FAQ 4.12

 Calling on others besides God

Question:

Is calling upon the prophet, or members of his family, or the previous righteous imams (awliya) and seeking help from them is permitted?

Reply:

Those who call upon, or seek help from the prophet, or from any dead person are committing a great sin of shirk. The following are the reasons accompanied by the Quranic evidence:

1- Those who died cannot support us:

And those whom you call upon besides Him are unable to support you, nor can they support themselves.  7:197

2- Those who died cannot hear us, and even if they heard us, they will not respond to us:

Those whom you call upon besides Him do not possess as much as a seed's shell. If you call upon them, they cannot hear your calls. But even if they were to hear, they would not respond to you. 35:13-14

3- Those who call on others (besides God), those whom they called upon will disown their shirk on the Day of Resurrection:

and on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your shirk. None can inform you like One who is All-Aware. 35:14

4- The genuine believers seek help from God alone:

You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help. 1:5