A Short Advice to My Salafi Sisters Regarding the 'Netball for Sisters Fundraiser'

Allāh ﷻ says: ﴿وَذَكِّرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ﴾ "And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers." [Sūrah Adh-Dhāriyāt: 55] And He says: ﴿وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتُ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِیَاۤءُ بَعۡضࣲۚ یَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَیَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ﴾ الآية "The believers, both men and women, are guardians of one another. They encourage good and forbid evil..." [Sūrah At-Tawbah: 71] Based on these Āyāt and others like them, I wish to share with you speech of the scholars which, if you were to contemplate, will (inshaAllah) lead you to reconsider participating in and organising such fundraising activities. ▪️Sheikh Fawzan & An-Najmi https://t.me/madrasatuna/2790 ▪️Sheikh Yūsuf Al-Jazaa’iri https://t.me/madrasatuna/2787 As Salafis, we distinguish ourselves by constantly looking to the Aathaar (narrations) of the Salaf and striving to adhere to them. Sufyan Ath-Thawri rahimahullah said: «إِنْ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ لاَ تَحُكَّ رَأْسَكَ إِلاَّ بِأَثَرٍ فَافْعَلْ» Meaning: if you can imitate the Salaf in every aspect, even in something as trivial as scratching your head, then do so! Thus, did the Salaf engage in such fundraising activities? If they did not, and they surely did not, then we should also refrain from doing so. If participating in such activities is not part of the Sunnah, then know that REFRAINING from it IS! ▪️What is Sunnah Tarkiyyah? https://t.me/almanhajussalafi/528 ▪️Contemplate "the second way" https://t.me/almanhajussalafi/529 Please understand that I am not discouraging you from maintaining your fitness or from being charitable. Rather, I am advising that these two be kept separate, in accordance with the advice of our scholars. ___ A Thought-Provoking Comparison Between Such Fundraising Activities and Nadhr The Prophet ﷺ said about Nadhr (vowing): ((إنَّما يُسْتَخْرَجُ به مِنَ البَخِيلِ)) "Indeed, it [Nadhr] is used to extract goodness from the miserly and stingy." This means that vows are a way of compelling the miser to give something he would not have willingly given otherwise. Fundraising activities such as these are very much similar... For example: Pay the fee, and you get to: - Play netball - Participate in trivia - Enjoy delicious food - Have henna done - And on top of that, all proceeds go to CHARITY It's definitely worth the money. An offer you cannot refuse. So just as it is common practice for people to tie their Nadhr to the attainment of benefits or avoidance of harm, which is the behaviour of a miser. Similarly, when charity is incentivised through such activities, people become accustomed to giving only for something in return. Islam encourages us to give voluntarily, without expecting any worldly gain in return. Allāh ﷻ said: {وَٱلَّذِینَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِیمَـٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ یُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَیۡهِمۡ وَلَا یَجِدُونَ فِی صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةࣰ مِّمَّاۤ أُوتُوا۟ وَیُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِهِمۡ خَصَاصَةࣱۚ وَمَن یُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ} As for those who had settled in the city and ˹embraced˺ the faith before ˹the arrival of˺ the emigrants, they love whoever immigrates to them, never having a desire in their hearts for whatever ˹of the gains˺ is given to the emigrants. They give ˹the emigrants˺ preference over themselves even though they may be in need. And whoever is saved from the selfishness of their own souls, it is they who are ˹truly˺ successful." [Sūrah Al-Ḥashr: 9] Meanwhile, these fundraising activities cultivate a mindset of miserliness, where one only gives when some worldy gain is received in exchange. _ Highly recommended listen ▪️https://t.me/td_sisters/131 ▪️Additional benefit https://t.me/madrasatuna/4015 وفقنا الله وإياكن لكل خير 🌹