I got a text message today and this was the content,

Send these 5names to 11Muslims, believe me ur biggest problem wil be solved inshaAllah;
Ya ALLAH
Ya KARIM
Ya AWWAL
Ya AKHIR
Ya ZAHIR
Pls dont delete it.Try it

I get texts like that once in a while and I don't know the Islamic stand on sending the text and expecting them to actually solve your problems.
Is it a sin and if it is, what type of sin is it?

^Its called stupidity not Shirk. Our people are like Children when it comes to things like these- both Muslims and non-Muslims. It is common sense now.

maclatunji: ^Its called stupidity not Shirk. Our people are like Children when it comes to things like these- both Muslims and non-Muslims. It is common sense now.

LMAO.
You should see some of the more ridiculous things these people do. Some will write a prayer in a small piece of paper then swallow it believing it will solve some problem for them. Anyway that is a topic for another day.
So maclatunji, are you saying that it is not a sin at all to engage in these things?

fellis: I got a text message today and this was the content,

Send these 5names to 11Muslims, believe me ur biggest problem wil be solved inshaAllah;
Ya ALLAH
Ya KARIM
Ya AWWAL
Ya AKHIR
Ya ZAHIR
Pls dont delete it.Try it

I get texts like that once in a while and I don't know the Islamic stand on sending the text and expecting them to actually solve your problems.
Is it a sin and if it is, what type of sin is it?

"Believe me ur biggest problem will be solved"
Who do we believe in,the sender or Allah?
If you re-send the message,it's believing in the sender.Also,the message is contradictory cos of the "InshaALLAH".'Believe me' and InshaAllah' can't go togerther as we can only believe in Allah,anything other than that is shirk.You can also reconstruct the sentence if you still want to send it.Allah knows best.

fellis:
LMAO.
You should see some of the more ridiculous things these people do. Some will write a prayer in a small piece of paper then swallow it believing it will solve some problem for them. Anyway that is a topic for another day.
So maclatunji, are you saying that it is not a sin at all to engage in these things?

You are mixing up some things here. Sending SMS with the hope of some miracle might be stupid but it is not necessarily shirk. An unfounded innovation yes. However, when people see the Qur'an as a charm or amulet it does enter the umbrella of shirk because the user believes that that item (whatever it is) can offer him some protection.

As for reciting the Qur'an into water for drinking or maybe bathing , I have seen evidence that supports that especially for healing purposes.

Allah knows best

Abd'Hafeez:

"Believe me ur biggest problem will be solved"
Who do we believe in,the sender or Allah?
If you re-send the message,it's believing in the sender.Also,the message is contradictory cos of the "InshaALLAH".'Believe me' and InshaAllah' can't go togerther as we can only believe in Allah,anything other than that is shirk.You can also reconstruct the sentence if you still want to send it.Allah knows best.

The bold makes sense. I get your point, thanks for the explanation.

maclatunji:

You are mixing up some things here. Sending SMS with the hope of some miracle might be stupid but it is not necessarily shirk. An unfounded innovation yes. However, when people see the Qur'an as a charm or amulet it does enter the umbrella of shirk because the user believes that that item (whatever it is) can offer him some protection.

Ok. You don't think it's shirk but it can be bidiah. I see.

maclatunji:

As for reciting the Qur'an into water for drinking or maybe bathing , I have seen evidence that supports that especially for healing purposes.

Allah knows best

I was talking about swallowing pieces of paper with prayers written on them, not about using water. . . . . .

fellis:



I was talking about swallowing pieces of paper with prayers written on them, not about using water. . . . . .

I find it stupid, I cannot be categorical and classify it as A or B BUT it isn't in the Sunnah to eat leaflets or handwritten portions of the Qur'an, that I know.

Ok. I get you. Thanks for helping

It is bid'a. And every bid'a (religous innovation) is misguidance and every misguidance leads to hell.

Allah knows best.

Thanks, I had a feeling it was bidiah.

Abd'Hafeez:

"Believe me ur biggest problem will be solved"
Who do we believe in,the sender or Allah?
If you re-send the message,it's believing in the sender.Also,the message is contradictory cos of the "InshaALLAH".'Believe me' and InshaAllah' can't go togerther as we can only believe in Allah,anything other than that is shirk.You can also reconstruct the sentence if you still want to send it.Allah knows best.

I don't think it is contradictory bro, the message said "believe me" not "believe in me". I think the InshAllah makes one to know that the "biggest problem" can only be solved if Allah wills.
I totally agree with you on reconstructing the message cos i see it as a form of reminder and dawah...

@OP, the content of the message is definately bid'ah, there is no evidence to backup such claim in the Qur'an and sunnah. the recent ones i have gotten has something like "its sadaqatu jariyah if you send it to ...." which i am comfortable with. we cant help it with all dis whatsapp, bbm, 2go tinz abound, there is a need to always remind ourselves of acts that are meritorious.

sino:


we cant help it with all dis whatsapp, bbm, 2go tinz abound,

Plus MTN free SMS promo........

^ how come i omited almighty mtn free sms promo? They've been causing a lot of sms frenzies these days...

zayhal: It is bid'a. And every bid'a (religous innovation) is misguidance and every misguidance leads to hell.

Allah knows best.

Had to resurrect this thread coz of the bolded. I have issues with it. I assure you that there are differences in the way and manner we practice Islam today and the way it was practiced in the time of the Prophet (PBUH). The compilation of the Qurán into one book , which happened AFTER the prophet's death during the time of Uthman (RA), is in a way, a form of Bidáh. Many innovations today are to be discouraged and frowned upon, but some, in my opinion MAY not be bad, as long as it does not violate certain essential aspects of the religion.

As for the SMSs and stuff, i usually simply ignore them. same for the "like this picture if you love the Prophet" and stuff like that. I don't need to demonstrate my love for the prophet by liking a picture on facebook, there are many other ways of doing that in my opinion.

Learned opinions are welcome

^ There is no such thing as a good Bida...

You make reference to the compilation of the Quran into a book, The Quran was already written down in its entirety during the life of the prophet, even though it was not compiled into a book so writing the Quran can not be seen as an innovation. The writing of the book is not an act of worship necessarily.

The basic principle in identifying bidaa is this:

Every thing that has to do with worship is haraam unless there is evidence to prove otherwise....

Everything that has to do with our worldly affairs is halal unless there is evidence to prove that it is haram

tbaba1234: ^ There is no such thing as a good Bida...

You make reference to the compilation of the Quran into a book, The Quran was already written down in its entirety during the life of the prophet, even though it was not compiled into a book so writing the Quran can not be seen as an innovation. The writing of the book is not an act of worship necessarily.

The basic principle in identifying bidaa is this:

Every thing that has to do with worship is haraam unless there is evidence to prove otherwise....

Everything that has to do with our worldly affairs is halal unless there is evidence to prove that it is haram

Thanks. Well, i've read some more articles on the topic online this morning & it appears that there is indeed a distinction between what is bid'ah and what is bid'ah in the deen. A good example of the former is what we r doing now I believe, in essence, use of technological tools and all that is common today, which didnt exist before. People studying hadith on their iPad using an e-book of Sahih bukhari is actually an innovation, but doesnt flout the principles of the deen. Using a microphone to make the adhan is an innovation, but it doesnt fall under the class of bid'ah the Prophet described. & yet, it still has to do with a religious act (as its not exactly just a ''worldly'' matter). But once it affects the sacred acts of worship itself, that's the kind of bid'ah that's frowned upon. So in essence, not every NEW thing should be classified as bid'ah... *as i see it o*

??

I guess my first post is better understood now.

Updated....