The Ruling on Supplicating to the Dead
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The questioner from Algeria says: Some people attach themselves to the righteous, who are dead. You see this person going to these dead people, asking them to fulfill needs and relieve distress, even though these people have died, and he claims that they are righteous. What is the ruling on the actions of these people? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
What some people do, going to the graves of the righteous, or to the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to supplicate and call for aid, is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is the shirk of the polytheists, the shirk of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. We seek refuge in Allah. The people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance used to ask the dead; they used to ask al-Lat and draw near to him, claiming he was a righteous man who used to mix the flour for the pilgrims. When he died, they stuck to his grave and began to ask him other than Allah and call for aid from him. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 529 And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih Muslim 532.
Therefore, it is obligatory for every person of legal age to fear Allah, to be mindful of Allah, and to single out Allah for worship. One should not supplicate to anyone but Allah, not call for aid from anyone but Him, and not seek protection from anyone but Him. It is He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), who is supplicated to and from whom hope is sought. Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Jinn: 18]. He, the Exalted, said: [Surah Ghafir: 60]. Allah the Exalted said: [Surah al-Mu'minun: 117]. Allah the Exalted said: [Surah Yunus: 106], meaning the polytheists.
Whoever intends the people of the graves, even if they are righteous, and asks them for aid, or intercession, or forgiveness of sins, or safety from the evil of enemies, all of this is shirk (associating partners with Allah), major shirk. Likewise, supplicating to the jinn and calling for aid from the jinn, or from idols and statues, all of this is major shirk. We ask Allah for safety from it. It is obligatory to be cautious of this. This is the religion of the polytheists: supplicating to the dead, calling for aid from the dead, from idols, from the jinn, and from the stars. This is the shirk of the polytheists; this is their false religion. We ask Allah for safety from it. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
The questioner from Algeria says: Some people attach themselves to the righteous, who are dead. You see this person going to these dead people, asking them to fulfill needs and relieve distress, even though these people have died, and he claims that they are righteous. What is the ruling on the actions of these people? May Allah reward you.
Answer:
What some people do, going to the graves of the righteous, or to the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to supplicate and call for aid, is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is the shirk of the polytheists, the shirk of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. We seek refuge in Allah. The people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance used to ask the dead; they used to ask al-Lat and draw near to him, claiming he was a righteous man who used to mix the flour for the pilgrims. When he died, they stuck to his grave and began to ask him other than Allah and call for aid from him. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians that they took the graves of their prophets as mosques
لعن الله اليهود والنصارى، اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجدBeware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.
ألا وإن من كان قبلكم كانوا يتخذون قبور أنبيائهم وصالحيهم مساجد، ألا فلا تتخذوا القبور مساجد؛ فإني أنهاكم عن ذلكTherefore, it is obligatory for every person of legal age to fear Allah, to be mindful of Allah, and to single out Allah for worship. One should not supplicate to anyone but Allah, not call for aid from anyone but Him, and not seek protection from anyone but Him. It is He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), who is supplicated to and from whom hope is sought. Allah the Exalted said:
And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone.
وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًاCall upon Me; I will respond to you.
ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْAnd 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 do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.'"
وَلا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لا يَنْفَعُكَ وَلا يَضُرُّكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَWhoever intends the people of the graves, even if they are righteous, and asks them for aid, or intercession, or forgiveness of sins, or safety from the evil of enemies, all of this is shirk (associating partners with Allah), major shirk. Likewise, supplicating to the jinn and calling for aid from the jinn, or from idols and statues, all of this is major shirk. We ask Allah for safety from it. It is obligatory to be cautious of this. This is the religion of the polytheists: supplicating to the dead, calling for aid from the dead, from idols, from the jinn, and from the stars. This is the shirk of the polytheists; this is their false religion. We ask Allah for safety from it. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.