QUESTION

Some of the senior scholars are often referred to as "our father", like Shaykh Ibn Baaz or Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen for example (may Allaah have Mercy on them). Could this be considered something taken from the Christians, since they refer to their priests in this way, calling them "fathers"?

ANSWER by Shaykh Muhammad 'Umar Baazmool, instructor at Umm Al-Quraa University in Makkah

What seems apparent to me is that this is not something from the specific terminology used by the Christians, rather it is something found in the culture of the people, since the Christians use this term, "father", referring to a number of things.

Here (in Saudi Arabia), it is from our culture that we refer to our elders as fathers, meaning by it: "We honor you like we honor our father. You have a status over us similar to that of our own father." This is what the people intend here.

As for the Christians, then they are most likely using the word "father" in more ways than this.

However, if it is found that the Christians use the word in this same exact way or in a similar context, then, no doubt, it would be something disliked to refer to the scholars using this word.

Perhaps the latter can be strengthened by the fact that the Companions did not use to refer to the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) in this way (calling him "our father"). Furthermore, the students of the Companions, did not refer to the Companions in this way, the did not used to refer to them as their fathers, nor did they address them saying, "My father..."

It seems that abandoning this practice is better, to prevent any false assumptions or confusion that may occur, and to stay away from any type of imitation (of the Christians) in general, and Allaah knows best.

SOURCE

This was translated exclusively for www.bakkah.net from a cassette recording with the knowledge and permission of the shaykh, file no. AAMB044, dated 1423/8/17.

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