Quranic View on Seeking Help from Other than Allah

How does the Quran view seeking help from besides Allah?

Hafizur Rahman Qadri writes that today there is a lot of noise made about this, and even advertisements are placed saying, “Seek help only from Allah, there is no giver except Him.” You must have seen such advertisements.

The answer:

Respected readers, seeking help is of two types: one is subordinate to causes (Matahat al-Asbab) and the other is above causes (Mafuq al-Asbab). Before starting with Quranic evidence, I find it necessary to clarify these terms because illiterate people are deceived here, and the difference between these two types of help is not made clear when explaining the issue, which causes the general public to suffer due to the deceit and trickery of fraudsters.

① Meaning of subordinate to causes (Matahat al-Asbab)

You know that Allah Almighty has made this world a place of causes; for achieving every goal, there are some means present, by adopting which we attain our desired objective. For example, to gain health, medicine is used, and this was also done by the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). To earn livelihood, effort and hard work are necessary. For having children, causes like marriage are adopted.

Our belief is also that Allah Almighty is not in need of causes or means to do anything; if He wills, He can accomplish any task solely by His perfect power and authority without any means. We are commanded not to abandon these means but to adopt them while placing complete trust in Allah Almighty.

The actions we perform by employing these ordinary means are called subordinate causes. For example, if someone feels hungry, he asks for food; he should make every effort to obtain food. If he is thirsty, he searches for water; if there is a person nearby, he asks him for water. There is absolutely no prohibition in Islamic law regarding this. Or if a person is ill, he calls a doctor or goes himself, explains his need, requests medicine for health, and uses the medicine as prescribed. This is permissible and correct according to Shariah and is indeed Sunnah.

Because he is doing everything within the framework of causes, where a cause exists, it is permissible to seek help from someone. For example, if a person is drowning, he should make every effort to save himself, look for support so that he can be saved, or if there is someone present, call him for help. This is also permissible according to Shariah. Understand that if someone has control over a task and the cause is present, then calling for help is permissible and correct because seeking help from people within the framework of causes was also done by the Prophets (peace be upon them); they too needed help from people through subordinate causes.

Examples of Secondary Causes from the Quran

Thus, it is mentioned in the Holy Quran that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) sought help from his disciples:

يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا اَنْصَارَ اللهِ كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِينَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِى إِلَى اللهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللهِ

O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, just as Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, “Who will be my supporters for Allah?” The disciples said, “We are supporters of Allah.”
Because here the cause was present, the worldly necessity under the religious cause, due to the presence of ordinary means, help was sought. Such help can also be sought from a non-Muslim. For example, if there is a heavy object somewhere that we want to lift but cannot, and a non-Muslim person is standing nearby, we can ask him for help to lift the burden. This is permissible because the person we asked for help is capable of doing the task and it is within his power. Therefore, seeking help due to the presence of a cause is correct and not shirk (polytheism). Such worldly assistance was given by the Ansar (companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them) to the Muhajirun (emigrants, companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them).

Worldly Support of the Ansar of Madinah

As stated in the Holy Quran:

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ

And the foremost among the Muhajirin and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct—Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.
This blessed verse mentions the Muhajirin and the Ansar. The Ansar were those who helped and supported their migrating brothers. Whatever they had, they gave to their Muhajirin brothers and financially supported them because Allah Almighty has commanded cooperation with one’s brother in good deeds in the Holy Quran. The Divine command is:

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ

And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.

② The Meaning of Mafooqul-Asbab (Beyond Causes)

And the supernatural, where ordinary causes are not present, a thirsty person, a sick person, or a drowning person calls out to a being who is very far from them; under ordinary causes, their voice cannot reach there. Or they call a deceased person, and their belief is that although the means of hearing and conveying are not present, still that being knows my condition and, despite the absence of ordinary causes, has the power and authority to help me and relieve my difficulty. This calling is calling the supernatural. The belief in the authority of that being, which is in their mind, is also a belief in supernatural authority.
Only Allah possesses such powers and authority. Such calling and such belief should only be about Allah because Allah Almighty does not need causes for hearing, knowing, authority, and control.
Whereas creation is dependent on causes. To believe in such power and authority in anyone other than Allah, then to call them supernatural and hold such a belief is called shirk (polytheism). This is the meaning of asking for supernatural help. It should be well understood that all powers of creation are subordinate to causes. We also hear, know, have authority, work, and help each other, but all these actions are done within the framework of causes. Outside the domain of causes, we have no authority. In the Holy Quran, calling upon and asking for help from anyone other than Allah as supernatural is negated.

The Correct Meaning of ‘Without Allah’

Before quoting the Quranic evidences, I find it necessary to clarify a misunderstanding. These words have appeared in the Holy Quran at many places من دون الله و من دونه, which mean “other than Allah” (Masawi Allah). Anything other than Allah is non-Allah, not Allah. Some people have made an excuse to negate the verses of Tawheed by saying that من دون الله refers only to idols; this is a great misconception.

My brothers! Remember that من دون الله does not only mean idols but everything other than Allah من دون الله. The Holy Quran clarifies that من دون الله also refers to the Prophets (peace be upon them). Accordingly, the Quran states:

مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ اللَّهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا عِبَادًا لِي مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ

No human being has any right that Allah should give him the Scripture, judgment, and prophethood, and then he says to the people, “Be my servants instead of Allah.”

Here, the word من دون الله is used for the Prophets (peace be upon them). Those who say that من دون الله refers only to idols are merely mistaken, deceptive, and misleading.

Similarly, the Holy Quran includes scholars, saints, and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) in من دون الله. Thus, it is stated:

اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ

They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and also the Messiah, son of Mary.

In this blessed verse, من دون الله refers to scholars, monks, and Jesus (peace be upon him).

من دون الله does not mean only idols but also the servants of Allah.

Quranic Verses: Denial of Causes Beyond Allah

Thus Allah Almighty says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ فَادْعُوهُمْ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

Indeed, those whom you call besides Allah are servants like you. So call upon them and let them respond to you, if you should be truthful.
By من دون الله is meant Jesus (peace be upon him) and Mary (peace be upon her). The Holy Quran states:

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَٰهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ

And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, “O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].
And when Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to the people, ‘Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah’?”

From these blessed verses, it becomes as clear as daylight that من دون الله refers to the Prophets (peace be upon them), the noble saints (may Allah have mercy on them), and indeed all creatures other than Allah, for calling upon them for help in a manner beyond the natural causes is prohibited, and the denial of their powers is stated in the Holy Quran.

وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

And aid is only from Allah. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Another noble verse is:

أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? And besides Allah you have not any protector or helper.
In another place, the Quran states:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

Indeed, to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He gives life and causes death. And besides Allah you have neither any protector nor any helper.

At another place it is said:

وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

You cannot frustrate Allah in any way, and you have no protector besides Him.
No one can help except Allah through causes. Allah Almighty has said in the Quran:

لَهُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُمْ بِشَيْءٍ إِلَّا كَبَاسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَالِغِهِ

Only to Allah belongs the true call. And those whom they call besides Him do not respond to them with a thing, except as one who stretches out his hands toward water to reach his mouth, but it will not reach it.
At another place it is said:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ

Indeed, those whom you call besides Allah are servants like you.
Another command of Allah:

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِنْ قِطْمِيرٍ

And those whom you call besides Allah do not possess even the peel of a date seed.
They may have spent their lives in a cage,
Forgotten are those whom the desert winds have taken away.
The divine command is:

وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَا يَخْلُقُونَ شَيْئًا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ

Those whom they invoke besides Allah create nothing, and they [themselves] are created.
At another place it is said:

أَمَّنْ هَٰذَا الَّذِي هُوَ جُنْدٌ لَكُمْ يَنْصُرُكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ إِنِ الْكَافِرُونَ إِلَّا فِي غُرُورٍ

Who is it that can protect you from Allah if He intends harm for you? And they will not find besides Him any protector or helper. The disbelievers are in error.
At another place it is said:

إِنْ يَنْصُرْكُمُ اللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ وَإِنْ يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَنْصُرُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.

The Method of the Prophets: Supernatural Help Only from Allah

Respected readers, consider from whom the Prophets, peace be upon them, sought supernatural help. For example, Prophet Noah, peace be upon him, sought help only from Allah in difficulty.

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ فَكَذَّبُوا عَبْدَنَا وَقَالُوا مَجْنُونٌ وَازْدُجِرَ فَدَعَا رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ

Before him, the people of Noah rejected our servant Noah and called him mad and rebuked him, so he prayed to Allah saying, “I am powerless, so help me.”
Similarly, Prophet Hud, peace be upon him, also sought help from Allah:

قَالَ رَبِّ انْصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ

O Allah, help me against their rejection.
In the Battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sought help from Allah, and Allah helped him and the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them:

وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنْتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

Allah helped you at the exact moment when you were weak in the Battle of Badr. Fear Allah and give thanks to Him.

The Reality of Idol Worship and Misconceptions

People have made an excuse to reject the verses of Tawheed by saying that here the worship of idols is prohibited, whereas if one reflects on the reality of idols, it will be understood that idol worship was also done out of love for the Awliya Allah (friends of Allah). Otherwise, those who worshipped idols did not worship every stone and every tree, but rather specific stones and trees that were associated with the names of righteous people. Their worship was done out of love for these righteous people. Accordingly, in Sahih Bukhari Sharif, there is a clear statement from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the five idols of the people of Prophet Nuh (Noah) mentioned in the Quran in Surah Nuh were actually the names of the righteous men of the people of Nuh (Noah). When they passed away, Satan told their devotees to keep their memory alive by making statues of them and placing them in their gatherings. They did so, but when the makers of these statues died, the subsequent generations began to worship their pictures and statues.

Command of the Quran: Help Only from Allah

Although everyone makes a promise to Allah in prayer.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

We worship You alone and seek help from You alone.
But after prayer, they have thousands of helpers whom they call for help, meaning they break their promise and many become problem solvers, not paying attention to the Quran and Sunnah, otherwise Allah Almighty has clearly stated in the Holy Quran:

وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

And if Allah causes you any harm, none can remove it except Him; and if He intends any benefit for you, none can withhold His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
The plea of the Quran:

وَلَا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Do not call upon besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, and if you do, then you will be among the wrongdoers.
Help beyond causes should only be sought from Allah; this is the teaching given by the Prophets (peace be upon them). Accordingly, Prophet Musa (Moses) (peace be upon him) also said:

قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصْبِرُوا

Musa (peace be upon him) said to his people: Seek help from Allah and be patient.
Because helping without causes is the right of Allah:

وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

And the help of the believers is incumbent upon Us.
The reward given to the obedient is by the grace and bounty of Allah Almighty; here there is no matter of exchange as is usually the case among creatures.
Secondly, the grace and bounty that Allah Almighty grants to His creation is a special right; others have no relation to it. Calling upon others besides Allah for help is futile because Allah Almighty’s majestic command is:

يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ لَنْ يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ وَإِنْ يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لَا يَسْتَنْقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ

O people, an example is presented, so listen to it carefully: Indeed, those whom you invoke besides Allah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should take away from them a thing, they could not recover it from it. Weak are the pursuer and pursued.
In every difficulty, help beyond causes should only be sought from Allah, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself taught:

إذا سألت فاسأل الله وإذا استعنت فاستعن بالله

Whenever you want to ask, ask only from Allah, and whenever you want to seek help, seek help only from Allah.
Also, the Lord of Majesty has said:

قُلْ مَنْ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ قُلِ اللَّهُ قُلْ أَفَاتَّخَذْتُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُ أَمْ جَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ خَلَقُوا كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ قُلِ اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ

Ask: Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth? Say: Allah. Say, have you taken besides Him allies who do not possess for themselves any benefit or harm? Say, are the blind and the seeing equal? Or are darkness and light equal? Or have they attributed to Allah partners who created like His creation so that the creation [of each] seemed similar to them? Say, Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Prevailing.
Allah Almighty says:

أَيُشْرِكُونَ مَا لَا يَخْلُقُ شَيْئًا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ

Do they associate with Him those who do not create anything and are themselves created?
And He said:

وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ لَهُمْ نَصْرًا وَلَا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَنْصُرُونَ

Nor are they able to help themselves, nor can they be helped.
Further He said:

وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَكُمْ وَلَا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَنْصُرُونَ

And those whom you invoke besides Allah do not possess [power of] intercession; but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.
Then He said:

أَفَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَاشِفَاتُ ضُرِّهِ أَوْ أَرَادَنِي بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَاتُ رَحْمَتِهِ

Say, “Tell me, if Allah should intend to harm me, is there any remover of His harm except Him? And if He intends to show me favor, is there any repeller of His favor?” Say, “I am not but a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe.”
The truth is acceptable to the seekers, but
The sheikh and the cleric dislike the words of the dervish.

Refutation of Wrong Examples and Explanation of Causes

Clarification of Misunderstandings Regarding Non-Allah Some people, without considering the difference between the intermediate causes (ma taht al-asbab) and the ultimate causes (ma fawq al-asbab), start making very superficial statements to mislead simple people and keep them away from the truths of the Quran and the teachings of Hadith. This is because they do not have evidence from the Quran and Hadith; instead, their hearts and minds are filled with a storm of hatred and enmity.

For them, the Quran and Sunnah hold no importance; rather, the stories and tales heard from ignorant clerics are their only evidence. They do not even tolerate listening to the opposing view. When the Quran and Hadith are presented as evidence, instead of reflecting on them, they object and say, “If it is not permissible to seek help from anyone other than Allah, then why do you ask your wives for food? Why do you ask your neighbors for necessary items? Why do you collect donations from people for mosques and madrasas? Why do you take medicine from doctors?”

The answer to the first question is that asking food from one’s wife is an intermediate cause (ma taht al-asbab). If the wife has food, she will give it. If someone’s wife passes away, will he go to the graveyard and ask his wife for food? Will he get food then? Similarly, if a living person is present with us and we ask for help in some matter, if it is within his power, he will help; otherwise, he will not.

Donations for mosques and madrasas are asked from living people who have money. If someone goes to the graveyard of elders and asks for donations, can the elders buried in the graves give donations? If you do not believe this, try it and maybe you will believe our words…..!

Regarding medicine from doctors, no one says to the doctor, “Give me healing.” If you have stomach pain, a person will immediately advise you to go to a certain doctor because the doctor will give you medicine, and maybe you will get better with the medicine. This giving of medicine by the doctor is the cause. If you tell the doctor to heal you without medicine, then without medicine, the doctor cannot do anything because medicine is a cause. Seeking help through causes is the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and other Prophets (peace be upon them). Using medicine is also the Sunnah of the Prophets and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). But help without causes is sought only from Allah. Creation is dependent on causes, but Allah is not dependent on any cause. This does not mean that the doctor has the power to heal. The doctor himself depends on medicine. When the doctor depends on medicine, he will try through medicine. Creating the effect of healing in medicine is Allah’s work.

Making such statements is a deceptive tactic of polytheistic mentality used to deceive the public and keep them away from the pure fountain of Tawheed and Sunnah and trap them in their net. Otherwise, who does not know that according to the Quran and Sunnah, taking and giving such help in worldly matters is not only permissible but also a deed of reward, provided that the one from whom help is sought is capable of it and the thing asked for is in his possession. And in matters where power and ability belong only to Allah, seeking help from anyone other than Allah, calling them near or far for assistance in difficulties, considering them the owners of benefit and harm, seeing them as the fulfiller of needs and reliever of difficulties—these powers belong to Allah alone, the One above all causes. Considering anyone else to have these powers is shirk (polytheism).

To understand the reality of the misguidance spread by some clerics, let us try to understand it with a simple example explained by Professor Allama Abdul Sattar Hameed (may Allah preserve him).

Children, Healing, and Life: Only Allah’s Authority

For example, a woman has been married for a long time but is childless. Both husband and wife often remain sad and distressed over this deprivation because children are a great blessing and mercy from Allah Almighty. Pray to Allah that the Lord of Glory grants righteous offspring to the childless and grants all our children the honor of becoming righteous, prayerful, and obedient. Ameen. One day, the childless woman runs out of salt at home and needs salt, so she asks her neighbor for salt. Her neighbor gives her salt. Then one day, the same woman asks her neighbor for chili. Then one day, she demands matches. One day, she also asks for a little ghee to put in the pot. Now, if someone says that since you have asked for salt, chili, matches, ghee, and spices from someone other than Allah, then if you ask that neighbor for a girl or boy as well, you would be called blind in intellect, ignorant in knowledge, and the leader of fools. Reflect that the things she asked from her neighbor were already in her possession. So, does anyone other than Allah have control over children, healing, life, and death?

Certainly not, so how can there be any doubt about the misguidance of such a person?

The Misguidance of Calling upon Others besides Allah

Thus, Allah Almighty says:

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ

And who is more misguided than the one who calls upon those besides Allah who neither hear his call until the Day of Resurrection nor are they aware of his invocation and call.
May Allah Almighty grant Muslims the understanding of the correct issue and the ability to act upon it. آمين
And who is more misguided than the one who calls upon those besides Allah who neither hear his call until the Day of Resurrection nor are they aware of his invocation and call.
No burning in the heart, no feeling in the soul
Friends, you have nothing of the sayings of Muhammad ﷺ with you

Hafizur Rahman Qadri writes a deception that in the Holy Quran Allah Almighty has said:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.

Here, the word “help” is used along with patience and prayer, although neither patience is God nor is prayer God; rather, these are qualities that exist and the servant is dependent on them.

Answer:

Mr. Qadri also derives his desired conclusion from a Quranic verse, although no early hadith scholar or mufassir has ever drawn this self-made conclusion. But to prove the Barelvi saint’s fabricated religion, they do not hesitate to distort the meaning of the Quran. However, this blessed verse does not contain the concept of seeking help from anyone other than Allah; rather, it encourages seeking help from Allah. Accordingly, its correct meaning is: O believers! Seek help through patience and prayer. Allah supports those who are patient. A person has only two states: comfort and ease or hardship and distress. In blessings, there is an exhortation to thank Allah, and in hardship, there is an emphasis on patience and seeking help from Allah. The blessed hadith states that the condition of a believer is also strange: when he receives happiness, he thanks Allah, and when he faces hardship, he is patient. Both states are good for him.

Therefore, this blessed verse commands seeking help from Allah through prayer and patience. Mr. Qadri considers prayer and patience as helpers; then what would it mean if someone is shouting in front of you and you say to him, “Speak calmly”? Would it mean that calmness is a person and you are talking to him? According to Mr. Qadri’s philosophy, this would be the meaning here as well. Or if someone is hurrying in some work and you say to him, “Take patience,” would it mean that patience is a personality from whom you should take your work? What doubt can there be about the ignorance of someone who argues like this? Let us pray to Allah to grant us the ability to understand the truth correctly. آمين يا رب العالمين

According to the poet:

When the ship is spinning in the storm
When the caravan is banging its head in the valley
The support of means that rises
There, no one is remembered except you