Seeking Help and Supplication from Other than Allah
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“‘Istighatha’ means ‘to seek help,’ which in reality is the act of crying out for relief from difficulties, just as ‘Istinsar’ means seeking victory and ‘Istighatha’ means seeking help.”
Allama Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
((وَمِنْ أَنْوَاعِهِ أَى الشَّرُكِ ، طَلَبُ الْحَوَائِجِ مِنَ الْمَوْتَى ، وَالْإِسْتِغَاثَةِ بِهِمُ ، وَالتَّوَجُهُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَهَذَا أَصلُ شِرْكِ الْعَالِمِ ، فَإِنَّ الْمَيْتَ قَدْ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ وَهُوَ لَا يَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِهِ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا فَضْلاً لمن اسْتَغَاتَ بِهِ))
“Seeking help and asking for needs from the dead is a type of shirk (i.e., a back door), indeed it is the original shirk. In reality, after death, a person’s chain of deeds is cut off; he is neither beneficial nor harmful to the one who calls upon him, nor even to himself.”
And Shaykh Sanaullah al-Hanafi writes:
((هَذَا وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ ظَهَرَ فِيْمَا بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ جَمَاعَاتُ يَدَّعُونَ أَنَّ لِلْأَوْلِيَاءِ تَصَرُّفَاتٌ فِي حَيَاتِهِمْ وَبَعْدَ الْمَمَاتِ ، وَيُسْتَغَاتُ بِهِمْ فِي الشَّدَائِدِ وَالْبَلِيَّاتِ وَبِهِمُ تَكْشِفُ الْمُهِمَّاتُ ، فَيَأْتُونَ قُبُورَهُمُ وَيُنَادُونَهُمْ فِي قَضَاءِ الْحَاجَاتِ ، مُسْتَدِلَّينَ عَلَى أَنَّ ذَالِكَ مِنْهُمُ كَرَامَاتٌ وَقَالُوا : مِنْهُمْ أَبْدَالُ وَ نُقَبَاهُ ، وَأَوْتَادُ وَنُجَبَاهُ ، وَسَبْعُونَ وَسَبْعَةٌ ، وَأَرْبَعُونَ وَأَرْبَعَةُ ، وَالْقُطْبُ هُوَ الْغَوْتُ لِلنَّاسِ ، وَعَلَيْهِ الْمَدَارُ بِلَا الْتَبَاسِ ، وَجَوَّرُوا لَهُمُ الذَّبَائِحَ وَالتَّدُورَ ، وَأَبْتُوا لَهُم فِيهَا الأجور.))
“Nowadays, among Muslims, several groups have emerged who hold the belief that the saints (Awliya) possess the power to intervene in various matters both during their lives and after their deaths, and that help can be sought from them in difficulties and hardships. Therefore, based on this belief, they visit their graves and call upon them to fulfill their needs, arguing that doing so is part of their miracles (karamat). They say that among the saints, some are Abdal, some Awtad, some Nuqaba, and some Nujaba, mentioning numbers like seventy (70) and forty-four (44), and they designate the Qutb as the one who can help people in every way and consider him the pivot of the world. They consider it permissible to slaughter animals and make vows (nazar) for these saints, and they mention great rewards and merits for this.”
They further write:
“This discourse contains excess and deficiency, indeed eternal damnation, and everlasting punishment, because these beliefs contain the scent of polytheism, besides conflicting with the Book of Allah, opposing the beliefs of the noble Imams, and denying the consensus of the Ummah.”
Further they state:
“The claim of people that the saints have the right of control during their life and even after death is rejected in the light of the commands of Allah Almighty?
(ءَ إِلَهُ مَّعَ اللهِ)
“Is there any deity with Allah?”
(اَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَ الْاَمْرُؕ )
“Beware! It is He for whom creation and command belong.”
(لِلّٰهِ مُلْكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِؕ)
“To Allah alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth.”
All these verses indicate that only Allah Almighty has the right of creation, management, control, and decree; in these matters, no one other than Allah has any share. The entire universe is under the kingdom, dominion, and control of Allah Almighty.
Further they write:
“Wherever Allah Almighty has said (( مِنْ دُونِهِ )), it means ‘مِنْ غَيْرِهِ‘, that is, nothing except Allah (whether it is a saint whom you call for help or Satan) who does not have the power to help himself, how can he help others?”
He further says:
“How can the idea that anything other than Allah can have control be possible? This is a very lowly statement and a great shirk (polytheism). And the belief that one can have control after death is an even worse and more severe innovation. Because the command of Allah Almighty is:
( اِنَّكَ مَیِّتٌ وَّ اِنَّهُمْ مَّیِّتُوْنَ )
“Indeed, you (O Prophet ﷺ) will die, and indeed, they will die.”
He also said:
((اَللّٰهُ یَتَوَفَّى الْاَنْفُسَ حِیْنَ مَوْتِهَا وَ الَّتِیْ لَمْ تَمُتْ فِیْ مَنَامِهَاۚ-فَیُمْسِكُ الَّتِیْ قَضٰى عَلَیْهَا الْمَوْتَ))
“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those whose death has not yet come, He takes during their sleep; then He withholds those whose death He has decreed.”
He further said:
(كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ)
“Every soul shall taste death.”
He also said:
(كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِیْنَةٌ)
“Every person is pledged for their deeds.”
In addition, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
((إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ.))
“When a person dies, all their deeds come to an end.”
All these texts indicate that all sensation and movement of the deceased cease, their deeds are cut off, and the soul is withheld, and it is dependent on their good or bad deeds. So those who are powerless in the movement of their own self, what control can they have over others? Allah Almighty says that the souls are with Me, and these atheists say that souls are free and act independently.
(قُلْ ءَاَنْتُمْ اَعْلَمُ اَمِ اللّٰهُؕ)
“Do you have more knowledge or does Allah?”
Furthermore, He says:
“Their belief that in difficulties and hardships they can be sought for refuge is even more vile and abominable than their previously stated theory, because this belief is evidently contradictory and conflicting with this noble verse of the Quran.”
(اَمَّنْ یُّجِیْبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ اِذَا دَعَاهُ وَ یَكْشِفُ السُّوْٓءَ وَ یَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ الْاَرْضِؕ-ءَاِلٰهٌ مَّعَ اللّٰهِؕ)
“When the helpless one calls out, who responds and removes the hardship? And who appoints you as the vicegerent of the earth? Is there any deity besides Allah?”
Also, Allah Almighty says:
(( قُلْ مَنْ یُّنَجِّیْكُمْ مِّنْ ظُلُمٰتِ الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ ))
“Say, who rescues you from the darkness of the land and sea?”
After mentioning many other verses, it is stated:
“Allah Almighty has established and confirmed in these verses that the one who removes calamities is only Allah. No one else, and only He accepts the prayers of helpless and powerless humans.”
تيسير العزيز الحميد، ص: ٢٣٤٠٢٣٣.
A little further, it is stated:
“Whoever holds the belief that any being other than Allah, whether a prophet, a saint, or a spirit, has any power or support in removing difficulties or fulfilling needs, has fallen into a very dangerous valley of ignorance, indeed standing at the edge of the pit of Hell.”
Further, it is stated:
“The claim of those people that among the Awliya there are Abdal, Nuqaba, Awtaad, and Nujaba is all fabricated lies and slander. As Qazi Ibn al-Arabi, Ibn al-Jawzi, and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on them) have explained very clearly.” End
It should be remembered that helping each other in apparent matters under the law of cause and effect, and seeking help from one another, is neither shirk nor forbidden, rather in matters of good it is necessary to help one another, as Jesus (peace be upon him) said:
(مَنْ اَنْصَارِیْۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِؕ-قَالَ الْحَوَارِیُّوْنَ نَحْنُ اَنْصَارُ اللّٰهِۚ)
“Who will help me in the cause of Allah?” The disciples said, “We are the helpers of Allah’s religion.”
And Muslims are commanded that if your brother asks you for help for the sake of religion, then helping him is obligatory upon you. The statement of Allah Almighty is:
((وَاِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوْكُمْ فِی الدِّیْنِ فَعَلَیْكُمُ النَّصْرُ))
“And if they ask you for help in the matter of religion, then it is obligatory upon you to help them.”
Then its general rule and principle was explained:
((وَ تَعَاوَنُوْا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَ التَّقْوٰى ۪-وَ لَا تَعَاوَنُوْا عَلَى الْاِثْمِ وَ الْعُدْوَانِ۪))
“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.”
Those who, after reading such verses, justify seeking help and assistance in matters beyond causes are completely deceiving, because all these matters are apparent. They are subject to causes and effects and are within human control. Seeking assistance is forbidden when it concerns matters beyond causes that Allah Almighty has reserved solely for His control, such as granting offspring, providing sustenance, poverty and wealth, profit and loss, honor and humiliation. Seeking help from others in these matters, whether from a prophet, a saint, an imam, or a martyr, whether alive or dead, present or absent, is shirk (polytheism). Such actions have even been negated from the blessed person of the Master of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad Rasulullah ﷺ.
((لَیْسَ لَكَ مِنَ الْاَمْرِ شَیْءٌ))
“(O Prophet ﷺ) You have no control over them.”
((اِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِیْ مَنْ اَحْبَبْتَ))
“You cannot guide whom you like.”
Hafiz Muhammad bin Abdul Hadi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
(( أَنَّهُ يُعْطِي وَيَمْنَعُ ، وَيَمْلِكُ لِمَنْ اسْتَغَاكَ بِهِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لِضَرَ وَ النَّفْعِ ، وَأَنَّهُ يَقْضِي حَوَائِجَ السَّائِلِينَ وَيَفْرُجُ كُرُبَاتِ الْمَكْرُوبِينَ ، وَأَنَّهُ يَشْفَعُ فِيْمَنُ يَشَاءُ ، وَيُدْخِلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ، فَدَعُونَ الْمُبَالَغَةِ في هَذَا التَّعْظِيمِ مُبَالَغَةٌ فِي الشِّرْكِ وَانْسَلَاحٌ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الدِّينِ . ))
“(Meaning, exaggerating in the status of the Prophet ﷺ by saying) You have the power to grant and forbid. Whoever seeks help from you ﷺ instead of Allah, you are the owner of benefit and harm for him, and you can fulfill the needs of the supplicants and remove the calamities of the afflicted, and intercede for whomever you wish, and take whomever you wish to Paradise. Therefore, such exaggeration in honoring you ﷺ is equivalent to exaggeration in shirk and completely freeing oneself from the bounds of Islam.”
The greatest defect in considering anyone other than Allah as the controller of affairs is that in this case, partnership with Allah becomes necessary, or else it proves His inactivity and impotence. For example, Allah the Exalted says:
(( یَفْعَلُ مَا یَشَآءُ))
“Allah does what He wills.”
At another place He says:
(قُلِ اللّٰهُمَّ مٰلِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِی الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَآءُ وَ تَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَآءُ٘-وَ تُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشَآءُ وَ تُذِلُّ مَنْ تَشَآءُؕ-بِیَدِكَ الْخَیْرُؕ-اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ(26) تُوْلِجُ الَّیْلَ فِی النَّهَارِ وَ تُوْلِجُ النَّهَارَ فِی الَّیْلِ٘-وَ تُخْرِ جُ الْحَیَّ مِنَ الْمَیِّتِ وَ تُخْرِ جُ الْمَیِّتَ مِنَ الْحَیِّ٘-وَ تَرْزُقُ مَنْ تَشَآءُ بِغَیْرِ حِسَابٍ(27))
“Say, O my Allah, the true Sovereign! You grant sovereignty to whom You will, and You take sovereignty away from whom You will, and You honor whom You will, and You humble whom You will. All good is in Your hands. Indeed, You have power over all things. You cause the night to enter the day, and the day to enter the night, and You bring the living out of the dead, and the dead out of the living, and You provide abundantly for whom You will.” These Quranic verses inform about the actions and attributes of Allah Almighty. So if these actions are attributed to anyone other than Him, then it must be examined whether Allah Himself performs these actions or not. If He does, then it is “obtained,” and Allah’s action becomes futile and ineffective, or “polytheism in action” becomes necessary. And if He does not, then contrary to these texts, the essence of Allah must be considered “inactive,” whereas His status is:
(كُلَّ یَوْمٍ هُوَ فِیْ شَاْنٍ)
“Every day He is in a state (of glory).”
That is, He alone forgives sins, removes calamities, grants offspring, honors some and humiliates others. Those people who consider Allah’s servants as controllers and decision-makers in affairs.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) says about them:
((وَالَّذِينَ يَزَوَرُونَ قُبُورَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَيَحُجُّونَ إِلَيْهِمُ ليَدَعُوهُمْ وَيَسْأَلُوهُمْ أَوْلِيَعْبُدُوهُمْ وَيَدْعُوهُم مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ هُمُ مُشْرِكُونَ))
“And those who come to visit the graves of the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the righteous, and call upon them and come with the intention of asking from them or to worship them, and call upon them besides Allah, such people are polytheists.”
In another place he writes:
((وَالدُّعَاهُ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الْعِبَادَاتِ فَمَنْ دَعَا الْمَخْلُوقِينَ مِنَ الْمَوْتَى وَالْغَالِينَ وَاسْتَغَاتَ بِهِمْ وَلَا اسْتِحْبَابِ كَانَ مُبْتَدِعًا فِي الدِّينِ مُشْرِكًا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ مُبْتَدِعَ بِدْعَةٍ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ .))
“Supplication (dua) is also a form of worship. The person who calls upon the dead or absent creatures and seeks help from them, while Allah Almighty and His Messenger ﷺ have neither made it obligatory nor recommended, such a person is an innovator in religion, associating partners with the Lord of the Worlds, and committing an innovation for which Allah has not revealed any proof.”
“In other words, calling upon living or dead saints and prophets is not permissible because ‘calling’ is an act of worship. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
(( الدُّعَاهُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ ))
‘Indeed, supplication is worship.’
And then you ﷺ recited this verse:
(وَ قَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُوْنِیْۤ اَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْؕ-اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ یَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِیْ سَیَدْخُلُوْنَ جَهَنَّمَ دٰخِرِیْنَ)
‘And your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” Indeed, those who do not worship Me because of the grave will soon enter Hell in humiliation and disgrace.’
From the mentioned hadith, it is explicitly understood that “calling out” is an act of worship; therefore, ignorant people saying from afar, “O Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, something for Allah,” is shirk (polytheism). Honorable Qazi Sanaullah Hanafi Panipati (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
اولیاء قادر نیستند بر ایجاد معدوم یا اعدام موجود پس نسبت کردن اعدام و ایجاد و اعطاء رزق یا اولاد یا دفع مرض وغیره آن بسوئے شاہ کفر است.(قُلْ لا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ الله)
“The noble saints are not capable of creating the non-existent nor destroying the existent. Expecting help from them in creating, annihilating, providing sustenance, granting offspring, removing calamities, or curing diseases is disbelief, because the Prophet ﷺ was commanded to say: I do not possess for myself any benefit or harm except what Allah has willed.”
This issue is explained in the Holy Quran in two ways: on one hand, there is affirmation, meaning it is established that “calling upon is only the right of Allah Almighty, call upon Him and seek help from Him alone,” and on the other hand, a negation style is adopted, meaning do not call upon anyone besides Him. Calling upon others besides Allah is shirk (polytheism), rebellion, and disobedience; in fact, calling upon others is equivalent to considering them as deities. Just observe the noble verses.
Verses of Affirmation:
(اُدْعُوْا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَّ خُفْیَةًؕ-اِنَّهٗ لَا یُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِیْنَ)
“Call upon your Lord with humility and in secret. Indeed, He does not like transgressors.”
At another place it is said:
(وَادْعُوْهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ)
“And call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in religion. Even if the disbelievers dislike it.”
At a third place it is said:
((ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمُ))
“Call upon Me; I will respond to you.”
The second style (i.e., the style of negation):
Allah Almighty says:
(وَ لَا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا یَنْفَعُكَ وَ لَا یَضُرُّكَۚ-فَاِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَاِنَّكَ اِذًا مِّنَ الظّٰلِمِیْنَ(106) وَ اِنْ یَّمْسَسْكَ اللّٰهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهٗۤ اِلَّا هُوَۚ-وَ اِنْ یُّرِدْكَ بِخَیْرٍ فَلَا رَآدَّ لِفَضْلِهٖؕ-یُصِیْبُ بِهٖ مَنْ یَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهٖؕ-وَ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِیْمُ(107))
“And do not worship anything besides Allah that can neither benefit you nor harm you. And if you do so, then indeed you will be among the wrongdoers. And if Allah afflicts you with harm, there is none to remove it except Him alone, and if He intends any good for you, then none can repel His bounty.”
Benefit:
Ibn Atiyyah (RA) says; In this noble verse, the Prophet ﷺ is addressed by Allah Almighty. When the matter is that the Prophet ﷺ is forbidden from calling upon anyone other than Allah, and if by any chance he calls upon others, he will be among the wrongdoers, then others should be even more fearful and cautious. This is why shirk (associating partners with Allah) is declared a great injustice:
(اِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِیْمٌ)
“Indeed, shirk is a great injustice.”
At another place it is stated:
(فَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَ فَتَكُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُعَذَّبِیْنَ)
“So do not call upon any other god besides Allah, lest you be among the punished.”
In the third instance, it is stated:
((وَ لَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَۘ-لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ))
“And do not call upon any other god besides Allah; there is no deity except Him.”
In this noble verse, the meaning of the phrase coming at the end of “لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ” is clear: the one who is called upon is the true “إِله“. Therefore, if a person, after acknowledging “لا إله“, still calls upon someone else, there is no doubt or hesitation about his polytheism. Allah Almighty says:
((وَ مَنْ یَّدْعُ مَعَ اللّٰهِ اِلٰهًا اٰخَرَۙ-لَا بُرْهَانَ لَهٗ بِهٖۙ-فَاِنَّمَا حِسَابُهٗ عِنْدَ رَبِّهٖؕ-اِنَّهٗ لَا یُفْلِحُ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ))
“And whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for which he has no proof—then his account is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.”
The Calling of Allah and the Prophets (peace be upon them):
It is clear that, like ordinary people, the prophets (peace be upon them) also faced hardships. The desires for gaining benefit and avoiding harm existed in them, but no prophet ever called upon anyone except Allah, neither in desire nor in fear, neither in greed nor in dread; rather, in every situation, they called upon their Lord alone. They inclined towards Him and relied upon Him.
((اِنَّهُمْ كَانُوْا یُسٰرِعُوْنَ فِی الْخَیْرٰتِ وَ یَدْعُوْنَنَا رَغَبًا وَّ رَهَبًاؕ-وَ كَانُوْا لَنَا خٰشِعِیْنَ)
“Indeed, those people, that is, the prophets, used to hasten towards good deeds and called us in states of hope and fear and humbled themselves before us.”
Prophet Adam (peace be upon him):
When you made a mistake, you called upon your Lord in this way:
((رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَاۤ اَنْفُسَنَاٚ- وَ اِنْ لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَ تَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْخٰسِرِیْنَ))
“O our Lord! We have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.”
Prophet Noah (peace be upon him):
Regarding Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), Allah Almighty said that he prayed:
((رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِیْ وَ لِوَالِدَیَّ وَ لِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَیْتِیَ مُؤْمِنًا وَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتِؕ-وَ لَا تَزِدِ الظّٰلِمِیْنَ اِلَّا تَبَارًا))
“O my Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and also the believing men and women who enter my house, and increase only destruction for the wrongdoers.”
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him):
((رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الْحِسَابُ))
“O our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the account will be established.”
Benefit:
Dr. Luqman Salafi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes under this verse:
“Exegesists write that the prayer for parents was made at a time when he did not know that both of them were enemies of Allah. One opinion is that his mother had become Muslim. In one recitation, ‘وَالِدِي‘ appears, meaning only his father was meant in the prayer. In another recitation, ‘وَلَدَي‘ appears, meaning forgive also my two sons, Ismail and Ishaq.”
Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him):
It is in the Holy Quran, and remember Ayyub when he called upon his Lord:
((اَنِّیْ مَسَّنِیَ الضُّرُّ وَ اَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرّٰحِمِیْنَ))
“Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him):
When Yunus (peace be upon him) was swallowed by the fish, he prayed:
((لَّاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْتَ سُبْحٰنَكَ اِنِّیْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّٰلِمِیْنَ))
“There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.”
Benefit:
It is narrated from Sayyidna Saad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“The supplication of Yunus when he was in the belly of the fish was (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَنَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّلِمِينَ); whenever a Muslim makes this supplication to his Lord for any need, it will be accepted.”
Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him):
Zakariya (peace be upon him) needed offspring, so he called upon his Lord.
( وَ زَكَرِیَّاۤ اِذْ نَادٰى رَبَّهٗ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِیْ فَرْدًا وَّ اَنْتَ خَیْرُ الْوٰرِثِیْنَ )
“O my Lord! Do not leave me alone (childless), and You are the best of inheritors.”
Prophet Yaqub (peace be upon him):
Yaqub’s (peace be upon him) sons said that Yusuf (Joseph) was eaten by a wolf, so he said:
((وَ اللّٰهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ))
“(I) seek help only from Allah.”
And elsewhere he said:
( اِنَّمَاۤ اَشْكُوْا بَثِّیْ وَ حُزْنِیْۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ)
“I express my pain, sorrow, and grief to Allah.”
Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him):
When Allah Almighty completed His blessings upon Yusuf (peace be upon him), brought his parents and brothers to him, and granted him the knowledge of prophethood, the knowledge of interpreting dreams, and the great kingdom of Egypt, he prayed to his Lord:
((رَبِّ قَدْ اٰتَیْتَنِیْ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ وَ عَلَّمْتَنِیْ مِنْ تَاْوِیْلِ الْاَحَادِیْثِۚ-فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ- اَنْتَ وَلِیّٖ فِی الدُّنْیَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةِۚ-تَـوَفَّنِیْ مُسْلِمًا وَّ اَلْحِقْنِیْ بِالصّٰلِحِیْنَ))
“O my Lord! You have granted me kingship and knowledge of the interpretation of dreams, and O Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my protector in this world and the Hereafter. Take me as a Muslim and join me with the righteous.”
The Holy Prophet ﷺ:
The prayers of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are very numerous and spread throughout the books of Hadith and supplications. From studying them, it becomes clear that whenever he ﷺ prayed, he prayed to Allah Almighty, asking his Lord for an increase in knowledge.
(رَّبِّ زِدْنِیْ عِلْمًا)
“O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge.”
Benefit:
Nawab Siddiq Hasan writes:
(( وَمَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِطَلَبِ الزَّيَادَةِ فِي شَيءٍ إِلَّا فِي العِلمِ ))
That is, Allah Almighty did not advise His Messenger ﷺ to seek excess in anything except knowledge.”
Therefore, considering anyone other than Allah as worthy of supplication is equivalent to equating them with Allah Almighty, and this is shirk (polytheism). On the Day of Judgment, the polytheists will admit this truth inside Hell:
(تَاللَّهِ إِن كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ (97) إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُم بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (98))
“By Allah! Indeed, we were in manifest error when we considered you equal to the Lord of the worlds.”
The worshippers of graves rely on certain ahadith to prove their polytheistic matters, but their reasoning is either based on misunderstanding or those ahadith are weak in chain, rejected, or even fabricated.
وَ اللّٰهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ .
