False report attributed to Zaynab (may Allaah be pleased with her) about healing of disease

This report that you are asking about is nothing new, but it
has become more widely disseminated nowadays because of the ease and speed
of communication via e-mail, combined with the ignorance of many who love
their religion. 

There may be some variation in the details of these stories,
but they are all based on the same idea and all have the same bad effect on
people’s minds. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
warned against them. There follows the text of his statement: 

A note concerning a false report that is being
disseminated by some ignorant people:

, and blessings and peace be upon the
slave and Messenger of Allaah, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and
companions.   

I have come across a false report that is being disseminated
by some ignorant people and people who have little understanding of the
religion of Allaah. The text of this report is as follows: 

“In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Blessings and peace be upon the noblest of the Messengers, our Master
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and upon his
family and companions.  

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

‘No doubt! Verily, the Awliya’ [close friends] of Allaah,
no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve’

[Yoonus 10:62]

Allaah the Almighty has spoken the truth. 

My Muslim brother, my Muslim sister. 

A thirteen-year-old girl became very ill and the doctor was
unable to treat her. One night her sickness grew worse and she wept until
sleep overtook her. In her dream she saw Sayyidah Zaynab (may Allaah be
pleased with her). She put some drops in her mouth, and when she woke up
from her sleep she was completely healed from her sickness. Sayyidah Zaynab
(may Allaah be pleased with her) asked her to write this story thirteen
times and distribute it to the Muslims, to demonstrate the power of the
Creator, may He be exalted, and how it is manifested in His signs and His
creation, exalted be He above all that they associate with Him. The girl did
what was asked of her, and this is what happened: 

1 – The first copy fell into the hands of a poor man, who
wrote it out and distributed it. Thirteen days later the Lord willed that
this poor man should become rich. 

2 – The second copy fell into the hands of a worker who
ignored it. Thirteen days later he lost his job. 

3 – The third copy fell into the hands of a rich man who
refused to write it out. Thirteen days later he lost all the riches that he
possessed. 

Hasten, O Muslim brother or sister, after reading this story,
to copy it out thirteen times and distribute it to people, so that you may
get what you wish for from the Most Generous Lord, may He be glorified and
exalted. 

May Allaah send blessings upon our Master Muhammad and upon
all his family and companions.” 

When I read this false report I thought it essential to point
out that the benefits and good things that its author claims will come to
those who copy it and distribute it, and the bad things that will happen to
those who ignore it and do not disseminate it further, are all lies that
have no solid basis. Rather they are fabrications of the liars and
charlatans 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 from them, as well as taking the permissible means as prescribed in
sharee’ah, and who want to make them put their trust in someone or something
other than Allaah to bring benefits and ward off harm, and to take false
means that are not permitted or prescribed in sharee’ah, which leads them to
become attached to something other than Allaah and to worship someone other
than Him.  

Undoubtedly this is one of the plots of the enemies of the
Muslims, who want to divert them away from their true religion by any means
possible. The Muslims should beware of these plots and not be deceived by
them. The Muslim should pay no attention to this false report and similar
reports which appear from time to time. Warnings have been issued about
several of them in the past. It is not permissible for a Muslim to copy out
this and similar reports, or to distribute them under any circumstances.
Rather doing that is an evil action and the one who does that is committing
a sin; there is the fear that he will be punished in this world and in the
Hereafter, because this is a bid’ah (innovation) whose evil is great and
whose punishment is severe. 

This report is a kind of reprehensible innovation, and is one
of the means that lead to shirk and exaggeration concerning the Ahl al-Bayt
(members of the Prophet’s household) and others among the dead, and calling
upon them instead of Allaah and seeking their help and thinking that they
can bring benefit to or ward off harm from those who call upon them and seek
their help. It is also a kind of telling lies about 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 introduces something into this matter of ours that is
not part of it, will have it rejected.” Saheeh – agreed upon. 

All the Muslims into whose hands this letter falls should
tear it up and destroy it, and warn people against it, and not pay any
attention to any promises or warnings that it may contain, because these are
false reports that have no sound basis and nothing good or bad will result
from that. But the one who invented it, those who copy it out and
distribute it, and those who promote it and disseminate it among the Muslims
are all sinning, because all of that comes under the heading of
cooperating in sin and transgression which Allaah has forbidden in His Book,
where He says (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 all the Muslims safe and sound from all evil. Allaah is Sufficient
for us and He is the best to deal with those who fabricated this report and
similar reports, and introduced into the religion of Allaah things that have
nothing to do with it. We ask Allaah to deal with them as they deserve, for
telling lies about Allaah and disseminating falsehood, and for calling
people to the means that lead to shirk and exaggeration about the dead, and
distracting them with something that will harm them and will not benefit
them. Sincerity towards Allaah and His slaves demands that we point this
out. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon His slave and Messenger our
Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 8/346-348. 

And Allaah knows
best.