Discussion of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And they will not find for themselves any protector or helper besides Allah”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
However, an objection arises to this, which is that those who invoke the idols may actually obtain what they invoked these idols for. So how do we say that they do not benefit them? The answer is that this may occur as a trial and test from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). We know that this did not happen through these idols or through the invocation of these idols, but rather it happened in their presence. What happens in the presence of something is not like what happens through that thing. It is clear. If you say, “We do not accept from you that it happened without their invocation, as long as the man invoked and then his desire was fulfilled, how can you say that it was from an external matter and not from their invocation?” What is the answer?
The student: ...predestined?
The Shaykh : That which contradicts what we know to be predestined. This man invoked at this grave and obtained what he wanted.
The student: It is not known that invoking at the grave is forbidden by the Shari'ah.
The Shaykh : He did not invoke on the grave, nor at the grave; he invoked the owner of the grave.
The student: It is forbidden by the Shari'ah, and this does not result from it.
The Shaykh : He tells you it happened. He said, “O my master, O my lord, O so-and-so, O so-and-so, I am poor, I hope you will give me money.” On that same day, his relative died and left behind millions, and he was the only one to inherit it.
The student: It is from the decree of Allah.
The Shaykh : You say it is from the decree, and he says it is from the wali (close friend of Allah).
The student:[Al-A'raf 7:182]
The Shaykh : He says it is a luring (istidraj).
The student: It is of the nature of a trial.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed, it is a trial, my brothers, but what happened...
The student: What... is considered a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for these people.
The Shaykh : It is a fitnah and a test, and we told him, “This is a fitnah, and your invocation did not result in anything. But this happened in the presence of your invocation, not through your invocation.” Then he said, “Woe to you! You do not know the status of the awliya (close friends of Allah). I invoked and my desire was fulfilled.”
The student: It happens once, not every time.
The Shaykh : He says, “I have no need for it, and perhaps he challenges me and says, ‘Invoke again,’ and the decree comes in agreement...”
The student: We say this is not in his hand; he has no power or strength. If he had, he would have prevented death from himself.
The Shaykh : All these are weak excuses, my brothers. In the end, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has cut off all attachment to other than Him.[Al-Ahqaf 46:5] We know by the noble verse that this one does not respond to you until the Day of Resurrection. And He said: [Fatir 35:14] And He the Exalted said: [Saba 34:22-23] These are very clear verses, because it is not possible for him to respond if it is not possible for him to respond to him. So we know with certainty that what happened was not through the invocation of this wali (close friend of Allah). Yes, because Allah has negated that he responds to him. Good.
The student: Does he have...?
The Shaykh : He has it only at the time of invocation, and not through the invocation. So “in the presence of the thing” means that he is near it. This has passed us regarding the methodology of the Asha'irah (the Ash'ari theological school). They say that causes do not affect in themselves, but rather the effect happens in their presence, not through them. Yes. So if you strike a glass with a stone and it breaks, they say it did not break by the collision of the glass with the stone; it happened in the presence of its collision with it, but not through it. In any case, this is not our topic.
The student: ...predestined?
The Shaykh : That which contradicts what we know to be predestined. This man invoked at this grave and obtained what he wanted.
The student: It is not known that invoking at the grave is forbidden by the Shari'ah.
The Shaykh : He did not invoke on the grave, nor at the grave; he invoked the owner of the grave.
The student: It is forbidden by the Shari'ah, and this does not result from it.
The Shaykh : He tells you it happened. He said, “O my master, O my lord, O so-and-so, O so-and-so, I am poor, I hope you will give me money.” On that same day, his relative died and left behind millions, and he was the only one to inherit it.
The student: It is from the decree of Allah.
The Shaykh : You say it is from the decree, and he says it is from the wali (close friend of Allah).
The student:
We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know.
سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَعْلَمُونَThe Shaykh : He says it is a luring (istidraj).
The student: It is of the nature of a trial.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed, it is a trial, my brothers, but what happened...
The student: What... is considered a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) for these people.
The Shaykh : It is a fitnah and a test, and we told him, “This is a fitnah, and your invocation did not result in anything. But this happened in the presence of your invocation, not through your invocation.” Then he said, “Woe to you! You do not know the status of the awliya (close friends of Allah). I invoked and my desire was fulfilled.”
The student: It happens once, not every time.
The Shaykh : He says, “I have no need for it, and perhaps he challenges me and says, ‘Invoke again,’ and the decree comes in agreement...”
The student: We say this is not in his hand; he has no power or strength. If he had, he would have prevented death from himself.
The Shaykh : All these are weak excuses, my brothers. In the end, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has cut off all attachment to other than Him.
And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection
وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِIf you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association
إِنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ لا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا مَا اسْتَجَابُوا لَكُمْ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ(22) Say, [O Muhammad], "Invoke those you claim [as deities] besides Allah." They do not possess an atom's weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and they do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there for Him from among them any assistant. (23) And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits.
قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَلا فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا لَهُمْ فِيهِمَا مِنْ شِرْكٍ وَمَا لَهُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ ظَهِيرٍ * وَلا تَنفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُThe student: Does he have...?
The Shaykh : He has it only at the time of invocation, and not through the invocation. So “in the presence of the thing” means that he is near it. This has passed us regarding the methodology of the Asha'irah (the Ash'ari theological school). They say that causes do not affect in themselves, but rather the effect happens in their presence, not through them. Yes. So if you strike a glass with a stone and it breaks, they say it did not break by the collision of the glass with the stone; it happened in the presence of its collision with it, but not through it. In any case, this is not our topic.