What is the ruling on the act of a person who rubs his eyes with his thumbs when the mu'adhdhin says, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Our Shaykh, may Allah preserve you: One of the writers in one of the newspapers mentioned some matters and then said that they are not religious innovations, such as when a person, upon hearing the mu'adhdhin say, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," rubs his eyes with his thumbs after making the taslim over his hands.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So what do you say about this, Shaykh?
The Shaykh : I say, for what purpose does he do this?
The questioner : As an act of worship, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And what is the worship, yes?
The questioner : It clarifies the vision.
The Shaykh : It clarifies the vision. Well, we say this is a religious innovation from one aspect, and a type of associating partners with Allah from another aspect. Rubbing the eyes at the time of the adhan, especially when he says, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," is a religious innovation, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3614Sahih (Darussalam) and he did not mention the act of rubbing your eye, or your ear, or your head, so this act is a religious innovation.
Second: it is a type of associating partners with Allah, because he believes that it benefits, whereas it does not benefit. It is like the amulets that they hung in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, believing that they benefit the sick, when in fact they do not benefit them. So if you see someone doing this, advise him with gentleness and kindness, and tell him that this is not what the Sunnah brought, meaning the Sunnah did not bring this, and advise him. Yes.
Our Shaykh, may Allah preserve you: One of the writers in one of the newspapers mentioned some matters and then said that they are not religious innovations, such as when a person, upon hearing the mu'adhdhin say, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," rubs his eyes with his thumbs after making the taslim over his hands.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So what do you say about this, Shaykh?
The Shaykh : I say, for what purpose does he do this?
The questioner : As an act of worship, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And what is the worship, yes?
The questioner : It clarifies the vision.
The Shaykh : It clarifies the vision. Well, we say this is a religious innovation from one aspect, and a type of associating partners with Allah from another aspect. Rubbing the eyes at the time of the adhan, especially when he says, "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," is a religious innovation, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If you hear the Muadh-dhin then say as he says
إذا سمعتم المؤذن فقولوا مثل ما يقول المؤذنSecond: it is a type of associating partners with Allah, because he believes that it benefits, whereas it does not benefit. It is like the amulets that they hung in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, believing that they benefit the sick, when in fact they do not benefit them. So if you see someone doing this, advise him with gentleness and kindness, and tell him that this is not what the Sunnah brought, meaning the Sunnah did not bring this, and advise him. Yes.