The Ruling on Supplicating to the Awliya and the Righteous to Relieve Distress
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Question:
If a Muslim falls into a trial or distress, and he supplicates to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and then supplicates to one of the righteous, for example Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah sanctify his secret) or other righteous people, is this permissible or not?
There was a debate among us regarding this topic, and one of the brothers mentioned that he heard, with his permission, that one of the radio stations stated that if a believer falls into distress, he must say: "O Abd al-Qadir!" three times, and say: "O Inhabitant of Baghdad! O Shepherd of al-Hamra!" — it seems to me, Shaykh Abdul Aziz — and at that time his distress will be relieved in this situation, or he supplicates to one of the righteous men without mentioning Allah. Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and may Allah thank you.
Answer:
It is obligatory for the Muslim, when he falls into hardship and need, to be humble before Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), to turn to Him (Exalted and Majestic is He), and to ask Him for his need and the removal of his distress, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Surat al-Naml: 62]. It is He (Glorified and Exalted is He) who answers the one in distress.
And He is the One who said : [al-Baqarah:186], and He is the One who said, (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Ghafir:60].
So it is obligatory for the believer in this state to be humble before Allah, to turn to Him (Mighty and Majestic), and to ask Him to relieve his distress and facilitate his affairs. As for seeking refuge in Abd al-Qadir or in other people, this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is major shirk, we seek refuge in Allah from that. It is not permissible for a person to seek refuge in Abd al-Qadir or in al-Sayyid al-Badawi or in al-Husayn or in Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) or in others among the people. Rather, it is obligatory to seek refuge in Allah alone. And He is the One who said (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Surat al-Jinn: 18], and He is the One who said (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Surat Yunus: 106]. So it is He (Exalted and Majestic is He) who answers the distressed, removes the evil, and is generous to His servants (Mighty and Majestic).
And no one should be deceived by what some people do of seeking refuge in Shaykh Abd al-Qadir or in others, or that their need is fulfilled in some cases. This is a matter of gradual luring (istidraj). Some of the jinn may fulfill it for him, luring him thereby until he falls into major shirk permanently. So it is not befitting for a person of intellect to be deceived by the fact that his need was fulfilled when he supplicated to Shaykh Abd al-Qadir or others. The need may be fulfilled by causes that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) decreed, which coincided with the time of his supplication to Abd al-Qadir. Or it may be a need that some of the devils of the jinn are able to fulfill, and they fulfill it for you in order to lure you into shirk and cause you to fall into shirk again.
So the point is that it is obligatory for the one who is accountable to be sincere to Allah in his worship, and not to supplicate to anyone with Him (Mighty and Majestic), neither a Prophet nor anyone else. And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Surat al-Fatihah: 5], and He says (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Surat al-Bayyinah: 5], and He says (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Surat al-Zumar: 2-3].
And by this, you, O questioner, know that what was said to you is a false and denounced matter of major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that it is obligatory for all Muslims and all those accountable to be sincere to Allah in worship, and that no one is to be called upon alongside Him (Exalted and Majestic is He), neither an angel, nor a prophet, nor a righteous person, nor anyone else, but only Allah alone is to be called upon . However, there is no harm in calling upon a living person who is capable to help you with something of zakah (the obligatory alms) or otherwise; there is no harm in saying to your brother who is present: "O my brother! Help me fix my car, or repair my house, or fulfill such-and-such a need," and he is a living person present who hears your words; there is no harm in that. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in the story of Musa (Moses): [Surat al-Qasas: 15], and as is known among Muslims, they help one another in matters of their religion and their worldly affairs. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: [Surat al-Ma'idah: 2], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1425Sahih (Darussalam).
So cooperation among Muslims in what they are able to do, whether verbally, or by way of writing, or by way of telephone... the phone, or by other known physical means, there is no harm in this. This is a known and permissible thing; because it is asking from the created being what he is able to do, and he is a living person present who hears your words, or you correspond with him in that, whether by correspondence or by way of telephone or the like.
As for supplicating to the dead, or supplicating to absent angels and jinn, or supplicating to idols, trees, and stones, this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). We ask Allah for well-being and safety. And this is the religion of the first polytheists, the religion of Abu Jahl, Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi'ah, Abu Lahab, and the like of them. This is their religion. They worship the Prophets and the awliya (close friends of Allah) and call for aid from them, and they make vows for them and slaughter for them. So Allah declared them disbelievers for this, and His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) fought them until those among them who submitted to Islam did so, until the religion of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) became manifest.
So it is obligatory for every person who is accountable to single out his Lord with worship wherever he is, and to seek refuge in Him in all affairs, all needs, and all distresses, without anything other than Him (Mighty and Majestic). But as mentioned before, there is no harm in seeking the help of your present, living brother. You seek his help in your farm, you hire workers in your farm, you seek their help in your affairs, you seek the help of your father in a need... or your brother, and they are living people who hear your words, or by correspondence or telegram, or by telephone or telex. These are ordinary matters, not falling into shirk, if they are in matters that the one you seek help from is able to do.
As for supplicating to the dead, like Shaykh Abd al-Qadir, or Shaykh al-Badawi, or al-Husayn, or Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), or the Prophets or other righteous people, this is not permissible. This is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). And likewise, supplicating to the jinn, or supplicating to the angels, or supplicating to idols, trees, and stones, this is major shirk. This is the religion of the people of shirk. This is the religion that Allah sent the messengers to deny and warn against, peace and blessings be upon them. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
If a Muslim falls into a trial or distress, and he supplicates to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and then supplicates to one of the righteous, for example Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (may Allah sanctify his secret) or other righteous people, is this permissible or not?
There was a debate among us regarding this topic, and one of the brothers mentioned that he heard, with his permission, that one of the radio stations stated that if a believer falls into distress, he must say: "O Abd al-Qadir!" three times, and say: "O Inhabitant of Baghdad! O Shepherd of al-Hamra!" — it seems to me, Shaykh Abdul Aziz — and at that time his distress will be relieved in this situation, or he supplicates to one of the righteous men without mentioning Allah. Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and may Allah thank you.
Answer:
It is obligatory for the Muslim, when he falls into hardship and need, to be humble before Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), to turn to Him (Exalted and Majestic is He), and to ask Him for his need and the removal of his distress, as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil
أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَAnd He is the One who said :
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَCall upon Me; I will respond to you.
ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْSo it is obligatory for the believer in this state to be humble before Allah, to turn to Him (Mighty and Majestic), and to ask Him to relieve his distress and facilitate his affairs. As for seeking refuge in Abd al-Qadir or in other people, this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). This is major shirk, we seek refuge in Allah from that. It is not permissible for a person to seek refuge in Abd al-Qadir or in al-Sayyid al-Badawi or in al-Husayn or in Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) or in others among the people. Rather, it is obligatory to seek refuge in Allah alone. And He is the One who said (Glorified and Exalted is He):
so do not invoke with Allah anyone.
فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًاAnd 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 الظَّالِمِينَAnd no one should be deceived by what some people do of seeking refuge in Shaykh Abd al-Qadir or in others, or that their need is fulfilled in some cases. This is a matter of gradual luring (istidraj). Some of the jinn may fulfill it for him, luring him thereby until he falls into major shirk permanently. So it is not befitting for a person of intellect to be deceived by the fact that his need was fulfilled when he supplicated to Shaykh Abd al-Qadir or others. The need may be fulfilled by causes that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) decreed, which coincided with the time of his supplication to Abd al-Qadir. Or it may be a need that some of the devils of the jinn are able to fulfill, and they fulfill it for you in order to lure you into shirk and cause you to fall into shirk again.
So the point is that it is obligatory for the one who is accountable to be sincere to Allah in his worship, and not to supplicate to anyone with Him (Mighty and Majestic), neither a Prophet nor anyone else. And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says:
It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُAnd they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَSo worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion. (3) Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.
فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ أَلا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُAnd by this, you, O questioner, know that what was said to you is a false and denounced matter of major shirk (associating partners with Allah), and that it is obligatory for all Muslims and all those accountable to be sincere to Allah in worship, and that no one is to be called upon alongside Him (Exalted and Majestic is He), neither an angel, nor a prophet, nor a righteous person, nor anyone else, but only Allah alone is to be called upon . However, there is no harm in calling upon a living person who is capable to help you with something of zakah (the obligatory alms) or otherwise; there is no harm in saying to your brother who is present: "O my brother! Help me fix my car, or repair my house, or fulfill such-and-such a need," and he is a living person present who hears your words; there is no harm in that. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in the story of Musa (Moses):
the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy
فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِcooperate in righteousness and piety
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىAnd Allah is engaged in helping the worshipper as long as the worshipper is engaged in helping his brother.
والله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون أخيهSo cooperation among Muslims in what they are able to do, whether verbally, or by way of writing, or by way of telephone... the phone, or by other known physical means, there is no harm in this. This is a known and permissible thing; because it is asking from the created being what he is able to do, and he is a living person present who hears your words, or you correspond with him in that, whether by correspondence or by way of telephone or the like.
As for supplicating to the dead, or supplicating to absent angels and jinn, or supplicating to idols, trees, and stones, this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). We ask Allah for well-being and safety. And this is the religion of the first polytheists, the religion of Abu Jahl, Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi'ah, Abu Lahab, and the like of them. This is their religion. They worship the Prophets and the awliya (close friends of Allah) and call for aid from them, and they make vows for them and slaughter for them. So Allah declared them disbelievers for this, and His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) fought them until those among them who submitted to Islam did so, until the religion of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) became manifest.
So it is obligatory for every person who is accountable to single out his Lord with worship wherever he is, and to seek refuge in Him in all affairs, all needs, and all distresses, without anything other than Him (Mighty and Majestic). But as mentioned before, there is no harm in seeking the help of your present, living brother. You seek his help in your farm, you hire workers in your farm, you seek their help in your affairs, you seek the help of your father in a need... or your brother, and they are living people who hear your words, or by correspondence or telegram, or by telephone or telex. These are ordinary matters, not falling into shirk, if they are in matters that the one you seek help from is able to do.
As for supplicating to the dead, like Shaykh Abd al-Qadir, or Shaykh al-Badawi, or al-Husayn, or Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), or the Prophets or other righteous people, this is not permissible. This is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). And likewise, supplicating to the jinn, or supplicating to the angels, or supplicating to idols, trees, and stones, this is major shirk. This is the religion of the people of shirk. This is the religion that Allah sent the messengers to deny and warn against, peace and blessings be upon them. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.