Distributing prizes and celebrating the excellent students in the Masjid

Distributing prizes and celebrating the excellent students in the Masjid

The fourth question of Fatwa no. 16815

Is it permissible to distribute prizes and celebrate the excellent students in the Masjid (mosque), taking into consideration that the celebration starts with reciting the Glorious Qur'an and is free from clapping?

It is permissible to distribute prizes among the excellent students in the Masjid, as long as these prizes are given for doing permissible activities like research and memorizing the Glorious Quran.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Chairman: 'Abdul-'Aziz ibn 'Abdullah ibn Baaz

Member: 'Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan

Member: Salih Al-Fawzan 

Member: 'Abdul-'Aziz Al Al-Shaykh

Member: Bakr Abu Zayd

[The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'; Group 2; Vol. : 11 pg. 194]

 

Protecting the Monuments

 Protecting the monuments

Fatwa no. 16626

Q: I would like to inform Your Eminence that I am studying for my PhD. Thesis and my supervising professor asked me to cover a very important topic, i.e. The Islamic view on preserving sites and buildings that have a special historical or architectural significance. Does Islam encourage maintaining such buildings or sites? Is it permissible, for example, to maintain a site or a building that witnessed important historical or religious events? Is it permissible to turn it into a museum to be visited by the public?

It is impermissible to exaggerate the importance of historical sites and buildings because this might lead to Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). The laypeople may be tempted to believe that such places are blessed, and be driven to commit acts of disbelief. The Prophet (ﷺ forbade building over graves and performing Salah (Prayer) by them, for that is a means of Shirk. It is, therefore, obligatory to neglect and abandon such a deed and to warn against it.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Chairman: 'Abdul-'Aziz Al Al-Shaykh

Member: 'Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan

Member: Salih Al-Fawzan 

Member: Bakr Abu Zayd

[The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta': Group 2: Vol.: 2: pp. 307 - 308]

Children's Birthdays

 Children's birthdays

The sixth question of Fatwa no. 20834

Q 6: What is the ruling on celebrating children's birthdays? Is it true that fasting on this day is better than celebrating?

A: Celebrating birthdays and fasting on birthdays is a Bid`ah (innovation in religion) which has no origin. Muslims should draw close to Allah by performing the obligatory and supererogatory acts of worship which He enjoined upon them. They should be thankful and grateful to Allah all the time for having a sound body and feeling secure with regard to their lives, money and children.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

Chairman: 'Abdul-'Aziz Al Al-Shaykh

Member: Salih Al-Fawzan 

Member: Bakr Abu Zayd

[The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta': Group 2: Vol.: 2: pp. 260 - 261]