Ibn Bazz: Ruling on the belief that the Messenger is not a human

Ruling on the belief that the Messenger is not a human 

( Part No : 5, Page No: 319) 

Q: If a person dies while believing that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is not a human being or that he (peace be upon him) knows the Ghayb (the Unseen) or that Tawassul (supplicating to Allah in the name of .../by virtue of...) which is made to Allah in the name of Awliya’ (pious people), dead or living people is a pious act bringing one closer to Allah (Glorified be He), will he be considered a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) and will enter Hellfire, taking into consideration that this person does not know any beliefs other than these and that he lived in a place where scholars and people admit to them? What is the ruling on such a person? And, what is the ruling on giving Sadaqah (voluntary charity) and doing other acts of benevolence on his behalf after his death? 

A: Any person who dies while having this belief, namely believing that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not a human being or believing that he knows the Ghayb, this belief is tantamount to Kufr (disbelief in Allah) and whoever believes this is regarded as guilty of major Kufr. The same applies to a person who calls upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), seek his help, or make a vow to him or to other prophets, righteous people, Jinn, angels or idols. These are the same kind of actions committed by earlier Mushriks, such as Abu Jahl and those like him. Moreover, doing so is an act of major Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). Some people call this kind of Shirk as Tawassul which is different from major Shirk. 

There is also another kind of Tawassul which does not fall under Shirk, but is classed as Bid‘ah (innovation in religion) and a means leading to Shirk. It is Tawassul by virtue of the status of the prophets and righteous people or in the name of their rights or their persons. In all cases, one should be cautious against both kinds. 

Anyone who dies while being guilty of the first kind, should neither be washed, nor the Funeral Prayer be offered for them and they should not be buried in Muslim graveyard. Muslims should not supplicate to Allah for them or give Sadaqah on their behalf. Allah (Exalted be He) says: It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allâh’s Forgiveness for the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh), even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief). 

( Part No : 5, Page No: 320) 

As for Tawassul by the Names and Attributes of Allah, Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah), and Iman (belief) in Him, it is Islamically permissible Tawassul and among the causes of having one’s request granted. Allah (Glorified be He) says: And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allâh, so call on Him by them It was authentically reported that The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) heard a man supplicating, saying, 'O Allah! I beg You in the name of my bearing witness that You are Allah, there in no god but You, the One God, the Self­Sufficient Sustainer of all, Who begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none coequal or comparable to Him.' He (peace be upon him) said, 'You have begged Allah by His Name which, when begged by it, He gives, and when supplicated by it, He answers.' 

Likewise is Tawassul by righteous deeds such as dutifulness to parents, fulfilling the trust, abstaining from what Allah has prohibited and similar pious acts. This is proved by the Hadith of the People of the Cave which is relatedin the Two Sahih (authentic) Books of Hadith (i.e. Al­Bukhari and Muslim)that While three men were walking, it began to rain, so they sought shelter in a cave in a mountain. Then a rock rolled down the mountain and closed the mouth of the cave. They said to one another, 'See if you have done any righteous deeds for the Sake of Allah, and invoke Allah by virtue thereof, so that He may remove the rock for you.' One of them said, 'O Allah! I had my parents who were old, and my wife, and I had young children. I used to graze the sheep for them and when I come back in the evening, I used to milk (the sheep) and I would start with my parents, and give them to drink before my children. One day I was delayed and I did not come back until evening, and I found that they had gone to sleep. I milked (the sheep) as usual, then I brought the milk and stood by their heads, but I did not like to wake them from their sleep, and I did not like to give milk to the children before them. The children were crying at my feet, and I remained like that and they remained like that until dawn came. If You know that I did that seeking thereby Your Countenance, then open it a little for us, so that we may see the sky.' Then Allah opened it a little for them, and they could see the sky. 

The next one said, 'O Allah! I had a female cousin whom I loved as deeply as any man loves a woman, and I asked her herself, but she refused unless I brought her one hundred Dinars. I worked hard and collected one hundred Dinars, and brought that to her. But when I was between her legs, she said: O slave of Allah, fear Allah and do not break the seal (take her virginity) except in a lawful manner (marriage). 

( Part No : 5, Page No: 321) 

So I got up and left her. If You know that I did that seeking thereby Your Countenance, then open it some more for us.' And He opened it some more for them. 

The last one said, 'O Allah! I hired a man in return for a measure of rice, and when he had finished his work he said: Give me my right. I offered the measure of rice to him but he refused it. So I sowed the rice many times until I gathered from it (the yield) cows and their herdsman. Then he came to me and said: Fear Allah and do not wrong me with regard to my wages. I said: Go to these cows and their herdsman and take them. He said: Fear Allah and do not make fun of me. I said: I am not making fun of you. Take the cows and herdsman. So he took them and went away. If You know that I did that seeking thereby Your Countenance, then open the rest of it for us.' So Allah opened the rest of it. 

This indicates that it is Islamically permissible to make Tawassul in the name of one’s good deeds, and that Allah relieves distress through it, as happened to the three travelers mentioned in the Hadith. However, it is forbidden to make Tawassul in the name of the honor, right or person of someone for this is Bid‘ah as previously mentioned. May Allah grant us success!