Lesson 15 Acts that Nullify Faith

Some of these acts are offering oblation and sacrifices at the tombs of the righteous patrons of Allah and others, supplicating Allah through them, seeking their intercession, circumambulating around their tombs, and wiping them to seek blessing.

Claiming the knowledge of the unseen, and believing in astrology and fortune- telling.

Practicing sorcery and prestidigitation; making and hanging amulets and believing in bad omens.

Denying Qur’anic texts and authentic Hadiths, or refusing to apply the clear- cut rulings extracted from them.

Proofs on the Lesson from Qur ’ an and Sunnah

Nullifiers of faith: Glorifying Tombs and the Dead The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Beware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.” (Reported by Muslim)

He (PBUH) also said: May Allah's Curse be on the Jews and the Christians for they built places of worship at the graves of their prophets.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

And said: “You should neither sit on the graves nor pray with your faces directed towards them.” (Reported by Muslim)

Ibn-`Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophet of Allah (PBUH) cursed women who visit graves, those who build mosques over them and erect lamps (there).” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) has forbidden the graves to be plastered or to be used as sitting places (for the people), or a building should be erected over them.” (Reported by Muslim)

And in another report: “… or to be written on them.” (Reported by Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi)

Abu Al-Hayyaj Al-Asadi narrated that `Ali Ibn Abi Talib said to him, “ Should I not send you on the same mission as Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) sent me?: “Do not leave an image without obliterating it, or a high grave without levelling it.” (Reported by Muslim)

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Do not make your houses graves, and do not make my grave a place of festivity. But invoke blessings on me, for your blessings reach me wherever you may be.” (Reported by Abu Dawud and Ahmad)

Sacrificing for the Sake of Other than Allah The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Allah cursed him who sacrificed for anyone besides Allah.” (Reported by Muslim)

Astrology The Prophet (PBUH) said: “If anyone acquires any knowledge of astrology, he acquires a branch of magic.” (Reported by Abu Dawud)

Fortune-telling Allah says: ﴿ وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ... ﴾ [ الأنعام : 59]

This means: “And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He.” (Surah Al-An`am: 59)

And says: ﴿ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلاَ يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً ﴾ [ الجن : 26]

This means: “(He Alone) the All-Knower of the Ghayb (unseen), and He reveals to none His Ghayb (unseen).” (Surah Al-Jinn: 26)

And: ﴿وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَا إِلاَّ نَذِيرٌ وبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴾ [ الأعراف : 188]

This means: “If I had the knowledge of the Ghayb (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe.” (Surah Al-A`raf: 188)

There are other verses in the Holy Qur’an concerning this matter.

He (PBUH) also said: “… A Muslim should not refrain from anything because of an omen. When any of you sees anything which he dislikes, he should say: O Allah You Alone bring good things, You Alone avert evil things, and there is no might or power but in Allah.” (Reported by Abu Dawud)

Amulets The Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said: “Spells, charms, and love potions are polytheism.” (Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawud)

Magic “Avoid the seven deadly things. It was said: What are they, Messenger of Allah? He replied: Associating anything with Allah, practicing sorcery, killing one whom Allah has declared inviolable without a just cause, devouring the property of an orphan, devouring usury, fleeing from the battle-field, and accusing the pious women with adultery. (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Pessimism The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “There is no `Adwa, nor Tiyarah (bad omen), nor Hamah, nor Safar.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) [Hamah is a bird which the Arabs used to believe to come out of the head of the murdered person and ask for revenge. The Arabs before Islam used to consider the lunar month, Safar, as an evil omen].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “He who goes to a fortune-teller and believes him, his prayers will not be accepted for forty days.” (Reported by Muslim)