Ruling on Seeking Aid from the Messenger
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Question: We hear some people calling out, "Aid, O Messenger of Allah," or "Aid, O Prophet." What is the ruling on that?
Answer: This speech is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and its meaning is seeking aid from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The scholars have agreed, from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and their followers among the scholars of the Sunnah, that calling for aid to the dead, whether prophets or others, or to the absent, whether angels or jinn or others, or to idols, stones, trees, or stars and the like, is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is based on the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) : [al-Jinn:18], and His saying (Mighty and Majestic): [Fatir:13-14].
And the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) : [al-Mu'minun:117]. There are many verses in this meaning. This act is the religion of the first polytheists, the disbelievers of Quraysh and others. Allah sent all the messengers, upon them be peace and blessings, and sent down the books to deny it and warn against it. As Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: [al-Nahl:36]. And He said (Mighty and Majestic): [al-Anbiya:25]. And He said (Mighty and Majestic) : [Hud:1-2]. And He said (Mighty and Majestic): [al-Zumar:1-3].
Thus, He (Mighty and Majestic) clarified in these verses that He sent the messengers and sent down the books so that He alone would be worshipped, with no partner, in all types of worship: supplication, calling for aid, fear, hope, prayer, fasting, slaughter, vows, and other types of worship. He informed that the polytheists of Quraysh and others say to the messengers and others among the callers to the truth: — meaning the awliya (close friends of Allah) — [Az-Zumar 39:3]. The meaning is that they worshipped them to bring them closer to Allah and to intercede for them, not because they create, provide sustenance, or manage the universe. So Allah refuted them and declared them disbelievers for this.
So He (Mighty and Majestic) said:[Az-Zumar 39:3]. Thus, He (Mighty and Majestic) clarified that they are liars in their claim that the awliya (close friends of Allah) worshipped besides Allah bring them closer to Allah. And He ruled that they are disbelievers for this.
So He (Mighty and Majestic) said:[Az-Zumar 39:3]. And He (Mighty and Majestic) clarified in another verse in Surat Yunus that they say about their objects of worship besides Allah: that they are intercessors with Allah. This is in His saying (Mighty and Majestic): [Yunus:18]. So He (Mighty and Majestic) refuted them and said: [Yunus:18].
And He (Mighty and Majestic) clarified in Surat al-Dhariyat that He created the two heavy groups, the jinn and mankind, to worship Him alone, excluding everything else. So He said (Mighty and Majestic) : [al-Dhariyat:56].
So it is obligatory for all the jinn and mankind to worship Allah alone, to be sincere to Him in worship, and to beware of worshipping anything else, whether prophets or others, not by seeking aid or by any other type of worship. This is in accordance with the aforementioned verses and what came in their meaning, and in accordance with what is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) and the other messengers, upon them be peace and blessings, that they called people to the oneness of Allah (tawhid) and singling Him out for worship, excluding everything else, and forbade them from associating partners with Him and worshipping others. This is the foundation of the religion of Islam, for which Allah sent the messengers, sent down the books, and created the two heavy groups. So whoever calls for aid to the prophets or others, or seeks aid from them, or draws near to them with any type of worship, has associated partners with Allah and worshipped others along with Him. He has entered into the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-An'am:88], and His saying (Mighty and Majestic) : [al-Zumar:65], and His saying (Mighty and Majestic) : [al-Nisa:48], and His saying (Mighty and Majestic): [al-Ma'idah:72].
The only exception to these proofs is one to whom the call did not reach, who was far from the lands of the Muslims, so the Qur'an and the Sunnah did not reach him. His case is left to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The correct opinion among the scholars regarding his case is that he will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. If he obeys the command, he will enter Paradise; if he disobeys, he will enter the Fire. Likewise, the children of polytheists who died before reaching puberty. The correct opinion regarding them is two:
The first is that they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. If they respond, they will enter Paradise; if they disobey, they will enter the Fire. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when asked about them:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1949Sahih (Darussalam). It is agreed upon as authentic. If they are tested on the Day of Resurrection, the knowledge of Allah regarding them will become apparent.
The second opinion is that they are from the people of Paradise, because they died upon the fitrah (the innate natural disposition) before being held accountable. It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1385. And in another narration: Sahih al-Bukhari 1385. It is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he saw Ibrahim al-Khalil (peace be upon him) in a garden of the gardens of Paradise, with the children of the Muslims and the children of the polytheists with him.
This opinion is the most correct regarding the children of polytheists, based on the aforementioned proofs, and His saying (Mighty and Majestic): [al-Isra:15]. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in [al-Fath], vol. 3, p. 347, in the explanation of the chapter "What was said about the children of polytheists" from the Book of Funerals: "This opinion is the correct and chosen madhhab (school of jurisprudence) to which the investigators have arrived." This is the end of the intended quote.
Also excluded from this is the supplication to a living person who is present, for what he is capable of. That is not shirk (associating partners with Allah), based on the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in the story of Musa and the Copt: [al-Qasas:15]. And because every person needs the assistance of his brothers in what he needs, in jihad and in other things they are capable of. That is not shirk (associating partners with Allah), but rather it is among the permissible matters. Such cooperation may be a recommended practice (sunnah), and it may be obligatory, according to the evidence of the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law). And success is from Allah.
Answer: This speech is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and its meaning is seeking aid from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The scholars have agreed, from the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and their followers among the scholars of the Sunnah, that calling for aid to the dead, whether prophets or others, or to the absent, whether angels or jinn or others, or to idols, stones, trees, or stars and the like, is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is based on the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) :
And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone.
وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًاThat is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs sovereignty. And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed. (14) If 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. And none can inform you like [one] Acquainted [with all matters].
ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ إِنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ لا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا مَا اسْتَجَابُوا لَكُمْ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ وَلا يُنَبِّئُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍAnd the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) :
And whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for which he has no proof - then his account is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.
وَمَنْ يَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ لا بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ إِنَّهُ لا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَAnd We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut."
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا أَنِ اُعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَAnd We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ(1) Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book whose verses are perfected and then presented in detail from [one who is] Wise and Acquainted. (2) [Through a messenger, saying], "Do not worship except Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a warner and a bringer of good tidings,"
الر كِتَابٌ أُحْكِمَتْ آيَاتُهُ ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ مِنْ لَدُنْ حَكِيمٍ خَبِيرٍ أَلا تَعْبُدُوا إِلا اللَّهَ إِنَّنِي لَكُمْ مِنْهُ نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ(1) The revelation of the Qur'an is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (2) Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book, [O Muhammad], in truth. So worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. (3) Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. And those who take protectors besides Him [say], "We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position." Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.
تَنْزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ أَلا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌThus, He (Mighty and Majestic) clarified in these verses that He sent the messengers and sent down the books so that He alone would be worshipped, with no partner, in all types of worship: supplication, calling for aid, fear, hope, prayer, fasting, slaughter, vows, and other types of worship. He informed that the polytheists of Quraysh and others say to the messengers and others among the callers to the truth:
We do not worship them
ما نعبدهمthat they may bring us nearer to Allah in position
إلا ليقربونا إلى الله زلفىSo He (Mighty and Majestic) said:
Indeed, Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌSo He (Mighty and Majestic) said:
Indeed, Allah does not guide he who is a liar and [confirmed] disbeliever.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌAnd they worship other than Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allah
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِSay, "Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?" Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him
قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللَّهَ بِمَا لا يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلا فِي الْأَرْضِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَAnd He (Mighty and Majestic) clarified in Surat al-Dhariyat that He created the two heavy groups, the jinn and mankind, to worship Him alone, excluding everything else. So He said (Mighty and Majestic) :
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلا لِيَعْبُدُونِSo it is obligatory for all the jinn and mankind to worship Allah alone, to be sincere to Him in worship, and to beware of worshipping anything else, whether prophets or others, not by seeking aid or by any other type of worship. This is in accordance with the aforementioned verses and what came in their meaning, and in accordance with what is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) and the other messengers, upon them be peace and blessings, that they called people to the oneness of Allah (tawhid) and singling Him out for worship, excluding everything else, and forbade them from associating partners with Him and worshipping others. This is the foundation of the religion of Islam, for which Allah sent the messengers, sent down the books, and created the two heavy groups. So whoever calls for aid to the prophets or others, or seeks aid from them, or draws near to them with any type of worship, has associated partners with Allah and worshipped others along with Him. He has entered into the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَAnd it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allah, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers."
وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَIndeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُIndeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍThe only exception to these proofs is one to whom the call did not reach, who was far from the lands of the Muslims, so the Qur'an and the Sunnah did not reach him. His case is left to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The correct opinion among the scholars regarding his case is that he will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. If he obeys the command, he will enter Paradise; if he disobeys, he will enter the Fire. Likewise, the children of polytheists who died before reaching puberty. The correct opinion regarding them is two:
The first is that they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. If they respond, they will enter Paradise; if they disobey, they will enter the Fire. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when asked about them:
Allah knows best what they would have done.
الله أعلم بما كانوا عاملينThe second opinion is that they are from the people of Paradise, because they died upon the fitrah (the innate natural disposition) before being held accountable. It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Every child is born with a true faith of Islam
كل مولود يولد على الفطرةwith a true faith of Islam (i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone) and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism
على هذه الملة فأبواه يهودانه أو ينصرانه أو يمجسانهThis opinion is the most correct regarding the children of polytheists, based on the aforementioned proofs, and His saying (Mighty and Majestic):
And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًاAlso excluded from this is the supplication to a living person who is present, for what he is capable of. That is not shirk (associating partners with Allah), based on the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in the story of Musa and the Copt:
the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy
فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.