9.1 Presentation of the Two Specious Arguments

We should point out that those who fall into shirk, whether it is shirk in belief, shirk in practice, or shirk in statements, have certain specious arguments by which they justify these catastrophes of shirk. Let us then begin to examine two of these specious arguments.

The First Specious Argument

The people of whims and caprices (ahwaa’) declare in presenting their first specious argument: We do not assign partners to Allah; rather, we bear witness that no one creates or provides sustenance or benefits or harms except Allah, alone and without partners. We also affirm that Muhammad (peace be upon him) does not possess the power to benefit or harm his own self, and the same is even more true in the case of others we direct (requests) to.

However, we are sinners, and the pious have a position of honor with Allah, so we seek our needs from Allah through them, using them as intermediaries.

9.1 Presentation of the Two Specious Arguments

This is one of the greatest misconceptions that the people of whims-in general-adhere to and use as evidence for the permissibility of calling upon other than Allah in crises and crying to them for help. They claim that when they turn to the prophets and the pious, calling upon them, pleading for their help and using them as intermediaries by whom they approach Allah, they are not worshipping them by doing so. They are really worshipping Allah, the Exalted, and they are only approaching Allah by means of those beloved and close to Him. This misconception takes two forms:

• A sophisticated philosophical logical form couched in the language of scholastic theology
• An unsophisticated form as understood by non-scholars, the general masses

The philosophical form: They present it as follows: A soul which has left the body is more powerful than a soul which is attached to a body in a number of ways. That is because when it leaves the body, the dross covering passes from it and the unseen realm becomes visible to it. When a living person visits the grave of a person with a powerful soul and perfected essence, who has an intense ability to influence, and the visitor stands beside his grave for a while until he comes under the influence of that patch of ground and he develops an affinity with it-and we know that the soul of the dead person also has a connection to that patch of ground-at that point a meeting takes place between the soul of the visitor and the soul of the dead person as a result of their coming together at that patch of ground. The two souls become like polished mirrors placed in a way that light from one is reflected to the other. By this means light from the soul of the dead person is reflected to the soul of the living visitor.

9.1 Presentation of the Two Specious Arguments

By this, philosophical mode the visit becomes a cause for the attainment of great benefit; and this is the main reason why visiting graves has been sanctioned by the Sharee‘ah. For this reason benefit is derived from visiting graves and seeking help from the souls of the pious dead in order to bring about an outpouring of mercy and repel all sorts of harm. This is the sophistry of those with philosophical pretensions among them.

Manifestation among the masses: The unsophisticated general public understands it in terms of the permissibility of beseeching the dead and seeking help from their spiritual outpouring; in fact they consider it obligatory to call upon them. They claim that the prophets (peace be upon them) and pious people are intermediaries between Allah and those beset by troubles. They secure Allah’s help and succor for those in trouble by virtue of their exalted station with Allah, the Most High. The person beset with troubles who beseeches them sees himself besmirched with sins that make him distant from Allah. He can not draw close to Allah except by appealing to those intermediaries who are beloved to Him, the awliyaa’ (pious) who will intercede with Allah on his behalf. Just as the average person can not approach a king or ruler except by means of the governors or ministers who are close to him; similarly, it is not possible to approach Allah directly to have Him answer one’s prayers and fulfill one’s needs except through the mediation of the prophets, who are close to Him and high in His esteem.

9.1 Presentation of the Two Specious Arguments

The Second Specious Argument

The defenders of shirk from among the people of whims and innovation say that shirk simply does not occur in this Ummah. Whoever testifies that Allah is the Lord and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger it is not expected that such a person would fall into shirk. So whoever we find pronouncing the two testimonies of faith, who also believes that the prophets and pious can benefit or harm him, directs supplications to them, places his hopes in them, looks to them for help, beseeches them for aid and succor, and humbles himself before them with an attitude of awe, it is not right to pass judgment that he has fallen into shirk. That is because it is only appropriate to pass the judgment of shirk upon someone who directs supplication toward idols and statues or sacrifices animals to them or makes vows to them or directs other acts of worship to them. The awliyaa’ and the pious are not like idols and statues, so someone who prays to them or beseeches them for help or directs any of those acts of worship toward them, the judgment of shirk cannot be passed against him, for he is not like one who prays to idols.