6744: Visiting graves and attending occasions on which they say that the souls of the awliyaa’ are

present

just a quick one! Could you tell me what Islam has to sat about grave visiting and praying there. In places
like Pakistan, they have things they call Urs - held anually. It is permissable to attend? Those who
participate say the deceased was a holy man and can basically pass on our Du'aas- coming from a holy
person, it may be better accepted. If poss. can you shed some light?
Praise be to Allaah.
1. Visits to graves fall into two categories:
(i) visits which are prescribed in Islam and are required for the purpose of making du'aa' for the dead,
praying for mercy for them, remembering death and preparing oneself for the Hereafter. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Visit the graves, for they remind you of the Hereafter."
(Narrated by Muslim, 976).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to visit graves, as did his Companions, may
Allaah be pleased with them. It was reported that 'Aa'ishah said that when it was her night for the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to stay with her, he would go out during
the latter part of the night to (the cemetery of) al-Baqee' and say, "Peace be upon you, dwellings of the
believing people. There has come to you that which you were promised, , and if Allaah wills we will follow
you soon. O Allaah, forgive the people of Baqee' al-Gharqad." (Narrated by Muslim, 974).

(ii) the second type is bid'ah (innovation), which is visiting graves for the purpose of calling upon their
occupants, seeking their help, offering sacrifices to them and making vows to them. This is forbidden and is
a major form of Shirk (shirk akbar). Connected to this is the practice of visiting graves to offer du'aa',
perform salaah and read Qur'aan there. This is all bid'ah and is not prescribed in Islam.

2. With regard to praying (performing salaah) at a grave. If what is meant is Salaat al-janaazah (the funeral
prayer), this is permissible and is not forbidden. But if what is meant is to perform fard or naafil prayers, this
is forbidden and is haraam.

The evidence for the permissibility of praying Salaat al-Janaazah in the graveyard: It was reported from Abu
Hurayrah that a black man or a black woman who used to clean the mosque died. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked about him and they said, "He died." He said, "Why did you not tell
me? Show me his grave." Or he said, "her grave." So he went to the grave and prayed for her. (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 446; Muslim, 956).

The evidence that it is not permissible to offer any salaat other than janaazah in the graveyard:
(a) 'Aa'ishah and 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Abbaas said: "When (death) approached the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he started to cover his face with a cloak of his. When he became
distressed he lifted it from his face and said, "May Allaah curse the Jews and the Christians, for they have
taken the graves of their Prophets as places of worship." [The narrator said:] he was warning against doing
what they did." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 425; Muslim, 531).
(b) Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Do not sit on graves and do not pray facing them." (Narrated by Muslim, 972).
3. With regard to the 'Urs which is held every year: if this involves some kinds of acts of worship, or if the
people who attend think that this will bring them closer to Allaah, or if it involves acts of disobedience and
sin, then it is not permissible to attend it or take part in it. Even if it is free of all these matters, you should
still not attend it, because adopting an occasion as an "Eid" or festival (a regular annual event) other than
the Eids precribed in Islam is bid'ah (reprehensible innovation) and is forbidden. The belief of those
present, that the soul of the "wali" attends this 'Urs is an innovated and forbidden belief, because in the
future this may be taken as being a part of the religion, and it will lead people astray. So this event must be
denounced and people must be warned against it, and you should not attend it. And Allaah is the guide to
the straight path.

4. With regard to asking a righteous person to make du'aa' for you when he is still alive - this is permissible,
because there is the hope that his du'aa' may be answered because of his righteousness. The evidence for
this is:
(a) It was reported from 'Uthmaan ibn Haneef (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a blind man came to
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: "Pray to Allaah to heal me." He said, "If
you wish, I will pray for you, and if you wish, I will delay that, and that will be better." (According to another
report: "If you wish, be patient - that will be better for you.") He said, "Pray for me." So he commanded him
to do wudoo' and to do it well, and to pray two rak'ahs" (Narrated by Ahmad, 4/138; al-Tirmidhi, 5/569;
Ibn Maajah, 1/441; it is a saheeh hadeeth).
(b) It was reported that Anas said: whilst the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was
giving the khutbah (sermon) on Friday, a man stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, the horses have
died and the sheep have died. Pray to Allaah to give us rain." So he spread his hands and prayed (made
du'aa'). (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 890; Muslim, 897).

5. If a wali or Prophet dies, it is not correct, according to sharee'ah, to ask him to make du'aa' for you,
because he has been cut off from this world. This is a kind of shirk which is not committed by any of the
righteous people of this Ummah, the Sahaabah and those who follow them. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): "And who is more astray than one who calls on (invokes) besides Allh, such as will not
answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them?
And when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become their
enemies and will deny their worshipping" [al-Ahqaaf 46:5-6]
Shaykh Al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyah - may Allaah have mercy on him) said: To explain further: if what the
person wants is something that none is able to do except Allaah - such as asking for healing from sickness,
for people or animals, or for his debts to be paid off in some manner that he does not specify, or for his
family to be safe and sound, or to be protected from calamity in this world or the next, or for help against his
enemy, or for his heart to be guided, or for his sins to be forgiven, or for him to be admitted to Paradise or
saved from Hell, or for help to learn knowledge and the Qur'aan, or for his heart to be reformed, his attitude
to be made good, his soul to be purified and so on - all of these are things which it is not permissible to
seek from anyone other than Allaah. It is not permissible to say to an angel or a Prophet or a shaykh,
whether he is alive or dead, "forgive my sin" or "help me against my enemy" or "heal my sick loved one" or
"protect my family or my livestock" and the like.
Whoever asks any created being - no matter who he is - for any of these things, is a mushrik who
associates others with his Lord. He is like the mushrikeen who worship angels, Prophets and statues which
they have created in their image, and his prayer is like the prayers of the Christians to the Messiah and his
mother. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of
Resurrection): "O 'Eesaa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my
mother as two gods besides Allaah?' " He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no
right (to say)." [al-Maa'idah 5:116]
"They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying
them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by
Allaah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians)
were commanded [in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] to worship none but One Ilaah (God -
Allaah) Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him (far
above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)." [al-Tawbah 9:31] (Majmoo' al-Fataawaa,
27/ 67, 68).

And he [Ibn Taymiyah] said: Whoever comes to the grave of a Prophet or a righteous man, or what he
believes to be the grave of a Prophet or a righteous man although it is not, and asks him for something and
seeks his help, one of the three following scenarios applies:
(i) he is asking him for something that he needs, such as to cure his sick animals or to pay off his debt or to
take revenge on his enemy or to protect him, his family and his livestock, and other things which no one
can do except Allaah. This is obvious shirk and he must be told to repent. If he repents, all well and good,
otherwise he must be executed. If he says, I am asking him because he is closer to Allaah, so that he can
intercede for me with regard to these matters, because I am seeking Allaah's help through his virtue, just as
people seek the ruler's help through those who are close to him - this is also like the actions of the
mushrikeen and Christians, who claim that they take their priests and monks as intercessors and ask them
to intercede for them with their requests. Allaah tells us that the mushrikeen say:
" 'We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allaah.'" [al-Zumar 39:3 - interpretation of the
meaning].
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Have they taken (others) as intercessors besides Allaah?
Say: "Even if they have power over nothing whatever and have no intelligence?" Say: "To Allaah belongs
all intercession. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you shall be brought
back." [al-Zumar 39:43-44]
"You (mankind) have none, besides Him, as a Wali (protector or helper) or an intercessor. Will you not then
remember (or receive admonition)?" [al-Sajdah 32:4] "Who is he that can intercede with Him except with
His Permission?" [al-Baqarah 2:255]. The difference between Him and His creation is clear: people usually
ask some of their leading figures who are in positions of honour to intercede for them with their leaders, so
that intercessor asks the leader and he meets the person's request because he hopes to gain something
thereby, or because he is afraid of him, or because he is too shy to refuse, or because he is being friendly
towards him, etc. But no one intercedes with Allaah, may He be glorified, until He gives permission to the
intercessor. He only does what He wills, and the intercession of the intercessor is only made by His
permission. The entire matter rests with Him The idea of many misguided people, that this person is
closer to Allaah than I am, and I am far away from Allaah and cannot call upon Him except through this
mediation etc., all of these ideas are ideas of shirk. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to
them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any
mediator or intercessor)" [al-Baqarah 2:186]
In al-Saheeh it was reported that when they were on a journey, they were saying Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar")
in loud voices, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"O people, take it easy! You are not calling upon One Who is deaf or absent; you are calling upon One Who
is All-Hearing and Ever Near. The One upon Whom you are calling is closer to any one of you than the
neck of his camel."
Allaah has commanded all people to pray to Him and call on Him, and He has commanded them all to say
(interpretation of the meaning): "You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and
everything)." [al-Faatihah 1:5].
And He has told us that the Mushrikeen say: " 'We worship them only that they may bring us near to
Allaah.'" [al-Zumar 39:3 - interpretation of the meaning].
Moreover, it may be said to this mushrik: if you call upon this person, that means you think that he knows
more about your situation, is more able to grant you what you ask for and is more merciful towards you.
This is ignorance, misguidance and kufr. If you know that Allaah has more knowledge and is more able and
more merciful, then why do you fail to ask Him, and instead turn to others? Have you not heard what al-
Bukhaari and others narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach us to pray Istikhaarah (du'aa' seeking
guidance from Allaah) in all our affairs, just as he taught us the Surahs of the Qur'aan.

Even if you know that this person is closer to Allaah than you and of a higher status than you, this may be
true, but what you are implying is wrong. Even if he is indeed closer to Allaah and of a higher status, that
only means that Allaah will reward him and give him more than you. It does not mean that if you call on him,
Allaah will answer your prayer more than He would do if you called upon Him yourself. If you are deserving
of being punished and of having your supplication rejected, for example, because your du'aa' is offered in
an improper manner, then no Prophet or righteous person will help you to do something that Allaah dislikes
and is angry with. Even if that is not the case, then you should ask from Allaah because Allaah is more
merciful.

(Majmoo' al-Fataawaa, 27/72-75 We advise our brother to learn more about this matter by referring to the
books mentioned above.
And Allaah knows best.

153227: How can I start to seek knowledge of hadeeth?

What do you say about the one who wants to seek knowledge of hadeeth? How should I start? Please note
that I have studied aqeedah (beliefs) in depth, praise be to Allah, and now I find myself inclining a great
deal towards studying hadeeth. I want to start and I need your advice.
Praise be to Allaah.
We may sum up our advice concerning the methodology of seeking knowledge of hadeeth as follows:
Firstly:
Paying a great deal of attention to memorising the texts of the Prophets Sunnah, because this is the aim
and purpose for which the scholars established all the sciences of hadeeth. So it is not permissible for the
seeker of knowledge to be distracted from the aim by the means.
Memorising the texts of the Prophets Sunnah begins with memorising the hadeeths on which there is
agreement between the two Saheehs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim), then by memorising those which were
narrated only by al-Bukhaari, then by memorising those that were narrated only by Muslim. This will lead to
accomplishing the first and most important stage in forming the hadeeth mentality in the one who is seeking
knowledge of hadeeth.
After that, he moves on to memorising hadeeths that are extra to those of the two Saheehs, which are to be
found in the six books and the well-known Musnads. He may seek help in doing so by means of many
books in which these extra reports (zawaaid) are compiled and classified.
The best ways of memorising include repeating the text to be memorised for a few days after the day on
which he memorises it. This method was recommended by az-Zarnooshi (may Allah have mercy on him)
when he said:
The seeker of knowledge should recite the text repeatedly because he will not be able to memorise
properly until he dies that. He should repeat what he memorised on the previous day five times, and repeat
what he memorised the day before that four times, and repeat what he memorised on the day before that
three times, and what he memorised on the day before that two times, and what he memorised before that
one time. This will help him to memorise and repeat. End quote.
Taleem at-Taallum, p. 60
If the student is not able to memorise completely, then he should do no less than reading these hadeeths
often, so that he will be able to call them to mind and have a full comprehension of them.
This topic has been discussed in detail previously in the answer to question no. 113469
Secondly:
It is essential for the seeker of hadeeth knowledge to memorise different types of isnaads and whatever he
can memorise of the names and biographies of narrators. The isnaads of the Prophets Sunnah can be
divided in terms of how well known they are into three categories:
1.
Well known isnaads, through any of which hundreds of hadeeths were narrated and they are regarded as
one of the main channels through which the Prophets Sunnah came to us. Indeed there is no book among
the six books that did not rely on them and narrate from many of them. Examples include:
The isnaad of al-Amash from Dhakwaan Abu Saalih al-Sammaan, from Abu Hurayrah
The isnaad of az-Zuhri from Abu Salamah ibn Abd ar-Rahmaan from Abu Hurayrah.
The isnaad of Hammaad ibn Salamah, from Thaabit ibn Aslam, from Anas.
The isnaad of Ubaydullah ibn Umar al-Umari, from Naafi, from Ibn Umar.
It is possible to find out about these chains of narration, through which hundreds of reports were narrated,
from the book Tuhfat al-Ashraaf by Imam al-Mazzi.
The student may also seek help in memorising the narrators of these isnaads from the book Tabaqaat al-
Mukthireena min Riwaayat al-Hadeeth by Shaykh Aadil az-Zarqi, with a introduction by Abdullah as-Sad
(published by Dar Tuwayq).
If the seeker of hadeeth knowledge pays attention to these isnaads and memorises them, then start to
connect these isnaads to the texts that he has previously memorised from the books of Sunnah, he will thus
have instilled in his mind hundreds of hadeeths with their isnaads. In this way he will have started a new
stage of acquiring deep knowledge of this noble science.
2.
The second category is isnaads that are less well-known, through which dozens of reports were narrated,
but they include some well-known issues such as interruptions in the chain of narration, ambiguity,
omission of the name of the Sahaabi (mural report) and so on. The student may study some of these
isnaads in the book Tuhfat al-Tahseel by al-Alaai.
If the seeker of knowledge pays attention to these isnaads too, and learns the problems associated with
these types of isnaads, then he will achieved a great deal in this branch of knowledge.
3.
The third category is the isnaads of mawdoo (fabricated) and daeef (weak) isnaads, through which many
hadeeths were also narrated, and which the seeker of knowledge must pay attention to, because it is not
appropriate for the specialist to be unaware of reports that are well known among the scholars of hadeeth
to be weak, faulty or fabricated. To achieve this, it is essential to persist in reading the books Meezan al-
Itidaal by Imam adh-Dhahabi, al-Kaamil fi Duafa ar-Rijaal by Ibn Adiyy, and al-Mawdooaat by Ibn al-
Jawzi.
Thirdly:
When the seeker of knowledge of the Prophets Sunnah has memorised a great deal of Sunnah texts, after
that he may start to examine these texts more closely, finding out about ambiguous or difficult texts
(ghareeb al-hadeeth) and the different ways in which they are interpreted. Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi (may
Allah have mercy on him) said: Knowledge is understanding and cognizance, not memorizing and narrating
a great deal.
End quote from al-Jaami li Akhlaaq ar-Raawi, p. 174
But the seeker of knowledge must be aware of the necessity of limiting himself at the beginning of his
pursuit of knowledge to the abridged commentaries that will explain the difficult texts, and not engage in
lengthy study of fiqhi and other issues, which may be too difficult and too time-consuming for the student.
He would do well to read an abridged commentary such as al-Mufhim lima Ashkila min Talkhees Saheeh
Muslim by Imam al-Qurtubi, al-Minhaaj Sharh Saheeh Muslim ibn al-Hajjaaj by Imam an-Nawawi. He can
sum up the meaning of the hadeeth and explanations of its vocabulary from these books in notes written in
his own copy from which he is memorising the hadeeth, so that when he reviews what he has memorised of
the Prophets Sunnah, he will also be able to read this summarised explanation of the hadeeth, thus
attaining two benefits at the same time.
With regard to studying fiqhi issues that are derived from the hadeeths, that is another matter altogether
which he should not seek to learn from the commentaries on hadeeth; rather he should learn that from the
books of fiqh which organise fiqhi issues into basic essentials and minor issues, according to one of the
four madhhabs.
Fourthly:
With regard to sciences of hadeeth terminology (mustalah al-hadeeth), we advise the seeker of knowledge
to obtain a copy of the book Tahreer Uloom al-Hadeeth by Shaykh Abdullah al-Juday and read it, study it
and memorise its contents, because it is a pioneering book in its field which is distinguished by its
highlighting the principles of the hadeeth sciences through examination of the different ways of hadeeth
critics and through examination of all the principles that are mentioned in the books of biography. This is in
addition to other books of mustalah al-hadeeth.
If the book is too difficult for the student or he is a beginner, he should limit himself to Nuzhat an-Nazr
Sharh Tuhfat al-Fikr by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar, or write a summary of the book of Shaykh Abdullah al-Juday
and study his summary, so that when he understands it properly, he may move on to study of other books
to increase his knowledge, the most important of which are an-Nukat ala Ibn as-Salaah by al-Haafiz Ibn
Hajar and Fath al-Mugheeth by al-Haafiz as-Sakhaawi.
Fifthly:
It is essential to give sufficient time to reading two other types of books too:
1.
Books on ilal wa takhreej, which represent the practical application of hadeeth sciences, from which the
student may examine many examples of the rulings on and evaluation of hadeeths and isnaads; this will
open up to him more areas of research and study.
2.
Contemporary studies by specialists in the area of hadeeth, such as the books of al-Allaamah Abd ar-
Rahmaan al-Muallimi (may Allah have mercy on him) and specialist academic essays. We are living in a
time praise be to Allah when there is a revival of interest in hadeeth sciences the like of which you can
hardly find in later periods of the history of Islamic knowledge. Many of these studies include academic
debates and important research on essential topics, which the seeker of hadeeth knowledge should not
ignore or fail to pay attention to. By reading these contemporary studies he will find that he will increase in
knowledge and understanding, and new ideas will come to his mind that require further research and
examination, and perhaps he will play a part in achieving that.
Over and above all that, he has to remind himself to fear Allah, may He be exalted, for this is the purpose
of all knowledge, and the one who is distracted by the pursuit of knowledge from acting has gone astray
and is doomed. Rather the effect of acquiring knowledge has to be seen in the humility of the student and
his good manners and attitude towards people.
It was narrated that al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
A man would seek knowledge, and soon that would be seen in his humility, his conduct, and the way he
spoke and acted. End quote.
Az-Zuhd by Abdullah ibn al-Mubaarak, no. 79
Ibn al-Salaah (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
If a person wants to start seeking knowledge of hadeeth or to learn any of the hadeeth sciences, let him
first ensure that his intention is correct and sincere and purify his heart of any worldly aims, and let him
beware of the trial of love of leadership. End quote.
Uloom al-Hadeeth, p. 213
And Allah knows best.

106614: He is suffering from sleeplessness

I am suffering from a lack of sleep; I have insomnia. What is the solution? Is there any way to help me
sleep?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allah to grant us and you well being, protection from all problems and healing from every disease.
We advise you to be patient and seek reward with Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, for He loves
those who are patient and rewards those who are grateful. Trials and tests are the divine decree for this
world and that is a mercy for the believers and a punishment for the disbelievers. The Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are
good. This does not apply to anyone but the believer. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks
for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good
for him. Narrated by Muslim, 2999.
It should also be noted that the matter requires some degree of effort and perseverance, as is the case with
all psychological or social problems. It takes some gradual training to make oneself get used to something
new or to keep away from something reprehensible. Each person knows his own self best and can devise
the best approach to achieve the success and wellbeing he wants.
Sleeplessness is a psychological problem which causes difficulty in sleeping, or interrupted sleep or light
sleep. It is a modern disease that affects many people for various reasons, including psychological reasons
such as pressure, worry, anxiety, waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and so on. And some of its
causes are physical because of problems in the function of some organs or the effects of some stimulant
substances such as nicotine which is found in tobacco and caffeine which is found in coffee and tea, and
other stimulants.
Depending on the reason that has led to this sickness, we can divide the types of remedies into three
types:
1. Shari remedies
What is meant here is attaining the peace of mind that wards off all worries, anxieties and waswaas. The
hearts and minds that are filled with love of Allah, hope for His reward, fear of His punishment and focusing
on Him are more steadfast than those which are preoccupied with matters of this world and ignore the
Hereafter.
Attaining this peace of mind is done by adhering to obligatory duties and avoiding sins which continue to
eat away at the heart until a person finds himself lost in dark valleys, not knowing how he got there; then by
showing kindness towards people by means of a good attitude and kind treatment; by being keen to read
the Holy Qur'aan and feel an attachment to the Book of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, which He
described in the following verse (interpretation of the meaning): O mankind! There has come to you a good
advice from your Lord (i.e. the Quraan, enjoining all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), and a
healing for that which is in your breasts, a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful things)
for the believers [Yoonus 10:57]. Other means include regularly reciting the adhkaar (dhikr) and awraad
(wird) narrated in shareeah, such as the adhkaar for morning and evening, the adhkaar to be recited when
going to sleep and waking up and when eating and so on. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning): Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic Monotheism),
and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allaah verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts
find rest [al-Ra d 13:28].
Moreover, all of that must be accompanied with humility in the heart towards Allah and feeling a sense of
His love and closeness, along with sincerity towards Him in public and in private, hoping to attain the state
of true servitude towards Him (uboodiyyah) which is the basis of success on the Day of Resurrection.
On our website you will find a number of answers which will help you in sha Allah to implement the
shari remedy. See the answers to questions
number 45847, 20130, 21515, 21677, 21843, 22704 and30901.
2. Psychological remedies
This means trying to rid oneself of worries and anxiety. That can never be achieved except by believing
sincerely in the transient and insignificant nature of this world, and that If it were equal to a gnats wing
before Allah He would never give a disbeliever a drink of water in it. It is too insignificant for a Muslim to
worry about what he has lost of it or to fear what may happen to him in it. That should also be accompanied
by complete contentment with what Allah has decreed and acceptance of His will and decree. These are
the means of the believer attaining honour and happiness. Taking these ideas on board requires some
effort, repeatedly telling oneself of them, reading books that affirms them and studying and pondering the
verses of the Holy Qur'aan which mention them, until they take root in one's heart and become second
nature.
3. Behavioural remedies
This is where one should seek advice from a doctor or psychologist, because some behavioural or physical
causes may be unknown to people but are well known to skilled doctors with the knowledge that Allah has
enabled them to acquire about the human psyche. You may find a remedy in some foods which help one to
sleep properly. The doctor may also find out about some of your bad habits that lead to worry and
sleeplessness. In some chronic and difficult cases of insomnia the doctor may also use some calming
medicines which will reduce or ward off harm.
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen says in Fataawa Noor ala al-Darb (Fataawa Mutafarraqaat/al-Waswaas wal-
Amraad al-Nafsiyyah):
The case mentioned by the questioner may be faced by many young people because of mental or physical
exhaustion. The remedy for that is for the person to allow himself to rest and recuperate; to remember Allah
a great deal and read Qur'aan; to always seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytaan; to always ask
for forgiveness because seeking forgiveness is one of the means of attaining good and warding off evil; to
strive to keep company with good people like him, because a good companion is like the carrier of musk -
he will either give you some or sell you some or you will find a good smell from him. He should try to keep
away from that which he should not think about, because thinking of something may make a person move
from imagining it to actually doing it, but if he tries to ignore it and forget it, then by Allahs leave it will cease
to trouble him. End quote.
We should not forget to point out here the weakness of the reports narrated by some scholars about
adkhaar to be recited just before going to sleep in order to free oneself from insomnia. Imam al-Nawawi
included a chapter in his book al-Adhkaar (p. 70) entitled:
Bab ma yaqool idha qaliqa fi Firaashihi fa lam yanam (What to say if one feels anxious in bed and cannot
sleep):
We narrated in the book of Ibn al-Sunni that Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I complained to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about insomnia that I
was suffering from. He said: Say: O Allah, the stars have come out and eyes have closed, and You are the
Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists; neither slumber nor sleep overtakes You. O
Ever-Living, O Sustainer, bring calm to my night and let my eyes sleep. O Allah, take away from me what I
am suffering.
And we narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Habbaan from Khaalid ibn al-Waleed (may Allah be
pleased with him) that he suffered from insomnia and he complained about that to the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him), and he told him, when going to sleep, to seek refuge in the perfect words
of Allah from His anger and from the evil of His slaves and from the whisperings of the devils, lest they
come near. This hadeeth is mursal; Muhammad ibn Yahya is a Taabii.
And we narrated in the book of al-Tirmidhi, in a daeef report that was classed as such by al-Tirmidhi, that
Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Khaalid ibn al-Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him)
complained to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): O Messenger of Allah, I cannot
sleep at night because of insomnia. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: When
you go to your bed, say: O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and what they shade, Lord of the seven earths
and what they contain, Lord of the devils and what they misguide, be a protection for me from the evil of all
Your creation, lest any of them wrong me or transgress against me. The one who is under Your protection
is honoured; may You be glorified and praised, there is no god beside You, there is no god but You. End
quote.
These hadeeths are daeef, as has been determined by the scholars such as Ibn Hajar in Nataaij al-Afkaar,
3/114 and al-Mataalib al-Aaliyah, 4/20; and by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Daeefah, 2403, and others.
And Allah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Related fatwa
Our worries are bothering us a great deal!
She feels anxious what should she do?
What is the best way to treat anxiety?
Can Muslims be affected by psychological problems?
Being Successful in Life
A righteous young man is overwhelmed with worry and anxiety. What is the remedy?
He has taken on the responsibility and feels anxious and depressed

174660: Sunnah and Bidah

I have read many fatwas (verdicts) about innovation and my question is, if the Prophet (peace be upon him)
practiced something do we have to practise EXACTLY as he did it? If we dont do it EXACTLY then is it
innovation? Because I've read a lot of the fatwas and in a lot of it many of the practices are considered
BIDAH. For example, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) did emphasize on the virtue of dua (supplication)
in congregation. Now if its practised after fardh salah (compulsory prayers) why is it an innovation? Is the
sunnah (prophetic teaching) of the Prophet subject to exactly the way he did, the time he did etc etc. If we
do it at a different time is it innovation? Say for example if its sunnah to read Surah Kahf on Friday. Now if I
read surah Kahf every Monday and Tuesday, will it be considered a bidah? Im still making Ibadah
(worship). Why is it subject to TIME?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
No doubt it is obligatory for the Muslim to be a follower of his Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) in what he prescribed and it is not permissible for him to go against that or to introduce any
innovation into the religion, because of the evidence that indicates that it is obligatory to follow and it is
forbidden to introduce innovation. But it should be noted that differing from the way of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and falling into bidah may mean one of two things:
(i)
introducing an act of worship for which there is no basis in Islam, such as touching graves and seeking help
from their occupants. The scholars call this real innovation (al-bidah al-haqeeqah). This is that which was
not prescribed at all.
(ii)
the act of worship may be originally prescribed in Islam, and what is contrary to the sunnah may have to do
with defining a certain time or place for it, or a certain number of times it is to be repeated, or the manner in
which it is to be done or the reason for which it is to be done. This is called innovation by addition (al-bidah
al-idaafiyyah); it is not bidah unless it is done regularly and repeatedly. If it is done only once or twice
without adhering to that, then it is not bidah, such as if people pray qiyaam (night prayer) in congregation
(jamaaah) on some occasion, without thinking that there is any particular virtue in doing so.
Hence ash-Shatibi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, discussing the innovation by addition: The word
bidah refers to an invented way of doing something in Islam that is similar to what is prescribed, of which
the intention is to go to extremes in worshipping Allah, may He be glorified.
That includes regularly adhering to certain manners and forms of worship, such as reciting dhikr
(remembrance of Allah) together in unison, taking the birthday of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) as an Eid (festival), and so on.
It also includes adhering to specific acts of worship at specific times that were not defined as such in
shareeah (Islamic law), such as always fasting on the fifteenth of Shaban (an-nusf min Shaban) and
spending that night in prayer (qiyam).
End quote from al-Itisam, 1/37-39
Adhering to a thing means doing it regularly and repeatedly.
Secondly:
Dua (supplication) is prescribed during the prayer and following it, according to the correct scholarly
opinion. What is not allowed is reciting dua in unison. The evidence for it being prescribed to offer dua
after the prayer is as follows:
1.
It was narrated that Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said the salam (greetings in conclusion) at the end of the prayer, he would
say: Allahumma ighfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu wa ma asrartu wa ma alantu wa ma asraftu wa
ma anta alamu bihi minni. Anta al-muqaddim wa anta al-muakhkhir la ilaha illa anta (O Allah! Forgive me
what I have done in the past, and what I will do in the future, and what I have concealed, and what I have
done openly, and what I have exceeded in, whatever You know about me more than I. You are the One
Who brings forward, and You are the One Who puts back, there is no god except You).
[Abu Dawood]. This does not contradict the report that says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said this dua before the salam. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
used to recite this dua in both places. See: al-Majmoo.
2.
It was narrated that Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It was said to the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Which dua is most likely to be heard? He said: (That
which is said) in the last part of the night and at the end of the obligatory prayers. [al-Tirmidhi]
at the end of the prayers may refer to after the prayers or in the last part of the prayers. In the following
hadeeth, for example, what is meant is after the prayer: Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed me to recite al-
Muawwidhat (soorahs that give protection) at the end of every prayer (i.e., after the prayer).
[Ahmad, Abu Dawood]
As for reciting dua in unison, there is no report that speaks of it; hence doing it regularly following the
prayers comes under the heading of bid ah.
So acts of worship must be done as prescribed by shareeah in six ways: quantity, manner, time, place,
reason and type. For more details of that please see the answer to question no. 21519
Thirdly:
There is nothing wrong with reading Soorat al-Kahf on days other than Friday, if the reader wants to do that
or if it so happens as part of his regular daily portion of Quran, and he will have a tenfold reward for each
letter, as is the reward for reading other soorahs (chapters). But that is on condition that he does not set
aside a special day for reading it, as is the case on Fridays, and hence he should not believe that reading it
on this day is better than reading it on other days or that there is a particular virtue of reading it on a specific
day that is like the virtue of reading it on Friday, because that virtue applies only to Friday, according to
those who say that the hadeeth which speaks of that is saheeh (authentic).
And Allah knows best.

126306: The meaning of being sincere towards Allah and how the Muslim can achieve that

Worship has three pillars, one of which is being sincere towards Allah. How can we be sincere towards
Allah? I am very ambitious, and I want to acquire the greatest amount of shari knowledge, and I want to be
a daaiyah. Allah has blessed me with many talents which are needed for dawah and spreading
knowledge, and I want to be strong enough to pray qiyaam and fast. I have memorised the Book of Allah in
full and now I am in the process of reinforcing my memorisation and learning how to recite it properly. I am
learning shari knowledge and I have a number of projects and ideas for serving the Book of Allah and
supporting the Deen, but my progress is slow for a number of reasons and because of many obstacles,
especially from my family and the society around me -- how much I am suffering from them! Because of
physical weakness and health problems, I am not able to expend a great deal of effort, and if I do, I will
spend several days unable to move. I always write out schedules for all these tasks and I try to follow them,
but I cannot do that because of changing circumstances. I live on my own and I cannot find a sister to share
my goals or a leader to help me and follow up with me so that I can fulfil my ambitions. I have looked a
great deal but I cannot find anyone and I do not know the reason why I am so slow; is it because sincerity
towards Allah is something that I have not achieved yet or what? This makes me very sad and pains me a
great deal, and holds me back from reaching my goals. If there is any advice, then do not withhold it from
me, because I am in the greatest need.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Sincerity towards Allah is the best type of sincerity. The Muslim is being sincere towards his Lord if he
achieves sincerity in three aspects: faith and proper belief, acts of obedience, and morals and manners.
Faith does not mean mere wishful thinking. The one who is sincere in his faith is the one who attains faith in
the way his Lord wants from him, which includes sincerity in faith, sincerity in intention, and sincerity in fear
of Allah, may He be exalted. Not every act of obedience is sincere unless it is done, both outwardly and
inwardly, in a manner which Allah likes.
Allah has described the sincere in one verse, in which He says (interpretation of the meaning):
It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allaah) that you turn your
faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allaah,
the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk,
to the orphans, and to Al-Masaakeen (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set
slaves free, performs As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and gives the Zakt, and who fulfil their covenant
when they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting
(during the battles). Then Allah says, after listing all these attributes: Such are the people of the truth and
they are Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)
[al-Baqarah 2:177].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This verse includes a number of great meanings, important principles and sound beliefs.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/485.
Shaykh Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sadi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Such means those who have the
characteristics mentioned, such as good beliefs and actions which are the effect, evidence and light of faith;
the morals and manners which lend dignity to man and are the essence of humanity. These are the ones
who are the people of the truth, whose faith is sincere, because their actions confirm their faith. And they
are Al-Muttaqoon (the pious), because they refrained from what is forbidden and did what is enjoined,
because these things include all good attributes by implication, and because fulfilling ones covenant is the
essence of the entire religion, and because the acts of worship mentioned in this verse are the greatest
acts of worship and the one who does them will undoubtedly do other acts of worship. They are the
righteous, the sincere people of truth, the pious.
Tafseer al-Sadi, p. 83
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Among the things we learn from this verse is that what is mentioned is true sincerity towards Allah and
towards His creation, because Allah says: Such are the people of the truth; they are sincere towards
Allah, as on the basis of these good beliefs they establish faith and belief in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels,
the Book and the Prophets, and they establish prayer, pay zakaah, and give what is dear to them to the
charitable causes mentioned. As for their sincerity towards Allah's creation, that is included in the words of
Allah: who fulfil their covenant when they make it, which is one of the signs of sincerity. Hence Allah says:
Such are the people of the truth, as they are sincere in their beliefs, in their interactions with Allah and
with other people.
Tafseer Soorat al-Baqarah, 2/293, 294
Secondly:
You should note that sincerity with Allah is not something that we can make a show of and convince
ourselves of whilst abandoning righteous deeds. Rather sincerity towards Allah is in the intention and in the
action when we do it and when the means of doing it become available. The one who is sincere towards his
Lord will, by means of the sincerity of his intention, attain that (reward) which the one who does the action
attains, if something keeps him from doing the action. It was narrated from Sahl ibn Hunayf (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever sincerely
asks Allaah for martyrdom, Allaah will cause him to attain the status of the martyrs, even if he dies in his
bed. Narrated by Muslim, 1909.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
A person can have nothing more beneficial than sincerity towards his Lord in all his affairs, along with
sincerity of resolve, so he should be sincere towards Him in his resolve and in his actions. Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning): And when the matter (preparation for Jihaad) is resolved on, then if they
had been true to Allaah, it would have been better for them [Muhammad 47:21]. So his happiness lies in
sincerity of resolve and sincerity of action. Sincerity of resolve means certain desire to do an action and not
hesitating to do it. If his resolve is sincere, all that is left is sincerity of action, which is doing ones best and
striving ones utmost when doing it , and not letting anything, outward or inward, hold him back from it.
Resolve of purpose prevents him from becoming weak-willed and sincerity of action prevents him from
becoming lazy or lethargic. If a person is sincere towards Allah in all his affairs, Allah will give him more
than He gives to others, and this sincerity results from true love of Allah and true trust in Him. So the most
sincere of people is the one who is loves Allah most and puts most trust in Him.
Al-Fawaaid, p. 186, 187
Thirdly:
A Muslim may be confused as where to begin, and how he should order his affairs by night and day. But
this should not form an obstacle for the one who seeks to do good or seek knowledge or call people to
Allah. The Muslim may rid himself of this confusion by organising his time. He can allocate the first part of
his day for memorizing Qur'aan, and he can organise the rest of his days for seeking knowledge by means
of tapes, reading books, and attending classes and study circles, and fulfilling whatever duties he or she
may have as a husband or wife, whether he or she is working or not.
What we advise our sister to do is to start and not delay, and to be sincere in your intention so that Allah will
make your affairs easy for you.
For more information please see the answer to question number 105308 .
We ask Allah to help you to obey Him and to guide you and give you strength.
And Allah knows best.

21519: Conditions of worship in Islam

What are the conditions of worship in Islam?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Firstly: the worship must be in accordance with shareeah in its reasons. Any person who worships Allaah
by doing an act of worship that is not done for a reason proven in shareeah is doing an act of worship that
will be rejected and is not enjoined by Allaah and His Messenger. An example of that is celebrating the
Mawlid or birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or celebrating the twenty-
seventh night of Rajab, claiming that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was taken
up into heaven on that night. This is not in accordance with shareeah so it is to be rejected.
1- There is no kind of historical proof that the Miraaj (ascent into heaven) of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) took place on the twenty-seventh night of Rajab. The books of hadeeth
that we have do not contain even a single letter that indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) was taken up into heaven on the twenty-seventh night of Rajab. It is known that this is
the kind of information that cannot be accepted without sound isnaads.
2- Even if it were proven, do we have the right to innovate some kinds of worship on that date or to make
it a festival? Not at all. Hence when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to
Madeenah and saw that the Ansaar had two days on which they would play, he said: Allaah has replaced
these for you with something better, and he mentioned to them Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. This indicates
that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) disliked any festival to be innovated in Islam
apart from the Islamic festivals, of which there are three: the two annual Eids, which are Eid al-Fitr and Eid
al-Adha, and the weekly festival which is Friday. Even if it were proven that the Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) was taken up into heaven on the twenty-seventh of Rajab which it is
impossible to prove we cannot innovate anything on that occasion without the permission of the
Lawgiver.
As I have said to you, bidah (innovation) is a serious matter which has a bad effect on the heart even if a
person feels softness in his heart at that moment. For the matter will subsequently be the opposite,
because if the heart rejoices in falsehood, that joy will not last, rather it will be followed by pain and regret.
Every bidah is serious because it implies criticism of the Messenger, because this bidah implies that the
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not bring the complete shareeah, even though
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you
Islam as your religion
[al-Maa'idah 5:3]
It is strange that you find some of those who indulge in these innovations strongly urge people to follow
them, but they are negligent about matters which are more beneficial, more sound and more useful.
Hence we say that celebrating the night of the twenty-seventh of Rajab as the night in which the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was taken up into heaven is a bidah, because it is
based on something that is not mentioned in shareeah.
Secondly: the act of worship should be in accordance with shareeah in its type or nature.
For example, if a person were to sacrifice a horse, that would be contrary to the shareeah in the nature of
the action. Because a sacrifice can only involve an animal of the anaam class, namely a camel, a cow or a
sheep.
Thirdly: the act of worship must be in accordance with shareeah in its amount. If someone were to say that
he was going to pray Zuhr as six rak'ahs, would this act of worship be in accordance with shareeah? Not at
all, because it is not in accordance with it in terms of the amount or number. If someone were to
say Subhaan Allaah (Glory be to Allaah), al-Hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah) and Allaahu akbar (Allaah
is Most Great) thirty-five times following a prescribed prayer, would this be correct? The answer is that if
your aim is to worship Allaah by saying it this number of times because you believe this is the proper way,
then you are mistaken. If you deliberately add something to what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) has prescribed, but you believe that the proper way prescribed in Islam is
thirty-three, then the extras are fine, because you are not suggesting that the higher number is the proper
way that is prescribed.
Fourthly: The act of worship must be in accordance with shareeah in how it is done.
If a person does an act of worship that is acceptable in its type, amount and reason, but he goes against
shareeah in the manner in which he does it, then it is not valid. For example, a man breaks wind etc. and
does wudoo, but he washes his feet and then wipes his head, then washes his hands, then washes his
face is his wudoo valid? Not at all, because he has gone against shareeah in the way in which he did it.
Fifthly: the act of worship must be in accordance with shareeah with regard to its timing.
For example, if a person fasts Ramadaan in Shabaan, or in Shawwaal, or he prays Zuhr before the sun
has passed its zenith, or after the shadow of an object becomes equal in length to it because if he prays
before the sun has passed its zenith he is praying before the time has come, and if he prays after the
shadow of an object becomes equal in length to it he is praying after the time has gone his prayer is not
valid.
Hence we say that if a person deliberately does not pray until the time for that prayer is over, with no valid
excuse, his prayer will not be accepted even if he prays a thousand times. Hence we follow an important
principle in this regard which is that in the case of every act of worship that is to be done at a certain time, if
a person does it outside of the proper time with no valid excuse, it will not be accepted, rather it will be
rejected.
The evidence for that is the hadeeth of Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever does an action that is not in
accordance with this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) will have it rejected.
Sixthly: the act of worship must be in accordance with shareeah with regard to the place where it is done.
If a person stands in Muzdalifah on the day of Arafah, this standing is not valid, because the act of worship
is not in accordance with shareeah with regard to the place where it is done. Similarly, for example, if a
person were to do itikaaf in his own house, that would not be valid, because the place of itikaaf is the
mosque. Hence it is not valid for a woman to do itikaaf in her house, because this is not the place for
itikaaf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw some of his wives had set up tents in
the mosque; he told them to take them down and not to do itikaaf, but he did not tell them to do itikaaf in
their houses. This indicates that the women should not do itikaaf in their houses because that goes against
shareeah with regard to the place where it is done.
So with regard to these six factors, an act of worship is not regarded as following shareeah unless it
combines all six:
1- Reason
2- Type
3- Amount
4- Manner
5- Time
6- Place
(ends).

177561: Does the fact that Allah answers the prayers of the disbelievers indicate that what they believe is
true?

I am a Muslim convert, Alhamdulillah. I was raised a misguided Christian kaafir, and then Allah guided me
to Islam and the Sunnah. However, I then adopted Shiite beliefs and did many horrible sins like insulting the
Sahaba of the Prophet : such as Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Lady Aisha, etc (May Allah Bless Them All). I
have just repented and returned to the Sunnah and I am a Sunni Muslim insha'Allah and Alhamdulillah! I'm
crying in repentance, may Allah accept it. What should I do with Shi'ite books I have since they have the
name of Allah written in them should I put them away somewhere or throw them out?
Also I suffer from terrible waswas (likely from the sins of cursing the sahaba, and lying against Allah with
blasphemies like comparing his creation to him with the Shi'ites so-called "12 Imams" which are all scholars
of Ahl al-Sunnha like Ali ibn Abi Talib RA, etc. and the Mahdi will be born later at the end of time when the
Muslim Prophet Isa AS returns). I don't even want to speak of them, as I know the hadith says not to talk or
act upon the waswas one hears. But I feel as if the shaytan is giving me horrific waswas to try to scare me
about whether the Deen I know is true really is true Allah FORGIVE ME (I'm nearly crying as I write this)!!!
The shaytan's waswas tells me "are you sure about Allah" and then shaytan scares me with thoughts that
other accursed kuffar pagan religions allegedly are "appealing" I know the hadith tells us that at the time of
death these fears can occur http://islam-qa.com/en/ref/60191/death%20jew%20christian And you said this
the greatest trial. I know that Allah is the truth and Islam is the only salvation from the accursed hellfire
Allah Protect me. Allah is One and Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah is his slave and final Messenger. And
all the Prophets AS throughout history were Muslims as well.
Also how do we answer claims of the kuffar (like Christians, Jews, etc) who claim that their kuffar false
"prayers" allegedly produced them "miracles" we know that Allah will answer the person who calls upon him
and that this world is a test. I found this link interesting http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-about-islam/faith-
and-worship/heart-and-soul/166077-does-allah-answer-the-prayers-of-non-muslims.html?Soul=
"But what about those millions of people around the world who will tell you that Jesus or such-and-such
saint or anyone else answered their prayers? What they got in response was no more than what was
already written for them. Even if they hadnt prayed, they would have got that thing. Nothing happens by
coincidence or chance in the meaning that it was unplanned by Allah. Only sincere supplication to God
(Allah) alone can change what is written.
So, Allah (God) does answer non-Muslims when they ask Him for something. Anything else they get is only
what was already written for them."
Also it makes me feel good to read about the stories of the miracles Allah bestowed on the Prophet and
upon the righteous Muslims today like being cured of diseases like cancer see one example an American
Muslim convert woman named Aminah Assilmi.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Praise be to Allah Who has guided you to Islam and given you the blessing of Tawheed (belief in His
Oneness), and has brought you back to the truth by His grace, kindness and blessing. We ask Allah to
make you steadfast in adhering to the truth and to guide you to true guidance and goodness, and to help
you to fear Him in word and deed. You have done well by wishing to learn and in your eagerness to find out
the truth. We ask Allah to bless you with understanding of Islam.
Secondly:
If you know of some daaiyahs (callers to Islam) and seekers of knowledge who are trustworthy in terms of
their knowledge and methodology, who need such books in order to refute the Shiah and point out how
they are misguided, you could give these books to them, so long as they are safe from their evil and can
make use of them in calling people to the right way.
If you are not able to do that, then you can destroy them by burning them, burying them or cutting them up
in such a way as to obscure verses of the Quraan and names of Allah, and if some words remain visible
that does not matter. You could use a paper shredder for this purpose.
Please see also the answer to question no. 5390
Thirdly:
What you are facing of waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) is something ordinary that happens to
believers; you should not be worried or distracted by it, but you have to try to get rid of it by doing the
following:
1. Seeking refuge with Allah and seeking His help
2. Remembering Allah and trying to control your thoughts so that you can put a stop to these whispers
3. Focusing strongly on worship and following the commands of Allah, seeking His pleasure thereby.
When you focus completely on worship in a serious and real manner, you will forget about the distraction of
these whispers, in sha Allah.
4. Turning to Allah a great deal and calling upon Him in duaa, asking Him to heal you from this
problem.
Please see also the answer to question no. 12315
Fourthly:
Duaa (supplication) is of two types:
1. Duaa in the sense of worship. What is meant is that a person worships Allah, may He be exalted,
persistently with any kind of worship, in the heart, by physical actions or in financial terms.
2. Duaa in the sense of asking, which is asking to be given that which is of benefit or for that which is
harmful to be warded off. In other words it is asking Allah, may He be exalted, for that which will benefit one
in this world and in the Hereafter, and to ward off that which will harm him in this world and in the
Hereafter.
This is something that believers and non-believers have in common.
Please see the answer to question no. 113177
Fifthly:
The supplication of the disbelievers, if it is a supplication to someone other than Allah, such as the
supplication of the Christians to their object of worship the Messiah (peace be upon him) or to the Virgin
Mary, or the supplication of idol worshippers to their idols, is a supplication based on misguidance that will
not bring any benefit; rather it will be a cause of punishment for them in the Hereafter, because it is
associating others with Allah, may He be exalted.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
For Him (Alone) is the Word of Truth (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but He). And those whom
they (polytheists and disbelievers) invoke, answer them no more than one who stretches forth his hand (at
the edge of a deep well) for water to reach his mouth, but it reaches him not, and the invocation of the
disbelievers is nothing but an error (i.e. of no use)
[ar-Ra d 13:14].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer (2/785):
What is meant is that just as the one who stretches forth his hand to the water, either to take some of it
from a distance will not benefit from the water that does not reach his mouth, similarly these mushrikeen
who worship another god alongside Allah will never benefit from that in this world or in the Hereafter. End
quote.
Sixthly:
The supplication of the disbelievers to Allah may be answered sometimes, for reasons such as establishing
proof against the disbelievers or to prove their disbelief, denial and stubbornness; or to restore justice to
those among them who have been wronged, because Allah enjoins justice and forbids injustice; or because
He has guaranteed to provide for them in this world, so if they ask Him for provision He grants it to them; or
to manifest His kindness, generosity and blessing to all people.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except
Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away (from Him). And man is ever
ungrateful
[al-Isra 17:67].
Say (O Muhammad SAW): Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and the sea (dangers like
storms), when you call upon Him in humility and in secret (saying): If He (Allah) only saves us from this
(danger), we shall truly be grateful.
Say (O Muhammad SAW): Allah rescues you from it and from all (other) distresses, and yet you worship
others besides Allah
[al-Anaam 6: 63-64]
Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who
removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations. Is there any ilah
(god) with Allah? Little is that you remember!
[an-Naml 27:62]
And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to
count them. Verily! Man is indeed an extreme wrong-doer, - a disbeliever (an extreme ingrate, denies
Allahs Blessings by disbelief, and by worshipping others besides Allah, and by disobeying Allah and His
Prophet Muhammad SAW)
[Ibraaheem 14:34].
The apparent meaning of these verses indicates that the fact that Allah answers some of the prayers of the
disbelievers is to prove their disbelief and denial, and to establish proof against them, or to manifest His
mercy, grace and kindness by helping those who are in desperate need and saving those who are in
distress.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Fear the prayer of the
oppressed, even if he is a disbeliever, for there is no barrier (between it and Allah).
Narrated by Ahmad, 12140; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, 2231
This indicates that Allah responds to the prayer of the disbeliever who is wronged, because Allah enjoins
justice and forbids injustice, and He restores justice to those who are wronged even if they are disbelievers,
because His justice is perfect.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in Majmoo al-Fataawa, 1/206:
All of mankind, both believers and disbelievers, ask of Allah and Allah may answer the supplication of the
disbeliever. If the disbelievers ask Allah for provision, He grants them provision and water. If harm touches
them at sea, they will turn to no one except Him. Then when He brings them safely to land, they turn away
and man is ever ungrateful. End quote.
He also said in Majmoo al-Fataawa, 1/233:
With regard to answering the prayers of those who ask, in general terms Allah answers the supplication of
the one who is in distress and of the one who is wronged, even if he is a disbeliever. End quote.
Seventhly:
The fact that Allah answers the supplication of the disbelievers does not imply that He loves them or that
He supports or honours them, or that He is pleased with their religion and beliefs. Rather that might be part
of letting them get carried away (in their misguidance) and hastening good things for them in this world so
that they may taste the punishment in the Hereafter. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not love
the disbelievers and is not pleased with them or their disbelief.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Ighaathat al-Lahfaan, 1/13:
Not everyone whose supplication Allah answers has attained His pleasure or love, nor is He pleased with
his actions. He may answer the prayers of the righteous and evildoers, believers and disbelievers.
Many people offer supplication in which they overstep the mark, or stipulate conditions, or ask for things for
which it is not permissible to ask. Then they get that or some of it, and they think that their actions are
righteous and pleasing to Allah, but they are in the same position as one who is given abundant wealth and
children so that he might get carried away (in his misguidance), whilst he thinks that Allah is hastening to
give him all good things. But Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of
every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden,
We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.
[al-Anaam 6:44].
Supplication may be an act of worship for which the one who does it will be rewarded, or it may be asking
to have ones needs met but that may be harmful to the individual: either he will be punished as a result of
what he gets or he will be lowered in status, so he gets his needs met but is punished for neglecting his
duties or overstepping the mark. End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in Iqtida as-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, p. 89
Not everyone to whom Allah grants provision and help, whether in response to his supplication or
otherwise, is among those whom Allah loves and helps; rather He, may He be glorified, grants provision to
believers and disbelievers, righteous and evildoers. He may answer their supplication to give them what
they ask for in this world, but they have no share of the hereafter.
The scholars stated that some disbelievers who were Christians besieged a Muslim city and their water ran
out, so they asked the Muslims to give them some fresh water and they would lift the siege from them. The
Muslim leaders discussed the matter and said, rather we should leave them until thirst has weakened them,
then we can defeat them. Then the Christians prayed for rain and asked Allah to give them water, and He
answered their prayer. Some of the common people were confused, so the king said to one of the scholars:
Say something to explain the situation to the people. So he issued instructions that a minbar be set up for
him and he said: O Allah, we know that these are among those whose provision You have guaranteed, as
You say (interpretation of the meaning): And no (moving) living creature is there on earth but its provision
is due from Allah [Hood 11:6]. They called upon You in distress, and You answer the one who is in distress
when he calls upon You. You granted them rain, because You have guaranteed their provision and
because they called upon You in distress, not because You love them or because You love their religion.
Now we want to see a sign that will make faith steadfast in the hearts of Your believing slaves. So Allah
sent against them (the enemy) a wind that destroyed them, and so on.
Under this heading also comes one who may offer supplication but overstep the mark in doing so, either by
asking for that which is not appropriate or by offering supplication in which there is disobedience towards
Allah, whether it be by associating others with Him (shirk) or otherwise. Then if he gets some of what he
wanted, he think that this is an indication that his deed was righteous. He is like the one who is given
abundant wealth and sons so that might get carried away (in his misguidance), so he thinks that good
things have been hastened for him. But Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
Do they think that We enlarge them in wealth and children,
We hasten unto them with good things (in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in
the Hereafter)? Nay, but they perceive not
[al-Muminoon 23:55].
Eighthly:
When Allah answers some of the supplications of the disbelievers, it takes the form of fulfilling some of their
wishes with regard to worldly matters.
But when Allah answers the supplication of the Muslim, one of three things happen: either he is given what
he asked for, or an equivalent evil is diverted from him, or it (the reward for the supplication) is stored up for
him in the Hereafter.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: There is no Muslim who offers supplication
in which there is no sin or severing of ties of kinship, but Allah will give him one of three things in return for
it: either what he asked for will be hastened for him, or (reward) will be stored up for him in the Hereafter or
an equivalent evil will be diverted from him.
Narrated by Ahmad, 10749; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 2199
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Fath al-Baari, 11/95:
Everyone who offers supplication receives a response, but the response may vary. Sometimes he will get
exactly what he asked for, and sometimes he will be compensated (with something equivalent). There are
saheeh hadeeths which speak of that. End quote.
Please see also the answer to question no. 153316
And Allah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Related fatwa
Disposing of papers in which Allaah’s name is mentioned
The meaning of Allaahs name al-Musawwir
Suffering From Waswas (Insinuating Whispers) of the Shaytan About the Essence of Allah

31807: Actions that put a person beyond the pale of Islam

What are the actions which, if a Muslim does them, he will be an apostate from Islam?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Note that Allaah has commanded all people to enter Islam and to adhere to it and to beware of whatever is
contrary to it. He sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to call mankind
to that. He tells us that those who follow him will be guided and that those who turn away from him have
gone astray. In many verses He warns against the means that lead to apostasy and all forms of shirk and
kufr. The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) have said, when discussing apostasy, that a Muslim
may apostatize from his religion by doing many acts that nullify Islam, which makes it permissible to shed
his blood and seize his wealth, and which will put him beyond the pale of Islam. Among the most serious
and most common of these things are ten which were mentioned by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-
Wahhaab and other scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them all). We will mention them in brief here, so
that you and others can beware of them, in the hope that you will be safe and sound. We will also explain a
little about them after mentioning each one.
1 Shirk or associating others in worship with Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
Verily, Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He
wills, sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, has indeed strayed far
away
[al-Nisa 4:116]
Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and
the Fire will be his abode
[al-Maaidah 5:72]
That includes praying to the dead, seeking their help, making vows and offering sacrifices to them or to the
jinn or to the grave.
2 Whoever sets up intermediaries between himself and Allaah, asks them to intercede, and puts his trust
in them, is a kaafir according to scholarly consensus.
3 Whoever does not regard the mushrikeen as kaafirs, or doubts that they are kaafirs, or regards their
way as correct, is a kaafir.
4 Whoever believes that anything other than the teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) is more complete than his teachings, or that the rulings of anyone else are better than his
rulings such as those who prefer the rule of false laws to his rulings is a kaafir.
5 Whoever hates any part of that which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought,
even if he acts in accordance with it, is a kaafir, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
That is because they hate that which Allaah has sent down (this Quraan and Islamic laws); so He has
made their deeds fruitless
[Muhammad 47:9]
6 Whoever makes fun of anything in the religion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), or makes fun of any texts that refer to rewards or punishments, is a kaafir. The evidence for that is the
verse (interpretation of the meaning):
Say: Was it at Allaah, and His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His
Messenger that you were mocking?
Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed
[al-Tawbah 9:65-66]
7 Sihr (witchcraft) including spells to turn one person against another or to make someone love another.
Whoever does this or approves of it is a kaafir. The evidence for that is the verse (interpretation of the
meaning):
but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, We are for trial, so
disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)
[al-Baqarah 2:102]
8 Supporting the mushrikeen and helping them against the Muslims. The evidence for that is the verse in
which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Awliyaa (friends, protectors, helpers), they
are but Awliyaa of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa), then surely, he is one of
them. Verily, Allaah guides not those people who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers and
unjust)
[al-Maa'idah 5:51]
9 Whoever believes that some people are allowed to operate outside the law of Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) just as al-Khidr operated outside the law of Moosa (peace be upon him) is
a kaafir, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will
be one of the losers
[Aal Imraan 3:85]
10 Turning away from the religion of Allaah, not learning it and not acting in accordance with it. The
evidence for that is the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons,
signs, revelations, etc.) of his Lord, then turns aside therefrom? Verily, We shall exact retribution from the
Mujrimoon (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners)
[al-Sajdah 32:22]
With regard to all of these acts that nullify Islam, it makes no difference whether a person is joking, serious
or afraid, unless he is forced to do it. All of them are very serious, and they all happen a great deal. The
Muslim should beware of them and fear falling into them. We seek refuge with Allaah from the things that
may incur His wrath and painful punishment. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon the best of His
creation, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.
The fourth category includes those who believe that the systems and laws devised by men are better than
the shareeah of Islam, or equal to it; or that it is permissible to refer to them for judgements and rulings,
even if he believes that referring to shareeah is better; or that the Islamic system is not fit to be applied in
the twentieth century; or that it was the cause of the Muslims backwardness; or that it should be limited to a
persons relationship with his Lord and not have anything to do with the other affairs of life
The fourth category also includes those who think that carrying out the ruling of Allaah by cutting off the
hand of the thief or stoning the married adulterer is not appropriate in the modern age.
That also includes: everyone who believes that it is permissible to rule according to something other than
the laws of Allaah with regard to interactions, hudood punishments or other matters, even if he does not
believe that that is better than the ruling of shareeah, because by doing so he is regarding as permissible
something that Allaah has forbidden according to consensus, and everyone who regards as permissible
something that Allaah has forbidden and is well known to be forbidden in Islam, such that no Muslim has
any excuse for not knowing that it is forbidden, such as adultery, alcohol and riba, and ruling by something
other than the shareeah of Allaah, is a kaafir according to the consensus of the Muslims.
We ask Allaah to help us all to do that which pleases Him, and to guide us and all the Muslims to His
Straight Path, for He is All Hearing, Ever-Responsive. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our
Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions

178: Interweaving the name of Allah and Muhammad

What is the ruling on having the word allaah and the word muhammad written in an interwoven fashion
on the door of a mosque?
Among what the Islamic shariah asserts is the binding and coupling of the testimony of oneness for Allah
and the testimony of the calling and message of prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him). Examples of such linking are in the adhan for salaat and in the iqaamah for it. Additionally, in
ahadith the prophet (peace be upon him) teaches:
Islam was built upon five pillars: to witness that there is no deity except Allah, and that Muhammad is the
messenger of Allah .
It represents what a mukallaf (one who is legally capable, liable for ones actions, and obliged to perform
required acts, which in Islamic law, shariah, starts at puberty) is required to believe. It must be understood
together, and are pronounced together as a testimony of belief. As for writing it interwoven, nothing is
available neither in the Book of Allah nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him). As a result, there is great danger in this. For it has a resemblance to the false precept in the
Christian faith of trinity, and the concept that the father and the son and the holy spirit are one deity.
Further, it could be construed as an emblem representing the false faith of the unity of existence. In
addition, it may be used as support for the extremism in the Prophet and worshipping him with Allah.
Therefore, writing the name of Allah (the Most High) with the name of his prophet Mohammed (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) in this way, i.e. making the letters of their names interwoven and the
crossing of the letters of each of their names with the other, must be prevented. It is even not permissible to
write (Allah - Muhammad) on the door of the masjid, nor in other locations, due to the confusion,
misrepresentation, and serious concerns described and warned of above.

111019: It is permissible to say Ya Muhammad (O Muhammad)?

Can we say like ya Muhammad to our prophet?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It was not permissible to address the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by saying Ya
Muhammad during his lifetime, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
Make not the calling of the Messenger (Muhammad ) among you as your calling one of
another [al-Noor 24:63].
Al-Dahhaak said, narrating from Ibn Abbaas: They used to say Ya Muhammad, Ya Abal-Qaasim, but
Allaah told them not to do that, out of respect to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
So they said Ya Rasool Allaah (O Messenger of Allaah), Ya Nabi Allaah (O Prophet of Allaah). Mujaahid
and Saeed ibn Jubayr said something similar.
Qataadah said: Allaah enjoined that His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) should be
treated with respect and venerated and honoured as a leader. Muqaatil ibn Hayyaan said: Do not address
him by name when you call him and say Ya Muhammad, and do not say Ya Ibn Abd-Allaah. Rather
address him with honour and say Ya Nabi Allaah or Ya Rasool Allaah.
Maalik said, narrating from Zayd ibn Aslam: Allaah enjoined them to address him with honour.
So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) should not be addressed by name only, rather
it should be said: Ya Rasool Allaah, Ya Nabi Allaah.
Secondly:
It is not permissible to call on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in duaa after his
death, because duaa is an act of worship that can only be directed to Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah [al-Jinn 72:13]
And who is more astray than one who calls on (invokes) besides Allaah, such as will not answer him till
the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? [al-Ahqaaf 46:5]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased
with him): If you ask, then ask of Allaah, and if you seek help then seek help from Allaah.
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2516) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi.
Duaa is asking for benefit and asking for harm to be warded off, and it is not only done by saying Yaa
(O), rather it has become customary among people to use this call in duaa, especially when hardship
comes and calamity strikes, so they say Ya Allaah, meaning O Allaah, save us, give us help, support us.
This is the action of monotheists (believers in Tawheed) who do not call upon anyone other than Allaah. As
for those who worship graves and tombs, they call upon their saints and revered ones, saying Ya Badawi,
Ya Rifaai, Ya Jilaani, and what they mean is, O Badawi, help us, come to our aid, save us.
And some of them say: Ya Rasool-Allaah, Ya Muhammad, in this manner also. This is calling upon him,
seeking his help and turning to him.
It is well known that this is one of the worst ways of going against the message that was brought by
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the other Messengers, and that was revealed
in the Books, namely the call to Tawheed and worshipping Allaah alone, and forsaking the worship of all
others.
It is not acceptable in the religion of Islam, which Allaah has chosen as the religion for His slaves, to call
upon anyone except Allaah, not any Prophet who was sent or any angel who is close to Him. Rather we are
to call upon Him alone. Hence Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who
removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any ilaah
(god) with Allaah? Little is that you remember! [al-Naml 27:62]
Thus it is known that if a person says Ya Muhammad or Ya Rasool Allaah, not intending thereby to call
upon him and seek his help, then there is nothing wrong with it, such as if he wants to call him to mind and
remember him, such as if he reads a hadeeth and says Sall-Allaah alayka ya Rasool-Allaah (May Allaah
send blessings upon you, O Messenger of Allaah) or How great and beautiful are your words, O Messenger
of Allaah. But saying Ya Muhammad is contrary to good manners, as explained above.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it shirk if someone says in any place on
earth, Ya Muhammad Ya Rasool-Allaah, calling him?
He replied: Allaah has stated in His Holy Book and on the lips of His Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) that worship is the right of Allaah alone and no one else has any share of it, and that
duaa is a kind of worship, so if a person says in any place on earth, Ya Rasool-Allaah, Ya Nabi Allaah or
Ya Muhammad, help me, or save me, or support me, or heal me, or support your ummah, or heal the sick
Muslims, and guide their misguided ones and so on, then he is making him a partner with Allaah in worship.
The same applies to those who do the same thing with regard to other Prophets, angels, awliya (saints),
jinn, idols or any other created beings, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone) [al-Dhaariyaat
51:56]
O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allaah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may
become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious [al-Baqarah 2:21]
End quote from Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (2/453).
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Some people at times of hardship say
Ya Muhammad or Ya Ali or Ya Jilaani. What is the ruling on that?
He replied: If the intention is to call upon them and seek their help, then the person is a mushrik in the
sense of major shirk that puts one beyond the pale of Islam, and he must repent to Allaah and call upon
Allaah alone, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who
removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any ilaah
(god) with Allaah? Little is that you remember! [al-Naml 27:62] As well as being a mushrik, he is also
fooling himself. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
And who turns away from the religion of Ibraaheem (Abraham) (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) except him who
befools himself? [al-Baqarah 2:130]
And who is more astray than one who calls on (invokes) besides Allaah, such as will not answer him till the
Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? [al-Ahqaaf 46:5]
End quote from Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (2/133).
And Allaah knows best.

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakutuhu,

I often wonder why there are so many muslims who make dua'a to some dead people and hope those dead ones could
help them. The main fact why this people say for example "Oh, Muhammad!" or "Ya, Ali!" or "Ya, whosoever!", is that
they just don't know much about their own religion. May Allah(swt) guide them.
So now I have gathered some Fatwas by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Munajjid about the ruling on worshipping others than
Allah(swt) or praying for help to others than Allah(swt):

The first thing is just kinda logical. The very first pillar of Islam is the Tawheed. The oneness of Allah(swt). "There is
no God but God!" That also means there's no other worth worshipping than Allah(swt).
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/49030/tawheed

To say or believe that there are others worth worshipping than Allah(swt) is major shirk. That means it throws you out
of Islam.(For those who do not know the exact meaning of major and minor shirk look
here: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/34817)

Actually it's kinda simple. If you're a muslim you believe that Allah(swt) is the creator of everything and everyone. So
now why do you pray or beg forgiveness from someone who was created? Why are you praying to someone who is a
human just like you? And worse, why are you praying to someone who's dead already? He can't hear you, he can't help
you, he can't even help himself! There're no saints or all-knowing imams or this kinda stuff in Islam. The only one who
knows the unseen is Allah(swt), the only one who can forgive your sins is Allah(swt), THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN
RESCUE YOU FROM HELL FIRE IS ALLAH(swt)!
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22245/saint
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/8928/saint
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/111019
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/1741

I hope you will read those proofs and explanations carefully.

And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah [ilaahun waahidun:] (God Allaah), Laa Ilaaha illa Huwa (there is none who
has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

[al-Baqarah 2:163]

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him

[al-Isra 17:23]

There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer

[al-Shoora 42:11]

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.
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message 2: by Zainab (new)
Apr 24, 2010 09:13AM


As it seems that you didn't get me the first time, I'll say it again that we do NOT ask the Imams to help, we ask
them to ask ALLAH!


It has been narrated in Sahih al Bukhari by Anas, Whenever drought threatened them, 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, used to
ask Al-Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib to invoke Allah for rain. He used to say,

"O Allah! We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for rain, and You would bless us with rain, and now we ask his
uncle to invoke You for rain. O Allah ! Bless us with rain." And so it would rain.
Sahih al Bukhari Volume 2, Book 17, Number 123 Chapter Istisqaa, Narrated by Anas.

COMMENT:

Why was the second khalifa turning to Abbas as a Wasila? Why could he not ask Allah (swt) DIRECTLY for rain?
Would Afriki not deem this as an act of Shirk? Why was he placing this matter into the hands of Abbas? Umar also
admits that the Sahaba would ask Rasulullah (s) to supplicate for rain We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for
rain why would they not supplicate for themselves? Did Rasulullah (s) reprimand these individuals and order them
to pray DIRECTLY to Allah (swt)?

Shirk?
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message 3: by LungHuo* * (new)
Apr 24, 2010 11:23AM


"Allaah states that anyone who calls on anything other than him is taking that thing as a god, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a qitmeer (the thin membrane over a date-
stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call, and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not
grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can
inform you (O Muhammad), like Him Who is the All-Knower (of everything).
[Faatir 35:13-14].

In this aayah, Allaah explains that He is the only One Who deserves to be called upon, because He, and no one else, is
the Sovereign who is directing everything. Those things that are worshipped cannot hear duaas, let alone respond to
the one who invokes them, and even if they were able to hear, they cannot respond, because they do not have the
power to either benefit or harm.

The mushrik Arabs whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent to call were disbelievers
because of this shirk. They would call upon Allaah sincerely at times of difficulty, but they became disbelievers at times
of ease and plenty, when they would call on others besides Him."

http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/show...
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message 4: by LungHuo* * (new)
Apr 24, 2010 11:26AM


also to the hadith you brought:

It is allowed to ask living people to make dua'a for oneself. But not from dead. Why do you think did Umar(ra) did not
ask the dead prophet(saw)? He asked his uncle because he was still alive!
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message 5: by Zainab (new)
Apr 25, 2010 08:45AM


Sahih Muslim, 1st Chapter of book of Clothing:

`Abd Allah, the freed slave of Asma' the daughter of Abu Bakr, the maternal uncle of the son of `Ata', said:

. She (Asma bint Abu Bakr) said: "Here is the cloak (jubba) of Allah's Messenger," and she brought out to me
that cloak made of Persian cloth with a hem of (silk) brocade, and its sleeves bordered with (silk) brocade, and said:

"This was Allah's Messenger's cloak with `A'isha until she died, then I got possession of it. The Apostle of Allah used to
wear it, and we washed it for the sick so that they could seek cure thereby."


Can anyone still deny the witnesses of Ummul Momineen Ayesha and her sister Asma bint Abu Bakr that even the
jubba of Rasool Allah [saww:] was also able to benefit and cure the sick?
Did Ummul Momineen Hadhrat Ayesha and her sister Sahabia Asma bint Abu Bakr made that jubba of Rasool Allah
[saww:], a partner to Allah by seeking benefit through it?
Why didn't they asked Allah DIRECTLY for the cure from sicknesses?
Did they really sought help from that jubba in a Literal Sense that it had Absolute power to benefit them. Or they
actually sought help from Allah, but from seeking help from jubba, they only meant that Barakah of Rasool Allah
[saww:] also includes in their request to Allah?

http://www.answering-ansar.org/answer...
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message 6: by Zainab (new)
Apr 25, 2010 08:46AM


And I have a question for you.

History testifies that when Hadhrath Muhammad (saaws) declared his Prophethood (saaws), the Quraysh1 subjected
the Bani Hashim to a boycott. Hadhrath Abu Talib (as) took the tribe to an area called Shib Abi Talib where they
remained for three years, suffering from immense hardship. Where were Hadhrath Abu Bakr and Hadhrath Umar
during that period? They were in Makkah so why did they not help the Holy Prophet (saaws)? If they were unable to
join the Prophet (saaws) at the Shib Abi Talib is there any evidence that they provided any type of support (food etc),
breaching the agreement that the Quraysh boycott all food/business transactions with Bani Hashim?

"The Quraysh gathered together to confer and decided to draw up a document in which they undertook not to marry
women from Banu Hashim and the Banu al Muttalib, or to give them women in marriage, or to sell anything to them
or buy anything from them. They drew up a written contract to that effect and solemnly pledged themselves to observe
it. They then hung up the document in the interior of the Ka'bah to make it even more binding upon themselves. When
Quraysh did this, the Banu Hashim and the Banu al-Muttalib joined with 'Abu Talib, went with him to his valley and
gathered round him there; but 'Abu Lahab 'Abd al Uzza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib left the Banu Hashim and went with the
Quraysh supporting them against 'Abu Talib. This state of affairs continued for two or three years, until the two clans
were exhausted, since nothing reached any of them except what was sent secretly by those of the Quraysh who wished
to maintain relations with them". (Taken from The History of al-Tabari, Volume 6 page 81 - Muhammad at Mecca,
translated by W.Montgommery & M.V. MacDonald).

"These days were very hard with them and very often they had to feed on the leaves TALH or plantain" (taken from
Siratun Nabi by Shibli Numani Vol 1 p 218, English translation by M. Tayyib Bakhsh Budayuni.
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message 7: by Wendy (last edited Apr 25, 2010 09:04AM) (new)
Apr 25, 2010 09:01AM


Thus taking the word of Allah by heresay thru the allegedly quoting and repeating of quotes thru many people
over many years of what Muhammad said was what Allah commands or taking Muhammad's own comments or
likes/dislikes as expressed some time in some circumstance and from THAT making some rule as to what is forbidden
or required to be a good Muslim is just as bad as looking to a dead person for intercession with Allah or assuming that
is "proof" and the interpretation of heresay moreover taken out of the context of time (as in century, culture etc) and
circumstance or place is also wrongheaded in my opinion. Human interpretation of what Allah or God meant to
prescribe on minor details in life, ritual is also something that absorbs Christians and is likewise majoring in the
minors (focussing on small things and losing sight of the large things)...it seems to me.
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message 8: by Wendy (new)
Apr 25, 2010 09:06AM


Perhaps discussing what you all agree is the major importance in being a Muslim in terms of your relationship to
Allah or to other people is more important, don't you think?
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message 9: by LungHuo* * (new)
Apr 25, 2010 10:47AM


The question of Tawheed is a very important question. Because on Tawheed(onness of Allah) our whole Religion
is based on. Tawheed is the very first pillar of Islam. And it is of four kinds: Faith in Allah's existance, Faith in Allah's
Lordship, Faith in Allah's names and attributes, Faith in Allah's worship. And the question we are having here is about
Allah's worship. So it is a very important question.
http://www.qsep.com/modules.php?name=...

Also about quoting. Do you know about Hadiths? If not I can explain it a bit - not too much because I'm not a scholar
of Hadith but a bit.....untill then I search for a good article which describes the method of Hadiths a bit better.
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message 10: by LungHuo* * (new)
Apr 25, 2010 10:55AM


sahih Muslim Book 24:The Book Pertaining to Clothes and Beautification Chapter 1 is about THE USE OF GOLD
AND SILVER VESSELS IS FORBIDDEN TO MEN AND WOMEN AND IT IS ALSO PROHIBITED TO DRINK IN
THEM......no cloak.....
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message 11: by Wendy (new)
Apr 25, 2010 10:57AM


Thank you for your reply. I have read that hadiths are passed on from person to person and the "entire chain of
who told the hadith to whom" is critical in evaluating its veracity. However, who told it to whom is, in my opinon, less
important than how many links it took before it was written down and whether it is consistent with other reports.
There is a children's game (played by adults as well) whereby one person whispers a statement or story in another's
ear; the recipient then tries to repeat it accurately to another the same way; the second person then does the same to a
third and so forth. Despite the best of intentions and the worthiness and maturity of the people passing the
information on, striving for accuracy, at the end of the chain, it is not the same story or statement. And of course ONE
person in the chain may be less attentive than the others and can change it most significantly,with the repeated
story/statement forever altered by the one's error.
You may test this with a circle of say 15 earnest friends (not using of course, something you have all memorized). Add
days, months or years between relaying the story....and its clear what happens.
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message 12: by LungHuo* * (last edited Apr 25, 2010 11:09AM) (new)
Apr 25, 2010 11:08AM


The thing is not only that it is passed from person to person. The hadith are devided into groups. Those Hadith
who have only one or two narrators are da'if, means weak, and shouldn't be taken as an argument against strong
hadith(hadith with many narrators telling the same). The problem we have here is that the Shya, which member
Zainab belongs to and takes her evidence from are often producing fake Hadith or just take them out of their context
or take da'if ones. And really I'm quite tired "talking with a wall". -_- She always brings one or two Hadith against 10
or 20 who say the complete opposite.

And to the thing with Abu Bakr(ra) and Omar(ra). That's not the topic! And besides what are you trying to say?
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message 13: by LungHuo* * (new)
Apr 25, 2010 11:32AM


LungHuo wrote: "The thing is not only that it is passed from person to person. The hadith are devided into
groups. Those Hadith who have only one or two narrators are da'if, means weak, and shouldn't be taken as a..."

Also it is important WHO narrated the Hadith. If there was someone who was known as a liar in the chain then it is
not a strong hadith for example.
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message 14: by LungHuo* * (new)
Apr 25, 2010 11:42AM


As I said earlier I will stop debating with you Zainab. The evidence you bring here is against every logic. The pillar
of Iman is to believe in one God. And I think I posted enaugh articles about that topic. And now you bring a hadith
about a talisman? Because that's what is, a THING TO SEEK CURE IN IT. The thing with seeking help in dead people
was bad enaugh but that is worse. That's exactly what the mushriks at the time of the prophet(saw) did! They prayed to
idols, angels and jinn with the intention that they may be intercessors for them. By asking help from dead people or
things you are actually putting them at Allah's side. That is Shirk!......Man why do I post the links to those articles????
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message 15: by Zainab (new)
Apr 26, 2010 01:55AM


Salam,
See, I'm trying to learn. If I believe that you are correct, then I would change my belief. Would you? But thats the
thing-I don't think I'm wrong. Could you explain why it's okay when the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)
alive, but not when he is dead?

Then how is it that the Sahaba used to get benefit of Barakah by the house in which Rasool Allah (saww) entered.

Narrated Abu Burda: When I came to Medina. I met Abdullah bin Salam. He said, "Will you come to me so that I may
serve you with sawiq (i.e. powdered barley) and dates, and let you enter a (blessed) house in which the Prophet
entered?
Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 58, Number 159

I asked you where were Abu Bakr and Umar. Apparently they were also in Mekkah, in which the Holy Prophet was
going through major hardship. How can they be the true khalifas if they were not there to help the Prophet?

Also, amongst the companions Hadhrath Abu Bakr is viewed as the most superior on account of his closeness to the
Holy Prophet (saaws). If this is indeed the case then why did the Holy Prophet (saaws) not select him to be his brother
when he (saaws) divided the companions in to pairs on the Day of Brotherhood? Rather, the Prophet (saaws) chose
Hadhrath Ali (as) saying "You are my brother in this world and the next", so on what basis is Hadhrath Abu Bakr
closer?

and again, I recommend reading all of this,
"He said astonishedly, "Does al-Bukhari say that tawassul is permissible?!"

I said, "Yes, he says that, but unfortunately, you do not read what there is in your Sahihs, and despite that, you resist
out of fanaticism to your opinions.

Al-Bukhari has mentioned in his Sahih that Umar ibn al-Khattab asked Allah for rain by means of al-Abbas ibn Abdul
Muttalib when it was rainlessness. He often said, "0 Allah, we beseeched You by means of our prophet, and You sent
down to us rains, and now we beseech You by means of the uncle of our prophet. So send down rain to us!' Al-Bukahri
says, "And they were rained."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 4 p. 209 , Chap. The virtues of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib.-I'm pretty sure that's where it's from)

I also think you should read this whole link, as I cannot copy and paste the whole conversation to you.
http://www.rafed.net/english/books/be...

walaykum salam
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message 16: by Ali (new)
Jul 17, 2010 11:30PM


Like someone before me said:
It is allowed to ask living people to make dua'a for oneself. But not from dead. Why do you think did Umar(ra) did not
ask the dead prophet(saw)? He asked his uncle because he was still alive!
Find a duaa that says it is allowed to seek help from the deceased. ur information is missleading.
Doing this is like some christains who believe god is one, and believe that jesus was a prophet but ask for help from
jesus.
The prophet said in a hadeeth:
This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your
religion (al- Ma`idah: 3)

It must have been in existence before the death of the Messenger of Allah (r). If it is not from the Perfection of the
Religion, then it is not possible that it be from the religion, since Allah (SWT) said: This day I have perfected your
religion for you. Whoever claims that it is from the Perfection of the Religion which occurred after the death of the
Messenger of Allah , then his claim amounts to a denial of this verse of the Qur`an.
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message 17: by Ali (new)
Jul 17, 2010 11:36PM


The ways of worship have been changed after the prophet (SWS) died.
This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your
religion (al- Ma`idah: 3.
How could it have been perfected, then changed?
Does it make sense? No!
Did Ali(ra) after the prophet (SWS) died used to ask for the prophet (SWS) for help? AFTER HE DIED!!