Explanation of the author's statement: "...and tying his waist like a zunnar..."
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The Shaykh : The author also says: "and tying his waist like a zunnar".
This means that it is also disliked for a person to tie his waist, but not absolutely; rather, it is disliked when it resembles the zunnar. Tying the waist means binding a rope, a cord, or something similar around the waist or belly. Is this done or not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is done frequently, so it is disliked if it is done in a way that resembles tying the zunnar. The zunnar is a belt known among the Christians, which they use to tie their waists. What is disliked is what resembles tying the zunnar because it is imitating non-Muslims. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4031Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The minimum ruling for this hadith is prohibition, even though its apparent meaning implies that the one who imitates them is a disbeliever".
Therefore, limiting the ruling to dislike in this matter is questionable. As long as we say that the operative cause of the ruling is that it resembles the zunnar of the Christians, this necessitates saying that it is forbidden, based on the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 4031Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani).
The saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): Does this mean he is a disbeliever? No, but he is among them in terms of dress and appearance. Therefore, one can hardly distinguish between a man who imitates the Christians in his dress and clothing and a Christian; he is among them in appearance. They also said that another thing is that imitating them in appearance leads to imitating them in essence, and that is the case. If a person imitates them in appearance, he feels that he agrees with them and that he does not dislike them, and this leads him to imitate them in essence, resulting in the loss of his religion and his worldly life.
The important point is that we say limiting the author to dislike regarding what resembles tying the zunnar is questionable, and the correct ruling is that it is forbidden. If someone says, "I did not intend to imitate," we say that imitation does not require intention, because imitation is similarity in form and appearance. If it occurs, it is imitation whether you intended it or not. However, if you intended it, it becomes more severe and greater, because if you intended it, you did so out of love for what they are upon and out of honoring and exalting what they are upon, making it more severe and greater. So we forbid any person we find imitating them in appearance. If he says, "I did not intend to imitate," we say this is a resemblance whether you intended it or not. You intended this action, and this action is a resemblance, so you are an imitator. But if you intended to imitate them and to be a follower, that becomes more severe and greater due to the exalting of these people and the love for what they are upon that arises in the heart of the person.
"and tying his waist like a zunnar".
This means that it is also disliked for a person to tie his waist, but not absolutely; rather, it is disliked when it resembles the zunnar. Tying the waist means binding a rope, a cord, or something similar around the waist or belly. Is this done or not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is done frequently, so it is disliked if it is done in a way that resembles tying the zunnar. The zunnar is a belt known among the Christians, which they use to tie their waists. What is disliked is what resembles tying the zunnar because it is imitating non-Muslims. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who copies any people is one of them.
من تشبّه بقوم فهو منهمTherefore, limiting the ruling to dislike in this matter is questionable. As long as we say that the operative cause of the ruling is that it resembles the zunnar of the Christians, this necessitates saying that it is forbidden, based on the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
He who copies any people is one of them.
من تشبه بقوم فهو منهمThe saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
then he is one of them
فهو منهمThe important point is that we say limiting the author to dislike regarding what resembles tying the zunnar is questionable, and the correct ruling is that it is forbidden. If someone says, "I did not intend to imitate," we say that imitation does not require intention, because imitation is similarity in form and appearance. If it occurs, it is imitation whether you intended it or not. However, if you intended it, it becomes more severe and greater, because if you intended it, you did so out of love for what they are upon and out of honoring and exalting what they are upon, making it more severe and greater. So we forbid any person we find imitating them in appearance. If he says, "I did not intend to imitate," we say this is a resemblance whether you intended it or not. You intended this action, and this action is a resemblance, so you are an imitator. But if you intended to imitate them and to be a follower, that becomes more severe and greater due to the exalting of these people and the love for what they are upon that arises in the heart of the person.
"and tying his waist like a zunnar".