Innovation: Pendants That Bare the Name of Allah

 

Bism’Allah Alr-Rahman Ilr-Raheem (In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful)

 

As unfortunate as it is the Muslim umma suffers from committing a lot of Bid’a/innovation. Among these many innovations, is the common trend of seeing youth wearing a chain around their necks baring the name of Allah. This article is not about the Islamic view on wearing chains or jewelry, for the rulings on this subject are based on several opinions, schools of thought and hadeeth. With that being said wearing the name of Allah is not Islamic, but it’s innovation. It doesn’t matter weather you wear it on a chain, on a ring or as a tattoo. The basic idea when it comes to applying religious aspects of any kind in your life is, if it’s not in the Qur’an or if the prophet (PBUH) was not reported doing it, then it’s innovation. There are no hadith where at the time of the prophet (PBUH), his companions or any other believers were making and wearing jewelry with the name of Allah on them.

 

Many of you at this point are probably wondering, “BUT WAIT! Didn’t the prophet (PBUH) used to wear a ring that bared the name of Allah on his hand?”

 

To answer this question, we must examine the following hadith:

 

It is related from Hazrat Abdullah bin Ja'far radiyallahu anhu from another source (another chain of narrators) that the Prophet of Allah sallallahu alaihe wasallam wore a ring on the right hand.

 

'Ali bin Abi Taalib Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam wore his ring in the right hand".

 

So as we can see here, yes the prophet (PBUH) did wear a ring on his hand, but the part about him having the name of Allah on it is elaborated in these hadith:

 

Hazrat Ibn Umar radiyallahu anhu reports, "The Prophet of Allah sallallahu alaihe wasallam had a ring made of silver. The top portion remained towards the inside. On it was engraved 'Muhammad the Rasoolullah'. The people were prohibited from making this inscription on their rings. This is the same ring which fell from the hands of Hazrat Mu'ayqib radiyallahu anhu into the well of Arees during the reign of Hazrat Uthman radiyallahu anhu."

 

Book 29, Number 4202:

Narrated Anas b. Malik:

The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) wanted to write to some Persian rulers. He was told that they would not read a letter without a seal in the form of a silver ring on which he engraved "Muhammad the Apostle of Allah."

 

As it is clearly reported in these Hadiths, the prophet (PBUH) in fact wore a ring that bared the name of Allah on it. However, it is clearly shown that the name of Allah alone was not on that ring but the title of our prophet "Muhammad the Apostle of Allah."

Our prophet was a man who was unable able to read, write, or sign his signature in that matter. As a result, he had his secretary do all his writing for him and he used his ring with his title engraved on it as a stamp each time he sent out a letter in his name.

With this being said, it is understandable why the name of Allah would be included on Muhammad’s (PBUH) ring, because it was in his title to be Allah’s Apostle/Messenger.

Clearly, no one else has ever had the title “Rasul’Allah” (Prophet of God) given to them after Muhammad’s (PBUH) time, so there is no way possible that anyone could lawfully wear a ring or any piece of jewelry with that title on it.

 

So the question to ask ourselves here is what makes it lawful for us as Muslims to wear the name of Allah?

 

Our title is not Allah and our prophet wore what he wore, because it was his title and there were reasons for it. What’s the reason for a believer to bare the name of Allah on jewelry or anything?

 

In truth, to wear the name of Allah in any way is an innovation and in no way does it improve a believer’s sense of faith. Innovation is something unacceptable in Islam (unlike in Christianity), and the following hadith are further proof of this:

 

Narrated by Aisha Ummul Mu'minin (Transmitted by Sahih Bukhari)

Allah's Apostle (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said, "If somebody innovates something which is NOT in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected." (means not accepted and will be unbeneficial). [Vol 3:#861]

 

Narrated by Bilal ibn Harith al-Muzani (Transmitted by Tirmidhi. [Mishkat])

Allah's Messenger (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said: "He who revived a Sunnah out of my Sunan, which has died after me, for him is the reward like the reward of those who acted upon it, without any decrease in that reward. He who introduced some evil innovation which Allah and His Messenger did not approve has (a burden of sin upon him) like the sins of one who acted according to it, without their sins being mitigated thereby in the least." [168]

 

Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah (Transmitted by Sahih Muslim)

Allah's Messenger (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam) said:"The best speech is that embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. The most evil affairs are their (the misguided “Muslims”) innovations; and every innovation is an error." [Book 4 No.1885]

 

So I urge you brothers and sister in Islam reading this article, if you wear jewelry with the name of Allah on it, remove this jewelry that you wear, and if you must, get a piece of jewelry made with your name on it. It’s a simple task to not wear the name of whom many of us are not worthy of mentioning.

 

Also, an Iranian sister expresses her disapproval of the use of the name of Allah in the many ways several Muslims youths use it in this article here: http://www.iranian.com/Features/2002/March/LA/index.html

 

May God (Allah, subhana’hu wa ta’ala) guide us and bring us all to salvation.

 

Ameen.