Excerpted from the book: “Āʾīnah Tawḥīd wa Sunnat: A Refutation of ‘Shirk Kya Hai’ with the Reality of Innovation” by Shaykh Abū Ḥudhayfah Muḥammad Jāwīd Salafī
Hafeezur Rahman Qadri writes in his book Shirk Kya Hai (p. 81):
“Today, much noise is raised on this topic — even posters are put up saying: ‘O people, seek help only from Allah! There is no Dātā (giver), no one else to grant you anything!’ You must have come across such slogans.”
Dear readers, seeking help (istiʿānah) is of two types:
① Within the Means (Mātaḥt al-Asbāb)
② Beyond the Means (Māfawq al-Asbāb)
Before presenting Qur’anic arguments, it is necessary to clarify these terms. Many laypeople are misled due to the lack of distinction between these two types, and they fall prey to the deception of misguiding individuals.
Allah ﷻ has made this world a place governed by causes and means (Dār al-Asbāb). Every objective is linked to some cause that helps in its attainment. For instance:
We believe Allah is independent of all causes, and He can do anything without them. Still, we are commanded to adopt the means, while maintaining complete trust in Allah.
Examples of help within means include:
All such cases are permissible in Sharīʿah because they involve accessible means and human ability. Even prophets required help within the means and sought it.
ʿĪsā عليه السلام said to his disciples:
﴿مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ﴾
"Who are my helpers for the cause of Allah?"
They replied: ﴿نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ﴾
"We are Allah's helpers."
— Surah al-Ṣaff (61:14)
This was earthly help for a religious cause, with physical means present.
Another example:
Such help is permissible, even if the helper is a non-Muslim, as long as the task is within his capability.
Even the Anṣār (helpers) of Madinah helped the Muhājirīn with wealth and support:
﴿وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ... وَالْأَنْصَارِ﴾
"And the foremost [in faith] from the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār..."
— Surah al-Tawbah (9:100)
And:
﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى﴾
"Cooperate with one another in righteousness and piety."
— Surah al-Mā’idah (5:2)
This is when:
Such belief is shirk because only Allah has the power to hear and respond without any means.
Some claim that the term “min dūnillāh” (other than Allah) in the Qur'an only refers to idols, but this is a deception. It refers to all creation, including prophets, saints, and any entity besides Allah.
Hence, “min dūnillāh” includes prophets, righteous people, saints, and scholars — not just idols.
And many more verses.
This is misleading. Asking food from a living person with the means is within asbāb. Asking a dead person at their grave is beyond the means, and hence, shirk.
Even Prophets took medicine and made duʿā only to Allah for healing.
If a woman borrows salt or oil from her neighbor, it's valid because the neighbor possesses it.
But if she asks the neighbor for a child, it would be absurd — because no one but Allah can grant children.
Likewise:
— these are exclusive to Allah.
✔ Help within means is permissible.
✔ Help beyond means from anyone other than Allah is shirk.
✔ The Prophets themselves sought help only from Allah beyond means.
✔ The Qur’an decisively negates seeking supernatural help from anyone but Allah.
✔ Arguments based on worldly analogies are flawed when applied to divine powers.
How Does the Qur'an View Seeking Help from Other than Allah?
Hafeezur Rahman Qadri writes in his book Shirk Kya Hai (p. 81):
“Today, much noise is raised on this topic — even posters are put up saying: ‘O people, seek help only from Allah! There is no Dātā (giver), no one else to grant you anything!’ You must have come across such slogans.”
❖ Clarification Before Qur’anic Evidences
Dear readers, seeking help (istiʿānah) is of two types:
① Within the Means (Mātaḥt al-Asbāb)
② Beyond the Means (Māfawq al-Asbāb)
Before presenting Qur’anic arguments, it is necessary to clarify these terms. Many laypeople are misled due to the lack of distinction between these two types, and they fall prey to the deception of misguiding individuals.
Types of Help
① Help Within the Means (ماتحت الاسباب)
Allah ﷻ has made this world a place governed by causes and means (Dār al-Asbāb). Every objective is linked to some cause that helps in its attainment. For instance:
- To regain health, we use medicine — a practice even the prophets and companions followed.
- To earn a living, we work hard.
- To have children, one gets married.
We believe Allah is independent of all causes, and He can do anything without them. Still, we are commanded to adopt the means, while maintaining complete trust in Allah.
Examples of help within means include:
- A hungry person asking for food.
- A thirsty person requesting water from someone present.
- A sick person calling a doctor and taking prescribed medicine.
All such cases are permissible in Sharīʿah because they involve accessible means and human ability. Even prophets required help within the means and sought it.
Qur'anic Example of Seeking Help Within Means:
ʿĪsā عليه السلام said to his disciples:
﴿مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ﴾
"Who are my helpers for the cause of Allah?"
They replied: ﴿نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ﴾
"We are Allah's helpers."
— Surah al-Ṣaff (61:14)
This was earthly help for a religious cause, with physical means present.
Another example:
- Lifting a heavy object with someone’s assistance.
- A drowning man calling someone nearby to save him.
Such help is permissible, even if the helper is a non-Muslim, as long as the task is within his capability.
Even the Anṣār (helpers) of Madinah helped the Muhājirīn with wealth and support:
﴿وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ... وَالْأَنْصَارِ﴾
"And the foremost [in faith] from the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār..."
— Surah al-Tawbah (9:100)
And:
﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى﴾
"Cooperate with one another in righteousness and piety."
— Surah al-Mā’idah (5:2)
② Help Beyond the Means (مافوق الاسباب)
This is when:
- A person in need calls upon someone distant, dead, or absent.
- There are no material means for their voice to reach or for the person called to respond.
- Yet, the caller believes that the invoked can hear, know, and help him — even without any means.
Such belief is shirk because only Allah has the power to hear and respond without any means.❖ Important Clarification: “Min Dūnillāh” in the Qur'an
Some claim that the term “min dūnillāh” (other than Allah) in the Qur'an only refers to idols, but this is a deception. It refers to all creation, including prophets, saints, and any entity besides Allah.
Qur’anic Evidences:
- ﴿مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ... كُونُوا عِبَادًا لِي مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ﴾
"It is not for any human being... to say, 'Be my servants instead of Allah.'"
— Surah Āl ʿImrān (3:79) - ﴿اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ... مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ﴾
"They took their rabbis and monks, and the Messiah, as lords besides Allah."
— Surah al-Tawbah (9:31)
Hence, “min dūnillāh” includes prophets, righteous people, saints, and scholars — not just idols.
Qur’anic Verses Denying Help from Other than Allah (Māfawq al-Asbāb):
- ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عِبَادٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ﴾
"Indeed, those you call upon besides Allah are servants like you."
— Surah al-Aʿrāf (7:194) - ﴿وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى...﴾
"Did you say: Take me and my mother as gods besides Allah?"
— Surah al-Mā’idah (5:116) - ﴿وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ﴾
"Victory is only from Allah."
— Surah al-Anfāl (8:10) - ﴿وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ﴾
"You have no protector or helper besides Allah."
— Surah al-Baqarah (2:107) - ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ... لَا يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَكُمْ﴾
"Those you call upon besides Him will not respond to you."
— Surah al-Raʿd (13:14)
And many more verses.
How the Prophets Sought Help:
- Prophet Nūḥ عليه السلام said:
﴿إِنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ﴾
"I am overpowered, so help me!"
— Surah al-Qamar (54:10)
- Prophet Hūd عليه السلام said:
﴿رَبِّ انصُرْنِي﴾
"My Lord, help me!"
— Surah al-Mu’minūn (23:39)
- Battle of Badr:
﴿وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ...﴾
"Allah indeed helped you at Badr."
— Surah Āl ʿImrān (3:123)
❖ Refuting the Excuse: “You Ask Food from Your Wife, So Why Not from Saints?”
This is misleading. Asking food from a living person with the means is within asbāb. Asking a dead person at their grave is beyond the means, and hence, shirk.
- Seeking medicine from a doctor is seeking within means.
- Believing the doctor heals without medicine would be beyond the means — which is false.
Even Prophets took medicine and made duʿā only to Allah for healing.
Logical Analogy:
If a woman borrows salt or oil from her neighbor, it's valid because the neighbor possesses it.
But if she asks the neighbor for a child, it would be absurd — because no one but Allah can grant children.
Likewise:
- Provision
- Healing
- Life and Death
— these are exclusive to Allah.
❖ Final Qur’anic Commandments
- ﴿إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ﴾
"You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help."
— Surah al-Fātiḥah (1:5) - ﴿فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ﴾
"If you do (call upon others), you will be among the wrongdoers."
— Surah Yūnus (10:106) - Hadith:
"When you ask, ask Allah. When you seek help, seek it from Allah."
—Reference: Tirmidhī: 2512| Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī
Conclusion
✔ Help within means is permissible.
✔ Help beyond means from anyone other than Allah is shirk.
✔ The Prophets themselves sought help only from Allah beyond means.
✔ The Qur’an decisively negates seeking supernatural help from anyone but Allah.
✔ Arguments based on worldly analogies are flawed when applied to divine powers.
