Seeking Nearness to Allah Through the Right of the Prophets and the Awliya and Asking by Them
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Q4: What is your statement regarding the letter of the Shaykh Sulayman ibn Sahman to the Shaykh 'Ali ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Isa , in which he states the refutation of the claim of those who claim that it is permissible to seek nearness to Allah through the right of the prophets and the awliya and to ask by them : The Shaykh al-Islam mentioned that he does not know of anyone who says this, and it is not permissible to swear by our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) except for what is mentioned regarding al-'Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salam , on the assumption that the hadith is authentic.
A4: What the Shaykh Sulayman ibn Sahman transmitted from the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah , that he said: "I do not know of anyone who says this, and it is not permissible to swear by our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) except for what is mentioned regarding al-'Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salam , on the assumption that the
(the hadith). A correct transmission is known by referring to (p. 337) and (p. 347) of Volume 1 of [Majmu' al-Fatawa]. The hadith referred to here is: the hadith of the blind man seeking nearness to Allah through the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asking for his intercession that Allah the Exalted would restore his sight. It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah from Uthman ibn Hunayf from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) clarified that even if it is authentic, it contains no evidence for seeking nearness to Allah through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but rather it contains seeking nearness to Allah through his supplication (peace and blessings be upon him) to his Lord to restore the sight of this blind man. Below is what Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned regarding the narrations of the hadith and his commentary on them for further clarification: (And al-Tirmidhi narrated a sound hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he taught a man to supplicate and say: And al-Nasa'i narrated a similar supplication. And in al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah from Uthman ibn Hunayf : Mishkat al-Masabih 2495 al-Tirmidhi said: This is a good, sound hadith. And al-Nasa'i narrated it from Uthman ibn Hunayf and his wording is: . And Imam Ahmad said in his Musnad: Ruh narrated to us, Shu'bah narrated from 'Amir ibn Yazid al-Khatmi al-Madani who said: I heard 'Ammarah ibn Khuzaymah ibn Thabit narrate from Uthman ibn Hunayf , he said: So the man did it and was cured. So this hadith contains seeking nearness to Allah through him in supplication.
Some people say: This necessitates the permissibility of seeking nearness to Allah through him absolutely, whether he is alive or dead. And this is used as evidence by those who seek nearness to Allah through his person after his death and in his absence, and these people think that the seeking nearness of the blind man and the Companions during his life meant swearing by him to Allah, or that they asked Allah by his person to fulfill their needs. And they think that seeking nearness to Allah through him does not require him to supplicate for them or for them to obey him; it is the same for these people whether the Messenger supplicated for them or not; all of it is seeking nearness to Allah through him in their view, and it is the same whether they obeyed him or not. And they think that Allah the Exalted fulfills the need of this person who sought nearness to Allah through him, in their claim, even though the Messenger did not supplicate for him, just as He fulfills the need of this person who sought nearness to Allah through his supplication and for whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated, since both are seeking nearness to Allah through him in their view. And they think that everyone who asks Allah the Exalted by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has sought nearness to Allah through him just as that blind man did, and that what the blind man was commanded to do is prescribed for them. The statement of these people is false in terms of the Shari'ah and in terms of divine decree, so they are not in accordance with the Shari'ah of Allah, and what they say is not in accordance with the creation of Allah. And some people say: This is a specific case, and the ruling is established for its counterparts that resemble it in the basis of the ruling, but the ruling is not established by it for what is contrary to it, not similar to it. And the difference is established in the Shari'ah and in divine decree between the one for whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated and the one for whom he did not supplicate, and it is not permissible to make one like the other. And this blind man was interceded for by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); therefore, he said in his supplication:
So he knew that he was an intercessor in it, and its wording is: , so it was a request from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a for him, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to pray and make du'a for himself as well, and to say in his du'a , so that indicates that the meaning of his saying: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3578Sahih (Darussalam) is: by his du'a and his intercession, as 'Umar said: (O Allah, we used to seek nearness to You through Your Prophet when we were in drought, so You would send us rain). So the two hadiths have the same meaning: He (peace and blessings be upon him) taught a man to seek nearness to Allah through him during his lifetime, just as 'Umar mentioned that they used to seek nearness to Allah through him when they were in drought, and then after his death, they only sought nearness to Allah through someone else in his place. If seeking nearness to Allah through him while alive and dead were the same, and the one through whom they sought nearness, for whom the Messenger made du'a, were like the one for whom the Messenger did not make du'a, they would not have turned away from seeking nearness to Allah through him, who is the best of creation and the most honorable to his Lord and the closest to them in means, to seek nearness to Allah through someone else who is not like him. And likewise, if the blind man who sought nearness to Allah through him, for whom the Messenger did not make du'a, were in the same position as that blind man, the blindness of the Companions or some of them would have been like what the blind man did, so their turning away from this to that - while they are the foremost, the first, the emigrants and the helpers and those who followed them with excellence, for they are more knowledgeable than us about Allah and His Messenger, and the rights of Allah and His Messenger, and what is prescribed of du'a that benefits, and what is not
is not prescribed and not beneficial, and what is more beneficial than others, and they were in a time of dire necessity and scarcity and drought, seeking the removal of distress and the easing of the difficult and the sending down of rain by every possible means—is evidence that what is prescribed is what they followed, not what they left. For this reason, the jurists mentioned in their books regarding the prayer for rain what they did, not what they left. And that is because seeking nearness to Allah through him while alive is the request for his supplication and intercession, and it is of the same kind as asking him to supplicate for them, and this is prescribed. So the Muslims continued to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) during his lifetime to supplicate for them. But after his death, the Companions did not ask him for supplication, neither at his grave nor at any other place, as many people do at the graves of the righteous, where one of them asks the dead person for his need, or swears by Allah through him, or the like of that. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and his Companions.
A4: What the Shaykh Sulayman ibn Sahman transmitted from the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah , that he said: "I do not know of anyone who says this, and it is not permissible to swear by our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) except for what is mentioned regarding al-'Izz ibn 'Abd al-Salam , on the assumption that the
(the hadith). A correct transmission is known by referring to (p. 337) and (p. 347) of Volume 1 of [Majmu' al-Fatawa]. The hadith referred to here is: the hadith of the blind man seeking nearness to Allah through the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asking for his intercession that Allah the Exalted would restore his sight. It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah from Uthman ibn Hunayf from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) clarified that even if it is authentic, it contains no evidence for seeking nearness to Allah through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but rather it contains seeking nearness to Allah through his supplication (peace and blessings be upon him) to his Lord to restore the sight of this blind man. Below is what Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned regarding the narrations of the hadith and his commentary on them for further clarification: (And al-Tirmidhi narrated a sound hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he taught a man to supplicate and say:
O Allah, I ask You and seek nearness to You through Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad, O Messenger of Allah, I seek nearness to You to my Lord in my need so that He may fulfill it for me. O Allah, grant him intercession for
اللهم إني أسألك وأتوسل إليك بنبيك محمد نبي الرحمة، يا محمد يا رسول الله، إني أتوسل بك إلى ربي في حاجتي ليقضيها لي، اللهم شفعه فيa blind man came to the Prophet and asked him to pray to God to cure him. He replied, “If you wish, I shall make supplication to God, but if you wish you will endure, for that is better for you." The man asked him to make supplication. [‘Uthman] said: He then commanded him to perform ablution, doing it well, and make this supplication, “O God, I make request of Thee and I turn towards Thee by means of Thy prophet Muhammad, the prophet of mercy. By means of you 1 have turned towards my Lord to accomplish for me this need of mine. O God, make him an intercessor for me.”
أن رجلاً ضريرًا أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: ادع الله أن يعافيني، فقال: إن شئت دعوت، وإن شئت صبرت فهو خير لك، فقال: فادعه، فأمره أن يتوضأ فيحسن وضوءه ويدعو بهذا الدعاء: اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبيك محمد نبي الرحمة، يا رسول الله يا محمد، إني توجهت بك إلى ربي في حاجتي هذه لتقضى، اللهم فشفعه فيA blind man said: “O Messenger of Allah, call upon Allah to restore my sight.” He said: “So go, perform wudu, then pray two rak'ahs, then say: O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad, I turn to my Lord through you to have my sight restored. O Allah, grant him intercession for me.” He said: “So he returned, and Allah had restored his sight.”
أن رجلاً أعمى قال: يا رسول الله، ادع الله أن يكشف لي عن بصري قال: فانطلق فتوضأ، ثم صل ركعتين، ثم قل: اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبيك محمد نبي الرحمة، يا محمد، إني أتوجه بك إلى ربي أن يكشف عن بصري، اللهم فشفعه في، قال: فرجع وقد كشف الله عن بصرهA man with impaired vision came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “O Prophet of Allah, call upon Allah to grant me health.” He said: “If you wish, I will delay that, and it is better for your Hereafter. If you wish, I will make a supplication for you.” He said: “No, rather call upon Allah for me.” So he ordered him to perform wudu, pray two rak'ahs, and make this supplication: “O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad, I turn to my Lord through you in this need of mine so that it may be fulfilled. O Allah, grant me intercession in it and grant him intercession for me.”
أن رجلاً ضريرًا أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: يا نبي الله، ادع الله أن يعافيني، فقال: إن شئت أخرت ذلك فهو خير لآخرتك، وإن شئت دعوت لك، قال: لا، بل ادع الله لي، فأمره أن يتوضأ وأن يصلي ركعتين وأن يدعو بهذا الدعاء: اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبيك محمد نبي الرحمة، يا محمد، إني أتوجه بك إلى ربي في حاجتي هذه فتقضى، اللهم فشفعني فيه وشفعه فيSome people say: This necessitates the permissibility of seeking nearness to Allah through him absolutely, whether he is alive or dead. And this is used as evidence by those who seek nearness to Allah through his person after his death and in his absence, and these people think that the seeking nearness of the blind man and the Companions during his life meant swearing by him to Allah, or that they asked Allah by his person to fulfill their needs. And they think that seeking nearness to Allah through him does not require him to supplicate for them or for them to obey him; it is the same for these people whether the Messenger supplicated for them or not; all of it is seeking nearness to Allah through him in their view, and it is the same whether they obeyed him or not. And they think that Allah the Exalted fulfills the need of this person who sought nearness to Allah through him, in their claim, even though the Messenger did not supplicate for him, just as He fulfills the need of this person who sought nearness to Allah through his supplication and for whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated, since both are seeking nearness to Allah through him in their view. And they think that everyone who asks Allah the Exalted by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has sought nearness to Allah through him just as that blind man did, and that what the blind man was commanded to do is prescribed for them. The statement of these people is false in terms of the Shari'ah and in terms of divine decree, so they are not in accordance with the Shari'ah of Allah, and what they say is not in accordance with the creation of Allah. And some people say: This is a specific case, and the ruling is established for its counterparts that resemble it in the basis of the ruling, but the ruling is not established by it for what is contrary to it, not similar to it. And the difference is established in the Shari'ah and in divine decree between the one for whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated and the one for whom he did not supplicate, and it is not permissible to make one like the other. And this blind man was interceded for by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); therefore, he said in his supplication:
O Allah, grant him intercession for me
اللهم فشفعه فيIf you wish, be patient, and if you wish, I will make a supplication for you. He said: “Make a supplication for me”
إن شئت صبرت، وإن شئت دعوت لك. فقال: ادع ليO Allah, grant him intercession for me
اللهم شفعه فيI ask You and turn towards You by Your Prophet Muhammad
أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبيك محمدis not prescribed and not beneficial, and what is more beneficial than others, and they were in a time of dire necessity and scarcity and drought, seeking the removal of distress and the easing of the difficult and the sending down of rain by every possible means—is evidence that what is prescribed is what they followed, not what they left. For this reason, the jurists mentioned in their books regarding the prayer for rain what they did, not what they left. And that is because seeking nearness to Allah through him while alive is the request for his supplication and intercession, and it is of the same kind as asking him to supplicate for them, and this is prescribed. So the Muslims continued to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) during his lifetime to supplicate for them. But after his death, the Companions did not ask him for supplication, neither at his grave nor at any other place, as many people do at the graves of the righteous, where one of them asks the dead person for his need, or swears by Allah through him, or the like of that. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.