What is the ruling on some mosque imams in Saudi Arabia saying, when a da'iyah wants to address the worshippers, "I have an order from His Majesty"?
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The questioner : ...so I ask, regarding the matter of mosques, even though it is prohibited there in Saudi Arabia by official order, I say, for example, the imam says, "I have an order from His Majesty," "I have an order from His Majesty." And I was in some gatherings, so some of them supported it, and some said, "It is not befitting to say this." And I mean by "His Majesty" that I have... and he included this verse in it. Is it correct for us to say "His Majesty" for Allah Mighty and Majestic?
The Shaykh : It is not permissible.
The questioner : Ta'wir, it is ta'wir.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible, because this ta'wir is finished; this ta'wir is not permissible, because the ta'wir that came from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was ta'wir toward the disbelievers, not toward the Muslims. Is the concept clear up to here? Good.
Second, this ta'wir conveys a meaning contrary to what the one using it intends, contrary to what the one using it intends. Those people understand from you that "His Majesty" is the king, because unfortunately this expression is the terminology of the people of this age who do not observe the etiquette of Islam, especially regarding names and titles.
From the etiquette of Islam, they do not understand by "His Majesty" anything other than what some moderates call "the Great King." So here, it is obligatory for you and those like you to observe the etiquette of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "Speak to people according to the level of their understanding. Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be lied about?" Speak to people according to the level of their understanding. You are correct in using ta'wir, but they understand from you that you are with them in applying this title to one to whom it is not permissible to apply it. And from here comes the prohibition and the error. As for ta'wir that does not cause harm, even if it is conceptual or intellectual harm, this ta'wir is not permissible.
Before you came, I think you were at an occasion where some questions were asked, I explained the hadithSunan Ibn Majah 2340Da'if (Darussalam) and the meaning of this hadith is that it is not permissible to harm yourself, even with good, and it is not permissible to harm others, even with good. And the meaning of this is that it is not permissible for a Muslim to use ta'wir by harming others, and the worst of harm is when you make them understand from you something contrary to what you are.
Is it clear? Good.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible.
The questioner : Ta'wir, it is ta'wir.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible, because this ta'wir is finished; this ta'wir is not permissible, because the ta'wir that came from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was ta'wir toward the disbelievers, not toward the Muslims. Is the concept clear up to here? Good.
Second, this ta'wir conveys a meaning contrary to what the one using it intends, contrary to what the one using it intends. Those people understand from you that "His Majesty" is the king, because unfortunately this expression is the terminology of the people of this age who do not observe the etiquette of Islam, especially regarding names and titles.
From the etiquette of Islam, they do not understand by "His Majesty" anything other than what some moderates call "the Great King." So here, it is obligatory for you and those like you to observe the etiquette of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "Speak to people according to the level of their understanding. Do you want Allah and His Messenger to be lied about?" Speak to people according to the level of their understanding. You are correct in using ta'wir, but they understand from you that you are with them in applying this title to one to whom it is not permissible to apply it. And from here comes the prohibition and the error. As for ta'wir that does not cause harm, even if it is conceptual or intellectual harm, this ta'wir is not permissible.
Before you came, I think you were at an occasion where some questions were asked, I explained the hadith
It was narrated from 'Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ruled: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
لا ضرر ولا ضرارIs it clear? Good.