Al-Salafiyyah

The Inward Reality of the Khomeinism

2026-04-15T00:00:00+03:00

Questioner:

Your Eminence Sheikh, are the Khomeinists among the Rafida (shia)?

The Sheikh:

Yes, Khomeini is one of the heads (leaders) of the Rafida.

Questioner:

Among their heads?

The Sheikh:

Yes, they and their followers are Rafida. They are those who exaggerate regarding the Twelve Imams; they exaggerate regarding them and glorify them, believing that they [the Imams] know the unseen (Al-Ghayb) and that they are infallible. They call upon them instead of Allah, seek their aid, and make vows to them. This is present in their books; anyone who reviews Al-Kafi or other than Al-Kafi will find that. We ask Allah for safety. Yes, we ask Allah to return them to repentance.

We ask Allah to return them to repentance and to protect the Muslims from their evil and the evil of those like them; because they have claimed Islam while they oppose Islam, and in reality, they are at war with Islam. Yes.

Questioner:

This has become clear, without a doubt.

The Sheikh:

We ask Allah for well-being.

Questioner:

How do you advise Muslims to confront this ideology that has begun to spread in recent times?

The Shaykh:

We advise Muslims not to be deceived by the calls of [Khomeinism]. The claims they propagate and their assertions that they represent the entirety of Islam have no basis or truth; it is all the work of hypocrisy. They are people of hypocrisy and Taqiyya (dissimulation). Anyone who has studied their books would know this. Therefore, Muslims must realize that these claims of being an “Islamic Republic” are entirely devoid of reality. They are merely outward Islamic appearances, while the inward reality is contrary to Islam. The inward reality is paganism, hostility toward Islam, and hostility toward the Prophet of Islam and all of his Companions—refusing to seek God’s pleasure for them, but rather declaring them to be disbelievers and transgressive, except for a very small number.

The point is that Khomeini and his followers are among the prominent figures of the Rafida, and among those who glorify and adhere to the Rafida creed. They are those who glorify the Twelve Imams and claim that they are the [rightful] Imams, that the leadership (Wilayah) must belong to them, and that the leadership of others is invalid. At the top of their list is Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).

Regarding Ali, they spoke the truth in that Ali is a righteous man; he is the fourth [Caliph] after the [first] three, and he is the best of them after the three—the best of the Companions after the three. Likewise, al-Hasan and al-Husayn are among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). However, they did not assume leadership except for al-Hasan, who ruled for a short time and then stepped down, handing the Imamate and leadership to Mu’awiya (may Allah be pleased with him). As for al-Husayn and those after him, they never assumed leadership. But the Rafida lack insight; they have nothing but claims with no foundation/basis. Yes.

Is it permissible to declare Shias as disbelievers?

2026-04-15T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is it permissible to declare Shias as disbelievers?

Answer:

The Shia consist of categories and types; some have mentioned twenty-two types—meaning sects. However, the Batiniyya among them—such as the Ja’fariyyah and the Imami Twelvers, the followers of Khomeini—there is no doubt regarding their disbelief (kufr). This is because they are Rafidah, especially their leaders and Imams who call toward Shirk (associating partners with Allah) and the worship of Ahl al-Bayt. They exaggerate regarding Ali and worship him besides Allah, as well as Al-Hasan and Al-Hussein. They believe that they [the Imams] know the unseen (Ghayb), that they are infallible, and they claim that Ali is the deity. The same applies to the Nusayris and the Ismailis; these are among the most disbelieving of people—the leaders, the Imams, and the prominent figures among them.

As for their common folk, they are ignorant and astray; however, their prominent leaders and scholars know these matters and believe in these things—we seek refuge in Allah. They are among the most misguided of people and the furthest from guidance—we ask Allah for well-being.

And among them are ignorant Shias who do not exaggerate regarding the Ahl al-Bayt, do not worship them besides Allah, and do not believe that they know the unseen. However, they prefer Ali and say: ‘Ali is better than al-Siddiq [Abu Bakr] and better than Umar.’ This is an error, ignorance, and a sin, but they are not disbelievers; they are considered sinners and innovators (mubtadi’ah), but not disbelievers.

They only become disbelievers if they exaggerate regarding the Ahl al-Bayt and worship them besides Allah, or say that Ali and the Ahl al-Bayt know the unseen, or that it is permissible to worship them besides Allah, or say that they are better than the Prophets and that they are above Muhammad and the Prophets — as Khomeini says in his treatise ‘Al-Hukuma al-Islamiyya’. He says: ‘Indeed, our Imams have reached a station that no proximate angel nor sent Prophet has reached’ — We ask Allah for well-being.

The rulers of Iran today are among the most misguided and most disbelieving of people, even if they outwardly profess Islam — we seek refuge in Allah. This is because they are callers to shirk (polytheism), callers to the worship of other than Allah, callers to Rafidism, callers to the slandering and cursing of the Sahaba (Companions of the Prophet), and callers to exaggeration regarding Ali and Ahlul Bayt — claiming they are infallible and know the unseen, and that they are to be worshipped and called upon besides Allah: that aid is sought from them, vows are made to them, and so on — we ask Allah for well-being.

The Ruling on Disparaging Jesus in Retaliation

2026-04-11T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

A newspaper from Azerbaijan was found this week depicting Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) and his mother Mary (Peace Be Upon Them) in a hideous/vile manner. This was done, according to their claims, in response to what the Danish newspapers did regarding our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Does the person who did this to Jesus and his mother commit disbelief (kufr) and apostatize from the religion of Islam—bearing in mind that those who did this affiliate themselves with Islam?

Answer:

There is no doubt that ignorance does worse to its people than even this. This stems from ignorance—we seek refuge in Allah—and what is the sin of Messiah (Peace Be Upon Him)? What is the sin of his mother (may Allah be pleased with her)? For we believe in all the Messengers, we respect all the Messengers, and all the believers from all nations. Our fellow believers—we ask for mercy upon them and seek forgiveness for them: “Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith” (Qur’an, al-Hasr, 59:10).

We are allies to the believers from any generation and any century; from Adam until the Hour is established, they are our brothers. We pray for mercy upon them and we do not disparage them. As for disparaging the Prophets, that is disbelief (kufr). Those who disparaged Jesus—this is disbelief. It is not permissible to respond to disbelief with disbelief—we seek refuge in Allah—this is a matter that is not allowed.

However, as for ruling these specific people as disbelievers, we do not know; perhaps they are ignorant, or they acted based on a misinterpretation, or something similar. Meaning, they have ignorance, and ignorance is an excuse. We do not know regarding the ruling upon them specifically, so we withhold [judgment]. But this act is not permissible; it is hideous, and it constitutes a [forbidden] differentiation between the Prophets. And Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says regarding the believers: “We make no distinction between any of them” (Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:136)

We respect Messiah and we respect all the Prophets, and we believe that whoever disparages even one of them is a disbeliever. However, the ruling of disbelief (kufr) upon a specific individual may be withheld due to ignorance or for a reason we are unaware of.

The Purposes of the Believer’s Trial

2025-08-07T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Why does Allah burden the believers, who perform many acts of worship, with illnesses and trials, while the disobedient ones enjoy the good things in life?

Answer:

This question comes from two angles: The first is one of disapproval and the second is one of seeking advice. As for the disapproval expressed, it is indicative of the questioner’s ignorance, for Allah’s Wisdom is too great for the human mind to encompass; He, the Amighty, the All-Powerful says:

“And they ask you (O Muhammad ﷺ) concerning the Ruh (the Spirit); Say: “The Ruh (the Spirit): it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.”“ (Al-Isra’, 17:85)

So this spirit, which is in our bodies, and which is the essence of life, we do not know what it is, and scientists, philosophers and theologians have tried in vain to define it and to describe it. Therefore, if we do not understand anything about this spirit, which is the closest creation to us, except what has been described to us in the Qur’an and Sunnah, how can you expect to understand the wisdom behind this (i.e. the trial of the believers)?

Allah, the Almighty, the Majestic is Wiser, Greater, More Powerful and More Able; thus it is incumbent upon us to accept His Decree with a complete acceptance, both those which He allows to happen without necessitating His approval, and those which happen with His liking and approval. This is because we are unable to appreciate the design and purpose behind the Wisdom of Him, the Almighty, the Majestic.

What is incumbent regarding this aspect of the question, is to say: “Allah knows better, He is Wiser, more Able and Greater.” and As for the second angle, which is the question of guidance, we say, in answer to this question: The believer is tested; and the trial from Allah, which tests him through harm has two purposes. It is a test of the man’s faith is it firm, or shaky?

The true believer accepts and understands the Decree of Allah and His Will and he hopes to be rewarded for it, and so the matter becomes easy for him. It is said that a believing woman was afflicted by an injury to her finger, but she did not feel any pain, nor did she show any signs of distress. She was asked about it and she said: “Verily, the sweetness of its reward made me forget the bitterness of its pain.” So the believer hopes for a reward from Allah, the Most High and he submits with complete conviction.

This is one purpose; as for the second, verily, Allah praises those who patiently persevere with great approval and He informs them that He is with them He grants them their recompense without measure or account. Patience is a high rank, which none can reach except those who are put to trial in matters over which they demonstrate patient perseverance. If he does so, he achieves this high rank in which is this great reward. Thus, the trial of Allah upon the believers by what harms them enables them to achieve the rank of the patient ones.

This is why the Messenger who was the best of mankind in faith and the most pious of them and the most God-fearing suffered from illness enough for two men, and it was extremely hard upon him when the agony of death came to him. And all of this was so that he might perfect his level of patience; and verily, he was the most patient of the patient ones. From this, you can see the wisdom behind Allah testing the believers with such calamities. As for Him giving the disobedient ones, the sinners, the profligate and the disbelievers well-being and sustenance in abundance, this is a lure into destruction from Allah, the Most High for them. It is authentically reported from the Prophet that he said:

“Verily, this world is a prison for the believer and a Paradise for the disbeliever.” ¹

So they are given these good things as advance compensation for their good in the life of this world, but on the Day of Resurrection, they receive their just reward. Allah, the Most High says:

“On the Day when those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) will be exposed to the Fire (it will be said): “You received your good things in the life of the world, and you took your pleasure therein. Now this Day you shall be recompensed with a torment of humiliation, because you were arrogant in the land without a right, and because you used to rebel and disobey (Allah).” (Al-Ahqaf, 46:20)

In brief, this world is for the disbelievers, by which they are lured to destruction, after which, they go on from this life in which they were blessed, to the afterlife, where they find punishment we seek refuge with Allah from that and the punishment will be worse for them because they will find therein torment and suffering, in addition to which, they will suffer the loss of the things dear to them in the life of this world, its blessings and its luxuries. This is a third purpose which we might add to the above-mentioned two, concerning the harm and illness the believer endures, for he transfers to an abode of goodness from this world, so he will have gone from a painful situation to one of ease and comfort, and his happiness at the felicity given to him will be doubled, because he has found ease and comfort in place of the pains and calamities he previously suffered.

Muslim 2956 ↩

Ruling on a thief, women dancing and drinking alcohol

2025-07-31T00:00:00+03:00

Question

Are dancing and drinking alcohol Haram (prohibited) or Makruh (disliked)? What is the ruling on gazing at a woman other than one’s wife? What is the ruling on a thief?

Answer:

Women dancing in front of men is Haram. Drinking alcoholic beverages is also Haram. They are, moreover, major sins. Furthermore, a man gazing at a woman other than his wife and listening to her singing are Haram. In addition, whoever does so should be advised to repent. If he does not comply, he should be given a discretionary punishment.Besides, theft is prohibited. Accordingly, whoever steals a Nisab (the minimum amount of property stolen that entails execution of the prescribed penalty for theft) from a protected property out of its enclosure without any doubt that may drop the punishment, his hand is to be cut off. However, enforcing Hudud (ordained punishments for violating Allah’s Law) is up to the ruler or their representative.

Ruling on chewing Khat

2025-07-30T00:00:00+03:00

Question

What is the ruling on eating Khat and delaying the performing of ‘Asr (afternoon) prayer until half an hour before the Maghrib (sunset) prayer?

Answer:

Eating Khat is forbidden because it causes intoxication and it also distracts from the remembrance of Allah and from Salah. It is not permissible to delay Salah from its due time in congregation. These are forbidden acts resulting from eating Khat. They are all forbidden and therefore, Khat is strictly forbidden to eat.

Evidence on the prohibition of narcotics

2025-07-30T00:00:00+03:00

Question

What are the proofs that state the prohibition of narcotics?

Answer:

Narcotics are considered unwholesome things which Allah has forbidden for His believing servants. Allah only makes wholesome things lawful for people. Allah (Glorified be He) says in Surah Al-Ma’idah: “They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) what is lawful for them (as food). Say: “Lawful unto you are At-Tayyibât [all kinds of Halâl (lawful-good) foods which Allâh has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits)].” (Al-Maidah :4)

Describing the character of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Surah Al-A`raf, Allah says: “…he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibât (i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods), and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabâ’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods)” (Al-A’raf :157)

It is also related by Abu Dawud : “On the authority of Um Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) who narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade every intoxicant and everything which produces languidness.” ¹

It is well known that narcotics cause stupor and are very harmful. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” ²

Sunan Abu Dawud (3686), Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal (6/309). ↩
Sunan Ibn Majah (2340), Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (5/327). ↩

What are the conditions of cutting off a thief’s hand?

2025-07-30T00:00:00+03:00

Question

What are the conditions of cutting off a thief’s hand?

Answer:

Nine conditions have to be met before cutting off the hand of a thief:

The existence of an incidence of theft i.e. stealing while concealing oneself. Thus the hand is not to be cut off for snatching.
That the thief is Mukallaf (person meeting the conditions to be held legally accountable for their actions). Accordingly, no Hadd (ordained punishment for violating Allah’s Law) is to be applied to a child or a mad person.
That the value of the stolen property reaches the Nisab (the minimum value of property stolen that entails execution of the prescribed penalty for theft i.e. one quarter of a golden Dinar). The hand is thus not to be cut off if the value of the stolen property is less than the Nisab.
That the stolen property is normally valuable.
That the stolen property does not involve any uncertainty.
That the stolen property is taken from a Hirz (well-fortified place).
That the thief took the stolen property out of a Hirz.
That the conviction of the thief is proven before the judge by the testimony of two male ‘Adl (of upright character) witnesses or by the confession of the thief.
That the stolen property is claimed by its real owner.

However, checking the foregoing conditions with regard to specific incidences of theft is to be referred to the legal judiciary.

The wisdom behind the difference in complexion colors of the servants of Allah

2025-07-29T00:00:00+03:00

Question

What is the wisdom behind the difference in complexion colors of the servants of Allah (Exalted be He); some have a red, white, or black and so on?

Answer:

The difference in the complexions of the servants of Allah, whether white, black, yellow or other colors is one of the Signs of Allah (Blessed and Exalted be He) Who says (what means): “And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge.” (Ar-Rum 22). This variation in complexion colors from white to black or red and in the shapes of creatures also involves inherent difference between them. This difference is not the product of environment or one’s parents. There must be a creator behind all this planning, and thus it is clear that it is Almighty Allah (Exalted be He).

Which is better: The Qur’an or ‘Isa (peace be upon him)

2025-07-29T00:00:00+03:00

Question

I heard some scholars asking which is better: the Qur’an or ‘Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon them)?

Answer:

The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah; it was not created. ‘Isa (peace be upon him) is a human being who was given birth to by Maryam bint ‘Imran. Thus, the Qur’an is better.

Ruling on describing the Words of Allah as ancient

2025-07-29T00:00:00+03:00

Question

In the Glorious Qur’an we read: “Mûsâ (Moses) said: “Verily, I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord” (Ghafir, 40:27). We also read: “And Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) said: “O Hâmân! Build me a tower” (Ghafir, 40:27). We also read many other quotations throughout the Glorious Qur’an. How then can they be a part of the Qur’an, the ancient Words of Allah?

Answer:

Words refer to both wording and meaning. They may also refer to only one of them based on textual evidence. However, one who quotes words directly, literally, and without changing the meaning is only a reporter. In such a case, words are ascribed to the one who spoke them. But if the reporter, while maintaining the meaning, quoted the words liberally, the wording is said to be his own while the meaning is said to belong to the one who spoke them.

To the latter category belong the occurrences in the Qur’an narrating the history of past nations, such as the one in which Allah (Exalted be He) says: “Mûsâ (Moses) said: “Verily I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant who believes not in the Day of Reckoning!” (Ghafir, 40:27). To the same category also belongs Allah’s Statement: “And Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) said: “O Hâmân! Build me a tower that I may arrive at the ways” (Ghafir, 40:36) - The aforementioned two Ayahs are called Qur’an and ascribed to Allah’s Words in terms of wording and phrasing, for being worded and phrased by Allah, not Musa (peace be upon him) or Pharaoh. They are in that sense Allah’s Words not those of Musa or Pharaoh. They are ascribed to Musa or Pharaoh as far as the meaning is concerned. They are a paraphrasing of their actual uttered words. In any case, both the wording and the meaning are eternally known by Allah Who ordered that they be recorded in Al-Lawh-ul-Mahfuzh (the Preserved Tablet). Later, Musa and Pharaoh uttered these words in their language the same as written in Al-Lawh-ul-Mahfuzh. Then Allah related their words in His Own wording and phrasing at the time of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and they were ascribed to them (i.e., Musa and Pharaoh who spoke them) respectively.

As for describing the Words of Allah as “ancient,” neither the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) nor the Imams of Salaf (righteous predecessors) were reported to have described Allah’s Words as ancient. In fact, Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah (adherents to the Sunnah and the Muslim mainstream) maintained during the time of the (Creation-of-Qur’an) Trial that the Qur’an is the uncreated Word of Allah while their opponents described it as created. Thus, describing Allah’s Words as “ancient” is a novel term. If we were to assume that, we would say that Allah’s Words are ancient as to type and new as to events. Actually, Allah (Exalted be He) still speaks and will continue to speak as He wills. On the Day of Resurrection, He will address believers and disbelievers as He wills, as authentically reported in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim) on the authority of `Ady ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There will be none among you but his Lord will speak to him, and there will be no interpreter between him and Allah.” ¹ There are also many other Hadith to the same effect.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Musnad Imam Ahmad (4/256 ، 377), Al-Bukhari (Fath al-Bari, no. 1413 ، 1417 ، 3595 ، 6023 ، 6539 ، 6540 ، 6563 ، 7443 ، 7512), Muslim (1016), at-Tirmidhi (2417), Ibn Majah (173) ↩

Refuting misconceptions concerning the eternity of Allah’s Words

2025-07-29T00:00:00+03:00

Question

Answer:

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Musnad Imam Ahmad (4/256 ، 377), Al-Bukhari (Fath al-Bari no. 1413 ، 1417 ، 3595 ، 6023 ، 6539 ، 6540 ، 6563 ، 7443 ، 7512), Muslim (1016), at-Thirmidi (2417), Ibn Majah (173) ↩

Preserving the Qur’an against distortion

2025-07-29T00:00:00+03:00

Question

A friend of mine raises doubts regarding the authenticity of the Mus-hafs (copies of the Qur’an) we have nowadays. He claims that they contain interpolations and, according to him, there was a scribe who refused to hand the manuscript (copy) of the Qur’an that he had to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), which was in Yemen. My friend went on elaborating his claims and told me about the book from which he derived the information upon which he bases his argument. I became angry and refused to listen to his claims any longer. I am writing to you requesting your Fatwa on this issue and information on how the Qur’an was transmitted. I usually face such situations for being a member in Tabligh and Da‘wah (a group calling to Islam).

Answer:

The Qur’an is Allah’s Words which Jibril (Gabriel, peace be upon him) received from Allah and recited to Muhammad (peace be upon him), who in turn listened and learned it carefully from Jibril exactly as spoken by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Allah (Exalted be He) caused Muhammad (peace be upon him) to memorize it by heart. Allah (Exalted be He) says: “Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur’ân, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to give you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) the ability to recite it (the Qur’ân). And when We have recited it to you [O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم through Jibrîl (Gabriel)], then follow its (the Qur’an’s) recital. Then it is for Us (Allâh) to make it clear (to you).” (Al-Qiyamah, 75:16-19)

In his Tafsir (exegesis of the Qur’an), Ibn Jarir (may Allah be merciful to him) said: “The exegetes of the Qur’an differed regarding the reason why it was said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur’ân, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) to make haste therewith. Some of them view that this was said to him because once any part of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), he would hasten to memorize it out of deep love for it. Hence, he was ordered not to hasten to recite the revelation in order to memorize it; Allah will engrave it on his memory. Other exegetes view that this was said to the Prophet (peace be upon him) because he was always reciting the Qur’an for fear that he might forget it. Therefore, he was ordered not to move his tongue hastily reciting the Qur’an, for Allah would commit it to his chest, and make him able to recite it in the same way that it was revealed to him. Since it is Allah Who would make him recite the Qur’an, he shall not forget it.” ¹

Allah (Exalted be He) says: “Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).” (Al-Hijr, 15:9) Thus, Allah safeguarded the Qur’an for Muslims. The Qur’an was transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to his Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet), who committed it to memory and writing and transmitted it to future generations fresh and pure, without any distortion or interpolation in it. It was compiled into a single book by Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) during his caliphate under the supervision of Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him). Then it was complied by `Uthman during his caliphate according to one Harf (mode of recitation), so that the Ummah (nation based on one creed) would not disagree therein.

Thus, whoever claims that the Qur’an is not divinely-guarded and preserved or has been exposed to any additions or deletions is astray and is leading others astray. Such a person should be asked to repent. If he does not repent, the authorities must impose capital punishment on him for Riddah (apostasy), because his claim contradicts the Statement of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He): “Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).” (Al-Hijr, 15:9) It also conflicts with the Ijma‘ (unanimous consensus) of the Ummah that the Qur’an is divinely-safeguarded. On this basis, Muslim scholars have denounced the claim of the Batiniyyah Shiites that the Qur’an Muslims have today is flawed and that the version they have is the preserved and perfect one. Indeed, this is one of the worst lies.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Tafsir Ibn Jarir 29/187 ↩

Is the Qur’an mere words or supplications as claimed by some people?

2025-07-29T00:00:00+03:00

Question

Is the Qur’an just words or supplications as some people claim?

Answer:

The Qur’an is the Words of Allah. Jibril (Gabriel, peace be upon him) was commissioned by Allah to hear and convey His Words to Muhammad (peace be upon him) which he recited for him. It also contain supplications, such as: “(They say): “Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower.” ([Aal Imran, 3:8])(/quran?verse=3:8). This supplication is an Ayah (Qur’anic verse) from the Words of Allah (Exalted be He).

What is the ruling on selling dogs?

2024-09-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

What is the ruling on selling guard dogs that have special characteristics?

Answer:

It is not permissible to sell dogs, and their price is not lawful, whether they are guard dogs, hunting dogs or any other kind, because of the hadith narrated by Abu Mas’ud ‘Aqabah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the price of a dog, the wages of a prostitute and the fee of a fortuneteller.” sahih – agreed upon.

The ruling on selling cats, monkeys and dogs

2024-09-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

I would like to work in the field of trading in tame animals such as cats and birds. One of these animals is monkeys that are trained and used for the sake of amusement and attracting customers to shops. Moreover, these kinds of animals are used for amusement and attracting customers in order to increase sales. But these animals are very expensive. Some brothers – may Allah reward them – told me that trading in monkeys is prohibited as they are a sign for Allah’s Wrath and Punishment; they are not created to be used this way; and this is a waste of money. What is the ruling on that?

Answer:

It is not permissible to sell cats, monkeys and dogs, and other carnivores that have fangs, because the Prophet ﷺ forbade that and denounced it, and because it involves a waste of money, which the Prophet ﷺ also forbade.

Islamic ruling on dealing in and buying animals for hobby or decorative purposes

2024-09-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

I would like to ask your Eminence about the ruling on trading in and possessing animals and birds for the purpose of having a hobby or for decorative purposes. These include for example:

Decorative birds such as parrots and other colorful birds
Reptiles such as snakes and lizards
Predators such as wolves, lions, foxes, and so on. These animals and birds are possessed either for their beauty or for their fur. It should be noted that they are very expensive and will be kept behind bars, but dealing in them is very profitable.

Answer:

Firstly, selling decorative birds like parrots, colorful birds and nightingales for their voices is permissible because looking at and listening to them is permissible. There is no text in the Shari’ah which forbids selling or possessing them; at the same time, there are texts which may be understood to mean that it is permissible to keep them in cages, as long as they are fed and watered and given all the care that is needed. Among these texts is the Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari on the authority of Anas who said: “The Prophet ﷺ was the best of people in attitude. I had a brother called Abu ‘Umayr who had just been weaned, I think. When he (ﷺ) came, he would say, ‘O Abu Umayr what happened to the nughayr?’ – a nughar [young sparrow or small bird] with which he used to play…“

Al-Hafiz (a Muslim scholar memorizing 100,000 Hadith at least) Ibn Hajar said in his commentary book Fath Al-Bari, when enumerating the things that we learn from this Hadith: “… It is permissible for children to play with birds; it is permissible for parents to allow their children to play with things with which it is permissible to play; it is permissible to spend money on permissible things to entertain children; it is permissible to keep a bird in a cage and it is permissible to clip a birds’ wings – for one of these matters must have been the case with Abu Umayr, and whichever one it was, the other is also implied in the ruling. There is also the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “A woman entered Hell because of a cat which she detained but she did not give it food or water, and she did not let it free so that it could eat of the vermin of the earth.” If this is permissible in the case of cats, then it is also permissible in the case of birds and the like. Some scholars saw that it is Makruh (disliked) to keep them in cages. Others saw that this is not permissible because people do not need to listen to their voices and look at them. This is an unnecessary luxury and soft living, and it is also foolishness because it means that one is enjoying the voice of a creature that is calling out longing to be allowed to fly and grieving that it cannot fly freely in the open air. This view was stated in Al-Furu, its footnotes (4/9) and Al-Insaf (4/275) by Al-Murdawy.

Secondly, among the conditions of valid sales is that the sold object should be something which is absolutely permissible to use and benefit from, without such permissibility being conditional on the existence of a need or a dire need. There is no benefit in snakes, which are indeed harmful, so it is not permissible to buy or sell them. The same applies to lizards – there is no benefit in them, so it is not permissible to sell or buy them.

Thirdly, it is not permissible to sell predators such as wolves, lions, foxes or any other fanged carnivore, because the Prophet ﷺ forbade that, and because it is a waste of money, which was also forbidden by the Prophet ﷺ.

Is it lawful to eat the meat of cats?

2024-09-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is eating cats Haram (prohibited) or Makruh (disliked)?

Answer:

It is prohibited to eat cats, for they are of the fanged animals. It was related by Abu Dawud on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade (the eating) of all fanged beasts of prey, and all the birds having talons.”

Ruling on replacing stoning the adulterer to death with a sword or gun

2024-09-13T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is it permissible to change the Hadd (ordained punishment for violating Allah’s Law) of a married person who commits Zina from stoning to death to killing with a sword or shooting with a gun?

Answer:

A married adulterer should be stoned to death, according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This was authentically reported from him whether in sayings, actions or orders. He (ﷺ) stoned Ma’iz, the woman from the Juhaynah tribe, the woman from the Ghamid tribe, and the two Jews who were brought to him to death. This was authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ in Sahih (authentic) Hadiths. This is established also according to the Ijma’ (consensus of scholars) among the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them), the Tabi’un (the generation after the Companions of the Prophet) and those who followed them. Nobody contradicts this except those whose opinions are not taken into account.

It was narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim in their Sahih books of Hadith, on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), on the authority of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, “Allah sent Muhammad (ﷺ) with the truth, and revealed the Qur’an to him. The Ayah (Qur’anic verse) of stoning was included in what was revealed to him. We recited it, retained it in our memory and understood it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ administered the punishment of stoning to death to the married people who commit Zina. We also carried out this punishment after him. I am afraid that with the elapse of time, the people may forget it and may say, ‘We do not find the punishment of stoning to death in the Qur’an’, and thus go astray by abandoning this duty prescribed by Allah, although stoning to death is a duty prescribed in the Qur’an for married people who commit Zina, provided that there is clear evidence, pregnancy or confession.”

Thus, it is impermissible to replace stoning to death with killing by sword or shooting with a gun, because stoning to death is more deterring and preventive from committing Zina, which is the gravest crime after Shirk (polytheism) and killing. The Hadd of Zina is a Tawqifi matter (bound by a religious text from Quran and Sunnah, and not amenable to personal opinion), where there is no room for Ijtihad (juristic effort to infer expert legal rulings). If it had been permissible to kill married adulterers by the sword or shoot them, the Prophet ﷺ would have done it and told it to his Ummah (nation), and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would have done it after him.

Is learning English haram?

2024-09-12T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is it Haram (prohibited) or Halal (lawful) to learn the English language?

Answer:

If there is a religious or worldly need for learning the English language or other foreign languages, there is no harm in learning it. However, if there is no such need, it is Makruh (disliked) to learn it. ¹

Question:

Is it Haram (prohibited) or Halal (lawful) to learn and study foreign languages, such as English, German and others, although they are the languages of the Christians in order to be able to deal with them in work, travel, treatment and other worldly issues?

Answer:

It is permissible to learn languages other than the Arabic language for the purpose of Da’wah (calling to Islam), which might bring benefit or repel harm. It might also be Wajib (obligatory) according to the different circumstances, times, places, people and intentions. ²

Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da’imah, Fatwa no.4967‏, Question 3 ↩
Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da’imah, Fatwa no.8864‏, Question 6 ↩

It is the duty of every Muslim to study his religion

2024-09-12T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

If a person wants to learn but finds no one to teach him, is he sinful if he does not learn?

Answer:

It is the duty of every Muslim to study his religion to know what is obligatory for him and what is unlawful for him. The Muslim has to learn such fundamental knowledge even if this requires traveling to another land if there is no one to teach him. Allah says in Surah Muhammad Ayah 19: “So know (O Muhammad) that, La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin…“, and the Prophet ﷺ said: “When Allah wishes good for a person, He makes him understand the religion.” (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Who is entitled to issuing fatwas?

2024-09-11T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Who should be responsible for issuing Fatwas and guidance in religious matters? Some religious people here speak English and a little Urdu but they can not speak the beloved Arabic; the language of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Are these people qualified for Ifta’ and guidance in religious matters?

Answer:

Issuing fatwas and religious guidance should be given by those who are well-versed in the knowledge of the Quran and the Sunnah as well as the opinions of scholars. There is nothing wrong in addressing people in the language they understand, even if it is not the Arabic language. Allah knows best.

Ruling on marrying a woman who is not righteous

2024-09-11T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Many [Muslim] brothers - who are religiously committed - when proceeding to get married, they choose to ask in marriage women who are not religiously committed under the claim of inviting them the right Islamic way, turning a blind eye to women who are religiously committed. So, our Sheikh, what is your advice regarding this issue? May Allah reward you.

Answer:

What I would like to advise the Sunni husband is to choose a woman who brings him happiness in his worldly life as well as in the Hereafter. In other words he should choose the righteous wife who preserves her religion both in words and deeds, sticks to its values and morals, guards her husband’s right and protects his children.

This is among the meanings of virtue, righteousness and chastity that Islam is heavily concerned with. Nevertheless, the one who proceeds to marry a woman who is devoid of these meanings and gets deceived by her beauty, rank and lineage; then he is more likely to get afflicted by the tribulation of loosing himself and his children (their religion), forasmuch as it is difficult to change a woman who has a deep love of the worldly pleasures and relies on the adornment of this life, as the saying goes: “The same you are raised up, the same you will be when you are old (Habit is a second nature)”, and “Whoever has constantly a given quality or character, shall grow up with it”.

Even more, it is feared that he will be attracted to her character and fall into her temptations, and accordingly he will drift away from what he was yearning for the meanings of the Islamic life that unite people on the love and obedience of Allah عزَّ وجلَّ; therefore, he will regret what he tempted in, so “Select the pious woman, may you be blessed” ¹.

Reported by Al-Bukhârî (5090), by Muslim (1/ 670) (n° 1466), by Abû Dâwûd (2047), by An-Naşâ’î (3230), by Ibn Mâjah (1858) and by Ahmad (9521), from the hadith of Abû Hurayrah. ↩

Is memorizing the Qur’an obligatory?

2024-09-11T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is memorizing the Qur’an obligatory?

Answer:

Memorizing the Qur’an is a collective duty and is not obligatory upon every individual of this Ummah (nation). Memorizing the Qur’an is one of the best forms of worship and contains great reward if a Muslim acts according to its ordinances and follows its limits and rulings.

Advice for Social Media Users

2024-09-09T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

May Allah protect you, honorable Shaykh. The questioner here asks you to provide advice to social media users.

Answer:

Yes, these media platforms have both good and bad aspects. If they are used for good, they can be beneficial, but if they are used for evil, they can harm everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. They are like a double-edged sword, which can bring benefit if used for good, but can cause harm if used for evil. Therefore, Muslims youth should be aware of this and take from these social media channels and websites what is useful and beneficial for their religion and worldly affairs, and leave what is worthless, such as misguided ideas, deviant opinions, and ignorance spread by ignorant people or those who are misguided.

Knowledge is not obtained from websites or social media networks; it is obtained directly from scholars, from the Book [of Allah] and the Sunnah by the hands of scholars! It is not obtained from social media networks, rumors, or websites. This is misleading. Knowledge can only be obtained directly from scholars. If the questions arise, they should be posed to scholars, not to the general public. They should be sent directly to scholars, who are responsible for answering them.

If there is a matter of security or fear, they can be broadcasted. This is called broadcasting, which is the dissemination of information to the masses, including the ignorant people. They may enter into such matters and make judgments without knowledge. If they had referred the matter back to the Messenger (the Prophet), he would have replied to it during his lifetime and after his death (rely) according to his Sunnah. If they referred the matter to the leaders, they would be divided into two groups: the political leaders and the scholars. In matters of religion and worldly affairs, in matters of jurisprudence, religious problems, and politics, the matter should be referred to the people of knowledge.

Types of People on Earth Before The Mission of Islam

2024-09-05T00:00:00+03:00

Praise be to Allah.

When God (Allah in Arabic) sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) the people on earth were of two groups: (1) the people of the Book, and (2) the pretenders of faith who followed no Book.

The people of the Book are of two kinds: (a) the cursed ones, and (b) those who went astray (strayers).

(a) the cursed ones :

The people who angered God are the Jews: the people of lies and falsifications, of perfidy, deception, and chicanery, the murderers of the prophets, the people of usury, and they are the most malicious of all people in intentions, the worst in temperament, the farthest to mercy, and the closest to vengeance.

Hatred is their nature, enmity and bitterness are their habits: habits of machination, lies, and trickery. They consider those who disagree with them in their rejection of Faith and in their belying of the prophets as undeserving and forbidden from having rights. They do not expect to find in a true believer a shred of trustworthiness, neither do they consider those who agree with them as worthy of right or pity, nor those who have something to share with them as worthy of fairness and equity, or those who mix with them as reliable and untrecherous, or those who give service to them as worthy to give advice. In their midst, the most wicked is the wisest, the shrewdest is the most deceitful, the level-headed, who is never found among them, is not a true Jew.

Among all people, they are the shortest in patience, the most excessive in wrongdoing to their families at home, the most unmindful for cleanliness at home, the most vicious in disposition. Greeting them is maledictive, meeting them is ominous, for their slogan is indignation and their attire in rancour.

(b) those who went astray :

The second kind are the people who went astray: They are the worshippers of the Cross or the Trinitarians. They blasphemed against God in an unprecedented way, and refused to admit that He is the One and Only, the Eternal Absolute, who begets not, nor is He begotten and there is none like unto Him. They did not conceive God as the Greatest of all things, but instead, they said about Him what:

“Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, That they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Gracious (Allah).” (Quran, Maryam [19]: 90-91).

Say whatever you wish to say about a sect the cornerstone of whose tenets is that God is a part of three, Mary is His companion, and the Messiah, His son! And that He descended from the Throne of His Magnificence and joined Himself to the womb of His companion. Needless to repeat the known events that allegedly took place, till he was crucified, died and buried.

The belief of this sect is the worship of the crosses and the appeal to the pictures engraved and painted in red and yellow on the walls. In their prayer they say: “Mother of God, provide us with our sustenance, forgive us and have mercy on us.”

Their religion is drinking wine, eating pork, abandoning circumcision, indulgence in adoring unclean things, permissiveness in eating everything unblessed for human consumption from an elephant to a gnat. To them what is lawful or unlawful is what the priest decides it is, and their religion is what he sanctions, and it is he who forgives sins and salvages them from the chastisement of Hell fire.

This is the case of those who have a Book.

As for those who do not, they fall between idolaters, fire worshippers, demonolaters, and bewildered Sabaists (astrolators). What is common among them is joining partners to God, belying the prophets, abolishing what God revealed and sanctioned, and repudiating the Day of Reckoning and the Resurrection. They do not follow any of God’s religions, they do not worship Him with the rest of the worshippers and do not praise His Oneness with the praisers of His Oneness.

As for the Magians, they sleep with their mothers daughters and sisters, let alone their maternal aunts. Their religion is fanfaronade and hullabaloo, their food is corpses, their drink is wine, their adored god is Fire, and their patron is the Devil. They are the most wicked of Adams breed in giving, they hold the most mischievous of creeds and the worst of beliefs.

As for the pretenders of belief among the Sabaists, and the atheists among the philosophers, they do not believe in God, His angels, His Books, and the Day of Judgement. Nor do they believe in any principle or a return to God. To them the universe has no commander, for bidder, sender of prophets and Books, rewarder of the good-doers and punisher of the wrong-doers. In the account of their jurists there exists only nine orbits, ten minds, four pillars, and a chain arranging the succession of existing things, which is rather a chain for mad people than a plausible arrangement that can stand to reason! In general, among all of these (false) religions, Islam is the only religion accepted by God ¹, of which there is no other religion on earth, and the rest are obscure like a tiny unknown planet behind a shroud of misty clouds.

God looked at all the people on earth, Arabs and non-Arabs, and abhored them except a number of the people of the Book. In this dreary pitch-darkness, God raised up the sun of the Message like a luminous lantern, and bestowed it on the people of the earth a gift greater than thanks-giving, and the earth shone completely by its light, and this light emanated till it covered all corners and horizons, and the crescent of true Guidance matured to a full moon, and the True Religion of God progressed rapidly.

Thanks to God who rescued us from the pitches of darkness by sending us Muhammad (peace be upon him), and opened the door of True Guidance in front of us till the Day of Judgement, and made us see through His light the strayers from the Right path floundering in their misguidance, wandering about in their inebriety, faltering in their ignorance, and dithering in their uncertainty. They do believe; but in idolatry! they seek a lord other than God. they do know; but only about the perceivable phenomenae of life on earth and they are oblivious about the Hereafter. They do prostrate but to the Cross, to idols and to the sun. They know how to deceive; but they are only deceiving themselves though they do not know it:

“Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’an), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship)], while before that they had been in manifest error.” (Quran, Aal ‘Imran [3]: 164)

And: “Similarly (to complete My Blessings on you), We have sent among you a Messenger (Muhammad) of your own, reciting to you Our Verses (the Qur’an) and purifying you, and teaching you the Book (the Qur’an) and the Hikmah (i.e. Sunnah, Islamic laws and Fiqh - jurisprudence), and teaching you that which you used not to know.” (Quran, Al-Baqarah [2]: 151)

Praise be to God who enriched us with His Sharia which exhorts wisdom and spiritual growth, and embraces the commands for justice and charity, and prohibits all sinful deeds and reprehensive acts and injustice. Kindness and favours return to God for what He bestowed upon us graciously and for selecting us to be above all nations (being the guardians to His True Religion Islam). To Him we supplicate to inspire us to be grateful and deserving for His blessing, and to open in front of us the doors for repentance, forgiveness, and a mercy, because the most endeared means to the benevolent is to supplicate to Him through his good deeds and to confess to Him that the whole matter belongs to Him, to His favours and kindness. We return to Him with gratitude for His blessing on us, we return to Him to forgive our sins, ignorance, unjustness, and the excesses we commit in managing our affairs. This is the plea in our hands to gain recompense and be rescued from the most severe penalty. As long as our mistakes are not deliberate, but are mistakes committed in the course of our pious endeavours, the blessing of God will not desert us.

However, some of our mistakes may exhaust all of our good deeds and require more devout obedience to God. The recompense may be greater if our intentions and deeds are unsullied and are purely endeavoured out of love for God and according to His commands. The matter is not more than hanging earnestly to the gems of His forgiveness,putting our trust in Him, shielding ourselves from His retribution to protect and guide us, submitting and supplicating to Him imploring for His givings, stretching our lacking hands with humbleness towards Him, asking and admitting our need for Him at all times. He who is given a gust from His abundant Mercy, or receives a glance from His Compassion, would spring alive from among the dead, and would be engulfed from every direction with plenty of bounties, and all the armies of worries, heart-breaks and sorrows would retreat being defeated away from him. 0 God! if once in a life time You glance at me with mercy I will live forever happy.

One of the duties toward God is to parry those who disparage the apostle.

Some of the duties toward God is to parry those who disparage His Book, His Apostle, and His Religion, and to contend against them with reason and evidence, with heart and inspiration, with a sword or a spear (if they resort to similar means). No one would have faith as little as a grain of mustard if he relinquishes this duty. It came to us that some questions asked by some of the non-Muslims were not answered satisfyingly, and the Muslims failed to find the suitable remedy for the malady. They thought that answering by hitting back cruciatingly would generate the answer that would resolve the matter once for good. But the faith rejecters said: «our companions were right when they said that Islam advanced by the sword not by the Book».

Both parties dispersed in disagreement: one as a striker, and the other being struck, and the grounds are lost between the asker, the asked, and what is asked for. A responsible replier would roll up the sleeves of the arm on firm will and stand up on the steady ground of diligence asking God for help to defend His cause and relying on Him to say and do what pleases Him. He should not say what the incapable ignorant had said: «The Faith rejecters can only be treated with the sword and there is no need to reason with them».

Such an attitude is an expression of resourcelessness and a resort to escape from the confrontation, incompetence and feebleness. One should follow the bidding of God in debating with the faith rejecters after calling them to embrace Islam. And that is by producing evidences, so that they cannot hide behind the excuse that they were not given proofs:

“…So that those who were to be destroyed (for their rejecting the Faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (i.e. believers) might live after a clear evidence. And surely, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Quran, Al-Anfal [8]: 42)

The sword came but to put the proof into effect (to protect its implementation), and the to redress the obdurate opposer (who stands against the right of self-expression and freedom of speech), and a warning to the evading rejecter. God the Most Sublime said:

“Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice. And We brought forth iron wherein is mighty power (in matters of war), as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help Him (His religion) and His Messengers in the unseen. Verily, Allâh is All-Strong, All-Mighty.” (Quran, Al-Hadid [57]: 25)

The religion of Islam rose through the guiding Book, and was but defended through the sharp sword. The one and refined Revelation was its source, and through its light the cheeks of the seeker glow. It is the cure for the ill of every reasoning man. It is the remedy of the malady of ignorance.

To God I return for good luck, for He opens the doors of the good, and facilitates the means to reach it.

Adapted from the book entitled “Hidayat al-hayara fi ajwibat al-Yahud wa-al-Nasara” by Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah (may Allah have mercy on him).

God The Exalted says in His Book: “Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” (Quran, Aal ‘Imran [3]: 19). ↩

Did the Salaf declare a particular individual a disbeliever?

2024-09-02T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is it allowed to declare a particular individual a disbeliever and did the Salaf in the past declare a particular individual a disbeliever?

Answer:

Takfir of a particular individual who commits what would necessitate kufr (disbelief) due to it – by either going against clear proofs or making something haram into something halal, then there is nothing wrong in making takfir of him – but with the condition, as has preceded that he commits what would necessitate kufr due to it, otherwise it is as the Prophet ﷺ said as is found in the ‘Sahih (authentic)’ “Whoever says to his brother ‘O kafir’, if it is as he says then so, otherwise it returns back to him.”

As for cursing a particular individual like the one who sinned from amongst the Muslims, then that which is correct is that it is impermissible, because the Prophet ﷺ said to ‘Umar in the incident when he said to Nu’ayman as is found in Sahih Al-Bukhari: “May Allah disgrace you, how many times have you been bought out?” So the Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not aid the Satan upon your brother”.

So the like of the takfir on a particular individual who commits what would necessitate kufr due to it – then Imam Ash-Shafi’i (may Allah Ta’ala have mercy on him) said concerning Hafs Al-Fard: “He is a kafir due to the fact that he says: the Qur’an is created”.

The ruling on one who say that The Prophet ﷺ betrayed the trust

2024-09-02T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Has the one disbelieved who says that ‘the Prophet ﷺ betrayed the trust or deceived ‘Ali and that Jibril (Gabriel, peace be upon him) was treacherous,’ as the Shi’ah (Shiites, a deviant sect and has nothing to do with Islam) say, upon them be what they deserve from Allah?

Answer:

There is no doubt in the unbelief of the one who says this; rather this is the severest of unbelief. Since the one who discards the truthfulness of Jibril and Muhammad ﷺ with treachery then this is the severest unbelief and the greatest of it.

Ruling on placing a wreath on a grave

2024-09-02T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is placing a wreath on a grave of a unknown Soldier equal to aggrandizing the Awliya and pious people to the point of worshipping ?

Answer:

This practice is a bidah (an innovation in religion), and excess in terms of revering the dead, and it is similar to the practice of those who over-rever pious people. It is feared that this practice may lead to building domes above their graves, seeking their blessing, and their taking them for gods besides Allah, Glorious is He. This practice should be stopped lest it lead to Shirk.

May Allah exalt the mention of our Prophet Muhammed, his household, and companions and render them safe from evil.

Is there any difference between a Messenger and a Prophet?

2024-09-02T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is there any difference between a Messenger and a Prophet?

Answer:

Yes, the scholars say that a Prophet is one who receives Revelation from Allaah of a law, but he is not commanded to propagate it, only to practice it himself, without being called upon to disseminate it. A Messenger is one who receives Revelation from Allaah of a law and he is called upon to propagate it and to act upon it. Every Messenger is a Prophet, but not every Prophet is a Messenger. The Prophets are more in number than the Messengers, and Allaah has related the stories of some of the Messengers in the Quran and others He has not related. Allaah, the Most High says: “And indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam)): Of some of them We have related to you their story, and some of them we have not related to you their story. And it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a Sign except by the leave of Allaah.” [Ghafir 40:78]

Based upon this Verse, it is plain that every Prophet mentioned in the Quran is a Messenger.

Are the Prophets also Messengers?

2024-09-02T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Are the Prophets mentioned in the saying of Allah, the Most High: “Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)) as We inspired Nooh…”, Messengers or not? And who is the first Messenger?

Answer:

The Prophets mentioned in the saying of Allaah, the Most High: “Verily, We have inspired you (O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)) as We inspired Nuh (Noah) and the Prophets after him.” [An-Nisa’ (4):163]

The ones who are mentioned in the context of the saying of Allah, the Most High, are all Messengers: “Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers.” [An-Nisa’ (4):165]

And all the Prophets who are mentioned in the Qur’an are Messengers because of the saying of Allah, the Most High: “And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)); of some of them We have related to you their story and of some We have not related to you their story.” [Ghafir (40):78]

And the first of the Messengers is Nuh (Noah and the last of them is Muhammad ﷺ because of the saying of Allaah, the Most High: “As We inspired Nooh and the Prophets after him.”* [An-Nisa (4):163]

And it is established in a hadeeth regarding intercession that the people will come to Noah and they will say to him: “You are the first Messenger that Allah sent to mankind.”

And to the saying of Allah, the Most High about Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: “Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets.” [Al-Ahzab (33):40]

And if Muhammad ﷺ was the last of the Prophets, then he (ﷺ) was also the last of the Messengers for there is no Messengership without Prophethood and to this it is said: “Every Messenger is a Prophet but not every Prophet is a Messenger.”

Islam is the religion of all Prophets

2024-08-28T00:00:00+03:00

The mission of all Messengers was to call for the worship of Allah Alone without associating any partners with Him, and the word Islam, in general meaning, refers to worshipping or submitting to Allah Alone without partners. Allah Ta’ala Says:

﴿ وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ الۡجِنَّ وَالۡاِنۡسَ اِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُوۡنِ‏ ﴾

“And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).” [Quran, adh-Dhariyat :56]

﴿ وَمَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنَا مِنۡ قَبۡلِكَ مِنۡ رَّسُوۡلٍ اِلَّا نُوۡحِىۡۤ اِلَيۡهِ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنَا فَاعۡبُدُوۡنِ‏ ﴾

“And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We inspired him (saying): ‘La ilaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else).’“ [Quran, al-Anbiya:25]

﴿ وَلَـقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِىۡ كُلِّ اُمَّةٍ رَّسُوۡلًا اَنِ اعۡبُدُوا اللّٰهَ وَاجۡتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوۡتَۚ ﴾

“And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allâh).’“ [Quran, an-Nahl:36]

Allah tells us that Islam is the religion of all the Prophets.

﴿ مَا كَانَ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمُ يَهُوۡدِيًّا وَّلَا نَصۡرَانِيًّا وَّ لٰكِنۡ كَانَ حَنِيۡفًا مُّسۡلِمًا ؕ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الۡمُشۡرِكِيۡنَ‏ ﴾

“Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim [submitting to Allah], and he was not of the polytheists.” [Quran, Aal ‘Imran :67]

Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in ar-Risalah at-Tadmuriyyah p.173-174:

This religion is the religion of Islam, besides which Allah will accept no other religion, either from the earlier or the later generations. All the Prophets followed Islam.

Allah Ta’ala says of Noah (peace be upon him):

﴿ وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ نُوحٍ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُم مَّقَامِي وَتَذْكِيرِي بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَعَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ فَأَجْمِعُوا أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَاءَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً ثُمَّ اقْضُوا إِلَيَّ وَلَا تُنظِرُونِ ۝ فَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَمَا سَأَلْتُكُم مِّنْ أَجْرٍ ۖ إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴾ [يونس: 71-72]

“And recite to them the news of Nuh (Noah). When he said to his people: ‘O my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah. 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. ‘But if you turn away (from accepting my doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allah), then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims (i.e. those who submit to Allah’s Will).’” (Quran, Yunus [10]:71-72)

And Allah says of Abraham (peace be upon him):

﴿ وَمَنْ يَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلا مَنْ سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَقَدِ اصْطَفَيْنَاهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ۝ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ وَوَصَّى بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ ﴾ [البقرة :130-132]

“And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim (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. 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 ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).’ And this (submission to Allah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya’qub (Jacob) (saying), ‘O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except as Muslims.’” (Quran, al-Baqarah [2]:130-132)

And He says of Moses (peace be upon him):

﴿ وَقَالَ مُوسَى يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُسْلِمِينَ ﴾ [يونس :84]

“And Musa (Moses) said: ‘O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allah’s Will).’” [Quran, Yunus 10:84]

And He says of the Messiah (peace be upon him):

﴿ وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِي وَبِرَسُولِي قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴾ [المائدة:111]

“And when I (Allah) inspired Al-Hawariyyun (the disciples) [of ‘Isa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: ‘We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.’” [Quran, al-Maidah 5:111]

And He says of the previous Prophets (peace be upon them):

﴿ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا ﴾ [المائدة:44]

“…by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah’s Will …” [Quran, al-Maidah 5:44]

And He tells us that Bilqis said:

﴿ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴾ [النمل:44]

“My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit [in Islam, together with Sulayman (Solomon)] to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin(mankind, jinn and all that exists).” [Quran, an-Naml 27:44]

This is the religion of Islam, besides which Allah does not accept any other. This means obeying Allah 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.

The ruling on taking pictures

2024-08-24T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

What is the ruling on photographs, when they are for necessity and when they are for adornment?

Answer:

Pictures of the living (humans and animals) are unlawful except for necessity. Examples of necessity include identity photos, passport photos, or photos of criminals for the purpose of identification and then arrest when they commit a crime or attempt to flee.

What is the future of occupied Jerusalem?

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

A key point, what is the future of occupied Jerusalem and its destination after the peace treaty with the Jews?

Answer:

There is no peace. There is no peace except with Islam. The day you see Islam ruling the people then proclaim peace. But we are upon certainty that the Jews will not have permanency in Palestine. This is as Allah the Exalted said: “It is the truth, just as it is the truth that you can speak.” (Adh-Dhariyat 51:23)

Because there are authentic narrations that clearly state that when the Dajjal (anti-Christ) appears during the last days, Jesus (peace be upon him) will be in Masjid Al-Aqsa. The Dajjal will appear followed by seventy thousand Jews of Isfahan wearing Persian shawls. They will come with the Dajjal om Isfahan. Therefore, Jesus will be in Jerusalem, where will the Jews be? They will have become a thing of the past. But during this current time, as Allah the Exalted said: “And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people.” (Aal `Imrān 3:140).

The Jews certainly have no permanency in Palestine, but who are those who will remove them? They will be removed by Muslims, believers, those upon true monotheism. There is a saying I say in Sham, and I will repeat it. We have a narration that gives us great glad tidings. The summary of the Hadith is the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave glad tidings to the Muslims that they will conquer Constantinople and Rome. Constantinople means Istanbul and Romiya means Rome. The Messenger gave them this great glad tidings. A question was asked. Which of the two cities will be conquered ﬁrst Constantinople or Rome? He said: “O the contrary, it will be Constantinople. And as you know, Constantinople was conquered. Thus, it remains for the Muslims to conquer Rome.

But here is the point. I used to say in Damascus, Rome is the capital of the Christians, the Centre of the Pope. Who is going to conquer this? The Muslims today? We have a village in East Damascus about 15 kilometers away called Douma. I used to say, the Muslims today are not able to conquer Douma let alone conquer the capital of Rome. Rome will be conquered by youth who are not distracted by business nor trade from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment of the prayer. Hopefully, this will be soon.

The Ruling on Cursing Israel

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The Jews are known by the name ‘the Jews,’ but they began calling themselves ‘Israel.’ And Israel—peace be upon him—is actually Jacob, the son of Isaac. This is part of their deception.

The problem is that some people say: ‘O Allah, curse Israel,’ which effectively means cursing Jacob, peace be upon him. A person must be cautious of this. Or if they say, ‘Allah’s curse be upon Israel’—no. Instead, say: ‘Allah’s curse be upon the Jews’ or ‘May Allah curse the Jews.’ Do not say ‘Israel.’”

Ruling on presenting pictures of the wounded or killed in Palestine and other places

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Some presentations are established to show the wounds of the Muslims in Palestine and other places, and they contain pictures of the wounded and those killed, and sometimes they are presented by means of video, and the reason for that is to encourage the Muslims to give charitable donations to their brothers. So is this act permissible?

Answer:

This act is not appropriate. It is not permissible to establish pictures for the injured. However, the Muslims should be called to give charity to their brothers, and they should be informed that their brothers are in bad circumstances, and that bad things are happening to them from the doings of the Jews, without them being shown pictures and pictures of the wounded people.

This is because this contains the matter of utilizing picture making, and it also contains undertaking a burden that Allaah, the Most High, did not command. It also contains weakening the strength of the Muslims, because when you present before the people pictures of Muslims that have been mutilated, or with their body parts cut off, then this is what frightens the Muslims and makes the Muslims afraid of the deeds of the enemies.

And what is obligatory is that the Muslims do not show weakness, and that they do not show the calamities, and they do not show these matters. Rather, they should conceal those matters so that they do not weaken the strength of the Muslims.

The Jews assembling in Palestine is from the signs of the Hour

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The Jews assembling in Palestine is from the signs of the Hour. They will assemble during the last days in Palestine awaiting the antichrist. The antichrist will emerge from their midst and Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend and kill him. Thus, their assembling in Palestine is from the signs of the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned this. A battle will erupt between them and the Muslims in Palestine, fighting and a fierce battle will erupt between them. In the end the Muslims will be victorious over them and conquer them.

Now the preliminaries and signs have begun. They are gathering from the corners of the world and assembling in Palestine. This is from the signs of the Day of Judgment. This is the prelude for the battle that will ensue, and the prelude for the appearance of the antichrist, because they are awaiting the antichrist. They are waiting for the antichrist because the antichrist is from them. And with Allah refuge is sought. He will emerge from among the Jews. The Jews will follow him.

These are from the intermediate signs, as for the major signs they will occur during the last days. The major signs are the appearance of the antichrist and the descending of the Messiah (peace be upon him) from the heavens, and his killing the antichrist. And he (Jesus) will rule according to the laws of Islam. Then Gog and Magog will appear during their time. Then then sun will rise from the West. Then the beast will emerge. All of these are from the major signs. When the first sign appears, the rest will follow. Then the hour will be established.

The crescent moon is not a symbol of Islam

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

May Allah reward you with goodness and be generous to you. Why do Muslims use the crescent symbol on the minarets of their mosques?

Answer:

This is a custom that they have adopted and followed; it has no basis in the religion. Rather, it is merely among the common customs. Yes.

Concerning Oppressed Muslims in Palestine

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Question:

May Allah reward you with good, this questioner says, what is your advice for the Muslims in light of the conditions which they are living under in Palestine and what actions are obligatory upon the Muslims to do?

Answer:

The actions which are obligatory upon the Muslims to implement with regards to their brothers who are oppressed and persecuted the world over—but in Palestine it is more severe; the action is to supplicate for them to achieve victory and help and supplicate against their enemies. And assist them with wealth. Assist them with wealth and donations. Because they are in need. There are among them families, the elderly, children and the poor. Assist them with wealth along with supplicating for them.

Gharqad the tree of the Jews

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

What is the Gharqad (a kind of thorny tree) tree?

Answer:

This kind of tree is well known in Madinah. The Prophet ﷺ informed us that when the Muslims fight the Jews, the Jews will try to hide behind trees, every tree will inform the Muslims that a Jew is hiding behind it, except for the Gharqad tree, for it is their tree ¹.

It is narrated from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The Hour will not begin until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims will kill them, until a Jew hides behind a rock or a tree, and the rock or tree will say: ‘O Muslim, O slave of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.’ Except the gharqad (a thorny tree), for it is one of the trees of the Jews.” (Sahih Muslim 2922) ↩

Ruling on lazy performing prayers

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Some of the young men - may Allah guide them - are lazy about performing the prayer during Ramadhan and other times. However, they strictly guard the fast of Ramadhan, while patiently bearing the thirst and hunger. What do you advise them and what is the ruling on their fast?

Answer:

My advise for these people is that they contemplate for a while about their situation and that they should know that the prayer (As-Salah) is the most important pillar of Islam after the two Testimonies of Faith. They should know that whoever does not pray, and he abandons the prayer due to being lax about it, then according to the correct view with me, that is supported by the proof of the Book and the Sunnah, he is a disbeliever. His disbelief is that which expels him from the religion as an apostate from Islam.

Therefore, the matter is not light, because whoever is a disbeliever, who has apostatized from Islam, no fast or charity is accepted from him. No deed is accepted from him at all. This is due to the Statement of Allah, the Most High: “And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Muhammad), and that they do not come to As- Salah (the prayer) except in a lazy state, and that they do not offer contributions except unwillingly.” [at-Tawbah: 54] thus, Allah explained that their contributions, even though they contain considerable benefit for others, are not accepted from them with their disbelief.

And He, the Most High said: “And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.” [al-Furqan: 23]

These people who fast and do not pray, their fast is not accepted. Rather, it is rejected as long as we say that they are disbelievers, as the Book of Allâh and the Sunnah of His Messenger prove. Hence, my advice to them is that they fear Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and that they guard the performance of the prayer. They should pray them in their times and with the congregation of the Muslims. If they do so, I guarantee for them, by the Power of Allah, that they will find in their hearts a firm desire in Ramadhan and other months to offer the prayer in its times with the congregation of the Muslims. This is because if the human being turns to his Lord, comes to Him and sincerely repents to Him, then he will be better after the repentance than he was before it. This is as Allah mentioned concerning Adam, that after what happened with him of eating from the tree, Allah said: “Then His Lord chose him, and accepted his repentance, and gave him guidance.” [Ta Ha : 122]

Islamic ruling on frozen chickens

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

What is the ruling on meats imported from abroad and also frozen chicken about whose slaughter we do not know anything, since some of the scholars do not encourage buying them?

Answer:

If the above-mentioned meats were imported from the lands of the People of the Scripture, then it is permissible to eat them, as long as you do not know of anything which would be an evidence for its prohibition, based upon the Words of Allah, Most High: “Made lawful to you this day are At-Tayyibāt [all kinds of Halal (lawful) foods, which Allah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables and fruits)]. The food (slaughtered cattle, catable animals) of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them.” [al-Ma’idah: 5]

The fact that some slaughterhouses in certain countries of the People of the Scripture slaughter the animals in a manner contrary to the Islamic Law does not necessitate the prohibition of slaughtered animals imported from the lands of the People of the Scripture, unless it is known that, that particular animal is from a slaughterhouse which does not slaughter according to the Islamic Law. Because the basic principle is permissibility and validity, unless something which necessitates otherwise becomes known.

Ruling on fasting without praying

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

I have witnessed some of the Muslim youth fasting, but they do not pray. Is the fast of the person who fasts but does not pray accepted? I have heard some of the preachers telling these youth to break their fast and not to fast, as he who does not pray has no fast.

Answer:

Whomever the prayer is obligatory upon and he in- tentionally abandons it, rejecting its obligation, then he has disbelieved according to the consensus of the scholars. Whoever abandons it due to being lax and lazy about it, then he has disbelieved according to the correct opinion from the opinions of the people of knowledge. When it is ruled that he is a disbeliever, then his fasting and other acts of worship are nullified. This is due to Allah’s Statement: “And if they had associated partners with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.” [al-An’am: 88]

However, such a person should not be ordered to abandon fasting. This is because his fasting will only increase him in goodness and closeness to the religion. Also, due to the fear of his heart, it is hoped that it will lead him to return to the performance of the prayer and repentance from abandoning it.

The ruling on divorcing a pregnant wife

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is it permissible to divorce a pregnant wife or not?

Answer:

There is no objection in divorcing a pregnant woman; the Prophet ﷺ said to ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar, may Allah be. pleased with them, when he divorced his wife who was experiencing her menstrual period: Return her, then keep her with you until she becomes purified, then she has a menstrual period, then becomes purified, then divorce her, if you wish, while she is purified and without touching her (i.e. not having sexual intercourse with her) or while she is pregnant.

Ruling on wearing black garment in mourning for the dead

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is it permissible to wear a black garment for (mourning) the dead, in particular a deceased husband?

Answer:

Wearing black at the time of calamities is a distinction that is invalid, with no basis to it. When a person is afflicted by some calamity, he should do what the Islamic Law ordains, by saying: “Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return. O Allah! Deliver me from my calamity and replace it with something better for me.”

Because if she says that with faith and belief, then Allah, Most Glorified, Most High will deliver her from it and replace them. with something better. This happened to Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, when Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, her husband and cousin died. He was the most beloved of people to her, so she said this invocation. She said: “And I used to say to myself: ‘Who is better than Abu Salamah?”” Then when her waiting period was over, the Prophet ﷺ proposed to her and he was better for her than Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him.

Likewise, everyone who says this invocation with faith and belief, Allah, Most High will deliver him from his calamity and give him one better than her. As for wearing special clothes, such as black garments and the like, there is no basis to this and it is something invalid and reprehensible.

The Ruling on Violating Traffic Rules

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

What is the Islamic ruling regarding someone who disregards traffic rules, someone, for example, who passes through a red light?

Answer:

Because of the grave dangers involved in breaking traffic rules, it is not allowed for a Muslim or non Muslim - to break those rules, the nation, may Allah assist her, has only made those rules for the safety of the Muslims.

So it is not allowed for anyone to oppose them. The authorities should punish those who break these rules, setting an example for others, because Allah Almighty deters people from wrong- doing by the ruler where He did not by the Qur’an. The Qur’an and the Sunnah do not deter most people on earth when they want to do evil. Most people are discouraged from doing evil because they fear punishment from the authorities, and this is only a strong indication of the weak level of faith in Allah Almighty and the Last Day; Allah Almighty says: “And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly.” [Yusuf: 103].

We ask Allah to guide us all and grant us what is needed to do what is right.

The ruling on shaking with both hands

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Is it permissible to shake using both hands?

Answer:

For a Muslim male to shake his brother’s hand is permissible due to what has been narrated that proves that. As for a man shaking the hand of a woman whom he is not a Mahram to, then this is not allowed.

As for shaking with both of his hands, we are not aware of anything in that regard, rather, it should not be done. It is better that it to be done with only one hand.

Ruling on playing poker

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

Some people don’t just play poker, but they become engrossed in it. The time for prayer comes and passes yet they neither listen to the call to prayer nor do they attend it in the Masjid (Mosque). They are so absorbed in their game, that they don’t answer people when they greet them upon returning from the Masjid. While they are playing, other members of the household are never at peace, having to listen to loud voices, curses, and oaths, some of which are by Allah Almighty and some of which are not. What is the ruling regarding this game? And what effects does it have on society?

Answer:

Card playing, as the questioner stated, prevents one from remembering Allah Almighty and praying; moreover, it instills enmity between the players cursing and evil oaths are common to the card table. Sometimes even, people play for money, which is unlawful.

Allah Almighty says: “O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, Al-Ansab (stone altars), and Al-Azlam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytan’s handiwork. So avoid that in order that you may be successful. Shaytan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from As-Salah. So, will you not then abstain?” [al-Ma’idah: 90-91]

People who play cards are sinning by doing so, and are also sinning for all unlawful acts that accompany it, such as cursing, smoking, making false oaths, and not praying in congregation.

You asked about the effects card playing has on society. The secure society is made up of two things: following what Allah Almighty ordered us to do and refraining from what He Almighty has prohibited. And because society degenerates when an obligatory deed is forsaken and when an evil deed is perpetrated, card playing has an evil effect on society. It deters people from praying in the Masjid; it causes enmity and ill will; it instills laziness in people, causing them to neglect working to support their families; it encourages people to do what is unlawful. If money is involved, then the profits derived from card playing are also unlawful.

Ruling on Kidney Transplants

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

A friend of mine donated her kidney to her brother, who was suffering from kidney failure. She was told, however, that what she was doing was unlawful, unlawful because the body we have been given is a trust, and we will be asked about that trust on the Day of Judgement.

Answer:

If the doctors that specialize in that field decided that she would not be harmed by the removal of her kidney, and if they believed that kidney to be of use to her brother, there is nothing wrong with what she did. On the contrary, she will be rewarded if Allah wills because she has helped to save another human being; Allah Almighty says: “And do good. Truly, Allah loves the doers of good.” [al-Baqarah: 195], and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah Almighty helps His servant as long as His servant helps his brother.” (Muslim 2699). And with Allah is the facilitation to do what is right.

The ruling on one who thinks that ‘right is wrong and vice versa’

2024-08-23T00:00:00+03:00

Question:

What is your opinion about people whose judgements have become perverse: they deem evil to be good, and good to be evil ?

Answer:

The people you have described those whose understanding has been distorted until they see good as evil and evil as good, making it such that they do not rebuke evil at all nor approve of any good in my opinion, they have exited from the religion and we seek refuge in Allah Almighty from that.

This is because when somebody perceives something good in the Shari’ah of Allah Almighty as being evil, he has disbelieved in the Shari’ah. The same can be said for someone who makes out what is evil to be good. This kind of person has believed in the Taghut, and faith is not complete except by rejecting the Taghut and believing in Allah. I advise such people to reflect and give thought to their own situation; they were nothing once and their end consists of their passing away from this earth.

Allah Almighty says: “Has there not been over over man a period of time, when he was nothing to be mentioned.” [al-Insan: 1]

He also said: “Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.” [ar-Rahman: 26-27]

And: “Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full.” [Aal ‘Imran: 185]

If a brief period of contemplation does them no good, let them delve deep into the matter; they will see people coming and going, this one being born and that one dying; this one sick and that one healthy; this one suffering from his wealth and that one suffering from his family. After realizing that there is no eternal life for them on this earth, they should return to Allâh Almighty, and they should know right for what is right, and wrong for what is wrong. And whoever repents to Allah Almighty, Allah Almighty accepts his repentance.

Al-Salafiyyah

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