Seeking Fatwa from More Than One Scholar on a Particular Issue

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Uthaymeen was asked:   

Is it permissible to seek fatwa from more than one scholar?

Response: When a person seeks a fatwa from a scholar whom he has trust in his verdict, it is not permissible to ask someone else, because this would lead to toying with the religion of Allaah and seeking out concessions in such a manner that he may ask so and so scholar, and if the answer does not suit him, he asks the second one, and if it does not suit him, he asks a third one, and so on. The scholars said: ‘Whoever seeks out concessions would end up becoming an evil doer.’ 

However, sometimes a person may not have access to the scholars except so and so, so he asks him out of necessity, while having the intention that if he meets a scholar who is more trustworthy than him in his knowledge and religion, he will ask him. In this case, there is no objection to him asking the first one out of necessity, then if he finds one who is better than him, he may ask him. 

Source: Kitaab al-‘Ilm, p. 152 by Shaykh Muhammad bin Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen

Ruling on Entering and Sitting in the Masjid without Ablution

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:

Is it permissible to enter the masjid and sit therein without performing Salaah until the Adhaan is pronounced?

He responded: There is no harm in entering the masjid and sitting therein in order to rest or to take a  siesta or the like of that. There is no objection to that. This is because some of the Companions used to sleep in the masjid during the era of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). However, it is not proper for a person to sit down except after observing the tahiyyatul-masjid if he has ablution. If he has ablution, he should observe two rak’ah and then sit down. But if he does not have ablution, there is no blame on him if he sits down.

Source: Fataawaa Noor ala ad- Darb, vol. 12 p. 207.

Translator’s note: The Shaikh’s view is also supported by the following hadeeth recorded by al Bukhaaree from Aboo Waaqid al-Laythee who reported that while Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) was sitting in the masjid with some people, three men came. Two of them came in front of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and the third one went away. The two persons kept on standing before Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) for a while and then one of them found a place in the circle and sat there while the other sat behind the gathering[1], and the third one went away. When Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) finished his talk, he said, “Shall I tell you about these three persons? One of them be-took himself to Allaah, so Allaah took him into His grace and mercy and accommodated him, the second felt shy from Allaah, so Allaah sheltered Him in His mercy (and did not punish him), while the third turned his face from Allaah and went away, so Allaah turned His face from him likewise.”

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[1] Both of them sat down without praying tahiyyatul-masjid and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did not order them to pray it. And Allaah knows best.

The Necessity of Calling the Soul to Account

Calling the soul to account is a very important issue for the soul cannot be rectified except through it.  Calling the soul to account is something that whoever does it today becomes safe tomorrow. Calling the soul to account involves examining your soul, pondering over it and recognizing its shortcomings. There is no salvation without it. Allaah stated: “On the Day when Allaah will resurrect them all and inform them of what they did. Allaah had enumerated it, while they forgot it; and Allaah is, over all things, Witness.”[1]

Calling the soul to account stems from reflecting on these texts of the Qur’an and believing in them: “That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds. So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.”[2]

Calling the soul to account originates from the effects of Allaah’s saying: “The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present [before it] and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and that [evil] was a great distance. And Allaah warns you of Himself, and Allaah is Kind to [His] servants.”[3]

Calling the soul to account also arises from eemaan in the Last Day and that Allaah the most High will call the creatures to account therein. Allaah has cautioned us against that day. He said: “And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allaah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly.”[4]

Calling the soul to account emanates from eemaan in Allaah’s Names and Attributes, and that He is the Observer and Watcher Who sees that which every person does; He sees our actions as He is the Shaheed over the deeds of His slaves. He has appointed two noble scribes to record our deeds. “And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one.”[5]

Calling the soul to account stems from a person’s eemaan and knowledge in the goal and objectives of his creation. Allaah said: “Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?"[6] Allaah also said: “Does man think that he will be left neglected?”[7]

Therefore, calling the soul to account is the path of the believers, the trait of the monotheists and the symbol of the pious. Hence, a believer fears his Lord, takes account of himself and asks forgiveness for his sins. He knows that the harm of the soul is great, its malady is detrimental, its plot is great and its evil is widespread. It commands evil, inclines towards desires, invites towards ignorance, steers to destruction and leans towards pastime except one whom Allaah have mercy upon.

Therefore, the soul should not be let to its desires because it invites to transgression; whoever obeys it, it would lead him to vile deeds and invite him to vices. And whoever abandons controlling his soul till it transgresses will have Hell fire as his abode on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah said: “So as for he who transgressed, and preferred the life of the world. Then indeed, Hellfire will be [his] refuge.”[8] And on the contrary: “But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.”[9]

Source: Silsilah A’maal al-Quloob, p. 257-258 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

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[1] Soorah al-Mujaadilah: 6

[2] Soorah az-Zalzalah: 6-8

[3] Soorah Aal-Imraan

[4] Soorah al-Baqarah: 281

[5] Soorah al-Kahf: 49

[6] Soorah al-Muminoon; 115

[7] Soorah al-Qiyaamah: 36

[8] Soorah an-Naazi’aat: 37-39

[9] Soorah an-Naazi’aat: 40-41

How to Repent from Backbiting

The noble Shaykhah Umm Abdillaah al-Waadi’iyyah wrote:

Ibn Qayyim stated in his book entitled, “al-Waabil as-Sayyib (131): “It is reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) that the expiation for backbiting is to seek forgiveness for the person whom he has backbitten by saying: “O Allaah forgive us and him.” This hadeeth was mentioned by al-Bayhaqi in ad-Da’waat al-Kabeer’

There are two opinions concerning the matter and both have been reported from Imaam Ahmad. They are: Is it sufficient in repentance from backbiting to seek forgiveness for the person whom one has backbitten? Or is it necessary to inform him and seek for his pardon? The correct view is that there is no need to inform him; rather it is sufficient to ask forgiveness for him and to mention good about him in the places where he was backbitten. This is the view of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah and others.

Those who are of the view that it is a must to inform him considered backbiting to be like financial obligations. But the difference between both is apparent because in financial obligations, the oppressed would benefit from the return of the like of his property. If he wishes, he collects it and if wishes, he gives it out in charity. But in backbiting, such is impossible. What happens in such cases is the opposite of the objective of the law-giver. This is because it would annoy the person and hurt him if he hears what he has been accused of; it may outburst his enmity and he may never forgive him.

This is not its way; the Wise Law-giver neither permits nor allows it let alone obligating and commanding it. The pivot of the Sharee’ah is upon the removal of corruption and minimizing them and not acquiring and perfecting them, and Allaah the Most High knows best.

Source: My Sincere Advice to Women, p. 52-53 by Umm Abdillah al-Waadi’iyyah; transl. by Abdus-Samee’ Abdus-Salam and Ishaq Abdur-Raheem, published by Dar Makkah International.