In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Mufti, Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah protect him, was asked: Is it permissible to eat locusts, for indeed we find that some people eat locusts?
Response: There is no doubt that locusts are permissible by consensus. The impermissibility of (eating locusts has not be stated (i.e. in the Shariah) because it was eaten during the time of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. (lt has been stated) in an authentic hadith: “We participated in seven battles with the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, during which we ate locusts.” Locusts are permissible (to eat) and are not declared to be haraam, because they are from the Tayyibaat [good things declared lawful by the Shariah], and the good lawful food stuff are used as nourishment.
ًQuestion: Eminent Shaykh, this questioners asks: “What are the distinguishing signs of Ahlu Sunnah wal jamaa’ah?”
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds and peace and salutation be up on our prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
The distinguishing signs of the People of Sunnah are many – and all praises and thanks be to Allah.
The most distinguishing being: Acting upon the book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the soundness of their creed from ideological deviations and the deviations that some sects have been exposed to.
Ahlu Sunnah wal jamaa’ah are upright, upon the Book and the Sunnah. They act upon what the preferred generations were upon; the companions, tabi’een and those who followed them in righteousness. In accordance with the statement of the Prophet’s saying: “Upon you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, cling to it and bite onto it with your molar teeth, and be aware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a misguidance”
They act upon the Book and Sunnah and what the Salaf of this ummah were upon. They avoid Innovation and newly invented matters, they avoid false misinterpretations of the names and attributes [of Allah]. They affirm the names and attributes [of Allah], in accordance to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him, they do not distort, make resemblance or negate [the names and attributes of Allah] as Allah says: “There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” (Ash-Shura 42:11)
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen [rahimahullaah] said:
Celebrating Valentine’s Day is impermissible due to [several] reasons:
Firstly: It is an innovated celebration and it has no basis in the Sharee’ah.
Secondly: It calls to infatuation.
Thirdly: It is a means of preoccupying the heart with the likes of these insignificant affairs and it is in opposition to the guidance of the Salafus Saaleh [The Pious Predecessors].
Therefore, it is impermissible to initiate anything on this day related to [celebration], whether it is foodstuffs, drinks, clothing, and exchanging gifts or other than that. It is obligated on a Muslim to nobly [adhere to his (or her)] religion and should not be one who goes with the flow- following everyone who calls to something.
[Source: An excerpt from (Majmoo Fataawaa 16/199). slightly paraphrased]
Honourable Shaykh – May Allāh give you success – this questioner says, What is the ruling on those called Qurāniyūn, those who reject the noble hadīth, and they say we suffice ourselves with the Qurān only?
This is disbelief, this is disbelief in Allāh The Mighty & Majestic because the Hadīth is revelation from Allāh The Mighty & Majestic, it is the second revelation after the Qurān. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired. The speech of the prophet is revelation from Allāh the Mighty & Majestic, the pronouncement is the Messenger’s, however the meaning is from Allāh.
Allah the Mighty and Majestic said [in the Qur’an]: “And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)” 59:7
And this one says, I only take from the Qur’an. “And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it” He says, No, I won’t take. What sort of speech is this?!
“What is the definition of Hizbiyyah and what is its ruling?”
Watch the video for the answer.
Your question O my child from Germany is composed of two parts. The first: concerning the meaning of hizbiyyah and I say you have done well for asking this question. So hizbiyyah is to unite and side with an individual, individuals or a group other than Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah. And it’s possible (the people of hizbiyyah) side themselves with a number of groups. So you find one of them for example, uniting with Jamā’atu-Tablīgh, Jamā’atul-ikhwān, Jamā’atul-jihād or other than them from the present day da’wah affiliated groups that are all deviated and misguide people.
I say this without any reluctance, as this is what I profess as my religion before Allāh.
So you find him (a person of hizbiyyah) making his friendship and allegiance towards those who side with him, a groups of people, a single individual or various individual persons. He builds his allegiance and enmity based on them.
It was this that Shaykhul-Islām – may Allāh have mercy upon him – signified with his saying, “And whosoever raises for the people a man for whose sake friendship and enmity is formed, then he is from those who have divided their religion and split into sects” and with this detailed explanation – if Allāh wills – I think you have understood the meaning of hizbiyyah. It is taken from (the word) tahazzub (to form partisanship).
As for the second part and that is your question concerning its ruling – it is an innovation and misguidance. So whoever sides himself with other than the Salafis – and they are the People of Hadīth (prophetic narrations), Ahlul- Athar, (people of narrations), the Victorious Party, the Saved Sect, the People of Sunnah and Jamā’ah (unity).
So this is the reality of despicable hizbiyyah and (one who falls into it) is from those who have divided their religion and split into sects.
Question: “May Allaah be good to you. Is lying permissible for the purpose of calling to Allaah?”
Answer:
No, calling to Allaah is based upon truthfulness. There is no good in lying. Except for in the instance of rectification, rectification between the people. Rectification between the people, there is no problem with lying for the purpose of rectification, (which is) an overriding benefit. Likewise (lying) between the spouses for the sake of maintaining the close relationship between the two. So one of them lies to the other in order to rectify their relationship. There is no problem with this.
I pray, however I (still) perform some evil actions; so, what is your advice for me? And why does my prayer not prevent me from forbidden actions?
Shaykh Uthaymeen Replies:
My advice for you is that you repent to Allah (The Mighty and Majestic) and that you sincerely draw close to Allah. (Likewise) that you recall the greatness of the one you have disobeyed and recall His punishment (The Mighty and Majestic), for whoever opposes his command.
Declare (O Muhammad SAW) unto My slaves, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful. (49) And that My Torment is indeed the most painful torment. (50)
So, seek Allah’s forgiveness and mercy and fear his punishment. As for your situation, i.e. that you pray and you prayer does not prevent you from evil actions, then perhaps your prayer has deficiencies, because the prayer which prevents from fahshaa (i.e. great sins) and munkar (everything Islam rejects & has prohibited) is the complete prayer, (meaning) the prayer which is (performed) in accordance to that which the Messenger of Allah came with; with presence of heart, performing the actions (of the prayer) as they were reported in the sunnah. It is not every prayer which prevents from fahshaa (i.e. great sins) and munkar (every thing Islam censures & has forbidden ), rather it is the established prayer (in the sunnah) which the people perform in the manner which is befitting.
Recite (O Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa salam) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur’ân), and perform As-Salât (Iqamât¬as¬Salât). Verily, As-Salât (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahshâ’ (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed).
Meaning, the prayer which is performed in the correct manner (according to the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah), prevents these evils.
(1) The questioner is alluding to this aayah in the Quran: Al-Ankaboot: 45
“Do you not feel ashamed in front of Allaah that you sleep the whole night and do not stand to pray to Allaah The Mighty & Majestic even if it be a short portion of the night whilst Allaah has blessed you, given you health and safety? “
An Excellent Khutbah based upon the following Ayah in which Allah says:
“And say to My slaves (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best. (Because) Shaitan (Satan) verily, sows disagreements among them. Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is to man a plain enemy.” [Surah Al-Israa. Ayah 53]
Excerpt
How many – O slaves of Allaah- enmities and wars broke out due to one evil statement, and how much love, brotherhood and [amicability, hospitality, cordiality etc] spread between the slaves due to one good statement!
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
When the Salafiyyoon refute all the people of Bidah and refuse to co-operate with them, the callers to false unity accuse them of causing disunity and sectarianism in their desperate attempts to conceal the true reality of this term when applied in its right context. Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said: ‘’When a proof that supports the truth is manifested and the one who wants to repel it finds no way of doing so, he refrains from mentioning it and thus becomes a silent devil, and sometimes he distorts it. Distortion is of two types: Distorting words and distorting meanings. Distorting words is when one utters a word in a context in which it does not establish the truth – either adding to the word or omitting something from it, or substituting it with something else- to the extent that the listener is made to believe something, whilst something else is intended by it, just as the Yahood [i.e. those Yahood who disbelieved in the Prophet & hated him] used to distort words when giving Salaam to the Prophet [i.e. saying As-Saamu Alayka (death be upon you), instead of saying Assalaamu alaykum)]. This is one type of distortion.
The second type of distortion is related to meanings – distorting the wording; giving it an interpretation that is not intended by the one who uttered it and pretending not to know its unintended meaning; or dropping other meanings intended by it etc. Allaah [The Most High] said: [وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا – and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do].
And when it is the case that a witness is required to bear witness based on what the affair should be [i.e. the complete truth], therefore neither should he hide nor change it. Turning away from the testimony is tantamount to concealment, and distortion is tantamount to alteration and substitution. Therefore, contemplate on this ayah and the treasures of knowledge it contains. The Eemaan of a person cannot be complete, except by way of accepting the texts of the sharee’ah and calling the people to them – neither turning away from them at times nor distorting them at other times. [Source: An Excerpt from ‘Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah). Vol 1. Page 300-303. slightly paraphrased]
The cause of the differing that take place between the callers is the differing in methodologies. And had the callers (may Allaah guide them and grant them success) followed a singular methodology- the methodology of the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam; that which the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-sallam) and his companions were upon- then these differences would not have occurred.
Therefore, it is obligatory upon all the callers to make their methodology one–upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam); and that their call is (carried out) for the sake of Allaah and to make the word of Allaah uppermost. Their call should not be for the sake of desires, raising individuals or parties; rather their call should be sincerely for Allaah’s Face-making Allaah’s word uppermost; following the Messenger of Allaah (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) and to aid His Religion. (So) by way of this the differing will cease. [Source: Al-Ijaabaatul Muhimmah Fil Mashaakil Al-Mulimmah (page:221-222)]
Shaikh Zaid Ibn Hadee al Madkhalee (rahimahullaah) said:
The Mubtadi [i.e. the one who innovates that which is not from the religion and thus is labelled with the term ‘innovator in religion’ after the proofs have been established against him] is the cause for the splitting [in the Ummah]. That is because splitting is connected to innovation and unity (upon the sound creed and methodology of the Salaf) is connected to the Sunnah. The obligation of refuting the Mukhaalif (the opposer of the truth) is not lifted from the scholar due to anticipation of harm, unless it is harm he is not able to bear. Then (in this case), Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. The earth is not devoid of people of knowledge who will carry out refutation against the Mubtadi and the Mukhaalif. [Source: Al Ajwibah Al Mukhtasar Alaa As-ila Al-Ashrati(Page43-44)]
Must Read: The Splitting and Differing in the Ummah is Due to the Innovations and Innovators: http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=GSC01&articleID=GSC010003&articlePages=1
