155- Encouraging Muslims to observe Sawm on the Day of `Ashura'

Fatwas of Ibn Baz

Browse by subject >  Acts of worship  >  Sawm (Fast)  >  Types of Sawm (Fast)  >  Mustahab Sawm  >  Observing Sawm during the two days of Tasu`a' and `Ashura'  > Encouraging Muslims to observe Sawm on the Day of `Ashura' (Part No. 15; Page No. 397) 155- Encouraging Muslims to observe Sawm on the Day of `Ashura'  All praise be to Allah Alone and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon his family, companions, and whoever follows his teachings. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to observe Sawm (Fast) on the Day of `Ashura’ (10th of Muharram) and he would encourage people to do so. This is because on that Day Allah (Exalted be He) rescued Moses (Musa, peace be upon him) and his people and destroyed Fir`aun (Pharaoh) and his people. Therefore, it is Mustahab (desirable) for every male and female Muslim to observe Sawm on that Day i.e. the 10th day of Muharram, to express their gratitude to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). In addition, it is Mustahab to observe Sawm on the day preceding `Ashura' or on the succeeding day in order to differ from the Jews with regard to the way of observing this Sawm. However, a person may observe Sawm for the three days altogether i.e. The ninth, the tenth, and the eleventh of Muharram for it is reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: Differ from the Jews and observe Sawm for one day before `Ashura' and one day after it. According to another narration: Observe Sawm for a day before (the Day of `Ashura') or after it. It is also authentically reported that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about observing Sawm on the Day of `Ashura', he (peace be upon him) said: Allah expiates by it the sins of the (Part No. 15; Page No. 398) past year. There are many other Hadith encouraging Muslims to observe Sawm on the Day of `Ashura'. The calendar shows that Saturday will be the 30th of Dhul-Hijjah of this current year 1416 A.H. Nevertheless, sighting the new moon may confirm this or prove it is the first of Muharram 1417 A.H. And that Dhul-Hijjah of the year 1416 A. H. Is only 29 days. Accordingly, it is better for Muslims this year to observe Sawm on Monday and Tuesday to be on the safe side as Sunday may be the 9th of Muharram if Dhul-Hijjah is only 29 days, or the 8th if Dhul-Hijjah is 30 days. However, observing Sawm on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday is good as doing so is a further precaution to guarantee applying the Sunnah (a commendable act) and because observing Sawm on three days of each month is a well-established Sunnah as explained previously. Finally, I ask Allah to guide us and all Muslims to all that pleases Him and to make us all amongst those who hasten to all goodness. Verily, Allah is the Most Generous, the Most Bountiful. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions! `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz Grand Mufty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Chairman of Council of Senior Scholars and the Department of Scholarly Research and Ifta' Fatwas of Ibn Baz Browse by subject >  Acts of worship  >  Sawm (Fast)  >  Types of Sawm (Fast)  >  Mustahab Sawm  >  Observing Sawm during the two days of Tasu`a' and `Ashura'   Encouraging Muslims to observe Sawm on the Day of `Ashura'   Moon sighting for the night of ‘Ashura’   Relying on the calendar for Sawm on the Day of ‘Ashura’   Q: What is the ruling on observing Sawm (Fast) on the Day of ‘Ashura’ (10th of Muharram)? Is it better to observe Sawm on the day preceding it, the day succeeding it, all the three...   Q: What is the ruling in case a person observed Sawm of the ninth and the tenth and later discovered that they were the eighth and the ninth of Muharram, because the calendar was incorrect?...   Q: While a person was observing Sawm (Fast) on the ninth of Muharram, he discovers that the tenth of the month is the next day; are they to continue the Sawm for the three days?

Celebrating a certain period of pregnancy

http://www.alifta.net/Fatawa/FatawaChapters.aspx?View=Page&PageID=180&PageNo=1&BookID=10 Fatwas > Muharram Fatwas > Celebrating a certain period of pregnancy

Fatwa no. 19599 Q: It is a habit of the people in my country to hold various celebrations when a woman is in her seventh month of pregnancy. These celebrations vary from one city to another. Also, after a woman gives birth, they recite the Prophet’s birth narrative. The question is: What is your opinion on this and is there any religious proof on these practices? A: Celebrating a certain period of pregnancy and reciting the Prophet’s birth narrative after delivery are both Bid‘ahs (innovations in religion) that have no basis in Shari‘ah (Islamic law). What is Mashru‘ (Islamically permissible) is to offer ‘Aqiqah (sacrifice for a newborn); two sheep for the male baby and one for the female baby. The sacrificial animals are to be slaughtered on the seventh day after birth. The baby should be given a name and the head of a male newborn should be shaved. This is according to the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Every baby is in pledge for his ‘Aqiqah which should be sacrificed for him on the seventh day after birth, and his head should be shaved and he should be named. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also ordered that two sheep should be sacrificed for the male newborn and one sheep for the female newborn. (Part No. 2; Page No. 281) If the person is unable to do this on the seventh day, he may slaughter the sheep whenever he is able to. May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions! Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’

Wahhabism: Is it a fifth Madh-hab?

Fatwas

Fatwas > Muharram Fatwas > Wahhabism: Is it a fifth Madh-hab? (Part No. 1; Page No. 374) Reply given by Ibn Baz to written questions posed by a Shaykh from outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia From `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz to my esteemed brother, may Allah guide you to useful knowledge and to act upon it! Amen. Peace be upon you! I have received your letter dated 2/3/1394 A.H. May Allah guide you and grant you success! It included three questions about Wahhabism. Following is my answer: Q 1: You asked about Wahhabism and whether it is a fifth Madh-hab (School of Jurisprudence) or follows one of the four Madh-habs. A: The term Wahhabism is used by many people to refer to the call initiated by Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhab ibn Sulayman Al-Tamimy Al-Hanbaly (may Allah be merciful to him). He is called along with his followers 'Wahhabis'. Every knowledgeable person must have heard about Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Abdul-Wahhab'smovement (may Allah be merciful to him). He called for pure Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah) and warned people against all forms of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship), such as supplicating to the dead, trees, rocks or the like. He (may Allah be merciful to him) followed in creedal matters the Madh-hab (School of Jurisprudence) of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) while in subsidiary matters he followed the Madh-hab of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal Al-Shaybany (may Allah be merciful to him). This is clear in the books and Fatwas (legal opinions) of Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhab and in the books of his followers and offspring which are published. Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhab appeared at a time when Islam was alienated, the Arabian Peninsula and other areas were engulfed in ignorance and worshiping idols was widespread. So the Shaykh took it upon himself to strive and struggle, and devoted himself to destroying all means of misguidance. (Part No. 1; Page No. 375) He employed all the possible ways leading to the spread of Tawhid free from any kind of superstition. Allah, out of His Bounty, made Imam Muhammad ibn Su`ud, Prince of Al-Dir‘iyyah at that time, accept the call. Thus, the Prince, his sons, those under his authority and his followers supported the Imam, may Allah reward them, forgive them and grant their offspring success to all that pleases Him and to what sets right the affairs of His Servants! All regions of the Arabian Peninsula have lived under this righteous call to the present day. Thus, Imam Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhab’s call was in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet). Wahhabism is not a fifth Madh-hab as some ignorant and prejudiced people claim; rather, it is a call to the ‘Aqidah (creed) of Salafiyyah (those following the way of the righteous predecessors) and a way of reviving the main aspects of Islam and Tawhid which was forgotten in the Arabian Peninsula. (Part No. 1; Page No. 376) Q 2: Do Wahhabis deny Shafa‘ah (intercession) by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? A: Any wise person who has studied the biography of Imam Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhab and his followers know they are innocent of such a claim. The Imam (may Allah be merciful to him) wrote about Shafa‘ah, especially Kitab Al-Tawhid (Book of Monotheism) and refuted the suspicions raised about the Messenger’s Shafa‘ah for his Ummah (nation based on one creed) on the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, it is known that the Shaykh (may Allah be merciful to him) and his followers did not deny the Shafa‘ah of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and that of other prophets, angels, believers and children who die before puberty. However, they established it as Allah and His Messenger have commanded, treading the way of the Salaf in applying the evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Based on this, it is clear that claiming the Shaykh and his followers denied the Shafa‘ah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is completely groundless. It bars people from the Way to Allah and involves spreading lies against Du‘ah (callers) to Allah. However, the Shaykh (may Allah be merciful to him) and his followers only denied seeking Shafa‘ah from the dead and the like. Shafa‘ah can only be granted with the Permission of Allah to the intercessor and His being pleased with the one interceded for. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission And: And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allâh has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with. And: ...and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him. Allah (Glorified be He) accepts only Tawhid, while the Mushriks (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) will not benefit from the Shafa‘ah. Allah (Exalted be He) says: So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: There will be no friend, nor an intercessor for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers), who could be given heed to. We ask Allah to guide us all to what pleases Him and grant us safety from anything that displeases Him! Allah is the Grantor of success! Source: Fatwas of Ibn Baz

168- Ruling on fasting in Muharram, Sha‘ban and the Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah

Fatwas

Fatwas > Muharram Fatwas > Ruling on fasting Muharram, Sha‘ban and the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah 168- Ruling on fasting in Muharram, Sha‘ban and the Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah Q: What is the religious ruling on observing Sawm (Fasting) on the last Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah and the whole of the months of Muharram and Sha‘ban? Answer us, may Allah confer His Blessings upon you!  A: Bismillah [In the Name of Allah] and all praise is due to Him. It is Mashru‘ (Islamically permissible) to fast in the month of Muharram and Sha‘ban. As for the last Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah, there is no evidence concerning fasting on them; but there is nothing wrong with fasting on them without having the belief that they have certain specialty or fasting is recommended on them in particular. (Part No. 15; Page No. 416) The Prophet (peace be upon him) said concerning the month of Muharram: The best Sawm after Ramadan, is the Month of Allah: Muharram. Therefore, it is recommendable to fast the whole of Muharram and it is Sunnah (supererogatory act of worship following the example of the Prophet) to fast on the ninth, the tenth and the eleventh of it. Similarly, it is reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to fast the entire of Sha‘ban or most of it as authentically reported in the Hadith of `Aishah and Um Salamah (may Allah be pleased with both of them). With regard to fasting the Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah, first of all what is meant is the first nine days, as the Day of ‘Eid is not allowable to fast on, but it is recommendable to fast on these nine days for it brings a great reward according to the general meaning of the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), 'There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.' They asked, 'Not even Jihad (fighting/striving) in the Cause of Allah?' He (peace be upon him) said, 'Not even Jihad in the Cause of Allah, except for a man who goes out (for Jihad) with his self and his wealth, and comes back with nothing of that.' There are Hadiths that indicate that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to fast on these days and others that show that he (peace be upon him) did not fast on them, but nothing has been authentically reported that determines his fasting or not fasting them. Source: Fatwas of Ibn Baz

Wisdom behind Prophet Muhammad’s practice of polygyny

Fatwas

Fatwas > Muharram Fatwas > Wisdom behind Prophet Muhammad’s practice of polygyny Wisdom behind Prophet Muhammad’s practice of polygyny http://www.alifta.net/Fatawa/FatawaChapters.aspx?View=Page&PageID=166&PageNo=1&BookID=10 The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married to several wives following his migration to Al-Madinah. His practice of polygyny was not something novel, as polygyny was widely practiced by all people and nations. Some societies allowed unlimited number of wives until some men had more than seven hundred wives, not including slave women. Some Arabs were reported to have taken in marriage more than ten wives. When Ghaylan ibn Salamah Al-Thaqafy embraced Islam, he was married to ten wives. The Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed him, saying: Choose four of them (and divorce the rest). (Part No. 25; Page No. 195) Polygamy was also practiced by the ancient Greeks in Athens, China, Babylonia, Assyria, ancient Egypt, and the Jews were also polygamous. Prophet Sulayman (Solomon, peace be upon him) had seven hundred free women as wives and three hundred slave women. Al-Bukhari related in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith: Sulayman (the son of) Dawud (David) said, ‘Tonight I will go to a hundred women, each of whom will give birth to a boy who will fight in the Cause of Allah.’ The Angel said to him, ‘Say: In sha’a-Allah (If it be the Will of Allah).’ But he did not say so, as he forgot. He went to them but none of them gave birth, apart from one woman who gave birth to half a child. The Prophet (peace be upon him) further said, ‘Had he said: In sha’a-Allah, he would not have broken his oath and he would have had more hope of fulfilling his wish.’ The Christian church also permitted polygyny and did not object to it. The Prophet’s marriage to nine wives at the same time was merely an implementation of Divine Instructions and Wisdom. Allah (Exalted be He) states: So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allâh’s Command must be fulfilled. There is no blame on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in that which Allâh has made legal for him. That has been Allâh’s Way with those who have passed away of (the Prophets of) old. Stating the fact that it is Allah Who made it lawful for His Messenger to marry several wives, He revealed: O Prophet (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possesses - whom Allâh has given to you Allah then limited the number of the Messenger’s wives to nine, all of whom he was forbidden to divorce. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) states: It is not lawful for you (to marry other) women after this, nor to change them for other wives even though their beauty attracts you (Part No. 25; Page No. 196) Therefore, the marriages of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were all necessitated by Divine Command. It is not permissible to compare other cases with that of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This matter was restricted to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) alone. None among the Muslim Ummah (nation) is permitted to marry beyond four women under the pretext that the Prophet (peace be upon him) married nine women. Those who criticize the Prophet of Islam and brand Muslims as lustful are in manifest error. Worse still, we find Muslims who level blasphemous charges at the Prophet (peace be upon him) and take the subject of his marriages in jest. Had true faith entered their hearts, they would not have allowed such thoughts to occupy their minds. Had they carefully examined the circumstances that surrounded each marriage, they would have thought otherwise. The Prophet (peace be upon him) contracted marriages either to protect and support a widowed woman, or bring comfort to the families whose hearts were broken by the death of their beloved father, or to cement the bonds of love with the clan of his wives, or to honor a free woman who fulfilled Allah’s Command and went against the traditions of her society by marrying a slave rather than a master seeking the Good Pleasure of Allah. Had the Prophet (peace be upon him) been lustful, he would have opted to marry when he was in his prime youth, a period when desire for sexual gratification is at its peak. However, he married several wives only after he had grown into old age, when his desire for women had weakened. At the young age of twenty-five, he was married to only one wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her), who was fifteen years older than him. She was forty while he was only twenty-five. He remained with her until she died. It should also be noted that all the women whom he (peace be upon him) married had been married previously, except `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) The wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were: 1- Sawdah bint Zam‘ah ibn Qays Al-Qurashiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) got married to her following the death of her husband, Al-Sakran ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd Shams. This took place after the death of his wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, in Makkah and before his migration to Al-Madinah. (Part No. 25; Page No. 197) When she grew old, she gave up her day and night to ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). 2- ‘Aishah bint Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet (peace be upon him) contracted marriage with her before Sawdah. However, he did not consummate marriage with her until after its consummation with Sawdah. Among all his wives ‘Aishah was the only virgin whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) married. His marriage to ‘Aishah was meant to strengthen the bonds of kinship with Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, the first man to embrace Islam and to support and believe in every word the Prophet (peace be upon him) uttered. He also sacrificed all his wealth for the sake of Allah. 3- Hafsah bint ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took her in marriage although she was a previously married woman who lacked feminine charm. The Prophet (peace be upon him) married her because of the close relationship he had with her father. 4- Um Salamah Hind bint Suhayl Al-Makhzumiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet (peace be upon him) married her following the death of her husband,Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdul-Asad. His intention was to support her children. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) proposed to marry her, she said: "A woman like me is not suitable for marriage. I have become a barren woman, and I am jealous and have children." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied: I am older than you; as for jealousy, Allah will remove it, and as for children Allah and His Messenger are responsible for them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then married her. 5- Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her after she was divorced by her husband Zayd ibn Harithah, the freed slave (and adopted son) of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) was rewarding her compliance with Allah’s Command. It was through this marriage that Allah established the permissibility of marrying the wife of one’s adopted son, a matter which was difficult for the community at that time to undertake. Allah (Exalted be He) states: So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allâh’s Command must be fulfilled. 6- Um Habibah bint Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her after her husband, `Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh,apostatized from Islam. She stayed away from him until he died. (Part No. 25; Page No. 198) She was in her thirties when the Prophet (peace be upon him) married her. He contracted the marriage while she was in Abyssinia (Ethiopia), The Prophet (peace be upon him) authorized Al-Najashy to conclude the marriage contract. Her authorizer was Khalid ibn Sa‘id ibn Al-‘As. Al-Najashy gave her four hundred Dinars as Sadaq (mandatory gift to a bride from the groom). This took place in the seventh year of Hijrah (the Prophet’s migration to Madinah). 7- Juwayriyah bint Al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her after her husband Musani‘ ibn Safwan was killed on the Battle of Al-Muraysi‘. The Prophet (peace be upon him) intended to honor her people by this marriage relationship with them, especially after they had been taken as war captives in the Battle of Banu Al-Mustaliq. 8- Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her to bring solace to her broken heart following the murder of her father, paternal uncle and husband. 9- Maymunah bint Al-Harith Al-Hilaliyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) married her following the death of her husband,Abu Rahm ibn `Abdul-`Uzza Al-`Amiry. This marriage took place in the seventh year of Hijrah. She (may Allah be pleased with her) was approaching forty by that time. Source: Islamic Research Journal