Questions 20

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Questions asked to Shaykh Sa’d ibn Naasir ibn Abdul-Azeez ash-Shithree [May Allaah Preserve him] in his Masjid after Salaat al-Dhuhr

1/3/1433 - 25/1/2012

Question: This has happened in Britain recently; some of the Muslim youth in England were drunk and they attacked some non-Muslim youths and now a racist party, calling itself the English Defence League [EDL], are coming to fight with the Muslims in their areas to seek revenge. Some of the youth, some of them Salafees, are overeager to defend themselves and the Muslims and they are willing to go and meet them and fight. What should the Muslims do in this situation?

Answer: It is upon the Muslims to do four things;

Firstly, it is upon the Muslims there to explain that this act of the Muslim youth has nothing to do with Islaam. This is because Islaam prohibits drinking alcohol and the reason for this incident was because of them contradicting the rules set in Islaam. Therefore it is necessary for us to explain this matter to them, that what they did has nothing to do with Islaam and its teachings.

Secondly, it is also equally important to firmly establish to the non-Muslims that Islaam prohibits its followers from harming others. It is also against the teachings of Islaam to go against the laws and regulations that the country has set out for you to follow. Those people who enter the country with a visa or they live there, then it is necessary that they abide by the rules of the country.

Questioner: Shaykh, most the Muslims living there are citizens and they don’t have visa.

Shaykh Sa’d: even those who are citizens. If you live in a country then it is binding that you live by the laws of that country because these are the regulations that the government has set out, such as a highway code etc. for the betterment its citizens so it necessary that we follow these rules in for this goal to be achieved.

Thirdly, fighting or going to war with other citizens that live in the UK is not allowed for us to do. Calling for fighting is a sole right for the leaders of countries and it is not left to the decision of individuals. This is due to the statement of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “The leader is a shield for his community, you follow his commands and he protects you from harm.” Based on this, it is not correct for an individual to decide that he is going to fight with others, even if he had a group and got permission from the government to fight with these people and to call to it.

Fourthly, the last piece of advice I give to the Muslims there is to be sincere and try do good deeds to others, seeking to get closer to Allaah, The Exalted and Glorified. Allaah, The Exalted and Glorified, gives the believers who do for other people a great reward in the Dunya and in the Aakhira , this is to compensate them for good deeds that they did. So I call on the Muslims in the UK to be like the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] as their situation is similar to his when he was getting oppressed and faced hardships in Makkah before Hijrah. So it is upon them to study the Seerah or the biography of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] and to learn how he dealt with harm that was afflicted upon him and how he dealt with those who tried to stop his Da’wah and how he dealt with all the different types of hardships and difficulties and despite this being the reality he was still merciful towards. 

Questioner: May Allaah grant you with good, would it be then permissible for the Muslims to cooperate with the police and the government in general in order to ward off any harm to themselves?

Shaykh Sa’d: Cooperate is of two types, this is taken from the statement of Allaah, The Exalted and Glorified;

“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression”

[Maaidah 5:2]

So if you are cooperating with them in doing acts of righteousness and piety and upon upholding the rights of people and bringing about betterment then this is what the Shariah dictates we should do. In fact, this Ayah was revealed in connection to the Muslims and their cooperation with non-Muslims. For Allaah, The Exalted and Glorified, says:

“O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month or [neglect the marking of] the sacrificial animals and garlanding [them] or [violate the safety of] those coming to the Sacred House seeking bounty from their Lord and [His] approval. But when you come out of ihram, then [you may] hunt. And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.”

[Maaidah 5:2]

Question: What is the ruling on this new type of Salaat that they have created, calling it Salaat al-Fujaa’ah [The Sudden Prayer]. In explaining what it is, some of the Muslims in the UK have called other Muslims to gather in their cities in well-known areas like the market place, and they all pray a well-known Salaah, like ‘Asr prayer for example, at the same time in their respective cities. They chose New Years’ Day 2012 to do this. They state that the reasons for doing this are four;

1)     They are calling to Allaah

2)     They are uniting the Ummah

3)     They are starting the year with prayer so it will be a year of prayer

4)     It can be a recreational act for the youth

What is the ruling on such an event?

Answer: Whoever seeks to do this then they are trying to do something good and they are trying to benefit the people. However, our religion is based on following the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] and walking on his path, as Allaah, The Exalted and Glorified, says;

“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you should love Allah , then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.’

[Aal Imraan 3:31]

And as He, The Exalted and Glorified, says;

“And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from”

[Hashr 59:7]

And as He, The Exalted and Glorified, says;

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.”

[Ahzaab 33:21]

These Ayaat prove that the way we worship Allaah can only be done in the manner that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] had done and taught us. Based on this, if someone was to look into likes of the Salaah, they will find that they are not following the way of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him]. They are not following him in the aspect of their timing, the place they are gathering and as a result praying Salaah in this manner is not in accordance with the way of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] or his guidance. Therefore, a prayer such as this is not legislated and it’s not done in the correct way.

If the slave knows that Allaah is the Lord All-Honour and All-Sublime, Knows best for His slaves and He is Glorified, the One Who Knows how to spread this religion in its true reality and its best form, therefore He has ordered us to follow a specific way when it comes to worship and He has told us the best way to attain these goals that have been mentioned in the question, is by following the Shar’.

So I advise the Muslims there to be diligent in following the religion of Islaam in the best and most perfect manner and to make it apparent, and this will be cause for the non-Muslims to enter the religion of Islaam. The way they can follow Islaam and make it apparent can be done in ways:

Firstly, for the Muslims to be united, having one call and negating any forms of splitting, to follow the Kitaab and the Sunnah and use it as a yardstick for them to follow and use it to resolve their problems, whether this be on a larger or an individual scale.

Secondly, the Muslims should seek ways to create ease for each other and to treat people with the best of conduct, and a result this will be a cause of the goodness of Allaah to be placed upon them and for their hearts to be united.

Thirdly, the Muslims, due to their excellent conduct and righteousness, should be a cause for people to be guided to Islaam in their religious and worldly affairs. Therefore, they should seek to resolve problems that they have with non-Muslims and they should be a cause of good deeds spreading so that the hearts of the people will be affected positively.

Fourthly, the Muslims should be strong in having the Akhlaaq that Islaam teaches us to have, whether this is connected to contracts and oaths we have or in the laws and regulations they have or beware of consuming the wealth of others in a wrong manner, or all the manners that the Shariah promotes when it comes to Akhlaaq, that our monotheistic religion has come with.

If the Muslims stick and follows these matters and they stick to following their religion then this will be a cause for people to return to the religion of Allaah and it will be a cause for the non-Muslims to be guided to the religion of Islaam.

I am remembered by all of this of the statement of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him], “Whoever does a deed that is not in accordance to our religion then it will be rejected” meaning the doer of this deed will find this deed rejected and Allaah, The Glorified and Exalted, will not accept it.