On Friday, after the 'Asr prayer, the imam of the mosque performs the khatmah, which is that he sits in the center and the worshippers gather around him, and then he begins
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The questioner : On Friday, after the 'Asr prayer, the imam of the mosque performs the khatmah, which is that he sits in the center and the worshippers gather around him, and then he begins and says: I seek forgiveness from Allah three times, and he recites al-Fatihah six times, and he sends blessings upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ten times. Is this practice permissible, or is it a bid'ah (religious innovation)? We ask for guidance?
The Shaykh : This practice is a bid'ah (religious innovation) without a doubt. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to say on the minbar while delivering the khutbah to the people:Sahih Muslim 867a And it is authentic from him that he said: Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani) So every act of worship that a person worships Allah with must have two things: first, sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and second, following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). And following is not realized unless the act of worship is in accordance with the Shari'ah in its cause, its type, its amount, its manner, its time, and its place.
And this act of worship or dhikr (remembrance of Allah) mentioned by the questioner is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in its time or its manner, so it is a bid'ah (religious innovation). It is obligatory for whoever does it to repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and to be content with what Allah has prescribed instead of what he has innovated, this and its like. For we are slaves of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and if we are His slaves, it is not reasonable for us, nor permissible by the Shari'ah, to deviate from the path He has outlined to reach Him to another path that we take from our desires. And Allah is the Helper.
The questioner : Allah is the Helper. May you be rewarded with good, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : This practice is a bid'ah (religious innovation) without a doubt. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he used to say on the minbar while delivering the khutbah to the people:
The best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error.
أما بعد: فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله، وخير الهدي هدي محمد، وشر الأمور محدثاتها، وكل بدعة ضلالةYou must then follow my sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs. Hold to it and stick fast to it. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error.
عليكم بسنتي، وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهدين من بعدي، تمسّكوا بها، وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ، وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور، فإن كل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالةAnd this act of worship or dhikr (remembrance of Allah) mentioned by the questioner is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in its time or its manner, so it is a bid'ah (religious innovation). It is obligatory for whoever does it to repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and to be content with what Allah has prescribed instead of what he has innovated, this and its like. For we are slaves of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and if we are His slaves, it is not reasonable for us, nor permissible by the Shari'ah, to deviate from the path He has outlined to reach Him to another path that we take from our desires. And Allah is the Helper.
The questioner : Allah is the Helper. May you be rewarded with good, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you.