just as he makes one of them imagine that a wall has split open and a human figure has emerged from it. In reality, it is Satan appearing to him in human form and making him think that he emerged from the wall.
Among these people are those who say to the figure they saw emerge from the grave: “We do not remain in our graves. Rather, as soon as one of us is buried, he leaves his grave and walks among the people.” Others see the deceased walking in his own funeral procession and taking them by the hand. There are other such manifestations, familiar to those acquainted with them.
The misguided either deny these manifestations or suppose them to be miraculous gifts granted to Allah’s allies. They imagine that the figure is the prophet or righteous man himself, or an angel in his likeness. Sometimes they say, “This is his spiritual presence, his raqīqa, his inner secret, his likeness, or his spirit embodied.” Someone may even see that figure in two places and suppose that a single body can occupy two places at the same time, not realizing that the being which has assumed his likeness is not that human being.
These and similar occurrences show that those who invoke prophets and righteous people after their deaths, whether at their graves or elsewhere, are among the polytheists who invoke others besides Allah—like those who invoke the heavenly bodies and those who take angels and prophets as lords. Allah Most High says:
“It is not for a human being to whom Allah has given the Scripture, wisdom, and prophethood to then say to the people, ‘Be servants to me rather than Allah.’ Rather, ‘Be devoted scholars of the Lord because of your teaching of the Scripture and your study of it.’”
“Nor would he command you to take the angels and prophets as lords. Would he command you to disbelieve after you have become Muslims?”
Allah Most High also says: “Say, ‘Invoke those whom you claim besides Him; they have no power to