Ibn Al-Jazari (d. 711 A.H.) on Istighatha and Shirk

Shamsuddin Muhammad b. Yusuf Al-Jazari supported the practice of istighatha from the deceased. Still, he limited this to requests for actions they could perform, such as asking the Prophet (peace be upon him) for intercession. Nevertheless, Ibn Al-Jazari explicitly affirmed that requesting things that should be sought only from Allah—such as mercy, sustenance, and forgiveness—constitutes major shirk by consensus. He did not impose the precondition that istiqlalis[1] do but rather held that certain invocations inherently constitute major shirk. While Ibn Al-Jazari’s stance remains problematic from the Salafi perspective, it remains distinct from the istiqlali stance.

Imam at-Tufi al-Hanbali (d. 716 A.H.) cites Ibn Al-Jazari’s critique of Ibn Taymiyyah, who asserted that it is incorrect to seek istighatha from the Prophet (peace be upon him) after his passing. In the words of Ibn Al-Jazari, one can discern both his opposition to Ibn Taymiyyah and his stance against istiqlalism.

أنه قال: يجب أن ينظر في حقيقة الاستغاثة ما هي، وهي الاستنصار والاستصراخ، ثم قد وجدنا هذا الإسرائيلي استغاث بموسى ‌واستنصره ‌واستصرخه بنص هذه الآيات، وهي استغاثة مخلوق بمخلوق، وقد أقر موسى عليها الإسرائيلي، وأقر الله-عز وجل-موسى على ذلك، ولم ينكر محمد صلّى الله عليه وسلّم ذلك لما نزلت عليه هذه الآية. أي فكان هذا إقرارا من الله-عز وجل ورسوله على استغاثة المخلوق

بالمخلوق، وإذا جاز أن يستغاث بموسى فبمحمد صلّى الله عليه وسلّم أولى؛ لأنه أفضل بإجماع

ومما يحتج به على ذلك حديث هاجر أم إسماعيل حيث التمست الماء لابنها؛ فلم تجد، فسمعت حسا في بطن الوادي، فقالت: قد أسمعت إن كان عندك غواث. وهذا في معنى الاستغاثة منها بجبريل، وقد أقرها على ذلك ولم ينكره النبي صلّى الله عليه وسلّم عليها لما حكاه عنها

ولأن اعتقاد التوحيد من لوازم الإسلام، فإذا رأينا مسلما يستغيث بمخلوق علمنا قطعا أنه غير مشرك لذلك المخلوق مع الله عز وجل، وإنما ذلك منه طلب مساعدة، أو توجه إلى الله ببركة ذلك المخلوق، وإذا استصرخ الناس في موقف القيامة بالأنبياء ليشفعوا لهم في التخفيف عنهم، جاز استصراخهم بهم في غير ذلك المقام، وقد صنف الشيخ أبو عبد الله بن نعمان كتابا سماه «مصباح الظلام في المستغيثين بخير الأنام» واشتهر هذا الكتاب وأجمع أهل عصره على تلقيه منه بالقبول، وإجماع أهل كل عصر حجة، فالمنكر لذلك مخالف لهذا الإجماع

فإن قيل: الآية المذكورة في قصة موسى والإسرائيلي ليست في محل النزاع من وجهين: أحدهما أن موسى حينئذ كان حيا، ونحن إنما نمنع من الاستغاثة بميت. الثاني أن استغاثة صاحب موسى به كان في أمر يمكن موسى فعله وهو إعانته على خصمه وهو أمر معتاد، ونحن إنما نمنع من الاستغاثة بالمخلوق فيما يختص بالله-عز وجل-كالرحمة والمغفرة والرزق والحياة، ونحو ذلك: فلا يقال: يا محمد، اغفر لي أو ارحمني أو ارزقني أو أجبني أو أعطني مالا وولدا؛ لأن ذلك شرك بإجماع

وأجيب عن الأول بأن الاستغاثة إذا جازت بالحي فبالميت المساوي-فضلا عن الأفضل-أولى؛ لأنه أقرب إلى الله-عز وجل-من الحي لوجوه

أحدها: أنه في دار الكرامة والجزاء، والحي في دار التكليف

الثاني: أن الميت تجرد عن عالم الطبيعة القاطعة عن الوصول إلى عالم الآخرة، والحي متلبس بها

الثالث: أن الشهداء في حياتهم محجوبون، ويعد موتهم أحياء عند ربهم يرزقون

وعن الثاني: أن ما ذكرتموه أمر مجمع عليه معلوم عند صغير المسلمين-فضلا عن كبيرهم-أن المخلوق على الإطلاق لا يطلب منه ولا ينسب إليه فعل ما اختصت القدرة الإلهية به، وقد رأينا إغمار النار وعامتهم وأبعدهم عن العلم والمعرفة يلوذون بحجرة النبي صلّى الله عليه وسلّم ولا يزيدون على أن يسألوا الشفاعة والوسيلة: [يا رسول]، اشفع لنا، يا الله ببركة نبيك اغفر لنا: فصار الكلام في المسألة المفروضة فضلا لا حاجة بأحد من المسلمين إليه

He (Ibn Al-Jazari) stated: It is essential to examine the true nature of istighatha, which is to seek help and to call for aid. We have found that this Israelite sought help from Musa and called upon him for aid, as explicitly mentioned in these verses. This constitutes one created being seeking istighatha from another created being. Musa approved of this act by the Israelite, Allah Almighty approved of Musa’ response, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not object to this when these verses were revealed to him. Thus, this serves as an endorsement from Allah Almighty and His Messenger regarding the permissibility of one created being seeking istighatha from another created being. If it is permissible to seek istighatha from Musa, then it is even more appropriate to seek istighatha from Muhammad (peace be upon him), as he is acknowledged to be superior by consensus.

One of the arguments supporting this is the story of Hagar, the mother of Ismail, who sought water for her son but could not find any. She then heard a sound in the valley and said, “You have made yourself heard; if you have aid, then help us.” This is essentially seeking istighatha from Jibreel, and he approved of it. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not object to this when he recounted her story.

Belief in tawheed is intrinsic to Islam. Therefore, when we see a Muslim seeking istighatha from a created being, we are certain that he does not commit shirk with that being with Allah. Rather, it is merely a request for assistance or seeking Allah’s aid through the blessing of that being. If people can call upon the prophets for intercession on the Day of Judgment to alleviate their suffering, it is permissible to seek their help in other situations as well.

Moreover, Sheikh Abu Abdullah ibn Nu’man authored a book titled Misbah al-Dhalam fi al-Mustaghitheen bi-Khayr al-Anam, which gained widespread acceptance among the scholars of his time. The consensus of the scholars of any era is authoritative; thus, denying this practice contradicts that consensus.

It might be argued that the verse regarding Musa and the Israelite does not pertain to the matter in question for two reasons:

First, Musa was alive at that time, whereas we prohibit seeking istighatha from the deceased.

Second, the istighatha sought by the Israelite from Musa involved something Musa could do, namely helping him against his adversary, which is a usual matter. We prohibit seeking istighatha from a created being in matters that are exclusive to Allah Almighty, such as mercy, forgiveness, sustenance, and life. Therefore, one should not say: “O Muhammad, forgive me, have mercy on me, provide for me, answer me, or give me wealth and children,” because this constitutes shirk by consensus.

In response to the first point, it can be argued that if seeking istighatha from a living person is permissible, then it is even more appropriate to seek it from a deceased person of equal or greater status, as they are closer to Allah Almighty for several reasons:

First, they are in the abode of honor and reward, while the living are in the abode of duty and responsibility.

Second, the deceased are free from the physical world that obstructs access to the afterlife, while the living are still entangled in it.

Third, martyrs, during their lives, are veiled, but after their death, they are considered alive with their Lord, receiving sustenance.

Regarding the second point, what you have mentioned is a universally agreed-upon matter, known even to the youngest among Muslims, let alone the elders, that a created being cannot be asked for, nor attributed with, actions that are exclusively within the divine capacity. We have observed that even the most ordinary and least knowledgeable individuals seek refuge at the Prophet’s chamber (peace be upon him) and only ask for his intercession and means: “O Messenger of Allah, intercede for us,” or “O Allah, by the blessing of Your Prophet, forgive us.” Therefore, discussing the hypothetical issue is unnecessary for any Muslim.[2]

Regarding Ibn al-Jazari’s remark, “Therefore, discussing the hypothetical issue is unnecessary for any Muslim,” one can only wish this were true. Unfortunately, the reality is that many uninformed individuals do invoke their saints (“by Allah’s permission,” of course!) for such matters and attribute to them qualities that are only befitting of Allah.

Recommended Reading:

Ibadah Discourse

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[1] Istiqlalism holds that Shirk cannot occur unless a person believes the object of veneration and beseeching has some form of independence (istiqlal) from Allah, either completely or partially, by being able to influence Allah’s will against His permission.

[2] Najmuddin at-Tufi, al-Isharat al-Ilahiyyah ila al-Mabahith al-Usuliyyah, pp. 479-480