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:

Asslam-o-Aleikum,

Can we have any food /edible things which undergone "Niyaz" or "Nazr" processing,by reciting Darood Sharif,Qul,and Surah Fatiha,whatever is done by some of other Firqa in Islam ?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Eat niaz food

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

First and foremost, the gathering, and rites, and the presentation of food at the ceremonies and commemorations of events like ‘durood sharif’, ‘qul’, ‘fatihah’, etc. are not endorsed by Allah and His Messenger (saws)! There is absolutely no evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) endorsed, leave alone commemorated or celebrated such events….thus the doing or participating in all such self-invented events would constitute a ‘bida’ or an innovation in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Aisha narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘If somebody innovates something which is not present in our religion, then that thing will be rejected.’

Related by Bukhari.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1885 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon: “The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the ‘bida’ (innovations), and every innovation is an error.”

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4515 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

That the Prophet of Allah (saws) said: “If anyone introduces an innovation (in religion), he will be responsible for it. If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is cursed by Allah, by His Angels, and by all the people.”

Your Question: Can we have any food /edible things which undergone "Niyaz" or "Nazr" processing,by reciting Darood Sharif,Qul,and Surah Fatiha,whatever is done by some of other Firqa in Islam ?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 121:

121 Eat not of (foods) on which Allah's Name hath not been pronounced: that would be impiety. But the Shayateen ever inspire their friends to contend with you; if ye were to obey them ye would indeed be amongst the ‘mushriks’ (polytheists)!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 145:

145 (O Prophet (saws)) Say: "I find not in the Message received by me by inspiration any (food) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine for it is an abomination, or what is impious (food) on which a name has been invoked other than Allah's."

If one consumes the food which is presented and undergone the process of the self-invented and innovated rites of ‘bida’ like ‘durood sharif’, ‘qul’, ‘fatihah’, etc…..because the food itself has not been associated with a name other than the Blessed Name of Allah Subhanah, one cannot say with absolute conviction that such food is unlawful for the believers to consume; but without an iota of a doubt, those who organize and attend such self-invented ‘bida’ gatherings and/or consume the food which is inevitably presented at these unlawful gatherings would bear their share of the burden of sin for participating and facilitating the despised evil of ‘bida’.

But if Allah forbid, the event or the food presented is associated in the name of anyone or anything other than the Blessed Name of Allah Subhanah, be it in the name of one of the deceased pious slaves of Allah, or at the birth or death anniversaries of some tomb or shrine, or even in the name of the Noble Prophet (saws) himself, etc….then without an iota of a doubt, such food which is dedicated or presented in the name of anyone other than Allah Subhanah Alone would be absolutely unlawful for the believers to consume.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan