Istigath
TLDR: Sunnis think they can get relief from hardship by supplicating to the dead prophet or imams.
Istighāthah ( استغاثة ) is the act of seeking help or relief from Allah, sometimes through an intermediary, during times of distress or need for divine intervention. This is another practice that the Sunni Ulema highly advocates. However, such actions are deemed shirk by the Quran.
[35:40] Say, “Consider the idols you call beside God; show me what on earth have they created.” Do they own any partnership in the heavens? Have we given them a book wherein there is no doubt? Indeed, what the transgressors promise one another is no more than an illusion.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ شُرَكَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌۭ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَمْ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمْ كِتَٰبًۭا فَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّنْهُۚ بَلْ إِن يَعِدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا إِلَّا غُرُورًا
[40:73] They will be asked, “Where is what you used to associate, [40:74] beside GOD?” They will say, “They have abandoned us. In fact, when we implored them, we were upon nothing.” Thus does GOD send the disbelievers astray.
ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۚ قَالُوا۟ ضَلُّوا۟ عَنَّا بَلْ لَمْ نَكُن نَّدْعُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ شَيْـًٔاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
[6:56] Say, “I am forbidden from worshiping what you invoke besides GOD.” Say, “I will not follow your opinions. Otherwise, I will go astray, and not be guided.”
قُلْ إِنِّى نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۚ قُلْ لَآ أَتَّبِعُ أَهْوَآءَكُمْ قَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًۭا وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
[26:72] He said, “Can they hear you when you implore? [26:73] “Can they benefit you, or harm you?” [26:74] They said, “No; but we found our parents doing this.” [26:75] He said, “Do you see these idols that you worship. [26:76] You and your ancestors. [26:77] I am against them, for I am devoted only to the Lord of the universe. [26:78] The One who created me, and guided me.”
قَالَ هَلْ يَسْمَعُونَكُمْ إِذْ تَدْعُونَ أَوْ يَنفَعُونَكُمْ أَوْ يَضُرُّونَ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا كَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ قَالَ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا كُنتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُمُ ٱلْأَقْدَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ عَدُوٌّۭ لِّىٓ إِلَّا رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَنِى فَهُوَ يَهْدِينِ
[6:71] Say, “Shall we implore, beside GOD, what possesses no power to benefit us or hurt us, and turn back on our heels after GOD has guided us? In that case, we would join those possessed by the devils, and rendered utterly confused, while their friends try to invite them to the guidance: ‘Stay with us on the right path.'” Say, “GOD’s guidance is the right guidance. We are commanded to submit to the Lord of the universe.
قُلْ أَنَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْقَٰبِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ كَٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَهْوَتْهُ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُۥٓ أَصْحَٰبٌۭ يَدْعُونَهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَى ٱئْتِنَاۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰۖ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
[7:197] “As for the idols you call from beside Him, they cannot help you, nor can they help themselves.”
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَكُمْ وَلَآ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَنصُرُونَ
[10:106] “You shall not call from beside GOD what possesses no power to benefit you or harm you. If you do, you will be a transgressor.”
وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًۭا مِّنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
[17:56] Say, “Implore whatever idols you have set up beside Him.” They have no power to relieve your afflictions, nor can they prevent them. [17:57] Even the idols that they implore are seeking the ways and means (ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ) towards their Lord. They hope for His mercy, and fear His retribution. Surely, the retribution of your Lord is dreadful.
قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ فَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ كَشْفَ ٱلضُّرِّ عَنكُمْ وَلَا تَحْوِيلًا أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُۥ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًۭا
*See 39:3
[22:12] He calls beside GOD what possesses no power to harm him or benefit him; such is the real straying. [22:13] He calls what is more apt to harm him than benefit him. What a miserable lord! What a miserable companion!
يَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُۥ وَمَا لَا يَنفَعُهُۥۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلضَّلَٰلُ ٱلْبَعِيدُ
يَدْعُوا۟ لَمَنْ ضَرُّهُۥٓ أَقْرَبُ مِن نَّفْعِهِۦۚ لَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَلَبِئْسَ ٱلْعَشِيرُ
[35:18] No soul can carry the sins of another soul. If a soul that is loaded with sins implores another to bear part of its load, no other soul can carry any part of it, even if they were related. The only people to heed your warnings are those who reverence their Lord, even when alone in their privacy, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat). Whoever purifies his soul, does so for his own good. To God is the final destiny.
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰۗ وَإِن تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَىٰ حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌۭ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰٓۗ إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۚ وَمَن تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفْسِهِۦۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
[39:38] If you ask them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they will say, “GOD.” Say, “Why then do you invoke from beside GOD? If GOD willed any adversity for me, can they relieve such an adversity? And if He willed a blessing for me, can they prevent such a blessing?” Say, “GOD is sufficient for me.” In Him the trusters shall trust.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَٰشِفَٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
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