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:

Please help me with this issue.

My daughter is married and unfortunately her in-laws and her husband practice the taweedh and they have given a taweedh to my daughter to wear it around her neck and stomach, which is very bad.

I spoke to my son-in-law and told him that this is sin and I forwarded the copy of the numerous e-mails that you have sent regarding this issue, but just because his mother gave it, he has told my daughter to continue wearing it, which I hate.

I cannot sleep nor can I tell my son-in-law sternly because relationships will spoil.

Please suggest to me any course of action to be taken in this regard.  Please note that I have forwarded all the e-mails forbidding wearing taweedh.

Please keep this CONFIDENTIAL

Thanks

(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:

The wearing of taaweedh

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.

Uqbah ibn 'Amir narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "If anyone wears an amulet (taaweedh), may Allah not help him in fulfilling his wish. If anyone wears a sea-shell around his neck, may Allah give him no peace."

Narrated by Ahmad and Al-Hakim.

It is reported from Ibn Mas'ud that once, when he entered his home, he noticed his wife wearing a knotted object round her neck. He took it away and broke it. Then he remarked: 'The family of Abdullah has become so arrogant that they now associate with Allah those for whom He has sent down no authority.' I have heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) saying: 'Verily, incantations, amulets, and love charms are acts of shirk (associating gods with Allah).' The people said: 'O Abu Abdullah! We are familiar with incantations and amulets, but what is a love charm (altawlah)'?' He replied: 'It is a sort of magical formula by which women sought to gain their husbands' love'." (Related by Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban).

Imran ibn Hasin reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) saw a man wearing a bracelet of copper on his arm. The Prophet (saws) exclaimed to him: 'Woe be to you!' What is this? ' The man replied: 'I am suffering from weakness (al-wahinah).' (Al-wahinah is a disease that causes pain in the shoulders and hands. The man was wearing a copper bracelet believing it would relieve his pain and suffering). The Prophet (saws) prohibited him from wearing it because he regarded it as an amulet. The Prophet (saws) said: 'It will give you nothing but pain. Throw it away. Had you died while wearing it, you would never have achieved salvation! (ie. you would have died in the state of the unforgivable sin of ‘shirk’'" (Narrated by Ahmad)

The wearing of a ‘taaweedh’ or an amulet is a manifest act of the unforgivable crime of ‘shirk’!!! Regardless of who amongst creation has given or wishes one to wear a ‘taaweedh’, one is not to obey this absolutely unlawful command of theirs.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3696 Narrated by An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "A creature is not to be obeyed when it involves disobedience to the Creator."

Your Question: …..I cannot sleep nor can I tell my son-in-law sternly because relationships will spoil.

Respected sister, if you and/or your daughter use caution, wisdom, and patience, and humbly and politely (but with firmness) explain the exact reasons why you are unable to obey his unlawful command, it is expected that not only will he relent if he sincerely fears Allah, but Insha Allah will abstain from expecting your daughter to follow any act or deed which is declared as unlawful.

You and your daughter have a choice to obey and thus please the husband and earn the Displeasure and the Wrath of Allah Subhanah; or politely but firmly refuse to obey this unlawful command of the husband and earn the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah. Thus in effect sister, if you sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day, you have only one choice.

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