Is Asking Help From Awliya Allah Shirk? (Islamic Ruling)
Question:
Is it permissible to seek help from the Awliyah Allah (The beloved servents of Almighty Allah) or is this shirk (polytheism)?
Answer:
It is absolutely permissible and a means of blessing to seek assistance from the Awliyah Allah radiyAllāhu Anhum as they are the beloved servants of Allah. Almighty Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an:
فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ مَوۡلَىٰهُ وَجِبۡرِيلُ وَصَٰلِحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَۖ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ
“Then undoubtedly, Allah is his helper and Jibra’eel and (all) the pious believers and after this, even the Angels will support him.”
[Surah Tahreem Verse.4]
In the commentary of the above mentioned verse of the Holy Qur’an Hazrat Allama Aaloosi radiyAllāhu Anhu says that the word Maula in this verse means Nasir which means Helper.
In another verse of the Holy Qur’an Almighty Allah says:
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُمۡ رَٰكِعُونَ
“Your helpers are Almighty Allah and His Rasool and those Muslims who perform Salaah and give alms and make Ruku”
[Surah Maa’idah Verse.55]
It is an authentic Hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that it has been narrated by Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud radiyAllāhu Anhu that the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has stated:
“When the animal etc. of any person flees into the woods,
ﻓَﻠْﻴَﻘُﻞْ ﻳﺎَﻋِﺒَﺎدَ ﷲِ اَعِيْنُوْنْىِ ﻳﺎَﻋِﺒَﺎدَ ﷲِ اَعِيْنُوْنْىِ ﻳﺎَﻋِﺒَﺎدَ ﷲِ اَعِيْنُوْنْىِ
Then he should say thrice, O servants of Allah help me! O servants of Allah help me! O servants of Allah help me!
[Hisn Haseen Pg.163]
Hazrat Allama ibn Juzri radiyAllāhu Anhu says that it has been reported from a certain person that once one of his animals went astray. He knew the words of the said Hadith. Through the blessing of this, Almighty Allah caused the animal to return to him. Quoting another narration from Tabrani Hazrat Allama ibn Juzri radiyAllāhu Anhu states:
اِن اَرَادَ عَوناً ﻓَﻠْﻴَﻘُﻞْ ﻳﺎَﻋِﺒَﺎدَ ﷲِ اَعِيْنُوْنْىِ ﻳﺎَﻋِﺒَﺎدَ ﷲِ اَعِيْنُوْنْىِ ﻳﺎَﻋِﺒَﺎدَ ﷲِ اَعِيْنُوْنْىِ
“If one is ever in any need then he should say O’ servants of Allah! Assist me. O servants of Allah! Assist me. O servants of Allah! Assist me.”
After narrating this Hadith Allama ibn Juzri radiyAllāhu Anhu quotes the Narrator where he says,
قد جرب ذلك
“I have found that to be very effective.”
In Hirz-e-Thameen, the commentary of Hisn Haseen Allama Mulla Ali Qaari radiyAllāhu Anhu states the following concerning the above mentioned Hadith:
قال بعض العلماء الثقات هذا حديث حسن يحتاج اليه المسافرون و روي عن المشايخ انه مجرب محقق
“Certain reliable Ulama have stated that this Hadith Shareef is Hasan (in merit). It is very much needed by travellers and it is narrated by great spiritual leaders that this (Hadith) is authentic. (In other words through it ones problems are solved).”
Hazrat Imam Nawawi radiyAllāhu Anhu who is the annotator of Muslim Shareef quotes an incident:
حكى لى بعض شيوخنا الكبار في العلم انه انفلتت له دابة اظنها بغلة وكان يعرف هذا الحديث فقاله فحسبها الله عليهم في الحال وكنت انا مرة مع جماعه فانفلتت منها بهيمة واجزوا عنها فقلته فوقفت في الحال بغير سبب سوى هذا الكلام
“One of our Shaykhs’ narrated an incident to me,” (He said) my mule ran away and I had known the Hadith and I immediately said O servants of Allah! Assist me, so Almighty Allah immediately stopped the mule (from running away).”
[Kitaab ul Azkaar Pg.201]
Muhaddith Imam Nawawi radiyAllāhu Anhu states that once I was personally going somewhere with a group of people and our animal ran away. Our catching the animal was in vain, and then I said the words اَعِيْنُوْنْىِ ﻳﺎَﻋِﺒَﺎدَ ﷲِ “O servants of Allah! Help me.” and the animal stopped immediately, allowing us to catch it and with the exception of this I did not do or say anything else.
Hazrat Allama Jalaludeen Suyuti radiyAllāhu Anhu has quoted a Hadith with reference to Tabrani Shareef on the authority of Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar radiyAllāhu Anhu that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said,
ان لله تعالى عبادا اختصهم بحبائج الناس يفزع الناس اليهم في هبائجهم اولئك الامنون من عذاب الله
“There are certain of Allah’s servants that have been appointed to fulfil the necessities of the people. People will call to them in their times of need. They are protected from the punishment of Almighty Allah. [Jaame Sagheer Pg.78 Vol.1]
Allama Abdul Wahab Sha'raani radiyAllāhu Anhu in his distinguished book Tabaqaat ul Kubra narrated many incidents in which the Awliyah have helped from great distances. A few of these incidents are being quoted so that the true belief of the Ahle Sunnat wa Jama'at is clearly identified. Allama Abdul Wahab Sha’raani radiyAllāhu Anhu states that Hazrat Shamsud’deen Muhammad Hanafi radiyAllāhu Anhu was performing ablution in his room when he suddenly threw his wooden sandal into the air. It disappeared although there was no way for it to exit the room. He gave the other sandal to his disciple and asked him to keep it until the first one returned. After some time a certain person from Syria arrived with the sandal and some money as gifts and said, “May Almighty Allah give reward you for this.”
The man mentioned that the actual incident which occurred as follows:
ان اللص لما جلس على صدري ليذبحني قلت في نفسي يا سيدي محمد يا حنفي فجاءته في صدره وانغلب مغمى عليه من جان الله عز وجل ببركتك
“Once when a thief sat on my chest and was about to slaughter me, in my heart I said, “Ya Sayyidi Muhammad Ya Hanafiy” then suddenly this sandal appeared and struck the thief on his chest with such force that he became dazed and collapsed and Almighty Allah saved me through your blessing.” [Tabaqaat ul Kubra Pg.95 Vol.2]
Hazrat Allama Abdul Wahab Sha’raani radiyAllāhu Anhu when explaining the status and significance of Hazrat Moosa Abu Imran radiyAllāhu Anhu states:
كان اذا ناداه مريده اجابه من مسيرة سنة او اكثر
“When any of his mureeds would call out to him from anywhere, he would answer them even if he was a year’s distance away or even more than that.” [Tabaqaat ul Kubra Pg.29 Vol.2]
Hazrat Allama ibn Hajr Makki radiyAllāhu Anhu states,
ومن نفع الاولياء ان بركتهم تغيث العباد ويدفع بها الفساد والا لفسدت الارض
“It is from amongst the blessings of the Awliyah Allah that through their blessings it rains upon the people (and) fighting is alleviated, if not the earth would be full of destruction.” [Fataawa Hadeethia Pg.221]
Hazrat Allama ibn Aabideen Shaami radiyAllāhu Anhu on the footnote of his internationally renowned book Raddul Muhtar says that Ziyaadi has reported that if any person loses any one of his belongings then he wishes for Almighty Allah to return it to him, he should stand on a high place facing the Qibla and make Faateha and send the sawaab (reward) to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and to Sayyid Ahmad bin Alwaan radiyAllāhu Anhu and say,
يا سيّدى احمد يابن علوان ان ترودّ علىّ ضالّتى والاّ نزعتك من ديوان الاوليآء فانّ الله تعالى يردّ على
“O my leader Ahmad! O son of Alwaan! If you do not return my lost item, then it is fine, otherwise I will remove your name from the register of the Awliyah
من قال ذلك ضالته ببركته اجوري مع زيادة
With the Barkah of this amal and that Wali Allah, the lost thing will be returned.” [Raddul Muhtaar Shara Durr Mukhtar Pg.334 Vol.3]
Hazrat Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Delhwi radiyAllāhu Anhu presents a narration from Hazrat Shaykh Ahmad Zarookh radiyAllāhu Anhu who is the teacher of Allama Ahmad Qastalaani radiyAllāhu Anhu the commentator of Bukhari Shareef and also the teacher of Allama Shamsud’deen Liqaani radiyAllāhu Anhu. He is also well recognised in the academic and spiritual world. Read this and look at the truthfulness and sincerity of the Ahle Sunnah wall Jama'at. He says,
انا المريد جامع لشتاته اذا ما سطاجرر الزمان بنقبه وان كنت في ضيق وكرب و وحشه فناد بيازروق ان بسرعة
“I am the one who comforts my disciple in his difficult times, when the world breaks unto him. If you are in any discomfort, shortage or grief, then call out to me with the words “Ya Zarooq” and I will present myself.” [Bustaan-ul-Muhaditheen]
Those who reject the above mentioned and try to corrupt the minds and hearts of the simple unsuspecting Muslims are not the Ahle Sunnah Wall Jama'at nor are they true Hanafis. Those who obtain assistance from the Awliyah Allah and believe (The Awliyah) have power over certain things with the permission of Allah are the true Ahle Sunnah.
References:
SurahTahreem Verse. 4
Surah Maa’idah Verse. 55
Tabrani, Al-ja'ame us-sagheer, Tabaqaat ul Kubra, Fataawa Hadeethia, Raddul Muhtaar Sharah Durr e Mukhtar, Bustaan-ul-Muhaditheen, Kitaab ul Azkaar, etc.
Proper sunni beliefs, Mufti Afthab Cassim, Imam Mustafa Raza Research Center, English translation of Ahle Sunnat Wa Jama’at Kaun by Maulana Zia’ullah Qadri
[ English Translation ]
Mufti Afthab Cassim al-Qadri Ridawi Noori,
Imam Mustafa Raza Research Center,
Durban, South Africa.