the desired goal, only to saddle them with something far more harmful. At times a supplication may be religiously disliked and yet still receive an answer. Whether the prohibition or reprehensibility of such a prayer is known to the petitioner varies. He may know it, or he may be ignorant of it in a way for which he has no excuse—because he neglected to seek knowledge or turned away from the truth. Conversely, he may be ignorant in an excusable manner, being either a mujtahid who exercised independent reasoning or a muqallid who followed a scholar’s verdict, just as both are excused in other deeds. Even the one who lacks a valid excuse may nevertheless be overlooked with regard to that prayer because of his many good deeds, the sincerity of his intention, the sheer mercy of Allah toward him, or other such causes.

In summary: any supplication that contains a legally disliked element is like every other act of worship. It is well known that an act of worship tainted by something detested may have that blemish pardoned for its doer—owing to his ijtihād, his reliance on scholarly authority, his good deeds, and the like. Yet this does not prevent us from recognizing that the act itself remains disliked and subject to censure, even if, for that particular individual, the cause of censure has been lifted.

The Effect of Worship and Supplication at Graves Is Not Evidence of Their Legitimacy

Here many people go astray: they hear that certain eminent righteous figures performed a particular act of worship or offered a certain supplication and then witnessed its effect, so they take that as proof that the act or supplication is commendable and elevate it to the status of Sunnah, as though a Prophet himself had done it. This is an error, for the reasons we have explained—especially when the effect was produced by the genuineness that filled the performer’s heart at that moment, whereas later followers copy only the outward form without that inner sincerity, thereby harming themselves. Since the practice is not prescribed, no reward awaits them for it.