Fatawa Source : From the Fatawa Issued by the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta', Saudi Arabia
Fatwa Reference : (Fatwa No. 8740, Volume II, Page 330)
Question:
I pray in the mosque of Damascus. After each prescribed prayer, a person is commanded to recite the Verse of the Throne and surahs Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq audibly. When he finishes, each o*ne would recite the Verse of the Throne and surahs Al- Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq.
Had the Prophet (peace be upon him) ever done this or is it an innovation in religion? Should I approve their act and observe it? I know that reciting the Verse of the Throne and surahs Al- Ikhlas, An-Nas, and Al-Falaq was done by the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Is it legally permissible that o*ne of those performing prayers should recite the Verse of the Throne and other verses or surahs audibly after each prescribed prayer with the aim of teaching those who do not know the Verse of the Throne or surahs Al- Ikhlas, An-Nas, or Al-Falaq?
Answer : Praise be to Allah Alone, and prayers and peace be upon the last Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
It is not legally permissible for a person performing prayer or all of them to recite the former verses or surahs audibly after the prescribed prayers even if they aim at teaching others. This is an innovation in religion, for it has not been reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did it. It has been reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
Whoever performs an act in disconformity with our affair (religion), it is rejected.
Reported by Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim.
Accordingly, it is not permissible for you to approve their innovation in religion; rather, you have to deny it and clarify the right path as much as you can while sticking to wisdom and sincere advice. Allah (Glory be to Him) has said:
Invite (mankind, O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islâm) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'ân) and fair preaching. [16:125]
It has been reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has said:
Whoever sees an evil doing should change it with his hand; If he could not, he should use his tongue (by advising others to abandon it), if he could not, he should use his heart (by detesting it). This is the weakest kind of faith.
The second question: Would you kindly elaborate the meaning of the following two Hadiths: The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: Whoever performs an act in disconformity with our affair (religion), it is rejected.
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has said:
Whoever introduces a good way (in Islam) shall have its award and that of all those who will act according to it. .
The Prophet's Hadith, "Whoever performs an act in disconformity with our affair (religion), it is rejected." means that innovations which are made in religion in such a way that they resemble the law of Allah shall be rejected, for they are not permissible. Their doer has wronged. This resembles what we have mentioned before when answering the first question o*n reciting the Verse of the Throne audibly after the five prescribed prayer. This also applies to those adding "I witness that 'Ali is the pious servant of Allah" in Adhan and the muezzin's audible supplication to Allah to bestow peace and prayer o*n the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is permissible for the muezzin to recite it subvocally, as it is a Sunnah act.
The Hadith, "Whoever introduces a good way (In Islam) shall have its award and that of all those who will act according to it." means that if a person acts according to an authentic Sunnah abandoned by all people, he has revived it because people will act according to it while he was the first o*ne to initiate acting according to it. The same applies if he advised people and reminded them of it in such a way that they act according to it.
This view is supported by what Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih that Jarir bin 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We were with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the morning. A group of people came with all their clothes torn out and they were holding their swords. The majority, or rather all of them, were from the Mudar tribe. The face of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was changed because of the poverty overwhelming them. He got in and then went out and ordered Bilal to call for the prayers. Bilal pronounced Iqamah and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed (with the Muslims). After that, he delivered a sermon saying:
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Hawwa (Eve)), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allâh through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All* Watcher over you. [An-Nisa - 4:1]
He then related another verse from the end of surah Al-Hashr: O you who believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow. [Al-Hashr - 59:18]
A man should give charity even if it had been a dinar, dirham, clothes, a Sa' (measure) of grain, a Sa' of dates until he said: even if it is half a date. A man from the Supporters brought a pot which was so heavy that he could hardly carry it. People followed him until I saw two heaps of food and clothes. The face of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was lightened, as if it had been shining. Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: Whoever introduces a good way (in Islam) shall have its award and that of all those who will act according to it - without diminishing any of their awards. Whoever introduces a bad way (in Islam) shall have its liability and the liability of all those who will act according to it without diminishing any of their liabilities."
May Allah grant us prosperity. Peace and prayers be upon our Prophet Muhammad ( صلى الله عليه وسلم).
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Delivering Fatwas
(Member) 'Abdul-'Aziz bin Qa'ud
(Member) 'Abdul-'Aziz bin Ghudayan
(Vice-President of the Committee) 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi
(President) 'Abdul-'Aziz bin Baz
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. By the time! Verily mankind is at loss – except for those who believe and perform righteous deeds, and advise one another towards the truth and advise one another towards patience.’
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