nor is relief to be sought from him, except during his lifetime and in his presence, not after his death or in his absence,’ would that constitute unbelief? Or would it constitute disparagement?

And if someone were to say, ‘In matters that none but Allah Most High can accomplish, relief is to be sought only from Allah—that is, such things are to be requested only from Allah Most High,’ would that constitute unbelief, or would it be true? If the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, denies something of himself because it belongs exclusively to divine lordship, is it forbidden to deny it of him, or is such a denial obligatory or permissible? Give us a satisfying and sufficient answer—may Allah have mercy on you, grant you success, and reward you—if Allah Most High wills.

THE ANSWER

The answer:

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

No Muslim scholar has said that relief may be sought from any created being in every matter in which relief is sought from Allah Most High—not from a prophet, an angel, a righteous person, or anyone else. Rather, it is necessarily known in the religion of Islam that making such an unqualified statement is impermissible.

No one has said that seeking to draw near to Allah through a prophet constitutes seeking relief from him. Indeed, ordinary people who invoke various things as means of drawing near to Allah in their supplications—for example, saying, ‘I seek to draw near to You by the right of Shaykh so-and-so, or by his sanctity,’ or, ‘I seek to draw near to You through the Tablet and the Pen, or through the Kaaba,’ or other such expressions they use in their supplications—know that they are not seeking relief from these things.

Someone who seeks relief from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is requesting something from him and asking him for it. By contrast, the one taken as a means of drawing near to Allah is neither invoked nor asked for anything; rather, a request is made through him. Everyone distinguishes between the one addressed in supplication and the means through which the supplication is made.

Seeking relief means requesting deliverance, that is, the removal of hardship, just as seeking support means requesting support, and seeking assistance means requesting help. A created being may be asked for such things as he is able to provide