Meaning of Misak, Sehra, Syed, Syedna
Mu' meneen Brothers
and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa
Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be
upon all of you)
One of our
brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Dear Mr. Burhan,
As Salaam Aleikum wa
Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy,and Blessings be
upon all of you)
I have a few
lingering questions that I would like your response: What is the exact meaning
of Syedna? I have heard that the direct decedents of our
prophet Muhammad
(saws) were entitled to the "Syed" title.
1. What is the
difference between "Syed" & "Syedna"?
2. What is the
meaning of "misak" and what is its significance in Islam?
3. If it is an
Oath, then are those who unknowingly take it bound by it? This is to say
that I understand that many, if not, the majority of those taking their
"misak" take it because it is a tradition and in many cases do not
understand what it really is. They are programmed to say
"Naam" when they hear the priest say "Naam."
4. What is
the meaning of "Sehra" and what is its significance in Islam?
5. In
one of your earlier Q&A on Zakat, which reads as follows:
"What
we can tell you with certainty, in light of the Holy Quran, is
where the money of zakaat and sadaqa is 'supposed' to go.
Allah says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 60: Zakat Collections are for
the needy, and the indigent, and for those who are employed to collect them,
and for those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the ransoming of slaves,
and for helping the debtors, and the way of Allah, and for the hospitality of
the way-farers."Please be kind enough to elaborate on this subject,
especially where it refers to the recipients of Zakat as;" and for those
who are employed to collect them". Under this definition, wouldn't
Syedna and his family members be entitled to receive Zakat? Anxiously awaiting
your response
Best Regards
(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above
statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and
statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)
Answer:
In the name of Allah, We praise
Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can
misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We
bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no
imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness
that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Your comment: What is the exact meaning of Syedna? I have heard
that the direct decedents of our prophet Muhammad (saws) were entitled to the
"Syed" title.The Arabic word ‘syed’ means a leader; thus ‘syedna’ means “our leader” in Arabic
terminology.
The title of ‘syed’ was not
given to the noble descendants of the Prophet (saws) by Allah and His Messenger
(saws). They are rather known as the
‘ahle-bayt’ (people of the household) of the Messenger of Allah (saws), or they
are known as the ‘Banu Hashim’ from the hereditary tribal name of the Prophet
(saws). ‘Syed’ is basically used in
colloquial Arabic for any kind of leader, and some people started using this
‘title’ in their names as a connotation that they were the descendants of the
noble Prophet (saws).
Your comment: What is the difference between "Syed" &
"Syedna"?
’Syed’ means a leader, and
‘Syedna’ means “our” leader. There is
no difference in the meaning, except for the belonging of the title. It’s like saying ‘bayt’ (house), and
‘baytna’ (our house).
Your comment: What is the meaning of
"misak" and what is its significance in Islam? If it is an
Oath, then are those who unknowingly take it bound by it? This is to say
that I understand that many, if not, the majority of
those taking their "misak" take it because it is a tradition and in
many cases do not understand what it really is. They are programmed to
say "Naam" when they hear the priest say "Naam."
’Meethak’ basically means to
make an unbreakable covenant or strong oath with someone. It is inconceivable that one would take an
unbreakable covenant or strong oath with someone unknowingly. It is the responsibility of the person
giving this oath that he understands the accountability of this oath. The person taking the oath must also
explain to the person giving it, what exactly are his responsibilities when he
gives this oath.
Allow me to relate a worldly
example: If a person makes an agreement
with (lets say) a German company and a contract is drawn in the German language
which the person does not understand.
It is the responsibility of the person to translate that contract into a
language which he can understand well, so that he is aware of what exactly are
the terms and conditions of the contract.
It would be extremely unwise if the person signs the contract without
understanding it, because he will be liable in a court of law if he is not able
to abide by the terms and conditions of the contract.
In Islam, the biggest ‘meethak’
or covenant is the one that a believer makes with Allah and His Messenger
(saws). Thus the ‘kalima shahaadah’ is considered a ‘meethak’ or covenant, and
when he testifies that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah Alone,
and that Mohamed (saws) is Allah’s slave and Messenger; he enters the fold of
Islam. This ‘meethak’ between the believer and his Creator supercedes all other
covenants of man.
The ‘meethak’ that you
are talking about is simply a ritual and an innovation in Islam, and there is
absolutely no evidence about taking this sort of ‘meethak’ from every believer
who attains puberty. The Messenger of
Allah (saws) did take the ‘meethak’ at a couple of very critical junctures in
Islam, and always took ‘meethak’ when a non-believer wished to become a
muslim. But there is absolutely no
evidence in the authentic traditions that the Messenger of Allah (saws) took
the ‘meethak’ from every child when he attained puberty. This ritual which has crept up in the sect
is a clear innovation in Islam, and as with all innovations; it must be
rejected.
It has been
reported by Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (r.a.) that the Prophet (saws) said: If
anyone introduces an innovation (in religion), he will be responsible for
it. If anyone introduces an innovation
or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in religion), he is
cursed by Allah, by His angels, and by all the people.
It has been
reported by Jabir ibn Abdullah (r.a.) in another authentic narration that the
Prophet of Allah (saws) said in a sermon:
“The best speech is that which is embodied in the Book of Allah, the Al
Quran; and the best guidance is the guidance given by me, Mohamed (saws). The most evil affairs are the
innovations, and every innovation is an
error.”
Your comment: What is the meaning of "Sehra" and what is its
significance in Islam?
‘Sehra’ is not an Arabic term,
and the closest word is ‘Sahra’ which basically means a desert in Arabic. The custom of ‘sehra’ whereby the face of
the groom is covered in marriage, has absolutely no significance in Islam. The ‘sehra’ is a custom of some parts of the
Indian sub-continent.
If any custom of the land does
not have a pagan religious background; and does not have any connotation of
‘shirk’; and does not have any sort of
indecency; and does not clash with
Islamic teachings and guidance; then
there is no harm. But if it is proved
that the custom of ‘sehra’ is a pagan religious ritual, or has anything to do
with ‘shirk’; then it will be forbidden in Islam.
Your comment: In one of your earlier Q&A on Zakat, which reads as
follows: "What we can tell you with certainty, in light of the
Holy Quran, is where the money of zakaat and sadaqa is 'supposed' to
go. Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 60:Zakat
Collections are for the needy, and the indigent, and for those who are employed
to collect them, and for those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the
ransoming of slaves, and for helping the debtors, and the way of Allah, and for
the hospitality of the way-farers."
Please be kind
enough to elaborate on this subject, especially where it refers to the
recipients of Zakat as; "and for those who are employed to collect
them". Under this definition, wouldn't Syedna and his family members
be entitled to receive Zakat?
Basically, the zakaat money can
be used for any good cause in the Way of Allah, except to build a mosque; which has to be built by non-zakat funds.
Ref: "and for those who
are employed to collect them".
Under this definition, wouldn't Syedna and his family
members be entitled to receive Zakat?
The zakaat is a charity tax which is due from every eligible believer, and
which in an Islamic State, will be collected by the central authority from the
eligible people and distributed to the poor and needy of the society. Thus, the central authority will obviously
employ personnel to collect and distribute the zakaat according to the guidance
of Allah and His Messenger (saws). What
this aayah allows is that the salaries of the people employed to collect and
distribute the zakaat funds can be paid from it.
If the syedna and his family are
employed by a central authority in an Islamic State to collect and distribute
the zakaat collections, then their fair salary can be paid from these
funds. But this aayah in no way allows
that all the zakaat funds that are collected from the believers can be kept by
the ones who collect it!
It would be like saying that the
income-tax officers who are employed by the Central Government keep ALL the tax
they collect for themselves! That
would be illegal in any society.
The zakaat funds is the share of
the poor and needy of the society from the wealth of those who have been blessed
with bounty from Allah. This tax is so important in Islam that it was named one
of the pillars of Islam by Allah’s Messenger (saws). If some people collect this tax and do not spend it on the poor
and needy and in the Cause of Allah, but rather keep it for themselves; then
they shall be severely accountable in the Court of Allah on the Day of
Judgement. Allah has warned the
believers about such unscrupulous leaders who collect the wealth of others, and
do not spend it in the Way of Allah in the Holy Quran.
Allah says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verses 34-35:O you who believe! There are indeed many among the priests and
the holy men who devour the wealth of others by evil means, and debar the
people from the Way of Allah. Give them
the good news of a painful torment, who hoard up gold and silver and do not
expend these in the Way of Allah. The
Day shall surely come when the same gold and silver shall be heated in the fire
of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their bodies and their
backs. (And it will be said): “Here is
that treasure you had hoarded up for yourselves! Taste now the evil of your hoarded treasure!”
Whatever written of Truth and
benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error
is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He
is the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and well wisher in Islam,
