Ruling on Building Pagan Temples in the Arabian Peninsula
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Fatwa No. ( 21413 )
Praise be to Allah alone, and peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. After that, the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from a number of questioners, whose inquiries are recorded in the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars under number (86) dated 5/1/1421 AH, and numbers (1326, 1327, 1328) dated 2/3/1421 AH, regarding the ruling on building pagan temples in the Arabian Peninsula , such as: building churches for the Christians, and temples for the Jews and other disbelievers, or that the owner of a company or institution designates a place for their non-Muslim employees to perform their pagan worship... etc.
After the Committee studied these inquiries, it responded as follows: Every religion other than the religion of Islam is disbelief and misguidance, and every place of worship other than the religion of Islam is a house of disbelief and misguidance, for it is not permissible to worship Allah except by what He, the Exalted, has prescribed in Islam. The Shari'ah of Islam is the final of the Shari'ahs, general for the two heavy burdens, the jinn and mankind, and it abrogates what came before it. This is a matter of consensus
upon it, praise be to Allah the Exalted. Whoever claims that the Jews are on the right path, or that the Christians are on the right path, whether he is one of them or not, is a denier of the Book of Allah the Exalted and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and the consensus of the Ummah. He is an apostate from Islam if he claims Islam after the proof has been established against him, if he is of those from whom it is hidden. Allah the Exalted said:[Saba 34:28], and He, Glorious is His Majesty, said: [Al-A'raf 7:158], and He, the Exalted, said: [Ali 'Imran 3:19], and He, Majestic and Exalted, said: [Ali 'Imran 3:85], and He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Bayyinah 98:6]. It is established in the two Sahihs and others that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 335. For this reason, it is among the necessities of the religion the prohibition of disbelief, which necessitates the prohibition of worshipping Allah in a manner contrary to what came in the Shari'ah of Islam. This includes the prohibition of building places of worship according to abrogated Shari'ahs
Jewish or Christian or otherwise; for those places of worship, whether they are churches or otherwise, are considered places of disbelief, because the acts of worship performed in them are contrary to the Shari'ah of Islam, which abrogates all Shari'ahs before it and invalidates them. And Allah the Exalted says regarding the disbelievers and their deeds:[Al-Furqan 25:23]; for this reason, the scholars agreed on the prohibition of building places of disbelief, such as churches in the lands of the Muslims, and that it is not permissible for two qiblas to be in one country of the lands of Islam, and that there should be nothing of the symbols of the disbelievers in it, neither churches nor otherwise. They agreed on the obligation to demolish churches and other places of disbelief if they are newly established in the land of Islam, and it is not permissible to oppose the one in authority in demolishing them; rather, obedience to him is obligatory. The scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, agreed that building places of disbelief, including churches in the Arabian Peninsula , is a greater sin and a more serious crime; because of the authentic and explicit hadiths specifically regarding the prohibition of two religions gathering in the Arabian Peninsula, among them is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Muwatta Malik 45:18, narrated by Imam Malik and others, and its origin is in (the two Sahihs).
The Arabian Peninsula is the sanctuary of Islam, and its foundation in which it is not permissible to allow or permit a disbeliever to violate it, nor to become a citizen of it, nor to own property in it, let alone to establish a church in it for the worship of the Cross. Two religions do not gather in it, except one religion, which is the religion of Islam by which Allah sent His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). There are not two qiblas in it, except one qibla, which is the qibla of the Muslims toward the Ancient House. And praise be to Allah who guided the rulers of this land to repel these places of disbelief from this pure Islamic land. To Allah is the complaint of what the enemies of Islam have brought of places of disbelief, such as churches and others, in many of the lands of the Muslims. We ask Allah to preserve Islam from their plots and schemes. And by this it is known that allowing and being pleased with the establishment of places of disbelief, such as churches, or allocating a place for them in any country of the lands of Islam, is among the greatest forms of aiding disbelief and manifesting its symbols. And Allah, Glorious is His Majesty, says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:2]. The Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, said: (Whoever believes that churches are houses of Allah, and that Allah is worshipped in them, or that what the Jews and the Christians do is worship for Allah
and obedience to His Messenger, or that He loves it or is pleased with it, or that he aided them in opening them and establishing their religion, and that it is a means of nearness or obedience - he is a disbeliever). And he also said: (Whoever believes that visiting the churches of the dhimmis is a means of nearness to Allah is an apostate, and if he is ignorant that it is forbidden, he is informed of that, and if he persists, he becomes an apostate). End of quote. We seek refuge in Allah from the return to disbelief after faith, and from misguidance after guidance. And let the Muslim beware that he has a share in the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Muhammad 47:25-28]. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Praise be to Allah alone, and peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there is no prophet. After that, the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta has reviewed what was sent to His Eminence the Grand Mufti from a number of questioners, whose inquiries are recorded in the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars under number (86) dated 5/1/1421 AH, and numbers (1326, 1327, 1328) dated 2/3/1421 AH, regarding the ruling on building pagan temples in the Arabian Peninsula , such as: building churches for the Christians, and temples for the Jews and other disbelievers, or that the owner of a company or institution designates a place for their non-Muslim employees to perform their pagan worship... etc.
After the Committee studied these inquiries, it responded as follows: Every religion other than the religion of Islam is disbelief and misguidance, and every place of worship other than the religion of Islam is a house of disbelief and misguidance, for it is not permissible to worship Allah except by what He, the Exalted, has prescribed in Islam. The Shari'ah of Islam is the final of the Shari'ahs, general for the two heavy burdens, the jinn and mankind, and it abrogates what came before it. This is a matter of consensus
upon it, praise be to Allah the Exalted. Whoever claims that the Jews are on the right path, or that the Christians are on the right path, whether he is one of them or not, is a denier of the Book of Allah the Exalted and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and the consensus of the Ummah. He is an apostate from Islam if he claims Islam after the proof has been established against him, if he is of those from whom it is hidden. Allah the Exalted said:
And We have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind as a bringer of good tidings and a warner
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًاSay, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًاIndeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الإِسْلامُAnd whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُIndeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُولَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِEvery Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind.
كان النبي يبعث إلى قومه خاصة، وبعثت إلى الناس عامةJewish or Christian or otherwise; for those places of worship, whether they are churches or otherwise, are considered places of disbelief, because the acts of worship performed in them are contrary to the Shari'ah of Islam, which abrogates all Shari'ahs before it and invalidates them. And Allah the Exalted says regarding the disbelievers and their deeds:
And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.
وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَى مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًاTwo deens shall not co-exist in the Arabian Peninsula
لا يجتمع دينان في جزيرة العربThe Arabian Peninsula is the sanctuary of Islam, and its foundation in which it is not permissible to allow or permit a disbeliever to violate it, nor to become a citizen of it, nor to own property in it, let alone to establish a church in it for the worship of the Cross. Two religions do not gather in it, except one religion, which is the religion of Islam by which Allah sent His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). There are not two qiblas in it, except one qibla, which is the qibla of the Muslims toward the Ancient House. And praise be to Allah who guided the rulers of this land to repel these places of disbelief from this pure Islamic land. To Allah is the complaint of what the enemies of Islam have brought of places of disbelief, such as churches and others, in many of the lands of the Muslims. We ask Allah to preserve Islam from their plots and schemes. And by this it is known that allowing and being pleased with the establishment of places of disbelief, such as churches, or allocating a place for them in any country of the lands of Islam, is among the greatest forms of aiding disbelief and manifesting its symbols. And Allah, Glorious is His Majesty, says:
And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِand obedience to His Messenger, or that He loves it or is pleased with it, or that he aided them in opening them and establishing their religion, and that it is a means of nearness or obedience - he is a disbeliever). And he also said: (Whoever believes that visiting the churches of the dhimmis is a means of nearness to Allah is an apostate, and if he is ignorant that it is forbidden, he is informed of that, and if he persists, he becomes an apostate). End of quote. We seek refuge in Allah from the return to disbelief after faith, and from misguidance after guidance. And let the Muslim beware that he has a share in the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(25) Indeed, those who reverted back [to disbelief] after guidance had become clear to them - Satan enticed them and prolonged hope for them. (26) That is because they said to those who disliked what Allah sent down, "We will obey you in part of the matter." And Allah knows what they conceal. (27) Then how [will it be] when the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs? (28) That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ارْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْهُدَى الشَّيْطَانُ سَوَّلَ لَهُمْ وَأَمْلَى لَهُمْ (25) ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُوا مَا نَـزَّلَ اللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمْ فِي بَعْضِ الأَمْرِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِسْرَارَهُمْ (26) فَكَيْفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ (27) ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.