Many people in our society hold various beliefs about the Prophets, Messengers, and Saints and Righteous People, such as:
- Considering them as the trustees of Allah Almighty’s treasures
- Viewing them as manifestations of Allah’s essence and as a refuge in the world
- Declaring them as the protectors from every difficulty and calamity, owners of life and wealth, and controllers of the universe
- Believing them to be the givers of all blessings of this world and the Hereafter and deputies of Allah
- Thinking they have authority over the division of Hellfire, the sun and moon, and the dominion of the heavens and the earth
- Considering them as holders of the keys to benefit and harm, fulfillers of needs, relievers of difficulties, responders to supplications, providers of sustenance, facilitators, helpers beyond causes, bestowers of victory and support, givers, supporters, flatterers, and benefactors of the poor
Those who hold these beliefs also think that calling upon these saints from near and far, using them as intermediaries, seeking their help in difficulties, and presenting them as intercessors before Allah Almighty is permissible. They consider it correct to associate hopes of prayers, health and healing, fulfillment of needs, and victory and success with them, as well as to seek assistance, supplication, and refuge from them. Besides this, they offer vows and gifts in their names and bow and prostrate before them.
Their beliefs also include that the saints know the secrets of hearts, are aware of our conditions, and the entire world is before them. They possess knowledge of the unseen, hear, and know.
Furthermore, this belief is also found that:
- It is permissible to strongly construct the graves of the saints, to decorate them, and to build domes over them.
- Traveling to visit their graves, holding Urs and fairs there, and serving the graves is recommended.
- Pouring water and providing drinking water at the graves, placing cloths and flowers, lighting lamps there, circumambulating the graves, performing i’tikaf at them, and standing respectfully with ablution is appropriate.
- Praying at these graves, reciting the Quran, offering food, and considering the graves as a tried and tested remedy is permissible. This is regarded as honoring and venerating the saints, and those who do not accept this belief are considered inferior.
To uphold all these polytheistic and kufr beliefs, innovations, and superstitions, the path of unlawful seeking blessings and unlawful intercession has been paved. The former polytheists also held the same beliefs about their ancestors. They used to say that the saints and righteous people have status and rank in the presence of Allah Almighty, and we ask through them, make them intercessors, and seek blessings from them. In reality, they used to commit shirk under the guise of intercession and seeking blessings, and today’s polytheists are in the same condition.
Seeking blessings is specific to the person of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It is a form of reverence in which no one else can share. A detailed discussion on this topic has already been presented. On the contrary, some people also believe in seeking blessings from saints and righteous people; let us examine their arguments.
Argument Number 1
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“یَأْتِي عَلَی النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ، فَیَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ، فَیَقُولُونَ : فِیکُمْ مَّنْ صَاحَبَ رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَیَقُولُونَ : نَعَمْ، فَیُفْتَحُ لَہُمْ، ثُمَّ یَأْتِي عَلَی النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ، فَیَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ، فَیُقَالُ : ہَلْ فِیکُمْ مَّنْ صَاحَبَ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَیَقُولُونَ : نَعَمْ، فَیُفْتَحُ لَہُمْ، ثُمَّ یَأْتِي عَلَی النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ، فَیَغْزُو فِئَامٌ مِّنَ النَّاسِ، فَیُقَالُ : ہَلْ فِیکُمْ مَّنْ صَاحَبَ مَنْ صَاحَبَ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَیَقُولُونَ : نَعَمْ، فَیُفْتَحُ لَہُمْ” .
“A time will come upon the people when groups will engage in Jihad. They will be asked: Is there any companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ among you? They will say: Yes! Then they will be granted victory. Then a time will come when groups will engage in Jihad, and they will be asked: Is there anyone among you who has kept the company of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (a Tabi’i)? They will say: Yes! Then they will be granted victory. Then a time will come when groups will engage in Jihad, and they will be asked: Is there anyone among you who has been honored with the company of those who kept the company of the companions of the Prophet (a Tabi’ al-Tabi’i)? They will say: Yes! Then they will be granted victory.”
Commentary
There is a difference between something being blessed and auspicious and being a means of seeking blessings (tabarruk). Allah Almighty grants goodness and blessings to His righteous servants, and through their good deeds, prayers, and sincerity, peace and tranquility come to society. Due to the righteous people, Allah bestows blessings upon humanity, but this does not mean that seeking blessings from them is correct. Through the good deeds of the Companions and the Followers, Allah has granted the Ummah goodness and successes. Because of their prayers and sincerity, Muslims attain victory and help, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“ہَلْ تُنْصَرُونَ وَتُرْزَقُونَ إِلَّا بِضُعَفَائِکُمْ”
“You are granted victory and provision because of your weak ones.”
Similarly, Sayyiduna Abu Darda رضي الله عنه narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
“أَبْغُونِي ضُعَفَائَکُمْ، فَإِنَّکُمْ إِنَّمَا تُرْزَقُونَ وَتُنْصَرُونَ بِضُعَفَائِکُمْ” ۔
“Find me among my weak people. Indeed, you are provided sustenance because of the weak, and it is because of them that you are helped.”
Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, classified this hadith as “Hasan Sahih,” Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, as “Sahih,”
, and Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, as “Sahih Al-Isnad.”
The explanation of these two hadiths has come in another hadith where the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
“إِنَّمَا یَنْصُرُ اللّٰہُ ہٰذِہِ الْـأُمَّۃَ بِضَعِیفِہَا، بِدَعْوَتِہِمْ وَصَلَاتِہِمْ وَإِخْلَاصِہِمْ” ۔
“Allah helps this Ummah only because of the prayers, worship, and sincerity of its weak people.”
Despite such clarification, if someone establishes seeking blessings from the deceased or living persons based on this hadith, it is against scholarly integrity. This hadith does not permit seeking blessings from saints and righteous people but rather establishes the means of supplication through living people’s prayers, and Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah, i.e., Ahl al-Hadith, consider it permissible and legitimate.
The stance regarding the graves of the Prophets in the present era
Sheikh and Muhaddith of Jamia Islamia Madinah Munawwarah, Abu Abdul Latif, Hammad bin Muhammad Ansari Afriki
states:
“لَا یُوجَدُ نَبِيٌّ فِي الدُّنْیَا یُعْرَفُ قَبْرُہٗ إِلاَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَہٰذَا إِجْمَاعٌ بَیْنَ السَّلَفِ”
“There is no known grave of any Prophet in the world except the blessed grave of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. There is consensus of the pious predecessors on this matter.”
Summary
This article sheds light on the popular beliefs related to saints and righteous people and their Shariah status. Some individuals consider the prophets, saints, and righteous people as the custodians of Allah’s treasures, fulfillers of needs, relievers of difficulties, and owners of the blessings of this world and the Hereafter. This article explains with evidence that such beliefs are not correct from a Shariah perspective and are contrary to the teachings of Tawheed in Islam. During the lives of the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ companions, the followers (Tabi‘in), and the followers of the followers (Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in), Allah granted blessings and victories due to their sincerity and prayers, but the purpose was not to seek blessings from them; rather, it was the blessing of their prayers and deeds. The article also clarifies the current situation of the prophets’ graves and the Shariah stance so that the correct meanings of seeking blessings (Tabarruk) and intercession (Tawassul) can be understood.
