Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Ibn Jurayj says: Imam Ata disliked asking by means of Allah’s name or by the Qur’an. (Ibn Abi Shaybah 4/68) In any case, if someone makes a permissible request by invoking Allah’s name, then his request should be fulfilled. At this point, it is necessary to mention the following hadith and its implications. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma that we were sitting when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to us and said: “Shall I not inform you of the person who holds the highest rank among people?” We said: “Yes, indeed.” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “A man who holds the reins of his horse, or he said: of a horse, in the path of Allah until he dies or is killed.” He said: “Shall I inform you of the one who is next to him in rank?” We said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “A man who lives in a mountain pass, establishes prayer, gives zakat, and keeps away from people.” He said: “Shall I inform you of the person who holds the lowest rank among people?” We said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “The one who is asked by Allah, the Most Great, and does not give because of Him.” (Nasa’i 1/358, Tirmidhi 3/14, Sahihah 255)

“Shall I not tell you about the person who is the best in rank?” We said: “Why not.” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “He is the man who holds the head of his horse in the path of Allah (i.e., ready to fight with his horse) until he dies or is martyred.” Then he said: “Shall I tell you about the one who is close to him in rank?” We said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “He is the man who resides in a mountain pass, establishes prayer, gives zakat, and keeps away from people.” Then he said: “Shall I also tell you about the person who is the worst in rank?” We said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “He is the one who is asked by Allah, the Most Great, but still does not give.”

In the last part of this hadith, the wretched person mentioned refers to one of two individuals. If the last sentence is read as “الَّذِی يُسْأَلُ بِاللّٰہِ الْعَظِيمِ وَلَا يُعْطِی بِهِ” (the one who is asked by Allah, the Most Great, but still does not give), then it refers to the person from whom something is asked by invoking Allah’s name, but he still does not give anything. If this sentence is read as “الَّذِی يَسْأَلُ بِاللّٰہِ الْعَظِيمِ وَلَا يُعْطٰی بِهِ” (the one who asks by the name of Allah, the Most Great, but is not given anything), then it refers to the one who asks, who uses Allah’s name to request something from people, but still is not given anything. Imam al-Albani rahimahullah writes: From the last part of the hadith, it is understood that invoking Allah’s name when asking for worldly things is haram, and if someone invokes Allah’s name, then not giving him anything is also haram. Imam Sindhi rahimahullah writes in the margin of Sunan al-Nasa’i: If the active form “الَّذِی يَسْأَلُ بِاللّٰہِ” is read, then two evils are combined: (1) asking by Allah’s name, and (2) not giving to the one who asks by invoking Allah’s name. The reason for the evil is that the sanctity of Allah’s blessed name is not observed. But reading it in the passive form “الَّذِی يُسْأَلُ” is not correct, because in this matter, the person being asked has no involvement or fault, as the one asking is the one invoking Allah’s name. Thus, in this context, there is no apparent connection between him and not giving. But I (al-Albani) say: When someone is asked by Allah’s name, then not giving to such a person, disregarding the sanctity of Allah’s blessed name, is also haram, as Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“Whoever seeks refuge with Allah, grant him refuge, and whoever asks you by the face of Allah, give to him.” (Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad, Sahihah 253) …

“Whoever seeks refuge with you by Allah’s name, grant him refuge, and whoever asks you by Allah’s name, give to him.”

This same text is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma, see: (Sahihah 254), whereas Imam Ata rahimahullah himself considered it disliked that someone should ask for a worldly thing by invoking Allah’s name or the Qur’an, as this statement has already been mentioned.

Another evidence that asking by Allah’s name is haram is that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

“None should ask by the face of Allah except for Paradise.”

But the chain of this hadith is weak, as clarified by Allamah Mundhiri and others. Nevertheless, it can be presented as corroborative evidence, because from the previous discussion it is clear that whoever asks by invoking Allah’s name, his request must be fulfilled. However, it is also possible that the questioner’s request may cause the one being asked to fall into opposition to this hadith, and thus by not fulfilling the request, he would commit something haram. And it is an established principle that whatever leads to something haram is itself haram. You may reflect further on this yourself. However, keep in mind that fulfilling the request made by invoking Allah’s name is obligatory only when the one being asked is able to give and it does not cause harm to him or his family. Otherwise, fulfilling the request of the questioner is not obligatory upon him. And Allah knows best. (Sahihah 255)

In summary, when asking people, one should not invoke Allah’s name; otherwise, out of respect for the sanctity of Allah’s name, the request of the questioner should be fulfilled in every possible way.