Tag Archives: innovation

Resources for the Weekend Seminar: The Reality of Salafiyyah (Shawwaal 26-28, 1443 in Pittsburgh and LIVE Online)

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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

LIVE ONLINE: This weekend (May 27-29, 2022), in shaa’ Allah. DO NOT MISS THIS!

FREE high-quality MP3 recordings, audio resources, and LIVE broadcasts can be accessed here: https://www.spreaker.com/show/reality-of-salafiyyah

FREE Study Materials (PDF Downloads):  https://payhip.com/BakkahPublications/collection/the-reality-of-salafiyyah

Al-hamdu lillaah, all praise is due to Allah, the brothers and sisters at al-Masjid al-Awwal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA) are having a weekend seminar on Shawwaal 26-28, 1443 (May 27-29, 2022), in shaa’ Allah, with Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Maghribi (may Allah bless and preserve him), entitled: Salafiyyah – Following the Quran & Sunnah Upon the Way of the Companions & the Righteous Early Generations & Shunning Bid’ah (Blameworthy Religious Innovation).

In order to assist our beloved community in maximizing our benefit during this special weekend, Ustaadh Moosaa Richardson has prepared a number of new resources to help study the Arabic text, As-Salafiyyah Haqeeqatuhaa wa Simaatuhaa (The Reality of Salafiyyah and Its Distinguishing Traits), by the great scholar, Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan (may Allah preserve him), These resources are currently available in PDF format, worldwide, absolutely free of charge: Continue reading →

Standing Around the Udhiyah Sacrifice as a Family, Reciting Quran Before the Slaughter

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In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

يوجد بعض من الناس لدينا وخاصة كبار السن في عيد الأضحى المبارك يعملون الأعمال الآتية:
يحضرون الأضحية، ويقفون حولها كالعائلة جمعيا، وهم أهل البيت والرجل قبل أن يبدأ بالذبح، يقرأ الفاتحة، ثم آية الكرسي، وكذلك المعوذتين، والإخلاص مع ذكر الاستفتاح، مثل قول: وجهت وجهي لله رب العالمين إلى آخره، ويجعل الرجل يده على ظهر الذبيحة، ويمد بها من عند الرقبة إلى آخر الظهر، ثم بعد ذلك يقوم بذبحها بعد هذا الفعل، وإن بعضا منهم إذا لم يحضر ذبح الأضحية يقوم بذبح أضحية غيرها، وهم أهل البيت؛ لأنه يقول يلزمه حضور الذبح، لذا أرجو من الله ثم من فضيلتكم البيان لهم بالطريقة الصحيحة لمن يفعل هذا…

QUESTION: Some people in our area, specifically some of the elders, do the following things during the blessed ‘Eed al-Adha:

They bring the sacrificial animal, and they stand around it all together as a family. They are the members of one household. Before the head of household slaughters, he recites al-Faatihah, and then Aayat al-Kursee, and then the last three Soorahs, along with an opening prayer, like: “I turn my face unto Allah, the Lord of all things…” The man then places his open hand on the back of the animal, wiping it from its neck down to the tailbone. Only at this point does he carry out the slaughter. If some of the family members did not attend at the time of the slaughtering of the Udhiyah, he would then carry out a separate Udhiyah for them, whilst they are all members of the same household. This is because he says they are required to attend the actual slaughtering.

I hope firstly from Allah, and then from your distinguished selves, that you would clarify for them the correct manner of doing this (Udhiyah Sacrifice)…

ANSWER by the Permanent Committee for Religious Verdicts, headed by Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Aal Shaykh (may Allah have Mercy on him):

هذا العمل الذي تعملونه عند ذبحكم للأضحية من وقوفكم عندها، وقراءتكم لآية الكرسي والسور المذكورة، وأن من لا يحضر لا يشترك في ثواب الأضحية، بل لا بد أن يذبح أضحية غيرها، كل هذا لا أصل له، وهو عمل مبتدع يجب عليكم تركه والتنبيه على أنه لا يجوز، وثواب الأضحية إذا كانت تبرعا يتناول كل من نوي فيها، ولو لم يحضر لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : إنما الأعمال بالنيات وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى.

These things you are doing when you slaughter your Udhiyah Sacrifice:

  • Standing together around it
  • Reciting Aayat al-Kursee and the other Soorahs mentioned
  • Believing that anyone who did not attend cannot share in the reward of the Udhiyah Sacrifice
  • That a separate Udhiyah needs done for those who were absent

All of these things are baseless. These are innovated practices which you must cease doing and advise others that they are not permissible. The reward for the Udhiyah Sacrifice, when done voluntarily, includes all of those who were intended, whether or not they attended the actual slaughter in person, due to the statement of the Prophet -may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace-, [which means] “Actions are but by their intentions, and each person shall only have what he intended.” [1]

وبالله التوفيق وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه وسلم.

And through Allah Alone is all success. May Allah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad, and that of his family and companions, and may He grant them all peace.

SOURCE: Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah (10/440-441 of the second compilation), translated by Moosaa Richardson.

FOOTNOTES by the Translator:

[1] Collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, from the report of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

Shaykh Ibn Baaz: How to Give Da’wah to Those Affected By Specific Misguidance

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The great scholar of Islaam, Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz [d.1420] -may Allaah have Mercy on him- was asked about the methodology of propagating Islaam to people who have been affected by certain cultures or societies that distort the true meaning of Islaam. He replied:

The falsehood of the beliefs or culture which has affected them is to be clarified to them. The (false) beliefs are clarified as involving such-and-such (i.e. naming the specific points of misguidance). The various forms of falsehood and innovation found within such beliefs – if any – are to be clarified. Furthermore, the primary reference for all affairs is to be clearly identified as the Book of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the Sunnah of His Messenger (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace).

(It is said to them) Regarding what you have come across of such-and-such (a specific form of misguidance), what you have learned, like such-and-such, and/or the manners you have taken from your environment, like intermingling, etc., these issues must all be weighed on the scale of the Sharee’ah (divinely revealed Islaamic Legislation), like how the scholars base issues of jurisprudence upon the legislative evidences (of the Book and the Sunnah). Whatever is in line with it (the Sharee’ah) remains, and whatever opposes it must be cast aside, even if Continue reading →

Common Acts of Religious Excessiveness (Ghuluww) Regarding “Prayer Rugs”

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Mercilful…

Allaah says, addressing the Jews and Christians with a stern admonition that Muslims are required to also heed and live by:

يا أهل الكتاب لا تغلوا في دينكم
“O people of the Book!  Do not go overboard in your religion!” [1]

His Messenger (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said:

إياكم والغلو فإنما أهلك من كان قبلكم الغلو
“Be warned against ghuluww (religious excessiveness), since that which destroyed the people who came before you was ghuluww!” [2]

To help fulfill this Prophetic order, this series of brotherly reminders highlights some everyday manifestations of religious excessiveness that Muslims may commonly fall into, so that we can be on guard against them and warn others of them.

Obsession with Prayer Mats, Rugs, and Carpets

The narrations found in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and elsewhere, describing the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) praying on a khumrah [small mat] and a haseer [large mat] show the permissibility of praying on other than the bare ground. A few of the scholars held the opinion that the prayer may only be offered on the bare ground, so these narrations are a proof against their position. They do not provide a proof for the one who takes this action as part of his Religion, since the Companions did not take this as a religious matter. Rather, they understood it to be permissible, and thus prayed on mats, bedding, clothing, etc. whenever it made sense, for example: In the extreme heat to protect oneself from the heat of the ground.

Furthermore, the scholars have stated that it is better for a person to pray directly on the ground if he is able.  Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said:

The ahaadeeth and the aathaar (narrations from the Prophet, may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace, and the Companions) show that they used to prefer placing their foreheads directly on the bare ground if they were able, and when necessary, like in extremely hot weather and the likes, they would pray with something between them and the ground, using something they had with them: a part of their clothing, turban, or cap… [3]

However, if someone still holds that these narrations prove the legislated nature of praying on what people today call “prayer rugs”, then we can look again to Shaykh al-Islaam Continue reading →

Avoiding the Misguided Sects: The Prophetic Solution

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

After warning his Ummah about the splitting and differing that will take place, the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) clarified that the one single group of the 73 sects that will go to Paradise is known as “the Jamaa’ah”. [1]

This is further detailed in another narration (what means): “What I and my companions are upon.” [2]

These narrations are authentic by way of their numerous supporting chains. [3]

In another crucially important hadeeth, the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said (what means): “Those of you who live long after me shall witness great differing. So upon you is (to follow) my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Caliphs, hold tightly to it and bite onto it with your molar teeth. And be warned of newly-invented matters (in the Religion), as every newly-invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.” [4]

Which group today remains firm upon this way? When you look to all the various groups and their foundations, you only find one group today that claims pure adherence to the way of the Prophet and his noble companions. They are Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, the people who cling tightly to the way of the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) and his companions. Whether you call them Sunnis, Salafees, Atharees, Ahlul-Hadeeth, Ahlul-Athar, or any other description, they are the only ones whose true allegiance is to the Book and the Sunnah, according to the understanding of the Companions. They are the Jamaa’ah described in the hadeeth. [5]

Is the Jamaa’ah the Majority of the Muslims?

Some people are confused by a common notion that the word “Jamaa’ah” refers to the majority of the Muslims. Based on this Continue reading →

Hadeeth Qudsee: “Neither My Earth nor My Heavens Could Contain Me…” [?]

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful…

A hadeeth qudsee is a narration which is attributed to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace), that he narrated words from Allaah which are not part of the Quran. Unlike the Quran, these narrations have to be studied and authenticated before they can be accepted and acted upon.

One such narration commonly quoted and attributed to Allaah as His Words is as follows:

ما وسعني أرضي ولا سمائي، ووسعني قلب عبدي المؤمن…
“Neither My Earth nor My Heavens could contain Me, whilst the heart of My believing servant does contain Me…”

I found this hadeeth once while I was searching the manuscript archives at Umm al-Qura University. I came accross a title listed in one of the indexes on the topic of criticism of some unauthentic hadeeths in al-Bukhaaree and Muslim attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah. So I rushed to get the microfilm and print out a copy, thinking to have found some amazing treasure not known to even the scholars previously. When I began to read it, I found that it was actually a previously known work called “Ahaadeeth al-Qussaas (Hadeeths Used by Storytellers) by Ibn Taymiyyah, which has been printed already, and in fact it was even (for the most part) included in Ibn Taymiyyah’s large Fataawee Collection (18/122-128, 375-385).

What’s the connection? Well, the hadeeth qudsee in question is actually the first hadeeth mentioned in that book. About it, Ibn Taymiyyah said:

This is something they (storytellers) narrate from the Israa’eeliyyaat (narrations of the Jews and Christians). It has no known chain to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace). Its meaning would be (if it were authentic): His heart contains belief in Me, love of Me, and knowledge of Me.

Otherwise, anyone who would claim that Allaah Himself is present inside of the people’s hearts is more of a disbeliever than the Christians, who restricted that (Allaah’s actual presence within the creation) to the Messiah alone.

Other scholars of hadeeth, like al-‘Iraaqee, as-Sakhaawee, and Al-Albaanee Continue reading →

Shaykh Saalih Aal ash-Shaykh on Asking the Dead to Intercede

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In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

This is an answer given by Shaykh Saalih Aal ash-Shaykh to the issue of requesting the supplication of the deceased. The shaykh was asked (during his explanation of al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, in the printed version: 2/1029, Dar al-Mawaddah, Egypt):

من سأل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يدعو له وأن يطلب له المغفرة من الله بعد موته، هل هذا شرك؟

The one who asks the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) to supplicate for him and to ask for his forgiveness from Allaah after his (the Prophet’s) death, is this shirk (an act of polytheism)?

The shaykh’s answer:

نعم، هو شرك أكبر لأن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يُدعى بعد موته، فطلب الدعاء من الميت، وطلب الدعاء بالإغاثة أو الاستسقاء؛ يعني أن يدعو الله أن يغيث، أو أن يدعو الله أن يغفر، أن يدعو الله أن يعطي ونحو ذلك، هذا كله داخل في لفظ الدعاء والله – عز وجل – قال {وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا} [الجن:18].

Yes, it is major shirk because the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) is not to be called upon after his death. Requesting supplication from the dead  (for them to) request rescue and sending of rain, meaning, that he (the deceased) supplicates to Allaah that He grants relief or he supplicates to Allaah to forgive (the person making the request), that he supplicates to Allaah to give (to that person) and what is like this, all of it is included in the meaning of the word “du’aa” (supplication), and Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic said, “And the mosques are for Allaah, so do not invoke anyone alongside Allaah” [72:18].

 والذي يقول إنّ هذه الصورة وهي طلب الدعاء تخرج عن الطلب الذي به يكون الشرك شركًا فإنه ينقض أصل التوحيد كله في هذا الباب، فكل أنواع الطلب؛ طلب الدعاء يعني طلب الدعاء من الميت، طلب المغفرة من الميت، أو طلب الدعاء من الميت أن يدعو الله أن يغفر، أو طلب الإغاثة من الميت أو طلب الإعانة أو نحو ذلك كلها باب واحد هي طلب، والطلب دعاء فداخلة في قوله تعالى {وَمَنْ يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ لَا بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ} [المؤمنون:117] ، وفي قوله {وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا} ، وفي قوله {وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ} [فاطر:13] ، ونحو ذلك من الآيات.

And the one who says that this form, which is to Continue reading →

The “National Day” is Bid’ah (Blameworthy Innovation) and an Imitation of the Non-Muslims

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In the Name of Allaah, the Ever-Merciful…

The National Day, or “al-Yowm al-Watanee”, widely celebrated in the various Muslim countries as a national holiday, is a bid’ah (blameworthy innovation) in Islam and an impermissible act of imitating the non-Muslims.

As collected in the two Saheehs of al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said:

من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد
“Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours (Islaam) that which is not part of it shall have it rejected.”

And he said:

من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم
“Whoever imitates a people is from them.”

The scholars Continue reading →

Identifying Religious Innovations and Staying Away From Them & the Importance of Hadeeth

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[ Part Six of a series of inspiring articles from a recorded lecture entitled, “Min Ma’een al-Imaam Ahmad” (“Benefits from the Life and Works of Imam Ahmad”) by Shaykh Saalih Aal ash-Shaykh (may Allaah preserve him) ]

Identifying Religious Innovations and Staying Away From Them & the Importance of Hadeeth

From Imaam Ahmad’s other noteworthy sayings, may Allaah have Mercy on him, is his statement, “I do not know any people more in need of learning hadeeth than the people in our time.”

They asked him, “And why is that?”

He replied, “Innovation has spread, so whoever does not have the Sunnah, or the narrations, then he will fall into innovation.” Continue reading →