Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Mohtram brother, assalam alaikum,

I want to ask what is 'NIAZ'. Is there is any proof from Sunnah for it. In our house on Eid or to start any good deed, we used to cook or buy sweets and read Surah Fatiah, Qual and Durood shareef, and then assume that the sawab of this act will reach to huzoor SAW, and then distribute this sweet or food among relatives,  neighbours. Is it valid according to Snnaah or its a bidah? May allah s.w.t give you lots of strength and knowledge to help all muslim brothers/sisters, Ameen.

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Answer:

What is Niyaz?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever 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.

Our Merciful Lord, in His Sublime Mercy, revealed unto the Last Messenger (saws) His Book of Guidance to guide us on every aspect of our lives… to teach us from the Book and practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) what is virtue and what is sin.

Niyaaz or Nazr are deeds that one can do for the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah Alone! It is the Sole Right of Allah that these deeds are done in His Name and for His Pleasure Alone; and cannot be done in the name of any other being!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 76 Surah Dhahr verses 7-10:These (the People of Paradise) will be the people who fulfill their ‘nazrs’ (vows), and fear the Day whose evil shall be wide-spread; and who feed, out of love for Allah, the poor and the orphan and the captive (saying), “We are feeding you only for the sake of Allah. We neither seek any reward from you, nor thanks! We dread from our Lord the torment of the Day, which will be a long, dreary Day of Affliction!”

Thus whatever Niyaaz or Nazr one does, he must do so in the sole Name of Allah Subhanah and to gain His Pleasure Alone! The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself exhorted the believers to spend in the Cause of Allah and feed the poor and the needy… and it was never his practice to pray Surah Fateha, or the Qull, or Durood Shareef on the food that was to be distributed or consumed! Thus a believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, must do Niyaaz or Nazr in the name of Allah Alone, and to win His Pleasure and Good Will Alone.

As far as the ‘ajr’ or ‘sawaab’ reaching the Prophet (saws); brother, every good deed the believers do, Allah Subhanah automatically credits the account of the Prophet (saws) for the good deeds without diminishing the reward of the believers… because it was the Prophet (saws) who taught and guided the believers to do good deeds in accordance with the guidance and teachings of Allah Subhanah.

Thus, one must always follow the practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws), and avoid doing fancy rasms of praying Surah Fateha, or Qulls, or Durood Shareef on the food itself and then distributing it… for there is absolutely no evidence that the Messenger of Allah (saws) did or allowed the believers to do these ‘rasms’! Simply feed the poor and needy, and distribute the food amongst them in the name of Allah, with the intention of gaining the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah Alone.

Distributing food to the poor, needy, indigent, neighbors and relatives is not a ‘bidah’ in itself, but rather a good righteous deed if done in the right manner as taught by the Prophet (saws). But to make it a ‘rasm’ of gathering people, and reading a particular aayah or aayahs on it, and making a big ceremony out of the distribution is definitely a ‘bidah’, and should be avoided by the believers.

Simply take the name of Allah and distribute the food (preferably secretly) with the intention of gaining the Pleasure and Good Will of Allah Subhanah… that would be following the Sunnah!….and a deed worthy of appreciation in the Court of Allah on the Day of Judgement.

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 in Islam,

Burhan