With the spread of the da'wah (calling to Islam) through the media, yet there are those who worship trees and stones, so what is the best method in that case?
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The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. Despite the spread of awareness, Shaykh Salih, through many media outlets, and also some Islamic newspapers that warn against this, such messages still reach the program, mentioning that in such-and-such a place there are people who worship trees and stones, and circumambulate shrines, and give charity at graves, and the like. What is the best method in that case, Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that this evil is widespread and common in many cities and neighboring countries; this is a well-known and famous matter. There are large, famous shrines among the people, widespread in the world and not hidden; large shrines in great cities of the Muslim lands. They are idols that rival[An-Najm 53:19-20], and rival the idols that were with the people of Noah, whom Allah drowned. It is obligatory for them to do what Allah has obligated upon them regarding these shrines and these idols, and to make clear to the people the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the call of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The presenter:
Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh:
And that they should not fear the blame of any blamer in the matter of Allah. It is obligatory upon the scholars, specifically, because Allah has placed upon them the trust of knowledge; it is obligatory upon them to make clear, to warn the people, and to spread the creed of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) in the schools, in the mosques, and in the gatherings of the people, and that the call to Allah should be focused on this matter. As for them calling people to truthfulness, to leaving lying, to leaving riba (usury or interest), and to other forbidden matters, no doubt, and major sins among the major sins, no doubt, but the greatest of that is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Because if they left all these forbidden things but did not leave shirk, there is no benefit in all their deeds. He, the Exalted, said: "And if they had associated [others] with Us, their deeds would have become void to them." So if they left all the forbidden things and did all the obligatory things, except that they did not leave shirk with Allah (Mighty and Majestic)—major shirk, calling upon other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), slaughtering for other than Allah, making vows for other than Allah, seeking aid from other than Allah in matters that only Allah can do—if they did not leave this, then all their deeds do not benefit them. Allah, the Exalted, said:[Az-Zumar 39:65-66] This is the obligation. So it is obligatory upon the callers to Allah to proclaim the call to tawhid and the denial of shirk, and to make this clear to the people. This is the foundation of the call with which Allah sent His messengers. [An-Nahl 16:36] The messengers came with this, and then they turned to denying the rest of the wrongs. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Mu'adh to Yemen, he advised him to start with tawhid, and he said (peace and blessings be upon him): "You will come to a people from the People of the Book, so let the first thing you call them to be Sahih al-Bukhari 1395 except Jami` at-Tirmidhi 625Sahih (Darussalam)," because the prayer and the zakah are not valid except after the soundness of the creed and the rectification of tawhid. And this is a clear matter, clear in the Noble Qur'an with many verses.
The presenter:
Yes, yes.
The Shaykh:
And in the hadiths of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and in the biography of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his call. This is the obligation upon the callers to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. Does the subject require some firmness, Shaykh Salih, some action, as you see?
The Shaykh:
By Allah, despite the spread of education now in the Islamic world, the spread of universities, and the spread of education in a known way,
The presenter:
Allah.
The Shaykh:
academic qualifications, yet this aspect is little attended to by anyone, and much is neglected by many. There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Great.
The presenter:
Yes.
The Shaykh:
And the meaning of this is that we have done nothing. No matter how much we learn, no matter how much we become cultured, and no matter what deeds we do, as long as we have not corrected the creed, it means we have done nothing, that we have returned to zero.
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. Despite the spread of awareness, Shaykh Salih, through many media outlets, and also some Islamic newspapers that warn against this, such messages still reach the program, mentioning that in such-and-such a place there are people who worship trees and stones, and circumambulate shrines, and give charity at graves, and the like. What is the best method in that case, Shaykh?
The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that this evil is widespread and common in many cities and neighboring countries; this is a well-known and famous matter. There are large, famous shrines among the people, widespread in the world and not hidden; large shrines in great cities of the Muslim lands. They are idols that rival
al-Lat and al-'Uzza? (20) And Manat, the third - the other one?
اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰThe presenter:
Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh:
And that they should not fear the blame of any blamer in the matter of Allah. It is obligatory upon the scholars, specifically, because Allah has placed upon them the trust of knowledge; it is obligatory upon them to make clear, to warn the people, and to spread the creed of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) in the schools, in the mosques, and in the gatherings of the people, and that the call to Allah should be focused on this matter. As for them calling people to truthfulness, to leaving lying, to leaving riba (usury or interest), and to other forbidden matters, no doubt, and major sins among the major sins, no doubt, but the greatest of that is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Because if they left all these forbidden things but did not leave shirk, there is no benefit in all their deeds. He, the Exalted, said: "And if they had associated [others] with Us, their deeds would have become void to them." So if they left all the forbidden things and did all the obligatory things, except that they did not leave shirk with Allah (Mighty and Majestic)—major shirk, calling upon other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic), slaughtering for other than Allah, making vows for other than Allah, seeking aid from other than Allah in matters that only Allah can do—if they did not leave this, then all their deeds do not benefit them. Allah, the Exalted, said:
(65) And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allah, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers." (66) Rather, worship [only] Allah and be among the grateful.
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ بَلِ اللَّهَ فَاعْبُدْ وَكُن مِّنَ الشَّاكِرِينَAnd We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut."
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَto testify that none has
إِلَى شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَAllah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they comply with that, then inform them that Allah has made five prayers obligatory upon them in a day and a night. If they comply with that, then inform then that Allah has ordained a charity upon their wealth, which is to be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor among them
الله، فإن هم أجابوك لذلك فاعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في اليوم والليلة، فإن هم أطاعوك لذلك فأخبرهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة تؤخذ من أغنيائهم فترد في فقرائهمThe presenter:
Yes, yes.
The Shaykh:
And in the hadiths of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and in the biography of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his call. This is the obligation upon the callers to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and do you good. Does the subject require some firmness, Shaykh Salih, some action, as you see?
The Shaykh:
By Allah, despite the spread of education now in the Islamic world, the spread of universities, and the spread of education in a known way,
The presenter:
Allah.
The Shaykh:
academic qualifications, yet this aspect is little attended to by anyone, and much is neglected by many. There is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Great.
The presenter:
Yes.
The Shaykh:
And the meaning of this is that we have done nothing. No matter how much we learn, no matter how much we become cultured, and no matter what deeds we do, as long as we have not corrected the creed, it means we have done nothing, that we have returned to zero.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، مع انتشار الدعوة على وسائل الإعلام إلا أن هناك من يعبد الاشجار والأحجار، فما الطريقة المثلى حينئذ؟ — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.