Innovations of Ar-Râfida and An-Nâssiba in relation to Ashura – Shaykh Muhammad Ali Ferkous

The following  is excerpted from Fatwa of Shaykh Muhammad Ali Ferkous from his website. Full fatwa can be read @ https://ferkous.app/home/?q=en/fatwa-en-592

As for the heresies innovated by Ar-Râfida(3), like the fact of imposing thirst to themselves and showing sadness as well as other innovations, like considering this day a day of sorrow and, on the other hand, An-Nâssiba(4) who show joy and happiness and expend much in this day; neither the former nor the latter have a valid origin on which to rely, but there are only invented hadiths attributed falsely to the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم or weak hadiths that do not reach the degree of validity to be taken as proofs.

Sheikh Al-Islâm Ibn Taymiya رحمه الله demonstrated this by saying:

“Like what was innovated by some people who follow their passions during the day of `Ashura, as making themselves thirsty, showing sadness, gathering and other heresies that are not legislated neither by Allah nor by His Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم and none of the Salaf (Predecessors) or one of Ahl-Al-Bayt (The Prophet’s صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّمFamily) or others… this was an affliction to the Muslims – that is to say, the murder of Al-Hussayn رضي الله عنه – and that should be dealt with like other calamities by saying the legal Istirjâ`(5). Yet, some heretics innovated, during this day, acts that contradict what Allah عزَّ وجلَّ ordered to do when a calamity occurs. They added to that calumnies and denigration of the Companions who are innocent of killing Al-Hussayn رضي الله عنه and other things that Allah عزَّ وجلَّ and His Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم detest… As for the fact of considering days of calamities as days of bereavement, this does not belong to the Islamic religion but rather to the religion of the pre-Islamic period”,

then Ibn Taymiya رحمه اللهsaid:

“Some people innovated things during this day (`Ashura) on the basis of invented hadiths that have no valid origin like: the merit of taking a ritual bath in this day, to make up with kohl and shaking hands. All these things and others are innovated and hateful, but what is recommended is to fast during this day… apparently, as regards the invention of these hadiths, when chauvinism appeared between An-Nâssiba and Ar-Râfida, the former made the day of `Ashura a day of bereavement, and the latter invented texts that require expending copiously and making of `Ashura a holiday. However, these two ways are false”(6).

If we know that what was prescribed during this day is limited to fasting, it is not allowed to answer the invitation of someone who considers it a day of bereavement, nor someone who considers it a holiday, because it is not allowed to alter the sharia of Allah عزَّ وجلَّ for the sake of someone or rectify and add something to it.

Footnotes :

(3) Ar-Râfida: a sect belonging to the large sect of Shiites, they took the oath of allegiance to Zayd Ibn `Ali, and asked him to renounce the two Sheikhs (Abu Bakr and `Umar رضي الله عنهما), so he disagreed with them, then they left and refused him, that is to say: they boycotted him and gave up their oath of allegiance. Among their principles: Al-‘Imâma (The imamship of twelve members of the lineage of the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم), Al-`Isma (The infallibility of the twelve imams), Al-Mahdiyya (They believe in a person of the lineage of the Prophet صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم whose name is Muhammad Ibn Al-Hassan Al-`Askari who will come back at the end of the world), At-Taqiyya (To show the contrary of what one believes), in addition to insulting the Companions and other principles.

(4) An-Nâssiba: those who detest Ali رضي الله عنه and his companions. See: “Majmû`Al-Fatâwa” (25/301).

(5) Saying: “Inna Lillâh Wa Inna Ilayhi Râji`ûn” (Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return).

(6) See: “Iqtidhâ’ As-Sirât Al-Mustaqîm” of Ibn Taymiya (2/129-133).

The Ruling regarding observing Fasting in Allah’s month Al-Muharram – Shaykh Muhammad Ali Ferkous

The question:

Is it permissible to observe fast during the whole month of Muharram?

The answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

Before answering your question, I want to draw attention to a spread mistake which consists in designating the term “Muharram” without the letters Alif and Lâm (Al-)(1). The correct form is to say “Al-Muharram” as it is mentioned in many prophetic hadiths, and because the Arabs did not mention this month in their speeches and poetry but with the definite article “Al”, which is not the case with the other months. So, this denomination is unwritten and not according to a rule.

Acquiring the disbelievers nationality – Shaykh Muhammad Ali Ferkous

Fatwa no: 29

Category: Fatwas about Aqîda (Creed) and Tauhîd (monotheism)

The Question:

I am an Algerian young man; religiously upright (If Allah سبحانه wills). I have lived in Canada for a long time and I try to leave it as soon as possible. But I do not have a residence to settle down in my country.

So, is it permissible to get the Canadian passport (with some conditions I will mention later on) since it enables me to leave this country and enter the Gulf States and try to settle there?

And here are the conditions:

First: Indeed getting the Canadian passport will not invalidate my Algerian nationality but it will be the original one, this is confirmed by their laws and the Algerian country accepts plurality of nationalities.

The differentiation between invoking the Attribute and invoking by the Attribute of Allaah – Shaykh Ferkous

The differentiation between invoking the Attribute and invoking by the Attribute
Sheikh Abu `Abd-El-Mu`iz Muhammed `Ali Farkûs – May Allâh protect him
Source: from the Sheik’s website https://ferkous.app

The question:

His eminence sheikh Ibn Bâz Said: “Invoking the Attribute [of Allah] is unanimously not permissible for Ahl As-Sunna (people of the Sunna). How to reconcile between this saying and the hadith where the Messenger صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم says: “O the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists, by Your mercy I ask Your help.”[1]

The answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

In fact, there is a difference between invoking the Attribute of Allah and invoking Allah by the Attribute.

Invoking the Attribute of Allah means that the Attribute used for invocation implies something separated and independent from the divine being, which hears invocation and answers it such as saying, “O mercy of Allah, be merciful with me.” or “O strength of Allah, strengthen me.” or “O power of Allah, give me power.” or any other expressions which are not mentioned in the known invocations at all.

Therefore, whoever believes that the Attribute separated from the divine being forgives, has mercy, enriches or strengthens…would make the Attribute a worshiped divinity, which scholars consider unanimously disbelief, because the Attributes of Allah are inherent to Him and can never dissociate from him. In fact, Allah is One, with all His Attributes. His Names and Attributes are included in His Name “Allah”. So it is not permissible to call an Attribute a divinity, a creator, a sustainer…etc.

Ibn Taymiya – may Allah be merciful with him – reported the unanimity of the scholars as regards the invocation of the Attributes and the Words of Allah and said that it is disbelief. He said, “As for invoking His Attributes and Words, this is disbelief as agreed by all the Muslims. Would a Muslim say: O Word of Allah forgive me, be merciful with me, protect me or help me? Or would he say: O knowledge of Allah, O power of Allah, O strength of Allah or O greatness of Allah…etc.? Was it heard from a Muslim or even from a disbeliever invoking by such Attributes of Allah or the attributes of others, to ask the Attribute to bring him benefit or to push evil away from him, to ask for help, support or any other thing from it?”[2]

This is what Ibn Bâz – may Allah be merciful with him – meant by establishing the unanimity of the scholars as regards the interdiction of invoking the Attribute of Allah.

As for the invocation by the Attribute, or the fact of imploring Allah by His Names and Attributes, this is permissible. It is a sort of the permissible imploration. In fact, it is authentically stated in the known invocations what proves that it is permissible to implore Allah تعالى by the Attribute of mercy, as mentioned in the hadith above in the question, “…by Your mercy I ask Your help.”[3], which means, “I ask you, O Allah by Your mercy”. There is also the imploration by the Attribute such as in the hadith where the Messenger صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم says, “I ask protection by the perfect Words of Allah from His evil creatures.”[4] Or the hadith where the Messenger صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم says, “I ask protection by the strength of Allah and His power from the evil I am subject to and from what I apprehend.”[5] Or also the hadith where the Messenger صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم says, “I ask protection by Your satisfaction from Your anger, by Your preservation from Your punishment and by You from You.”[6] Or offering the consultation prayer by the Attribute such as in the hadith where the Messenger صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم says, “O my Lord, indeed I consult You by Your Knowledge and ask You by your strength to grant me strength.”[7]

Therefore, if the difference becomes clear between the two kinds of invocation, there will not be a contradiction between the two sayings, because each one will be understood according to its correct meaning.

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزّ وجلّ. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet, his Family, his Companions and Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

Algiers, Shawwâl 20th, 1431H.

Corresponding to: September 29th, 2010


[1] Reported by At-Tirmidhi, chapter of “Invocations” (hadith 3524), on the authority of Anas رضي الله عنه. This hadith is judged authentic by Al-Albâni in As-Silsila As-Sahîha (1/449).

[2] See Talkhîs Al-Istighâtha [Ar-Rad `Ala Al-Bakri by Ibn Taymiya] of Ibn Kathîr (1/181).

[3] Previously reported, see footnote 1.

[4] Reported by Muslim, chapter of “Evocation and invocation” (2/1246) (hadith 2708), on the authority of Khawla Bint Hakîm رضي اله عنها (hadith 2709) on the authority of Abu Hurayra رضي الله عنه.

[5] Reported by Abu Dâwûd, chapter of “Medicine” (hadith 3891), concerning the way we make exorcisms, on the authority of `Uthmân Ibn Abi Al-`Âs رضي الله عنه. This hadith is judged authentic by Al-Albâni in As-Silsila As-Sahîha (3/404). It is also reported by Muslim (hadith 2202) as follows, “I ask protection by Allah and by power from the evil I am subject to and from what I apprehend.”

[6] Reported by Muslim, chapter of “Prayer” (1/223) (hadith 486), on the authority of `Â’isha رضي الله عنها.

[7] Reported by Al-Bukhâri, chapter of “The different sorts of supererogatory acts” (1/278), concerning what is reported about the supererogatory prayer by accomplishing it two Rak`as (two units of prayer) then two…etc. on the authority of Jâbir Ibn `Abd Allâh رضي الله عنهما.

Secularity, reality and danger – Sheikh Farkûs

Secularity, reality and danger

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

The word “Secularity” – (Al-`Ilmâniyya) in the Arabic language – is a term that has absolutely no relation with the word “Science” (`Ilm) or its derivations. From the political point of view, secularity means “Irreligious power” (i.e. religion should not be involved in power). It is commonly defined in many Islamic books as “The separation of religion from the state”. However, this meaning is limited and does not state the reality of secularity, which involves the individual and the behavior that have no relation with the state. This is why we can express it differently in a more conformable way to the reality of secularity, which is “The establishment of an irreligious life”. Regardless the fact that secularity, whose doctrine and philosophy emerged under the protection of the western civilization, was influenced by the falsified Christianity[1] and socialism, the irreligious secularity is a worldly ideology aiming at isolating the religious influence on life. It calls to set up life on material basis in its different domains: political, economical, social, ethic, judicial and others, also on the bases of the absolute worldly knowledge, under the power of reason and experimentation, taking into consideration interest, by adapting the principle of utilitarianism over all the domains of life, in power, politics and ethics based on the Machiavellian principle “The end justifies the means”. Thus, far from the religious recommendations and prohibitions which are restricted in the individual’s mind and do not go with them beyond his personal and private relation between him and his Lord. Furthermore, he is not allowed to express himself, but only in matters of religious rituals and ceremonies, which consist of weddings, festivals, funerals and others.

Secularity, which is based on the materialistic tendency, is soon emanated from the irreligious doctrine, whose utmost aim is fighting religion and removing it from all fields of the public life, in addition to excluding people of religion and its protectors and limiting their influence by isolating them from educational domains, institutions and scientific institutes, and preventing religious knowledge. So, its highest aim is to establish a state and a society where religion is confined to the individual level, and make people of the Islamic society feel brotherhood in state, regardless the fact that they are not brothers in religion.

Nevertheless, the truth is not really perceived by those who divide secularity, on the one hand, into atheistic one, which radically denies the existence of the Creator and does not at all recognize something in matter of religion, and on the other hand, into non-atheistic secularity that believes, theoretically, in the Creator but rejects any relation between Allah عز وجل and the men’s life. It calls to isolate religion from the world and life, and rejects, explicitly or implicitly, the legislation of Allah. Because atheism is the nature of secularity in all its forms since atheism is to depart and to deviate from Allah’s religion and legislation including all leaning or tendency towards religion. This is what essentially leads to incredulity in Allah, the association to Him in what is illicit, transgress something forbidden by Him, and leave any of the recommendations of Allah[2].

Besides, the origin of atheism is all what contains the association to Allah in His general Lordship, and denying Allah’s Names, attributes or Acts.

The predication of secularity represents a huge danger to the religion of Islam and to Muslims, and the majority of the Muslims are not aware of its reality because it disguises behind different masks such as patriotism, socialism, nationalism, and others. As well as, it hides behind destructive theories like Freudianism, Darwinism, or Evolutionism[3] and others. Its partisans pretend relying on attested scientific arguments whereas they are just weak, deficient and specious arguments rejected by reason and reality:

﴿كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [العنكبوت: 41].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾As the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider’s house did they but know﴿ [Al-`Ankabût (The Spider): 41].

Especially, the one that gives the appearance of a partisan to the religion in order to confuse and to lead ordinary Muslims astray. In fact, it does not prevent the pilgrimage and prayer in the mosques. On the contrary, it contributes in their construction, it takes part in celebrations and festivals, it offers rewards and gifts for the imams and those who learn the Koran by heart, and show neither struggle nor antagonism against religion but with very fervent attempts to restrict religion in mosques and isolate it from the domains of life.

Among the aspects and domains of secularization which are kept off from religion:

– Politics and power, the adaptation of secularization in these fields is apparent and not hidden from the observers.

– Secularization of teaching and its methods, a fact not refuted by those who are reasonable.

– Secularization of economy and financial structures, clearly known by experts.

– Civic, social and ethic laws are undoubtedly secularized.

In fact, secularism makes of the spiritual values negative ones. In this manner, it makes the way free to the spread of atheism, westernization, libertinism and ethic anarchy. It calls for the women’s liberation according to the western style that does not condemn illegal relations between the two sexes. This is what helps to open widely the doors to shameful practices that, consequently, lead to the destruction of the family’s existence and to its disunion. Thus, with such practices, generations are formed with an irreligious education, in a society where neither an impediment or a religious barrier nor a voice of a living consciousness exist, which are substituted by agitations of worldly passions like interest, covetousness, the struggle for life, and other material hopes regardless of spiritual values.

It is this kind of secularity that is spread in the Muslim and Arab world, through the effect of colonialism and the campaigns of Christianization and evangelization. Also, because of the improvidence of our compatriots, deluded with illusions, who brandished its slogan, and executed the plans of those who have drawn them and supported them to confuse ordinary people with specious arguments and pretensions of extreme disorientation that founded their predication, which consists of:

– Slandering the Noble Quran and making the prophecy doubtful.

– Pretending that the revelation is inactive and unable to adapt itself with civilisation, and Europe progressed only after getting rid of religion.

– Pretending that Islam neglects the pursuit of the evolution of life, calls for repression, and persecutes the freedom of thought.

– Pretending that Islamic religion has already completed its aims and remains in it only a set of rituals and spiritual practices.

– Pretending that the Arabic language lacks or takes a long time to adapt itself with science and progress, and it is unable to pursuit civilization and development process. However, even if Arabic is the official language in Muslim countries, but still it is marginalized in the majority of administrative institutions, in universities and medical fields, especially in North African countries where the French language has replaced it and really becomes the practiced language of speaking and of communication. Nevertheless, the Arabic language has gradually regressed and loses ground according to plans already prepared and studied after knowing that Arabic is the language of the Quran and the key of the revelation sciences.

– Pretending that the revelation has already been practically applied at the level of politics, power, and in other domains. Because, they pretend that the Islamic jurisprudence draws its prescriptions from the Roman law.

– Pretending the harshness of the revelation in its retributions such as: lex talionis, amputation, being stoned to death, flagellation … and decide on retributions that are more appropriate by taking irreligious laws and methods from the West, by imitation, which are considered more clement and more lenient.

Eventually, these are the set of pretensions that secularists rely on, who work in order to interrupt the revelation of Allah عز وجل by different means such as personalities, magazines, journalism, and other plans. In addition to this, they want to separate the authentic religion from the social life, and reduce it in the narrowest limits and domains according to the leanings and practices of the West who aims at breaking the commandments of Islam and releasing it from all its obligations and values. Besides, they want to alter the Muslim identity, cut them off from their religion, and lose their loyalty to it and membership to their community through the alliance to the West full of hatred, and by interchanging the values, notions, terms and authentic Islamic conceptions with western ones, in a manner that the lifestyle will be changed to that of the West, and by changing the way of thinking and acting so that it suits the thinking and deeds of the West. They also aim at changing the ethical and social behavior with the allegation that it is a modernization of the legislative, juridical and penal systems; and this in a manner that goes with the civilizational way, by imitating the western systems and legislations, all this under the banner of development and renewal.

Many individuals of the Islamic nation were deeply influenced by secularity, and this is obvious in the fields of institutions, power, Sharia, jurisprudence and education. This influence is due to what was spread of ambiguities around Islam, its language, Quran and Prophet, as we previously mentioned.

Many social and political institutions were influenced by these pernicious notions and proceeded to develop their countries by focusing on secularizing the state, whether under the guise of nationalism, socialism, patriotism or others. As for the other institutions with Islamic tendency, they are also influenced by secularity – save those whom Allah Has protected by His mercy – they have of religion a limited conception since they restrict it to its civilizational aspect.

Islam, religion and state rejects categorically this duality, which consists of making a strong barrier between the material and the spiritual world; it is considered an apostasy. Moreover, Islam, within its sane and pure nature, its correct dogma and morality, does not accept the spread of the western social evils such as atheism, libertinism, ethic anarchy, and other vices, ideological and moral impurities which bring the destruction of the doctrine’s unity, the family and the society existence.

In fact, Islam commands to Muslim to be entirely to Allah in all domains of life: his deeds, his words, and his behaviors. His life as well as his death belongs to the Allah عز وجل:

﴿قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ﴾  [الأنعام: 162-163].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): “Verily, my Salât (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists) He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims﴿ [Al-An`âm (The Cattle): 162-163].

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, his Family, his Companions and Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.


[1] One of the Christian proclamations: Give to Caesar the power of state and to God the power of the church. Starting from this, it has emerged the principle of “The separation of religion from the state”, a principle attributed to `Issa (Jesus) عليه السلام when he said: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Gospel of Luke 20:25) It is in this way that Christianity agrees with secularism. However, religion and power, in Islam, are made originally to Allah عز وجل and devoted to Him. They do neither admit the separation between religion and State, nor between religion and society, because Islam, as religion and system, is different in its origin from Christianity, which is a set of testaments, and it is also different from it when applied in the Roman societies where religion were for God and power for Caesar.

[2] See “Adhwâ’ Al-Bayân” of Ash-Shanqîti (5/59-58).

[3] The Darwinist theory, in reference to Charles Darwin, a British researcher, who published the book “On the origin of species” in 1859, which deals with a series of assumptions. He supported his theory of apparition and evolution which assumes that the evolution of life in organic creatures is that it evolved from a simple and primitive life to a more complex and subtle one and that it graduated from archaic to more sophisticated life. He considered that the origin of life is a cell which was in a swampy marsh some million years ago, then it had developed and had undergone many steps, among them, that of the ape which became a human. Darwin thus, considered the human as being close to the ape; he even assumed that the real ancestor of the human race is a small cell that lived in a swampy marsh. His aim by this is to eliminate the creed of the people of the truth, that the human race is descended from Adam and Eve.

This theory caused general discomfort and a feeling of upset and perdition. Distraught and disarrayed generations who were characterized by spiritual vacuum have appeared then. Among the results of this theory, the materialistic and Marxist theory which proclaimed the materialistic aspect of the human being who is subjected to the laws of matter, thus neglecting the spiritual aspects. This theory has also an effect on the birth of Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis. Freud drew from the theory of Darwin the idea of the animality of the human being, that he is an animal guided by the sex drive; otherwise he will be in the grip of a harmful inhibition with bad effects on the nervous system.

That is how Freud considered the evolution theory as an explication of the existence of religion by linking it to sexual urges.

Many theories drew from the theory of Darwin destructive ideologies, as the existentialism of Sartre and the contemporary parapsychology of Bergson; they based their theories upon that of Darwin in its explication of the human race, life and behavior.

The experimental sciences proved that Darwin’s theory is false with irrefutable proofs. His theory is not even considered a scientific theory, especially after the discoveries of Mendel’s law on inheritance and genes.

The Quran establishes that the human being is created out of an extract of clay, then he was placed as a drop (of seed) in a safe lodging (womb of a woman).

So, the matter of creation of all creatures at the origin is water.

﴿وَاللَهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِن مَاءٍ﴾ [النور : 45].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾Allâh has created every moving (living) creature from water. Of them there are some that creep on their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. Allâh creates what He wills. Verily! Allâh is Able to do all things.﴿ [An-Nûr (The Light): 45].

The human stays a human, with all his constituents, his form, his characteristics and his mind, without evolution or change. This fact is a proof that the Creator is one.

﴿الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنسَانِ مِن طِينٍ. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلالَةٍ مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ﴾  [السجدة : 7-8].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾Who made everything He has created good, and He began the creation of man from clay. Then He made his offspring from semen of worthless water (male and female sexual discharge).﴿ [As-Sajda (The Prostration): 7-8].

Source : https://ferkous.app – Sheikh Abu `Abd-El-Mu`iz Muhammed `Ali Farkûs