There are people in my country who pray, fast, pay zakah, and perform Hajj, but every Monday night and Friday night after the Isha prayer, they form a circle and stand in what we call a hadrah.
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The questioner : There are people in my country who pray, fast, pay zakah, and perform Hajj, but every Monday night and Friday night after the Isha prayer, they form a circle and stand in what is called a hadrah. They perform four rounds in it, and between each round, one of them stands up to praise the Messenger of Allah. In the first round, they say: "There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." In the second round, they say: "Allah is eternal, everlasting, and living." In the third round, they say: "Send blessings and peace, O Allah, upon the Prophet and those who support him." And in the fourth round, they say: "O Most Gentle, be gentle with us." What is the ruling of Islam regarding this? May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : These people are innovators who are astray in what they do every Monday and Friday night... because this act they perform is an abomination that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who followed them in excellence did not practice. If they believe that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) comes to them and attends their gathering, this is even more astray. And if they believe in their circling that they are circumambulating the Ka'bah, this is even more severe and abominable, because there is no circumambulation except around the Sacred House of Allah in Makkah.
It is obligatory for them to repent to Allah the Exalted from this act and to adhere to what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) commanded them, where he said:Mishkat al-Masabih 165Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza'i) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) warned against newly invented matters, meaning what a person invents to worship Allah with.
Newly invented matters are any act of worship by which a person seeks nearness to Allah the Mighty and Majestic that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not practice, whether in creed, speech, or action. And my saying "any act of worship" is from the perspective of the innovator, who considers it worship; otherwise, it is not worship, because religious innovation is misguidance, and misguidance is not worship.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : These people are innovators who are astray in what they do every Monday and Friday night... because this act they perform is an abomination that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who followed them in excellence did not practice. If they believe that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) comes to them and attends their gathering, this is even more astray. And if they believe in their circling that they are circumambulating the Ka'bah, this is even more severe and abominable, because there is no circumambulation except around the Sacred House of Allah in Makkah.
It is obligatory for them to repent to Allah the Exalted from this act and to adhere to what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) commanded them, where he said:
You must therefore follow my sunna and that of the rightly guided Caliphs. Hold to it and stick fast to it. 1 Avoid novelties
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي تمسكوا بها وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ وإياكم ومحدثات الأمورNewly invented matters are any act of worship by which a person seeks nearness to Allah the Mighty and Majestic that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not practice, whether in creed, speech, or action. And my saying "any act of worship" is from the perspective of the innovator, who considers it worship; otherwise, it is not worship, because religious innovation is misguidance, and misguidance is not worship.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.