Seeking Nearness to Allah Through the Status of Others Is Not Prescribed
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Question:
This questioner from Jeddah, who used the initials (N. A.) for his name, says: Is it permissible for a person, O Shaykh, to say in his supplication: “O Allah, by the right of Muhammad with You”? Because I have heard some people say that when Adam (peace be upon him) committed a sin, he supplicated and said to his Lord: “By the status of Muhammad with You, forgive me.” And may Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon His Messenger, upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This seeking nearness to Allah through a means (tawassul) is not permissible; because the means are a matter of divine legislation (tawqifi) in worship, and nothing is permissible from them except what the Shari'ah has permitted. Allah the Exalted says: [Al-A'raf: 180]. Therefore, He is not invoked except by His names and attributes, and by faith in Him and His oneness (tawhid) (Exalted and Majestic is He). He is not invoked by what a person sees of means of seeking nearness, nor by the status of so-and-so, nor by the right of so-and-so, nor by the right of Muhammad, nor by the status of Muhammad, nor by the status of the prophets, nor by the right of the prophets. All of this is not permissible. This is the correct position; because seeking nearness to Allah through a means (tawassul) is worship, and worship is a matter of divine legislation (tawqifi). It is not established by mere opinion or choice. No, there must be evidence for it. Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Al-Shura: 21]. He rebuked them: And He said: [Al-Jathiyah: 18].
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1718b And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 1718a The Shari'ah came with seeking nearness to Allah by His names and attributes, and by faith in Him and His oneness.
O Allah, I ask You by my faith in You, by my oneness of worship for You, by my sincerity in worshipping You, and by other such things, by Your names and attributes, by my prayer, by my fasting, by my Hajj, by my dutifulness to my parents, and by other such things. So seeking nearness to Allah by His names and attributes, and by faith in Him, or by righteous deeds—all of this is permissible and is a lawful means.
And from this is the hadith of the cave. The companions of the cave were three men who were traveling in the time before us, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us about them. They took shelter for the night in a cave, and in one narration: from the rain. When they entered the cave, a rock slid down and blocked the entrance to the cave. It was a large rock that they were unable to move.
So they said to one another: “None can save you from this rock except that you call upon Allah by your righteous deeds.” So they sought nearness to Allah by their righteous deeds; and Allah removed the rock from them. The first man sought nearness by his dutifulness to his parents, the second by his chastity from unlawful sexual intercourse, and the third by his fulfillment of a trust. So Allah removed the rock from them.
This is the lawful means: the names of Allah and His attributes, His oneness, faith in Him, and righteous deeds. As for seeking nearness by the status of the Prophet, or by the right of the Prophet, or by the status of the prophets, or by the right of the prophets, or by the status of the believers—all of this is not prescribed; rather, it is a religious innovation.
As for the hadith that Adam sought nearness by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) or by the right of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), this is a fabricated hadith, not authentic. Rather, the scholars have pointed out that it is fabricated, with no truth, no basis, and no foundation. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.
This questioner from Jeddah, who used the initials (N. A.) for his name, says: Is it permissible for a person, O Shaykh, to say in his supplication: “O Allah, by the right of Muhammad with You”? Because I have heard some people say that when Adam (peace be upon him) committed a sin, he supplicated and said to his Lord: “By the status of Muhammad with You, forgive me.” And may Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon His Messenger, upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This seeking nearness to Allah through a means (tawassul) is not permissible; because the means are a matter of divine legislation (tawqifi) in worship, and nothing is permissible from them except what the Shari'ah has permitted. Allah the Exalted says:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them
وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاOr have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُThen We put you, [O Muhammad], on an ordained way concerning the matter [of religion]; so follow it
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنَ الأَمْرِِ فَاتَّبِعْهَاAnd the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملًا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردO Allah, I ask You by my faith in You, by my oneness of worship for You, by my sincerity in worshipping You, and by other such things, by Your names and attributes, by my prayer, by my fasting, by my Hajj, by my dutifulness to my parents, and by other such things. So seeking nearness to Allah by His names and attributes, and by faith in Him, or by righteous deeds—all of this is permissible and is a lawful means.
And from this is the hadith of the cave. The companions of the cave were three men who were traveling in the time before us, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us about them. They took shelter for the night in a cave, and in one narration: from the rain. When they entered the cave, a rock slid down and blocked the entrance to the cave. It was a large rock that they were unable to move.
So they said to one another: “None can save you from this rock except that you call upon Allah by your righteous deeds.” So they sought nearness to Allah by their righteous deeds; and Allah removed the rock from them. The first man sought nearness by his dutifulness to his parents, the second by his chastity from unlawful sexual intercourse, and the third by his fulfillment of a trust. So Allah removed the rock from them.
This is the lawful means: the names of Allah and His attributes, His oneness, faith in Him, and righteous deeds. As for seeking nearness by the status of the Prophet, or by the right of the Prophet, or by the status of the prophets, or by the right of the prophets, or by the status of the believers—all of this is not prescribed; rather, it is a religious innovation.
As for the hadith that Adam sought nearness by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) or by the right of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), this is a fabricated hadith, not authentic. Rather, the scholars have pointed out that it is fabricated, with no truth, no basis, and no foundation. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.