Incorrect Beliefs and Actions

Kufr and Shirk

This chapter deals with those aspects that have a special connection with kufr and shirk either because these aspects necessitate kufr and shirk, or because they are customs and habits of the kuffar and mushrikeen, or they have traces of shirk, or because they lead to kufr and shirk.

The following are forbidden in the Shariah:

To like kufr, to appreciate the things of kufr, and to make someone else commit an act of kufr.
To express regret or remorse at one's own Imaan due to some reason or other, e.g. by thinking that if he were not a Muslim, he could have attained such and such a thing.
To say the following things out of grief on the death of one's children or close ones: "Allâh wanted to kill him only", "he was the only person left in the world for Allâh to kill", "Allâh should not have done this", "No one perpetrates such brutality as You have done."
To think ill of or find fault with any order of Allâh and His Rasul sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
To scorn at any prophet or angel, or to find fault with them.
To have the belief that a particular saint or pious person has full knowledge of all our conditions at all times.
To ask about unknown matters or to cause events to be foretold from an astrologer or person under the influence of a jinn, and then to believe in what they say.
To take omens from the speech of a pious person and then to regard them as true.
To implore someone from a great distance and to think that he must have definitely come to know of it.
To regard someone as having the choice of benefitting or causing harm.
To ask someone for the fulfilment of one's needs, sustenance and children.
To fast in someone's name.
To prostrate to someone.
To release an animal in someone's name or to make an offering in someone's name.
To make a pledge in the name of someone.
To make tawaaf around the grave or house of someone.
To give priority to other things or customs over the orders of Allâh Ta'âla.
To bow in front of someone or to stand motionless like a statue in front of him.
To make an offering of a goat to a jinn, etc.
To sacrifice an animal in the name of someone.
To make an offering or sacrifice a goat, etc. in order to rid one's self of a jinn, ghost, or evil spirit.
To worship the navel-cord of the child so that it may live.
To cry out to someone (other than Allâh) for justice.
To respect and revere any place as one would do for the Ka'bah.
To pierce the ears or nose of a child and to make him wear an ear or nose-ring in the name of someone.
To tie a coin on the arm, or a string around the neck in the name of someone.
To make children wear garlands, wreaths, to keep locks of hair over their heads, or to make them beggars.
To keep names such as Ali Bakhsh (given by Ali), Husayn Bakhsh (given by Husayn), Abdun Nabi (slave of the prophet), etc.
To attach the name of a particular saint on an animal and to respect it thereafter.
To believe that the affairs of the world are under the influence of the stars.
To ask about auspicious and inauspicious days and dates and to take omens from them.
To regard certain months and dates as unlucky.
To recite the name of a particular saint in the form of remembrance or incantations.
To say that if Allâh and His Rasul sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wish such and such a thing, it will be done.
To take an oath in the name or on the head of someone.
To keep pictures of animate objects. Especially to keep pictures of a particular saint as a source of blessing and to respect it.

Apart from this, there are many other things. These have been mentioned in order to serve as an example.

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Innovations and Evil Customs

To introduce something which has no basis in Shariah into the Deen, to regard it as part of Deen, and to act upon it with the hope of reward, is called a bid'ah (innovation). An innovation is a major sin.

The following innovations and customs should be abstained from:

To organize and hold grand fairs at graves, to light lamps there, for women to visit them, and to cover graves with sheets.
To construct tombs over the graves.
To go to extremes in revering the graves with a view to please the saint of the grave.
To make ta'zias, to kiss the graves and rub its dust on one's face.
To make tawaaf and sajdah to the graves.
To read salaat towards the graves.
To make offerings of sweetmeats, rice, etc. to the graves.
To keep ta'zias or emblems on the graves, and to keep sweets, etc. on them.
To salute graves and regard them as unique and incomparable.
To abstain from the following acts in the month of Muharram:

(a) eating betel leaves,
(b) applying henna (mehendi),
(c) the company of the husband,
(d) wearing red clothes,
(e) eating out of the dish named after Hazrat Fatimah (R.A.).

To observe the third and fortieth days as compulsory after death ceremonies.
To regard the second marriage of a woman as a blemish despite there being a need for it.
To perform the different ceremonies of Nikah (marriage), Khatna (circumcision), Bismillah (beginning of education), etc., inspite of lack of means, especially by putting oneself in debt and making arrangements for music and dances.
To observe the festivals of Holi and Diwali.
To greet in any way other than the greeting of As salaamu alai kum, or to just bow by raising the hand to the head.
To appear before one's brother-in-law, sister-in-law, cousins, or any other strangers, etc. without any modesty or bashfulness.
To bring water from the river while singing.
To listen to music or play musical instruments, or to make dancing girls dance and to reward them for it.
To be boastful or proud of one's lineage or family, or to consider any connection with any saint to be sufficient for salvation.
To taunt someone on account of his lower lineage, or to regard any permissible occupation to be despicable or below your dignity.
To go to extremes in praising someone.
To spend extravagantly in marriages and other senseless ceremonies.
To follow Hindu customs.
To make the bridegroom wear clothes which are contrary to the Shariah, to adorn him with garlands, to apply henna (mehendi) on him, to light fireworks and make unnecessary decorations.
To bring the bridegroom among the women and in front of them, or to peep at him.
To bring the mature (baaligh) sister-in-law (bride's sister) in front of the bridegroom, to joke with her, or to hold "chauthi" (a ceremony on the fourth day of the marriage).
To go and listen to the conversation of the bride and bridegroom while they are in their privacy, to peep at them or to eavesdrop; and if you hear something, to tell it to others.
To make the bride attend the feast given by the bridegroom and to force her to sit there to the extent that even her salaat is missed.
To fix exhorbitant mehr (dowry) out of pride and boastfulness.
To weep aloud out of sorrow, or to beat the face and chest, or to cry in a shouting manner.
To break the containers which were in use at the time of death, or to get the clothes washed which touched the body of the dead.
Not to prepare pickles, etc. in the house of mourning for about a year or so.
Not to celebrate any happy or joyous occasion.
To revive the sorrow or mourning on certain fixed dates.
To excessively occupy one's self in make-up and self-beautification and to look down upon simplicity.
To hang pictures and photographs in the house.
To use gold or silver utensils.
To wear thin or flimsy clothing, or to wear jingling and tinkling jewellery.
To wear short skirts.
To attend the gatherings of men, e.g. processions and fairs.
To adopt the dressing of the opposite sex.
To tatoo the body.
To practise witchcraft and cast spells.
To hang and suspend carpets from walls and ceilings merely for decoration and beautification.
To embrace and hug ghayr mahrams (those with whom hijaab is necessary) at the time of departing or returning from a journey.
To pierce the nose or ear of a male child as an omen for long life.
To make the male child wear a nose or ear ring, or silk, or saffron-dyed clothes, or any jewellery on the neck, feet or wrists.
To feed the children with opium (and other similar drugs) in order to keep them quiet.
To give someone the meat or milk of a lion because of some illness.

There are many other similar incorrect beliefs, customs, and innovations. These have been mentioned to serve as an example.

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A few major sins regarding which severe warnings have been mentioned

To ascribe partners to Allâh.
To shed the blood of someone unjustly.
To practise witchcraft and charms by childless women during the confinement of another woman so that the child of that woman may die and she may have a child. This also amounts to murder.
To taunt or torment one's parents.
To commit adultery.
To devour the wealth of orphans, e.g. many women usurp the wealth and belongings of the deceased husband and deprive the children of their share.
To deprive the daughters of their share in the inheritance.
To accuse a woman of adultery even on the slightest doubt.
To oppress or persecute someone.
To backbite or slander someone.
To despair of the mercy of Allâh Ta'âla.
To act contrary to one's promise.
To betray a trust (amaanah).
To discard any fardhh (compulsory duty) enjoined by Allâh Ta'âla, e.g. salaat, fasting, hajj, zakaat, etc.
To forget the Holy Quran after having memorized it.
To speak lies. Especially to take false oaths.
To swear by the name of anyone other than Allâh.
To take an oath with such words that the person is deprived of the kalimah at the time of death, or may die without Imaan.
To prostrate before anyone other than Allâh Ta'âla.
To miss salaat without a valid excuse.
To call any Muslim a kafir, or non-believer, or to invoke the wrath or punishment of Allâh on him, or to call him an enemy of Allâh.
To complain against someone, or to hear such a complaint.
To steal.
To take interest (usury).
To express joy on the rise and inflation of the value of commodities or goods.
To insist on reducing the price after having agreed to it.
To sit in seclusion with ghayr mahrams (those with whom the observance of hijaab is necessary).
To gamble. Some women and girls play certain games with stakes on them. This is also a kind of gambling.
To like and be attracted to the customs of the kuffaar.
To find fault with food.
To enjoy dancing and listening to music.
To abstain from giving advice inspite of having the power to do so.
To ridicule someone with a view to humiliating and embarrassing him.
To look for faults in others.

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The Worldly Harms of Sinning

Deprival of knowledge.
Decrease in one's sustenance (rizq).
Trembling and shuddering at the mention of Allâh Ta'âla.
Feeling uneasy in the presence of men, especially good and pious men.
Experiencing difficulty in most affairs.
Loses purity of the heart.
Feels weakness of heart, and at times, weakness of the entire body.
Gets deprived or bereft of obedience (doing good deeds).
His life is shortened.
Deprived of the capability to repent (make taubah).
After some time, the seriousness of sins comes out of his heart.
Becomes despicable in the sight of Allâh.
His immorality or wrongdoing affects other people and he is thereby cursed by them.
His intellect becomes weak or deficient.
He is cursed by Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Is deprived of the duas of the angels.
Faces a shortage in crops.
Loses modesty and a sense of self-respect.
The greatness of Allâh Ta'âla comes out of the heart.
Is deprived of all bounties and blessings.
Is engulfed or inundated by difficulties and calamities.
The shayateen are deputed over him.
His heart is always in turmoil.
Is unable to read the kalimah at the time of death.
Despairs of the mercy of Allâh Ta'âla, and because of this, dies without having repented.

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The Worldly Benefits of Obedience

Sustenance is increased.
Receives blessings and bounties of all kinds.
Problems and difficulties distance themselves.
Experiences ease in fulfilling his needs.
Experiences a life of contentment.
Rains become plentiful.
All types of calamities are warded off.
Allâh Ta'âla becomes very kind and helpful.
Angels are commanded to keep his heart strong.
Gets true respect and honour.
His status is raised.
Everyone has love for him in their hearts.
The Quran becomes a source of deliverance on his behalf.
If he experiences any material loss, he is compensated with something better.
Experiences an increase in blessings day by day.
There is an increase in his wealth.
Experiences comfort and tranquility in his heart.
All these benefits pass on to the next generation.
Experiences unseen glad tidings in this very world.
Hears and receives the glad tidings of the angels at the time of death.
There is an increase in his life-span.
Experiences abundance in things which are in small quantity.
Removal of Allâh Ta'âla's anger.

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