We work in a company that has a percentage of disbelievers; is it permissible to supplicate against specific individuals among them?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : We work in a company
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : We work in a company, and there is a percentage of disbelievers in it; is it permissible to supplicate against specific individuals among them?
The Shaykh : For a disbeliever, you should supplicate to Allah for him, not supplicate to Allah against him. Say: “O Allah, guide him,” because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate against specific individuals from among the polytheists, and he was prohibited from doing so. Say: “O Allah, guide him,” for Allah is able to guide him just as He is able to punish him, and his guidance is better for us than his lack of guidance. So, supplicate to Allah for his guidance, but do not supplicate to Allah for mercy for him if he dies, because it is forbidden for a person to supplicate for a disbeliever with mercy or forgiveness if he dies. Indeed, whoever supplicates for a disbeliever who died upon disbelief with mercy or forgiveness has contradicted the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers in this matter, because Allah said:[At-Tawbah 9:113] Then Allah the Exalted responded to Ibrahim’s seeking of forgiveness for his father, saying: [At-Tawbah 9:114]
The questioner : But the ruling on supplicating against them
The Shaykh : It is not permissible to supplicate against them; it is not permissible except if they openly confront with disbelief and harm the Muslims, then yes. But you supplicate against them with something that harms them in this world, not with something that harms them in the Hereafter. You say, for example, “May Allah curse them,” no. In this world, there is no harm, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated against Quraysh when they harmed him, saying:Sunan ad-Daraqutni 5:55 So they were afflicted with drought and famine.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : We work in a company, and there is a percentage of disbelievers in it; is it permissible to supplicate against specific individuals among them?
The Shaykh : For a disbeliever, you should supplicate to Allah for him, not supplicate to Allah against him. Say: “O Allah, guide him,” because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate against specific individuals from among the polytheists, and he was prohibited from doing so. Say: “O Allah, guide him,” for Allah is able to guide him just as He is able to punish him, and his guidance is better for us than his lack of guidance. So, supplicate to Allah for his guidance, but do not supplicate to Allah for mercy for him if he dies, because it is forbidden for a person to supplicate for a disbeliever with mercy or forgiveness if he dies. Indeed, whoever supplicates for a disbeliever who died upon disbelief with mercy or forgiveness has contradicted the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers in this matter, because Allah said:
It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِAnd the request of forgiveness of Abraham for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became apparent to Abraham that his father was an enemy to Allah, he disassociated himself from him. Indeed was Abraham compassionate and patient.
وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌThe questioner : But the ruling on supplicating against them
The Shaykh : It is not permissible to supplicate against them; it is not permissible except if they openly confront with disbelief and harm the Muslims, then yes. But you supplicate against them with something that harms them in this world, not with something that harms them in the Hereafter. You say, for example, “May Allah curse them,” no. In this world, there is no harm, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated against Quraysh when they harmed him, saying: