Is it permissible to pray behind an imam who seeks nearness to Allah through the Messenger, the awliya (close friends of Allah), and the righteous?
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The questioner : There is an imam of one of the mosques who seeks nearness to Allah through the Messenger, the awliya (close friends of Allah), and the righteous. Is it permissible for us to pray behind him? I ask you for guidance in my question.
The Shaykh : Seeking nearness to Allah through the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), if it is seeking nearness through loving him, believing in him, and following him, then there is nothing wrong with it. For example, a person might say: “O Allah, I ask You by my love for Your Messenger to grant me what I desire of the good of this world and the Hereafter,” or through belief in the Messenger by saying: “O Allah, I ask You by the fact that I am a believer in You and in Your Messenger to forgive me.” Among this is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:[Ali 'Imran 3:193].
Likewise, seeking nearness through following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions). One says: “O Allah, by what You have bestowed upon me of following Your Messenger, I ask You, O Allah, to bestow upon me safety from the Fire and entry into Paradise,” and the like of that.
As for seeking nearness to Allah through the Messenger himself or through the status of the Messenger, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah) and it is not permissible for a person to seek nearness through it. This is because seeking nearness is adopting a means that leads to the intended goal, and we cannot rule that something is a means that leads to the intended goal except by evidence from the Shari'ah. And seeking nearness through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) or through his status has not come in the Shari'ah. Just as seeking nearness to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) through his person or his status has no basis in the Shari'ah, it also has no basis in reason. Because the person of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not benefit the one seeking nearness in any way, and likewise his status with Allah and his rank with Allah do not benefit the one seeking nearness in any way; rather, they benefit the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions).
And on this basis, a person does not seek nearness to Allah through the Prophet or through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions), but rather he seeks nearness through belief in him, love of him, and following him.
And on this occasion, I would like to say: Seeking nearness to Allah is of two types:
A type that is permissible and prescribed, and a type that is forbidden and prohibited.
So the permissible is of several types:
The first type: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His names. Among this is the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 18:73 to the end of the hadith.
The second: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His attributes, such as:Mishkat al-Masabih 2497 For knowledge and power are among the attributes of Allah the Exalted.
Third: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His actions, as in the saying of the one praying in the tashahhud:Sahih al-Bukhari 3370.
Fourth: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through belief in Him, as in the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:[Ali 'Imran 3:193].
Fifth: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through obedience to Him, as in the story of the three men who took refuge in a cave, and a rock from the mountain closed in on them, preventing them from exiting. So each of them sought nearness to Allah the Exalted with a good deed from his actions, and Allah relieved them.
Sixth: Seeking nearness to Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, through the state of the one making supplication, as in the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:[Al-Qasas 28:24] and as in the saying of Ayyub: [Al-Anbya 21:83].
And among this is the supplication that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) taught Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said: “Teach me a supplication to make in my prayer.” He said:Sahih al-Bukhari 834 All of these are permissible types of seeking nearness.
As for the prohibited: It is seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted with what Allah does not approve of, such as the seeking nearness of the polytheists through their idols and statues to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, where they said:[Az-Zumar 39:3] And likewise, seeking nearness with other than what Allah the Exalted has made a cause that leads to the intended goal. Among this is what we have mentioned earlier in this answer regarding seeking nearness through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) or through the person of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions).
And if it is clear that seeking nearness through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) is prohibited, then seeking nearness through those below him is more prohibited, such as seeking nearness through the righteous and the awliya (close friends of Allah) and the like of that.
But seeking nearness through the supplication of a living person is not a problem. For example, a man might say to another man whose response is expected: “O so-and-so, call upon Allah for such and such.” Among this is the seeking nearness of the man who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) and informed him that the people had been harmed by the delay of rain, and he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) to call upon Allah to send them relief, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) did so.
And among this is the saying of 'Umar: “O Abbas! Stand up and call upon Allah”.
As for seeking nearness through the awliya (close friends of Allah) after their death, it is a type of associating partners with Allah (shirk). And if one believes that they do it, it is major shirk.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : Seeking nearness to Allah through the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), if it is seeking nearness through loving him, believing in him, and following him, then there is nothing wrong with it. For example, a person might say: “O Allah, I ask You by my love for Your Messenger to grant me what I desire of the good of this world and the Hereafter,” or through belief in the Messenger by saying: “O Allah, I ask You by the fact that I am a believer in You and in Your Messenger to forgive me.” Among this is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed
رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّاLikewise, seeking nearness through following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions). One says: “O Allah, by what You have bestowed upon me of following Your Messenger, I ask You, O Allah, to bestow upon me safety from the Fire and entry into Paradise,” and the like of that.
As for seeking nearness to Allah through the Messenger himself or through the status of the Messenger, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah) and it is not permissible for a person to seek nearness through it. This is because seeking nearness is adopting a means that leads to the intended goal, and we cannot rule that something is a means that leads to the intended goal except by evidence from the Shari'ah. And seeking nearness through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) or through his status has not come in the Shari'ah. Just as seeking nearness to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) through his person or his status has no basis in the Shari'ah, it also has no basis in reason. Because the person of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not benefit the one seeking nearness in any way, and likewise his status with Allah and his rank with Allah do not benefit the one seeking nearness in any way; rather, they benefit the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions).
And on this basis, a person does not seek nearness to Allah through the Prophet or through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions), but rather he seeks nearness through belief in him, love of him, and following him.
And on this occasion, I would like to say: Seeking nearness to Allah is of two types:
A type that is permissible and prescribed, and a type that is forbidden and prohibited.
So the permissible is of several types:
The first type: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His names. Among this is the hadith of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
I ask You, O Allah, by every name that is Yours by which You have named Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your Book, or which You have taught anyone of Your creation, or which You have kept exclusive in the knowledge of the unseen with You.
أسألك اللهم بكل اسم هو لك سميت به نفسك أو أنزلته في كتابك أو علمته أحداً من خلقك أو استأثرت به في علم الغيب عندكThe second: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His attributes, such as:
O God, by Thy knowledge of the unseen and Thy power to create, grant me life as long as Thou knowest life to be best for me, and take me when Thou knowest death to be best for me
اللهم بعلمك الغيب وقدرتك على الخلق أحيني إذا علمت الحياة خيراً لي وتوفني إذا علمت الوفاة خيراً ليThird: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His actions, as in the saying of the one praying in the tashahhud:
O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Mercy on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.
اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيدFourth: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through belief in Him, as in the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.
رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأَبْرَارِFifth: Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through obedience to Him, as in the story of the three men who took refuge in a cave, and a rock from the mountain closed in on them, preventing them from exiting. So each of them sought nearness to Allah the Exalted with a good deed from his actions, and Allah relieved them.
Sixth: Seeking nearness to Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, through the state of the one making supplication, as in the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need."
رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌIndeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful."
أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَAnd among this is the supplication that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) taught Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said: “Teach me a supplication to make in my prayer.” He said:
Allahumma inni zalumtu nafsi zulman kathiran, Wala yaghfiru dh-dhunuba illa anta, fa ghfir li maghfiratan min `indika, wa r-hamni, innaka anta l-ghafuru r-rahim (O Allah! I have done great injustice to myself and none except You forgives sins, so bestow on me a forgiveness from You, and Have Mercy on me, You are the Forgiver, the Merciful).
قل : اللهم إني ظلمت نفسي ظلماً كثيراً ولا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت، فاغفر لي مغفرة من عندك وارحمني إنك أنت الغفور الرحيمAs for the prohibited: It is seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted with what Allah does not approve of, such as the seeking nearness of the polytheists through their idols and statues to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, where they said:
We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position
مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىAnd if it is clear that seeking nearness through the person of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) is prohibited, then seeking nearness through those below him is more prohibited, such as seeking nearness through the righteous and the awliya (close friends of Allah) and the like of that.
But seeking nearness through the supplication of a living person is not a problem. For example, a man might say to another man whose response is expected: “O so-and-so, call upon Allah for such and such.” Among this is the seeking nearness of the man who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) and informed him that the people had been harmed by the delay of rain, and he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) to call upon Allah to send them relief, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) did so.
And among this is the saying of 'Umar: “O Abbas! Stand up and call upon Allah”.
As for seeking nearness through the awliya (close friends of Allah) after their death, it is a type of associating partners with Allah (shirk). And if one believes that they do it, it is major shirk.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.