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Bones as food for the Jinn / Performing Sujood As-Sahw in 'Eed prayer

Question

Some people said not to put bones of cooked fish, beef, chicken etc to water or wet bone plate. Because it is the food of Jinn and other animals like cat, dog. They also said when the bones put in dry condition after eating, the bones transformed into fresh as it was cooking and The Jinn eat those food. What Shariah say about this? Is it true that there is no Shijda e shahu for the salat of eid ul fitr or eid ul Adha?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It was reported that bones are food for the jinn. Among the Ahaadeeth that are reported in this regard is the Hadeeth reported by Muslim that the jinn asked the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) for food and the Prophet replied: “You will have every bone on which the name of Allaah has been mentioned; when it falls into your hands, it will be covered with flesh. And the dung (of the camels) is fodder for your animals.” Then the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said (to his Companions): “Do not use them (bones and dung) to clean yourselves after relieving yourselves, for they are the food of your brothers (jinn).” [Muslim]

However, this does not mean necessarily that it is an obligation to get rid of the bones as soon as one finishes eating, or not putting them in water and so on; the prohibition is only mentioned regarding cleansing oneself after relieving oneself, and it was not mentioned that putting them in water prevents the jinn from benefitting from them. The Hadeeth only states “…when it falls into your hands it will be covered with flesh”; and there is no difference between the bones that are immersed in water after eating and those which are not immersed.

As regards the ‘Eed prayer, its ruling is the same like all other prescribed prayers. In general, all that is required in other prayers is also required in ‘Eed prayer. There is no difference with regard to Sujood As-Sahw (prostration for forgetfulness) between the obligatory prayer and the supererogatory prayer according to the most preponderant opinion of the scholars, though some scholars differentiate between them in some matters, like the Maaliki School, or those who are of the view that Sujood As-Sahw is not required in the supererogatory prayer, like Ibn Seereen  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him. But the preponderant opinion is that the supererogatory prayer is like the obligatory prayer in this regard.

If you are referring to Sujood As-Sahw because of forgetting the utterance of Takbeeraat ul ‘Eed (saying Allaahu Akbar seven times in the first Rak'ah and five times in the second Rak'ah), then we have already clarified that one does not prostrate for forgetfulness in case he did not utter them according to the most preponderant opinion, contrary to the view of the Maaliki School and a narration from Ahmad. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 116622.

Allaah Knows best.

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