“Ash-Sharh al-Moojaz al-Mumahhad li Tawheed al-Khaaliq al-Mumajjad alladhi allafahu Shaikhul-Islaam Muhammad”
(The Concise, Simple and Straight-forward Explanation of the Tawheed of the Exalted Creator – which was Authored by the Shaikhul-Islaam Muhammad b. Abdul-Wahhaab)
This is an explanation of Kitaab at-Tawheed of Shaikhul-Islaam Muhammad b. Abdul-Wahhaab (d. 1206H, rahimahullaah) by ash-Shaikh al-Allaamah Ahmad b. Yahyaa an-Najmee (rahimahullaah).
Chapter 9: What Has Been Reported Concerning Slaughtering Animals For Other Than Allaah.
The statement of Allaah, the Most High:
“Say [O Prophet]: Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. There is no partner for Him…” [al-An`aam: 162-163]
And He, the Most High, said:
“So pray to your Lord and sacrifice to Him.” [Al-Kawthar: 2]
Alee (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) said: Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) narrated to me four words, saying: “Allaah curses whoever slaughters to other than Allaah. Allaah curses whoever curses his parents. Allaah curses the one who shelters an innovator or wrongdoer. Allaah curses the one who alters the boundaries of a land.”
Taariq Ibn Shihaab narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: “A man entered Paradise because of a fly and a man entered the Hellfire because of a fly.” The people said: “How is that, O Messenger of Allaah?” He replied: “Two men passed by a people who had an idol, and no one was allowed to pass by until he had made an offering to the idol. So they said to one of the men: ‘Make an offering!’ He replied: ‘I have nothing to make an offering with.’ They said: ‘Make it! Even if it be a fly.’ So he offered a sacrifice of a fly. So they let him pass by. And due to that, he entered the Hellfire. They said to the other: ‘Make an offering!’ He replied: ‘I do not make offerings of anything to anyone other than Allaah.’ So they struck his neck, killing him. So he entered Paradise.”
Important Matters in this Chapter:
Explanation of the verse: “Indeed my prayer and my sacrifice..”
Explanation of the verse: “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice to Him..”
The hadith begins with cursing the one who sacrifices to other than Allaah.
There is a curse upon the one who curses his parents. And from it is when you curse the parents of another man, and in response, he curses your parents.
The curse upon the one who shelters an innovator or an evildoer. This is a person who does something that necessitates the prescribed punishment of Allaah, so he seeks shelter with someone who will protect him from that.
The curse upon the one who changes the boundaries of a land. These are land boundaries that separate your rightful land from your neighbour’s.
The difference between invoking the curse on a specifically named individual and invoking the curse upon the people of sin in general [without specifying particular individuals].
The story of the fly is tremendous.
The fact that he entered Hellfire due to this fly, which he did not intend to sacrifice [to their idol], rather he did it only to avoid their harm.
The hearts of the believers know the immense gravity of Shirk – and how that man was killed yet he still did not concede to their request – and this is alongside the fact that they did not request from him except outward compliance.
The fact that the one who entered the Hellfire was a Muslim because had he been an unbeliever, the Prophet (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) would not have said: “He entered the Fire because of a fly.”
In this hadith is a supporting witness for the authentic hadith: “Paradise is closer to one of you than the strap of his sandal, and Hellfire is similar to that.”
Knowing the fact that the actions f the heart is the ultimate aim or intent – that is the case even for the idol-worshippers.
Explanation of this Chapter by Shaikh an-Najmee (rahimahullaah):
The saying of the author: “What Has Been Reported Concerning Slaughtering Animals For Other Than Allaah” Meaning: In terms of what is forbidden and haraam and the evidences for that from the Qur’an and Sunnah.
He then brings the saying of Allaah at the end of Sooratul-An`aam:
“Say [O Prophet]: Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. There is no partner for Him…”
Meaning: Say, O Muhammad, to the polytheists that my prayer (Salaah) is for Allaah, and I do not pray to other than Him. The term Salaah here are those sayings and actions that are opened with the Takbeer (Allaahu akbar) and concluded with the Tasleem (as-salaam). And these statements and actions consist of adhkaar through Quranic recitation, glorification (tasbeeh), mentioning the Magnificence of Allaah, bowing, prostrating, standing, sitting, and Takbeer.
With the Takbeer, one enters the Prayer, and with the Salaam (Tasleem: salutation) one exits the Prayer – and that which is between these two is supplications. So none of this can be directed to other than Allaah.
As for the term Nusukee, then the meaning of that is “my slaughtering” which I sacrifice to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. And “nusuk” is the slaughtering of an animal – this is divided into categories:
- That which is obligatory, such as the sacrifice of the “Hadee” animal at Hajj, or a sacrifice due to compensation (when one has erred or sinned).
- That which is recommended by way of an emphasised Sunnah, such as the Udhiyyah on `Eid, for the one who is financially able.
- That which is a recommendation (mustahabb), such as slaughtering animals to feed guests.
- That which is permitted (mubaah), such as a person slaughtering an animal to feed himself or his household.
- That which is forbidden, such as slaughtering an animal upon the death of a person. However, this is not considered Shirk [if the slaughtering is done in the name of Allaah], but it is nevertheless an innovation.
- That which is Major Shirk with Allaah such as slaughtering for other than Allaah [in other than His name] wherein a person kills and animal and spills its blood for other than Allaah. This is Major Polytheism – and this regardless of whether it is slaughtered for a Walee (a righteous person), a Jinn, or other than them from the acts of worship that are directed to other than Allaah.
His saying: “My living and my dying.” Meaning: My living is for Allaah, my life is from Allaah – it is endowed upon the servant so that worships Allaah in it. And likewise death, that strips and steals away the life, and then it moves on to the Barzakh, the life between this world and the Hereafter. All of this is for Allaah.
He said: “There is no partner for Him,” meaning that He, the Most High, has no partner in bringing to life the servant after his death. So He has no partner in bringing about death after life; no partner in providing him with sustenance whilst he is alive; there is no partner with Him throughout all of these moments.
The saying of Allaah, the Most High, “And with that I was commanded, and I am the first of those who submit [as a Muslim].” Meaning: This is a command upon me from my Lord that I must be a Monotheist (Muwahhid), that I call to Tawheed and I reject Shirk. And this meaning is confirmed by His saying:
“Say [O Prophet]: Indeed I have been forbidden to worship those whom you call upon besides Allaah once the proofs have come to me from my Lord – and I have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.” [Ghaafir: 66]
Allaah’s saying: “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice to Him.” Meaning: Make your Salaah (Prayer) for your Lord: Your bowing, your prostration, your standing in prayer and your sitting, your recitals, your acts – make them all for your Lord to the exclusion of others. And this forbiddance encompasses both Major Shirk and Minor Shirk with is ar-Riyaa (performing an act of worship for show).
Allaah’s saying: “..and sacrifice to Him.” i.e. Make your sacrifice to Allaah with the meaning that you do it in obedience to Him in that you do not do it except for Him (and with His Name) – in that which is permitted for you, or obligated for you, or recommended for you as has preceded in the explanation of Nusuk above. There are those scholars who stated that this verse was revealed concerning the `Eid prayer and the slaughter of the sacrificial animal (Ud-hiyyah). However, it is more accurate to say that the verse is general [for all occasions].
Then the author mentions the hadeeth of Alee Ibn Abee Taalib (radiyallaahu ‘anhu), wherein he said: Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) narrated to me four words, saying: “Allaah curses whoever slaughters to other than Allaah. Allaah curses whoever curses his parents. Allaah curses the one who shelters an innovator or wrongdoer. Allaah curses the one who alters the boundaries of a land.”
So this hadith comprises four forbidden matters:
The first of them and the greatest of them in crime, and the greatest of them in its effect upon the servant, if he carries it out, is to slaughter an animal to other than Allaah.
So Allaah has cursed the one who slaughters to other than Allaah. From the affairs that is undeniable is that Allaah is the one who created the animals – and He nourishes them with what He provides for them, and he gives rise to and brings into existense this blood [within them], so if you spill it for other than Him, then you have greatly transgressed the bounds, and you have committed a mighty injustice by extiguishing the soul of this beast to other than its Creator. And that you have spilt its blood for other than the one who placed it there. So for this reason, the one who does that is deserving of the curse of Allaah, and eternity in the Fire is obligated upon him, due to the saying of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, upon the tongue of his servant and Messenger Eesaa Ibn Maryam (alaihis-salaam):
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
“O Children of Israel, worship Allaah who is my Lord and your Lord, for indeed the one who sets up partners with Allaah in worship, then Allaah has made forbidden for him Paradise, and his abode will be the Hellfire, and there is not for the wrongdoers and helpers.” [Maa’idah: 72]
Then, after committing shirk in terms of ugliness, forbiddance, abomination, and enormity, is that a worshipping servant should curse his own parents.
La’nah (curse) is to invoke upon the accursed that he be distant from the Mercy of Allaah; and that the anger of Allaah be delivered upon him and sent upon him because this person has obviously forgotten what his parents have done for him of showing him compassion, mercy, tenderness, affection, and cultivation. Likewise, their concern is for what would benefit their child. So whoever curses his parents has exposed himself to the anger of Allaah, and then to the anger of his own parents, due to his denying the good that has been done for him and to his impermissible behaviour towards his parents. And a person is amazed and bewildered that a man would curse his own parents. Indeed, the Sahaabah were amazed at that, so they asked the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahualaihi wassallam): “How does a man curse his own parents?” So he responded:
“A person curses the father of another man, so he, in return, curses his father. And he curses his mother, so he in turn curses his mother.” [Bukhaaree, Kitaab al-Adab, from Abdullaah Ibn Amr Ibn Aas (radiyallaahuanhumaa)]
So he is the cause of his parents’ cursing, and thus he is like the one who has actually cursed them, which obligates the anger of Allaah.
The third trait is the saying of the Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam): “Allaah curses the one who shelters an innovator or wrongdoer (muhdith).”
The Muhdith is the one who commits what is considered to be an evil act in the Sharee’ah, such as fornication if he makes that open and apparent, or lewd acts if he makes them apparent, and whatever resembles these. So the one who assists in that or shelters him and harbours him, or aids him and supports him so as to protect him from the prescribed punishment and the judgment that is due to him, or the rebuke he deserves; and he pleads vehemently for the punishment to be revoked, then he is considered as a harborer of the wrongdoers – and he is deserving of being cursed because the meaning of aawaa (i.e., shelter) as occurs in the hadeeth is: To lend support.
And the term al-Ihdaath also means to initiate bid’ah (innovations) and to make them part of the legislation of the Religion. The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: “Every muhdathah (newly introduced matter) is a bid`ah, and every bid`ah is misguidance.” (Muslim, al-Bayhaqee in as-Sunan al-Kubraa, al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami’ no. 2549)
So innovations are introduced into the religion (ihdaath). Any introduced matter, and action upon bid`ah, its spreading and sheltering its adherents, aiding them, supporting them – all of this is considered as Ihdaath (innovated wrongdoing) in the Religion of Allaah, and this in turn obligates the anger of Allaah upon the one who commits this wrongdoing.
From these affairs is the innovation of the Khawaarij and the terrorists, those who wrongfully spill the blood of the people, and they extinguish souls, and they wreck and destroy the wealth and possessions of the people, putting fear into the believers; they are disobedient to the state. So whoever aids these people, or conceals them, or seeks that they be excused, then such a one is considered to have sheltered or harboured the innovators or wrongdoers. So he is deserving of the threat in this hadith.
The fourth trait is of the one who alters the boundaries of a land.
Meaning that he changes the boundary from one place to another, claiming that this is now the boundary of the neighbour that he has added to his own land after taking the rightful land of his neighbour – swaying in favour of this life over the next.
As for the hadeeth of Taariq Ibn Shihaab that Allaah Messenger (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) said:
“A man entered Paradise because of a fly and a man entered the Hellfire because of a fly.”
Then I say:
Firstly, this hadith in authenticity being ascribed to the Prophet (salallaahu `alaihi wassallam) is questionable; and what is more correct is that it is ascribed as a saying of a Companion (mawqoof).
Secondly, the one who is forcibly compelled is not taken to account even if he utters a statement of kufr.
Thirdly: In this hadith, this man who made an offering of a fly and due to it entered the Fire alongside the fact that he was compelled, so how do we understand this along with the previous point?
The answer: A person is taken to account in accordance with what is in his heart. So the one who utters a statement of disbelief (kufr) upon his tongue, yet he does not believe that in his heart; rather, he only said it due to being forcibly compelled, then he is not taken to account for that. Rather, he remains in his Islam. However, this one who made the offering of a fly, believing that to be correct in his heart, i.e. believing that it is permissible to make an offering to the idol, and not something reprehensible for him. So it was for this reason he was taken to account, and he entered into Major Shirk, affirming that and believing in it. So this was the reason why he was taken to account.
Fourthly: Whoever sees that it is permissible to commit Shirk, and he believes that it is allowed to make offerings such as this to other than Allaah, then he is a Mushrik (a polytheist). He will be punished due to his Shirk. And his offering was not made under compulsion.
We ask Allaah to rectify the affairs, and to sustain us with the fear of Him, and to act in obedience to Him, and to leave off whatever angers Him. Indeed, He is the Most Generous (al-Jawaad) and the Most Bounteous and Giving (al-Kareem), the Most Kind, and Merciful.
