Q) Is repairing TVs, tape recorders, VCRs and receivers halaal or haraam?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
These machines may be used for permissible purposes, or they may be used for haraam purposes, which is what usually happens, such as watching pictures of women who are clothed yet naked, or listening to music.
Hence it is not permissible to repair them unless that is done for one whom it is known or is thought most likely will use them for permissible purposes. But if it is known or is thought most likely that a person will use them for haraam purposes, it is not permissible to help him to fix his machine. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”
[al-Maa'idah 5:2]
The Standing Committee For Issuing Fatwas was asked the following question:
I work as an electronic engineer, and part of my work is fixing radios, TVs, VCRs and the like. I hope that you can advise me as to whether I should continue in this work, knowing that if I do not do this work I will miss out on a lot of experience and the profession for which I have been studying all my life, and I may suffer a lot of harm because of not doing this.
They replied:
The evidence of sharee’ah, from the Qur’aan and Sunnah, indicates that the Muslim must strive to find a good source of income. So you have to look for work where your income will be good (i.e., halaal). As for earning a living from the work that you mention, this is not good, because these machines are usually used for haraam purposes.
From Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 14/420.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Monday, July 21, 2008
He is denying the torment of the grave on the grounds that if he were to open a grave he would not see any change
Q) How should we respond to one who denies the torment of the grave on the grounds that if he were to open a grave he would not see any change or notice that it has been made constricted or widened?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: One who denies the torment of the grave on the grounds that if he were to open a grave he would not see any change may be answered on several points, including the following:
Firstly:
The torment of the grave is proven according to sharee’ah. Allaah says concerning the people of Pharaoh (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Cause Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!’”
[Ghaafir 40:46]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Were it not that you would not bury one another, I would have asked Allaah to make you hear the torment of the grave that I can hear.” Then he turned to us and said: “Seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the Fire,” and they said, “We seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the Fire.” He said, “Seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave,” and they said, “We seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave.” Narrated by Muslim, 2867.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning the believer: “His grave will be made spacious for him, as far as the eye can see.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1374; Muslim, 2870.
And there are other texts too.
So it is not permissible to object to or reject these texts because of our mistaken notions, rather we must believe them and submit.
Secondly:
The torment of the grave happens to the soul, and it is not something that has a physical effect. If it had a physical effect it would not be the matter of belief in the unseen and believing in it would not serve any purpose. But it is one of the matters of the unseen, and the way things are in al-Barzakh cannot be compared to the way things are in this world.
Thirdly:
Torment and blessing, and whether the grave is widened or constricted, are matters that the deceased feels but others do not. A man may see in his dream, whilst he is lying on his bed, that he is standing and coming and going, hitting or being hit. He may see himself in a confined and frightening place, or in a spacious and pleasant place, but those around him cannot see or feel that.
What we are obliged to do regarding such matters is to say “We hear and obey, and we believe and affirm.”
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 2/29.
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: One who denies the torment of the grave on the grounds that if he were to open a grave he would not see any change may be answered on several points, including the following:
Firstly:
The torment of the grave is proven according to sharee’ah. Allaah says concerning the people of Pharaoh (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Cause Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!’”
[Ghaafir 40:46]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Were it not that you would not bury one another, I would have asked Allaah to make you hear the torment of the grave that I can hear.” Then he turned to us and said: “Seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the Fire,” and they said, “We seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the Fire.” He said, “Seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave,” and they said, “We seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave.” Narrated by Muslim, 2867.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning the believer: “His grave will be made spacious for him, as far as the eye can see.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1374; Muslim, 2870.
And there are other texts too.
So it is not permissible to object to or reject these texts because of our mistaken notions, rather we must believe them and submit.
Secondly:
The torment of the grave happens to the soul, and it is not something that has a physical effect. If it had a physical effect it would not be the matter of belief in the unseen and believing in it would not serve any purpose. But it is one of the matters of the unseen, and the way things are in al-Barzakh cannot be compared to the way things are in this world.
Thirdly:
Torment and blessing, and whether the grave is widened or constricted, are matters that the deceased feels but others do not. A man may see in his dream, whilst he is lying on his bed, that he is standing and coming and going, hitting or being hit. He may see himself in a confined and frightening place, or in a spacious and pleasant place, but those around him cannot see or feel that.
What we are obliged to do regarding such matters is to say “We hear and obey, and we believe and affirm.”
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 2/29.
The company is asking the contract holder to settle the bill
Q) A person has used my name, by my permission, to open a mobile phone contract for himself. This person does not pay the installments he should pay to the company, although he did not use this line. Is this haram? Am I responsible for this?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Custom dictates that the person whose name is written on the contract papers is the contract holder, and if that is the case then you are the contract holdr and you must fulfil the contract, because Allaah has enjoined fulfilment of contracts. He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Fulfil (your) obligations”
[al-Maa'idah 5:1].
So you have to pay off to this company with which you made a contract the money that becomes due as the result of this contract. It is not permissible for you to try to evade that.
Then if you allowed this person to benefit from it on the basis that he would pay the instalments, you can ask him for these instalments yourself.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Custom dictates that the person whose name is written on the contract papers is the contract holder, and if that is the case then you are the contract holdr and you must fulfil the contract, because Allaah has enjoined fulfilment of contracts. He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Fulfil (your) obligations”
[al-Maa'idah 5:1].
So you have to pay off to this company with which you made a contract the money that becomes due as the result of this contract. It is not permissible for you to try to evade that.
Then if you allowed this person to benefit from it on the basis that he would pay the instalments, you can ask him for these instalments yourself.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
What is the language in which people will be addressed in al-Barzakh?
Q) Many languages are spoken world wide. what will be the language to ask questions by angles in grave that, everybody can reply?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
We have found three opinions concerning this issue.
1 – That they will be questioned in Syriac.
This was the view of al-Balqeeni, as was narrated from him by his student al-Suyooti in his essay Sharh al-Sudoor fi Ahwaal al-Mawta wa’l-Quboor – but he did not give any reliable evidence for that.
2 – That they will be questioned in Arabic.
This was stated by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him). Evidence of that may be seen in the apparent meaning of the ahaadeeth, because they describe what will happen in al-Barzakh in Arabic, and there is no reason why this should not be true, and Allaah will inspire everyone who is tested in the grave so that he will understand this language and answer in it.
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the questioning by the two angels, the apparent meaning of the saheeh hadeeth is that it will be in Arabic, because it says that they will say to him: “What do you know about this man?” etc. However it may also be understood as meaning that each person will be addressed in his own language. End quote.
Al-Imtaa’ bi’l-Arba’een al-Mutabaayinatu’l-Samaa’ (p. 122).
3 – That he will be questioned in a language that he understands.
This was mentioned by Ibn Hajar as a possibility, as stated above.
This was also stated in fatwas by the Standing Committee, and by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on them).
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (3/450): When a person dies and is buried, two angels come to him and ask him about his Lord, his Prophet and his religion in a language that he understands. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
One of the scholars said: He will be questioned in Syriac. Subhaan-Allaah! Syriac is the language of the Christians. It seems – and Allaah knows best – that this idea was taken from the Christians, so that they could boast and say, Our language is the language of questioning in the grave for everyone who dies.
What appears to be the case is that he will be questioned in whatever language he understands. If he is an Arab then he will be questioned in Arabic and if he is a non-Arab then he will be questioned in his own language. End quote.
Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Safaareeniyyah (p. 435), Dar al-Watan.
In our opinion it is better to refrain from commenting on that because there is no saheeh text on this issue, and concerning oneself with these details is something which will not benefit the questioner in either religious or worldly terms. It is sufficient for him to believe that he will be questioned in his grave, and to ask Allaah to help him to obey Him and to inspire him with the right answers, and to make him steadfast when he is questioned.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked the following question:
How will the people be addressed on the Day of Resurrection? Will Allaah address them in Arabic? Is it true that the language of the people of Hell will be Farsi and that the language of the people of Paradise will be Arabic?
He (may Allaah have mercy on him) replied:
It is not known which language the people will speak on that Day or in which language they will hear the words of the Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, because Allaah has not told us anything about that, and neither has His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It is not true that Farsi is the language of the people of Hell or that Arabic is the language of the people of Paradise. We do not know of any dispute concerning that among the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them); rather they all refrained from discussing that, because discussing such matters is unnecessary talk. But there was a dispute concerning that among later scholars.
Some people said that they will speak in Arabic, and others said: Except the people of Hell, who will answer in Farsi, which will be their language in Hell. Others said: They will be speak in Syriac, because it is the language of Adam, and from it all other languages stemmed. Others said: Except the people of Paradise, who will speak Arabic.
None of the proponents of these arguments have any evidence, whether based on reason or textual evidence. Rather they are claims that are devoid of any evidence. Allaah knows best and is Most Wise. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (4/300).
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
A) Praise be to Allaah.
We have found three opinions concerning this issue.
1 – That they will be questioned in Syriac.
This was the view of al-Balqeeni, as was narrated from him by his student al-Suyooti in his essay Sharh al-Sudoor fi Ahwaal al-Mawta wa’l-Quboor – but he did not give any reliable evidence for that.
2 – That they will be questioned in Arabic.
This was stated by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him). Evidence of that may be seen in the apparent meaning of the ahaadeeth, because they describe what will happen in al-Barzakh in Arabic, and there is no reason why this should not be true, and Allaah will inspire everyone who is tested in the grave so that he will understand this language and answer in it.
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the questioning by the two angels, the apparent meaning of the saheeh hadeeth is that it will be in Arabic, because it says that they will say to him: “What do you know about this man?” etc. However it may also be understood as meaning that each person will be addressed in his own language. End quote.
Al-Imtaa’ bi’l-Arba’een al-Mutabaayinatu’l-Samaa’ (p. 122).
3 – That he will be questioned in a language that he understands.
This was mentioned by Ibn Hajar as a possibility, as stated above.
This was also stated in fatwas by the Standing Committee, and by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on them).
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (3/450): When a person dies and is buried, two angels come to him and ask him about his Lord, his Prophet and his religion in a language that he understands. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
One of the scholars said: He will be questioned in Syriac. Subhaan-Allaah! Syriac is the language of the Christians. It seems – and Allaah knows best – that this idea was taken from the Christians, so that they could boast and say, Our language is the language of questioning in the grave for everyone who dies.
What appears to be the case is that he will be questioned in whatever language he understands. If he is an Arab then he will be questioned in Arabic and if he is a non-Arab then he will be questioned in his own language. End quote.
Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Safaareeniyyah (p. 435), Dar al-Watan.
In our opinion it is better to refrain from commenting on that because there is no saheeh text on this issue, and concerning oneself with these details is something which will not benefit the questioner in either religious or worldly terms. It is sufficient for him to believe that he will be questioned in his grave, and to ask Allaah to help him to obey Him and to inspire him with the right answers, and to make him steadfast when he is questioned.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked the following question:
How will the people be addressed on the Day of Resurrection? Will Allaah address them in Arabic? Is it true that the language of the people of Hell will be Farsi and that the language of the people of Paradise will be Arabic?
He (may Allaah have mercy on him) replied:
It is not known which language the people will speak on that Day or in which language they will hear the words of the Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, because Allaah has not told us anything about that, and neither has His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It is not true that Farsi is the language of the people of Hell or that Arabic is the language of the people of Paradise. We do not know of any dispute concerning that among the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them); rather they all refrained from discussing that, because discussing such matters is unnecessary talk. But there was a dispute concerning that among later scholars.
Some people said that they will speak in Arabic, and others said: Except the people of Hell, who will answer in Farsi, which will be their language in Hell. Others said: They will be speak in Syriac, because it is the language of Adam, and from it all other languages stemmed. Others said: Except the people of Paradise, who will speak Arabic.
None of the proponents of these arguments have any evidence, whether based on reason or textual evidence. Rather they are claims that are devoid of any evidence. Allaah knows best and is Most Wise. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (4/300).
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Ruling on giving everything one owns in charity
Q) What is the ruling on giving all that one owns in charity?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
The scholars of the four madhhabs are agreed that it is mustahabb for charity to be composed of whatever is surplus to one’s needs and the needs of those for whom one is responsible. If a person gives in charity that which affects his needs or the needs of those for whom he is responsible, that is a sin, because his spending on them is obligatory and it is not permissible to give precedence to a naafil (supererogatory) action over an obligatory one.
But with regard to whatever is surplus to the needs of those on whom a person is obliged to spend, the majority of scholars say that holding on to whatever wealth he needs is preferable to giving it all away in charity, unless he has an income or is sure that he will be able to put his trust in Allaah and be patient and steadfast in bearing poverty and will be able to refrain from begging. Some scholars regarded it as mustahabb to give all his wealth in that case. The Shaafa’is regard this as being the most correct view, and it is the apparent meaning of al-Muwaffaq’s words in al-Mughni. What may be understood from the Maaliki and Hanafi madhhabs is that they do not regard that as mustahabb, because after mentioning the above conditions concerning the permissibility of giving all one's wealth in charity, they say, “There is noting wrong with that,” as if the matter is permissible in their view. But some Maalikis add to that a comment which may be understood as meaning that they regard it as mustahabb, as they say, “The way of encouraging giving all one's wealth in charity is that the donor should feel good about it after giving all his wealth and should not feel regret about being without wealth or hope to gain a similar amount of wealth in the future. He should not have any need of it in the future for himself or for those on whom he is obliged or encouraged to spend. Otherwise it is not recommended for him (to give all his wealth in charity), rather it is haraam for him to do so if those on whom he is obliged to spend are in certain need, or it is makrooh for him to do so if he is certain that those on whom it is recommended for him to spend are in need, because it is better to give in charity that which is surplus to his needs and the needs of those on whom he is obliged to spend.”
(al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 26/339)
From these comments it is clear that the scholars did not limit charity to one third (of one's wealth). The evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah that these scholars based their views on is as follows:
1 – The aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty”
[al-Isra’ 17:29]
The mufassireen said, in their commentaries on this aayah: Do not give all that you have when you and your dependents are in need of it, so that you are left with no money to spend, like an exhausted camel, i.e., one which has lost its strength and has no energy. And it was said that it means, lest you be blamed and come to regret it. But the one who is being addressed here is not the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he is not one of those who would regret spending what they had in their hands for the sake of Allaah. Rather Allaah forbade extravagance in spending and giving all the money that one has in hand, less that end in regret on the part of the one who spent all that he had.
(al-Mawsoo’ah 4/184)
2 – It was narrated that Ka’b ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, as a sign of my repentance I will give away some of my wealth in charity to Allaah and His Messenger.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Keep some of your wealth for yourself, that will be better for you.’” (al-Bukhaari, 2552; Muslim, 4973).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not specify that he should give one-third in charity.
Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The hadeeth of Ka’b indicates that it is prescribed for the one who wants to give all his wealth in charity to keep some of it. That does not imply that if he wanted to go ahead with it, he would not be able to do so. It was said that giving all one's wealth in charity varies according to one's situation. If a person is strong and knows that he will be able to bear the consequences with patience, then there is no reason why he should not do that. Based on that we may interpret the action of Abu Bakr al-Sideeq and the way in which the Ansaar preferred others to themselves even though they were in need of that [cf. al-Hashr 59:9]. But if a person is not like that, then he should not do that. This is how the words “There is no charity except when one has the means” should be interpreted. According to another report, “The best of charity is that which is given when one has the means.”
(al-Nayl 8/288)
3 – It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Abu Talhah was the richest man among the Ansaar in Madeenah in terms of date palm trees, and the most beloved of his wealth to him was the garden of Bayruha’. It was opposite the Mosque and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go there and drink its water, which was good.”
Anas added: “When the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) –
‘By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness — here it means Allaah’s reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allaah’s Cause) of that which you love’
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:92] –
was revealed, Abu Talhah stood up and went to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, Allaah says, “By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness — here it means Allaah’s reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allaah’s Cause) of that which you love…” The most beloved of my wealth to me is the garden of Bayruha’, and I am giving it in charity to Allaah, hoping to find reward for that with Allaah. So dispose of it, O Messenger of Allaah, as Allaah shows you.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Bravo! That is a good deal, that is a good deal. I have heard what you said and I think that you should give it to your relatives.’ Abu Talhah said, ‘I will do that, O Messenger of Allaah.’ So Abu Talhah shared it out among his relatives and cousins (sons of his paternal uncles).”
(al-Bukhaari, 1368; Muslim, 1664)
Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said (al-Nayl, 3/36):
“This indicates that it is permissible to give more than one third of one’s wealth in charity when one is alive and not suffering from terminal illness, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not ask Abu Talhah how much he wanted to give in charity, but he said to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas when he was sick, “A third is a lot.”.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
A) Praise be to Allaah.
The scholars of the four madhhabs are agreed that it is mustahabb for charity to be composed of whatever is surplus to one’s needs and the needs of those for whom one is responsible. If a person gives in charity that which affects his needs or the needs of those for whom he is responsible, that is a sin, because his spending on them is obligatory and it is not permissible to give precedence to a naafil (supererogatory) action over an obligatory one.
But with regard to whatever is surplus to the needs of those on whom a person is obliged to spend, the majority of scholars say that holding on to whatever wealth he needs is preferable to giving it all away in charity, unless he has an income or is sure that he will be able to put his trust in Allaah and be patient and steadfast in bearing poverty and will be able to refrain from begging. Some scholars regarded it as mustahabb to give all his wealth in that case. The Shaafa’is regard this as being the most correct view, and it is the apparent meaning of al-Muwaffaq’s words in al-Mughni. What may be understood from the Maaliki and Hanafi madhhabs is that they do not regard that as mustahabb, because after mentioning the above conditions concerning the permissibility of giving all one's wealth in charity, they say, “There is noting wrong with that,” as if the matter is permissible in their view. But some Maalikis add to that a comment which may be understood as meaning that they regard it as mustahabb, as they say, “The way of encouraging giving all one's wealth in charity is that the donor should feel good about it after giving all his wealth and should not feel regret about being without wealth or hope to gain a similar amount of wealth in the future. He should not have any need of it in the future for himself or for those on whom he is obliged or encouraged to spend. Otherwise it is not recommended for him (to give all his wealth in charity), rather it is haraam for him to do so if those on whom he is obliged to spend are in certain need, or it is makrooh for him to do so if he is certain that those on whom it is recommended for him to spend are in need, because it is better to give in charity that which is surplus to his needs and the needs of those on whom he is obliged to spend.”
(al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 26/339)
From these comments it is clear that the scholars did not limit charity to one third (of one's wealth). The evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah that these scholars based their views on is as follows:
1 – The aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty”
[al-Isra’ 17:29]
The mufassireen said, in their commentaries on this aayah: Do not give all that you have when you and your dependents are in need of it, so that you are left with no money to spend, like an exhausted camel, i.e., one which has lost its strength and has no energy. And it was said that it means, lest you be blamed and come to regret it. But the one who is being addressed here is not the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he is not one of those who would regret spending what they had in their hands for the sake of Allaah. Rather Allaah forbade extravagance in spending and giving all the money that one has in hand, less that end in regret on the part of the one who spent all that he had.
(al-Mawsoo’ah 4/184)
2 – It was narrated that Ka’b ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, as a sign of my repentance I will give away some of my wealth in charity to Allaah and His Messenger.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Keep some of your wealth for yourself, that will be better for you.’” (al-Bukhaari, 2552; Muslim, 4973).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not specify that he should give one-third in charity.
Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The hadeeth of Ka’b indicates that it is prescribed for the one who wants to give all his wealth in charity to keep some of it. That does not imply that if he wanted to go ahead with it, he would not be able to do so. It was said that giving all one's wealth in charity varies according to one's situation. If a person is strong and knows that he will be able to bear the consequences with patience, then there is no reason why he should not do that. Based on that we may interpret the action of Abu Bakr al-Sideeq and the way in which the Ansaar preferred others to themselves even though they were in need of that [cf. al-Hashr 59:9]. But if a person is not like that, then he should not do that. This is how the words “There is no charity except when one has the means” should be interpreted. According to another report, “The best of charity is that which is given when one has the means.”
(al-Nayl 8/288)
3 – It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Abu Talhah was the richest man among the Ansaar in Madeenah in terms of date palm trees, and the most beloved of his wealth to him was the garden of Bayruha’. It was opposite the Mosque and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go there and drink its water, which was good.”
Anas added: “When the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) –
‘By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness — here it means Allaah’s reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allaah’s Cause) of that which you love’
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:92] –
was revealed, Abu Talhah stood up and went to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, Allaah says, “By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness — here it means Allaah’s reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allaah’s Cause) of that which you love…” The most beloved of my wealth to me is the garden of Bayruha’, and I am giving it in charity to Allaah, hoping to find reward for that with Allaah. So dispose of it, O Messenger of Allaah, as Allaah shows you.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Bravo! That is a good deal, that is a good deal. I have heard what you said and I think that you should give it to your relatives.’ Abu Talhah said, ‘I will do that, O Messenger of Allaah.’ So Abu Talhah shared it out among his relatives and cousins (sons of his paternal uncles).”
(al-Bukhaari, 1368; Muslim, 1664)
Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said (al-Nayl, 3/36):
“This indicates that it is permissible to give more than one third of one’s wealth in charity when one is alive and not suffering from terminal illness, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not ask Abu Talhah how much he wanted to give in charity, but he said to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas when he was sick, “A third is a lot.”.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Is the Day of Reckoning one day?
Q) Is the Day of Reckoning one day?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The Day of Reckoning is one day, but it is a day whose length is equal to fifty thousand years, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall
Upon the disbelievers, which none can avert,
From Allaah, the Lord of the ways of ascent.
The angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years”
[al-Ma’aarij 70:1-4]
i.e., this torment will befall the disbelievers on a day the length of which is equal to fifty thousand years.
In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no owner of gold or silver who does not pay what is due on it (i.e., zakaah) but when the Day of Resurrection comes, plates of fire will be prepared for him and with them will be branded his forehead, his flanks and his back, and every time they cool down they will be reheated, on a Day the length of which is equal to fifty thousand years, until judgement is passed among the people.”
This long Day is the day that will be hard for the kaafirs as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and it will be a hard Day for the disbelievers”
[al-Furqaan 25:26]
“Truly, that Day will be a Hard Day —
Far from easy for the disbelievers”
[al-Muddaththir 74:9-10]
What may be understood from these two verses is that it will be easy for the believer, and that is indeed the case. For this long Day with its horrors and serious matters will be made easy by Allaah for the believer, but it will be hard for the kaafir. I ask Allaah to make me and my Muslim brothers among those for whom Allaah will make the Day of Resurrection easy.
But thinking too deeply about such matters of the unseen comes under the heading of extremism concerning which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed .”
Our duty with regard to the matters of the unseen is to submit and to accept them according to their apparent meaning, without discussing them in depth or trying to compare them to worldly things. For the matters of the Hereafter are not like the matters of this world; even if the meanings may have something in common, there is still a great difference between them. I will give the example of what Allaah has told us about there being palm-trees, pomegranates, fruits, the flesh of birds, honey, water, milk, wine etc in Paradise, but He also tells us (interpretation of the meaning):
“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do”
[al-Sajdah 32:17]
And Allaah says in a hadeeth qudsi: “I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard nor has it entered the heart of man.”
There are things in this world that bear the same names as these blessings of Paradise mentioned here but the fact that they have a name in common does not mean that the wine of Paradise is like the wine of this world, or that the fruits of Paradise are like the fruits of this world, and so on.
Although they may share a name and a common meaning, all the things of the unseen that share a meaning with things that are seen in this world are not like them in reality, so we should pay attention to this principle and accept the matters of the unseen according to the apparent meanings, and not try to do any more than that.
Hence when Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Most Gracious (Allaah) rose over (Istawa) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty)”
[Ta-Ha 20:5] –
How did He rise over it? He lowered his head and started to sweat, because of the seriousness of this question. Then he raised his head and spoke his famous words that became the standard comment regarding all the attributes that Allaah has ascribed to Himself: “(The concept of) rising is not unknown, but how it happened (in the case of Allaah) cannot be comprehended. Believing in it is obligatory and asking about it is bid’ah (an innovation).”
Probing deeply into such matters is bid’ah because the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) who were more keen than us to seek knowledge and goodness did not ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) such questions, and they are sufficient as an example. What I have said now about the Last Day may also be applied to the attributes of Allaah which He has ascribed to Himself of knowledge, power, hearing, seeing, speaking etc. The way in which these words apply to Allaah is nothing like the way in which the same words apply to man. Each attribute suits the one to whom it is ascribed. Just as there is none like unto Allaah in His Essence, there is none like unto Him in His attributes.
In conclusion: the Last Day is one Day, and it will be hard for the kaafirs and easy for the believers. What has been narrated about the various kinds of reward and punishment is a matter which cannot be fully understood in this world, even though the basic meanings may be known to us in this world.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/40.
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The Day of Reckoning is one day, but it is a day whose length is equal to fifty thousand years, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“A questioner asked concerning a torment about to befall
Upon the disbelievers, which none can avert,
From Allaah, the Lord of the ways of ascent.
The angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years”
[al-Ma’aarij 70:1-4]
i.e., this torment will befall the disbelievers on a day the length of which is equal to fifty thousand years.
In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no owner of gold or silver who does not pay what is due on it (i.e., zakaah) but when the Day of Resurrection comes, plates of fire will be prepared for him and with them will be branded his forehead, his flanks and his back, and every time they cool down they will be reheated, on a Day the length of which is equal to fifty thousand years, until judgement is passed among the people.”
This long Day is the day that will be hard for the kaafirs as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and it will be a hard Day for the disbelievers”
[al-Furqaan 25:26]
“Truly, that Day will be a Hard Day —
Far from easy for the disbelievers”
[al-Muddaththir 74:9-10]
What may be understood from these two verses is that it will be easy for the believer, and that is indeed the case. For this long Day with its horrors and serious matters will be made easy by Allaah for the believer, but it will be hard for the kaafir. I ask Allaah to make me and my Muslim brothers among those for whom Allaah will make the Day of Resurrection easy.
But thinking too deeply about such matters of the unseen comes under the heading of extremism concerning which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed, those who go to extremes are doomed .”
Our duty with regard to the matters of the unseen is to submit and to accept them according to their apparent meaning, without discussing them in depth or trying to compare them to worldly things. For the matters of the Hereafter are not like the matters of this world; even if the meanings may have something in common, there is still a great difference between them. I will give the example of what Allaah has told us about there being palm-trees, pomegranates, fruits, the flesh of birds, honey, water, milk, wine etc in Paradise, but He also tells us (interpretation of the meaning):
“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do”
[al-Sajdah 32:17]
And Allaah says in a hadeeth qudsi: “I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard nor has it entered the heart of man.”
There are things in this world that bear the same names as these blessings of Paradise mentioned here but the fact that they have a name in common does not mean that the wine of Paradise is like the wine of this world, or that the fruits of Paradise are like the fruits of this world, and so on.
Although they may share a name and a common meaning, all the things of the unseen that share a meaning with things that are seen in this world are not like them in reality, so we should pay attention to this principle and accept the matters of the unseen according to the apparent meanings, and not try to do any more than that.
Hence when Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Most Gracious (Allaah) rose over (Istawa) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty)”
[Ta-Ha 20:5] –
How did He rise over it? He lowered his head and started to sweat, because of the seriousness of this question. Then he raised his head and spoke his famous words that became the standard comment regarding all the attributes that Allaah has ascribed to Himself: “(The concept of) rising is not unknown, but how it happened (in the case of Allaah) cannot be comprehended. Believing in it is obligatory and asking about it is bid’ah (an innovation).”
Probing deeply into such matters is bid’ah because the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) who were more keen than us to seek knowledge and goodness did not ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) such questions, and they are sufficient as an example. What I have said now about the Last Day may also be applied to the attributes of Allaah which He has ascribed to Himself of knowledge, power, hearing, seeing, speaking etc. The way in which these words apply to Allaah is nothing like the way in which the same words apply to man. Each attribute suits the one to whom it is ascribed. Just as there is none like unto Allaah in His Essence, there is none like unto Him in His attributes.
In conclusion: the Last Day is one Day, and it will be hard for the kaafirs and easy for the believers. What has been narrated about the various kinds of reward and punishment is a matter which cannot be fully understood in this world, even though the basic meanings may be known to us in this world.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/40.
Ancient copies of the Qur’aan
Q) How much efforts should muslim put in to preserve the old copies of Quran? This certainly requires resources and expertise in preservation. There are many old copies of Quran in various libraries and homes but they are all dusted and in bad condition. How one should act in this situation where there is a desire to save such Mushaaf?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Respecting and taking care of Mus-hafs (copies of the Qur’aan) is part of venerating the symbols of Allaah and the word of Allaah which He revealed as guidance to mankind. This is a duty upon all Muslims, who should make whatever efforts they can to achieve that.
How great these efforts should be differs according to the need to preserve ancient Mushafs. Copies of the Mus-haf may be few and the people may need all that they have, or these old copies may still be in good condition and people can still read them, or it may be possible to send them to some poor Muslim countries where the people still copy the Qur’aan by hand because they are so poor, and other cases which dictate keeping these old copies and taking proper care of them.
If there are no such cases where it is necessary to preserve old copies, then there is nothing wrong with disposing of them in respectful ways which achieve the desired purpose. The scholars have mentioned three ways of doing that:
1-
Burning, i.e., burning old copies of the Mus-haf in a careful and respectable manner, in a clean and safe place, whilst ensuring that the words are consumed by the fire and the pages are changed.
The scholars based this view on what ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) did with the Mus-hafs that differed from what the Sahaabah were unanimously agreed upon. Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrated (hadeeth no. 4987) from Anas ibn Maalik that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) ordered Zayd ibn Thaabit, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Zubayr, Sa’eed ibn al-‘Aas and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn al-Haarith ibn Hishaam to make copies of the Mus-hafs. ‘Uthmaan said to the three Qurashi men: If you differ with Zayd ibn Thaabit concerning anything of the Qur’aan, then write it in the dialect of Quraysh, for it was revealed in their tongue. They did that, then when they had copied the pages in Mus-hafs, ‘Uthmaan returned the pages to Hafsah, and he sent to each country one of the Mus-hafs that they had copied, and he ordered that all other copies of the Qur’aan on pages or in books be burned.
Ibn Battaal (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to burn books which contain the name of Allaah, and that this is a kind of respect to them and protects them from being trampled underfoot. ‘Abd al-Razzaaq narrated via Tawoos that he used to burn letters that contained the Basmalah when he had collected a good number of them, and ‘Urwah did the same, but Ibraaheem regarded that as makrooh. End quote.
Fath al-Baari (9/20).
Al-Khateeb al-Sharbeeni al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is makrooh to burn wood into which words of Qur'aan have been carved, unless the aim is to protect the Qur’aan, in which case it is not makrooh, as may be understood from the words of Ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam. It is in this way that we may interpret ‘Uthmaan’s burning of the Mus-hafs. End quote.
Mughni al-Muhtaaj (1/152).
2-
Burying, for which a place that is clean and safe from tampering should be chosen. A deep hole should be dug in which it is thought most likely that the buried copies will disappear for a long time.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to old Mus-hafs, which have worn out and are now in such a condition that they cannot be used for reading from, they should be buried in a place where they will be safe, just as the body of a believer is honoured by being buried in a place where it will be safe. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (12/599)
Al-Bahooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If a Mus-haf becomes worn out, it should be buried. Ahmad narrated that Abu’l-Jawza’ had a Mus-haf that wore out, so he dug a hole for it in his mosque and buried it. In al-Bukhaari it is narrated that the Sahaabah burned [Mus-hafs] after making copies of them. Ibn al-Jawzi said: That is out of respect for it and in order to protect it. al-Qaadi said that Abu Bakr ibn Abi Dawood narrated with his isnaad from Talhah ibn Musarrif that he said: ‘Uthmaan buried the Mushafs between the [Prophet’s] grave and the minbar, and he narrated with his isnaad from Tawoos that he did not see anything wrong with burning books. He said: Water and fire are creations of Allaah. End quote.
Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (1/137).
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (4/140):
If the pages of the Mus-haf wear out and become tattered from being read from a great deal, or they become unfit to be used, or they found mistakes in it because of careless mistakes in writing or printing, and it is not possible to correct it, it is permissible to bury it without burning it, and it is permissible to burn it and then bury it in a place far away from dirt or where people walk, so as to protect it against mishandling, and so as to protect the Qur’aan against any tampering or distortion or confusion due to propagating of Mus-hafs in which there are mistakes in writing or printing. End quote.
3-
Shredding. This may be the easiest way nowadays. There are machines into which one inserts papers and they shred them into tiny pieces, so that they are no longer regarded as words of the Qur’aan or even legible letters. This is clean and safe and does not involve a lot of effort, as is the case with burning or burying.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
No one among the Muslims doubts that the Muslim must respect and venerate the Holy Qur’aan and prevent it from being exposed to mishandling. These worn out pages of the Mus-haf which cannot be used for reading may then be dealt with in one of two ways:
(i) They may be buried in a clean, pure place where they will not be subject to mishandling in the future, to the best of one’s knowledge.
(ii) They may be burned. Burning them is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it. When the Qur’aan was consolidated in the dialect of Quraysh at the time of ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) burned all other copies. This indicates that it is permissible to burn the Mus-haf that can no longer be made use of.
But I think that if it is burned then it must be done thoroughly until there is nothing left but ashes, because when printed material is burned, some letters may still be visible after burning, so it is necessary to do it thoroughly until it has turned to ashes.
If it is shredded, this is a third way, but it is difficult, because shredding must be done to all the words and letters, and this is difficult unless one has a machine that can shred it very finely so that no shape of a letter is left. This is a third way, and it is permissible. End quote.
Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb (tape 32/side B)
See also: al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (2/123).
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Respecting and taking care of Mus-hafs (copies of the Qur’aan) is part of venerating the symbols of Allaah and the word of Allaah which He revealed as guidance to mankind. This is a duty upon all Muslims, who should make whatever efforts they can to achieve that.
How great these efforts should be differs according to the need to preserve ancient Mushafs. Copies of the Mus-haf may be few and the people may need all that they have, or these old copies may still be in good condition and people can still read them, or it may be possible to send them to some poor Muslim countries where the people still copy the Qur’aan by hand because they are so poor, and other cases which dictate keeping these old copies and taking proper care of them.
If there are no such cases where it is necessary to preserve old copies, then there is nothing wrong with disposing of them in respectful ways which achieve the desired purpose. The scholars have mentioned three ways of doing that:
1-
Burning, i.e., burning old copies of the Mus-haf in a careful and respectable manner, in a clean and safe place, whilst ensuring that the words are consumed by the fire and the pages are changed.
The scholars based this view on what ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) did with the Mus-hafs that differed from what the Sahaabah were unanimously agreed upon. Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrated (hadeeth no. 4987) from Anas ibn Maalik that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) ordered Zayd ibn Thaabit, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Zubayr, Sa’eed ibn al-‘Aas and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn al-Haarith ibn Hishaam to make copies of the Mus-hafs. ‘Uthmaan said to the three Qurashi men: If you differ with Zayd ibn Thaabit concerning anything of the Qur’aan, then write it in the dialect of Quraysh, for it was revealed in their tongue. They did that, then when they had copied the pages in Mus-hafs, ‘Uthmaan returned the pages to Hafsah, and he sent to each country one of the Mus-hafs that they had copied, and he ordered that all other copies of the Qur’aan on pages or in books be burned.
Ibn Battaal (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to burn books which contain the name of Allaah, and that this is a kind of respect to them and protects them from being trampled underfoot. ‘Abd al-Razzaaq narrated via Tawoos that he used to burn letters that contained the Basmalah when he had collected a good number of them, and ‘Urwah did the same, but Ibraaheem regarded that as makrooh. End quote.
Fath al-Baari (9/20).
Al-Khateeb al-Sharbeeni al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is makrooh to burn wood into which words of Qur'aan have been carved, unless the aim is to protect the Qur’aan, in which case it is not makrooh, as may be understood from the words of Ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam. It is in this way that we may interpret ‘Uthmaan’s burning of the Mus-hafs. End quote.
Mughni al-Muhtaaj (1/152).
2-
Burying, for which a place that is clean and safe from tampering should be chosen. A deep hole should be dug in which it is thought most likely that the buried copies will disappear for a long time.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to old Mus-hafs, which have worn out and are now in such a condition that they cannot be used for reading from, they should be buried in a place where they will be safe, just as the body of a believer is honoured by being buried in a place where it will be safe. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (12/599)
Al-Bahooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If a Mus-haf becomes worn out, it should be buried. Ahmad narrated that Abu’l-Jawza’ had a Mus-haf that wore out, so he dug a hole for it in his mosque and buried it. In al-Bukhaari it is narrated that the Sahaabah burned [Mus-hafs] after making copies of them. Ibn al-Jawzi said: That is out of respect for it and in order to protect it. al-Qaadi said that Abu Bakr ibn Abi Dawood narrated with his isnaad from Talhah ibn Musarrif that he said: ‘Uthmaan buried the Mushafs between the [Prophet’s] grave and the minbar, and he narrated with his isnaad from Tawoos that he did not see anything wrong with burning books. He said: Water and fire are creations of Allaah. End quote.
Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (1/137).
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (4/140):
If the pages of the Mus-haf wear out and become tattered from being read from a great deal, or they become unfit to be used, or they found mistakes in it because of careless mistakes in writing or printing, and it is not possible to correct it, it is permissible to bury it without burning it, and it is permissible to burn it and then bury it in a place far away from dirt or where people walk, so as to protect it against mishandling, and so as to protect the Qur’aan against any tampering or distortion or confusion due to propagating of Mus-hafs in which there are mistakes in writing or printing. End quote.
3-
Shredding. This may be the easiest way nowadays. There are machines into which one inserts papers and they shred them into tiny pieces, so that they are no longer regarded as words of the Qur’aan or even legible letters. This is clean and safe and does not involve a lot of effort, as is the case with burning or burying.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
No one among the Muslims doubts that the Muslim must respect and venerate the Holy Qur’aan and prevent it from being exposed to mishandling. These worn out pages of the Mus-haf which cannot be used for reading may then be dealt with in one of two ways:
(i) They may be buried in a clean, pure place where they will not be subject to mishandling in the future, to the best of one’s knowledge.
(ii) They may be burned. Burning them is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it. When the Qur’aan was consolidated in the dialect of Quraysh at the time of ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) burned all other copies. This indicates that it is permissible to burn the Mus-haf that can no longer be made use of.
But I think that if it is burned then it must be done thoroughly until there is nothing left but ashes, because when printed material is burned, some letters may still be visible after burning, so it is necessary to do it thoroughly until it has turned to ashes.
If it is shredded, this is a third way, but it is difficult, because shredding must be done to all the words and letters, and this is difficult unless one has a machine that can shred it very finely so that no shape of a letter is left. This is a third way, and it is permissible. End quote.
Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb (tape 32/side B)
See also: al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (2/123).
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
There is nothing wrong with leaving the mosque after the adhaan to go and pray in another mosque
Q) It is clear in the shareeah that you are not allowed to leave a masjid before the salaat after the Athaan is called unless you have a valid excuse like needing to leave in order to complete you wuDoo. But is it allowed to leave after the athaan in one masjid in order to go to another masjid for the same prayer ? The other masajid may have a bigger jamaa3 or a better reciter as well as having people he wants to see after the salaat. In my case there is a small masjid that has a lesson after salaatul-maghrib up until `Ishaa time but there are other masajid that have bigger jama3s for `Ishaa some miles away in the same city and sometimes have better reciters and also have many other brothers I like seeing?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
It is haraam to leave the mosque after the adhaan without an excuse, because Muslim (655) narrated that Abu’l-Sha’tha’ said: We were sitting in the mosque with Abu Hurayrah when the muezzin gave the adhaan. A man stood up and walked out of the mosque, and Abu Hurayrah followed him with his gaze until he exited the mosque. Abu Hurayrah said: This man has disobeyed Abu’l-Qaasim (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
It was also narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who commented: Based on this, according to the scholars among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and those who came after them, one should not leave the mosque after the adhaan, except for one who has an excuse, such as not having wudoo or something that cannot be avoided. End quote.
Ahmad (10946) narrated it with the addition: Then he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us: “If you are in the mosque and the call to prayer is given, none of you should leave until he prays.” Classed as saheeh by Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot in Tahqeeq al-Musnad.
Excuses which make it permissible to go out include: going out to do wudoo’ if the place for doing wudoo’ is outside the mosque; going out with the intention of coming back, such as if a person goes out to wake up his family, for example, then come back. This applies to going out to pray in another mosque, if he knows that he will be able to catch up with the prayer there.
It says in Ghaayat al-Muntaha: It is haraam to leave the mosque after the adhaan and before praying without an excuse or the intention of coming back. … And it is permissible to go out if one goes out after the adhaan but it is in order to pray with the congregation in another mosque, especially if its imam is better. End quote from al-Ghaayah ma’a Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha (1/304).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fataawa (2/104): The prohibition on going out of the mosque is subject to further discussion: if there is no need for it and it serves no valid purpose, then it is haraam to go out. That is because he looks like one who is going out of the mosque without praying. But if he intends to pray in another mosque, or he has an excuse or he intends to return and there is sufficient time, then it is not haraam. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on a man doing wudoo’ in one mosque then praying in another mosque?
He replied: If the place for doing wudoo’ is outside the mosque, there is nothing wrong with him doing wudoo’ in this place and praying in another mosque, unless the iqaamah has already been given in this mosque, in which case it is better for him to pray there. If the place for doing wudoo’ is inside the mosque, then it is not permissible for him to leave the mosque after the adhaan unless it is for a reason, because Abu Hurayrah saw a man leave the mosque after the adhaan and he said: This man has disobeyed Abu’l-Qaasim (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). But if there is a reason, such as if he wants to go to another mosque to attend a lesson or for some essential purpose, then there is nothing wrong with him leaving, even if the place for doing wudoo’ is inside the mosque. End quote.
He was also asked: I see some brothers sitting in the mosque for a lesson, then when the adhaan begins, they leave. I have read that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade leaving the mosque when the adhaan is given. What is the ruling on that?
He replied: In al-Saheeh it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he saw a man leave after the adhaan and he said: This man has disobeyed Abu’l-Qaasim (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The scholars said: It is haraam to leave the mosque after the adhaan without an excuse. But this hadeeth does not clearly state that the man went out to pray in another mosque. He may have gone out so as not to pray. What we think is that if you go out to pray in another mosque where you are sure that you will catch up with the prayer, there is nothing wrong with it, but that should not be done lest others follow that example and go out without praying.
End quote from Liqa’ al-baab il-Maftooh (9/38).
Hence you will know that it is permissible for you to go out of the mosque after the adhaan in order to pray in another mosque where the imam recites better or to meet some of your brothers there, if you know that when you go there you will be able to catch up with the congregation.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
A) Praise be to Allaah.
It is haraam to leave the mosque after the adhaan without an excuse, because Muslim (655) narrated that Abu’l-Sha’tha’ said: We were sitting in the mosque with Abu Hurayrah when the muezzin gave the adhaan. A man stood up and walked out of the mosque, and Abu Hurayrah followed him with his gaze until he exited the mosque. Abu Hurayrah said: This man has disobeyed Abu’l-Qaasim (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
It was also narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who commented: Based on this, according to the scholars among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and those who came after them, one should not leave the mosque after the adhaan, except for one who has an excuse, such as not having wudoo or something that cannot be avoided. End quote.
Ahmad (10946) narrated it with the addition: Then he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us: “If you are in the mosque and the call to prayer is given, none of you should leave until he prays.” Classed as saheeh by Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot in Tahqeeq al-Musnad.
Excuses which make it permissible to go out include: going out to do wudoo’ if the place for doing wudoo’ is outside the mosque; going out with the intention of coming back, such as if a person goes out to wake up his family, for example, then come back. This applies to going out to pray in another mosque, if he knows that he will be able to catch up with the prayer there.
It says in Ghaayat al-Muntaha: It is haraam to leave the mosque after the adhaan and before praying without an excuse or the intention of coming back. … And it is permissible to go out if one goes out after the adhaan but it is in order to pray with the congregation in another mosque, especially if its imam is better. End quote from al-Ghaayah ma’a Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha (1/304).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Fataawa (2/104): The prohibition on going out of the mosque is subject to further discussion: if there is no need for it and it serves no valid purpose, then it is haraam to go out. That is because he looks like one who is going out of the mosque without praying. But if he intends to pray in another mosque, or he has an excuse or he intends to return and there is sufficient time, then it is not haraam. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on a man doing wudoo’ in one mosque then praying in another mosque?
He replied: If the place for doing wudoo’ is outside the mosque, there is nothing wrong with him doing wudoo’ in this place and praying in another mosque, unless the iqaamah has already been given in this mosque, in which case it is better for him to pray there. If the place for doing wudoo’ is inside the mosque, then it is not permissible for him to leave the mosque after the adhaan unless it is for a reason, because Abu Hurayrah saw a man leave the mosque after the adhaan and he said: This man has disobeyed Abu’l-Qaasim (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). But if there is a reason, such as if he wants to go to another mosque to attend a lesson or for some essential purpose, then there is nothing wrong with him leaving, even if the place for doing wudoo’ is inside the mosque. End quote.
He was also asked: I see some brothers sitting in the mosque for a lesson, then when the adhaan begins, they leave. I have read that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade leaving the mosque when the adhaan is given. What is the ruling on that?
He replied: In al-Saheeh it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he saw a man leave after the adhaan and he said: This man has disobeyed Abu’l-Qaasim (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The scholars said: It is haraam to leave the mosque after the adhaan without an excuse. But this hadeeth does not clearly state that the man went out to pray in another mosque. He may have gone out so as not to pray. What we think is that if you go out to pray in another mosque where you are sure that you will catch up with the prayer, there is nothing wrong with it, but that should not be done lest others follow that example and go out without praying.
End quote from Liqa’ al-baab il-Maftooh (9/38).
Hence you will know that it is permissible for you to go out of the mosque after the adhaan in order to pray in another mosque where the imam recites better or to meet some of your brothers there, if you know that when you go there you will be able to catch up with the congregation.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
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