The Ruling on Asking the Dead and Seeking Aid from Them
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Question: What some ignorant people do around certain graves, such as asking the dead person, seeking aid from them, or requesting healing, victory over enemies, or support—what is the ruling on this, since this is found in many cities?
Answer: In the name of Allah, and praise is due to Allah: This act is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). It is the shirk of the first polytheists from Quraysh and others, who used to worship al-Lat, al-Uzza, Manat, and many idols and statues, and they would seek aid from them and rely on them against their enemies. As Abu Sufyan said on the day of Uhud: "We have al-Uzza, and you have no al-Uzza." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions:Sahih al-Bukhari 4043, 4044 Then Abu Sufyan said: "Exalted is Hubal," meaning "Exalted is O Hubal," referring to the idol that Quraysh used to worship in Makkah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: They said: "What should we say, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4043, 4044.
The point is that supplicating to the dead, idols, stones, trees, and other created things, or seeking aid from them, or seeking their support, or slaughtering for them, or making vows to them, or circumambulating them—all of this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is because all of it is worship of other than Allah and is among the deeds of the first and last polytheists. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of it and to repent to Allah from it.
It is obligatory for the scholars and those who call to Allah the Exalted to advise those who engage in it, teach them, guide them, and make it clear to them that this is the shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the first polytheists, about whom Allah said:[Yunus 10:18] the verse [Yunus: 18], and He the Exalted said regarding it:[Al-Nisa: 48], and He the Exalted said about it:[Al-An'am: 88], and He the Exalted said about it:[Al-Ma'idah: 72], and He the Exalted said about it, addressing His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):addressing His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):[Az-Zumar: 65], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about it: Al-Bukhari narrated it in his Sahih, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 2856 It is agreed upon as authentic, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 93b Muslim narrated it in his Sahih, and the verses and hadiths in this meaning are numerous.
We ask Allah to grant the Muslims understanding in their religion, to protect them from everything that angers Him, to bestow upon them sincere repentance from all evil, to guide the scholars of the Muslims in every place to spread knowledge and guide the ignorant to that for which they were created, which is the oneness of Allah and obedience to Him, to support His religion and elevate His word, and to guide the leaders and heads of the Muslims to insight in His religion, to implement His Shari'ah, and to compel the people to adhere to it. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
The General President of the Scientific Research Departments
and Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Answer: In the name of Allah, and praise is due to Allah: This act is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). It is the shirk of the first polytheists from Quraysh and others, who used to worship al-Lat, al-Uzza, Manat, and many idols and statues, and they would seek aid from them and rely on them against their enemies. As Abu Sufyan said on the day of Uhud: "We have al-Uzza, and you have no al-Uzza." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Companions:
Say: Allah is our Helper and you have no helper.
قولوا له: الله مولانا ولا مولى لكمReply to him.
ردوا عليهSay: Allah is More Elevated and More Majestic!
قولوا: الله أعلى وأجلThe point is that supplicating to the dead, idols, stones, trees, and other created things, or seeking aid from them, or seeking their support, or slaughtering for them, or making vows to them, or circumambulating them—all of this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is because all of it is worship of other than Allah and is among the deeds of the first and last polytheists. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of it and to repent to Allah from it.
It is obligatory for the scholars and those who call to Allah the Exalted to advise those who engage in it, teach them, guide them, and make it clear to them that this is the shirk (associating partners with Allah) of the first polytheists, about whom Allah said:
And 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 اللَّهِIndeed, 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 يَشَاءُBut if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَIndeed, 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 أَنْصَارٍAnd 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 الْخَاسِرِينَWhoever dies while calling upon a rival besides Allah will enter the Fire
من مات وهو يدعو لله ندا دخل النارAllah's right on His slaves is that they should worship Him (Alone) and should not worship any besides Him
حق الله على العباد أن يعبدوه ولا يشركوا به شيئاHe who met Allah without associating anything with Allah entered Paradise and he who met Him associating (anything) with Him entered Fire.
من لقي الله لا يشرك به شيئا دخل الجنة ومن لقيه يشرك به شيئا دخل النارWe ask Allah to grant the Muslims understanding in their religion, to protect them from everything that angers Him, to bestow upon them sincere repentance from all evil, to guide the scholars of the Muslims in every place to spread knowledge and guide the ignorant to that for which they were created, which is the oneness of Allah and obedience to Him, to support His religion and elevate His word, and to guide the leaders and heads of the Muslims to insight in His religion, to implement His Shari'ah, and to compel the people to adhere to it. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
The General President of the Scientific Research Departments
and Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.