A Brief Introduction to the Fatwas of the Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Issuing Fatwas

Firstly: 

The Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Issuing Fatwas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the respected scholarly committees of current times. It includes a number of senior scholars from this country, and it has a high level of credibility in scholarly and Islamic circles. It has done a great deal of work in explaining the rulings of sharee’ah (Islamic law) to the people and issuing fatwas (verdicts) having to do with all aspects of life. Al-Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Razzaq al-Duwaysh has compiled the fatwas issued by the committee, and the first group of them has appeared in 26 volumes; the second group has appeared in six volumes. This is one of the most important references that may be used by people and seekers of knowledge today in the study of contemporary fiqhi (jurisprudential) issues. 

These fatwas are available in full on the Internet on the website of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, via the following link.

The book is available in image form on the Internet via the following link.

Secondly: 

With regard to the du’a mentioned in the question, a genuine fatwa has been issued concerning it by the Standing Committee, and it has been published in the book which includes a number of their fatwas. We will quote to you here that which has to do with this du’a. 

It says in Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah (24/281-284), fatwa no. 21084: 

All praise belongs to Allah Alone and peace and blessings be upon the one after whom there is no Prophet. 

The Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Issuing Fatwas has examined that which was sent to the Chief Mufti by Dr. Muhammad ibn Sa’d al-Shuwayir and was referred to the Council of Senior Scholars no. 3598, dated 9/7/1420 AH. The enquirer stated that one of the citizens brought a flyer which he says he found in the mosque where he prays, and he is asking for a fatwa concerning it. In this paper it says the following: 

“La ilaha ill-Allah al-Jaleel al-Jabbar, La ilaha ill-Allah al-Wahid al-Qahhar, La ilaha ill-Allah al-‘Azeez al-Ghaffar, La ilaha ill-Allah al-Kareem al-Sattar, La ilaha ill-Allah al-Kabeer al-Muta’al. La ilaha ill-Allah wahdahu la shareeka lah, ilahan wahidan rabban wa shahidan, samadan wa nahnu lahu muslimoon. La ilaha ill-Allah wahdahu la shareeka lah, ilahan wahidan rabban wa shahidan nahnu lahu ‘abidoon, La ilaha ill-Allah wahdahu la shareeka lah, ilahan wahidan rabban wa shahidan, nahnu lahu qanitoon, La ilaha ill-Allah wahdahu la shareeka lah, ilahan wahidan rabban wa shahidan, nahnu lahu sabiroon. La ilaha ill-Allah Muhammad rasool-Allah, ‘Ali wali-Allah. Allahumma ilayka wajahtu wajhi, wa ilayka fawwadtu amri, wa ‘alayka tawakkaltu ya arham al-rahimeen. (There is no god but Allah, the Majestic, the Exalted in Might, there is no god but Allah, the One, the Subduer, there is no god but Allah, the Almighty, the All-Forgiving, there is no god but Allah, the Most Generous, the Concealer, there is no god but Allah, the Most Great, the Most High. There is no god but Allah alone with no partner or associate, one God, Lord and Witness, Eternal, and we submit to Him. There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner or associate, One God, Lord and Witness, and we worship Him; there is no god but Allah alone with no partner or associate, one God, Lord and Witness, and we are devoted to Him; there is no god but Allah alone with no partner or associate, one God, Lord and Witness, and we are patient for His sake. There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and ‘Ali is the wali (close friend) of Allah. O Allah, to You I turn my face and to You I delegate my affairs, and in You I put my trust, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy. 

It was narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the hadeeth that he said: “Whoever recites this du’a at any time, it is as if he has done Hajj 360 times, and read the entire Quran 360 times, and freed 360 slaves, and given 360 dinars in charity, and given relief to 360 people in distress.” No sooner had the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spoken this hadeeth, but al-Ameen Jibreel (peace be upon him) came down and said: O Messenger of Allah, any slave of Allah, male or female, among your ummah, O Muhammad, who recites this du’a, even if it is only once in his lifetime, by my holiness and majesty, I guarantee to him seven things:

1.     I will relieve him of poverty

2.     I will protect him from the questioning of Munkar and Nakeer

3.     I will help him to pass over al-Sirat (the bridge over Hell)

4.     I will protect him from sudden death

5.     I will make it forbidden for him to enter Hell

6.     I will protect him from the squeezing of the grave

7.     I will protect him from the wrath of the unjust ruler.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spoke the truth. 

After studying this matter, the Committee for Issuing Fatwas replied as follows: 

This du’a which is attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is a false du’a, which has no basis in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah (teachings) of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The hadeeth which speaks of its virtue is a false and fabricated hadeeth. We have not found any of the imams of hadeeth who narrated it with this wording. 

The indications that it has been fabricated are clear for a number of reasons including the following: 

1.     This supplication and its implications are contrary to sound commonsense and that which has been clearly narrated in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). That is because of the suggestion of these huge numbers of reward for the one who recites this supplication.

2.     It includes the phrase “‘Ali is the wali (close friend) of Allah.” Undoubtedly the Ameer al-Mu’mineen ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) is one of the close friends of Allah, in sha  Allah, but singling him out for mention to the exclusion of others is a Rafidi (Shiite) idea.

3.     It states that one of the effects of this supplication is that the one who recites it will enter Paradise even if he commits major sins or does anything that is contrary to faith. This is invalid and unacceptable according to reason and sharee’ah (Islamic law). 

Based on this, what every Muslim should do is pay no attention to this flyer, and destroy it, and warn people against being deceived by this or similar things. He has to verify matters of religion and ask people of knowledge about anything that he is confused about, so that he will worship Allah with insight and will not fall victim to charlatans and weak souls who want to divert the Muslims from that which concerns them of both religious and worldly matters, and make them attached to illusions and innovations that have no validity. 

Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Issuing Fatwas 

It is essential to point out here the necessity of verifying the attribution of fatwas to their authors before spreading them or announcing them. Indeed, this is essential in everything that one attributes to someone else. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not, or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allah).”

[al-Isra 17:36]

If people responded to this divine command, it would suffice them against a great deal of division and conflict which brings nothing but evil. 

You may verify that this fatwa was indeed issued by the Standing Committee, either by reading their books if that is possible for you or you have a copy of them, or by reading about it on the official website of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, the link to which we have mentioned above, or if it is quoted to you from them by a trustworthy scholar or on a trustworthy website. On our website you will find hundreds of fatwas quoted from the Standing Committee, along with the volume and page number in which the fatwa appears. 

And Allah knows best.