Taking the Shaykhs of the Sufi Orders as Intercessors with Allah the Exalted
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Taking the Shaykhs of the Sufi Orders as Intercessors
with Allah the Exalted
Question: We all know the noble hadith:Sahih Muslim 49a.
So what do you advise us regarding a problem that has spread in our world, consisting of religious innovations and superstitions? Among them is a group that calls themselves Shaykhs, and they claim to have a special status (wilayah) for their followers in this world and the Hereafter. They gather them and preach to them,Each one of them says to his community: saying, "I am so-and-so the Shaykh. I pledge to be your close friend of Allah (wali) and your intercessor in this world and the Hereafter!"
So what is the ruling on such actions of theirs? What is the ruling on the people who believe them? And what is our duty toward them? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer: First: We thank the questioner for his zeal for his religion and his concern for his creed, and this is the duty of every Muslim.
As for what he mentioned about the state of these people who call people, preach to them, and urge them to revere them and worship them instead of Allah by taking them as intercessors and close friends of Allah (awliya) in this world and the Hereafter, this is a great abomination and a heinous disbelief; because whoever calls people to worship himself is a taghut (false object of worship), as the scholars have explicitly stated; because worship is the right of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) alone, and no one has any claim to it, and intercession is the property of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), [Surat al-Zumar: 44], [Surat al-Baqarah: 255], [Surat al-Anbiya: 28],
[Surat al-Najm: 26], and intercession is the property of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) alone. He grants permission for it to whom He wills among His messengers, prophets, and the righteous among His servants, to intercede for those believers of whom He is pleased.
So it does not occur except after Allah's permission, and it does not occur except if Allah is pleased with the words and deeds of the one for whom intercession is sought, by being from the people of faith. The prophets, angels, and the righteous have no claim to intercession, until this claimant says, "I pledge to be your intercessor and your close friend of Allah (wali) in this world and the Hereafter." Indeed, Allah is the only intercessor and the only close friend of Allah (wali),As Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-An'am: 51],And as Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-An'am: 62], so in the Hereafter, no soul possesses anything for another soul, and the command on that Day is for Allah. No one has any claim to intercession or to being a close friend of Allah (wali) besides Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He),So Allah the Exalted says regarding the prophets: [Surat Ali 'Imran: 79, 80].
So the prophets, angels, and the righteous are all servants of Allah, in need of Him,As Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Isra: 57], so the awliya (close friends of Allah) have no claim to intercession, and they have no right to take charge of Allah's servants in the Hereafter. Rather, this is the property of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). And being a close friend of Allah (wilayah) is not exclusive to one person over another; rather, all believers are awliya (close friends of Allah) of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He),Allah the Exalted said:
[Surat Yunus: 62, 63], so whoever believes in Allah and fears Him is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah. And this status (wilayah) increases and decreases according to the state of its possessor in faith and mindfulness of Allah (taqwa). The greater the faith and mindfulness of Allah, the stronger the status, and the weaker the faith and mindfulness of Allah, the weaker the status. And no one is exclusive in it over another.
Then also, we do not rule that anyone is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah, except for those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to as having this status. As for those whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not testify to, we do not assert for them this status, but we hope for the believing and God-fearing, and we fear for the sinners and transgressors. And even those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to as having this status, such as the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the ten promised Paradise, and others from the Companions and the leaders of the Muhajireen and Ansar, none of them claimed this claim that this falsifier claimed. None of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor the Companions, nor the blessed generations,He said to the people: said, "I pledge to be your close friend of Allah (wali) and your intercessor in this world and the Hereafter." This was not said by anyone from the people of faith, and it is not said except by the taghut (false objects of worship) who want to corrupt the creeds of Muslims and want to consume the wealth of people by falsehood. So the duty is to take hold of them, either they repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from these superstitions and these satanic impulses and whispers, or they are killed and the Muslim society is relieved of them.
Question: Of course, does this ruling include the claimants and also those who believe them in their claim?
Answer: Yes, so whoever claims this claim and calls people to pledge to him that he is their intercessor and that he is their close friend of Allah (wali) in this world and the Hereafter, this is a taghut (false object of worship) who disbelieves in Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). And whoever believes him is like him also. Whoever believes him is a disbeliever after knowing the proof and the legal texts. But if he is ignorant, then the ruling is explained to him and the falsity of this claim is explained to him by the legal texts. If he persists in believing these taghut (false objects of worship), he becomes like them in disbelief, misguidance, and atheism.
Question: Is the status of being a close friend of Allah (wilayah) limited to the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or are they characteristics and criteria, if any person adheres to them or they are present in him, does he have the right to this status?
Answer: Every believer is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah according to his faith and his mindfulness of Allah (taqwa),And We said: this status (wilayah) strengthens and weakens according to the strength and weakness of faith, but we do not assert for anyone that he is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah, except for those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to.
Question: Our saying "those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to," does this not limit it to the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or is the intended meaning the characteristics?
Answer: The specific persons, it is limited to those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to. As for the general description,That it be said: every believer is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah, so this continues until the Day of Resurrection. As for specifying a person or persons and saying to these people that they are awliya (close friends of Allah), this is not permissible, except for those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to; because we do not know what is in the hearts, and we do not know what the state of the person will be between him and Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Rather, we only judge by appearances.
Question: As you have mentioned, some of those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to, or all of them, in reality, none of them ever claimed to be a close friend of Allah (wali), or claimed for himself this claim, rather
they always felt shortcoming and that they were falling short in the rights of Allah, despite being at a high level of mindfulness of Allah (taqwa), scrupulousness, and asceticism?
Answer: Yes, the state of the righteous from the Salaf (earliest generations), these Imams, and those who followed them who came after them, is that they do not claim for themselves the status of being a close friend of Allah (wilayah), and they feel shortcoming and deficiency,As Allah said: [Surat al-Mu'minun: 60], and as He said about Jesus and his mother,And 'Uzayr (peace be upon him): [Surat al-Isra: 57],And He said regarding the prophets in general: [Surat al-Anbiya: 90].
with Allah the Exalted
Question: We all know the noble hadith:
He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith.
من رأى منكم منكرًا فليغيره بيده فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه وذلك أضعف الإيمانSo what do you advise us regarding a problem that has spread in our world, consisting of religious innovations and superstitions? Among them is a group that calls themselves Shaykhs, and they claim to have a special status (wilayah) for their followers in this world and the Hereafter. They gather them and preach to them,Each one of them says to his community: saying, "I am so-and-so the Shaykh. I pledge to be your close friend of Allah (wali) and your intercessor in this world and the Hereafter!"
So what is the ruling on such actions of theirs? What is the ruling on the people who believe them? And what is our duty toward them? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer: First: We thank the questioner for his zeal for his religion and his concern for his creed, and this is the duty of every Muslim.
As for what he mentioned about the state of these people who call people, preach to them, and urge them to revere them and worship them instead of Allah by taking them as intercessors and close friends of Allah (awliya) in this world and the Hereafter, this is a great abomination and a heinous disbelief; because whoever calls people to worship himself is a taghut (false object of worship), as the scholars have explicitly stated; because worship is the right of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) alone, and no one has any claim to it, and intercession is the property of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He),
Say, "To Allah belongs [the right to allow] intercession entirely.
قُلْ لِلَّهِ الشَّفَاعَةُ جَمِيعًاWho is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?
مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِand they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves
وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَىAnd how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allah has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.
وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَىSo it does not occur except after Allah's permission, and it does not occur except if Allah is pleased with the words and deeds of the one for whom intercession is sought, by being from the people of faith. The prophets, angels, and the righteous have no claim to intercession, until this claimant says, "I pledge to be your intercessor and your close friend of Allah (wali) in this world and the Hereafter." Indeed, Allah is the only intercessor and the only close friend of Allah (wali),As Allah the Exalted said:
for them besides Him will be no protector and no intercessor - that they might become righteous.
لَيْسَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ وَلِيٌّ وَلَا شَفِيعٌ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَThen they His servants are returned to Allah, their true Lord
ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ مَوْلَاهُمُ الْحَقِّ(79) It is not for a human [prophet] that Allah should give him the Scripture and authority and prophethood and then he would say to the people, "Be servants to me rather than Allah," but [instead, he would say], "Be pious scholars of the Lord because of what you have taught of the Scripture and because of what you have studied." (80) Nor could he order you to take the angels and prophets as lords. Would he order you to disbelief after you had been Muslims?
مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ اللَّهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا عِبَادًا لِي مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنْ كُونُوا رَبَّانِيِّينَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ الْكِتَابَ وَبِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ وَلَا يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَنْ تَتَّخِذُوا الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ أَرْبَابًا أَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَSo the prophets, angels, and the righteous are all servants of Allah, in need of Him,As Allah the Exalted said:
Those whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever feared.
أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًا(62) Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve (63) Those who believed and were fearing Allah
أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَThen also, we do not rule that anyone is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah, except for those whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to as having this status. As for those whom the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not testify to, we do not assert for them this status, but we hope for the believing and God-fearing, and we fear for the sinners and transgressors. And even those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to as having this status, such as the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the ten promised Paradise, and others from the Companions and the leaders of the Muhajireen and Ansar, none of them claimed this claim that this falsifier claimed. None of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, nor the Companions, nor the blessed generations,He said to the people: said, "I pledge to be your close friend of Allah (wali) and your intercessor in this world and the Hereafter." This was not said by anyone from the people of faith, and it is not said except by the taghut (false objects of worship) who want to corrupt the creeds of Muslims and want to consume the wealth of people by falsehood. So the duty is to take hold of them, either they repent to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) from these superstitions and these satanic impulses and whispers, or they are killed and the Muslim society is relieved of them.
Question: Of course, does this ruling include the claimants and also those who believe them in their claim?
Answer: Yes, so whoever claims this claim and calls people to pledge to him that he is their intercessor and that he is their close friend of Allah (wali) in this world and the Hereafter, this is a taghut (false object of worship) who disbelieves in Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). And whoever believes him is like him also. Whoever believes him is a disbeliever after knowing the proof and the legal texts. But if he is ignorant, then the ruling is explained to him and the falsity of this claim is explained to him by the legal texts. If he persists in believing these taghut (false objects of worship), he becomes like them in disbelief, misguidance, and atheism.
Question: Is the status of being a close friend of Allah (wilayah) limited to the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or are they characteristics and criteria, if any person adheres to them or they are present in him, does he have the right to this status?
Answer: Every believer is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah according to his faith and his mindfulness of Allah (taqwa),And We said: this status (wilayah) strengthens and weakens according to the strength and weakness of faith, but we do not assert for anyone that he is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah, except for those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to.
Question: Our saying "those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to," does this not limit it to the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or is the intended meaning the characteristics?
Answer: The specific persons, it is limited to those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to. As for the general description,That it be said: every believer is a close friend of Allah (wali) of Allah, so this continues until the Day of Resurrection. As for specifying a person or persons and saying to these people that they are awliya (close friends of Allah), this is not permissible, except for those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to; because we do not know what is in the hearts, and we do not know what the state of the person will be between him and Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Rather, we only judge by appearances.
Question: As you have mentioned, some of those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) testified to, or all of them, in reality, none of them ever claimed to be a close friend of Allah (wali), or claimed for himself this claim, rather
they always felt shortcoming and that they were falling short in the rights of Allah, despite being at a high level of mindfulness of Allah (taqwa), scrupulousness, and asceticism?
Answer: Yes, the state of the righteous from the Salaf (earliest generations), these Imams, and those who followed them who came after them, is that they do not claim for themselves the status of being a close friend of Allah (wilayah), and they feel shortcoming and deficiency,As Allah said: