Light on the Path-178b
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The questioner : I hope to know the meaning of this hadith. You did not complete the hadith. It says: From Uthman ibn Hanif (may Allah be pleased with him) that a blind man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, call upon Allah to remove my blindness. He said: Shall I call for you? He said: O Messenger of Allah, the loss of my sight has become difficult for me. He said: Is this hadith authentic, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Scholars have differed regarding the authenticity of this hadith. Some said it is weak, and some said it is good. However, its perspective is not as it might appear from the wording. This hadith intends, indeed, its meaning is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered this blind man to perform wudu and pray two rak'ahs so that he would be sincere in seeking the intercession of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for him, and so that his wudu and prayer would be a sign of his desire to seek nearness to Allah through the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and turn to Allah the Exalted and Sublime through him. If the intention is sincere and correct, and the desire is strong, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will intercede for him to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) making du'a for him. Indeed, du'a is a type of intercession, as established in the authentic hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 948.
So the meaning of this hadith is that this blind man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a to Allah for him, because this request is a type of intercession. As for now, after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such a situation is not possible, because it is impossible for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a for anyone after death, as he said (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1631 And du'a is undoubtedly one of the deeds that is cut off by death. Indeed, du'a is worship, as Allah the Exalted said: [Ghafir 40:60].
Therefore, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not resort to asking the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a to Allah for them during times of hardship and need. Rather, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said when the rain was withheld, indeed when the rain was withheld, he said: "O Allah, we seek nearness to You through our Prophet, so send us rain. And we seek nearness to You through the uncle of our Prophet, so send us rain". And he asked al-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to make du'a to Allah the Exalted for rain, so he made du'a and they were given rain.
And this indicates that it is not possible to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after his death to make du'a for anyone, because that is not possible, because it is impossible due to the cessation of his deeds by his death (peace and blessings be upon him). If it is not possible for anyone to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a to Allah through him after his death, i.e., the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then it is not possible. And a fortiori, it is not possible for anyone to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself for any of their needs or interests. For this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) which Allah does not forgive, and which Allah has forbidden Paradise for whoever is characterized by it. Allah the Exalted said:[Yunus 10:106] And He said: [Ash-Shu'ara 26:213] And Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: [Al-Mu'minun 23:117] And He said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:72].
So the important point is that whoever calls upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after his passing, or anyone else, to ward off harm or bring about benefit, is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) committing major shirk, which takes one out of the religion. And he must repent to Allah the Exalted and Sublime, and direct his du'a to the Most High, the All-Powerful, who responds to the distressed when they call upon Him and removes the evil.
And I am amazed at a people who go to the grave of so-and-so and so-and-so, calling upon them to relieve them of distress and bring them good, while they know that this man did not possess that ability during his lifetime, so how after his death, after he became a corpse, and perhaps a skeleton that the earth has eaten? They go and call upon him, and they make the du'a of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, who is the Remover of harm and the Bringer of benefit and good, while Allah the Exalted has ordered them to do so and encouraged them, saying:[Ghafir 40:60] And He said: [Al-Baqarah 2:186] And Allah the Exalted said, rebuking those who call upon other than Him: [An-Naml 27:62] I ask Allah the Exalted to guide us all to His straight path.
Then go, perform wudu, then pray two rak'ahs, then say: O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad, I turn to my Lord through you so that He may fulfill my need, and mention your need. O Allah, so let him intercede for me...
فانطلق فتوضأ ثم صلى ركعتين ، ثم قل : اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبينا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم بنبي الرحمة يا محمد إني أتوجه بك إلى ربي فيقضي حاجتي ، وتذكر حاجتك اللهم فشفعه في ...The Shaykh : Scholars have differed regarding the authenticity of this hadith. Some said it is weak, and some said it is good. However, its perspective is not as it might appear from the wording. This hadith intends, indeed, its meaning is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered this blind man to perform wudu and pray two rak'ahs so that he would be sincere in seeking the intercession of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for him, and so that his wudu and prayer would be a sign of his desire to seek nearness to Allah through the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and turn to Allah the Exalted and Sublime through him. If the intention is sincere and correct, and the desire is strong, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will intercede for him to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) making du'a for him. Indeed, du'a is a type of intercession, as established in the authentic hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him.
ما من رجل مسلم يموت فيقوم على جنازته أربعون رجلاً لا يشركون بالله شيئاً إلا شفعهم الله فيهSo the meaning of this hadith is that this blind man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a to Allah for him, because this request is a type of intercession. As for now, after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such a situation is not possible, because it is impossible for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a for anyone after death, as he said (peace and blessings be upon him):
When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious child, who prays for him (for the deceased).
إذا مات الإنسان انقطع عمله إلا من ثلاثة : إلا من صدقة جارية أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعو لهAnd your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
وقال ربكم ادعوني أستجب لكم إن الذين يستكبرون عن عبادتي سيدخلون جهنم داخرينTherefore, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not resort to asking the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a to Allah for them during times of hardship and need. Rather, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said when the rain was withheld, indeed when the rain was withheld, he said: "O Allah, we seek nearness to You through our Prophet, so send us rain. And we seek nearness to You through the uncle of our Prophet, so send us rain". And he asked al-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to make du'a to Allah the Exalted for rain, so he made du'a and they were given rain.
And this indicates that it is not possible to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after his death to make du'a for anyone, because that is not possible, because it is impossible due to the cessation of his deeds by his death (peace and blessings be upon him). If it is not possible for anyone to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to make du'a to Allah through him after his death, i.e., the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then it is not possible. And a fortiori, it is not possible for anyone to ask the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself for any of their needs or interests. For this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) which Allah does not forgive, and which Allah has forbidden Paradise for whoever is characterized by it. Allah the Exalted said:
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.'"
ولا تدعو من دون الله ما لا ينفعك ولا يضرك فإن فعلت فإنك إذاً من الظالمينSo do not invoke with Allah another deity and [thus] be among the punished.
فلا تدع مع الله إلهاً آخر فتكون من المعذبينAnd 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.
ومن يدعو مع الله إلهاً آخر لا برهان له به فإنما حسابه عند ربه إنه لا يفلح الكافرونIndeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
إنه من يشرك بالله فقد حرم الله عليه الجنة ومأواه النار وما للظالمين من أنصارSo the important point is that whoever calls upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after his passing, or anyone else, to ward off harm or bring about benefit, is a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) committing major shirk, which takes one out of the religion. And he must repent to Allah the Exalted and Sublime, and direct his du'a to the Most High, the All-Powerful, who responds to the distressed when they call upon Him and removes the evil.
And I am amazed at a people who go to the grave of so-and-so and so-and-so, calling upon them to relieve them of distress and bring them good, while they know that this man did not possess that ability during his lifetime, so how after his death, after he became a corpse, and perhaps a skeleton that the earth has eaten? They go and call upon him, and they make the du'a of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, who is the Remover of harm and the Bringer of benefit and good, while Allah the Exalted has ordered them to do so and encouraged them, saying: