Restricting the prohibition of seeking forgiveness for polytheists, as opposed to praying for mercy upon them
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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Should we not restrict the cause of the prohibition to seeking forgiveness for polytheists, since it is of no benefit, as opposed to praying for mercy upon them? Praying for mercy may benefit them, just as Allah the Exalted lightened the punishment of Abu Talib through the intercession of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
Answer:
It is never restricted. One does not pray for mercy upon them, nor does one make du'a' (supplication) for them, because that indicates that the one praying for mercy and making du'a' loves them in his heart and is not jealous of the disbelief in which they are. This is not permissible. This is a general rule. It is not understood, and it is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for them. You say to him, "This is the grave." And regarding Abu Talib, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left off seeing him and lightened the punishment for him. This is specific to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and specific to this Muslim, Abu Talib, only. Nothing else is to be compared to it. No.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Should we not restrict the cause of the prohibition to seeking forgiveness for polytheists, since it is of no benefit, as opposed to praying for mercy upon them? Praying for mercy may benefit them, just as Allah the Exalted lightened the punishment of Abu Talib through the intercession of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
Answer:
It is never restricted. One does not pray for mercy upon them, nor does one make du'a' (supplication) for them, because that indicates that the one praying for mercy and making du'a' loves them in his heart and is not jealous of the disbelief in which they are. This is not permissible. This is a general rule. It is not understood, and it is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe to seek forgiveness for them. You say to him, "This is the grave." And regarding Abu Talib, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left off seeing him and lightened the punishment for him. This is specific to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and specific to this Muslim, Abu Talib, only. Nothing else is to be compared to it. No.
Source
شرح قرة عيون الموحدين في تحقيق دعوة الأنبياء والمرسلين، باب قول الله - تعالى - : { إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ } — islamhouse.com (1:04:02)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.