The Ruling on Slaughter for Allah and for al-Khidr Based on a Dream

Q: This question reached us from Syria, from the town of Raqqa, from the sender H. S. He says in his message: Often, some women dream that a man came to them and said to them: "Slaughter for Allah and for al-Khidr, or else a disease will befall you." They also say that the one who does not slaughter will have his family diminished by death. Please inform us, may Allah reward you.

A: This dream and what is similar to it is from Shaytan, by which he calls people to shirk (associating partners with Allah), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic hadith: It is agreed upon on its authenticity. If a man or a woman sees this dream, or sees that he is being beaten or threatened with killing or the like, then that is from Shaytan. So when he wakes up, he should spit lightly to his left three times and say: "I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan and from the evil of what I saw" three times, then he should turn over to his other side, and it will not harm him, and he should not inform anyone about it.
It is known that slaughter for Allah is an act of worship at any time, such as sacrifices and offerings. As for slaughter for al-Khidr or others among the prophets and the awliya (close friends of Allah), it is reprehensible and shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah ; because slaughter for Allah is worship of Him , and directing it to other than Him is shirk with Him, the Exalted. Based on the saying of Allah, the Exalted: No partner has He, and thus I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims [Al-An'am: 162-163] and His saying, the Exalted: So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [Al-Kawthar: 1-2] and based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih from the hadith of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) .
So it is not permissible to slaughter for al-Khidr, nor for al-Badawi, nor for al-Husayn, nor for other people, nor for idols, nor for jinn. Rather, slaughter is for Allah alone, and drawing near with sacrifices is for Allah alone, the Exalted and Majestic, such as sacrifices and offerings, as mentioned previously.
As for al-Khidr (peace be upon him) and other people, it is not permissible to slaughter for them, nor to direct any part of worship to them. So drawing near to them with sacrifices so that they intercede for you or so that they cure your child, all of this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and refuge is sought in Allah from that. Likewise, slaughter for idols, jinn, and stars is all major shirk. So one must beware of all of that, and advise one another to leave it and counsel one another regarding it, until slaughter is for Allah alone, just as prayer is obligatory for Him alone, and all other acts of worship; based on His saying (peace and blessings be upon him) : [Al-Bayyinah: 5] and His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Isra: 23] and His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Fatihah: 5] and the verses in this meaning are many.
And likewise, supplication and calling for aid. So one does not call for aid to al-Khidr or to other than him among the creation. Rather, it is obligatory that calling for aid be for Allah alone. So one does not call for aid to the prophets, nor to the angels, nor to idols, nor to stars, nor to the dead. Rather, one calls for aid to Allah alone, and one does not seek help except from Him, the Exalted; because He, the Exalted, is the One who possesses everything, and He is the One who is able to do everything .
As for the living, capable, present person, there is no harm in seeking his help in what he is able to do. You say, "My brother, help me with such and such," and he hears you, or by writing, or by way of the telephone, you say, "Help me with such and such" or "Lend me such and such." This is not a problem; because it is from ordinary matters and from tangible causes, so there is no blame in it, based on His saying (peace and blessings be upon him) : [Al-Ma'idah: 2] and His saying (peace and blessings be upon him) in the story of Musa: [Al-Qasas: 15] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
But if you come to the dead person and say to him: "O my master al-Badawi, cure my sick one, or return my missing one, or help, help," or "O my master al-Husayn," or "O my master, O Messenger of Allah," or "O my master Ibn Arabi," or "Ibn 'Alwan," or "Al-'Iydrus," or "O Shaykh Abdul Qadir," or other of the dead and absent ones, then all of this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and is not permissible. So it is obligatory for every Muslim to beware of it and to declare it wrong upon the one who does it. And it is obligatory for the scholars to advise people and teach them, based on the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [Al-Jinn: 18] and based on His saying (peace and blessings be upon him) : If you call them, they will not hear your call, and even if they heard, they would not respond to you, and on the Day of Resurrection they will disavow your shirk, and none can inform you like one who is well-informed [Fatir: 13-14] So He named their calling other than Allah shirk. And likewise His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Mu'minun: 117] So He described those who call upon other than Allah as disbelievers and that they will not succeed. So one must be alert to this great matter in which many people have fallen in many lands. And it is obligatory for the people of knowledge to advise for Allah and for His servants, and to teach these ignorant people until they repent to Allah, the Exalted, from calling upon the people of the graves and seeking aid from them, and to teach them to call upon Allah alone , and to seek aid from Him in their needs.
As for the living, present, capable person, there is no harm in seeking his help in what he is able to do, as mentioned previously. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to ask the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) for intercession and help while he was alive, so he would intercede for them and help them with what benefits them. But after his death (peace and blessings be upon him), they did not ask him for anything; because they knew that it is not permissible. And likewise on the Day of Resurrection, when Allah resurrects him, people will ask him to intercede for them, so he will respond to that after Allah, the Exalted, gives him permission; because he is alive and present before them. But after Allah took his soul and before the Day of Resurrection, he is not called upon and not sought for aid, by the consensus of the people of knowledge from the people of the Sunnah and the community, based on the previous evidence.
And likewise, others such as al-Khidr, or Nuh, or 'Isa, are not called upon with Allah, nor is aid sought from them, nor are vows made for them, nor is slaughter performed for them; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Narrated by al-Bukhari in his Sahih from the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) . The meaning is that whoever calls upon a dead person, or a righteous person, or a tree, or an angel, or others, has made him an equal to Allah and taken him as a god along with Him. And that is from major shirk (associating partners with Allah) which obligates for the one who dies upon it eternal abode in the Fire, as Allah, the Exalted, said: [Al-Ma'idah: 72] and He said (peace and blessings be upon him) : [An-Nisa: 48] and the verses in this meaning are many, and all of them indicate what the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud mentioned indicates.
So it is obligatory for the people of knowledge and for everyone who has insight to teach people the correct creed, and to warn them of this shirk in every place and in every time; based on the saying of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) : [An-Nahl: 125] and His saying (peace and blessings be upon him) : [Fussilat: 33] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): It was said: For whom, O Messenger of Allah? He said: Narrated by the Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) in his Sahih, and based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): .
And when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) to Khaybar to call the Jews to Islam, he said to him (peace and blessings be upon him): It is agreed upon on its authenticity. He (peace and blessings be upon him) swore – and he is the truthful one, even if he did not swear – that the guidance of one person by the hand of the caller to Allah is better for him than red camels, meaning better than all the red camels, and the meaning is better than the world and what is on it. So that indicates the obligation of mutual advice and calling to Allah, and clarifying the right of Allah upon His servants, and warning them from shirk, until the people are upon clarity and insight. And it indicates that the intended purpose of jihad is the guidance of the disbelievers and taking them out of darknesses into the light, not fighting them or taking their women and wealth captive. Rather, Muslims resort to fighting when the disbelievers refuse to enter into Islam and to pay the jizyah (tax on protected non-Muslims), if they are from those who are subject to it.
And Allah is the One asked to guide us and all Muslims to understanding in His religion and steadfastness upon it, and to support His religion and raise His word and reform His word, and to reform the conditions of the Muslims in every place. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Responsive. And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and all his Companions.