The Ruling on Slaughter and Vows for the Awliya, and the Duty of Scholars and Rulers
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
We wish to clarify the evidence regarding what exists in our country, the town of al-Jah in Yemen, where many people slaughter for the awliya (close friends of Allah), whether they are dead or alive, and they supplicate to them and ask them to bring benefits and ward off harms. The matter reached the point that when we advised them, they said to us, "You are mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah)." What is obligatory for us regarding them? Please inform us; may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
You have done well in your disapproval of them and in making it clear that their action is wrong. As for their disapproval of you and their claim that you are mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah), that is one of their errors and ignorance, as it is said, “My mother was afflicted with her disease, and I stumbled with her.” They are the mushrikin because of this action of theirs, if they ask the dead, draw near to them with slaughtered animals, make vows to them, call upon them, and seek their aid. This is shirk akbar (major shirk) if they do it with those they call the awliya (close friends of Allah), whether they are alive or dead, believing that they benefit them and harm them, that they answer their supplications, that they cure their sick, and that they have a secret in them, so they call upon them alongside [Allah], seek their aid, make vows to them. This is shirk akbar, may Allah protect us from it. This is the action of the mushrikin with al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat, and with their idols, and with their other deities. It is obligatory (wajib) upon the rulers in Yemen to disapprove of this matter, to teach the people what is obligatory upon them from the Shari'ah of Allah, to prevent this shirk, and to stand between the common people and it. They should demolish the domes on the graves and remove them, because they are a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), because they are among the causes of shirk, and because they are forbidden (muharram). The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade building on graves and cursed those who took mosques on them. So it is not permissible to build on them, neither a mosque nor anything else, unless they are prominent, elevated, with no building on them, as were the graves of the Muslims in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and in every Islamic land that was not affected by bid'ah (religious innovation) and desires.
And calling upon the dead, seeking aid from the dead, or from trees and stones, or from the jinn, or from the angels, and worshipping them besides Allah by asking them for support, or aid, or the healing of the sick, or the return of the lost, or entering Paradise, or salvation from the Fire, this is shirk akbar. Likewise, slaughtering for other than Allah. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-An'am 6:162] meaning my slaughter. [Al-An'am 6:162-163].
And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Kawthar 108:1-2] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1978b Therefore, slaughtering for other than Allah, such as for the stars, the jinn, the angels, the awliya (close friends of Allah), or others, is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), may we seek refuge in Allah; because slaughtering is an act of worship that must be for Allah alone. Likewise, a vow is an act of worship; if one vows a sacrifice, food, or money to the awliya, it becomes major shirk, may we seek refuge in Allah. Likewise, seeking refuge in them, calling upon them for aid, and supplicating to them to remove distress, fulfill needs, and the like, all of this is major shirk. Likewise, seeking support, saying "Support, O so-and-so, support, O so-and-so." It is the duty of the scholars to denounce this, educate these ignorant people, and guide them. It is the duty of the rulers to implement Allah's ruling against them, to warn them against this matter, to prevent them from it, to discipline those who do not desist, and to seek their repentance from this grave shirk. This is the obligation of the scholars, the judges, and the princes. We ask Allah for guidance and success for everyone.
The questioner:
And the common people should boycott them.
The Shaykh:
Whoever knows this from them and they do not respond to the caller to the truth, they must be boycotted and this bad action must be disapproved of them until they repent to Allah from it, until they are upright on the straight path.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
We wish to clarify the evidence regarding what exists in our country, the town of al-Jah in Yemen, where many people slaughter for the awliya (close friends of Allah), whether they are dead or alive, and they supplicate to them and ask them to bring benefits and ward off harms. The matter reached the point that when we advised them, they said to us, "You are mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah)." What is obligatory for us regarding them? Please inform us; may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
You have done well in your disapproval of them and in making it clear that their action is wrong. As for their disapproval of you and their claim that you are mushrikin (those who associate partners with Allah), that is one of their errors and ignorance, as it is said, “My mother was afflicted with her disease, and I stumbled with her.” They are the mushrikin because of this action of theirs, if they ask the dead, draw near to them with slaughtered animals, make vows to them, call upon them, and seek their aid. This is shirk akbar (major shirk) if they do it with those they call the awliya (close friends of Allah), whether they are alive or dead, believing that they benefit them and harm them, that they answer their supplications, that they cure their sick, and that they have a secret in them, so they call upon them alongside [Allah], seek their aid, make vows to them. This is shirk akbar, may Allah protect us from it. This is the action of the mushrikin with al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat, and with their idols, and with their other deities. It is obligatory (wajib) upon the rulers in Yemen to disapprove of this matter, to teach the people what is obligatory upon them from the Shari'ah of Allah, to prevent this shirk, and to stand between the common people and it. They should demolish the domes on the graves and remove them, because they are a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), because they are among the causes of shirk, and because they are forbidden (muharram). The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade building on graves and cursed those who took mosques on them. So it is not permissible to build on them, neither a mosque nor anything else, unless they are prominent, elevated, with no building on them, as were the graves of the Muslims in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and in every Islamic land that was not affected by bid'ah (religious innovation) and desires.
And calling upon the dead, seeking aid from the dead, or from trees and stones, or from the jinn, or from the angels, and worshipping them besides Allah by asking them for support, or aid, or the healing of the sick, or the return of the lost, or entering Paradise, or salvation from the Fire, this is shirk akbar. Likewise, slaughtering for other than Allah. Allah the Exalted said:
Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِيmy living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. (163) No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims."
وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَAnd Allah the Exalted said:
(1) Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar. (2) So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْAllah cursed him who sacrificed for anyone besides Allah
لعن الله من ذبح لغير اللهThe questioner:
And the common people should boycott them.
The Shaykh:
Whoever knows this from them and they do not respond to the caller to the truth, they must be boycotted and this bad action must be disapproved of them until they repent to Allah from it, until they are upright on the straight path.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good.
Source
فتاوى في العقيدة - 2 - ابن باز — archive.org (58:21)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.