who was Muhiudin Muhammad al-Barqivi Hanafi (981 h) who has written a book zirah al qaboor where he refuted asking help from dead. the likes of brelvis do not accept him as they say quote the praise of scholars of his time on him. please help me in this regard.

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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

We have found for that scholar a brief biography stated in Al-Mawsoo‘ah Al-Fiqhiyyah Al-Kuwaitiyyah (Kuwaiti Fiqh Encyclopedia) excerpted from some books of biographies. Amongst them are Mu‘jam Al-Mu'allifeen 9/124, Al-Mujaddidoon fil Islam 377, and Hadiyyat Al-‘Aarifeen 2/252. It is as follows: "Al-Barqawi (929 – 981 A.H.): He is Muhammad ibn Beer ‘Ali Muhyi Ad-Deen Al-Birqawi Al-Buroomi Al-Hanafi. He was a scholar of Fiqh, Tafseer, Hadeeth, admonishment, Arabic grammar and had participations in other fields. He built a school in Qasabat Birqi and he was entrusted to teach in it. He used to teach in it sometimes and give admonishments in some other times. People benefited from the admonishments he used to give and students benefited from the lessons of knowledge he used to teach. Amongst his books are Inqaath Al-Haalikeen fi ‘Adam Jawaaz Al-Ajzaa’ bil Ujrah (in Fiqh), Inqaath An-Naa’imeen wa Ilhaam Al-Qaasireen, Haashiyat Sharh Al-Wiqaayah lisadr Ash-Sharee‘ah, and Thukhr Al-Muta’ahhileen wa An-Nisaa' fi Ta‘reef Al-At-haar wa Ad-Dimaa’."

If that scholar denounces those people who seek help from the dead, then it is not strange that this denunciation is not accepted by the Barelvis whose ideas are based on deviated principles such as believing in the dead and asking them to fulfill needs and the like of the dangerous Shirk (polytheism) matters. We ask Allaah to guide them to the right path.

If they quote the praise and commendations of their scholars about that scholar, then it is more appropriate for them to accept his words, as their praise of him is direct evidence again them.

Allaah Knows best.