Al Madad-yusuf Khattar Muhammad

AlAl-Madad:The Madad:TheHelp :TheHelp Help  1

ShaykhYūsufKhaārMuammad

TranslatedbyShaykhTahirMahmoodKiani Releasedbywww.marifah.net www.marifah.net1428H  www.marifah.net

 



Themeaningoftheword‘aladad’ al-Madad

Themeaningofthewordal-madadvarieswithrespecttothedisparityoftheintentionofits proponent.  Withregardstothemeaningoftheword‘madad’,ithasbeenmentionedinthe‘Lisānal-‘Arab’:  • ‘Wehavehelpedthenation,’thatis,‘wehaveaidedthemwithpartisansandhelp.’ • ‘Theleadersupportedhisarmywithhorsesandmenandheaidedthem,’and • ‘Hegrantedthemwithlotsofwealthandhemadethemwealthy.’  Al-Madad:troopswhichaffiliatewithmilitaryexpeditions[carriedout]inthepathof Allāh.

 Imdād[:]isthatonedispatches2aid(madad).3  ImāmAlfayawmīsaid: ‘Iaidedhimwithhelp:Isupportedhimandstrengthenedhimbyit.’4  Thus,whentheMuslimsays:‘MadadYāAllāh!(Help,OAllāh!)’,thatis‘Supportme’‘Helpme withYourpower’,‘AssistmeagainstYourenemy’,‘Increasemewithmerciesandblessings’and ‘HelpmewiththeaptitudetoYourobedienceandtocombatingmyegoandmydemon.’5  1

TranslatedfromShaykhYūsufKhaārMuammad’smasterpiece,al-Mawsū‘atal-Yūsfiyyafībayān Adillatal-;ūfiyya(p.124-134)publishedbyDaral-Taqwā,Damascus.Thisuniqueworkisendorsedby

themostprominentscholarsofDamascus,suchas‘AbdulRamanal-Shāghūrī,ShaykhMu>afāalTurkmānīandShaykhAdībKallās,mayAllāhprotecthim. 2 Thismeans‘toprovidewith…’becauseone’sprovidinganotherwithphysicalorintangible particularsdoesnotalwaysrequireitsdispatchment. 3 Lisānal-‘Arab,Article‫مدد‬ 4 Al-Mi>bāal-Munīr,Article‫مدد‬ 5 Thewordusedhereis‘mySatan’,whichdenotesanythingoranyonewhichhasthepotentialtolead manastrayfromthepathtoAllāh.

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Whenhesays:‘MadadYāAwliyā’Allāh!(Help,OSaintsofAllāh!)’,itmeans:‘Teachusofwhat Allāhhastaughtyou,’‘HelpuswithwhatAllāhhashelpedyouwithofsciencesandintuition’, ‘Assistuswiththatwhatwillbenefitusinourjourney’,‘Guideusinourcomportment(sulūk)to theloveofAllāh,withHisleave;’ 6Thisdoesnotoccurotherthanduetomostofthecreatures missingoutfromthemercyoftheirLordandHedisciplinesthemwithIslām,withthepoisesof the leader of all men [Prophet Muammad] , therefore, they are in need of him who assists themandaidsthemwithknowledge,Heteachesthemthemannersofjourneyandcomportment.

 Al-madad, according to the meaning which we have mentioned [above], exists, in our lives, in theory and [also] in substance. Nobody can deny that humans seek aid by means of transportation like the car, plane, steamship and train in order to fulfil his worldly needs and conveyancebymeansofthemfromoneland toanother;humanscannotreachitwithoutthem butwith[suffering]personalarduousness.  Surely, mariners and aviators seek the direction of their journey in the sea and in the air by meansofametallicobjectwhichiscalled‘al-bū>ola(thecompass)’;itpointsthemtothedesired directionandthis[fact]cannotbedenied!So,doesseekinghelpfrommetalevict[one]fromthe [Muslim] nation? Is valuable assistance denied [from] him [who] presents it to us, who has experienceinthecomportmentofthepathtothe love ofAllāh,which[itself] issurroundedby various kinds of perils, to [its] achievement7, without that aid, and that assistance without arduousnessandhardship?Itisknownthattheleastoftheenemiesinthispathistheego,Satan anddesire?!  Fromhere,itisevidenttousthatmanisinneedofaidtomanyitemsfromthecreationsofAllāh, sothattheymayhelphimwithassistanceforwhichAllāhhasmadesubservienttohimuponthe handsofHiscreationandtheirmanufacturedarticles,betheyofwhateverkind.  

[MadadintheQur’ā intheQur’ān] n]

 ThereisadifferencebetweentheaidoftheCreatorandtheaidofthecreature. The word ‘madad ’comes with the meaning of ‘musā‘ada (mutual assistance)’ and ‘mu‘āwana (mutualsupport)’,anditisrecommendedinallkindsofgoodness,inallthepathstowhichthe orthodoxCanon(Shar’‘)permits.

 Isti‘āna(seeking/acquiringcooperation)’ofpeople,onetotheother,inaffairs,isinevitableand indispensable; man is enjoined with it, particularly in affairs of goodness and God-wariness. Allāhsays:  ‘AndassistoneanotheringoodnessandAllāh ‘AndassistoneanotheringoodnessandAllāhAllāh-wariness,anddonotmutuallycooperate 8 insinandhostility.’ insinandhostility.’ y.’   Therefore,mutualcooperationbetweencreaturesis madad,thatis, musā‘adaandtheassistance of some of them [given] to the others. If someone seeks help from someone of his own genus,

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TheSaintsofAllāhdonotperformactionsoromissionsbutwiththeleaveofAllāh,hencethe proclamationofseekingtheirassistancewiththeauthoritygrantedtothembyAllāh. 7 oftheloveofAllāh. 8 ;ūratal-Mā’idah(5),Verse2.

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thenthatdoesnotmeanthatheseeksfromhimasifheseeksfromhisLord,but[itmeans]the helpandpowerwhichAllāhhashelpedthelatterwith.  Imdād,accordingtothemeaningmentioned,isoftwotypes:  [1.] [1.] The First Type: It is madad administered from Allāh . It is [that] what does not cometopassinrealitybutfromHimanditdoesnotbecomesuccourtothecreationbut throughHim.AllāhtheExaltedsays:  ‘OutofthebountyofyourLord,weaidoneandall,these 9aswellasthose. aswellasthose. 10Andthe ‘OutofthebountyofyourLord,weaidoneandall,these 11 bountyofyourLordisnotprohibited[toanyone].’ bountyofyourLordisnotprohibited[toanyone].’   meaning,asImāmal-Shawkānīhassaid:‘WeextendOurbountytohiminsuchthatit pursueshimlimitlessly;Webestowtothebelieversandtothedisbelievers,theobedient andthesinful.’12   [2.]TheSecondType:Itis[that]whatAllāhpasses: [2.] [i. [i.]throughthehandsofHisnobleAngels,outofwhateverAllāhgivesto themofstrengthandsecrets, [ii. [ii.]throughthehandsofHisProphets,maypeacebeuponthem,bymeans ofmiracles(mu‘jizāt),and karāmāt). [iii.]throughthehandsofhisSaintsbymeansofmiracles( [iii.]  The difference is clearly very manifest; Allāh  helps whomsoever He wills from amongst His creatures, out of the treasures of His grace and His mercy, with support, aid and assistance against the disbelievers and the polytheists, whenever He wills, howsoever He wills and His bountydoesnotceaseontheauthorityorconsentofanyone.  WithregardstoHisProphetsandHisSaints,theirprovisionofsupporttotheseekersdoesnot passbutwiththeauthorisationofAllāh,HiswillandHisconsent.Inreality,itisprocuredfrom theprovisioningbyAllāh.Examplesforthatareverynumerous.  AllāhhasplacedAngelsinthisworldforwhomtherearevisibleand[also]secretassignments andactivities,bywhichtheyservethecreationofAllāhwithwhatAllāhhasordainedthemfor.  Imāmal-Rāzīsays,inhisexegesisofthenobleverse: ‘FromAllā ‘FromAllāh,LordoftheWaysofAscent.’ h,LordoftheWaysofAscent.’13  …accordingtome,thereisafourthaspect,andthatisthattheseheavensareasiftheywere disproportionate in loftiness and depression, magnitude and minuteness, and their power andtheextremityofpowerisaccordingtothelogicofthisworld(meaning,accordingtothe commandofAllāhtothepower).PerhapslightisabestowmentofAllāhandtheeffectof thegraceofHismercy,notreachingthisworldbutbymeansofthosespirits,eithernaturally orotherwise.14 9

whoseekthemundane. whoseekthedivine. 11 ;ūratal-Isrā’(17),Verse20. 12 Fatal-Qadīr,3:211. 13 ;ūratal-Ma’ārij(70),Verse3. 14 Tafsīral-Fakhral-Rāzī,24:122 10

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 Healsosaid,intheexegesisoftheWordofAllāhtheExalted: ‘(AndtheAngelssay:) ‘(AndtheAngelssay:)Notoneofusbuthasastationassigned Notoneofusbuthasastationassignedto stationassignedtohim.’ tohim.’ him.’15  Thisprovesthatforeachoneofthemthereisarankwhichhedoesnotexceed,andastage from where he does not overstep. These stages are a reference to their statuses in the dispossessionofthebodiesofthisworld.16

AllāhhasindeedemployedtheAngelstoknowingandtorecordingtheactionsofthecreatures by an order from Himself . He applies to Himself, simultaneously, the informing and the recording,[by]saying:  ‘Verily,Weshallraiset ‘Verily,Weshallraisethedeadtolife,andW eshallraisethedeadtolife,andWerecordthatwhichthe hedeadtolife,andWerecordthatwhichtheysendbeforeand erecordthatwhichtheysendbeforeand thetraceswhichtheyleavebehind,andofallthingshaveWekeptcountinaClearBook (ofevidence).’ (ofevidence).’17  Imāmal-Tabarīsays:‘…meaning,[that]Werecordthatwhattheyhavesentforthofgoodand badintheworldandofpiousactionsandevilones.’18  WithregardstotheAngels,[Allāh]theExaltedsays: ‘Notawordheuttersbutthereisasentinelbyhimready(tonoteitdown).’ ‘Notawordheuttersbutthereisasentinelbyhimready(tonoteitdown).’19  He has also made them subservient for the safeguarding of the creatures, and likewise, He attributestheprotectiontoHimselfasHesays: ‘So,Allā ‘So,Allāhisthebestguardian,andHeistheMosthisthebestguardian,andHeistheMost-Mercifulofthosewhoshowmercy.’ Mercifulofthosewhoshowmercy.’20  WithregardstotheAngels,Healsosays:  ‘Foreach(person)thereare(A Foreach(person)thereare(Angels)cominginsuccessionbeforehimandbehindhim. ngels)cominginsuccessionbeforehimandbehindhim. TheyguardhimbythecommandofAllā TheyguardhimbythecommandofAllāh.’ h.’21  HehasenjoinedtheAngelofDeathtoseizing souls,and simultaneously, Heattributesthatto Himself,asHesays: ‘ItisAllā ItisAllāhwhocreatesyouandtakesyoursouls(atdeath).’ hwhocreatesyouandtakesyoursouls(atdeath).’22  WithregardstotheAngels,[Allāh]says:  ‘Say,‘TheAngelofDeath,appointedoveryou,willtakeyoursouls:thenshallyoube broughtbacktoyourLord.’ broughtbacktoyourLord.’’23  Inthisverse,theactionreferstotheAngelofDeathbythecommandofAllāh,andHisleave.  15

;ūratal-Sāffāt(37),Verse164. Tafsīral-Fakhral-Rāzī,26:174 17 ;ūratYā-Sīn(36),verse12. 18 ;afwatal-Tafāsīr,3:8. 19 ;ūratQāf(50),Verse18. 20 ;ūratYūsuf(12),Verse64. 21 ;ūratal-Ra’d(13),Verse11. 22 ;ūratal-Nal(16),Verse70. 23 ;ūratal-Sajdah(32),Verse11. 16

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Thus, verily, Allāh  has assisted the Angels with classified [knowledge] with which they safeguardthecreaturesofAllāhwithsubserviencetoHim.HeisadoerofwhateverHewills. WhenevermiraclesandstrangehappeningsoccurfromtheAngels,they areinrealitynotfrom thembecausethey24aresubservienttothecommandofAllāh.Withregardstothem,ourLord says: ‘TheydisobeynotAllā ‘TheydisobeynotAllāhinwhatHehascommanded,buttheydowhatevertheyare commanded.’ commanded.’25  In this world, Allāh  has prepared assignments and actions of evident and hidden nature for His creatures26, [that] what he has prepared for His Noble Angels ‘alayhim al-salām and He supportsthemwithspiritualassistancesandabilities.  Allāh has bestowed His Prophets, His Messengers and His Saints with something from the secrets upon which they render themselves to rely upon for the sake of victory of the creed of Allāh.  Withthem,theyhelpthosewhomtheywill,withleavefromtheirLord,andHispleasure,forthe establishmentofthecreedofAllāh. Imāmal-Bayhaqīsays,inhisexegesisofthewordofAllāh: ‘TheydonotcompassanyofHisknowledgebutwhatHewills.’ TheydonotcompassanyofHisknowledgebutwhatHewills.’27  meaning‘Theydonotknow[anything]fromHisknowledgeexceptwhatHewillsthatHehimself teachthemwithHisowneducating.’28  InhisexegesisofthewordofAllāh,withreferencetoSayyidunāKhiUr,[Imām]al-Baghawī says: ‘WetaughthimknowledgefromOurownpresence.’ ‘WetaughthimknowledgefromOurownpresence.’29  meaning‘theknowledgeoftheesotericbywayofintuition.’30  TheProphets,blessingsandpeacebeuponthem,areofahigherstatusandgreaterinrankwith AllāhthantheAngels,peacebeuponthem,andhence,HehasassistedthemwithsomeofHis ownattributesandHehasmadetopassupontheirhandssomemiracleswhich,ifonewhodenies [the belief in such] help in the first instance, and he does not know that they occurred from a known Messenger,hehearsofthem, hewillsurelydecreedisbeliefuponits proponentandhis eviction from the [Muslim] nation immediately! Evidence to this has been provided regarding whatAllāhmadetopassonthehandofSayyidunā‘Īsā. WeshouldlistentothewordofAllāhwhereHeattributedtherevivingofthedeadtoHimself saying: ‘ItisAllā ‘ItisAllāh– h–Heistheprotector,anditisHeWhogiveslifeto Heistheprotector,anditisHeWhogiveslifetothedead; giveslifetothedead;itisHeWhohas thedead;itisHeWhohas 31 poweroverallthings.’ poweroverallthings.’ rallthings.’   24

theAngels. ;ūratal-Tarīm(66),Verse6. 26 otherthantheAngels. 27 ;ūratal-Baqarah(2),Verse255. 28 Al-Asmā’uwal-;ifātulil-Bayhaqī(Imāmal-Bayhaqī;NamesandAttributes),p.143. 29 ;ūratal-Kahf(18),Verse65. 30 Ma‘ālimal-Tanzīlfial-Tafsīr(CharacteristicsofRevelationinExegesis)(3/584) 31 ;ūratal-Shūrā(42),Verse9. 25

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Thereafter,withregardstoSayyidunā‘Īsā,Hesays: ‘AndwhenyoubringforththedeadbyMyleave.’ ‘AndwhenyoubringforththedeadbyMyleave.’32  Likewise,HeattributesthecureofsicknesstoHimself,saying: ‘AndwhenIfallill,itisHeWhocuresme.’ ‘AndwhenIfallill,itisHeWhocuresme.’33  Thereafter,withregardstoSayyidunā‘Īsā,Hesays: ‘Andyouhealtheborn‘Andyouhealtheborn-blindandtheleperbyMyleave.’ blindandtheleperbyMyleave.’34  HeattributescreationtoHimself,saying: ‘ItisHeWhocreatedallthings,andorderedthemindueproportions.’ ‘ItisHeWhocreatedallthings,andorderedthemindueproportions.’35  Thereafter,withregardstoSayyidunā‘Īsā,Hesays: ‘Behold,youma ehold,youmakeoutofclay,asit youmakeoutofclay,asitwere,thefigureofabird,byMyleave,andyou keoutofclay,asitwere,thefigureofabird,byMyleave,andyou breatheintoitanditbecomesa breatheintoitanditbecomesabirdbyMyleave.’ intoitanditbecomesabirdbyMyleave.’ birdbyMyleave.’36  Thatisnotall.AfterAllāhhasprovidedSayyidunā‘Īsāwiththesequalities,weseehimspeaking withthetongueofdivineassistanceandheattributesthemeanstohimself,andtherealactionto itsprovider,ashesays:  ‘I make for for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into into it, and it becomesabirdbyAllā becomesabirdbyAllāh’sleave:andIhealtheborn h’sleave:andIhealthebornandIhealtheborn-blindandtheleper,andIbringforth blindandtheleper,andIbringforth thedeadbyAllā thedeadbyAllāh’sleave.’ h’sleave.’37  Thisverseisgreaterevidenceonthevalidityofreferringsuchlikewords,fromafigurativeaspect ofwhichthereisnopossibilityofdenial,tothoseuponwhosehandsAllāhhasrenderedabilities, aswehavepassedinthe‘ChapterofIntercession(Tawassul)’.  This,inessence,isgreaterthanthewordsofassistanceintheirsubjectandtheirmeaning.The blessingsandgoodnesswhichAllāh helpsoneofhiscreatureswith,allthosebelieversaround him[also]achievebenefitfromit.WithregardstoSayyidunāNū,Allāhsays:  ‘ONū!Comedown(fromtheArk)withPeacefromUs,andblessingsuponyouandon thePeoples(whowillcome)fromthosewiththee.’ thePeoples(whowillcome)fromthosewiththee.’38  meaning‘andgreatgoodnessbeuponyou,upontheprogenyofthosewithyoufromthoseofthe Ark’.39  [Imām]al-Qurtubīsays: ‘Everybeliever,upuntiltheDayofResurrection,isincludedinthis.’40  32

;ūratal-Mā’idah(5),Verse110. ;ūratal-Shu‘arā’(26),Verse80. 34 ;ūratal-Mā’idah(5),Verse110. 35 ;ūratal-Furqān(25),Verse2. 36 ;ūratal-Mā’idah(5),Verse110. 37 ;ūratālImrān(3),Verse49. 38 ;ūratHūd(11),Verse48. 39 ;afwatal-Tafāsīr(2/17) 40 Tafsīral-Qurtubī(9/48) 33

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[MadadintheSunnah] Sunnah]  TheSayingoftheMessenger: ‘Thesimilitudeofapiouscompanionandanevilcompanionisasamanstandingwith musk,andamanstokingafurnace.’ musk,andamanstokingafurnace.’41  Withwhatever Allāhassists HisMessengersandHis Prophets, thatisbywayofestablishing evidenceandspreadinginvitation[tothetruepath].WeknowthatSayyidunāMuammadis themostexcellentoftheprophets,absolutely,justastheauthorof‘al-Jawharah’says:  ‘waafUalal-khalqi‘alāal-ilāqi Nabiyyunā,fa-mal‘anal-shiqāqi’ [TheBestofCreationwithcertainty, isourProphetundoubtedly.]

 Withthis,[itisclearthat]theassistancegiventohimbyAllāhisbetterandgreaterthanall that what He bestowed to all of the Prophets and Messengers, because Allāh appointed every Prophet as a missionary and a caller for his own nation but the appointing of the Beloved Mu>afāwasfor[allof]thecreationcollectively.  Oneoftherighteoussaid:  Surely,thehelpingwhichAllāhgivesforthtoHisProphetsislikealeasedtrustwiththem sothattheymayworkfortheguidanceofthecreaturestotheobedienceoftheirLordby meansofit.

 InhonourofHisProphet.hasAllāhnotsaid: ‘Andverilyyouguide(men)totheStraightPath.’ ‘Andverilyyouguide(men)totheStraightPath.’42  He,inhishonour,alsosays:  ‘It is He Who sent amongst the unlettered unlettered a Messenger from among themselves, to rehearse to them His signs, to sanctify them and to instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom,eventhough,theyhadbeen,before,inmanifesterror.’’ Wisdom,eventhough,theyhadbeen,before,inmanifesterror. ’43  So,aslongasSayyidunāMuammadisthebearerofmercyanddivinekindlinesstotheworlds, andofthesecretsofsanctificationfortheentireworld,thenthisremainssuchthathehelpsthe creatureswithmercyandkindliness,bytheleaveofAllāh.  Thenobleverseisclearwithregardstotheword‘yuzakkīhim(hesanctifiesthem)’,hence,bythe grace of Allāh and by the means of the bestowment of Allāh to him, he is able to apply sanctificationtowhomsoeverfollowshimandobeyshim.  Thus,hehasrectifiedthosewhowerethemostevilofpeopleduringthe[periodof]Ignorance (jāhiliyyah)andthemostuncouthinkillinganddisbelief,andthereafter,theybecamethemost nobleofpeopleandthemostbeautifuloftheminmanners,religionandfaith. 41

relatedbyBukhārī(2101),Muslim(6635),Amad(4/408),IbnZabbān(561),MawqūfbyalTayālasī(515),al-QaUā’ī(1380),fromAbūMūsārelatedbyal-Baghawī(3483) 42 ;ūratal-Shūrā(42),Verse52. 43 ;ūratal-Jumu‘ah(62),Verse2.

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Surely,AllāhbestowedSayyidunāMuammadwithcapacityandaidsothathemayguide thecreation.  Inhis blessed bosom, hebears spiritualsupport withwhichhehelpsthe slaves ofAllāhbyHis leave.QāUīal-BayUāwīsays,inhisexegesisoftheverse: ‘IamabouttoplaceMy IamabouttoplaceMydeputy toplaceMydeputyintheearth deputyintheearth’ intheearth’,44  hesays:  Verily,Hisdeputisingisnotbasedonincapacityandneed;farloftierisAllāhfromthat inhighnessandgreatness,butthatitisbasedontheincapabilityofhewhoisdeputised: HisinteractionindelegatingexcellencesandintimaciestoHiscreationis[dependant] upon their readiness. So, whoever is prepared to receive their delegation directly, He HimselfdelegatestohimwithoutthemeansofanyAngel,andwhoeverdoesnotreceive itbutfromhimwhoisofthesamegenusashim,Hedelegatesittohimwiththemeansof Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, for indeed their visionary strength is superiortothestrengthofallofthepeople,insuchthatbyvirtueoftheirstrength,they canderivethelightsofsciencesandintimaciestorenderthemtobegiventhebeaconof insight placed into the crystalline heart  that occupies the pendent lamp of the torso, whichinturnemblazes thatcrystalwiththe oilofthesoul,cleanofimpurities,insuch thatitmaybethatitsoil,whichisforthepurposeofpurifyingit,illuminates,although firedoesnoteventouchit.45

 Thewordsof[QāUī]al-BayUāwīendhere. 

‘Al-Madad’,therefore,isthatdivinelightwhichAllāhshowersovertheheartsofHisProphets andHisSaints,[comprised]ofmercies,blessingsandsecrets.  Inreality,everyproofwhichwehavementionedwithrespecttotheaffirmationofintercession,in general,andwithrespecttothoseabsentandthedead,inparticular,isvalid,inorderforittobe evidence to justify aid. Here, we shall mention some of them, and we shall extend upon them, Allāhwilling.  OfthatiswhatSayyidunā‘AbdullāhibnMas’ūdnarrates,thattheMessengerofAllāhsaid:  ‘Wheneverthesumpterofanyofyourunsaway inopencountry,heshouldcallout:‘O inopencountry,heshouldcallout:‘O slaves of Allā Allāāh’s Allāh! Capture for me my sumpter!’, for indeed, there are some of  All h’s attendantsintheland;theywillcaptureitforyou.’ attendantsintheland;theywillcaptureitforyou.’46  Imāmal-Nawawīsaysthatheexperienceditandsodidsomeoftheeldersfromhisteachers anditsimpacthadbeenfelt.      44

;ūratal-Baqarah(2),Verse30. Zāshiyat(Notes)Tafsīral-QāUīal-BayUāwī(1/23or27) 46 Itwasrelatedbyal-Tabarānīinal-Kabīr(10518),byAbūYa’lā(5269)andal-Haythamīmentioned itinMajma’al-Zawā’id(17105) 45

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Ithascome[tous]inanobleZadīth,alsofromSayyidunā‘UtbahibnGhazwān,thathesaid:  ‘TheMessengerofAllā said:‘Wheneveranyofyoulosesomething,orheseekshelp, ‘TheMessengerofAllāh said:‘Wheneveranyofyoulosesomething,orheseekshelp, andthatheisinalandwithoutafriend,heshouldsay:‘O andthatheisinalandwithoutafriend,heshouldsay:‘OslavesofAllā slavesofAllāh!Helpme!O h!Helpme! O slavesofAllā slavesofAllāh!Helpme!’ h!Helpme!’,forAllā ,forAllāhtheExaltedhas theExaltedhas hasmanyslaveswhomwedonotsee manyslaveswhomwedonotsee.’’ slaveswhomwedonotsee.’’ .’’47  Al-Zāfi\ says: ‘With regards to the Zadīth of ‘Utbah , it is a testimony to the Zadīth of Ibn ‘AbbāsthattheProphetsaid:  ‘Verily,Allā afa\a (AngelsofProtection),who ‘Verily,AllāhhasAngelsintheland,otherthanthe Zafa\ (AngelsofProtection),who rotection),who write[even]thatleafofatreewhichfallsaway.So,wheneveranyofyousufferhobbling sufferhobbling write[even]thatleafofatreewhichfallsaway.So,wheneveranyofyou 48 indesertedland,heshouldcallout:‘O indesertedland,heshouldcallout:‘OslavesofAllā slavesofAllāh,cometomyaid.’’ h,cometomyaid.’’   Helping,here,isnotlikethehelpingofAllāhtohiscreation;infactitistheteaching,informing, guidingandaidingbytheleaveofAllāh.  ThereisevidenceinthesenarrationsthatsurelyAllāhhasspecifiedsomeslavesforclassified knowledge and helping so that they may serve the believers therewith whenever there are vast distancesbetweenthecallerandthereplier[tothecall].AllofthatiswiththecommandofAllāh. ThisisaclearproofofthepermissibilityofseekinghelpfromtheslavesofAllāh.  ThisdoesnotcontradicttheZadīth ‘Wheneveryouask,askfromAllā ‘Wheneveryouask,askfromAllāh,andwheneveryouseekaid,seekaidfromAllā ,andwheneveryouseekaid,seekaidfromAllāh’ h’49  ashaspassedusinthe[sectionon]Intercession(tawassul)andSeekingHelp(istighātha).   (Na\ Na\rah rah,Sympathy ,Sympathy) Sympathy):  Whatever has been said with regards to the meaning of help and seeking it from Allāh by mediationofthelivingandthemoving,thesimilarhasbeensaidwithregardstothemeaningof Na\rah(Sympathy);whoeversaystheword‘Na\rah ’,ismakingintercessionorseekinghelp.He intends,whenhesays: ‘Have sympathy on me (un\ur ilayya) (O Messenger of Allāh, or O Saints of Allāh). A glanceofmercyandaid,andmediateformewithAllāhthatHefulfilmyneed.’  This is the essence of the meaning of ‘aghīthūnī (help me)’, ‘a‘īnūnī (support me)’, ‘yā Muammad, yāMuammadāh(OMuammad)’,andwordsotherthanthesewhichhavepassed usinrelationtothediscussionofevidences.  TheysoughthelpfromProphetsandtheRighteous;theydonotgiveittothem 50butthattheir acknowledgementtotheirinadequacyinpresentingthatwhatAllāhhasenjoineduponthemisin

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Itwasrelatedbyal-Tabarānī,al-Fatal-Kabīr((1/83) Shaykh‘AbdulQādirArna‘ūsays:‘al-Zāfi\said:‘ThisisaZadīthof[grade]asanchainof narration.’(al-Adhkārlial-Nawawī,pp.192)’ 49 ItwasrelatedbyTirmidhī(2516).Hesaid:‘ThisZadīthis[graded]asan>aī.Amad[alsorelates it}(1/293) 50 thecreatures/people. 48

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completeness,andtheirinabilitytoreachthestationsofisān(beneficence).51Thus,theysought the helping and assistance from Allāh by means of the chosen righteous people and the pious saints,forwhomthereisstrengthandgreatcapacity,bythegraceofAllāh,inobedience,honesty, sanctity,worship,sincerityandintuitionwiththeetiquettesofveneration.Thisisnothingbutthe emulation of whateverAllāh commanded the Companions of Sayyidunā Muammad , in His word: ‘And if they, when they have wronged their own souls, come humbly to you [O dear ProphetMu ProphetMuammad]andseekforgivenessfromAll ammad]andseekforgivenessfromAllā andseekforgivenessfromAllāh,andtheMessengerintercedesfor them, them, they will certainly find Allā Allāh as the Most Acceptor Of Repentance, the Most Merciful.’ Merciful.’52  Theblessedverseguidesustotheetiquettesofaskingandseeking. [1.]Firstly,HecommandedustoapproachtheMessengerofAllāh,thereafter, [1.] [2.]theseekingofforgivenessbythesinnerforhimselfinthepresenceoftheMessenger [2.] ofAllāh,thereafter, [3.]hisconfessiontohislackofabilityinseekingfromAllāhduetotheblacknessofhis [3.] slate[ofdeeds]withAllāh.So, [4.]heseeksfromtheMessengerthatheseekforgivenessforhim. [4.]  ThisisnotbutthattheseekingofforgivenessoftheMessengerforthemismoreexcellentand closertoacceptancethanthem,becausehepossessessincerity,sanctityoftheheartandfirmness inobediencemuchgreaterthanwhattherepentingpetitionerpossesses.  ThepetitionerfirstaskshisLord,andfromthere,heseekshelpfromhewhoishigherthanhim whilst confessing to his [own] incapacity and that he [himself] is unqualified for the [fulfilled] returnofhissupplication.Therefore,hebecomesboundbytheBookandtheSunnah,bydeed andbyword.  Thestatementofthepetitioner: ‘MadadYāRasūlAllāh(Help!OMessengerofAllāh)’  meaning, ‘Ask forgiveness for me and teach me of what Allāh has taught you, by His leave.’. Likewise,whenhesays: ‘MadadYāAwliyā’Allāh(Help!OSaintsofAllāh)’,  meaning[that]heseeksthemeanstoSayyidunāMuammadfromthem,seekingintercession, forgiveness and beneficence. Every human who is a beginner in the affairs of religion and sanctificationisdependentonknowledgewhichwouldadvancehiminthisarea.  Whosoevergoestothedoctorandseekshelpfromhimwithhissaying: ‘ODoctor,ridmeofmypains.’,  isheatfaultbecausehesoughthelpfromahumantohelphimwithhealingbymeansofdrugs? Certainlynot![Thisis]becauseAllāhhasrenderedmeansandcausesamongsthiscreation.The striving of the slaves [of Allāh] in search for livelihoods, and likewise the pharmacologist’s treatingofawomanwithdrugsandmedicines,isdefinitelywithknowledge,for Allāhisthe providertotheslaveswithwealthandchildren,whichdoesnotcontradictthewordofAllāh: 51

Thecreatureswhoaskforsuchhelpmustacknowledgetheirownincapacityinreachingthestations ofisānandinbeseechingAllāhinabefittingmanner. 52 ;ūratal-Nisā’(4),Verse64.

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‘Andwillaidyouwithwealthandsons’ Andwillaidyouwithwealthandsons’53  And that in which there is no doubt is that verily Allāh  has made the creatures dependent upon one another, with His wisdom, so that they may provide benefit to one another, by His leave.Eachspeciesprovidesbenefittoitsownkind.Thesunthrowsitsownlightontothemoon at night, and the moon reflects its light onto the earth. This phenomenon is called ‘the aid of reflection’.  Fromhereweseethatmanacquiresbenefitfromthesecreatedlightsbymeansandmediations. Allāh  has the power to illuminate the earth without the sun or the moon, and nor is He in needofeitherofthetwoandnorof[anything]otherthanthemfromHiscreatures. Hesays: ‘ItisHeWhocreatedthesunradiatingandthemoonalight’ ItisHeWhocreatedthesunradiatingandthemoonalight’54  ThesunorthemoonarenotgreaterthantheMessengerofAllāh,towhomHehasgifted powergreaterthanthesunandthemoon,whichilluminatestheworldofheartswiththelight ofthelampofhis[own]heart,byleaveofhisLord,asthewordof[Allāh][says]:  ‘OHeraldoftheHidden! ‘OHeraldoftheHidden!55 Wehaveindeedsentyouasanobservingpresentwitness andaHeraldofgladtidingsandwarning.AndasacallertowardsAllah,byHis andaHeraldofgladtidingsandwarning.AndasacallertowardsAllah,byHisleave sAllah,byHisleave, leave, andasasunthatenlightens.’ andasasunthatenlightens.’56  Surely, the seeking of aid by a disciple from his teacher is nothing but the reflection of the heart of the complete sage (al-walī al-kāmil ), which is more excellent with Allāh upon the heartofthedisciple,thanthesunandthemoon,.Undoubtedly,theteacher(Shaykh )isone oftheheirsoftheProphet,ashesaid: ‘Verily,thescholarsaretheheirsoftheProphets ‘Verily,thescholarsaretheheirsoftheProphets, aretheheirsoftheProphets,’57  andinthatveryZadīth,hesays, ‘thesuperiorityofascholaroveraworshipperislikethesuperiorityofthemoonover ‘thesuperiorityofascholaroveraworshipperislikethesuperiorityofthemoonover allthestars’. allthestars’.58  Hesaid‘likethesuperiorityofthemoon’becauseheistheilluminatingsun.Justasthesun shinesitslightonthemoon,and[inturn]themoonreflectsitslightontotheearth,likewise, theMessengerofAllāhshineshislightontheheartsoftheSaints,and[inturn]theyreflect thatlightontothedisciples.  Whentheacquiring ofhelpbetweeninanimatebodiesis proven,howcanitthenbedenied between creatures of the humankind, in so much that Allāh has created man in the best formationandHehasdignifiedthechildrenofĀdam[‘alayhi’s-salām]?! 

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;ūratNū(71),Verse12. ;ūratYūnus(10),Verse5. 55 AmorecorrectmeaningtotheArabicword‘Nabī’inrelationtoitsmorecommonlyusedEnglish translation‘prophet’. 56 ;ūratal-Azāb(33),verses45–46. 57 ItwasrelatedbyIbnZabbān(1/88),AbuDawūd(3641),IbnMājah(223),Dārimī(1/98),Amad (5/196)andTirmidhī(2682) 58 Ibid. 54

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The Muaddith, 59 the ascetic, the jurist, Imām Ibn Abū Jumrah al-Andalūsī , in his commentarytotheZadīthof‘lying’says:  …This is the reason why he  rendered the meeting of a believer with his believing brother with a cheerful mien as charity, because the believer acquires supportfromhisbrotheraccordingtowhateverisevidentfromhisexterior,just astheesotericsacquireaidfromeachotheraccordingtowhateverisintheirinner selves…60  Thejurist,ImāmMuammadAmīnEffendī,alsoknownasIbn‘Ābidīn[al-Shāmī],mentions inhistreatise‘al-Fawā’idal-Mukha>>a>a(SpecificBenefits)’wherehesays:  …I saw, therein, two memorandums: the first from ‘Umdat al-Muaqqiqīn, Faqīh alNafs, Abūl Ikhlā>, al-Shaykh Zasan al-Sharanbulalī al-Wafā’ī , and the second from HaUratal-Ustādh,onewhograspedboththeexotericandtheesotericsciences,guideof theseekersandtrainerofascetics, Sayyidī‘AbdulGhanīal-Nabulsī,mayAllāhennoble hissecret,andmayHerepeatuswithhisblessings,Amen.So,Idecidedtomentionthe contentsofwhateverisinthesetwomemorandums,seekingtheaidofAllāh,seeking theassistanceofthesetwogreatImāms…

 This great Imām, Ibn ‘Ābidīn, is he, the scholarly status of whom, is not hidden from any studentofnobleknowledge,seeksaid fromthehelpingofnobles,andthatheknowsfor surethattheonewhoprovideshelptothesenoblesisindeedAllāh.Heseeksthehelpof hisLordbymeansoftherighteousnessandtheAllāh-warinessofthesenobles.Therearevery manyexamplestothis.  From here, the permissibility of seeking the aid of the Saints (meaning to seek help from them)isnowcleartous,withtheconditionthatwhilstseeking,onefirmlybelievesthatthere isnothinginthisworldwhichpassesbutbytheleaveofAllāh,withHiswillandwithHis knowledge.  Surely,theSaint,whenhehelpstheseekers,hehelpsthemwiththatwhatAllāhhasprovided himhelpwith.HedoesnotbenefitthepeoplewithanythingfromotherthanAllāh.Verily, the giver of loss and the provider of profit is indeed Allāh . All of the benefits which manifestedatthehandsoftheProphets,peaceandblessingsbeuponthem,andtheSaints, of mysterious miracles and supernatural occurrences, they are not but indications to the bountiesoftheGreatMunificent,thatappearatthehandofhimwhohasbeenfavoured upon from [amongst] the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs and the Righteous. Surely, Allāh’sprovidingofhelptoHisMessengersandHisSaintsisaccordingtowhatAllāhintends andwills,andtheprovidingofhelpbytheMessengersandtheSaintstotherestoftheslaves is also according to what Allāh intends and wills. There is no verse [of the Qur’ān] nor any Zadīth which attributes the charge of apostasy to him who seeks aid, legally valid procurementofsupport,withtheProphetsandtheRighteous,andhewhoclaims[otherwise], heisbound[tofurnish]evidence: ‘Bringyourproofifyouaretruthful.’ ‘Bringyourproofifyouaretruthful.’61  TheconclusionofourmessageiswithpraisetoAllāh,Lordofalltheworlds. 59

MasterofZadīth. Bahjatal-Nufūs(3/62–63) 61 ;ūratal-Baqarah(2),Verse111. 60

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