Fatwa #453264 December 2022Australia
Wearing uniform with a Greek god - does this constitute minor shirk?
Question
Assalaamu Alaikum,
I have been asked the following two questions. I would appreciate your response to them.
I've recently got a new work uniform on which is an image of a mythological Greek god. I know that it is sinful to pray in clothing with an animate image, let alone one of a god, and so what I currently do is tuck the bottom of the shirt into the neckline to conceal the image while I'm praying (I have an undershirt on underneath so my awrah is still covered). Is this sufficient to avoid sin, and will my Salāh be accepted, or is there a better option for how I should go about making salah while at work?
And my second question is regarding displaying national flags (hanging them on the walls etc) - does this constitute minor shirk? Will the angels enter a house in which such flags are displayed? Or is this not an issue?
Jazakumullah Khaira
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Allah Ta’ala through His infinite Kindness has blessed us with Iman. As Muslims, we ought to be sensitive about our beliefs and values. It does not behove a believer to wear clothing that contains symbols of other religions.[i]
Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِغَيْرِنَا لاَ تَشَبَّهُوا بِالْيَهُودِ وَلاَ بِالنَّصَارَى…
Translation: "The one who resembles other than us is not from amongst us. Do not resemble the Jews nor the Christians…” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2695)
One should not wear the uniform in reference at all, not in Salaah nor out of Salaah. Explain your position to the authorities at your work and request them to allow you to wear uniform without the image.
In the meanwhile, we advise you to carry a Kurta to work which you may wear while performing Salaah.
With regards to your second question, it depends on what is displayed on the flag. If it has images of animate objects etc, then it will be an issue. Otherwise, some flags even contain the Name of Allah Ta’ala.[ii]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
(2020-10-21)
[i]الفتاوى الهندية (2/ 276)
يَكْفُرُ بِوَضْعِ قَلَنْسُوَةِ الْمَجُوسِ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ إلَّا لِضَرُورَةِ دَفْعِ الْحَرِّ وَالْبَرْدِ وَبِشَدِّ الزُّنَّارِ فِي وَسْطِهِ إلَّا إذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ خَدِيعَةً فِي الْحَرْبِ وَطَلِيعَةً لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ
[ii] کتاب النوازل 41/74
سوال:- کیا فرماتے ہیں علماء دین ومفتیانِ شرع متین مسئلہ ذیل کے بارے میں کہ: قومی ترنگا جھنڈا لگانا اور لہرانا کیسا ہے؟
باسمہٖ سبحانہ تعالیٰ
الجواب وباللّٰہ التوفیق: محض علامتی طور پر مدرسہ میں جھنڈا لہرانے میں حرج نہیں ہے؛ البتہ اُس کو اِس طرح تقدس واحترام کا درجہ دینا کہ اُس کی عبادت کا شبہ ہونے لگے یہ جائز نہیں۔