‘Abd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī—may Allah be pleased with him—and greets him, taking seven steps toward his grave, one step with each greeting, will have his need fulfilled; or, if he is attending a session of devotional listening, he will experience delight and his expressions of ecstasy will increase.

Seeking nearness through such an act constitutes associating partners with the Lord of all worlds. There is no doubt that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir neither said this nor commanded it. Whoever attributes such a statement to him has lied about him. Such innovations are introduced only by people given to excess and associating partners with Allah: innovators who resemble the Christians, such as the Rāfidah who go to extremes concerning the imams, and those who resemble them in going to extremes concerning the shaykhs.

It is established in the Sahīh that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Do not sit on graves or pray facing them.”

If he forbade facing a grave when praying to Allah, how could it be permissible to turn toward it and supplicate to someone other than Allah, even from a distant dwelling? Is this not the same kind of conduct as that of the Christians toward Jesus, his mother, their religious scholars, and their monks, taking them as lords and gods whom they invoke, whose aid they seek in pursuing their needs, whom they ask, and through whom they make requests?

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As for the statement that Allah looks upon the poor on three occasions—when they eat, exchange sincere counsel, and engage in devotional listening—something similar has been related from one of the shaykhs, who said:

“Allah looks upon them when they eat, for they eat selflessly;