Singing the national anthem in the Masjid

(Part No. 6; Page No. 303)  Singing the national anthem in the Masjid Fatwa no. 4855 Praise be to Allah, Alone. Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, his family, and CompanionsThe Committee has viewed the referred question No. 1284 submitted by Professor Shaykh Harun to His Eminence Chairman dated 1/7/1402 A.H. It reads: Is it permissible to sing the national anthem of Guyana in a Masjid. The words of the anthem are as follows: Dear land of Guyana,of rivers and plains;Made rich by the sunshine, and lush by the rains,Set gem-like and fair, between mountains and sea,Your children salute you, dear land of the free.Green land of Guyana, our heroes of yore,Both bondsmen and free, laid their bones on your shoreThis soil so they hallowed, and from them are we,All sons of one Mother, Guyana the free.Great land of Guyana, diverse though our strains,We are born of their sacrifice, heirs of their pains,And ours is the glory their eyes did not see,One land of six people, united and free.Dear land of Guyana, to you will we give, (Part No. 6; Page No. 304) Our homage, our service, each day that we live;God guard you, great Mother, and make usMore worthy of our heritage, land of the free.

The Committee answered with the following: It is not permissible to sing this national anthem or the likes in any Masjid. They are built for offering Salah, Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah), Tasbih (glorifying Allah), Tahmid (praising Allah), Tahlil (saying: "La ilaha illa Allah [There is no god except Allah]"), Takbir (saying: "Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]"), recitation of the Qur'an, teaching knowledge, preaching, and such deeds which draw the person close to Allah. Therefore, it is not permissible to sing this song which describes Guyana's green land, prosperity, free land, the unity between its peoples, and how they come to it, showing allegiance, homage, and sanctification. This is not proper to be done in Masjids which are built to worship and draw close to Allah. Allah (Exalted be He) says, In houses (mosques) which Allâh has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is remembered [i.e. Adhan, Iqamah, Salât (prayers), invocations, recitation of the Qur’ân etc.]. Therein glorify Him (Allah) in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings, Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the Remembrance of Allâh (with heart and tongue), nor from performing As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), nor from giving the Zakât. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection). That Allâh may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace. And Allâh provides without measure to whom He wills. Muslims should honor and maintain Masjids with acts of worship, deeds that draw a person near to Allah, knowledge, (Part No. 6; Page No. 305) preaching, guidance, calling to Jihad (striving in the Cause of Allah), and supporting Islam.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.