This excerpt is taken from Dr. Syed Shafiq ur Rehman Hafizahullah's book "Polytheistic Beliefs Under the Pretext of Love for the Prophet ﷺ" .
Tawheed is that the One who hears and accepts prayers in pain and suffering is understood to be Allah alone, without any partner. The Almighty says:
[وَ اِذَا سَاَلَکَ عِبَادِیۡ عَنِّیۡ فَاِنِّیۡ قَرِیۡبٌ ؕ اُجِیۡبُ دَعۡوَۃَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ ۙ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لِیۡ وَ لۡیُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِیۡ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَرۡشُدُوۡنَ]
And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be guided.
Reference: Al-Baqarah:186
At another place He said: [قُلۡ اِنَّمَاۤ اَدۡعُوۡا رَبِّیۡ وَ لَاۤ اُشۡرِکُ بِہٖۤ اَحَدًا]،[ قُلۡ اِنِّیۡ لَاۤ اَمۡلِکُ لَکُمۡ ضَرًّا وَّ لَا رَشَدًا]
[Say, "I only call upon my Lord and do not associate with Him anyone."] Also say, "I have no power for harm or benefit to you."]
Reference: Al-Jinn:21,20
He also said: [وَّ ادۡعُوۡہُ مُخۡلِصِیۡنَ لَہُ الدِّیۡنَ]
And (O people) call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in religion.
Reference: Al-A'raf:29
[اُدۡعُوۡا رَبَّکُمۡ تَضَرُّعًا وَّ خُفۡیَۃً]
(O people) call upon your Lord humbly and privately.
Reference: Al-A'raf:55
[وَّ اَنَّ الۡمَسٰجِدَ لِلّٰہِ فَلَا تَدۡعُوۡا مَعَ اللّٰہِ اَحَدًا]
And indeed, all mosques are for Allah (alone), so do not call upon anyone along with Allah.
Reference: Al-Jinn:18
From these verses it is clear that calling is only for Allah because:
① Only Allah has knowledge of every hardship of the creation. He even knows the secrets of hearts.
② The Most Merciful [Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem] Allah is the most kind to His creation.
③ Only Allah is capable and powerful to remove the suffering of the creation.
④ And He has always existed and will always remain.
Then how can anyone else be called upon besides this All-Knowing, Merciful, and Powerful Being?
That is why it is said: [وَ مَا النَّصۡرُ اِلَّا مِنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰہِ]
And help is only from Allah.
Reference: Al-Anfal:10
Regarding the polytheists, it is said:
[وَالَّذِیۡنَ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ لَا یَسۡتَطِیۡعُوۡنَ نَصۡرَکُمۡ وَ لَاۤ اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ یَنۡصُرُوۡنَ]
And those whom you call besides Allah do not possess the power to help you; rather, they cannot even help themselves.
Reference: Al-A'raf:197
Allah has described the shirk of the polytheists of Makkah as follows:
[فَاِذَا رَکِبُوۡا فِی الۡفُلۡکِ دَعَوُا اللّٰہَ مُخۡلِصِیۡنَ لَہُ الدِّیۡنَ فَلَمَّا نَجّٰہُمۡ اِلَی الۡبَرِّ اِذَا ہُمۡ یُشۡرِکُوۡنَ]
Then when they board the ship, they call upon Allah, being sincere in worship to Him alone. But when He delivers them to the land safely, suddenly they associate others with Him.
Reference: Al-Ankabut:65
Alas, today even Muslims who recite the Kalima chant slogans like "O Ali, help" and "O Ghaus-e-Azam, help" in the sea. It is as if they are one step ahead of the polytheists of Makkah in shirk, because the polytheists of Makkah, in severe distress and at sea, used to call upon Allah alone.
The Prophets (peace be upon them) and the Awliya Allah always called directly upon Allah alone. The Quran contains the prayers of the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the Awliya Allah. None of them ever called upon anyone other than Allah.
Prayer of Adam (peace be upon him):
[رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَاۤ اَنۡفُسَنَا وَ اِنۡ لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَ تَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَکُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الۡخٰسِرِیۡنَ]
O our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers.
Reference: Al-A'raf: 23
Prayer of Noah (peace be upon him):
[رَبِّ انۡصُرۡنِیۡ بِمَا کَذَّبُوۡنِ]
O my Lord, they have denied me, so help me.
Reference: Al-Mu’minun: 39
Prayer of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
[رَّبِّ زِدۡنِیۡ عِلۡمًا]
My Lord, increase me in knowledge.
Reference: Taha: 114
Prayer of the People of the Cave:
[رَبَّنَاۤ اٰتِنَا مِنۡ لَّدُنۡکَ رَحۡمَۃً وَّ ہَیِّیٔۡ لَنَا مِنۡ اَمۡرِنَا رَشَدًا]
O our Lord, bestow upon us mercy from Yourself and prepare for us right guidance in our affair.
Reference: Al-Kahf: 10
Prayer of the People of Al-A'raf:
[رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ الۡقَوۡمِ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ]
O our Lord, do not include us among the wrongdoers.
Reference: Al-A'raf:47
It is understood that whenever the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the friends of Allah prayed, they prayed directly to Allah Almighty. We should follow their path and consider only Allah Almighty as the reliever of difficulties and fulfiller of needs, and call upon only Him.
[اُولٰٓئِکَ الَّذِیۡنَ ہَدَی اللّٰہُ فَبِہُدٰىہُمُ اقۡتَدِہۡ] These are the ones whom Allah has guided, so follow their guidance.
Reference: Al-An'am:90
It is narrated from Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ] Indeed, supplication is worship.
Reference: Abu Dawood:1479, Tirmidhi:3372
When calling upon (supplication) is worship and worship should be directed only to Allah, then calling upon anyone else is worshipping them, i.e., making them a deity, which is shirk (associating partners with Allah) and an unforgivable sin. Here, calling upon means making dua (supplication) to Allah as the Prophets and the friends of Allah did, as mentioned above.
It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha رضي الله عنها that it was asked from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "Whose worship is the best?" He said, "The best worship is a person praying for himself."
Reference: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad: Edited by Abdul Baqi (Al-Bukhari): 713
How is it permissible to associate anyone in the best act of worship?
Allah Almighty says: [وَاِذَا رَاَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَشۡرَکُوۡا شُرَکَآءَہُمۡ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ شُرَکَآؤُنَا الَّذِیۡنَ کُنَّا نَدۡعُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِکَ]
And when the polytheists see their partners, they will say, "Our Lord, these are our partners whom we used to call besides You."
Reference: An-Nahl: 86
It is understood that calling upon others besides Allah is shirk.
Allah Almighty says: [وَ مَنۡ یَّدۡعُ مَعَ اللّٰہِ اِلٰـہًا اٰخَرَ ۙ لَا بُرۡہَانَ لَہٗ بِہٖ ۙ فَاِنَّمَا حِسَابُہٗ عِنۡدَ رَبِّہٖ ؕ اِنَّہٗ لَا یُفۡلِحُ الۡکٰفِرُوۡنَ]
And whoever calls upon another deity along with Allah, there is no proof for him for it. His reckoning is with Allah. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.
Reference: Al-Mu’minun: 117
Those who call upon others besides Allah will themselves confess their disbelief at the time of death.
[حَتّٰۤی اِذَا جَآءَتۡہُمۡ رُسُلُنَا یَتَوَفَّوۡنَہُمۡ ۙ قَالُوۡۤا اَیۡنَ مَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ ؕ قَالُوۡا ضَلُّوۡا عَنَّا وَ شَہِدُوۡا عَلٰۤی اَنۡفُسِہِمۡ اَنَّہُمۡ کَانُوۡا کٰفِرِیۡنَ]
Until when Our angels come to take their souls, they will say, "Where are those whom you used to call besides Allah?" They will say, "They have departed from us," and they will bear witness that indeed they were disbelievers.
Reference: Al-A'raf:37
Allah Almighty says: [فَلَا تَدۡعُ مَعَ اللّٰہِ اِلٰـہًا اٰخَرَ فَتَکُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡمُعَذَّبِیۡنَ]
Do not call upon any other god with Allah, or you will be among the punished.
Reference: Ash-Shu'ara:213
He also said: [وَبُرِّزَتِ الۡجَحِیۡمُ لِلۡغٰوِیۡنَ]،[وَقِیۡلَ لَہُمۡ اَیۡنَمَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡبُدُوۡنَ]،[مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ ؕہَلۡ یَنۡصُرُوۡنَکُمۡ اَوۡ یَنۡتَصِرُوۡنَ]،[ فَکُبۡکِبُوۡا فِیۡہَا ہُمۡ وَ الۡغَاوٗنَ]
[And the blazing fire will be made apparent to the misguided,] [and it will be said to them, "Where are those whom you used to worship?"] [Besides Allah. Do they help you, or do they help themselves?] [Then all the misguided will be thrown into it face down.]
Reference: Ash-Shu'ara:94 to 96
Here it is also necessary to clarify that although the polytheists call upon the Prophets of Allah and the Awliya (friends) of Allah, since they were enemies of shirk and the polytheists, they are not their gods. Their god is Satan, as mentioned in
Reference: Al-Ma'idah:117,116
, [An-Nisa:117[/ref]. So Satan will be the one who goes to Hell with those polytheists.He also said: [وَلَا تَدۡعُ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مَا لَا یَنۡفَعُکَ وَ لَا یَضُرُّکَ ۚ فَاِنۡ فَعَلۡتَ فَاِنَّکَ اِذًا مِّنَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ]
Do not call upon anyone besides Allah who neither benefits you nor harms you. If you do so, then you will be among the wrongdoers.
Reference: Yunus:106
Calling upon anyone other than Allah is the worship of Satan. Allah Almighty will say to the people on the Day of Judgment: [اَلَمۡ اَعۡہَدۡ اِلَیۡکُمۡ یٰبَنِیۡۤ اٰدَمَ اَنۡ لَّا تَعۡبُدُوا الشَّیۡطٰنَ ۚ اِنَّہٗ لَکُمۡ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِیۡنٌ]،[وَّ اَنِ اعۡبُدُوۡنِیۡ ؕ ہٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٌ]
[Did I not forbid you, O children of Adam, from worshipping Satan? Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.] [And that you worship Me, this is the straight path.]
Reference: Yaseen: 61, 60
Today, no one prostrates or bows to Satan. No one calls upon Satan, but since calling upon anyone other than Allah is obedience to Satan, and such obedience is worship. Allah Almighty said:
[وَ اذۡکُرۡ فِی الۡکِتٰبِ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ صِدِّیۡقًا نَّبِیًّا]،[ اِذۡ قَالَ لِاَبِیۡہِ یٰۤاَبَتِ لِمَ تَعۡبُدُ مَا لَا یَسۡمَعُ وَ لَا یُبۡصِرُ وَ لَا یُغۡنِیۡ عَنۡکَ شَیۡئًا]،[ یٰۤاَبَتِ اِنِّیۡ قَدۡ جَآءَنِیۡ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ مَا لَمۡ یَاۡتِکَ فَاتَّبِعۡنِیۡۤ اَہۡدِکَ صِرَاطًا سَوِیًّا]،[ یٰۤاَبَتِ لَا تَعۡبُدِ الشَّیۡطٰنَ ؕ اِنَّ الشَّیۡطٰنَ کَانَ لِلرَّحۡمٰنِ عَصِیًّا]
[And mention in the Book, Ibrahim. Indeed, he was a man of truth, a prophet.] [When he said to his father, "O my father, why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees nor benefits you at all?"] [O my father, indeed I have come to you with knowledge that which you do not have, so follow me; I will guide you to a straight path.] [O my father, do not worship Satan. Indeed, Satan has ever been, to the Most Merciful, disobedient.]
Reference: Maryam: 41 to 44
From these verses, it is proven that the worship of idols is actually the worship of Satan. Also reflect on these verses: [وَیَوۡمَ یَحۡشُرُہُمۡ جَمِیۡعًا ثُمَّ یَقُوۡلُ لِلۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ اَہٰۤؤُلَآءِ اِیَّاکُمۡ کَانُوۡا یَعۡبُدُوۡنَ]،[قَالُوۡا سُبۡحٰنَکَ اَنۡتَ وَلِیُّنَا مِنۡ دُوۡنِہِمۡ ۚ بَلۡ کَانُوۡا یَعۡبُدُوۡنَ الۡجِنَّ ۚ اَکۡثَرُہُمۡ بِہِمۡ مُّؤۡمِنُوۡنَ]
[And the Day He will gather them together, He will say to the angels, "Did these people used to worship you?"] [They will say, "Exalted are You! You are our protector, not them. Rather, they used to worship the jinn; most of them believed in them."]
Reference: Saba: 41, 40
Remember that Iblis is also from among the jinn.
It is said: [کَانَ مِنَ الۡجِنِّ]
He (Iblis) was one of the jinn.
Reference: Al-Kahf: 50
The polytheists of Makkah used to call the angels the daughters of Allah and worship them, but the angels will clearly deny and say that these people used to worship Satan and the jinn.
On some amulets, the names of Jibra'il, Mikail, Israfil, or Azrael are written. Some people, to catch thieves, take a clay pot and write these names on it, then write the names of suspicious people on paper and put it inside, thinking that the pot will revolve around the thief's name. All this is worship of Satan. Therefore, Allah Almighty says: [وَاِنۡ یَّدۡعُوۡنَ اِلَّا شَیۡطٰنًا مَّرِیۡدًا] And these people call upon the rebellious Satan.
Reference: An-Nisa:117
Allah Almighty has said: [لَہٗ دَعۡوَۃُ الۡحَقِّ ؕ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ یَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ لَا یَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡنَ لَہُمۡ بِشَیۡءٍ اِلَّا کَبَاسِطِ کَفَّیۡہِ اِلَی الۡمَآءِ لِیَبۡلُغَ فَاہُ وَ مَا ہُوَ بِبَالِغِہٖ ؕ وَ مَا دُعَآءُ الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ اِلَّا فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍ]
Calling upon (Allah) is beneficial. And those who call upon others besides Him, they cannot respond to them. Their example is like one who stretches out his hands to water, hoping that water will reach his mouth, but it cannot. And the call of disbelievers is in vain.
Reference: Ar-Ra'd:14
It is understood that calling upon others besides Allah is like a person asking the water of a well to come into his mouth. He also said:
[وَالَّذِیۡنَ تَدۡعُوۡنَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ مَا یَمۡلِکُوۡنَ مِنۡ قِطۡمِیۡرٍ]،[اِنۡ تَدۡعُوۡہُمۡ لَا یَسۡمَعُوۡا دُعَآءَکُمۡ ۚ وَ لَوۡ سَمِعُوۡا مَا اسۡتَجَابُوۡا لَکُمۡ ؕ وَ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ یَکۡفُرُوۡنَ بِشِرۡکِکُمۡ]
[And those whom you call besides Him do not possess even the shell of a date seed; if you call them, they do not hear your call, and if they hear, they do not respond to your request, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will deny your association (partners) with Allah.]
Reference: Fatir:14,13
It is understood that those other than Allah do not have the power to benefit anyone.
It is also stated: [وَمَنۡ اَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ یَّدۡعُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ مَنۡ لَّا یَسۡتَجِیۡبُ لَہٗۤ اِلٰی یَوۡمِ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ وَ ہُمۡ عَنۡ دُعَآئِہِمۡ غٰفِلُوۡنَ]،[وَ اِذَا 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 him until the Day of Resurrection, and they, of their invocation, are unaware?] [And when the people are gathered, they will be his enemies and will deny their worship.]
Reference: Al-Ahqaf: 6,5
From this verse, it is understood that besides Allah, no one can respond to those who call upon them until the Day of Resurrection. It is also understood that the polytheists used to call upon righteous people, and therefore they will be their enemies.
