The Ruling on Seeking Nearness to Allah Through the Status of the Prophets and the Righteous
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Finally, the brother Adam Abdullah Abakar from Chad asks: Is it permissible to seek nearness to Allah through status (jaha), blessing (barakah), or sanctity (hurmah)? For example, if a person says, "O Allah, do such-and-such for me by the status of so-and-so, or by the blessing of so-and-so, or by the sanctity of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), or the like." Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: Seeking nearness to Allah through status, blessing, sanctity, or right is not permissible according to the majority of scholars. This is because the means of seeking nearness are based on divine legislation; only what the Shari'ah has permitted is allowed, and there is no evidence in the Shari'ah indicating the permissibility of these means. Therefore, a person should not say, "O Allah, forgive me by the right of so-and-so, by the right of Muhammad, or by the right of the righteous, or by the right of the prophets, or by the status of the prophets, or by the sanctity of the prophets, or by the blessing of the prophets, or by the right of the righteous, or by the blessing of the righteous, or by the blessing of Ali, or by the blessing of al-Siddiq, or by the blessing of 'Umar, or by the right of the Companions, or by the right of so-and-so and so-and-so." All of this is not permissible. This is contrary to what is prescribed and is a religious innovation (bid'ah). It is not shirk (associating partners with Allah), but it is an innovation. It is not found in the supplications with which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) made du'a. Rather, one should seek nearness to Allah through what Allah has prescribed, namely the names of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and His attributes, and through tawhid (the oneness of Allah), sincerity to Him, and righteous deeds. These are the means. Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-A'raf: 180]. So you say, "O Allah, forgive me by Your mercy, for You are the Forgiving, the Merciful. O Allah, have mercy on me, O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, do good to me. O Allah, admit us to Paradise by Your mercy, Your favor, and Your goodness. O Allah, save me from the Fire, and pardon me, O Merciful, O Merciful, O Pardoner, O Generous," and the like. Or through tawhid and sincerity to Allah, you say, "O Allah, forgive me, for I bear witness that You are Allah, there is no deity but You, for You are the One, the Unique, the One worthy of worship." Or you say, "O Allah, I ask You by my bearing witness that You are Allah, there is no deity but You," as mentioned in the noble hadith with this supplication; there is no harm in this. This is a lawful means. Or through your good deeds, you say, "O Allah, forgive me by my faith in You and my love for You. Or by my faith in Your Prophet and my love for him (peace and blessings be upon him). O Allah, have mercy on me by my obedience to You and my following of Your Shari'ah. O Allah, have mercy on me by my kindness to my parents. O Allah, have mercy on me by my abstention from immoral deeds. O Allah, have mercy on me by fulfilling trusts and being sincere to Allah and His servants," and the like. From this category is what is established in the two Sahihs from Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): By means of these supplications and these righteous deeds.
So making du'a in this manner and the like is good du'a, there is no harm in it, and it is a lawful means. As for making du'a by the right of so-and-so, or the status of so-and-so, or the blessing of so-and-so, or the sanctity of so-and-so, this has no basis and was not brought by the Sunnah. It is obligatory to abandon it. It is not shirk, but it is among the innovations. So it is obligatory to abandon it. This is the correct position held by the majority of scholars. And Allah is the Helper. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Answer: Seeking nearness to Allah through status, blessing, sanctity, or right is not permissible according to the majority of scholars. This is because the means of seeking nearness are based on divine legislation; only what the Shari'ah has permitted is allowed, and there is no evidence in the Shari'ah indicating the permissibility of these means. Therefore, a person should not say, "O Allah, forgive me by the right of so-and-so, by the right of Muhammad, or by the right of the righteous, or by the right of the prophets, or by the status of the prophets, or by the sanctity of the prophets, or by the blessing of the prophets, or by the right of the righteous, or by the blessing of the righteous, or by the blessing of Ali, or by the blessing of al-Siddiq, or by the blessing of 'Umar, or by the right of the Companions, or by the right of so-and-so and so-and-so." All of this is not permissible. This is contrary to what is prescribed and is a religious innovation (bid'ah). It is not shirk (associating partners with Allah), but it is an innovation. It is not found in the supplications with which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) made du'a. Rather, one should seek nearness to Allah through what Allah has prescribed, namely the names of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and His attributes, and through tawhid (the oneness of Allah), sincerity to Him, and righteous deeds. These are the means. Allah the Exalted said:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them
وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاThree men took shelter in a cave during the night—or in another narration: the rain sheltered them in a cave—on a mountain. They entered it, and a rock slid down from the top of the mountain, blocking the entrance to the cave. It was a huge rock that they could not move. They said among themselves, "None can save you from this rock except that you call upon Allah by your righteous deeds." So they called upon Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). One of them said, "O Allah, I had two old, elderly parents, and I never gave the evening milk to any family or wealth before them. The evening milk is the milk that people drink after the night prayer, and this was a custom of the Arabs: serving guests and family with milk at night. He said, 'I never gave the evening milk to any family or wealth before them.' And one night, I went out to seek firewood and did not return to them until late at night, meaning very late. I found them sleeping, so I stood with the cup in my hand, waiting for them to wake up. They did not wake up until the dawn broke. He said, 'O Allah, if You know that I did this seeking Your Face, then remove what we are in.' So the rock moved slightly, but they were still unable to get out. The second man said, 'O Allah, I had a cousin whom I loved as much as men love women. I proposed to her, but she refused me. Then a year of hardship—meaning need—came upon her, and she came to me seeking support. I said to her, 'Only if you allow me to have relations with you.' So we agreed on one hundred and twenty dinars—pounds. She allowed him to have relations with her. When he sat between her legs, she said to him, 'Fear Allah and do not break the seal except with its right.' So he got up, fearing Allah, and left the gold and left the immoral act. Then he said, 'O Allah, if You know that I did this seeking Your Face, then remove what we are in.' So the rock moved further, but they were still unable to get out. Then the third man said, 'O Allah, I had hired workers, and I paid every worker his right except for one, whose wage I left. I raised it for him, and it grew for him until it became camels, cows, sheep, and slaves. Then he came to ask for his wage, and I said to him, 'Everything you see is your wage.' He said, 'Fear Allah and do not mock me.' I said, 'I am not mocking you; it is all from your wage.' So he drove it all away. O Allah, if You know that I did this seeking Your Face, then remove what we are in.' So the rock moved and they went out.
أن ثلاثة آواهم المبيت إلى غار -وفي رواية: آواهم المطر إلى غار- في الجبل فدخلوا فيه، فانحدرت عليهم صخرة من أعلى الجبل فسدت الغار عليهم، وكانت صخرة عظيمة لم يستطيعوا دفعها، فقالوا فيما بينهم: إنه لن ينجيكم من هذه الصخرة إلا أن تدعوا الله بصالح أعمالكم، فدعوا الله سبحانه وتعالى فقال أحدهم: اللهم إنه كان لي أبوان شيخان كبيران، وكنت لا أغبق قبلهما أهلاً ولا مالاً، والغبوق اللبن الذي يسقاه يشربه الناس بعد العشاء وكان هذا من عادات العرب، سقي الضيوف والأهل اللبن في الليل، يقول: كنت لا أغبق قبلهما أهلاً ولا مالاً، وإنه نأى بي طلب الشجر ذات ليلة فلم أرح عليهما إلا في آخر الليل يعني إلا متأخراً، فوجدهما نائمين، فوقف والقدح على يديه ينتظر استيقاظهما فلم يستيقظا حتى برق الفجر، قال: اللهم إن كنت تعلم أني فعلت هذا ابتغاء وجهك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة بعض الشيء، لكنهم لا يستيطعون أن يخرجوا، وقال الثاني: اللهم إني كانت لي ابنة عم أحبها كأشد ما يحب الرجال النساء، وإني راودتها على نفسها فأبت علي، ثم إنها ألمت بها سنة -يعني: حاجة- فجاءت إلي تطلب الرفد، فقلت لها: إلا أن تمكني من نفسك، فاتفق معها على مائة وعشرين دينار -جنيه- فمكنته من نفسها فلما جلس بين رجليها قالت له: اتق الله ولا تفض الخاتم إلا بحقه، فقام خائفاً من الله وترك الذهب وترك الفاحشة، ثم قال: اللهم إن كنت تعلم أني فعلت هذا ابتغاء وجهك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة زيادة لكنهم لا يستيطعون الخروج، ثم قال الثالث: اللهم إنه كان لي أجراء فأعطيت كل أجير حقه إلا واحداً ترك أجره فربيته له، فنميته له حتى صار منه إبل وبقر وغنم ورقيق، ثم جاء يطلب أجره فقلت له: كل ما ترى من أجرك، فقال: اتق الله ولا تستهزئ بي، قلت: إني لا أستهزئ بك، كله من أجرك فاستاقه كله، اللهم إن كنت تعلم أني فعلت هذا ابتغاء وجهك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة وخرجواSo making du'a in this manner and the like is good du'a, there is no harm in it, and it is a lawful means. As for making du'a by the right of so-and-so, or the status of so-and-so, or the blessing of so-and-so, or the sanctity of so-and-so, this has no basis and was not brought by the Sunnah. It is obligatory to abandon it. It is not shirk, but it is among the innovations. So it is obligatory to abandon it. This is the correct position held by the majority of scholars. And Allah is the Helper. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.