Source: Sermons of Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq Zahid, compiled by: Tauheed.com
Brothers in Islam! Every Muslim must have firm belief that the Owner of benefit and harm is only Allah Almighty. No one else has this authority. Neither any saint nor any elder. Neither any spiritual guide nor any prophet, even the Chief of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who is the leader of all mankind and the Imam of all the Prophets and Messengers, was the owner of benefit and harm for anyone, let alone for himself.
Evidence from the Holy Quran
Allah Almighty says:
﴿قُل لَّا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ ۚ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٨٨﴾
"Say, 'I do not possess for myself any harm or benefit except what Allah should will. And if I had knowledge of the unseen, I could have acquired much good, and no harm would have touched me. I am only a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe.'"
Reference: Surah Al-A'raf:188
◄ In this noble verse, consider that when the Imam of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, does not even have control over benefit and harm for himself, then how can any lesser saint, elder, or spiritual guide, whose graves people deliberately visit, have the authority to bring benefit or harm to anyone?
The Helplessness of Others Besides Allah
And regarding those from whom people expect benefit and fear harm, Allah Almighty says:
﴿قُلْ أَفَرَأَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَاشِفَاتُ ضُرِّهِ أَوْ أَرَادَنِي بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَاتُ رَحْمَتِهِ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾
"Say, 'What do you think about those whom you call upon besides Allah? If Allah intends to harm me, can they remove His harm? Or if He intends to have mercy on me, can they withhold His mercy?' Say, 'Sufficient for me is Allah; in Him those who trust should put their trust.'"
Reference: Surah Az-Zumar: 38
◄ In this noble verse, it is as if Allah Almighty has challenged that if anyone other than Allah has the power of benefit and harm, then let those whom Allah wishes to harm protect them from that harm, or those whom Allah wishes to bless with His mercy, let them prevent that mercy! Meaning, they cannot do so.
Allah's Mercy and Authority
Similarly, Allah Almighty says:
﴿مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿٢﴾
"Whomever Allah grants mercy, none can withhold it; and whomever He withholds mercy, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the Almighty, the Wise."
Reference: Surah Fatir:2
Prohibition of Calling upon Others besides Allah
Allah Almighty's command is:
﴿ وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٠٦﴾وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٠٧﴾
"And do not call upon any other than Allah, who neither benefits you nor harms you. If you do so, then you will be among the wrongdoers. And if Allah intends any harm for you, there is none who can remove it except Him; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can withhold His favor. He bestows His favor upon whom He wills among His servants. And He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful."
Reference: Surah Yunus: 106-107
In this noble verse, where Allah Almighty has forbidden calling anyone other than Allah as the owner of benefit and harm, it is also stated: O Muhammad, if you do so, then (may Allah protect us) you will be among the wrongdoers. There, Allah Almighty has also made it clear that if anyone wants to harm His beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), no one can remove that harm, and if He wishes to bestow favor upon him, no one can prevent that favor. This is clear evidence that this authority belongs only to Allah Almighty. And just think! If no one except Allah can protect the Imam of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), from harm, then who among ordinary Muslims can protect anyone from harm except Allah?
Correct Belief and Reliance
◄ Therefore, one should neither hope for benefit from anyone other than Allah nor fear any harm from them.
◄ To fear anything other than Allah that it can harm by its will and power is the greatest shirk.
Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said:
﴿وَلَا أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ رَبِّي شَيْئًا ۗ وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا ۗ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٨٠﴾ وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا﴾
"And I do not fear those whom you associate with Allah, but only fear my Lord. And He has knowledge of all things. Do you not then take admonition? And how should I fear those whom you associate with Allah while you do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He has not sent down any authority?"
Reference: Surah Al-An'am: 80-81
Destiny and Trust in Allah
﴿قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٥١﴾
"Say, 'No disaster befalls us except what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.' And upon Allah let the believers rely."
From this verse, it is understood that one should not be afraid of any spiritual leader, ascetic, or elder, and must have firm belief that no one can cause harm to anyone without the will of Allah Almighty. Such fear should only be of Allah because He alone is the One who has the power to cause harm by His will. And if He does not intend to cause harm, then no elder, spiritual leader, or shrine caretaker in the world can cause any harm.
Reference: Surah At-Tawbah:51
Noble Hadiths
(( وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْأمَّةَ لَوِ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلٰی أَنْ یَّنْفَعُوْكَ بِشَیْئٍ،لَمْ یَنْفَعُوْكَ إِلَّا بِشَیْئٍ قَدْ کَتَبَہُ اللّٰہُ لَكَ ، وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوْا عَلٰی أَنْ یَّضُرُّوْكَ بِشَیْئٍ لَمْ یَضُرُّوْكَ إِلَّا بِشَیْئٍی قَدْ کَتَبَہُ اللّٰہُ عَلَیْكَ ))
"And believe that if the entire Ummah gathers to benefit you, they cannot benefit you except with what Allah has decreed for you. And if the entire Ummah gathers to harm you, they cannot harm you except with what Allah has decreed for you."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi:2516
Brothers in Islam! The fundamental belief we mentioned regarding profit and loss is related to the fact that many people consider the month of Safar to be an unlucky month and do not consider it appropriate to start any work in it because they believe that any work started in this month will have no goodness or blessing and will ultimately fail. That is, they fear this month thinking that it will only bring loss and damage, whereas the belief we have just mentioned in the light of the Quran and Hadith is completely wrong to consider any month as unlucky and fear starting any work in it. All months belong to Allah Almighty, and profit and loss in every month come only from Allah.
◄ Considering the month of Safar as unlucky is a wrong belief.
◄ All months belong to Allah Almighty.
◄ Profit and loss have no connection with any month.
(( لَا عَدْوَی وَلَا طِیَرَۃَ وَلَا ہَامَةَ وَلَا صَفْرَ ))
"It is neither correct to take superstition nor is it correct to take superstition from the month of Safar."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:5757
Therefore, Muslims should not hold this ignorant belief. On the contrary, they should place their trust and reliance solely in Allah Almighty, for every kind of benefit and harm is in His hands. Benefit and harm have no connection with any month.
What is superstition? Superstition means that a person has firmly decided to do something, but after seeing or hearing something, he does not do that work. In the time of ignorance, when a person wanted to leave the house for some work, he would release a bird and observe it; if it flew to the right, he would proceed, and if it flew to the left, he would take it as a bad omen and return. The Shariah has prohibited such superstition, and in fact, taking bad omens and fortune-telling is considered shirk (associating partners with Allah). Because a person who does this is not relying on Allah, but rather on something that has no significance.
Definition of Superstition
◄ After intending to do something, stopping upon seeing or hearing something is superstition.
Ruling on Superstition
(( مَنْ رَدَّتْہُ الطِّیَرَۃُ عَنْ حَاجَتِهِ فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ))
’’ Whoever is prevented from doing something due to superstition has certainly committed shirk.
Reference: Musnad Ahmad:7045
Some people take bad omen from a person. For example, if early in the morning while going somewhere for their work, they meet a poor or a beggar, they say, "This is a bad omen for the morning; today will not be good." Or if there is any loss in the house, they say, "This happened because of this unlucky woman," or taking bad omen from one of their children, they say, "This is the reason for the loss!" Thus, taking bad omen from a person is not correct.
Allah Almighty has mentioned in the Holy Quran, where He talks about the first nations, that many nations used to take bad omen from their prophets, and when any calamity befell them, they said that it happened because of that prophet.
For example, regarding the people of Prophet Musa (Moses), Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَٰذِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣١﴾
"So when good came to them, they said, 'This is ours.' And if evil struck them, they took bad omen from Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their bad omen is with Allah, but most of them do not know." [Surah Al-A'raf: 131]
Similarly, Allah Almighty has mentioned the same behavior of many other nations that they took bad omen from their prophets and those who believed in them and considered them unlucky.
In summary, it does not suit a believer to take bad omen from anyone or consider anyone unlucky in case of loss. Rather, it should be that even before the loss occurs, he has firm belief that no harm can happen without Allah's command. And after the loss, he should say that this was written by Allah and it was destined to happen.
Some people take omens and predictions through stars. For example, they say about someone, "Your star is such and such, and it is currently in transit, so the business you start now will incur loss," or "If you marry now, it will not be blessed." However, a person's fate or future affairs have no connection with the stars.
◄ Predicting fate through stars is an act of ignorance.
أَرْبَعٌ فِیْ أمَّتِیْ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْجَاھِلِیَّةِ لَا یَتْرُکُوْنَہُنَّ : اَلْفَخْرُ فِیْ الْأحْسَابِ ، وَالطَّعْنُ فِیْ الْأنْسَابِ،وَالْإِسْتِسْقَاءُ بِالنُّجُوْمِ،وَالنِّیَاحَةُ۔
"Among the acts of ignorance, there will be four in my Ummah which they will not be willing to abandon: boasting based on lineage (tribe), insulting someone's ancestry, predicting fate through stars (or seeking rain through stars), and lamentation."
Reference: Al-Silsilah Al-Saheehah:944
In this noble hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) counted the practice of determining fate through the stars among the matters of ignorance (Jahiliyyah). That is, it has no connection with Islam. Therefore, Muslims should avoid it.
Similarly, Hazrat Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led the morning prayer after the night rain at Hudaybiyyah, then he said:
(( ہَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّکُمْ ؟ ))
"Do you know what your Lord has said today?"
The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said: Allah and His Messenger know best.
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
(( قَالَ :أَصْبَحَ مِنْ عِبَادِیْ مُؤْمِنٌ بِیْ وَکَافِرٌ ۔ فَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ:مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللّٰہِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَذَلِكَ مُؤْمِنٌ بِیْ وَکَافِرٌ بِالْکَوَاکِبِ،وَأَمَّا مَنْ قَالَ:مُطِرْنَا بِنَوْءِ کَذَا وَکَذَا فَذَلِكَ کَافِرٌ بِیْ مُؤْمِنٌ بِالْکَوَاکِبِ))
"Allah has said that today some of My servants woke up in a state of faith and some in a state of disbelief. So whoever said that rain has fallen upon us by the grace and mercy of Allah, then he is a believer in Me and denies the influence of the stars. And whoever said that rain has fallen upon us because of such and such stars, then he has disbelieved in Me and believed in the stars."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 846
From this hadith, it is established that a person who believes in the influence of stars on weather conditions is one who disbelieves in Allah. Similarly, such a person is one who believes in the influence of stars on someone's fate.
Regarding astrologers, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) clearly stated that these people have no connection with Islam and Muslims. Likewise, those who go to them and narrate their problems so that they find solutions through stars, etc., also have no connection with Islam.
It is stated:
(( لَیْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ تَطَیَّرَ أَوْ تُطِیِّرَ لَہُ،أَوْ تَکَہَّنَ أَوْ تُکِہِّنَ لَہُ،أَوْ سَحَرَ أَوْ سُحِرَ لَہُ))
"He is not one of us who brings bad omen or for whom bad omen is brought, or who practices soothsaying or for whom soothsaying is practiced, or who practices magic or for whom magic is practiced."
Reference: Majma' al-Zawa'id:8480
And that is why going to such people and asking them about matters of fate is forbidden, indeed it is minor shirk (polytheism), those who predict fate by looking at stars or the lines on the hands. Going to such people and asking such questions is such a grave sin that the prayers of the one who does so for forty days are not accepted by Allah Almighty.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
(( مَنْ أَتٰی عَرَّافًا فَسَأَلَہُ عَنْ شَیْئٍی لَمْ تُقْبَلْ لَہُ صَلاَ ۃُ أَرْبَعِیْنَ لَیْلَةٌ ))
"Whoever goes to a soothsayer or astrologer and asks him about something, his prayers for forty nights will not be accepted."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2230
And the person who goes to such people and asks them questions and confirms whatever they say is like one who has denied the Shariah revealed to the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him.
The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( مَنْ أَتٰی عَرَّافًا أَوْ کَاہِنًا فَصَدَّقَہُ بِمَا یَقُوْلُ فَقَدْ کَفَرَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ صلي الله عليه وسلم ))
"Whoever goes to a soothsayer (one who claims knowledge of the unseen) and then confirms his words, has disbelieved in the religion of Allah revealed to Muhammad, peace be upon him."
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 9532
Therefore, one should never trade away their religion by going to such people. And for the protection of religion, it is necessary that we neither go to such people nor ask them any questions. Rather, in all matters, place complete trust in Allah Almighty and consider Allah alone as the Owner of benefit and harm. This is a very important issue of Islamic belief in which many Muslims have gone astray today. May Allah guide everyone and grant us the ability to reform our belief and practice. Ameen.
Respected gentlemen! Having complete trust in Allah Almighty and considering Him alone as the owner of benefit and harm is such a great deed that the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad ﷺ, included among those fortunate ones who will enter Paradise without reckoning, a person who does not go to anyone for ruqyah (spiritual healing) or incantations but recites Quranic verses and Sunnah supplications upon himself. He does not take superstition and relies solely on Allah Almighty.
Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
’’Previous nations were presented before me. I saw a prophet with only a few people (less than ten) with him. Another prophet had only one or two people with him. And one prophet had no one with him. Then suddenly I was shown a very large group. I thought that perhaps this is my nation. Then I was told that this is Musa (Moses) AS and his people. Look towards that horizon. I saw a great multitude of people. Then I was told to look towards another horizon. I saw another great multitude. I was told that this is your nation and among them are seventy thousand people who will enter Paradise without reckoning.
Then the Prophet ﷺ stood up and went to his house. The people (Sahabah RA) began to ponder over those seventy thousand people who would enter Paradise without reckoning. Some said that perhaps they are the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. Some said no, they mean those who were born in Islam and never committed shirk (polytheism). Some expressed other opinions. Suddenly the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came back. He asked: What are you pondering about? The people told him that they were thinking about who those seventy thousand people are who will enter Paradise without reckoning. The Prophet ﷺ said:
(( ہُمُ الَّذِیْنَ لَا یَرْقُوْنَ ، وَلَا یَسْتَرْقُوْنَ،وَلَا یَتَطَیَّرُوْنَ ، وَعَلٰی رَبِّہِمْ یَتَوَکَّلُوْنَ ))
’’They are those who neither perform ruqyah nor have it performed on them, nor do they take superstition, and they rely solely on their Lord Almighty.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:6472
Hearing this, Hazrat Ukasha bin Mihsan (RA) stood up and said: Pray to Allah that He includes me among them. The Prophet ﷺ said: You are among them. Then another man stood up and said: Pray for me also that I may be included among them. The Prophet ﷺ said: (( سَبَقَكَ بِہَا عُکَاشَةُ)) ’’Ukasha (RA) has preceded you.’’
In a narration in Muslim, whose narrator is Hazrat Imran bin Husain (RA), the Prophet ﷺ described the characteristics of those seventy thousand people as follows:
(( ہُمُ الَّذِیْنَ لَا یَسْتَرْقُوْنَ، وَلَا یَتَطَیَّرُوْنَ،وَ لَا یَکْتَوُوْنَ،وَعَلٰی رَبِّہِمْ یَتَوَکَّلُوْنَ ))
’’They do not perform ruqyah, do not take superstition, do not brand their bodies with fire, and rely solely on their Lord Almighty.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:5705
Therefore, if we want Allah Almighty to admit us into Paradise without reckoning, then we must also adopt these great characteristics mentioned by the Noble Prophet ﷺ in this hadith. May Allah Almighty grant us all the ability to do so.
We conclude today's sermon with the prayer that Allah Almighty grants us all the ability to remain on the straight path until our last breath. Ameen.
