Issues of Pre-Islamic Era

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that he was with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the Day of Nahr, the morning of stoning Jamrat al-‘Aqabah during the Farewell Hajj. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to pick up pebbles for stoning the Jamrahs (stoning pillars), so he picked up seven pebbles for him, each was the size of a chickpea or a hazelnut. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put them in his hand and then moved them and said: Throw pebbles that are equal in size to these ones. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, warned against immoderation, strictness, and exceeding the limits in religious matters because what destroyed the previous nations were immoderation, exaggeration, and strictness in religious matters.

1. Prohibiting immoderation in religion and pointing out its bad consequences and the fact that it leads to destruction.
2. Learning a lesson from the previous nations to avoid the mistakes they had made.
3. Encouragement of adherence to the Sunnah.

سنن النسائي (5/ 268)(3057). سنن ابن ماجه (4/ 228) (3029). مسند أحمد (5/ 298) (3248). الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح الفوزان (ص165). الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لمحمد القرعاوي (ص179).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the ruling on treating the bewitched person in the way that was commonly practiced in the pre-Islamic era, such as counteracting magic with magic. He replied by saying that it was an act of the devil or carried out by the devil. This is because such a way of treatment involves magic and satanic methods, and is thus prohibited and tantamount to disbelief. However, there is a permissible type of Nushrah, which involves neutralizing magic by using Ruqyah, finding the magic spell and breaking it by hand along with reciting the Qur'an, or by taking lawful medications.

1. The legitimacy of asking the scholars about unambiguous rulings so as to avoid falling into what is prohibited.
2. It is prohibited to perform Nushrah (charm for one who is possessed) in the way it was done in Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period), for it is sorcery, which is a form of disbelief.
3. The works of Satan are all prohibited.

1- الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد، صالح بن فوزان بن عبد الله الفوزان، دار العاصمة، الرياض، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ - 2001م. 2- الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد، محمد بن عبد العزيز السليمان القرعاوي، تحقيق: محمد بن أحمد سيد، مكتبة السوادي، الطبعة: الخامسة، 1424هـ - 2003م. 3- سنن أبي داود، سليمان بن الأشعث أبوداود، تحقيق: محمد محيي الدين عبد الحميد، المكتبة العصرية، صيدا، بيروت. 4- مسند الإمام أحمد بن حنبل، أحمد بن حنبل أبو عبدالله الشيباني، تحقيق: شعيب الأرنؤوط و عادل مرشد، وآخرون، تحت إشراف: عبد الله بن عبد المحسن التركي، مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الأولى، 1421هـ - 2001م. 5- سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة وشيء من فقهها وفوائدها، محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، مكتبة المعارف للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified some of the practices of Jāhliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance) by way of warning and stressing the fact that all matters are in the Hand of Allah and nothing occurs except with His command and decree. These practices are: First: The people of Jāhliyyah used to think that a disease was contagious by itself. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade such a belief that a disease could be naturally transmitted from one sick person to another, as Allah is the Disposer of the universe and the One Who sends down the disease and lifts it, and this only occurs according to His will and decree. Second: The people of Jāhliyyah used to make a bird fly when setting out on a journey or for trade. If the bird flew towards the right, they would take that as a good omen, but if it flew towards the left, they would consider this an evil omen and would return. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade such an act of taking birds as a bad omen and made it clear that it is a false belief. Third: The people of Jāhiliyyah used to say that if an owl fell on a house, its dwellers would be stricken by a disaster, but again the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade taking this as an evil omen. Fourth: He forbade taking the month of Safar, which is the second month in the lunar calendar, as a bad omen. It is said that "Safar" is: a snake in the stomach that affects cattle and people, claiming that it is more contagious than scabies; however, he negated such a belief. Fifth: He commanded that one should move far from the leper as he would move far from the lion as a precaution and to seek one's safety and utilize the available means as commanded by Allah. Leprosy: a disease that eats away a man's organs.

1. It is obligatory to rely upon Allah, depend on Him, and utilize the permissible means.
2. It is obligatory to believe in Allah's decree and predestination and to believe that causes lie in the Hand of Allah and that He is the One Who makes them effective or ineffective.
3. Invalidating the practice of some people who take bad omens in certain colors like black and red, or certain numbers, names, persons, or disabled people.
4. The prohibition of approaching a leper, and similarly others afflicted with contagious diseases, is one of the causes that commonly lead to their effects as destined by Allah. So, causes do not act independently; rather, Allah is the One Who deprives them of their powers, if He wills, and they become thus of no effect, or if He wills, He keeps their powers and they, thus, cause an effect.

صحيح البخاري (7/ 126) (5707). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1742) (2220). فتح المجيد شرح كتاب التوحيد، لعبد الرحمن التميمي (ص307). القول المفيد على كتاب التوحيد، لابن عثيمين (1/ 565). الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح الفوزان (ص228). الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لمحمد القرعاوي (ص253). التمهيد لشرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح آل الشيخ (ص77).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade and warned against some of the practices of the people of Jāhliyyah, saying: He is not one of us: First: The one who slaps the cheeks, and the cheek is mentioned in particular because it is the part usually slapped; otherwise, slapping the rest of the face is included in the prohibition. Second: The one who splits the opened part of the garment through which the head is entered due to severe discontentment. Third: The one who calls out with the calls of the people of Jāhiliyyah, like supplicating for ruin and destruction, wailing, lamenting, etc.

1. The threat in the Hadīth denotes that such acts are from the major sins.
2. It is obligatory to adopt patience in dealing with calamities. It is prohibited to express discontent about the painful experiences predestined by Allah through wailing, lamenting, shaving, tearing clothes, etc.
3. It is prohibited to imitate the practices of Jāhiliyyah that have not been approved by the Legislator.
4. There is nothing wrong with sadness and crying, as they do not contradict patience with Allah's predestination; rather, they are a mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of relatives and loved ones.
5. A Muslim should be content with Allah's predestination, and if he does not feel content, then patience is obligatory upon him.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 81) (1294). صحيح مسلم (1/ 99) (103). تيسير العلام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لعبد الله البسام (ص287). تنبيه الأفهام شرح عمدة الأحكام، لابن عثيمين (2/ 379) .

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave a warning to those members of his Ummah who practices certain acts by saying: "He is not one of us." Those acts include: First: "Who seeks omens, or has it done for him." Seeking omens is tatyyur in Arabic, and it comes from the word 'tayr' (bird). They used to release birds before taking any course of action. If the bird flew to the right, they would feel optimistic and go ahead with their plan, but if it flew to the left, they would feel pessimistic and abandon their plan. It is not permissible for a person to do this by himself or appoint someone to do it on his behalf. Falling under this is being pessimistic due to anything heard or seen, including birds, animals, people with deformities, specific numbers or days, etc. Second: "Who practices soothsaying, or has it done for him." Whoever claims to know the unseen, through the stars or anything else, or comes to someone who claims knowledge of the unseen, like a soothsayer or diviner, and believes what he says, based on his claim to know the unseen, has thus disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Third: "Who practices sorcery, or has it done for him." Such is a person who performs magic by himself or asks another person to perform magic for him to bring benefit or cause harm to someone, or he ties a knot by connecting a string and practicing magic on it by reciting prohibited talismans and blowing on it.

1. It is obligatory to rely upon Allah and believe in His decree and predestination. A person is prohibited from seeking omens, practising magic or soothsaying, or asking others to practice them for him.
2. Claiming to know the unseen is an act of Shirk (polytheism) that contradicts the monotheistic belief.
3. It is prohibited to believe soothsayers or go to them. Also falling under this is what is known as palm reading, coffee reading, and horoscopes and looking at them, even if only for the sake of merely getting information.

مسند البزار = البحر الزخار (9/ 52) (3578). شرح السنة للبغوي (12/ 182). مجموع الفتاوى (35/ 173). القول المفيد على كتاب التوحيد، لابن عثيمين (1/ 543). التمهيد لشرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح آل الشيخ (ص315). الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لمحمد القرعاوي (ص242). الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح الفوزان (ص217).

This Hadīth contains a severe threat and strong warning for those who commit any of these three acts; so what about the one who commits all of them? The first act refers to someone who knows his real father and is sure about his lineage, yet he denies it and acts as if he doesn't know who his father is and claims that his father is someone else, or ascribes himself to another tribe other than his own. The second act refers to someone who knowingly makes a claim of something that does not belong to him, such as lineage, wealth, a right, a deed, or knowledge. It also includes the person who falsely claims having a particular kind of characteristic and takes advantage of it to draw people's attention to him. Not only shall this person suffers severe punishment, but also the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has disassociated himself from him and asked this person to choose his abode in Hell because he is one of its inhabitants. The third act refers to someone who labels an innocent Muslim with disbelief, Judaism, Christianity, or enmity to Allah. Such false charges shall return to the one who makes them, because he is more deserving of these detestable attributes than the Muslim who is free from such accusations.

صحيح البخاري، دار طوق النجاة، ط 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، ط دار إحياء التراث العربي، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي. تيسير العلام، للبسام، الناشر: مكتبة الصحابة، الأمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة العاشرة، 1426هـ - 2006 م. الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام، لإسماعيل الأنصاري، ط دار الفكر بدمشق، الطبعة الأولى 1381هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about those who speak about unseen and future things, and he said: Pay no attention to them and do not believe them. They said: Their statements sometimes conform with reality - they say that something will occur in such and such month on such and such day, it actually happens as they stated. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: The jinn snatch what they hear from the heavenly information, descend upon their allies from among the diviners, and convey what they heard to them. Then, the diviners add a hundred lies to this piece of information that reached them from heaven.

1. It is prohibited to believe soothsayers. What they say is lies and fabrications, even if it happens to be true sometimes.
2. The heaven was preserved from the devils with the start of the Prophet's mission, lest they may hear something of the revelation or other information, except those who eavesdrop and manage to flee the shooting stars.
3. Jinns take allies from among human beings.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 47) (6213). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1750) (2228). نزهة المتقين (2/ 1143). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 557). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (3/ 177). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (7/ 2904). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 404).

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in his speech on the Day of the Conquest of Makkah that everything that is proudly mentioned of the pre-Islamic times is void and worthless. The only exceptions are supplying pilgrims with water and serving the Sacred House. These two things would maintain their previous status. In the pre-Islamic times, the Hijābah (general maintenance of the Ka‘bah) belonged to the Banu ‘Abd Ad-Dār, and the Siqāyah (providing water for the pilgrims) belonged to the Banu Hāshim. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) approved such assignments. Then he mentioned that the semi-intentional killing, which is to hit someone with a tool that does not kill, such as a whip or a stick, entails full blood money, meaning one hundred camels, forty of which are pregnant.

سنن أبي داود، المحقق: محمد محيي الدين عبد الحميد-الناشر: المكتبة العصرية، صيدا – بيروت. سنن ابن ماجه، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي-الناشر: دار إحياء الكتب العربية - فيصل عيسى البابي الحلبي. سنن للنسائي، تحقيق: عبد الفتاح أبو غدة، الناشر: مكتب المطبوعات الإسلامية، حلب،الطبعة: الثانية، 1406 – 1986. مسند الإمام أحمد بن حنبل، المحقق: شعيب الأرنؤوط - عادل مرشد، وآخرون، إشراف: د عبد الله بن عبد المحسن التركي، الناشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الأولى، 1421 هـ - 2001 م. فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام شرح بلوغ المرام،محمد بن صالح بن محمد العثيمين، تحقيق: صبحي بن محمد رمضان، وأُم إسراء بنت عرفة، المكتبة الإسلامية، القاهرة، الطبعة الأولى، 1427هـ. توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام ، عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، مكتبة الأسدي، مكة، الطبعة الخامسة، 1423. منحة العلام شرح بلوغ المرام، عبد الله الفوزان، دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة الأولى، 1428. بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام، أحمد بن علي بن حجر العسقلاني، تحقيق وتخريج وتعليق: سمير بن أمين الزهري-الناشر: دار الفلق، الرياض، الطبعة: السابعة، 1424 هـ. سبل السلام، محمد بن إسماعيل الصنعاني، الناشر: دار الحديث. عون المعبود شرح سنن أبي داود، محمد أشرف الصديقي، العظيم آبادي،الناشر: دار الكتب العلمية، بيروت، الطبعة: الثانية، 1415 هـ.