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Topic: Is the Mihrab a bidah?
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 Dardan
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Abu Maryam Dardan bin Saadri al-Albanee
(Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)
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Member
Posts: 72
Joined: Nov 2007
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Is the Mihrab a innovation?
Jazak Allahu KHair
Abu Maryam Al-Albanee
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| ummmusa88
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Umm Musa bint Muhammad
(New York)
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Member
Posts: 260
Joined: Sep 2008
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Asalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh,
I was listening to a talk by Brother Dawud Adeeb and he mentioned that it is
indeed a bid'ah. I will see if I can track down the lecture to post it here
bi'ithnillah. It's on Youtube.
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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 | quote: |
"The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) have differed over the issue of having a mihraab (in the masjid) - Is it Sunnah, recommended, or openly permissible?
My opinion is that having a mihraab is openly permissible. This is the well known position of the math-hab (of Imaam Ahmad). If someone were to say it is recommended due to its many benefits, like informing an unaware person of the direction of the qiblah, then that would be fine.
Regarding what has been narrated from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), a prohibition of mathaabih (meaning mihraabs) like those of the Christians, this is a prohibition of having mihraabs like those of the Christians. So when mihraabs have distinct qualities specific to the Muslims they are not to be prevented."
- Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (Fataawee: 12/326) |
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Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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| quote: |
"The Muslims have always put mihraabs in the masjids, from the times of the righteous generations and onward, due to the general benefit found in them for the Muslims, like identifying the qiblah and making it known that the place is a masjid."
- Permanent Committee for Fatwaa, headed by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (Fataawee: 6/252) |
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Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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| ummmusa88
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Umm Musa bint Muhammad
(New York)
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Member
Posts: 260
Joined: Sep 2008
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Asalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh,
I found the video lecture and the brother Dawud Adeeb talks about the
mihrab in the first 4 minutes:
Also, I typed up this portion of the talk just incase our brothers and
sisters don't have the time to listen in. I didn't get a few words, but
most of it was pretty clear...
"...The mihrab is not from the Sunnah. And we find many of the sahaaba,
like Abu Darr, al-...?, and 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and some others like Anas
ibn Maalik, [with] clear narrations, talking against the mihrab, the so
called niche that they build in the masjids where the imaam stands. And
[in] one narration, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said [that he] will never stand in
this thing to lead the salat. And [in] another narration, he said: 'Beware
of the mahaareeb (mihrabs)...' Beware of these things...They were disliked
by the companions. Why? It's because [the mihrab] was adopted by the
Muslims from the Christians..."
So since here we have narrations from the companions radiAllahu 'anhum on
staying away from the mihrabs, I am a bit confused after reading Akh
Moosa's posts from Sh. Ibn Uthaymeen and Sh. bin Baaz rahimuhuma Allah...
Allahu 'alam...
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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wa 'alaykumus-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
Jazaak Allaahu khayran for passing that on.
Here is an important linguistic point. The word mihraab in the time of the Companions was used to refer to two basic things:
[1] a war strategist
[2] the most central (or perhaps raised) and respected place in a gathering
This second basic meaning is where the niche in the front of a masjid that we refer to as a mihraab got its name, as it is the most respected place in the masjid, since it is where the respected leader prays.
The above was mentioned by the specialist in hadeeth language Ibn al-Atheer (d.606) in his famous dictionary of hadeeth words: an-Nihaayah.
The author then said:
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| From this meaning is the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him): that he used to dislike the mihraabs. This means that he did not like to sit in the center of the gatherings, so as not to consider himself better than the people. |
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I do not know about the other narrations from the other Companions. Perhaps they can be investigated. Especially the report of Ibn Mas'ood and the mention of praying in the mihraab, which leads us to believe that the word mihraab was used to refer to the niche in the front of the masjid.
Also, it should be noted that the words of the scholars I quotes are only referring to the niche itself, not other things like decorations, lamps, the writing of Quranic verses in the niche, etc.
And Allaah knows best.
Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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To avoid any texts that are not clear, there are actually a number of reports in the Musannaf of Ibn Abee Shaybah and the Musannaf of 'Abdur-Razzaaq that I was just looking at. They talk about the issue of prayer in the Taaq and the math-bah, both words that clearly refer to what we call mihraabs.
There are reports of Companions and Taabi'een against what we call mihraabs and prayer in them, and there are reports of Companions and Taabi'een praying in them as well. At first glance, it seems that it was an issue they differed over. Time is needed to study those reports though.
And Allaah knows best.
Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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| abdullah.gambi
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Abu Mu-aawiyah Abdullah bin AbuBakr Al
(UK)
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Posts: 379
Joined: Nov 2003
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Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuhu
Brother Moosaa, pray you are well and in strength of Imaam. As you are still looking into this affair, perhaps some details in one of Sheikh Baazmool's Books will be of great benefit. The Book is Titled: [Al-Haqeeqatus Shar'iyyah Fee Tafseeril Qur'aanil Adheem Was-Sunnah An-Nabawiyyah(page:166-169)]
Jazaakallaahu khayran
Abdullaah
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| lara400
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Abu Adam Hussain Akhtar
(Reading)
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Assalamu alaikum,
Sorry for sounding ignorant - new to this whole area. But, can someone please explain what mihraab is? Looks like it is something in Masjids where the Imam stands?
Jazahkhallah Kahir
Wa alaikum as salaam
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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wa 'alaykumus-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
The people refer to the niche in the qiblah direction (front) of the masjid, where the imaam stands (in many masjids) as a mihraab. Never could there be any blame for asking a question to help you understand!
Your masjid may not have one, and you may have never seen one. If this is the case, google "mihrab" with one a, and then look at the "image results" and you will get a better idea. Again, our discussion here is about the niche itself (i.e. the shape of the masjid), not the decorations or whatever else is attached to it...
'Abdallaah (may Allaah bless you ) - I got your reference a few days ago and was amazed at the content, maa shaa' Allaah. As a researcher, I would love to know how you came to know of these words in this book! (I like to leard "how" someone got to a good source of information!) Jazaak Allaahu khayran.
This book is a very very unique book in an important issue of usool al-Fiqh. He basically intends to show how the words of the Book and the Sunnah are to be understood firstly in light of how they are used in other passages of the Book and the Sunnah.
So here the word mihraab is used to the Qur'aan to refer to an elevated, private chamber or room, in the following verses: 3:37, 3:39, 17:11, Saad:21, Saba':13.
When looking at the pictures of the mihrabs if you have googled them, you may notice that some of them have Quranic verses inscribed in them and around them. Many people inscribe some of these verses, as if to prove that this mihraab (niche) has a Quranic origin. Others claim it outright, quoting the above verses!
So Muhammad Baazmool's book (may Allaah bless him and preserve him) is aimed at refuting this idea, explaining a shar'ee term (one found in the Book and the Sunnah) based on other than its intended meaning in its context, like in this case when someone claims the mihraab is legislated because of one or more of those verses!
The author gives a number of examples of terms used in the Book and the Sunnah and how people have misused them or misinterpreted them, not keeping in mind the need to first gather legislative texts that use the same word so it can be clear how the words are used in the legislative texts.
In his discussion he mentions that the mihrab is an innovation and that prayer in the mihraab is disliked. He quotes at-Turtooshee to support these two positions.
He then mentions some of the reports of the Companions against the mihraab, mostly from the Musannaf of Ibn Abee Shaybah.
He then quotes Mullaa 'Alee al-Qaaree from his explanation of Mishkaat saying that the mihraab is a novelty that a group of the Salaf disliked. Al-Qaaree quotes al-Qudhaa'ee who said that 'Umar ibn 'Abdil-'Azeez was the first one to introduce it, when he was a deputy of al-Waleed ibn 'Abdil-Malik.
Then the author goes on to finish with a couple benefits:
1) That as-Suyootee has a book called "I'laam al-Areeb" against the mihrab.
2) That al-Albaanee spoke against mihraabs, saying that they are originally from the Christians, in adh-Dha'eefah (1/473-474) and suggested an alternative: a simple piece of wood that could be used as a sutrah and identify the qiblah clearly.
I hope this is a helpful summary of what is in that book, and Allaah knows best.
Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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| abdullah.gambi
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Abu Mu-aawiyah Abdullah bin AbuBakr Al
(UK)
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Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuhu
Brother Moosaa, pray you are well and in strength of Imaan. May Allaah bless you and increase you in eagerness in your pursuit of beneficial knowledge.
When I saw the discussion about the Mihraab in this thread, I remembered that there was a section in the book discussing the issue. So I read it again and saw that the sheikh presented the affair from another angle that may broaden our understanding in the subject matter regardless which position we may finally settle with. Jazaakallaahu khayran for presenting the details, and may Allaah make your path towards beneficial knowledge easy and grant you and the rest of the students of knowledge ample reward in this life and the next.
Abdullaah
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| Moosaa
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Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa ibn John Richardson
(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
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Member
Posts: 1280
Joined: Sep 2002
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As-Suyootee's book, I'laam al-Areeb bi Hudooth Bid'atil-Mahaareeb, is rather brief. It consists only of an introduction and a listing of the narrations found in the two Musannafs and elsewhere, with a detailed discussion of the authenticity of only one narration. I thought that his book may have been against the idea of multiple mihraabs in one masjid, as some of the scholars claimed that mihraabs in the masjids are disliked based on this, meaning multilpe mihraabs for multiple imaams praying multiple congregations inside of one masjid. However, As-Suyootee's words are clear in his introduction:
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| ...(I wrote it) since it is not clear to some people that mihraabs in the masjids are bid'ah. They assume that they (mihraabs) were found in the Masjid of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) in his lifetime. However, there was not a single mihraab found in his time, nor in the time of the four Caliphs, nor in the time of those after them, and on to the close of the first century. (It is unclear to some people) that they did not appear until the beginning of the second century, while there is a hadeeth prohibiting them, identifying them as the way of (Christian) churches and one of the signs of the Last Day... |
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Moosaa ibn John Richardson
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| abusalmaan
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Abu Salmaan Talha ibnu William Davis
(Birmingham, England)
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Posts: 208
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السلام عليكم
What is the name of the book you mentioned which explains the words?
بارك الله فيكم
أبو سلمان النمري طلحة بن وليم
والعصر ان الانسان لفي خسر الا الذين آمنواو عملوا الصالحات و تواصوا بالحق و تواصوا بالصبر
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10-11-2008 @ 3:44 PM
