The Obligation of Advising Those Who Believe in the Benefit of the Dead
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
From the Republic of Egypt, the city of As-Salim, Matrouh Governorate. This is a message sent by a listener from there, saying: Fathi Muhammad Mu'min. The brother Fathi included a collection of questions in his message, one of which says: I live in a place where there are people who claim to be Muslims; they pray, pay zakah, fast, and perform Hajj, but they believe in the dead. He says that the dead wali, or the shaykh, is an intermediary with Allah, and they seek blessing from him, seek his help, visit him, make vows to him, and travel to him. And when you advise them, they say: These are awliya (close friends of Allah) to whom one must draw near. They dislike those who prevent them and advise them not to worship the dead and the awliya. What should we do? And should we leave them as they are? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is a great calamity occurring in many countries, and it is obligatory for the people of knowledge to guide people to the reality of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and the reality of shirk (associating partners with Allah), so that these common people know the invalidity of what they are upon. The fact that he prays, performs Hajj, fasts, and pays zakah, and then worships other than Allah, this invalidates his deeds. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-An'am: 88]. And He, the Exalted, said: [Az-Zumar: 65]. So supplicating to the dead, seeking aid from the dead, making vows to them, and slaughtering for them; this is major shirk that contradicts the tawhid which is the meaning of "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no deity but Allah), and it contradicts what the verses indicate regarding the obligation of purifying worship for Allah, as in His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Fatihah: 5]. And His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Bayyinah: 5]. And His saying, (peace and blessings be upon him): [Al-Baqarah: 21] ... [Al-Isra: 23] ... [Az-Zumar: 2-3] ... [Al-Jinn: 18] ... [Al-Mu'minun: 117]. And He, the Exalted, said: [Fatir: 14] . So He made their supplication to the dead, idols, trees, and stones shirk with Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
So it is obligatory to alert these people, warn them, and urge scholars to alert them and warn them, so that they may see clearly and know that they are upon falsehood and upon shirk, and that their prayer is nullified by it, and so is their fasting, zakah, Hajj, and their other deeds, until they purify their worship for Allah alone. And Allah sent His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the people to save them from this shirk. So he resided in Makkah for ten years calling them to the tawhid of Allah, and to leaving the supplication to the dead, seeking aid from the dead, idols, trees, and stones. And he said:Sunan al-Bayhaqi 1:325 before prayer was made obligatory. So when prayer was made obligatory in Makkah; he remained for a period after that calling them to the tawhid of Allah, then he migrated to al-Madinah, and he did not cease calling to Allah and to His tawhid .
So it is obligatory for you, my brother, to strive to call these people and guide them with wisdom, patience, and good manner; perhaps Allah will guide them through your means. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1893a. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when he sent him to Khaybar to call the Jews, saying: Sahih al-Bukhari 3701.
So supplicating to the dead by saying: "O my master, cure my sick one," or "help me," or "al-maddad al-maddad (help, help) O so-and-so," or by making vows to them, or anything similar to these types of worship, all of it is shirk with Allah. And so is slaughtering for them, slaughtering cows, or sheep, or chickens, or anything else. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1978b. And Allah, the Exalted, says: [Al-An'am 6:162] meaning: My slaughter: [Al-An'am: 162-163].
So slaughtering for other than Allah is like praying to other than Allah, and the one who slaughters for the dead draws near to them just like the one who prays to them. And so is the one who vows offerings to them: "If Allah cures my sick one, then for the master so-and-so is such-and-such, for him is a sacrificial animal, for him is a bull, and for him is such-and-such," or "O my master al-Badawi, cure my sick one," or "al-maddad al-maddad," or "O my master al-Husayn," or "O Shaykh Abd al-Qadir," or "O Messenger of Allah, cure my sick one," or "help us," or anything similar to this, all of this is major shirk.
So it is obligatory to be cautious, and it is obligatory for the people of knowledge, wherever they are, to convey this to the people, and to advise them, and to guide them to the truth and the right, and to be patient with their ignorance and their harm; until they learn, until they benefit. This is how the messengers were patient, and they are the best of creation - (peace and blessings be upon them) - their own people were the most severe to them, so perhaps they killed them for that, and with this they were patient - (peace and blessings be upon them) - and they conveyed the message and fulfilled the trust; until Allah took them - (peace and blessings be upon them) - and their seal is our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and he is the best of them. He was patient with his people for twenty-three years, and he was calling them to Allah until Allah guided through his hand those whom He guided, and until Allah completed the religion through him and perfected for them the favor.
So it is obligatory to follow his example in that - (peace and blessings be upon him) - and to be patient with the call, direction, and guidance; hoping for the reward with Allah. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and benefit us with your knowledge.
From the Republic of Egypt, the city of As-Salim, Matrouh Governorate. This is a message sent by a listener from there, saying: Fathi Muhammad Mu'min. The brother Fathi included a collection of questions in his message, one of which says: I live in a place where there are people who claim to be Muslims; they pray, pay zakah, fast, and perform Hajj, but they believe in the dead. He says that the dead wali, or the shaykh, is an intermediary with Allah, and they seek blessing from him, seek his help, visit him, make vows to him, and travel to him. And when you advise them, they say: These are awliya (close friends of Allah) to whom one must draw near. They dislike those who prevent them and advise them not to worship the dead and the awliya. What should we do? And should we leave them as they are? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
This is a great calamity occurring in many countries, and it is obligatory for the people of knowledge to guide people to the reality of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and the reality of shirk (associating partners with Allah), so that these common people know the invalidity of what they are upon. The fact that he prays, performs Hajj, fasts, and pays zakah, and then worships other than Allah, this invalidates his deeds. Allah the Exalted said:
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 الْخَاسِرِينَIt is You we worship and You we ask for help.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُAnd they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَO mankind, worship your Lord
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُAnd your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُSo worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. (3) Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.
فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ أَلا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُso do not invoke with Allah anyone.
فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًاAnd 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 الْكَافِرُونَThat 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 خَبِيرٍSo it is obligatory to alert these people, warn them, and urge scholars to alert them and warn them, so that they may see clearly and know that they are upon falsehood and upon shirk, and that their prayer is nullified by it, and so is their fasting, zakah, Hajj, and their other deeds, until they purify their worship for Allah alone. And Allah sent His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the people to save them from this shirk. So he resided in Makkah for ten years calling them to the tawhid of Allah, and to leaving the supplication to the dead, seeking aid from the dead, idols, trees, and stones. And he said:
O my people, say: "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah) and you will succeed.
يا قوم قولوا: لا إله إلا الله تفلحواSo it is obligatory for you, my brother, to strive to call these people and guide them with wisdom, patience, and good manner; perhaps Allah will guide them through your means. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer.
من دل على خير؛ فله مثل أجر فاعلهfor by Allah, if one man is guided on the right path (i.e. converted to Islam) through you, it would be better for you than (a great number of) red camels.
فوالله لأن يهدي الله بك رجلًا واحدًا؛ خير لك من حمر النعمSo supplicating to the dead by saying: "O my master, cure my sick one," or "help me," or "al-maddad al-maddad (help, help) O so-and-so," or by making vows to them, or anything similar to these types of worship, all of it is shirk with Allah. And so is slaughtering for them, slaughtering cows, or sheep, or chickens, or anything else. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Allah cursed him who sacrificed for anyone besides Allah
لعن الله من ذبح لغير اللهSay, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاتِي وَنُسُكِيmy living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. (163) No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims."
وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَSo slaughtering for other than Allah is like praying to other than Allah, and the one who slaughters for the dead draws near to them just like the one who prays to them. And so is the one who vows offerings to them: "If Allah cures my sick one, then for the master so-and-so is such-and-such, for him is a sacrificial animal, for him is a bull, and for him is such-and-such," or "O my master al-Badawi, cure my sick one," or "al-maddad al-maddad," or "O my master al-Husayn," or "O Shaykh Abd al-Qadir," or "O Messenger of Allah, cure my sick one," or "help us," or anything similar to this, all of this is major shirk.
So it is obligatory to be cautious, and it is obligatory for the people of knowledge, wherever they are, to convey this to the people, and to advise them, and to guide them to the truth and the right, and to be patient with their ignorance and their harm; until they learn, until they benefit. This is how the messengers were patient, and they are the best of creation - (peace and blessings be upon them) - their own people were the most severe to them, so perhaps they killed them for that, and with this they were patient - (peace and blessings be upon them) - and they conveyed the message and fulfilled the trust; until Allah took them - (peace and blessings be upon them) - and their seal is our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and he is the best of them. He was patient with his people for twenty-three years, and he was calling them to Allah until Allah guided through his hand those whom He guided, and until Allah completed the religion through him and perfected for them the favor.
So it is obligatory to follow his example in that - (peace and blessings be upon him) - and to be patient with the call, direction, and guidance; hoping for the reward with Allah. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and benefit us with your knowledge.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.