[Thread 🧵]
Did ibn Taymiyyah consider asking the dead for duʻāʼ to be shirk?
Did ibn Taymiyyah consider asking the dead for duʻāʼ to be shirk?
There are many statements from ibn Taymiyyah on this issue, and what the brother has shared here is not one of them. Ibn Taymiyyah is saying that the Christians are mushrikīn for their worship and istighāthah to other than Allah, no mention of seeking duʻāʼ from the dead.
What did ibn Taymiyyah mean by istighāthah in this context? He means asking for that of which only Allah is capable, and there is no difference between the living and the dead in this regard. Notice how he says this is similar to the religion of the Christians here.
He further elaborates that when a request is within the capabilities of creation, then it may be permissible to seek it in some cases and in other cases it would not be.
He goes on to speak about seeking duʻāʼ, and he says it is permissible to seek so from the living.
He goes on to speak about seeking duʻāʼ, and he says it is permissible to seek so from the living.
However, he says that it is not permissible to seek duʻāʼ from the dead as this is not an action that has any precedence from the salaf, and that none of the ʼaʼimmah ordered for this to be done.
Ibn Taymiyyah said:
This and its like is what clarifies that those who invoke the prophets and the righteous after their deaths at their graves and other than their graves are from the mushrikīn who invoke other than Allah such as those who invoke the stars and those who take
This and its like is what clarifies that those who invoke the prophets and the righteous after their deaths at their graves and other than their graves are from the mushrikīn who invoke other than Allah such as those who invoke the stars and those who take
the angels and the prophets as lords. Allah said: ﴾It is not appropriate for someone who Allah has blessed with the Scripture, wisdom, and prophethood to say to people, “Worship me instead of Allah.” Rather, he would say, “Be devoted to the worship of your Lord ˹alone˺”
—in accordance with what these prophets read in the Scripture and what they taught. And he would never ask you to take angels and prophets as lords. Would he ask you to disbelieve after you have submitted?﴿ [3:79-80]
And He said: ﴾Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Invoke those you claim ˹to be divine˺ besides Him—they do not have the power to undo harm from you or transfer it ˹to someone else˺.” ˹Even˺ the closest ˹to Allah˺ of those invoked would be seeking a way to their Lord, hoping for His mercy,
and fearing His punishment. Indeed, your Lord’s torment is fearsome.﴿ [17:56-57]
And He said: ﴾Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Call upon those you claim ˹to be divine˺ besides Allah. They do not possess ˹even˺ an atom’s weight either in the heavens or the earth, nor do they have any share
And He said: ﴾Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Call upon those you claim ˹to be divine˺ besides Allah. They do not possess ˹even˺ an atom’s weight either in the heavens or the earth, nor do they have any share
in ˹governing˺ them. Nor is any of them a helper to Him.” No intercession will be of any benefit with Him, except by those granted permission by Him.﴿ [34:22-23]
The likes of these [ʼāyāt] are many in the Quran. It prohibits invoking other than Allah, not even angels, prophets, or other than them as this is shirk or a means to shirk. In contrast to what is sought from those alive and present which are duʻāʼ and shafāʻah, it does not lead
to shirk as none of the prophets and righteous were worshipped when they were alive and present as they would forbid them of so. In contrast, invocation of them after their deaths, that is a gateway to shirk. Likewise, invocation of them in their absences is a gateway to shirk.
Whoever sees a prophet or an angel from the angels, and he says to him, "Make duʻāʼ for me." This does not lead to shirk unlike the one who asks this in his absence, for that will lead to shirk, as has occured. This is due [to the fact that] the absent and the dead cannot forbid
them from shirk. Rather, if the hearts become attached to [seeking] duʻāʼ and shafāʻah from them, that will lead to shirk, so he will supplicate and turn to the place of the grave [of the person being invoked], his statue, or other than that as it has occured to the mushrikīn
and those who followed from ʼAhl ul-Kitāb, and the mubtadiʻah from the Muslims.
I have had the intention to make a thread on the Najdiyyah. As far as I have seen, they have not declared this action to be shirk either. I am not sure when I will post that.
Loading suggestions...