I live in a village where almost every one is brelvi and all the mosques are of brelvis. i asked the imam of jamia mosque about those who ask for the help of pious men such as Messengers , Auliya and weather or not one can say “Ya ALi MADAd”
He Replied ” Yes it is allowed.” he furthur stated ” Help is of two type. 1) The helpof Allah which is his personal. 2) The help of Auliya or messengers which is provided by Allah Almighty and is not personal. Whoever Says there (ability to) help is personal then he has commited Kuffar.”
he also said that hazrat zainul abadeen (R.A) called upon Prophet Muhammad for help and he Even Qouted him in Arabic which i Couldn’t Understand so i can’t type it here. and he also gave the exaple of hazrat abdull qadir Jilani ( R.U) and that too in arabic.
Now my question is that can i pray behind them? Have They Commited Shirk when they said that Allah has provided Saints And Messenger the Ability to help? i do know that it’s a wrong belief and there argument is weak but does that count as shirk?
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.
There are two issues:
- Du’aa to Allaah Ta’aala
- Tawassul
In making du’aa to Allaah Ta’aala, one seeks the assistance of Allaah Ta’aala directly without the medium of anyone. In tawassul too, one makes du’aa to Allaah Ta’aala but through the medium of one’s good deeds or the ranks of certain individuals, for example Rasulullaah (Sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam). This is also permissible as one is making du’aa to Allaah Ta’aala. Allaah Ta’aala says,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ
Translation: “O you who believe! Do your duty to Allaah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him.” (Al-Maaidah v.35)
However, to make du’aa to anyone besides Allaah Ta’aala is kufr and shirk[1]. It is incorrect to make du’aa to Sayyiduna ‘Ali (Radhiyallaahu ‘anh) and Shaykh ‘Abdul Qaadir Jaylaani (Rahimahullaah). Allaah Ta’aala says,
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
Translation: “It is You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.” (Al-Fatihah v.5)
وَلاَ تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَنفَعُكَ وَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذاً مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Translation: “And do not invoke besides Allaah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.” (Yunus v.106)
[2]إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ
Translation: “When you ask, ask Allaah, and when you seek help, seek help from Allaah.” (Tirmidhi 2516)
Salaah is an essential part of our Deen. It forms the cornerstone of our worship as Muslims. Hence, we should be mindful of the ‘aqeedah of the Imaam of the salaah. Accordingly, we advise you not to perform your salaahs behind the Imaam in reference.
And Allaah Ta’aala Knows Best
Muajul I. Chowdhury
Student, Darul Iftaa
Astoria, New York, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
____
[2] سنن (4/ 667) (حديث ٢٥١٦)
عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَوْمًا، فَقَالَ: «يَا غُلَامُ إِنِّي أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ، احْفَظِ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ، احْفَظِ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ، إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الأُمَّةَ لَوْ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَلَوْ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ، رُفِعَتِ الأَقْلَامُ وَجَفَّتْ الصُّحُفُ» هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.
You may refer to Fatwa #16158 for further details on tawassul.