Ask Ghamidi

A Community Driven Discussion Portal
To Ask, Answer, Share And Learn

Forums Forums Epistemology and Philosophy Creating ‘idols’ Of Allah

Tagged: , ,

  • Creating ‘idols’ Of Allah

    Posted by Ahmad Shoaib on September 2, 2020 at 1:08 am

    I recently heard some talks of Ghamidi sahab explaining why idols are wrong. It is not the stone but the lie behind it.

    So if we as a personal choice make a stone or a pebble a reminder for us about God and put it in front of us when we pray what is wrong with it?

    Umer replied 3 years, 7 months ago 6 Members · 33 Replies
  • 33 Replies
  • Creating ‘idols’ Of Allah

    Umer updated 3 years, 7 months ago 6 Members · 33 Replies
  • Afia Khan

    Member September 2, 2020 at 8:40 am

    Kaaba is serving that purpose and it is prescribed by Allah. We don’t need anything else. We don’t worship Kaaba but Allah only. But it’s a شطر and serve as a unity for Muslims.

    If you keep a stone for reminder then for sure if not you but your next generations start worshipping that stone. This is how people start worshipping the idols and stones.

    May Allah keep us in hidaya and make us among mukhliseen, Ameen.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 2, 2020 at 10:23 am

      I will keep the stone as a personal reminder and not tell anyone. I guess you could say it is a bidah though

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 2, 2020 at 10:41 am

      Why isn’t the Kaaba then turned into an idol? It seems this tamtheel has not been corrupted. So if I get a rock as a personal reminder what is the problem other than bidah?

    • Sheharbano Ali

      Member September 6, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      That is just your husn e zann to think that Kabah has been saved from this. Majority of the people that go for Umrah, their goal is to get to touch the building of the Kabah. Not only that, you get to witness people congratulating each other upon fulfilling this same task as if the purpose they have come for has been achieved. This is true specially for people from the subcontinent. The true purpose of Kabah has been left far behind for most people. It should’ve been a place that reminded them about Tauheed. The spirit of it is lost behind superstitions and false beliefs such as one will get holy by touching it.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Of course something like the kaba which God chose to make a symbol of his tawheed will hold a special place in our hearts and its a fully human feeling to want to touch it. Even hajr e Aswad as Ghamidi sahab explains is the ‘hand of God’ with which we do bayt.

    • Sheharbano Ali

      Member September 6, 2020 at 4:29 pm

      To want to touch it just out of love and awe is one thing. But when the building itself overshadows its true purpose in ones heart then i think the problem arises. Such as giving Kabah alot of importance as compared to living by Ibrahim’s way (Tauheed) practically. The subcontinent has a whole mindset when it comes to this.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 4:31 pm

      So if I want to make a rock and paint it or get a cloth from the Kaaba and make it a part of a necklace what is wrong with this? Just because it’s a bidah?

    • Sheharbano Ali

      Member September 6, 2020 at 4:47 pm

      I think stepping back, it is a bidah because of the possibility of it being elevated to another status. And because of the possibility of superstitions of course. You could also develop attachment or associate with that particular thing in a way when its not holy in its essence. So i think just to avoid all of this, none of this became Sunnah for the very same possibilities.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 4:51 pm

      I would not tell anyone. You see I wear a necklace with a picture of my family. Or I write with my fathers pen. Or if I was a woman I wear my grandmother’s ring. Or I keep the bullet that someone shot me with to remember the fragility of my life.

      Humans do this with many things. So why then- can’t we do this with the thing that is most important for us? The thing that we love the most. It could even be just a rock from makkah.

    • Sheharbano Ali

      Member September 6, 2020 at 4:54 pm

      Because what is on stake is higher in that scenario. A single false superstition if developed in that scenario can lead to Shirk. Which can be carried onto generations.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 4:55 pm

      Just a small rock I keep in my pocket.

  • Afia Khan

    Member September 2, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    For me Adhan (Azan) is best reminder, which is more than enough.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Who is that?

    • Sheharbano Ali

      Member September 6, 2020 at 4:59 pm

      She meant Adhan (Aazaan).

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      Anyway as i said it is very human to have a physical thing that we touch to remind ourselves of things we hold dear

  • Rafia Khawaja

    Member September 2, 2020 at 7:34 pm

    Why do you need a stone to remind you of what?

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 2, 2020 at 7:35 pm

      I would have something always on me that whenever I feel or look at I would remember my God. People have necklaces with photos of loved ones and many different trinkets to remind them of these things. It’s a pure fitri desire

  • Ayema Zahoor

    Member September 3, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    How can you make idols for Allah even we can’t imagine Allah’s looks like. You can creat a idol of shatan but not for Allah. Allah is above all of these efforts and remember even mountain could not withstand the manifestation of Allah and it burnt to ashes. How can you try to cast it into a rock?

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 5:07 pm

      The same way the kabah is a symbol of tawheed and hajar e aswad a symbol of God’s hand

  • Ayema Zahoor

    Member September 3, 2020 at 8:05 pm

    And if you want something that’s fulfill your fittri desires than write Allah’s name in beautiful way,but you don’t need any necklace remember Allah says that

    He is closer than your aortic.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 5:07 pm

      I have written some examples above

  • Rafia Khawaja

    Member September 4, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    True

  • Afia Khan

    Member September 6, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    Sorry I meant to write Adhan (azaan).

    You are saying what is the reason other then biddah. Biddah itself is a serious thing. Biddahs that are purely evil , are forbidden under Islamic law.

    Quran as book is with us Alhamdulillah physically. It has great reminders for us. Why not keep Quran in all rooms in your house, in your car and on your work desk.

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 8:31 pm

      Bidah would be if I say this is an ‘Islamic symbol’ I don’t think my claim can be classified as such. I am simply saying as a commemorative symbol, I take a rock from makkah, or buy a piece of the cloth of the Kaaba and keep it in my pocket at all times as Christians do with the crucifix (Necklace), Jewish people with the kippah, Muslim women who believe the hijab is an Islamic symbol do it too.

  • Afia Khan

    Member September 6, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    O bhai aap darhi rakh lo. Us pey unglian phairtey raho 🤔

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 9:02 pm

      پھر یہ داڑھی کی پرستش نہیں ہو گی؟

      داڑھی کو اسلام کا حصہ کب بنایا گیا؟

      لوگوں نے ٹوپی اور حجاب اور داڑھی کو اسلام کی ایک علامت بنا دیا ہے اور یہ غلط کیا۔ میں یہ نہیں کر رہا۔ میں تو جیسے اپنی امی کی والٹ میں تسویر رکھ تے ہیں اس کی بات کر رہا ہوں

  • Ayema Zahoor

    Member September 6, 2020 at 9:05 pm

    Then keeps Allah’s name with you in your phone in your wallet lika Arehman Araheem. That’s enough

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 9:06 pm

      What’s the difference between that and a rock

  • Ayema Zahoor

    Member September 6, 2020 at 9:07 pm

    It’s remind you how Allah is merciful and kind and a rock can’t do that

    • Ahmad Shoaib

      Contributor September 6, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      Not if I associate it like that in my mind. It would remind me how when the time comes- even something as mighty as the earth will oblige to Allah’s command as mentioned in surah inshiqaq and surah zalzalah

  • Ayema Zahoor

    Member September 6, 2020 at 10:50 pm

    Then there are 99 names of Allah you can keep them with you and what do you want to remind yourself then see that name and concentrate on it’s meaning that will help you to satisfy yourself

  • Ahmad Shoaib

    Contributor September 11, 2020 at 3:37 pm

    @UmerQureshi

    Thoughts sir?

    • Umer

      Moderator September 12, 2020 at 7:58 am

      If someone wants to remember God, then its better to see what God has himself prescribed as a way of His remembrance, which in this case is Salah five times a day.

      In theory, I cannot object on someone keeping a stone as a reminder of God because practically it would be the same as keeping a paternoster (tasbeeh) in your pocket (one is praising God on beads and one is doing this on a stone/pebble). It could also be a reminder of God’s beautiful creation.

      But keeping the history of polytheism in mind and its unusual association with stones and idols, I would personally consider it highly discouraged under principles of Sadd-e-Zariya.

The discussion "Creating ‘idols’ Of Allah" is closed to new replies.

Start of Discussion
0 of 0 replies June 2018
Now