Ruling on placing vows in the boxes of mosques that contain shrines
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Question:
From Sudan, this is a message sent by one of our listening brothers. The sender, Sayyid Ja'far, our brother, has a set of questions. In one of his questions, he says: An article appeared in some magazines speaking in the name of Islam stating that some Muslims vow that if such and such happens to them, they will offer some money to the vow boxes placed in the mosques built over the shrines of the awliya (close friends of Allah) and the righteous. This money is collected every year and distributed among the workers of these mosques, such as the imam and others. He asks for your guidance on this matter.
Answer:
These vows, by which people seek nearness to the owners of the graves and the custodians of the graves, are all invalid and all constitute shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). This is because a vow is an act of worship, so it is not permissible to direct it to anyone other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is not permissible to vow for the grave of al-Badawi, al-Husayn, or so-and-so, or so-and-so, or so-and-so, whether in coins, candles, bread, or anything else. All of this is reprehensible and not permissible. Likewise, supplicating to the dead and calling upon them for aid is reprehensible, as is slaughtering for them and seeking nearness to them through sacrifices; all of this is reprehensible.
So it is with vows; Allahto His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):[al-An'am:162] And the act of worship: worship, which encompasses vows and other things[al-An'am:162-163] He said: [al-Kawthar:1-2] He, the Exalted, said:[al-Baqarah:270] meaning: He will reward you for it. So vows are acts of drawing near and acts of obedience; if they are for Allah, their owner receives their reward, even though the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade vows and said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3801Sahih (Darussalam) so one should not make vows.
But if one makes a vow as an act of obedience to Allah, it is obligatory for him to perform that act of obedience, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 2126Sahih (Darussalam), which al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). So if one vows an act of obedience, he is bound to fulfill it, and his reward is with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). However, he should be advised not to return to that. If he says: "It is upon me for Allah that I pray two rak'ahs tonight," or "It is upon me for Allah that I fast on Monday or Thursday," or "It is upon me for Allah that I give such and such in charity to the poor," or "It is upon me for Allah that I perform Hajj this year, or such and such year, or such and such year," all of these are vows of worship and obedience, so he must fulfill them.
As for if one vows to give such and such in charity to Shaykh al-Badawi, or Sayyid al-Husayn, or Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or so-and-so, or so-and-so, these are invalid vows, invalid vows of shirk (associating partners with Allah). And this money that is collected in the boxes must be distributed to the poor. It is not to be given to the imam of the mosque, nor the servants of the mosque, nor the custodians; because they have assisted in shirk and called to shirk. By their calling to shirk and their acceptance of shirk, they become mushriks (those who associate partners with Allah) through this action. Indeed, whoever calls to shirk and accepts shirk is a mushrik. We ask Allah for safety. And these custodians who call people to seek nearness to the owners of the graves mean that they misguide them and call them to shirk with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). So it is not permissible to pay these amounts to them; rather, it must be taken from the boxes. The one in authority should take it and pay it to the poor and the needy who have no attachment to these graves.
And it is upon the one in authority, and upon the callers to Allah, and upon the scholars, to advise the people and teach them that these are invalid vows, and that it is not permissible for them to approach these boxes with anything. And that these boxes should be removed and locked, and the custodians should be prevented from their vile actions. Likewise, the imams of the mosques that contain graves should be made to understand that this is invalid. And it is upon the rulers to remove the graves from the mosques and place them in the Muslim cemeteries. If the mosque is built over the grave, it is obligatory to demolish the mosque and not to pray in it, and the grave should remain as it is without a mosque.
May Allah grant all success and guidance, and guide the imams, scholars, and rulers to everything that brings benefit to the servants and the lands. May He grant all understanding in the religion and steadfastness upon it, and guide the common people to what brings benefit and salvation to them, and protect them from everything that angers Him, the Exalted, and leads to destruction and punishment in this world and the Hereafter. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
From Sudan, this is a message sent by one of our listening brothers. The sender, Sayyid Ja'far, our brother, has a set of questions. In one of his questions, he says: An article appeared in some magazines speaking in the name of Islam stating that some Muslims vow that if such and such happens to them, they will offer some money to the vow boxes placed in the mosques built over the shrines of the awliya (close friends of Allah) and the righteous. This money is collected every year and distributed among the workers of these mosques, such as the imam and others. He asks for your guidance on this matter.
Answer:
These vows, by which people seek nearness to the owners of the graves and the custodians of the graves, are all invalid and all constitute shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). This is because a vow is an act of worship, so it is not permissible to direct it to anyone other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is not permissible to vow for the grave of al-Badawi, al-Husayn, or so-and-so, or so-and-so, or so-and-so, whether in coins, candles, bread, or anything else. All of this is reprehensible and not permissible. Likewise, supplicating to the dead and calling upon them for aid is reprehensible, as is slaughtering for them and seeking nearness to them through sacrifices; all of this is reprehensible.
So it is with vows; Allahto His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي(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."
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ(1) Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar. (2) So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْAnd whatever you spend of expenditures or make of vows - indeed, Allah knows of it
وَمَا أَنفَقْتُمْ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُمْ مِنْ نَذْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُهُThey do not bring any good
إنه لا يأتي بخيرBut if one makes a vow as an act of obedience to Allah, it is obligatory for him to perform that act of obedience, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him, and whoever vows to disobey Allah, let him not disobey Him.
من نذر أن يطيع الله فليطعه، ومن نذر أن يعصي الله فلا يعصهAs for if one vows to give such and such in charity to Shaykh al-Badawi, or Sayyid al-Husayn, or Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or so-and-so, or so-and-so, these are invalid vows, invalid vows of shirk (associating partners with Allah). And this money that is collected in the boxes must be distributed to the poor. It is not to be given to the imam of the mosque, nor the servants of the mosque, nor the custodians; because they have assisted in shirk and called to shirk. By their calling to shirk and their acceptance of shirk, they become mushriks (those who associate partners with Allah) through this action. Indeed, whoever calls to shirk and accepts shirk is a mushrik. We ask Allah for safety. And these custodians who call people to seek nearness to the owners of the graves mean that they misguide them and call them to shirk with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). So it is not permissible to pay these amounts to them; rather, it must be taken from the boxes. The one in authority should take it and pay it to the poor and the needy who have no attachment to these graves.
And it is upon the one in authority, and upon the callers to Allah, and upon the scholars, to advise the people and teach them that these are invalid vows, and that it is not permissible for them to approach these boxes with anything. And that these boxes should be removed and locked, and the custodians should be prevented from their vile actions. Likewise, the imams of the mosques that contain graves should be made to understand that this is invalid. And it is upon the rulers to remove the graves from the mosques and place them in the Muslim cemeteries. If the mosque is built over the grave, it is obligatory to demolish the mosque and not to pray in it, and the grave should remain as it is without a mosque.
May Allah grant all success and guidance, and guide the imams, scholars, and rulers to everything that brings benefit to the servants and the lands. May He grant all understanding in the religion and steadfastness upon it, and guide the common people to what brings benefit and salvation to them, and protect them from everything that angers Him, the Exalted, and leads to destruction and punishment in this world and the Hereafter. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.