67- Ruling on Offering Gifts to the Awliya to Draw Close to them
Q: In our country there are some graves of Awliya (pious people) who died a long time ago. A lot of people think those Awliya can work miracles, so they bring in sweets, rice, coffee and dates from another country claiming that these things were brought in miraculously by those Awliya. They emphasize that what was a miracle by a Prophet can be practiced as a Karamah (extraordinary event performed by pious person) by a Waliy. Is this belief correct? Is it acceptable to believe that the Awliya can work out such miracles? We would be grateful if you could explain this question. May Allah bless you.
A: The belief that the Awliya can bring in such and such sweets and other things is false. Rather it is an incitement of Satan. Likewise, their endeavour to draw near to those Awliya by bringing sweets, sacrifices and other things to their graves seeking their blessings and intercession, is an act of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in worship), may Allah save us from this evil. The believers should be on their guard against the superstitions practiced by a lot of common people. It is not permissible for a Muslim to invest the persons buried in these graves with any power, whether they are called Awliya or not. He should not also believe that they can intercede for those who offer them sacrificial animals or invoke them besides Allah (Exalted be He). It is true that the believers shall intercede for one another on the Day of Resurrection. A believer will intercede for another believer, not for a disbeliever. Similarly, Prophets, angels, believers, Awliya and preceding generations shall intercede for those whom Allah is pleased with their sayings and actions. Allah (Glorified be He) says: and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased.) Thus, they all intercede for the people of monotheism and faith, not for the people of Shirk. The one who thinks that the Awliya or the Prophets shall intercede for the Mushrikun who worship and invoke them besides Allah, they are totally wrong and hold a corrupt belief. It is not permissible to invoke these partners, to ask for their intercession, to seek their help or to offer sacrifices for them, as these things are acts of major Shirk. If you seek intercession from Prophets and the believers, you should obey Allah (Exalted be He), believe in His Oneness, abide by Allah's Law and adhere to His Straight Way. Prophets, Awliya and believers intercede for the people of monotheism and faith. Similarly, angels and preceding generations intercede for the people of monotheism and faith whom Allah (Exalted be He) is pleased with their sayings and deeds. They intercede for the people of faith and monotheism, not for the people of Shirk who associate other partners with Allah in worship. But Satan insinuates a lot of people and to believe that those Awliya have powers to direct the affairs of the world, to harm and benefit man and to heal the sick, if people draw near to them by offering sacrifices and making vows to them. This is regarded as major Shirk, an incitement of Satan and a practice of the pre- Islamic period of ignorance. Allah (Exalted be He) says: And they worship besides Allah things that harm them not, nor profit them, and they say: "These are our intercessors with Allah. " It is a practice of Kufr (disbelief in Allah) to offer sacrifices, prostrations and other things to the graves of the Awliya and the idols erected in their images, thinking that those Awliya will intercede for them with Allah (Exalted be He) through such practices. Allah (Glorified be He) says: (And those who take Awliya (protectors, helpers, lords, gods) besides Him (say): 'We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah. " This means they worship those Awliya besides Allah (Exalted be He), thinking that they bring them near to Allah. There is no doubt that the practices of offering sacrifices to those Awliya, prostrating to them, invoking them and asking them for help are considered acts of major Shirk. That is why people should be on their guard against these superstitions and misleading beliefs which are no more than incitements of Satan and practices of the Mushrikun. No one should be invoked besides Allah, whether a Waliy, a Prophet or an angel. It is Allah Alone Who should be invoked, asked for help regarding any of man's needs and sought to relieve one's hardship. As for the dead believers, one can only invoke Allah to bestow His Forgiveness and Mercy upon them. Regarding living believers, one can supplicate Allah (Exalted be He) to make them steadfast adherents of the right path. As for the Prophets, one may invoke Allah's Blessings on them and supplicate Allah (Exalted be He) to reward them best for what they had done in the way of Allah. Also, the Prophets must not be worshipped besides Allah, as He (Exalted be He) says: ('And they were commanded not, but that they should worship...