it will oblige Allah to meet your need more completely than if you yourself had called upon Allah. For if you deserve punishment and the rejection of your supplication—because, for example, your request involves transgression—neither the Prophet nor any righteous person will assist in what Allah hates or seek what He detests; and if that is not the case, then Allah is even more entitled to mercy and to granting acceptance.

[Requesting supplication from another, whether living or dead]

You might say, “When he prays to Allah, Allah answers his prayer more fully than He answers when you call upon Him.” This, then, is the second category: you do not ask him to act on your behalf or call upon him directly; rather, you ask him to pray for you—just as you would say to a living person, “Pray for me,” and just as the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—used to ask the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to supplicate for them. This is legislated in