إجازة الشيخ أحمد بن محمد بن أحمد لبن بقراءة الإمام عاصم

Religious Etiquette of the Mufti and the Fatwa-Seeker

Khutbah Topic
His Eminence Sheikh Salehibn Humaid
–May Allah protect him– delivered this Friday khutbah en titled “Religious Etiquette of the Mufti and the Fatwa-Seeker.” He talked about the religious etiquette that should be observed by both the fatwa-seeker when asking questions and the mufti when answering those questions. He also highlighted the rulings as well as the religious etiquette governing the way women should aska scholar for fatwa.

Part One
Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah, the All-Generous, the Conqueror, the Cleaverof grain and dateseeds, and the Cleaver of daybreak. I praise Him ‒Be He glorified‒ and thank Him for the succession of bounties and blessings bestowed upon us morning and afternoon. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no partner ‒a testimony of truth and certitude which is the key to Paradise and todelight‒ and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, is the Servant and Messenger of Allah. He left us on the clear Straight Path of truth and guided us to the requisites of success. May Allah send His profuse Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace, and Blessingupon him, his Family, his Companions, and all those who follow in their footsteps as long as stars come into sight with their gleaming rays and daybreak flashes to announce the uselessness of lanterns!

Now then,
O people! I exhort you as well as myself to observe taqwa(fear) of Allah. So, observe taqwa ‒May Allah havemercyon you! Now, beware of knowledge without action, deeds devoid of dedication, money of which nothing is spent in charity, hearts denuded of love for Allah and craving for His encounter, and time devoid of performing good deeds and doingcharitable acts.

Let it be known to you that what you have to fear most is loss of heart and loss of time. Loss of heart is caused by favouring mundane life over the hereafter. As to the loss of time,it results from indulging in whims and distracting false hopes. It is worth noting ‒May Allah protect you‒ that ultimate righteousness lies in following divine guidance and getting ready for the Day of Encounter (with Allah). It is from Allah that we seek assistance and on Him we devoutly count. Indeed, there is neither power nor might save from Allah, the MostHigh, the Most Great.

O mankind! Be afraid of your Lord (by keeping your duty to Him and avoiding all evil), and fear a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the Promise of Allâh is true, let not then this (worldly) present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allâh.[Luqman: 33]

O Muslims!
Knowledge is the legacy of prophets; questions are the key to knowledge; and religion instructs and exhorts its followers to ask questions. Allah –Exalted and Most High be He– said:

... then ask those who are reading the Book [the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] before you...[Yunus: 94]

He –Sublime be He– also said:
...So ask of those who know the Scripture [learned men of the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], if you know not.[Al-Nahl: 43]

The Prophet –May Allah’s Salatand Peace be upon him– is reported to have said: “Why don’t they ask if they don’t know? Indeed, the remedy for those who are slowof understanding is to ask questions” [Narrated by Abu Dawood, and other hadith scholars, from the hadith of Jabir and Ibn Abbas ‒May Allay be pleased with him and his father (al-Abbas)!]

Asking questions is seekingfatwas,and issuing fatwasisconstancy. Ibn Shihab says: “Knowledge is like treasurehouseswhose keysare questions.” In the same vein, al-Khaleel says: “Sciences (or knowledge) are like padlocks and questions are their keys. Once you possess the key, you can open whatever you want.”

The question reflects the sagacity and the politeness of the person asking it. The sagacious person does not say everything.The ignorant person, however, cannot distinguish between what should and should not be saidanddoes not know when and how to say it. A commonplace axiomatic rule states the following: “Ask questions as if you were ignorant, and understand the answer like a sagacious person does. An appropriate question is half the answer. He who illuminates knowledge-seekers will acquire the status of much-solicited authority. Knowledge can only be gained by an inquisitive person who keeps asking questions, whose heart is imbued with the power of reason and whosepersistence is tireless.” Likewise, knowledge will not be accessible to the shy or the arrogant. Al-Hasan says: “He who recoils from seeking knowledge with the excuse of shyness will be garbedin the garment of ignorance.”

O Muslims!
Considering the importance of the question-and-answer form, knowledgeable scholars ‒May Allah bless their souls‒ dealt in detail with the religious etiquette in connection with asking questionsand seekingfatwas as well as answering questions and issuing fatwas.

Certainly, Allah has offered people in the modern era the ease and tools of communication and contact used by those who are in quest for erudite data corroborated by knowledgeable scholars, such as etiquette and moral standards. As a matter of fact, when we closely inspect data published via these media, we realise that a number of muftis, alongside a variety of fatwa rubrics in newspapers, magazines, TV channels, and informationnetworks, are dominating thefrontpages and the major programmes. This fact reveals the seriousness of the matter and the magnitude of responsibility incumbent upon us.

Dear Muslims!
Here are somereflective pauses in this regard about afewof the aforementioned rules of conduct. The first pause relates to the rules to be respected by the inquirer and the person seeking fatwa. Scholars say that the fatwa-seeker as well as the inquirer should act conscientiously and has to proceed in a way that may guarantee him salvation on the day he is brought to account before his Lord. He is supposed to adhere to truth in what he says and precision in what he reportssothat the question echoes reality.

The question must be clear in its wording and details. The inquirer should start his question with expressions reflecting politeness, respect, and high ethical standards,such as greeting and invoking Allah to bless the mufti. For instance, he could say: “MayAllah benefit us from your knowledge!May Allah bless you!May Allah reward you, and the like!”

The inquirer should beware of concealing, swindling, or forging words and facts. Let him only ask aboutwhathappenedand notaboutwhatdidnot happen to him. Besides, he should not move from one mufti or scholar to another (to ask the same question).For this is contrary to religious precepts and to devoutness. Likewise, the inquirer should exercise caution not to seek religious licences and select from among the scholars’ fatwas what most fits his personal preferences. In this vein, scholars say: “Whoever seeks to benefit from the licence offered by every scholar or every mufti’s slip will end up tainted with all sorts of evil.” Also, Ibrahim ibn Ablah said: “Whoever learns the irregularities of knowledge will have acquired great evil.”

Therefore, the deliberate act of seeking licences, interpretations, and denominational differences is the valour which is the antithesis of sincerity, devout faith, and the endeavour to relieveone’s conscience. Those in pursuit of personal gains should beware of playing on the contradictory statements made by scholars. In fact, religious scholars have always presented diverging interpretations, views and answers. This equally applies to the period extending from the era of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salatand Peace be upon him and his Family– up to Resurrection Day. For this reason, it is incumbent upon the inquirer to relieve his conscience so that his faith would be sound, his worship would be performed duly, hisdealings would be permissible, and his life would run righteously.

O brothers and sisters!
If ever the inquirer receives more than one answer or opinion about the same question, he should then adopt the fatwaof the mufti who is most reliable to him infaith,knowledge,and godliness. He should therefore block the way tohis own whims and to his jurisprudential licences. In addition, the fatwa-seeker should strictly beware of cherishing the intent to test the scholar’s or mufti’s knowledge, categorise him, embarrass him, prove his incompetence, sow dissension between him and his peers, or pride himself on having larger background knowledge about the point at issue. In this respect, when a man said to al-Shi’bee: “I have stored up an issue for you,”he ‒May Allah bless his soul‒ replied: “Store it up for the Satan until you meet him and ask him about it.”

It is also narrated by Imam Bukhari that Yusuf ibn Mahikreported that a man said to Aisha ‒May Allah be pleased with her: “Which shroud is best?” “Woe unto you,” Aisha replied. “What difference does it make to you?!”Moreover, the inquirer should not ask a question for which he already has an answer:

...So ask of those who know the Scripture [learned men of the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], if you know not.[Al-Nahl: 43]

If the inquirer’s intention is to test the scholar’s knowledge, then he will only reap deprivation, loss, and hard-heartedness. For, questions are only asked to satisfy the inquirer’s need for knowing the answer in order to benefit from it and apply it,and not to argue pretentiously orfeign erudition. In one of the statements ascribed to the Prophet, we read: “He who acquires knowledge to compete with scholars, wrangle with the incompetent, and draw people’s attention to himself will be overthrowninto Hellfire by Allah.”

O Muslims!
The inquirer should not formulate his question in such a way as to include in it the answer. This is the case when he concocts scenarios, restrictions and presumptions that leave no other choice for the mufti except saying: “This is permissible” or “This is forbidden.” It seems as if the inquirer wants to lead the mufti to answer in accordance with his own preferences; that is to say, he expects to receive a steered answer. This is why scholars tend to start answering questions by saying: “If the case is as mentioned...” Other forms of leading the mufti include expressions like: “What is your opinion about someone who alleges such and such?” or“What do you think of someone who claims such and such?” All these cases of leading the mufti towards a preconceivedanswer are of reprehensible conduct.

Nonetheless, if the one seeking knowledge intends to discuss a given issue with the scholar, he should make that clear to him in advance and ask for his permission. If he is given permission, that is fine. Otherwise, he should renounce discussingthatissue politely, modestly, and willingly. In addition, the inquirer must not write down or record the mufti’s answer without his permission; for the transcribed notes might be inaccurate or incorrect, and the answer might be bound to its specific circumstances and may not otherwise apply to other settings.

Again, questions must not be lengthy, nor should they be numerous except if need be,so asto save the mufti’s time as well as that ofother inquirers. Ibn Abbas ‒May Allah be pleased with him and his father‒ says: “I have never seen better people than the Companions of Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him!All his lifetime, they had asked him about only thirteen issues, all of which were about the Qur’an. Besides, all theirquestionswere about only what was beneficial to them.”

In this respect, a man was reported to have visited Yahia ibn Saeed and spent a long time asking him questions. Ibn Saeed then said to him: “You are definitely a better person than myself, but you are unbearable.” That is to say, you are keen to gain knowledge, but you are rather insufferable. According to a hadith: “What actually ruined those who preceded you were their many questions and their being at variance with their prophets.” In their interpretation of this hadith, scholars said: “They used to ask about what never took place and what was not prescribed in their Revealed Book.” Therefore, the inquirer should not pre-emptively anticipate improbable issues that rarely occur in reality; otherwise it would be overzealousness.

O servants of Allah!
Politeness requires that the fatwa-seeker should not say in their questions: “Scholar so and so said such and such a thing,” or “Scholar so and so holds a different opinion from yours on such and such a topic.” These expressions reflect a lack of politeness, as human beings naturally resent listening to other people’s opinions cited in theirquestions. There is a common maxim saying: “Peers’ speech has to be concealed rather than reported.” Therefore, let the fatwa-seeker beware of breeding conflict or rancour among the scholars of religion.

Also,part of religious etiquette is to choose the right timing of asking questionsthat is suitable to the mufti. For instance, he should notask questions anytime, especially thatthe means of communication are available and that time zones differ from one country and regiontoanother. This should betaken into consideration so that the mufti will not be caused any inconvenience. For he has the right to havethetime to rest, worship, eat, drink, read, and spend some time with his family, among other activities and errands.

In this vein, Ibn Abbas ‒May Allah be pleased with him and his father‒ says: “I used to call on any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ but if I found him taking a nap, I would not wake him up; if I noticed that he wasgrieved, I would not talk to him, and if I found him busy, I would not ask him anything.” This is indeed tactfulness, patience and astuteness.

Among the commandments of Ali ibn Abi Talib‒May Allah be pleased with him‒ is the following: “It is the scholar’s right not to ask him so many questions, not to embarrass him by insisting stubbornly ongetting answers, not to insist if he fails to respond to you, not tohold him by his clothes when he stands up, not to reveal his secrets, not to backbite people in his presence,and not to be a fault-finder detecting his slips. If heslips, do accept his apology.You have to venerate and revere him for the sake of Allah as long as he observes the commands of Allah; do not sit in front of him, andifever he needs some service,be the first to renderhimthisservice.”

O Muslims!
As to the second pause, it has to do with women’s right to inquire about religious issues and the rules of conduct to be observed in this context. Indeed, the Muslim woman is entitled to ask about religious matters, since it is her legitimate and undeniable right to do so.

Al-Bukhari ‒May Allah bless his soul‒ reported that whenever Aisha ‒May Allah be pleased with her‒ heard something she did not know, she would return to it and make certain she knew it. The women of the Prophet’s Companions had always talked to men, greeted them (saidas-salāmuʿalaykum), asked them for fatwas, orsought their advice.

Imam Muslim narratedthat Aisha ‒May Allah be pleased with her‒ said: “How great the women of Al-Ansar are! Their modesty did not stop them from asking about religion and pursuing knowledge thereof.”

UmmSulaimcame to the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him and his Family– and said:“O Messenger of Allah!Verily, Allah is not timid to tell the truth. If a woman gets a nocturnal sexual discharge (has a wet dream), is it essential for her to take a bath?”The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– replied: "Yes, if she notices a discharge."On that UmmSalamah covered her face and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Does a woman get a (nocturnal sexual) discharge?" He said: “Yes. May you go poor! How then does her son resemble her?!" [Narrated by Bukhari]. In another version by Muslim, UmmSalamah said: “I said to myself: ‘You have disgraced women.’”

When Umm Sulaim –May Allah be pleased with her– said: “Allah is not timid to tell the truth,” scholars said in this regard that this is a nice foreword and a good prelude to the question that people shy away from; meaning that Allah does not enjoin modesty in this context so that women do not remain ignorant of the rulings concerning their own religion.

Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– said that a woman asked the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– about washing up from menstruation, so he told her what to do saying: “Take a piece of cloth perfumed with musk and purify yourself with it.”She said:“How should I purify myself with it?”He replied:“Purify yourself with it.”She said: “But, how?” Then he said:“Glory be to Allah! Purify yourself with it.”Aisha said:"At that point I took the woman aside and said: “Wipe away the traces of blood with it.”[Narrated by Bukhari]

Scholars said: Her question“How should I purify myself” is out of place, as it is the type of question men do not answer. This is why the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Glory be to Allah! Purify yourself with it.” Then, Aisha took the woman aside and explained to her how to do that.

Now then… May Allah have mercy on you!
Let the person solicitingfatwa should know that a fatwa does not invalidate what is halal (permitted) or haram (forbidden). This is to say that the person soliciting fatwa must not conceal anything in his question or try to be evasive in such a way that would affect the ruling or the answer of the mufti, for the latter issues his fatwa in accordance with what he hears from the fatwa-seeker. By the same token, if the mufti tried to be courteous and complimentary in his fatwa, then both of them would have committed sin.

May Almighty Allah grant us success in answering such questions, guide us to what is right, for it is to Him we shall return!

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan:
And We sent not (as Our Messengers) before you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) any but men, whom We sent revelation, (to preach and invite mankind to believe in the Oneness of Allâh). So ask (you, O pagans of Makkah) of those who know the Scripture [learned men of the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], if you know not. With clear signs and Books (We sent the Messengers). And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) the Dhikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur’ân)], that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought. [Al-Nahl: 43-44]

May Allah benefit you and me from the guidance of His Holy Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet, Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him! This is said, I pray Almighty Allah to forgive me, you, and all Muslims for every sin and wrong-doing; so do pray Him for forgiveness, for He is truly the Most Forgiving , the Most Merciful.

Part Two

Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah Who has revealed the Truth and raised it to sublimity, and Who has lowered falsehood and reduced it to baseness! I praise Him‒Glory be to Him‒ and thank Him. No one can keep Him from giving whatever He wills; no one can give whatever He wills to withhold. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, with no associate; a testimony fulfilled by someone who has realised and followed the Truth and who has affixed his wishes and aspirations to Allah’s Grace. I also bear witness that our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, is the Servant and Messenger of Allah, who came with the sharia of ease, tolerance, and openness. May Allah send His profuseSalat, Peace and Blessing be upon him, his Family, his Companions, and those who have followed in his footsteps!

Now then, O you Muslims!
We now discuss the third pause concerning the mufti’sreligious etiquette:

The muftispeaksonbehalf, as it were,of the Lord of the Worlds, for he issues fatwas as per the provisions attributed to Allah’s law. This is carried out either in accordance with the law Allah has sent down, and a direct text (in the Qur’an), or through a reasoned and properly issued ijtihad .

Allah‒Sublime be He‒ said:
They ask you for a legal verdict. Say: "Allâh directs (thus) about Al-Kalâlah (those who leave neither descendants nor ascendants as heirs). [Al-Nisa’: 176]

Therefore, the muftiissues fatwas on behalf of Allah to inform people about Allah’s rulings.

Whenever he was asked (for a fatwa), Ibn Umar –May Allah be pleased with him and his father– would say: "They want to make us a bridge on which they cross over to Hell."

Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Laila said: “I have known one hundred and twenty of the Ansar from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– and none of them would hardly say anything (pertaining to fatwa), wishing for his (fellow Muslim) brother to issue a fatwa instead of him.” [Narrated by Al-Darami in his “Sunan” (Book of hadith)]

In a Hadith, we read: “The most sinful person among the Muslims is the one who asks about something (which is not prohibited), but ismade prohibited because of his asking.” This includes the person asking the question and the one answering it.

If that is so –O servants of Allah– the mufti must be forbearing and patient enough to overlook harsh words andaversionaswellas the stupidity of the foolish and the ignorance of the laity.

Instead of rushing into issuing his fatwa, it is advisable for the mufti to observe restraint and caution in this regard, and to understand the question and deal with it thoughtfully and insight fully. He must be clear, thorough and convincing in his answers. The mufti must also be kind to the person asking for fatwa; he must observe patience while trying to understand his/her questions and explain the answers.

The mufti must try to make things easy and accessible to people, taking into account their conditions, circumstances and customs, and ridding them off their hardships. He has to bear in mind, however, that making things easy does not mean overlooking Allah’s obligations, and disregarding legal commitments in order to cater for people’s whims and desires.

While the fatwa changes with time, place, conditions and customs, as scholars say, it should not be subject to people’s whims and desires; rather, it must conform to the legal provisions, proper pretexts and real interests.

It is part of the mufti’s moral obligation not to issue afatwa in the event he feels distracted on account of illness, excessive anger, sleepiness, or anything that would jeopardize moderation, rationality and reflection.

Think about what scholars have said: “Those who are keen on issuing a fatwa, competing and persevering in it are unlikely to achieve success and most likely to experience confusion and perplexity. However, those who would rather not carry it out and do not have an alternative, and so refer the matter to someone else are most likely to be granted much assistance by Almighty Allah and success in their fatwas.

Therefore, do observe taqwa –May Allah have mercy on you– and let both the mufti and the fatwa-seeker observe taqwa of Allah! Let them apply the rulings of sharia properly, and hold themselves accountable before Allah so they may fulfil their obligations towards Him ‒Glory be to Him‒ and achieve deliverance and salvation on the Day we are brought to account before Him: the Day He carries out His promise of reward and punishment.

This being said, I advise you to send your Salatand Peace upon the Mercy and Blessing Allah bestowed on you, your Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, as Your Lord commanded you to do in His masterful Book, where He so truthfully and graciously said:

Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), and also His angels (ask Allâh to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salât[1] on (ask Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic way of greeting (salutation i.e. As-Salâmu ‘Alaikum. [Al-Ahzab: 56]

O Allah! Send Your Salat, Peace and Blessing upon Your Servant and Messenger, our Prophet, Muhammad, the beloved and the Chosen One,upon his virtuous and immaculate Family and upon his Wives, the Mothers of the Believers! O Allah! We seek Your satisfaction with the four Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman, and Ali, the Prophet’s Companions, the tabi’in, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement! O Allah! We seek Your satisfaction with us as well, as You are Most Forgiving, Most Generous, and Most Beneficent!

O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims, and fail shirk (polytheism) and mushrikeen (polytheists)! O Allah! Let down tyrants and infidels and all other enemies of Islam!

O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands, and set right our Imams and leaders! O Allah! Entrust our government to those who fear You and seek Your satisfaction, O Lord of the Worlds!

O Allah! Grant our Imam and Leader a success of Your own! Honour him with Your obedience and make Your Word the uppermost through him! Make him an asset to Islam and Muslims! Guide him, his Crown Prince, his brothers and his aides to do what You love and please, and guide them to righteousness and piety!

O Allah! Help the Muslim leaders to abide by Your Book and follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet, Muhammad! Make them a blessing to Your faithful servants, and unite them on the grounds of truth, righteousness, and the Sunnah, O Lord of the Worlds!

O Allah! Set right the conditions of Muslims! O Allah! Set right the conditions of Muslims everywhere! O Allah! Spare their blood and unite their word around truth, right guidance and the Sunnah of the Prophet! O Allah! Entrust their leadership to the best among them, protect them against the evil of wrong doers, spread security, justice and prosperity in their homelands, and protect them against all kinds of evils and seditions both apparent and concealed!

O Allah! Grant victory to our soldiers who are stationed on the borders, grant them success, support and strong resolve! O Allah! Grant them steadfastness, valour, and victory against those oppressing them! O Allah! Grant them a support and a victory of Your own! O Allah! Bless the souls of their martyrs, bring recovery to their injured and protect them for their families and children, O You, the All-Hearing of Supplication!

O Allah! We have fellow Muslims who are defenceless,oppressed, and gravely afflicted by misery and distress in Palestine, Burma, Central Africa, Libya, Iraq, Yemen, and Syria!O Allah, the Supporter of the defenceless, the Protector of believers, grant them victory, take charge of their affairs, lift their affliction and misery, grant them speedy relief, draw them closer at heart, and unite their word!

O Allah! Defeat the tyrants and oppressors and those who sympathise and side with them! O Allah! Disperse their gathering, scatter their masses, and tear them apart! O Allah! Make their plotting to their own detriment!

O Allah! Destroy the Zionists among the Jews! O Allah! Destroy the usurpers and occupiers among the Jews for You are certainly able to do so! O Allah! Inflict Your wrath which is so inevitably destined to strike the people who are Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists or sinners)! O Allah! We pray You to drive them off to their own detriment and seek refuge with You from their evils!

O Allah! Forgive our sins, cover our flaws, lift our afflictions, cure the sick among us and bless the souls of our dead!

O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity but You! You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity but You! You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! O Allah! You are Allah, and there is no deity but You! You are the Self-Sufficient while we (humans) are destitute! Do send down rain on us and save us from despair! O Allah! Send rain down on us and save us from despair! O Allah! Send rain down on us! O Allah! Send rain down on us! O Allah! Send rain down on us in abundance and make what You send on us a support for us in worshipping You, and a solemn proclamation from You until a predestined time! O Allah! Bestow upon us expedient rain, a blissful, flowing, and widespread rain, one that would rejuvenate the land, quench people’s thirst and reach the rural and the urban lands!

O Allah! We are creatures of Yours, we can never afford doing without Your rain, so do not deprive us of Your Grace because of our sins!

In Allah we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doing) (i.e. do not make them overpower us). [Yunus: 85]

Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers. [Al-A'raf: 23]

… Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire! [Al-Baqarah: 201]

Glorified be Our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what they attribute unto You! May peace be upon all the Messengers! And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!

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