For this reason, among the proofs the imams cited that Allah’s speech is uncreated were the words:

“I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah.”

They said: “Seeking refuge in a created being is not permissible.”

The same applies to oaths. It is established in the two Sahīh collections that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever swears an oath should swear by Allah or remain silent.”

Another wording states:

“Whoever swears by anything other than Allah has committed shirk.”

Al-Tirmidhī narrated this and graded it authentic.

Yet authentic reports also establish the use of oaths such as “By Allah’s might,” “By Allah’s life,” and similar expressions. Muslims unanimously agree that these do not constitute the prohibited practice of swearing by anything other than Allah.

No Muslim disputes seeking relief in the sense of asking the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for what befits his office. Whoever disputes this meaning is either an unbeliever—if he denies something whose denial constitutes disbelief—or mistaken and misguided. As for seeking relief in the sense that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, denied, this too must be denied. Whoever attributes to anyone other than Allah what belongs to Allah alone is likewise an unbeliever if the proof whose rejection constitutes disbelief has been established against him.

In this connection, Abū Yazīd al-Bistāmī said:

“A created being seeking relief from another created being is like a drowning person seeking relief from another drowning person.”

Shaykh Abū ‘Abd Allāh al-Qurashī, well known in Egypt, likewise said:

“A created being seeking relief from another created being is like a prisoner seeking relief from another prisoner.”

Among the supplications of Moses, peace be upon him, are the words:

“O Allah, to You belongs all praise; to You complaints are brought. You are the One whose help is sought, from You relief is sought, and upon You we rely. There is no power nor strength except through You.”

Since this is the meaning understood from seeking relief when the expression is used without qualification, and since this meaning belongs exclusively to Allah, it is correct to deny it, without qualification, of anyone other than Him. Thus, no imam of the Muslims is known to have permitted seeking relief from anyone other than Allah in an unrestricted sense, or to have objected to anyone who denied seeking relief from anyone other than Allah in that unrestricted sense.