Explanation of the author's statement: It was reported from Ibrahim al-Nakha'i: (that it is disliked to say: "I seek refuge in Allah and in you," and it is permissible to say: "In Allah, then in you.")
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The Shaykh :"He said, and one should say: 'If not for Allah, then so-and-so,' and do not say: 'If not for Allah and so-and-so.'"
Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, where is he from? What is his level? Is he from the Tabi'un? Good, and he is one of the jurists of the Tabi'un, but Hammad ibn Zayd mentioned that he had little knowledge of hadith, but he is a jurist; there is no doubt that he is among the jurists. All his statements indicate that the man is a jurist. He says: "It is disliked to say: 'I seek refuge in Allah and in you.'" What is the meaning of seeking refuge (i'adh)? It is taking hold of something to protect oneself from what is disliked. This type of seeking refuge is called i'adh. As for turning to a person to ask for what is loved, that is called li'adh. The poet said:
"O He in whom I take shelter in what I hope for, *** And in whom I seek refuge from what I fear
People cannot mend a bone that You have broken, *** nor can they break a bone that You have mended"
The point in the first verse is: "O He in whom I take refuge in what I hope for, and in whom I seek refuge from what I fear." These two verses address a man, but as Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "This should not be for anyone but Allah (Mighty and Majestic)."
He said: So, "I seek refuge in Allah and in you" is forbidden. Why? Because it combines Allah with the created being using a letter that implies equality, which is the "waw." "I seek refuge in Allah and in you." Good, and it is permissible to say "In Allah, then in you." Why? Because of the presence of "thumma" (then), which indicates order and delay.
But there is a problem with this statement, and that is that we previously had a chapter in this book, a separate chapter, right? What is it? A chapter on shirk (associating partners with Allah): seeking refuge in other than Allah. Did it not pass us by? Seeking refuge in other than Allah, absolutely, even with "thumma." The author said: "A chapter on shirk: seeking refuge in other than Allah" and this passed us by, and he brought the verse[Al-Jinn 72:6] and the implication of that is that saying "I seek refuge in Allah, then in you" is forbidden, even with "thumma." However, it was previously established for us there that seeking refuge in one who is able to protect you is permissible, and we mentioned the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding trials: Sahih Muslim 2886a So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded that one seek refuge in this refuge. And the Shaykh, the author of al-Aziz al-Humayd, stated this explicitly, meaning he stated that it is permissible to seek refuge in one who is able to protect you.
So, if one says "I seek refuge in Allah, then in so-and-so," and he is a dead person buried, what is this?
The student : Shirk
The Shaykh : Notice, look at the phrase: "I seek refuge in Allah, then so-and-so." Then he used "thumma" with a thaa that is shaddah and a mimm that is shaddah, "thumma so-and-so." Is it permissible or not? Because he is not able to protect you, so this would be from the category of major shirk, because they call it seeking refuge in a hidden thing that is not an apparent cause that protects him.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Even if he is, even if he is seeking intercession.
The student: Is he not able to do it?
The Shaykh : No, he is not able to do it, because even intercession, no one is able to do it except by the permission of Allah.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the master of intercessors, but he is not able to intercede except by the permission of Allah[Al-Baqarah 2:255].
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It does not contradict. "O Allah, grant so-and-so intercession for me" is fine, although it is not befitting for him to say "O Allah, grant so-and-so intercession for me" for a specific person from among the people. Even the mu'adhdhin (caller to prayer), you cannot rule that this specific person will be an intercessor on the Day of Resurrection, just as it passed us by that it is not permissible for a person to say "so-and-so is a martyr." There is a difference between the specific and the general. Yes, right?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : ... One person was caught by a thief, so this man who was caught ran to a strong man in the defense, and said: "Look, this person caught me, caught me. I seek refuge in Allah, then in you from him." Is this possible or not? It is possible.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no, the first thing... this is forbidden, it is shirk. It is shirk because they do not protect now; they are themselves just bones that cannot do anything.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes? Huh?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Even if they were alive, if they are not able to, can the wali (close friend of Allah) who is in a place far from you rescue you or help you? He cannot, right?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If he is able, there is no harm.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no, this is not possible, how can he be able while he is...
The student: ...
The Shaykh : He must be present, he must be alive and present, yes. For this reason, we stipulated that seeking refuge in one who is able to protect is the condition, as for one who is not able, there is no benefit, yes.
Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, where is he from? What is his level? Is he from the Tabi'un? Good, and he is one of the jurists of the Tabi'un, but Hammad ibn Zayd mentioned that he had little knowledge of hadith, but he is a jurist; there is no doubt that he is among the jurists. All his statements indicate that the man is a jurist. He says: "It is disliked to say: 'I seek refuge in Allah and in you.'" What is the meaning of seeking refuge (i'adh)? It is taking hold of something to protect oneself from what is disliked. This type of seeking refuge is called i'adh. As for turning to a person to ask for what is loved, that is called li'adh. The poet said:
"O He in whom I take shelter in what I hope for, *** And in whom I seek refuge from what I fear
People cannot mend a bone that You have broken, *** nor can they break a bone that You have mended"
The point in the first verse is: "O He in whom I take refuge in what I hope for, and in whom I seek refuge from what I fear." These two verses address a man, but as Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "This should not be for anyone but Allah (Mighty and Majestic)."
He said: So, "I seek refuge in Allah and in you" is forbidden. Why? Because it combines Allah with the created being using a letter that implies equality, which is the "waw." "I seek refuge in Allah and in you." Good, and it is permissible to say "In Allah, then in you." Why? Because of the presence of "thumma" (then), which indicates order and delay.
But there is a problem with this statement, and that is that we previously had a chapter in this book, a separate chapter, right? What is it? A chapter on shirk (associating partners with Allah): seeking refuge in other than Allah. Did it not pass us by? Seeking refuge in other than Allah, absolutely, even with "thumma." The author said: "A chapter on shirk: seeking refuge in other than Allah" and this passed us by, and he brought the verse
And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden.
وأنه كان رجال من الإنس يعوذون برجال من الجن فزادوهم رهقاSo he who finds a refuge or shelter against it should make it as his resort.
ومن وجد فيها ملجأ فليعذ بهSo, if one says "I seek refuge in Allah, then in so-and-so," and he is a dead person buried, what is this?
The student : Shirk
The Shaykh : Notice, look at the phrase: "I seek refuge in Allah, then so-and-so." Then he used "thumma" with a thaa that is shaddah and a mimm that is shaddah, "thumma so-and-so." Is it permissible or not? Because he is not able to protect you, so this would be from the category of major shirk, because they call it seeking refuge in a hidden thing that is not an apparent cause that protects him.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Even if he is, even if he is seeking intercession.
The student: Is he not able to do it?
The Shaykh : No, he is not able to do it, because even intercession, no one is able to do it except by the permission of Allah.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is the master of intercessors, but he is not able to intercede except by the permission of Allah
Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?
من ذا الذي يشفع عنده إلا بإذنهThe student: ...
The Shaykh : It does not contradict. "O Allah, grant so-and-so intercession for me" is fine, although it is not befitting for him to say "O Allah, grant so-and-so intercession for me" for a specific person from among the people. Even the mu'adhdhin (caller to prayer), you cannot rule that this specific person will be an intercessor on the Day of Resurrection, just as it passed us by that it is not permissible for a person to say "so-and-so is a martyr." There is a difference between the specific and the general. Yes, right?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : ... One person was caught by a thief, so this man who was caught ran to a strong man in the defense, and said: "Look, this person caught me, caught me. I seek refuge in Allah, then in you from him." Is this possible or not? It is possible.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no, the first thing... this is forbidden, it is shirk. It is shirk because they do not protect now; they are themselves just bones that cannot do anything.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes? Huh?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Even if they were alive, if they are not able to, can the wali (close friend of Allah) who is in a place far from you rescue you or help you? He cannot, right?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : If he is able, there is no harm.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, no, this is not possible, how can he be able while he is...
The student: ...
The Shaykh : He must be present, he must be alive and present, yes. For this reason, we stipulated that seeking refuge in one who is able to protect is the condition, as for one who is not able, there is no benefit, yes.