Correspondence with missionary organizations and participation in their competitions
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Fatwa number ( 17474 )
Some of our Muslim youth have begun corresponding with Christian missionary clubs and organizations, which in turn send them lessons about the Holy Bible, the Gospel, as they claim, along with video tapes of missionary lectures and obscene magazines that have spread in our Muslim lands, including Algeria . We have attached a copy of the letters they send us. Q1: Is it permissible in the Shari'ah to correspond with such missionary organizations? And what is the ruling on one who reads the Gospel? Q2: Is it permissible in the Shari'ah to participate in the enticing competitions organized by these organizations?
A1 and 2: The Gospel that exists today is not the Gospel as Allah Mighty and Majestic revealed it; for it contains much distortion, lying, addition, and subtraction, and saying what is not befitting of Allah the Exalted. Allah has clarified this in His Book, saying:
[Ali 'Imran 3:78], and He the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:79]. It is not permissible for a Muslim to look into any of the books of the Jews and the Christians . The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked 'Umar when he saw a sheet of the Torah with him, and said (peace and blessings be upon him): . Based on this, it is not permissible to correspond with Christian missionary centers, nor to attend their lessons, nor to listen to their tapes, nor to participate in the competitions they organize, even if they are enticing; because of the cooperation in sin and transgression involved in that. However, it is permissible to look into the books of the Jews and Christians for one who has the ability to refute the falsehood therein; to establish the proof and remove the doubt.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Some of our Muslim youth have begun corresponding with Christian missionary clubs and organizations, which in turn send them lessons about the Holy Bible, the Gospel, as they claim, along with video tapes of missionary lectures and obscene magazines that have spread in our Muslim lands, including Algeria . We have attached a copy of the letters they send us. Q1: Is it permissible in the Shari'ah to correspond with such missionary organizations? And what is the ruling on one who reads the Gospel? Q2: Is it permissible in the Shari'ah to participate in the enticing competitions organized by these organizations?
A1 and 2: The Gospel that exists today is not the Gospel as Allah Mighty and Majestic revealed it; for it contains much distortion, lying, addition, and subtraction, and saying what is not befitting of Allah the Exalted. Allah has clarified this in His Book, saying:
And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah. And they speak untruth about Allah while they know.
وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقًا يَلْوُونَ أَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِالْكِتَابِ لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَSo woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allah," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.
فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلا فَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا يَكْسِبُونَWill you be consumed in it, O son of al-Khattab? By Myself in Whose Hand is your soul, you have come to us with it white and pure... If Moses were alive, he would have had no choice but to follow me. And in a narration by 'Abdullah ibn Thabit: 'Umar said, "I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, and Muhammad as my Prophet."
أمتهوكون فيها يا ابن الخطاب ؟ والذي نفسي بيده لقد جئتكم بها بيضاء نقية...، لو أن موسى كان حيًّا ما وسعه إلا أن يتبعني وفي رواية عبد الله بن ثابت : فقال عمر : رضيت بالله ربًا وبالإسلام دينًا وبمحمد نبيًاAnd 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.