Your Face, then clear the rest of the way for us.’ So Allah cleared the rest of the way.”1.

Thus, each of these men sought nearness to Allah Most High through a righteous deed that Allah loves and approves. This was a cause for their supplication to be answered, their hope to be fulfilled, and their distress to be relieved.

Third: Seeking nearness to Allah Most High through the supplication of living righteous people. This means that a Muslim asks a fellow Muslim who is alive and present to supplicate Allah on his behalf. This form of seeking nearness is prescribed, for it is established that some of the Companions did so with the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him. Some of them would come to him—peace and blessings be upon him—and ask him to supplicate for them or for the Muslims generally.

One example is the report established in the two Sahih collections from Anas ibn Mālik—may Allah be pleased with him: “A Bedouin stood up on Friday while the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—was delivering the sermon and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Our wealth has perished and our families are starving, so supplicate Allah for us.’ The Prophet raised his hands, though we could not see so much as a wisp of cloud in the sky. By Him in whose hand is my soul, he did not lower them before clouds arose like mountains. He had not yet descended from his pulpit when I saw rain streaming down his beard—peace and blessings be upon him…”—to the end of the hadith.

Similarly, the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—sought nearness to Allah through the supplication of al-Abbās—may Allah be pleased with him. This is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhārī in the hadith of Anas—may Allah be pleased with him: “Whenever drought afflicted them, Umar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—would ask al-Abbās ibn Abd al-Muttalib to supplicate for rain. He would say, ‘O Allah, we used to seek nearness to You through our Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and You would grant us rain. We now seek nearness to You through our Prophet’s uncle, so grant us rain.’ Anas said, ‘Then they would be granted rain.’”2.