Article regarding
the Museum Project called “Peace be upon you O Prophet”
‘These scholars like the outer forms and do not pay attention to the final objectives’
By Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan Al Fawzaan
Dr. Naasir az Zahraani conducted an interview with some journalists
which was published in some of the newspapers advertising the establishment of
a massive project consisting of models and replicas of the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم belongings, models of the honourable Ka’bah,
Masjid Nabawee, the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم rooms etc. They have done this (or so they
falsely claim) to revive the Seerah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
They have gathered all this in a big exhibition and have opened it to visitors.
I have written observations on what occurred in this interview and have
clarified what the consequences of this project will be in terms of the dangers
regarding the Islamic legislation. The greatest danger is that this project
could lead to shirk through seeking blessings due to the objects being ascribed
to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. However, after this Dr. Naasir wanted to
support this project so he published interviews with some scholars from Saudi
and from elsewhere in support of it. Okaz Newspaper No. 16834 dated 3/11/1433
AH; ar Riyad Newspaper No. 16157 dated 2/11/1433 AH. These scholars praised him
and were pleased with the contents of his project which strengthened his
resolve to continue it. He published pictures of these scholars and their
written articles as a refutation of my observations on him. I say: these
scholars that I have mentioned O Dr. have looked at the technical skills of
these models and have not looked at what they entail of dangers, the most
important of which is that this act is a means leading to shirk by seeking
blessings from these models due to the fact they are attributed to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
The first occurance of shirk on the earth was in Prophet
Nooh’s عليه السلام people when they made images of the
righteous people and displayed them in their gathering places to remind
themselves so that they could busy themselves in worship by following in their
footsteps. Then they were led to worshipping (these images) instead of Allaah,
the Mighty and Exalted. So this action (of making images) was a means to shirk.
This is the same situation with these models and replicas of the traces of the
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The end result could lead to shirk by
seeking blessings due to them being attributed to the Prophet صلى الله
عليه وسلم. The end result could be the same.
Do these scholars not see what is happening around the house
where the Propeht صلى الله عليه وسلم was born in
Makkah, or around Caves Thawr and Hiraa, the Masjid of Allegiance and other
places which are attributed to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
People are seeking blessings from them, committing innovation and performing
acts of shirk at these places. Do these scholars not fear that the project will
not make these matters worse and people will exalt these models and replicas
that they have endorsed, encouraged and praised?
Imaam Muhammad bin ‘Abdul Wahhaab رحمه
wrote a chapter in Kitaab at Tawheed entitled, “Chapter: What comes in
Protecting al Mustapha صلى الله عليه وسلم in terms of Tawheed and blocking all
avenues which lead to shirk.” In the chapter he mentions the hadeeth, “Do not
make my grave a place to frequent.” Meaning to visit often seeking blessings
from it. He mentions ‘Alee bin al Hussayn’s criticism of a man who came to the
opening near the grave of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and who was making du’aa there.
The Shaykh included another chapter in this book entitled, “What
comes in protecting the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم , protection of
Tawheed and prohibiting phrases that are said in his regard such as “You are
our Sayyid (lord) and son of our Sayyid”, “O best of us and son of the best of
us”. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said ‘I do not like that you raise me
above my station which Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted, has given me. I am the servant
of Allaah and His Messenger.’
I (Shaykh Fawzaan) see that in this project, if it goes
ahead, will destroy the efforts of the call to Tawheed in this land and it will
work for the opposite: shirk and to what leads to it, even if it were in the
distant future.
Did not ‘Umar bin al Khattaab رضي االله عنه
cut down the tree where the Pledge of Ridwaan in Hudaybiyah took place when he
saw the people go there to pray at that spot?
Even the title of this Project ‘Assalaamu ‘alayka ayuhan
Nabee’ (Peace be upon you O Prophet) inspires the ignorant people to think that
the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is present in this
place where these replicas and models are displayed. This is because they
address him with salaam which increases the trials along with these displayed
replicas. We need to ask whether this project that Dr. Naasir and the Shuyukh
that support him have established, is from the Sunnah that the Salaf have neglected
over the past centuries or is this work something innovated and not from the
Sunnah? So if it is from the Sunnah, has the Ummah fallen short in not doing
this? And if it is not from the Sunnah why do we differ from the consensus of
the Ummah who left it and we innovate in this regard? Every newly invented
matter is an innovation.
Studying the Prophetic Seerah O scholars, is not by way of
newly invented models and replicas but it is by studying the chains of
narration and understanding them just like Imaam Ibnul Qayyim did in his book ‘Zaad
al Ma’aad fee Hady Khayril ‘Ibaad’ and by extracting the lessons of Tawheed
from them. The past nations were destroyed because they looked for the relics
of their Prophets and sought blessings from them and their turning away from
what their Messengers had brought them. Should we not take a lesson from this? The
Sahaabah and the Salaf as Saalih when the relics of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم such as his
clothes and dishes ceased to exist they did not make replicas of them and they
were the most enthusiastic of us to follow in his footsteps. If this was an
Islamically legislated action they would have preceded us in it. Imaam Maalik
said, “The end of this nation will not be rectified except with what rectified
the beginning of this nation.” ‘Abdullaah bin Mas’ood said, “Follow and do not
invent, it is sufficient for you.”
Shaykh bin Baaz and Shaykh bin Humayd رحمهما
الله criticised the writer who
called for the revival of the signposts on the Hijrah Route, display of models
of Umm Ma’bad’s tent and other than this fearing the consequences of this. So let
us strive in what they strove in and not encourage those who want to revive the
educational landmarks by displaying models of them as the owner of this project
is trying to do. The Permanent Committee of Senior Scholars have prohibited
making models of the Honourable Ka’bah, Masjid al Haraam, Masjid Nabawee and
the rooms of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and I have conveyed this in my previous
article. This is what I wanted to bring to your attention.
إِنْ
أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
I only desire reform
so far as I am able, to the best of my power. And my guidance cannot come
except from Allah, in Him I trust and unto Him I repent. [Hood 11:88]
Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad,
his Family and Companions.
Written by
Saalih bin Fawzaan al Fawzaan
Member of the Council of Senior Scholars
3/11/1433 AH (18th September 2012 CE)
Translated by Umm 'AbdirRahmaan Tara Hashim
Translated by Umm 'AbdirRahmaan Tara Hashim
See original Arabic Article: http://alfawzan.af.org.sa/ar/node/14099
