✦ Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam (Hafizahullah) ✦
﴿إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍۢ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ سَمِيعًۭا بَصِيرًۭا﴾
“Indeed, We created man from a mixed sperm-drop to test him; so We made him hearing and seeing.”
— Surah Al-Dahr (76:2)
"Whatever Allah wills and you will."
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"Have you made me equal to Allah? Rather say: Whatever Allah alone wills."
(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith: 2611)
This clearly illustrates that even with a belief that the Prophet ﷺ had bestowed and limited authority, the utterance was still corrected as Shirk. This single example is sufficient for awakening hearts.
“You are good people, only if you didn’t commit Shirk by saying, ‘Whatever Allah and Muhammad will.’”
When this was reported to the Prophet ﷺ, he confirmed the error and instructed:
“Rather say: ‘Whatever Allah wills, then what Muhammad wills.’”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 2118)
② Avoid words that hint at Shirk.
③ Dreams are not sources of Shari'ah, but if they align with it, no harm in accepting.
④ The Companions presented dreams to the Prophet ﷺ for interpretation and validation.
"What guarantee is there that this is not a punishment? A people before (like ‘Aad) saw it and thought it was rain — but it was torment.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 4829)
During strong winds, the Prophet ﷺ would supplicate:
"O Allah, I ask You for its good and the good of what it brings, and I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil of what it brings."
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2085)
Even though Sayyiduna Mika'il (عليه السلام) is entrusted with rain, the Prophet ﷺ never called upon him for help — proving that even living angels cannot be invoked, let alone the deceased.
“O Mika'il, help us!”
“O Mika'il, send down rain!”
Such invocations are pure Shirk, as they entail calling upon the unseen other than Allah.
Instead, the Prophet ﷺ taught Salat al-Istisqa (the Prayer for Rain) — turning directly to Allah alone.
"O Ali, the remover of difficulties!"
"O Ghaus Azam, our helper!"
"O Chishti, save our boat!"
"Bari Bari Sarkar, change my fate!"
These are clear acts of Shirk. Furthermore, a fabricated prayer titled "Salat Ghausia" is falsely attributed to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (رحمه الله), involving stepping towards Iraq and invoking him — a baseless and heretical practice.
“Who is more misguided than one who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection?”
— Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:5)
﴿وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُوا۟ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُوا۟ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـٰفِرِينَ﴾
“And when people are gathered, they (whom they called upon) will be enemies to them and will deny their worship.”
— Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:6)
"Yā Ḥayy Yā Qayyūm, bi raḥmatika astaghīth"
— “O Ever-Living, O Sustainer! By Your mercy, I seek help.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3524)
He also taught his daughter Fatimah (رضي الله عنها) this same du‘a for healing and sustenance.
“If Allah afflicts you with harm, none can remove it but He…”
— Surah Al-An‘am (6:17)
The Prophet ﷺ used to recite this after prayers:
"O Allah! None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold..."
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 844; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 593)
May Allah grant all of us a true understanding of Tawheed and the ability to uphold it until death.
Ameen.
❖ The Attributes of the Prophets and Saints: Bestowed and Limited
Allah has made some of His servants manifest certain of His perfect attributes. As stated in the Qur'an:﴿إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍۢ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ سَمِيعًۭا بَصِيرًۭا﴾
“Indeed, We created man from a mixed sperm-drop to test him; so We made him hearing and seeing.”
— Surah Al-Dahr (76:2)
❖ The Danger of Attributing Power Alongside Allah
A Companion once said to the Prophet ﷺ:"Whatever Allah wills and you will."
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"Have you made me equal to Allah? Rather say: Whatever Allah alone wills."
(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith: 2611)
This clearly illustrates that even with a belief that the Prophet ﷺ had bestowed and limited authority, the utterance was still corrected as Shirk. This single example is sufficient for awakening hearts.
❖ Warning from a Dream
Hudhayfah bin Yaman (رضي الله عنه) narrated that a Muslim dreamt that a person from the People of the Book said:“You are good people, only if you didn’t commit Shirk by saying, ‘Whatever Allah and Muhammad will.’”
When this was reported to the Prophet ﷺ, he confirmed the error and instructed:
“Rather say: ‘Whatever Allah wills, then what Muhammad wills.’”
(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 2118)
❖ Key Lessons
① Say: "What Allah wills, then what Muhammad wills" — not equating divine and human will.② Avoid words that hint at Shirk.
③ Dreams are not sources of Shari'ah, but if they align with it, no harm in accepting.
④ The Companions presented dreams to the Prophet ﷺ for interpretation and validation.
❖ Calling Upon the Deceased for Help
The belief and practice of the Prophet ﷺ were absolutely pure from Shirk. A'ishah (رضي الله عنها) once asked about the Prophet’s anxiety upon seeing clouds. He replied:"What guarantee is there that this is not a punishment? A people before (like ‘Aad) saw it and thought it was rain — but it was torment.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 4829)
During strong winds, the Prophet ﷺ would supplicate:
"O Allah, I ask You for its good and the good of what it brings, and I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil of what it brings."
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2085)
Even though Sayyiduna Mika'il (عليه السلام) is entrusted with rain, the Prophet ﷺ never called upon him for help — proving that even living angels cannot be invoked, let alone the deceased.
❖ No Instruction to Invoke Mika'il (عليه السلام)
The Prophet ﷺ never taught the Ummah to say: “O Mika'il, help us!” “O Mika'il, send down rain!”Such invocations are pure Shirk, as they entail calling upon the unseen other than Allah.
Instead, the Prophet ﷺ taught Salat al-Istisqa (the Prayer for Rain) — turning directly to Allah alone.
❖ Blasphemous Slogans and the So-Called "Salat Ghausia"
What of those who chant slogans in blind devotion: "O Ali, the remover of difficulties!" "O Ghaus Azam, our helper!" "O Chishti, save our boat!" "Bari Bari Sarkar, change my fate!"These are clear acts of Shirk. Furthermore, a fabricated prayer titled "Salat Ghausia" is falsely attributed to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (رحمه الله), involving stepping towards Iraq and invoking him — a baseless and heretical practice.
❖ Quranic Warnings Against Calling Others Besides Allah
﴿وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ﴾“Who is more misguided than one who invokes besides Allah those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection?”
— Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:5)
﴿وَإِذَا حُشِرَ ٱلنَّاسُ كَانُوا۟ لَهُمْ أَعْدَآءً وَكَانُوا۟ بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَـٰفِرِينَ﴾
“And when people are gathered, they (whom they called upon) will be enemies to them and will deny their worship.”
— Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:6)
❖ The Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ
When distressed, the Prophet ﷺ would say:"Yā Ḥayy Yā Qayyūm, bi raḥmatika astaghīth"
— “O Ever-Living, O Sustainer! By Your mercy, I seek help.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3524)
He also taught his daughter Fatimah (رضي الله عنها) this same du‘a for healing and sustenance.
❖ Sole Divine Control
﴿وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَ﴾“If Allah afflicts you with harm, none can remove it but He…”
— Surah Al-An‘am (6:17)
The Prophet ﷺ used to recite this after prayers:
"O Allah! None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold..."
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 844; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 593)
❖ Final Reflection
Everything in existence is Allah’s creation. All powers, all needs, and all control rest solely with Him. The Prophet ﷺ never invoked anyone else, despite the availability of angels and righteous souls. His path was of pure Tawheed, and so should ours be.May Allah grant all of us a true understanding of Tawheed and the ability to uphold it until death.
Ameen.
