What do the scholars of the Dīn and muftīs of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: Are we permitted to listen to lectures by Shī’ah scholars and their cries in relation to Karbalā?
Questioner: Bilal from UK
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
It is never ever permissible to listen to the lectures of Shī’ahs and their cries, rather it is harām [unlawful] and a deadly poison for one’s Īmān [faith]. Our Generous Lord ﷻ prohibits even merely sitting with the misguided, just as it is stated in the Holy Qur’ān,
{وَ اِمَّا یُنۡسِیَنَّکَ الشَّیۡطٰنُ فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّکْرٰی مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ}
{And if the devil causes you to forget (this), then do not sit with the unjust after remembering}
[Sūrah al-An’ām, 68]
Explaining the interpretation of ‘the unjust’, Mullā Jīwan states in Tafsīrāt Ahmadiyyah that,
“دخل فیہ الکافر والمبتدع والفاسق والقعود مع کلھم ممتنع”
“Each and every single disbeliever, mubtadi’ [innovator of bad] and sinner is included in the ruling of this verse, and one is not permitted to sit with any one of them.”
[al-Tafsīrāt li-Ahmadiyyah, verse 68:6, pg 388]
When it is prohibited to sit with them, then listening to them and being a cause for more individuals being present in their gatherings is, without a doubt, harām, in fact severely harām, as the Holy Prophet ﷺ stared that,
“من سود مع قوم فھو منھم”
“Whosoever increased the amount of a nation, so he is from them.”
[Tā’rīkh Baghdādī, vol 10, pg 41, Hadīth no 5147]
All the destruction of the level of disrespect which Shī’ahs show in their lectures regarding Allāh Almighty, the Noble Messenger and the Blessed Companions, is also, in terms of Sharī’ah, upon the one who goes to listen to them as well and whoever attends such gatherings. The definitive text of the Holy Qur’ān has declared it Fard to move away from such places straightaway where there are speeches which consist of disbelief and apostasy. Also, staying in such places has not only been declared harām, but actually listen to what the Generous Lord ﷻ has stated,
{وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَیۡکُمْ فِی الْکِتٰبِ اَنْ اِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ اٰیٰتِ اللہِ یُکۡفَرُ بِہَا وَیُسْتَہۡزَاُ بِہَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوۡا مَعَہُمْ حَتّٰی یَخُوْضُوۡا فِیۡ حَدِیۡثٍ غَیۡرِہٖۤ ۫ۖ اِنَّکُمْ اِذًا مِّثْلُہُمْ ؕ اِنَّ اللہَ جَامِعُ الْمُنٰفِقِیۡنَ وَالْکٰفِرِیۡنَ فِیۡ جَہنَّمَ جَمِیۡعَۨا}
{And indeed Allāh has sent down to you in the Book; that, when you hear the verses of Allāh being rejected or being mocked at, do not sit with those people, until they engage in some other conversation; otherwise you too are like them; undoubtedly Allāh will gather the hypocrites and the disbelievers; all together, into Hell}
[Sūrah al-Nisā’, 140]
Look! The Holy Qur’ān mentions that your Lord, the Most Merciful, states that whoever goes to such places and is present there, so he is like them.
Commenting with regards to this blessed verse, the Imām of the Ahl al-Sunnah, Imām Ahmad Ridā Khān, may Allāh shower mercy upon him, states that, Ah! Ah! Every sin is harām but here Allāh, the One, the Most Powerful, is stating if you go there, then you are also like them. O Muslims! Have you abrogated these verses of the Majestic Qur’ān, or not regarded the severe punishment from Allāh Almighty to be true, or [so called] accepted it in the manner of disbelievers. So when it is neither of these, so what is the meaning of those crowds which consists of the lectures of priests. Why is there attendance in these gatherings which object to the Lord Almighty, the Noble Messenger and the Qur’ān.
O brothers! I am not saying that “اِنَّکُمْ اِذًا مِّثْلُہُمْ” you are also like them. The crowd present in them lectures, those who participate in their gatherings, are all an example of them disbelievers; they barked [disbelief] in public and became disbelievers. They (the listeners) are to recite the Kalimah i.e. the Declaration of Faith, though they do not have at least some amount of respect that they save themselves from wherever there is disrespect, thus they became hypocrites. This is why it was stated that Allāh will gather them, all together, into Hell; that you are to give lectures there [in the fire of Hell] and listen.
[Fatāwā Ridawiyyah, vol 1-2, pg 1016]
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Haider Ali
