Giving Some of the Udhiyah Sacrifice to Non-Muslim Family or Neighbors

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

هل يجوز أن يهدي المسلم شيئا لأهل الكتاب، وهل يجوز إهداء شيء من الأضحية لشخص من أهل الكتاب؟

QUESTION: Is it permissible for a Muslim to give gifts to the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), and is it permissible to give some of the Udhiyah sacrifice to someone from the People of the Book?

ANSWER by the Permanent Committee for Religious Verdicts, headed by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have Mercy on him):

يجوز الإهداء إلى الكافر وإطعامه من الأضحية وصدقات التطوع إذا لم يكن محاربا لنا؛ لقول الله تعالى:

It is permissible to give gifts or food to a non-Muslim, from the Udhiyah [Sacrifice] or other optional acts of charity, [1] so long as he is not at Continue reading

Working in Construction: Building a Church

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The Standing Committee for Religious Verdicts (al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah) was asked:

Can a Muslim who works in construction build a church for non-Muslims?

They replied: Continue reading

The Meaning of the Verse in Soorah al-Faatihah: “Ihdinas-Siraat-Al-Mustaqeem”

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

What exactly are we asking for when we say:

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

“Guide us upon the straight path”

Guidance meaning: Lead or direct us to the straight path of Islaam is not the intended meaning in Soorah al-Faatihah, since the people reciting Soorah al-Faatihah have already been guided to it, and they have already accepted it. So are we asking Allaah to:

a) Direct us towards Islaam?

b) Allow us to accept it (Islaam)?

c) Or keep us firm upon it after having accepted it (Hidaayat ath-thabaat ‘alal-Haqq)?

While all three above meanings can be correct, meaning:

1) Guide us to the Straight Path (Islaam), by giving us knowledge of the Religion (by teaching us, through the scholars, for example).

2) Guide us to the Straight Path, by allowing us to accept the new things we learn from our Deen and implement them, as all correct beliefs and acts of worship are from as-Siraat al-Mustaqeem.

3) Guide us to the Straight Path, by granting us Continue reading

The Story of Jesus and the Third Loaf of Bread

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

A story about ‘Eesaa (Jesus), the son of Mary (Peace be upon him), and a greedy man who stole a loaf of bread, was told by an unreliable mid-second-century narrator, Layth ibn Abee Sulaym.[1] The story goes as follows:

[Allegedly] Jesus and a traveling companion had three loaves of bread. They stopped at a beach to eat, and each one of them had a loaf of bread. When Jesus stood up to wash his hands, he returned to find that the third loaf of bread was missing. He asked his companion about it, and he replied that he did not know about it.

They moved on [allegedly, as the story goes] until they encountered three deer – an adult and two fawns. Jesus called one of the fawns and it came. He then slaughtered it, and so they cooked it and ate part of it. Miraculously, Jesus ordered the fawn back to life by the Permission of Allaah, and so it stood up and left! Jesus then turned to the man and said, “I ask you by the One who has shown you this miracle, who took the third loaf of bread?” He answered, “I do not know.”

They [allegedly] moved on until they reached a flooded valley. Jesus took the man’s hand and they walked on top of the surface of the water! Jesus then Continue reading

Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan on Loving and Hating for the Sake of Allaah

In the Name of Allaah…

Recently, the great scholar, Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan (may Allaah preserve him) was asked:

What is the ruling on rejecting the idea of hatred for the sake of Allaah and claiming that it is not from Islam? Is a person’s Islaam valid if he does not hate the Jews and Christians?

The shaykh responded:

Walaa’ and baraa’ (the islamic system of loyalty) is a must. (It is) disallegiance with the enemies of Allaah and loyalty to the allies of Allaah. Walaa’ and baraa’ means to have hatred, declaring oneself free of them (the disbelievers) and their religion, this is baraa’.

Walaa’ means to love Allaah, to love His Messenger, and to love His believing servants, take them as allies and come to their defense.

“Indeed you have a good example in Ibraaheem (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: We are free of you and all that you worship beside Allaah…” [Meaning of Quran 60:4]

They declared themselves free of them and their idols, their objects of worship.

“…We are free of you and all that you worship beside Allaah. We have disbelieved in you (i.e. your religion), and there shall be enmity and hatred between us forever, unless you believe in Allaah alone.” [Meaning of Quran 60:4]

Thus it is not permissible to love the disbelievers. Whoever takes them as allies, Allaah, the Mighty and Most High, has said [what means]:

“O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and Christians as allies! They are allies of one another. Whoever takes them as allies is indeed from them. Verily Allaah does not guide people who are oppressive.” [Meaning of Quran 5:51]

The issue is very serious. Walaa’ (loyalty) and baraa’ (disallegiance) are Continue reading