✍ Written by: Maqbool Ahmad Salafi, Jeddah Da’wah Center, As-Salamah – Saudi Arabia
Barelwism refers to a path in which people seek their needs not from Allah, but from others besides Him. They bow to other than Allah, consider the deceased as their helper in distress and provider of sustenance, and call upon them for children, rain, livelihood, and every need—even in times of hardship. Hence, their entire focus revolves around graves, tombs, and the dead, instead of turning to Allah. This is the path of shirk (polytheism), leading directly to Hell.
When such grave-worshippers are presented with commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, instead of accepting the truth, they label the one who presents it as wrong and attempt to justify their false beliefs using flawed reasoning. One such invalid argument is what this article aims to clarify.
When we say to a Barelwi:
"Do not ask others besides Allah for help. Do not call upon anyone other than Allah,"
they reply:
“Then why do you ask your mother for food, your father for money, or a tailor for clothes?”
They present various such examples.
This response is absolutely false.
Let us understand the reality behind this.
In Arabic, seeking help is called "isti'anah". It is of two types:
This means seeking help within the realm of possibility, such as:
✔ Asking your mother for food
✔ Asking your father for money
✔ Asking a tailor to sew clothes
These are within their capability and allowed by Allah. But asking them for a child, which is not in their control, is not permissible.
This refers to seeking help in matters that are beyond the control of any creation. Asking for such help from creation is shirk, as only Allah has power over such matters.
So, it is clear:
We can seek help from the creation only in worldly matters within their capability, and not in supernatural matters that belong solely to Allah.
Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said to his daughter Fatimah رضي الله عنها:
"يَا فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ، سَلِينِي مَا شِئْتِ مِنْ مَالِي، لَا أُغْنِي عَنْكِ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا"
“O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! Ask me whatever you want from my wealth, but I can avail you nothing before Allah.”
Explanation:
The Prophet ﷺ had the ability to give wealth in this world, but even to his beloved daughter, he clarified that he could not benefit her before Allah in the Hereafter.
If someone asks:
“Why is calling upon others besides Allah considered shirk?”
Then the answer is:
Calling upon (du‘ā) is a form of worship, and all forms of worship are exclusively for Allah.
Nu'man bin Bashir رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ العِبَادَةُ"
“Du‘ā (supplication) is worship.”
Then he recited:
"وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ"
"And your Lord says, 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Surely, those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell in humiliation.'"
[Surah Ghafir: 60]
This clearly proves that du‘ā is worship, and worship should be only for Allah. Calling upon other than Allah is not just an error, it is shirk.
"وَقَضىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ"
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him.”
[Surah al-Isra: 23]
Some may argue:
“Then why does the Qur'an mention taking a wasīlah (means) or seeking help through prayer?”
Some even say, "Mūsā عليه السلام reduced the 50 prayers to 5, so why do you follow that?”
We pray five daily prayers because Allah commanded so, not because of Mūsā عليه السلام. And Allah has allowed three legitimate forms of wasīlah:
① Wasīlah through Allah's names
E.g. calling upon Allah by His names.
② Wasīlah through one’s righteous deeds
E.g. like the story of the three men trapped in a cave who invoked Allah through their good deeds.
③ Wasīlah through a righteous living person’s du‘ā
E.g. companions asking the Prophet ﷺ for du‘ā during his lifetime; ʿUmar رضي الله عنه asking al-ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه for du‘ā during drought.
Wasīlah through the personality of any dead person
Wasīlah through the status of a saint or shaykh
Example: Saying, “O Allah, accept my du‘ā for the sake of the Prophet or this saint” is not permissible.
The verse in Surah al-Mā’idah encouraging wasīlah refers to using righteous deeds, and seeking help through prayer is itself a permissible wasīlah.
Every believer must only call upon Allah for help. This is clearly stated in both Qur'an and Sunnah.
"إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ"
“You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.”
[Surah al-Fātiḥah]
This verse shows our pledge to seek help only from Allah, not from the dead, not from saints, nor from anyone else.
"وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ"
“Do not call upon anyone besides Allah who can neither benefit you nor harm you. If you do, you will be among the wrongdoers.”
[Surah Yūnus: 106]
"وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ..."
“Who is more misguided than one who calls upon those besides Allah, who will not respond to them until the Day of Judgment…”
[Surah al-Aḥqāf: 5-6]
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ"
“If you ask, ask Allah. If you seek help, seek help from Allah.”
A Muslim must believe that only Allah has control over benefit and harm. Hence, in every matter, we must turn to Allah alone.
Helping one another within natural causes (ma taht al-asbab) is a separate issue. Islam encourages mutual assistance in good.
"وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ"
“Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression.”
[Surah al-Mā’idah: 2]
"مَا أَرَىٰ بَأْسًا مَّنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنكُمْ أَنْ يَنفَعَ أَخَاهُ فَلْيَفْعَلْ"
“There is no harm if one among you can benefit his brother—he should do so.”
May Allah keep us steadfast on Tawḥīd, protect us from shirk and innovation, and guide our misled brothers to the straight path.
آمِيْن يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِين
❖ The Reality of Seeking Help from Other than Allah
◈ Introduction
Barelwism refers to a path in which people seek their needs not from Allah, but from others besides Him. They bow to other than Allah, consider the deceased as their helper in distress and provider of sustenance, and call upon them for children, rain, livelihood, and every need—even in times of hardship. Hence, their entire focus revolves around graves, tombs, and the dead, instead of turning to Allah. This is the path of shirk (polytheism), leading directly to Hell.
When such grave-worshippers are presented with commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, instead of accepting the truth, they label the one who presents it as wrong and attempt to justify their false beliefs using flawed reasoning. One such invalid argument is what this article aims to clarify.
❖ Refuting a Common Argument
When we say to a Barelwi:
"Do not ask others besides Allah for help. Do not call upon anyone other than Allah,"
they reply:
“Then why do you ask your mother for food, your father for money, or a tailor for clothes?”
They present various such examples.
This response is absolutely false.
Let us understand the reality behind this.
❖ Two Types of Seeking Help (الاستعانة)
In Arabic, seeking help is called "isti'anah". It is of two types:
① Isti'anah Ma Taht al-Asbab (Under the means):
This means seeking help within the realm of possibility, such as:
✔ Asking your mother for food
✔ Asking your father for money
✔ Asking a tailor to sew clothes
These are within their capability and allowed by Allah. But asking them for a child, which is not in their control, is not permissible.
② Isti'anah Ma Fawq al-Asbab (Beyond the means):
This refers to seeking help in matters that are beyond the control of any creation. Asking for such help from creation is shirk, as only Allah has power over such matters.
So, it is clear:
We can seek help from the creation only in worldly matters within their capability, and not in supernatural matters that belong solely to Allah.
✿ Hadith Proof:
Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said to his daughter Fatimah رضي الله عنها:
"يَا فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ، سَلِينِي مَا شِئْتِ مِنْ مَالِي، لَا أُغْنِي عَنْكِ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا"
“O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! Ask me whatever you want from my wealth, but I can avail you nothing before Allah.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4771
Explanation:
The Prophet ﷺ had the ability to give wealth in this world, but even to his beloved daughter, he clarified that he could not benefit her before Allah in the Hereafter.
❖ Calling Upon Other Than Allah is Shirk
If someone asks:
“Why is calling upon others besides Allah considered shirk?”
Then the answer is:
Calling upon (du‘ā) is a form of worship, and all forms of worship are exclusively for Allah.
✿ Hadith + Qur'an Proof:
Nu'man bin Bashir رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ العِبَادَةُ"
“Du‘ā (supplication) is worship.”
Then he recited:
"وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ"
"And your Lord says, 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Surely, those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell in humiliation.'"
[Surah Ghafir: 60]
Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 3372, Ṣaḥḥaḥahu al-Albānī
This clearly proves that du‘ā is worship, and worship should be only for Allah. Calling upon other than Allah is not just an error, it is shirk.
❖ Qur'anic Command: Worship Allah Alone
"وَقَضىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ"
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him.”
[Surah al-Isra: 23]
❖ Clarifying the Issue of Wasīlah (Intermediary)
Some may argue:
“Then why does the Qur'an mention taking a wasīlah (means) or seeking help through prayer?”
Some even say, "Mūsā عليه السلام reduced the 50 prayers to 5, so why do you follow that?”
✔ Response:
We pray five daily prayers because Allah commanded so, not because of Mūsā عليه السلام. And Allah has allowed three legitimate forms of wasīlah:
❀ Three Permissible Types of Wasīlah
① Wasīlah through Allah's names
E.g. calling upon Allah by His names.
② Wasīlah through one’s righteous deeds
E.g. like the story of the three men trapped in a cave who invoked Allah through their good deeds.
③ Wasīlah through a righteous living person’s du‘ā
E.g. companions asking the Prophet ﷺ for du‘ā during his lifetime; ʿUmar رضي الله عنه asking al-ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه for du‘ā during drought.
Impermissible Forms of Wasīlah
Wasīlah through the personality of any dead person Wasīlah through the status of a saint or shaykhExample: Saying, “O Allah, accept my du‘ā for the sake of the Prophet or this saint” is not permissible.
Qur'anic Wasīlah Explained:
The verse in Surah al-Mā’idah encouraging wasīlah refers to using righteous deeds, and seeking help through prayer is itself a permissible wasīlah.
❖ Summary: Worship and Seek Help Only from Allah
Every believer must only call upon Allah for help. This is clearly stated in both Qur'an and Sunnah.
✿ Evidence from Surah al-Fātiḥah
"إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ"
“You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.”
[Surah al-Fātiḥah]
This verse shows our pledge to seek help only from Allah, not from the dead, not from saints, nor from anyone else.
✿ Qur'anic Warning
"وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ"
“Do not call upon anyone besides Allah who can neither benefit you nor harm you. If you do, you will be among the wrongdoers.”
[Surah Yūnus: 106]
✿ The Helplessness of the Dead
"وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ..."
“Who is more misguided than one who calls upon those besides Allah, who will not respond to them until the Day of Judgment…”
[Surah al-Aḥqāf: 5-6]
✿ Hadith Instruction
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ"
“If you ask, ask Allah. If you seek help, seek help from Allah.”
Reference: Sunan al-Tirmidhī: 2516, Ṣaḥḥaḥahu al-Albānī
❖ Belief of the Muslim
A Muslim must believe that only Allah has control over benefit and harm. Hence, in every matter, we must turn to Allah alone.
Helping one another within natural causes (ma taht al-asbab) is a separate issue. Islam encourages mutual assistance in good.
✿ Supporting Evidence:
"وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ"
“Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression.”
[Surah al-Mā’idah: 2]
"مَا أَرَىٰ بَأْسًا مَّنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنكُمْ أَنْ يَنفَعَ أَخَاهُ فَلْيَفْعَلْ"
“There is no harm if one among you can benefit his brother—he should do so.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2199
❖ Final Supplication
May Allah keep us steadfast on Tawḥīd, protect us from shirk and innovation, and guide our misled brothers to the straight path.
آمِيْن يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِين
