Praying on dargahs & shrines

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Yaar is mahool main shaistagi kahan sey aaey jahan per Rasool s.a.w k baray main kaha ja raha hai k after becoming a muslim..

App yeh bataoo Gahr-e-Hira mainn Rasool. s.a.w kernay kia jatay thay ?

Please Ghar main jo Quran ki copy parhi hai Usey Open karain

Surah Imran (Surah # 3) Ayat-e-Mubarika 52 and 67 arabic + translation parhain.

Surah Yousaf (Surah # 12) Ayat-e-mubarika 99-101 arabic + translation parhain.

Surah Baqarah (Surah # 2) Ayat-e-mubarika 99-133 arabic + translation parhain.

Thank you.

I didnt see ur earlier post.... Indeed we shld only pray ( Worship )to ALLAH and no else.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

^ to agar aap bardasht nahi ker sakte to khamoshi ikhtiyaar kerna behtar hai... :)

and aapka kehna hai ke jo 40 saal ki umar me unpe Nabuwat utri wo jhoot hai ??? wo Pehle se hi Nabi thay ??

Quraan-e-Paak unpe nazil bhi ho chuka hoga phir to I guess... ke nahi ??

and wo Hazrat Jibraeel (A.S.) wala waqay'ya jo Ghaar-e-Hira me paish aaya aur phir Hazrat Muhammed S.A.W. per jo qafiyat tari hui wo kya sach nahi ??

ji mene parh li hein and for ur info yahan MUSLIMOONA ka matlab hai *"AY EMAAN WALO"

*aap bhi barah-e-karam salees ke sath parhein... lafzi mayeni me to aur bhi bohot kuch hota hai..

khair aap pata nahi is aik word ke peeche kyun parr gaye hein jab keh baat kisi aur mozu per ho rahi hai

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

I am just talking about general people. Anbiya have different status.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

At some extent... Anbiyah are Blessed... but the cause of their blessing/bakhshish is that they Did alot of Prayer and Taligh one can do...

also Anbiyah ne bhi pukara ALLAH ko apni bakhshish and maghfirat ke liye... aur ALLAH ke liye anthak mehnat ki tabligh ki.. bohot kuch bardasht kiya tabhi ye muqaam paya

but baat wahin aah jati hai.... Ghayab Ka Ilm sirf ALLAH PAAK ki zaat janti hai...

agay kya hona hai and kis kis ke sath kya hona hai Woh Parwardigar hi janta hai :)

aur aisi baat jiska hamein maloom hi nahi wo kerna munasib nahi jese keh aap ye baat ker rahe hein...

isko Khuda per chorein and apni maghfirat ka sochein sab aur apne khud ke amaal per nazar-sani karein bajaye kisi dusre ki jaanch partaal kerne ke :)

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

It is not illogical to ask proof of what you claim. My comments are not in reply to verses of Holy Quran directly but to your comments on verses. You are taking the literal meaning of waseela whereas topic at hand is can we get benefits through using the names of religious personalities.

Have you ever seen anybody seeking waseela of angels?. Nevertheless, if Allah helps us through angels that doesn’t mean we should start seeking waseela of angels.

So we can seek waseela of those who fought for us? Rather than asking directly Allah for sending people for our help? If I help you one time, you can take me as waseela in your dua next time?

To follow Prophet (S.A.W) does not imply that we should seek Waseela

Allah will use believers as tool to disgrace non-believers, how does that imply Intercession (Tawassul) is allowed??

Being a guide for you and being waseela for you to get you benefits are two different things.

Most of your comment are irrelevant to topic at hand. you just implied you thoughts…

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Peace 5amra,

As I said that hadith is authentic but there is slighltly difference of wording. I was trying to look similar hadith if it is also narrated in Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abudawood, Malik Mawatta’s but unfortunately, didn’t find any. Hence In hadith Book “Invoking Allah for Rain (Istisqaa)” from “Sahih Bukhari” Hadith No. “123”. It is narrated that:

“Anas narrate: Whenever drought threatened them, 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, used to ask Al-Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib to invoke Allah for rain. He used to say, “O Allah! We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for rain, and You would bless us with rain, and now we ask his uncle to invoke You for rain. O Allah ! Bless us with rain.”(1) And so it would rain”.

Points to be noted:

1- Use to ask a person who is (was, that time) still alive.
2- There is no mention in the Book “Invoking Allah For Rain (Istisqaa)” of Sahih Bukhari which narrated ‘they’ used to ask from any “deceased person”
3- Those who were asked "prayed directly to Almighty Allah like we ask our parents/brothers/sisters that do pray for us so that we’ll pass in exam and they ask to Almighty Allah that “O Allah, pass him/her in exam” Never said that "oky, u r pass because I prayed for u to Allah’ <— [note slightly changes in wording will completely opposite the meaning]

Moreover in same book of Sahih Bukhari, The Prophet Muhammad :saw2: narrated an incident of three peoples who were stuck in a cave covered entrance/exit with a big and heavy stone. All three supplicated to Almighty Allah by remembering their own good deeds and Almighty Allah’s help reached them and big & heavy stone were moved.

Furthermore, in same book of Sahih Bukhari, many peoples asked Prophet Muhammad :saw2: to invoke rain and this hadith repeated many many time but the above hadith (as u quoted) were repeated just once.

Asking for ‘waseela’ with intention that his/her ‘means of waeela’ can benefit and/or cause for us harm is completely wrong and believe in such may or may be not bring some one close to the shirk.

Therefore, please re-read and try to understand with open mind and don’t mix deceased and alive in same category. If still u need further explanation then plz read post #69 onwards in the thread: http://www.paklinks.com/gs/religion-and-scripture/552006-waseela-se-mangna-4.html for detailed answer.

May Almighty Allah guide us. Ameen.

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Moreover, Tabarani, in his "al-Mu'jam al saghir," reports a hadith from 'Uthman ibn Hunayf that a man repeatedly visited Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him) concerning something he needed, but Uthman paid no attention to him or his need. The man met Ibn Hunayf and complained to him about the matter - this being after the death (wisal) of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and after the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar - so Uthman ibn Hunayf, who was one of the Companions who collected hadiths and was learned in the religion of Allah, said: "Go to the place of ablution and perform ablution (wudu), then come to the mosque, perform two rak'as of prayer therein, and say:

'O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through our Prophet Muhammad,
the Prophet of mercy; O Muhammad (Ya Muhammad), I turn through you to my Lord, that He may fulfill my need,' and mention your need. Then come so that I can go with you [to the caliph Uthman]." So the man left and did as he had been told, then went to the door of Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him), and the doorman came, took him by the hand, brought him to Uthman ibn Affan, and seated him next to him on a cushion. 'Uthman asked, "What do you need?" and the man mentioned what he wanted, and

Uthman accomplished it for him, then he said, "I hadn't remembered your need until just now," adding, "Whenever you need something, just mention it." Then, the man departed, met Uthman ibn Hunayf, and said to him, "May Allah reward you! He didn't see to my need or pay any attention to me until you spoke with him." Uthman ibn Hunayf replied, "By Allah, I didn't speak to him, but I have seen a blind man come to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and complain to him of the loss of his eyesight. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "Can you not bear it?' and the man replied, 'O Messenger of Allah, I do not have anyone to lead me around, and it is a great hardship for me.' The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told him, 'Go to the place of ablution and perform ablution (wudu), then pray two rak'as of prayer and make the supplications.'" Ibn Hunayf went on, "By Allah, we didn't part company or speak long before the man returned to us as if nothing had ever been wrong with him."

This is an explicit, un*****ocal text from a prophetic Companion proving the legal validity of tawassul through the dead. The account has been classified as rigously authenticated (SAHIH) by Baihaqi, Mundhiri, and Haythami. If tawassul was idolatory (shirk), or if there were any suspicion of idolatory in it, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) would not have taught it to the blind man when the latter asked him to supplicate Allah for him, though in fact he did teach him to make "tawassul" to Allah through him. And the notion that tawassul is permissible only during the lifetime of the person through whom it is done but not after his death is unsupported by any viable foundation from Sacred Law "Rudud 'ala abatil wa rasa'il al-Shaykh Muhammad al-Hamid]

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

:salam: All

There is a middle ground in all this and people should understand this carefully … I have personally walked this path of uncertainty until I arrived to the understanding I have now thanks to Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi Hafizdullah.

a) 'Iyya ka nasta’een - We ask ONLY from You … In Surah Fatihah - We worship only Allah and ONLY ask from Him.
b) Waseelah - To request from a living person
c) Du’a - best performed by mentioning RasoolAllah (SAW) at the beginning and at the end of a du’a
d) Visiting graves is done for the following reasons:
… 1) Remind ourselves of our destination
… 2) To increase sincerity for our du’as for them
… 3) To gain in the barakah of Allah (SWT) as it showers the graves, when in the company of those who are in those graves

e) Prophets are alive - we should ask Allah (SWT) with their name but not ask them directly
f) By extension the martyrs and pious predecessors of Islam are considered alive - again we should ask Allah (SWT) for our needs only.

We can be in the midst of the graves of pious people - to gain in the barakah, not resulting from them, but from that what Allah (SWT) gives them, our du’as are enhanced when we send sallutations to those who Allah (SWT) Loves …

Our 'aqeedah needs to be perfect and we will never go astray - these outward displays of affection at graves should not be the way we judge others for shirk - rather judging in the matters of aqeedah is only for the very highest levels of the scholars …

There is genuine good and many proven miraculously accepted du’as when people sincerely ask from Allah (SWT) when catalysed by their love towards the people of Allah (SWT). If you say salam to a prophet/wali no doubt they will respond with counter salams - If you send them dua’s - no doubt they will reciprocate in a way that we don’t understand. This is not shirk this is love and suluk for the people of Allah (SWT).

We need to ensure these things before we go - if we feel that our hearts could be asking the people themselves - then it is better not to go.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

"Ay emaan walo" is "ya ayuhaladhina aamanu"....muslimoona ka matlab "one who submits" hai. Yeh tou mujhay bhi pata hai and I'm not an expert in Arabic or Islamic teachings.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

well aapki baat thik hai lafzi meaning ki hadd tak... but MUSALMAAN ke lafzi meanings hein... "Deen-e-Muhammad ka Pairu, Wo jiska mazhab Islam ho" but I am talking about istalahi meanings... isi tarha agar aap Quraan-e-Paak ke akhir me jo tarjuma hai usko dekhein to wahan "Ay Emaan Walo" hi likha hai.. Because yahan insano se mukhatib hua jaa raha hai, wo insaan who are Muslims... :)

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

So now the question is we can’t make waseela of deceased or dead people? As I have mentioned in my previous post too that if someone is not physically present that does not always means that person is dead . They are not in their biological bodies that does not mean they are dead, they have gone to the world of barzakh( veil), its just their bodies that are in this world , its just the difference of worlds thats it. We people only believe in stuff which we can see with naked eyes. Waseela is neither through physical matter like the body nor through living or dead, rather it is through the positive essence and status of a person whether living or dead. . Waseela, tawassul, zariya, invoking is one & the same thing.

Our Prophet (PBUH) stated the following: "Prophets are alive in their graves." (Ibn Majah, Janaiz 65)

I just don’t want to go into further explanation, koi faida hi nahi. I don’t want to get labeled with anything as some people on this forum are quite judgmental.
Some people don’t think that dua should be made through waseela which is fine to be on the safe side as we all know that waseele se dua maangna is not “compulsory” but its jaiz, there is no harm in it but calling it as shirk is not right as no one over here is mufti who can pass out fatwas that this is shirk & this is not just like that.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Peace 5amra

Yes, but this is where there is understanding required. After the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW) passed on and his holy body was laid in the maqam it is now in and he (SAW) is alive there ... The Sahabah, most likely stopped asking directly from him (SAW) and started asking from his (SAW) close relatives (RA) to do the du'as for them on their behalf.

The way to make du'as is and always has been directly to Allah (SWT). Even durood is to Allah (SWT) ... If you want to speak directly to those in the grave there is nothing wrong in sending them Salam ... As is the case in Salat ... Where we send RasoolAllah (SAW) Salam.

There are 3 different things here .... There is a difference between asking someone to do du'as for us, from asking Allah (SWT) to grant us our du'as by using the name of the loved ones of Allah, and asking from the loved ones of Allah directly ... The first two are present in hadith ... I am not aware of the third type to be present in hadith ... I could be mistaken.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

:smack:

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Peace & :wsalam: Ninja Hattori, psyah, and 5amra,

In chapter 5 verse 35: "we read ‘Taqwa’, 'seek the means [of nearness (wasilah)] and ‘Prosper [successful/succeed]’ words.

Here the ‘Taqwa’ might be translated “Fear of Allah”, but in upcoming verses that shows “fear of Allah” does not mean “fear” in the ordinary sense, which would make you avoid the object of fear. On the contrary the “fear of Allah” is the intense desire to avoid everything that is against His Will and Law. It is in fact duty to Allah, for we are told to seek ardently the means by which we may approach Him, and that can only be done by striving with might and main for Him cause. ‘Wasilah’ means ’ the means of approach’. Mujahid, Abu Wa’il, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Abdullah bin Kathir, As-Suddi, Ibn Zayad, Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Talha, Ata and others gave the same meaning for ‘Wasilah’. Moreover, they said it means that “seek the means of approach to Him by obeying Him and performing the acts that please Him”.

Prosper in the spiritual sense, for that is all that matters, as the life of this world is brief and fleeting, and of small account as against eternity.

To understand further about ‘Wasilah [means of approach]’, lets read the verses from Holy Quran from the Chapter 17 verse 55-57, then we’ll came to know that the men’s suspicions of each other or of the prophets have been condemned in the previous verses including the strongest condemnation of all, that of imagining any other being as being equal or in the category with the One True God. Almighty Allah has all power, they have no power. They cannot remove men’s troubles. They cannot even mitigate or change them so as to afford the least relief. So why indulge in false act/worship?

Where men or heroes, or Prophets or Angels are worshiped [thought as ‘wasilah’], the worship is futile. Because of two reasons:

1 - Even if they are good and holy, and ever so near to Almighty Allah, yet the nearest of them have need to seek means of access to Almighty Allah, and they do seek such means viz the hope of Almighty Allah’s Grace.

2 - Though by their very nature it is impossible for us to suppose that they will incur the Wrath of Almighty Allah, yet they are but creatures and are subject to the law of personal responsibility.

5amra, by quoting the hadith that ‘Prophets are alive in their grave’, does it gives us any permission to seek their wasilah? or by saying that it is through the positive essence and status of a person whether living or dead? Because Quran says that: “And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth”. As stated above all creatures are subject to the law of personal responsibility. Neither they can benefit nor can harm except by the Will of Almighty Allah.

‘Wasilah’ is a mean of approach to achieve something, and it is also used to refer to the highest grade in Paradise, and it is the grade of the Messenger of Allah, his residence and the nearest grade in Paradise to Allah’s Throne.

Bukhari recorded that Jabir bin Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah :saw2: said: "Whoever, after hearing to the Adhan says: ‘O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and of the regular prayer which is going to be established! Grant Muhammad :saw2: the Wasilah and superiority and send him (on the Day of Judgment) to the praiseworthy station which You have promised him’, then intercession from me will be permitted him on the Day of Resurrection.

Muslim also recorded that Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As said that he heard the Prophet :saw2: saying: 'When you hear the Muadhadhin, repeat what he says, and then ask for Salah (blessing, mercy from Allah) for me. Verily, whoever asks for Salah for me, then Almighty Allah will grant ten Salah to him, then, ask for the Wasilah for me, for it is a grade in Paradise that only one servant of Almighty Allah deserves, and I hope that I am that servant. Verily, whoever asks (Allah) for Wasilah for me, he will earn the right of my intercession.

Ninja bhai, in your post u quoted the man went to mosque, done wudu, prayed two rakats and then made dua starting from “O’ Allah, I ask You…” For me it is very loud and clear that when we do wudu, offers two rakats then we pray for Almighty Allah and we hope that He will fulfill our desire, actually, we are praying/asking directly to Almighty Allah and after that even in second part of our dua we used our through. Seeking to approach to Almighty Allah by virtue of the status of some created being, such as saying, “O Allaah, I ask You by virtue of Your Prophet” and so on. This is allowed by some of the ‘scholars’, but this opinion is weak. The correct view is that it is definitely impermissible (haraam) because there can be no tawassul in supplications.

Lastly hadith pertaining the blind man seeking wasilah from the Prophet :saw2: such wasilah were asked in the life-span period of our Prophet :saw2: because every Prophets were granted special privileges but within their time. Therefore, some ‘scholars’ thinks that asking wasilah is a form of shirk.

I haven’t reached so far where I can say ‘yes’ it is a form of ‘Shirk’ but I prefer not to use any means of approach. Rest Almighty Allah knows best.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Well, at least the salafi armies fighting in Syria are not confused. They have bombed the mosque of the companion Ammar bin Yasir which was built at the place of his stay during his life. Last week they have destroyed to shred the burial site of another sahabi Hujr bin Adi and have reportedly dug his body out of the grave. Najidi version of Islam at its lethal best.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Well, I appreciate your ignorance of Islam and Islamic teaching. But as you wrote that … agar nahi pata tou chup rahna chahiyea … you should do that, because your comments could easily take you to fire.

If you are so much about asking direct from Allah … than why you do not ask directly from Allah a book of guidance?

Why you are quoting Quran as book of Allah, Quran that Allah did not sent to you, but it is word of prophet (SAW) that this book is from Allah?

Have you got any guarantee that Quran is word of Allah … other than belief that Prophet (SAW) was prophet of Allah and that Allah used Prophet (SAW) as Waseela for us to get guidance from Allah in form of Quran and other practices that Allah wants? … I do not think that you were even born when Prophet (SAW) was in this world, so you cannot even say that this book (Quran) was sent to Muslims by Allah using Prophet (SAW) as waseela, as that knowledge is also through waseela of peoples who were between us and Prophet (SAW).

So ... if you do not believe on Waseela, then you should leave Islam … the religion that Allah sent through Prophet (SAW) and follow whatever ‘religion’ you get directly from Alalh … (hint: be atheist if you do not get direct guidance from Allah … as that is what you should be with your belief).

I do not think you ever read Quran or you have knowledge of Islam … to say that Prophets are not born prophets, and that Prophet (SAW) was became Muslim when Allah choose him and send Jabrael (AS) to him in cave ‘hira’. … but then, I should not argue with you because I am pretty sure that since you do not believe on Waseela, how can you believe on Quran anyhow as that book came to Muslims (only Muslims) through Waseela of Prophet (SAW).

Note: For Muslims… we should know that prophets are born prophets and are not chosen by Allah from pious of the time to be prophet. Actually, as far as Prophet (SAW) is concerned, his (SAW) expected arrival to this world as prophet was even mentioned in all past books. Allah even named him in earlier scriptures from Allah. The age prophet (AS) declare their prophet-hood is nothing to do with them being prophet before that age or not, as they are always prophet. For instance, from Quran we know that Musa (AS) and ISA (AS) were prophets at birth, though we also know that both declared their prophet-hood at much later age. Allah mentioned in Quran that he sent prophets in every nation … not that he choose a prophet in every nation.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Brother, sorry for replying late as I was busy at work. Anyhow, I am putting down relevant part of my posts and your question/comments with my reply, so that to make things more understandable.

You mean, I should not take literal meaning of waseela? Why not? What is so confusing or illogical that one cannot take meaning of waseela literally? Rather, taking meaning of waseela literally is quite logical and it is illogical if one do not take meaning of waseela literally.

No, topic at hand is not ‘if we can get benefits through using the name of religious personalities or not’ but topic is that: ‘if we can benefit by requesting someone closer to Allah to pray for us or not’… and I believe yes we can benefit and I gave the reason for that too.

My argument is that, if a person is close to Allah then that person would be close to Allah, be that person alive in this world or passed away. As human, we can ask that person to pray for us and if that person prays for us (that he can do regardless of that person is in this world or has passed away) than it is more likely that his prayers for us would get fulfilled, much more than if we pray ourselves directly to Allah.

Brother, you need to think a bit logically. How can a Muslim seek angels for waseela?

According to Islamic teachings Angels’ have no free wills to act (that includes praying for someone) and only obey orders of Allah, un-questioned. That means, Allah can use Angels as waseela between him and his creations, but creations cannot make Angels waseela.

Creations can only make things Waseela whom Allah has given power and permission to act according to their own emotions, attachments, or fulfilling requests. Those things can also become waseela according to their properties, that have properties (given by Allah) but no will.

Those who fight to save us from evil forces and tormentors … or fight for us to get our rights, they are waseela for us, as they are not doing anything from their own power, but using power that Allah gave to them (hence waseela). If there are such people, we can certainly ask them for help and consider their help as indirect help from Allah (or waseela of Allah).

Anyhow, reading your question, it seems that you are still confused about waseela (means). It is funny what you wrote … that is:, ‘If I help you one time, you can take me as waseela in our dua next time’ … is really funny statement. :slight_smile:

Actually, when someone becomes Waseela for needy, than it is test for that person too … as that person could think that the help he gave was because he was capable of giving help (and this thinking would make him Mushrik) … on the other hand, he could think that the help he gave was because Allah made him capable of giving that help (and that would be ibadah):

Similarly, when needy uses waseela to fulfil his needs, then again he can have two thoughts. One could be that the one providing help (waseela) has inherent ability of his own to become his means (and that would be shirk) … on the other hand he could think that the one providing help is doing so because Allah made him capable of helping and also made him to help (and that would be ibadah).

what you mean by above statement. Obviously, following someone is using that person as waseela.

Anyhow, my above reference was not about making Prophet (SAW) our waseela (though that is true) … my above reference was to show in Quran that Allah asks believers to be waseela of prophet (SAW) by helping him. Actually, this in itself is requirement of Islam, that Muslims should become ‘waseela’ of each other, as whatever happens in this world, Allah gets that done through waseela of what he created (that I mentioned earlier too).

Who said what you mentioned? I think you are confused with the word waseela and word intercession. Waseela does not mean intercession but intercession is one aspect of Waseela. :slight_smile:

Disgracing non-believers from the hands of believers … is actually use of believers as waseela by Allah to disgrace unbelievers.

Why it is two different things?

If one get guided by help of a guide than that guide is waseela for whoever getting guided. I do not think it needs lot of intelligence to understand that … because ‘helping someone’ is to become waseela for that person … and guide helps.

It may be irrelevant for you because you have no understanding of waseela, but obviously what I wrote is not irrelevant for those who know what waseela means and why waseela is important in Islam. :slight_smile:

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

My understanding of waseela is, it is an excuse to Taqwa. You seek waseela because you don’t want to do good deeds and want to get benefits through such shortcuts.

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Brother, sorry for late reply. Actually, I was thinking to clarify your concerns, but forgot. :) ... Anyhow:

How waseela (Means) could be excuse for Taqwa?
And
How it is that those who seek waseela are those who do not want to do good deeds?
And
How waseela can be used for shortcuts?

Why your understanding is completely opposite to the teachings of Islam (what I learned)?

Actually, denial of waseela is denial of Allah and his ways. I have feeling that … you are mixing waseela (means) with Shafa-at (intercession).

Waseela = means (Zariya)
Shafa-at = intercession (Safarish)

Some people think that in Islam, deeds and taqwa is the only criteria for a person to get close to Allah, but that is not true (rather ignorance). For their understanding, I will try to clear this matter (waseela and Shafa-at) as clearly as possible (though guidance and understanding only comes from Allah, and one can only try).

No doubt, Shafa-at (Intercession) as well as Waseela (means) can be shortcut to 'Jannah' and believing on Shafa-at as well as Waseela is essential part of Islam. Anyhow, association and linage of a person also makes big difference in Islam that can lead a person to 'Jannah'. But then, for most people, there is no guarantee that they would get intercession on judgment day, as wanting and getting is two different things.

On judgment day, there would be many people close to Allah who would intercede for those who they know and are close to them (due to blood relationships or associations), and their intercession would get accepted. It is Muslim belief that Prophet (SAW) would be raised to ‘Muqam-e-Mahmud’ (also mentioned in Quran) … and he (SAW) would intercede at different level for all humanity, and would also going to intercede for all who have ‘Imaan on his prophet-hood’ and built association with him (SAW). Allah would not reject any of his (SAW) intercession … as that would be his (SAW) status at Muqam-e-Mahmud.

Muslims give respect to Sahabas not because they were pious (Muttaqi and parhezgar), as many after them could be much more 'muttaqi and parhezgar' than many Sahabas, but it is association of Sahabas with prophet (SAW) that gives them higher status. Actually, we do not know how close prophet (SAW) was with any particular Sahaba, so we respect all, as that respect is not for Sahabas but for their association with Prophet (SAW), extend of which we do not know [Here, Prophet (SAW) association is mean (waseela) for their status].

As for linage, that is also mean (waseela) and its importance is confirmed in Quran. For instance, a person has three things that he would take from this world to next. One is Emaan (faith), other is Amaal (deeds), and third is connections (linage, association, etc). Emaan is what a person believes and Amaal is what a person do (person’s deeds, ibadah and taqwa), and connections is relationship with people who are pious and close to Allah.

If someone is very pious and close to Allah, it is obvious that the person would be in Heaven (Jannah). Some may have high status in Heaven too. Now here comes waseela of linage.

In Quran, Allah has promised that for person close to Allah, Allah would join his descendants with him in Jannah at level same as his, on basis of Emaan alone (ignoring Amaal) … and that means, as long as Emaan (beliefs) of his descendants would be same as pious ancestor, descendants would join ancestor in Jannah at same status level. Thus, ancestors would be waseela and shafaat would be of Allah as it is promise of Allah that he would join descendants in heaven with their pious ancestors. This would be reward to ancestors, not descendants.

Quran 52.21: And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds. Every person, for what he earned, is retained.

From above ayah: Requirement of descendants to join their ancestors in ‘Jannah’ is to have same faith (Emaan) as their ancestors, nothing else. Though if faith (Emaan) as well as deeds (Amaal) of descendants are good than Allah would not deprive descendants whatever they would gain due to their deeds. That means, if due to their Emaan and Amaal, descendants deserve higher status than their ancestors, then descendants would get higher status in Jannah (descendants would not going to lose out).

Actually, this is clear to most Muslims (regardless of the ayah mentioned). For instance, if deeds (ibadah, taqwa, and other amaals) and faith (Imaan) of a Muslim were only things that determines status in front of Allah, than belief that descendants of Prophet (SAW) have higher status than all Muslims, close blood relatives of Prophet (SAW) have status after them, and status of Sahabas have higher status than later Muslims except blood relatives of Prophet (SAW), would not have been there.

One should understand that, only descendants of Prophet (SAW) could join Prophet (SAW) in Jannah at same level, regardless of their deeds as requirement is to have Emaan on whatever Prophet (SAW) taught to his children (check Ayah 52:21 mentioned above). This would be not reward to descendants but it would be reward to prophet (SAW) having the pleasure of being with his descendants in Jannah.

As for rest of Ummah (whoever they maybe), they could not reach that status because none could equal Prophet (SAW) in faith and deeds, hence cannot achieve status in Jannah same as prophet (SAW) or descendants of Prophet (SAW).

[It is surprising that some people think that linage and connections have no significance in Islam. It seems, they do not realise that it is law of Allah that people inherit their parents, be it looks, material wealth (money, property, etc) or spiritual wealth (closeness to Allah). Ayah 52:21 clearly mentions that people do inherit spiritual wealth (they get close to Allah and also get ‘Jannah’ because their ancestors earned ‘Jannah’).

I know that such information could surprise people thinking that all depends on Emaan and Amaal, but reality is that, there should be no surprise when a person gets close to Allah and would get Jannah just because of their ancestors, just like one do not get surprise when someone inherits their ancestors money, property, status as well as positions (become King, landlord, or Sardar), and all according to Islam as that is law of Allah. Jews throughout as nation were close to Allah, not because of their Amaal but just because they are descendants of Ibrahim (AS), Ishaq (AS), and Yaqub (AS)]

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Re: Praying on dargahs & shrines

Dead people don’t have powers, but I think some people go and ask for God’s blessings and ask for their prayers be heard, by the REFERENCE of that pious person.
So the prayers are not to that dead person. It is to God alone.

Not everyone agrees to this concept. For those who don’t believe in something, that thing is the most ridiculous and stupid thing. Those who think this is stupid should realize that atheists consider them even sillier and stupider.

So it is not surprising that they make fun of those who believe in it.