[From islamweb.net, question number 187225]
Question: Our esteemed scholars, we know that it is not permissible under any circumstances to ask for anything from a person who has died, even if it is the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. However, some brothers disagreed with me regarding the ruling of this action, which is when a person says, ‘O Messenger of Allah, seek forgiveness for me or intercede for me,’ after the death of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. I told them that this is shirk (polytheism) because it is invoking someone other than Allah. As for invoking Allah and saying, ‘By the status of so-and-so’ or ‘By the right of so-and-so,’ the scholars have said that this is Bid’ah (innovation) because the supplication is directed to Allah but is tied to the status or right of someone else. However, some brothers tell me that this action—requesting intercession and seeking forgiveness from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, such as saying, ‘O Messenger of Allah, intercede for me,’ after his death—is Bid’ah and not Shirk. They even say that there is a difference of opinion among the four Imams regarding this matter. Therefore, I kindly ask your Eminence to guide me to something I can read about this issue. I also hope that you will favour us with an answer now by quoting the statements of the four imams on this matter and direct me to the fatwa numbers on your website that discuss this issue so that I can understand it in detail. May Allah reward you with all good for your efforts on our behalf.”
Answer: Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, and his companions.
As for what follows; Whoever comes to the grave of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and says, ‘O Messenger of Allah, seek forgiveness for me,’ or something similar, such as asking the Prophet, peace be upon him, for supplication after his death—this is not permissible. It is among the innovations (Bid’ah) and pathways to Shirk (polytheism). Regarding this, Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, ‘No scholar would doubt that this is impermissible and that it is among the innovations that none of the predecessors of this Ummah ever practiced.’ End quote. In another instance, he described it as, ‘A pathway to shirk.’ End quote. We have previously explained this in Fatwa No. 177455.
Shaykh Al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyyah) also said: ‘As for a person coming to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, at his grave and saying, “Seek forgiveness for me,” or “Ask your Lord for me,” or “Pray for me,” or saying in his absence, “O Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, pray for me, or seek forgiveness for me, or ask your Lord for such-and-such for me”—this has no basis. Allah has not commanded it, nor has any of the known Salaf (pious predecessors) of this Ummah during the first three generations done it. This was not known among them. If this were something recommended, the Salaf (predecessors) would have done it, and it would have been known and widespread among them and transmitted from them. Indeed, if such an act were a means to the forgiveness of sins or the fulfilment of needs, it would have been something that people would have been eager to do and transmit, especially since they were the most eager for good deeds. Therefore, if it is not known that they did this, and no one has transmitted it from them, it is clear that this is not something recommended or commanded.’ End quote.”
He (Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah) also said in another place: “Some of the later generations have introduced innovations in this matter that none of the four Imams ever recommended, such as asking for forgiveness (from the Prophet). Some ignorant common people have gone even further, doing things that are prohibited or constitute disbelief according to the consensus of Muslims, such as prostrating to the chamber (of the Prophet) or circumambulating it, and similar actions—though this is not the place to discuss such matters.’ End quote.”
Dr. Shamsuddin Al-Afghani said in his doctoral thesis, ‘The Efforts of Hanafi Scholars in Refuting Grave-Worshipping Beliefs’ (Juhood Ulama Al-Hanafiyyah Fee Ibtal Aqaid Al-Qubooriyyah): “Imam Al-Alusi Mahmud, the exegete and Mufti of the Hanafis in Baghdad, stated—and he was followed by his son Nu’man Al-Alusi and the scholar Al-Khujandi, with the wording being from the former—”The precise statement on this matter is that seeking help from a created being and making him a means by asking him for supplication is undoubtedly permissible if the one being asked is alive… However, if the one being asked is dead or absent, no scholar would doubt that this is impermissible, and that it is among the innovations that none of the predecessors (Salaf) ever practiced…” End quote.
Shaykh Abdul Latif bin Abdul Rahman Al Ash-Sheikh said in ‘Kashf Shubuhat Ibn Jurjees’: ‘Then it is said to this polytheist: If you call upon this (being), and you believe that he is more knowledgeable about your condition, more capable of answering your request, or more merciful to you than your Lord, then this is ignorance, misguidance, and disbelief. If you know that Allah is more knowledgeable, more capable, and more merciful, then why have you turned away from asking Him to asking others?… If you say, “If he (the created being) supplicates to Allah, his supplication is answered more greatly than if I were to supplicate myself,” then this falls under the second category: not asking him to act or invoking him directly, but rather asking him to supplicate for you, just as one might say to a living person, “Pray for me,” or as the Companions would ask the Prophet, peace be upon him, to supplicate for them. This is permissible when dealing with the living—as previously mentioned—but as for the dead, whether they are prophets, righteous people, or others, it has not been legislated for us to say, “Pray for us,” or “Ask your Lord for us,” or anything similar. None of the Companions or the Tabi’in (successors) did this, none of the imams commanded it, and no hadith has been reported regarding it… Rather, it is an innovation for which Allah has sent down no authority.’ End quote.”
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said in a commentary on the book Iqtida’ As-Sirat Al-Mustaqeem:
‘There is a difference between asking a deceased person to ask Allah (for something) and asking them to fulfill a need directly. If you ask them to fulfill a need, this is major Shirk (polytheism). If you ask them to ask Allah (for something), this is an innovation (Bid’ah) and misguidance, because when a person dies, their deeds come to an end, and supplication is part of their deeds. So how can you ask them for something they cannot do? If you go to a deceased person and say, “Ask Allah for me,” they will not ask Allah for you. Similarly, if you say at the grave of the Prophet, peace be upon him, “Intercede for me,” this is forbidden and a reprehensible innovation. However, if you say, “O Messenger of Allah, save me from the Fire,” this constitutes major shirk.’ End quote.
As for the statements of the imams on this matter and references to this issue, we have previously mentioned some of this in Fatwa No. 128815. For further benefit, you may refer to Fatwa No. 14616.
[End of answer from islamweb.net. #187225]
(Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna.)
Saheehus-Seerah 