Calling upon other
than Allah(swt). Shirk!?
Shias are commited of Shirk
(associate partners with Allah) when they say “Ya Mohamed,” “Ya Ali,”
…etc.*
*Ofcoarse Shirk or what is know as Polytheism is haram.
Wahabies & Sunnies usually go through the exact same sequence when it
comes to the issue of intercession. The Discussion about this matter
usually start by the Sunnies/Wahabies saying:" If anyone asks other than
Allah it is shirk. For example the Quran says: "Thee (alone) we worship;
Thee (alone) we ask for help." Quran[1:5]"
Such claims can be refuted so easily by indicating that these people
have taken this verse out of context, and let me show you how. For
example, if your friend has asked you to help him move furniture from
one place to another, will your friend be committing shirk? He is asking
you for help isn’t he? Why doesn't he ask Allah(swt) to help him/her
straight away !? Why does he call upon you for your help!? According to
the ideology such people have, then such a person asking others for help
is also Shirk!
as for the claim that "err, it is ok to ask the living for help because
they can help you, but you can’t ask the dead for help." Backing up
their selves with Verses from the Holy Quran such as :" Verily! thou
canst not make the dead to hear, nor canst thou make the deaf to hear
the call when they have turned to flee. " Quran[27:80] they also claim
that the Dead can't hear so for that reason it is Shirk to call upon the
Prophet(pbuh&hf) and the Holy Imams(as) though this understanding of
theirs is contradictory to the Holy Quran itself and their Narrations
books.
First Allah(swt) in the Holy Quran says:
"And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay,
(they are) alive, but you do not perceive." Quran[2:154]
Taking this verse into perspective, Prophet Mohammad(pbuh&hf) and the
Holy Imams(as) are not dead, for they have been slain in the way of
Allah(swt) and thus are not to be called dead because they are not.
Secondly, According to
Saheeh Bukhari (Volume 2, Book 23, Number 453), This verse means
that the dead now know that the prophet used to say the truth.
Moreover, there are many narrations in Sunnie books that prove that the
dead can hear. For Example, in
Saheeh Bukhari (Volume 2, Book 23, Number 452) and
(Volume 5, Book 59, Number 360) the Prophet(pbuh&hf) told the
companions that the dead hear better than us.
*Read these Hadeeths Online from the links provided above.
And this is when the Sunnies usually stop. They do not grasp how deep
Tawheed(Monotheism) is in the school of Ahlul-bayt(as). Shias say that
anything can be done only with Allah’s well. For example, if someone
believes that water will quench his thirst independent from Allah, this
is shirk. If someone believes that the doctor can cure him independent
from Allah, this is shirk. Shias say that everything happens with God’s
well. And praying to any other than Allah is Shirk.
There are many evidences to prove that intercession is permitted and
actually encouraged.
1. Qurananic Evidence.
A."O ye who believe! Be mindful of your duty to Allah, and seek
the way of approach unto Him, and strive in His way in order that ye may
succeed." Quran[5:35].
Allah(swt) is telling us to mind our duty and find means of approaching
him. Allah can be approached through good deeds like prayer, fasting,
charity, and through the dearest to Allah. And who is closer to Allah
than the best of creation, Prophet Mohammad(pbuh&hf) and his
Household(as).
B.“We did not send a messenger but that he should be obeyed by
Allah’s permission; and had they, when they had done injustice to
themselves, come to you and asked Allah’s forgiveness; and the messenger
(also) had asked pardon for them, surely, they would have found Allah
oft-returning, merciful” Quran[4:64]
Here it has been made clear that the presence of the Prophet of Allah
(SWT) has been a way for the people to use as a means of approach in
asking forgiveness.
2. Logical Evidence.
Imagine someone who wants to work in a company, but he does not think
that he is qualified to get the job. It happens that the President of
the company is the father of his friend. Now, his chances of being hired
in that company are higher if he applies to the position through his
friend than if he applied by himself. Then, it is up to the president of
the company to accept that person’s application or not.
This is a good parable that explains what intercession is. Many of us
might have sins that hinder the dua’, and we can have better chances of
the dua’ being accepted by Allah if we ask him by the sake of those whom
he loves.
3. Hadith Evidence.
A.Narrated Anas: Whenever there was drought, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab
used to ask Allah for rain through Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib,
saying, “ O Allah! We used to request our Prophet to ask You for rain,
and You would give us. Now we request the uncle of our Prophet to ask
You for rain, so give us rain.” And they would be given rain.” (Volume
5, Book 57, Number 59)
B. Al-Bukhari narrated in his book “ Al-Adab Al-Mofrad” the
following narration that has also been authenticated by Ibn Taimiah in
his book “ Al-Kalim Al Taib”: Narrated Al-Haytham bin Khanash: he said:
“ we were with Abdullah bin ‘Umar when his leg fill numb, so a man told
him: “ mention the dearest man to you,” so he said, “ Ya Mohamed” and he
got better.
This has also been narrated by:
·Ibn Al-Sni in “ ‘Amal Al-Youm wa Al-Layla”
·Al-Nawawi in his book “ Al-Athkar”
·Alhafith Shams Al-Din bin Al-Jazary in his book “ Al-Husn Al-Hasin”
Prophet Musa(as) and Prophet Muhammad(pbuh&hf) both prayed for helpers
to ease their burdens
Right from the beginning of his mission Musa(as) prayed as follows:
“Musa said: O Allah! assign me a Vizier from my family, (that is) my
brother Haroon. Add to my strength through him, and make him share my
task: that we may celebrate thy praise without stint... (Allah) said:
“We granted your requests, O Musa” Holy Quran[20:29-36]
Now here Musa(as) is asking for help, not from Allah(swt) alone but from
his brother as well. He is NOT turning to Allah(swt) exclusively for
help he is asking help from another human as well, is this an act of
shirk?
Interestingly Suyuti in his commentary of the above verse sites the
following tradition:
“When this verse descended, The Prophet(pbuh&hf) was on a mountain,
straight after it’s descent, The Prophet(pbuh&hf) prayed to Allah, ‘Oh
Allah! Through my brother Ali, ease the burden on my back’, and Allah
accepted this prayer”
Tafsir Durre Manthur, by Jaladin Suyuti, Vol 4 p 295
Why is Rasulullah(pbuh&hf) not asking Allah(swt) for help? Would Al
Khider not assert that calling on others for help is Shirk? Yet here
Rasulullah (s) is asking Allah (swt) that Ali (as) be made his helper.
This being the case is it not Sunnah to seek help from Imam Ali (as)?
Whose words should we deem to be more important, those of all Khider or
those of Rasulullah (s)?
The Bani Israil turned to Prophet Musa(as) for help
In Surah Araf we read as follows:
“We divided them into twelve tribes or nations. We directed Moses by
inspiration, when his (thirsty) people asked him for water: "Strike the
rock with thy staff": out of it there gushed forth twelve springs: Each
group knew its own place for water. We gave them the shade of clouds,
and sent down to them manna and quails, (saying): "Eat of the good
things We have provided for you": (but they rebelled); to Us they did no
harm, but they harmed their own souls" Holy Quran[7:160].
Here the tribe of Bani Israil were thirsty, rather than seek Allah(swt)
for sustenance they turned to Hadhrath Musa(as) to answer their prayers.
Now if seeking the aid of another is Shirk then surely Musa(as) would
have condemned them and told them to pray to Allah(swt), but he did not.
Here the 'rod' acted as a Wasila, Allah(swt) could have sent down rain
from the skies, and yet Allah(swt) instructed Musa(as) to strike the rod
on the rock. The Bani Israil turned to Musa(as) and it was through
him(as) that Allah(swt) answered their prayers.
Prophet Sulayman(as) sought the help of the people not Allah(swt)
And then we have these verses in Surah Naml:
"He said (to his own men): "Ye chiefs! which of you can bring me her
throne before they come to me in submission?"
Said an 'Ifrit, of the Jinns: "I will bring it to thee before thou rise
from thy council: indeed I have full strength for the purpose, and may
be trusted."
Said one who had knowledge of the Book: "I will bring it to thee within
the twinkling of an eye!" Then when (Solomon) saw it placed firmly
before him, he said: "This is by the Grace of my Lord!- to test me
whether I am grateful or ungrateful! and if any is grateful, truly his
gratitude is (a gain) for his own soul; but if any is ungrateful, truly
my Lord is Free of all Needs, Supreme in Honour !" Holy Quran[27:38-40]
So here we learn:
1. Prophet Sulayman(as) asked for the throne of Bilkis to be brought to
him
2. He(as) did not pray to Allah(swt) he asked for the help from his
supporters
3. A Servant with partial knowledge of the Book was able to bring the
throne within the twinkling of an eye.
Now clearly a Prophet(as) has more power than an ordinary human being
and yet he asked for help from one of his companions, if seeking the
help from other than Allah(swt) is shirk, then why did Prophet
Sulayman(as) seek the help from am inferior subject? Would you logic not
deem this to be an act of shirk?
Now, if a Prophet(as) can seek the assistance of an individual with a
partial knowledge of the Book why can’t I seek help from Rasulullah(pbuh&hf)
who was the talking Qur’an, or from Maula Ali(as) who declared that he
had a complete knowledge of the Book? In this regards we have the
testimony of the great Sahaba Ibn Mas'ud said:
"The Holy Quran has outward and inward meanings, and Ali Ibn Abi Talib
has the knowledge of both."
Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu'aym, v1, p65
In addition contemplate these words of Imam Ali(as):
“ask me about the Book of Allah, because there is no Ayah but that I
know whether it was revealed at night or in daytime, on the plain or in
the mountain”
History of the Khailfa’s who took the right way by Jalaladeen Suyuti,
English translation by Abdassamad Clarke, p 194 |