Dua for Finding your Spiritual Shaykh in dreams

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Importance of Taking a Shaikh

Allah said in the Holy Qur'an, "Fear God and accompany Trustworthy people" [9:119]. Allah's Word is for all time, for every era and for every century. It is an ongoing order, from which we understand the importance of keeping company with the Trustworthy. Allah orders all human beings to accompany them, because by keeping their company one will see how they live their lives, how they deal with people, how they address their companions, how they eat, how they sleep, how they worship. By accompanying them, one will learn all their good manners, and their ways of life.

Another way too understand this verse, is that one should accompany a trustworthy person, because to be trustworthy is very rare and not many people achieve it. Everyone, however, can find a trustworthy person and accompany him, in order to be guided. Following a Trustworthy One is essential to our spiritual path. Such a one is needed to lead us and guide us and to be a beacon for us on that way. In the Naqshbandi Order, the living presence of a connected shaikh is essential. Through his physical and spiritual linkage to the Prophet (s) he establishes the murid's connection. The murid's obligation is to maintain his connection to his shaikh, to hold tightly to the hand of the one within his reach. The shaikh maintains the further connection to the previous shaikhs and to the Prophet (s).

From what has been said above, and in the biographies of the Masters, the importance of accompanying a True Master has been clearly demonstrated. It provides the seeker with the opportunity to learn the essentials of ethics and good conduct, to discover the hidden defects of his heart, and to be lifted to the states of perfection. There are two requisites for entering upon such an endeavor: when the seeker feels the need to seek in this way he must purify his intention and ask his Lord to connect him to a Truthful One; and he must look in his own country for someone who will point him in the direction of the Perfect Master.

The Need for a Living Guide
If one is separated from his shaikh by death or other circumstances, it becomes necessary to find a living guide, who can complete the work of the first master. The path itself is not the Goal, but the means to reach the Goal. Holding onto the attachment to a master who is no longer present, usually represents an unrealistic expectation and a false hope. It may also be a manifestation of pride. Although they had already pledged themselves to the Prophet (s), the Companions had to take initiation with Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r) after the passing of the Prophet (s), and as they renewed their pledge to the successive khalifs, Sayyidina 'Umar, Sayyidina 'Uthman and Sayyidina 'Ali, so too does a sincere seeker need to put his hand into the hand of a living shaikh, and renew his initiation, in order to complete his journey to the Divine Presence.

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Taking Initiation (Bay'ah) baya

The seeker must follow a perfect Master able to guide him to the way of Allah, Almighty and Exalted, and to illuminate for him that way until he reaches the State of Annihilation. The seeker must give his oath and his promise to his guide, to learn from him how to leave his bad manners and to lift himself to better conduct in order to reach the Perfect Knowledge of Spirituality.

The meaning of initiation and its conditions have been mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, in the Sunnah of the Prophet and in the life of the Companions.

1. In verse 10 of Surat al-Fath, "Verily those who swear allegiance to thee indeed swear allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. So whoever breaks his oath, breaks it to his own loss; and whoever fulfills the covenant that he has made with Allah, He will surely give him a great reward." [48:10]

2. In verse 91 of Surat an-Nahl, "And fulfill the Covenant of Allah when you have made it; and break not your oaths after making them firm, while you have made Allah your surety. Certainly, Allah knows what you do." [16:91]

3. In verse 34 of Surat al-Isra', "and fulfill the covenant, for the covenant shall be questioned about." [17:34]

We see the Qur'an encouraging the people to give their oath and to keep their oath to the Prophet (s), who leads them to the presence of Allah, Almighty and Exalted. That initiation was done in the time of the Prophet (s) and after the time of the Prophet (s).

According to the Sunnah of the Prophet (s), the oath was taken from men, as a group, or as individuals; from women, as a group or as individuals, and even from children. Bukhari and Muslim narrate that cUbada ibn as-Samit said, "The Prophet (s) said, 'Give me your pledge and oath not to associate anything with Allah, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to kill your children, not to backbite, not to fall into sin; and who keeps his promise, then his reward is from Allah, Almighty and Exalted.' And then we gave our pledge to the Prophet (s) and our oath."

The Prophet (s) used to give initiation (bay'ah) to all people and urged them to take it. Bukhari and Muslim narrated in their books that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said, "When we pledged to the Prophet (s) to listen and obey, the Prophet (s) used to say, 'To the limit that you can carry.'"

Initiation of Women
The Prophet (s) gave baya'h to women many many times. It is narrated by Imam A mad in the Musnad that Salma bint Qays said, "I came to the Prophet (s) with many people from the Ansar, and we gave him our bay'ah, our pledge that we would not associate anyone with Allah, we would not steal, we would not commit adultery, we would not kill our children, we would not backbite and we would not disobey. We gave him our bay`ah and we went."

Initiation of Children
The Prophet (s), according to the books of Nisa'i and Tirmidhi gave initiation to Umayymah bint Ruqiyyah. It was narrated by Tabarani that 'Izza bint Khayyil took initiation from the Prophet (s) when they were not yet seven. It was also narrated by Tabarani in in an authentic hadith that the Prophet (s) gave baycah to al-H asan, al-H ussain, cAbdullah ibn cAbbas and cAbdullah ibn Jacfar when they were 7 years of age.

The Companions of the Prophet (s) gave baycah to the khalifs of the Prophet (s) after his passing. It is narrated through the books of Sirah of the Sahhaba that the Sahaba gave bay'ah to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, to cUmar ibn al-Khattab, to cUthman ibn cAffan, to cAli, to Mucawiya, and to all the khalifs who came later, as they had given it to the Prophet (s).

The Prophet (s) said in a hadith related by Abu Dawud and Ahmad, "Whoever imitates a group of people will be of them." So the inheritors of the Masters of the Sufi orders, especially the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, inherited the initiation in every century. As it was an obligation in the time of the Prophet, and in the time of the Sahaba and in the time of the Tabicin and Tabic at-Tabicin, and in the times of the Umayyads, Abbasids, Seljukids, and Ottomans, so it is also an obligation to give our baycah to a perfect guide, who guides us to the Way of Allah, Almighty and Exalted. And who is a better guide than the Sufi Masters who are inheritors of the Prophet (s) and inheritors of the Divine Presence?

The scholar Abul asan cAli Nadwi wrote in his book Rijal al-Fikr wa-d-Dacwah , page 253, "Abdul Qadir Jilani, the Ghawth of the Sufi Orders, Shaikh Muhiyideen ibn cArabi, and all the Masters of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain, opened the door of initiation as wide as possible, for every individual who has good and true belief, to find something that will be of value to him spiritually, and for everyone to renew his baycah with Allah, Almighty and Exalted. These Sufi Masters of the Naqshbandi Golden Chain and all Sufi orders lifted their followers to a station of Truthfulness, to feel the responsibility of their initiation and to renew their faith."

Thus we see that it is an important factor in every Sufi Order for one to take baycah with the shaikh, in order to sanctify oneself and to be lifted up to the Divine Presence. These guides are the revivers in every century, to connect our hearts with the heart of the Prophet (s), who in his turn connects our heart to the Divine Presence. These guides are the beacon of the light of the Prophet (s) and the light of the Divine Presence and they are the true examples for all nations to follow.

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Dua for Finding your Spiritual Shaykh in dreams - Inshallah

Introduction

Finding a Wali Murshid - Holy teacher / Sufi Master istn't easy if one doesn't know the manner of finding him. We all have Spiritual Masters that we can call on, if someone is lost in a land we he is a Stranger, there a is a traditional to call on the Saint of that area for help.

Plea for Help - al-Isti'ana it linked with duas of travelling and for calling out for help like in a stranger in a land (ya`ibad Allah, aghithuni O servants of Allah, help me; Abu Ya`la, Ibn al-Sunni, and al-Tabarani in al-Mu`jam al-Kabir narrated that the Prophet (saws) said "If one of you loses something or seeks help or a helper (ghawth), and he is in a land where there is no one to befriend, (stranger) let him say: "O servants of Allah, help me! (ya `ibad Allah, aghithuni), for verily Allah has servants whom one does not see." Al-Haythami said in Majma` al-Zawa'id (10:132)

Tariqah is a Path which many need to travel on, so many of us are travelling to Allah and are strangers in this land, our Real home is the next world. Also we are told that calling for Help on the Men of the Unseen is found in the Quran and Sunnah link below for full reference.
Ya Shaykh Madad!” – Istighatha -Isti`ana


Even in everyday Salaat we give the servants of Allah salaams as well the noble Prophet peace and blessings upon, in At-Tashahhud : we say … As Salaamu 'alaika ayyuhan nabiyyu wa rahmatul laahi wa barakaatuh wa ‘ As Salaamu 'alainaa wa 'alaa 'Ibadillaa his saaliheen - .. Greetings to you, O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allah and unto the righteous servants of Allah.

So dont think it's a strange thing, we give them our Duas and salaams in our pray but many of us don't real know what we are saying in our salaat- Namaz. Understand that Salaam is not just a greeting it's a Dua as well, the arabic language is a comprehensive. Now that bit is explained lets go to the Dua, I was asked by some people how does one go about today to find a real Sufi Shaykh; it was a good question so I looked into myself and said try reading the following and tell if it helps. So they did and they saw their Shaykhs in their Dreams so from this I now present to others the same dua that I gave them to use, see below.

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Dua for Finding your Spiritual Shaykh in dreams

In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.
Bismi'llahi 'r-Rahmani 'r-Rahim

1 . Read two Rakah Nafil and with Niyyah -intention asking Allah for your Wali-Murshid Spiritual Shaykh.

2. Read 11 times Salawat ala Fath (Durood Faith)
3. Read 11 Surah Fatiha First Chapter of Quran
4. Read 11 Surah Ikhlas Surah 112

5. Make Dua : Bismi'llahir-Rahmanir-Rahim wa hamduillahi rabbil ‘alameen.
Ya Allah for the Sake Rasul-lillah (peace be upon him), Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali Karam wajuh.
For the Sake of the all Sahabah-ikram, Ahli-Bayt, Uwais Qarni, Ta' bieen and Tab- Ta' bieen. For the Sake of nuqaba, nujaba , the fortify Abdals , awtad, aqtab, Qutb and Ghawth of this time. Help Me

O Allah for their Sake I send this thawab-reward as Hadiyah-Gift upon them. Help me for the sake of all of their ibadah, Ya Shaykh Muhiyudeen Abdal-Qadir Jilani Madaat (Help Me), I turn to you for Spiritual guidance in finding my Spiritual Shaykh please help me, Ya Allah open my desires, my wises and hopes, and close all the doors to evil and pains in my life, and make ease my life and answer my prays by the secret of Surah Fatiha ( recite Surah Fatiha here)

6. Read 11 times Salawat ala Fath (Durood Faith)

This is best done, by yourself in a room were no one else is in, it should be the last pray you do before you sleep and one must sleep in Wudu. Good nights to practice this are Thursday night or Sunday Night. One can start it on any night but its know that the Souls are released on the Thursday nights, keep this up for 3 nights up 40 nights.

The brothers and sisters that have tried it were given results within 3 nights that I give this method. Also below is a longer version that can be used as well.

Then go to sleep on your right hand side speak to no one, if problems of sleep come over you then say dua ya `ibad-Allah aghi-thuni (O Servants of Allah Help Me) - with hope of guidance of your Shaykh or the Ghawth of this time. One can say it aloud until sleeps overcomes them.

Note: There is a longer version of the Dua that i've made that some may like to use also which goes;


5. Make Dua
Bismi'llahir-Rahmanir-Rahim wa hamdu-illahi rabbil ‘alameen. wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-'Aliyyil-'Azim. Allahmma Ya Allah

bi-hurmati Rasul-lillah (salla 'llahu ‘alai-hi wa sallam sala ) Ya Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali Karam wajuh.

bi-hurmati Ya Sahabah-ikram wa Ahli-Bayt wa ya Uwais Qarni wa ya Ta' bieen wa ya Tab-Ta' bieen.

( for the sake of all of companions, Prophets family peace be upon them, the Spiritual lover Uwais Qarni, the followers and followers of the followers referencing to the first 3 generation of Muslims)

ya nuqabu wa ya nujabu wa Ya ruqaba wa ya budalu wa ya aqtabu wa ya Ghawthu, Aghi-thu-ni bi-hurmati Sayyiduna Muahammad salla 'llahu 'alai-hi wa sallam Ya Rasul-lillahi Unzur Halana Ya Habib-allahi ‘isma Qalana

( 1 st are the Ranks of the Elite of Wali O presidents, O noblemen, O overseers , O mainstays, O Cardinal Pole Help Me, assistance me for the sake the our Master Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him and again more pleas for help to the Rasul the Beloved)

ya Ghawthul-A'zamu aghith-ni fi kulli ahwali wansur-ni fi kulli amali wa taqallab-ni fi tariqi-ka
O Supreme Helper, help me in all my states, and support me in all my hopes, and direct me in your path

bi-hurmati jaddi-ka Muhammadin (salla 'llahu ‘alai-hi wa sallam)
in honor of your forefather Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)

wa bi-shifa'ati-hi wa ruhi-hi wa sirrih.
and through his intercession, his spirit and his innermost being.

wa salla 'llahu ‘ala sayyidi-na Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali-hi wa sahbi-hi wa sallam.
May Allah bless our master Muhammad and his family and his Companions, and may He grant them peace.

O Allah for their Sake I send this thawab-reward as Hadiyah-Gift upon them. Help me for the sake of all their ibadah for you, Ya Shaykh Muhiyudeen Abdal-Qadir Jilani I turn to you for Spiritaul gudiance in finding my Spiritual Shaykh please help me. by the secret of Surah Fatiha ( recite Surah Fatiha here)
Ya Mujeebu - Ya Mujeebu - Ya Mujeebu Ya –O Allah O responder



Note the Longer Dua is taken from two other sources one is from Plea for Help [al-Isti'ana] from The names of our master, ‘Abd al- Qadir al-Gilani and the other is from the manner of Shaikh 'Abdal- Qadir Salaam to the Men of the Unseen.

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the other Duas are the Sufic Dua's to say when Travelling that may be of interest and have much barakah in them when on a Journey.

Asking “Ya Shaykh Madad!” – Istighatha -Isti`ana

by Dr. G.F. Haddad

Al-Madad = "Help!"

This Madad was asked by Musa (AS) from his countryman with the word istaghaatha “he asked for help” (28:15) and by Dhul-Qarnayan using the term "help me" in Surat al-Kahf (a`eenuni) (18:95) which is the same root as "we turn for help" (nasta`een) in the Fatiha.

Following are proofs from the Sunna for calling out to an invisible helper in a situation of need:

1. Al-Bukhari narrates in his Sahih that our mother Hajar, when she was running in search of water between Safa and Marwa, heard a voice and called out: "O you whose voice you have made me hear! If there is a ghawth (help/helper) with you (then help me)!" and an angel appeared at the spot of the spring of Zamzam.

2. Abu Ya`la, Ibn al-Sunni, and al-Tabarani in al-Mu`jam al-Kabir narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: "If one of you loses something or seeks help or a helper (ghawth), and he is in a land where there is no one to befriend, let him say: "O servants of Allah, help me! (ya `ibad Allah, aghithuni), for verily Allah has servants whom one does not see." Al-Haythami said in Majma` al-Zawa'id (10:132): "The men in its chain of transmission have been declared reliable despite weakness in one of them."

Another wording:

3. Al-Bayhaqi narrates on the authority of Ibn `Abbas in "Kitab al-Aadaab" (p. 436) and with a second chain mawquf from Ibn `Abbas in "Shu`ab al-Iman" (1:445-446=1:183 #167; 6:128 #7697) and a third from Ibn Mas`ud in "Hayat al-Anbiya' ba`da Wafatihim" p. 44: "Allah has angels on the earth - other than the [two] record-keepers - who keep a record [even] of the leaves that fall on the ground. Therefore, if one of you is crippled in a deserted land where no-one is in sight, let him cry out: a'înû 'ibâd Allâh rahimakum Allâh, 'Help, O servants of Allah, may Allah have mercy on you!' Verily he shall be helped, if God wills." Ibn Hajar said its chain is fair (isnaduhu hasan) in "al-amali".

Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir with a fair chain (according to Ibn Hajar in al-Amali) of sound narrators according to al-Haythami (10:132), al-Bazzar (#3128) - as cited by al-Shawkani in Tuhfa al-Dhakirin (p. 219=p. 155-156) -, and Ibn Abi Shayba (7:103).

4. Ibn Abi Shayba relates in his "Musannaf" (7:103) from Aban ibn Salih that the Prophet (saws) said: "If one of you loses his animal or his camel in a deserted land where there is no-one in sight, let him say: "O servants of Allah, help me! (yâ 'ibâd Allâh a'înûnî), for verily he will be helped."

Al-Zahawi said in al-Fajr al-Sadiq, a book he wrote in refutation of Wahhabism:

<<It is not said that all that is meant by the "servants of Allah" in the hadiths cited above are only angels, or Muslims among the jinn, or men of the realm of the invisible: for all of these are living. Hence, the hadith would not give evidence for asking aid from the dead, but this is not the case. We mention this because there is nothing explicit in the hadith whereby what is meant by "servants of Allah" are the categories we mentioned above and nothing else. Yet even if we were to concede this, the hadith would still be a proof against the Wahhabis from another standpoint, and that is the calling on someone invisible. The Wahhabis no more allow it than the calling on the dead.

Al-Shawkani also allows the calling on someone invisible: "In the hadith (of a`inu) there is evidence that it is permissible to ask help from those one does not see among the servants of God, whether angels or good jinn, and there is nothing wrong in doing it, just as it is permissible for someone to seek the help of human beings if his mount becomes unmanageable or runs loose." Tuhfat al-Dhakirin p. 155-156.

5. Ahmad relates in his Musnad (4:217) that at the time of the greatest fitna of the Dajjal, when the Muslims will be at their weakest point, and just before `Isa ibn Maryam descends at the time of salat al-fajr, people will hear a caller calling out three times: "O people, al-ghawth (the helper) has come to you!"

6. Ibn Kathir in his history, al-Bidaya wal- Nihaya [7:91, Year 18] narrates that `Umar (ra) sought help and relief from drought and famine in Madina by writing to `Amr ibn al-As and Abu Musa al-Ash`ari in Egypt and Basra respectively, each with the words, "Yaa ghawthaah li Ummati Muhammad! = Help! Help! for the Community of Muhammad!" If this is not istighaatha and isti`aana then there is no istighaatha and isti`aana.

Al-Zahawi said in al-Fajr al-Sadiq:

Al-Subki, al-Qastallani in al-Mawahib al-laduniyya, al- Samhudi in Tarikh al-Madina, and al-Haythami in al-Jawhar al- munazzam said that seeking help with the Prophet and other prophets and pious persons, is only a means of imploring Allah for the sake of their dignity and honor (bi jahihim). The one doing the asking seeks from the One asked that He assign him aid (ghawth) on behalf of the one higher than him. For the one being asked in reality is Allah. The Prophet is but the intermediary means (wasita) between the one asking for help and the One asked in reality. Hence, the help is strictly from Him in its creation (khalqan) and being (ijadan), while the help from the Prophet is strictly in respect to secondary causation (tasabbuban) and acquisition from Allah (kasban).....

As for the invocations of common Muslim people in Arabic like: "O `Abd al-Qadir Gilani look at me (Ya `Abd al-Qadir adrikni)!" and "O Ahmad al-Badawi give us support (Ya Badawi madad)!" they belong to the figurative language of the mind just as the application of someone who would say to his food: "Satisfy me!" or to his water: "Quench my thirst!" or to his medicine: "Heal me!" The food does not satisfy, nor does the water quench the thirst, nor the medicine heal. But the One who is the real Satisfier of our hunger, the Quencher of our thirst and the Healer of our ills is Allah alone. The food, the water, the medicine are only the proximate or secondary causes which custom has established on the surface of things by our mind's regular association of them with certain concomitant events.

Shaykh Khayr al-Din Ramli in his Fatawa Khayriyya (p. 180-181) was asked about "those who say: O Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir! O Shaykh Ahmad! O Rifa`i! [Give us] something for the sake of Allah (shay'un lillah) O `Abd al-Qadir! and such, at which time they become greatly entranced and experience states that make them jump up and down etc. He answered - Allah have mercy on him: 'Know first of all that among the famous rules that are firmly put to use in the books of the Imams is the rule that matters are judged according to their ends... as taken from the hadith of the Two Shaykhs al-Bukhari and Muslim: Actions are only according to intentions.... and none denies the reality of the Sufis except every ignorant, foolish soul.'"

And Allah knows best.

See also the relevant pages at

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Additional Relevant Narrations

By Raffiq Ahmed

1. Al-Bukhari's narration of the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him - from `Abdullâh Ibn `Umar - Allah be well-pleased with him -:

"Truly the sun shall draw so near on the Day of Resurrection that sweat shall reach to the mid-ear, whereupon (ISTIGHÂTHÛ bi âdam thumma bi mûsâ thumma bi muHammadin Sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallama) they shall ASK HELP from Adam - upon him peace -, then from Musa - upon him peace - , then from Muhammad - Allah bless and greet him - who will intercede (fa yashfa`u)... and that day Allah shall raise him to an Exalted Station, so that all those who are standing [including the unbelievers] shall glorify him (yahmaduhu ahlul-jam`i kulluhum)." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (Qadîm Kutub Khâna, Karachi, 1381H), 1:199 (Cf. Prof. Tahir-ul-Qadri, `Aqida-e-tawassul, p. )]

Obviously, they are not going to be forgetting Allah on that day. The people seeking help by these Prophets is the same as using them as a means (wasîla) to Allah and the Hadith continues that the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallâhu `alayhi wa sallam will be accepted. Will those who are against that in this life, be in favour of it in the next? It is for this reason, that Ala Hazrat (ra) states: "âj madad mâng un se, âj panâ le un se, qal na mânenge qayâmat" "Take his madad today, take his pana, it might not be accepted in qayamat."

2. The following quote is from Shaikh `Ali Mahfuz who died in 1361 (1942 A.D.) and was one of the great `ulama' of Jami' al-Azhar (Egypt), who praises Ibn Taymiyya and Muhammad `Abduh very much in his book Al-ibda'. Nevertheless, he says in there: "It is not right to say that the great awliya' (rahimahum-Allahu ta'ala) dispose worldly affairs after death, such as curing the ill, rescuing those who are about to be drowned, helping those who are against the enemy and having lost things found. It is wrong to say that, because the awliya are very great, Allahu ta'ala has left these tasks to them or they do what they wish or that one who clings to them will not go wrong. But whether they are alive or dead, Allahu ta'ala blesses, among His awliya', the ones whom He wills, and, through their karamat, He cures the ill, rescues those who are about to be drowned, helps those who are fighting an enemy and recovers lost things. This is logical. Also Qur'an al-karim reveals these facts." [Shaikh 'Ali Mahfuz, Al-ibda', p. 213, Cairo, 1375 (1956 A.D.); `Abdullah ad-Dasuqi and Yusuf ad-Dajwi, professors at Jami` al- Azhar, wrote eulogies praising the book at the end of Al-ibda'. (Cf. The Sunni Path)]

3. Lastly, the Hadith ash-Sharif written in Sahihayn, the two genuine Hadith books, one by al-Bukhari and the other by Muslim states that the Holy Prophet (Sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) visited the graves of the martyrs of Uhud exactly ONE YEAR after they died. A minbar was BUILT in the graveyard for him to deliver a sermon. 'Uqba ibn Amir (radi-Allahu `anh), the relater of the Hadith ash- Sharif, said, 'Rasulullah (sall-Allahu Ta`ala `alaihi wa sallam), ascended the minbar. It was the last time I saw him on the minbar. He declared: "I do not fear whether you will become polytheists after I die. I fear that you, because of worldly interests, will kill one another and thus be destroyed like ancient tribes." '

The profound scholar Shaykh Sulayman ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb an-Najdî (rahimah-Allahu ta'ala), the author of "as-sawâ'iq al-ilâhiyya" comments on this Hadîth as follows in refutation of his younger brother and the rebellious movement started by him in partnership with the British and al-Sa`ûd family: "Rasulullah (sall-Allahu ta'ala 'alaihi wa sallam) foretold all that would happen to his umma till the Resurrection. This sahih hadith states that his umma will never worship idols, that he was assured of it. This hadith ash-Sharif demolishes Wahhabism by the roots, for the Wahhabite book claims that the Ummat al- Muhammadiyya worship idols, that Muslim countries are full of idols, that tombs are idol-houses. It says that one also becomes a disbeliever by not believing that he who expects help or intercession at shrines is a disbeliever. However, Muslims have visited graves and asked the mediation and intercession of awliya' for centuries. No Islamic scholars have called such Muslims polytheists; they regarded them as Muslims." [Sulaiman ibn `Abd al-Wahhab an-Najdi, As-sawa'iq al-ilahiyya fir- raddi `alal-Wahhabiyya (Nukhbat al-Akbar press, Baghdad, 1306 A.H), p. 44 (Cf. Advice for the Muslim, Cp. 5)]

Beseeching for Help

Chapter 5
Religious Leaders and Istighāthah

It is an established fact that on account of the distinction Allāh has conferred on His favourites and the blessings He has showered upon them, it has been the practice of our religious leaders and scholars to rely on them to resolve their worldly problems, attain salvation in the Hereafter, make their graves and tombs the focus of their supplications and seek help and assistance from the chosen people of Allāh who are buried in them and seek their help for spiritual and inner benefits and blessings. These acts, which shaped the conduct and mode of living of the saints and the scholars in the past, are now the granite foundation of the concepts and beliefs of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamā‘ah. Moreover, they had not moulded their attitudes and deeds on a superficial, unconscious or sentimental basis. A great deal of reflection and reasoning laced these modes of conduct and were framed by comprehensive experimentation, observation and practical orientation. Therefore, on the basis of investigation, and not mere sentiment, it can be affirmed that their statements were sound and authentic and on account of their immunity from doubt and ambiguity, they furnish a cogent argument for all those believers who are blessed with sufficient wisdom and intelligence to appraise the depth and truth of these statements.

Religious scholars, enlightened saints and our spiritual leaders have pronounced the tombs of these favourites of Allāh as inexhaustible fountain-heads of light and blessing where our supplications are acknowledged and robed as destinies. Reliance on these sanctified persons opens the shuttered avenues of success. Their attention and response unravels the tangles of the Hereafter and their spiritual help serves as a source of salvation for our worries and all forms of distress. To cap it all, their statements are consistent with the criterion of experience and observation, which is the basis of the modern inductive method of all scientific progress. Therefore, they cannot be brushed under the carpet as mere hearsay and deserve our positive response as they are grounded in facts and proved by experience.

This world is inhabited by two sets of people. The first set of people are those who are rebellious and disobedient, and on account of their law-breaking tendencies, they form a coterie of persons who are hell-bent to protect and promote the interests of the devil and are a cause of constant torture for Allāh’s creatures. On the other hand, are those who are good-natured, pure, and well-behaved and with a positive outlook and are determined to promote the welfare of the people. Such noble persons and untainted souls form their own fraternity and come closer to one another through mutual interaction, following the axiomatic principle that “birds of a feather flock together.” These courageous, highly determined and spiritually motivated people, through sheer hard work and concentration, leave behind indelible tales of sincerity and honesty, patience and steadfastness, love and sacrifice that the readers are simply stunned by their exceptional nature.

These holy personages have graced every period of human history. Outwardly, they live on the sidelines but they are easily placed on account of their habits and manners, their character and mode of conversation. Their love and concern for the creatures of Allāh is so gushing that it cannot be contained like the perfume of flowers. The chain of their blessing is continuous, because it goes against the divine grain that His creatures are deprived of the benefit and blessing of His chosen people in any era of human history. Therefore, these favoured servants of Allāh are not only a source of blessing for the people in their manifest life but also benefit them after death; rather their blessings acquire greater frequency and intensity when they are transferred to another mode of existence after leaving this phenomenal world. They bless the seekers of their help as effectively as they did during their earthly sojourn. The one who seeks their help instinctively knows that he has been helped by them.

The secrets of the worlds of purgatory, angels and divinity are revealed to Allāh’s saints in a manner and style that is denied to the common run of people. Their opinion is authentic in all human and non-human fields of activity and it can neither be challenged nor any flaws found in its inherent cogency. Therefore, it is quite rational, and a recognition of human limitations, to believe in their opinions because their statements are not based on any inanity or triviality but have been derived through extraordinary observation and supported by the ballast of divine sanction, as no one can deny that “what is heard cannot equal what is seen.”

In the context of istighāthah and intermediation, we propose to cast a cursory glance at the conduct, experiences and observations of these righteous people who have provided glimmers of light and guidance to the creatures of Allāh groping in the amorphous shades of darkness and depression:


1. Imām Zayn-ul-‘Ābidīn

Imām Zayn-ul-‘Ābidīn supplicates to the Holy Prophet(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) for help and intercession in these words:

O mercy of the worlds! You are the intercessor for the sinners. On account of your infinite generosity, mercy and magnanimity, intercede for us on the Day of Judgement.

O, who has come to all the worlds as a source of mercy, help Zayn-ul-‘Ābidīn! Who is caught in trials and tribulations by the party of the oppressors (and beseeches your help).


2. Imām Mālik

Imām Mālik’s prominence as one of the four jurists of Islam is well-established. Once Caliph Abū Ja‘far Mansūr visited Medina and he asked Imām Mālik: ‘while supplicating, should I turn my face to the prayer niche [and turn my back to the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)] or should I turn my face to the Holy Prophet [(صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and turn my back to the prayer niche]?’ On this interrogation, Imām Mālik replied: ‘(O caliph!) Why do you turn your face from the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), as he is the means for you and for your ancestor Adam (عليه السلام) on the Day of Judgement? Rather you should (pray and supplicate by) turning towards the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and seek his intercession so that he intercedes for you before Allāh on the Day of Judgement. Allāh has declared:

(O beloved!) And if they had come to you, when they had wronged their souls, and asked forgiveness of Allāh, and the Messenger also had asked forgiveness for them, they (on the basis of this means and intercession) would have surely found Allāh the Granter of repentance, extremely Merciful.’[1]

This incident has been narrated by Qādī ‘Iyād in his ash-Shifā (2:596) with a sound chain of transmission. Besides, it has been related by a number of other traditionists of impeccable credibility. Subkī in Shifā’-us-siqām fī ziyārat khayr-il-anām, Samhūdī in Khulāsat-ul-wafā, Qastallānī in al-Mawāhib-ul-laduniyyah, Ibn Jamā‘ah in Hidāyat-us-sālik and Ibn Hajar Haythamī in al-Jawhar-ul-munazzam.


3. Imām Qurtubī

He has mentioned istighāthah in the interpretation of the verse 64 of sūrah an-Nisā’ in his al-Jāmi‘ li-ahkām-il-Qur’ān (5:265-6).


4. Qādī ‘Iyād

He has, in his book, ash-Shifā (2:596) narrated Imām Mālik’s statement to the Caliph Abū Ja‘far Mansūr, which we have mentioned before. He also narrated Adam’s intermediation through the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) with the help of sound and famous traditions in ash-Shifā (1:227-. In addition, in the chapters on “visiting the Prophet’s grave,” “virtues and merits of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)” and in many other chapters in his book he has referred to the qualities and attributes of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).


5. Imām Subkī

He has discussed at length the question of istighāthah and intermediation in his book Shifā’-us-siqām fī ziyārat khayr-il-anām and has proved their relevance as vibrant concepts in Islam.


6. Imām Ibn Kathīr

Imām Ibn Kathīr has commented on verse 64 of sūrah an-Nisā’ in his book Tafsīr-ul-Qur’ān al-‘azīm (1:519-20) and raised the issue of istighāthah. He has not levelled any objection against ‘Utbī’s tradition in which a bedouin supplicates at the Prophet’s tomb for his intercession. Imām Ibn Kathīr has related in al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (5:167) the episode of the man who visits the Prophet’s grave and calls him to pray for rain, and he has pronounced this tradition quite sound. In addition, he has also related in the same book (5:30) that during the battle of Yamāmah, the battle-cry of the Muslims was yā Muhammadāh (O Muhammad! Help us).


7. Hāfiz ‘Asqalānī

He has in his books al-Isābah fī tamyīz-is-sahābah (3:484) and Fath-ul-bārī (2:495-6) narrated the incident of the man who visited the Prophet’s grave for rain through his means and called him for help.


8. Imām Qastallānī

The qualities and accomplishments of a special group of saints are recorded in the traditions. The blessing of their supplication causes rain and brings victory and triumph to the Muslims. Qastallānī’s views about them are given below:

When ordinary people fall into trouble, first of all, the Heralds supplicate for them, then turn by turn the Nobility, Substitutes, the righteous and the ministers (supplicate for them). If their supplication is granted, well and good, otherwise, the saint of the highest rank — ghawth (who is all the time engrossed in Allāh’s worship) — supplicates for them, and before he winds it up, his prayer is granted. (This is Allāh’s special blessing on them.)[2]


9. Imām Ibn Hajar Haythamī

Ahmad Shihāb-ud-Dīn Ibn Hajar Haythamī Makkī, who possesses an eminent position among experts on Islamic jurisprudence and tradition, has proved on the basis of the experience and observation narrated by Abū ‘Abdullāh Qurayshī that Allāh’s favourites help people after death as they help them during life and the value of their benefit is not in the least reduced. Produced below is an incident attributed to Abū ‘Abdullāh Qurayshī:

A severe drought had enveloped Egypt in its grip and the people’s distress caused by hunger and thirst remained unrelieved in spite of their prayers and supplications:

So I journeyed towards Syria, when I reached near Allāh’s friend (Ibrāhīm’s) tomb, he met me on the way. I said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allāh! I have come as a guest. You should show your hospitality in the form of a supplication for the natives of Egypt.’ He prayed for them, so Allāh drove their famine away from them.[3]

In this extraordinary reference, the description of the face-to-face meeting with Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) has been commented upon by Imām Yāfi‘ī in these words:

The statement made by Abū ‘Abdullāh Qurayshī that he had a face-to-face meeting with the Friend is based on truth. Only an ignorant person can deny it who is unaware of the mode of living and status of the saints because these people observe the earth and the heavens and see the prophets in their living condition.[4]


10. Imām Nabhānī

He has written an irrefutable book Shawāhid-ul-haqq fī al-istighāthah bi-sayyid-il-khalq and proved the validity of appeal to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) for help.


11. Imām Ālūsī

Commenting on the earlier verses of sūrah an-Nāzi‘āt, he explains in these words the justification of reliance on Allāh’s favourites and seeking help and support from them:

(In the introductory sentences of this sūrah,) the separation of the souls of pious persons from their bodies at the time of death is described and Allāh has sworn by these different states of the souls. These souls have to be wrenched out of the bodies because, on account of their long and deep association with their bodies, they are disinclined to leave them. The reason for this disinclination is that, in order to earn virtues, the body acts as a means of transport, and it is on this count that there is a greater possibility of adding to the score of one’s virtues. Then these souls fly to the world of angels and reach the sanctuary of purity, and on account of their force and nobility, they blend with the elements that help decide the destinies of the creatures, that is, they are included among the angels, or they acquire administrative capability. That is why it is said: ‘when you are invaded by troubles, you should seek help from the residents of the tombs, that is, from the favourites of Allāh who are embodiments of virtue and purity, and those who have left us.’ There is no doubt that a person who visits their tombs, receives spiritual help by virtue of their blessings, and on many occasions, the knots of difficulties unwind through the mediation of honour and reverence they enjoy.[5]

He adds:

(In these verses) Allāh has sworn by these good-natured people, who step into the field of virtue and sanctity and try to purify both the inner and the outer self through worship, persistent practice and a concerted confrontation with the evil and, as a result, are permeated with immediate divine consciousness. (These verses may be applied to these holy persons in the sense that) they control their own instinctive cravings and concentrate all their energies on the world where holiness prevails, and finally achieve perfection after passing through the evolutionary phases so that they can guide those who are stuck up in their flawed schedules and invest their lives with a sense of purpose and direction.[6]


12. Shāh ‘Abd-ul-Haqq Muhaddith Dihlawī

Shāh ‘Abd-ul-Haqq Muhaddith Dihlawī comments in his exegesis of Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-Qādir Jīlānī’s book Futūh-ul-ghayb that when the saints cross into the area of divine knowledge and consciousness, which is immune to the exigencies of mortality, they are blessed with a special power which enables them to perform acts unmediated through external causes, and they are transformed into embodiments of exceptional light and cognizance as they have arrived from the mortal world into the the world of immortality. In this way they achieve that level of perfection which the common believers will receive in Paradise.


13. Shāh Walī Allāh Muhaddith Dihlawī

He was one of those great saints who, on account of his God-given vision and divine knowledge, could see the inner reality with his naked eye and then proclaimed it publicly. He has written a matchless book Fuyūd-ul-haramayn based on observations. The gist of its ninth and tenth chapters is as follows. He says:

“We called at Medina, and we clearly saw with our own eyes the soul of the holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and on that day this reality was revealed to us that the pure soul can also be seen like the body and the secret of the life of prophets after death was also disclosed to us.

“On the third day we called and sent salutations on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), and also visited the graves of Abū Bakr as-Siddīq and ‘Umar Fārūq.

“Then we humbly submitted: we have called on you with great expectations to receive your mercy and blessing. Have mercy on us.”

He adds:

“The holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) expressed great joy and I felt that the sheet of his kindness had wrapped and covered me. Then he embraced me, and appeared before me, disclosed many secrets and personally informed me and briefly helped me and told me how I could seek his help for my needs.”


14. Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī

Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī, commenting on the blessings of the holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) in his book Nashr-ut-tīb, writes: ‘it was transparently reflected from the foreheads of his ancestors. It was his universal light that persuaded Allāh to accept Adam’s repentance; again it was his light that salvaged Nūh (عليه السلام) from the tempestuous waves and transformed the glowing coals of fire into the blossoms of flowers for Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام).’

He has written a panegyric in which he besought the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) for help in his trials and tribulations and requested him to remove them. He stated:

O, the intercessor of the people, help me. You are the one whom I can trust in crisis.

I have no shelter except you. Help! My master, difficulties besieged me.

O Ibn ‘Abdullāh, public is against me. Be my supporter, because you are my helper.

I have no good deed or any submission. But I have your love in my heart.

O Messenger of Allāh! I have only your door (to knock at the time of necessity). The clouds of teething troubles never surround me.

Moreover he wrote another panegyric in which he discussed the theme of calling the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) for help.

Besides, Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī, has named the thirty-eighth part of his book as “intermediation through the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) at the time of supplication.” In this part, after mentioning a tradition attributed to ‘Uthmān bin Hunayf, he writes, “It proves that just as intermediation through someone’s supplication is valid, similarly, reliance on someone in the supplication for intermediation is also valid.” When during the period of ‘Uthmān bin ‘Affān, ‘Uthmān bin Hunayf asked a petitioner to utter the same supplication which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has taught to the blind Companion, Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Alī Thānwī makes it the basis of establishing the validity of intermediation after death. In addition, he has proved the relevance of intermediation through someone other than a prophet (عليه السلام) by ‘Umar’s intermediation through ‘Abbās. Mawlānā Thānwī has also declared the act of intermediation through the Prophet’s grave during the time of ‘Ā’ishah as valid.[7] Finally, after reproducing ‘Utbī’s tradition in which a bedouin had called on the Prophet’s grave for the repentance of his sins, as we have explained in reference to the 64th verse of sūrah an-Nisā’, he writes: ‘as it happened in the early days, and there is no contradiction of it, it has acquired the status of a proof.’


15. Imām Ahmad bin Zaynī Dahlān

A Makkan jurist of Muslim law, Ahmad bin Zaynī Dahlān in his journal Fitnat-ul-Wahhābiyyah, has established the legality of beseeching the prophets and saints for help, intermediation and intercession, and he has cogently refuted the doubts and allegations of those who are opposed to these perfectly legal acts.


16. Imām Muhammad bin ‘Alawī al-Mālikī

A well-known contemporary religious scholar posted at Makkah, Muhammad bin ‘Alawī al-Mālikī, in his book Mafāhīm yajib an tusahhah has conducted well-documented research on the concept of istighāthah.


17. Shaykh Muhammad Hishām Kabbānī

He is a famous contemporary religious scholar and he has written a book, Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine, comprising seven volumes on the beliefs of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamā‘ah. In the fourth volume of his book he has justified the belief in istighāthah on the basis of a vast array of historical and rational arguments.


A brief summary

These are a few of the observations, experiences and sayings, which span centuries of human existence. They clearly prove that the graves and tombs of the chosen people of Allāh are a steady source of divine blessings and benefits for mankind. The discerning persons do not treat these spots of the saints as worthless or as mere heaps of mud and mortar; rather they believe that they are men of distinction and Allāh has specially rewarded them for their piety and human service. Some of these saints are looked upon as ultra-magnanimous. Therefore, no one should entertain any doubt or reservation about their purity and exceptional status.

A person, who himself is stripped of spiritual vision, has no right to misguide people about these favourites of Allāh. He has no right to say that these people are dead, lying inert and lifeless in their graves, and therefore, lack the power and the energy to help anyone. His statement is completely baseless and is justified neither by historical precedent nor by rational argument.

An important point to be noted in this context is that only those residents of the tombs deserve our reverence who had attained access to the nearness and the pleasure of Allāh and whose pious acts and virtuous deeds had made them popular during their lives. Only such persons are to be implored for help. This point has been clarified by Shāh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azīz Muhaddith Dihlawī in unmistakable terms. He said:

Help should be sought only from the famous saints.

as the public opinion is the litmus test of the popularity or unpopularity of a saint. He has also prescribed a method for discovering the stature of a saint and for seeking help from him. This can be looked up in Fatāwā ‘Azīzī.



[1]. Qur’ān (an-Nisā’, Women) 4:64.

[2]. Qastallānī, al-Māwāhib-ul-laduniyyah (2:726); Zurqānī, Commentary (7:487).

[3]. Ibn Hajar Haythamī, al-Fatāwā al-hadīthiyyah (pp.255-6).

[4]. Ibn Hajar Haythamī, al-Fatāwā al-hadīthiyyah (p.256).

[5]. Ālūsī, Rūh-ul-ma‘ānī (30:27-.

[6]. Ālūsī, Rūh-ul-ma‘ānī (30:2.

[7]. For details of the tradition see our book Islamic Concept of Intermediation.

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Fatwa on Istigatha see note 1
Imam Shamsuddin al-Ramli see note 2

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1428 H


The Imam was asked:
Regarding what occurs amongst the awwam who when in distress say “ya shaykh fulan” and “ya Rasulullah” and things like this from seeking aid (istighatha) with the Prophetsand the Awliya, the `Ulema and the righteous, is this permitted or not? And do theMessengers, Prophets, Awliya, the righteous, and the Mashayekh possess the ability to assist others after their deaths, and what strengthens that view?

He replied:
Istighatha (seeking aid) with the Prophets and Messengers, the Awliya, the `Ulema andthe righteous is permitted. The messengers, Prophets and the Awliya have [the ability to] assist after their death because the miracles of the Prophets and Awliya are not severed following their death. As for the Prophets, then they are alive in their graves praying and doing hajj as it has come in the reports. So assistance from them will be a miracle on their behalf; and the martyrs are also alive, and have been seen, openly killing the kuffar.

And as for the Awliya, then it is a karama from them. The people of the truth believe that this occurs from the Awliya both with intention, and without intention-things that sever the customary manner of phenomenal reality (khariqa lil adah), that Allah the Exalted brings forth through them. The proof for these things is that they are matters that are (intellectually) possible and the permissibility of their occurrence does not necessitate anything that is impossible. So everything that is in this realm, then it is possible to occur. (An example) of its occurrence is the story of Maryam and how the provision came to her from Allah - as stated in the revelation, and the story of Abu Bakr and his guests as appears in the sahih, and the gushing (flowing forth) of the Nile river due to the letter of `Umar, and him seeing, while on the minbar in Medina, the army (being approached for a sneak attack), till he said to the Amir of the army: “O Sariya, the mountain!”, warning him of the enemy behind the mountain.

And Sariya heard his speech even though there was a great distance between them - the distance of two months journey. Khalid Ibn Walid drank poison without it harming him. Khawariq (matters that customarily go against the rules of phenomenal reality) have occurred by the hands of the companions, the followers, and those after them. It is not possible to deny this due to the fact that taken as a whole; they are at the level of tawatur. So, in general, what is possible to be a miracle (mu`jiza) for a Prophet, is possible to be a karama for a Wali. There is no distinction between them except in the area of provocation. note 3

================================================
1 This article has been translated from the author’s book titled Fatawa al-Ramli (http://feqh.alislam. com/Bookhier.asp?Mode=0&DocID=63&MaksamID=1),
a collection of his father’sfatawa.

2
“He is Shamsuddin Muhammad ibn Ahmad. He was born in Ramla, a village near Manufiyya in Egypt, in 919AH. He was the son of the famous Shafi`i faqih and mufti, Shihabuddin al-Ramli. His teachers include his father, Shaykh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari and al-Khatib al-Shirbini. After his father's death he became the chief Shafi`i mufti in Egypt. Such was his eminence that many came to identify him as the mujaddid of his century. His works include ‘nihayat al-muhtaj’ , acommentary on al-Nawawi’s ‘minhaj’, ‘ghayat al-bayan’ , a commentary on Ibn Ruslan's ‘zubad’, a commentary on Shaykh al-Islam's (Zakariyya al-Ansari) ‘tahrir’, a commentary on al-Nawawi’s ‘idah fi manasik al-hajj’ , a collection of his father's fatwas. He died in the year 1004AH in
Cairo.” (Cited from Ibn Hajar al-Haytami and Imam Ramli by Shaykh Taha Karaan.

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3
This means that there is no difference except that the mu`jiza was in response to a tahaddi, a challenge from the mushrikun saying that he was a liar.

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