Ruling on attributing blessings to nature
Question:
A bottled water company wrote a strange sentence on a roadside advertising billboard. It says: “There are still some gifts granted by nature in our world,” and beside it is a picture of flowing water from somewhere. I told them that this is not permissible according to the Shari’ah (Islamic Law), because it is Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) Who gives us the gift of water, and not nature as the communists say - may Allah destroy them. And what is this nature that they claim has the ability to give water or prevent it? However, they argued that the words are metaphoric, in the same way as you would say: “The prince built the city.” So what is ruling on this sentence? Please, explain this to us, as people see this by day and night, and some of them might think that there is nothing wrong with it, and this may be dangerous for their ‘Aqidah (creed). May Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) help Muslims understand their religion well, and have a correct ‘Aqidah in which there is no doubt.
Answer:
It is not permissible to say this sentence: “There are still some natural gifts in our world,” or to write it, even if it is claimed to be metaphorical, because it causes confusion. It makes the heart content with what atheists believe in, as there are many Kafirs (disbelievers) who still deny the existence of Allah, and attribute all incidents, good and evil, to other than Him. Therefore, Muslims should protect their tongues and pens to safeguard themselves from using slogans and expressions used frequently by the atheists in their speech, and to be inwardly and outwardly safe from traces of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). It is obligatory on them to accept your advice, and not to be reluctant in correcting their mistake. They should not make excuses to justify their attitude. The truth has more right to be followed, and as the predecessors “Beware of what you have to apologize for.”
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet, his family and Companions
- Chairman : Shaykh Ibn Baz
- Deputy Chairman : Shaykh Abdul-Razzaq Afifi
- Members :
- Estimated reading time :1 min read
- Source :Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da'imah, Fatwa no. 8886, Question 1
- Ref :النسبة إلى الطبيعة
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