by Asma bint Shameem
QUESTION
Is it allowed for me to offer a sacrifice on behalf of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam on Eid al-Adhaa?
ANSWER
đșIt is NOT proven from the Qurâaan and/or authentic Sunnah to offer a sacrifice especially for the PROPHET sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
That is something thatâs NOT PROVEN from the actions or instructions of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam NEVER taught us to do that although he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam taught us EVERYTHING we need as far as doing good deeds is concerned.
Also the Sahaabah NEVER sacrificed a qurbaani on behalf of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
If it was good to do that, they would have definitely done that.
But they didn't.
So if they didnât do it then we shouldnât be doing it either.
đ The scholars said:
âIt is not prescribed to offer or give the udhiyah (qurbaani) on behalf of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam, because that was not narrated from any of the Sahaabah, despite their perfect love for him and their perfect eagerness to do good, and the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did not instruct his ummah to do that.
If it were something good, he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam would have directed them to do it.â (Islamqa Fatwa # 128016)
BUT, isnât there a hadeeth that states that Ali radhi Allaahu anhu sacrificed two rams for the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam?
Yes, there is a hadeeth that states that Ali radhi Allaahu anhu sacrificed two rams but that hadeeth is NOT authentic.
Rather, the scholars have graded it as âDaâeefâ or WEAK.
đ Shaikh al-Albaani said:
âIts isnaad is daâeef because of the poor memory of Shareek â who is ibn âAbdullah al-Qaadi.
Hanash is ibn al-Muâtamir as-Sanâaani, who was classed as daâeef by the majority of scholars.
And Abuâl-Hasnaâ is majhool (unknown).â
(Daâeef Abi Dawood)
đ Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:
âTherefore, since this is an act of worship, one should avoid inventing any special things concerning it such as making yearly sacrifices on behalf of the Noble Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam being if this was legislated, then those who loved him greatly from his companions would have preceded us in doing so.
And carrying in mind that the above narration, even if it was authentic, it wouldnât be a proof to justify this act since it comes in some of the wordings of the hadeeth:
âŰŁÙ۔ۧÙÙ
meaning
âI was specifically bequested by the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam to make a sacrifice on his behalfâ.
Also remember that Ali bin Abi Taalib had close family ties to the Noble Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam which clearly indicates we canât make the same comparison for ourselves.â
đșIn fact itâs not allowed to do âANYâ act of ibaadah on behalf of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
And if someone does any action thatâs not proven from the authentic practice or teachings of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam then it will not be accepted.
đ The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
"Whoever performs an ACTION not in accordance with our affair, then it is REJECTED."
( Muslim)
đ Someone asked al-Haafiz ibn Hajar about reading some Qurâaan on behalf of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam and âdonatingâ it to the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
He said:
âThis is something that has been invented by later generations.
I do not know of any precedent for that.â
(Mawaahib al-Jaleel, 2/544, 454)
đșBesides, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam does NOT NEED our good deeds.
Rather, it is âWEâ who are in need of them.
Hasnât Allaah Subhaanahu wa Taâaala forgiven all his past and future sins?!
đșAnother thing to think about...
Whatever good we do, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam automatically gets the reward of it too, any way.
đ That's because he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
âWhoever sets a good example in Islaam which is followed after he is gone, will have a reward like those who acted upon it, without it detracting from their reward in the slightest.â (Muslim)
So he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam gets the reward of EVERY SINGLE GOOD DEED we do ANYWAY, because heâs the one who taught us all that we know about our Deen.
đ Shaykh âAbd al-Muhsin al-âAbbaad said:
âWith regard to the hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood from âAli radhi Allaahu anhu, according to which he used to offer an udhiyah of two rams and say that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam had left instructions for him to do that, this is NOT PROVEN from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam because its isnaad includes a narrator who is majhool (unknown) and another who was criticised (by the hadeeth scholars) although he is not unknown.
Anyone who wants to do something to increase the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam then he should strive to do righteous deeds for himself, for Allaah Subhaanahu wa Taâaala will give His Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam
a reward like that which He will give him, for the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam is the one who showed people the way to do good, and âWhoever guides to goodness will have a reward like that of the one who does it.â
(Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood)
đș Conclusion
Earning rewards can NOT be achieved by inventing ânewâ ways of worship.
Rather rewards are ONLY earned by following the ways and teachings of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
And Allaah knows best
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