Punishment for Apostasy

 

In the Name of Allâh, the Rahmân, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allâh, Lord of the worlds

Peace and blessings upon you, Apostle of Allâh

The Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said:

مَنْ بَدَّلَ دِينَهُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ

Whoever changes his Religion kill him

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

The penalty for apostasy according to the Islamic Shari’a is a matter of considerable controversy. Clearly, executing apostates who refuse to recant is something that violates the modern Western concept of “human rights” along with secularism. But we Muslims should not be concerned with what the world thinks or foreign principles and values. We should point out that the death penalty for apostasy isn’t unique to the Islamic Shari’a but is found in the Mosaic Law and the Torah too: “If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die” (Deuteronomy 13:6-10)

But while this ordinance in the Torah seems to suggest that any Israelite who finds an apostate inviting him to worship another “god” should kill him before anyone else, the law of our Islamic Shari’a is that the ruler or government must authorize the execution of an apostate, that too after the case being presented before a court or judge and giving him an opportunity to recant. Some Muslim apologists argue that capital punishment for apostasy is only carried out in the case of an apostate who challenges the writ of the State, or is responsible for stirring dissension in the society, and not necessarily that an apostate who leaves Islam in his private, personal capacity is to be executed. Others say there is no legal penalty for apostasy in this world whatsoever, as Allah says in the Holy Quran:

لَاۤ اِکۡرَاہَ فِی الدِّیۡنِ

There is no compulsion in Religion

(Surah 2, Ayah 256)

However, this means that no one can be compelled to believe, and if he does testify to the Faith and calls himself a Muslim it is still not possible to compel him to worship and perform good deeds. Worship of Allah and the performance of good deeds must come from oneself, in order for it to be rewarded and sincere. However, this does not mean that the laws of the Shari’a with regard to public morals and criminal offenses can’t be implemented by the government, although this is also from Din. Allah in the Holy Quran commands the implementation of the Hudud (penal laws) such as cutting the hand of the thief and flogging the one guilty of fornication and slander. Likewise, He commands that we enjoin virtue and prohibit vice. Why then is the apostate executed if there is no compulsion in Religion? Ultimately, no one is able to compel someone to believe in his heart. In a sense “there is no compulsion in Religion” is merely a statement of fact. Execution of apostates is not the the type of compulsion that is intended in the Ayah. One who leaves Islam, if he is sincere in his conviction that Islam is false, should be willing to die for his conviction. And if this Hadd on apostasy, or other matters such as social, family pressure, or the fear of being boycotted and ostracized, prevent him from openly announcing the unbelief that is in his heart then he is a hypocrite, which is worse than being an open apostate. In my view, the rationale behind executing apostates from Islam is that it serves as a way for Muslims to glorify Allah and to show zeal for Him and His Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم

Ablution and Ritual Purity

 

In the Name of Allâh, the Rahmân, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allâh, Lord of the worlds

Peace and blessings upon you, Apostle of Allâh

Allah, Holy and Exalted is He, says:

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَقۡرَبُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ وَاَنۡتُمۡ سُکٰرٰی حَتّٰی تَعۡلَمُوۡا مَا تَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَلَا جُنُبًا اِلَّا عَابِرِیۡ سَبِیۡلٍ حَتّٰی تَغۡتَسِلُوۡا

O you who believe! Approach not the Prayer if you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying. Nor when you are unclean, except when travelling on the road, until you have bathed

(Surah 4, Ayah 43)

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا قُمۡتُمۡ اِلَی الصَّلٰوۃِ فَاغۡسِلُوۡا وُجُوۡہَکُمۡ وَاَیۡدِیَکُمۡ اِلَی الۡمَرَافِقِ وَامۡسَحُوۡا بِرُءُوۡسِکُمۡ وَاَرۡجُلَکُمۡ اِلَی الۡکَعۡبَیۡنِ ؕ وَاِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ جُنُبًا فَاطَّہَّرُوۡا

O you who believe! When you stand up for the Prayer, wash your faces, your hands up to your elbows, wipe your heads and (wash) your feet to the ankles. And if you are unclean then make purification

(Surah 5, Ayah 6)

These are the two Verses in the Holy Quran which ordain the practice of Wudu (ablution) and Ghusl (full-body ritual purification). Similar practices of ablution and full body ritual bathing were also ordained in the Mosaic Law, particularly for the Priests. Judaism preserves the practice of netilat yadayim (hand washing) and tebilah (full body immersion in a mikveh). In modern Judaism, a male is no required to immerse himself in a mikveh after a seminal discharge, because of sexual activity or otherwise in which he becomes ba’al keri, in order to recite the Shema, read from the Torah or offer prayers. This is in stark contrast to Islam, which does require men to perform Ghusl after a seminal discharge, due to sexual activity or a nocturnal emission in which he becomes junub, in order to offer the Prayer and recite or touch the Holy Quran. According to the Christian New Testament, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for following the “tradition of the elders” in washing their hands before eating, and washing their utensils: “Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.” (Mark 7:1-8, KJV)

Other versions of the Christian Bible omit mention from Jesus of washing of pots and cups: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mark 7:8, NIV)

Ritual washing for purification is an integral part of true Religion and of the Islamic Shari’a. That Christianity has done away with it is an indication of its falsehood. In Islam, to study the matter of purity is beloved and necessary. Our books of Hadith and Law usually begin with the topic of purity, for instance, which water is purifying, what are the unclean substances which should be washed away if there are traces of it on the body, clothing, and how utensils and vessels are to be purified if they come into contact with something or someone unclean, etc. It is worship of God for a Believer to carefully study these matters and observe them scrupulously. The dangerous heresies of antinomianism and esotericism which have done away with observance of the Shari’a and have abandoned the Islamic method of worship, including the regulations about washing and purification, ought to be opposed harshly.

AROPL Cult

 

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace and blessings upon you, Apostle of Allah

The Qadianis who falsely call themselves “Ahmadis” or “Ahmadiyya” attempt to portray their false ascription to the name Ahmad as a sign of them being upon the Truth. However, there are several other sects which named themselves Ahmadi both prior to and subsequent to the emergence of the Qadiani heresy and cult. A subsect of the Imamiyya Shi’a ascribed themselves to a son of Imam Musa al-Kadim whose name was Ahmad, believing him to be his father’s rightful successor and the true eighth Imam instead of Imam Ali al-Rida and were thus known as the Ahmadiyya. Presently, a cult has emerged from the Twelver Shi’a known as the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, or AROPL, led by a man named Abdullah Hashem, who claims to be one of the twelve Mahdis as per a Twelver Shi’ite tradition. He was a filmmaker who helped produce the controversial documentary known as “The Arrivals”. This cult has its roots in an Iraqi cult leader, Ahmad al-Hasan, whose followers claim he is the Yamani, and the first of the twelve Mahdis. This movement entered the spotlight during the Battle of Najaf in 2007, when a cult known as the Soldiers of Heaven led by one Dia Abdul-Zahra Kadim perished in an uprising against the Americans and the Iraqi government. Much mystery and confusion surrounds this cult, such as whether Dia Abdul-Zahra claimed not only to be the Mahdi but a reincarnation of Mawla Ali bin Abi Talib رضى الله عنه

AROPL and the other cults in Iraq associated with it, having the common theme of believing in multiple Mahdis, that the Yamani has arrived, are not unlike the earlier Ghali Shi’ite heretics who likewise believed in matters such as tanasukh (reincarnation) and new prophets especially those representing an Imam.

"Forsake not your gods Wadd, Suwa'a, Yaghuth, Ya'uq, Nasr" (71:23) Intentional Anachronism as Literary Device

 

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace and blessings upon you, Apostle of Allah

History records that around 110 BCE the great Hasmonean leader, John Hyrcanus, conquered the Samaritan center of Shechem and destroyed their false temple on Mount Gerizim. The Samaritans are a heretical sect who reject the Prophet Samuel, Kings David and Solomon, and the Prophets after them and therefore reject the sanctity of Jerusalem. Today there are less than a thousand Samaritans, and they continue to center their worship at Mount Gerizim. They are one of the seventy sects of the Jews that went astray, as the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:

افْتَرَقَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ

The Jews split into seventy-one sects; one sect is in Paradise and seventy are in the Fire (Sunan Ibn Maja)

Along with the Samaritans, the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Karaites and Hellenists compose some of those seventy sects that are in the Fire. The saved sect of the Jews are those among them who believed in the Messiah Jesus and in John the Baptizer (Yahya). Like John Hyrcanus, the great Muslim king Ahmad Shah Abdali destroyed the Sikh temple in Amritsar, in fact doing so multiple times (in 1757, 1762 and 1764). The destruction of temples whose construction has not been authorized by God is something that is highly pleasing to Him. This is especially true of temples, altars and shrines that are dedicated to idols and false gods. After the liberation of Mecca, the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم sent the Sword of God, Khalid bin Walid, and some of his other Companions رضى الله عنهم to demolish the temples and altars dedicated to the idols al-Uzza, Suwa’a, Manat, al-Lat, al-Fuls, Wadd, Dhul-Khalasa, etc. Incidentally, five of these idols that were worshipped by the pagan Arabs (Wadd, Suwa’a, Yaghuth, Ya’uq, and Nasr) are mentioned in the Holy Quran and associated with the people of Noah who drowned in the Flood:

وَقَالُوۡا لَا تَذَرُنَّ اٰلِہَتَکُمۡ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَّلَا سُوَاعًا ۬ۙ وَّلَا یَغُوۡثَ وَیَعُوۡقَ وَنَسۡرًا

And they said, “Forsake not your gods, forsake not Wadd, Suwa’a, Yaghuth, Ya’uq and Nasr”

(Surah 71, Ayah 23)

Skeptics claims this is a historical anachronism, but an intentional anachronism is a type of literary device meant to draw attention to and comment on a current state of affairs. In other words, Allah gave the names of the idols worshipped by the pagan Arabs to the idols that were worshipped by the doomed people of Noah for the purpose of identifying the two peoples as one and the same in terms of their idolatry and opposing His Messenger.

After the Muslims defeated the Sassanians and conquered Iran during the Caliphate of Umar al-Faruq رضى الله عنه they destroyed many fire temples and converted others into Mosques. It is well-known that the great Muslim king Mahmud of Ghazni demolished the Hindu temple at Somnath.

The Coming War in Syria

 

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace and blessings upon you, Apostle of Allah

Events are unfolding rapidly in Syria, a land that plays a central role in Islamic eschatology. By the grace and help of Allah, the Syrians succeeded in ousting the Baathist regime of the heretical Alawite sect. While the new government of Abu Muhammad al-Golani, whose name is Ahmad al-Sharaa, has roots in Salafi—Jihadism and therefore we mainstream Sunni Muslims are not exactly enthusiastic for them, they have certainly been pragmatic and moderate thus far. We should be grateful that the new Syrian government has Turkiye to protect and influence them. Along with Turkiye, the Saudis and Qataris have been instrumental in persuading the Trump administration to lift sanctions on Syria. Ahmad al-Sharaa has proven to be a slick and intelligent leader in my estimation. But the real danger to the new Syria now comes from the evil Zionists, whose stated policy is to keep Syria weak and fragmented so that it never poses a threat to them, meaning their criminal occupation of Palestine. The American decision to lift sanctions on Syria and reintegrate it into the international community has tremendously frustrated and annoyed the Zionists. It seems that, as far as Syria is concerned, the Turks and the Arabs have outmanoeuvred the Zionists in the game of geopolitical, three dimensional chess. Likewise, Hamas, which claims to be the main armed resistance to the Zionist project, managed to disrupt the process of Arab reconciliation with the Zionists in the October 7, 2023 incident in which they captured hundreds of hostages from the enemy. Although this move has resulted in the tragic sacrifice of Gaza, which has been utterly decimated and its population experiencing a brutal ethnic cleansing, the one silver lining is that the so-called “Abraham Accords” won’t be picking up momentum anytime soon to put it mildly. Notably, the Saudis, who are hardly sincere in their expressed sympathy for the Palestinians, will now not dare to even entertain the notion of normalizing relations with the insidious Zionist entity.

While the triumph of the Syrian uprising against Bashar and his Baathist—Alawite regime has resulted in a major blow to Iran and its major proxy “Hezbollah”, the Zionists are actually alarmed about this development. This is because in their heart of hearts the Zionists fear the rise of Sunni power, particularly on its borders with Syria, more than their dramatized feud with Iran and her armed Shi’ite proxies. This is why immediately after the collapse of the Baathist—Alawite regime, the Zionists launched strikes on exposed Syrian military assets, captured territory along the Golan Heights in order to establish a new buffer zone, and have now threatened further strikes on the Syrian forces if they move against the heretical Druze community to the south of Damascus. Like the treacherous Marxist factions among the Kurds, the Druze community are considered a protected asset for the Zionists. But what explains this seemingly inexplicable fear the Zionists have of rising Sunni Muslim power in the region? Here I shall present a quote from an Ibadi/Kharijite heretic who ran the Prima Quran blog which was aimed at disseminating Ibadi propaganda: “In the Ibadi school there is absolutely 100% no belief that a Mahdi will come or that Jesus will return again and kill all the Jews and instigate Armageddon. Think about it. Logically Israel is a nuclear armed power based by another super power. Already Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Bahrain, and other states have had meetings and delegations from Israel. Again I don’t think normalization with Israel should come at a cost of abandoning the Palestinian people or their cause. Yet if you were an Israeli think tank and you are forced to deal with a Sunni world that has a core belief that some time in the future Jesus will show up and give your people the choice to accept Islam or die how hopeful would peace prospects be with such people? The Ibadi position is in line with Allah (swt) told us in the Holy Qur’an, Christ Jesus is dead. Not only this but the Ibadi school does not hang its hopes or future on some possibly distant messianic figure, Christ Jesus or Mahdi.” Here the Ibadi/Kharijite heretic has spilled the beans that the Zionists fear the rise of Sunni Islamic power more than any of our rivals (the other sects) precisely because of the unique Sunni eschatology and messianism. Throughout my blog I have discussed in quite some detail the apocalyptic Sunni narrative and mentioned various matters, such as the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophecy that the Believers shall fight the Jews at the River Jordan, with us being at its east and they to its west. Just as the ancient Israelites under Prophet Joshua’s leadership crossed the River Jordan from the East Bank and took possession of the Holy Land after routing the various pagan Canaanite tribes, a time is coming when the Believers shall cross the River Jordan and liberate Jerusalem and all of Palestine while exterminating the Zionists. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, spoke of this when he said:

لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ الْيَهُودَ فَيَقْتُلُهُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ حَتَّى يَخْتَبِئَ الْيَهُودِيُّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحَجَرِ وَالشَّجَرِ فَيَقُولُ الْحَجَرُ أَوِ الشَّجَرُ يَا مُسْلِمُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ هَذَا يَهُودِيٌّ خَلْفِي فَتَعَالَ فَاقْتُلْهُ ‏‏ إِلاَّ الْغَرْقَدَ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ شَجَرِ الْيَهُودِ

The Hour will not be established until the Muslims fight the Jews. So the Muslims will kill them until the Jew hides behind a rock or tree, but the rock or tree will say, “O Muslim! O slave of Allah! Here is a Jew behind me, so come and kill him.” Except the Gharqad for it is from the trees of the Jews (Sahih Muslim)

But prior to this glorious day which will occur under the leadership of the Messiah Jesus, peace be upon him, there shall happen the Malhama, which is often termed Armageddon, a terrible war that is set in Syria:

لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَنْزِلَ الرُّومُ بِالأَعْمَاقِ أَوْ بِدَابِقَ فَيَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِمْ جَيْشٌ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ مِنْ خِيَارِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَإِذَا تَصَافُّوا قَالَتِ الرُّومُ خَلُّوا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ سَبَوْا مِنَّا نُقَاتِلْهُمْ ‏ فَيَقُولُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ لاَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نُخَلِّي بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَانِنَا

The Hour will not be established until the Romans land at al-A’maq or Dabiq. So an army shall go out to face them from Medina, of the best people of the Earth on that day. So when they are arranged in ranks the Romans will say, “Withdraw from between us and between those who took captives from us, that we may fight them.” But the Muslims will say, “No, by Allah, we will not step aside between you and between our brothers.” (Sahih Muslim)

From this Hadith we come to know that apparently a group of Muslims situated in Syria will have taken some hostages or captives which will provoke Rome, meaning the collective Western/European nations, to come up against them with a massive military force. It seems to me that the Muslims who will have taken hostages or captives would be inspired by the tactics of Hamas which took hundreds of hostages on October 7, 2023. As of writing this, about a year and a half has transpired since that event and still the Zionists with all their might and military prowess have been unable to fully recover the hostages, many of whom have been killed while others released in prisoner exchanges. One thing is for sure, great and terrible wars are in store for the region, with Syria in particular playing a critical role. The triumph of the Syrian uprising against the cowardly Baathist—Alawite regime is only part of a trend that is setting the stage for these apocalyptic events and wars that have been foretold by my Master the Apostle of Allah, peace be upon him & his family.

Continuity of Kashf and Divine Commissions

 

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Peace and blessings upon you, Apostle of Allah

The perfection and completion of the Din of Islam is essentially the making of the Shari’a of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, final and universal, and the establishment of his Umma as the last one, possessing salvific exclusivity. It does not prevent new Kushuf or revelations from God to select individuals granting them some novel or original insight that is not contrary to the principles of Islam. Nor does it discount the possibility of new divine commissions of select individuals for some good objective. Hypothetically, if a Muslim were to appear and claim that Allah has commissioned him with a task, for example, to wage war against the demons by going about the land and performing exorcisms, or that Allah has appointed him to establish a new Mosque from where he is to preach the Message of Islam, then we will not declare that an innovation, but should beckon to his call provided he sticks to the laws of the Shari’a and the methodology of the Sunna. Allah is alive, He is a living God, Who is still doing amazing things. 

کُلَّ یَوۡمٍ ہُوَ فِیۡ شَاۡنٍ

Everyday He is in His element

(Surah 55, Ayah 29)

The saga has not concluded with the Seal of Prophets Muhammad, peace be upon him, but continues to develop. The establishment of the Khilafa after the Prophet, peace be upon him, passed away, the sacred work of Tajdid of the divinely appointed Reformers, the miracles and activities of the Saints, and especially the Kushuf or visions and unveilings they experienced that were the basis for some original contribution to the Islamic narrative and understanding all demonstrate this truth.

Dismissing the zeal for Allah and the passion for religious activity beyond the basic and mandated worship is an attitude that has extinguished much light from our societies. It has facilitated excessive Westernization of our civilization, with all its associated characteristics of consumerism, sexual immorality and the inability to break down with emotion and passion before Allah in worship due to the hardness of the heart.

The diabolical process of Westernization of Muslim societies is through both ideological and sociological means. The ideological channel is through the modern education system, which indoctrinates our people to accept Western values such as secularism, liberalism, feminism, pluralism, humanism and democracy. The sociological channel is today primarily social media and the entertainment industry (music, film, television). In other words, modern universities coupled with the smartphone is the most lethal poison being gulped down by our people. The feeling of shyness in our girls has vanished, and the sense of honor in our boys is missing, so that it is quite common for both sexes of this generation to casually interact and form friendships with each other and among the youth to “hang out” with each other without an inkling of guilt. How can one expect individuals of charisma and zeal to arise from such a generation? Our numbers have never been as inflated as they are today, yet there is a parching scarcity of visionaries, shakers and movers.

I have disturbing visions of utter destruction that may soon befall segments of this Umma due to this lousy state of affairs. Nuclear holocaust in countries such as Pakistan and Iran is no longer such a far fetched improbability. But likelier is the affliction of famines leading to mass starvation. Fresh water will become rarer and a more valuable commodity than jewels. The people of the Near East are about to experience the burning thirst of some of their ancient ancestors. Already the whole Gaza Strip has been reduced to a pile of rubble, yet the Arabs do not change their ways!

But if there is a ray of hope today then it is in Afghanistan. More than anyone else they have fiercely resisted secularity and modernity. It is from that land a multitude of saints and mystics came out of, venturing into India, and attracting millions of Hindu converts to Islam through their holiness and charisma. And I foresee that once again, in the near future, some great men shall arise out of that nation and preach the Message of Islam with fire and brimstone.

Music: The Vain Speech of the Devil

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

The venomous influence of modernity, secularity and Western/European culture on the Muslim World is a cause of considerable consternation. Islam is set apart from the religions and cultures of the world in many cultural issues which may be dubbed cultural sensitivities of Islam. When Islamophobes and other critics of Islam condemn our Religion they often cite the laws of the Shari’a as being not only incompatible with their own cultures but posing an imminent threat to them. The typical examples cited are the Shari prohibitions on alcohol, pork, music, dance, fine arts like sculpting and painting, pet dogs, dating and gambling. But some Muslims who are ignorant, and others who are hypocritical, having become infatuated with “modernity” seek to water down or altogether deny these rulings of the sacred Shari’a, in order to deflect criticism of Islam, or to integrate into their non-Muslim host societies, or simply to follow their devilish desires. The Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم foretold of such a state of affairs when he said:

لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الْحِرَ وَالْحَرِيرَ وَالْخَمْرَ وَالْمَعَازِفَ

There will be from my Ummah people who will consider fornication, wearing silk (for males), intoxicants and musical instruments permissible (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The prophecy has been literally fulfilled in our time with the appearance of pseudo-scholars who issue false Fatawa in an attempt to support the diabolical agenda of modernization, Westernization and cultural secularization of the Ummah. In Egypt “Sheikh Su‚ad Jalal, who declared that beer did not fall under the prohibition of alcohol (which earned him the nickname ‘Sheikh Stella’, after the Egyptian brand of beer)” (Muslim Extremism in Egypt: The Prophet and Pharaoh, p.80) Likewise, the Hadith—rejecters who call themselves “Quranists” do not recognize the Shari prohibition on men wearing silk as it is derived from the Hadith, and some of them have gone to the extent of saying that Islam does not forbid dating (boyfriend/girlfriend relationships) and what is termed “common-law partnerships” in which two individuals have a sexual relationship without legally being married, and that such kinds of relationships now common among non-Muslims should not be classified as Zina!

But of these four prohibitions that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said would one day be considered permissible by some people of his Ummah, the most argued for is music. Regarding it, Allah says:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنۡ یَّشۡتَرِیۡ لَہۡوَ الۡحَدِیۡثِ لِیُضِلَّ عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ بِغَیۡرِ عِلۡمٍ ٭ۖ وَّیَتَّخِذَہَا ہُزُوًا ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ لَہُمۡ عَذَابٌ مُّہِیۡنٌ

And of the people is one who takes in exchange idle talk to lead astray from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and to make fun of it. For such there will be a humiliating punishment

(Surah 31, Ayah 6)

The term لهو الحديث has been understood by the Mufassirin as referring primarily to singing and music. Certainly, listening to the type of pop music that is prevalent today, filled with vulgarity, sexual innuendos and even blasphemy is strictly forbidden, with there being no disagreement among the traditional, Sunni Ulama. Instead, Muslims should sing and listen to devotionals that are pure vocalizations. Musical instruments, with the possible exception of the daff (a simple hand drum) on certain occasions such as weddings and festivities, are explicitly prohibited in our Shari’a, especially the bell, which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم dubbed Satanic. The bell is strongly associated with Christianity, and undoubtedly it was the instrument through which the Devil swindled them. Muslims should hate the bell and consider its ringing sacrilegious. There is hardly a contrast as stark as the ringing of church bells on Sunday calling the people to gather to the portals of Hell against the beautiful words of the Adhan that is blared from the loudspeakers of the Mosque calling the people to testify to the Oneness of God and to make haste to worship.

The regular listening to music is ultimately something that deadens the heart. It is a sly and vain form of speech that lulls one into a kind of mental intoxication and a toxic addiction for the ears. Instead, Believers should listen to that which profits their souls and energizes their Faith, such as the melodious recitation of the Holy Quran and devotionals in praise of Allah and His Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم

Blessed Aniconism of Islam

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds

Salutations of peace and blessings upon you, my Master, Apostle of Allah

Allah, Holy and Exalted is He, says:

وَلَقَدۡ اٰتَیۡنَاۤ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ رُشۡدَہٗ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ وَکُنَّا بِہٖ عٰلِمِیۡنَ

اِذۡ قَالَ لِاَبِیۡہِ وَقَوۡمِہٖ مَا ہٰذِہِ التَّمَاثِیۡلُ الَّتِیۡۤ اَنۡتُمۡ لَہَا عٰکِفُوۡنَ

And We gave Abraham his guidance from before, and We were concerning him well-knowing

When he said to his father and his people, “What are these images to which you are so devoted?”

(Surah 21, Ayah 51 & 52)

The word ابيه (his father) may not necessarily refer to Abraham’s biological father. It may refer to one of his paternal uncles, as in the example:

قَالُوۡا نَعۡبُدُ اِلٰہَکَ وَاِلٰـہَ اٰبَآئِکَ اِبۡرٰہٖمَ وَاِسۡمٰعِیۡلَ وَاِسۡحٰقَ اِلٰـہًا وَّاحِدًا

They said, “We will worship your God; the God of your fathers Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac. One God”

(Surah 2, Ayah 133)

The Patriarch Jacob’s sons referred to Ishmael as his اب usually translated to mean father, although Ishmael was Jacob’s paternal uncle and not his biological father. Incidentally, the father of Abraham according to the Torah was Terah while the name that appears in the Quran is Azar, possibly indicating that Azar was not Abraham’s biological father but rather his paternal uncle. It is curious that in the Judaic tradition Abraham’s father Terah is identified as an idolater so perhaps he is the same individual as Azar, with Azar being his nickname due to his devotion to a particular idol that was named the same. Allah and His Apostle know best!

In the Ayah (21:52) the Patriarch Abraham عليه السلام rebukes his people for their devotion to التماثيل which literally means likenesses, for the idols that are worshiped are made in the likeness of living beings, resembling humans or animals, whether in the form of three dimensional statues or figurines, or two dimensional paintings, pictures or portraits. In order to close the door to idolatry, Islam has strictly prohibited the making of images of any living thing, even if that image is not intended to be worshiped or depict a deity. In fact, such a prohibition is found in the Mosaic Law too, as stated in the Second of the Ten Commandments:

לֹֽ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־לְךָ֥֣ פֶ֣֙סֶל֙ וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֡֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣֙יִם֙ מִמַּ֡֔עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ מִתַָּ֑֜חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בַּמַּ֖֣יִם מִתַּ֥֣חַת לָאָֽ֗רֶץ

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth (Exodus 20:4)

This being the Second Commandment, preceded only be the commandment to have no other god before the Lord God, indicates the sensitivity of the matter and the gravity of the offense of making images of living creatures. Today, virtually every culture other than us Muslims deeply embraces the so-called fine arts of sculpting and painting. They find the Islamic rejection of such fine arts extremely estranging and even unnatural. That is because these cultures simply lack the level of zeal for the Oneness of God that animates Islam. When the Taliban destroyed the Buddha statues of Bamiyan in March, 2001, the entire world expressed their outrage including many ignorant Muslims who have fallen under the influence of modernity and secularity. I was a mere child at that time, living in the United States in a non-religious and Westernized family, but I was inspired by those events and developed a sense of love and respect for the Taliban because of what they did. Their willingness to endure international isolation and scrutiny because of that fiery zeal they had for the Oneness of Allah, and the hatred of idolatry moved me greatly and helped transform my psychology. I have a strong conviction that the single act of demolishing the Buddha idols of Bamiyan was so beloved to Allah, Holy and Exalted is He, that He blessed them with a remarkable triumph over the Americans and their allies in NATO and has given the country of Afghanistan into their hands. Many hypocritical or otherwise ignorant Muslims sternly criticized the Taliban for their epic act of iconoclasm, arguing that the Buddha statues in Bamiyan were no longer objects of worship but exquisite expressions of art that were part of Afghan and indeed world heritage. These sentiments they expressed makes evident that there is still some idolatry in their hearts.

One of the worst heresies of the Shi’a is their depiction of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and also the great Imams of the Prophet’s House, in paintings and portraits. Not only does this explicitly violate the Shari prohibition of making images of living beings which in this instance is likely a slippery slope to outright idolatry, it is totally sacrilegious. May Allah curse them for what they do!

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him & his family, said:

إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ

The people to be most severely punished by Allah on the Day of Resurrection are the image makers (Sahih al-Bukhari)

My Master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم did not even enter a place in which there was a cushion having an image woven on to it and said that the Angels do not enter a dwelling that contains an image.

The issue of photography has caused some controversy within the circles of the Ulama. While the majority and stronger view among our traditional Sunni Ulama, on the basis of caution and fear of God, is that photography of living beings falls under the same category of Taswir (making images) and is therefore prohibited, sadly, the widespread practice of the Muslim laity indicates that they are heedless. It is common to find portraits and photographs decorating the walls of Muslim homes, and for the cities and towns of the Muslims to be filled with billboards displaying pictures of individuals, especially female models. Not only does this perpetuate the sin of image making but also normalizes Tabarruj, the sin of causing temptation by women uncovering themselves or dressing in a provocative manner, contrary to the commandment of veiling. Even more disturbing, it is becoming quite common for there to be statues in Muslim countries and cities. Recently, a bronze statue of the cursed and ugly Ranjit Singh, a Sikh king who was cruel to the Muslims, was commissioned and placed in Lahore, Pakistan, apparently to celebrate Punjabi heritage. But the jealousy for Allah of some honorable Sunni Muslims was provoked and after they repeatedly vandalized the evil statue it was removed from public sight and handed over to the Sikhs to place in one of their temples. I encourage the vandalizing of such statues and billboards, especially in Muslim dominated areas. We must reverse this creeping culture of secularity which in the name of art and pluralism is attempting to transform the landscape of our societies. The propping up of such statues and graven images in the Muslim World is intolerable.

We see that historically the Ummah observed the prohibition of image making. The first coins minted by a Muslim government, under the Umayyad ruler Abd al-Malik, did not contain an image of the king or any other person or animal, but rather featured an inscription of the Kalimah

لا اله الا الله 

there is no deity except Allah

If we go further back in ancient history we see that Jewish coins, particularly those minted by the Hasmoneans, also did not feature any images of living beings in keeping with the Second Commandment.

This was in stark contrast to the way of the idolatrous and pagan nations of the world, who engraved images of their kings and their false gods on their coins.