Regarding clarification sought on Fatwa No 30376, these are my answers
1) What was the purpose for bowing your head?
By bowing my head, I was not performing sajdah, it was just a small tilt of the head on a down side.
2) What do you mean by “show respect towards the tradition”?
Well, this is as a result of seeing similar actions from many non-muslims, who slightly bow their head to show respect, when someone applies tikka. It came without thinking and I did not intend anykind of respect towards this in my heart.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The act of applying a tika (or tilaka) is sourced at Hindu tradition and holds strong links to religious concepts that conflict with Islamic beliefs.
Before we issue a ruling on the matter, we require clarification on the following:
1) What was the purpose for bowing your head?
By bowing my head, I was not performing sajdah, it was just a small tilt of the head on a down side.
2) What do you mean by “show respect towards the tradition”?
Well, this is as a result of seeing similar actions from many non-muslims, who slightly bow their head to show respect, when someone applies tikka. It came without thinking and I did not intend anykind of respect towards this in my heart.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Since the act in question has very close links to non-Islamic tradition[1] and such issues are regarded to be very sensitive in the eyes of Sharī`ah[2], it is best for you to restate the Shahādah and renew your nikāh (if you are married) in order to free yourself from all doubts.[3]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Bilal Mohammad
Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] These marks are called tilaka, or in Hindi and many other regional languages, tika. The tilaka is a religious mark worn mainly on the forehead and is made primarily of sandal paste, clay, or ash. The word tilaka is literally a “freckle” or “spot” and it is considered highly auspicious to wear these marks. In general, there are three broad categories oftilaka marks, those worn by Vaishnavas, those worn by Shaivas and general marks…
The other function of tilaka is for personal sanctification. Tilakais generally applied to the body in twelve places (the number varies) after bathing. These places include the forehead, the throat, the heart, the stomach, two shoulders, arms, and so on. Each time a mark is applied, the name of a particular Deity is recited. This touching, marking, and evocation has the effect of personal sanctification. A priest is dedicating his body as a temple of God by applying tilaka…
Apart from the formal tilaka worn by priests, during a puja generally a simple form of tilaka will be applied to all lay members. This is the application of the so-called “dot” or red mark that is applied during puja or when attending temple. We often explain this by saying that God has given us two eyes for seeing the physical world, the red dottika is a symbolic third eye or soul’s eye for seeing spiritual reality. During puja someone will often go around amongst the participants and give them tika. This function is akin to “logging in” to the puja, in other words, marking oneself as a faithful participant in the puja.
[“Religious Marks: Tilaka/Tika”, Devasthanam, accessed on August 25, 2014, http://sanskrit.org/?p=735]
There are two common meanings of bindi throughout India. The first is tied to Hindu religion and the second is social symbol.
[“History and Significance of Bindi”, Pardesi Fashions, accessed on August 25, 2014, http://www.pardesifashions.com/bindi/bindihistory.aspx]
[2] ويكْفُرُ…بِتَحْسِينِ أَمْرِ الْكُفَّارِ اتِّفَاقًا
(الفتاوي الهندية، ج ٢، ص ٢٧٧، مكتبة رشيدية)
وَيَكْفُرُ بِوَضْعِ قَلَنْسُوَةِ الْمَجُوسِ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ عَلَى الصَّحِيحِ إلَّا لِتَخْلِيصِ الْأَسِيرِ أَوْ لِضَرُورَةِ دَفْعِ الْحَرِّ وَالْبَرْدِ عِنْدَ الْبَعْضِ وَقِيلَ إنْ قَصَدَ بِهِ التَّشْبِيهَ يَكْفُرُ وَكَذَا شَدُّ الزُّنَّارِ فِي وَسَطِهِ.
(مجمع الأنهر، ج ٢،ص ٥١٣، دار الكتب العلمية)
(وَالْكَافِرُ إِذَا صَلَّى بِجَمَاعَةٍ أَوْ أَذَّنَ فِي مَسْجِدٍ، أَوْ قَالَ: أَنَا مُعْتَقِدٌ حَقِيقَةَ الصَّلَاةِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ يَكُونُ مُسْلِمًا) لِأَنَّهُ أَتَى بِمَا هُوَ مِنْ خَاصِّيَّةِ الْإِسْلَامِ، كَمَا أَنَّ الْإِتْيَانَ بِخَاصِّيَّةِ الْكُفْرِ يَدُلُّ عَلَى الْكُفْرِ، فَإِنَّ مَنْ سَجَدَ لِصَنَمٍ أَوْ تَزَيَّا بِزُنَّارٍ أَوْ لَبِسَ قَلَنْسُوَةَ الْمَجُوسِ يُحْكَمُ بِكُفْرِهِ
(الإختيار لتعليل المختار، ج ٤، ص ٤٠٠، دار الأرقم)
(قَوْلُهُ مَنْ هَزَلَ بِلَفْظِ كُفْرٍ) أَيْ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ بِاخْتِيَارِهِ غَيْرَ قَاصِدٍ مَعْنَاهُ، وَهَذَا لَا يُنَافِي مَا مَرَّ مِنْ أَنَّ الْإِيمَانَ هُوَ التَّصْدِيقُ فَقَطْ أَوْ مَعَ الْإِقْرَارِ لِأَنَّ التَّصْدِيقَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَوْجُودًا حَقِيقَةً لَكِنَّهُ زَائِلٌ حُكْمًا لِأَنَّ الشَّارِعَ جَعَلَ بَعْضَ الْمَعَاصِي أَمَارَةً عَلَى عَدَمِ وُجُودِهِ كَالْهَزْلِ الْمَذْكُورِ، وَكَمَا لَوْ سَجَدَ لِصَنَمٍ أَوْ وَضَعَ مُصْحَفًا فِي قَاذُورَةٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَكْفُرُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مُصَدِّقًا لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ فِي حُكْمِ التَّكْذِيبِ، كَمَا أَفَادَهُ فِي شَرْحِ الْعَقَائِدِ
(رد المحتار علي الدر المختار، ج ٤، ص ٢٢٢، ايج ايم سعيد كمبني)
[3] ما كان في كَوْنِهِ كُفْرًا اخْتِلَافٌ فإن قَائِلَهُ يُؤْمَرُ بِتَجْدِيدِ النِّكَاحِ وَبِالتَّوْبَةِ وَالرُّجُوعِ عن ذلك بِطَرِيقِ الِاحْتِيَاطِ
(الفتاوي اليندية، ج ٢، ص ٢٨٣، مكتبة رشيدية)