Al-

Al-Madad:The
Madad:TheHelp
:TheHelp
Help  1

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


Themeaningoftheword‘al-
al-Madad
adad’

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>afāal-
TurkmānīandShaykhAdībKallās,mayAllāhprotecthim.
2
Thismeans‘toprovidewith…’becauseone’sprovidinganotherwithphysicalorintangible
particularsdoesnotalwaysrequireitsdispatchment.
3
Lisānal-‘Arab,Article‫مدد‬
4
Al-Mi>bāal-Munīr,Article‫مدد‬
5
Thewordusedhereis‘mySatan’,whichdenotesanythingoranyonewhichhasthepotentialtolead
manastrayfromthepathtoAllāh.

1
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
‘AndassistoneanotheringoodnessandAllāh- Allāh-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,


6
TheSaintsofAllāhdonotperformactionsoromissionsbutwiththeleaveofAllāh,hencethe
proclamationofseekingtheirassistancewiththeauthoritygrantedtothembyAllāh.
7
oftheloveofAllāh.
8
;ūratal-Mā’idah(5),Verse2.

2
thenthatdoesnotmeanthatheseeksfromhimasifheseeksfromhisLord,but[itmeans]the
helpandpowerwhichAllāhhashelpedthelatterwith.

Imdād,accordingtothemeaningmentioned,isoftwotypes:

[1.] The First Type: It is madad administered from Allāh . It is [that] what does not
[1.]
cometopassinrealitybutfromHimanditdoesnotbecomesuccourtothecreationbut
throughHim.AllāhtheExaltedsays:

‘OutofthebountyofyourLord,weaidoneandall,these 9aswellasthose.
‘OutofthebountyofyourLord,weaidoneandall,these aswellasthose. 10Andthe
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.]throughthehandsofHisProphets,maypeacebeuponthem,bymeans
[ii.
ofmiracles(mu‘jizāt),and
[iii.]throughthehandsofhisSaintsbymeansofmiracles(
[iii.] karāmāt).

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 h,LordoftheWaysofAscent.’13
‘FromAllāh,LordoftheWaysofAscent.’

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

3

Healsosaid,intheexegesisoftheWordofAllāhtheExalted:
‘(AndtheAngelssay:)
‘(AndtheAngelssay:)Notoneofusbuthasastationassigned
Notoneofusbuthasastationassignedtohim.’15
stationassignedtohim.’
tohim.’

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).’17
(ofevidence).’

Imāmal-Tabarīsays:‘…meaning,[that]Werecordthatwhattheyhavesentforthofgoodand
badintheworldandofpiousactionsandevilones.’18

WithregardstotheAngels,[Allāh]theExaltedsays:
‘Notawordheuttersbutthereisasentinelbyhimready(tonoteitdown).’19
‘Notawordheuttersbutthereisasentinelbyhimready(tonoteitdown).’

He has also made them subservient for the safeguarding of the creatures, and likewise, He
attributestheprotectiontoHimselfasHesays:
‘So,Allā
‘So,Allāhisthebestguardian,andHeistheMost- Mercifulofthosewhoshowmercy.’20
histhebestguardian,andHeistheMost-Mercifulofthosewhoshowmercy.’

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 hwhocreatesyouandtakesyoursouls(atdeath).’22
ItisAllāhwhocreatesyouandtakesyoursouls(atdeath).’

WithregardstotheAngels,[Allāh]says:

‘Say,‘TheAngelofDeath,appointedoveryou,willtakeyoursouls:thenshallyoube
broughtbacktoyourLord.’’23
broughtbacktoyourLord.’

Inthisverse,theactionreferstotheAngelofDeathbythecommandofAllāh,andHisleave.


15
;ūratal-Sāffāt(37),Verse164.
16
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.

4
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.’25
commanded.’

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.’27
‘TheydonotcompassanyofHisknowledgebutwhatHewills.’

meaning‘Theydonotknow[anything]fromHisknowledgeexceptwhatHewillsthatHehimself
teachthemwithHisowneducating.’28

InhisexegesisofthewordofAllāh,withreferencetoSayyidunāKhiUr,[Imām]al-Baghawī
says:
‘WetaughthimknowledgefromOurownpresence.’29
‘WetaughthimknowledgefromOurownpresence.’

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.
25
;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.

5
Thereafter,withregardstoSayyidunā‘Īsā,Hesays:
‘AndwhenyoubringforththedeadbyMyleave.’32
‘AndwhenyoubringforththedeadbyMyleave.’

Likewise,HeattributesthecureofsicknesstoHimself,saying:
‘AndwhenIfallill,itisHeWhocuresme.’33
‘AndwhenIfallill,itisHeWhocuresme.’

Thereafter,withregardstoSayyidunā‘Īsā,Hesays:
‘Andyouhealtheborn- blindandtheleperbyMyleave.’34
‘Andyouhealtheborn-blindandtheleperbyMyleave.’

HeattributescreationtoHimself,saying:
‘ItisHeWhocreatedallthings,andorderedthemindueproportions.’35
‘ItisHeWhocreatedallthings,andorderedthemindueproportions.’

Thereafter,withregardstoSayyidunā‘Īsā,Hesays:
‘Behold,youma
ehold,youmakeoutofclay,asit
youmakeoutofclay,asitwere,thefigureofabird,byMyleave,andyou
keoutofclay,asitwere,thefigureofabird,byMyleave,andyou
breatheintoitanditbecomesa birdbyMyleave.’36
breatheintoitanditbecomesabirdbyMyleave.’
intoitanditbecomesabirdbyMyleave.’

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:andIhealtheborn-
andIhealtheborn-blindandtheleper,andIbringforth
blindandtheleper,andIbringforth
thedeadbyAllā h’sleave.’37
thedeadbyAllāh’sleave.’

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.’38
thePeoples(whowillcome)fromthosewiththee.’

meaning‘andgreatgoodnessbeuponyou,upontheprogenyofthosewithyoufromthoseofthe
Ark’.39

[Imām]al-Qurtubīsays:
‘Everybeliever,upuntiltheDayofResurrection,isincludedinthis.’40


32
;ūratal-Mā’idah(5),Verse110.
33
;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)

6
 [MadadintheSunnah]
Sunnah]

TheSayingoftheMessenger:
‘Thesimilitudeofapiouscompanionandanevilcompanionisasamanstandingwith
musk,andamanstokingafurnace.’41
musk,andamanstokingafurnace.’

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.’42
‘Andverilyyouguide(men)totheStraightPath.’

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),Mawqūfbyal-
Tayālasī(515),al-QaUā’ī(1380),fromAbūMūsārelatedbyal-Baghawī(3483)
42
;ūratal-Shūrā(42),Verse52.
43
;ūratal-Jumu‘ah(62),Verse2.

7
Surely,AllāhbestowedSayyidunāMuammadwithcapacityandaidsothathemayguide
thecreation.

Inhis blessed bosom, hebears spiritualsupport withwhichhehelpsthe slaves ofAllāhbyHis
leave.QāUīal-BayUāwīsays,inhisexegesisoftheverse:
‘IamabouttoplaceMy
IamabouttoplaceMydeputy intheearth’,44
toplaceMydeputyintheearth
deputyintheearth’

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
Allāh! Capture for me my sumpter!’, for indeed, there are some of  All
Allāāh’s
h’s
attendantsintheland;theywillcaptureitforyou.’46
attendantsintheland;theywillcaptureitforyou.’

Imāmal-Nawawīsaysthatheexperienceditandsodidsomeoftheeldersfromhisteachers
anditsimpacthadbeenfelt.






44
;ūratal-Baqarah(2),Verse30.
45
Zāshiyat(Notes)Tafsīral-QāUīal-BayUāwī(1/23or27)
46
Itwasrelatedbyal-Tabarānīinal-Kabīr(10518),byAbūYa’lā(5269)andal-Haythamīmentioned
itinMajma’al-Zawā’id(17105)

8
Ithascome[tous]inanobleZadīth,alsofromSayyidunā‘UtbahibnGhazwān,thathesaid:

‘TheMessengerofAllāh said:‘Wheneveranyofyoulosesomething,orheseekshelp,
‘TheMessengerofAllā 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,AllāhhasAngelsintheland,otherthanthe Zafa\
‘Verily,Allā afa\a (AngelsofProtection),who
(AngelsofProtection),who
rotection),who
write[even]thatleafofatreewhichfallsaway.So,wheneveranyofyousufferhobbling
write[even]thatleafofatreewhichfallsaway.So,wheneveranyofyou sufferhobbling
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

47
Itwasrelatedbyal-Tabarānī,al-Fatal-Kabīr((1/83)
48
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.

9
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.’52
Merciful.’

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.

10
 Andwillaidyouwithwealthandsons’53
‘Andwillaidyouwithwealthandsons’

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’54
‘ItisHeWhocreatedthesunradiatingandthemoonalight’

ThesunorthemoonarenotgreaterthantheMessengerofAllāh,towhomHehasgifted
powergreaterthanthesunandthemoon,whichilluminatestheworldofheartswiththelight
ofthelampofhis[own]heart,byleaveofhisLord,asthewordof[Allāh][says]:

‘OHeraldoftheHidden!55 Wehaveindeedsentyouasanobservingpresentwitness
‘OHeraldoftheHidden!
andaHeraldofgladtidingsandwarning.AndasacallertowardsAllah,byHis
andaHeraldofgladtidingsandwarning.AndasacallertowardsAllah,byHisleave
sAllah,byHisleave,
leave,
andasasunthatenlightens.’56
andasasunthatenlightens.’

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:
aretheheirsoftheProphets,’57
‘Verily,thescholarsaretheheirsoftheProphets
‘Verily,thescholarsaretheheirsoftheProphets,

andinthatveryZadīth,hesays,
‘thesuperiorityofascholaroveraworshipperislikethesuperiorityofthemoonover
‘thesuperiorityofascholaroveraworshipperislikethesuperiorityofthemoonover
allthestars’.58
allthestars’.

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]?!


53
;ūratNū(71),Verse12.
54
;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.

11
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 al-
Nafs, 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.’61
‘Bringyourproofifyouaretruthful.’

TheconclusionofourmessageiswithpraisetoAllāh,Lordofalltheworlds.

59
MasterofZadīth.
60
Bahjatal-Nufūs(3/62–63)
61
;ūratal-Baqarah(2),Verse111.

12