We circumambulate around the Ka’ba which is made of stone and mud...

We circumambulate around the Ka’ba which is made of stone and mud; we kiss the hajar (stone) and shed blood in Mina. The basis of judgements and arbitrations in apparently similar affairs are the motives and the intentions and one can never pass a similar judgement only because the two actions are apparently the same. Regarding this matter, the author of Sulh al-'ikhwan has given a statement which can clarify this matter.

He says: إن المسألة تدور مدار نيات الناذرين وإنما الأعمال بالنيات فإن كان قصد الناذر الميت نففسه والتقرب إليه بذلك لم يجُز قولاً واحداً وإن كان قصد وجه الله تعالى وانتفاع الأحياء بوجه من الوجوه وثوابه لذلك المنذور له الميت فيجب الوفاء بالنذر This Sunni scholar who is himself a critic of the beliefs of Wahhabis has, in this short statement discussed the matter from the viewpoint of the intentions and motives.

He says: “If the intention of nadhr (vow) is to gain proximity to the dead, then undoubtedly such an act is not permissible (for nadhr should be for Allah and His proximity).

If it is for the sake of Allah and His proximity and consequently a section of people benefit from it and its reward is presented to the dead, then there is no objection to it and one should in such a case, fulfil his nadhr (vow).” [^4] The truth is what this scholar has said in these sentences and the motive of nadhr among the Muslims is exactly the same as what has come in the second phase of his statement.

It is here that the difference (in essence) between the action of the Muslims and the action of the idol-worshippers becomes obvious. Their intention in presenting gifts and sacrificing animals was to seek proximity to their idols. They even slaughtered animals in their names and their aim was only the idols and seeking their proximity and nothing else. On the other hand, the aim of the Muslims is to seek the satisfaction of Allah and present its reward to the dead.

Therefore they bring the word of Allah in their vows and say: لله عليًّ إن قضيت حاجتي ان افعل كذا “The purpose of nadhr in reality is seeking proximity to Allah and presenting its reward to the one in grave and the beneficiaries of these nadhr are the poor and the indigent.” In such a case, how can one consider this action as shirk and place it on par with the action of the polytheists!?