The Ruling on Visiting the Awliya (Close Friends of Allah) and Seeking Nearness to Them

Question:
Is it permissible to visit a wali (close friend of Allah) in the mosque, for a man or a woman, and would that constitute shirk (associating partners with Allah)?

The Shaykh: Repeat.

The presenter: He says: Is it permissible to visit a wali (close friend of Allah) in the mosque, for a man or a woman, and would that constitute shirk (associating partners with Allah) if one were to offer him a sheep and a specific amount of money in a future visit?

Answer:
The knowledge of the wali (close friend of Allah) is with Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) , and all the believers are the awliya (close friends of Allah). What some superstitious people believe, that a wali (close friend of Allah) has an additional attribute beyond the attributes of the people of faith, such as some superstitions, breaking of customs, and the like, is not correct. Many of the awliya (close friends of Allah) do not have any breaking of customs through their hands. The awliya (close friends of Allah) are the people of faith, even if they do not have special karamahs (miracles granted to a righteous person). Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Yunus: 63]. He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Al-Anfal: 34].
So the believer is a wali (close friend of Allah), whether he is Arab or non-Arab, male or female, knowledgeable or not. The awliya (close friends of Allah) are the people of faith and taqwa (mindfulness of Allah). Visiting them for the sake of Allah, out of love for Allah, in the mosque or in their homes, visiting among the believers is a sunnah (recommended practice), a means of nearness and obedience. It came in the authentic hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: : My love is obligatory for those who visit each other for my sake, sit together for my sake, love each other for my sake, and exchange gifts for my sake . And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
So the believer visits his brother in Allah in his home or in the mosque, and his sister in Allah visits him if the visit does not involve suspicion, such as visiting her brother, her uncle, her maternal uncle, a relative, or a sick neighbor to visit him or ask him about knowledge, while maintaining hijab (the covering prescribed for women) and without seclusion. There is no harm in that. So the believer is visited by his believing brothers, and his believing sister visits him in a lawful manner that does not involve suspicion or fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), with covering, hijab (the covering prescribed for women), and no seclusion, for a lawful purpose such as visiting the sick, asking people of knowledge, or other lawful objectives.
As for slaughtering for him other than Allah, or calling upon him other than Allah, thinking that he has control over the universe, this is batil (invalid). This is shirk akbar (major shirk), whether he is alive or dead. The one who seeks nearness to the graves of the awliya (close friends of Allah), claiming that they fulfill his needs, or that they know the unseen, or that they have control over the universe, this is shirk akbar (major shirk), even if he does not seek nearness to them. This belief itself is shirk akbar (major shirk). We ask Allah for safety.
So if one slaughters for them camels, cows, sheep, chickens, or anything else, this is also shirk akbar (major shirk). And if one calls for aid from them, saying: "O my master so-and-so, help me," or "Intercede for me," or "Fulfill my need," or "Help me," saying this at his grave or far from it, all of this is shirk akbar (major shirk). But if one says it to a living person who is present and capable, saying: "Help me with such-and-such," or "Intercede for me with so-and-so," or "Help me pay off my debt," or "Help me ward off the evil of so-and-so's son," so that he intercedes for him until he connects with him and says to him: "Tell so-and-so not to harm so-and-so," these are ordinary matters with no harm, as Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said in the story of Musa (Moses): [Al-Qasas: 15].
So as long as people are alive, they ask each other for support, help, or assistance, verbally, in writing, by telephone, by telegram, or the like, there is no harm in this. But to call upon him other than Allah, believing that he is a wali (close friend of Allah) and that he has control over the universe, calling upon him from afar, or calling upon him at his grave, or offering him sacrifices, or calling for aid from him, or making vows to him while he is dead or absent, this is shirk akbar (major shirk).
So one must be cautious of these matters in which the common people fall due to their ignorance. As for the ordinary physical matters that people do among themselves, such as saying to your present brother: "So-and-so, lend me such-and-such," or "Help me with such-and-such," or "Help me fix my car," or "Help me build my house," and he is present and hears your words, or by writing, or by telephone, meaning: the phone, or by telegram, or by a physical means and another way you speak to him, all of this is fine; because these are ordinary matters. And people now have telephone connections and official connections that did not exist before, and they have occurred now. So if the connection is with a known physical thing, whether it is called a telephone or by another name like "talks" or otherwise, all of that is among the physical matters within what a person is capable of.
But to believe in him that he has control over the universe, or that he knows the unseen, this is kufr (disbelief) and shirk akbar (major shirk). Or to seek nearness to the grave of the dead, seeking nearness to him with sacrifices, or calling for aid from him, or making vows to him, or slaughtering for him offerings, all of this is shirk akbar (major shirk). So one must distinguish between what is permissible by the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) and what Allah has forbidden by the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law). We ask Allah for guidance for everyone.

The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.