What is Niyaz? Can We Eat Niyaz ?

What is Niyaz? Can We Eat Niyaz ?

Bismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim Innal-Hamdalillah was-Salaatu was-Salaam `alaa Rasoolillah As-Salaamu alaikum wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatuh

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.

Our Merciful Lord, in His Sublime Mercy, revealed unto the Last Messenger (saws) His Book of Guidance to guide us on every aspect of our lives… to teach us from the Book and practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws) what is virtue and what is sin.


1.What is Niyaz?

Niyaz refers to the food a person makes and offers to others on any particular occasion, normally on the occasion of the death of any famous person or any saint.

Niyaaz are deeds that one can do for the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah Alone!   It is the Sole Right of Allah that these deeds are done in His Name and for His Pleasure Alone; and cannot be done in the name of any other being!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 76 Surah Dhahr verses 7-10:These (the People of Paradise) will be the people who fulfill their ‘nazrs’ (vows), and fear the Day whose evil shall be wide-spread; and who feed, out of love for Allah, the poor and the orphan and the captive (saying), “We are feeding you only for the sake of Allah.  We neither seek any reward from you, nor thanks!  We dread from our Lord the torment of the Day, which will be a long, dreary Day of Affliction!”

Thus whatever Niyaaz or Nazr one does, he must do so in the sole Name of Allah Subhanah and to gain His Pleasure Alone!  The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself exhorted the believers to spend in the Cause of Allah and feed the poor and the needy… and it was never his practice to pray Surah Fateha, or the Qull, or Durood Shareef on the food that was to be distributed or consumed!   Thus a believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, must do Niyaaz or Nazr in the name of Allah Alone, and to win His Pleasure and Good Will Alone.

As far as the ‘ajr’ or ‘sawaab’ reaching the Prophet (saws); brother, every good deed the believers do, Allah Subhanah automatically credits the account of the Prophet (saws) for the good deeds without diminishing the reward of the believers… because it was the Prophet (saws) who taught and guided the believers to do good deeds in accordance with the guidance and teachings of Allah Subhanah.  

Thus, one must always follow the practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws), and avoid doing fancy rasms of praying Surah Fateha, or Qulls, or Durood Shareef on the food itself and then distributing it… for there is absolutely no evidence that the Messenger of Allah (saws) did or allowed the believers to do these ‘rasms’!  Simply feed the poor and needy, and distribute the food amongst them in the name of Allah, with the intention of gaining the Pleasure of Allah Subhanah Alone.  

Distributing food to the poor, needy, indigent, neighbors and relatives is not a ‘bidah’ in itself, but rather a good righteous deed if done in the right manner as taught by the Prophet (saws).  But to make it a ‘rasm’ of gathering people, and reading a particular aayah or aayahs on it, and making a big ceremony out of the distribution is definitely a ‘bidah’, and should be avoided by the believers.  

Simply take the name of Allah and distribute the food (preferably secretly) with the intention of gaining the Pleasure and Good Will of Allah Subhanah…  that would be following the Sunnah!….and a deed worthy of appreciation in the Court of Allah on the Day of Judgement.

2.Should we do Niyaz?

Ans – Niyaz is done on the occasion of the death of some saint or good person. Anyone who is considered to be a "Awliya Allah"[1] by people. The intention in doing Niyaz is that the person for whom it is done will be pleased with the person who is doing it and after being pleased the saint will grant the needs of the asker or will solve his problem or will help him in the Akhirah.  But all acts of servitude are for Allah alone. We should try to please him alone.
Allah has said in the Qur'an 6:162

"Say: "Truly my prayer and my service of sacrifice my life and my death are (all) for Allah the Cherisher of the Worlds"
ALL such actions that we do should be for the pleasure of Allah alone

Allah has told us in the Qur'an in Surah Zumar 39:3 that the Mushriks of Makkah who used to worship idols and do sacrifices for their idols used to say:


"Is it not to Allah that sincere devotion is due? But those who take for protectors other than Allah (say): "We only serve them in order that they may bring us nearer to Allah." "

Hence even they used to say that they do this only so that they(idols) would take them closer to Allah. The Mushriks of Makkah were considered wrong because of all this and were called "Kafirs" (rejectors) and "Mushriks" (those who associate partners with Allah). Since they were wrong then even we are wrong if we do that. For more details see the section on "Tauheed al – Ibadah" in the Notes of "Tauheed – the Oneness of Allah". Hence this act is actually included in Shirk in "Tawheed al Ibadah"

Neither our beloved Prophet nor the Sahaba ever did Niyaz. They understood and followed Islam much better than us. Isn't there a proof in this that if it was something good they would have surely done it.

In the light of the above stated facts it can be concluded that doing Niyaz is wrong.

3.Can we eat Niyaz?

a. Prohibited in the Qur'an

The normal intention of people behind doing Niyaz is given above. The reason why the food is cooked and distributed is to please someone other than Allah.

Islam believes in such perfect oneness of Allah that such food has been made "Haraam" for its followers. It is given in the Qur'an in no less than four different places 2:173 , 6:145 , 16:115 and 5:3

"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat blood the flesh of swine and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah"

Hence we are not allowed to eat or serve or give others such food.

b. Partner in sin by Cooperation

Besides when a person cooperates a joins a bad cause he becomes a partner in it as Allah has said in Surah an Nisa 4:85
"Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein: and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause shares in its burden"

By eating that food we are becoming a partner in the sin...

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Jazakumullahu Khairan.

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