The Four Principles by Muhammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab

Explained by Shaykh: Abdullaah Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Ghudayyaan

Source: http://www.albaseerah.org/

Introduction

Quote:

After praising Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and sending the salaat and salaam upon our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم, his brothers amongst the Prophets, his صلى الله عليه و سلم family members, his companions, the taabi’een and those who follow him صلى الله عليه و سلم until the Day of Judgment.

The Shaykh حفظه الله said:

The Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab رحمه الله wrote this risaalah (رسالة – message) to each responsible individual who would come after him.

The Shaykh رحمه الله begins the book with a Du’aa and an Advice

He began in the Name of Allaah, then with a waseeyah (وصية – advice):

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ، أَسْأَلُ اللهَ الْكَرِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

From his رحمه الله wisdom he began with mentioning the three types of tawheed:
1. Tawheed al-Uloohiyyaah in his saying: أسأل الله – I ask Allaah
2. Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat in his saying: الكريم – al-Kareem (the Most Generous)
3. Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah in his saying: رب العرش العظيم – Rabb (Lord) of the Tremendous Throne
The scholars call this براءة الاستدلال which means that when someone wants to discuss a particular topic he begins with mentioning the subject matter he wants to deal with. Then the author mentions a number of matters.

The First Matter: That you are protected in this world and the hereafter

أَنْ يَتَوَلاكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ

• The first matter being a du’aa asking Allaah سبحانه و تعالى to manage our affairs in this life and in the hereafter.
• This is mentioned in the Qur’aan and Hadeeth. In the Qur’aan His جل و علا speech:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ أَلاَّ تَخَافُوا وَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا
{Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allâh (Alone)," and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve!...}[Al-Fussilat 41:30]

اللّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّوُرِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ
{Allâh is the Walî (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their Auliyâ (supporters and helpers) are Tâghût (false deities and false leaders), they bring them out from light into darkness…} [Al-Baqarah 2:257]

• The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “You protect Allaah’s limits and Allaah shall protect you.”[1]
• This requires knowledge and action. It requires that the servant works in order to attain this assistance from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى in this world and the hereafter by carrying out the commands of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى with the intention of carrying them out. And, to stay away from what He سبحانه و تعالى forbid.
• These action must fulfill two conditions:
1. Following the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم
2. Doing the action with the sole intention of seeking Allaah’s Face جل و علا

If both conditions are not present then the action will not be accepted by Allaah سبحانه و تعالى

• So if you carry out Allaah’s commands and stay away from what He سبحانه و تعالى forbids then you will obtain His assistance, providing you fulfill the 2 conditions required.
• Allaah teaches us that He is the protector of those who believe. He takes him out of darkness into light.

The Second Matter: That you are blessed wherever you are

وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَكَ مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَمَا كُنْتَ

• The Shaykh رحمه الله the said: “May Allaah make you blessed wherever you are.”
• This is a du’aa for the individual that he becomes blessed in his deeds, his wealth, his actions, his da’wah, and in all aspects of his life, wherever he is on the earth.
• أين ما كنت - This is an indication of all places – it is all-encompassing – wherever he may be.
• The individual should act based on knowledge, and must have wisdom in carrying out the knowledge which he has.
• Also, if the individual is going to forbid or prevent something it should also be based on knowledge and be done with wisdom.

The Third Matter: The Three Signs of Happiness

1. Thankful when given

وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَكَ مِمَّنْ إِذَا أُعْطِيَ شَكَرَ

• The 3rd part of the advice – “And to make you from those who when he is given he is thankful.”
• This deals with relationship between the servant and Allaah جل و علا regarding the servant when he receives bounties bestowed by Allaah جل و علا. These may be bounties regarding his Deen, his intellect, his body, wealth, health or any bounty he receives from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. He must be thankful towards Allaah جل و علا for all of these bounties.
• Thankfulness must be shown directly to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى by His servant.
• There are 4 categories into which people may fall:
1. The individual who uses the bounties granted to him by Allaah سبحانه و تعالى in disobedience to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. He does not show thankfulness to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. This is like the condition of those who disbelieve – they receive an abundance of bounties from Allaah but they disbelieve and they show no thankfulness.
2. The servant who shows thankfulness for bounties by carrying out what is compulsory or recommended, e.g. when given wealth he pays zakaat, gives sadaqah, spends on his wife, parents etc. When given good health he uses in obedience to Allaah جل و علا in halaal acts, e.g. with his sight he uses it to read what is beneficial, and so too with his hearing, his tongue, his heart, and his body. Similarly the private parts should be used for halaal acts and in avoiding haraam acts like zinaa (adultery, fornication) etc.
3. Those who when given bounties they are deficient in thankfulness.
4. Those who do not consider bounties as coming from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى e.g. Qaaruun who was given much bounties as mentioned in the Qur’aan.

1. Patient when tested

وَإِذَا ابْتُلِيَ صَبَرَ

• The Shaykh رحمه الله then mentions: “(May Allaah make us of those) who when tested are patient.”
• As before, this shows the relationship between Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and the servant from the perspective of how to deal with trials and difficulties that the servant may encounter.
• A person may be affected in his body, his sight or his tongue such that he is not able to speak, or in the rest of his body such that he is crippled and unable to move. This is witnessed and known.
• He may also be tested with his family members, his wife, children, and also in his wealth. Allaah عز و جل says:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ {155} الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sâbirûn (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly, to Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return."} [Al-Baqarah 2:155-156]

• This type of trial and affliction is not new as it was known to those before who were also tested: Ibraaheem عليه السلام was tested with sacrificing his son, Nuh عليه السلام tested with a kaafirah wife, the wife of Fir’aun was tested with a husband who claimed that he was Lord. These types of tests require from the servant a particular stance – that stance is patience.
• One must be patient upon the difficult things that Allaah decrees to happen to us.
• The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “The servant receives his station in Paradise because of how he dealt with the trial that befell him.”[2] So regarding trials, these things are going to happen and one must be patient upon them.
• There are 3 things that are involved:
1. There will be difficulties and trials.
2. There must be patience in the face of these trials.
3. The receiving of a tremendous reward for this patience. The reward may be in this world as well as in the hereafter.

1. Seeks forgiveness when he sins

وَإِذَا أذَنبَ اسْتَغْفَر

• The Shaykh رحمه الله then mentions: “(May Allaah make us of those) who when he sins seek forgiveness.”
• This sentence explains what Allaah’s servants should be upon when they commit some type of sin.
• Sins are sometimes from one aspect – like leaving off that which is compulsory and other times from doing that which is forbidden.
• There is daleel (evidence) from the Qur’aan and hadeeth indicating that when a servant sins he should seek forgiveness from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى as He says:

قُل لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَنتَهُواْ يُغَفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ وَإِنْ يَعُودُواْ فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّتُ الأَوَّلِينَ
{Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will be forgiven…} [al-Anfaal 8:38]

• This ayah shows that Allaah accepts the repentance of the disbeliever from his disbelief, or from his shirk or from hypocrisy i.e. major kufr (كفر الأكبر), major shirk (شرك الأكبر), and major hypocrisy (نفاق الأكبر) if he leaves if off.
• Also what is less than that is forgiven, whether it is minor kufr (كفر لأصغر), minor shirk (شرك الأصغر) or minor hypocrisy (نفاق الأصغر) as mentioned in hadith qudsi:
• The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم mentioned that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said: “O my Servant you commit sins by night and day and I forgive all sins so seek forgiveness of me and I will forgive you.”[3]
• However, there are conditions which must apply when repenting and there are various types of transgression:
1. If it is transgression against Allaah’s Right
• The person must give up his sins.
• He must be remorseful or sad for what has transpired.
• He should make up mind never to return to that sin again.
2. If it is transgression against other individuals:
• If it involves people’s monetary things e.g. wealth that was taken unjustly, it must be returned to the individual
• If non-monetary you must ask for forgiveness
• If it is not possible to seek forgiveness from the individual then he must supplicate for the person who he has wronged until he feels that he has discharged what is upon him in respect to the transgression he has committed.
• Some individuals are negligent and not concerned. They commit major kufr, major shirk, major nifaaq (hypocrisy) and do not repent. Then death comes to them and they die upon major kufr, shirk, hypocrisy or some other major act, or in a state of lesser shirk, lesser kufr or lesser hypocrisy. This is not good.
• One must not allow death to come to us in this state. We must therefore be concerned with, and aware of this issue and know that Taubah (repentance) is a benefit to mankind in the life to come.

These are the three signs of Happiness

فَإِنَّ هَؤُلاءِ الثَّلاثُ عُنْوَانُ السَّعَادَة

• The Shaykh رحمه الله then mentions: “For certainly, these are the three signs of happiness.”
• This is a remark concerning what has preceded: “and to make you from those who, when given, are thankful, when tested are patient, and when sinful seek forgiveness.”
• If these three matters occur together: that you are thankful to Allaah when given, patient when tested and seek forgiveness for all your sins that you did, then this is Daleel (proof) that you will be happy in this world and happy in the hereafter.

We have been created to worship Allaah alone

اعْلَمْ أَرْشَدَكَ اللهُ لِطَاعَتِهِ: أَنَّ الْحَنِيفِيَّةَ مِلَّةُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللهَ، وَحْدَهُ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿ وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴾ فَإِذَا عَرَفْتَ أَنَّ اللهَ خَلَقَكَ لِعِبَادَتِهِ؛ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْعِبَادَةَ لا تُسَمَّى عِبَادَةً إِلا مَعَ التَّوْحِيدِ، كَمَا أَنَّ الصَّلاةَ لا تُسَمَّى صَلاةً إِلا مَعَ الطَّهَارَةِ، فَإِذَا دَخَلَ الشِّرْكُ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ فَسَدَتْ، كَالْحَدَثِ إِذَا دَخَلَ فِي الطَّهَاَرِة،

Then he رحمه الله said: “Know may Allah guide you to His obedience. that Haneefiyyah is the religion of Ibraheem: That you worship Allah making the religion sincerely for Him alone. As He, Ta’aala, said:

{And I have not created the jinn and mankind except to worship Me (alone).} ” Adh-Dhaariyaat (51):56

When you acknowledge that Allah created you to worship Him, then you know that worship is not (regarded as) worship except with Tawheed, just as prayer is not (regarded as) prayer except with purification. So when shirk enters into worship it corrupts it just like impurity when entered into purity (i.e.-it invalidates it).”

• His intent from this is clarifying the stance that is necessary that the servant should adopt for his worship to Allaah جل و علا. He said that the path (ملة) of Ibraaheem عليه السلام comprises Ikhlaas (إخلاص – sincerity) and mutaaba’ah (متابعة - following). Following (متابعة) is representative of compliance with the orders, and also abstaining from the prohibitions. Ikhlaas is that the servant worships his Rabb (Lord) – that is, that his actions are done desiring The Face of Allaah, جل و علا. He does not introduce affairs which will affect the eebaadah. This is because eebaadah from the perspective of its being considered eebaadah (i.e. its existence) has 4 cases, and likewise from the perspective of its being absent (non-existence) it has 4 cases.
• The cases for it’s being eebaadah (i.e. it’s existence) are:
1. The preservation of its origin i.e. tawheed, such that one does what is pleasing and loved by Allaah in all aspect of tawheed – tawheed al-Uuloohiyyah, tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah and tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat.
2. Preserving the perfection of its origin – that one refrains from all types of shirk and what may lead to it. By this one would have achieved perfection of the origin (tawheed).
3. Maintaining the [U[perfection of the correctness of its obligatory matters[/U] – in performing one’s obligations, one should refrain from deficiency in the compulsory acts as this negates its correctness.
4. Preserving of the perfection of the correctness of the recommended deeds – similarly one should perform the recommended acts – the nawaafil (supererogatory) e.g. salaah, fasting, sadaqah etc. All of this completes the soundness of the compulsory acts.

These four conditions are in consideration of it being considered worship.

• Likewise from the perspective of the absence of worship it is that one of these 4 has occurred:
1. Major kufr, major shirk or major hypocrisy – this is negation of the origin (tawheed).
2. It is possible that minor shirk stems from him and this will negate the perfection of the basis.
3. Possibly occurring from him is something from sinning – drinking of alcohol, fornication etc. - this is also negation of the soundness of the obligatory deeds.
4. It is possible for example that he is negligent regarding his recommended deeds such as optional salaah, fasting, sadaqah, hajj etc. This leads to negation of the perfection of the recommended acts.

• It is therefore necessary that one remains upright and steadfast upon tawheed, such that he is in a state which pleases Allaah and this is the way of Ibraaheem عليه السلام from one perspective, and the way of all the Messengers from another perspective.

Questions & Answers


1. Question: If a couple have a daughter who is openly committing sin and has had unlawful children from this behavior and she is still behaving in this manner what stance should they take with her – should they continue their support or should they boycott her?

Answer: In respect to these illegitimate children that result from adultery or fornication are attributed to their mother i.e. they follow their mother in terms of their lineage and there is no relation to the fornicator. Based on this the children have no sin and there is no prohibition of spending money on them; for instance, the money for their clothing etc.

As for the relation with their daughter they should do their best to give her da’wah and call her to desist from this matter (her behavior) because it is a grave matter. It is obligatory upon them to give her naseehah (advice). As for the issue of her acceptance or rejection of the advice then that returns to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. The slave is commanded to give da’wah as needed, but the guidance and acceptance is from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. Indeed Allaah is able to guide and with Him is the tawfeeq.

2. Question: Many of us here wear jeans and trousers that are under our ankles but when we got to masaajid or to pray we raise the jeans or trousers above the ankle. Is this a correct move for us – that we only raise the jeans or trousers over the ankles for the prayers only?

Answer: It is not permissible for a man to wear his garments below his ankle whether inside or outside of salaah as the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said “what is beneath the two ankles is in the hellfire”[4] and in another narration that “it is haraam”[5], so it is not possible to do this.

3. Question: Is it permissible for the female teachers to teach the older boys in Islaamic schools as the school administration cannot afford teachers and separate buildings for boys and girls?

Answer: The principle is that the males teach the males and the female teach the female. It is probably possible to change the time where the females teach the females and the males teach the males by changing the time even though it is extended.

4. Question: What is the ruling of shaking hands when leaving a gathering?

Answer: In respect to shaking hands – women shaking women’s hands and men shaking men’s hands then there is nothing wrong with that legally, as for the women shaking the men’s hands and the opposite then is not permissible. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم never touched a lady’s hand – ever. When he took the pledge from the men and women, he took the pledge from the men by touching their hand, and he only took the pledge from the women verbally.

5. Question: What is the ruling of selling of debts to pay other debts? Can a debt be used to pay a debt?

Answer: The person that you are indebted to has a prior right over you. If you want to switch this debt – this is “switching one debt for another” and this is not permissible. However if a third party is involved – a strange person that you are borrowing money from, to discharge the debt that you have on another individual then that is permissible. Getting it from the same person that you owe the debt to in order to pay off the prior debt is not permissible. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى mentions in the Qur’aan:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِذَا تَدَايَنتُم بِدَيْنٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَاكْتُبُوهُ
{O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a fixed period, write it down}. [al-Baqarah 2:282]

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم passed away and his armor was mortgaged to a Jew because of a debt he owed.

6. Question: We would like to help educate and help establish some Muslims in our local area upon tawheed. They are away from the Sunnah Allaahu musta’aan can you give us some advice on the matters to do so? Baarak Allaahu feekum.

Answer: The first step is to invite the people to tawheed, and to teach them after that: taharah and salaah according to the guidance of Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم upon how he purified himself. When it is time to fast teach them about fasting, if the individuals have some wealth they should be taught the regulations of zakaat so that they may discharge their responsibility. If they intend to perform hajj (the pilgrimage) instruct them how to do this. The person should be patient upon the deficiency he may encounter in conveying the message and if people are slow in answering his call. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى mentioned, when He said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم:

وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظّاً غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لاَنفَضُّواْ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الأَمْرِ
{And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allâh's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs.} [Aal-'Imraan 3:159]

7. Question: I read a book on tawheed wherein the author categorized tawheed into four types: Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah, Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah, Tawheed al-Asma was-Sifaat and Tawheed al-I’tibah. Is this categorization correct?

Answer: The correct categorization of tawheed into three divisions is correct.
1. Tawheed al-Uloohiyyaah – singling Allaah سبحانه و تعالى out with the worship that we direct to Him. Only Allaah alone deserves to be worshipped.
2. Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah – singling out Allaah سبحانه و تعالى for the acts that He alone does e.g. creation
3. Tawheed al-Asma was-Sifaat – where we only describe Allaah سبحانه و تعالى the way He describes Himself in the Qur’aan or the way the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم described Him in the Sunnah, without changing the meaning of it, without likening Allaah to His creation, or setting up rivals to Him, and without denying any of those names and attributes. As Allaah سبحانه و تعالى mentioned in the Qur’aan:

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ
{…There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.} [ash-Shooraa 42:11]

This is established from the Qur’aan and Sunnah and is agreed upon from the Muslims – the sahaabah and the tabi’een after him صلى الله عليه و سلم.

8. Question: Is it permissible to have newspapers in the house as it contains pictures?

Answer: The principle with respect to picture-taking is that it is forbidden. However, if it placed in a location in the home where it is disrespected and not venerated – it is better not to have it there at all, but if it is in that location then there is nothing wrong with it inshaa Allaah.

9. Question: If a person has an overwhelming feeling of sadness thinking of a past sin that they have committed and for which they have made taubah to Allaah many times, but still feel that they needs to continue to ask Allaah for forgiveness. Do they continue making taubah to Allaah repeatedly until this feeling is gone or is there some other format they need to do following the Sunnah?

Answer: With respect to this individual if the sin that he has committed is in regard to the rights due to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى he should give up the sin, he should feel sad about it, and he should make up his mind never to return to that sin again. These are the conditions of taubah – if they are in place then his taubah is correct. As for him transgressing on the rights of some other human being – if it is pertaining to money or his wealth then he should return this wealth to him, if it refers to his honor then he should try and pardon him. If he is pardoned then in addition to that he should supplicate for this individual in the places where he spoke badly about him or transgressed his honor. If this does not happen then the Judgment and the Decree of this will be with Allaah سبحانه و تعالى who says in the Qur’aan:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
{Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily, Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Az-Zumar 39:53]

Also, the Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said in a hadith Qudsi: “I am as my servants thinks about Me.” [6] So a person should think that his repentance has been accepted and that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has forgiven him.

10. Question: My husband pronounced divorce on me recently and he said that he was not thinking right at the time. Nevertheless he did it and I accepted and now he says that it does not apply because he did not take all the steps – admonishment, refuse to share bed, strike her lightly and finally divorce.

Answer: The fundamental principal in regard to the actions of the Muslims is that it is sound, and if this occurred that a person divorced his wife – the fundamental principle is that he did it willfully, that he was in his right mind when he did so.

However, it could have occurred that something happened to him that caused him to speak outside of him being in his right mind and fully aware of what he was saying. So, it is possible for him to contact the Islaamic center in his locality so that they may find out if this is the case – that the person was really in a state when he pronounced divorce that it did not count or if it was otherwise. If it was only one pronouncement, then it is lawful for him to take his wife back whilst she is in her ‘iddah (waiting period) – and he should have two witnesses when doing so. Or, if he wants to, he may have marital relationship with her with the intention that this relationship is taking her back, and this would be sufficient.

11. Question: I am a sister who is not able to conceive except by artificial insemination inshaa Allaah, by taking my egg and my husband’s sperm and fertilizing it outside my womb and then placing it in my womb. What is the correct ruling in this?

Answer: The Shaykh حفظه الله said that he would answer this question in the next lecture inshaa Allaah.

12. Question: I am currently working in a label factory. The labels that we make are being used for many products some of which are also used for beer bottles (10%). I am a cutter so my job is to cut the papers into the actual labels. So I don’t come in contact with the ‘end product’. Is it permissible for me to work?

Answer:A man and his earning and spending is of four types or has four situations:

1. He earns by halaal means and spends in a halaal manner
2. He earns by haraam means and spends in a haraam manner
3. He earns by haraam means and spends in a halaal manner
4. He earns by halaal means and spends in a haraam manner

As for the one who earns by halaal means and spending in a halaal manner he is rewarded for earning by a halaal means and spending in a halaal manner.
As for the one who earns by haraam means and spends in a haraam manner, he is a sinner and commits sins by earning by haraam means and spending in a haraam manner.
If he earns by halaal means and spends in a haraam manner then he is rewarded for earning by halaal means and a sinner for spending in a haraam manner.
If he earns by haraam means and spends in a halaal manner then he is committing a sin by earning from haraam means and is not rewarded for his spending in a halaal manner.

So this man, the questioner, works in a place where some of his earnings may have haraam aspects and the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said:

دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك

“Leave off that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.” [7]

And the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم also said:

إِنَّ الْحَلالَ بَيِّنٌ وَإِنَّ الْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشْتَبِهَاتٌ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُنَّ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ النَّاسِ فَمَنْ اتَّقَى الشُّبُهَاتِ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ كَالرَّاعِي يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَرْتَعَ فِيهِ أَلاَ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى أَلاَ وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ مَحَارِمُهُ أَلاَ وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ

“The halaal is clear and the haraam is clear and between the two are doubtful matters which are not known to many. Therefore whoever fears and avoids doubtful matters has protected his religious commitment and his honor. But whoever falls into doubtful matters then he falls into that which is haraam – like the shepherd who herds his flock near a sanctuary or private pasture, it is possible that his herd may stray into it. Beware, every king has a sanctuary and the sanctuary of Allaah on the earth is His legal, forbidden things.” [8]

Therefore this man should quit this job and whoever quits something for Allaah, Allaah replaces that with a better one. And with Allaah is tawfeeq.

13. Question: I am a Muslimah – is it permissible for me to show my hair to my sister in law who is a disbeliever and what is the ’awrah for Muslim women when she is with non-Muslim women?

Answer: All of the woman is ’awrah except her face and her hands in salaah, and it is not permissible for her to show anything of her ’awrah – her hair or otherwise to a disbelieving woman.

14. Question: My friend has made a promise; or swore by touching the Qur'aan, she regrets it so much. Is this type of promise permissible as she didn't exactly say it from her heart and as she was forced to do so and had no other option.

Answer: This type of oath is a very sinful oath and it is binding upon her to make taubah to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى but there is no atonement binding upon her.

15. Question: My mother was raised under strong Shia influence, but currently understands their innovations. However, she currently does not pray, fast, pay zakaat, or perform the other obligations of Islaam. She claims that she believes in Allaah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم. Based on this, is my mother considered a Muslim? Is she currently entitled to an Islamic wedding, funeral, greeting (salaams) etc.?

Answer: Concerning this lady who is mentioned, it is binding upon her daughter to invite her to Islaam because she is not a Muslim as the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said “that pledge between us and them is the salaah, whoever gives it up he has disbelieved.”[9] And when Jibreel عليه السلام questioned the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم about Eemaan the response of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was “to believe in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and Qadr – the good and the bad of it.” He mentioned 6 pillars and when he صلى الله عليه و سلم was questioned about Islaam he said “that you bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship other than Allaah, and the Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, and that you establish the salaah and give the zakaah, you fast in Ramadaan and you perform the pilgrimage to the House.” [10] So these must be in place, so as for this lady she is not a Muslim based upon what has been mentioned in the question so it is upon her daughter to invite her to Islaam.

16. Question: I really need to know what the proper dress is for a Muslimah while she is in her home alone, and knows that no one will be coming to her home. Is it a sin for me to wear shorts in the home when I am alone?

Answer: Each human being has with him four (4) angels from the Fajr prayer to the ‘Asr prayer and four (4) with him from the ‘Asr prayer to the Fajr prayer. He has one on his right recording his good deeds and one on his left recording his bad deeds and those in front and behind him protecting him by Allaah’s Leave from the harmful things which Allaah has Willed. Also, from salaatul ‘Asr to salaatul Fajr – it is the same thing – the angel on his right writing his good deeds and the one on his left recording his bad deeds and one in front and one behind him protecting him by Allaah’s Leave. So he has eight (8) angels throughout the day with him. The home is also inhabited by the jinn, so the lady should be shy of the angels around her and she should guard herself to protect herself from the jinns. She should cover her body – all of it – in her home. There is nothing wrong if she shows her hand, face and head if there are no non-mahrams with her.

17. Question: What is the ruling in marriage for a woman whose husband has cut her off in relations, and his reason for cutting you off is to keep you from becoming pregnant? Also, how does a woman approach her husband when he is being neglectful in time that he spends with his family?

Answer: The lady has rights that are due to her from her husband and she has rights on her due to her husband and he has rights due to him from her and he has rights due to her from him. Each one of them has rights and they should know what their rights are in order to request it, and to know what he/she is responsible for. As for marital relations in respect to the intimacy the lady has a right and her husband has a right. Neither of them should prevent the other from attaining the rights due to him/her unless there is something legally Islaamically justifying it. As for what was mentioned in the question, nothing was mentioned about Islaamic rights that allows for the husband to turn away from his wife, so in this case what he is doing is incorrect.

18. Question: I am a Muslimah who has recently come to terms with my husband looking for another wife. He has found some matrimonial sites. Some sisters send pictures of themselves to my husband sometimes without hijaab. At times I have noticed that as soon as he comes home, he goes straight to the computer to check his email for these sisters, Allaahu Alim. Whenever I ask him if he has the daleel on the permissibility of using such sites for this purpose, he says I am disobedient, and spying on him. I fear that my husband is falling into the haraam.
He does not spend time with me or our child, and whenever he does talk to me it is with harshness. So how should I approach him?

Answer: It is known that if a man intends to marry he has a right to look at the woman he intends to marry and she has a right to look at him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم in addressing his companion said “Did you look at her? Look at her for it is more likely to keep the affection between you.”[11] As for just covering one’s desire this is not lawful – it is forbidden and Allaah will punish a person for doing such a thing. And, this is whether it is a picture or real life.

It is also not permissible for him to be negligent in regards to the rights of his wife and children because he is a guardian or a shepherd over them. As the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم mentioned, “All of you are in a position of being a shepherd or a guardian – the man is the guardian over his household and he is responsible for those under his care. And the lady is a guardian in the home of her husband and she is responsible for those under her care.” [12] And tawfeeq is from Allaah.

Transcriber’s Footnotes:

1. Jaami’ at-Tirmidhi 4/667 #2516 Hassan-Saheeh, Shaykh al-Albaani says the chain is Saheeh.

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ يَا غُلَامُ إِنِّي أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ احْفَظْ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ احْفَظْ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلْ اللَّهَ وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ لَوْ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ لَكَ وَلَوْ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ رُفِعَتْ الْأَقْلَامُ وَجَفَّتْ الصُّحُفُ

1. Reference not found
2. Part of a long hadith in Saheeh Muslim #2577 from Abi Dharr with the wording:

يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ

1. Saheeh al-Bukhaari – Kitaab al-Libaas #5450 from Abu Hurayrah with the wording:

مَا أَسْفَلَ مِنْ الْكَعْبَيْنِ مِنْ الْإِزَارِ فَفِي النَّارِ

1. Reference not found
2. Saheeh al-Buhkaari – Kitaab at-Tawheed #6970, 7066 from Abu Hurayrah with the wording:

قَالَ اللَّهُ أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي

1. Collected by at-Tirmidhi #2518 and he said Hasan-Saheeh, also collected by an-Nisaa’ee and others. Found in an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith #11.

دَعْ مَا يَرِيبُكَ إِلَى مَا لا يَرِيبُك

1. Saheeh al-Bukhaari #52, 2051 and Saheeh Muslim #1599 and others. Found in an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith #6.

الْحَلالُ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشَبَّهَاتٌ ...

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami’ #4143, Sunan at-Tirmidhi #2621

الْعَهْدُ الَّذِي بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ الصَّلاةُ فَمَنْ تَرَكَهَا فَقَدْ كَفَرَ

1. Hadeeth of Jibreel – Saheeh Muslim #8; Abu Dawuud #4695 and others. Found in an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith #2.
2. Mishkaat al-Masaabih #3107 with a saheeh isnaad from Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasaai and others

هل نظرت إليها ؟ قلت لا قال فانظر إليها فإنه أحرى أن يؤدم بينكما

In Ahmad with the wording:

أَنَظَرْتَ إِلَيْهَا قُلْتُ لا قَالَ فَانْظُرْ إِلَيْهَا فَإِنَّهُ أَحْرَى أَنْ يُؤْدَمَ بَيْنَكُمَا

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami’ #4569

كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ الْإِمَامُ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالْمَرْأَةُ رَاعِيَةٌ فِي بَيْتِ زَوْجِهَا وَمَسْئُولَةٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهَا وَالْخَادِمُ رَاعٍ فِي مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ قَالَ وَحَسِبْتُ أَنْ قَدْ قَالَ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ فِي مَالِ أَبِيهِ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَكُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ

Quote:

The Shaykh حفظه الله said:

The Shaykh حفظه الله began by praising Allaah سبحان و تعالى and sending the salaat and salaam upon our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم, his family and companions until the Day of Judgment.
He then read the text:

Shirk when mixed with worship corrupts it

If you know that when shirk is mixed with worship it corrupts it and it destroys the deeds and that those people will be in the fire forever, then you will realize the importance of this matter, and perhaps Allaah سبحان و تعالى will free you from this trap – and that is shirk with Allaah سبحان و تعالى. He سبحان و تعالى said:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ
{Verily, Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that …} [an-Nisaa 4:116]

This is by knowing 4 principles that Allaah سبحان و تعالى mentions in His Book.

The First Principle

1st Principle – Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah does not enter one into Islaam:

That the (kuffar) disbelievers that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم fought against had the knowledge that Allaah سبحان و تعالى was the Creator and the One who arranges the affairs, but this did not enter them into Islaam. The evidence for this is the saying of Allaah سبحان و تعالى:

قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ والأَبْصَارَ وَمَن يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ الأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللّهُ فَقُلْ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ
{Say (O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]): "Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?" They will say: "Allâh." Say: "Will you not then be afraid of Allâh's punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allâh)?"} [Yunus 10:31]

• The Shaykh حفظه الله went on to explain that what is meant by the Shaykh رحمه الله is that from amongst mankind, in this life people are in different groups:

• 1st Group – are those who are upright in both their inward beliefs and their outward actions. The evidence for this is found in al-Baqarah 2:1-5

الم {1} ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ {2} الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ {3} والَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ {4{ أُوْلَـئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ {5}

‏

{Alif-Lâm-Mîm. This is the Book (the Qur'ân), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqûn [the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism who fear Allâh much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allâh much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. Who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salât (the prayers), and spend out of what We have provided for them [i.e. give Zakât (obligatory charity), spend on themselves, their parents, their children, their wives, and also give charity to the poor and also in Allâh's Cause - Jihâd]. And who believe in that (the Qur'ân and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) and in that which was sent down before you [the Taurât (Torah) and the Injîl (Gospel)] and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell). They are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful.} [al-Baqarah 2:1-5]

• 2nd Group – those who disbelieve. Allaah سبحان و تعالى mentions:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ {6} خَتَمَ اللّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عظِيمٌ
{Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe.
Allâh has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allâh's Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment.} [al-Baqarah 2:6-7]

• 3rd Group– those who outwardly display righteous actions but inwardly they oppose the Deen. They are the hypocrites.

Corruption of Righteous Deeds

• The Shaykh رحمه الله said that man may do a righteous deed but then does something which corrupts or even destroys the righteous act. There are 4 categories as follows:

1. If the righteous deed is mixed with an action that negates it completely, like doing a deed that contains major shirk, major kufr or major hypocrisy. In this case the righteous act will not be accepted because the original deed was combined with an aspect that completely negated its tawheed – i.e. major shirk, major kufr or major hypocrisy.
2. One does a righteous deed with tawheed, but not completely. The act is not nullified in itself, but it is lacking in its perfection. This is due to the committing of minor shirk. If the individual dies upon this he is not absolved of the sin. Allaah may enter him into the fire or may take from his good deeds to compensate for his act of shirk. He سبحان و تعالى says:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ
{Verily, Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills, …} [An-Nisaa 4:116]

1. One does a righteous deed but also commits a major sin like zina, stealing or drinking alcohol. The major sin may be leaving off a compulsory act or committing a forbidden act. This does not negate the original act, or its completeness but it prevents completeness in reward for the compulsory act. Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah says that this individual is still mu’min with eemaan, but a sinner having committed a major sin. If he dies upon this sinful act he is under the Will of Allaah سبحان و تعالى – He may forgive him if He Wishes or enter him into the fire to be purified and then granted Jannah.
2. One does a sinful act and is persistent upon it. So he does righteous deeds but is persistent upon minor sins. If he does not repent and dies upon this then this is like committing a major sin. This is because persisting upon minor sins is equivalent to transforming it to a major sin. If he dies upon this he will also be under the Will of Allaah سبحان و تعالى. If He Wishes He سبحان و تعالى will punish him and if He سبحان و تعالى Wishes He will forgive him.

• What the Shaykh رحمه الله has mentioned is a warning that when Shirk is mixed with righteous deeds it corrupts it as Allaah جل و علا teaches us:

فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُواْ لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلاً صَالِحاً وَلاَ يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً
{…So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.} [Al-Kahf 18:110]

• The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said in a hadith qudsi that: “He جل و علا said: ‘I am the most self-sufficient of having any associates, whoever does a deed and commits shirk with Me in doing that deed, I leave him to the one that he committed the shirk for’.” [1]

• From this we derive that the Muslim must pay attention to actions that will benefit him and to persist as much as he is able, to make his speech and actions and also what he attains from wealth and spends from it, to be in compliance with Allaah’s Legislation. This path would lead to his deeds of righteousness being kept sound for him.


Questions and Answers

1. Question: What is the meant by “Allaah descends to lowest heaven in last third of the night”? Is this descending real or figurative?

Answer: ‘Descent’ is an attribute denoting action (فعلية). Allaah’s attributes are either those that denote an action (فعلية), or a personal attribute (ذاتية) - those that describe Him سبحان و تعالى, or both (ذاتية فعلية). The methodology of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jammah is that you adhere to what has been mentioned in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. His سبحان و تعالى descent is like His ascending over His Throne. The meaning is known, how it applies to Allaah is unknown, belief in it is compulsory, and we should not ask how. We don’t ask “how does He descend?” what is upon us is to have eemaan in His سبحان و تعالى descending. And may Allaah give us success.

2. Question: My Muslim mother is buying things with my personal card fraudulently and deceitfully and putting bills in my name and not paying them off. Every time I confront her about this she proclaims her rights over me. She is incurring these debts without my knowledge or permission. Am I responsible for these debts? I do not want to go to the police as they will put her in jail.

Answer: It is necessary to take into consideration the condition of this woman and this man. Considering the woman – is she poor and unable to pay for her expenses, clothing and to provide shelter for herself? If this is the case and she purchases what is sufficient for her from clothing and her expenses and food and drink and her accommodation, then we must also look at the son – is he wealthy? If so, then it is compulsory upon him to spend on her needs, her clothing, food, and shelter.

However, if the mother is rich then she has no right to take anything from her son’s wealth. Likewise, if the son is poor she has no right to buy things and to place the debt upon him.

3. Question: What is the correct understanding of the hadith that stipulates that the imaam is the one who should have memorized the most Qur’aan? In our Masjid those that are musbil (lower garment is below the ankle) and have trimmed beards know more Qur’aan than those who have the legislated beards and wear thawbs, so who has the right to be the imaam?

Answer: The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said that “the one who has memorized more Qur’aan than the others should lead the person in salaaah and if they are equal in this, then the one who has most knowledge of the Sunnah” .[2] What is intended by this is that the person who is going to lead the prayer should have the most knowledge of the rulings of the salaah – what may occur of mistakes in its pillars, its conditions or the compulsory actions of the prayer, which may be left off unintentionally, inadvertently or intentionally. If the person is knowledgeable about the regulations of the salaah he would be able to deal with issues as they present themselves, so he is the one who should step forward to lead the people in prayer.

4. Question: Concerning the garment of the individual for prayer – if a person has an izaar (waistcloth) or a thawb available, is it permissible for him to pray in pants? What about the one who is heavy – perhaps if he prays in pants his ‘awrah (the parts of the body that must be covered) may become exposed?

Answer: Allaah جل و علا mentions in Qur’aan:

يَا بَنِي ءَادَمَ خُذُواْ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ
{O Children of Adam! Take your adornment (by wearing your clean clothes) while praying …} [Al-A’raaf 7:31]

So, one should use the best of his garments for prayer. However, if he has covered his ‘awrah then his salaah is acceptable and correct.

5. Question: Is it permissible for us to say that a specific person is an innovator because of his being associated with a political group? He is the imaam of a Masjid. Or, is it that this judgement can only be passed on a person who openly does innovation and invites to it?

Answer: Bid’ah must be understood as what comes in the Deen not in matters of worldly affairs. Innovations may be from the perspective of adding to or subtracting from a matter, bringing forward or delaying it, or regarding its place or time, or by doing an action or leaving it off, in matters of the Deen. Bid’ah is of two types: actual bid’ah (بدعة حقيقية) or secondary bid’ah (بدعة إضافية) i.e. it is related to a legislated matter of the Deen.

One is termed an innovator if sometimes he does the bid’ah on his own or sometimes he calls to doing a bid’ah. Therefore, one must be careful in examining the act of the individual to determine his condition before applying the legal regulations to this individual. If one acts in opposition to what Allaah has legislated then that action is an innovation. If one calls to innovation then this is more severe. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم taught us that “whoever establishes a good sunnah then for him is the reward and the reward of all those who act by it until the Day of Judgment, without anything being reduced from their rewards, and whoever establishes an evil sunnah then for him is the sin and the sin of all those who act by it until the Day of Judgment, without anything being reduced from their sins”.[3] As for calling a specific person an innovator simply because he claims to be a part of a political group, then this should not be done. If he accompanies them in their innovation or he calls to their innovation then this is different.

6. Question: We receive through the mail offers regarding 'Free Prize Draws' - if it is free can we submit our names to this or is it a form of gambling?

Answer: If the person spends any money in order to receive this type of reward and he may or may not get the reward, then it is not permissible for him to participate in this type of acts as this is form of gambling.

7. Question: Is it permissible to translate the khutbah of the imaam in the sitting between the two khutbahs if the imaam knows both languages?

Answer: The basis is that the khutbah should be given in the Arabic language but there is nothing wrong with translating the khutbah after the khutbah is given or after the salaah is performed.

8. Question: I have been married for almost 3 years and for the past 2 years I have had a lot of trials in my marriage and I am being very patient with my situation but the last thing that has happened has really been the worst and I want to ask for a khullah, Please advise me what to do.

Answer: If not possible for her to remain with her husband because he is bad in his Deen or not good in his character or he treats her in a bad manner either in the way he spends, clothes or houses her, then there is nothing wrong with her seeking a separation from her husband under these circumstances.

9. Question: How is it possible to know that one is afflicted with sorcery/black magic and what is the cure?

Answer: This question shall be answered in the next lesson inshaa Allaah.

10. Question: I have a question regarding taking a child of one of my neighbours to a non-Muslim school. Her mother is working and not able to take her. The child goes to public school as the Muslim schools here are very expensive and the mother is unable to pay the tuition. In this non-Muslim school they teach the children haraam things. Am I in a state of sin for doing this as I drive the car and take her to and from school every day. The mother is not religious and does not teach her daughter religious matters.

Answer: The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “Each of you is a shepherd over your flock. The imam is a shepherd and responsible his flock, the man is a shepherd over his family and responsible for them, the woman is a shepherd over her husband’s household and responsible for those under her care. Everyone is a shepherd and responsible for those under their care.”[4] This mother has a legal Islaamic responsibility to look after her children and it is not lawful for her to send her children to a school that teaches them matters that are prohibited. Rather, it is compulsory upon her to teach them what will benefit them from matters of their Deen.

Transcriber’s Footnotes

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami’ #4313; Saheeh Muslim Vol. 4 #2985 from Abu Hurayrah

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَا أَغْنَى الشُّرَكَاءِ عَنْ الشِّرْكِ مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلاً أَشْرَكَ فِيهِ مَعِي غَيْرِي تَرَكْتُهُ وَشِرْكَهُ

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami’ #8011 from Abi Mas’ud; Saheeh Muslim Vol. 1, #673; Jaami’ at-Tirmidhi 1/458 #235, Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh isnaad.

يؤم القوم أقرؤهم لكتاب الله فإن كانوا في القراءة سواء فأعلمهم بالسنة فإن كانوا في السنة سواء فأقدمهم هجرة فإن كانوا في الهجرة سواء فأقدمهم سنا ولا يؤمن الرجل في أهله ولا في سلطانه ولا يقعد في بيته على تكرمته إلا بإذنه

1. Muslim #1017 with similar wording as part of a longer hadith

مَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلامِ سُنَّةً حَسَنَةً فَلَهُ أَجْرُهَا وَأَجْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا بَعْدَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ سَنَّ فِي الْإِسْلامِ سُنَّةً سَيِّئَةً كَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُهَا وَوِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْءٌ

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh isnad in Adab al-Mufrad 1/83 #212 with the wording:

كلكم راع وكلكم مسؤول عن رعيته فالأمير راع وهو مسؤول والرجل راع على أهله وهو مسؤول
والمرأة راعية على بيت زوجها وهى مسؤولة ألا وكلكم راع وكلكم مسؤول عن رعيته

Quote:

The Shaykh حفظه الله said:

The Shaykh حفظه الله began by praising Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and sending the salutation and salaam upon the most noble of all Prophets and Messengers صلى الله عليه و سلم, his family and companions until the Day of Judgment. He then said:

The 1st Principle

That you know the Kuffar, who the Messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم fought, used to affirm that Allah, Ta’aala, was the Creator and the Disposer of all the affairs but that didn’t enter them into Islam and the proof is the saying of the Most High:

{Say: Who provides for you from the sky and from the earth? Or Who owns hearing and sight? And Who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? They will say: “Allah”. Say: Will you not then be afraid of Allah’s punishment (i.e.-for setting up partners with Allah)?} Yunus (10):31

• This is the 1st Principle – In this principle there is an admonition (تنبيه) from the Shaykh رحمه الله for those present at his رحمه الله time and also an admonition for those who receive this message whether they are male or female.

Acknowledging Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah does not enter one into the fold of Islaam

• He رحمه الله clarifies that the disbelievers in ancient times and in his رحمه الله time acknowledged Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah and this acknowledgement did not benefit them. The conflict between the messengers and their nations was not in Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah. The number of messengers sent was about three hundred and fifteen (315); and with all of them the contention between them and their nations was Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah.

• As for Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah most of them acknowledged this; and they also acknowledged Tawheed as-Asmaa was-Sifaat, with His Names, His Attributes (صفات), His Essence (ذات) and His Actions. They acknowledged all of this, yet it did not enter them into Islaam.

Committing Shirk in Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah

• In this there is also an admonition for those people that are present in this time who acknowledge Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat, but they commit shirk with Allaah جل و علا in Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (worship) as Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah is the singling out of Allaah alone in acts of worship by the servant. For example:

• Committing shirk in mahabbah (محبة – love) i.e. in the love that they have for Allaah جل و علا. They may love the creation more than they love Allaah جل و علا or they love the creation instead of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى i.e. they love the creation and have no love for Allaah سبحانه و تعالى.
• Committing shirk in du’aa (دعاء – supplication) i.e. where they may supplicate to the creation as an act of worship (glorification); or make a request concerning a particular issue where the only One that can address the issue is Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. This is like those people who go to the occupants of the graves and supplicate to them besides Allaah جل و علا with regard to their bringing benefit or repelling harm.
• Committing shirk in niyyah (نية – intention) i.e. where their intent (قصد) in doing an act is shared between Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and His creation, or they do the action seeking other than the Face of Allaah جل و علا. Here intent means worship (تعبد).
• Committing shirk in taa’ah (طاعة – obedience) e.g. by making halaal what Allaah جل و علا has made haraam and making haraam what Allaah جل و علا has made halaal as Allaah جل و علا said:

اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ
{They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allâh…} [At-Taubah 9:31]

Once while Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم was reciting this ayah, a companion said, "O Allaah's Messenger! They do not worship them (i.e. the rabbis and monks)." Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم said: "They certainly do. They (i.e. the rabbis and monks) made lawful things as unlawful and unlawful things as lawful, and they (i.e. Jews and Christians) followed them; and by doing so, they really worshipped them." [1]

Singling out Allaah سبحانه و تعالى alone in acts of worship

• Therefore, it is necessary for an individual to single out Allaah جل و علا alone in acts of ’eebaadah (worship) as tawheed al-Uloohiyyah is singling out Allaah جل و علا alone in acts of ’eebaadah.

• So when the Shaykh رحمه الله points out that acknowledgment of this type of tawheed (ar-Ruboobiyyah) does not benefit an individual nor enter him into Islaam, he mentions the daleel (evidence) that is indicative of this i.e. that the disbeliever acknowledges this aspect of tawheed but it does not enter him into Islaam. Surah Yunus 10:31.

قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ والأَبْصَارَ وَمَن يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ الأَمْرَ فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللّهُ فَقُلْ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ
{Say (O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]): "Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?" They will say: "Allâh." Say: "Will you not then be afraid of Allâh's punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allâh)?"} [Yunus 10:31]

The Disbelievers acknowledged tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah from 6 aspects

• The Shaykh رحمه الله mentions the daleel that the disbelievers acknowledged tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah from 6 aspects.

1. Ar-Rizq – The Daleel from the Qur’aan:

قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ
{Say (O Muhammad [sal-Allâhu 'alayhi wa sallam]): "Who provides for you from the sky and the earth?} [Yunus 10:31]

And from a hadith Qudsi: “…O My servants, all of you are hungry (needy) except one whom I feed, so beg food from Me, so that I may give that to you. O My servants, all of you are naked (need clothes) except one whom I provide garments, so beg clothes from Me, so that I should clothe you…”[2]

And Allaah جل و علا says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ
{Verily, Allâh is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong.} [Ad-Dhaariyaat 51:58]

And Allaah جل و علا says:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُواْ وَاتَّقَواْ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ
{And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety),
certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth…} [al-A’raaf 7:96]

What is intended by this question is that it is directed to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم saying, “Ask them who provides for them from the sky and the earth?” This is the first aspect.

1. Hearing – from the ayah: “Or who owns hearing…” meaning that the hearing of the children of Aadam عليه السلام is controlled by Allaah جل و علا.

أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ

1. Sight – also from the ayah, sight is controlled by Allaah جل و علا.
2. Life – Allaah جل و علا says:

وَمَن يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ
{And who brings out the living from the dead?}

1. Death – Allaah جل و علا says:

وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ
{and brings out the dead from the living?}

1. Disposes the affairs- Allaah جل و علا is the One who arranges the affairs from the sky to the earth.

وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ الأَمْرَ
{And who disposes the affairs?}

What Allaah wishes He does; and what He does not wish He doesn’t do. If He wants to order a matter He says “Be! And it is”.

• The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was ordered to ask them these six question, then after that came the answer at the end:

فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللّهُ فَقُلْ أَفَلاَ تَتَّقُونَ
{They will say: "Allâh." Say: "Will you not then be afraid of Allâh's punishment?"}

That is, if they acknowledge all these six aspects; and believe that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is the Owner and Ruler then why don’t they acknowledge that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى alone deserves to be worshipped? They say “we acknowledge Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah” then why don’t they acknowledge Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah i.e. obey Allaah; do what He orders, and leave off what He has prohibited?


QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. Question: I have heard that minor shirk does not remove one from the fold of Islaam. Is this a consensus (ijmaa') with the 'Ulamaa?

Answer: The manhaj of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah from the Sahaabah, the Tabi’een and the atba-Taabieen, is that normally a person is not free from minor shirk, except very rarely; it is Riyaa (showing off). For example, one may adorn his salaah so that it may be said that he prays well, or he recites nicely so that it may be said that his recitation is good. This is minor shirk.
Accordingly, the aqeedah of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah says this person is not a disbeliever because of the statement of Allaah جل و علا:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ
{Verily, Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, He forgives whom He wills, sins other than that…} [An-Nisaa' 4:116]

However, Allaah will either enter him into the Fire (not permanently), or take from his good deeds to compensate for his (minor) shirk. This is the madhab of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah.

2. Question: The Sufis have been spreading a shubhah (doubt) about tabarruk (seeking blessings) with the graves to the new Muslims here by bringing to them narrations from the books of the Salaf (such as Siyaar Alaam). Many of the narrations are da’eef (weak) and mawdoo’ (fabricated). However my question is, “Is tabarruk with the graves shirk, bid’ah mukaffarah (takes one out of the fold of Islaam) or bid’ah ghayr mukaffarah (does not take one out of the fold of Islaam)?”

Answer: Those who go to the occupants of the grave are of varying conditions:

1. One that supplicates to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى at the grave where someone is buried, or prays to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى at the grave – this is not permissible because supplication to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is not lawful at a grave as it was not done by the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم nor commanded by him صلى الله عليه و سلم. The Sahabaah also did not do this, nor order that it be done, and likewise the Tabi’een and the atba-Tabi’een did not do this.
   
   This is a matter that is not lawful because the intent is worship of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and one may not go to the grave intending to do this. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was questioned by one of his companions “O Messenger of Allaah I made a pledge to sacrifice a camel at Buwanah (a place)” He صلى الله عليه و سلم asked if there was ever an idol worshipped at that place or did they ever have any of their celebrations there and when the companions replied “no” he was told by the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم to go and fulfill his pledge as there is no fulfillment of a pledge made in disobedience to Allaah or something that is beyond a person’s capacity. [3] Accordingly, it is not permissible for one to go to the grave with the intention of supplicating to Allaah near the dead person or to pray to Allaah near the dead person.
2. One that goes to the grave and supplicates to the occupant of the grave or sacrifices to him, supplicating to the one in the grave as an intercessor to Allaah, asking him to bring benefit or repel harm, assuming that blessings will be obtained. This act is major shirk.
   
   This type of du’aa (requesting something) and also istigaatha (seeking assistance in times of difficulty) is lawful when seeking it from one who is alive, present and capable and who wants to help you if a request is made of him. However, to go to a dead person and supplicate to him to bring benefit or repel harm is major shirk as the dead obviously cannot fulfil what is being asked.

The first is prohibited because it leads to shirk and the second because it is major shirk.

3. Question: I am a sister who would like to seek more knowledge of my Deen. I live in the West and would like to go to where the People of Knowledge are. However, I am in heavy debt from school bills (i.e. tens of thousands of dollars). Is it permissible for me to leave my country to seek knowledge with the intention of returning to pay off my debts?

Answer: It is compulsory upon the servant to understand what is fard ‘ayn (individual duty) and what is fard kifaayyah (collective duty) regarding knowledge.
Fard ‘ayn is compulsory upon each individual that has attained the age of responsibility. It includes seeking knowledge of:
• Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and having Eemaan (faith) in Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and knowledge of the opposite which is hypocrisy
• the tawheed of Allaah جل و علا and the opposite which is shirk
• the pillars of Islaam and the opposite which is kufr
• the performance of taharaah (purification) i.e. wudu, tayyamum and ghusl
• the salaah – the number, pillars, conditions, compulsory aspects
• the rulings pertaining to fasting
• if he has wealth he must learn the rulings of zakaat,
• if he intends to perform hajj or ‘umrah he must learn the rulings of hajj and ‘umrah,
• if he wants to do business transactions he must learn the regulations of buying and selling, so that he may know what is lawful and what is prohibited
• the rulings pertaining to marriage – what are the rights due to and due from each spouse.

All of this is Fard ‘Ayn i.e. compulsory knowledge upon each individual. If this knowledge can be obtained in one’s home town this is no doubt easier. However, if someone cannot be found to teach what is Fard ‘Ayn upon the individual then there is nothing wrong with relocating to where there are scholars and people to instruct in these areas. If there is the need to travel, then it is necessary to request permission to travel from the lender of the loan, with the intention of repaying the loan after returning (from seeking knowledge).

As for knowledge that is fard kifayyah (collective responsibility) e.g. being a judge. This is so because this particular type of knowledge is carried out and spread to others e.g. a teacher or dai’ya. It is not compulsory to acquire this type of knowledge and to travel to do so, but if he wants to do so it is not a problem.

4. Question: Is the woman that is divorced for the third time entitled to maintenance during her pregnancy? Please explain what maintenance is, would it differ if the wife is a co-wife with her own home?

Answer: *** Not translated during session ***

5. Question: I would like clarity with regards to using the names of Allah preceded by "al", for other than Allah. This is because of some quotes I have read from the Qur’aan and Ahadeeth where this seems to be the case, for example "rabbul-'arsh-iladheem "(Qur’aan). Here Allah refers to His throne as "al-adheem". And Imam Malik said in al-Muwatta "Luqmaanalhakeem ". So what is the ruling regarding using Allah's name preceded by "al", to others besides Allah, considering these quotes?

Answer: One of the principles that we have is that the legislation of those who preceded us is also legislation for us unless there is something in our Deen which prevents what is found in previous scriptures. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى mentions about the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم:

لَقَدْ جَاءكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
{Verily, there has come to you a Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well).
It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) is anxious over you;
for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful.} [at-Taubah 9:128]

Here the words رؤوف رحيم Ra’oof Raheem are used to express that the Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم is compassionate and merciful. Here Allaah سبحانه و تعالى uses a name for the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم similar to what is used for Allaah سبحانه و تعالى.

As for the proper names of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى like Allaah and Ar-Rahmaan, it is not permissible for a person to name himself with them. When asked if the names of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى may be used without the definite article, the Shaykh said that those are qualities that are attributed to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى alone, and it is not lawful to use them like that.

6. Question: I find it very difficult to visit my relatives and accept their invitations because all the gatherings are mixed with non-mahram men and women interacting freely and the women do not observe proper hijaab. Please advise me as my relatives feel hurt and upset because I avoid all such invitations to dinners, weddings, visiting the sick etc. How should I treat my relatives while maintaining the principles of Islam?

Answer: *** Not translated during session ***

7. Question: If one owes money to an unknown source, should that individual put that amount in charity or supplicate for them?

Answer: If the person does not know who the wealth belongs to then the wealth should be given in charity on behalf of the owner (lender) of the wealth. If the lender comes to collect the wealth one day in the future he should be told that the wealth was given in charity and if he agrees to that, then there is no problem. However, if the lender does not accept this then he must be repaid. The sadaqah given earlier e.g. $1000 on behalf of the lender would be something in favour of the one who gave the sadaqah and not the original owner (lender) of the money, who must be repaid the $1000.

8. Question: We have some teachers who beat and mistreat children mentally and physically. Our children are in trauma and so frightened to attend their lessons. The little ones being called out their names with foul languages, imitating their speech and under "disciplinary actions” their ’awrah is being exposed. They claim this is the way of the Sahaabah. What is your naseehah?

Answer: Regarding this issue, the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said “Command the children to pray at seven and reprimand them at ten.” [4] The teacher’s disciplining of a student varies depending on the student’s age; and many methods are available. Disciplining by breaking bones due to beating and exposing the ’awrah is not permissible. Exposing one’s ’awrah is haraam and it is not permissible for one to look at another person’s ’awrah, except between the husband and wife, but other than this it is not permissible. There is no problem in certain circumstances where there is a need e.g. if one is undergoing some sort of medical treatment. However, for the teacher to expose the student’s ’awrah and apply the punishment such that the teacher or students sees the child’s ’awrah there is no doubt that this is haraam (prohibited). To attribute this to the Companions and the Taabi’een is no doubt a lie. This teacher is being sinful by attributing this to the Companions and the Taabi’een; and also by using a type of punishment that is unlawful.

9. Question: My parents conceived me outside of wedlock, but got married before I was born, therefore I was born in wedlock. Both of them are non-Muslims, am I to be attributed to my father or to my mother?

Answer: If a man commits zinaa (adultery or fornication) with a woman and she becomes pregnant and he marries her whilst she is pregnant this marriage contract is not valid and the child is not attributed to the man. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “The child is to the bed and the stone is for the adulterer” [5] i.e. the child is attributed to the mother and her relatives – her parents, children and those outside her nuclear family. The adulterer has no relationship with the child and as mentioned before, the marriage contract is not valid.

10. Question: What is the ruling regarding the removal of hair from a woman’s face?

Answer: If she has a beard or hair on her cheek there is no problem in removing this. As for the hair above the eyes i.e. the eyebrows, it is not permissible that she should remove any of it for any reason, whether it be for beautification or otherwise.

11. Question: I need advice concerning my children. I do not permit television, movies and the like in my home, but when my ex-husband takes the children for a visit he takes them to the movie house to see the kuffaar movies, he allows them to see DVD movies in his home, I tell my daughters who are in puberty to cover their faces and he tells them they do not have to. Now the children hate my home, because they long for the home of their father. What is your advice?

Answer: The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock, the man is a shepherd in his house and responsible for his household, the woman is a shepherd over her husband’s house and has a responsibility for those under her care.”[6] According to this, the mother has a responsibility and likewise, the father has a responsibility. Both of them have the responsibility of bringing up children in an Islaamic manner. It is not lawful to bring them up such that they become accustomed to haraam things from drink, food, clothing, or things that they are allowed to hear or see. If they (the parents) incite them towards these things then they have betrayed their Trust. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says:

إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤدُّواْ الأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا
{Verily, Allâh commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due…} [an-Nisaa 4:58]

So, you excel in training your children regarding what is between you and Allaah (your trust) and ask Allaah جل و علا to divert their father from this bad type of upbringing to righteous upbringing (of the children). What the father does of bad training is a sin upon him, and the sin is not upon you as Allaah جل و علا says:

لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْساً إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا
{Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope…} [al-Baqarah 2:286]

And Allaah جل و علا says:

مَا يُرِيدُ اللّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ
{…Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty…} [Al-Maaidah 5:6]

12. Question: My sister in law lives about 80 kilometres from the city I live in. Is it permissible for her to come visit me without a mahram? If not may her brother meet her halfway and drive in front of her the rest of the way?

Answer: The legal evidences show that it is not lawful for a woman to travel a distance of a day and a night without a mahram. The journey that has been mentioned is not permissible for a woman to travel because it is estimated at 40km for the first day and 40km for the second day, so it is not permissible for her to travel this distance. Possibly her brother could visit her and bring her to his home. It is not permissible for her to travel halfway or the whole way on her own.

13. Question: Is it permissible for a woman to travel for 4 hours by plane in order to study with the ‘Ulema?

Answer: No, it is not permissible. It is not allowed. You look at the distance it would take a camel to travel in a day and night – not an aeroplane.

Transcriber’s Footnotes:

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Hasan in Ghaayatul-Maraam #6 with the following wording:

وقد جاء عدي بن حاتم إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وكان قد دان بالنصرانية قبل الإسلام فلما سمع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقرأ هذه الآية { اتخذوا أحبارهم ورهبانهم أربابا من دون الله والمسيح ابن مريم وما أمروا إلا ليعبدوا إلها واحدا لا إله إلا هو سبحانه عما يشركون } قال : يا رسول الله إنهم لم يعبدوهم فقال : بلى إنهم حرموا عليهم الحلال وأحلوا لهم الحرام فاتبعوهم فذلك عبادتهم إياهم . وفي رواية أن النبي عليه السلام قال تفسيرا لهذه الآية : ( أما إنهم لم يكونوا يعبدونهم ولكنهم كانوا إذا أحلوا لهم شيئا استحلوه وإذا حرموا عليهم شيئا حرموه

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami #4345. Narrated by Abi Dharr in Saheeh Muslim Vol. 4 #2577 containing the wording:

يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُهُ فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَسَوْتُهُ فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ

1. Sunan Abu Dawuud 3/238 #3313. Shaykh al-Albaani says the hadith has a saheeh isnaad.

نذر رجل على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن ينحر إبلا ببوانة فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال إني نذرت أن أنحر إبلا ببوانة فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم هل كان فيها وثن من أوثان الجاهلية يعبد قالوا لا قال هل كان فيها عيد من أعيادهم قالوا لا قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أوف بنذرك فإنه لا وفاء لنذر في معصية الله ولافيما لا يملك بن آدم

1. Ahmad Vol2. #6756; Abu Dawuud Vol. 1, #495. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh in Irwaa al-Ghaleel Vol. 2 #298 with the wording:

حديث عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال مروا أبناءكم بالصلاة وهم أبناء سبع سنين واضربوهم عليها لعشر وفرقوا بينهم في المضاجع

1. Narrated by abu Hurayrah in Saheeh al-Bukharee Vol. 4 #6432 with the wording below. Also found in Muslim, Abu Dawuud, at-Tirmidhi and others.

الولد للفراش، وللعاهر الحجر

1. Shaykh al-Albaani says Saheeh isnad in Adab al-Mufrad 1/83 #212 with the wording:

كلكم راع وكلكم مسؤول عن رعيته فالأمير راع وهو مسؤول والرجل راع على أهله وهو مسؤول والمرأة راعية على بيت زوجها وهى مسؤولة ألا وكلكم راع وكلكم مسؤول عن رعيت

At the start of the class it was announced that a sister, Sister Betty, wanted to enter into Islaam by pronouncing the Shahaadah – Alhamdulillaah. They Shaykh حفظه الله gave some advice to the sister, and then pronounced the words of the Shahaadahtayn for her to repeat. After this he continued with the book: The Four Principles.

The Shaykh حفظه الله said:

The Shaykh حفظه الله began by praising Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and sending the salutation and salaam upon the most noble of all Prophets and Messengers صلى الله عليه و سلم, his family and followers all of them. He then said:

Advice to Sister Betty

• It is necessary to know that the Qur’aan is a Book sent by Allaah سبحانه و تعالى for all creation from jinn and mankind, and that the message of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم is general – for mankind and jinn, and that this Sharee’ah (legislation) is complete as Allaah جل و علا says:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِيناً

{…This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion…} [Al-Maaidah 5:3]

• And that this Sharee’ah is firm and fixed, it does not change. It judges and it is not judged i.e. the rulings it contains are the legislation of Allaah as He جل و علا says:

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ حُكْماً لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ

{…And who is better in judgement than Allâh for a people who have firm Faith.} [Al-Maaidah 5:50]

• And as Allaah جل و علا said to His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم:

فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىَ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً
مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً

{But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.} [An-Nisaa 4:65]

• From another perspective, it is important for this lady to be thankful for this blessing from Allaah جل و علا Who guided her to Islaam, because if all of the angels in the Heavens, and all the occupants of the Earth, and the Jinns, all of them, if they gathered together to guide her to Islaam then by Allaah, even if they intended to guide her, they would never be able to do so, as Allaah جل و علا said:

يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا قُل لاَّ تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلامَكُم بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ

{They regard as a favour to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) that they have embraced Islâm. Say: "Count not your Islâm as a favour to me. Nay, but Allâh has conferred a favour upon you that He has guided you to the Faith…} [Al-Hujuraat 49:17]

• So, her guidance to Islaam is from Allaah alone. It is an enormous blessing and it is upon her to show gratitude to Allaah جل و علا for this.

• After that she should utter the Shahaadah:
لا إله إلا الله و أن محمد رسول الله و أن عيسى عبد الله و رسوله و كلمته ألقاها إلى مريم و روح منه و أن الجنة حق و أن النارحق و أن الساعة ءاتية لا ريب فيها و أن الله يبعث من في القبور

There is no deity worthy of worship besides Allaah and Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم is the Messenger of Allaah and that Eesah عليه السلام is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger and a Word from Himself that He cast into Maryam and a Ruh (spirit) from Him and that the Jannah is true and the Fire is true and that the Hour (and Judgment) is coming, there is no doubt about it, and that Allaah will resurrect those in the graves.

• After she has uttered the Shahaadah it is obligatory upon her to perform ghusl (ritual bath) on account of entering Islaam. After entering Islaam this ghusl removes the effects of Kufr (disbelief) and the effects of Shirk. This is imperative.

• Regarding the name, there are three names and she may choose one of them:

• Faatimah – the daughter of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and the leader of the women of Jannah
• Ayesha – the wife of Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم
• Maryam – the daughter of ‘Imraan, mother of Eesah عليه السلام

May Allaah be pleased with them all. She may choose one of these names. And with Allaah is the tawfeeq.

• The Shaykh حفظه الله then pronounced the words of the Shahaadahtayn and the sister repeated them. The Shaykh حفظه الله then made du’aa for the sister, and mentioned that she should choose a name from the three he mentioned and he inclined to Faatimah رضى الله عنها as she is the daughter of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and the leader of the women in Jannah. He said Alhamdulillaah to the One who has saved her from kufr.

The Four Principles by Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab رحمه الله

The 2nd Principle

Quote:

The Shaykh حفظه الله said that Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab رحمه الله started the 2nd principle by saying:

The Mushrikeen took their gods as a means of drawing closer to Allaah

• The Mushrikeen (polytheists) say that they only worship their gods so that they (their deities) may draw them closer to Allaah, and as a means of intercession with Him سبحانه و تعالى. The evidence for this is the Speech of Allaah جل و علا

وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآء مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ

{… And those who take Auliyâ' (protectors, helpers, lords, gods) besides Him (say): "We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allâh." Verily, Allâh will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Truly, Allâh guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.} [az-Zumar 39:3]

• What is meant by this, is that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى stated that the Mushrikeen, who He sanctioned and condemned to the Fire forever, did not commit shirk in tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah (Lordship) regarding Allaah جل و علا. Rather, their shirk was in tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (Worship of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى).
• They did not say or claim that their gods which they worshipped besides Allaah سبحانه و تعالى created anything, or granted rizq (provision) or benefited or harmed or administered the affairs along with Allaah سبحانه و تعالى in His Supreme Power.
• They took their deities as intermediaries between themselves and Allaah, as Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said about them:

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَـؤُلاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِندَ اللَّهِ

{And they worship besides Allâh things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allâh."…} [Yunus 10:18]

• Their saying: “that harm them not, nor profit them” is their acknowledgment that their deities neither profit nor harm them and that they take them as intercessors i.e. intermediaries to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى.


The Aqeedah of the Mushrikeen

• The sacrifices they used to make to the idols, and promises and pledges that they took in the names of the idols, was not because they thought that these things harmed or benefited them in and of themselves, but that they were intermediaries and brought them closer to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. This is the Aqeedah (Belief) of the Mushrikeen.


Intercession (Shafaa’ah – شفاعة)

• Intercession is of two types – that which is true and correct (حق) and established in the Qur’aan, and that which is false and futile (باطل).
1) The correct form of intercession has 2 conditions which must be satisfied:
i) It is done with the permission of Allaah جل و علا
ii) The one being interceded for, must be from the people of Tawheed
2) The incorrect form occurs when either of the 2 conditions mentioned above is absent.
• The Shaykh رحمه الله then says that the evidence for their taking their deities as a means of intercession is the Speech of Allaah جل و علا:

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَـؤُلاء شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِندَ اللّهِ

{And they worship besides Allâh things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allâh."…} [Yunus 10:18]

Intercession is of 2 types:

1. شفاعة منفية – (Shafaa’ah Manfeeyah) Intercession that is prohibited or negated.
2. شفاعة مثبتة – (Shafaa’ah Muthbitah) Intercession that is affirmed or established in the Qur’aan.

Prohibited Intercession
• It is intercession that is sought from other than Allaah جل و علا in things where only Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has the ability to provide what is being requested. The daleel for this is the statement of Allaah جل و علا:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلاَ خُلَّةٌ
وَلاَ شَفَاعَةٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

{O you who believe! Spend of that which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zâlimûn (wrong doers).} [al-Baqarah 2:254]

• This is intercession which is baatil (false) and which is done without the Permission of Allaah جل و علا.
• This is the type that the Mushrikeen spoke of when they sought intercession from other than Allaah سبحانه و تعالى.

Affirmed Intercession
• It is intercession requested from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى from a noble intercessor, whose intercession is acceptable and the person on whose behalf the intercession is being sought is one that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is pleased with his statements and actions, and it is after His سبحانه و تعالى Permission as He سبحانه و تعالى says:

مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ

{…Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission?...} [Al-Baqarah 2:255]

The Mushrikoon did not understand intercession

• In this is an explanation from the Shaykh رحمه الله تعالى, because these people heard about intercession but they did not understand the meaning of it. They requested intercession without the permission of Allaah عز و جل and for those who commit shirk with Allaah. They requested it from those who have no control over the matter and for those who are not deserving of it. The intercession of those intercessors will be of no benefit to them. They are ignorant of the meaning of the affirmed intercession and the disallowed intercession.


Intercession is by the Permission of Allaah

• No one is able to intercede with Allaah سبحانه و تعالى except with His Permission.
• The best of creation, and the seal of the Prophet, Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم when he wants to intercede for those standing on Yawmul Qiyaamah (the Day of Judgment) he will honor Allaah by prostrating to Him and ask of Him and praises Him and he will repeat this and will not cease to prostrate until He سبحانه و تعالى says to him: “Raise your head and speak, and your speech will be listened to, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.”[1] So, he صلى الله عليه و سلم will not be able to intercede until he صلى الله عليه و سلم is given permission by Allaah سبحانه و تعالى.
• This type of intercession is for the people of Tawheed.


The Mushrikoon will not benefit from intercession on Yawmul Qiyaamah

• The Mushrik will not benefit from intercession, those who make offerings to pious people from the people of the graves, thinking it would help them. This is ascribing partners with Allaah. It is major shirk, and those that they sought intercession from, their intercession will not benefit them on Yawmul Qiyaamah.

فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمْ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ

{So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them.} [al-Muddaththir 74:48]

Summary

• Therefore, this clarifies that the Prohibited Intercession is requested without the permission of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى or by committing shirk with Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and the Affirmed Intercession is done after permission is granted by Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and it is for the People of Tawheed.



Questions and Answers

1. Question: What is the first obligation upon a new Muslim after performing the ghusl (bath), and is it permissible for him/her to pray in the English language until he/she has memorized the prayer in the Arabic language?

Answer: The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم when he sent Mu’adh to Yemen the first thing he صلى الله عليه و سلم said to do was to invite the people to the Shahaadah – That there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allaah and that Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم is the Messenger of Allaah. Then he said “If they obey you in this then inform then that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has made compulsory upon them five prayers throughout the day and night.”[2]

So, the first obligation after she comes into Islaam and takes a bath, is the prayer and there is nothing wrong with her performing the prayer in the language which she understands or knows and is accustomed to, until she learns the Arabic language.

Of the principles of our Deen is that when difficulties occur there is ease. There are many verses in the Qur’aan expounding this principle, such as when Allaah جل و علا teaches us:

لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْساً إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا

{…Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope…} [Al-Baqarah 2:286]

مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ

{…Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty…} [Al-Maaidah 5:6]

So based on that, there is nothing wrong with performing the prayer on time as this is something that should be done (i.e. the prayer on time) and to do the supplication in the language that she is accustomed to speaking until she learns the Arabic language.

2. Question: Noble Shaykh, you mentioned in your last lecture (Four Principles Class #4) that the kuffar of Quraysh believed in tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat, so how do we understand their actions when they refused to acknowledge “ar-Rahmaan” and “ar-Raheem” in the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah?

Answer: This acknowledgement of Allaah’s Names and Attributes comes as a natural by-product of them believing in Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah. They believe that He is the One who gives life, and has authority over everything. All of these cannot take place unless the names of these particular things are inherently attributed to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. So even thought they don’t acknowledge it openly, it is something that they recognize because of Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah, even though they might not state this, they believe in Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat inherently. So it is from this perspective that we are saying that “yes – they acknowledge Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-Sifaat” – the Tawheed of Allaah’s Names and Attributes.

3. Question: If a man embraces Islam so he can take a Muslim woman for marriage is his sins still forgiven or not?

Answer: In all conditions, if he entered (Islaam) outwardly and did not enter inwardly i.e. he entered outwardly for the purpose of marrying a woman then he is a munaafiq (hypocrite) – this is Major Hypocrisy because the hypocrites are the ones that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى mentioned in the Qur’aan in surah al-Baqarah:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

{And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: "We believe in Allâh and the Last Day," while in fact they believe not.} [al-Baqarah 2:8]

And likewise what He سبحانه و تعالى mentioned in surah an-Nisaa:

إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيراً

{Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them.} [An-Nisaa 4:145]

So, if he entered Islaam outwardly and did not enter regarding his heart (i.e. he did not embrace Islaam), and he entered outwardly for the purpose of marriage, then it is not permissible for him to marry this woman. From the principles of the Sharee’ah is that this type of individual is treated based on the opposite of his intention.

4. Question: Do we have to pray Salaatul Khusoof (eclipse prayer) even if we do not witness it? And are there any specific ad'iyah (pl. du’aa) that we have to say in the day or during the eclipse?

Answer: The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: “The sun and the moon are two signs from the signs of Allaah. They do not eclipse for the death of anyone neither their life (i.e. birth). Allaah uses these to strike fear into His slaves. So when you see them offer the prayer and supplicate until the eclipse passes away.”[3] If someone establishes that an eclipse is present then he should pray the Eclipse Prayer (Salaatul Khusoof), whether he has to pray it individually or in congregation and similarly whether it is a man or a woman. It is performed as described in the Sharee’ah (Legislation).

5. Question: What is the ruling on Anaasheed (songs) if they do not contain anything from Shirk or Bid’ah or musical instruments?

Answer: These Anaasheed are from two perspectives – who is doing the Anaasheed and what is the reason for it? The person may consider something to be lawful in that there is nothing in it that is prohibited when in actuality there is.

So really, I would prefer that this be sent to me by fax so that I may see what it is and respond accordingly. The ruling in respect of giving fatwa is that a person responds to each question as it is presented, because this would differ from one situation to the next. So it is important not to give a general ruling in something that may require a specific decision or ruling.

6. Question: We are prisoners and due to the prison's restrictions on our movement we are unable to pray five daily prayers in congregation according to the Sunnah. Is combining the prayers due to the prison's restrictions legislated in Islaam or is it prescribed to pray individually each prayer at its proper time within our prison cells?

Answer: What prevents a person from attending the congregational prayer or the Jumu’ah in respect to the men are:
1. مانعا حقيقيا (Real Deterrent) – It may be a real preventative – i.e. something which in actuality cannot be avoided in the human.
2. حكمييا مانعا(Legal Deterrent) – It is considered as something which prevents him.

The first case (حقيقي) is for example sickness – this is something that allows a person to stay away from the congregational prayer. No creation has any say in this, it is not something that is from the creation, rather it is from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. This is a real type of deterrent which allows him to pray in his home – to pray Dhuhr 4 rakaat in its time, ‘Asr 4 rakaat on time and Maghrib and ‘Eeshaa in the times they are supposed to be prayed.

Another thing that may prevent a person is travelling, and Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has given him a concession – for the traveller to shorten his prayer for a permissible journey or one that is compulsory. As for a person who is travelling in order to do something haraam – it is not permissible for him to take the concession under this circumstance.

As for one that has something which prevents him legally – a deterrent such as those who are prevented by someone else from carrying out a particular act – like those mentioned in the question. They are prevented by those who have imprisoned them from performing the prayer the way they want to perform it and this is not from Allaah’s سبحانه و تعالى in the way that sickness is.

For these individuals, if it is easy for them to pray in congregation then they should do so, if they can pray with another individual this is good because the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم mentioned that two and above is what is considered a congregation[4]. If they are not able to do so, then they pray by themselves according to their circumstance, and each person prays the prayer on time – Dhuhr 4 rakaat in its time, ‘Asr 4 rakaat in its time, Maghrib in its time and ‘Eeshaa 4 rakaat in its time; this is what is binding upon them.

7. Question: A man has a mini-store, which some of his income is from selling alcoholic beverages, and he is wondering if he could send his mother to do ‘Umrah from the income of that store? Please keep in mind that the store was purchased by taking an interest-bearing loan and has not yet been paid off.

Answer: It is not permissible for him to spend on himself, his wife, his children, and it is not permissible for him to spend on his mother regarding Umrah from these unlawful earnings. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم taught us that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is pure and He does not accept except that which is pure.[5] He صلى الله عليه و سلم mentioned a man who had traveled for a long time, he is dusty and his hair is unkempt and his food is haraam, his drink is haraam and his clothing is haraam and he is saying ‘Yaa Rabb, Yaa Rabb’ (My Lord, My Lord) – How, the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said, can he be answered?[6]
So, it is not lawful for him from the principles of Islaamic business transactions, to incur these types of unlawful transactions, for example Ribaa(Interest) and selling alcoholic beverages. This is so because the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم cursed with respect to alcoholic beverages, ten individuals, amongst them is the one who receives some time of monetary benefit from selling those items.[7]

From another perspective this is an act of disobedience from him towards his mother – to treat her in this manner.

8. Question: A student recently came to the USA and did not know the time for praying nor was he able to look at the sun to find out whether the time had entered or not. He prayed all his prayers on time except Dhuhr. He prayed it about 20 to 25 minutes before its time. What is he to do now?

Answer: Whatever prayer he prayed before its time entered, must be repeated.

9. Question: Can a husband ask his wife if she wants a khullah keeping in mind that the wife never brought it up or asked but she answered yes out of anger and hurt, then the husband said by Allaah you got it. Is this considered permissible? Are they still married?

Answer: As for the khullah it is something that is done and is only considered a khullah if there is something that has been given – some type of wealth. Otherwise if a person intends by agreeing with his wife that this is a divorce, then this is a divorce, what is important is his intention in this case.

As for the khullah she has to give something, and if she does and he accepts it, then she is free of him and it is not lawful for him to get back with her without a new contract and a new mahr (dowry) i.e. marrying her a second time.

10. Question: I would like to know if it is permissible to say to a Shaykh "I love you for the sake of Allaah" if you are a lady and your intention is not another way. Please clarify this issue for us.

Answer: If she is truthful between herself and Allaah سبحانه و تعالى there is no difference between this regulation with women amongst women, men amongst men or from male to female. The principle is that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has pointed out certain specific regulations for women and certain specific regulations for men. When there is no specification that it is either for the men or women then the regulation is general for both men and women as is the case with what is being presented here in this question.

Transcriber’s Footnotes:

[1] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (#7072) and in Saheeh Muslim (#193) as part of the hadith of adh-Shafaa’ah including the wording:

...فأستأذن على ربي فيؤذن لي ويلهمني محامد أحمده بها لا تحضرني الآن فأحمده بتلك المحامد وأخر له ساجدا فيقال يا محمد ارفع رأسك وقل تسمع وسل تعطه واشفع تشفع...

[2] Reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (#1331) and Saheeh Muslim (#19)

وعن ابن عباس رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُ أن النبي صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّم بعث معاذاً رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُ إلى اليمن فقال: ادعهم إلى شهادة أن لا إله إلا اللَّه وأني رَسُول اللَّهِ، فإن هم أطاعوك لذلك فأعلمهم أن اللَّه افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في كل يوم وليلة، فإن هم أطاعوك لذلك فأعلمهم أن اللَّه افترض عليهم صدقة تؤخذ من أغنيائهم وترد على فقرائهم.‏

[3] Reported by An-Nisaa’ee 3/152, Shaikh Al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Saheeh in Sunan An-Nisaa’ee (#1502).

فقال إن الشمس والقمر آيتان من آيات الله يخوف بهما عباده وأنهما لا ينكسفان لموت أحد فإذا رأيتم كسوف أحدهما فصلوا وادعوا حتى ينكشف ما بكم

[4] Reported by Ibn Maajah, Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Da’eef (Weak) in Irwaa al-ghaleel (#489).

ضعيف ) حديث أبي موسى مرفوعا الإثنان فما فوقهما جماعة رواه ابن ماجه

[5] Reported as part of a longer hadeeth. Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (#2744).

إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيبا

[6] Reported in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab az-Zakaat (#1015).

ثم ذكر الرجل يطيل السفر أشعث أغبر يمد يديه إلى السماء يا رب يا رب ومطعمه حرام ومشربه حرام وملبسه حرام وغذي بالحرام فأنى يستجاب لذلك ؟ . رواه مسلم

[7] Reported by Ibn Majaah and at-Tirmidhee, Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Saheeh in Sunan Ibn Majaah 2/1122 (#3381) and Saheeh/Hasan in Jaami' at-Tirmidhee 3/589 (#1295).

لعن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الخمر عشرة : عاصرها ومعتصرها أي طالب عصرها وشاربها وحاملها والمحمولة إليه وساقيها وبائعها وآكل ثمنها والمشتري لها والمشتراة له

The Shaykh حفظه الله said:

The Shaykh حفظه الله began by praising Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and sending the salutation and salaam upon the most noble of all Prophets and Messengers صلى الله عليه و سلم, his family and followers all of them. He then said:

The 3rd Principle

Quote:

The people differed in their forms of worship

• Shaykh Muhammad ibn Wahhab رحمه الله said: The Third Principle. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم encountered people differing in the worship. Among them were people who worshipped angels, some who worshipped the prophets and the righteous men and others who worshipped stones, trees, the sun and the moon. The messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم fought them and did not differentiate between them.
• In this principle is the description of the community to which the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was sent in order to expose their forms of worship, which was to other than Allaah جل و علا. They differed in their forms of worship from the aspect of what they worshipped. The Shaykh رحمه الله mentioned a number of categories:
1. those that worshipped angels
2. those that worshipped prophets and righteous men
3. those that worshipped stones and trees
4. those that worshipped the sun and the moon

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم did not differentiate between the various forms of Shirk

• The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم had one position against all of them, that is, he صلى الله عليه و سلم opposed them all and did not differentiate between them although they varied in their objects of worship which were all forms of shirk with Allaah جل و علا.
• This was in contrast to the Companions رضى الله عنهم of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم who came together upon one thing; and that is that they worshipped Allaah جل و علا alone.
• It is upon this basis that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم set out to give his Da’wah in calling to Allaah جل و علا, opposing all forms of shirk – major and minor, and he also fought against disobedience (ma’aasee). He called and invited all mankind, to the worship of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى alone. Whenever the people worship other than Allaah سبحانه و تعالى they follow their desires as well as the claims of the misguided ones from the creation.

The similitude of the Muwahhid (one upon tawheed) and the Mushrik (polytheist)

• Regarding this Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said:

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً رَّجُلاً فِيهِ شُرَكَاء مُتَشَاكِسُونَ وَرَجُلاً سَلَماً لِّرَجُلٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلاً الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

{Allâh puts forth a similitude: a (slave) man belonging to many partners (like those who worship others along with Allâh) disputing with one another,
and a (slave) man belonging entirely to one master (like those who worship Allâh Alone). Are those two equal in comparison?
All praise and thanks are Allâh's! But most of them know not.}[Az-Zumar 39:29]

• Those that worship Allaah alone are like the slave that serves one individual – he is pleased with his master, he knows his objectives and he knows what he is requested to do and he is pleased with it. However, the Mushrik (polytheist) is like one who has many masters, he does not know what is required of him – all of them have their desires, they each have requests and they each have their interests, each one wants him to attend to him, hence Allaah سبحانه و تعالى draws the similitude of the man who is owned by many partners disputing with one another i.e. he is owned by several individuals, he does not know who he is pleasing from amongst them. And the man who belonging entirely to one master i.e. has one master that is pleased with him.
• This is the similitude that Allaah جل و علا puts forth for the Mushrik (polytheist) and the Muwahhid (one upon Tawheed). The Mushrikoon are divided in their worship and the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم fought against them all – the idol worshippers, the Jews, the Christians, the Magians (fire worshippers), those that worshipped the angels and those that worshipped the awliyaa’ and righteous people.

Refutation against those who differentiate between worshipping animate and inanimate objects

• In this is a refutation against those who say that those who worship idols are not like the ones who worship a righteous person or an angel, because those worship stones, trees and inanimate objects, as for the ones that worship a righteous man and awliyaa’ from the awliyaa’ of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, they say ‘they are not like those that worship idols’.
• They intend by that statement, that those that worship graves in this time have a different ruling from those that worship idols. So they do not consider as kufr (disbelief) those that worship the dead (the saints etc.). They do not consider this act of theirs as shirk or that it is permissible to fight them.
• So it is said to them “the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم did not differentiate between them and considered all of them Mushrik (polytheist) and regarded as permissible their blood and their property and did not differentiate between them. And those that worshipped al-Maseeh (the Messiah – Eesah عليه السلام), he was a messenger of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, nevertheless he صلى الله عليه و سلم fought them, and the Jews who worship ’Uzairwho was a prophet of theirs. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم fought them and did not differentiate between them.”

Evidences

The daleel (evidences) that the Shaykh رحمه الله mentions for this Principle are:

1. Evidence for fighting all the Mushrikeen: The Speech of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى:

وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلّه

{And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and shirk) and the Deen will be only for Allaah …} [al-Anfaal 8:39]

This ayah comprises three matters:

1. the command with fighting the Mushrikeen (polytheists) without distinguishing between them regarding what they worship
2. until there is no fitnah i.e. until shirk is removed – all of it, whether major or minor shirk
3. make the Deen for Allaah only so that there will not be found on the earth anything worshipped other than Allaah سبحانه و تعالى

1. Evidence regarding the sun and the moon being worshipped: The Speech of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى:

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لا تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلا لِلْقَمَرِ

{And from His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon …} [Fussilat 41:37]

This is evidence that there are those who prostrate to the sun and the moon. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم prohibited this, as well as salaah during the rising of the sun and its setting to avoid that which leads to shirk.

From the known principles of the legislation (Shari’ah) is the stopping of all means that lead to major shirk, major kufr, major nifaaq (hypocrisy) or to sins, for it is obligatory that they be prevented.

This is because there are those who prostrate to the sun at sunrise and prostrate to it at sunset, so we are prohibited from performing salaah at these two times, even though the salaah is directed towards Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. If there was salaah at these times it would resemble the Mushrikeen who worship the sun and the moon. We have been prevented from that by blocking the means which leads to shirk and the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم came with a prohibition against anything that would lead to shirk and blocked all means to it.

The daleel preventing worship at those times is the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم:

لا يتحرَّ أحدكم فيصلي عند طلوع الشمس و لا عند غروبها

“Let none of you seek to observe prayer at the time of the rising of the sun or its setting.”[1]

1. Evidence regarding angels and prophets being worshipped: The Speech of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى:

وَلاَ يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَن تَتَّخِذُواْ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ وَالنِّبِيِّيْنَ أَرْبَاباً

{Nor would he (Muhammad) order you to take angels and prophets for lords (gods)…} [Aali ‘Imraan 3:80]

This evidence indicates that there were those that worshipped angels and prophets and this is a form of shirk. The angels and prophets being close to Allaah جل و علا does not prevent their worship from being shirk. The grave worshippers of today say that those that worship the angels, prophets and righteous people are not disbelievers and this is speech that is not correct.

1. Evidence regarding the prophets being worshipped: The daleel that the Shaykh رحمه الله also mentions is the Speech of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى:

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ

{And when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection) “Ya ‘Isa ibn Mariam did you say to men, ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah’?” He will say, “Subhanaka! It was not for me to say that which I have not right (to say). Had I said such a thing You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self thought I do not know what is in Yours, truly You are the All-Knower of all that is hidden.} [al-Maa’idah 5:116]

In this ayah is the indication that there are people who worship al-Maseeh (Eesah عليه السلام) and his mother. They worship the two of them besides Allaah جل و علا.

So, in this ayah is a statement of refutation against those who differentiate between that worship and the worshipping of graves. They say that shirk is the worship of idols only. They do not equate between those that worship idols and those that worship a walee or a righteous man. They are ignorant of the similarity between these forms of worship and they think that shirk is confined to the worship of idols only and this is a clear mistake.

That is because Allaah عز و جل in the Qur’aan disapproved of all of them and ordered with fighting all those who worshipped other than Allaah, regardless of the type of object they worshipped. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم did not differentiate between any of them – the idol worshippers and those that worshipped the angels or a righteous man.

1. Evidence regarding righteous people being worshipped: the Speech of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى:

أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ

{Those who they call upon desire (for themselves) means of access to their Rub (Allah), as to which of them should be nearest
and they hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment…} [al-‘Israa 17:57]

In this ayah is the revelation that there are those who worship righteous people. This ayah was revealed concerning those that worship al-Maseeh (Eesah عليه السلام) and his mother, and ‘Uzair. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى informed that al-Maseeh, his mother Maryam and ‘Uzair, all of them are servants of Allaah جل و علا that seek to draw close to Him and they hope for His Mercy and they fear His Punishment. They are servants, they are in need of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and they depend upon Him, they call upon Him and worship Him with obedience, striving to get close to Him جل و علا. If this is so, then how can they be worshipped besides Allaah?

1. Evidence regarding stones and trees being worshipped: the Speech of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى:

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللاَّتَ وَالْعُزَّى {19} وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَى

{Have you considered al Laat and al ‘Uzza and Manaat, the other third?}[an--Najm 53:19-20]

The statement “Have you considered?” is a negative question which means “Inform me”.

Laat, without a shaddah on the “taa” is the name of an idol that was in Taa’if. It refers to a sculptured rock, upon which was constructed a house and on it (the house) were curtains made to resemble the ka’bah, around it was a courtyard and there were custodians. They worshipped this rock instead of Allaah عز و جل and it belonged to the tribe Thaqeef and the tribes remained loyal to it and took pride in it.

If read as Laatt with a shaddah on the “taa” it is the doer of the verb (اسم فاعل) from (latta-yaluttu – to crush) and this was a righteous man who used to crush fine flour and feed it to the pilgrims. When he died a house was built upon his grave and curtains were hung on it and they worshipped it besides Allaah عز و جل. This is Laat.

And ‘Uzza was a patch of acacia (سلم) trees in the valley of Nakhla between Makkah and Taa’if. Surrounding them was a building with curtains and there were custodians. In them (the trees) were Shayaateen (devils) who spoke to the people. The ignorant people thought that the trees were the ones speaking to them or the house that they built around them, but it was the Shayaateen that were speaking to them in order to misguide them from the Path of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. This idol belonged to the Quraysh, the people of Makkah and those around it.

Manaat was a large rock in an area situated near Mount Qudayd between Makkah and Madinah and it was for the tribes of Khuzaa’ah, ‘Aws and Khazraj. They assumed ihraam there for hajj and they worshipped the rock instead of Allaah جل و علا.

These three idols are the greatest idols to the Arabs. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said: “Have you considered al-Laat and al ‘Uzza and Manaat?” i.e. did they enrich you in anything? Did they benefit you? Did they help you? Did they create, grant provision and give life or death? What did you find in them? That is from the affair of refutation and a stimulation of the intellect for it to return to its right guidance. For these are only rocks and trees, there isn’t in them any benefit or harm. They are created.

When Allaah جل و علا brought forth Islaam and the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم conquered Makkah he sent Mugheer ibn Shu’bah and Abaa Sufyaan ibn Harb to Laat at Taa’if to demolish it, and he did as the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم commanded.

He صلى الله عليه و سلم sent Khalid ibn Waleed to ‘Uzza and he demolished it and he cut the trees and killed the jinni (female jinn) within in as it spoke to the people and misguided them so he obliterated it.

As for the last of them, he صلى الله عليه و سلم sent ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib to Manaat. He destroyed and obliterated it.

These idols were not able to save themselves, so how could they save their people and their worshippers? “Have you considered al-Laat and al ‘Uzza and Manaat, the other third?” Where did they go? Were they able to prevent the infantry of Allaah and the army of the Muwahiddeen (monotheists)?

This is evidence that there are those who worship stones and trees. However, these three idols were the greatest idols and Allaah سبحانه و تعالى obliterated them from existence and they were not able to defend themselves or benefit their people. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم attacked them and fought them, and their idols did not prevent him صلى الله عليه و سلم.

In this is evidence that benefit and harm are from Allaah جل و علا as comes in a hadith from the legacy of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم: “And know that if the Ummah came together to benefit you with a thing it would not be able to benefit you except with what Allaah has written for you; and if they gathered together to harm you with a thing they would not be able to harm you except with a thing that was written by Allaah to befall you, the pen has been lifted and the pages have dried.” [2]

واعلم أن الأمة لو اجتمعت على أن ينفعوك بشيئ لم ينفعوك بشيء إلا قد كتبه لك،
وان اجتمعوا على أن يضروك بشيء لم يضروك إلا بشيء قد كتبه اللّه عليك، رفعت الأقلام وجفت الصحف

1. Evidence that they called the tree Dhaat Anwaat – hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم

وَحَدِيُث أَبِي وَاقٍِد اللَّيْثِيِّ ـ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ ـ قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ـ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ـ إِلَى حُنَيْنٍ وَنَحْنُ حُدَثَاءُ عَهْدٍ بِكُفْرٍ،
وَلِلِمُشْرِكِينَ سِدْرَةٌ، يَعْكُفُونَ عِنْدَهَا وَيُنَوِّطُونَ بِهَا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ، يُقَالَ لَهَا ذَاتُ أَنْوَاطٍ، فَمَرَرْنَا بِسِدْرَةٍ فَقُلْنَا:
يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ اجْعَلْ لَنَا ذَاتَ أَنْوَاطٍ كَمَا لَهُمْ ذَاتُ أَنْوَاطٍ. الحَدِيثَ

And the hadith of Abu Waaqid al-Laythee رضى الله عنه who said: “We departed with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to Hunayn and we had recently left kufr (disbelief). The Mushrikeen (polytheists) used to have a tree they used to devote themselves to and hang their weapons upon, they called it [b]Dhat Anwaa t. So we passed by a tree and we said: ‘Ya Rasoolullah appoint for us a Dhat Anwaat like they have a Dhat Anwaat[b].’ [3]

Abu Waaqid al-Laythee رضى الله عنه is from those who accepted Islaam in the year of the Conquest of Makkah in the 8th year of the Hijrah.

His saying ‘Dhaat Anwaat’ – Anwaat is the plural of nawt (something suspended or hanging) and it means t’aleeq – suspended, so Dhaat Anwaat means that they suspended from it their weapons so they could seek blessings from it.

Some of the companions who had recently accepted Islaam and who did not fully understand Tawheed, said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم “Make for us a Dhaat Anwaat like they have a Dhaat Anwaat”. In this is a warning concerning the prohibition of taqleed (blind following). This tribulation of blind following and imitation is from the greatest trials with which the creation is afflicted.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was astonished by this and said “Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar” (Allaah is the Greatest, Allaah is the Greatest, Allaah is the Greatest) for when the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم was amazed by something or disapproved of something he would say “Allaahu Akbar” or “Subhaanallaah” and repeat it. It was a form of criticism.

His saying ‘as-sunan’[B] means ‘paths that the people traverse’ some of them following others. The reason that motivates you upon this is: following the paths of those that came before and imitating the Mushrikeen (polytheists) i.e. blind-following them.

His speech [B]“I said to them by the One in whose Hand is my soul, indeed you have said just as Banu Israa’eel said to Musa ‘make for us a god like they have a god’ he (Musa) said ‘Indeed you are an ignorant people’.” (This is mentioned in the Qur’aan – Surah al-A’raaf 7:138-140)

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْاْ عَلَى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَى أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ قَالُواْ يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَـهاً كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ{138} إِنَّ هَـؤُلاء مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ {139} قَالَ أَغَيْرَ اللّهِ أَبْغِيكُمْ إِلَـهاً وَهُوَ فَضَّلَكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

{And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship).
They said: "O Mûsâ (Moses)! Make for us an ilâh (a god) as they have âlihah (gods)." He said: "Verily, you are a people who know not (the Majesty and Greatness of Allâh and what is obligatory upon you, i.e. to worship none but Allâh Alone, the One and the Only God of all that exists)."
[Mûsâ (Moses) added:] "Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idols' worship). And all that they are doing is in vain."
He said: "Shall I seek for you an ilâh (a god) other than Allâh, while He has given you superiority over the 'Aalamîn (mankind and jinn of your time)."} [al-A’raaf 7:138-140]

This criticism is for all times. That is, he (Musa عليه السلام) denied them (their request) as the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم denied the request of the Mushrikeen in his time. Nevertheless, these (new Sahabaah) and those (Bani Israa’eel) did not commit shirk as they did not carry out the acts. If those Sahaabah had taken a Dhaat Anwaat they would have committed shirk. However, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى safeguarded them when the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم prohibited them and they stopped.

Benefits derived

• A benefit derived from this is the danger of ignorance in tawheed, for the one who is ignorant of tawheed may fall into shirk and not even realize it. Therefore, it is obligatory to learn about tawheed and to learn that which opposes it from shirk, until an individual is upon baseerah (clarity) in order not to be ruined by his ignorance. This is especially when he sees someone doing acting upon ignorance and he considers it the truth because of his own ignorance.
• And from the hadith, the danger of resembling the Mushrikeen and that it leads to shirk. It is established from the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم that he said: “Whoever resembles a people then he is from them.” [4]

من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم

• And in it is an admonition that seeking blessings from stones, trees and buildings, is shirk even if it is called other than that, because the blessings are requested from other than Allaah جل و علا.

The 4th Principle

Quote:

The Shaykh رحمه الله says:

That the Mushrikeen (Polytheists) of our time are worse in their shirk than the Mushrikeen who came before. This is because those who came before committed their shirk during times of ease and made their worship purely for Allah during times of hardship. However, the shirk of the Mushrikeen of our time is continuous, during times of ease and hardship. The proof is the saying of the Most High:

فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ

{And when they embark on a ship they invoke Allah making their faith pure for Him only, but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others.} [al-Ankabut 29:65]

• In this principle the Shaykh رحمه الله mentions the difference between the shirk of those that came before (al-Awwaloon) and the shirk of those in his رحمه الله time.
• The Mushrikoon that came before, in times of ease worshipped other than Allaah جل و علا and in times of hardship worshipped Allaah جل و علا making it purely for Him. As for the Mushrikoon of our time they persist in their shirk i.e. they worship other than Allaah and call upon other than Allaah جل و علا just the same in times of ease or hardship.
• And on this basis it is said that the difference between the Mushrikeen of our time and the Mushrikeen that came before is ‘general specific’.
  
  The Mushrikeen that came before, their shirk was more specific because they committed shirk with Allaah in conditions of ease, and in conditions of hardship they worshipped Allaah جل و علا.
  
  Regarding the Mushrikoon of our time their shirk is general i.e. they commit shirk with Allaah جل و علا in times of ease and hardship.

And Allaah, Subhaanahu, knows best. And may the prayers of Allaah be upon Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم, his family and his companions.



Questions and Answers

1. Question: Is it permissible to learn the Arabic language from other than the Salafees taking into consideration we do not have any Salafi masjid in the locality where we are?

Answer: Learning the Arabic language is very important because this Shari’ah (legislation) is an Arabic Shari’ah. And it is not possible for an individual to understand the Qur’aan except with knowledge of the Arabic language and likewise the understanding of the ahadeeth of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم. For this reason it is compulsory to learn it (the language) from the view of understanding what Allaah has made obligatory upon him.

So if a person gains access to one who teaches him the language but doesn’t dissociate from his corrupted teachings e.g. it is possible that he teaches him language but calls him to a deviated ideology. If the individual has this characteristic then do not learn from him, rather search for an individual who will teach him and who is trustworthy.

2. Question: Is it permissible for a father or a brother if they are not Muslims to be a mahram for a Muslim woman and what are the conditions of the mahram?

Answer: If the father is a disbeliever he cannot be a guardian for a Muslim woman without exception. He is absolutely not a guardian for her. I say: if the father or brother is kaafir (disbeliever) they are not a guardian for a Muslim under any circumstance and likewise they cannot be a mahram for her.

3. Question: If a person encounters debt before Islaam, is it compulsory upon him to take care of the debt he owes before performing hijrah?

Answer: A debt that a person owes whether he incurred it when he was a Muslim or not a Muslim, we need to know regarding it, certain textual evidences in order to understand it. When we say that ‘Islaam removes what preceded it’[5] and when Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says:

قُل لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِن يَنتَهُواْ يُغَفَرْ لَهُم مَّا قَدْ سَلَفَ

{Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will be forgiven…} [al-Anfaal 8:38]

This is in respect of the rights due to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. As for the rights due to the creation, whether Muslim or not, this particular right (repaying the debt) remains binding on the individual.

*******************

Alhamdulillaah, this completes the explanation of The Four Principles of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab رحمه الله
as explained by Shaykh Abdullaah Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Ghudyaan حفظه الله

Footnotes:

[1] Narrated by ibn ‘Umar رضى الله عنها and collected in Saheeh Muslim, Kitaab Salaatul-Musaafireen (#828) and in Saheeh Bukhaaree in Kitaab Mawaaqeet as-Salaat (#560).

[2] Part of a hadeeth narrated by Abu Abbas and reported by Ahmed and at-Tirmidhi 4/667, Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Saheeh in Jaami' at-Tirmidhee (#2516), in Saheeh Al-Jaami' (#7957) and Mishkaatul-Masaabih (#5302).

[3] Reported by At-Tirmidhee 4/475, Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Saheeh in Jaami' At-Tirmidhee (#2180) and in Mishaatul-Masaabih (#5408). The rest of the Hadith (not included in the Arabic text) is: “So the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ‘Allahu Akbar! By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, verily you have said just as the Bani Isra’eel said to Moosaa: {“Appoint for us a god, just like they have gods”, he (Moosaa) said: “Verily you are an ignorant people.”} al-‘Araaf 7:138 Verily you will follow the ways of those before you.’ ”

[4] Narrated by ibn ‘Umar رضى الله عنه – collected in Sunan Abi Dawud 4/44 (#4031), and by Hudhayfah رضى الله عنه – collected by at-Tabaraani in al-Awsat. Shaikh Al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Saheeh in Saheeh Al-Jaami' (#6149).

[5] Reported by Imaam Ahmad, Sheikh Al-Albaanee رحمه الله says Saheeh in Irwaa al-Ghaleel (#1280).

صحيح ) حديث الإسلام يجب ما قبله