Some of the brothers sell religious books and tapes in front of the mosques on the pretext of benefiting the Muslims. Is it permissible to buy from them? Is it permissible for them to sell? And is
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The questioner : There are some of the brothers who sell religious books and religious tapes in front of the mosques on the pretext of benefiting the Muslims,
Is it permissible to buy from them? And is it permissible for them to sell?
And is their earnings lawful? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Knowing that it is prohibited, and there are confirmed penalties for it, including imprisonment and fines, among other things?
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that selling religious books and religious tapes, if a person intends by it to help his brothers in acquiring the Shari'ah knowledge gained by listening to the tapes and reading the books,
I say: There is no doubt that a person is rewarded for selling these things, whether that is in front of the mosques or in other specific places.
So if he says: I do this to benefit my Muslim brothers, and Allah knows that the statement coming from him is what is in his heart, then he is rewarded for that.
But if the authorities see that there should be specific places for the sale of these things, then it is obligatory for the subjects to obey their rulers, except in disobedience to Allah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1839a.
And the fact that some people, when an order is issued by the authorities, do not accept it unless Allah and His Messenger have ordered it, I say: The fact that some people follow this path is evidence of their shortness of knowledge of the Shari'ah of Allah, because Allah says:[An-Nisa 4:59].
So obeying the authorities in matters other than disobedience is part of obeying Allah.
And we draw near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by obeying our authorities in matters other than disobedience to Allah.
We do not obey the authorities when they order us to do something that is not disobedience to Allah; we do not want merely their obedience, but we want to draw near to Allah the Exalted by obeying them. Why? Because Allah ordered us to do so, and we only obey them because Allah ordered us to do so. Otherwise, they are humans like us, but Allah has given them the right over us by their authority over our affairs.
And reflect on the noble verse:[An-Nisa 4:59].
Why did it not say "and obey the authorities from among you"?
Because obeying the authority is subordinate to obeying Allah and His Messenger. So if obeying the authority includes disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, then at that time the authority is not obeyed, because there is no obedience to a creation in disobedience to the Creator.
So if the authority sees that these things should not be sold, whether they are religious books or religious tapes, or a type of perfume or clothes, that they should not be sold in this place, and sees that it is in the public interest that they not be sold in this place, then they are obeyed and it is said: "We hear and obey."
Then, if it is seen that it is in the public interest that they be sold in this place because it is more accessible for people, then it is possible to review the matter with the authority and explain the benefit to him so that the intended purpose is achieved. As for defiance, this is not permissible in the Shari'ah.
From this point, I move to an important matter concerning the Sacred Mosque.
The authorities have prohibited bringing food into the Sacred Mosque. Why? Because bringing food into the Sacred Mosque had a great harm, which we witnessed.
The ground of the Sacred Mosque would become foul from food leftovers and pieces of meat and the like, until you could not prostrate on the ground because of the stench and the bad smell.
So those in charge of the Sacred Mosque saw that these things should be strictly prohibited. -Do you allow me to drink?-.
But some people started to find ways around it, bringing the bread in the pocket, the meat in the pockets, and the rice in the cap, to escape the surveillance. But if he escapes the surveillance of the created, he does not escape the surveillance of the Creator (Mighty and Majestic), because Allah said:[An-Nisa 4:59].
And as I mentioned recently, we -by Allah- obey our authorities in obedience to our Lord and to draw near to Allah the Exalted by that,
And we see that obeying the authority in what is obligatory to obey is a form of worship that increases our nearness to our Lord.
Therefore, it is not permissible for a person to find ways around it, but he says: I am in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat) and dates and water are not enough for me.
We say: I'tikaf is a recommended practice (sunnah), and obeying the authority in matters other than disobedience is obligatory.
So if it is not possible to perform this recommended practice except by falling into what is forbidden, then leave the recommended practice, because there is no contradiction between the obligatory and the recommended.
Leave the i'tikaf or take another path that Allah the Exalted has made permissible, which is that if you must eat food and you have not been able to accustom your stomach to dates and water, then go out of the mosque and eat. And if you go out for the food that requires you to go out, then that is permissible.
Is it clear?
The students: It is clear.
The Shaykh : That is, it is permissible for the one in i'tikaf, if he does not have or there is no one to bring him food, to go out of the mosque, eat, and return.
Yes.
The student: Is it permissible to buy from them, and is their earnings lawful?
The Shaykh : Yes. Fine, if you leave it, leave it.
The student: Because we still find them in front of the mosques ...
The Shaykh : Yes.
Is it permissible to buy from them? And is it permissible for them to sell?
And is their earnings lawful? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Knowing that it is prohibited, and there are confirmed penalties for it, including imprisonment and fines, among other things?
The Shaykh : There is no doubt that selling religious books and religious tapes, if a person intends by it to help his brothers in acquiring the Shari'ah knowledge gained by listening to the tapes and reading the books,
I say: There is no doubt that a person is rewarded for selling these things, whether that is in front of the mosques or in other specific places.
So if he says: I do this to benefit my Muslim brothers, and Allah knows that the statement coming from him is what is in his heart, then he is rewarded for that.
But if the authorities see that there should be specific places for the sale of these things, then it is obligatory for the subjects to obey their rulers, except in disobedience to Allah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
It is obligatory upon a Muslim that he should listen (to the ruler appointed over him) and obey him whether he likes it or not, except that he is ordered to do a sinful thing
على المرء المسلم السمع والطاعة فيما أحب وكره ما لم يؤمر بمعصيةAnd the fact that some people, when an order is issued by the authorities, do not accept it unless Allah and His Messenger have ordered it, I say: The fact that some people follow this path is evidence of their shortness of knowledge of the Shari'ah of Allah, because Allah says:
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْSo obeying the authorities in matters other than disobedience is part of obeying Allah.
And we draw near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by obeying our authorities in matters other than disobedience to Allah.
We do not obey the authorities when they order us to do something that is not disobedience to Allah; we do not want merely their obedience, but we want to draw near to Allah the Exalted by obeying them. Why? Because Allah ordered us to do so, and we only obey them because Allah ordered us to do so. Otherwise, they are humans like us, but Allah has given them the right over us by their authority over our affairs.
And reflect on the noble verse:
obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you
أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْWhy did it not say "and obey the authorities from among you"?
Because obeying the authority is subordinate to obeying Allah and His Messenger. So if obeying the authority includes disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, then at that time the authority is not obeyed, because there is no obedience to a creation in disobedience to the Creator.
So if the authority sees that these things should not be sold, whether they are religious books or religious tapes, or a type of perfume or clothes, that they should not be sold in this place, and sees that it is in the public interest that they not be sold in this place, then they are obeyed and it is said: "We hear and obey."
Then, if it is seen that it is in the public interest that they be sold in this place because it is more accessible for people, then it is possible to review the matter with the authority and explain the benefit to him so that the intended purpose is achieved. As for defiance, this is not permissible in the Shari'ah.
From this point, I move to an important matter concerning the Sacred Mosque.
The authorities have prohibited bringing food into the Sacred Mosque. Why? Because bringing food into the Sacred Mosque had a great harm, which we witnessed.
The ground of the Sacred Mosque would become foul from food leftovers and pieces of meat and the like, until you could not prostrate on the ground because of the stench and the bad smell.
So those in charge of the Sacred Mosque saw that these things should be strictly prohibited. -Do you allow me to drink?-.
But some people started to find ways around it, bringing the bread in the pocket, the meat in the pockets, and the rice in the cap, to escape the surveillance. But if he escapes the surveillance of the created, he does not escape the surveillance of the Creator (Mighty and Majestic), because Allah said:
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْAnd as I mentioned recently, we -by Allah- obey our authorities in obedience to our Lord and to draw near to Allah the Exalted by that,
And we see that obeying the authority in what is obligatory to obey is a form of worship that increases our nearness to our Lord.
Therefore, it is not permissible for a person to find ways around it, but he says: I am in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat) and dates and water are not enough for me.
We say: I'tikaf is a recommended practice (sunnah), and obeying the authority in matters other than disobedience is obligatory.
So if it is not possible to perform this recommended practice except by falling into what is forbidden, then leave the recommended practice, because there is no contradiction between the obligatory and the recommended.
Leave the i'tikaf or take another path that Allah the Exalted has made permissible, which is that if you must eat food and you have not been able to accustom your stomach to dates and water, then go out of the mosque and eat. And if you go out for the food that requires you to go out, then that is permissible.
Is it clear?
The students: It is clear.
The Shaykh : That is, it is permissible for the one in i'tikaf, if he does not have or there is no one to bring him food, to go out of the mosque, eat, and return.
Yes.
The student: Is it permissible to buy from them, and is their earnings lawful?
The Shaykh : Yes. Fine, if you leave it, leave it.
The student: Because we still find them in front of the mosques ...
The Shaykh : Yes.