Aqaid of Hanabila on Asking Help From Auliyah

Aqaid of Hanabila on Asking Help from Auliyah.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬:

𝟏. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝟐. 𝐐𝐚d𝐢 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐘𝐚ʿ𝐥𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝:

𝟑. Student of Qadi Abu Ya’la, 𝐈𝐛𝐧 ʿ𝐀𝐪𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬

4. Student of Ibn Aqil, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐤𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥 𝐐𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐥-𝐉𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢

5. Student of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al Jilani, Ibn Qudama

6. 𝐈𝐛𝐧 𝐚𝐥-𝐉𝐚𝐰𝐳𝐢’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝

7. 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐫 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐥 (𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐛𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐚𝐥, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 I𝐦𝐚𝐦 Ahmad’𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡)

8. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐚𝐥-𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥-𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐢

9. Imam Mur`i Bin Yusuf al Hanbali

10. Ibn al Qayyim

11. Ibn Taymiyyah

12. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.

13. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

 

𝟏. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Did you know Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani was a student of Ibn Aqil Hanbali, and Ibn Aqil Hanbali was a student of Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā? May Allah be pleased with them all. Let us see what they say about asking help from Auliyah.

𝟐. 𝐐𝐚di 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐘𝐚ʿ𝐥𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝:

– ما تقول في قول الإنسان إذا عثر: (محمد أو علي) ؟ فقال: إن قصد الاستعانة فهو مخطىء لأن الغوث من الله تعالى فقال وهما ميتان فلا يصح الغوث منهما ولأنه يجب تقديم الله على غيره

“What do you say about a man who says ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him) or Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)’ in his need?”

He replied:

“If he is seeking help, then he is wrong, because help is from Allah and both of them passed away. That is why it is not allowed to ask help from them.”

Reference: Badai al-Fawā’id 4/40, footnote: ورد السؤال نفسه على ابن الصلاح

𝟑. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐛𝐧 ʿ𝐀𝐪𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬.

Some argue that Qāḍī Abū Yaʿlā didn’t explicitly call it shirk, but his close student, Ibn ʿAqīl (d. 513H), made it clear:

قَرَأْتُ عَلَى القَاضِي أَبِي يَعْلَى مِنْ سَنَةِ سَبْعٍ وَأَرْبَعِيْنَ وَإِلَى أَنْ تُوُفِّيَ، وَحظيتُ مِنْ قُربه بِمَا لَمْ يَحظ بِهِ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ مَعَ حدَاثَة سِنِّي

“I studied under the judge Abu Ya’la from 447 AH until his passing and benefited from his closeness in a way no one else among his students did, despite my young age. [Siyar A’laam al Nubala 19/447]

Ibn Aqil said about those who ask help from dead at the graves:

وهم كفار عندي بهذه الأوضاع مثل تعظيم القبوروإكرامها بما نهى الشرع عنه من إيقاد النيران وتقبيلها وتخليفها وخطاب الموتى بالألواح وكتب الرقاع فيها يا مولاي افعل بي كذا وكذا وأخذ التراب تبركا وإفاضة الطيب على القبور وشد الرحال إليها وإلقاء الخرقعلى الشجر اقتداء بمن عبد اللات والعزى

“They are disbelievers in my view due to their practices glorifying graves, burning candles, kissing graves, leaving requests, saying: ‘O my master, do such and such for me,’ and imitating the idolaters of al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā.”

(Talbīs Iblīs, Chapter: The Devil’s Deception of the Masses)

𝐛) 𝐈𝐛𝐧 ʿ𝐀𝐪𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝:

لا يخلق القبور بالخلوق , والتزويق والتقبيل لها والطواف بها , والتوسل بهم إلى الله

“Graves are not made to be perfumed with musk, nor decorated, nor kissed, nor circumambulated, nor used as intermediaries for tawassul to Allah.”

(al-Furū‘ li-Ibn Mufliḥ 3/382)

𝟒. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐤𝐡 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥 𝐐𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐥-𝐉𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢

Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani rahimahullah was direct student of Ibn Aqil Hanbali, following are his few quotes among the others.

Relying or Asking help from others beside Allah is not allowed according to FOUR different direct books of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al jilani rahimahullah.

1. In his book Jalaa’ al-Khawatir, He said:

“You are far from Tawhid (Oneness with Allah). O Mushrik! You are far from sincerity.. I feel ashamed when I hear someone saying ‘Allah, Allah’ while looking at something other than Allah.

O rememberer of Allah! Remember Allah as if you are in His presence.. Leave creation and rush towards Him.”

[ “Jalaa’ al-Khawatir” by Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, page 118, see the attached Image]

2. Six quotes from Ghuniya tul Talibeen

a. He said:

اذا زار قبرا لا يضع يده عليه و لا يقبله فانه عادة اليهود و لا يقعد عليه و لا يكتى عليه

“When you visit the graves then do not put your hands on them or kiss them as this is the habit of the jews, nor sit on the graves or rest against them. ” (al-Ghuniyyah (1/91).

b. Shaykh Abdul Qadir al Jilani said:

أين الصوام القوام الموافقون لكم في سالف الأعوام، وأين من كان معكم ليالي شهر رمضان شاهدين، وفي كل حق الله معاملين من الآباء والأمهات والإخوة والأخوات والجيرة والقرابات، أتاهم والله هادم اللذات وقاطع الشهوات ومفرق الجماعات، فأخلى منهم المشاهد، وعطل منهم المساجد، تراهم في بطون الألحاد صرعى، لا يجدون لما هم فيه دفعًا، ولا يملكون لأنفسهم ضرًا ولا نفعًا، ينتظرون يومًا الأمم فيه إلى ربها تدعى، والخلائق تحشر إلى الموقف وتسعى.

Where are the devout, steadfast ones who agreed with you in past years? And where are those who were with you, witnessing the nights of Ramadan? Those who, in every right of Allah, dealt justly with their parents, siblings, neighbors, and relatives

To them came, by the decree of Allah, the destroyer of pleasures, the severer of desires, and the disperser of gatherings. He emptied the places of visitation and rendered the mosques inactive.

You see them now, lying in the depths of graves, unable to escape what has befallen them, WITH NO POWER TO HARM OR BENEFIT THEMSELVES. They await the Day when all nations will be summoned to their Lord, and all creatures will be gathered and hasten (to the place of standing for judgment).

[Ghuniyatul Talibeen page 262]

c) He said:

اللهم وأهل القبور رهائن ذنوب لا يطلقون، وأسارى وحشة لا يفكون، وغرباء سفر لا ينتظرون، محت دراسات الثرى محاسن وجوههم، وجاورتهم الهوام في ملاحد قبورهم، فهم جمود لا يتكلمون، وجيران قرب لا يتزاورون، وسكان لحد إلى الحشر لا يظعنون، وفيهم محسنون ومسيؤون، ومقصرون ومجتهدون.

O Allah, the people of the graves are hostages of sins that are not released, captives of loneliness who are not freed, and travelers in estrangement who are not awaited. Their beauty has been consumed by the soil, and the crawling creatures dwell beside them in the graves.

They are inert, unable to speak; neighbors of closeness who do not visit one another; inhabitants of the tomb who will not move until the gathering (for judgment). Among them are the righteous and the sinful, the negligent and the diligent. [Ghuniyatul Talibeen page 262]

d) Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani said Abdaal (Auliya) will be the intercessors on the day of Judgment.

قل بسم الله , إسم الذى أجرى الأنهار وأنبت الأشجار اسم من عمر البلاد بأهل الطاعة من العباد لها أوتاد كالجبال فصارت الأرض بهم لمن عليها كالمهاد فهم الأربعون الأخيار من الأبدال المنزهون الرب عن الشركاء والأنداد وملوك فى الدنيا وشفعاء الأنام فى يوم التناد إذ خلقهم ربى مصلحة للعالم ورحمة للعباد

Say: In the name of Allah, the Name that made rivers flow and caused trees to grow; the Name that populated the lands through obedient servants. For them are pegs like mountains, so the earth became for those upon it like a cradle because of mountains. They (Auliya) are the forty chosen ones from the Abdāl (the righteous Auliya), who declare Allah free from partners and equals. They are kings in the world and intercessors for creation on the Day of Calling (Qiyamat) for my Lord created them as a benefit for this Aalam and a mercy for the servants.

Ghuniya 1/226

Even though there is nothing like 40 abdals etc still He clearly said that these Auliya are intercessors on the day of judgement and in the world they are like kings and mercy for people. He never said, one should ask help from them after their death. Neither he believed Abdal were given control of the universe. As some extreme sufis believe. See following quote against those who believe Prophet peace be upon him and Imams were given powers to control.

E) Shaykh Abdul Qadir al Jilani rahimahullah said about false beliefs of a doomed sect:

وأما المفوضية: فهم القائلون إن الله فوض تدبير الخلق إلى الأئمة، وإن الله تعالى قد أقدر النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- على خلق العالم وتدبيره، وإن كان ما خلق الله من ذلك شيئًا، وكذلك قالوا في حق علي -رضي الله عنه-، ومنهم من إذا رأى السحاب سلم عليه، يزعم أن عليًا -رضي الله عنه- فيه، على ما بينا من قبل

As for the Mufawwadiyya: they are those who say that Allah delegated the management of creation to the Imams, and that Allah Almighty actually empowered the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with the ability to create and manage the world  even though what Allah created of that is nothing at all. Likewise they said concerning ʿAli (may Allah be pleased with him). And among them is one who, when he sees a cloud, greets it as if saying “peace be upon it,” claiming that ʿAli (may Allah be pleased with him) is inside it, as we explained before.

Ghunia Tul Talibeen 1/182

F) ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī – رحمة الله عليه said:

فتشت الأعمال كلها ، فما وجدت فيها أفضل من إطعام الطعام ، أود لو أن الدنيا بيدي فأطعمها الجياع ، كفي مثقوبة لا تضبط شيئا ، لو جاءني ألف دينار لم أبيتها ، وكان إذا جاءه أحد بذهب ، يقول : ضعه تحت السجادة .

“I examined all the deeds and found none better than feeding people. I wish the whole world were in my hand so that I could feed the hungry. (Siyar A’lam al nubala 20/447)

This is a clear proof that Shaykh Abdul Qadir al Jilani rahimahullah is neither a Mushkil Kusha, nor control the worlds.

G) When Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (rahimahullah) faced extreme hunger, he did not go to the graves of saints for help, nor did he call anyone by saying Ya Ali, Ya Hussain رضی اللہ عنھم Ya Awliyah. Instead, he went to a mosque. Seeing a man eating, he opened his mouth out of hunger but then he realized the truth and said:

(مَا هَذَا؟ وَقُلْتُ: مَا هَهُنَا إِلَّا اللهُ، أَوْ مَا قَضَاهُ مِنَ المَوْتِ)

“What is this? I said: Here is nothing except Allah, or what He has decreed of death.” [Tabqaat al Hanabilah 2/204]

In every need, our ultimate reliance is upon Allah alone. Interestingly, that food was actually from the money given by Shaykh Abdul Qadir’s own mother so even then, it was his own provision, decreed by Allah, not anyone else.

H) He said, one should say at the grave of Prophet peace be upon him:

اللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّكَ قُلْتَ فِيْ كِتَابِكَ لِنَبِيِّكَ : {وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرُواْ ٱللهَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ ٱللهَ تَوَّابࣰا رَّحِيمࣰا} [النساء: ٦٤] ، وَإِنِّيْ أَتَيْتُ بَيْتَكَ تَائِبًا مِّنْ ذُنُوْبِيْ مُسْتَغْفِرًا ، فَأَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُوْجِبَ لِيَ الْمَغْفِرَةَ كَمَا أوْجَبَتْهَا لِمَنْ أَتَاهُ فِيْ حَيَاتِهِ ، فَأَقَرَّ عِنْدَهُ بِذَنْبِهِ فَدَعَا لَهُ نَبِيُّهُ فَغَفَرْتَ لَهُ .

اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ عَلَيْهِ سَلَامُكَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ . يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ إِنِّيْ أَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ إِلٰى رَبِّيْ لِيَغْفِرَ لِيْ ذُنُوْبِيْ . اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّهِ أَنْ تَغْفِرْ لِيْ وَتَرْحَمْنِيْ . اللّٰهُمَّ أجْعَلْ مُحَمّدًا أَوَّلُ الشَّافِعِيْنَ وَأَنْجَحُ السَّائِلِيْنَ وَأَكْرَمُ الْأَوَّلِيْنَ وَالْآخِرِيْنَ .

اللّٰهُمَّ كَمَا آمَنَّا بِهِ وَلَمْ نَرٰهُ وَصَدَّقْنَاهُ وَلَمْ نَلْقٰهُ ، فَأَدْخِلْنَا مُدْخَلَهُ وَاحْشُرْنَا فِيْ زُمْرِتِهِ ، وَأَوْرِدْنَا حَوْضَهُ وَاسْقِنَا بِكَأْسِهِ مَشْرَبًا رَوِيًا صَافِيًا سَائِغًا هَنِيْئًا لَا نَظْمَأُ بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا ، غَيْرَ خَزَايًا وَلَا نَاكِثِيْنَ وَلَا مَارِقِيْنَ وَلَا جَاحِدِيْنَ وَلَا مُرْتَابِيْنَ ، وَلَا مَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْنَا وَلَا ضَالِّيْن ، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ أَهْلِ شَفَاعَتِهِ

O Allāh! You have said in Your Book to Your Prophet: Had they, after having wronged themselves, come to you and sought forgiveness from Allāh, and had the Messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would certainly have found Allāh Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful [4:64]. I come to Your House repentant of my sins and seeking forgiveness, so I beg You (O Allah) to grant me forgiveness now just as You granted it to anyone who came to him (peace be upon him) during his lifetime and confessed to him his sin, then he would pray for him and You would forgive him.

O Allāh! I turn to You through Your Prophet, upon him be your peace, the Prophet of Mercy. O Messenger of Allāh! Through you I plead with my Lord to forgive my sins. O Allāh! I ask you through his right, to forgive me and have mercy upon me. O Allāh! Make Muhammad the foremost of those who intercede, the most successful of those who plead, and the most noble of the first and the last.

O Allāh! Just as we have believed in him even though we have not seen him, and have believed in him even though we have not met him, so admit us into his company, gather us with his group (on the Day of Judgement), and bring us to his cistern and give us to drink from his cup a pure, satisfying, and pleasant drink, after which we will never feel thirst again, neither as disgraced, nor as traitors, nor as renegades, nor as deniers, nor as doubters, nor as incurring wrath, nor as misguided. And make us from among the people of his intercession.”

[Ghunyah, 1/36]

In short, the Shaykh is asking directly from Allah even at the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him), leave a side from far, and the Shaykh prayed that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would be his intercessor on the Day of Judgement.

I) Qutub al Rabbani Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī, said:

قَالَ الْقُطْبُ الرَّبَّانِيُّ الشَّيْخُ عَبْدُ الْقَادِرِ الْجِيلَانِيُّ: الِاسْمُ الْأَعْظَمُ هُوَ اللَّهُ، لَكِنْ بِشَرْطِ أَنْ تَقُولَ: اللَّهُ، وَلَيْسَ فِي قَلْبِكَ سِوَاهُ

“The Greatest Name (al-Ism al-A‘ẓam) is Allah, but on the condition that when you say it, you say ‘Allah’ WITH NOTHING ELSE IN YOUR HEART BESIDES HIM.

[Mirqaat al Mafateeh 1/6]

J) Shaykh ahimahullah was asked  about the year of his birth and he said:

لا أعلمه حقيقة، لكني قدمت بغداد في السنة التي مات فيها التميمي، وعمري إذ ذاك ثماني عشرة سنة.

‘I do not know it exactly, but I came to Baghdad in the year in which al‑Tamīmī died, and at that time I was eighteen years old.’

Mir’āt al‑Janān 3/347.

ينظر : الجن الداني / 3 دول الاسلام 2/ 54 المختصر في اخبار البشر 5 / 60 تاريخ ابن الوردي 2/99 الكامل في التاريخ 9/482

This shows that back then, people hardly remembered their exact birth dates. Imam ad Dhahabi said:

لَيْسَ فِي كِبَارِ المَشَايِخ مَنْ لَهُ أَحْوَالٌ وَكَرَامَاتٌ أَكْثَر مِنَ الشَّيْخ عَبْد القَادِر، لَكِن كَثِيْراً مِنْهَا لاَ يَصحُّ، وَفِي بَعْضِ ذَلِكَ أَشيَاءُ مُسْتحيلَة.

“Among the great Mashayekh, there is none with more spiritual states and Karamaat than Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir. However, many of the reports are not authentic, and some contain impossible things.” [Siyar A’laam al Nubala 20/450]

He also said:
وَفِي الجُمْلَة: الشَّيْخ عَبْد القَادِر كَبِيْرُ الشَّأْنِ، وَعَلَيْهِ مَآخِذ فِي بَعْضِ أَقْوَالِه وَدَعَاويه، وَاللهُ المَوْعِدُ، وَبَعْضُ ذَلِكَ مَكْذُوْبٌ عَلَيْهِ
In summary: Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was a man of great stature. There are some criticisms regarding certain statements and claims of his  and Allah is the ultimate guarantor. Some of these reports attributed to him are false.” [Siyar A’laam al Nubala 20/451]

3. Six quotes from Fath al-Rabbani

a. Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jailani writes:

يا من يشكو إلى الخلق مصائبه إيش ينفعك شكواك إلى الخلق لا ينفعونك ولا يضرونك ، وإذا اعتمدت عليهم وأشركت في باب الحق يبعدونك وفي سخطه يوقعونك وعنه يحجبونك أنت يا جاهل تدعي العلم من جملة جهلك بشكواك إلى الخلق

O you who complain your hardship his calamities to the creatures like him .. They never give you benefit nor take a harm from you. And if you repent on them and you set them as partners in regards to the matter of Allah. They will distant you from Allah. They will be throwing you, O you who ignorant claiming to be having knowledge. Seeking salvation from difficulties by addressing your complain to those creatures like you?.[Fath al-Rabbani page 117-118]

b. He also said

ويلك! ماتستحي تطلب من غير الله عزوجل وهو أقرب إليك من غيره

Woe to you, Aren’t you ashamed to seek your need and help from someone other than Allah, While HE is closer to you than all others.[Fath al-Rabbani page 159]

c. He also said

لا تدع مع الله أحدا كما قال الله عزوجل وَأَنَّ الْمَسَـجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلاَ تَدْعُواْ مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَداً

Do not call anyone beside Allah as Allah said And the Masjids are for Allah, so invoke not anyone along with Allah[Fath al-Rabbani page 184]

d. He said

اتبعوا و لا تبتدعوا، وافقوا و لا تخالفوا، أطيعوا و لا تعصوا، أخلصوا و لا تشركوا، وحدوا الحق عزّ و جلّ و عن بابه فلا تبرحوا. سلوه و لا تسألوا غيره، استعينوا به و لا تستعينوا بغيره، توكلوا عليه و لا تتوكلوا على غيره.

“Follow and obey and do not innovate. Agree with the religion and do not differ, obey and do not disobey, have sincerity and do not do Shirk. Accept Allaah as one and do not turn away from him. Ask Allaah and do not ask others. Ask him for help and do not ask anyone else for help. Have reliance and trust in him and do not have reliance in anyone else.” (al-Fath ur-Rabbaanee (pg.191,192 الفتح الرباني للجيلاني المجلس السابع والأربعون ).

e. He also said

لاتسئل الخلق شئياً فانهم عجزة فقراء لايملكون لانفسهم ولالغيرهم ضراً ولا نفعا

“Do not ask the creation for anything, for they are powerless and in need. They do not possess for themselves and nor for anyone apart from them any harm or benefit.”[Fath al-Rabbani, majlis # 50 p.209]

f. While he was on his death bed, he advised his son.

ولا تخف أحدًا ولا ترجه، وكِل الحوائج كلها إلى الله عز وجل، واطلبها منه، ولا تثق بأخد سوى الله عزوجل ولا تعتمد إلا عليه سبحانه التوحيد التوحيد التوحيد وجماع الكل التوحيد

Don’t fear anyone and don’t hope anyone, and address all your needs to Allah alone, seek your need from him.. and do not depend on anyone other than Allah atTawheed, atTawheed, atTawheed.[Fath al-Rabbani page 373]

4. In Futuh al Ghayb, It is mentioned:

في ذم السؤال من غير اللّه تعالى‌

قال قدّس اللّه سرّه: ما سأل الناس من سأل إلا لجهله باللّه عزّ و جلّ و ضعف إيمانه و معرفته و يقينه و قلة صبره، و ما تعفف من تعفف عن ذلك إلا لوفور علمه باللّه عزّ و جلّ و قوة إيمانه و يقينه و تزايد معرفته بربه عزّ و جلّ في كل يوم و لحظة و حياته منه عزّ و جلّ.

On the Blameworthiness of Asking from Anyone Other than Allah Almighty

He (may Allah sanctify his secret) said:

“Whoever asks people (for help, provision, or need) does so only because of his ignorance of Allah, exalted is He, and due to the weakness of his faith, knowledge, and certainty, as well as his lack of patience. And whoever restrains himself from doing so does so because of the abundance of his knowledge of Allah, exalted is He, the strength of his faith and certainty, and the increase of his knowledge of his Lord, exalted is He, in every day, moment, and throughout his life.”

Futuh al Ghayb 1/110

𝟓. Ibn Qudama the student of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al Jilani.

Ibn Qudama (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
In the case of one who is deceased, it is permissible to perform acts on his behalf without his permission, whether they are obligatory or voluntary. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded that Ḥajj be performed on behalf of the deceased, and it is known that permission cannot be sought from the deceased.
[Al-Mughni (3/95)]

Ibn Qudama says the following:
اللهم إنك قلت وقولك الحق : { ولو أنهم إذ ظلموا أنفسهم جاءوك فاستغفروا الله واستغفر لهم الرسول لوجدوا الله توابا رحيما } . وقد أتيتك مستغفرا من ذنوبي ، مستشفعا بك إلى ربي ، فأسألك يا رب أن توجب لي المغفرة ، كما أوجبتها لمن أتاه في حياته ، اللهم اجعله أول الشافعين

“O Allah, You have spoken, and Your word is the truth: ‘And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had come to you and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-Returning, Most Merciful’ (Sūrat al-Nisāʾ, verse 64).

I have come to You seeking forgiveness for my sins and seeking intercession through Your Prophet to my Lord. So I ask You, O Allah, to grant me forgiveness, just as You granted it to those who came to him during his lifetime. O Allah, make him the first of the intercessors.”

[al-Mughnī, vol. 3, Kitāb al-Ḥajj]

It is clear that even at the grave of Prophet peace be upon him, Ibn Qudāmah is making duʿāʾ directly to Allah, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this let alone it being bidʿah or shirk

It is clear that Ibn Qudama is making du’a to Allah directly, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, let alone it be bid’a or Shirk.

Ibn Qudāmah al-Ḥanbalī said:

ولا يستحب التمسح بحائط قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا تقبيله قال أحمد : ما أعرف هذا . قال ابن الأثرم : رأيت أهل العلم من أهل المدينة لا يمسون قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم, يقومون من ناحية فيسلمون

“It is not recommended to touch the wall of the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or to kiss it. Aḥmad said: ‘I do not know this practice.’ Ibn al-Athram said: ‘I saw the people of knowledge in Madinah; they would not touch the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They would stand to one side and give salām.’”

[See also: Kashshāf al-Qināʿ 2/139]

Comment:
This proves that, leaving aside the issue of seeking help from awliyāʾ or prophets in homes or mosques, even at the grave it is recommended to merely give salām—rather than saying statements such as “O ʿAbd al-Qādir, help me” or “O Prophet, help me.”

Imām Ibn Qudāmah al-Ḥanbalī also said:

ولأن تخصيص القبور بالصلاة عندها يشبه تعظيم الأصنام بالسجود لها ، والتقرب إليها ، وقد روينا أن ابتداء عبادة الأصنام تعظيم الأموات ، باتخاذ صورهم ، ومسحها ، والصلاة عندها .

“Specifying graves for prayer resembles the veneration of idols through prostration to them and seeking closeness to them. It has been narrated that idol worship originally began by venerating the dead by making their images, wiping over them, and praying at them.”

[al-Mughnī, Kitāb al-Janāʾiz, vol. 2, p. 193]

He also said about Asharis:

وَيَنْبَغِي أن تكون شريعتهم غير شريعة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ودينهم غير دين الإسلام، لأن دين الإسلام هو الذي جاء به محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، وهذا إنما جاء به الأشعري، وإن رضوا هذا واعترفوا به خرجوا عن الإسلام بالكلية

“Indeed, their Sharīʿah would then be other than the Sharīʿah brought by Muḥammad (peace be upon him), and their religion would be other than Islam. For Islam is what Muḥammad (peace be upon him) came with, whereas this is what al-Ashʿarī came with. If they accept this and acknowledge it, then they have exited Islam entirely.”

[Ḥikāyat al-Munāẓarah fī al-Qurʾān maʿ Baʿḍ Ahl al-Bidʿah, by ʿAbdullāh ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Maqdisī]
6. 𝐈𝐛𝐧 𝐚𝐥-𝐉𝐚𝐰𝐳𝐢 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝

a) He said that the deviants visit graves on the 15th night of Sha‘bān and take soil from them. Then he added:

قال ابن عقيل: لما التكاليف على الجهال والضغام عدلوا عن أوضاع الشرع إلى تعظيم أوضاع وضعوها لأنفسهم فسهلت عليهم إذ لم يدخلوا بها تحت أمر غيرهم قال وهم كفار عندي بهذه الأوضاع مثل تعظيم القبوروإكرامها بما نهى الشرع عنه من إيقاد النيران وتقبيلها وتخليفها وخطاب الموتى بالألواح وكتب الرقاع فيها يا مولاي افعل بي كذا وكذا وأخذ التراب تبركا وإفاضة الطيب على القبور وشد الرحال إليها وإلقاء الخرقعلى الشجر اقتداء بمن عبد اللات والعزى

Ibn Aqil said: “When the obligations of the Sharī‘ah became heavy upon the ignorant and foolish, they abandoned the rulings of Sharī‘ah and turned toward practices they invented themselves… In my view, they are disbelievers due to these invented rituals—such as glorifying graves, burning candles, kissing graves, leaving requests, perfuming graves, traveling to them, and hanging cloths on trees like those who worshipped al-Lāt and al-‘Uzzā.” (end quote, Tilbis Iblees)

b) Criticism of Sufi claims that they can see Prophet peace be upon him while awake.

وكان السبب فِي تصنيف هؤلاء مثل هذه الأشياء ، قلة علمهم بالسنني والإسلام والآثار وإقبالهم عَلَى مَا استحسنوه من طريقة القوم

“The reason these people authored such writings was their lack of knowledge of the Sunnah, Islam, and narrations. They only followed what they found appealing from the Sufi way.”

(Talbīs Iblīs, pp. 163)

c) He said about the person who claimes to ask questions from Prophet peace be upon him”

وَكَانَ يزْعم أَنه يرى رَسُول الله فِي يَقَظَتِهِ لَا فِي نَوْمِهِ … وله من هَذِه الْجَهَالَاتِ وَالْحَمَاقَاتِ مَا لَا يُحْصَى

“He claimed he would see the Messenger of Allah while awake, not in dreams. Whenever an issue confused him, he would see the Messenger ﷺ and ask him… These were ignorant and foolish statements.”

(al-Qaṣṣāṣ wal-Mudhakirīn, p. 316)

d) Grave of Ma‘rūf al Karkhi

Ibn Jawzi said:

وقد أغرب أهل زماننا بالصلوات عند قبر معروف وغيره وذلك لغلبة الجهلة وملكة العادات

“The people of our time have strange practices of performing prayers at the grave of Ma‘rūf and others, due to prevailing ignorance.”

(al-Kashf al-Mushkil 2/50)

7. 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐫 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐥 (𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐛𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐚𝐥, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐦’𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡)

Abu Bakr Khallāl said:

ولا يجوز أن يقال : اعيذك بالنبي أو بالجبال أو بالأنبياء أو باالملائكة أو بالعرش أو بالأرض أو بشئ مما خلق الله . لا يتعوذ إلا بالله أو بكلماته .

“It is not permissible to say: ‘I seek refuge in the Prophet,’ or ‘by the mountains,’ or ‘by the prophets,’ or ‘by the angels,’ or ‘by the Throne,’ or ‘by the earth,’ or by anything Allah has created. One must only seek refuge in Allah or in His words.”

(Sunnah by al-Khallal, Vol. 6, no. 1922)

8. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐮 𝐚𝐥-𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥-𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐢 (d 505 ah)

وأما التمسح به والصلاة عنده أو قصده لأجل الدعاء معتقدا أن الدعاء هناك أفضل من الدعاء في غيره، والنذر له أو نحو ذلك فليس هذا من دين المسلمين، بل [مـ] ما أحدث من البدع القبيحة التي من شعب الشرك

“As for wiping the grave, praying beside it, going there for du‘ā’, or making vows to it, believing the supplication there is better than elsewhere these are not from the religion of the Muslims. They are newly invented reprehensible innovations, which are branches of shirk.”

(Kitāb Ṣiḥḥat Naql al-Ijmā‘, p. 14)

9. Imam Mur`i Bin Yusuf al Hanbali

ومنهم من يسأل المقبور الميت، كما يسأل الحي الذي لا يموت يقول: يا سيدي فلان، اغفرلي وارحمني وتب علي، أو يقول: اقض عني الدين، وانصرني على فلان، وهذا حرام بالإجماع ويقارب الكفر.

10. Ibn al Qayyim

Imam Ibnul Qayyim said in Madarij al-Salikin (1/375):
ومن أنواعه- : طلب الحوائج من الموتى، والاستغاثة بهم، والتوجه إليهم، وهذا أصل شرك العالم؛ فإن الميت قد انقطع عمله وهو لا يملك لنفسه ضراً ولا نفعاً، فضلاً عمن استغاث به وسأله قضاء حاجته، أو سألهأن يشفع له إلى الله فيها،
“From the forms (of Shirk): Requesting the dead for needs, seeking their aid and turning to them. This is the basis for Shirk in the world. This is because the actions of the dead have ceased. He is not able to harm or benefit himself, let alone the one who seeks his aid, or asks him to fulfil his need, or asks him to intercede for him with Allah, (end)

11. The great Wali according to Mulla Ali al qari, Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Taymmiyah on false beliefs about Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani.

وقد سئل شيخ الإسلام عن قول القائل أن من قرأ آية الكرسي واستقبل جهة الشيخ عبد القادر الجيلاني وسلم عليه وخطا سبع خطوات يخطو مع كل تسلمية خطوة إلى قبره قُضيت حاجته، فكان من جوابه رحمه الله أنه قال: فصل: وأما قول القائل: من قرأ آية الكرسي… فهذا أمرٌ القُربة فيه شرك برب العالمين، ولا ريب أن الشيخ عبد القادر لم يقل هذا، ولا أمر به، ومن يقل مثل ذلك عنه، فقد كذب عليه، وإنما يحدث مثل هذه البدع أهل الغلو والشرك…

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah was asked about the statement which claims: “Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi, faces the direction of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, sends greetings upon him, and then takes seven steps (taking one step with each salutation) towards his grave, will have his need fulfilled.”

In his response, may Allah have mercy on him, he said:

“Point: As for the statement, ‘Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi…’ engaging in such an act as a means of drawing closer to Allah constitutes shirk (associating partners) with the Lord of the worlds. There is no doubt that Sheikh Abdul Qadir did not say this, nor did he command it. Whoever attributes anything like this to him has certainly lied against him. Indeed, such innovations are only propagated by people of extremism and shirk…”
Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 27/112

12. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.

Sufi Ibn Hajr Makki Shafi’i quotes Ibn Muflih’s statement in “Al-I’lam bi-Qawati’ al-Islam” and affirms it:

: “وحاصل عبارة الفروع أن مما يكون كفرًا جحد صفة له تعالى اتفق على إثباتها… ومن ذلك أن يجعل بينه وبين الله تعالى وسائط يتوكّل عليهم ويدعوهم ويسألهم قالوا: إجماعا)

“The summary of Al-Furu’ is that denying an attribute of Allah, confirmed by consensus, constitutes disbelief… This includes:

– placing intermediaries between oneself and Allah, trusting in them, calling upon them, and seeking their aid.

The scholars unanimously agree on this. (That this is disbelief)”

“Al-I’lam bi-Qawati’ al-Islam (p. 213)”.

13. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

The Ḥanbalī position is clear: the issue is not about tawassul in general, nor about visiting graves in general, but about the specific practice of directly addressing the Auliyā’ who have passed away, or calling on them from afar for aid by saying, “O Khawāja, O Ghawth al-A‘ẓam, madad.” While we could cite further statements from Ḥanbalī scholars such as Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn ‘Abd al-Hādī, and Mur’ī ibn Yūsuf al-Karmī, this suffices.