Supplicating to other than Allah among the dead and the absent, and seeking their aid
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Fatwa No. ( 3068 ):
Q1: In these days, we see a group of Muslims who have exaggerated in their love for the dead. They supplicate to them and ask them for their needs, and complain to them of their misfortunes, believing that they are present in their gatherings when they call upon them and that they relieve their distress. Among the customs widespread among them is that people gather on a certain night in a dark room and supplicate to 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him) a thousand times, believing that he commanded them to do so and that he is present with them and fulfills their needs if they do this. They cite the following verses as evidence for this and recite them with all humility and reverence, and with all love and self-abasement. Among these verses are the following:
And also:
And also:
A: First: Supplicating to other than Allah among the dead and the absent, and seeking their aid in removing a calamity, relieving a distress, healing a sick person, or the like, is shirk (associating partners with Allah); because this supplication and this calling for aid is worship and an act of drawing near, so directing it to Allah alone is tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and directing it to other than Him is major shirk. This includes reciting the supplications mentioned in the question and the like of them, and believing in what is contained in them; that is major shirk which takes one out of the religion of Islam – may Allah protect us from it. Allah the Exalted said:[Yunus 10:106-107]
And He said:[Al-Jinn 72:18] And He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Mu'minun 23:117] ... and other verses that indicate the exclusivity of Allah in being called upon for aid and in supplication. It is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516Hasan (Darussalam) the hadith. Second: Accordingly, it is not permissible for a Muslim to call upon the shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani , or anyone else, whether a prophet or a righteous person, to be present, or to aid a distressed person, or to relieve a distress, or to bestow his blessing upon those present, or for any other purpose. Rather, calling upon him is major shirk, and he is innocent of the one who called upon him, does not hear him, and does not respond to him. As He, the Exalted, said after mentioning the verses of His lordship: [Fatir 35:13-14]
Third: It is known from what has preceded that whoever does this among those who claim to be Muslim becomes, by doing so, a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) with major shirk, by the explicit text of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Fourth: And based on this: prayer behind him is not valid; because he is a mushrik with major shirk which takes him out of the religion of Islam. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Q1: In these days, we see a group of Muslims who have exaggerated in their love for the dead. They supplicate to them and ask them for their needs, and complain to them of their misfortunes, believing that they are present in their gatherings when they call upon them and that they relieve their distress. Among the customs widespread among them is that people gather on a certain night in a dark room and supplicate to 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah be pleased with him) a thousand times, believing that he commanded them to do so and that he is present with them and fulfills their needs if they do this. They cite the following verses as evidence for this and recite them with all humility and reverence, and with all love and self-abasement. Among these verses are the following:
And also:
And also:
A: First: Supplicating to other than Allah among the dead and the absent, and seeking their aid in removing a calamity, relieving a distress, healing a sick person, or the like, is shirk (associating partners with Allah); because this supplication and this calling for aid is worship and an act of drawing near, so directing it to Allah alone is tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and directing it to other than Him is major shirk. This includes reciting the supplications mentioned in the question and the like of them, and believing in what is contained in them; that is major shirk which takes one out of the religion of Islam – may Allah protect us from it. Allah the Exalted said:
(106) And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.'" (107) And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful
وَلاَ تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ يَنْفَعُكَ وَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ (106) وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلا هُوَ وَإِنْ يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُAnd He said:
And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone.
وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًاAnd whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for which he has no proof - then his account is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.
وَمَنْ يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ لاَ بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَWhen you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek aid, seek Allah's aid.
إذا سألت فاسأل الله، وإذا استعنت فاستعن باللهThat is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs sovereignty. And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed. (14) If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] Acquainted [with all matters].
ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ (13) إِنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ لاَ يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا مَا اسْتَجَابُوا لَكُمْ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ وَلاَ يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍThird: It is known from what has preceded that whoever does this among those who claim to be Muslim becomes, by doing so, a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) with major shirk, by the explicit text of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Fourth: And based on this: prayer behind him is not valid; because he is a mushrik with major shirk which takes him out of the religion of Islam. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.