Shortened Question:
How can I convince my colleague that it is impermissible to seek help from other than Allah Ta’ala?
Question:
I have spoken about the impermissibility of seeking help from other than Allah Subhana wa Ta’ala, for example from the Auliyas. However, my colleagues are saying that the verses revealed in the Quran, about the impermissibility of asking from someone other than Allah refers to the idols. How can I convince them that the verses refer to anyone besides Allah?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Everything in the Heavens and in the earth is owned by Almighty Allah Ta’ala. He is the One that gives to whomever whatever He wants.
Allah says:-
{ قُلْ لِمَنْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ قُلْ لِلَّهِ كَتَبَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ} [الأنعام: 12]
Say, “To whom belongs all that there is in the Heavens and the Earth?” Say, “To Allah.” He has prescribed for Himself to be merciful. (Surah Al-Anaam 6:12)
It is not permissible to make dua (ask for help) from the creation. Dua is an ibaadat (a form of worship) and ibaadats are reserved exclusively for Allah Ta’ala. It is therefore haram to direct an ibaadat to other than Allah. It is haram to prostrate before the graves of Ambiyaa Alaihis Salam and the Auliyaa, to make tawaf around their graves, to make dua to them and to take vows in their names.
Hadrat Shah Wali’ullah (Muhaddith Dehlawi) Rahimahullah Ta’ala writes:
The person who goes to the grave of any saint to ask for any need has committed a grave sin. This is a sin that is worse than murder and adultery. It is like that Mushrik who worships an idol that he made and like asking one’s needs from Laat and Uzza (two idols that the Mushrikeen of Makkah used to worship). (Tafheematul Ilaahiyyah Vol.2Pg.45).
To ask from deceased people is similar to how the Mushrikeen used to ask from their idols. All the four Imams are unanimous on the view that asking from idols is haram. (Fatawa Rahimiyyah by Hadrat Hafiz Moulana Qaari Mufti Abdur Raheem Lajpuri Rahimahullah; DARUL-ISHAAT Karachi, Pakistan; Vol.1 Pg. 64-65)
You may request others to make dua to Allah Ta’ala on your behalf, but it is not permissible to ask from other than Allah.
Allah says:
And when My servants ask you about Me, of course, I am near. I respond to the call of one when he prays to Me; so they should respond to Me, and have faith in Me so that they may be on the right path. Surah Al-Bakarah 2:186)[1]
This Ayat helps to persuade the servants of Allah to obey the commands of Allah. He (Allah) in His special grace hears and answers the duas of the servants.
In Surah Mulk Ayats 20 and 21 Allah Ta’ala spoke about the sustenance that He provides for mankind. The Kuffar of Makkah believed that their abundance of wealth and their large clan together with their many idols could protect them from harm.
Allah addresses them says:
Besides Rahman, who can be your army to assist you? Indeed, the disbelievers are in deception. Who can give you sustenance if He who sustains you stops providing for you? (Surah Mulk : 20-21)
Allah says:
Say, “Tell me. If your water sinks to the depth of the earth, who can provide you with pure water?”(Surah Mulk : 30).
Mulli Allah Qari, the author of Jalalayn wrote that in response to this question some proud people remarked “Pickaxes and spades will provide the water.” Allah Ta’ala then dried up the water from their eyes.[2] How then will the pickaxes and spades help them to restore the water to their eyes if Allah intends to remove the water from their eyes? Allah alone can replace it.
It is clear from all the above Ayats that no human being has absolute power. All power belongs to Allah. No human being can freely fulfill our needs without the order of Allah. We therefore turn only to Allah and rely on Him. If we seek the help of human beings, we believe, Allah ultimately decides.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub
Islamic Solutions
Jamaica
[1]{وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ} [البقرة: 186]
[2]{قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَاؤُكُمْ غَوْرًا فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِمَاءٍ مَعِينٍ} [الملك: 30]
