Ruling on Praying Behind Those Who Seek Aid from Others Besides Allah

Understanding Istighatha: The Islamic Ruling on Prayer Behind Mushrikoon

In the Name of Allāh, the Entirely Gracious, the Exclusively Merciful

 Question:

The questioner says: What is the ruling of praying behind the one who does Istighatha (seeks aid in times of hardship) from other than Allah? 

 The answer:

If you are certain that this man actually does Istighatha with other than Allah, then he is a mushrik, and it is not permissible to pray behind him. The meaning of Istighatha with other than Allah is to seek the removal of hardship/difficulty from other than Allah جل وعلا, in that which is not possible except for Allah. 

Like what happens to many people when they are stricken by the enemy or a drought, or with not having children, so they seek help from the Awliyah (allies of Allah), regardless of them being Prophets or other than the Prophets, it is not allowed. This is major shirk.

Allah تعالى says: 

﴿وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ* وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ﴾

“And who is more astray than he who invokes besides Allāh those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection [i.e., never], and they, of their invocation, are unaware. And when the people are gathered [that Day], they [who were invoked] will be enemies to them, and they will be deniers of their worship.”

So He called it ‘Ibadah (worship). And (الدعاء هو العبادة) “supplication is worship” as has come in the Hadith reported by al-Tirmidhi on the authority of Nu’man bin Bashir (رضي الله عنهما). And in it the Prophet (ﷺ) recited: 

{وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُم}

“And your Rabb says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” 

So do not underestimate this matter, and do not be lenient in it. 

Some of them say: if one merely says: “O son of ‘Alwan grant me a child, assist me with rain, he becomes a polytheist disbeliever?!”

The answer: Yes, by merely saying that he has become a disbeliever, polytheist and Allahs refuge is sought.

Ask Allah! (إذا سألت فاسأل الله، وإذا استعنت فاستعن بالله)

“When you ask (for anything), ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.” Reported by al-Tirmidhi on the authority of ibn ‘Abbaas (رضي الله عنهما)

Allah عز وجل is the one who gives and withholds. (اللهم لا مانع لما أَعطيتَ ولا معطي لما منعتَ) “O Allah, there is none who can withhold what You give, and none may give what You have withheld.”

Allah is the One who says to something: {كن فيكن} “Be, and it is” so how can you ask such a thing from other than Allah?!

{وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ}

“And they worship other than Allāh that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allāh.”

This is not permissible. This is the exact same thing that the mushrikoon (polytheists) used to do with their idols. They would seek from them, supplicate to them and devote themselves in worship to them, and if it was said to them why? They would say: “We are taking them as intercessors with Allah.”

These people have the exact same method and speech. Some of the mushrikoon who do Istighatha with the Awliya, they seek aid from them, aswell as children, provisions, and relief from their torments. Why? They say: This is love for the Awliya, this is seeking a means through the Awliya, he is an intercessor who will intercess for you. How is he an intercessor, and you are calling upon him, and worshipping him, and you say intercessor?

Furthermore, there is no intercession for a mushrik, and you have now done shirk with Allah. Also, the intercession will not be allowed for us except with Tawheed, and with righteous actions. The one who wants the intercession of the Prophet (ﷺ), and from those that Allah allows to be intercessors, then the way to attain that is through Tawheed and righteous actions.

The way for it is not for you to seek intercession from them, and to seek aid and assistance from them, or to worship them besides Allah. This way is contrary. There is no intercession for a mushrik, and Allah is not pleased with the mushrikoon. 

Fatawa of Sheikh Muhammad bin Hizam Al-Ba’dany:

#Fatwas_on_aqeedah_and_tawheed

#Fatwas_on_tawheed_of_worship

#Fatwas_on_nullifiers_of_islam