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allaah [the Tauraat (Torah)], then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?” [al-Baqarah 2:75] “They want to change Allaah’s Words. Say: ‘You shall not follow us; thus Allaah has said beforehand.’” [alFath 48:15] And there are many well known aayaat which say the 197

same thing. Numerous mutawaatir reports from the Salaf confirm this belief, which is stated in the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah – to Allaah be praise and blessings. 4. They think that it is obligatory to interpret the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah which speak of the attributes of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted (i.e., to understand them differently from the apparent meaning). This is contrary to the consensus of the Muslims, from the Sahaabah and Taabi’een to those who follow their path until the present day. The Muslims believe that it is obligatory to believe in what is stated in the texts about the Names and attributes of Allaah, without distorting the meanings, denying any of His attributes, discussing the hows and whys or likening any of Allaah’s attributes to human attributes. They (the Muslims) believe that there is none like unto Allaah and He is the All-Hearing, AllSeeing; they do not deny any of the attributes with which He has described himself. They do not change the words from their (right) places or belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names or signs. They do not discuss the nature of His attributes, or liken His attributes to the attributes of His creation, because there is nothing that can be compared to Him, and He has no equal or rival. Imaam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “I believe in Allaah and in what has come from Allaah as Allaah meant it. I believe in the Messenger of Allaah and in what has come from the Messenger of Allaah as the Messenger of Allaah meant it.” Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “We believe in it; we do not reject anything that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, and we do not describe Allaah with more than He has described Himself.” 5. Among their false beliefs, they deny that Allaah is above His creation. 198

The belief of the Muslims, as indicated by the verses of the Qur’aan, the ahaadeeth of the Prophet, sound human nature and clear common sense is that Allaah is above His creation, over His Throne, and nothing at all of His creatures’ affairs is hidden from Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and then He rose over (Istawaa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty)”. [al-A’raaf 7:54] – this phrase appears seven times in the Qura’aan. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by good deeds)” [Faatir 35:10] “And He is the Most High, the Most Great” [al-Baqarah 2:255] “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High” [al-A’laa 87:1] “And to Allaah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they are not proud [i.e. they worship their Lord (Allaah) with humility]. They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded” [alNahl 16:49-50] – and there are other similar aayaat. And many saheeh ahaadeeth have been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on this topic, for example: the story of the Mi’raaj (ascent into the heavens), which is mutawaatir, when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed through the heavens one by one, until he reached his Lord, Who brought him close or called to him, and enjoined fifty prayers upon him, then he kept going back and forth between Moosa (peace be upon him) and his Lord. He 199

came down from the presence of his Lord to Moosa, and Moosa asked him, “How many (prayers) have been enjoined upon you?” When he told him, he said, “Go back to your Lord and ask Him to reduce them.” So he went back up to his Lord and asked Him to reduce them. It was reported in al-Saheehayn that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Allaah created His creation, He wrote in a Book which is with Him, above the Throne: ‘My Mercy prevails over My wrath.’” It was reported in al-Saheehayn from Abu Sa’eed alKhudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not trust me, when I am the trustee of the One Who is in the heaven?” In Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah and Sunan Abi Dawood it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Throne is above water, and Allaah is above the Throne, and Allaah knows what you are doing.” In Saheeh Muslim and elsewhere it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to the slave-girl, “Where is Allaah?” She said, “In heaven.” He said, “Who am I?” She said, “You are the Messenger of Allaah.” He said: “Set her free, for she is a believer.” This is the pure belief which was adhered to by the Muslims: the Sahaabah, the Taabi’een and those who have followed them in truth until the present day, praise be to Allaah. Because of the great importance of this topic and the fact that so much evidence (daleel) – more than one thousand aayaat and ahaadeeth – points to it, the scholars 200

have devoted books to it, e.g., al-Haafiz Abu ‘Abd-Allaah al-Dhahabi in al-‘Alu li’l-‘Aliy al-Ghaffaar, and al-Haafiz Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtimaa’ al-Juyoosh al-Islaamiyyah. 6. They speak of some of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a manner that is not appropriate. An example of that is their statement that Mu’aawiyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) was a faasiq (rebellious evildoer). In this regard they go along with the Raafidis (may Allaah curse them). The Muslims should not discuss what happened among the Sahaabah, may Allaah be pleased with them all; they should refrain from speaking whilst believing that all of them were good and had the virtue of having been companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not slander my Companions, for even if any of you were to spend (in charity) gold equivalent to the size of Mount Uhud, he would never reach their level, not even half way.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And those who came after them say: Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.” [al-Hashr 59:10] This is the sound belief concerning the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah throughout the centuries. Imaam Abu Ja’faar al-Tahhaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, explaining the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah:

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“We love the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but we do not go to extremes in our love for any of them, and we do not disown any of them. We hate those who hate them, and we do not say anything but good about them (the companions). Love for them is true religion, faith and goodness; hatred for them is kufr, hypocrisy and transgression.” Fourthly: What we may note about this group is that they follow weird fatwas, and their fatwas go against the shar’i texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Examples of that include the following: They permit gambling with the kuffaar in order to take away their money; they permit stealing their crops and animals, on the condition that this stealing will not cause fitnah (tribulation); they permit dealing in ribaa when dealing with the kuffaar; they permit those who are in need to buy lottery tickets, which is haraam. Other ways in which they obviously go against the sharee’ah include: They permit looking at a non-mahram woman in a mirror or on a screen, even with desire; they say that persisting in looking at a non-mahram woman is not haraam; they say that for a man to look at any part of a woman who is not permissible for him is not haraam; they say that if a woman goes out wearing make-up and perfume but she does not have the intention of attracting men, this is not haraam; they permit free mixing of men and women; and they have other odd and outrageous fatwas which go against sharee’ah and they consider things which are major sins to be permissible. We ask Allaah to keep us

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safe from that which will provoke His wrath and earn His punishment. Fifthly: Some of the outrageous means they use to turn people away from the scholars who have deep knowledge, and put people off from reading their books or referring to the reports transmitted from them, include: slandering them, belittling them and undermining them, and even denouncing them as kaafirs. Chief among the scholars whom they defame in this manner is the imaam and mujaddid Shaykh al-Islam Abu’l-‘Abbaas Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Haleem ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam ibn Taymiyah, may Allaah have mercy on him. ‘Abd-Allaah al-Habashi even wrote a book specifically about this reforming imaam, in which he accused him of being misguided and misled; he attributed to him words that he did not say, and fabricated other lies about him. Allaah will deal with him, and it is before Allaah that all disputing parties will ultimately meet. They also slander the reforming imaam Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab, may Allaah have mercy on him, and his call for reform which he undertook in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, where he called people to follow Tawheed and cast aside Shirk, to honour the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah and to act upon them, and to uphold the Sunnah and do away with bid’ah. Through him, Allaah revived the teachings of Islam that had been forgotten, and He did away with whatever He willed of bid’ah and innovation. The effects of this call – by the grace and blessings of Allaah – spread throughout the Islamic world, and Allaah guided many people thereby. But this misguided group have directed their arrows against this call of the Sunnah and those who make this call; they have fabricated lies and propagated doubts and confusion, and they have rejected this clear call to 203

follow the Qur’aan and Sunnah. They have done all of this to put people off the truth and to prevent them from following the straight path. We seek refuge with Allaah from that. No doubt the hatred that this group has towards the great and blessed scholars of this ummah is indicative of the hatred that they hold in their hearts towards everyone who calls people to worship Allaah Alone and adhere to Tawheed, which was the belief and way of the people of the best generations. This group is far away from the essence of true Islam. Seventhly: Based on what we have said above, and other things that we have not mentioned here, the Committee makes the following statements: 1- Jamaa’at al-Ahbaash (the Habashis) is a misguided group which is beyond the pale of the Muslim community (Jamaa’at al-Muslimeen, i.e., Ahl al-Sunnah wa’lJamaa’ah). They must come back to the truth which was followed by the Sahaabah and Taabi’een in all aspects of religion, action and belief. This is better and more lasting for them. 2- It is not permissible to follow the fatwas of this group, because they adopt odd views which clearly contradict the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and they follow some far-fetched and corrupt interpretations of some shar’i texts. All of these are reasons why ordinary Muslims should not trust their fatwas or believe them. 3- What they say about the Ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not to be trusted, whether it has to do with the isnaad or the meaning of a hadeeth. 204

4- Muslims in all places must beware of this misguided group and warn others against them. They must beware of falling into their traps under any name or banner, and they should seek reward by advising their followers who have been deceived by them, and explain the faults in their way of thinking and their beliefs. Having stated this clearly to the people, the Committee asks Allaah, may He be exalted, by His Most Beautiful Names and Sublime Attributes to protect the Muslims from all fitnahs (trials, temptations), both visible and invisible, to guide those Muslims who have gone astray, to reform their affairs, to turn the plots of the plotters against them, and to suffice the Muslims against their evil. For Allaah is Able to do all things, and He is most Generous in responding. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and those who follow them in truth. Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 12/323 (www.islamqa.com) 5459: Does a madhhab take priority over a hadeeth? Question: I have a question pertaining to the Hadith and Sunnah Nabi(s.a.w.) and the Madhhab. My country follows the teachings of Madhhab Imam Shafiee and therefore so too the people. There are instances where the teachings of the madhhab took precedent over the hadith and sunnah of the Nabi (s.a.w.). Which should I follow. eg. In Madhhab Imam Shafiee, the wudho is broken if a male purposely or accidentally touch a female either muhrim or not. I have come across a Sunnah Nabi(s.a.w.), who used to move Aishah’s (r.a.) leg while performing the fajr 205

prayers. eg. Muslims in my country are thougt that during the Haj, their niat for wudho to switch from the Madhhab Shafiee to that of Madhaab Hambali and perform the wudho as followers of Madhhad Hambali do. The reason for this is as stated in the example above. Is this right, switching from one Madhhab to another during performing the Haj. eg. In Madhhab Shafiee, its is sunat muakad to recite the Doa Qunut during Fajr prayers. Did the Nabi(s.a.w.) recite the Doa Qunut during His Fajr prayers. What is the hukum for ones that do not recite the Doa Qunut. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. What is obligatory is to follow that which is indicated by the evidence (daleel) of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, even if it differs from what the madhhab says. But it is essential to understand the Qur’aan and Sunnah as they were understood by the Salaf, and not only by our understanding of them. What is meant by the Salaf is the Sahaabah and the Taabi’een. Concerning the example which you gave, touching a woman does not break wudoo’ at all, whether it is done with desire or not – because of the hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kissed one of his wives and then went out to pray, and he did not repeat his wudoo’. But if a man emits something (madhiy) because of desire, then he has to do wudoo’ – not because of the act of touching, but because something came out from him. With regard to the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “…or you have been in contact with [lit. touched]

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women…” [al-Maa’idah 5:6] – this is referring to sexual intercourse, according to the correct view. 2- There is no need to move from one madhhab to another. The obligatory duties of hajj should be performed as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) performed them, because he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Take your rituals from me.” The correct view concerning Qunoot in Fajr prayer is that it is Sunnah at times of calamity only, i.e., if a disaster has befallen the Muslims or some of them, then it is mustahabb to do Qunoot and to pray to Allaah to grant them relief. But under normal circumstances, the correct view is that this is not mustahabb, and this is what the daleel (evidence) refers to. So whoever does not do Qunoot, his prayer is still valid, even according to the Shaafa’is, may Allaah have mercy on them. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 10216: ‘Abd-Allaah al-Harari al-Habashi Question: Is ‘Abd-Allaah al-Harari al-Habashi a servant of Islam or is he seeking to destroy Islam? Answer: Praise be to Allaah.

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The man mentioned is a man of evil. He is one of the leaders of bid’ah and misguidance in the modern age, who has enlisted himself and his followers to destroy the ‘aqeedah (belief) of the Muslims which is the belief of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions and the Taabi’een. They have compiled for themselves a corrupt madhhab (school of thought) on fiqhi issues, which is filled with all kinds of weird and bad opinions which have no basis in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. They have many disastrous notions with regard to articles of belief and deeds, and they slander the imaams of this ummah. The Muslims in every place must beware of, and warn others about, this misguided group, their heretical thoughts and their odd opinions. We ask Allaah to keep their evil and the evil of others away from the Muslims, for Allaah is Able to do that. Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 12/308 (www.islamqa.com) 7691: Who was Ibn ‘Arabi? Question: Could you please clarify, who is IBn Rabi? I am getting conflicting views from various sources. Shayhk Muhyi al-Deen Ibn al-’Arabi [may ALLAH be well pleased with him] was not a heretic. He was a man way ahead of his times. Those who couldn’t understand his wisdom labeled him heretic but he was far from it. Unless you are a Master of Tassawuf I would ask you to refrain from calling a servant of ALLAH “deviant”. He was one who reached an extremely high level of understanding. His teachings were Islamically sound but not everyone was prepared for his enlightened wisdom. Even to this very day there are those who, due to their lack of understanding, label 208

him wrongly. Sadly it has always been the case that when people can’t understand something they try to destroy and disqualify it out of fear. If you take the time to read his works you will gain a great deal of knowledge from them. It is not good to make a judgement about someone whose understanding of our Deen is lightyears ahead of your own. Do not follow the Wahabbi, Salafi and Saudis who cast doubt and disbelief on those who teach the truth to validate their wicked misguidance. Ibn Arabi never misguided anyone he was simply too advanced for the simpletons of the age to understand. Ibn Taymiyyah did not possess the same level of understanding as Ibn Arabi and therefore he assessment mirrors his lack of understanding. Ibn Taymiyyah was an ant while Ibn Arabi was a giant. It was nothing short of ignorance on Ibn Taymiyyah’s part to attempt to formulate an opinion about someone who was lightyears ahead of him in knowledge. Secondly, do not go believing what Ibn Taymiyyah quoted verbatim because whereas Ibn Arabi was true scholar and Shayhk, Ibn Taymiyyah himself was a genuine deviant. Ibn Taymiyyah’s fatwas have been the source of a great %100 Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Who was Ibn ‘Arabi? He was a prominent Sufi; in fact he was an extreme Sufi. His name was Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad alTaa’i al-Andalusi. The scholars have told us about him in response to a question which was put to them. The question was as follows: What do the imaams of the religion and the guides of the Muslims say about a book which has been circulating among the people, the author of which claims that he 209

wrote it and distributed it to people by permission of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which was given to him in a dream which he claims to have seen? Most of this book contradicts what Allaah revealed in His Books and is opposed to what His Prophets said. Among the things that he says in this book are: Adam was called insaan because in relation to the truth (AlHaqq), he was like the pupil [insaan] of the eye, the part that can see. Elsewhere he said: Al-Haqq which is transcendent is the physical creation which you can see. Concerning the people of Nooh he said: if they had turned away from their worship of [their idols] Wudd, Siwaa’, Yaghooth and Ya’ooq, they would have lost more of AlHaqq. Then he said: Every object of worship is a manifestation of Al-Haqq. Those who know it, know it, and those who do not know it, do not know it. The one who has knowledge knows what he is worshipping and in what image the object of his worship is manifested. These many and varied manifestations are like the limbs of a physical image. Then he said concerning the people of Hood: They reached a true state of closeness (to Allaah) and were no longer remote. The heat of Hell no longer affected them and they gained the blessing of closeness to Allaah because they deserved it. They were not given this delicious experience as a favour, but because they deserved it as a result of the essence of their deeds, for they were on a straight path. Then he denied the idea of the warning against those of 210

mankind against whom the word of punishment is justified. Should the one who believes in what he says be denounced as a kaafir, or should we accept what he says, or what? If the person who listens to him is an adult of sound mind, and does not denounce him by speaking or in his heart, is he a sinner, or what? Please explain to us clearly and with proof, as Allaah has taken the covenant from the scholars on that basis, for negligence [on the part of the scholars] causes a great deal of confusion to the ignorant. (‘Aqeedah Ibn ‘Arabi wa Hayaatuhu by Taqiy al-Deen al-Faasi, p. 15, 16). (The author) mentioned the response of some of the scholars: Al-Qaadi Badr al-Deen ibn Jamaa’ah said: The passages quoted, and other similar parts of this book, are bid’ah and misguidance, evil and ignorance. The religiously-committed Muslim would not pay any heed to them or bother to read the book to find out more. Then he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) could never give permission in a dream for something which goes against and contradicts Islam; on the contrary, this is from the evil insinuations or whispers of the Shaytaan and a trap whereby the Shaytaan is playing with him and tempting him. His words about Adam, that he is the pupil of the eye, and his likening Allaah to His creation, and his remark that ‘Al-Haqq which is transcendent is the physical 211

creation which you can see’ – if by ‘Al-Haqq’ he is referring to the Lord of the Worlds – is a clear statement of anthropomorphism [likening Allaah to His creation] and he has taken this notion to extremes. With regard to his denial of what has been narrated in the Qur’aan and Sunnah concerning the warning: this makes him a kaafir in the view of the scholars of the followers of Tawheed. His comments about the people of Nooh and of Hood is vain and false talk which deserves to be rejected. The best way of dealing with that is to destroy this and all other similar passages of his book, for it is no more than fancy words, an expression of baseless ideas and an attempt to introduce into the religion ideas that do not belong to it. The ruling on this is that it should be rejected and ignored. (Ibid., p. 29, 30). Khateeb al-Qal’ah Shaykh Shams al-Deen Muhammad ibn Yoosuf al-Jazari al-Shaafa’i said: Praise be to Allaah. His comment about Adam being called insaan is anthropomorphism [likening Allaah to His creation] and is a lie and falsehood. His belief that the idol-worship of the people of Nooh was valid is kufr. Anyone who says such a thing cannot be approved of. His comment that ‘Al-Haqq which is transcendent is the physical creation which you can see’ is false and contradictory, and it is also kufr. His comment that the people of Hood had reached a true state of closeness (to Allaah) is a lie against Allaah, and by saying this, he has rejected what Allaah said about them. His remark that they were no longer remote and that Hell became a blessing and a joy for them is a lie and a rejection of everything that was revealed to the Prophets; the truth of the matter is what Allaah said about that, that they (the people of Hood) will abide in the torment forever. 212

Concerning those who believe what he says – and he knows what he said – the same ruling applies to them as to him: that they are misguided kaafirs, if they have knowledge. If they do not have knowledge, then the person who says that out of ignorance should be told the truth and taught about it, and should be stopped if possible. His denial of the warning to all people is a lie and a rejection of the consensus (ijmaa’) of the Muslims. No doubt Allaah will bring about the punishment. Islam offers definitive evidence that a group of sinners from among the believers will be punished, and the one who denies that is regarded as a kaafir. May Allaah protect us from wrong belief and denying the Resurrection. (Ibid., p. 31, 32). Ibn Taymiyah said: The Muslims, Christians and Jews all know something which is a basic principle of the Muslims’ religion: that whoever says of any human being that he is a part of God is a kaafir, he is regarded as a disbeliever by all these religions. Even the Christians do not say this, although their belief is a major form of kufr; no one says that the essence of creation is part of the Creator, or that the Creator is the creation, or that Al-Haqq which is transcendent is the physical creation which you can see. Similarly, his remark that if the Mushrikeen turn away from idol-worship, they will have turned away from AlHaqq to the extent that they have abandoned idol-worship, is obviously kufr according to the basic principle that is common to all the religions. For the religions are agreed that all the Prophets forbade idol-worship and regarded as disbelievers those who did that; the believer cannot be a believer unless he disavows himself of worshipping idols and of everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning); 213

“Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraaheem (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allaah Alone’” [alMumtahanah 60:4] — and he quoted other aayaat as proof — then he said: Whoever says that if the idol-worshippers give up their idols, they will have turned away from Al-Haqq to the extent that they have abandoned idol-worship, is an even worse kaafir than the Jews and Christians, and the one who does not regard them as kaafirs is an even worse kaafir than the Jews and Christians, for the Jews and Christians regard idol-worshippers as disbelievers, so how about one who says that the one who gives up idolworship has turned away from Al-Haqq to the extent that he has abandoned idol-worship?! Let alone the fact that he says, The one who has knowledge knows what he is worshipping and in what image the object of his worship is manifested. These many and varied forms are like the limbs of a physical image and the energy in a spiritual image; nothing but Allaah is being worshipped in everything that is worshipped. He is an even greater kaafir than the worshippers of idols, for they only take them as intercessors and mediators, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “ [The Mushrikeen say] ‘We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allaah’” [al-Zumar 39:3] “Have they taken (others) as intercessors besides Allaah? Say: “Even if they have power over nothing whatever and have no intelligence?” [al-Zumar 39:43] They acknowledged that Allaah is the Creator of the 214

heavens and the earth, and the Creator of the idols, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And verily, if you ask them: ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ Surely, they will say: ‘Allaah (has created them)’” [al-Zumar 39:38] (Ibid., 21-23) Shaykh al-Islam also said: When the faqeeh Abu Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam came to Cairo and they asked him about Ibn ‘Arabi, he said: He is a vile and evil shaykh who says that the world is eternal and does not see anything haraam in any sexual relationship. He mentioned the belief that the world is eternal because this is what [Ibn ‘Arabi] believed, but this is well-known form of kufr and the faqeeh Abu Muhammad denounced him as a kaafir because of this. At that time Ibn ‘Arabi had not yet said that the universe was God or the universe was the image and essence of God. This is a greater form of kufr because those who say that the universe is eternal still believe that there had to be Someone Who brought it into existence, that from the One Who must exist comes that which may exist. Those shaykhs who met him [Ibn ‘Arabi] said that he was a liar and a fabricator, and that in his books such as al-Futoohaat al-Makkiyyah etc. there were lies which could not be concealed from any intelligent person. Then he said: I have not even mentioned one-tenth of what they mentioned about kufr, but people who do not know about them have been deceived by these ideas, just as they were deceived by the Baatini Qaraamitah when they claimed to be descendents of Faatimah and said that they belonged 215

to the Shee’ah, so the Shee’ah began to like them without knowing of their hidden kufr. So the person who is attracted to them is one of two things: either he is a heretic and hypocrite, or he is misguided and ignorant. With regard to these pantheists (ittihaadiyoon), their leaders are the leaders of kufr and must be executed, and their repentance cannot be accepted if they are seized before they repent, for they are among the greatest heretics, those who make an outward display of being Muslim whilst concealing kufr in their hearts, those who conceal their beliefs and their opposition to Islam. Everyone who follows them, who defends them, who praises them, who admires their books, who is known to help them, who does not like to speak against them or who makes excuses for them by saying that we do not know exactly what these statements mean, who says ‘How can we be sure that he wrote this book?’ and other excuses which no one but an ignorant person or a hypocrite would come up with, must be punished. Indeed, it is obligatory to punish everyone who knows about them but does not help to resist them, because campaigning against these people is one of the most serious duties, for they have corrupted the minds and religious belief of many shaykhs, scholars, kings and princes, and they are spreading corruption throughout the world, preventing people from following the path of Allaah. The harm that they cause to the religion is greater than that done by those who damage the worldly interests of the Muslims but leave their religion alone, such as bandits on the highways and the Tatars (Mongols) who took their wealth but left their religion alone. Those who do not know them should not underestimate the danger they pose. Their own misguidance and the extent to which they misguide others defies description. Then he said: 216

Whoever thinks well of them and claims not to know how they really are should be informed about them. If he does not then turn his back on them and denounce them, then he should be classed as one of them. Whoever says that their words could be interpreted in such a way that it does not contradict sharee’ah is one of their leaders and imaams. If he is intelligent, he should know what they really are. But if he believes in it and behaves like this openly and in secret, then he is a worse kaafir than the Christians. (Ibid., p. 25-28 – adapted and abbreviated) Ibn Hajar said: Some confusing words of Ibn ‘Arabi were mentioned to our master Shaykh al-Islam Siraaj al-Deen al-Balqeeni, and he was asked about Ibn ‘Arabi. Our Shaykh alBalqeeni said: he is a kaafir. (Ibid., p. 39). Ibn Khaldoon said: Among these Sufis are: Ibn ‘Arabi, Ibn Saba’een, Ibn Barrajaan and their followers who follow their path and their religion. They have many books in circulation that are filled with blatant kufr and repugnant bid’ahs, trying to interpret clear texts in very far-fetched and repugnant ways, such that the reader is astounded that anyone could attribute such things to Islam. (Ibid., p. 41). Al-Subki said: These later Sufis, such as Ibn ‘Arabi and his followers, are misguided and ignorant and beyond the pale of Islam; those among them who have knowledge are even worse. 217

(Ibid., p. 55). Abu Zar’ah ibn al-Haafiz al-‘Iraaqi said: Undoubtedly the famous book Al-Fusoos contains blatant kufr, as does al-Futoohaat al-Makkiyyah. If it is true that he wrote this and continued to believe in it until he died, then he is a kaafir who is doomed to eternity in Hell, no doubt about it. (Ibid., p. 60). So how can any sane person say that these brilliant scholars did not understand Ibn ‘Arabi? If they did not understand him, who can? An incident from which we learn a lesson: Al-Faasi said: I heard our companion al-Haafiz al-Hujjah al-Qaadi Shihaab al-Deen Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Hajar al-Shaafa’i say: there were many disputes about Ibn ‘Arabi between me and one of those who like Ibn ‘Arabi, until I insulted him because of the bad things that he had said, but that did not make the man change his mind. He threatened to complain about me to the Sultaan in Egypt with regard to a matter that was different from that which we were arguing about, just to cause trouble for me. I said to him: the Sultaan has nothing to do with this! Come, let us make Mubaahalah [call our sons, our wives and ourselves and pray and invoke the Curse of Allaah upon those who lie – cf. Aal ‘Imraan 3:61]. It is very rare, when people make Mubaahalah and one of them is lying, for that one to go unpunished. So he said to me, ‘Bismillaah’ [i.e, he agreed]. And I said to him: ‘Say: O Allaah, if Ibn ‘Arabi is misguided, then curse me with Your Curse’ – so he said that. Then I said, O Allaah, if Ibn ‘Arabi is rightly-guided, then curse me with Your Curse. Then we parted. Then 218

we met in a park in Egypt on a moonlit night, and he said to us, Something soft touched my leg, look! So we looked but we did not see anything. Then he checked his eyes and he could not see anything (i.e., Allaah had afflicted him with blindness). This is the meaning of what Al-Haafiz Shihaab al-Deen ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani told me. (Ibid., p. 75, 76). This is how this man has misguided and deceived those who are seeking the truth and who want to follow the path of right guidance. He is a heretic who was not ahead of his time in any way except in misguidance and kufr. He does not possess any light or wisdom; on the contrary he is in the depths of darkness and ignorance. We have quoted to you the words of scholars other than Ibn Taymiyah, to point out the kufr of Ibn ‘Arabi, so that you will not think that Ibn Taymiyah was the only one who denounced him as a kaafir. In response to your bad manners towards Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and your claim that he came years after Ibn ‘Arabi, we say: you came many more years after Ibn Taymiyah than the number of years between him and Ibn ‘Arabi, so you of all people should keep quiet about him. It is not right to speak in such an ill-mannered way about a Shaykh such as Ibn Taymiyah, whose knowledge has spread all over the world. How can a man such as you dare to describe him as an ant? Who are you to describe the Shaykh of shaykhs and the Shaykh of Islam as an ant? Do you not fear that you will have to stand before Allaah and be questioned as to why you were so ill-mannered towards the scholars?

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We ask you by Allaah, besides Whom there is no other god, can a person who says that the creation is a part of the Creator be a Muslim? Based on your response, you will know the state of your Islam. And Allaah is the Guide to the Straight Path. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 1393: All the followers of the various sects of the this Ummah will be in Hell apart from one Question: I would be very grateful if you could advise me on the fundamental differences between the main sects of Islam, although I know that originally Islam was a unified religion. Thankyou. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The answer to your question is lengthy and deserves a book to itself. We cannot answer in details here, but we can say the following in brief: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us beforehand that this Ummah would be divided as the previous nations were divided, as stated in the saheeh hadeeth: 220

Wahb ibn Baqiyyah told us from Khaalid from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr from Abu Salamah from Abu Hurayrah who said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews were divided into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, and the Christians were divided into seventy-one or seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects.” This was narrated by Abu Dawood in his Sunan, Kitaab al-Sunnah, Baab Sharh al-Sunnah. It was reported from ‘Awf ibn Maalik who said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Jews were divided into seventyone sects, one of which is in Paradise and seventy are in the Fire. The Christians were divided into seventy-two sects, seventy-one of which are in the Fire and one is in Paradise. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, my Ummah will be divided into seventythree sects, one of which will be in Paradise and seventytwo will be in the Fire.” It was said, O Messenger of Allaah, who are they? He said, “Al-Jamaa’ah.” Sunan Ibn Maajah, no. 3982. What is meant by al-Jamaa’ah is the ‘aqeedah and actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions. Among the sects that claim to belong to Islam are those who are misguided with regard to the Unity of Allaah (Tawheed) and His Names and Attributes; they say that everything that exists is Allaah and that He is incarnate or present in His creation – glorified be He far above what they say. On the contrary, He is above His heavens, settled on His throne, distinct from His creation. Others are misguided with regard to eeman (faith) and say that deeds are separate from faith and that faith does 221

not increase or decrease. The correct view is that faith consists of words and deeds; it increases when one does acts of obedience to Allaah and decreases when one commits sin. Others are misguided by their declaring that the person who commits sin goes beyond the pale of Islam and is doomed to eternity in the Fire. The correct view is that the one who commits a major sin – apart from shirk and al-kufr al-akbar – does not go out of Islam. Others are misguided with regard to the issue of al-qadaa’ wa’l-qadar (divine decree), and said that man has no choice in what he does. The correct view is that man has freedom of will on the basis of which he will be called to account and will bear the consequences of his deeds. Others are misguided with regard to the Qur’aan, and say that it is created. The correct view is that it is the words of Allaah, revealed not created. Others are misguided with regard to the Sahaabah, whom they revile and denounce as kaafirs even though they are the companions of the Prophet among whom the Wahy (Revelation) was revealed, and they are the most knowledgeable and the most devoted in worship among this Ummah, and they strove in jihaad for the sake of Allaah and Allaah supported this religion through them – may Allaah be pleased with them all. And there are other groups who deviated from the path of Islam and innovated matters in the religion of Allaah; each of them rejoices in what they have, but they have followed the ways of the Shaytaan and gone against the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away 222

from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-An’aam 6:153] We ask Allaah to make us among the followers of the Sunnah who will be saved from the Fire, and to admit us to Paradise among the righteous. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)

5638: Some people claim that there is an aayah which supports Sufism Question: Salam, can you explan surah 4 verse 69...some people say this is what makes sufism allowed. I have read your answer on sufism and agree, but can you please examplain this verse? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The aayah which you are asking about is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoso obey Allaah and the Messenger (Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and 223

foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!” [al-Nisaa’ 4:69] Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer: This means, whoever acts in accordance with the commands of Allaah and His Messenger, and keeps away from whatever Allaah and His Messenger forbid, then Allaah will give him a home in the abode of His generosity, and cause him to be in the company of the Prophets and those who come after them in status, the Siddeeqoon, then the martyrs, then the rest of the believers, who are the righteous who do righteous deeds secretly and openly. Then Allaah praises them, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And how excellent these companions are!” [al-Nisaa’ 4:69] Al-Bukhaari narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no Prophet who fell sick, but Allaah gave him the choice between this world and the Hereafter.” When he fell ill with his final sickness, his voice became very hoarse, and I heard him saying, ‘in the company of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr AsSiddeeq), the martyrs, and the righteous.’ Then I knew that he had been given the choice.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer). Then he (Ibn Katheer – may Allaah have mercy on him)

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mentioned something about the reason why this aayah was revealed. Then he said: Greater than all of this is the glad tidings which were reported in the books of Saheeh and Musnad, etc., through mutawaatir isnaads from a number of the Sahaabah: that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about a man who loves some people but cannot catch up with them – i.e. he cannot attain the same level as them in doing righteous deeds. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “A man will be with those whom he loves.” Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Muslims never rejoiced as much as they did when they heard this hadeeth. I love the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and I love Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), and I hope that Allaah will resurrect me with them even though I did not do what they did. So, as you can see, there is nothing in this aayah that justifies the Sufis and their madhhab. If the Sufis are sincere, then let them obey Allaah and his Messenger and adhere to His Sharee’ah – as commanded in this aayah – so that they will be among the victorious. As for their claims that the awliyaa’ (“saints”) have knowledge of the Unseen (al-ghayb), which no one knows but Allaah, and their doing Tawaaf around graves and praying to the dead as a means of worship and drawing closer to Allaah – all of this in fact means that they are seeking the help of someone other than Allaah and this is kufr and shirk. They say, “Allaah inspires us with things which He casts into our hearts in addition to what is in the Qur’aan and Sunnah”; and they say that the “elite” do not have to adhere to the Sharee’ah of Islam which is obligatory for the “masses”; and they invent adhkaar (phrases remembering Allaah) which they repeat 225

regularly, which are not in the Qur’aan or in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him… and after all this, they want to be among the victorious, with the Prophets and Siddeeqoon. On the contrary, they will be with the shayaateen (devils) and mushrikeen. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. May Allaah bless us and you with the love for His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him and love for his noble companions, and gather us with them in the place of honour with Him, for He is the Sovereign, the One Who is able to do all things. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 1059: What should I say if I am asked about my madhhab? Question: Very often I am asked by some of our brothers who come to the Kingdom as foreign workers about what my madhhab (school of thought) is – am I a Hanbali or a Shaafa’i, etc.? In fact I am completely ignorant about this matter, and it is sufficient for me to be a Muslim; if I have a problem with regard to some religious matter, I ask the scholars. What is your opinion? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is sufficient for you to be a Muslim who follows the sharee’ah. With regard to Hanbali or Shaafa’i madhhabs, you do not have to restrict yourself to that. Those (four) 226

scholars have a high status that is well known throughout this Ummah; their words were written down and followed by their companions and followers, and became madhhabs that were recognized and known, even though they were agreed on matters of belief and Tawheed. They were also close to one another on minor issues, but it so happened that one of them might be unaware of some evidence (daleel) or its correct interpretation, so he made ijtihaad and issued fatwaas based on his ijtihaad. They did not oblige others to adhere to what they said, but most of those followers adopted sectarian attitudes and restricted themselves to the views of those imaams even if they went against the daleel. They went to great length to interpret the texts in such a manner as to make them agree with what they thought. On this basis, we advise the “rank and file” to call themselves Muslims and to refer problematic issues to respectable scholars and to consult the works of scholars who are known for their sincere devotion to Islam and the Muslims. And Allaah knows best. al-Lu’lu’ al-Makeen min Fataawaa Ibn Jibreen, p. 30 (www.islam-qa.com) 5523: Which of the four Madhhabs is most correct? Question: people believ 4 imam my confusion is which one is right path and about (Jamatal-muslimeen) Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 227

Allaah has made our worship based on His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The right way is to understand the texts of sharee’ah as they were understood by the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and their followers among the scholars who are qualified and prominent mujtahids. This includes the imaams whose sincerity, fairness and leadership in religion, knowledge, virtue, goodness and righteousness is a matter of record. The four imaams and founders of the schools of Islamic fiqh (Imaam Abu Haneefah, Imaam Maalik, Imaam al-Shaafa’i and Imaam Ahmad) – may Allaah have mercy on them all – all followed the texts of the Sharee’ah and their efforts were all focused on teaching and spreading sound Islamic knowledge. All of them were on the right path, and all were devoted followers of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If mistakes happened, then the Sahaabah made mistakes too. The things to be followed in Sharee’ah are those for which evidence (daleel) is established. In some cases, some scholars may not have known of daleel whilst others did, but this does not mean that their knowledge and ability is to be discredited. All of them were seeking to find and propagate the truth. If a person wants to follow one of the Imaams and adopt his madhhab, then he should follow him in matters for which there is clear, sound daleel, for this is what is required in Islam, but he should not develop partisan or sectarian feelings towards anybody. It is not permissible for the Muslim to believe that he has to follow anybody in all that he says except the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The person who is suitably qualified can examine what the scholars said and see what is supported by sound daleel. The “rank and file” Muslim who does not know how to examine the evidence and weigh it up should 228

follow a scholar whose religious commitment and knowledge he trusts, and act according to his fatwas. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 5869: A misguided group says that people’s property is permissible for them, and they do not look at anyone except members of their own group Question: In indonesia there is some kind of society that they have a funny rules (very-very strict rules). The rules is they may use anyones property without asking because they said it was Allah’s. They can only speak, touch, and look at others face if they were one society with them! The other rules is they don’t believe in educational science that teachers gave to them. Examples: Gravitation in earth is not a physically matter, but it’s a matter that we can not answer (and search for answer) for only Allah knows it My question is: Is this society in Allahs way. This society is really disturbing us. So pleas kindly answer and reply. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. According to what was said in the question, this is a weird group whose ideas, beliefs and conduct are misguided. It 229

is strange that you say they have strict rules, but they are so lenient with regard to other people’s property and overstep the limits by using people’s things without their permission. This is Zulm (wrongdoing, oppression), and Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification; for such there will be a painful torment” [al-Shooraa 42:42] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The whole Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his blood, his property and his honour” (Narrated by Muslim, 4650). And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It is not permissible for a man to take any of his brother’s property except with his agreement” (narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 20180). The Creator and Lord of wealth is the One Who has forbidden the violation of the wealth which He has bestowed on people in this world and given them permission to possess it. So how can these people accept this corrupt justification for going against the rulings of Allaah? The fact that their deviation is extreme is abundantly clear from the fact that they do not touch or speak to anyone who is not a member of their group. I wonder how they can live among people if they are not even allowed to look at others! Moreover, they have forbidden looking at the heavens and earth and finding out what Allaah has created in them, by forbidding scientific research and finding answers to questions about natural phenomena. But Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “Say: ‘Travel in the land and see how (Allaah) originated the creation, and then Allaah will bring forth the creation of the Hereafter (i.e. resurrection after death). Verily, Allaah is Able to do all things’” [al-‘Ankaboot 28:20] 230

“Say: ‘Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth’” [Yoonus 10:101] “Do they not look at the camels, how they are created? And at the heaven, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are rooted (and fixed firm)? And at the earth, how it is outspread?” [al-Ghaashiyah 88:17-20] And there are other texts which indicate that we should ponder the universe and find out about what Allaah has created. Ideas such as those promoted by these people do not find acceptance except in an ignorant society and among foolish and simple-minded people who do not know the basics of Islam. We have to advise this misguided group and call them to the truth, whilst warning people against their falsehood. May Allaah protect us and you from confusion, innovation and misguidance. And Allaah is the Guide to the Straight path. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 4060: Qadianiyyah in the light of Islam Question: I appeal to you to answer the questions that I have previously submitted or to answer the one that follows, as the problem has for months caused me nothing but trouble in my local community. Even if I had the support of a fatwa, it might not help because this local community does not respect the ulama, but at least I would know that I am not erring. I know that you cannot answer all questions, but surely something as important as this cannot be ignored. It is Ramadan and I hope for your answer.

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1. If someone is not a qadiani but knows that they believe in a false prophet and accepts qadianis as a madhab in Islam, are they out of Islam? I believe that they are out of Islam, and I am acting on that belief in my conduct towards such people. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Definition: Qadianiyyah is a movement that started in 1900 CE as a plot by the British colonialists in the Indian subcontinent, with the aim of diverting Muslims away from their religion and from the obligation of jihaad in particular, so that they would not oppose colonialism in the name of Islam. The mouthpiece of this movement is the magazine Majallat Al-Adyaan (Magazine if Religions) which was published in English. Foundation and prominent personalities: Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiani (1839-1908 CE) was the main tool by means of which Qadianiyyah was founded. He was born in the village of Qadian, in the Punjab, in India, in 1839 CE. He came from a family that was well known for having betrayed its religion and country, so Ghulam Ahmad grew up loyal and obedient to the colonialists in every sense. Thus he was chosen for the role of a so-called prophet, so that the Muslims would gather around him and he would distract them from waging jihaad against the English colonialists. The British government did lots of favours for them, so they were loyal to the British. Ghulam Ahmad was known among his followers to be unstable, with a lot of health problems and dependent on drugs. Among those who confronted him and his evil da’wah 232

was Shaykh Abu’l-Wafa’ Thana’ al-Amritsari, the leader of Jama’iyyat Ahl al-Hadeeth fi ‘Umoom al-Hind (The All-India Society of Ahl al-Hadeeth). The Shaykh debated with him and refuted his arguments, revealing his ulterior motives and Kufr and the deviation of his way. When Ghulam Ahmad did not come to his senses, Shaykh Abu’lWafa’ challenged him to come together and invoke the curse of Allaah, such that the one who was lying would die in the lifetime of the one who was telling the truth. Only a few days passed before Mirza Ghulam Ahmad alQadiani died, in 1908 CE, leaving behind more than fifty books, pamphlets and articles, among the most important of which are: Izaalat al-Awhaam (Dispelling illusions), I’jaaz Ahmadi (Ahmadi miracles), Baraaheen Ahmadiyyah (Ahmadi proofs), Anwaar al-Islam (Lights of Islam), I’jaaz al-Maseeh (Miracles of the Messiah), al-Tableegh (Conveying (the message))and Tajalliyyaat Ilaahiyyah (Divine manifestations). Noor al-Deen (Nuruddin): the first Khaleefah of the Qadianis. The British put the crown of Khilaafah on his head, so the disciples (of Ghulam Ahmad) followed him. Among his books is: Fasl al-Khitaab (Definitive statement). Muhammad Ali and Khojah Kamaal al-Deen: the two leaders of the Lahore Qadianis. They are the ones who gave the final shape to the movement. The former produced a distorted translation into English of the Qur’aan. His other works include: Haqeeqat al-Ikhtilaaf (The reality of differences), al-Nubuwwah fi’l-Islam (Prophethood in Islam) and al-Deen al-Islami (The Islamic religion). As for Khojah Kamaal al-Deen, he wrote a book called al-Mathal al-A’laa fi’l-Anbiya’ (The highest example of the Prophets), and other books. This Lahore group of Ahmadis are those who think of Ghulam Ahmad as a Mujaddid (renewer or reviver of Islam) only, but both groups are viewed as a single movement because 233

odd ideas that are not seen in the one will surely be found in the other. Muhammad Ali: the leader of the Lahore Qadianis. He was one of those who gave the final shape to Qadianiyyah, a colonialist spy and the person in charge of the magazine which was the voice of the Qadianiyyah. He also produced a distorted translation into English of the Qur’aan. Among his works are Haqeeqat al-Ikhtilaaf (The reality of differences), and al-Nubuwwah fi’l-Islam (Prophethood in Islam), as stated above. Muhammad Saadiq, the mufti of the Qadianiyyah. His works include: Khatim al-Nabiyyeen The seal of the Prophets). Basheer Ahmad ibn Ghulam. His works include: Seerat al-Mahdi (the life of the Mahdi) and Kalimat al-Fasl (Decisive word). Mahmood Ahmad ibn Ghulam, his second Khaleefah. Among his works are: Anwaar al-Khilaafah (Lights of the caliphate), Tuhfat al-Mulook and Haqeeqat alNubuwwah (The reality of prophethood). The appointment of the Qadiani Zafar-Allaah Khan as the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan had a major effect in supporting this deviant sect, as he gave them a large area in the province of the Punjab to be their world headquarters, which they named Rabwah (high ground) as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… And We gave them refuge on high ground (rabwah), a place of rest, security and flowing streams.” [al-Mu’minoon 23:50]. Their thought and beliefs Ghulam Ahmad began his activities as an Islamic daa’iyah (caller to Islam) so that he could gather followers around 234

him, then he claimed to be a mujaddid inspired by Allaah. Then he took a further step and claimed to be the Awaited Mahdi and the Promised Messiah. Then he claimed to be a Prophet and that his prophethood was higher than that of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Qadianis believe that Allaah fasts, prays, sleeps, wakes up, writes, makes mistakes and has intercourse – exalted be Allaah far above all that they say. The Qadiani believes that his god is English because he speaks to him in English. The Qadianis believe that Prophethood did not end with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but that it is ongoing, and that Allaah sends a messenger when there is a need, and that Ghulam Ahmad is the best of all the Prophets. They believe that Jibreel used to come down to Ghulam Ahmad and that he used to bring revelation to him, and that his inspirations are like the Qur’aan. They say that there is no Qur’aan other than what the “Promised Messiah” (Ghulam Ahmad) brought, and no hadeeth except what is in accordance with his teachings, and no Prophet except under the leadership of Ghulam Ahmad. They believe that their book was revealed. Its name is alKitaab al-Mubeen and it is different from the Holy Qur’aan. They believe that they are followers of a new and independent religion and an independent Sharee’ah, and that the friends of Ghulam are like the Sahaabah. They believe that Qadian is like Madeenah and Makkah, 235

if not better than them, and that its land is sacred. It is their Qiblah and the place they make hajj to. They called for the abolition of jihaad and blind obedience to the British government because, as they claimed, the British were “those in authority” as stated in the Qur’aan. In their view every Muslim is a Kaafir unless he becomes a Qadiani, and everyone who married a non-Qadiani is also a kaafir. They allow alcohol, opium, drugs and intoxicants. Intellectual and ideological roots The westernizing movement of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan paved the way for the emergence of the Qadianiyyah, because it had already spread deviant ideas. The British made the most of this opportunity so they started the Qadiani movement and chose a man from a family that had a history of being agents of the colonialists. In 1953 CE, there was a popular revolution in Pakistan which demanded the removal of Zafar-Allaah Khan from the position of Foreign Minister and that the Qadiani sect should be regarded as a non-Muslim minority. In this uprising around ten thousand Muslims were martyred, and they succeeded in having the Qadiani minister removed from office. In Rabee’ al-Awwal 1394 AH (April 1974), a major conference was held by the Muslim World League in Makkah, which was attended by representatives of Muslim organizations from around the world. This conference announced that this sect is Kaafir and is beyond the pale of Islam, and told Muslims to resist its

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dangers and not to cooperate with the Qadianis or bury their dead in Muslim graveyards. The Majlis al-Ummah in Pakistan (the central parliament) debated with the Qadiani leader Mirza Naasir Ahmad, and he was refuted by Shaykh Mufti Mahmood (may Allaah have mercy on him). The debate went on for nearly thirty hours but Naasir Ahmad was unable to give answers and the Kufr of this group was exposed, so the Majlis issued a statement that the Qadianis should be regarded as a non-Muslim minority. Among the factors that make Mirza Ghulam Ahmad an obvious Kaafir are the following: His claim to be a Prophet His abolition of the duty of jihaad, to serve the interests of the colonialists. His saying that people should no longer go on Hajj to Makkah, and his substitution of Qadian as the place of pilgrimage. His anthropomorphism or likening Allaah to human beings. His belief in the transmigration of souls and incarnation. His attributing a son to Allaah and his claim to be the son of God. His denying that Prophethood ended with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his regarding the door of Prophethood to be open to “any Tom, Dick or Harry”. The Qadianis have strong ties with Israel. Israel has opened centres and schools for them, and helped them to

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publish a magazine which is their mouthpiece, to print books and publications for distribution worldwide. The fact that they are influenced by Judaism, Christianity and al-Baatiniyyah is clear from their beliefs and practices, even though they claim to be Muslims. Their spread and positions of influence Most of the Qadianis nowadays live in India and Pakistan, with a few in Israel and the Arab world. They are trying, with the help of the colonialists, to obtain sensitive positions in all the places where they live. The Qadianis are very active in Africa and in some western countries. In Africa they have more than 5,000 teachers and dai’yahs working full-time to call people to Qadianiyyah. Their wide-spread activity proves that they have the support of the colonialists. The British government is also supporting this movement and making it easy for their followers to get positions in world governments, corporate administration and consulates. Some of them are also high-ranking officers in the secret services. In calling people to their beliefs, the Qadianis use all kinds of methods, especially educational means, because they are highly-educated and there are many scientists, engineers and doctors in their ranks. In Britain there is a satellite TV channel called Islamic TV which is run by the Qadianis. From the above, it is clear that: Qadianiyyah is a misguided group, which is not part of Islam at all. Its beliefs are completely contradictory to Islam, so Muslims should beware of their activities, since

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the ‘Ulama’ (scholars) of Islam have stated that they are Kaafirs. For more information see: Al-Qadianiyyah by Ihsaan Ilaahi Zaheer. (Translator’s note: this book is available in English under the title “Qadiyaniat: an analytical survey” by Ehsan Elahi Zaheer) Reference: Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Muyassarah fi’l-Adyaan alMadhaahib wa’l-Ahzaab al-Mu’aasirah by Dr. Maani’ Hammad al-Juhani, 1/419-423 The following statement was published by the Islamic Fiqh Council (Majma’ al-Fiqh al-Islami): After discussing the question put to the Islamic Fiqh Council in Capetown, South Africa, concerning the ruling on the Qadianis and their off-shoot which is known as Lahoriyyah, and whether they should be counted as Muslims or not, and whether a non-Muslim is qualified to examine an issue of this nature: In the light of research and documents presented to the members of the council concerning Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiani, who emerged in India in the last century and to whom is attributed the Qadiani and Lahori movements, and after pondering the information presented on these two groups, and after confirming that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to be a prophet who received revelation, a claim which is documented in his own writings and speeches, some of which he claimed to have received as revelation, a claim which he propagated all his life and asked people to believe in, just as it is also well-known that he denied many other things which are proven to be essential elements of the religion of Islam

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in the light of the above, the Council issued the following statement: Firstly: the claims of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to be a prophet or a messenger and to receive revelation are clearly a rejection of proven and essential elements of Islam, which unequivocally states that Prophethood ended with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and that no revelation will come to anyone after him. This claim made by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad makes him and anyone who agrees with him an apostate who is beyond the pale of Islam. As for the Lahoriyyah, they are like the Qadianiyyah: the same ruling of apostasy applies to them despite the fact that they described Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as a shadow and manifestation of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Secondly: it is not appropriate for a non-Muslim court or judge to give a ruling on who is a Muslim and who is an apostate, especially when this goes against the consensus of the scholars and organizations of the Muslim Ummah. Rulings of this nature are not acceptable unless they are issued by a Muslim scholar who knows all the requirements for being considered a Muslim, who knows when a person may be deemed to have overstepped the mark and become an apostate, who understands the realities of Islam and kufr, and who has comprehensive knowledge of what is stated in the Qur’aan, Sunnah and scholarly consensus. The ruling of a court of that nature is invalid. And Allaah knows best. Majma’ al-Fiqh al-Islami, p. 13 Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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4045: Islamic groups adopting a banner or symbol, and the ruling on using the crescent as a symbol Question: We want to form a Muslim group in a place where there are a lot of student groups in the university, including groups from other religions. We want to distinguish ourselves with something and to have a symbol, because symbols are important in distinguishing groups from one another, Can you advise us of a specific color or symbol that we can use for this Muslim students’ group? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad Saalih ibn ‘Uthaymeen, who replied as follows: “If the Muslim students agree on something, this is OK, but if each Muslim group is adopting its own symbol, it is not right. The symbol or color that we recommend is bright green.” Is there any daleel (evidence) for this color? “No, but people like this color and in the Qur’aan it says (interpretation of the meanings): ‘Their garments will be of fine green silk’ [al-Insaan 76:21] and ‘Reclining on green cushions’ [al-Rahmaan 55:76].” Is there any indication from the reports that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had white and black banners that these colors are mustahabb in such cases?

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“No, we cannot use these colors, because these were the banners in that time, and each era has things that are appropriate for it. But black now is one of the symbols of the Raafidah, as is well known.” The crescent is commonly used as a symbol by Muslims to distinguish themselves from Christian groups who use the cross as a symbol. Is it permissible for us to use the crescent as a symbol in our publications and on our banners, to distinguish ourselves from other, non-Muslim groups? “I do not think this is right, because the crescent was originally a symbol that was placed on graves that were worshipped instead of Allah. We read this in an answer given by some scholars and leaders of Daw’ah. But we could use a picture of the Ka’bah as a symbol, because it is the Qiblah of all Muslims.” In some countries they put a crescent on Muslim places of worship to distinguish them from Christian places of worship, which have crosses on top of them. They do this so that people can tell them apart from a distance, because the architecture is often similar. Can we say that putting a crescent on the mosques or minarets of the Muslims is bid’ah? “It is as you say (i.e., we can say that). It is sufficient for a mosque not to have a Christian symbol on it. Symbols may be something that is present, or something that is not present. If the Christians have a symbol, namely the cross, then the fact that the Muslims have no symbol is in itself a symbol. (i.e., we do not need to put anything). And Allâh knows best. Islam Q&A

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Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 3321: Can one be a muslim and a communist at the same time? Question: Can one be a muslim and a communist at the same time? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is not possible for a person to be a Muslim and a Communist at the same time, because they are opposites that cannot co-exist in the same individual without one of them prevailing and the other being eliminated. Whoever is a Communist is not a Muslim. Communism involves different kinds of blatant kufr, such as denying the existence of Allaah (may He be glorified and exalted), denying the existence of the unseen worlds, making a mockery of the religion of Allaah and looking down on it, and flouting its laws and morals. How can the Muslim whose religion is Islam follow an ideology which states that religion is the opium of the people? Communists are among the kuffaar in refutation of whom Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have no firm Belief.” [al-Toor 52:35-36] How can the Muslim follow a group whose belief is such? We ask Allaah for guidance. Islam Q&A 243

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 4983: Are the Sufi shaykhs really in contact with Allaah? Question: What is the place of sufism in Islam? What truth is there in ‘religious experiences’, contacts with the Divine, etc.? Some people hold such phenomena in high regard, claiming the similarities between experiences of people from different religions and from opposite corners of the globe, to be proof. How should people who claim to be sufis or believers/followers of sufism be seen? Isn’t prayer and remembrance also a form of contact with the Almighty, SWT? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The word “Sufism” was not known at the time of the Messenger or the Sahaabah or the Taabi’een. It arose at the time when a group of ascetics who wore wool (“soof”) emerged, and this name was given to them. It was also said that the name was taken from the word “soofiya” (“sophia”) which means “wisdom” in Greek. The word is not derived from al-safa’ (“purity”) as some of them claim, because the adjective derived from safa’ is safaa’i, not soofi (sufi). The emergence of this new name and the group to whom it is applied exacerbated the divisions among Muslims. The early Sufis differed from the later Sufis who spread bid’ah (innovation) to a greater extent and made shirk in both minor and major forms commonplace among the people, as well as the innovations against which the Messenger (peace and 244

blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us when he said, “Beware of newly-invented things, for every newlyinvented thing is an innovation and every innovation is a going-astray.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said it is saheeh hasan). The following is a comparison between the beliefs and rituals of Sufism and Islam which is based on the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Sufism has numerous branches or tareeqahs, such as the Teejaniyyah, Qaadiriyyah, Naqshbandiyyah, Shaadhiliyyah, Rifaa’iyyah, etc., the followers of which all claim that their particular tareeqah is on the path of truth whilst the others are following falsehood. Islam forbids such sectarianism. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and be not of al-mushrikoon (the disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, polytheists, idolaters, etc), Of those who split up their religion (i.e., who left the true Islamic monotheism), and became sects, [i.e., they invented new things in the religion (bid’ah) and followed their vain desires], each sect rejoicing in that which is with it.” [al-Room 30:31-32] The Sufis worship others than Allaah, such as Prophets and “awliya’” [“saints”], living or dead. They say, “Yaa Jeelaani”, “Yaa Rifaa’i” [calling on their awliya’], or “O Messenger of Allaah, help and save” or “O Messenger of Allaah, our dependence is on you”, etc. But Allaah forbids us to call on anyone except Him in matters that are beyond the person’s capabilities. If a person does this, Allaah will count him as a mushrik, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And invoke not, besides Allaah, any that will neither 245

profit you, nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers).” [Yoonus 10:106] The Sufis believe that there are abdaal, aqtaab and awliya’ (kinds of “saints”) to whom Allaah has given the power to run the affairs of the universe. Allaah tells us about the mushrikeen (interpretation of the meaning): “Say [O Muhammad]: ‘…And who disposes the affairs?’ They will say. ‘Allaah.’…” [Yoonus 10:31] The mushrik Arabs knew more about Allaah than these Sufis! The Sufis turn to other than Allaah when calamity strikes, but Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And if Allaah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things.” [al-An’aam 6:17] Some Sufis believe in wahdat al-wujood (unity of existence). They do not have the idea of a Creator and His creation, instead they say that everything is creation and everything is god. The Sufis advocate extreme asceticism in this life and do not believe in taking the necessary means or in jihaad, but Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “But seek with that (wealth) which Allaah has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of legal enjoyment in this world…” [al-Qasas 28:77] “And make ready against them all that you can of power…” [al-Anfaal 8:60] The Sufis refer the idea of ihsaan to their shaykhs and tell their followers to have a picture of their shaykh in 246

mind when they remember Allaah and even when they are praying. Some of them even put a picture of their shaykh in front of them when they are praying. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Ihsaan is when you worship Allaah as if you can see Him, and although you cannot see Him, He can see you.” (Reported by Muslim). The Sufis allow dancing, drums and musical instruments, and raising the voice when making dhikr, but Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The believers are only those who, when Allaah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts…” [al-Anfaal 8:2] Moreover, you see some of them making dhikr by only pronouncing the Name of Allaah, saying, “Allaah, Allaah, Allaah.” This is bid’ah and has no meaning in Islam. They even go to the extreme of saying, “Ah, ah” or “Hu, Hu.” The Sunnah is for the Muslim to remember his Lord in words that have a true meaning for which he will be rewarded, such as saying Subhaan Allaah wa Alhamdulillah wa Laa ilaaha illa Allaah wa Allaahu akbar, and so on. The Sufis recite love poems mentioning the names of women and boys in their dhikr gatherings, and they repeat words such as “love”, “passion”, “desire” and so on, as if they are in a gathering where people dance and drink wine and clap and shout. All of this has to do with the customs and acts of worship of the mushrikeen. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Their salaah (prayer) at the House (of Allaah, i.e., the Ka’bah at Makkah) was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands…” [al-Anfaal 8:35] 247

Some Sufis pierce themselves with rods of iron, saying, “O my grandfather!” So the shayaateen come to them and help them, because they are seeking the help of someone other than Allaah . Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whosoever turns away (blinds himself) from the remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allaah), We appoint for him a shaytaan (devil) to be a qareen (intimate companion) for him.” [al-Zukhruf 43:36] The Sufis claim to have gnosis and knowledge of the unseen, but the Qur’aan shows them to be liars. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: ‘None in the heavens and the earth knows the ghayb (unseen) except Allaah…’” [al-Naml 27:65] The Sufis claim that Allaah created the world for the sake of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but the Qur’aan shows them to be liars. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56] Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, addressed His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with the words (interpretation of the meaning): “And worship your Lord until there comes unto the certainty (i.e., death).” [al-Hijr 15:99] The Sufis claim that they can see Allaah in this life, but the Qur’aan shows them to be liars. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “[Moosa said:] ‘O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I 248

may look upon You.’ Allaah said, ‘You cannot see Me…’” [al-A’raaf 7:143] The Sufis claim that they take knowledge directly from Allaah, without the mediation of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and in a conscious state (as opposed to dreams). So are they better than the Sahaabah?? The Sufis claim that they take knowledge directly from Allaah, without the mediation of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). They say, “Haddathani qalbi ‘an Rabbi (My heart told me from my Lord).” The Sufis celebrate Mawlid and hold gatherings for sending blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but they go against his teachings by raising their voices in dhikr and anaasheed (religious songs) and qaseedahs (poems) that contain blatant shirk. Did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) celebrate his birthday? Did Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, the four imaams or anyone else celebrate his birthday? Who knows more and is more correct in worship, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Salaf, or the Sufis? The Sufis travel to visit graves and seek blessings from their occupants or to make tawaaf (ritual circumambulation) around them or to make sacrifices at these sites, all of which goes against the teachings of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Do not travel to visit any place but three mosques: alMasjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], this mosque of mine [in Madeenah] and al-Masjid al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem].” (Agreed upon). The Sufis are blindly loyal to their shaykhs, even when what they go against the words of Allaah and His 249

Messenger. But Allaah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) forward before Allaah and His Messenger…” [al-Hujuraat 49:1] The Sufis use talismans, letters and numbers for making decisions and for making amulets and charms and so on. The Sufis do not restrict themselves to the specific blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that were narrated from him. They invented new formulas that involve seeking his blessings and other kinds of blatant shirk which are unacceptable to the one on whom they are sending blessings. With regard to the question of the whether the Sufi shaykhs have some kind of contact, this is true, but their contact is with the shayaateen, not with Allaah, so they inspire one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception), as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies – shayaateen (devils) among mankind and jinns, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it…” [al-An’aam 6:112] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… And, certainly, the shayaateen (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind)…” [al-An’aam 6:121] “Shall I inform you (O people!) upon whom the shayaateen (devils) descend? They descend on every lying, sinful person.” [al-Shu’ara 221-222] 250

This is the contact that is real, not the contact that they falsely claim to have with Allaah. Exalted be Allaah far above that. (See Mu’jam al-Bida’, 346 –359). When some of these Sufi shaykhs disappear suddenly from the sight of their followers, this is the result of their contact with the shayaateen, who may even carry them to a distant place and bring them back in the same day or night, to mislead their human followers. So the important rule here is not to judge people by the extraordinary feats that they may do. We should judge them by how closely or otherwise they adhere to the Qur’aan and Sunnah. The true friends of Allaah (awliya’) are not necessarily known for performing astounding feats. On the contrary, they are the ones who worship Allaah in the manner that He has prescribed, and not by doing acts of bid’ah. The true awliya’ or friends of Allaah are those whom our Lord has described in the hadeeth qudsi narrated by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh (5/2384) from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah said, ‘Whoever shows enmity towards a friend (wali) of Mine, I declare war against him. My slave does not draw close to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties that I have enjoined on him, and My slave continues to draw close to Me with supererogatory (naafil) acts, so that I will love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.’” And Allaah is the Source of Strength and the Guide to the Straight Path. 251

Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 3043: A father is neglecting his family and going out with the Jamaa’at al-Tableegh Question: What is your ruling in regard to the father, which has been neglecting to the family? He does not support the family for living and he receives money from welfare for his living. He saves almost all the money from welfare that he receives. My mother money is spending on a daily basis such as food. She makes very little money from baby-sitting. Am I committed a major sin, if my father does not talk to me and mad at me about the money. Is it also committed sin if my mother and I talk behind my father? My father is following the JAMAH TABLIGH; he likes to do Dawah and worshiping but has no responsibility in the family. Is it true during the prophet lifetime that Sahaba went out to Dawah and left the family behind for ALLAH to take care? I’m very sorry if my question is being offensive to individual or JAMAH TABLIGH. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. No doubt the cause of this problem and others is ignorance of many of the rulings of Islam, and a lack of 252

understanding of a man’s responsibilities towards those whom he is supporting, and the duties towards his family that Allaah has enjoined upon him. One of the greatest rights enjoined by wives in children is that the head of the family should spend on them; indeed, this is one of the greatest acts of worship and devotion to Allaah that a person can do. Spending on them covers their food, drink, clothing and shelter, and everything that a wife and children need to ensure their good health and physical well being. Allaah has told us that men are the ones who spend on women, and so they have the status of being qawwaamoon (maintainers and protectors) and of excelling over them, because they spend on them when they give them the mahr (dowry) and maintenance. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means…” [al-Nisa’ 4:34] The fact that this spending is obligatory is indicated by the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the consensus of the scholars and of all wise people. The evidence of the Qur ’aan includes the aayat (interpretation of the meanings): “Let the rich man spend according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allaah has given him. Allaah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. Allaah will grant after hardship, ease.”[al-Talaaq 65:7]

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“… but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother’s food and clothing on a reasonable basis. No person shall have a burden laid on him greater than he can bear…”[al-Baqarah 2:233] “… and if they are pregnant, spend on them until they deliver…” [al-Talaaq 65:6] With regard to the evidence in the Sunnah, many ahaadeeth were narrated which show that it is obligatory for the husband to spend on his wife and children, and those who are under his guardianship. Jaabir ibn ‘AbdAllaah (may Allaah be pleased with them both) reported that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in his sermon during his Farewell Pilgrimage: “Fear Allaah with regard to women, for they are your prisoners. You have taken them as a trust from Allaah, and they are permissible for you through the word of Allaah, and they have the right to be given provision and clothing by you on a reasonable basis.” (Reported by Muslim, 8/183). ‘Umar ibn al-Ahwas (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say during his Farewell Pilgrimage: “Verily, you have rights over your women, and your women have rights over you. As for your rights over your women, they are that they should not allow anyone to sit on your beds whom you dislike, or allow anyone into your houses whom you dislike. Verily, their rights over you are that you should treat them well with regard to

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their clothing and food.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 1163, and Ibn Maajah, 1851). Mu’aawiyah ibn Haydah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what are the rights of the wife of any one of us over us?’ He said, ‘That you feed her when you feed yourself and clothe her when you clothe yourself, that you do not say to her, “May Allaah make you face ugly!”, and that you do not hit her.’” (Reported by Abu Dawood, 2/244; Ibn Maajah, 1850; Ahmad, 4/446). Imaam al-Baghawi said: “Al-Khattaabi said: this is a command to spend on women and clothe them, according to the capabilities of the husband. As the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made this a right of women, it is necessary whether the husband is present or absent. If the husband is not able to do it, it become a debt which he owes, as with all other duties, whether or not the qaadi (judge) issues a decree to that effect.” It was reported that Wahb said: “A freed slave of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said to him, ‘I want to go and spend this month there in Jerusalem.’ He said, ‘Have you left enough for your family to live on during this month?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Then go back to your family and leave them what they need, for I heard the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying: “It is enough sin for a man not to give food to the one whom he is supposed to feed.”’” (Reported by Ahmad, 2/160; Abu Dawood, 1692). The original report in is Muslim, where the wording is, 255

“It is enough sin for a man to withhold food from the one whom he is supposed to feed.” Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will ask everyone who has been given responsibility about whatever he was responsible for, until He asks a man about his family.” (Reported by Ibn Hibaan). Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying, ‘By Allaah, if one of you were to get up in the morning and carry firewood on his back, and sell it and meet his own needs from the money and give some away in charity, this would be better for him than coming to a man and begging from him, and either being given something or not. The upper hand (the one which gives) is better than the lower hand (the one that takes), and start with those for whom you are responsible.” (Reported by Muslim, 3/96). According to a report narrated by Ahmad (2/524), it was said: “For whom am I responsible, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Your wife is one of those for whom you are responsible.” According to a hadeeth narrated by Jaabir ibn Samurah (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If Allaah gives something good to any one of you, let him start with himself and his family.” (Reported by Muslim, 1454). With regard to the consensus of the scholars: Imaam Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (7/564): 256

“The scholars are agreed that it is the duty of husbands to spend on their wives if they (the husbands) have reached the age of puberty, except in the case of a wife who is rebellious. This was mentioned by Ibn al-Mundhir and others.” The above references to the texts of Islam indicate that it is obligatory for a man to spend on his family and to take care of their interests. Many hadeeth narrated from the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) demonstrate the virtue of this action and show that it is a righteous action in the sight of Allaah. Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the Muslim spends on his family with the hope of earning reward, this is an act of charity for him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1/136). Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fath (9/498): “Spending on one’s family is obligatory according to scholarly consensus. Islam called it sadaqah (charity) lest people think that they are doing it as a duty for which there is no reward, because they knew how much reward there is in giving charity, so that they will not give charity to others until they have given enough to their families. This was to encourage them to give priority to the charity that is obligatory before they give voluntary charity.” Sa’d ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him: “Whatever you spend on your family, you will be rewarded for it, even the mouthful which you lift up and place in your wife’s mouth.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3/164, and Muslim, 1628). Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported 257

that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A dinar that you spend in the way of Allaah, a dinar that you spend to free a slave, a dinar that you give to the poor, and a dinar that you spend on your family – the greatest of these is the one that you spend on your family. “ (reported by Muslim, 2/692). Ka’b ibn ‘Ujarah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “A man passed by the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and his Companions were impressed by the man’s strength and energy. They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, if only this was for the sake of Allaah!’ The Messenger of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘If he goes out to work for the sake of his young children, he is striving for the sake of Allaah; if he goes out to work for the sake of his aged parents, he is striving for the sake of Allaah; if he goes out to work to keep himself from having to beg, he is striving for the sake of Allaah; but if he goes out to work for the purposes of showing off and boasting, then he is striving in the way of the Shaytaan.” (Reported by al-Tabaraani, Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2/8). The salaf, may Allaah have mercy on them, understood this duty properly. It was their guideline in their day-today life with their families. No one put it better than Imaam al-Rabaani ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak (may Allaah have mercy on him), who said: “There is nothing better than earning one’s own living, not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah.” (al-Siyar, 8/399) It is not permissible for a Muslim to neglect his family even if he claims that he is travelling for the purpose of worship and righteous deeds, because neglecting one’s family and failing to spend on them is haraam. We have quoted above the advice given by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr to the one who wanted to stay in Jerusalem: he had to make arrangements for his family’s provision first. So 258

you have to advise your father of the things we have said in this reply, and explain the matter to him politely and kindly. If you can fill the gap left by your father’s negligence by spending some of your own money on your family as much as you can, you will get a great reward, in sha Allaah. We ask Allaah to put all our affairs right. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 206: Characteristics of the Victorious Group: Ahl alSunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah Question:

This question abouh fiqh : harakah. Can you tell me the characteristic of jamaah Islam that we must follow? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is the Muslim’s duty to follow the truth and to join the victorious group, the people of Sunnah and Jamaa’ah (Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah) who are followers of the pious predecessors (al-salaf al-saalih), loving them for the sake of Allaah whether they are in his own country or elsewhere, and cooperating with them in righteousness. The attributes of the victorious group are related in a number of saheeh ahaadeeth, for example: 259

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My ummah is an ummah which carries out the commands of Allaah; those who let them down or differ from them do not harm them and they will keep adhering to this path until the Day of Judgement.” Mu‘aawiyah and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘A group of my ummah will continue victoriously adhering to the truth until the Last Hour begins.’” Al-Mugheerah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) say: “Some people of my ummah will remain victorious over the people until the decree of Allaah reaches them.” ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A group of my ummah will continue fighting for the truth, and will prevail over those who oppose them, until the last of them will kill al-Maseekh al-Dajjaal (the Liar or AntiChrist).” From these ahaadeeth we may understand the following: (1) The Prophet’s words “A group of my ummah will continue . . .” indicate that this is a section of the ummah, not the entire ummah. This also indicates that there will be other groups and sects. (2) His words “those who oppose them will not harm them” indicate that there will be other groups who oppose the victorious group in the way they practice the religion. This also concurs with the hadeeth which describes the ummah being divided into seventy-two groups or sects who oppose the one group that is following the truth. 260

(3) Both ahaadeeth offer glad tidings to the people who are following the truth. The hadeeth that speaks of the victorious group speaks of their victory in this world. (4) The words “until the decree of Allaah reaches them” refer to the wind or breeze that will come and take the soul of every believing man and woman. This does not contradict the hadeeth “A group of my ummah will remain victoriously supporting the truth until the Day of Resurrection,” because that hadeeth means that they will continue to follow the truth until that gentle breeze takes their souls just before the Day of Resurrection, when many other Signs of the Last Hour have already manifested themselves. The characteristics of the victorious group From the ahaadeeth quoted above, and other reports, we can derive the following characteristics of the victorious group: (1) They follow the truth. They are described variously as “following the truth,” “following the commandments of Allaah,” “following the true religion,” etc. All of these phrases indicate that they are adhering to the true religion with which Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent. (2) They obey the commandments of Allaah, which means: (a) They are distinguished from the rest of mankind by carrying the banner of Da’wah towards Allaah. (b) They undertake the mission of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. (3) They will be victorious until the Last Hour. 261

The ahaadeeth say that “they will be victorious until the decree of Allaah comes,” “they victoriously support the truth,” or “they will be victorious over those who oppose them.” This victory includes: Being open and not hiding: they are well-known and prominent and have the upper hand. Adherence to true religion, righteousness, following Allaah’s commands and fighting against His enemies in jihaad Victory by defeating others (4) They are patient and resist others with patience. Abu Tha‘labah al-Khashani (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “After you there will come days of patience, in which the patience required will be like having to hold a burning coal in one’s hand.” Who are the people of the victorious sect? Al-Bukhaari said: “They are the people of knowledge (the scholars).” Many scholars said that the victorious group is the scholars of hadeeth. Al-Nawawi said: “It is possible that this group is scattered among all types of believers. Some may be brave fighters, or fuqahaa’, or scholars of hadeeth, or ascetics, or people who enjoin good and forbid evil, and other types of good people.” Al-Nawawi also said: “It could be a group of different types of believers, including those who are brave and 262

skilled in warfare, faqeehs, scholars of hadeeth, Qur’aanic commentators (mufassireen), those who enjoin good and forbid evil, ascetics and devoted worshippers.” Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy on him, explained the matter as follows: “They do not have to all be in one city; they could be gathered in one country or dispersed across the world. They may be gathered in one city or in a part of it. It is possible that one group may exist, then disappear, then be replaced by another group, and so on, until the Day of Judgement, when all will disappear except for one group in one city, who will disappear when the breeze decreed by Allaah comes.” The scholars’ discussion of this group does not specify one type of people, or one city or country, except for the last group, which will be in al-Shaam (the territory comprising modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine) and will fight the Dajjaal, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said. No doubt those who are involved with the sciences of sharee’ah – ‘aqeedah, fiqh, hadeeth and tafseer, studying and teaching – are the people who are most qualified to be called the Victorious Group, and they should be at the forefront of da’wah and jihaad, and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and refuting the people of bid’ah, all of which must be accompanied with sound knowledge based on the Wahy (Revelation). We ask Allaah to make us among them. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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1098: Can the Muslims live in peace in Palestine? Question: I am speaking under correction. Please do correct me if I don’t have my facts right: According to The Bible there is no country such as Israel, only Palestine. The Jew and the Arab, both stemming from Abraham is in fact half brothers. So why can they not live in harmony in a new country called Palestine? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Your question may be answered by the following points: There is no doubt that the Prophet of Allaah Ibraaheem (Abraham) was a pure monotheist, and he was not among the polytheists and disbelievers. Although the Jews are among the offspring of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), they went against his way by associating partners in worship with Allaah and claiming that ‘Uzayr (Ezra) was a “son of God.” They said that God is miserly and that His hand is “tied up”, and they said, “He is poor and we are rich.” They also said that when God created the heavens and the earth in six days, He got tired, so He rested on the Sabbath day – exalted be Allaah far above all that they say about Him. They also likened the attributes of God to human attributes (anthropomorphism) and killed the Prophets, etc., etc. Once this distinction and contrast is made clear, there can be no brotherhood between a monotheistic believer and a polytheistic disbeliever, as Allaah says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibraaheem and 264

those with him, when they said to their people, ‘Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allaah. We have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred forever, - until you believe in Allaah Alone,’ – except the saying of Ibraaheem to his father: ‘Verily, I will ask for forgiveness (from Allaah) for you, but I have no power to do anything for you before Allaah.’ Our Lord! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return, - … Certinaly, there has been in them an excellent example for you to follow, - for those who look forward to (the Meeting with) Allaah – (for the reward from Him) and the Last Day. And whosoever turn away, then verily, Allaah is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all Praise.” [al-Mumtahinah 60:4,6] Once this separation and enmity is clear, it is unavoidable that there will be hostility and disavowal and the resulting struggle against the enemies of Allaah. So long as the laws and wisdom of Allaah dictate that there should the distinction between believers and disbelievers, there has to be this clearly-stated enmity. There can be no change to the laws of Allaah. There cannot be harmony between Jews – who are usurpers and aggressors, who have oppressed and persecuted others, and who are known for their treachery and corruption throughout the world, historically and in the present age – and the purely monotheistic Muslim owners of the land, whose menfolk the Jews have killed, and imprisoned their sons, and destroyed their homes, and taken possession of their lands by force, and prevented them from earning a proper living, and carried out chemical and radiational experiments on their prisoners, and taken organs from them for transplant into Jewish patients… and all other kinds of persecutions and atrocities. 265

In addition to this, the Jews are people of treachery and betrayal; it is not possible to trust them at all. Their current conduct bears this out: is there any treaty or agreement signed by them that they have actually fulfilled? This is no big surprise for the Muslims, who know what Allaah has said in His Book about the Jews (interpretation of the meaning): “Is it not (the case) that every time they make a covenant, some party among them throws it aside? Nay! The truth is most of them believe not.” [al-Baqarah 2:100]. Moreover, if the Muslims agreed to live in peace with the Jews, who would be in charge? One of the basic principles of Islam is that Islam should prevail, not be prevailed over. One of the conditions for People of the Book (Jews and Christians) living with Muslims in a Muslim country is that they should live under certain conditions (shuroot ahl al-dhimmah) in return for the security and protection afforded them by the Muslims. One of the most important of these conditions is that they should not openly display their shirk and kufr (polytheistic disbelief) in the Muslim lands, whether by word or deed. As the Muslims and Jews are enemies residing in opposing religious and doctrinal camps, it is not possible for them to be brought together unless one is made to submit to the other by force. Indeed, the Jews now are not allowing the Muslims to remain in their homes, even if there was no provocative action on the part of the Muslims; they are seizing the Muslims’ property by force, building their settlements on the Muslims’ lands and expelling the Muslims by any means. They have expelled millions to the neighbouring countries, which have accommodated them in the so-called Palestinian refugee camps. Finally, although the Muslims nowadays are in a position of weakness and humiliation – because they have turned 266

away from their religion – and are unable to fight the Jews, take back their stolen lands and impose the rule of Islamic sharee’ah in Palestine, this does not mean that this will always be the case until the end of the world. Things have to change, and one of the indications of this is the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who informed us of some things that are to happen in the future. He was supported by Revelation from his Lord; he did not speak of his own whims and desires, but of that which was revealed to him. He said: “You will fight the Jews and will prevail over them, so that a rock will say, ‘O Muslim! There is Jew behind me, kill him!’” (Reported by Muslim, 2921; al-Bukhaari, 2926). According to a report narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour [the Day of Judgement] will not begin until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. A Jew will hide behind a rock or a tree, and the rock or tree will say, ‘O Muslim, O slave of Allaah! There is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!’ – except for the gharqad (box thorn), for it is one of the trees of the Jews.” (Reported by Muslim, 2922). We would like to express our appreciation for your question, your desire to find out the truth, and the polite and eloquent manner in which your inquiry was phrased. We invite you to believe in Allaah as your Lord, in Islam as your religion, and in Muhammad as your Prophet, for this – by Allaah – will save you and benefit you and protect you in this world, in the grave after death, and in the Hereafter on the Day of Reckoning. May Allaah help us and you to do all that is good.

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Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 3440: The misguided sect of al-Qur’aaniyyeen Question: assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah There is a deviant group of people who claim to follow the Quran only, and not the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Please provide us with scholarly proof that they are on the wrong path, so we can give them da’wah, Insha Allah. Wassalaam Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Some people have started to claim that the Sunnah is not a source of legislation. They call themselves “alQur’aaniyyeen” and say that we have the Qur’aan, so we take as halaal whatever it allows and take as haraam whatever it forbids. The Sunnah, according to their claims, is full of fabricated ahaadeeth falsely attributed to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). They are the successors of other people about whom the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us. Ahmad, Abu Dawood and al-Haakim reported with a saheeh isnaad from alMiqdaam that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Soon there will be a time when a man will be reclining on his couch, narrating a hadeeth from me, and he will say, ‘Between 268

us and you is the Book of Allaah: what it says is halaal, we take as halaal, and what it says is haraam, we take as haraam.’ But listen! Whatever the Messenger of Allaah forbids is like what Allaah forbids.” (Al-Fath al-Kabeer, 3/438. Al-Tirmidhi reported it with different wording, and said that it is hasan saheeh. Sunan al-Tirmidhi bi Sharh Ibn al-‘Arabi, al-Saawi edn., 10/132). The name alQur’aaniyyeen does not befit these people, because the Qur’aan tells us, in almost one hundred aayahs, to obey the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Obedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is considered in the Qur’aan to be a part of obedience to Allaah, may He be glorified. “He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allaah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them.” [al-Nisa’ 4:80 – interpretation of the meaning]. The Qur’aan, which they claim to follow, denies the faith of the one who refuses to obey the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and does not accept his ruling: “But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” [al-Nisa’ 4:65 – interpretation of the meaning] Their suggestion that the Sunnah is “contaminated” with fabricated ahaadeeth is not valid, because the scholars of this ummah took the utmost care to purify the Sunnah from all alien elements. If they had any doubts about the truthfulness of any narrator, or there was the slightest possibility that he could have forgotten something, this would be sufficient grounds for rejecting a hadeeth. Even the enemies of this ummah have stated that no other nation has paid so much attention to examining its reports and their narrators, especially in the case of reports narrated

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from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). For it to be obligatory to follow a hadeeth, it is sufficient for it to be known that it is a saheeh (authentic, sound) hadeeth narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was content to convey his message by sending just one of his Companions, which proves that the hadeeth reported by one trustworthy person must be followed. Moreover, we would ask these people: where are the aayaat which tell us how to pray, or which tell us that the obligatory prayers are five times daily, or which tell us about the nisaab on various kinds of wealth for the purpose of zakaah, or about the details of the rituals of Hajj, and other rulings which we can only know from the Sunnah? Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 1/44 For more information on the shar’i evidence that the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is a source of evidence, see Question # 604. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2017: An ignorant atheist does not differentiate between a Prophet and an astrologer Question: A disbeliever regards Prophet Muhammad (sal) as a great scholar, a great person but not approving him as the prophet of God. 270

If we mentions the prophecy made by Muhammad (sal) and in the Quran, he compares it with the prophecy made by some other persons like Nostradamus. How to clarify him? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It seems that your friend, in his ignorance of the true nature of Prophethood, does not make a distinction between a Prophet and an astrologer, and so he compares the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the astrology of the French physicist Nostradamus who lived in the 16th century CE and composed books of fantasies and illusions. His books are written in ambiguous language about events that will happen up until the end of the world, which he expected would happen in the year 3797. A person like this needs to understand the true nature of Prophethood and why mankind needs to believe in it, and he needs to know that the Unseen can only be known through the Prophets who were chosen by Allaah. He needs to know that Prophethood is a gift from Allaah, may He be glorified, and it cannot be attained by a person’s desires or own efforts. Prophethood is a pure blessing from Allaah, as is indicated in His words (interpretation of the meanings): “Those were they unto whom Allaah bestowed His Grace from along the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nooh…” [Maryam 19:58] “Thus will your Lord choose you…” [Yoosuf 12:6] “… I have chosen you above men by My Messages and by My speaking (to you)…” [al-A’raaf 7:144] 271

“… Allaah knows best with whom to place His Message…” [al-An’aam 6:124] Then he should realize that the way in which Allaah conveys His message to His Prophets and Messengers is by wahy (revelation). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad) as We inspired Nooh and the Prophets after him…” [alNisa’ 4:163]. There is nothing wrong with explaining to him the three types or levels of wahy so that he may have a better understanding of this channel of communication between Allaah and His creation, which is so essential for mankind. These three types or levels have been mentioned by Allaah in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not given to any human being that Allaah should speak to him unless (it be) by Inspiration, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise.” [al-Shooraa 42:51] These three types or levels may be further explained as follows: Inspiring something in the heart of a Prophet in such a way that he has no doubt about it and is certain that it is from Allaah. It was reported in a hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The holy spirit (i.e., Jibreel) blew into my heart that no soul dies until its provision (rizq) and appointed time have expired, so fear Allaah and be polite and reasonable when you seek to earn a living from others.” (Reported by Ibn Hibbaan). This type of revelation also includes the visions of the Prophets, which are true, as is proven in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah Umm al-Mu’mineen (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “The first thing that happened to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) of wahy was true vision in his dreams: he did 272

not see something but it would become as true as daybreak.” (Agreed upon). Therefore the Prophet and Friend of Allaah, Ibraaheem, hastened to sacrifice his son when he saw that he was commanded to do so in a dream. He took this dream as being a revelation to him, as Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning): “So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy. And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said, ‘O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offering you in sacrifice to Allaah), so look what you think!’ He said: ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded, in sha Allaah (if Allaah will) you will find me of al-saabireen (the patient ones).’ Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allaah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead, for slaughtering), And We called out to him: ‘O Ibraaheem! You have fulfilled the dream (vision)! Verily, thus do We reward the muhsinoon (good-doers). Verily, that was a manifest trial, And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (a ram).” [al-Saaffaat 37:101-107] Speaking to His Messengers from behind a barrier. Allaah spoke thus to Moosa, upon whom be peace, as He says (interpretation of the meanings): “And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him…” [al-A’raaf 7:143]

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“And when he came to it (the fire), he was called by name, ‘O Moosa! Verily, I am your Lord! So take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa. And I have chosen you. So listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily, I am Allaah! None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me, and perform al-salaat (prayer) for My Remembrance.’”[Ta-Ha 20:12-14] Revelation to a Prophet via an angel. This is what Allaah refers to in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… or He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His leave…” [al-Shoora 42:51]. This messenger is Jibreel, upon whom be peace. The angel came to the Prophet in three forms as is proven in the shar’i texts. These three forms are: The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw him in the form in which Allaah created him. This happened to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) twice. The revelation came with a noise like the sound of a bell, which went away after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had understood what he had said. The angel appeared in the form of a man and spoke to him, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) understood what he said. This was the easiest of the three ways for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This what happened the first time Jibreel came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Cave of Hira’. Then you should tell your friend something of the 274

evidence of the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his miracles (see Question # 2114), the chief of which is the Qur’aan. There is no harm in giving him a copy of the translation of its meanings. If he believes, then praise be to Allaah, and if he remains a disbeliever after this, then he will bear the consequences of his kufr and will be one of the losers, so do not worry about him, for Allaah is independent of all creatures. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2854: Janaazah (funeral) prayer behind a Qadiani (Ahmadi) Question: Assalaamu ‘Alaikum, I attended a funeral today for my wife’s aunt. After the janazah prayer, I found out that the person performing the janazah prayer was not muslim. He was an Ahmadi belonging to the sect who says Mirza Gulam was a prophet. I personally feel that the janazah was not valid, but there were a lot of muslims in the congregation, who paid little attention to the fact that the leader was not muslim. Should my family and I re-pray the janazah? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Yes, you have to repeat the funeral prayer, because this imaam behind whom you prayed is a believer in a kaafir 275

doctrine which puts him beyond the pale of Islam. We ask Allaah to show mercy to your deceased loved one.. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2130: Which madhhab is the most correct? Question: Out of our four Maslaks which is the most accurate Maslak which follows the Quran & Authentic Traditions of Prophet Mohammed (SAW), and also let me know about the prominent books of that Maslak. I’ll be highly obliged if you’ll guide me to follow the right path of Islam. Thanking you, yours brother in Islam. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. So long as a Muslim is following the correct evidence (daleel) and has the desire to follow the Sunnah properly, there is no harm in following any of the Imams when it comes to rules of fiqh. In the case of the ordinary Muslim (who is not educated in fiqh), his madhhab (school of thought) is that of the mufti whose knowledge he trusts. But problems of the worst type occur when people become fanatically devoted to one particular imam or madhhab, to the extent that they reject the truth or ignore other sound evidence because of this. Allaah warns against rejecting the word of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “… And let those who 276

oppose the Messenger’s commandment (i.e., his Sunnah) (among the sects) beware, lest some fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.” [al-Noor 24:63] And Allaah is the source of strength. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 783: Sects in Islam and influence by other religions Question: How many sects are there in the Muslim religion and how are each beliefs differ from the others? Also, how was Islam influenced by other religions in the Middle East? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The one and only religion that Allaah, the Most Gracious, accepts is Islam. This religion has one path, one direction and is based on one methodology—that which the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace be upon him) followed along with his comrades. This religion which Allaah has chosen for mankind is not subdivided into different sects nor does it divert into different paths. However, a number of people have gone astray and corrupted the religion, forming many different groups that bear no relation to Islam, examples of which are Al-Baatiniya,, Al-Qadyaninya, and the Bahaa’iya, among which Allaah the Most Exalted and Glorious has warned us in the Holy Qur’aan: And verily this (i.e. Allah’s277 commandments mentioned in the previous two verses 151 and 152) is my straight path,

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