Class 6 – Sins Taken Lightly In Homes

Class 6

Sins Taken Lightly In Homes

Keeping Pictures or Statues

The Prophet  ﷺ  strongly forbade hanging pictures, and he commanded his great Companion ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, “Do not leave any picture without blotting it out and do not leave any built-up grave without levelling it.” (Narrated by Muslim). Hanging up pictures of animate beings deprives the people of that house of a great blessing, which is the entrance of angels into that house. It was reported from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (R.A.) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The angels do not enter a house in which there are statues or pictures.” (Narrated by Imaam Ahmad; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1961).

In many houses there are even statues, some of which represent the gods of the kuffar, which are kept for decoration; these are more haraam than other kinds, just as pictures which are hung up are worse than pictures which are not hung up.

We should not say that the pictures are kept for memories, for true memories of dear fellow-Muslims lie in the heart, and one remembers them by praying for forgiveness and mercy for them. One should remove all these pictures, or blot them out as much as possible. It is permissible to keep some necessary pictures, such as those on identity cards and licences, or pictures which are walked on (such as pictures in carpets). “So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can . . .” [al-Taghaabun 64:16]

Keeping Dogs

It is not permitted to keep a dog except within narrowly-defined limits, as the Prophet ﷺ explained: “Whoever keeps a dog, his good deeds will decrease every day by one qeeraat (a unit of measurement), unless it is a dog for farming or herding.” According to another report: “. . . unless it is a dog for herding sheep, farming or hunting.” (al-Bukhaari)

Dogs are extremely naajis (impure, unclean). The Prophet ﷺ said: “If a dog drinks from the vessel of any one of you, let him wash it seven times” (Muslim). According to another report: “. . . and clean it the eighth time with earth.” (Saheeh Muslim).

It is forbidden in Islaam to sell a dog and to receive payment for it, as is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari from Abu Mas’oud al-Ansaari: the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ forbade (accepting) the price of a dog. (al-Fath, no. 2237)

The Prophet ﷺ told us not to resemble dogs by placing our forearms on the ground during sujood (prostration), as in reported in the hadeeth narrated by Anas ibn Maalik, according to which the Prophet ﷺ said: “Do sujood properly; none of you should spread his forearms like a dog does.” (Bukhaari).

Whoever keeps a dog in his house is denied the blessing of the angels’ presence in his house, as the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog.” (Bukhaari).
Keeping dogs is an imitation of the kuffaar. Some Muslims make excuses by claiming that they need to keep a dog at home for purposes of protection, but there are so many more sophisticated and safer options from technology for security purposes so that cannot be taken as a valid reason and hence there is no need to keep a dog.

Will take this opportunity to point at the fact that how on earth can Muslims put up their pictures with Dog Filters on their faces? Firstly they shouldn’t be posting pictures on top of that using a dog filter on your face? May Allah save us!

Not cleaning oneself properly after passing water

One of the beauties of Islam is that it teaches everything that will improve and reform mankind, including how to remove impurities by cleaning oneself properly after urinating or defecating. But some people are very careless about this matter, and allow their clothes and bodies to become contaminated, thus causing their prayers to be invalidated. The Prophet ﷺ told us that this is one of the causes for the punishment in the grave. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The Prophet ﷺ passed by one of the gardens of Madeenah, and heard the sound of two men being punished in their graves. The Prophet ﷺ said: “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for any major sin. One of them used not to clean himself properly after urinating, and the other used to spread malicious gossip.” (al-Bukhaari). Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ also said that “most of the punishment of the grave will be because of urine.” (Imaam Ahmad).

Not cleaning oneself properly after urinating also includes undue haste in completing the action, or deliberately urinating in a position or place where the urine can come back on oneself, or failing to clean oneself afterwards, or not cleaning oneself properly. Modern rest rooms for men contain wall-mounted urinals which are open to view, so a person who uses them is urinating in full view of anyone who comes and goes with no shame, in the midst of impurity. Thus he combines two abhorrent and forbidden acts in one deed: not hiding his private parts from the view of others, and nor cleaning himself properly after urinating.

Sins Taken Lightly For Entertainment

TV & Music

Ibn Mas’ood (R.A.) used to swear by Allaah that the aayah “And of mankind is he who purchases idle talk to mislead (men) from the Path of Allaah . . .” [Luqmaan 31:6] referred to singing.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Among my ummah will be those who make permissible al-hira(adultry or zinah), silk, khamr and musical instruments . . .” (Bukhaari). Also the Prophet ﷺ said: “In this ummah there will be punishments of earthquakes, showers of stones and deformity (transformation into animals); that will be when the people drink khamr, listen to female singers and play musical instruments.” (Tirmidhi).

The issue of watching TV (films or any tele-series) is not free from numerous reservations from a shar’i point of view, such as uncovering ‘awraat, listening to music, spreading corrupt beliefs and calling for imitation of the kuffaar.

The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “Every son of Adam has his share of zinaa decreed for him, and he will undoubtedly get his share. The eye commits zinaa and its zinaa is looking. The tongue commits zinaa and its zinaa is speaking; the feet commit zinaa and their zinaa is walking; the hands commit zinaa and their zinaa is touching. The heart longs and desires for something and the private parts confirm that or deny it.” (Bukhari)

He began by mentioning the eye because this is how the zinaa of the hand, foot, heart and private parts begins. This hadeeth gives the clearest indication that the eye can sin by looking and that this is its zinaa. This is a refutation to those who say that looking is allowed in all circumstances.

Playing with dice

A common thing especially amongst the people of the subcontinent and the Middle east. And people fail to realise that many popular games involve elements that are haraam; among them are games in which pieces are moved according to the throw of a dice, such as backgammon, etc.

The Prophet ﷺ  warned that these dice open the door to gambling: “Whoever plays with dice, it is as if he dipped his finger in the flesh and blood of swine.” (Muslim).

Also the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever plays with dice has disobeyed Allaah and His Messenger.” (Imaam Ahmad, 4/394; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6505).

Lying to make people Laugh

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Woe to the one who tells lies to make people laugh, woe to him.” (Abu Dawood). 

Also he ﷺ said, warning against this kind of behaviour which some jokers are accustomed to: “A man may say something to make his companions laugh, and he will fall into Hell as far as the Pleiades because of it.” (Ahmad). 

Mocking people by winking behind their backs or making snide remarks 

Some weak people, those who like to make fun of others and wink behind their backs or make snide remarks, may find a person to be an object of fun for them and the butt of their jokes – Allaah forbid. Allaah has forbidden such behaviour in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one’s brother after having Faith”  (al-Hujuraat 49:11)

Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer: “What is meant here is looking down on them, belittling them or making fun of them. This is haraam and is counted as one of the characteristics of the hypocrites.” 

Some people make fun of a person’s appearance, manner of walking or vehicle. But there is the fear that Allaah may requite the one who makes fun of others because of that. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not express malicious joy towards your brother’s misfortune, for Allaah may have mercy on him and you may be stricken by the thing you made fun of.” (al-Tirmidhi). 

The Prophet ﷺ warned against mocking people and hurting their feelings, because that is the path that leads to hatred and grudges. He ﷺ said: “The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, he does not wrong him, let him down or look down upon him. Taqwa (piety, awareness and fear of Allaah) is here” – and he pointed to his chest three times – “It is sufficient evil for a man to look down upon his Muslim brother. Every Muslim is sacred to another Muslim, his blood, his property and his honour.” (Narrated by Muslim) 

There are many other things that are done for entertainment that are not allowed and can be listed as Prohibitions Taken Lightly, like playing video games that are filled with magic and shirk, or like spending most of the time in malls and markets–  “the most despised places on Earth to Allah are its markets”  posting images online, chatting, mixed gatherings, extravagant parties, etc.

May Allah give us the Hidayah to get our hearts attached to things that are allowed and stay away from the Haram things.