Mufti's Insights

MAWLID: BETWEEN HISTORY AND PRACTICE

Prof Dr Mohd Asri bin Zainul Abidin

Islamic history scholars disagree on the exact date of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) birth. Meanwhile, the Prophet's hadith narrated by Imam Muslim only mentions that he was born on a Monday, without mentioning the specific date. Anyone who reads major Islamic history books, such as al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah by Imam Ibn Kathir (died 774H), will see various opinions regarding the date and month of his birth.

For those who believe he was born in the month of Rabi’ul Awwal, they differ in determining the exact date. Some say it was on the 8th, some say the 9th, others say the 12th as commonly believed by many, and some say the 17th or other dates. Beside that, there are also Islamic scholars who state that he was born in the month of Ramadan, each presenting their own arguments.

Whatever the case, the important thing is that historians from the East or West, North or South, have never disagreed on the existence of a man named Muhammad bin ‘Abdillah, who is declared by Muslims as the final messenger sent by God. This is different from Jesus as portrayed in the West, where some of their researchers question the very birth of Jesus himself.

The Importance of the Mawlid

The birth of the Prophet s.a.w. is a very important event because it marks the start of a new chapter for human life as a whole. Determining the exact date or month is not the main factor. Being unable to determine an exact birth date does not mean a person did not exist. There are countless prophets, figures, and individuals whose exact birth dates cannot be traced, yet they existed and shaped history.

The failure of scholars to know the exact day and month of the Prophet's s.a.w. birth was partly because his Companions (sahabah) did not celebrate the date. Although in Islamic history they were the generation that loved the Prophet s.a.w. the most, they did not create a special celebration for his birthday because they never saw him do so.

In fact, Ibn Kathir narrated how Saidina ‘Umar rejected a suggestion to start the Islamic calendar from the birth year of the Prophet s.a.w. Instead, the great Caliph chose the year of his migration (Hijrah) as the starting point. It is not that the birth was unimportant, but the Hijrah was the beginning of success and the history of struggle. The most important thing regarding a messenger is that he is followed, not merely celebrated. Every year, Western Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, but do their lives reflect what Jesus taught?

Mawlid and Politics

Days came and went. The muslim world was shaken by various political crises, which eventually gave rise to different sects (mazhab). Among them was the Shiite sect, which was originally a political group before turning into a religious sect with various sub-streams. Instead of Islam shaping politics, it became a situation where “politics shaped Islam.” Religious understanding was then built upon political blocks, rather than political thinking being guided by Islam.

Thus, power struggles occurred based on political agendas infused with Islamic elements. As a result, the Muslim community became scattered due to the political agendas of various factions. In Egypt, the Fatimid Shiites once held power. Various religious agendas were carried out within the framework of a political sect that had turned into a religion. Various religious celebrations were created to achieve specific political goals.

In Fatawa al-Azhar, it is acknowledged that Islamic historians do not know of anyone who started the celebration of the Prophet’s s.a.w. Mawlid except the Fatimid Shiite Kingdom in Egypt, which organized it on a grand scale. They also celebrated the birthdays of figures from the Ahlil Bait (the Prophet’s family) and the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him). Later, in the year 488H, it was stopped by Caliph al-Musta’la billah, before being revived again later by certain governments and states. That is its history.

Yes, I believe that feeling grateful while remembering the history of the Prophet’s s.a.w. birth—with the spirit of following him—is proper and necessary. At the same time, we must be aware of the facts mentioned above. If this month of Rabi’ul Awwal is said to be the month of the Prophet's s.a.w. birth, then there is nothing wrong with us giving lectures to share the history of his struggles and the principles of Islam he brought. All the more so since almost all historians agree that the Prophet s.a.w. passed away on Monday, 12th Rabi'ul Awwal. Therefore, that event is very important to talk about. Just as when we pass by a historical site, we recall its history.

In Perlis, we make the month of Rabiul Awwal an educational month to remember the history of the Messenger of Allah s.a.w., or what we call The Month of Zikra al-Rasul (Remembering the Messenger). However, we must not become seasonal people who only remember the Messenger and his teachings on certain days, but seem to forget him after that.

In addition, we must realize that if we follow the Prophet s.a.w., we must ensure we do not add things to his teachings that he did not allow. He said:

مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ

“Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (Islam) something that is not part of it, it will be rejected.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Text from Muslim).

Since he never taught us any specific act of worship in conjunction with his birth—whether a special prayer, a special fast, or a special recitation—we cannot invent one. The path that should be followed in this matter is the path of his Companions s.a.w.

Prophet's Biography (Sirah) Must Be Authentic

It must be remembered that one of the special features of the Prophet's s.a.w. history is that authentic reports can be distinguished from additions. This is different from the history of other religious founders in the world, where almost their entire history is built upon assumptions or uncertain news. Hadith science—which filters chains of narration (sanad) and texts (matn)—has preserved the historical facts of our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Only confirmed history should be our guide, not fabricated stories.

Al-Sayyid Sulaiman al-Nadwi said: "Indeed, for a biography to deserve being followed by people as a good example and high model, it must first be historical (tarikhiyyah). As for a biography built upon myths and superstitious tales unsupported by trustworthy narrations, it is human nature not to be influenced by fabricated personal biographies that history itself does not recognize." (Sulaiman al-Nadwi, al-Risalah al-Muhammadiyyah, p. 41, Saudi: al-Dar al-Sa`udiyyah).

The book Maulid al-Barzanji, which is widely read in our community during feasts or other occasions, has its own contributions. Many authentic historical facts were recorded by its author, Ja’far bin Hasan bin `Abd al-Karim al-Barzanji (died 1187H). However, from the perspective of hadith science, it cannot be denied that there are unauthentic facts in that book.

For instance, he mentioned: “Asia (the faithful wife of Pharaoh) and Maryam (mother of Prophet Jesus a.s.) were present on the night of his (Prophet s.a.w.) birth among a group of women from paradise.” There is not a single authentic narration from the Prophet s.a.w. that confirms such an event.

Because of this, historical researcher Muhammad Muhammad Hasan Syurrab stated: "We must be careful when quoting from sirah books, especially later sirah books. Their narrators added many stories to the biography of the Messenger. They attributed miracles and extraordinary matters to him from birth until his passing without any reliable chain of transmission. It is as if these narrators felt that adding these extraordinary things was meant to give the Messenger a.s. miracles that previous prophets did not have." (Muhammad Muhammad Hasan Syurrab, Fi Usul Tarikh al-`Arab al-Islami, p. 84, Damascus, Dar al-Qalam).

We are all grateful and happy with the birth of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. However, we must ensure that the way we follow and understand him aligns with true Islamic teachings. Every year, many parties commemorate the history of the Mawlid, but the question is: are Muslims getting closer to him? This is what we need to answer and work on so that remembering his history achieves its true purpose.

Islamic Medicine: A Misused Term

Dato' Prof. Dr Mohd Asri bin Zainul Abidin

1. There is no such thing as "Islamic medicine" that only refers to healing chants or materials mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) alone. Seeking medical treatment is indeed commanded by Islam. Whatever medicine that follows proper medical methods is treatment permitted by Islamic law. This includes treatments and medicines mentioned by the Prophet (peace be upon him), or others that follow medical knowledge disciplines. Therefore, modern, Chinese, Indian, or Malay medicine that is based on true methods—and is not forbidden, superstitious, or polytheistic (syirk) —is treatment permitted by Islam. In fact, if it is believed it can cure a sick person, it is commanded by Islam regardless of the origin of that treatment.

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned medicine and treatment in general in hadiths, without limiting them. Therefore, every person should try to find the most effective medicine. In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

عِبَادَ اللَّهِ ، تَدَاوَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلاَّ وَضَعَ لَهُ دَوَاءً إِلاَّ دَاءً وَاحِدًا الْهَرَمُ

 "Treat your illnesses, O servants of Allah, for Allah has not created a disease without creating a cure for it, except for one disease, which is old age." (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah).

He also said:

لِكُلِّ دَاءٍ دَاءٌ فَإِذَا أُصِيبَ دَوَاءُ الدَّاءِ بَرَأَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

"For every disease there is a cure. When the right medicine is found for the disease, it is cured by the permission of Allah." (Narrated by Muslim).

Al-Imam Nawawi (died 676H) said: "This hadith gives a sign that treating diseases is recommended. This is the view of our scholars (the Syafi'i school), most of the early scholars, and all later scholars. Al-Qadi 'Iyadh said: In these hadiths, there are several items of religious and worldly knowledge, including: the truth of medical science, and that seeking treatment in general is allowed.." (Al-Nawawi, Syarh Sahih Muslim, 359/14, Beirut: Dar al-Khair).

3.  Next, one thing that must be remembered is that not all hadiths about medicine are authentic; in fact, many are fabricated. Al-Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah (d. 751H), who wrote the book al-Tibb al-Nabawi (Prophetic Medicine), himself warned in his book al-Manar al-Munif that one characteristic of a fabricated hadith is: a hadith that sounds more like the sayings of medical practitioners whose falseness is proven by senses or true facts. In other words, in today's time, if science facts successfully prove a hadith's fact wrong, then that is one sign that it is a fabricated hadith. One clear example is the hadith: "Eggplant is according to the need it is eaten for" and the hadith "Eggplant is a cure for all diseases." These are fabricated narrations. Al-Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: "May Allah make ugly the creators of the two hadiths above. If something like this were said even by the most expert person in medicine, people would laugh at him. If eggplant is eaten for high fever, depression, and many other diseases, it only adds to the badness. If a poor person eats it to become rich, he will not become rich. If an ignorant person eats it to become smart, he will not become smart." (Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah, al-Manar al-Munif fi al-Sahih wa al-Da'if, p. 51. Syria: Maktab al-Matbu`at al-Islamiyyat).

4. Therefore, many claims said to come from hadiths, such as eating raisins improves memory, have no authentic proof from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Ibn al-Qayyim himself mentioned in al-Tibb al-Nabawi that there are two hadiths mentioned about the benefits of raisins, but both are not authentic. However, there is a report from al-Zuhri where he stated raisins are useful for memory. (See: Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad, 4/318).

5. What is mentioned by the Quran, such as the benefits of honey and olive oil, has no doubt about its divine origin. This is because honey and olive oil are clearly recognized by the Quran and Sunnah as good items for health. However, how the medical process should be carried out, or the dose and method, require scientific medical research.

6. As for authentic hadiths that mention specific medicines like habbatus sauda' (black seed), cupping, camel urine, camel milk, Indian oud, and the like; scholars have different views about them. Some view that these hadiths are based on revelation. Others view that the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned these items based on experience, environment, and the time he lived in, not revelation from Allah S.W.T.

7. Generally, Hadith scholars lean towards the view that authentic medical hadiths are based on revelation. In other words, it is news from Allah S.W.T to His Prophet (peace be upon him). Therefore, all its content is true, accurate, and meant to be practiced. Meaning, it is medicine that received recognition from Allah S.W.T Himself. So, in hadith books, these matters are detailed so much that in Sahih al-Bukhari there is a Book of Medicine (Kitab al-Tibb). Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Tibb al-Nabawi holds this view.

8. A second group, such as al-Qadi 'Iyadh, Ibn Khaldun, and Muhammad Abu Zahrah, views that these medical hadiths are not based on revelation; instead, the Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke based on his experience and environment at that time. For scholars who hold this view, they state that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not sent as a medical doctor, and that was not the purpose he was sent for. Therefore, his words or actions in medicine were just like other members of Arab society at that time and were not necessarily exact with medical reality. Among those who hold this understanding is al-Imam Ibn Khaldun (d. 808H) in his book al-Muqaddimah. Ibn Khaldun said:

والطب المنقول في الشرعيات من هذا القبيل، وليس من الوحي في شىء وإنما هو أمر كان عادياً للعرب. ووقع في ذكر أحوال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، من نوع ذكر أحواله التي هي عادة وجبلة، لا من جهة أن ذلك مشروع على ذلك النحو من العمل. فإنه صلى الله عليه وسلم إنما بعث ليعلمنا الشرائع، ولم يبعث لتعريف الطب ولا غيره من العاديات. وقد وقع له في شأن تلقيح النخل ما وقع، فقال: " أنتم أعلم بأمور دنياكم . فلا ينبغي أن يحمل شيء من الذي وقع من الطب الذي وقع في الأحاديث الصحيحة المنقولة على أنه مشروع، فليس هناك ما يدل عليه ، اللهم إلا إن استعمل على جهة التبرك وصدق العقد الإيماني ،يكون له أثر عظيم في النفع

"And the medicine mentioned in religious texts is of this kind. It is not revelation at all; rather, it was just a normal custom of the Arabs. It was mentioned as part of the Prophet's (peace be upon him) everyday human habits and nature, not as a religious law to be followed in that exact way. Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent only to teach us religious laws, not to teach us medicine or other everyday habits. Something happened with him regarding the pollination of date palm trees, and he said: "You know better about your worldly affairs." Therefore, none of the medical treatments found in authentic hadiths should be taken as a religious law, because there is no proof for that—unless it is used to seek blessings with true and sincere faith, in which case it can have a very great benefit." (Ibn Khaldun, al-Muqaddimah, 493-494. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr).

9. As Ibn Khaldun mentioned, among the reasons of the group who view that the Prophet's (peace be upon him) medicine was based on habit and experience—not revelation—is an authentic hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw companions pollinating date palm trees, and he said:

مَا تَصْنَعُونَ؟. قَالُوا كُنَّا نَصْنَعُهُ قَالَ لَعَلَّكُمْ لَوْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا كَانَ خَيْرًا . فَتَرَكُوهُ فَنَفَضَتْ أَوْ فَنَقَصَتْ - قَالَ - فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ إِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْ دِينِكُمْ فَخُذُوا بِهِ وَإِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْ رَأْىٍ فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ

"What are you doing?" They answered: "We used to do this." He said: "Perhaps if you did not do it, it would be better." So they left it, and the trees produced less or no fruit. They mentioned this to the Prophet (peace be upon him), so he said: "I am only a human. When I command you regarding something of your religion, take it (obey it). But if I command you something from my opinion, I am only a human." (Narrated by Muslim).

In another narration, he answered:

إِنْ كَانَ يَنْفَعُهُمْ ذَلِك َفَلْيَصْنَعُوهُ فَإِنِّى إِنَّمَا ظَنَنْتُ ظَنًّا فَلاَ تُؤَاخِذُونِى بِالظَّنِّ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا حَدَّثْتُكُمْ عَنِ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا فَخُذُوا بِهِ فَإِنِّى لَنْ أَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

"If it benefits them, let them do it. I only made a guess, so do not blame me for a guess. But if I tell you something from Allah, then take it, for I will never lie about Allah Great and Glorious." (Narrated by Muslim).

In another narration, he also mentioned:

أَنْتُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِأَمْرِ دُنْيَاكُمْ

"You know better about your worldly affairs." (Narrated by Muslim).

The narrations above in Sahih Muslim were given a title by Al-Imam al-Nawawi (died 676H):

بَابُ وُجُوبِ امْتِثَالِ مَا قَالَهُ شَرْعًا، دُونَ مَا ذَكَرَهُ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ مَعَايِشِ الدُّنْيَا، عَلَى سَبِيلِ الرَّأْيِ

"Chapter on the obligation to follow what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said regarding religious law, not what he mentioned regarding worldly livelihoods based on personal opinion."

10. There are also other proofs showing that some actions and words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were based on habit, experience, or his opinion, not revelation. This includes the hadith of al-Ghilah (الْغِيلَةِ), which is having intercourse with a wife during the breastfeeding period. Likewise, the choice of location he made during the Battle of Badar, where Hubbab bin Munzir later suggested a different place, and the Prophet changed his view to agree with the suggestion—though the authenticity of that hadith has some discussion. This topic became a long discussion among scholars in separating the Sunnah of the Prophet that is legislated to be practiced from what is not.

11. If we examine narrations, we find that the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself accepted medical advice from those who had knowledge in that field. Among the proofs, when 'Urwah bin al-Zubair asked his aunt, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Mother of the Believers 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about her knowledge in medical science:

يَا أُمَّتَاهُ، لَا أَعْجَبُ مِنْ فَهْمِكِ، أَقُولُ: زَوْجَةُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَبِنْتُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَلَا أَعْجَبُ مِنْ عِلْمِكِ بِالشِّعْرِ، وَأَيَّامِ النَّاسِ، أَقُولُ ابْنَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَكَانَ أَعْلَمَ النَّاسِ أَوْ مِنْ أَعْلَمِ النَّاسِ، وَلَكِنْ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ عِلْمِكِ بِالطِّبِّ كَيْفَ هُوَ؟ وَمِنْ أَيْنَ هُوَ ؟ قَالَ: فَضَرَبَتْ عَلَى مَنْكِبِهِ وَقَالَتْ: أَيْ عُرَيَّةُ، " إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَسْقَمُ عِنْدَ آخِرِ عُمْرِهِ، أَوْ فِي آخِرِ عُمْرِهِ، فَكَانَتْ تَقْدَمُ عَلَيْهِ وُفُودُ الْعَرَبِ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، فَتَنْعَتُ لَهُ الْأَنْعَاتَ، وَكُنْتُ أُعَالِجُهَا لَهُ، فَمِنْ ثَمَّ "

'Urwah said: "O mother! I am not surprised by your understanding (of religion) because you are the wife of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and the daughter of Abu Bakr. I am not surprised by your knowledge of poetry and human history because I know you are Abu Bakr's daughter, and Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable or among the most knowledgeable people. But I am amazed by your knowledge in medicine—how is it and where is it from?" So 'Aishah patted 'Urwah's shoulder and said: "O my dear 'Urwah! Indeed, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was sick toward the end of his life. Arab delegations came to him from all directions. They described remedies to him, and I prepared them for him. That is where I got medical knowledge." (Narrated by Al-Imam Ahmad in al-Musnad. Syu'aib al-Arnaut said: "Authentic report").

From this narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself accepted medical views from those who had knowledge about medicine.

12. I see that, generally, the purpose of medical hadiths is to tell us that we are commanded to seek treatment using materials that are believed to give good results. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned materials available in his society that were used and gave results during his time and climate. Those materials can be taken as a lesson and used, but they are not necessarily the best choice for every time, place, and condition. What matters is that we are commanded to look for what works, regardless of its type, and refer to experts. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852H), when explaining the hadith in al-Bukhari:

إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْحَبَّةَ السَّوْدَاءَ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ إِلاَّ مِنَ السَّامِ

"Habbatus sauda is a cure for every disease except death", mentioned: "It is useful for cold diseases, but for hot diseases, it is not!" (Fath al-Bari, 11/290. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr).

Therefore, in conclusion, every useful medicine is recognized by Islam, and is not limited only to what is mentioned in hadiths. Based on the view of some scholars mentioned earlier, what is stated in hadiths also needs to be studied again for suitability because conditions may differ, or there may be more effective medicines available. We should not limit Islamic medicine to only specific types of materials and methods. That is a wrong interpretation. All useful medicine that does not go against Islamic law is recognized by Islam. This aligns with Allah's words in Surah al-Nahl verse 43 and Surah al-Anbiya verse 7:

فَسۡ‍َٔلُوٓاْ أَهۡلَ ٱلذِّكۡرِ إِن كُنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

(meaning) "So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know."

The Ruling On Loud Recitations Other Than The Azan That Disturb Others?

Question: Dr MAZA, there have been objections from some people regarding loud recitations—other than the azan (call to prayer)—played over mosque loudspeakers. It is said to disturb those living nearby. This issue has caused anger among some Muslims who feel they are defending the mosque. What is your view on this? – Nasir, Penang.

Answer: I do want to comment briefly on the issue of recitations—other than the azan—that use external loudspeakers and disturb the public. These recitations have confused non-Muslims, making them think it is the actual azan. Some sides try to defend the practice, arguing that it is the Quran or zikir (remembrance of God) which should be honored. They think their stubborn stance on this matter is a "struggle to defend Islam." I would like to comment on this as follows:

1.    What Islam actually commands us to raise our voices for is only the azan. Aside from that, there is no Islamic text (nas) that tells us to make our voices loud enough to disturb others. In fact, the Prophet (peace be upon him) strictly forbade this action. Furthermore, in Islam, the peace of other people must be protected, unless there is a specific exception allowed by Islamic law (syarak).

2.   Although reading the Quran and zikir are excellent deeds, we cannot force other people to listen to our reading. Other people might want to read the Quran themselves, or they might be praying voluntary prayers (nafilah) alone at home, or they might want to read it at another time. Some might be sick, have small children sleeping, be non-Muslims, or be busy with work that should not be disrupted by loud noises.

3.Imagine if someone else aimed a loud Quran recitation or sermon directly at the house of the person who plays things loudly, disrupting their household affairs. Surely that person would not agree if their small child was disturbed, a sick member of family could not rest, or their work was disrupted. So why they do it to others?

4. Many non-Muslims confuse the azan with other loud recitations broadcasted through the loudspeakers. They think these extra recitations are part of the azan commanded by Islam, which leads them to think badly of this naturally peaceful religion. It is worse because these recitations take a long time, whereas the actual azan does not take more than five minutes.

5.  In fact, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself forbade people from reading the Quran too loudly inside the mosque if it disturbed other worshippers. In a Hadith, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri narrated: 

اعْتَكَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَسَمِعَهُمْ يَجْهَرُونَ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ، فَكَشَفَ السِّتْرَ، وَقَالَ: «أَلَا إِنَّ كُلَّكُمْ مُنَاجٍ رَبَّهُ، فَلَا يُؤْذِيَنَّ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا، وَلَا يَرْفَعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ

"When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was performing itikaf (seclusion for worship in the mosque), he heard the people reciting aloud while he was in his place of worship. So, he pulled back the curtain and said: 'Behold, every one of you is privately praying to his Lord, so do not harm one another. And do not raise your voices above one another in recitation during prayer.'" (Narrated by Abu Daud with an authentic chain).

In this Hadith, the Prophet forbade raising one's voice in the mosque if it disturbs others who are worshiping or if it hurts people. If those who are already inside the mosque—and ready to worship—are not allowed to raise their voices and ruin each other's concentration, how can it be permissible to blast recitations through loudspeakers to disturb people outside the mosque? Those outside might have small babies, sick people, and the like.

6.   

6. A great modern scholar, Al-Sheikh Muhammad Salih al-Uthaimin (may Allah have mercy on him), commented on this Hadith by saying: "The reality today shows exactly what this Hadith mentions. We see people doing this by broadcasting prayers through external loudspeakers. If they cause harm to those around them, they are sinning... without a doubt, stopping this practice is better because it actually serves no purpose. This is because people do not pray with those outside the mosque; they pray with those inside the mosque... therefore, we advise our brothers, especially the mosque Imams, not to do this... it could be that some people have already prayed and need to sleep and rest, or someone is sick and gets disturbed by this noise, or the mosque is close to houses during summer and little children are disturbed by the loudspeaker. In short, this issue has troubled some people to the point that they harm the neighbors of the mosque or their homes for something that has no benefit." (Ibn Uthaimin, Syarh Riyadh al-Salihin).

Imagine, this statement was issued by a famous, great scholar in Saudi Arabia, where the entire population is Muslim. What more for a country like ours?

7.    Scholars from the past also warned about this, stating that other recitations from mosque minarets are forbidden because they disturb the public. Al-Imam al-Hafiz Ibn Jauzi (died 597H) once said:"Among the tricks of Iblis (Satan) is when people mix the azan with reminders, praises (tasbih), and advice. They use the azan as a tool and mix them together. The scholars dislike anything added to the azan. We see many people waking up at night to give reminders and advice from the azan minarets. Among them are those who read the Quran in a loud voice, preventing people from sleeping and disrupting the prayers of those performing night prayers (tahajjud). All of that consists of objectionable acts (munkar)." (Ibn Jauzi, Talbis Iblis, 159. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah).

This was a prohibition by scholars in an era before loudspeakers even existed, back when the disturbance was limited. Imagine if they saw the state of loudspeakers in our time!

8.The Perlis State Fatwa Committee (36th meeting / 2018) on the date: 23-24 July 2018 issued a statement regarding the “Use Of External Mosque Loudspeakers”, stating: “Islam teaches its followers to respect the rights of others. Therefore, all mosques in the state of Perlis are forbidden from using external loudspeakers for anything other than the Azan (call to prayer) and Iqamah (second call to prayer) if it disturbs public peace. This includes broadcasting the Quran, playing lectures, and similar activities. The use of external mosque loudspeakers is strictly for the Azan to mark the start of obligatory prayer times, and for the Iqamah only. It is also allowed for short announcements that involve public interest.”

The Issue Of Non-Muslims Using The Word 'Allah': Between Text And Reality

Prof Dr Mohd Asri bin Zainul Abidin

1.    I used to comment on the issue of non-Muslims using the word "ALLAH" in my 2007 article titled "The Difference Between Fighting Over the Name of Allah and Defending the Faith." In that article, I explained that this issue is more local and related to regional security, rather than involving a specific prohibition from Islamic texts. Undeniably, these local elements require careful attention.

2.    More than 18 years ago, on June 14–15, 2008, the Perlis State Fatwa Committee made a decision stating: "There is no obstacle for non-Muslims to UTTER the name of ALLAH and to CALL upon God by the name of ALLAH." To fully understand this fatwa, one should read the commentary in this article completely.

3.    Arab Jews, Arab Christians, and the pagan polytheists of Makkah in the past routinely referred to Allah as God. Even in Arab countries today, the Arabic Bible uses the word ALLAH. Anyone who visits churches in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and similar places will see this. You can also view the Arabic text online at: https://st-takla.org/Bibles/Download-Arabic-Bible-Doc.html

4.    In Malaysia, there is a non-Christian religion that has used the name ALLAH in its texts since its inception: Sikhism. Although this religion was founded after Islam, that is how their texts are written. Similarly, non-Muslims sing state anthems in Malaysia that contain the word ALLAH, such as the Selangor state anthem. The words ALLAH and Muhammad are also present on the logos of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), and we know non-Muslims serve in these forces. Meanwhile, the Bible in Sabah and Sarawak has always used the word without any government prohibition.

5.    The texts of the Quran and Sunnah do not object to anyone calling God by the name ALLAH, even if they are non-Muslims. In fact, that is the true name of God. What the Quran and Sunnah oppose is the shirik (associating partners with God) that they practice. Among the proofs, the Quran states:

وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ نَزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

[Translation]: "And if you (O Muhammad) ask them (the polytheists): 'Who sends down rain from the sky, giving life to the earth after its death?' they will surely say: 'Allah.' Say: 'Alhamdulillah' (Praise be to Allah) [in gratitude for their admission], but most of them do not use their reason [to understand monotheism]." (Surah al-Ankabut, verse 63).

This verse shows that the Quran does not object to non-Muslims calling Allah the Almighty Creator. In fact, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was commanded to express gratitude because they acknowledged Allah. What is condemned in these verses is not their utterance of the name Allah, but rather their lack of sincere monotheism, which causes their belief in Allah to be distorted or mixed with shirik. There are many such verses in the Quran; for another example, please read Surah al-Zukhruf, verses 87–88.

6.    When mentioning the role of jihad (striving/defense) in Islam, Allah states:

وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ اللَّهِ النَّاسَ بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لَهُدِّمَتْ صَوَامِعُ وَبِيَعٌ وَصَلَوَاتٌ وَمَسَاجِدُ يُذْكَرُ فِيهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا وَلَيَنْصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

[Translation]: "...And if it had not been that Allah gets rid of one group of peole with another group many monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is mentioned much, would surely have been demolished. Allah will certainly help those who help His cause. Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty." (Surah al-Hajj, verse 40).

This verse acknowledges that the name of Allah is mentioned in those various places of worship. In Al-Tafsir al-Munir, Dr. Wahbah al-Zuhaili notes: "The phrase 'the name of ALLAH is is mentioned much therein' means the name of ALLAH is mentioned in the four places specified (monastic cells, Christian churches, Jewish synagogues, and Muslim mosques)." (17/225. Beirut: Dar al-Fikr al-Mu’asir).

7.    Imam Muslim recorded a hadith in his Sahih regarding the Treaty of Hudaibiyah between the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Quraish of Makkah, as follows:

أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا صَالَحُوا النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيهِمْ سُهَيْلُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِعَلِيٍّ اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ فَقَالَ سُهَيْلٌ أَمَّا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ فَلَا نَدْرِي مَا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَلَكِنْ اكْتُبْ مَا نَعْرِفُ بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ

[Translation]: "The Quraish made a peace treaty with the Prophet (peace be upon him). Among the representatives of the Quraish was Suhail bin 'Amr. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Ali: 'Write: In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.' Suhail replied: 'As for "In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful," we do not know what that is. Instead, write what we recognize: "In Your name, O Allah!" In the narration of al-Bukhari, the Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted this objection.

This hadith clearly shows that they agreed to use the name of Allah; they simply objected to the attributes al-Rahman (the Entirely Merciful) and al-Rahim (the Especially Merciful).

8.    Therefore, what distinguishes the Islamic creed from others is pure tauhid (monotheism) that rejects all forms of shirik. Flawed understanding on this matter is what threatens the faith of our younger generation. Those who hold the Islamic creed are highly sensitive to any element of shirik touching their faith. Consequently, not everyone who acknowledges Allah is considered a valid believer until they cleanse themselves of all elements of shirik. Otherwise, the polytheists of Makkah, the Jews, and the Arab Christians would all be considered true believers in the teachings of Islam.

9.    However, within the Malaysian context, this matter has become highly polarized. It causes anxiety, primarily due to various underlying questions, such as: What is the hidden motive behind this usage? Is there another agenda? Why was this demand not made in the past? Is it a matter of proper use or misuse? Thus, this issue is local and falls under regional political governance.

10. To prevent harmful tensions in a country with a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, I proposed the following points more than 18 years ago as guidelines for the government to consider:

a. The name Allah must not be applied to anything other than the true God. Therefore, no party can label the partners or intermediaries that humans falsely claim as gods by the name of Allah. This includes calling idols, stones, statues, or humans by the name of Allah. If this occurs, Muslims have every right to object. The Quraish polytheists called the true God 'Allah' while associating partners with Him, yet they never named their idols Allah; instead, they named them al-Lata, al-’Uzza, Manat, and the like.

b. It is entirely proper for humans to call the true God 'Allah'. This actually proves that the Islamic teaching of calling God 'Allah' is the truth. Therefore, it is acceptable—and indeed appropriate—for any human, regardless of religion, to say "Allah created the universe," "Allah sends down the rain," or "Allah commands us to do good." These statements are true. It is improper for a Muslim to object upon hearing a non-Muslim say such things. In fact, the Quran states: "And if you (O Muhammad) ask them (the polytheists): 'Who sends down rain from the sky, giving life to the earth after its death?' they will surely say: 'Allah.' Say: 'Alhamdulillah' (Praise be to Allah)..." (Surah al-Ankabut, verse 63).

c. If they accept that Allah is the true God and call upon Allah in their prayers, a Muslim must not interfere with the religious worship of another faith, provided it is an expression of personal belief and not a provocation. While Islam disputes their shirik, freedom of worship remains a right for every religion as long as it does not explicitly challenge or insult Islamic teachings.

d. The Non-Muslims must not use the name of Allah to spread propaganda that insults Islam. This includes mocking Allah in materials distributed to the Muslim community, or playing around with the name of Allah in writings, drawings, films, and similar media, as frequently occurs in Western societies.

e. The Non-Muslims must not distort Islamic teachings by using the name of Allah as bait. Such provocative actions need strict rules. It is a fundamental humanitarian principle held by Islam that no one should misrepresent the teachings of another group. Muslims are likewise prohibited from misrepresenting the teachings of other religions.

f. Using the name of Allah in daily interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims in a respectful and honoring manner—such as a non-Muslim saying to a Muslim "May Allah bless you," "May Allah grant you sustenance," or "Insha-Allah" (if Allah wills)—is permitted. In fact, it is commendable. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) made treaties with the Quraish of Makkah, both sides used the name of Allah, as shown in the previously mentioned hadith.

11. In conclusion: what is forbidden is the misuse of the name ALLAH. This restriction applies to everyone, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. However, if the name ALLAH is used in a correct context—such as non-Muslims uttering the name ALLAH while singing state anthems, singing nasheeds (Islamic songs) they enjoy, engaging in dialogues with Muslims, conducting official business, or seeking to understand Islamic teachings—it is entirely permissible.