From Differences in the Ummah and the Straight Path by Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Ludhianvi Translated by Maulana Zahier Ahmed Ragie pg 39-43

To Call for Assistance from Someone Besides Allah

The Famous Masala under this caption is, whether it is permissible to say “Ya Rasulullah” (salalahu alayhi wa salam).

My view on this is, that there are various occasions and condotions for saying “Ya Rasulullah”(salalahu alayhi wa salam), and each occasion warrants a different ruling.

e.g. Poets, sometimes address the mountains, animals, birds, etc in their poetry. None of these poets hold the belief that these objects listen and respond to their poetry. These are merely imaginary words upon which no reality is determined.

Similarly when poets address Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam or any other saint in this manner, no truth or reality is determined in their address. I regard such forms of address permissible.

Another occasion is when people in love, sometimes, call the name of the beloved or when a mother calls the name of her deceased child, knowing her voice would not reach him (the deceased) in his grave, nor can he respond to her call, she only does so due to the maternal love for the child.

Similarly those who possess true love for Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam and who only gain comfort in taking his name knowing that Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam cannot hear them. The calling of “Ya rasulullah” (salalahu alayhi wa salam) of such epople is permissible provided there exists no corruption in their beliefs.

A third occasion is that a person reads durood sharief with these words. And believes that angels carry this durood to the grave of rasulullah (salalahu alayhi wa salam). This is also permissible, for Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam is reported to have said

‘I personally listen to the durood read at my grave, while the durood read from a distance is brought to me (by the angels)’

In another hadith

Surely some angels of Allah move around on earth and bring to me the durood and salam of my ummah.

In another hadith it is reported

‘Do not make your homes graveyards and do not make my grave a festival, send durood upon me, from wherever you send durood upon me it reaches me.’

Although the correct way to send durood from a distance is the way personally taught by Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam. One should not use a present tense (ya) when sending durood from a distance. However if this belief is not tainted with any corruption or there is no fear of future corruption it would be permissible for him to use the words ‘Ya Rasulullah’ salalahu alayhi wa salam.

The fourth way of sending durood is that a person uses the words Ya Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam with this intention that Allah listens to everything of everybody similarly rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam personally listens to the durood of everyone immaterial of the distance. This form of sending durood is not permissible and is contrary to the qURAN, HADEETH, AND NO ROOM EXISTS FOR SUCH BELIEFS IN THE ISLAMIC LAW OR THE HANAFI FIQH.

Since the general masses are not particularly careful with regard to the limits of the shariah , the salaf as saliheen exercised extraordinary care in these matters.

It is reported in Saheeh Bukhari on the authority of Sayidinah Abdullah ibn masood Radhiallahu anhu

“We used to read (peace be upon you O Prophet salalahu alayhiw a salam) in our tashahood for as long as rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam was living. But when Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam passed away we beegan reading (Peace be upon the prophet salalahu alayhi wa salam).

The aim of the sahabah radhiallahu anhu was to inform us that the present tense used in tashahood was not based on the belief that Rasullullah salalahu alayhi wa salam is omnipresent and able to personally listen to the durood of everyone, but here the present tesnse is used as was used by Allah on the occasion of Meraj.

When standing in front of the grave of Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam and sending durood, one should use the present tense (Ya Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam) because rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam, who is living in his Rodha, hears and replies personally to the durood and salam read. In fact it is not only permissible but preferable to use the present tense when at the Rodha at’har of Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam.

These are the few ways of sending durood upon Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam which I have explained together with its respective rulings.

Now concerning those in our midst who say “Ya rasulullah ” salalahu alayhi wa salam with what intention, belief and circumstances they say these words, this you may decide for yourself. I however wish to elucidate two points.

Firstly

The shias have innovated the Slogan ‘Ya Ali’ Some people emulating them have imitated the slogan ‘Ya Rasulullah’ salalahu alayhi wa salam. But I have not found Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam, the Sahabah Radhiallahu anhum or any of the Salaf raising any slogan besides Allahu akbar. Nor does the Quran, hadeeth or any fiqhi kitab sanction such slogans.

I therefore regard it as nothing but a practice of the shia from which the Ahlus sunnah wal Jamaat are completely free.

Secondly

As in the form of dua (supplication) or Dhikr (remembrance) the names of Allah are read individually or in a form of a Wazifa (litany). To read in a similar manner the name of a prophet or any other saint is absolutely forbidden in islam. Since these and similar acts are classified as Ibadah in terms of shariah, and ibadah is an exclusive right of Allah alone, rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam and the saahabah or the Auliya never at any time read the Wazifa of any person.

Hadrat Qadi Thanaullah Pani Patti Rahimullah wirtes in Irshadut Talibeen

‘To read the Wazifa (litany) in the name of any saint as certain ignorant people do is not allowed in Islam.

It is also stated in Irshadut Talibeen p19

To read Muhammed Rasulullah (salalahu alyahi wa salam) simultaneously with the Dhikr of Allah as in Adhaan, iqamat, Kalima etc is an ibadah. However to read the name of Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam in a way other than prescribed in shariah eg to read the wazifa (Litany) “Ya Muhammad, Ya muhammad (salalahu alayhi wa salam) is not permissible.

Tawasul and Dua (Means and Supplications)One important Controversy is, regarding whether it is permissible to hold or make Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam a means for the acceptance of one’s supplications. Regarding this my belief is that it is permissible to make Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam or any other Prophet Alayhimus salam, pious servants, and sahabah radhiallahu anhum etc, a mean for acceptance of ones supplications.

The proccedure will be “O Allah fullfil my wishes or accept my supplication through the mediums or by the means of these great servants of yours.”Some Ulama ascribe to the view that to make ones virtuous deeds the medium for the acceptance of one’s supplications is permissible. This is proven by the hadeeth wherein the Nabi salalahu alayhi wa salam narrated the incident of the 3 people trapped in the cave who used their good actions as a means of getting freedom. Each of them made mention of his virtuous deeds in his dua (Bukhari: vol1 page 943)

However some ulama contend that to hold a person as a medium for the acceptance of one’s supplications is not permissible.

Some ulama are of the opinion, that to hold a living person as a medium is permissible like how Hadrat Umar radiallahu anhu made dua through the agency of Hadrat Abbas Radhiallahu anhu (Bukhari vol 1 page 137). But to hold the deceaased as a medium would not be permissible.

One should under no circumstances ever fall into the false belief that if one does not employ the agency or medium of someone in one’s duas then Allah Ta’ala does not listen or accept ones supplications neither should one adhere to the concept that if one supplicates through the medium of Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam and other prophets alyhumus salam or any pious servants then it is incumbent upon Allah Ta’ala to accept ones supplications.

Both these beliefs are entirely baseless.

It is sated in the books of Fiqh:

It is makrooh to say in ones supplications “O Allah due to the rights of a certain person on you accept this supplication of mine. None of the creation has any rights on Allah (Hidaya vol 4 Page 475)

The above has the same meaning mentioned earlier, that it is not permissible to hold the belief that it is incumbent on Allah Ta’ala to accept the supplications made through the medium of some pious servant, because none of the creation has any rights over Allah Ta’ala nor is Allah bound to accept our supplications.

Whatever Allah endows us with, is purely His Mercy and Benevolence.

However, I do not agree with these views because in these instances one is not asking from these pious people, but asking directly from Allah.

If it is permissible to supplicatte through the medium of a living person then surely it would also be permissible to supplicate through the medium and agency of a pious deceased person.

Hence, in similarity, if it is permissible to supplicate through the medium or agency of one’s good deeds, it would be permissible to supplicate through the medium of some pious servant of Allah. In reality one is supplicating saying : “O Allah I do not have any goood deeds which I consider worthy of using as a medium for the acceptance of my requests. However, this certain servant of yours is favoured with your blessing and mercy. I also respect and adore him.” So Oh Allah Due to this relation of mine with this servant of yours shower blessings on me as well, as you have showered them on him and accept this supplication or request of mine.”

This relationship is used as a medium or agency for the acecptance of one’s supplications. In fact in my opinion this form of supplication is more humble and sincere, since out of humility one does not regard any of his own action, worthy of presenting before Almighty Allah.

The above mentioned way of suplicating is permissible. It has been narrated as being the practice of many pious and accepted servants of Allah Subhannahu wa Ta’ala.

The Second Form of “Wasila” (Means)

Some people ascribe to a different form of Wasila:

They contend that our supplication cannot reach Allah Ta’ala directly. They therefore make their requests to His pious servants. They feel that whatever we need we should ask from them.

Thus many such people request for their needs to the Auliya and believe that these pious servants of Allah have been given the power or authority of fulfilling their needs.

I have witnessed people supplicating and requesting for their needs at the graves of khwajah Bahaul Haq, Khwajah Fareeduddin Ganj Shakr, Khwajah Ali Hajwery, Khawajah Nizamuddin Auliya and many other such tombs.

I regard this act as pure ignorance, and in reality it is a result of two erroneous conceptions.

Firstly,

They have presumed, that just as in this world, one cannot meet directly with the king of a land but has to meet or speak to him through many channels and ministers, similarly if one wants to speak to Allah, he requires to go through the channels. He cannot request directly from Allah. To compare Allah with the rulers of the world is injustice and belies a grave lack of realisation of the true Right of Allah. To adopt means of meeting the rulers is necessary. Since everyone cannot meet the rulers nor do they have the time to sit and listen to the request of all their citizens. On the contrary among the Attributes of Allah Ta’ala is, that He is able to Hear everybody, and everything at the same time so explicitly as If He is only listening to one single person and the rest of the world is in absolute silence.

It is narrated in a hadith that on an exxtremely dark night Allah is able to hear the footstep of an ant walking on a rock. Furthermore everybody cannot have access to the rulers of this world, whereas Allah is even closer to us than our jugular vein.

Once the Sahabah Radhiallahu anhum asked Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam

“Is our Lord nearby that we may call Him softly or is He Distant, that we may call Him Aloud”

Upon this the following Verse of the Quran was revealed

“And when my servant, query concerning me than I am near. I accept the call of the proclaimer then let them obey and worship Me so that they may attain piety”

Consider, on the one hand we have a court wherein each individual may present his requests and needs at any time and wherein immediate response is made to the request and needs. The master of this court is Allah, who is able to fulfill every need. Yet we fin dcertain individuals leaving this court and running to the graves of the pious. Is this an act of sound reasoning?

Secondly

These people labour under the misconception that just as the rulers of this world appoint ministers and entrust them with certain powers which they can exercise without consulting with their leaders. Similarly Allah has given some of His pious servants powers, which they exercise without consulting Allah.

These pious people, according to them, have the powers of fulfilling our needs. They may do whatever they please and give to whomsoever they wish and withold from whomsoever they desire.

This second misconception is more grevious than the first, since ministers are appointed in worldly matters due to the fact that the leaders are incompetent to run and see the affairs of the state on their own. It is due to their incapability, that they appoint ministers to assist them in the running of state affairs. On the contrary Allah Ta’ala is the Supreme and Powerful Being who’s knowledge encompasses the entire universe.

He has complete control and power over the entire universe. He is therefore not in need of any assistant in the running and managing of the universe. He has no partner in the control and management of the universe.

Hadhrat Qadi Thana Ullah Pani Pati Hanafi Rahmatullahi alaih says

Masala: If someone says “Allah and Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam are witness to this” he would be out of the fold of Islam. He has attributed to the Nabi salalahu alayhi wa salam the quality of “Aalimul Ghayb” while this is an exclusive Attribute of Allah Ta’ala. Hence it is kufr to attribute this quality. Similarly it is also kufr to believe that they can give sustenance, children, hardship, sickness, health etc. Allah Ta’ala says

“O Muhammad (salalahu alayhi wa salam) tell them ‘I (muhammad salalahu alayhi wa salam) do not have the power to benefit or harm myself, save that which Allah Ta ala wishes”

It is gravely unjust and harmfull that we the creation of Allah should turn away from Him and request for our needs from His creation.

The holy Quran has regarded this act of suplicating to the creation as the worst of deviations.

Another factor for it being incorrect is that supplication (dua) is a very high and lofty ibadah and all acts of worship are to be exclusively directed to Allah.

Dua is the essence of Ibadah

Sheikh abdul haq muhaddith Dahlawi commenting on this hadeeth says: Dua is the best form of Ibadah, and it constitutes the sessence of Ibadah. “Dua consists of the humbling of oneself with utmost sincerity in the Presence of One’s Lord and Master.

Thus supplication being the essence of worship, it will under no circumstances be permissible to direct it to anyone but Allah since worship is to be directed to Allah Alone.

Hadhrat Qadi Thana Ullah Pani Pati Rahmatullahi alaih says:

It is not permissible to supplicate to the deceased or any living person nor is it permissible to supplicate to any Prophet alayhum salam.

Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam is reported to have said

Supplication is the essence of worship Thereafter Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam recited the following verse of the Quraan

“And your Lord has said, ‘Pray Unto Me and I will hear your prayer. Those who scorn my service, theyw ill enter Hell disgraced.”

Thus supplicating to anyone besides Allah is shirk and kufr.

Allah Ta’ala says in the Quraan.

Those who you turn to for assitance besides Allah are also servants like you.

What powers do they have in fulfilling the wishes of anybody.

The Third Form of Wasila

The third form of Wasila is that we do not ask directly from the saints but instead request them to pray for the fulfillment of our wishes. This is in fact the middle path from the above two types.

In the first instance one was asking directly to Allah through the medium of one’s relationship with His Dear ones. In the second instance one was asking directly to someone besides Allah and in this third instance he is in need of Allah’s assistance but he requests a certain pious servants of Allah to pray for him and requests Allah to fulfill his needs.

The ruling regarding this form of Wasila is that if one does so, and requests a living person to pray on his behalf, it is permissible and a sunnah of rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam.

This is a practice existent from the time of Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam up to this day.

Whether this form of supplication at the graves of saints or any other dead person is permissible or not, depends on the understanding of the following.

A. It is only beneficial to address people who are able to listen and respond to one’s talk.

These exists differences of opinion concerning whether inmates of graves are able to hear or not: This difference is prevalent from the time of the sahabah Radhiallahu anhum.

Some ulama are of the opinion that the dead are able to hear while others are of the contrary opinion, i.e. that they are unable to hear. There are great sahabah radhiallahu anhum and ulama supporting each respective view. It is also an accepted principle of the shariah that it is pmpermissible to give a definit eruling on those subjects wherein the sahabah held differeing opinions.

Those of the opinion that the dead are able to hear, would rule the permissibility of requesting the dead, while those who are of the opinion that the dead are unable to hear would rule that it is not permissible to request the dead in this manner.

B. Was it the practice of the Salaf Saliheen, to request the dead to supplicate for them or not? The reply to this question obviously is that those who were of the view that the dead are unable to hear would not have requested the dead to supplicate on their behalf, I also do not know of anybody requesting for dua amonst those who were of the view that the dead are able to hear.

It is reported that Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam requested Hadhrat Umar radhiallahu anhu to pray for him when Hadhrat Umar radhiallahu anhu went for ummah.

Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam said

“Oh my brother, do not forget us in your duas”

But it has never been recorded that Rasulullah salalahu alayhiw a salam requested from the inmates of any grave of a shaheed or any other person, nor has it been reported that a certain sahabi or taabi had requested an inmate of a grave to pray for him.

The following is recorded in the decree’s of Shah Abdul Aziz Muhaddith Dahlawi.

To ask for assistance from the dead at their graves or from any other place is undoubtedly an innovation. This was not the practice during the time of the Sahabah or Taabieen.

C. In view of the differences of opinion, and non practices of this during the honourable age of the salaf as saliheen, would it be proper to give the ruling of permissiblity in this matter?

The reply to this is that such an act is termed as bidah. Therefore Hadhrat Shah Saheb ruled it to be a bidah. I would elucidate this matter under the chapter Bidah and sunnah but would briefly at this moment say that things, not favoured by the Salaf should not be practiced. Imam Rabbani Mujadid Alf Thani Rahmatullahi alayh writes regarding such practices.

“This humble servant does not see any good in innovations. There is nothing, but darkness and destruction in innovations.”

he, after qouting the hadith of Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam “Every innovation is astray” writes regarding such practices

“When every new thing is an innovation and every innovation is darkness can there be any good in bidah then?”

I regard these words of Imam Rabbani Rahmatullahi alayh as the final judgement in this matter.

When there is a straight foward and simple way of making dua directly to Allah and when Allah has promised to accept every dua of ours then, to leave this way and adopt complicated ways especially those which have been termmed bidah by great scholars of Islam and that which cannot be substantiated from Quran and Hadeeth is contrary to sound reason and logic.

It is important to note, that all the above concerns people other than the Prophets alayhi mus salam.

My belief regarding all the prophets, especially Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam is that they are alive in their graves wherever they are buried. Islamic literature is replete with etiquettes and rulings regarding Requesting Shafa’aat (intercession) and sending Durood upon Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam at his Rodha at’har.

I therefore do not only regard it permissible but an act of great virtue for the fortunate person who has the opportunity to present himself at the Rodha at’har of Rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam and request rasulullah salalahu alayhi wa salam for dua and Shafa’aat (intercession).