Praise be to Allah.
When I examined this fabricated chain letter I thought that it is my duty to comment on the claims made by its author, connecting benefits and interests to the one who writes it out and distributes it, and harm to the one who ignores it and does not pass it on. This is a lie which has no sound basis; rather it is the fabrication of liars and imposters who want to divert the Muslims from putting their trust in their Lord alone, with no partner or associate, to bring them benefits and ward off harm, whilst also taking the means that are prescribed in sharee’ah and are permissible, and who want to make them put their trust in and focus on something other than Allaah in seeking to gain benefits and to ward off harm, and seek false means that are neither prescribed in Islam nor permissible, and to call people to depend on and worship something other than Allaah.
Undoubtedly this is one of the plots of the enemies of the Muslims who want to divert them from the true religion by any means possible. The Muslims have to beware of these plots and not be deceived by them. They should not be deceived by this chain letter and similar letters which surface from time to time. We have previously drawn attention to a number of them. It is not permissible for a Muslim to write these chain letters or to distribute them under any circumstances whatsoever. That is an evil action and the one who does it is sinning. There is the fear that he may be subjected to punishment in this world or in the Hereafter, because this is a form of bid’ah (innovation); bid’ah is a great evil and its consequences are severe.
This kind of chain letter is a form of reprehensible innovation, and is one of the means that lead to shirk and exaggeration about the Ahl al-Bayt (members of the Prophet’s household) and others among the dead, and may lead to people calling upon them besides Allaah and seeking their help and believing that they may being benefit or cause harm to those who call upon them and seek their help. It is also a form of telling lies against Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is only those who believe not in the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah, who fabricate falsehood, and it is they who are liars”[al-Nahl 16:105]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not part of it will have it rejected.” (Saheeh, agreed upon).
All Muslims who receive this chain letter or similar letters should tear them up and destroy them, and warn people against them. They should not pay any attention to promises or threats mentioned therein, because these are false letters which have no sound basis and will not result in anything, good or bad. But those who fabricate them, write them out, distribute them, advocate them and spread them among the Muslims are committing sin, because all of that is a kind of co-operating in sin and transgression, which Allaah forbade in His Book when He said (interpretation of the meaning):
“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”[al-Maa’idah 5:2]
We ask Allaah to keep us and the Muslims safe and sound from all evil. Allaah is Sufficient for us and He is the best disposer of affairs, the best to deal with those who fabricated this and similar chain letters and introduced into the religion of Allaah something that is not part of it. We ask Allaah to deal with them as they deserve, because they have told lies against Allaah and propagated those lies, and called the people to the means of shirk and exaggeration about the dead, and to occupy themselves with something that will cause them harm and bring them no benefits. These comments have been written out of sincerity towards Allaah and His slaves.
May Allaah send blessings and peace upon His slave and Messenger Muhammad, and his family and companions.
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