The Ruling on Seeking Forgiveness and Praying for the Mercy of Parents Who Died in a State of Shirk (Associating Partners with Allah)
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Question:
For a period of time, we were in a state of ignorance and confusion. Some of our fathers and mothers believed in graves, sought nearness to Allah through them, slaughtered animals for them, and engaged in other such doubtful matters. These fathers have passed away. Is it permissible to seek their satisfaction and pray for their mercy?
Answer:
No. If they died holding this belief and performing these acts—prostrating to other than Allah and making vows to other than Allah—and they died in that state, or if they were polytheists, then seeking forgiveness for them is not permissible, nor is praying for their mercy. This verse states: "It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were their relatives." These people died in a state of shirk (associating partners with Allah), prostrating to other than Allah and making vows to other than Allah. Yes.
For a period of time, we were in a state of ignorance and confusion. Some of our fathers and mothers believed in graves, sought nearness to Allah through them, slaughtered animals for them, and engaged in other such doubtful matters. These fathers have passed away. Is it permissible to seek their satisfaction and pray for their mercy?
Answer:
No. If they died holding this belief and performing these acts—prostrating to other than Allah and making vows to other than Allah—and they died in that state, or if they were polytheists, then seeking forgiveness for them is not permissible, nor is praying for their mercy. This verse states: "It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were their relatives." These people died in a state of shirk (associating partners with Allah), prostrating to other than Allah and making vows to other than Allah. Yes.
Source
شرح قرة عيون الموحدين في تحقيق دعوة الأنبياء والمرسلين، باب قول الله - تعالى - : { إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ } — islamhouse.com (1:00:30)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.