Q: What is the religious ruling of Allah and His Messenger on a person who commits the following: During the Adhan (call to prayer) he says, (I bear witness that `Aly is Allah's Waliy (pious person)), (Come to the best of deeds), (the kin of Muhammad), (`Aly is the best kin). Moreover, if any of them die, the family would slaughter a sheep which they call "`Aqiqah" without breaking any of its bones, after which, they bury its bones and feces claiming that this is a good deed that should be observed. What should a Sunni Muslim who has a kin relation with them act towards this? Is it legally permissible for him to be kind to them, have a good relationship with them, be related by marriage to them? It should be mentioned that they openly declare their conviction and state that they are the saved group, the ones adhering to Truth, and that they are following the truth and that we are following falsehood.
Answer: Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has clarified the words of the Adhan (Call to Prayer) and Iqamah (Call to start the Prayer) through His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
`Abdullah Ibn Zayd Ibn `Abd Rabbuh AlAnsary had seen the Adhan in a dream, so he related it to the Prophet (peace be upon him) who (peace be upon him) told him that it is a true dream and ordered him to dictate it to Bilal since he had a more beautiful voice than his to pronounce. So Bilal used to pronounce the Adhan in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) until he died
Whoever introduces a thing in our affairs that is not authenticated by me, it is to be rejected
O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ), if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day.
And all of you beg Allâh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful
O you who believe! Turn to Allâh with sincere repentance!
The Prophet (peace be upon him) offered `Aqiqah for AlHasan and AlHusayn (may Allah be pleased with both of them).
If their conviction is like what is described in the question and they agree with AhlulSunnah on singling out Allah with worship and not associating AhlulBayt (members of the Prophet's extended Muslim family) or others in worship with Him, it is permissible to be related by marriage to them, eat their slaughtered animals and contribute in their feasts as well as loving them as much as they have of truth and censuring them as much as they have of falsehood.
to their acceptance to truth, there is no prohibition in drawing nearer to them, for the intention of abandoning them is to direct them to good and make them feel the sense of objection to the evil they commit so as to refrain them from doing this. However, if desertion harms the interest, makes them persist in their stubbornness, and adherence to their false conviction besides repelling them from the people of truth, then it should be stopped as the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not desert `Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul the chief of hypocrites when he (peace be upon him) saw it better for the welfare of Muslims.
On the other hand, if this group worships AhlulBayt such as `Aly, Fatimah, AlHasan and AlHusayn (may Allah be pleased with them) or any other member of AhlulBayt by invoking them, appealing to and asking them for support and the like, or if they believe that they know the Ghayb (unseen) or other things that put them beyond the pale of Islam, it is impermissible to marry of them or eat from their slaughtered animals and they should be censured and deserted until they single out Allah with worship.
Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh: we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allâh Alone"
And whoever invokes (or worships), besides Allâh, any other ilâh (god), of whom he has no proof; then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! AlKâfirûn (the disbelievers in Allâh and in the Oneness of Allâh, polytheists, pagans, idolaters) will not be successful.
Such is Allâh, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmîr (the thin membrane over the datestone).
If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ) like Him Who is the AllKnower (of everything).
Say: "None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (Unseen) except Allâh, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected."
And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows them but He.
Say (O Muhammad ﺻـﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴـﻪ ﻭﺳـﻠﻢ): "I possess no power over benefit or harm to myself except as Allâh wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (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."
The Ayahs stressing this meaning are abundant, it is also authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The keys of Ghayb (the Unseen) are five; no one knows them but Allah" then he recited Allah's Saying (may He be Glorified) Verily Allâh, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allâh is AllKnower, AllAware (of things).
it is also authentically reported that he (peace be upon him) said: Whoever dies while still worshipping a rival to Allah, will enter Hellfire
Also in the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. AlBukhari and Muslim)that he (peace be upon him) was asked "What is the greatest sin?" He said: "That you set up a rival to Allah though He created you"
Moreover, in the Sahih of Muslim on the authority of AmirulMu'minin `Aly Ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah curses the one who slaughters (a sacrifice) to other than Allah.
There are many Hadiths denoting the obligation of sincerity to Allah in worship, and the prohibition of associating others with him in worship, and that He (Glorified be He) alone has the knowledge of Ghayb.
What we have mentioned is convincing and sufficient for a truth seeker inshaa' Allah (If Allah wills). Allah is the One Who grants success and guides whoever He wants to the right path.
As for the claim that this sect is the saved group and that they are following the truth and others are following falsehood, it is replied to this by saying: whoever claims something, their claim should not be taken for granted but the necessary proof should be established first.
Say (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ), "Produce your proof if you are truthful."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: If people are to be given according to their claims, some people would have claimed the blood and properties of others This Hadithis agreed upon by Imams AlBukhary and Muslimfrom the Hadith narrated by `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them).
Furthermore, it is authentically reported in many Hadiths that he (peace be upon him) said: The Jews have split up into seventy one sects, and the Christians into seventy two sects, and my Ummah (nation of creed) will break off into seventy three sects, all of them will be in Hellfire except one. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah! Who is that one?" He (peace be upon him) said: "The one that follows my guidance and that of my companions."
Thus, this Hadiths and other authentic Hadiths stress this meaning such as the Prophet's saying (peace be upon him): My entire Ummah will enter Jannah (Paradise) except him who refuses. They said: O' Messenger of Allah , who will refuse? He said, "Whoever obeys me will enter Jannah and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses" It indicates that the saved group of this Ummah is the one that abides by the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and His Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) in their `Aqidah (creed), sayings, and deeds.
The Noble Book of Allah affirms the Sunnah of His Honest Messenger (peace be upon him) that the saved group refers to those who follow Allah's Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him). Those who rightly follow the way of his companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
Say (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins.
And the foremost to embrace Islâm of the Muhâjirûn (those who migrated from Makkah to AlMadinah) and the Ansâr (the citizens of AlMadinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhâjirûn ) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allâh is wellpleased with them as they are wellpleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.
These two Noble Ayahs show that the evidence that loving Allah is attained by following His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) in `Aqidah, sayings and deeds, and following his Sahabah of the Muhajirin (Emigrants from Makkah to Madinah), Ansar (Helpers, inhabitants of Madinah who supported the Prophet) and those who had followed them righteously in `Aqidah, sayings and deeds, for they are the people of Jannah and dignity. They are the ones who will be rewarded by Allah's Contentment and pleasure with them and those who will enter Jannah for eternity. This is crystal clear for whoever has a little portion of knowledge and Din. May Allah guide us and all Muslim fellows to the right way, the way of those on whom He has bestowed His Grace amongst the Prophet, his followers who were the first and foremost to believe in him, and the martyrs! May He make us amongst the followers of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in virtue! He is the Helper and Most able to do it. May peace and blessings be upon His Servant, Messenger, Khalil, and the one entrusted with His Revelation our Prophet Muhammad, his family, Companions, and those who followed them in virtue until the Day of Resurrection!