The Ruling on Praying Behind One Who Believes That the Awliya (Close Friends of Allah) Cause Harm and Benefit

This message came from Somalia. The brother Isma'il Ali Umar al-Somali says: We would like to ask the honorable scholars a question that may concern many of our listening brothers, and it is as follows: Some Muslims believe that the awliya (close friends of Allah) have actions that cause harm and benefit, and that they bring benefits and ward off calamity, while they claim to belong to Islam and perform the rituals of Islam, such as prayer and others. Is the prayer behind their imam valid? Is it permissible to seek forgiveness for them after their death? Please inform us, and may Allah reward you.
Answer: This is one of the ugliest statements, and it is disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic); because the awliya (close friends of Allah) do not benefit or harm, nor do they bring benefits or ward off harms, if they are dead and it is established that they are called awliya (close friends of Allah) because they are known for worship and righteousness. In that case, they do not benefit or harm; rather, the One who benefits and harms is Allah alone. He is the One who brings benefit to the servants and wards off harm from them, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): [Yunus:49]. He is the Benefactor and the Harmer, (Mighty and Majestic). And He (Blessed and Exalted is He) said regarding the polytheists: [Yunus:18]. So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is the Benefactor and the Harmer, and all of creation do not benefit or harm. As for the dead, it is apparent that their movements have ceased and their life has gone, so they do not benefit themselves or others, nor do they harm, because they have lost life and lost the ability to act. Likewise, in life, they do not benefit or harm except by the permission of Allah. So whoever claims that they independently possess benefit and harm while they are alive is also a disbeliever. Rather, the Benefactor and the Harmer is Allah alone (Blessed and Exalted is He). For this reason, it is not permissible to worship them, nor to supplicate to them, nor to call for aid from them, nor to make vows to them, nor to seek their support. From this, every person of insight knows that what people do at the grave of al-Badawi, or at the grave of al-Husayn, or at the grave of al-Ka'im, or at the grave of Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or similar to that, such as seeking support and aid, is disbelief in Allah and shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He).
It is necessary to be cautious of this, to repent from it, and to advise one another to abandon it. One should not pray behind these people; because they are polytheists. Their action is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), so one does not pray behind them, nor does one pray over their dead; because they committed major shirk (associating partners with Allah), which was the practice of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Abu Jahl and his like among the disbelievers of Makkah, and the disbelievers of the Arabs, were upon it: supplicating to the dead, calling for aid from the dead, trees, and stones. This is the very essence of shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah . And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) says: [Al-An'am:88]. It is obligatory upon the people of knowledge to clarify this to them, to make the truth clear to them, to guide them to the correct path, and to warn them of this shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
It is obligatory upon the scholars in every place, in Egypt, in the Levant, in Iraq, in Makkah, in al-Madinah, in the two Holy Sanctuaries, and in the rest of the lands, to guide the people. Especially when the pilgrims are present, they must guide them and explain to them this great matter and the great danger; because some people have fallen into it in their countries. It is necessary to explain to them the tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no deity but Allah), and that its meaning is: There is no true object of worship except Allah. It negates shirk (associating partners with Allah)... it negates worship of anyone other than Allah, and it affirms worship for Allah alone. This is the meaning of His (Blessed and Exalted is He) saying: [Al-Isra:23] ... [Al-Bayyinah:5]. And the meaning of His (Mighty and Majestic) saying: [Az-Zumar:2-3]. And His (Blessed and Exalted is He) saying: [Ghafir:14].
So it is obligatory to direct the servants to good and to guide them to the tawhid (the oneness of Allah). It is obligatory upon every person to worship Allah alone, and to single Him out for worship, including supplication, fear, hope, reliance, seeking aid, prayer, fasting, and others. All of this is for Allah alone. It is never permissible to do any of this for anyone other than Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), whether it is a prophet, a wali (close friend of Allah), or anyone else. The Prophet does not possess harm or benefit for himself, but he is followed and obeyed in the truth. He is obeyed and followed, and loved with sincere love. Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the best of the prophets and the most noble of them, and despite this, he is not supplicated to other than Allah, nor is aid sought from him, nor is prostration made to him, nor is prayer performed for him, nor is support sought from him. But he is followed, and one prays upon him and sends salam to him and follows him. It is obligatory that he be dearer to us than ourselves, our wealth, our children, our parents, and others. This is obligatory, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
But this love does not permit us to associate partners with Him. It does not justify us in supplicating to him other than Allah, or seeking aid from him, or asking him for support or healing. No, we love him with sincere love because he is the Messenger of Allah to us, and because he is the best of creation, and because he conveyed the message and fulfilled the trust. We love him for the sake of Allah with sincere love, above the love of the self, wealth, and children. But we do not worship him alongside Allah. Likewise, the awliya (close friends of Allah), we love them for the sake of Allah, and we seek mercy for them, being scholars and worshippers. But we do not supplicate to them alongside Allah, nor do we build on their graves, nor do we seek aid from them, nor do we circumambulate their graves, nor do we seek their support. All of this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah and is not permissible. Circumambulation of the Ka'bah is for Allah alone. The one who circumambulates a grave in order to seek benefit from the dead... seeking support... seeking healing... seeking victory over enemies, all of this is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So it is obligatory to be cautious of it with the utmost caution. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.