Opening ceremony Rasms for new premises?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

For everything that we do in the name of Islam, we must turn to our teacher and guide, the Messenger of Allah (saws), and see what did he do on a similar occasion.  That is because Allah has commanded us in the Holy Quran to follow his example and obey him in everything he (saws) taught us.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21: There is indeed the best model for you to follow, in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32: Prophet, tell the people, “If you sincerely love Allah, follow me.  Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful.”  Also say to them, “Obey Allah and His Messenger.”  And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.

It is evident from the many authentic narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws), that he supplicated and remembered Allah and His Bounties and Blessings upon him on every occasion.  So much so, that even if he (saws) wore a new shirt, he would say ‘Bismillah’ and then thank Allah.   If he (saws) drank a mouthful of water, he would start with ‘Bismillah’ and then thank Allah.  If he (saws) had a morsel of food, he would start with ‘Bismillah’ and then thank Allah.   Whatever the Messenger of Allah did, he started it in the name of Allah by saying ‘Bismillah ar Rahmaan ar Raheem’.  There is absolutely no evidence of him praying Surah Ya-seen, or any other particular surah at the opening of a new house, a new mosque, or anything else for that matter.   And Allah forbid, he (saws) definitely did not commit any ‘nazrul maqaam’ or any such thing, nor did he ever in his whole life check the position of the stars to manage his affairs!!

The Messenger of Allah (saws) started every good thing in the name of Allah, and put his complete trust and ‘tawakkal’ in Allah Alone.  And if we indeed claim to follow the Messenger of Allah (saws), we should do absolutely the same.

The reading of Surah Ya-Seen or any particular Surah on a particular occasion and a particular day was not a practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws). Thus if one does so today, he will be guilty of practicing a bidah or innovation in the deen.  The Holy Quran was revealed as a guidance to mankind and not to grace any particular occasion.  The Quran is supposed to be read, understood and followed on a daily basis and not something which graces the opening of an occasion, after which, it is then wrapped in silk and kept securely in an elevated place!  The Messenger of Allah (saws) never recited Surah Ya-Seen when he went to any new house, or inaugurated a new mosque … thus we should follow his example and avoid any innovation in Islam.

‘Nazr’ literally means a promise or condition, and ‘nazr’ can only be done for Allah.  If a ‘nazr’ is taken for anything or anybody else other than Allah, it will be an act of ‘shirk’.   ‘Maqaam’ literally means a place or station.   The Messenger of Allah (saws) did not lay any such system or burden of ‘nazrul maqaam’ on the muslims.   This is a system found only amongst the Dawoodi Bohra sect, and is clearly a scam to collect more money from its followers!   If any muslim believes that allocating this amount of money to some name other than Allah can save him from any trouble or calamity, he will be guilty of committing the abominable sin of ‘shirk’.  If Allah wills to protect the house or business or life, the whole world can get together, but no harm can come to it.  And if Allah wills to destroy the house or business or life for a test, the whole world can get together and pledge as many ‘nazrul maqaam’ or whatever else they may like, that thing will meet with its destiny ordained by Allah.   

This concept and practice of ‘nazrul maqaam’ is nothing but an act of ‘shirk’, whereby one stays in the misconception that this ‘nazrul maqaam’ is his protection, rather than putting his trust and ‘tawakkal’ in Allah Alone.  There is absolutely no power and no strength, except Allah Alone.  And if one believes that anything other than Allah can benefit or protect him, then he is involved in ‘shirk’.

The practice of sorting and checking with the location and position of the stars is a pagan ritual and belief, and the Messenger of Allah (saws) had repeatedly cursed the people who practiced this falsehood of trying to read the future with the help of the location of the stars or anything else for that matter. The past, present and future of everything in this Universe is in the absolute control of Allah Subhanah Alone!  The only being who knows what will happen in the future is Allah Alone! 

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said in an authentic narration, “Anybody who can tell you what will happen to you tomorrow, is a liar!”.

Nobody has any knowledge of the unseen, except Allah Alone.  No star, no position of any heavenly body, no palmist, no astronomer, no soothsayer, no pundit, no mullah, no Imam no Dai, no bhaisaheb, no aamil, nobody…. Absolutely nobody has any knowledge of the future, except Allah Subhanah Alone!  And if anybody who tells you that this position of the star is better, or this time is more suitable, is nothing but a confirmed liar and a conman ….who is doing nothing but cheating you of your hard-earned money!!! 

The only correct way is to follow the guidance and teaching of the Messenger of Allah (saws).  And whenever he (saws) inaugurated a new mosque, a new house, a new vehicle, a new garment, or anything else … he would say ‘Bismillah ar Rahmaan ar Raheem’ (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful) and supplicate Allah to help him and bless the new house, or mosque, etc.   This was his practice and this is the Sunnah that we must follow.   

And Allah Alone Knows Best, and He is the Only Source of Strength.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan