Explanation of the author's statement: The chapter on what constitutes shirk (associating partners with Allah) is seeking aid from other than Allah or supplicating to other than Him
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Then he said: "The chapter on what constitutes shirk (associating partners with Allah) is seeking aid from other than Allah or supplicating to other than Him".
The chapter on what constitutes shirk (associating partners with Allah) from: This is for partiality, indicating that shirk (associating partners with Allah) is not limited to this matter, or is it? And we are not far from the previous chapter on shirk (associating partners with Allah), which is seeking refuge in other than Allah. So, his statement: that one seeks aid from other than Allah. Seeking aid (istighathah) is asking for relief, which is the removal of hardship. From this is what the common people say in the prayer for rain, which they call seeking aid... Seeking aid is truly seeking aid because it asks for relief from Allah, Mighty and Majestic: "O Allah, give us relief." So seeking aid is asking for relief, and relief is what? The removal of hardship. And the author's statement: that one seeks aid from other than Allah, this is also not absolute. Because asking for relief from one who is capable of removing it is not from the chapter of shirk (associating partners with Allah). For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Qasas 28:15] But if a person seeks aid from someone in a matter that only Allah is capable of, then this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) without a doubt. Also note that if you seek aid from a created being who is capable of relieving you, it is obligatory upon you, to correct your tawhid (the oneness of Allah), to believe that this one from whom you sought aid is merely a cause, and that it has no direct effect in removing the hardship, but is merely a cause. Because if you believe that it has a direct connection in removing the hardship, you might rely on it and forget the Creator of this cause, forgetting the Creator and relying on the created. And this is undoubtedly a blemish on the perfection of tawhid (the oneness of Allah).
His statement: or supplicating to other than Him. This also, supplication (du'a') is undoubtedly an act of worship, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and as Allah the Exalted said:[Ghafir 40:60] But we say in it also that supplication is divided into two categories: the first is what constitutes an act of worship, and there is no doubt that directing it to other than Allah is shirk (associating partners with Allah).
And the second is what does not constitute an act of worship, and this is permissible to direct to a created being. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And he said: But the supplication that is nothing but an act of worship, which is accompanied by hope and fear, love, and humility, this is for Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, alone.
This is for partiality, meaning it is not all of shirk (associating partners with Allah), but rather it is from shirk (associating partners with Allah).
And his statement: that one seeks aid. "That" and what it entered upon, is it in the sense of a verbal noun? Yes, "that" and what it entered upon is in the sense of a verbal noun.
The student: The subject.
The Shaykh : As for it being a subject, where is its predicate? His statement: from shirk (associating partners with Allah), means from shirk (associating partners with Allah) is seeking aid from other than Allah. And it has passed us in grammar that the subject can be explicit and can be implied. The explicit is like "Zayd is standing," and the implied is like: "And that you fast is better for you," meaning: and your fasting is better for you. And his statement: that one seeks aid from Allah, and seeking aid is asking for relief, just as seeking help is asking for victory, and seeking refuge is asking for protection, and seeking assistance is asking for help. So it is asking for relief, and relief is being saved from hardship.
And his statement: that one seeks aid from other than Allah, this is not absolute, but it must be qualified to what the one sought for aid is not capable of. Yes, either because he is dead, or because he is absent, or because it is a matter that only Allah is capable of. So the expression is not absolute. What is it qualified by?
The student: In what only Allah is capable of.
The Shaykh : No, it is not "only Allah," but in what the one sought for aid is not capable of, my brothers. We know that in the expression "only Allah," and this is not correct. In what the one sought for aid is not capable of. If you sought aid from a dead person in a grave to save you from so-and-so, from Zayd, can the living save you from him or not? He cannot defend you?
The student : Yes
The Shaykh : So, it is something other than Allah is capable of, and yet your seeking aid from the one in the grave is considered shirk (associating partners with Allah). So the correct expression is: that one seeks aid from other than Allah in what the one sought for aid is not capable of. And if you seek aid from a living person for a matter he is not capable of, such as if you sought aid from him to bring down rain, this is shirk (associating partners with Allah). You sought aid from a dead person to save you from a thief attacking you. Yes, you sought aid from a living person from a thief to defend you, is that permissible or not? The truth is he is capable, because the one who is not capable... and he is alive. So we say: in what the expression must be qualified: "in what the one sought for aid is not capable of". And his statement: or supplicating to other than Him, means and from shirk (associating partners with Allah) also is supplicating to other than Allah, because supplication is an act of worship. Since supplication does not occur except with love, magnification, humility, showing need, and believing that the one supplicated to is capable. Yes, for this reason it came in the hadith from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 3828Sahih (Darussalam) And in the Qur'an: [Ghafir 40:60] So he expressed supplication as what? He did not say "they are arrogant about my supplication," he said "about my worship" [Ghafir 40:60]. And this verse is evidence that supplication is an act of worship, and directing some of the worship to other than Allah is shirk (associating partners with Allah). And his statement: "or supplicating to other than Him", this is from the chapter of appending the general to the specific, as they said, from the chapter of appending the general to the specific. Because seeking aid is supplication for the removal of hardship only, not for the attainment of the desired, meaning supplication for repelling the disliked. And supplication, this supplication is broader. You may supplicate to Allah the Exalted to bring benefit, and you may supplicate to Him to repel harm. For this reason, we say it is from the chapter of appending the general to the specific.
And his statement: "or supplicating to other than Him". Do we say in supplication what we said in seeking aid, or not? No, all supplication is an act of worship. Because supplication, as I told you a little while ago, has a specific meaning in the text, in the form and manner. In the text, the supplicant magnifies the one supplicated to, hopes from Him, shows his need to Him, and believes in His response and His capability to give what you asked for. Unlike seeking aid, where you may seek aid from a person without having love or magnification for him in your heart. But supplication is not so. For this reason, for example, the supplicant is found raising his hands to Allah. It is not permissible in any way that you... to one person, "O so-and-so, I hope your excellence gives you such and such." Is that permissible or not? It is not permissible. And therefore, there is no detail in supplication that it is shirk (associating partners with Allah) if you supplicate to other than Allah. But if you bring up a case and say: Is it not permissible to say to a person, "Give me money so I can travel on my journey?" We said: Yes, it is permissible. But this is from the chapter of seeking assistance, because you are not supplicating to him with hope and fear as you supplicate to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Similarly, if you call a person and say, "O so-and-so, come help me carry my luggage onto my animal," this is also from the chapter of seeking assistance. And as for his statement: and if he invites you, then respond to him. If he invites you, this is not the supplication we are referring to here. If he invites you to a wedding feast or the like, then respond to him. So there is a difference between the supplication that constitutes an act of worship and such matters which are intended for seeking assistance or merely asking for the presence of the one invited, or the like of that.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What after we reached it
The questioner : Except supplication
The Shaykh : ... .
The Shaykh : ... . Be patient with us a little.
The chapter on what constitutes shirk (associating partners with Allah) from: This is for partiality, indicating that shirk (associating partners with Allah) is not limited to this matter, or is it? And we are not far from the previous chapter on shirk (associating partners with Allah), which is seeking refuge in other than Allah. So, his statement: that one seeks aid from other than Allah. Seeking aid (istighathah) is asking for relief, which is the removal of hardship. From this is what the common people say in the prayer for rain, which they call seeking aid... Seeking aid is truly seeking aid because it asks for relief from Allah, Mighty and Majestic: "O Allah, give us relief." So seeking aid is asking for relief, and relief is what? The removal of hardship. And the author's statement: that one seeks aid from other than Allah, this is also not absolute. Because asking for relief from one who is capable of removing it is not from the chapter of shirk (associating partners with Allah). For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:
the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy
فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِHis statement: or supplicating to other than Him. This also, supplication (du'a') is undoubtedly an act of worship, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and as Allah the Exalted said:
And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَAnd the second is what does not constitute an act of worship, and this is permissible to direct to a created being. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
And if they invite you, then respond to them
ومن دعاكم فأجيبوهIf he invites you, respond to him
إذا دعاك فأجبهThis is for partiality, meaning it is not all of shirk (associating partners with Allah), but rather it is from shirk (associating partners with Allah).
And his statement: that one seeks aid. "That" and what it entered upon, is it in the sense of a verbal noun? Yes, "that" and what it entered upon is in the sense of a verbal noun.
The student: The subject.
The Shaykh : As for it being a subject, where is its predicate? His statement: from shirk (associating partners with Allah), means from shirk (associating partners with Allah) is seeking aid from other than Allah. And it has passed us in grammar that the subject can be explicit and can be implied. The explicit is like "Zayd is standing," and the implied is like: "And that you fast is better for you," meaning: and your fasting is better for you. And his statement: that one seeks aid from Allah, and seeking aid is asking for relief, just as seeking help is asking for victory, and seeking refuge is asking for protection, and seeking assistance is asking for help. So it is asking for relief, and relief is being saved from hardship.
And his statement: that one seeks aid from other than Allah, this is not absolute, but it must be qualified to what the one sought for aid is not capable of. Yes, either because he is dead, or because he is absent, or because it is a matter that only Allah is capable of. So the expression is not absolute. What is it qualified by?
The student: In what only Allah is capable of.
The Shaykh : No, it is not "only Allah," but in what the one sought for aid is not capable of, my brothers. We know that in the expression "only Allah," and this is not correct. In what the one sought for aid is not capable of. If you sought aid from a dead person in a grave to save you from so-and-so, from Zayd, can the living save you from him or not? He cannot defend you?
The student : Yes
The Shaykh : So, it is something other than Allah is capable of, and yet your seeking aid from the one in the grave is considered shirk (associating partners with Allah). So the correct expression is: that one seeks aid from other than Allah in what the one sought for aid is not capable of. And if you seek aid from a living person for a matter he is not capable of, such as if you sought aid from him to bring down rain, this is shirk (associating partners with Allah). You sought aid from a dead person to save you from a thief attacking you. Yes, you sought aid from a living person from a thief to defend you, is that permissible or not? The truth is he is capable, because the one who is not capable... and he is alive. So we say: in what the expression must be qualified: "in what the one sought for aid is not capable of". And his statement: or supplicating to other than Him, means and from shirk (associating partners with Allah) also is supplicating to other than Allah, because supplication is an act of worship. Since supplication does not occur except with love, magnification, humility, showing need, and believing that the one supplicated to is capable. Yes, for this reason it came in the hadith from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
Indeed the supplication is the worship
إن الدعاء هو العبادةAnd your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِيwill enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَAnd his statement: "or supplicating to other than Him". Do we say in supplication what we said in seeking aid, or not? No, all supplication is an act of worship. Because supplication, as I told you a little while ago, has a specific meaning in the text, in the form and manner. In the text, the supplicant magnifies the one supplicated to, hopes from Him, shows his need to Him, and believes in His response and His capability to give what you asked for. Unlike seeking aid, where you may seek aid from a person without having love or magnification for him in your heart. But supplication is not so. For this reason, for example, the supplicant is found raising his hands to Allah. It is not permissible in any way that you... to one person, "O so-and-so, I hope your excellence gives you such and such." Is that permissible or not? It is not permissible. And therefore, there is no detail in supplication that it is shirk (associating partners with Allah) if you supplicate to other than Allah. But if you bring up a case and say: Is it not permissible to say to a person, "Give me money so I can travel on my journey?" We said: Yes, it is permissible. But this is from the chapter of seeking assistance, because you are not supplicating to him with hope and fear as you supplicate to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Similarly, if you call a person and say, "O so-and-so, come help me carry my luggage onto my animal," this is also from the chapter of seeking assistance. And as for his statement: and if he invites you, then respond to him. If he invites you, this is not the supplication we are referring to here. If he invites you to a wedding feast or the like, then respond to him. So there is a difference between the supplication that constitutes an act of worship and such matters which are intended for seeking assistance or merely asking for the presence of the one invited, or the like of that.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What after we reached it
The questioner : Except supplication
The Shaykh : ... .
The Shaykh : ... . Be patient with us a little.