Question:
Is it permissible to recite the Quran to ask Allah SWT for the victory of Muslims in Aqsa?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Before we discuss any further regarding this issue, we would like to mention that we have discussed the ruling of visiting al-Aqsa Mosque in Bayan Linnas Series 15 [1].
First, we would like to state the significance of Masjid al-Aqsa as recorded in the Quran and hadith:
- The first qibla for Muslims before the Kaaba.
- The place where Isra’ and Mi’raj takes place.
- A prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque is rewarded 500 times more than a prayer in any other place except in the Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Nabawi.
Today, Masjid al-Aqsa is under the power of Zionist regime; a very unfortunate event in the history of mankind, for Masjid al-Aqsa truly belongs to Muslims.
Turning our attention back to the above question, which is the ruling of reciting the Quran with the intention to ask Allah SWT to grant Muslims victory over Majid al-Aqsa, regarding this issue, in our opinion it is a form of permissible tawasul.
Tawasul literally means getting closer. This term is usually used to describe an intermediary or reason to get closer to Allah SWT. Another opinion states that tawasul is getting closer to Allah SWT by asking other pious person (alive) to supplicate for you, or supplication with the attributes of Allah SWT, worship and good deeds. It is agreed that the three forms of tawasul mentioned is permissible according to syarak. (Al-Mausu’ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah. Wizarah al-Awqaf wa al-Syu’un al-Islamiyyah al-Kuwait, 14/149-150)
Referring back to the issue we are discussing, there are two types of permissible tawasul:
- First: Tawasul with good deeds and worship someone has performed. This is in accordance with the words of the Prophet PBUH, from Ibn Umar R.Anhuma, narrated by al-Imam al-Bukhari [2] Rahimahullah in his book, detailing the three men trapped in a cave and after each of the man did tawasul with their good deeds, finally Allah SWT saved them.
In the hadith, it is told how the first man did tawasul with his good deed of obeying his parents. The second man did tawasul with his good deed of how he avoided fornication because of his fear of the punishment of Allah SWT. While for the third man, he did tawasul with his good deed of being an honest trustee giving back the rights of a man. After all of them did tawasul with their good deed, then the huge rock that was trapping them in the cave slowly moved and the three men are finally free.
This shows the effectiveness of tawasul with good deeds, which means we can use good deeds as an intermediary in our supplication in hopes that Allah SWT would grant it quickly. In this context, our good deeds would be reciting the Quran and this would be the intermediary for our prayer.
Hence, the act of reciting Quran here and our supplication, with the intermediary of our good deed in hopes that Allah SWT would grant victory of Muslims over Masjid al-Aqsa. May Allah SWT grant our supplication, InsyaAllah.
- Second: The verses of the Quran itself is the words of Allah SWT (kalamullah) and it is permissible to use Allah SWT’s names or attributes in the Quran in our supplication. Thus, it is permissible to use Al-Quran itself as a form of prayer, for the Quran is a miracle from Allah SWT. This is in accordance with the statement of Allah SWT:
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ فَٱدۡعُوهُ بِهَاۖ
“And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.”
Surah al-A’raaf (180)
Thus, these types of acts do not contradict syarak for it follows the conditions of permissible tawasul. Wallahua’lam.
We agree with the opinion of Fadhilah al-Syeikh Dr Solah Abd al-Fattah al-Khalidi Hafizullah, when he was asked regarding the permissibility of reciting the Quran, praying that Allah SWT would give us victory over Masjid al-Aqsa, he answered:
“Reciting the Quran is an act of worship towards Allah SWT. Thus, it is not a prohibition for them to recite the Quran with the hopes of Allah SWT granting victory for Muslims over Masjid al-Aqsa. It is an effort to get closer to Allah SWT through the Quran’s recitation. Next, the issue of tawasul hoping for the victory for Muslims over Masjid al-Aqsa, as we all know it is permissible to do tawasul with one’s good deeds. Hence, the recitation is a form of tawasul in hopes that Allah SWT grant victory for us Muslims over Masjid al-Aqsa.”
May this explanation give us understanding, concern, love and care towards Masjid al-Aqsa. We pray that one day, Masjid al-Aqsa will be free from Zionist’s hold and we can pray in there peacefully. Ameen.
End Note:
[1] http://muftiwp.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=223
[2] It is a lengthy hadith and we only include the relevant points for this discussion. This hadith is narrated by al-Imam al-Bukhari in his book al-Riqaq, Chapter Qissatu Ashab al-Ghar wa al-Tawassul bi Solih al-A’mal, Hadis no: 2743.