Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

What is the ruling regarding carrying a firearm in a Masjid while performing salaah?

Published as Carrying a firearm in Salaah

· 25 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1444 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

What is the ruling regarding carrying a firearm in a Masjid while performing salaah?

Answer

Carrying a firearm or weapon in Salaah is Mustahab if there is fear of possible attacks in the Masaajid, or wherever one may be performing Salaah. Since attacking congregants in the Masaajid has become a common trend in South Africa, congregants should carry firearms and defend themselves from criminals. In conclusion, due to necessity, there is no harm in carrying a weapon during Salaah. However, the jurists have mentioned that the following conditions should be considered when carrying a weapon during Salaah:

- The firearm or weapon should not be excessively heavy.

- It should not hinder the person from performing Sajdah properly.

- It should not cause harm to anyone whilst being carried (particularly in the case of a sharp object such a sword or an arrow).

- It should be free from impurities.

- It should not significantly interfere with any essential component or requisite of Salaah, to the point where the person is unable to perform it correctly.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[1] الموسوعة الفقهية الكويتية (25/ 149)

ذَهَبَ جُمْهُورُ الْفُقَهَاءِ إِلَى اسْتِحْبَابِ حَمْل السِّلاَحِ لِلْخَائِفِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ يَدْفَعُ بِهِ الْعَدُوَّ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ، لِقَوْل اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ} (3) ؛ وَلأِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَأْمَنُونَ أَنْ يَفْجَأَهُمْ عَدُوُّهُمْ، فَيَمِيلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ. كَمَا قَال اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: {وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً} (4) . وَالْمُسْتَحَبُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا يَدْفَعُ بِهِ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ كَالسَّيْفِ وَالسِّكِّينِ، وَلاَ يَثْقُلُهُ كَالْجَوْشَنِ (الدِّرْعِ)، وَلاَ يَمْنَعُ مِنْ كَمَال السُّجُودِ كَالْمِغْفَرِ (1) . وَلاَ يُؤْذِي غَيْرَهُ كَالرُّمْحِ الْمُتَوَسِّطِ وَالْكَبِيرِ، وَلاَ يَجُوزُ حَمْل نَجَسٍ، وَلاَ مَا يُخِل بِرُكْنٍ مِنْ أَرْكَانِ الصَّلاَةِ إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الضَّرُورَةِ………… يَجُوزُ لِلْمُحْرِمِ أَنْ يَتَقَلَّدَ السَّيْفَ لِلْحَاجَةِ، لِمَا رَوَى الْبَرَاءُ بْنُ عَازِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَال: ( {لَمَّا صَالَحَ رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَهْل الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ صَالَحَهُمْ أَنْ لاَ يَدْخُلَهَا إِلاَّ بِجُلْبَانِ السِّلاَحِ: الْقِرَابِ بِمَا فِيهِ.) (2) وَهَذَا ظَاهِرٌ فِي إِبَاحَةِ حَمْلِهِ فِي الْحَرَمِ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ؛ لأَِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا يَأْمَنُونَ أَهْل مَكَّةَ أَنْ يَنْقُضُوا الْعَهْدَ……….. لاَ يَجُوزُ حَمْل السِّلاَحِ بِمَكَّةَ لِغَيْرِ حَاجَةٍ؛ لِمَا رَوَى مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ جَابِرٍ مَرْفُوعًا: لاَ يَحِل لأَِحَدِكُمْ أَنْ يَحْمِل بِمَكَّةَ السِّلاَحَ (1) . وَقَال الْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ: لاَ يَحِل لأَِحَدٍ أَنْ يَحْمِل السِّلاَحَ بِمَكَّةَ؛ لأَِنَّ الْقِتَال فِيهَا مَنْهِيٌّ عَنْهُ فَلاَ يَحِل مَا يُسَبِّبُهُ.

قَال الْقَاضِي عِيَاضٌ: وَهُوَ مَحْمُولٌ عِنْدَ أَهْل الْعِلْمِ عَلَى حَمْل السِّلاَحِ لِغَيْرِ ضَرُورَةٍ أَوْ حَاجَةٍ. فَإِنْ كَانَتْ حَاجَةٌ جَازَ؛ لأَِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دَخَل عَامَ عُمْرَةِ الْقَضَاءِ بِمَا اشْتَرَطَهُ مِنَ السِّلاَحِ فِي الْقِرَابِ (2) ، وَلِدُخُولِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَامَ الْفَتْحِ مُتَأَهِّبًا لِلْقِتَال

وَلاَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَتَقَلَّدَ السَّيْفَ وَغَيْرَهُ مِنَ الأْسْلِحَةِ لِغَيْرِ حَاجَةٍ؛ لِقَوْل ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: (لاَ يَحِل لِمُحْرِمٍ السِّلاَحُ فِي الْحَرَمِ) قَال ابْنُ قُدَامَةَ: الْقِيَاسُ يَقْتَضِي إِبَاحَتَهُ، لأَِنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِي مَعْنَى اللُّبْسِ، كَمَا لَوْ حَمَل قِرْبَةً فِي عُنُقِهِ

Answered by
Mufti Abdur Rahman Abdur Razak
Checked & approved by
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/carrying-a-firearm-in-salaah/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-25454

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