The Ruling on Repeating Some Pre-Islamic Phrases That Entail Associating Partners with Allah

Question:
Abu Abdullah from Jazan, please, Abu Abdullah. Peace be upon you. And upon you be peace. Shaykh, there are some phrases in our region that some people repeat, such as saying “O Ubbadah” or “Mother of the Boys” or “Mother of the Jinn,” or saying, for example, “O Ubbadah, take so-and-so and break his back.” Some of them also call out to the places that were worshipped in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, saying “O people of Mount So-and-so, do such-and-such” or “do such-and-such.” What is the ruling on that? And when they are forbidden from it, they say, “It is merely a phrase that has become customary,” or “May Allah reward you with good.”

Answer:
These are phrases of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and are not permissible; one is forbidden from them, and indeed, the one who does so should be disciplined, because these are matters of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. Calling upon other than Allah is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah the Exalted. These places do not benefit and do not harm; rather, some people believed that about them. This is a matter of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and it must be forbidden and prevented, in order to purify the lands of the Muslims and the belief of the Muslims from these customs and these misguided sayings. Yes.