The impermissibility of directing requests to the dead
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Q: People say that directing requests to the dead in the grave is permissible, citing the evidence: “When you are confused in matters, seek the help of the people of the graves.” Is this hadith authentic or not?
A: This hadith is one of the fabricated hadiths attributed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as more than one scholar has pointed out, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). He said (may Allah have mercy on him) in *Majmu' al-Fatawa*, Part 1, page 356, after mentioning it: “This hadith is a lie fabricated against the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) by the consensus of those who know his hadith. No scholar has narrated it, and it is not found in any of the reliable books of hadith.” This is the end of his words (may Allah have mercy on him).
This fabrication attributed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) contradicts what the Book and the Sunnah brought regarding the obligation of purifying worship for Allah alone and the prohibition of associating partners with Him. There is no doubt that supplicating to the dead, seeking their aid, and turning to them in times of calamity and distress is among the greatest forms of shirk (associating partners with Allah) (Mighty and Majestic). Likewise, supplicating to them in times of ease is shirk with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The early polytheists, when their distress intensified, would purify their worship for Allah, but when the hardships passed, they would associate partners with Allah, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said: [Al-'Ankabut: 65]. There are many verses with this meaning. As for the later polytheists, their shirk is constant in both ease and hardship, and indeed their shirk increases in times of hardship, refuge with Allah. This shows that their disbelief is greater and more severe than the disbelief of the earlier ones in this regard. Allah (ﷺ) said: : [Al-Bayyinah: 5]. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Ghafir: 14]. And He (ﷺ) said: : [Az-Zumar 39:2-3]. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Fatir 35:13] If you call them, they will not hear your call, and even if they did hear, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disavow your shirk, and no one can inform you like the All-Aware. [Az-Zumar: 2-3]. This verse encompasses everyone who is worshipped besides Allah, including the prophets, the righteous, and others. He (Glorified and Exalted is He) clarified that the supplication of the polytheists to them is shirk with Him (Glorified and Exalted is He), and He also clarified that this is disbelief in Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) in His saying (the Exalted): [Al-Mu'minun: 117].
The verses indicating the obligation of purifying worship for Allah alone, directing supplication to Him and to no one else, and the prohibition of worshipping anyone other than Him (Glorified and Exalted is He), such as the dead, idols, trees, stones, and the like, are very numerous. They are known by those who reflect on the Book of Allah and seek guidance from it. May Allah be sought for help, and there is no power or strength except with Allah.
A: This hadith is one of the fabricated hadiths attributed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), as more than one scholar has pointed out, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). He said (may Allah have mercy on him) in *Majmu' al-Fatawa*, Part 1, page 356, after mentioning it: “This hadith is a lie fabricated against the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) by the consensus of those who know his hadith. No scholar has narrated it, and it is not found in any of the reliable books of hadith.” This is the end of his words (may Allah have mercy on him).
This fabrication attributed to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) contradicts what the Book and the Sunnah brought regarding the obligation of purifying worship for Allah alone and the prohibition of associating partners with Him. There is no doubt that supplicating to the dead, seeking their aid, and turning to them in times of calamity and distress is among the greatest forms of shirk (associating partners with Allah) (Mighty and Majestic). Likewise, supplicating to them in times of ease is shirk with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
The early polytheists, when their distress intensified, would purify their worship for Allah, but when the hardships passed, they would associate partners with Allah, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said:
And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him
فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَAnd they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَSo invoke Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, although the disbelievers dislike it.
فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَSo worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. (3) Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.
فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ أَلا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُThat 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.
ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُُ وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ And 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 الْكَافِرُونَThe verses indicating the obligation of purifying worship for Allah alone, directing supplication to Him and to no one else, and the prohibition of worshipping anyone other than Him (Glorified and Exalted is He), such as the dead, idols, trees, stones, and the like, are very numerous. They are known by those who reflect on the Book of Allah and seek guidance from it. May Allah be sought for help, and there is no power or strength except with Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.