Friday 30 September 2011

He is asking about dolls and three-dimensional toys, and whether that affects his fast

 

Iam working in a toy shop we also sell dolls and human shaped toys ,what is the ruling on this? and is it permissible for me to open my fast later cause of my work?.

Praise be to Allaah.
   

 

We have already explained that it is haraam to make images
and statues (question no.
7222) and that it is
haraam to buy and sell them (question no.
49676. 

But if these images and dolls are toys for children, the
Sunnah indicates that they are permissible. In al-Saheehayn it is
narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I used to
play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and I had female friends who would play with me…”
al-Bukhaari, 6130; Muslim, 2440. 

Ibn Hajar said: This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible
to have images of girls (i.e., dolls) and toys for girls to play with. This
is an exception from the general meaning of the prohibition on having
images. This was stated by ‘Iyaad and was narrated from the majority. They
permitted the sale of dolls to girls so as to teach them from a young age
how to take care of their homes and children. Ibn Hibbaan stated that it is
permissible for young girls to play with toys… According to a report
narrated by Jareer from Hishaam: “I used to play with dolls.” Narrated by
Abu ‘Awaanah and others. Abu Dawood and al-Nasaa’i narrated from ‘Aa’ishah
with a different isnaad that she said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came from the campaign of Tabook or
Khaybar…” and he mentioned the hadeeth about the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) tearing down the curtain on which there
were images, that ‘Aa’ishah had put over her door. She said: And he
uncovered the niche in which were dolls that ‘Aa’ishah used to play with. He
said: “What is this, O ‘Aa’ishah?” She said: “My daughters (i.e., dolls).”
She said: And he saw among them a horse with two wings tied to it and said:
“What is this?” I said: “A horse.” He said:  “A horse with two wings?” I
said: “Have you not heard that Sulaymaan had horses with wings?” and he
smiled. 

The report mentioned by Ibn Hajar was narrated by Abu Dawood,
no. 22813; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ghaayat al-Maraam,
129. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

With regard to that which does not have complete features and
just has some limbs and a head, there is no doubt that this is permissible
and that it comes under the same heading as the dolls with which ‘Aa’ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her) used to play.  

As for that which has complete features, as if you were
looking at a person, especially if it can move or has a voice, then I feel
hesitant to say that this is permissible, because it is imitating the
creation of Allaah. It seems that the toys that ‘Aa’ishah used to play with
were not like this, so it is better to avoid them. But I do not say that it
is definitely haraam, because concessions may be granted to young children
that are not granted to adults in such matters, because it is the natural
inclination of young children to play and have fun and they are not obliged
to do acts of worship so that we could say that a child is wasting his time
with this play. But if a person wants to be on the safe side, let him remove
the head or hold it over the fire so that it becomes soft, then he can press
it so that the features disappear. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh,
2/277-278. 

With regard to the
questioner’s asking whether it is permissible to start fasting later on of
this work, we do not understand exactly what he
means. If he means that this work invalidates his fast and what is
prescribed is to make up the fast later on, then he should not work in this
haraam job. We have already explained that all sins affect the fast and
reduce the reward, and may cancel out the reward altogether, if he does a
lot of sins, but that does not invalidate the fast and he is not commanded
to make it up. Rather he should refrain from committing these sins at all
times, especially in Ramadaan. See question no.
37877 and
37989. 

If the question means something else, then we hope that he
will explain it so that we can answer.

The meaning of the word Anwaat

 

In the hadeeth of Abu Waaqid al-Laythi (may Allaah be pleased with him) it says: “We went out with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Hunayn and we were new in Islam. The mushrikeen had a tree to which they would go and spend time (to seek blessings) and they used to hang their weapons on it, it was called Dhat Anwaat…” What is the meaning of the word Anwaat?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

This hadeeth
was narrated by Imam Ahmad (2139) and by al-Tirmidhi (2180), who said it is
hasan saheeh. It was also narrated by Ibn Abi Aasim in al-Sunnah.
Al-Manaawi said: its isnaad is saheeh. And it was classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Riyaadh al-Sunnah, no. 76. 

These words were
narrated in the hadeeth of Abu Waaqid al-Laythi (may Allaah be pleased with
him): They went out from Makkah with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Hunayn. The kuffaar had a tree to which
they would go and spend time (to seek blessings) and they used to hang their
weapons on it, and it was called Dhaat Anwaat. We passed by a large green
tree and we said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, make for us a dhaat anwaat.’ The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you have said the same as the people
of Moosa said: make for us a god as they have gods. Verily you are a people
who know not. These are ways that you will certainly follow as did those who
came before you, step by step.’ 

According to
a report narrated by Ibn Abi ‘Aasim in Kitaab al-Sunnah: And we were
new in Islam (at that time). 

With regard
to the words Dhaat Anwaat: Anwaat is the plural of the word nawt,
which refers to anything that is hung up. Dhaat Anwaat is the tree on which
these things were hung. Ibn al-Atheer said in al-Nihaayah: This is
the name of a specific tree that belonged to the mushrikeen, on which they
used to hang their weapons and to which they would go and spend time (to
seek blessings). They asked him to make something like that for them, and he
forbade them to do that. 

With regard
to the phrase, “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you have said the same
as the people of Moosa said: make for us a god as they have gods. Verily you
are a people who know not”: Here the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) likened what they had said to the words of the Children
of Israel when they passed by some people who were worshipping their idols.
They asked Moosa (peace be upon him) to make for them a god that they could
worship as those people had a god. 

With regard
to the phrase “These are ways that you will certainly follow as did those
who came before you”: i.e., this is the way of the nations who came before
you. What is meant here is the way of the people who follow whims and
desires and innovations that they introduced based on their own ideas after
their Prophets were gone, and they changed their religion.  

According to
the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed that was narrated by al-Bukhaari: “You will follow
the ways of those who came before you, handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit,
until even if they entered the hole of a lizard you will follow them.” We
said: “O Messenger of Allaah, (do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?” He
said: “Who else?” 

Al-Nawawi
said: This is a manifest miracle of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), for what he foretold indeed came to pass. 

From this
hadeeth we learn the following: 

1-    
To beware of shirk (associating
others with Allaah) and that a person may think that something is good and
will bring him closer to Allaah, when it is as far removed as it can be from
the mercy of his Lord and will bring him closer to His wrath.

2-    
Seeking blessings from trees
and rocks and being attached to them are all acts of shirk which have
happened in this ummah. Whoever falls into these things is following the
path of the Jews and Christians and forsaking the path of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

3-    
What counts is meanings, not
words. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) likened
what they said to what the Children of Israel said, even though they were
not blatantly asking for a god instead of Allaah.

4-    
It is forbidden to imitate the
people of the Jaahiliyyah and the people of the Book in things that are
unique to them and in their acts of worship.

5-    
It shows that when a person has
moved away from falsehood to which he was accustomed, there is no guarantee
that something of those old traditions will not be left in his heart,
because the Sahaabah who asked him for that had only been Muslims for a few
days, as they became Muslim on the day of the conquest of Makkah, then the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took them out on
the campaign of Hunayn. This incident took place on the way to Hunayn. 

See Fath
al-Majeed bi Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, 139-147; and al-Qawl al-Mufeed
by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen. 

We would
remind the questioner that Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab (may Allaah
have mercy on him) quoted this hadeeth in his blessed book Kitaab
al-Tawheed, in the chapter on Seeking blessings from trees, rocks,
etc. We advise him to read this, along with the commentary, especially
the two commentaries referred to above, as he will learn a great deal from
it. And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Ruling on one who asks someone other than Allaah for children, or to increase his provision and not reduce it

 

What is the ruling on one who believes that a wali (“saint”) or murshid (spiritual leader) gave him a child, or that he can increase or reduce his provision?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Whoever believes that a child may be given by someone other
than Allaah or that anyone other than Allaah can increase or reduce
provision, is a mushrik whose shirk is worse than that of the pre-Islamic
Arabs and others in the Jaahiliyyah. The Arabs and others like them, if they
were asked who granted them provision from the heavens and the earth, or who
brought forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living, would
reply, ‘Allaah.” They only worshipped their false gods because they believed
that they would bring them closer to Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘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: ‘Allaah.’ Say: ‘Will you not then be afraid of
Allaah’s punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allaah)?’”

[Yoonus 10:31] 

“And those who take Awliyaa’ (protectors, helpers, lords,
gods) besides Him (say): ‘We worship them only that they may bring us near
to Allaah.’ Verily, Allaah will judge between them concerning that wherein
they differ. Truly, Allaah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever”

[al-Zumar 39:3] 

“Who is he that can provide for you if He should withhold
His provision?”

[al-Mulk 67:21]  

It is narrated in the
Sunnah that the power to grant or withhold belongs to Allaah alone. For
example al-Bukhaari (844) and Muslim (593) narrated from al-Mugheerah ibn
Shu’bah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to say after each prescribed prayer: “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu
laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in
qadeer, Allaahumma laa maani’ lima a’tayta wa laa mu’ti lima mana’ta wa la
yanfa’ dhaa’l-jadd minka al-jadd (There is no god except Allaah alone
with no partner or associate, His is the sovereignty and to Him be praise
and He is able to do all things. O Allaah, none can withhold what You give
and none can give what You withhold, and no wealth or majesty can benefit
anyone for from You is all wealth and majesty).”

But Allaah may give His
slave children or increase his provision because of his praying to Him and
turning to Him alone, as is clearly demonstrated in Soorat Ibraaheem, where
Ibraaheem al-Khaleel prays to his Lord and Allaah answers his prayer, and in
Soorat Maryam and Soorat al-Anbiya’ and elsewhere, where Zakariya prays to
his Lord and He answers his prayer. And it was narrated that Anas (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: Whoever would like to have
his provision increased and his life span extended, let him uphold the ties
of kinship.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2067; Muslim, 2557. and Allaah knows
best. 

And Allaah is the Source
of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad
and upon his family and companions. 

The hadeeth about Adam’s tawassul by the Prophet, and the meaning of the verse “And seek the means of approach to Him”

 

I hope that you can explain to me the meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning):  


“O you who believe! Do your duty to Allaah and fear Him. And seek the means of approach to Him”


[al-Maa’idah 5:35] 


That is so that we may refute what the Sufis say about tawassul, because some of them interpret it as meaning that it is permissible to seek to draw close to Allaah by the Prophets and awliya’ (“saints”). With regard to the hadeeth about Adam committing a sin, they say that al-Bayhaqi classed the hadeeth as saheeh, and that al-Dhahabi praised his book.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The hadeeth about Adam committing a sin and seeking to draw
closer to Allaah by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) is a fabricated hadeeth which is falsely attributed to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and to Adam (peace be upon
him). 

We have stated that in the answer to question no.
34715,
where we quoted the scholars’ comments on the falseness of this hadeeth.
These scholars include Imam al-Dhahabi (may Allaah have mercy on him). 

Al-Bayhaqi (may Allaah have mercy on him) did not narrate
this hadeeth in his Sunan, rather he narrated it in Dalaa’il
al-Nubuwwah (5/489), where he classed it as da’eef (weak). After quoting
the hadeeth, he said: “It was narrated only by ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn
Aslam, and he is da’eef.” 

What makes it most likely that the text is false is the fact
that the du’aa’ by which Allaah accepted Adam’s repentance is what is
mentioned in Soorat al-A’raaf, where Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“They said: ‘Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You
forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of
the losers’”

[al-A’raaf 7:23] 

This is the supplication
of Adam and Hawwa’, in which they called upon Allaah alone, and sought to
draw close to Him (tawassul) by His names and attributes, and by mentioning
their situation. These are words which Adam received from his Lord, then he
said them and Allaah accepted his repentance, as Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning): 

“Then Adam received from
his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily,
He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful”

[al-Baqarah 2:37] 

Secondly: 

What is meant by the word waseelah [means of approach] in the
verse, (interpretation of the meaning):  

“O you who believe! Do your duty to Allaah and fear Him.
And seek the means of approach to Him, and strive hard in His Cause (as much
as you can), so that you may be successful”

[al-Maa’idah 5:35] 

is the way of reaching Allaah, and there is no way of
reaching Him except the way that Allaah loves and is pleased with, which is
by obeying Him and not disobeying Him. 

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Allaah commands His believing slaves to fear Him (taqwa).
When this word is accompanied by mention of obedience, it means refraining
from haraam things. After that Allaah says, “And seek the means of
approach to Him”. Sufyaan al-Thawri said, narrating from Talhah, from
‘Ata’, from Ibn ‘Abbaas: i.e., drawing close to Him. This was also stated by
Mujaahid, Abu Waa’il, al-Hasan, Qataadah, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Katheer, al-Saddi,
Ibn Zayd and others. Qataadah said: i.e., draw close to Him by obeying Him
and doing that which pleases Him, and Ibn Zayd recited (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“Those whom they call upon [like ‘Eesa (Jesus) ‑ son of
Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzayr (Ezra), angels and others] desire (for themselves)
means of access to their Lord (Allaah)”

[al-Isra’ 17:57] 

There is no difference of
opinion among the mufassireen concerning what these imams said.  

Means of approach or means of access means that by means of
which one reaches one’s goal. End quote. 

Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/53, 54. 

Al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Note that the majority of
scholars are of the view that what is meant by waseelah here is drawing
close to Allaah by obeying His commands and avoiding that which He has
forbidden, in accordance with the teachings brought by Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), doing that sincerely for the sake of
Allaah alone, because this is the only path that leads to the pleasure of
Allaah and attaining what is with Him and what is good in this world and in
the Hereafter. 

The basic meaning of the word waseelah is a path that brings
one near to something. Here it means righteous deeds, according to scholarly
consensus, because there is no other way of drawing close to Allaah apart
from following the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him). Based on this, there are many verses which explain the meaning
of waseelah, such as the following (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take
it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it”

[al-Hashr 59:7] 

“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love
Allaah, then follow me’”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:31] 

“Say: Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger”

[al-Noor 24:54] 

And there are other similar verses. 

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that what is meant by
waseelah is need. 

Based on this, the words narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, “Seek
with Him al-waseelah” mean, seek your needs from Allaah, for He alone is the
one who is able to meet them. This is further explained by the verses in
which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, those whom you worship besides Allaah have no
power to give you provision, so seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and
worship Him (Alone)”

[al-‘Ankaboot 29:17] 

“and ask Allaah of His Bounty”

[al-Nisa’ 4:32] 

And by the hadeeth: “If you ask, then ask of Allaah.” 

Then al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The
correct view concerning the meaning of waseelah is that of the majority of
scholars, that it means drawing closer to Allaah by worshipping Him alone,
in accordance with the teachings of the Messenger (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). The tafseer of Ibn ‘Abbaas comes under this heading,
because calling upon Allaah (du’aa’) and praying humbly to Him when asking
for one’s needs is one of the greatest forms of worship which is waseelah or
seeking to draw closer to Him and attain His pleasure and mercy. 

From this it may be understood that what many of the heretics
and followers of ignorant men who claim to be Sufis say, which is that what
is meant by waseelah in the verse is the Shaykh who has the power of
mediation between him and his Lord, is ignorance, blindness and obvious
misguidance; it is toying with the Book of Allaah. Taking intermediaries is
the essence of the kufr of the kaafirs, as Allaah clearly stated when He
said concerning them (interpretation of the meaning): 

“[They say:] We worship them only that they may bring us
near to Allaah”

[al-Zumar 39:3] 

“and they say: ‘These are our intercessors with Allaah.’
Say: ‘Do you inform Allaah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on
the earth?’ Glorified and Exalted is He above all that which they associate
as partners (with Him)!”

[Yoonus 10:18] 

Every one who is
accountable must understand that the way to attain the pleasure of Allaah
and His Paradise and His mercy is to follow His Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). Whoever deviates from that has gone astray
from the straight path. 

“It will not be in accordance with your desires (Muslims),
nor those of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), whosoever
works evil, will have the recompense thereof”

[al-Nisa’4:123] 

The meaning of waseelah that we have explained here is also
the meaning in the verse where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Those whom they call upon [like ‘Eesa (Jesus) ‑ son of
Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzayr (Ezra), angels and others] desire (for themselves)
means of access to their Lord (Allaah) as to which of them should be the
nearest”

[al-Isra’ 17:57] 

Another meaning of
waseelah is the status in Paradise which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us to ask Allaah to grant to him, and
we hope that Allaah will give it to him, because only one person will be
entitled to it, and he hoped that he would be the one. End quote. 

Adwa’ al-Bayaan, 2/86-88 

And Allaah knows best.

How can he get rid of an amulet without it causing any harm?

 

A man who works with my father convinced him that was being affected by the evil eye. He brought him an amulet and said: Put it in your pocket and it will protect you against the evil eye. Then after that he got a paper on which was written alif, ba’, ‘ayn, daal [Arabic letters] and at the bottom of the paper it said “Allaah is the protector” and some other incomprehensible letters and mumbo jumbo and scribbles. We want to get rid of this paper because it is something that is not permitted in Islam, but we do not know the correct way to get rid of it without bringing any harm upon ourselves. I hope that you can offer us some helpful words and advise us.

Praise be to Allaah.

The evil eye
is real as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told
us, and the way to protect oneself against it is by reciting the ruqyahs
that are prescribed in sharee’ah and by reciting the wirds of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), not by using amulets or by
using the charms written by liars and charlatans. For more information about
the evil eye and the ways of protecting oneself against it, please see
question no. 20954 and
11359. 

Carrying
amulets and charms for the purpose of protecting oneself against the evil
eye and witchcraft comes under the heading of wearing amulets which is
forbidden. It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhani (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that some people came to the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he accepted the oath of
allegiance from nine of them and not from one man. They said: O Messenger of
Allaah, you accepted the allegiance of nine and not from one. He said: “He
is wearing an amulet.” So he put his hand in (his garment) and broke it,
then he accepted his oath of allegiance and said: “Whoever wears an amulet
has associated others with Allaah (shirk).” Narrated by Ahmad (16781);
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (492). 

Ahmad
(17440) also narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever wears an amulet, may Allaah never fulfil
his wish and whoever wears a seashell, may Allaah never protect him from
what he fears.” This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Arna’oot in his
commentary on al-Musnad. 

Seashells
were worn to ward off the evil eye. 

Al-Khattaabi
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Amulets were things that they used to
wear in the belief that they could ward off calamity. 

Al-Baghawi
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The Arabs used to put amulets on their
children to protect them against the evil eye, or so they claimed. This was
declared invalid by sharee’ah. Al-Ta’reefaat al-I’tiqaadiyyah, p.
121. 

The correct
scholarly view is that amulets are forbidden even if they are composed of
words from the Qur’aan. See question no.
10543. As for those that contain
unknown letters and words, there is no difference of opinion; they are
haraam and there is no guarantee that they are not magic or that they are
not seeking the help of the jinn. 

Thirdly:

The way to get rid of amulets and magic when they are
discovered is by undoing the knots – if there are knots – and separating the
pieces, then destroying them by burning and the like, because it is narrated
that Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: A Jewish man used
to enter upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who
trusted him. He tied some knots and placed them in a well belonging to a man
from among the Ansaar. He suffered because of that for several days – or,
according to the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah, for six months – then two angels came
to visit him. One sat at his head and the other at his feet. One of them
said, “Do you know what is ailing him?” He said: “So and so who used to
enter upon him tied some knots for him and threw them into the well of So
and so, the Ansaari. He should send a man to him to take the bundle out, and
he will find that the water has turned yellow.” Then Jibreel came to him,
bringing the revelation of al-Mi’wadhatayn, and he told him that a Jewish
man had bewitched him and that the materials used were in the well of So and
so. Then he sent a man – according to another isnaad, he sent ‘Ali (may
Allaah be pleased with him) – who found that the water had turned yellow. He
took out the bundle and brought it to him, and he told him to untie it and
recite a verse of Qur’aan. He started to recite and untie it, and every time
he untied a knot, he felt a little better, until he was fully recovered.” 

Narrated by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah,
6/615; al-Haakim, 4/460; al-Nasaa’i, 2/172; Ahmad, 4/367;
al-Tabaraani. 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Efforts
should be made to find out what the witch has done. If he has put some hair,
for example, in a certain place, or put it in a comb and so on, if it is
known that he has put it in a certain place, it should be taken out and
burned or destroyed. Then its effects will be cancelled out and what the
witch wanted to do will be annulled.
Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz,
8/144. 

So to get rid of the paper that your father has, tear it up and burn it, and remind him to repent to Allaah from having worn an amulet. 

And Allaah knows best.

Ruling on studying man-made laws

 

What is the ruling on studying man-made laws, and teaching them?.


Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

There is no doubt that
Allaah has enjoined upon His slaves to rule according to His sharee’ah and
to refer to it for judgement, and He has warned against ruling by any other
laws and has stated that this is the characteristic of the hypocrites. He
has also stated that any rule other than His rule is the rule of Jaahiliyyah
(ignorance) and that there is nothing better than His rule. Allaah tells us
that people do not truly believe until they refer to His Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for judgement in all disputes
between them, and find in themselves no resistance against his decisions,
and accept (them) with full submission. In Soorat al-Maa'idah Allaah tells
us that ruling by anything other than that which He has revealed is kufr
(disbelief), wrongdoing and evildoing. All these things that we have
mentioned here are clearly stated by Allaah in His Book.

 With regard to those who study and teach man-made laws, they
fall into different categories: 

-1-

Those who study it or teach it in order to understand its
real nature, or to understand the superiority of sharee’ah to these laws, or
to benefit from it in ways that do not go against sharee’ah, or to benefit
others in such ways. It seems that there is no sin on the one who does this,
indeed he may be rewarded for that if he seeks to expose its faults and
demonstrate the superiority of sharee’ah. The ruling on people in this
category is the same as the ruling on those who study the rulings on riba
and the various kinds of alcohol and gambling, and false beliefs, or who
teach about such matters so that he may know them and the Islamic rulings on
them, or he may inform others of that, whilst also believing that they are
haraam, just as those in this category who study law believe that man-made
laws which go against the laws of Allaah are haraam. They do not come under
the same ruling as those who learn or teach witchcraft and the like, because
witchcraft is haraam in and of itself, as it involves shirk and worship of
the jinn instead of Allaah. So the one who learns it or teaches it to others
only attains it by means of shirk, unlike the one who studies law or teaches
it to others, not because he thinks that it is permissible, but for a
permissible or Islamically prescribed purpose, as stated above. 

-2-

Those who study law or teach it to others in order to pass
judgements thereby or to help others to do so, even though they believe that
it is haraam to rule by anything other than that which Allaah has revealed.
But their desires or love of money makes them do that. These people are
undoubtedly doing wrong and they are committing kufr, wrongdoing and evil,
but it is minor kufr, minor wrongdoing and minor evil that does not put them
beyond the pale of Islam. This view is well known among the scholars. It is
also the view of Ibn ‘Abbaas, Tawoos, ‘Ata’, Mujaahid and a number of the
earlier and later generations, as was stated by al-Haafiz ibn Katheer,
al-Baghawi, al-Qurtubi and others. The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (may
Allaah have mercy on him) also mentioned something similar in his book
Kitaab al-Salaah. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Lateef ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Hasan
(may Allaah have mercy on him) wrote an excellent essay on this topic which
has been published in the third volume of al-Rasaa’il al-Oola. 

Those who learn and teach
man-made systems of law are likened to those who learn about different kinds
of riba, alcohol and gambling and teach them to others for some whims and
desires of their own or because of their greed for money, even though they
do not regard that as permissible. They know that all dealings involving
riba are haraam, just as they know that drinking intoxicants and gambling
are haraam, but because they are weak in faith and are overwhelmed by whims
and desires or greed for money, their belief that these things are haraam
does not stop them from dealing in these forbidden things. According to the
belief of Ahl al-Sunnah, they are not regarded as kaafirs because of their
dealing in those things, so long as they do not believe that that is
permissible.

 -3-

Whoever studies or teaches manmade laws and believes that
ruling by them is permissible, whether he believes that sharee’ah is
superior to them or not, is a kaafir in the sense of major kufr, according
to the consensus of the Muslims, because by believing that it is permissible
to rule by man-made laws that go against sharee’ah he is regarding as
permissible something that no Muslim has any excuse for not knowing that it
is haraam. So he comes under the same ruling as one who regards adultery or
alcohol etc as permissible, and because by believing these laws to be
permissible he is disbelieving in Allaah and His Messenger and rejecting the
Qur’aan and Sunnah. The scholars of Islam are unanimously agreed that the
one who regards as permissible something that Allaah has forbidden, or
regards as forbidden something that Allaah has permitted, which is well
known in Islam and no Muslim has any excuse for not knowing it, is a kaafir.
Whoever studies the words of the scholars of all four madhhabs on the
rulings on apostates will understand what we have said clearly. 

He insults Islam – should he be friends with him? How should he deal with him?

 

I have a friend who insults Islam and says bad things to me in Ramadaan. How should I deal with him? He is always with me and is always saying these insulting things.

Praise be to Allaah.

Insulting Allaah or Islam is major kufr which puts a person
beyond the pale of Islam. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: Was it at Allaah
and His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)
and His Messenger that you were mocking?”

66. Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had
believed”

[al-Tawbah 9:65,66] 

What you have to do is to remind this slanderer and advise
him, and warn him that all his good deeds are to no avail, and that if he
does not repent, he will meet Allaah when he is guilty of major kufr. 

Tell him that the punishment that he deserves in this world
is execution, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Whoever changes his religion, execute him.” Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 3017. 

Tell him that he must come back to Islam, and that if he
comes back and repents, Allaah will accept his repentance. 

If he responds, then all well and good, but if he does not
respond, it is not permissible for you to stay with him when he is insulting
Islam. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked about the ruling on staying
among people who insult Allaah, may He be glorified. 

He replied: 

It is not permissible to stay with people who are insulting
Allaah, may He be glorified, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“And it has already been
revealed to you in the Book (this Qur’aan) that when you hear the Verses of
Allaah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage
in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that
case you would be like them. Surely, Allaah will collect the hypocrites and
disbelievers all together in Hell”

[al-Nisa’ 4:140] 

And Allaah is the Source of strength. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen,
2/question no. 238 

It should be noted that bad company will bring nothing but
evil, so protect yourself against that. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) likened a bad companion to the one who
operates the bellows: either he will burn your clothes, or you will notice a
foul smell from him. 

It was narrated from Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The likeness of a good companion and a bad companion is that of one who
carries musk and one who works the bellows. With the carrier of musk, either
he will give you some or you will buy some from him, or you will notice a
good smell from him; as for the one who works the bellows, either he will
burn your clothes or you will notice a bad smell from him.” Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 5543; Muslim, 2628. 

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

In this hadeeth the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) likened a good companion to the one who carries musk,
and the bad companion to one who works the bellows. It points to the virtue
of sitting with righteous, good and honourable people, people of good
attitude, awareness, knowledge and manners, and indicates that it is not
allowed to sit with evil people and followers of innovation, those who
backbite about people or who are foul-mouthed and have nothing better to do,
and other blameworthy things. End quote. 

Sharh Muslim, 16/178 

In conclusion: You have to advise this person who lives with
you, who has fallen into major kufr because of his insulting Islam, and who
has committed a major sin by insulting you. If he responds to your advice
and mends his ways, then stay with him and help him to discipline himself,
but if he does not respond, then there is nothing good for you in remaining
friends with him. 

And Allaah knows best.

Will the repentance of a witch be accepted?

 

Will the repentance of a witch (practitioner of witchcraft) be accepted by Allaah? Because I heard that a witch asked the Sahaabah about repenting after the death of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and no one answered her. What did they say to her? Would her faith benefit her before Allaah? Why do the scholars issue fatwas about the acceptance of the witch’s repentance in this case?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Learning witchcraft and practising it constitute kufr. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“They followed what the
Shayaateen (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of
Sulaymaan (Solomon). Sulaymaan did not disbelieve, but the Shayaateen
(devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at
Babylon to the two angels, Haaroot and Maaroot, but neither of these two
(angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, ‘We are for trial,
so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).’”

[al-Baqarah 2:102] 

A practitioner of witchcraft may do something that makes him
an apostate, so he commits kufr and should be executed for his apostasy. Or
he may practise witchcraft by doing something that does not constitute kufr.
In that case there is a difference of scholarly opinion, but the correct
view is that he should also be executed if it is proven that he is a
practitioner of witchcraft. This is what the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased
with them) did and enjoined other to do. If he is executed, he should not be
washed or shrouded or buried in the Muslim graveyard. 

There should be no hesitation in executing the practitioner
of witchcraft, whether we say that he is a kaafir or not, because this is
what is proven from the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). Executing him prevents the spread of evil and serves
as a deterrent to his fellow practitioners of witchcraft. 

If a practitioner of witchcraft repents sincerely to Allaah,
then Allaah will accept his repentance. This is between him and his Lord,
before the matter reaches the courts. But if the matter reaches the Islamic
court, then the qaadi should execute him without asking him to repent, so as
to rid society of his evil. But it is not permissible for any individual to
carry out the hadd punishment by himself, rather the matter must be referred
to the authorities. 

There follow some fatwas of the scholars on this matter: 

1 – Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: 

If a practitioner of witchcraft repents sincerely to Allaah,
that will benefit him before Allaah, for Allaah accepts repentance from the
mushrikeen and others, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And
He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins”

[al-Shoora 42:25] 

“And all of you beg Allaah to forgive you all, O
believers, that you may be successful”

[al-Noor 24:31] 

But in this world it is
not accepted. The correct view is that he is to be executed. If it is proven
to the court that he is a practitioner of witchcraft, then he should be
executed, even if he says, “I have repented.” His repentance between him and
Allaah is valid, if he is sincere, and that will benefit him before Allaah,
but according to the Islamic ruling he is to be executed, just as ‘Umar
executed the practitioners of witchcraft, because their evil is great. They
may say, “We have repented,” but they may be lying, and the people will be
harmed and may not be safe from their evil because of the repentance that
they show. So they should be executed, and their repentance will benefit
them before Allaah if they are sincere. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz,
8/111 

2 – The Shaykh (may Allaah have mercy on him) also said: 

The correct view according to the scholars is that the
practitioner of witchcraft should be executed without being asked to repent,
because of the seriousness of their evil. Some scholars are of the view that
they should be asked to repent, and that they are like any other kaafirs who
should be asked to repent. But the correct scholarly view is that they
should not be asked to repent because their evil is so great, and because
they conceal their evil and their kufr; they may claim to have repented but
they are lying, and may cause a great deal of harm to people as a result.
Hence the scholars were of the view that the one who is known and proven to
be a practitioner of witchcraft should be executed even if he claims that he
has repented and that he regrets what he has done; he should not be
believed. 

Hence it is narrated that ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) wrote to the commanders of the troops telling them to execute every
practitioner of witchcraft they found, so as to guard against their evil.
Abu ‘Uthmaan al-Nahdi said: “We executed three practitioners of witchcraft.”
This is how it was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari from Bajaalah ibn ‘Abdah.
[It was also narrated by Abu Dawood with a saheeh isnaad, and the original
report is in al-Bukhaari]. 

And it is narrated in a saheeh report that Hafsah executed a
slave woman of hers because she found out that she was engaging in
witchcraft. And when the great Sahaabi Jundub ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) saw a practitioner of witchcraft playing with his head –
making the people think that he was cutting off his head and putting it back
– he approached him without him realizing and killed him, and said: “Now put
your head back if you are telling the truth!” 

Conclusion: the evil of the practitioners of witchcraft is
great, hence it is obligatory to execute them. If the authorities know that
they are practitioners of witchcraft, and that is proven with shar’i
evidence, then they have to execute them, so as to protect society from
their evil and corruption. End quote. 

3 –The Shaykh also said (8/111): 

If he is executed, the funeral prayer should not be offered
for him, and he should not be buried in the graveyard of the Muslims; he
should be buried in the graveyard of the kaafirs. He should not be buried in
the graveyard of the Muslims, the funeral prayer should not be offered for
him, and he should not be washed or shrouded. We ask Allaah to keep us safe
and sound. 

4 – He also said: 

The ruling on the practitioner of witchcraft who is known to
make people imagine things, or whose actions result in harm for people, such
as causing people to see things that are not there, making a man beloved to
his wife or a wife beloved to her husband, or the opposite, which causes
harm to people, if that is proven by means of evidence in the Islamic court,
then this practitioner of witchcraft must be executed and his repentance
should not be accepted even if he repents. 

We have quoted above the report narrated from ‘Umar (may
Allaah be pleased with him), who ordered his commanders to kill the
practitioners of witxhcraft so as to prevent their mischief on earth and to
stop them disturbing the Muslims and causing harm to people. As soon as they
are found out, then it is obligatory for the Muslim leaders to execute them
even if they say “We have repented”, because there is no guarantee. If they
are sincere in their repentance, that will benefit them before Allaah,
because of the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“And He it is Who accepts
repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you do”

[al-Shoora 42:25]

If a person comes
to the authorities without having been found out and tells them that he has
repented, and that in the past he used to do such and such, but he has
repented to Allaah and he seems outwardly to be good, then his repentance
should be accepted, because he has come voluntarily, seeking goodness and
announcing his repentance without having been found out and without anyone
making any claims against him. So if he comes in a manner that does not
suggest any kind of trickery, then his repentance should be accepted,
because he has come repenting and expressing regret, like any other kaafir
who may have a bad past, then Allaah blesses him by enabling him to repent
without being forced do that by anyone and without anyone making any claims
against him. End quote.

 

Majmoo’
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (8/81, 82)

 

5 – The scholars
of the Standing Committee said:

 

If the
practitioner of witchcraft does any act of kufr in his magic, then he is to
be executed as a hadd punishment for his kufr. If it is proven that he
killed by means of his magic someone whose life is protected by sharee’ah,
then he should be executed as a qasaas punishment. If he did not do any act
of kufr or kill anyone by means of his magic, then there is a difference of
scholarly opinion with regard to executing him for his witchcraft. But the
correct view is that he should be executed as a hadd punishment for his
apostasy. This is the view of Abu Haneefah, Maalik and Ahmad (may Allaah
have mercy on them), because his magic ipso facto means that he is a kaafir,
because the verse (interpretation of the meaning):

 

“They followed what the Shayaateen (devils) gave out
(falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaymaan (Solomon). Sulaymaan did
not disbelieve, but the Shayaateen (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic

[al-Baqarah 2:102] 

indicates that all
practitioners of witchcraft are kaafirs. And it is proven in
Saheeh al-Bukhaari
that Bajaalah ibn ‘Abdah said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased
with him) wrote saying: Execute every practitioner of witchcraft, male or
female, and we executed three practitioners of witchcraft. And it was
narrated that Hafsah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allaah be pleased
with her) ordered that a slave girl of hers who had put a spell on her be
executed, and she was executed. Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta’.
And it is proven that Jundub said: The punishment for the practitioner of
witchcraft is a
blow with the sword. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi
who said: the correct view is that it is mawqoof.

 

Based on this, the ruling on the practitioner of witchcraft asked about in
the question is that he should be executed according to the correct
scholarly view. The one whose job it is to confirm that witchcraft has taken
place and to carry out the punishment is the ruler who is charge of the
Muslims’ affairs, so as to ward off mischief and close the door to chaos.
End quote.

 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,
1/551-553

 

6

– Shaykh Ibn

‘Uthaymeen
said:

 

Is this execution a hadd punishment or killing him because of his kufr?

 

Both are possible, based on the details about the kufr of the practitioner
of witchcraft that we have discussed above. But based on the above
discussion we say: if a person’s witchcraft constitutes kufr, then his
execution is that of an apostate, but if his witchcraft does not constitute
kufr, then it comes under the heading of protection against serious harm,
and it must be implemented as the ruler sees fit.

 

Conclusion:

 

Practitioners of witchcraft must be executed, whether or not we say that it
is because of their kufr, because they make people sick and may even kill
them, they cause separation between husband and wife, and vice versa, and
they may bring about reconciliation between enemies and thus attain their
goals. One of them may bewitch a person to make him like him and get what he
wants from him, such as if one of them bewitches a woman in order to have
his way with her, and because they spread mischief on earth. So it is
obligatory for the authorities to execute them without asking them to
repent, so long as that is done to ward off their harm and the great damage
they may cause. The hadd punishment has nothing to do with being asked to
repent; when the offender is caught the hadd punishment must be carried out.
End quote.

 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 9/508, 509. This is a
commentary on Kitaab al-Tawheed.

 

7
– Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen also said:

 

The view that (practitioners of witchcraft) should be executed is in
accordance with the principles of sharee’ah, because they spread mischief on
earth and their mischief is one of the greatest forms of mischief. So
executing them is obligatory for the ruler, and it is not permissible for
the ruler to fail to execute them, because if such people are left alone and
their actions become widespread, they will cause mischief in their own land
and in the land of others. But if they are executed the people will be safe
from their evil and the people will be deterred from indulging in
witchcraft. End quote.

 

Majmoo’
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthyameen (9/509). This is a commentary on
Kitaab al-Tawheed.

 

And Allaah knows best.

People come to the house of his deceased grandfather and seek blessing from its water. What should he do?

 

My friend’s grandfather was well known for his ability to expel the jinn, but he believes – and Allaah knows best – that he did not interact with them according to Islamic sharee’ah, because according to what my friend says, his grandfather did not pray. Now, after the death of his grandfather, people come to the place where this grandfather lived, seeking blessing thereby. Beside this house there is a tap to which the people come to take water from it, believing it to be blessed, and they leave money beside this tap.


 My question is: what advice can you offer my friend? Should he break this tap or what? Is the money that is left beside this tap haraam?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

It is not permissible to seek blessing from the relics of
anyone except the Prophets, whether those from whom blessing is sought are
righteous or evildoers. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. But the
fact that people are seeking blessing from one who did not pray is
indicative of profound ignorance and heedlessness, and shows how great is
the people’s need to learn sound ‘aqeedah that will save them from
misguidance. 

The evidence that it is not permissible to seek blessing from
the relics of anyone other than the Prophets is the fact that there is no
report that any of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) sought blessings from Abu Bakr, ‘Umar or anyone else
among the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). If that had been
something good, they would have done it before us. 

Al-Shaatibi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: After the
death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), none
of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) did anything of that
nature with regard to those who succeeded him as leaders. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not leave behind in the
ummah anyone who was better than Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased
with him), who was his successor, and he did not do anything of that sort,
and neither did ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), and they were the
best of the ummah after him. Neither did ‘Uthmaan, or ‘Ali, or any of the
Sahaabah, and there is no one in the ummah who is better than them. There is
no report from any of them via any sound isnaad that they sought blessings
in any of these ways or similar ways. Rather they limited themselves to
emulating the actions, words and conduct of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). So there is consensus among them that all
such things should be avoided. End quote from al-I’tisaam, 1/482 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
There is no one from whose relics blessing may be sought except Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). No blessing should be
sought from the relics of anyone else. Blessings may be sought from the
relics of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
during his lifetime and after his death, so long as those relics remain. For
example, Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) had a vessel of silver
in which were a few hairs of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) by means of which the sick sought healing. If a sick person
came, she would pour some water over these hairs, then stir it, then give it
to the sick person. But in the case of anyone other than the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), it is not permissible for
anyone to seek blessing from his saliva, sweat, garment or anything else –
rather that is haraam and is a kind of shirk. End quote from Majmoo’
al-Fataawa, 2/107 

Secondly: 

Your friend has to do two things: 

1 – He should warn people against this haraam means of
seeking blessing, if he is able to do so. Otherwise, he should seek the help
of knowledgeable people to guide the people to the truth and show them the
right way, and warn them against corrupt beliefs that will lead them to
shirk and bid’ah (innovation). 

2 – He should get rid of this tap by removing it, cutting off
the water supply and so on. He has an example to follow in ‘Umar (may Allaah
be pleased with him) who cut down the tree of al-Hudaybiyah when he heard
that some people were praying at the tree. 

Al-Shaatibi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Ibn Waddaah
said: I heard ‘Eesa ibn Yoonus, the mufti of the people of Tarsoos, saying:
‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) ordered that the tree
beneath which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
had received the oath of allegiance (bay’ah) be cut down, because the people
were going and praying beneath it, and he feared that they might fall into
fitnah. End quote from al-I’tisaam, 1/448 

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: I
found with Ibn Sa’d a saheeh isnaad from Naafi’, saying that ‘Umar heard
that some people were going to the tree and praying there, so he warned them
(not to do that), then he ordered that it be cut down, and it was cut down.
End quote from Fath al-Baari, 7/513 

Thirdly: 

Whatever of this money
he has taken, there is no sin on him for that, because it is money that
people gave willingly and has no owner, so it is permissible for him to have
taken it. But it is not permissible for him to approve of this evil deed in
order to take the money, rather he must do what is mentioned above: explain
to people and put an end to this evil. 

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (23/227),
with regard to making use of things that are donated to the awliya’ and the
righteous: … but if the things that are donated to the awliya’ and the
righteous are things other than sacrifices, such as bread, dates, chickpeas,
sweets and other things the permissibility of which as food does not depend
on the manner of slaughter, then you should avoid distributing them to the
people because that entails propagating innovation and cooperating in
spreading it, taking part in the manifestation of shirk and approving of it.
But they come under the ruling on property whose owners have forsaken it and
left it for whoever wants to take it, so whoever takes any of it, there is
no sin on him. 

End quote. 

And Allaah knows best.

Ruling on asking of Allaah by virtue of the status of the righteous before Him

 

Will Allaah honour the living slave by virtue of the righteous dead if we ask of Allaah “by virtue of the righteousness of Shaykh So and so and his position before You and his worship of You, to relieve me of my distress, O Allaah” – when we know that all benefits come from Allaah?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Undoubtedly du’aa’ is one of the greatest acts of worship
prescribed in sharee’ah. It brings a person closer to his Lord, may He be
glorified. And undoubtedly it is not permissible for anyone to worship
Allaah except in the ways that He has prescribed on the lips of His
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Al-Bukhaari
(2499) and Muslim (3242) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with
her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours that is
not part of it, will have it rejected.” According to the version narrated by
Muslim: “Whoever does something that is not part of this matter of ours will
have it rejected.” 

Hence it may be known that turning to Allaah and beseeching
Him in ways that were not narrated from His Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) in word or in deed, and in ways that were
not done by the noble Sahaabah who were the keenest of people to do good and
adhere to it, is a reprehensible innovation, which a person who loves his
Lord and follows His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) should not do and should not worship Allaah in that manner. 

If we look at what you have mentioned in your question about
beseeching Allaah by virtue of the status of the righteous, their worship
and their position before Allaah, we will notice that this is something that
has been innovated and was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). Nor was it narrated from his noble
companions that they ever sought to draw close to Allaah by virtue of the
Prophet’s position and status before his Lord, whether during his lifetime
or after his death. Rather during his lifetime they used to beseech Allaah
by virtue of his du’aa’ for them, and when he (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) died, they sought to draw closer to Allaah by virtue of
the du’aa’s of the living righteous, and they stopped seeking to draw closer
to Him by virtue of the Prophet’s status. This clearly indicates that if
beseeching Allaah or seeking to draw closer to Him by virtue of the
Prophet’s status were something good and prescribed in Islam, they would
have done it before us. Who dares claim that he is keener than ‘Umar ibn
al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) to do good when he turned away
from seeking to draw closer to Allaah by virtue of the status of His Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and sought to draw closer
to Him by virtue of the du’aa’ of the paternal uncle of the Prophet, and the
Sahaabah witnessed that and did not denounce him or object to that? It is
narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (954) from Anas ibn Maalik that if a
drought came, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) would
ask al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib to pray for rain. He would say: “O
Allaah, we used to beseech You by means of (the du’aa’ of) Your Prophet for
rain and You would give us rain; now we beseech You by means of (the du’aa’
of) the paternal uncle of Your Prophet, so grant us rain.” Then it would
rain.  

What is meant by their beseeching Allaah by mean of the
du’aa’ of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or of
al-‘Abbaas is beseeching Him through their du’aa’, based on what is said in
some versions of this hadeeth, that Anas said: “If drought came at the time
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), they would
ask him to pray for rain, and he would pray for rain for them, then it would
rain. During the caliphate of ‘Umar…” and he narrated the same hadeeth. This
was narrated by al-Ismaa’eeli in his al-Mustakhraj ‘ala’l-Saheeh.
‘Abd al-Razzaaq narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that “‘Umar prayed for rain in the
prayer-place, and he said to al-‘Abbaas: ‘Get up and pray for rain.’ So
al-‘Abbaas got up …” and he quoted the hadeeth. This was quoted by al-Haafiz
in al-Fath and he did not comment on it. 

Thus it is clear that the
beseeching meant by ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) is du’aa’ by a
righteous man. This is the correct kind of beseeching as prescribed in
sharee’ah, and is indicated by a great deal of evidence. It was known at the
time of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). If they were
threatened with drought and there was no rain, they would ask the Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to pray for them, and he
would pray, then it would rain. There are many well-known ahaadeeth about
this. 

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (1/153): 

It is not
permissible to supplicate Allaah (du’aa’) by virtue of the Messenger of
Allaah or by virtue of any of the Sahaabah or anyone else, or by the life of
anyone, because acts of worship are tawqeefi (i.e., we must adhere to what
is prescribed in the Qur’aan and Sunnah and not worship Allaah in any way
except that which has been prescribed). Beseeching Allaah in the manner
described (in the question) has not been prescribed by Allaah, rather He has
commanded His slaves to beseech Him by His names and attributes, by
believing in His Oneness, by having faith in Him, and by virtue of one’s
righteous deeds – not by virtue of the status of So and so or by his life.
So we must limit ourselves to that which Allaah has prescribed. Hence it is
known that beseeching Allaah by virtue of the status or life of So and so is
an innovation that has been introduced into Islam. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: No one has the right to pride
himself before Allaah on the righteousness of his forebears, for their
righteousness is not part of his deeds for which he may deserve reward, as
in the case of the three people in the cave. They did not beseech Allaah by
the righteousness of their forebears, rather they beseeched Allaah by virtue
of their own righteous deeds.

 We ask Allaah to make us steadfast in adhering to His
religion and His sharee’ah until we meet Him… 

And Allaah knows best. 

See: al-Tawassul Anwaa’uhu wa Ahkaamuhu by Shaykh
al-Albaani, p. 55ff

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 1/153

Al-Tawassul ila Haqeeqah al-Tawassul
by Shaykh Muhammad Naseeb al-Rifaa’i, p. 180.