This excerpt is taken from Dr. Syed Shafiq ur Rehman Hafizahullah's book "Polytheistic Beliefs Under the Pretext of Love for the Prophet ﷺ" .
Calling upon anyone other than Allah is a great shirk (polytheism), for which we have mentioned numerous Quranic evidences in this article. Despite such explicit verses, the so-called lovers of the Prophet ﷺ have written:
① Seeking help from saints and calling upon them, and even associating with them, is a legitimate (i.e., legally permissible) and desirable matter, which no one will deny except a stubborn person or an enemy of justice.
Reference: Fatawa Razawiyya by Ahmad Raza Barelvi: 300
② It is permissible to seek assistance and help from Prophets, Messengers, saints, scholars, and righteous people even after their passing (death). Saints continue to influence the world even after their departure.
Reference: Al-Aman wal-Ali by Ahmad Raza: 10
③ Ahmad Raza Barelvi writes: Whenever I sought help, I said "O Ghaus." Once I wanted to seek help from another saint (beloved of Allah), but his name did not come out of my tongue; rather, only "O Ghaus" came out.
Reference: Malfoozat Ahmad Raza Barelvi, p. 307
④ Whoever is connected to any prophet, messenger, or saint, will respond to their call and assist them in difficulties.
Reference: Fatawa Afreeqa by Ahmad Raza Barelvi, p.135
⑤ Ahmad Raza Barelvi writes: When you face trouble, seek help from the people of the graves.
Reference: Al-Aman wal Ali, p.36
⑥ Ahmad Raza Barelvi writes: Every thing, every blessing, every desire, every wealth, in religion, in this world, in the hereafter, from the first day until today and from today until eternity, whatever has been or is received, is received through the sacred hand of the Noble Presence, Sayyid-e-Alam ﷺ.
Reference: Fatawa Al-Razawiya, p.577
⑦ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan, supervisor of Madrasa Ghausia Gujrat, writes: Prophets are those individuals to whom Allah has given such knowledge and insights that they can influence the inner state of creation and their souls (have the authority to change their condition). And they have been given such power and strength that they can influence the outward appearance of creation (have the authority to change their external condition).
Reference: Jaa al-Haqq:197,196
In the light of the above verses, these beliefs are explicitly shirk (associating partners with Allah), and Allah Almighty has not revealed any evidence for shirk. The religion that the Companions رضي الله عنهم learned from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ does not contain these beliefs. Nor are these beliefs established from any of the best generations, rather the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah have counted shirk among the nullifiers of Islam (acts that expel one from Islam). The true path is the one that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught, and the Companions learned and acted upon it. Allah the Exalted says:
[وَ مَاۤ اٰتٰىکُمُ الرَّسُوۡلُ فَخُذُوۡہُ وَ مَا نَہٰىکُمۡ عَنۡہُ فَانۡتَہُوۡا]
Take what the Messenger (ﷺ) gives you and refrain from what he forbids you.
Reference: Al-Hashr:7
He also said: [مَنۡ یُّطِعِ الرَّسُوۡلَ فَقَدۡ اَطَاعَ اللّٰہَ]
Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.
Reference: An-Nisa:80
[وَ مَنۡ یُّشَاقِقِ الرَّسُوۡلَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَہُ الۡہُدٰی وَ یَتَّبِعۡ غَیۡرَ سَبِیۡلِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ نُوَلِّہٖ مَا تَوَلّٰی وَ نُصۡلِہٖ جَہَنَّمَ ؕ وَ سَآءَتۡ مَصِیۡرًا]
And whoever opposes the Messenger after the right path has become clear to him and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will leave him to what he has chosen and will burn him in Hell on the Day of Resurrection, and evil is that destination.
Reference: An-Nisa:115
Whoever, while interpreting the Quranic verses, deviates from the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the path of the believers, his view is certainly based on misguidance.
The authors who advocate these false beliefs have stated many things in their favor, which have been extensively refuted in the books of the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah. Those who call upon any of the creation besides Allah—whether prophets, angels, jinn, or saints—in a way that is beyond the means, their statements should be seen under the title of "Misunderstanding," and the response to it under the title of "Refutation."
Misunderstanding
Allah Almighty says: [وَالَّذِیۡنَ یَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ لَا یَخۡلُقُوۡنَ شَیۡئًا وَّہُمۡ یُخۡلَقُوۡنَ]،[اَمۡوَاتٌ غَیۡرُ اَحۡیَآءٍ وَمَا یَشۡعُرُوۡنَ اَیَّانَ یُبۡعَثُوۡنَ]
[And those whom they call besides Allah do not create anything, and they themselves are created; [they are] dead, not alive, and they do not know when they will be resurrected.]
Reference: An-Nahl: 21, 20
In this verse, the translation of "يدعون" as "calling" is completely wrong and baseless. The translation of ،،يَدْعُونَ،، is not "calling" but "worshiping."
Reference: Dr. Masood Usmani, Practical Accountability of Superstitions: 27
Refutation
The translation of ،،يَدْعُونَ،، is indeed "calling."
Reference: Ahmad Raza Barelvi, Al-Mu’min, verse number: 20
translates "يدعون" as "calling." The author of the book Ilmi Muhasaba himself, referring to Tafsir Kabir, on
Reference: page: 27
, translates ،،يَدْعُونَ،، as "asking for needs." This is the true meaning of this verse.In fact, asking someone for needs is itself worship. This is clear from the following verse of the Holy Quran.
[وَقَالَ رَبُّکُمُ ادۡعُوۡنِیۡۤ اَسۡتَجِبۡ لَکُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یَسۡتَکۡبِرُوۡنَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِیۡ سَیَدۡخُلُوۡنَ جَہَنَّمَ دٰخِرِیۡنَ]
And your Lord has said, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell humiliated.
Reference: Al-Mu’min:60
The words are so clear: first, there is mention of supplication to Allah, and then the arrogance of turning away from His worship, meaning supplication to Allah is worship of Allah.
This is why the Prophet of Mercy ﷺ recited this verse and said:
[الدعاء هو العبادة]
Supplication is worship.
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi:3372
The blessed hadith clarifies along with the verse that calling upon the One beyond all causes, considering Him the reliever of difficulties, is worship. Reflect also on this verse:
[وَمَنۡ اَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ یَّدۡعُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مَنۡ لَّا یَسۡتَجِیۡبُ لَہٗۤ اِلٰی یَوۡمِ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ وَ ہُمۡ عَنۡ دُعَآئِہِمۡ غٰفِلُوۡنَ]،[وَاِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ کَانُوۡا لَہُمۡ اَعۡدَآءً وَّ کَانُوۡا بِعِبَادَتِہِمۡ کٰفِرِیۡنَ]
[And who is more astray than one who calls upon besides Allah those who will not respond to them until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware?] [And when all are gathered, they will be their enemies and will deny their worship.]
Reference: Al-Ahqaf:5,6
Consider that what the elders regard as worship and become enemies of those who worship it is nothing but calling upon besides Allah.
Misunderstanding
Prophets and great saints are not included in ،،من دون الله،،, but only idols are included in ،،من دون الله،،.
Removal
The polytheists used to worship idols. These were neither random carved figures nor mere superstitious symbols. Rather, they were always the shapes (statues) of well-known personalities who were deeply loved and greatly respected by the nation.
When Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) invited his people to monotheism, the people said:
[وَ قَالُوۡا لَا تَذَرُنَّ اٰلِہَتَکُمۡ وَ لَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَّ لَا سُوَاعًا وَّ لَا یَغُوۡثَ وَ یَعُوۡقَ وَ نَسۡرًا]
And they said, "Never abandon your gods, nor abandon Wadd, nor Suwa', nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasr."
Reference: Noah:23
Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: That these were the names of the righteous men of Noah’s people. When they died, Satan planted the idea in the hearts of their people to erect idols at the places where these saints of Allah used to sit (so that their memory would be preserved. They did not worship them). When those who made these memorials passed away, the later generations began to worship the idols of those elders.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari:4920
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): that Lat was a man who used to prepare a drink called Satu for the pilgrims.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari:4859
From these references, it is clear that these idols also belonged to the righteous, and the polytheists worshipped the righteous in the form of idols. It is strange that people, in their emotions, stop perceiving even factual matters. Christians make idols and pictures of Jesus (peace be upon him) and Mary (peace be upon her) and express their worship through them. Will they worship every idol and picture? Certainly not; rather, they worship that which, in their view, clearly bears the sign of being an idol or picture of Jesus and draws their attention towards their deity. That is why Allah says:
[اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ عِبَادٌ اَمۡثَالُکُمۡ فَادۡعُوۡہُمۡ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لَکُمۡ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِیۡنَ]
Indeed, those whom you call upon besides Allah are servants like you, so call upon them and let them respond to you, if you should be truthful.
Reference: Al-A'raf:194
Allah Almighty included Jesus (peace be upon him) and his honored mother Mary (peace be upon her) in ،،من دون الله،،:
[وَاِذۡ قَالَ اللّٰہُ یٰعِیۡسَی ابۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ ءَاَنۡتَ قُلۡتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُوۡنِیۡ وَ اُمِّیَ اِلٰہَیۡنِ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ ؕ قَالَ سُبۡحٰنَکَ مَا یَکُوۡنُ لِیۡۤ اَنۡ اَقُوۡلَ مَا لَیۡسَ لِیۡ بِحَقٍّ]
And when Allah will say, O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say to the people, "Take me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?" He will say, Glory be to You! It is not for me to say that which I have no right to. [المائدة:116]
When Jesus (peace be upon him) and Mary (peace be upon her) are included in ،،من دون اللہ،،, then the claim that prophets and saints are not ،،من دون الله،، and that ،،من دون اللہ،، includes only idols becomes false.
See also: Allah Almighty has included scholars, ascetics, and Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) in ،،من دون اللہ،،:
[اِتَّخَذُوۡۤا اَحۡبَارَہُمۡ وَ رُہۡبَانَہُمۡ اَرۡبَابًا مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ وَ الۡمَسِیۡحَ ابۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ ۚ وَ مَاۤ اُمِرُوۡۤا اِلَّا لِیَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلٰـہًا وَّاحِدًا ۚ لَاۤ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ہُوَ ؕ سُبۡحٰنَہٗ عَمَّا یُشۡرِکُوۡنَ]
They took their scholars and their ascetics as lords besides Allah, and also took Christ son of Mary, while they were commanded nothing except to worship one God; there is no god but He. He is far above what they associate with Him.
Reference: At-Tawbah:31
When scholars enter the realm of mystics and Jesus, peace be upon him, ،،من دون اللہ،،, then ،،من دون اللہ،، does not only mean idols. Rather, every creation besides Allah, who is worshipped besides Allah, even if they are completely free from this reprehensible act. Such as prophets, angels, and righteous beings of authority are also included in ،،من دون اللہ،،. These noble beings, especially the prophets, peace be upon them, spent all their energies in explaining and convincing one thing: that Allah is One and the right of worship belongs only to Him.
Misunderstanding
It is a fact that ،،من دون الله،، are fundamentally those who are entirely false because Allah Almighty has clearly stated:
[وَ اَنَّ مَا یَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ ہُوَ الۡبَاطِلُ]
And whoever else they call besides Him is false.
Reference: Al-Hajj:62
Can the Prophets and Saints of Allah be false?
Removal
In this verse, the falsehood being referred to is the attribute of divinity, that besides Allah there is no deity who can benefit or harm. Even if they are prophets or saints, this same point has been stated by Allah Almighty as follows:
[مَا کَانَ لِبَشَرٍ اَنۡ یُّؤۡتِیَہُ اللّٰہُ الۡکِتٰبَ وَ الۡحُکۡمَ وَ النُّبُوَّۃَ ثُمَّ یَقُوۡلَ لِلنَّاسِ کُوۡنُوۡا عِبَادًا لِّیۡ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ وَ لٰکِنۡ کُوۡنُوۡا رَبّٰنِیّٖنَ بِمَا کُنۡتُمۡ تُعَلِّمُوۡنَ الۡکِتٰبَ وَ بِمَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَدۡرُسُوۡنَ]،[ وَ لَا یَاۡمُرَکُمۡ اَنۡ تَتَّخِذُوا الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃَ وَ النَّبِیّٖنَ اَرۡبَابًا ؕ اَیَاۡمُرُکُمۡ بِالۡکُفۡرِ بَعۡدَ اِذۡ اَنۡتُمۡ مُّسۡلِمُوۡنَ]
[No human being ever has the right that Allah grants him the Book, the command, and prophethood, and then he tells people to leave Allah and become his servants but be the servants of the Lord, because you used to teach the Book and because you used to teach reading], [and it is not right that you are commanded to make angels and prophets your lords. Will he command you to disbelief after you have become Muslims?]
Reference: Al-Imran: 80,79
It is clear that becoming servants of the prophets besides Allah and making the prophets lords is falsehood. May Allah forbid that the prophets, angels, and the righteous are false servants. Even the thought of such a statement makes a Muslim shudder.Misunderstanding
Allah Almighty has bestowed great honor upon His prophets: Jesus (peace be upon him), by Allah’s command, would blow into clay birds and they would become birds. He healed the congenitally blind and lepers. He revived the dead by Allah’s permission. The sight of Jacob (peace be upon him) was restored by the shirt of Joseph (peace be upon him). By the supplication of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the dates in the garden of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) increased. One Sa’ (measure) was sufficient for a large group of the noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them). By the blessing of the saliva of the Prophet ﷺ, the eyes of Sayyid Na’ili (may Allah be pleased with him) were cured. By the blessing of his hand, a broken shin was healed. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ can be called upon for help.
Removal
Ahl al-Sunnah believe in the miracles of the Prophets, peace be upon them, and the karamat (miracles) of the Awliya Allah (friends of Allah).
But behold! Miracles and karamat certainly prove that nothing is impossible before the perfect power of Allah, the Exalted. However, deriving a law from them is false; rather, the existence of an impossible thing in the general law itself is impossible.
The Mi'raj of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is a miracle. During the Mi'raj, you met the noble Prophets, peace be upon them, in Masjid al-Aqsa. Then you met them in the heavens. Prophet Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, repeatedly sent you to Allah, resulting in the reduction of fifty prayers to five obligatory prayers. You ﷺ saw Bilal رضي الله عنه walking in Paradise, even with his shoes on. These are all miracles that demonstrate the power of Allah Almighty. The injustice is that miracles and supernatural acts are turned into laws. The dialogues between Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, and Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, are used as a basis to prove this law: that the dead help the living. The miracle of the Prophets, peace be upon them, praying behind the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Masjid al-Aqsa is used as evidence for the worldly life of the Prophets. On the night of the Mi'raj, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, praying in his grave; from this, the law is derived that the Prophet is alive in the graves. Since miracles are manifestations of Allah Almighty's power, they cannot be made into laws.
Showing miracles is only within Allah's authority, not the authority of the messengers; it only appears through their hands. Allah Almighty says:
[وَ مَا کَانَ لِرَسُوۡلٍ اَنۡ یَّاۡتِیَ بِاٰیَۃٍ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰہِ]
And no messenger has the authority to bring a sign except by Allah's permission.
Reference: Ar-Ra'd:38
The disbelievers demanded some miracles from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
[وَ قَالُوۡا لَنۡ نُّؤۡمِنَ لَکَ حَتّٰی تَفۡجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الۡاَرۡضِ یَنۡۢبُوۡعًا]،[ اَوۡ تَکُوۡنَ لَکَ جَنَّۃٌ مِّنۡ نَّخِیۡلٍ وَّ عِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ الۡاَنۡہٰرَ خِلٰلَہَا تَفۡجِیۡرًا]،[اَوۡ تُسۡقِطَ السَّمَآءَ کَمَا زَعَمۡتَ عَلَیۡنَا کِسَفًا اَوۡ تَاۡتِیَ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ قَبِیۡلًا]
And they said, "We will not believe in you until you:
① Bring forth a spring from the earth for us.
② Or have a garden of date palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth within it.
③ Or cause the sky to fall upon us in fragments as you say.
④ Or bring Allah and the angels before us.
⑤ Or have a house of gold.
⑥ Or ascend into the sky, and we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book that we can read."
(Say, O Messenger ﷺ) "My Lord is pure (and capable of all this). I am only a human being sent as a messenger."
Reference: Bani Isra'il:90 to 93
These verses make it clear that showing miracles is not within the power of humans or the Prophet ﷺ. A clear example of this is the miracle of Musa (Moses) عليه السلام when Allah Almighty said:
[وَ اَنۡ اَلۡقِ عَصَاکَ ؕ فَلَمَّا رَاٰہَا تَہۡتَزُّ کَاَنَّہَا جَآنٌّ وَّلّٰی مُدۡبِرًا وَّ لَمۡ یُعَقِّبۡ ؕ یٰمُوۡسٰۤی اَقۡبِلۡ وَ لَا تَخَفۡ ۟ اِنَّکَ مِنَ الۡاٰمِنِیۡنَ]
And throw down your staff. When he saw it moving like a snake, he turned his back and fled, not looking back. [Allah] said, "O Musa, come forward and fear not; you are among the secure."
Reference: Al-Qasas:31
Musa عليه السلام feeling fear when his staff turned into a snake clearly indicates that miracles are not within the control of the Prophets عليه السلام. Then how can the miracles of the Awliya Allah (friends of Allah) be within their control?
These arguments prove that miracles are manifestations of Allah's power. They cannot become a law. Certainly, a virgin will not give birth to a child, nor is it permissible to take the incident of Maryam (peace be upon her) as evidence for an unmarried woman giving birth to a child. Because the birth of Isa (peace be upon him) is a miracle, not a law. This is why Allah Almighty and His Messenger ﷺ did not teach men to seek help (intercession) from others, but Allah declared through the Imam of the Prophets, Muhammad Rasul ﷺ:
[قُلۡ لَّاۤ اَقُوۡلُ لَکُمۡ عِنۡدِیۡ خَزَآئِنُ اللّٰہِ]
Say, "I do not say to you that I have the treasures of Allah."
Reference: Al-An'am:50
[قُلۡ لَّاۤ اَمۡلِکُ لِنَفۡسِیۡ ضَرًّا وَّ لَا نَفۡعًا اِلَّا مَا شَآءَ اللّٰہُ]
Say, "I do not possess for myself any harm or benefit except what Allah wills."
Reference: Yunus:49
[قُلۡ اِنِّیۡ لَاۤ اَمۡلِکُ لَکُمۡ ضَرًّا وَّ لَا رَشَدًا]
Say, "I do not have power over any benefit or harm for you."
Reference: Al-Jinn:21
When the best of mankind, the Imam of the Prophets Muhammad Rasul Allah ﷺ, does not have control over benefit or harm for himself or others, then how can anyone other than Allah, the All-Powerful, be called upon for help?
The miracle of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was that repeatedly there was extraordinary blessing in water, food, and fruits, yet the rule was that he tied a stone on his stomach during fasting. Sometimes the companions رضي الله عنهم would spend the entire day on just one date.
The miracle is that on the night of Isra and Mi'raj, in a single night, he traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem, then ascended through the seven heavens, toured Paradise, and witnessed the terrors of Hell. On the other hand, the rule is that during the migration journey, he had to hide in a cave for three days. During the expedition of Tabuk, the heat of the season, the hot ground, the lack of mounts, and the difficulties of travel were endured by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the companions رضي الله عنهم themselves.
This is the reason why no companion called upon the Prophets, peace be upon them, or the friends of Allah for help in difficulties based on miracles. Because the Prophet of Mercy ﷺ did not teach them to do so. Rather, the Prophet ﷺ also told Abdullah bin Abbas: [إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ] When you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek help, seek help from Allah.
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi:2516
Misunderstanding
Maulana Abdul Majeed Suhrawardi wrote a book named "Karamat Ahl-e-Hadith" in which he recorded some miracles of the Ahl-e-Hadith scholars. Consider just two:
① Sardar Jalaluddin did not have any children. Once he learned that there was a madman in the city of Ferozepur who was a mystic and lived completely naked. He went to him and asked for a son. The mystic said, "Incompetent, if you want a son, then go write to K." Sardar Jalaluddin thought to himself that everyone there is Wahhabi, how would he get a son from there? The mystic said, "Incompetent, don't you go? You will get a son not from here but from there." Following the mystic's instruction, Sardar went to Lakho and narrated the entire incident to the Ahl-e-Hadith elder Abdul Rahman Lakhvi. Abdul Rahman said, "I can pray for you, but you are a denier of the Quran. You have seven wives while the Quran permits no more than four. Divorce three of them here, then I will pray for you." The next year, he had a child.
Reference: p.66
② Once, in the fort of Mian Singh, a barber named Maulana Ghulam Rasool was giving a shave to a man named Ro Peliya, who complained, "Sir, my son has been away for many years. We have no idea where he is, whether he is alive or dead! He was my only son, and we are dying of worry." The Prophet remained silent for a while and then said, "Mian, he is sitting at home and eating. Go and see for yourself." The barber went home and indeed found his son there, eating. When he asked the son about the matter, he said, "I was just in Sukkur, Sindh. I don't know what happened to me, but somehow I ended up here in Tarfa al-Ain."
Reference: p.70
If this is the state of the elders of Ahl al-Hadith, then certainly the control of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is far greater than theirs. So why is it not permissible to call upon them in difficulties?
Similarly, Maulvi Shah Ismail Shaheed, in order to prove the superiority of his Pir Syed Ahmad Barelvi, narrates a miracle in his book Sirat-e-Mustaqim as follows:
For a month, there was a dispute between the souls of Hazrat Ghaus-ul-Athqaleen and Hazrat Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband about who would take Syed Ahmad Barelvi under their spiritual guardianship for his spiritual training. Each of these great souls insisted that he alone should oversee the journey of spiritual knowledge and practice.
Finally, after a month of contention, they reconciled and agreed to jointly perform this service. Accordingly, one day both of these saints appeared to him and, with full power, reflected the image of spiritual knowledge and attention upon him for a short while. In this way, within the same interval, he acquired the spiritual affiliations of both orders.
Reference: Sirat-e-Mustaqim Persian: p.166
If the authenticity of this story is accepted, several questions arise at the surface of the mind:
Firstly: According to Maulvi Ismail Dehlvi's
Reference: Taqwiyat al-Iman
, when by Allah's grace no one possesses the power of clairvoyance, then how did the pure souls of Hazrat Ghaus al-Thaqalain and Hazrat Khawaja Naqshband come to know that in India there is a person named Syed Ahmad Barelvi who is a close servant of Allah, whose spiritual training or honor is such that everyone should strive to follow him.Secondly: This incident is not from the realm of the witnessed world but entirely from the unseen world. Therefore, how did Maulvi Ismail Dehlvi, who himself is the narrator of this incident, come to know that for the guardianship and training of Syed Ahmad Barelvi, the souls of these two elders quarreled with each other for a month and finally reconciled on the condition that both would jointly take him under their guardianship.
Thirdly: According to Maulvi Ismail Dehlvi's
Reference: Taqwiyat al-Iman
, when all the Prophets and Awliya except Allah are also helpless and powerless servants, then how can the great act of Hazrat Alwari and Khwaja Naqshband after death be understood—that both these elders came directly from Baghdad to this town in India where Syed Ahmad Sahib Barelvi resided, and upon reaching his chamber, instantly enriched him with inner and mystical wealth.Also, from the manner of narration of the incident, it is clear that these matters are not dreams but are in the state of wakefulness. Therefore, the verification of the incident is not possible until the belief in the unseen perception and the power and authority of the Awliya is accepted, departing from the stance of
Reference: Taqwiyat al-Iman
.
Reference: Zalzalah by Arshad al-Qadri
Removal
Often Barelvi and Deobandi scholars cite the writings of some Ahl-e-Hadith scholars to prove their stance, arguing that since these Ahl-e-Hadith scholars also express these beliefs, therefore these are the correct views. Hence, a detailed response to this misunderstanding is necessary.
① It is only Allah Almighty's right to reveal the way for people to live their individual and collective lives, that is, the religion, because determining what is halal and haram and legislating religion is His exclusive right. Therefore, true obedience is only for Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty commands:
[اِتَّبِعُوۡا مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَیۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖۤ اَوۡلِیَآءَ]
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
Reference: Al-A'raf:3
Allah Almighty appointed Muhammad bin Abdullah ﷺ with prophethood and revealed His Book upon him. And He said:
[اَلۡیَوۡمَ اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ دِیۡنَکُمۡ وَ اَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ نِعۡمَتِیۡ وَ رَضِیۡتُ لَکُمُ الۡاِسۡلَامَ دِیۡنًا]
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.
Reference: Al-Ma'idah:3
This verse was revealed on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, 10 AH, in the plain of Arafat. Three months after its revelation, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, having entrusted this perfect and complete religion to the Ummah, met with the Exalted Companion. He advised the Ummah, "I am leaving among you two things, and as long as you hold firmly to them, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ."
Reference: Al-Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi, Al-Ilmiya:20336], [Muwatta Imam Malik:3
And only Muhammad ﷺ is the personality who does not speak on religious matters according to his own desire; whatever he says is according to the command of Allah Almighty. [وَ مَا یَنۡطِقُ عَنِ الۡہَوٰی]،[اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا وَحۡیٌ یُّوۡحٰی] [Nor does he speak from his own desire], [It is only a revelation that is revealed]
Reference: An-Najm:4,3
Therefore, it is said: [مَنۡ یُّطِعِ الرَّسُوۡلَ فَقَدۡ اَطَاعَ اللّٰہَ]
Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.
Reference: An-Nisa:80
This is why the decisive authority in religious matters belongs to Allah Almighty and His Messenger ﷺ:
[فَاِنۡ تَنَازَعۡتُمۡ فِیۡ شَیۡءٍ فَرُدُّوۡہُ اِلَی اللّٰہِ وَ الرَّسُوۡلِ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ تُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ]
So if you differ in anything, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.
Reference: An-Nisa:59
It is understood that Islam is the name of following Allah Almighty and His Messenger ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught Islam to the Companions, meaning the Companions رضي الله عنهم were directly trained by him. Therefore, the Companions were exemplary Muslims. The sayings and actions of the Messenger ﷺ were taken from the Companions رضي الله عنهم by the Tabi‘in, and the Muhaddithin collected them. All these periods are the eras of the rise of Islam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared them the best of times. Only the person who wants to interpret the Holy Quran arbitrarily denies the way and methodology of the pious predecessors and the Companions رضي الله عنهم. The Companions, Tabi‘in, Imams of the religion, and Imams of Hadith followed this path. Those who follow this path have existed in every era. From the study of Islamic history, we learn that those who followed this path have always rejected polytheism, innovation, and their manifestations and customs. They reformed beliefs and tried to bring people out of the dark cave of polytheism and innovations. Therefore, we cannot accept theories based on polytheism and innovations that are contrary to the path of the Quran, Sunnah, and the pious predecessors, no matter which scholar has stated them. That scholar is neither infallible nor a proof for us.
② In Pakistan and India, those who worked on reform and strived to emphasize the importance of Hadith and the rejection of blind imitation, unfortunately, could not understand the trials of Sufism, and the influence of Sufism remained present among them. This was expressed by the respected teacher Professor Hafiz Muhammad Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, the preacher of Jamia Masjid Ahl-e-Hadith Bahawalpur, in a Friday sermon as follows:
There is hardly any scholar in India—whether Ahl-e-Hadith, Deobandi, or Barelvi—who has not been influenced by this Sufism. There is always some degree of the color of this Sufism. Although Sufism is as dangerous a thing as the harm Islam has suffered from these Sufis. As many Muslims have been ruined in the cycle of this Sufism, and as much impurity has entered Islam through it, no other thing has brought such impurity or destroyed Islam to this extent. Mian Nazir Hussain and his students were all proponents of Sufism. Some are victims of Wahdat al-Wujud and some of Wahdat ash-Shuhud. Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi, who served Hadith greatly, was a victim of the fundamental Sufi belief of Wahdat al-Wujud. This belief of "Humah Aost" (all is He) wherever one looks, it is only Him, is purely a belief of disbelief (kufr). It is such a filthy belief with no limit. The scholars who thought a little and saw that the belief of Humah Aost is disbelief, made a slight modification. Because it was the belief of great elders, they changed it to Wahdat ash-Shuhud. Not Humah Aost but Humah az Aost. They do not deny Wahdat al-Wujud because it is the belief of great people; they soften it so that its intensity and severity decrease. Although both these ideologies are disbelief, pure disbelief.
Shah Ismail Dehlvi's
Reference: Taqwiyat al-Iman
is a major authoritative book on Tawheed. But in the environment in which he grew up, because there was the influence of Sufism, he has made some errors in Sirat al-Mustaqim that are surprising to read. One wonders, is this really Shah Ismail's book? Can such a person ever be a Muslim?
Reference: Khutbah Jumu'ah
In the book by Dr. Abu Adnan Suhail, revised and published by Dr. Muhammad Luqman Salafi, titled
Reference: , "The Motivations of Innovation and Misguidance in Islam,"
he writes about Shah Waliullah: In Shah Waliullah Sahib's book
Reference: , "Anfas al-Arifeen,"
like other Sufi books, there are all kinds of irrelevant and baseless matters. Such as spiritual unveilings and miracles, strange and unusual incidents, prostration to beings other than Allah, witnessing Allah and even physical contact with Him, acceptance, Urs (death anniversary celebrations), Qawwali, the completion of the Khawajagan, glad tidings of Paradise, becoming agitated before Allah to get one's point accepted, even changing Allah's decree, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ attending gatherings, the cessation of the need for worship after reaching Allah, and so on. All such things are also found in this book. This book also contains the notion that everything can be obtained from the graves of the elders. In such a case, those who associate themselves with Shah Waliullah Sahib and are proponents of his Sufi ideas, and who raise a commotion or lament over the Barelvi school of thought's excesses and the polytheism and innovations occurring at the graves of the elders, are merely putting on a show and shedding crocodile tears.
Reference: Page: 272
Regarding Shah Ismail, it is written:
① The astonishing thing is that even a standard-bearer of monotheism like Maulana Ismail Shaheed, when lost in the alley of Sufism, ends up violating all his beliefs and Shariah rulings and texts, reaching from one extreme to another.
Reference: Page: 285
② The astonishing thing is that when this same Maulana Ismail Shaheed takes up the pen against Sufism, perhaps such a state of strength overtakes him that he forgets the explicit texts of the Quran and Hadith and even his own writings, ending up somewhere else entirely. Please observe:
Reference: Sirat-e-Mustaqim
in which he writes:Divine grace selects a person and makes him a special disciple, just as a powerful king distinguishes some of his obedient subjects from all others and chooses them for himself, calling them "special disciples." Just as a special disciple is allowed to manage the possessions of his master, to the extent that he calls the entire kingdom of his master his own kingdom, similarly, these exalted ranks and positions (i.e., the perfect saints) have absolute authority to act in the world of imagination and the world of witnessing (Sirat-e-Mustaqim, Persian). Generally, it is believed about saints that they only have the power to act in the world of witnessing, that is, this world which we see with our own eyes. However, from the statement of Maulana Ismail Shaheed, it is revealed that the world of imagination, which is the invisible world between this world and the hereafter, is also under the authority of the saints.
Reference: In Islam, the Motivations of Innovation and Misguidance, page: 255
Mr. Abdul Majeed, editor of Akhbar Ahl-e-Hadith Sohadra, compares Shah Ismail and Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on them, and it seems as if Mr. Abdul Majeed has not read Mansab-e-Imamat and Sirat-e-Mustaqim. Please observe: he writes:
Was Syed Ahmad an Ahl-e-Hadith?
Now the question arises whether Syed Ahmad Rahi Barelvi and Shah Ismail Shaheed were Ahl-e-Hadith, or were they just considered Ahl-e-Hadith without basis? There is a famous proverb that a tree is known by its fruit, and it is true that a tree is recognized by its fruit, so every person can also be recognized by his beliefs and actions. In this regard, look at the writings of Shah Shaheed
Reference: ,,Tanweer al-Ainain fi Ithbat Raf' Yadain,, Al-Izaah al-Haq al-Sareeh,, Mansab-e-Imamat,, Sirat-e-Mustaqim,,
to see what they say. After that, in his good sermons, the aspect of refuting shirk and innovations is so prominent that it may not be as prominent even in the speeches of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him.
Reference: Haqaniyat Maslak al-Hadith Part One Page: 76 Compiled by Abu Muawiyah Abdur Rahman Munir Rajowalvi
The method of meeting the souls of deceased elders on the Straight Path and discovering something from the Preserved Tablet is written; think whether this can also be proven from the Quran and Sunnah? Please observe:
For the revelation of the conditions of the heavens, meeting souls and angels, touring Paradise and Hell, informing the realities of this station, discovering the places of this location, and the disclosure of any matter from the Preserved Tablet, the mention of "Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum" is made.
Reference: Sirat-e-Mustaqeem page: 245
That is why Sheikh Abdul Aziz Noristani Sahib
writes in a letter: Since the time when Tasawwuf and spiritual wayfaring were given a place in the pure Shariah, Sufism has, by dissolving the legal consciousness of the great elders of the Ummah, unconsciously diverted from the Straight Path of Shariah. I consider the prevalent Tasawwuf and spiritual wayfaring, especially the Four Tariqas which are common in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan, to be a deadly poison for the pure Shariah.
③ Satan has always tried to destroy humans by diverting their love for the Awliya Allah towards blind devotion. Just as in the nation of Noah, those were Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'uq, and Nasr who were Awliya Allah. And Allah made them beloved to the people because of their piety, but Satan succeeded in misleading those who exaggerated in love for these Awliya Allah by using them as a pretext. To protect us from this attack of Satan, Allah Almighty trained our ideological practice in such a way that in Surah Al-An'am, He mentioned the great Prophets: Ibrahim, Ishaq, Ya'qub, Nuh, Sulaiman, Ayyub, Yusuf, Musa, Harun, Zakariya, Yahya, Isa, Ilyas, Ismail, Yasa, Yunus, and Lut (peace be upon them) and praised them, and thus declared the supreme authority of the law:
[وَ لَوۡ اَشۡرَکُوۡا لَحَبِطَ عَنۡہُمۡ مَّا کَانُوۡا یَعۡمَلُوۡنَ]
And if they had committed shirk, all that they used to do would have been in vain.
Reference: Al-An'am:88
Similarly, the revelation was given to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
[وَ لَقَدۡ اُوۡحِیَ اِلَیۡکَ وَ اِلَی الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکَ ۚ لَئِنۡ اَشۡرَکۡتَ لَیَحۡبَطَنَّ عَمَلُکَ وَ لَتَکُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الۡخٰسِرِیۡنَ]
And indeed, certainly, it has been revealed to you and to those before you that if you associate others with Allah, then indeed your deeds will surely be in vain, and you will surely be among the losers.
Reference: Az-Zumar:65
The Sabaean fitnah, which led to the martyrdom of Sayyidna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), turned the love of the Muslims for Sayyidna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) into excess, attempting to introduce much falsehood and disbelief into Islam.
Once, it is narrated from Ibn Abi Mulaika that he said: I wrote to Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, and requested him to write a book for me and to conceal from me those matters whose authenticity was doubtful or which should not be written. He said: The boy is a seeker of pure hadith, so I will select for him all matters related to hadith that are authentic and remove the fabricated and false hadith. (It is said: He asked for the judgments of Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him,) and began to write from them, and whenever something passed by, he would say: By Allah! This judgment was not made by Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, unless (God forbid) he had gone astray (which was not the case).
Reference: Muqaddimah Sahih Muslim: Hadith:22
Consider this! Why did Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما say this? Would it not have been sufficient for him to say that Ali رضي الله عنه did not make these decisions? No, no! Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما, who is an interpreter of the Quran and a companion of the Prophet ﷺ, probably said this so that whoever loves Ali رضي الله عنه as much as they love Allah, should understand that Ali رضي الله عنه is also a creation of Allah. Even if, hypothetically, Ali رضي الله عنه disobeyed Allah, he too would be misguided. Disobedience cannot be called obedience even for them.
Therefore, we consider it necessary to say to those who hold the belief of shirk, that you cannot use the writings of these scholars as evidence of shirk. It is Allah’s law that if these scholars also adopted the belief of shirk and did not repent, then on the Day of Judgment their deeds will not benefit them either.
Misunderstanding
The wrath of Allah that an ordinary person and the Prophet of Allah are placed on the same level—how great an injustice this is. If I cannot help someone, if I cannot fulfill someone's need, does it necessarily mean that everyone else will be the same? Absolutely not. Allah Almighty has granted His servants great ranks.
Reference: Dr. Usmani's Scholarly Assessment:40
Removal
It is a slander that the people of Tawheed place an ordinary person and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the same level. The position that Allah has given to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in this world, in the field of resurrection, and on the Day of Judgment is exclusively His among all of Allah's creation.
[وَ رَفَعۡنَا لَکَ ذِکۡرَکَ] And We have raised your mention high.
Reference: Alam Nashrah:4
Allah has elevated your mention ﷺ in the world. He has made you ﷺ a Messenger until the Day of Judgment and has elevated your mention ﷺ. On the Day of Resurrection, all the Prophets, peace be upon them, will refuse to intercede. Only you ﷺ will be granted this honor. When you fall into prostration, Allah will say: Muhammad ﷺ, raise your head, ask and it will be granted, speak and it will be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted. Your mention will also be elevated in the field of Resurrection. You will give water to your followers at the Pond of Kawthar. You will be the first to open the gate of Paradise. Half of the people of Paradise will be your followers; in short, your name will be exalted everywhere.
You are the Imam of the Prophets. On the Day of Judgment, the banner of Allah's praise will be in your hand ﷺ. Adam عليه السلام and all the descendants of Adam عليه السلام will be under your banner. But this does not mean that you ﷺ share in Allah's attributes. After departing from this world, giving people offspring, acquitting them from lawsuits, granting health from illness, and fulfilling needs in other hardships are not your responsibilities. Whoever says [اغِثْنِي يَا رَسُوْلَ اللہ] believes that you have control over the universe (changing circumstances) and that Allah is bound by your consent. Has He not reflected on this verse?
[یَحۡلِفُوۡنَ لَکُمۡ لِتَرۡضَوۡا عَنۡہُمۡ ۚ فَاِنۡ تَرۡضَوۡا عَنۡہُمۡ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یَرۡضٰی عَنِ الۡقَوۡمِ الۡفٰسِقِیۡنَ]
They swear by you to please them. But if you are pleased with them, indeed, Allah is not pleased with the defiantly disobedient.
Reference: At-Tawbah:96
اور یہ بھی فرمایا:[اِسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ اَوۡ لَا تَسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ تَسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَہُمۡ سَبۡعِیۡنَ مَرَّۃً فَلَنۡ یَّغۡفِرَ اللّٰہُ لَہُمۡ]
O Prophet! Whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them, even if you ask forgiveness seventy times for them, Allah will never forgive them.
Reference: At-Tawbah:80
When even the prayers and requests of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are in such a state before Allah Almighty, then who else is there from whom we should seek help with the belief that Allah Almighty cannot delay their words?
If it were permissible to seek help from the souls of the Prophets, peace be upon them, and the friends of Allah, then at least one verse in the Holy Quran would have been revealed permitting it. The prayers of the Prophets, peace be upon them, are present in the Holy Quran. No Prophet called upon a past Prophet or Messenger in times of distress; rather, they called upon Allah alone because Allah has commanded to do so:
[فَادۡعُوا اللّٰہَ مُخۡلِصِیۡنَ لَہُ الدِّیۡنَ وَ لَوۡ کَرِہَ الۡکٰفِرُوۡنَ]
So call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, even though the disbelievers dislike it.
Reference: Al-Mu’min:14
Misunderstanding
Gabriel, peace be upon him, said to Mary, peace be upon her: [اِنَّمَاۤ اَنَا رَسُوۡلُ رَبِّکِ لِاَہَبَ لَکِ غُلٰمًا زَکِیًّا]
I am the messenger of Allah to give you a pure boy.
Reference: Maryam:19
If Gabriel, peace be upon him, can give a son, then why can't the Prophet of Allah ﷺ give a son?
Removal
This verse mentions the birth of Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him, without a father. This is a miracle. There is only one such event in the entire history of humanity. To make this miracle a law and say that Angel Gabriel gives sons is a grave misguidance. Can any virgin girl today say, "O Gabriel, give me a son"?
Everyone knows that the Angel of Death seizes souls. Did the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah teach to call upon the Angel of Death, saying, "O Angel of Death, I have some important matters to discuss with the one who is dying," or "This dying person has many responsibilities; give him some respite so he can complete his work"?
Similarly, on Laylat al-Qadr, the Trustworthy Spirit and angels descend with mercy and blessings. Has anyone called out to them, "Give us a little mercy and blessing"? No one calls these angels because everyone knows that they descend by Allah's command. And they do only what they are commanded.
Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Jibra'il عليه السلام: Why do you not come to us more often than you do? Then Allah Almighty revealed this verse: [وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ اِلَّا بِاَمۡرِ رَبِّکَ] [مريم:64] And We do not descend except by the command of your Lord.
Reference: Bukhari:4731
Tell me! A creation that cannot come to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on its own will, how can it give anyone a son? It can only give glad tidings of someone having a son by the command of Allah.
Misunderstanding
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Sayyid Narbi'ah bin Ka'b Aslami رضي الله عنه: Ask for something. He said: I want your companionship in Paradise. He said: Ask for something else. He said: Then only this.
Reference: Muslim
It is understood that the entire matter is in the generous hands of the Prophet ﷺ, who, by the command of his Lord, grants whatever he wishes to whomever he wishes.
Removal
Consider the last part of the blessed Hadith.
You ﷺ said: [فأعني على نفسك، بكثرة السجود]
So assist me in achieving my goal through frequent voluntary prayers.
Reference: Muslim:489
If Paradise were under your ﷺ control, then why would you command Sayyiduna Rabi'ah رضي الله عنه to frequently perform Nawafil?
It is understood that the matter is the same as what Thawban رضي الله عنه said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Thawban [أخبرني بعمل أعمله، يدخلني الله به الجنة؟]
Tell me of an action by doing which Allah Almighty will admit me into Paradise. You ﷺ said: [عليك بكثرة السجود لله] Frequently prostrate before Allah.
Reference: Muslim:388
Sayyiduna Rabi'ah رضي الله intended clearly: Tell me of an action by doing which I may attain your company in Paradise, or pray for me that I may be with you in Paradise. If Paradise were under your control, you would have said, "I have given you Paradise." Why then did you say, "Help me by performing frequent Nawafil"?
Misconception
The polytheists believed that after Allah created their deities, He gave them divinity, and now Allah does not act, and if they want to do something, they can do it.
Reference: Tawheed and Shirk p.7, by Saeed Kazmi
Removal
The polytheists of Mecca believed in Allah Almighty as the true God and understood that the ultimate authority belongs to Allah. It is said: [قُلۡ مَنۡۢ بِیَدِہٖ مَلَکُوۡتُ کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ وَّ ہُوَ یُجِیۡرُ وَ لَا یُجَارُ عَلَیۡہِ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ]،[سَیَقُوۡلُوۡنَ لِلّٰہِ]
[Say, "Who is it that holds authority over everything and gives refuge, and there is no protector against Him?" Say, "If you know, then who is it?" They will surely say, "It is Allah's glory."]
Reference: Al-Mu’minun: 89, 88
It is clear that the polytheists of Mecca also considered the power of their idols as granted, and they regarded their idols as intercessors before Allah.
[وَ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ شُفَعَآؤُنَا عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ]
And they say, "These are our intercessors with Allah." [
Reference: Yunus: 18
[مَا نَعۡبُدُہُمۡ اِلَّا لِیُقَرِّبُوۡنَاۤ اِلَی اللّٰہِ زُلۡفٰی]
And we worship them only so that they may bring us closer to Allah.
Reference: Az-Zumar: 3
This is why the polytheists of Mecca would call upon only Allah in severe distress.
[قُلۡ مَنۡ یُّنَجِّیۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ ظُلُمٰتِ الۡبَرِّ وَ الۡبَحۡرِ تَدۡعُوۡنَہٗ تَضَرُّعًا وَّ خُفۡیَۃً لَئِنۡ اَنۡجٰىنَا مِنۡ ہٰذِہٖ لَنَکُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الشّٰکِرِیۡنَ]،[قُلِ اللّٰہُ یُنَجِّیۡکُمۡ مِّنۡہَا وَ مِنۡ کُلِّ کَرۡبٍ ثُمَّ اَنۡتُمۡ تُشۡرِکُوۡنَ]
[Say, "Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and sea when you call upon Him humbly and secretly, 'If He saves us from this, we will surely be among the thankful'?" Say, "Allah rescues you from it and from every distress; then you associate others with Him."]
Reference: Al-An’am: 64, 63
While circumambulating the Kaaba, the polytheists used to say: [لبیک اللهم لبیک لبیک لا شريك لك الا شريكا هو لک تملکه و ماملک]
I am present, O Allah, I am present. You have no partner except such a partner who belongs to You, and the owner of that partner is also Yours.
These verses clarify the beliefs of the polytheists of Mecca that they acknowledged the true power and strength to be of Allah alone. In severe distress, they would call upon Him, and believed that no one could provide refuge against Allah. They considered their idols only as intercessors. Even today's professing Muslims hold the same views regarding the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the friends of Allah.
Misunderstanding
Allah says: [وَلَوۡ اَنَّہُمۡ اِذۡ ظَّلَمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ جَآءُوۡکَ فَاسۡتَغۡفَرُوا اللّٰہَ وَ اسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَہُمُ الرَّسُوۡلُ لَوَجَدُوا اللّٰہَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِیۡمًا]
And if they had come to you when they wronged themselves and asked Allah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of Repentance, Merciful.
Reference: An-Nisa:64
It is understood that every kind of sinner always comes before your grave seeking intercession.
Clarification
Coming to you in ،،جَآءُوۡکَ،، does not mean the Prophet’s grave. See in the following verse ،،جَآءُوۡکَ،، also appears.
[وَ اِذَا جَآءُوۡکَ حَیَّوۡکَ بِمَا لَمۡ یُحَیِّکَ بِہِ اللّٰہُ]
And when these people come to you, they greet you with words which Allah has not said.
Reference: Al-Mujadila:8
Imam Ibn Kathir writes in the interpretation of this verse: One of the worst traits of the Jews was that they would change the words of greeting. A Jew said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ،،سام علیک یا ابو القاسم،، which means death ،،سام،،. Aisha رضي الله عنها could not bear it and said ،،وعلیکم السام،،. The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Aisha, Allah dislikes bad words and harsh speech." Aisha رضي الله عنهما said, "O Messenger of Allah, did you not hear that they did not say ،،سلام،، to you?" He said, "Rather, they said ،،سام،،." He said, "You did not hear, I said wa 'alaykum."
Reference: Bukhari:6256, Muslim:2165
It is understood that both verses refer to your life. These verses cannot be used as evidence for asking at the Prophet's grave.
It is also stated: [وَ اِذَا قِیۡلَ لَہُمۡ تَعَالَوۡا یَسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَکُمۡ رَسُوۡلُ اللّٰہِ لَوَّوۡا رُءُوۡسَہُمۡ وَ رَاَیۡتَہُمۡ یَصُدُّوۡنَ وَ ہُمۡ مُّسۡتَکۡبِرُوۡنَ]
And when it is said to them, "Come, the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you," they turn their heads aside and you see them evading while they are arrogant.
Reference: Al-Munafiqun:5
The verse clearly indicates that this is an incident from your ﷺ blessed life. That your prayer for forgiveness was a cause for the pardon of sins. And those fortunate ones who came to you ﷺ and repented from their sins received the reward of "May Allah be pleased with them and they be pleased with Him."
After your passing, none of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, the followers, or the noble hadith scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, came to your ﷺ grave to request intercession from you ﷺ. Rather, they prayed directly to Allah Almighty. There is no authentic hadith evidence from the companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, the followers, or the hadith scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, that supports going to the graves of deceased elders to have them pray for you.
Misunderstanding
Allah Almighty says: [وَاسۡتَعِیۡنُوۡا بِالصَّبۡرِ وَ الصَّلٰوۃِ]
Seek help through patience and prayer.
Reference: Al-Baqarah:45
In this verse, Muslims are commanded to seek help through prayer and patience. Prayer and patience are also other than Allah.
Reference: Jaa al-Haqq:194
Removal
Has anyone ever heard of a person calling out to patience or prayer? O patience, O prayer, help me. The one who says this is a fool. The direct and clear meaning of this verse is to adopt patience and perform prayer; Allah Almighty will bestow His mercy upon you, through which difficulties will be removed. In other words, patience and prayer are among the righteous deeds that are the most effective means and ways to attain Allah Almighty's pleasure.
Misunderstanding
My Master said: [ والله معطي و أنا قاسم]
And Allah gives, I distribute.
His giving is general, and my distribution is general. He gives the world, and I distribute the world. He gives religion, and I distribute religion. Knowledge, offspring, faith—in short, every blessing of religion and the world, He gives and I distribute.
Reference: Khutbat Kazmi 92
Clarification
Why is the initial part of the hadith omitted? The hadith is:
[من يرد الله به خيرا يفقهه في الدين وإنما أنا قاسم والله معطي]
Whomever Allah intends good for, He grants him understanding of the religion, and I am the distributor and Allah is the Giver.
Reference: Ilal al-Daraqutni:1748
The words and context of the hadith indicate that here 'ata' does not mean wealth or riches. Rather, it refers to 'tafqih fi al-din' (understanding in religion). It means the comprehension that guides towards the meanings and implications of the Book and the Sunnah. Today, this is preserved in the books of hadith; no one can imagine acquiring understanding in religion without being connected to the teachings of the Prophet of Mercy ﷺ. Allah Almighty has said:
[لَوۡ اَنۡفَقۡتَ مَا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ جَمِیۡعًا مَّاۤ اَلَّفۡتَ بَیۡنَ قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ وَ لٰکِنَّ اللّٰہَ اَلَّفَ بَیۡنَہُمۡ]
If you were to spend all the treasures of the earth, you could not bring their hearts together; but Allah has brought them together.
Reference: Al-Anfal:63
After these decisive verses of the Holy Quran, what proof is there to consider the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as the one who controls the universe (changing circumstances)? We must accept that power and authority are in the hands of Allah alone. The ending of the long-standing enmity between Aws and Khazraj (i.e., placing love and affection in their hearts) was not within the authority of the Prophet ﷺ.
Then this hadith is in the meaning of the same verse of the Quran in which Allah Almighty says:
[فَمَنۡ یُّرِدِ اللّٰہُ اَنۡ یَّہۡدِیَہٗ یَشۡرَحۡ صَدۡرَہٗ لِلۡاِسۡلَامِ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یُّرِدۡ اَنۡ یُّضِلَّہٗ یَجۡعَلۡ صَدۡرَہٗ ضَیِّقًا حَرَجًا کَاَنَّمَا یَصَّعَّدُ فِی السَّمَآءِ]
So the person whom Allah wants to guide, He opens his chest for Islam, and whom He wants to misguide, He makes his chest tight and constricted, as if he is struggling to ascend into the sky.
Reference: Al-An'am:125
Misunderstanding
My Master said: [اعطیت مفاتيح خزائن الارض]
Allah Almighty has given me the keys to all the treasures of the earth. The meaning of keys is authority; Allah Almighty has granted all authority to His beloved. The Prophet grants whatever he wishes and withholds from whomever he wishes.
Reference: Bukhari and Muslim
Refutation
Allah Almighty says: [قُلۡ لَّاۤ اَقُوۡلُ لَکُمۡ عِنۡدِیۡ خَزَآئِنُ اللّٰہِ]
O Prophet, say, "I do not say to you that I have the treasures of Allah."
Reference: Al-An'am:50
The verse negates the treasures given by Allah, leaving no room for interpretations of personal or delegated authority. It is impossible that the Quran negates something while the Hadith proves it.
This hadith refers to the conquests of Egypt, Syria, etc. And the treasures refer to wealth and riches, as mentioned in the last part of the hadith where Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: [وقد ذهب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأنتم تنتثلونها] And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has gone (to his Lord). And now you are extracting from them.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari: 2977
And this meaning can be clearly seen in Surah Yusuf when Allah's Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) [اجۡعلۡنیۡ علٰی خزآئن الۡارۡض]
Reference: Yusuf: 55
says, so which treasures is Prophet Yusuf asking from the King of Egypt? There is no room for ambiguity here.Misunderstanding
In Hisn al-Hasin it is mentioned that when you want help, say: [یا عباد الله اعینونی] O servants of Allah, help me.
Mulla Ali Qari writes: The servants of Allah here mean angels, or Muslims, or jinn, or men of the unseen (i.e., Abdal). This hadith is Hasan (good). Travelers have a great need for this hadith and this practice is tried and tested.
Reference: Ja al-Haqq: 198
Refutation
① This hadith is not authentic because it has a narrator named Uqbah bin Ghazwan who is unknown.
② One narrator, Ibn Hassan, has been called a denier of hadith by the muhaddithin (scholars of hadith). Therefore, this chain of narration is weak and rejected.
It is not permissible to use it as evidence.
Misunderstanding
Allah Almighty has said about you: [وَ مَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنٰکَ اِلَّا رَحۡمَۃً لِّلۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ]
We have sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.
Reference: Al-Anbiya:107
Then why should you not be called upon in times of hardship?
Removal
Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, explains its tafsir as follows:
[وأولى القولين في ذلك بالصواب.القول الذي رُوي عن ابن عباس، وهو أن الله أرسل نبيه محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم رحمة لجميع العالم، مؤمنهم وكافرهم. فأما مؤمنهم فإن الله هداه به، وأدخله بالإيمان به، وبالعمل بما جاء من عند الله الجنة. وأما كافرهم فإنه دفع به عنه عاجل البلاء الذي كان ينزل بالأمم المكذّبة رسلها من قبله]
And between these two statements (whether Muhammad ﷺ is a mercy only for the believers or for both disbelievers and believers), the more correct statement is the one narrated from Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that Allah Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a mercy for the entire world. That is, both for the believers and for the disbelievers. So, the mercy for the believers is that they were guided through him and became bearers of faith. They acted upon the religion brought by Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In this way, Allah admitted them into Paradise. And the mercy for the disbelievers is that due to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Allah’s punishment will not suddenly befall them, as it used to suddenly descend upon previous nations as a result of their denial of the messengers.
Reference: Tafsir al-Tabari Jami' al-Bayan: Vol. 18, p. 552
The meaning of ،،رحمة للعالمین،، is neither in the Quran nor was it taught by the Holy Prophet ﷺ to the companions, nor did the companions or the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah act upon it that you should be called a trouble reliever and slogans of ،،اغثنی یا رسول اللہ،، be raised for you.
Misunderstanding
① Allah Almighty Himself has commanded to ask for help: [وَ تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡبِرِّ وَ التَّقۡوٰی] And help one another in righteousness and piety.
Reference: Al-Ma'idah:2
Would Allah Almighty teach His servants to do something unlawful?
② Allah Almighty commanded the Prophets to help: [لَتُؤۡمِنُنَّ بِہٖ وَ لَتَنۡصُرُنَّہٗ] You must believe in it and you must help it.
Reference: Aal Imran:81
Did Allah Almighty teach shirk by commanding the Prophets to help?
③ Jesus (peace be upon him) asks for help from someone other than Allah: [قَالَ مَنۡ اَنۡصَارِیۡۤ اِلَی اللّٰہِ] He said, "Who will be my helper for Allah?"
Reference: Aal Imran:52
Will a verdict of shirk be issued against Jesus (peace be upon him)?
Removal
Supplication, calling out, and seeking help through secondary causes are unanimously correct. All the above verses mention help through secondary causes. Creatures helping each other within the scope of their natural power and authority is outside the discussion of shirk and Tawheed. For example, if a person sitting in Pakistan has a telephone, asking him to find out from my son in Makkah at which time he is coming to Pakistan tomorrow on a certain number is by no means shirk. Because the cause (means) exists. Believers help each other under secondary causes (under the powers given by Allah) to fulfill their needs and necessities. The polytheists of Makkah are called polytheists because they call upon prophets, saints, angels, and jinn in matters in which Allah Almighty has not given them authority. Allah Almighty has not given any of the creatures the authority to give life or cause death. Healing from illness and providing sustenance are under Allah’s authority alone. No one can change anyone’s destiny, nor can anyone change a heart to create feelings of love or hatred. Similarly, no creature has the authority to cause victory or defeat, humiliation or honor, satisfaction or dissatisfaction. What will happen tomorrow, when it will rain, when someone will die, what is in the mother’s womb—none but Allah, the Knower of the unseen, knows these. These sciences, powers, and attributes are called above causes (ma fawq al-asbab). Therefore, calling upon anyone other than Allah for help in matters above causes is shirk. And this is the issue under discussion here. A person who asks the elders to pray for him during their lifetime is a monotheist, provided he considers their prayer as a cause and means, and the One who removes difficulties and fulfills needs is only Allah. But after these elders have passed away and their means are no longer present, calling upon them everywhere, considering them the ones who hear and remove difficulties, is shirk.
This is the reason why a blind companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would come to him and ask him to pray.
Reference: Tirmidhi:3578
But this was only during his lifetime. After his death, during the caliphate of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), there was a drought, so Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the uncle of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pray, and he himself also supplicated to Allah, saying: "We used to take the Prophet ﷺ as an intercessor, and then it would rain. Now we take the uncle of our Prophet as an intercessor. O Allah, send rain."
Reference: Bukhari:1010
If it were permissible to seek help from the Prophet ﷺ after his death, then the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would have come to the Prophet’s grave and asked for help.
Difference between Taht al-Asbab and Fawq al-Asbab
For those who understand, there is clear evidence in this noble verse.
[اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ عِبَادٌ اَمۡثَالُکُمۡ فَادۡعُوۡہُمۡ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لَکُمۡ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِیۡنَ]،[اَلَہُمۡ اَرۡجُلٌ یَّمۡشُوۡنَ بِہَاۤ ۫ اَمۡ لَہُمۡ اَیۡدٍ یَّبۡطِشُوۡنَ بِہَاۤ اَمۡ لَہُمۡ اَعۡیُنٌ یُّبۡصِرُوۡنَ بِہَاۤ ۫ اَمۡ لَہُمۡ اٰذَانٌ یَّسۡمَعُوۡنَ بِہَا]
[Indeed, those whom you call besides Allah are [but] servants like you. So call upon them and let them respond to you, if you should be truthful.] [Do they have feet by which they walk? Or do they have hands by which they strike? Or do they have eyes by which they see? Or do they have ears by which they hear?]
Reference: Al-A'raf:195,194
Misconception
Regarding the Beloved Noble Prophet, the Quran states: [وَمَا نَقَمُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ اَغۡنٰہُمُ اللّٰہُ وَ رَسُوۡلُہٗ مِنۡ فَضۡلِہٖ]
This was [the bounty] because Allah and His Messenger had enriched them with His bounty.
Reference: At-Tawbah:74
The noble verse clearly declares that the gifts of Allah Almighty and the Noble Prophet are one and the same.
Reference: Ilmi Muhasiba:45
Removal
The clear, straightforward, and event-based meaning of the verse is that by the blessing of the supplication of the Messenger of Allahﷺ and the acquisition of war booty, the financial condition of the believers as well as the hypocrites improved. This does not prove that the Messenger of Allahﷺ grants comfort, relief, and wealth until the Day of Judgment.
These people are not only misguided in the matter of monotheism but also derive points from verses and hadiths that create confusion between the servant and the worshipped.
When no companion, imam, or exegete has taken this verse to mean that in a state of poverty one should sit at home and call out, "O Messenger of Allah, remove our neediness and make us rich," then what justification is there to use this verse as evidence for saying "O Ali, help"?
Misunderstanding
Imam Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah in his book, "Musannaf," and Imam Bayhaqi in his compilation
Reference: "Dala'il al-Nubuwwah,"
narrate with a sound chain from Malik al-Dar that once during the blessed time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), there was a famine. A person came to the blessed grave of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and supplicated, "O Messenger of Allah, please ask Allah for your Ummah because they are perishing." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appeared to him in a dream and said: "Go to Umar and convey my greetings to him and tell him to inform the people that soon they will be quenched."Refutation
On this matter, the contemporary great hadith scholar Sheikh Nasir al-Din al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, has discussed extensively in his book
Reference: "At-Tawassul: Its Types and Rulings," [page number 117]
, in which he has declared this incident weak. He has given two reasons for this:① The original narrator of this incident is Malik al-Dar. His status, whether he is trustworthy and just, is not known. He is not well-known for justice and precision, and for any narration to be authentic, it is a fundamental condition that the narrator be well-known.
② Malik al-Dar says: A person came, but he did not mention the name of that person. Therefore, it is also weak. In Saif's narration, his name is given as Bilal, but this narration has no status. Because the scholars of hadith agree on the weakness of Saif ibn Umar al-Tamimi, and Ibn Hibban says that he used to fabricate hadiths.
Misunderstanding
In Tabrani, it is mentioned that a person came to Uthman ibn Hunayf and said that Uthman ibn Affan رضي الله عنه, the Caliph of the Muslims, does not listen to me. So Uthman ibn Hunayf taught him a supplication in which it is said: O Muhammad (ﷺ), I turn to Allah through you.
Removal
The story of Uthman bin Hunayf is present in the books of Hadith with authentic chains of narration, stating that the Prophet of Mercy ﷺ instructed him to pray two rak'ahs and then make a supplication. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself also prayed for him. During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, used to have their difficulties resolved through his supplication. However, after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, no Companion, Tabi'i, or Imam called upon him to resolve their problems. Regarding the additional story of Uthman bin Hunayf mentioned by Al-Tabarani, the contemporary great Muhaddith, Sheikh Nasiruddin Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, declared the story weak and rejected.
The summary of his statement is:
① In the narration of this story, Shu'aib bin Sa'eed Al-Makki is the narrator. He is a trustworthy narrator, but he has a weakness in memorization. When he narrates from Yunus, it is acceptable because Yunus bin Yazid's book was with him, and when his son narrates from him, this narration has also been included by Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, in his Sahih. As Hafiz Ibn Hajar states in
Reference: Al-Taqreeb
: Imam Bukhari did not include any narration from him except from Yunus, nor did he include any narration from Ibn Wahb. Imam Ibn Hatim also mentions this from Ibn Adi in
Reference: Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, page 359
. Therefore, the chain of narration of Al-Tabarani, which narrates from Shu'aib bin Sa'eed through Abdullah bin Mus'ab, is weak because:① Shu'aib bin Sa'eed is a solitary narrator and has issues with memorization, especially when Abdullah bin Wahb narrates from him, it is not considered reliable.
② This story contradicts the trustworthy narrators who have not transmitted this story. Rather, in Mustadrak, Ammarah al-Basri narrates from Ruh ibn Qasim. And this story is not mentioned there. Similarly, in the narration of Shu'bah and Hammad ibn Salamah from Abi Ja'far al-Khatmi, this story is also not present. Ibn Sunni has narrated this hadith in
Reference: Amal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah, page number: 302
in three ways
Reference: Hakim: 534/4
, and this story is not included there. Therefore, this story is rejected.Misunderstanding
Allah Almighty says: [وَ مَا رَمَیۡتَ اِذۡ رَمَیۡتَ وَ لٰکِنَّ اللّٰہَ رَمٰی]
O Muhammad ﷺ, when you threw the stones, it was not you who threw them, but Allah threw them.
Reference: Al-Anfal: 17
What is the meaning of this verse?
Removal
① Here, Allah Almighty has attributed the action to Himself. But by saying ،،اذ رمیت،،, the act of throwing stones is attributed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Then, by negation, it is attributed back to Allah. The action is one and the same. The Prophet ﷺ threw with his hand, while the cause is Allah Almighty, who commanded it and then made those stones reach the polytheists. Allah is saying that We gave you this power, otherwise you could not have done this by your own effort and choice. This verse is a clear proof of pure monotheism. Allah willed at Badr that the Prophet’s ﷺ hand would throw grains of sand, which disturbed and confused the disbelievers of Makkah. On the other hand, at Uhud, Allah did not will it, so the Prophet ﷺ himself was wounded, and seventy companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, were martyred.
② The number of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, at Badr was very small compared to the Quraysh of Makkah. There was also a shortage of equipment and weapons, yet the Muslims, by the grace of Allah, prevailed over the disbelievers. This is an extraordinary event, therefore Allah Almighty is showing His favor. Here too, the powers and abilities of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, are negated. It is an expression of Allah’s wisdom, will, and power. The meaning of this verse is also the same: [فَلَمۡ تَقۡتُلُوۡہُمۡ وَلٰکِنَّ اللّٰہَ قَتَلَہُمۡ]You did not kill them, but Allah killed them.
Reference: Al-Anfal:17
Here too, the cause is Allah Almighty. By His command, the believers fought them, and He is the one who grants victory to the believers. Therefore, the attribution of this action is also to Allah.
Misunderstanding
When a person attains nearness to Allah Almighty, the attribute of Allah ،،سمع،،بصر،، and the lights of power begin to manifest in the servant's hearing and power. This close servant becomes a manifestation of the divine attributes. This servant hears with the light of Allah's hearing. He sees with the light of fullness. He acts with the light of power. When it is established from the Quran that the sound of [اننی انا اللہ] can come from a tree, then how is it impossible for a close servant that the attributes of Allah's hearing and sight should not manifest?
Reference: Tawheed aur Shirk by Kazmi
Removal
The scholars of the Salaf have explained this to mean that he is completely engrossed with Allah. His ear is directed only there. He sees with his eyes only what Allah has commanded him to see, in the direction in which Allah is pleased. He extends his hands and feet towards the work that pleases Allah. That is, the person does not listen to what the Shariah does not permit to be heard, nor does he look at what the Shariah forbids to be seen. He does not reach out towards anything unlawful, nor does he proceed towards any action that the Shariah does not allow.
The belief of the Hulooliyah and the Ittihadiyah that this speech is reality, and that Allah Almighty becomes identical with the servant or has indwelt in him, is pure misguidance and disbelief. The hadith also contains these words: If he asks Me, I will fulfill his request. If he seeks refuge, I will grant him refuge.
Reference: Bukhari:6502
These words are evidence that Allah and the servant are separate. Allah does not incarnate in a human. If the meaning of incarnation is accepted, then why does a person who has reached this status wash his hands after relieving himself? Why does he put his hands in filth? Why does he go to the toilet with his feet? Similarly, why would the eye be blind, the ear deaf, the hand lame, or the foot crippled? Will you attribute these qualities to Allah [استغفر الله ثم استغفر اللہ]? The closest to Allah is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In the Battle of Uhud, your ﷺ head and face were wounded. Blood came out of it. Did معاذ اللہ Allah Himself suffer these wounds?
If the meanings accepted by the Sufis are acknowledged, then the one whose hands, feet, eyes, and ears are Allah, why forbid him from arrogance? Then for whom are the verses and hadiths that forbid arrogance? Therefore, the meanings explained by the pious predecessors are the correct ones.
