(Part No. 13; Page No. 20)

  Clarification of the ruling on

reciting Takbir collectively before Salat-ul-`Eid [5]

All praise be to Allah alone, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions. To proceed:I have read what his Eminence brother Sheikh Ahmad ibn Muhammad Jamal, may Allah grant him success in what pleases Him, published in some local newspapers where he deemed it strange to prevent congregational Takbir (saying: "Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]") in Masjids (mosques) before Salat-ul-`Eid (the Festival Prayer) because it is judged as Bid`ah (innovation in religion) that should be prevented. In his essay, Sheikh Ahmad has tried to prove that reciting Takbir collectively is not a Bid`ah and that it is impermissible to prevent it. Such opinion of the Sheikh was approved of by some writers. Fearing that this issue may confuse those who are unaware of the fact, we wish to clarify that reciting Takbir at the night of`Eid-ul-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking the Fast) before Salat-ul-`Eid, in the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and in the days of Tashriq (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) is permissible in these great times and carries a great reward. Allah (Exalted be He) states concerning reciting Takbir during `Eid-ul-Fitr: (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allâh [i.e. to say Takbîr (Allâhu Akbar; Allâh is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him. [6] Regarding the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah

(Part No. 13; Page No. 21)

 and the days of Tashriq, Allah (Exalted be He) also says: That they may witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e. reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade), and mention the Name of Allâh on appointed days (i.e. 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah), over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice), [at the time of their slaughtering by saying: (Bismillah, Wallâhu-Akbar, Allâhumma Minka wa Ilaik)]. [7] Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: And remember Allâh during the appointed Days. [8] Among the prescribed remembrance during these well-known appointed days are both unrestricted Takbir and Takbir restricted to certain times during the days of Dhul-Hijjah as proved by the purified Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) and the practices of the Salaf (righteous predecessors). The description of the permissible Takbir is that every Muslim should say it individually in a loud voice so that others can hear and follow him and be reminded by it. As for the innovated collective Takbir, this is when a group of two or more raise their voices in Takbir beginning and ending in unison and in a particular manner.Such a practice is baseless and unsubstantiated. This way of reciting Takbir is Bid`ah and is not Islamically lawful. Whoever disapproves of reciting Takbir in this manner is right. This is based on the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Whoever performs an action for which there is no sanction from our behalf, it is to be rejected. [1] This means that it is rejected because it is not Mashru` (Islamically lawful).

(Part No. 13; Page No. 22)

 The Prophet (peace be upon him) also stated: Avoid newly invented things (in Islam), for every newly invented thing is an innovation, and every innovation leads to misguidance. [2] This collective Takbir is newly invented, and thus it is Bid`ah. If people have a certain practice that contradicts the purified Shari`ah, it must be prevented and condemned because acts of `Ibadah (worship) are Tawqifiy (bound by an Islamic text and not amenable to personal opinion). Their legislation is bound by the text of the Qur'an or the Sunnah. As for the sayings and viewpoints of the people, they cannot stand as proofs if they contradict Shari`ah proofs. The same applies to matters of public benefit, as they do not stand as a proof for acts of worship. Rather, acts of worship should be proven based on a text from the Qur'an, the Sunnah, or unanimous agreement.What is Mashru` is that Muslims should recite Takbir according to the prescribed manner based on the Shari`ah proofs, i.e., to recite Takbir individually.Collective Takbir was forbidden by his Eminence Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, the Grand Mufty of Saudi Arabia, (may Allah be merciful to him) who issued a Fatwa in this regard. As for me, I have issued more than one Fatwa preventing it. There was also a Fatwa issued by the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' preventing it.His Eminence Sheikh Hammud ibn `Abdullah Al-Tuwayjiry (may Allah be merciful to him) also compiled a valuable research on condemning and preventing it. This essay is published and circulated and contains

(Part No. 13; Page No. 23)

 sufficient and decisive proofs for preventing collective Takbir, praise be to Allah. Regarding the argument presented by Sheikh Ahmad concerning what `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did accompanied by people in Mina, this cannot stand as a proof because what `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and people did in Mina differs from the collective Takbir. It is considered a permissible form of Takbir, because he (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his voice with Takbir to apply the Sunnah and remind the people of it. When the people saw him doing that, they started to recite Takbir individually and not in unison with `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) from the beginning to the end, which is not the case with those reciting collective Takbir today. All that is related from the Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) regarding Takbir follows the Shari`ah. Any one claiming other than this should present the proofs. The same applies to calling to Salat-ul-`Eid, the Tarawih (special supererogatory night Prayer in Ramadan) Prayer, Qiyam-ul-Layl (optional Prayer at night), or Witr (Prayer with an odd number of units). Announcing the call to Prayer in all such cases is baseless and Bid`ah. It is proven through the authentic Hadiths related from the Prophet that he (peace be upon him) used to perform Salat-ul-`Eid without either Adhan (call to Prayer) or Iqamah (call to start the Prayer). As far as we know, none of the scholars stated that there is another call (to Prayer) with other wording. Those who make this claim should substantiate it with proofs, though sources indicate that there is no such proof. Thus, it is not permissible for anyone to legislate an act of worship, whether actions or words, except with evidence either from the Glorious Book, the authentic Sunnah, or the unanimous agreement of scholars as previously mentioned. This is based on the general Shar`y (Islamically lawful) proofs forbidding and warning against Bid`ah, which include the Statement of Allah (Glorified be He): Or have they partners (with Allâh — false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allâh has not ordained? [9]

(Part No. 13; Page No. 24)

 They also include the two Hadiths previously mentioned at the beginning of this advice, as well as the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Whoever introduces something into this affair of ours which is not of it, it is to be rejected. [3] (Agreed upon by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim) And his statement (peace be upon him) in Khutbat Al-Jumu`ah (Friday sermon): And then, the best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. The most evil of affairs are innovations; and every innovation is error. [4] (Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih) There are many Hadiths and Athar (narrations from the Companions) in this regard.It is Allah Whom we invoke to grant us, Sheikh Ahmad, and all our brothers success and the best understanding of His religion, to keep us firm on it, and to make us all callers to guidance and supporters of the truth. May Allah protect us and all Muslims against all that contradicts His Law. He is the Most Generous. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions. The General Chairman of the Departments of Scholarly Research,

Ifta', Daw`ah, and Guidance

`Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz