A woman vowed a sheep to one of the awliya (close friends of Allah) if she gave birth to a child; what is the ruling, and what is obligatory upon her husband?
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The questioner : May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. This is a question from one of our Sudanese brothers, who said: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. To the honorable people of dhikr (the remembrance of Allah), may peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. After that: Please issue a ruling for us, may Allah reward you with good, regarding a woman who vowed to one of the awliya (close friends of Allah), who is deceased, that whenever she gives birth to a child, whether male or female, she will give him a sheep "tali"!
The Shaykh : Give to whom?
The questioner : She gives to the wali (close friend of Allah).
The Shaykh : And he is dead?
The questioner : She slaughters it, meaning, she has already fulfilled two vows and two remain. Naturally, she hands this sheep over to a person called the khalifah, meaning the successor of the deceased wali (close friend of Allah), and he disposes of this sheep as he pleases. If he wishes, he slaughters it for those present, and if he wishes, he sells it in the market and takes its value. Our question is: Is it permissible for her husband to give her the means to fulfill this vow, or should he refuse?
The Shaykh : ?
The questioner : Give her to fulfill this vow, meaning he gives her?
The Shaykh : He gives her permission.
The questioner : He gives her so that she can fulfill it.
The Shaykh : He gives her money so that she can fulfill it?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : Or should he refuse?
Knowing that the wife is clinging to this belief, meaning she firmly believes that this deceased wali (close friend of Allah) can benefit and harm. What is the ruling on her husband remaining with her while she is in this state?
I hope your eminence will inform us about this. If the answer is recorded on a tape, that would be best for sending it to many who hold this belief. If a tape is not available, I hope for an answer by any means. I also ask that you direct us to the names of tapes sold in bookstores that contain admonition regarding this problem. May Allah reward you and guide you to all good. Presented by your brother, of Sudanese nationality.
The Shaykh : The answer to this includes two things:
The first thing: He asks whether it is obligatory for her husband to give her the means to fulfill this vow?
We say: It is not obligatory for her husband, rather it is not permissible for him to give her the means to fulfill this vow. Rather, if she persists in the belief mentioned by the questioner that this wali (close friend of Allah) can benefit and harm, then she is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah), and it is not permissible for him to remain with her. Rather, it is obligatory for him to separate from her, because it is not permissible for a Muslim to marry a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah).
As for the second, we say to this woman:
Your vow is invalid because it is a sin, and there is no vow in sin. She must expiate the vow with the expiation of an oath, and she must repent to Allah the Exalted from this belief. She must know that none can benefit or harm except Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who is the master of the awliya (close friends of Allah), He said to him:[Al-Jinn 72:21-22] Meaning, if Allah the Exalted intends something for me, no one can protect me from Allah and shield me from Him, so how can I protect others?
And if this is the case for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), how much more so for those below him?
Based on this, we say: The awliya (close friends of Allah) do not benefit or harm, and slaughtering for them is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), which takes one out of the religion. If she died in this state, she would be among the people of the Fire, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:72] So now we say to the brother:
First: It is obligatory for him to separate from her until she repents from this matter. If she repents, then it is obligatory for her to expiate her vow with the expiation of an oath.
Second: It is obligatory for him to admonish this woman, warn her of Allah, and say: This action of hers is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). If she died upon it, she would die into the Fire, may Allah protect us from that. Yes.
The Shaykh : Give to whom?
The questioner : She gives to the wali (close friend of Allah).
The Shaykh : And he is dead?
The questioner : She slaughters it, meaning, she has already fulfilled two vows and two remain. Naturally, she hands this sheep over to a person called the khalifah, meaning the successor of the deceased wali (close friend of Allah), and he disposes of this sheep as he pleases. If he wishes, he slaughters it for those present, and if he wishes, he sells it in the market and takes its value. Our question is: Is it permissible for her husband to give her the means to fulfill this vow, or should he refuse?
The Shaykh : ?
The questioner : Give her to fulfill this vow, meaning he gives her?
The Shaykh : He gives her permission.
The questioner : He gives her so that she can fulfill it.
The Shaykh : He gives her money so that she can fulfill it?
The questioner : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : Or should he refuse?
Knowing that the wife is clinging to this belief, meaning she firmly believes that this deceased wali (close friend of Allah) can benefit and harm. What is the ruling on her husband remaining with her while she is in this state?
I hope your eminence will inform us about this. If the answer is recorded on a tape, that would be best for sending it to many who hold this belief. If a tape is not available, I hope for an answer by any means. I also ask that you direct us to the names of tapes sold in bookstores that contain admonition regarding this problem. May Allah reward you and guide you to all good. Presented by your brother, of Sudanese nationality.
The Shaykh : The answer to this includes two things:
The first thing: He asks whether it is obligatory for her husband to give her the means to fulfill this vow?
We say: It is not obligatory for her husband, rather it is not permissible for him to give her the means to fulfill this vow. Rather, if she persists in the belief mentioned by the questioner that this wali (close friend of Allah) can benefit and harm, then she is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah), and it is not permissible for him to remain with her. Rather, it is obligatory for him to separate from her, because it is not permissible for a Muslim to marry a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah).
As for the second, we say to this woman:
Your vow is invalid because it is a sin, and there is no vow in sin. She must expiate the vow with the expiation of an oath, and she must repent to Allah the Exalted from this belief. She must know that none can benefit or harm except Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who is the master of the awliya (close friends of Allah), He said to him:
(21) Say, "Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction." (22) Say, "Indeed, there will never protect me from Allah anyone [if I should disobey], nor will I find in other than Him a refuge.
قل إنّي لا أملك لكم ضرّا ولا رشدا * قل إنّي لن يجيرني من الله أحد ولن أجد من دونه ملتحداAnd if this is the case for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), how much more so for those below him?
Based on this, we say: The awliya (close friends of Allah) do not benefit or harm, and slaughtering for them is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), which takes one out of the religion. If she died in this state, she would be among the people of the Fire, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
إنّه من يشرك بالله فقد حرّم الله عليه الجنّة ومأواه النّار وما للظالمين من أنصارFirst: It is obligatory for him to separate from her until she repents from this matter. If she repents, then it is obligatory for her to expiate her vow with the expiation of an oath.
Second: It is obligatory for him to admonish this woman, warn her of Allah, and say: This action of hers is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). If she died upon it, she would die into the Fire, may Allah protect us from that. Yes.