Questioner: “Some people say, and I do not if it etiquette to mention this wording or what the ruling is on the one who says it: “If you want to call the Lord of the Worlds, then it is upon you to call the number of 2,44,3,4. Do you know this puzzle?
Shaikh: By Allah, no
Questioner: Two means two rak’ah of Fajr, four for the Dhuhr prayer and [four] after it for the Asr prayer, then three for the maghrib prayer, and four for the Isha prayer. So does the one who uses this wording, for example, gain sin?
Shaikh: If he does not get a sin, then at the very least he reaches [something] disliked in the Legislation. However, [in] the question you mentioned here is what we will call a concealment of acts of worship and prayers by way of numbers and signs. From this phrase we detest the words: “if you want to reach Allah”. There is a supplication that the Sufis use, which is: “Oh Allah connect us to you”. So we do not prefer this Sufi phrase because its apparent meaning is hidden from us. Reaching Allah according to the Sufi expression is Wahdatul-Wujood (pantheism).
Questioner: We seek refuge in Allah
Shaikh: Yes. So if the intent of reaching Allah is that we reach the bounty of Allah and the Paradise of Allah, then there is no preventative in terms of intent. However, there is preventative in terms of wording. So like that we do not prefer to use this phrase “reaching Allah”. I hope you understand me Inshallah. May you be given well-being.
Questioner: May Allah give you well being”.
[Silsilatul-Huda wan-Nur no. 1017]
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
