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:

First of all, i want to thank for your efforts. There is a relative of mine, they do something called asaar. They tell that they have some items of prophet (peace be upon him) such as beard`s hair, blanket`s small part etc. They keep these things for the public view in masjid, and they have aam dawat, that is they give food for whoever comes to masjid.

Now i want to know what is the authenticity of this in the light of quran and sunnah. I understand that this is bidaa, please validate. Also if they have the above said things with them, what is the best thing to do with that ? This all information i require is for increasing my knowledge in islam and make a stronger imaan.

(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:

Commemorate prophet(saws) hair blanket etc

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.

There is a record in history that some of the companions of the Prophet (saws) would preserve some of the hair which the Prophet (saws) cut or shaved from his head or face…..but there is absolutely no evidence that they made a display of the preserved hair or the garments of the Prophet (saws) or started a commemoration rite whereby the preserved hair was displayed and food was served to the visitors, etc.

Without an iota of a doubt, such commemorations or rites and rituals are not from amongst the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) or his noble companions…..and whatever act is endorsed neither by Allah, nor by His Messenger (saws), nor by the Rightly Guided Khalifahs is indeed a manifest ‘bida’ or innovation in the pure and perfect deen of Islam; and every innovation in the deen of Islam is an error.

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 innovations (bida), and every innovation (bida) is an error.”

If someone is fortunate enough to indeed have the Prophet’s hair or a part of his garments or his blanket, etc….there is absolutely no harm if one preserves it….but to invent a ritual to commemorate this collection would surely be against the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) and his noble companions.

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