The Ruling on Seeking Intercession and Supplication from the Dead
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Question:
We begin this episode with this question from one of our dear brothers among the listeners, who asks: Is it permissible to seek intercession or supplication from the dead? And what is the legal criterion in this matter?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, nothing is sought from the dead person because he is unable to do anything. Therefore, no supplication, intercession, or fulfillment of needs is sought from him, because his time has ended and he is unable to act on his own behalf.
He said:Riyad as-Salihin 949 These are the three things that he carried out during his lifetime. As for after his death, nothing is carried out by him because his deeds have been cut off and he faces his reckoning, and he is in need of someone to supplicate for him.
He is in need of someone to give charity on his behalf, and someone to perform Hajj and 'Umrah on his behalf. He is in need of someone to pay off his debts and carry out his bequests. It is he who is in need of the living person, whereas the living person is not in need of the dead person. However, the living person is in need of the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, who does not die (Glorified and Exalted is He),[Al-Furqan 25:58], who is glorified by His praise. So the Muslim should be aware of this.
Graves are only visited in order to greet the dead person and supplicate for him with forgiveness and mercy. He benefits from that by the supplication of the living person for him, and by the greeting to him. It is not visited to seek blessing from his grave or its soil, or to seek intercession from him, or to seek supplication from him. This is a matter that is not permissible, and it is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah), or it is shirk itself. So the Muslim should fear Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and know these matters so that his creed is safe, and in order to know the lawful visitation of graves and the unlawful visitation. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
We begin this episode with this question from one of our dear brothers among the listeners, who asks: Is it permissible to seek intercession or supplication from the dead? And what is the legal criterion in this matter?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, nothing is sought from the dead person because he is unable to do anything. Therefore, no supplication, intercession, or fulfillment of needs is sought from him, because his time has ended and he is unable to act on his own behalf.
He said:
(ﷺ) said, "When a man dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: A continuous charity, knowledge by which people derive benefit, pious son who prays for him."
صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا مات الإنسان انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاث صدقة جارية أو علم انتفعوا به أو ولد صالح يدعو لهHe is in need of someone to give charity on his behalf, and someone to perform Hajj and 'Umrah on his behalf. He is in need of someone to pay off his debts and carry out his bequests. It is he who is in need of the living person, whereas the living person is not in need of the dead person. However, the living person is in need of the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, who does not die (Glorified and Exalted is He),
And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُGraves are only visited in order to greet the dead person and supplicate for him with forgiveness and mercy. He benefits from that by the supplication of the living person for him, and by the greeting to him. It is not visited to seek blessing from his grave or its soil, or to seek intercession from him, or to seek supplication from him. This is a matter that is not permissible, and it is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah), or it is shirk itself. So the Muslim should fear Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and know these matters so that his creed is safe, and in order to know the lawful visitation of graves and the unlawful visitation. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
نور على الدرب 02-06-1438هـ — af.org.sa (0:52)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.