Book: A Feast for the Sea Urchins
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Fatwa No. ( 21546 )
Q: Attached you will find a copy of the response written by Dr. Muhammad Abbas , may Allah reward him with good and place this deed in his scale of good deeds, and grant him salvation on the Day of Great Terror. The response is directed at the novel *A Feast for the Sea Urchins* by the Syrian writer Haidar Haidar . We ask Allah for him
and for every misguided person, guidance. Your Excellency will find in the attached response what the Syrian writer said about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), about the Noble Qur'an, and about the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), things that no Jew has said in the Torah, nor any Christian in the Gospel, yet this wicked, open sinner comes in an age of wickedness and open sinfulness to deceive the Muslims, both scholars and the general public, in their negligence. He dares to say words he would not have said had he seen in the Muslims a reference point and love for their Lord, their Book, and their Prophet. He says these things in a Muslim country so that all Muslims may hear the novel of misguidance he has written. This writer has challenged all Muslims, foremost among them the scholars, bodies, and religious institutions. What is the answer of Your Excellency and the distinguished scholars of this noble country, known for its defense of the religion of Allah, His Book, and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? I hope the answer will be commensurate with the challenge displayed by the writer and stronger. Sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. In conveying this matter to Your Excellency, I place the matter upon your shoulders, for you are more capable and more sincere to Allah regarding what the writer has said and what the misguiders say, and I am sincere to Allah in disavowing the positions of negligence and weakness taken by the bodies and religious institutions in the lands of the Muslims in the face of the wicked and their wickedness. Sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.
A: After reviewing sufficient texts from the novel (The Wedding of the Sea Weeds)
by Haidar Haidar , and after examining some reports issued by Islamic authorities regarding this novel and the misguidance and disbelief contained within it, the Committee found that the aforementioned novel includes serious matters, among which are: 1. Mocking Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) and describing Him with what is not befitting Him (Glorified and Exalted is He). 2. Mocking the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and fabricating lies about him. 3. Denying the Hereafter and mocking Paradise, Hellfire, reward, and punishment. 4. Advocating for licentiousness and spreading immorality among the believers. 5. Encouraging people to rebel against the rulings of Islam and not adhere to its legislation... etc. Muslims do not differ that what has been mentioned is disbelief in Allah, atheism in His religion, and exiting the religion of Islam; because it is mocking Allah, His Messenger, and His religion, and denying Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and attacking the Qur'an and rejecting the rulings of Islam. Allah the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:65-66], and He (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [At-Tawbah 9:74],
and the scholars have agreed that whoever denies something known from the religion by necessity is a disbeliever. Therefore, it is obligatory for the people of Islam to enable the Shari'ah court to look into the case of the aforementioned novel so that it may rule according to the ruling of Allah and His Messenger as a retribution for him and a deterrent for others who are tempted to attack the religion of Islam. And let every Muslim know that this novel is not permissible to print, publish, or circulate, and it must be destroyed. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: Attached you will find a copy of the response written by Dr. Muhammad Abbas , may Allah reward him with good and place this deed in his scale of good deeds, and grant him salvation on the Day of Great Terror. The response is directed at the novel *A Feast for the Sea Urchins* by the Syrian writer Haidar Haidar . We ask Allah for him
and for every misguided person, guidance. Your Excellency will find in the attached response what the Syrian writer said about Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), about the Noble Qur'an, and about the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), things that no Jew has said in the Torah, nor any Christian in the Gospel, yet this wicked, open sinner comes in an age of wickedness and open sinfulness to deceive the Muslims, both scholars and the general public, in their negligence. He dares to say words he would not have said had he seen in the Muslims a reference point and love for their Lord, their Book, and their Prophet. He says these things in a Muslim country so that all Muslims may hear the novel of misguidance he has written. This writer has challenged all Muslims, foremost among them the scholars, bodies, and religious institutions. What is the answer of Your Excellency and the distinguished scholars of this noble country, known for its defense of the religion of Allah, His Book, and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? I hope the answer will be commensurate with the challenge displayed by the writer and stronger. Sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. In conveying this matter to Your Excellency, I place the matter upon your shoulders, for you are more capable and more sincere to Allah regarding what the writer has said and what the misguiders say, and I am sincere to Allah in disavowing the positions of negligence and weakness taken by the bodies and religious institutions in the lands of the Muslims in the face of the wicked and their wickedness. Sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.
A: After reviewing sufficient texts from the novel (The Wedding of the Sea Weeds)
by Haidar Haidar , and after examining some reports issued by Islamic authorities regarding this novel and the misguidance and disbelief contained within it, the Committee found that the aforementioned novel includes serious matters, among which are: 1. Mocking Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) and describing Him with what is not befitting Him (Glorified and Exalted is He). 2. Mocking the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and fabricating lies about him. 3. Denying the Hereafter and mocking Paradise, Hellfire, reward, and punishment. 4. Advocating for licentiousness and spreading immorality among the believers. 5. Encouraging people to rebel against the rulings of Islam and not adhere to its legislation... etc. Muslims do not differ that what has been mentioned is disbelief in Allah, atheism in His religion, and exiting the religion of Islam; because it is mocking Allah, His Messenger, and His religion, and denying Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and attacking the Qur'an and rejecting the rulings of Islam. Allah the Exalted said:
(65) And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?" (66) Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.
قُلْ أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (65) لاَ تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْwhile they had said the word of disbelief and disbelieved after their [pretense of] Islam
وَلَقَدْ قَالُوا كَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ وَكَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِسْلامِهِمْand the scholars have agreed that whoever denies something known from the religion by necessity is a disbeliever. Therefore, it is obligatory for the people of Islam to enable the Shari'ah court to look into the case of the aforementioned novel so that it may rule according to the ruling of Allah and His Messenger as a retribution for him and a deterrent for others who are tempted to attack the religion of Islam. And let every Muslim know that this novel is not permissible to print, publish, or circulate, and it must be destroyed. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.