Fabricated fatwa attributed to Ibn Hajar al asqalani on Istigatha.
Some sufi Shaykh al Sajai (1197 h) said without any citation:
Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī was asked about someone who said, ““Shay’un lillāh i.e. give Something for the sake of Allāh, O my master, ʿAbd al-Qādir,”,” and another person responded, “This is s͟hirk.” Was the claim of s͟hirk a mistake on the part of the one who said it, and should he repent and seek forgiveness?
He answered: “If the person saying this believes that all occurrences happen by Allāh’s will and does not intend actual invocation, then it is not prohibited, although it would be preferable to say, ‘I ask Allāh and seek through His servant so-and-so that my need be fulfilled.’ As for declaring it to be outright s͟hirk, no.
S̶h̶ayk͟h Ibn Taymiyyah did discuss this matter, aiming to caution against the practices that occurred among the people of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), yet he tended to expand on it in his usual manner. People objected to his views on this topic from his time until now, particularly on his statement that one should not seek intercession through any of the prophets, including our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They agreed that he was mistaken in this.
There is a narration in Jāmiʿ al-Tirmid͟hī in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught one of his companions to say, ‘O Allāh, I seek intercession through the Prophet of mercy.’”
(End quote, translated by some unknown Shadab Ashfaque).
Answer:
This fatwa cannot be attributed to Hafiz Ibn Hajar because it is not found in his books. Sheikh Al-Sajai (d 1197 h) mentioned it in his commentary on Al-Wazifah Al-Zarouqiyyah (pp. 88-89) without citing a source. There is a significant gap of 445 years between him and Ibn Hajar, which makes it inadmissible to attribute it to him without verification.
Moreover, it is unlikely that such a fatwa would be issued by someone from Ibn Hajar’s time. Ibn Wahban, the leading Hanafi scholar of his era (d. 768 AH), stated in his poem, as mentioned in:
– Hashiyat Al-Tahatawi on Al-Dur Al-Mukhtar (6/455)
– Majma’ Al-Abhar by Al-Halabi (2/514)
– Hashiyat Al-Isbah by Al-Shirnblali (p. 45)
ومن قال: “شي لله” بعضٌ مُكفّر ** ويُخشى عليه الكفر بعضٌ يقرّر
‘Those who say ‘Shay’un lillāh’ i.e something for the sake of Allah, some declare it kufr (disbelief), while others consider it suspicious.’
Ibn Wahban’s statement shows that some scholars considered it disbelief, while others saw it as suspicious. How could Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani be unaware of the opinions of scholars from his own time?
Benefit: Qadi Thana’ullah student of Shah Wali ullah was asked about same phrase, which was asked from Ibn Hajr in this self made fatwa attributed to him.
He replied: “And the statements of the ignorant ones: ‘Ya Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jaylani shay’an lillah‘ and ‘Ya Khawaja Shams al-Din al-Panipati shay’an lillah‘ (‘Oh Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jaylani give something for the sake of Allah’, and ‘Oh Khawaja Shams al-Din Panipati give something for the sake of Allah’) are not permissible. In fact, they are shirk (polytheism) and kufr. But if someone says: ‘Oh my lord, through the mediation of Khawaja Shams al-Din Panipati fulfil the following need of mine…’ then this will be correct… If someone says “والذين يدعون من دون الله عبادأمثالكم ” is for kuffar and idols, He will be told that the word ” دون الله ” is general… And if someone read as wazeefa “Ya Muhammad, Ya Muhammad” then it is not allowed.”
(Tuhfatul Saalikeen tarjuma Irshad al-Talibin, p.22 and 23)
Moreover, Ibn Hajr al asqalani and his contemporary scholars on Shirk and disbelief people do at the graves of the pious.
1. Ibn hajr al asqalani (d 852 Ah)
A) He said about the grave of Sayyida Nafeesa.
، وما زال قبرُها مقصودًا بالزيارة والتبرك به، حتى اشتهر عَنْ نقل بعض العلماء أن المصريين كانوا يُسَمونَ الدعاء عندها الترياقَ المجرَّبَ! وقد غلا في ذلك بعضُ العوامِّ، بل كلهم، حتى إن بعضهم يقع في الكفر وهو لا يشعُرُ، واللَّه المستعان.
Her grave remained a destination for visitation and blessings, to the extent that some scholars reported Egyptians referred to supplication near her grave as ‘the tried remedy’!
Common people have exceeded limits in this regard, to the point where some have fallen into disbelief without realizing it. Allah is the One who provides assistance.”
كتاب الجواهر والدرر في ترجمة شيخ الإسلام ابن حجر 2/949
B) He said about the tree of hudaybiyah.
Ibn Hajar al Asqalani said:
فَلَوْ بَقِيَتْ لَمَا أُمِنَ تَعْظِيمُ بَعْضِ الْجُهَّالِ لَهَا حَتَّى رُبَّمَا أَفْضَى بِهِمْ إِلَى اعْتِقَادِ أَنَّ لَهَا قُوَّةَ نَفْعٍ أَوْ ضَرٍّ كَمَا نَرَاهُ الْآنَ مُشَاهَدًا فِيمَا هُوَ دُونَهَا
For if it had remained, there would have been no guarantee against some ignorant people exalting it to such an extent that they might have come to believe that it had the power to bring benefit or harm, as we see happening now with things of lesser significance.
[Fath al Bari 6/118]C) He said
وقصة الصالحين كانت مبتدأ عبادة قوم نوح هذه الأصنام ثم تبعهم من بعدهم على ذلك
The story of Righteous people was the starting of worshipping the idols of Qaum e Nuh alehl salam, then people followed them [Fath al Bari 8/669 dar al Marifah Beirut]
D) He said
وكأنه – صلى الله عليه وسلم – علم أنه مرتحل من ذلك المرض فخاف أن يعظم قبره كما فعل من مضى فلعن اليهود والنصارى إشارة إلى ذم من يفعل فعلهم
“It is like He peace be upon him knew that he will depart with that illness, so he feared that they will venerate his grave like those before them did. The cursing upon the Jews and the Christians points to the censorship of whoever does what they did. [Fath al Bari 1/532]
E) He said
فاليهود ابتدعت والنصارى اتبعت ، ولا ريب أن النصارى تعظم قبور كثير من الأنبياء الذين تعظمهم اليهود .
The jews have started it and christians followed them. There is no doubt christians venerated the graves of many Prophets to whom jews used to venerate [Fath al Bari 1/532]
2. Sayyid Badr al Din al Hussaini (d 855 h).
The Yemeni scholar, the descendant of Musa Kazim, al Sayyid al Shareef Badr al din Husain bin Abdur Rahman Al Hussaini (d 855 h) who also had the privilege to meet Sakhawi student of Ibn Hajr asqalani.
He said:
“والاستغاثة بالمشايخ الأموات والأحياء مما أطبق عليه المتأخرون من المتصوفة، ولم يُنقل عن السلف المتقدمين لمعرفتهم بأنّ الاستغاثة بغير الله تعالى لا تجوز ولا تنفع، قال الله تعالى: {قُلِ ادْعُوا الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ فَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ كَشْفَ الضُّرِّ عَنكُمْ وَلَا تَحْوِيلاً} وغير ذلك من الآيات.
ولم يُنقل أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أذِن لأحد من الصحابة رضي الله عنهم في الاستغاثة به في شدّة قط، وكان حاضرًا يوم أُحد فلم يملك من الأمر شيئًا كما قال الله تعالى: {لَيْسَ لَكَ مِنَ الأَمْرِ شَيْءٌ}، وإنما يُستشفع به إلى الله تعالى في تفريج الكرب وتسهيل الشدائد، وكذا بالصالحين من عباد الله فاعلم ذلك ولا تتبع جهالات المتأخرين
Asking help (Istigatha) from shuyukh who are dead and living is the practice of the later Sufis.
It was not transmitted from the early predecessors because they knew that seeking help from other than Allah Almighty is neither permissible nor beneficial.
Allah says
Tell them: “Call upon those whom you fancy to be (your helpers) instead of Him! They have no power to remove any affliction from you, nor can they shift it (to any other). (17 : 56) and other verses like this.
It was not reported that the Prophet peace be upon him gave permission of Istigatha from him to any of his Companions may Allah be pleased with them in hardships, and he was present on the Day of Uhud, and he had no control over the matter, as Allah says:
“You have no authority in the matter” (3 : 128)
And verily, they turn towards Allah through them to ease their afflictions and difficulties, as well as the righteous servants of Allah. Know that do not follow the ignorance of the mutakhireen (later sufis who are not from salaf and who innovated istigatha).
مطالب أهل القربة في شرح دعاء أبي حربة [مخطوط لوحة: ٨٣ ب]، وهذا المخطوط بمكتبة الشيخ أحمد محمد يوسف حربة. Taken from كتاب المجموع الثمين في حكم دعاء غير رب العالمين [محمد بن عبد الله المقشي]
3. Walī al-Dīn al-‘Irāqī (826 AH) approved tawassul through righteous deeds and Auliyah, but for istigatha he said
وأما قوله: (أنا أطلب منك أن يحصل لي كذا وكذا) فأمر منکر ، فالطلب إنما هو من الله تعالى، والتوسل إليه بالأعمال الصالحة أو بأصحابها أحياء وأمواتا لا ينكر
As for the saying: I ask you (i.e. the righteous in the grave) to get me such and such, this practice is MUNKAR because asking/requesting (Talab) is from Allah tala alone. And there is no inkar on tawassul of the righteous deeds (I.e. o Allah I ask you through such and such good deed) or their performers, whether living or dead, is not objectionable.
فتاوى ولي الدين العراقي (ص:١٦٦) ط/ دار الفتح.
4. Taqi ad Din Ahmad bin Ali al-Maqrizi al-Misree al-Shafi’i (d. 845H) on Istigatha.
Note: He was student of al-Siraaj ad din al-Balqini, al-Haythami, Zayn al-Din al-Iraqi etc who were also teachers of Ibn Hajr al Asqalani.
He said:
” والناس فى هذا الباب- أعنى زيارة القبور- على ثلاثة أقسام:
– قوم يزورون الموتى فيدعون لهم. وهذه هى الزيارة الشرعية.
– وقوم يزورونهم يدعون بهم, وهؤلاء هم المشركون وجهلة العوام, والطغام من غلاتهم.
– وقوم يزورونهم فيدعونهم انفسهم, وقد قال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ” اللهم لا تجعل قبرىوثناً يعبد”……
There are three types of people who visit the graves.
a) A Group that visits the dead and supplicate for them, this is Shar`ee visiting.
b) Another group visit them and ask through them (i.e. Directly asking him, O Abdul Qadir Jelani Ask Allah for me) these people are doing shirk in Uluhiyyah and love. (See the note after the quote)
c) A Group visits them and Ask help from them (i.e. O Sayyadi fulaan help me), this is shirk in Rububiyah.
[Tajreed al-Tawhid al-Mufeed page 70]Note: This book is also published by Dar Umar bin al-Khattaab, Cairo, 1428H with the research of Yaseen bin Ali bin Salim, who said:
ظاهر كلام المؤلف: أن هذا شرك أكبر, وقد نقل ابن القيم عن شيخه ابن تيمية أن هذا الفعل بدعة باتفاق المسلمين. (الإغاثة)(1/246).
Apparently the saying of the author that this is shirk al Akbar (i.e. O so and so ask Allah to give me such and such), Ibn al Qayyim quoted from his teacher Ibn Taymiyah that this practice is an innovation by the agreement of the Muslims. [al Igatha 1/246]
Taqi ud din al Maqrizi (745 ah to 865 ah) said about the tomb of Imam Jafar Sadiq and Abu Turab al-Nakhshabi
وبالله ان الفتنة بهذا المكان الآخر من حارة برجوان الذي يعرف بجعفر الصادق لعظيمة فإنهما صارا كالأنصاب التي كانت تتخذها مشركوا العرب يلجأ إليهما سفهاء العامّة والنساء في أوقات الشدائد ويُنزلون بهذين الموضين كَرْبَهم وشدائدهم التي لا ينزلها البد إلا بالله ربه ويسألون في هذين الموضعين ما لا يقدر عليه إلا الله تعالى وحده من وفاء الدين من غير جهة معينة وطلب الولد ونحو ذلك ويحملون النذور من الزيت وغيره إليهما ظنًا أن ذلك ينجيهم من المكاره ويجلب إليهم المنافع ولعمري إنْ هي إلاّ كرّة خاسرة ولله الحمد على السلامة
“I swear by Allah, the fitnah is in this place and the other location in Harat Burjwan, known as (tomb of) Ja’far al-Sadiq’s, for they have become like the idols that the Arab polytheists used to worship.
The common folk and women resort to these places in times of hardship, complaining about their difficulties and troubles, which a servant should only direct to Allah, their Lord.
They ask for things in these places that only Allah Almighty can provide, such as..Seeking children and similar requests
They offer vows, oil, and other offerings to these places, thinking that will save them from hardships and bring benefits.
By my life, it is nothing but a losing bargain. Praise be to Allah for our safety.”
Al-Mawa’iz wa al-I’tibar bi Dhikr al-Khutat wa al-Athar” (3/94)
Ibn hajr asqalani said about Taqi al maqrizi:
كان إماماً بارعاً مفنناً متقناً ضابطاً ديناً خيراً، محباً لأهل السنة يميل إلى الحديث والعمل به.
He was an outstanding, skilled, knowledgeable, and well-versed imam with a good religious character. He loved the people of the Sunnah and was inclined towards the hadith and acting upon it.
[Inba’ al-Ghumr 4/188]5. Ibn al Nahhas (d 814 ah) said about innovators:
ومنها إيقادهم السرج عند الأحجار والأشجار والعيون والآبار، ويقولون: إنها تقبل النذرَ، وهذه كلها بدع شنيعة ومنكرات قبيحة تجب إزالتها ومحو أثرها، فإن أكثر الجهال يعتقدون أنها تنفع وتضرّ وتجلب وتدفع وتشفي المرض وتردّ الغائب إذا نذر لها، وهذا شرك ومحادة لله تعالى ولرسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم
And among them is their lighting of lamps at stones, trees, springs, and wells, and they say that these accept vows. All of this is a grave and ugly innovation that must be removed and its traces erased. For most of the ignorant people believe that these things can bring benefit or harm, attract or repel, cure illness, and bring back the absent if one makes a vow to them. This is shirk (associating partners with Allah) and going against Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him.
Tanbeeh al ghafileen page 522
In short, the fatwa attributed to Ibn hajr is completely false as it goes against the fatwa of his own and his contemporary scholars and later scholars.
Credits: https://salafcenter.org/6938/#_ftn15