Recently on the Internet it has become common to see some Qur’anic verses that the youth use by way of proving a point. For example, when someone says, “Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allahs Torment). But the Brothers bore it” (cf. al-Ahzaab 33:72, where it says “But man bore it”; “Brothers” here refers to the Muslim Brotherhood); or another may say:”O secularists, I worship not that which you worship” (cf. Al-Kaafiroon 109:1-2, where it says “O kaafiroon (disbelievers)”. Is that permissible?
Praise be to Allah
In Arabic
linguistics, this action is called iqtibaas (lit. borrowing); this means
referring to a verse or hadeeth when speaking, without attributing it to its
source, whether one alters a word sometimes or quotes it as it is. The basic
principle concerning this is that any such quotations or references should
be within a proper context and implying an appropriate meaning.
Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
No one has the
right to use the wording of the Qur’an for any purpose other than that for
which Allah revealed it. This is how the scholars interpreted the hadeeth,
“The Book of Allah should not be quoted” i.e., the Qur’an should not be
referred to inappropriately.
An example of
that is if one says to someone who has come to discuss a need, “Then
you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O
Moosa”
(cf. Ta-Ha 20:40);
or if a person says when arguing:
“When will this promise be
fulfilled?”
(cf.
Yaa-Seen 36:48),
or “Allah
bears witness that they are certainly liars”
(cf. at-Tawbah 9:107).
Furthermore,
if the person says that by way of belittling the Qur’an or making fun of it,
this is tantamount to kufr (disbelief).
However, if he
recites the verse to support a ruling for which this verse was revealed, or
in the context of discussing some ruling, this is acceptable. That includes
what the fuqaha’ concluded of rulings on the basis of analogy, and what
shaykhs and preachers quote to support to what they say.
End quote from
Mukhtasar al-Fataawa al-Misriyyah, 172
As-Suyooti
wrote an essay on this topic entitled Raf‘ al-Baas wa Kashf al-Iltibaas
fi Darab al-Mathal min al-Qur’an wa’l-Iqtibaas, in the book al-Haawi
li’l-Fataawa (1/305): on our website we have discussed this manner of
speaking in detail; please see the following fatwas (in Arabic):
119673,
103923,
127745 and
150303.
From these
fatwas we may conclude that it is haraam to refer to texts in the scenarios
mentioned above; that is based on the following points:
-1-
it seems, from
the phrases quoted above, that they were referred to for the purpose of
mocking and making fun of others; in this case the Holy Qur’an was used as a
tool for mockery in one of the most abhorrent ways of dealing with this holy
Book which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, sent down as a book of
light and guidance, the words of which showed the way for mankind to follow,
in the light of its teachings, and formed the foundation for much
historical, linguistic, geographical and scientific research, as well as
cultural and moral theories. If we bear all of that and more in mind, there
will be no hesitation in regarding as abhorrent the words of one who says
“But the Brothers bore it” instead of “But man bore it” (cf.
al-Ahzaab 33:72), making fun of a group of Muslims. Is there anything more
disrespectful towards the words and meanings of the Qur’an than this?
-2-
we are very
upset by much of what we have seen from some irresponsible media such as
newspapers, magazines, satellite channels and so on, who take advantage of
recent painful events in the Muslim world and use the Holy Qur’an in this
manner, referring to its verses to address religious people and to mock some
political Islamic groups and their predicament in some countries. It is as
if the Holy Qur’an is not a Book for all Muslims, rather it is a book for
some of them only. And it is as if the one who refers to it in this manner
is trying to tell people, “We can come up with something like this Qur’an
which you recite and venerate, in order to point out your faults!” For
example, he may write “And
those who were of the Brotherhood will be driven to Hell in groups”
(cf. “And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in
groups”
[az-Zumar 39:51]);
this poor man does not realise that the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, is
of a sublime status and is not to be touched by any but those who are
purified; those who are not purified with regard to religious commitment and
manners are only exposing the darkness that resides in their hearts and the
foolishness of their minds. They lose in worldly terms, let alone in terms
of the Hereafter, by using this kind of mocking language, telling lies about
Allah, distorting the meaning of His Book and, in fact, blatantly distorting
the wording thereof.
-3-
here we will
quote the views of some scholars who forbade this kind of referring to the
text if it is done in the context of mockery and disrespect.
As-Suyooti
(may Allah have mercy on him) said:
One kind of
reprehensible referral to texts is quoting a verse in the context of a joke
– we seek refuge with Allah from that – such as saying (in verse):
“She conveyed
a message to her lovers with her eyes, ‘Far,
very far is that which you are promised’
[cf. al-Mu’minoon 23:36];
Seek physical
intimacy with her – ‘For the like of this let all strive, who wish to
strive’ [cf. as-Saaffaat 37:61].”
End quote from
al-Itqaan fi ‘Uloom al-Qur’an, 1/387; as-Suyooti quoted this
categorization (of ways of quoting or referring to Qur’an, into those which
are acceptable and those which are not) from one of the scholars, and
approved of this categorization.
Then he
(as-Suyooti – may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I do not know
of any difference of opinion among the scholars that this is permissible to
refer to the Qur’an, provided that the context is not one of approving of
promiscuity, immorality, mockery on the part of evildoers, drinking alcohol,
promoting homosexuality, and so on.
End quote from
Tanweer al-Hawaalik Sharh Muwatta’ Maalik, 1/312
Ibn ‘Aqeel
al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Referencing
the Qur’an in the context of improper speech is not permissible.
End quote from
Ibn Muflih in al-Adaab ash-Shar‘iyyah, 2/289.
Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about some examples of
referring to Qur’anic texts, such as when someone said, “Today we have seen
Noon and what they know (noonwa ma ya ‘lamoon)”
(this is a
rhyme which tries to sound like what is mentioned at the beginning of Soorat
al-Qalam).
He replied:
As for the one
who said that by way of mockery, this is a very serious matter; it may even
be said that he has gone beyond the pale of Islam, because it is not
permissible under any circumstances to quote the Qur’an by way of mockery,
and the same applies to Islamic rulings. Allah, may He be blessed and
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The
hypocrites fear lest a Soorah (chapter of the Quran) should be revealed
about them, showing them what is in their hearts. Say: ‘(Go ahead and) mock!
But certainly Allah will bring to light all that you fear.’
If you ask
them (about this), they declare: ‘We were only talking idly and joking.’
Say: ‘Was it at Allah, and His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons,
signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (SAW) that you were mocking?
‘Make no
excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. If We pardon some of
you, We will punish others amongst you because they were Mujrimoon
(disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals, etc.)’”
[at-Tawbah
9:64-66].
Hence the
scholars (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whoever utters a
word of disbelief, even if that is jokingly, has become a disbeliever; he
must repent and believe that he is repenting from apostasy, and he has to
renew his Islam. The verses of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and
the words of His Messenger are too great to be taken as a joke.
However, in
the case of one who quotes a verse in relation to some incident that occurs,
there is nothing wrong with that. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) quoted verses in relation to incidents that
occurred. He quoted the verse (interpretation of the meaning), “Your
wealth and your children are only a trial”
[at-Taghaabun 64:15], when [his grandsons] al-Hasan and al-Husayn came
stumbling; he came down from the minbar and said: (interpretation of the
meaning), “Your wealth and your children are only
a trial”
[at-Taghaabun 64:15]. So there is nothing wrong with quoting verses in
relation to some incidents that occur. But to quote verses inappropriately,
in ways that are not in accordance with that which was intended by Allah,
especially if that is in the context of joking and mocking – this is a very
serious matter.
End quote from
Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, 60/13
Anyone wishing
to know more may refer to the book al-Iqtibaas: Anwaa‘uhu wa Ahkaamuhu,
by Dr. ‘Abd al-Muhsin ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez al-‘Askar.
And Allah
knows best.
