Assalamu Alaikum I need to clear some doubts about Isthigasa. In India most of people going to Maqbara of ouliya and seeking help from them and reading different types of moulids. Same one of man telling that Quran also supporting Isthigasa and he pointed some quranic verses as follows 5:55,56 41:30 45:21 27:37-40 Please explain to me about these ayas. One who is doing Isthigasa and leading prayer as a imam, can i follow that purticular person.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is not permissible to seek the help of creatures in matters that only Allaah is capable of; seeking their help in these matters is a kind of Shirk [associating partners with Allaah] as we clarified in Fataawa 4973 and 82393.

The answer to the verses which you mentioned in the question will be in the two following points:

1-     A general answer: Did the Salaf (righteous predecessors) of this nation who were the Companions of the Prophet and the two first generations that followed them understand these verses in the same way that those people understood them or not? If they had the same understanding, then where is it [understanding]? Where are their acts which implies it? Indeed, this is something that we cannot prove about them. Likewise, if they [the Salaf] did not have this understanding, then it is sufficient for us to follow what they did. Indeed, the true religion is the one upon which the Salaf were. Indeed, Imaam Maalik spoke the truth eloquently when he said: “What was not a religion at that time, would not be a religion today.”

2-     A detailed answer in discussing each verse separately and this will be as follows:

A-   Allaah Says (what means): {Your ally is none but Allaah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed — those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship]. And whoever is an ally of Allaah and His Messenger and those who have believed — indeed, the party of Allaah     —they will be the predominant.} [Quran 5:55-56]

This verse is about taking the believers as allies and taking the non-Muslims as enemies. Ibn Katheer said about the interpretation of this verse: “That is to say: The Jews are not your allies; rather, your alliance is only with Allaah, His Messenger, and the believers.” So, this meaning has nothing to do with Istighatha (seeking help) of the creatures.

B-   Allaah Says (what means): {Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allaah” and then remained on a right course — the angels will descend upon them, [saying], “Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.} [Quran 41:30] This verse is about those who stayed steadfast on the truth. Tafseer Al-Jalaalayn [which is an interpretation of the Quran] reads: {Indeed, those who have said, “Our Lord is Allaah” and then remained on a right course}, i.e. on Tawheed (worshipping Allaah alone) and other obligations that Allaah ordained them to do, {the angels will descend upon them}, i.e. at the time of death saying, {Do not fear} from death and what comes after it, {and do not grieve} about what you have left behind, like family and children, as we will indeed take care of them after you {…but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.}” So, the verse has nothing to do again with seeking the help of creatures.

C-    Allaah Says (what means): {Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds — [make them] equal in their life and their death? Evil is that which they judge [i.e. assume].} [Quran 45:21] This verse denies the sameness of the Muslims and the evil doers, and it does not discuss seeking help of creatures. At-Taahir Ibn 'Aashoor said: “The meaning is: those who commit evils should not think that they are the same as those who have believed neither in this life nor after death. According to Ibn ‘Abbaas ‘those who commit evils’ are the polytheists."

D-   Allaah Says (what means): {[Solomon] said, “O assembly [of jinn] which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?” A powerful one from among the jinn said, “I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy.” Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, “I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.” And when [Solomon] saw it placed before him, he said, “This is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful - his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And who ever is ungrateful - then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous.} [Quran 27:38-40] The interpreters of the Quran differed in opinion about who is meant by ‘one who had knowledge from the Scripture’; most of the interpreters of the Quran are of the view that it was a pious man whose name was Aasif Ibn Barkhiyah, and he knew the Greatest Name of Allaah by which if one supplicates Him or asks something from Him, Allaah definitely responds to his supplication and gives him what he asked for. There are other interpreters of the Quran who are of the view that it refers to Sulaymaan (Solomon) and Al-Qurtubi opted for this view. Therefore, according to the first interpretation, it is an extraordinary matter that occurred on the hands of a pious man, and according to the second interpretation, it is a miracle of a Prophet. Hence the verse has nothing to do with seeking help of creatures.

On the other hand, if what is meant by those people [whom you mentioned in the question] is to confirm that Allaah has allies and it might be that they may have extraordinary matters, then this is something that is confirmed in the Quran and the authentic Sunnah. But how can we say that it is permissible to supplicate them and seek their help and believe that they can harm or bring a benefit and other matters which the ignorant Muslims do? The greatest allies of Allaah of this nation were the Companions of the Prophet . Is there any one who did with them what some ignorant and ordinary Muslims do with those whom they believe that they are friends of Allaah to the extent that they used to supplicate them despite the fact that they are far from them or dead and they do not know when they will be resurrected, even though they, in their graves, are most in need of someone to supplicate Allaah for them instead of supplicating them along with Allaah.

As regards your last question, which is about praying behind someone who commits some acts of Shirk, then please refer to Fatwa 82989.

Allaah Knows best.