The motto of Ahlu Sunnah is to denounce all forms of Bid’ah.

Ismaa’iil Ibn Muhammad Al-Asbahaani (535 H):

[The sign of Ahlus-Sunnah is that they follow the Salaf-us-Saalih and abandon anything that is innovated and newly introduced into the Deen.]

(AL-HUJJAH FII BAYAAN-IL-MAHAJJAH 1/364)

Sheikh Swaalih Al-Fawzaan:

[Bid’ah vary in nature and all Bid’ah are wrong, we should not take it lightly and we should not say: “This a small Bid’ah!”, because it is similar to a spark, if we let it go, it will burn everything around it.]

(IT-HAAF-UL-QAARI 2/172)

Sheikh Swaalih Al-Fawzaan :

[ Stay away from Bid’ah and never consider it insignificant, so as to preserve your Deen and the sunnah of your Prophet.]

(IT-HAAF-UL-QAARI 2/265)

Compiled by: Abu Layla Shabbir
Translator: Sister Bushra & Sister Najaah

What is Fiq-hul-Waaqi’ and how it is leading the Ummah to misguidance ?

Question: What does Fiq-hul-Waaqi’ mean?

Answer: The term ‘Fiq-hul-Waaqi’’ is neither found in the Qur-aan nor in Hadiith nor in the speech of the Swahaabah. It is a term that has recently originated from those who feel very much concerned about the Ummah. By that term, they mean that we should know about what is happening around the world and that we should feel concerned about the Haalat (state) of the Muslims around the world.

Sheikh Swaalih Al-Fawzaan:

[As for Fiqh-ul-Waaqi’, they allude to the concern over things that are related to politics, political agitation and spending time and efforts on those]

(AL-AJWIBAT-UL-MUFIIDAH 5)

Question: Isn’t a Muslim supposed to know about what is happening around the world so that he/she can take necessary precautions to safeguard his/her Imaan?

Answer: Knowing about what is happening around the world is not against Islaam, but what we do not agree with is to make that concern the very heart and soul of our Da’wah.

Question: Why is making Fiq-Hul-Waaqi’ the heart of our Da’wah wrong?

Answer: It is wrong in five ways:

1. If we keep talking about news with people, we will not get sufficient amount of time to teach them Deen as it should be taught;
2. It will, instead of increasing Imaan, make Muslims become fanatical;
3. It will make the people see the wrongs of their enemies only. They will disregard, even ignore their own shortcomings regarding their practice of their Deen. So preoccupied will they be about what is happening around the world and the wrongs being committed against Muslims that they will be blind to their own shortcomings.
4. It can incite the youths to commit acts of terrorism
5. It can make people waste their time in talking and theorising about things which they cannot solve.

Sheikh Uthaymiin:

[In fact, the preocupation of the youths over Fiq-Hul-Waaqi’ can push them further away from the Fiqh in Allah’s Deen as a heart filled with one thing cannot accept/accommodate other things]

 (SHARH KITAAB HILYAH TWAALIB-IL-ILM, PG 124)

Question: Is casually glossing over Fiq-Hul-Waaqi’ while not making it the heart of our Da’wah also a mistake?

Answer: The role of the Ulamaa is not to provide world news on the Mimbar.But there is nothing wrong in simply glossing over a current news in order to prove a point or to make the people realise an important lesson that the event taught.

Abu Daawood said regarding Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hambal:

[He would not engage in what the people were talking about the Dunyaa. When the issue knowledge was brought up, he would then talk]

(HILYAT-UL-AWLIYAA 9/164)

Question: How are those whose primary concern is Fiq-Hul-Waaqi’ leading the Ummah to misguidance?

Answer: Two major errors in that practice that misguide the Ummah are:

1. Considering that thing as something that is of the concern of everyone when in fact, not everyone feels concerned by it.
2. Making Muslims believe the information that the Kuffaar are propagating in the media.

Sheikh Swaalih Al-Fawzaan:

[Newspapers and magazines are not to be gathered and read on Mimbar. Instead, we compile what they contain and study them with the scholars and leaders]

(AL-IJAABAAT-UL-MUHIMMAH PG 209)

Alhamdulillah, it is hoped that the issue Fiq-hul-Waaqi’ has been clarified and that now, we can see the mistake of those who instead of citing Qur-aanic verses and Hadiith to increase our Imaan, come on the Mimbar and give out information from BBC/CNN/RFI in order to produce ignorant fanatical Muslims.

May Allah open our hearts and guide us.

Author: Abu Layla Shabbir
Translator: Sister Bint Yasin Damree

Difference between poetic recitation and singing Anaasheed

Question:

What are the differences between poetic recitation and singing anaasheed?

Answer:

The recitation of poems differs from the style of singing.

Poems are not recited in groups so as to melodiously beautify them.

Ibnul Jawzi (597 H):

فانظر إلى احتجاج ابن طاهر ما أعجبه كيف يحتج على جواز الغناء بإنشاد الشعر …

[Look at the proof which Ibn Twaahir came forward with; how amazing it is! (Look at) how he uses poetic recitation as a proof to deem singing permissible.

وقد نسي أن إنشاد الشعر لا يطرب كما يطرب الغناء!

He has forgotten that poetry does not emotionally influence (the listener), unlike singing.]

(TALBIIS IBLIIS)

Sheikh Swaalih Al-Fawzaan dire :

إن الأشعار التي كانت تنشد عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلَّم ليست تنشد بأصوات جماعية على شكل أغاني

[The poems that were recited in front of the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) were not recited in congregation ,with many persons reciting at a time, in the form of singing.]

(AL-QAWL-UL-MUFIID, pg 63)

Author: Abu Layla Shabbir

Translator: Nadeem

Shaykh Fawzaan on doing khutbah on current events

Shaykh Swaalih Al-Fawzaan said

الصحف والمجلات لا تجمع وتقرأ على رؤوس المنابر بل يجمع ما فيها وتدرس مع أهل العلم ومع أهل الحل والعقد

The newspapers and the magazines, we do not compile them and read them on the mimbar, but we compile what they contain and we discuss them with the scholars and rulers.

(AL-IJAABAAT-UL-MUHIMMAH )