He says that most of the people among us fast, pray, perform Hajj, and pay zakah, and they say, "There is no god but Allah," but, may Allah protect us, they make the graves of the righteous a means between them and Allah.
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The questioner : Most of the people among us fast, pray, perform Hajj, and pay zakah, and they say, "There is no god but Allah," but, may Allah protect us, they make the graves of the righteous a means between them and Allah. They say that they travel to them, hold celebrations on top of the graves, take the children and women with them, slaughter a lot of sheep and goats, and swear by these idols. So, may we eat from these slaughtered animals when they are invoking Allah over them? We ask for your guidance for us and for them. May Allah guide you.
The Shaykh : If the intention behind these slaughtered animals is to draw near to these dead people, then they are among what is slaughtered for other than Allah, and they are not lawful. It is not permissible to eat them, even if they invoke the name of Allah over them, because they fall under the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ma'idah 5:3] Therefore, it is forbidden for you to eat anything from them. As for them, this act is actually associating partners with Allah the Mighty and Majestic, because drawing near through slaughter is a specific attribute of Allah, Glorified and Exalted; it is one of the matters exclusive to Him, and it is not permissible to direct it to other than Him, because it is an act of worship, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-An'am 6:162-163] Accordingly, it is obligatory for the scholars to advise those ignorant people.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And they should make it clear to them that this is associating partners with Allah, and that Allah does not accept any deed with associating partners with Allah, because Allah the Exalted does not forgive that anyone associates partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. It is not permissible for scholars who know the conditions of these people and know the rulings of what they are doing to remain silent, because remaining silent in such a situation is a confirmation of their associating partners with Allah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The common people are attached to the scholars, and the scholars are responsible for them. They, I mean the scholars, are the heirs of the prophets in knowledge, action, and calling to Allah the Mighty and Majestic. And Allah the Mighty and Majestic will question them on the Day of Resurrection about what they knew:[Ali 'Imran 3:187] So, the conclusion is that if the matter is as the questioner described, widespread and common among the people, then that is only due to the negligence of the people of knowledge in clarifying the truth. Otherwise, if the people of knowledge had clarified to the common people the ruling on this action of theirs, the common people would have been the most likely to comply and submit. We ask Allah the Exalted for success for us and for them, and that He help us to fulfill what we have been entrusted with by His grace and generosity.
The questioner : Also regarding repentance and what is in its chapter, this message was sent by the colleagues from Amlaj, from the Border Forces: Sulayman Sa'd al-Huwayti and Jaza' 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Balawi.
The Shaykh : If the intention behind these slaughtered animals is to draw near to these dead people, then they are among what is slaughtered for other than Allah, and they are not lawful. It is not permissible to eat them, even if they invoke the name of Allah over them, because they fall under the saying of Allah the Exalted:
those which are sacrificed on stone altars
وما ذبح على النصب(162) Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. (163) No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims."
قل إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله رب العالمين لا شريك له وبذلك أمرت وأنا أول المسلمينThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And they should make it clear to them that this is associating partners with Allah, and that Allah does not accept any deed with associating partners with Allah, because Allah the Exalted does not forgive that anyone associates partners with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. It is not permissible for scholars who know the conditions of these people and know the rulings of what they are doing to remain silent, because remaining silent in such a situation is a confirmation of their associating partners with Allah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The common people are attached to the scholars, and the scholars are responsible for them. They, I mean the scholars, are the heirs of the prophets in knowledge, action, and calling to Allah the Mighty and Majestic. And Allah the Mighty and Majestic will question them on the Day of Resurrection about what they knew:
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it." But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased.
وإذ أخذ الله ميثاق الذين أوتوا الكتاب لتبيننه للناس ولا تكتمونه فنبذوه وراء ظهروهم واشتروا به ثمناً قليلاً فبئس ما يشترونThe questioner : Also regarding repentance and what is in its chapter, this message was sent by the colleagues from Amlaj, from the Border Forces: Sulayman Sa'd al-Huwayti and Jaza' 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Balawi.