They allow mixing in the mosque because they want people to attend

In our mosque , during ramadaan, around iftaar time, there is mixing between men and women. This has gone on for many years. The people who run the mosque use the excuse that if we do not let the people do what they want they won't come to the masjid. Also, during taraweeh they do many innovations, for example they do a tasbeeh after every four raka'aa. What advice can you give me to correct the situation?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

Free mixing between men and women is haraam, because it leads to many negative consequences and haraam things. We have quoted the evidence for the prohibitions on mixing in the answer to question no. 1200. 

As mixing is forbidden at all times and in all places, then it is more emphatically forbidden if it is done in the mosques during the month of Ramadaan, because it goes against the shar’i aims for which mosques are established, such as maintaining and propagating Islam, calling people to good and forbidding them to do corrupt and evil things. It also goes against the reason for fasting, which is so that we might attain piety (taqwa) and avoid whims and desires.  

All the people of the mosque should denounce this evil and strive to do away with it. Those who are in charge of the mosque are especially responsible. 

No one has the right to try to justify this evil or to remain quiet about it on the grounds that not allowing mixing may cause some people to refrain from coming to the mosque. This argument is to be rejected on several fronts: 

1 – Remaining quiet and not denouncing evil when one is able to do so means that one is sinning. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever among you sees an evil act, let him change it with his hand (by taking action); if he cannot, then with his tongue (by speaking out); and if he cannot, then with his heart (by at least hating it and regarding it as evil) – but that is the weakest of faith.” Narrated by Muslim, 48. 

No wise person would accept for his attendance at the mosque to be a cause of his falling into sin. 

2 – The most important role that the mosque plays is calling people to goodness and warning them against evil. Hence those who are in charge of the mosque must explain to the people that mixing is haraam, and stop them doing it. 

3 – The idea that these people will never attend the mosque is merely conjecture. Even if we assume that it does happen, the established principle among the scholars is that warding off evil takes precedence over achieving good. 

4 – A special place for women to gather can be set up, whether it is in a particular corner of the mosque or even outside in a tent or some such, and useful programs can be offered to them, which should be supervised by women. 

5 – The daa’iyah is the one who should affect how things are and strive to set things right; he should not be affected by things and then look for justification. 

Mixing is a problem that has arisen because we are far away from Islam. Efforts must be made to denounce it and put an end to it. If the first step is not taken in the houses of Allaah, then where shall we begin?!  

You can work with some of your brothers to convince the people in charge and help them to prepare a place that is suitable for women to meet, and help them to prepare suitable programs for the women. 

We ask Allaah to bless your efforts with success. 

Secondly: 

With regard to what you say about tasbeeh after each four rak’ahs of Taraweeh prayer, we have stated in the answer to question no. 50718 that this is an innovation which should not be done. 

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on raising our voices in sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and praying that Allaah be pleased with the Rightly-Guided Caliphs between the rak’ahs of Taraweeh? 

He replied: 

There is no basis for that – as far as we know – in sharee’ah, rather it is an innovation and should not be done. The affairs of the later generations of this ummah will never corrected except by that by which the affairs of the earlier generations were corrected, which is following the Qur’aan and Sunnah and the way of the earliest generations of this ummah (the salaf), and avoiding whatever goes against that. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 11/369. 

And Allaah knows best.

Should she stop her prayer because her family does not know that she is Muslim?

I am a new muslim and this is my 2nd ramadan fasting. My family is still disbeleivant and I pray and fast without their knowledge. At home, I pray only fajr and Isha prayers, and other prayers I pray outside ( i.e. at school, at muslim center or at friend's house). Whenever I pray at home I lock my bedroom door and pray. My sister also shares bedroom with me. This is what happened when I was praying Isha prayer at home. I locked the door before I started praying but somehow it didn't lock. I prayed first rakaa and I got up from sujud and reciting alfatiha and suddenly my sister opened the door. i got scared and i did not finish praying isha at that time i let her in. and after few hours i prayed isha again. i just want to know, what is the ruling on not praying while you intended to pray 4 rakaa and what should I have done.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

We congratulate you for the blessing of Islam, and we ask Allaah to make you steadfast and to help you and strengthen your faith. And we ask Him to guide all your family and your siblings, so that you will be a means of their success. 

Secondly: 

If you are afraid to declare your Islam and fear that some harm may be befall you, or if you want to delay telling people until you have learned more about Islam and are able to call your family to Islam, there is nothing wrong with you doing that. There is also nothing wrong with your stopping the prayer if you are afraid that someone will see you. 

The basic principle is that when the Muslim has started an obligatory prayer, he is obliged to complete it, and it is haraam for him to stop it, unless he has an excuse. 

The fuqaha’ have listed some excuses which make it permissible to stop the prayer. These include: 

-         Fear of being harmed by an enemy or a wild animal.

-         Fear for one's wealth or property, such as if a person is praying and someone comes who wants to take his property, or he fears that his mount will run away.

-         Stopping the prayer in order to save someone from a fire or from drowning, or fear that a blind man may fall into a well. 

See Radd al-Muhtaar, 1/654; al-Mabsoot, 3/2; Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’, 1/380. 

If you fear harm to yourself if any of your family see you praying and find out that you are a Muslim, there is no sin on you if you stop praying at that time, then pray after the danger has passed, which is what you did.

 Thirdly: 

You should strive to learn the rulings of Islam and keep company with good believing women, who will help you to obey Allaah. Think about the best way to call your family to Islam and strive to do that, for they are the most entitled of all people to your good treatment and da’wah. 

May Allaah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. 

And Allaah knows best.

They receive instructions to preach about national holidays in their khutbahs – what should they do?

I am the imam in a mosque, and sometimes we receive instructions from the Ministry telling us to promote national holidays such as the holiday commemorating the conqueror, which will coincide with the date of the battle of Badr. We are ordered to speak about this occasion and the daa’iyahs are confused about these instructions. If they go ahead and do that, that will have a negative effect on their da’wah and make the people think badly of them and they will have doubts about what they are doing. Please note also that the department that is responsible for that will punish the imam who refuses to speak about national holidays.
 My question is: How should we deal with such matters, especially on the occasions mentioned?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:  

There is nothing wrong with the khateeb speaking about the battle of Badr or Uhud, or any other battle, and describing what happened on such occasions at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is not regarded as celebrating it or introducing a festival that is not prescribed in Islam, because it is simply reminding the people of that battle and, more importantly, deriving useful lessons from it. 

Secondly: 

With regard to national holidays, if the people celebrate them and take them as a kind of ‘Eid, then the khateeb should not take any part in that, and speaking about such occasions may be understood by the listener as meaning that he is joining in and supporting this innovation. 

But if the Ministry will punish those who do not speak about these occasions, by preventing them from delivering khutbahs or other penalties, then the khateeb should weigh up the pros and cons, and decide whether the interests served by his remaining as a teacher, daa’iyah and guide will be outweighed by the negative consequences of a speech which may damage his reputation among the common folk, or not. 

It seems that the wise khateeb can use these occasions in order to say something useful that will reinforce the ideas of the causes of victory and the factors that lead to defeat, the laws of Allaah with regard to the rise and fall of societies, and the concept of al-wala’ wa’l-bara’ (loyalty towards the believers and disavowal of the disbelievers), the necessity of turning back to Islam, and other important concepts which the people need to know. 

In this way, the interests served by his speech will be many times greater than the negative consequences referred to. Islam seeks to bring and fulfil what is in people’s interests and to ward off and reduce harmful effects, by choosing the lesser of two evils, as is well known. 

And Allaah knows best.

Text messages and e-mails which say: “Forward this or else you will be sinning and such and such will happen to you”

Recently it has become wide spread to receive an e-mail or a text message that includes a du’a or an advice. It reads: “I ask you by Allah to forward it”, or they might say: “if you forward it you will receive good news”. What is the ruling on such messages? Will I be sinful if I do not forward it?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Using modern means of communication such as mobile phones and e-mail to spread advice, exhortations, reminders and guidance is a good deed, because it is possible to reach hundreds of people with one click of the button. It is well known that the one who guides others to do good is like the one who does it, and that the one who calls others to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, as Muslim (2674) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever calls others to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest.” 

And Muslim (1893) narrated from Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who tells another about something good is like the one who does it.” 

If a Muslims writes some advice about the adhkaar for morning and evening, for example, and sends it to a hundred people, and many of them follow his advice, then he will have a great reward for that. 

Hence we should make use of these means of communication and raise the level of the messages that are transmitted through them, so that they will be most effective and beneficial.  

But unfortunately some people mix this good deed with a bad deed, which is a kind of lying and falsehood, such as saying, “If you forward this, you will hear some good news”! This is a kind of fortune-telling. There is no shar’i evidence that the one who receives advice and passes it on to another will hear good news, rather he may hear bad news, or good news, or he may not hear anything at all. 

The same applies to the one who says, “I am entrusting you with this to forward it and spread it, or else you will be sinning if you do not do that,” or “Such and such will happen to the one who does not forward it.” All of this is false and there is no basis for it. The one to whom it is sent does not have to do anything and there is nothing to oblige him to forward it, and he is not sinning if he does not do that. There is no basis for stating that someone is sinning without any proof from sharee’ah, and there is no basis for speaking of the unseen future which no one knows except Allaah.

Stating that reward or punishment will come as the result of actions done is something that must be referred to Allaah. Whatever He has permitted is what is halaal, and whatever He has forbidden is what is haraam, and reward and punishment are in His hand. Whoever says anything about that without proof is lying. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): ‘(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al‑Fawaahish (great evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allaah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allaah of which you have no knowledge’”

[al-A’raaf 7:33] 

These people think that they are making people spread good by encouraging and warning them, but they are mistaken and they are overstepping the mark. They should limit themselves to that which is mentioned in sharee’ah, which is sufficient, praise be to Allaah, such as saying: “Whoever spreads this good, there is the hope that he will have a reward like that of all those who act upon it.” That should be sufficient to encourage people to spread it. 

This explains the importance of knowledge, because most of those who do this only do it because of ignorance, like those who fabricated ahaadeeth and attributed them to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the basis of spreading good and encouraging people to do good, but they ended up telling lies of a type for which the one who tells them is given a stern warning, but he thought that he was earning reward!  

Our aim is to point out the falseness of this method and to warn people against it. Hence we say:  

The one who receives any of these false messages should advise the one who sent it and explain to him that he should stop using these false incentives, and he should not believe what it says in the message, that if he forwards it such and such will happen to him and if he does not forward it such and such will happen to him, because this is a kind of lie, as stated above. 

May Allaah help us all to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. 

And Allaah knows best.

Is it permissible for the kaafir to enter the mosque to listen to a lecture?

Is it permissible for the kaafir to enter the mosque to attend a lecture or a lesson in which there is an invitation to Islam?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Yes, this is permissible, if we are confident that this kaafir will not disrespect the mosque, because he is entering for a reason, and not to harm or damage the mosque. Similarly it is permissible for a kaafir to enter and stay in the mosque to repair something in the mosque, because this is in the interests of the mosque, so it is also permissible for him to enter to listen to lectures which may be the cause of his being guided. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) tied up Thumaamah ibn Athaal in the mosque [when he was a prisoner of war, before he became Muslim]. End quote. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).

Should he approve of their playing cards so that they will not go to dance halls and clubs?

It became widely known nowadays in forums what is know as the competition of ‘Allah’s beautiful names’ the members of forum participate in it aiming to increase their good deeds. A member starts writing one name of Allah’s beautiful names, then another member writes another name, and so on. This might differ from a forum to another. Some forums start by writing the name and its explanation. What is the ruling on this? Is it considered congregational dhikr, which is known as impermissible? Please bear in mind that every member might enter the forum in a different time to other members. Please clarify this matter to us.

Praise be to Allaah.

There is nothing wrong with holding this kind of competition, because it is spreading goodness, benefiting all concerned, and increasing knowledge, especially if the participant writes the meaning of the name that he mentions. But it is important to use sound books for this information, and to beware of quoting from people of misguidance and deviation. 

The one who wants to adhere to the names of Allaah that are proven in the Qur'aan and Sunnah is advised to refer to al-Qawaa’id al-Muthla by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) and Sifaat Allaah ‘azza wa jall al-Waaridah fi’l-Kitaab wa’l-Sunnah by Shaykh ‘Alawi al-Saqqaaf (may Allaah preserve him). 

The members should be encouraged to memorize these names and pay attention to them, because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (2736) and Muslim (2677) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever memorizes them will enter Paradise.” 

The memorizing mentioned in the hadeeth includes the following: 

1.     Learning them by heart.

2.     Learning their meanings.

3.     Acting upon their meanings. So if a person learns that He is al-Ahad (the One), he should not associate anyone else with Him. If he learns that He is al-Razzaaq (the Provider), he should not seek provision from anyone else. If he learns that He is al-Raheem (the Most Merciful), he should not despair of His mercy, and so on.

4.     Calling upon Him by them, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them” [al-A’raaf 7:180]. That is by saying for example: Ya Rahmaan irhamni (O Most Merciful, have mercy on me), Ya Ghafoor ighfir li (O Oft Forgiving, forgive me), Ya Tawwaab tubb ‘alayya (O Accepter of repentance, accept my repentance) and so on. 

This competition does not come under the heading of communal dhikr which is an innovation, because that is recited in unison, which is not the case here. 

For more information please see the answer to question no. 111562. 

And Allaah knows best.

They go against sharee’ah and use as an excuse the fact that there are righteous people who do that

Some imams in mosques and professors of Islamic education, and others who are regarded as examples for other people, trim their beards – and some shave them altogether – and they let their garments hang too low. When you try to prove it, some people of weak character argue that these actions are haraam and they say to you: So and so is the imam of a mosque and he lets his garment hang too low, or So and so is a teacher of Islamic studies and he shaves his beard. 
We would like you to say something about such imams and those who are in similar roles, and the seriousness of what they are doing for themselves and for all other people.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The fact that some of those who go against sharee’ah are justifying what they do based on the actions of some imams of mosques or some teachers of Islamic education, will not benefit them before their Lord, because what is required of the Muslim is to follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it is not permissible for him to put the teaching of anyone else before the teachings of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day, and remembers Allaah much”

[al-Ahzaab 33:21] 

“And (remember) the Day (Allaah) will call to them, and say: “’What answer gave you to the Messengers?’”

[al-Qasas 29:65] 

If the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is clear, then it is not permissible for a Muslim to ignore it because of the actions or words of some person. Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The people [scholars] are unanimously agreed that if the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has become clear to a person, it is not permissible for him to forsake it because of the opinion of any person. 

Secondly: 

The one who has become an example for people must be more careful about his adherence to the Sunnah and not going against it, because the people will follow his example and will regard his actions as being in accordance with sharee’ah. 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Hence the scholars have obligations that others do not, with regard to acts of worship, morals and manners, and interactions with others, because the people will follow their example, they will follow their example completely. Some people will even sit by a scholar whilst he is praying – for example – and take note of every single movement. When Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) grew old, he did not sit muftarishan (sitting on the left foot and holding the right foot upright with the toes pointing towards the qiblah) in the prayer. One of his sons said to him: “What kind of sitting is this?” He said: “My feet do not let me?” Look at how the people watch the scholar and take note of everything he does, and even what he does not do. Hence it is essential for the seekers of knowledge to be good examples in all things, so that the people will respect them. End quote. 

Al-Liqa’ al-Shahri (introduction to meeting no. 49). 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

The scholar is known for his patience, his piety or awareness of Allaah, his fear of Him, his hastening to do what Allaah and His Messenger have enjoined, and his keeping away from what Allaah and His Messenger have forbidden. 

This is how the scholar should be, whether he is a teacher, a qaadi, a daa’i who calls people to Allaah, or in any field of work. His duty is to be an example of goodness, and to be an example of righteous deeds, acting upon his knowledge, fearing Allaah wherever he is, guiding people to goodness. So he should be a good example to his students, to his family members, to his neighbours and others whom he knows, so that they can follow his example in his words and deeds that are in accordance with the laws of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. 

The seeker of knowledge must be very careful and beware of being careless about that which Allaah has enjoined, or of falling into that which Allaah has forbidden, because he may be taken as an example in that. If he is heedless, others will be heedless too. The same applies to the Sunnah, and to makrooh actions. He should be keen to observe Sunnah actions, even if they are not obligatory, so that he will become accustomed to doing them, and people will follow his example in that. And he should keep away from makrooh things and dubious matters, so that people will not follow his example in that. 

The seeker of knowledge has an important status. The scholars are the elite in this life, so they have duties that others do not share. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.” End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (2/312, 313) 

2. and he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):  

“And who is better in speech than he who [says: ‘My Lord is Allaah (believes in His Oneness),’ and then stands firm (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allaah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: ‘I am one of the Muslims’” [Fussilat 41:33].

This verse shows us that the one who calls people to Allaah must be a person of righteous deeds, calling to Allaah with his words, calling to Allaah with all his actions. Hence He says after that “and does righteous deeds.” The one who calls people to Allaah must call with his words and with his actions. There is no one better in speech than this type of person, those who call to Allaah with their good words and guide the people with their words and deeds. So they become a good example in their words, deeds and behaviour. 

This is how the Messengers (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them) were: callers to Allaah with their words, actions and behaviour. Many of those who are called benefit more from the callers’ behaviour than from their words, especially the common folk and those with limited knowledge. They benefit from the caller’s behaviour, good attitude and righteous deeds in ways they cannot benefit from their words which they may not understand. One of the most important missions of the one who calls people to Allaah is to have a good track record, to be a person of righteous deeds, to have a good attitude so that his example may be followed in his actions, words and deeds. 

This verse encourages and urges us to call people to Allaah, and explains the status of the callers (daa’iyahs): they are the best of people in word if they are sincere in what they say, and do righteous deeds; they are the best of people in word and no one is better than them in word at all. Foremost among them are the Messengers (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them), then those who follow them with insight until the Day of Resurrection. End quote. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (3/110, 111) 

We ask Allaah to set the affairs of the Muslims straight, and to guide the daa’iyahs and seekers of knowledge to that which is in their interests and in the people’s interests. 

And Allaah knows best.