[Q 684] Calling on Saints: Permissible or Not?

Question

A person says at the shrine
“My Saint, bless me.”
“My Saint, grant me your favour.”
“My Saint, bestow your blessings upon me.”

What is permissible and not?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

To call upon the righteous servants of Allah with the phrases mentioned in the question is permissible according to Islamic law; there is no prohibition for it.

The detail of this is that calling upon the righteous servants of Allah, asking them to fulfill one’s needs, and seeking their help is permissible and recommended. Ample proof for this exists in the Qur’an and Ahadith. This calling is based on the belief that the righteous servants of Allah give whatever and however much Allah (تبارک وتعالی) wills, through the power and ability bestowed upon them by Him. Their giving to people is solely through the bestowal of Allah (تبارک وتعالی), and these servants, like the rest of creation, are dependent on Allah (عز و جل) in every matter. Allah (پاک) bestows these authorities upon His servants as a reward.

And here, when granting or asking, it is also permissible to directly attribute it to these righteous servants, saying “such and such a righteous servant gave me this,” or “I asked this thing from them,” or “O Waliullah, grant me this thing.” This attribution is metaphorical (majazi); in reality, the One who truly grants is Allah (جل و علا). No Muslim possessing sound intellect can hold the belief about them that they grant independently, without it being from Allah’s (عز و جل) bestowal. The proof for metaphorical attribution (majazi nisbat) is also present in the Holy Qur’an and blessed Ahadith, as Sayyiduna Jibreel (عليه السلام) said to Sayyidah Maryam (رضی اللہ تعالی عنھا), “I am the messenger of your Lord, so that I may grant you a pure son.” Here too, in reality and essentially, the One who grants the son is Allah (تبارک وتعالی), but in the blessed ayah, the act of granting is attributed to Sayyiduna Jibreel (عليه السلام). No one can assume this to be against Shariah.

Therefore, the phrases mentioned in the question are also correct, as here too, metaphorical attribution (majazi nisbat) is intended: (O my Murshid, grant me blessings) meaning, grant me a share from the blessings that descend upon you from Allah (پاک). (Bestow your favour upon me) meaning, honour me with your spiritual grace and generosity.

Allah (عز و جل) states in the Holy Qur’an:

اِنَّمَا وَلِیُّکُمُ اللہُ وَ رَسُوۡلُہٗ وَالَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوا الَّذِیۡنَ یُقِیۡمُوۡنَ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَیُؤْتُوۡنَ الزَّکٰوۃَ وَہُمْ رٰکِعُوۡنَ

Meaning: O Muslims! Your helper is none but Allah and His Messenger and those believers who establish prayer and give zakat, and they are those who bow down.

(Surah Al-Ma’idah, Ayah 55)

In Tafsir Sawi, under the ayah وَلا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّہِ اِلہاً آخَرَ, it is written:

المراد بالدعاء العبادۃ وحینئذ فلیس فی الآیۃ دلیل علی ما زعمہ الخوارج من ان الطلب من الغیر حیا او میتا شرک فانہ جھل مرکب لان سوال الغیر من حیث اجراء اللہ النفع او الضرر علی یدہ قد یکون واجبا لانہ من التمسک بالاسباب ولا ینکر الاسباب الا جحود او جھول

(Tafsir Sawi, vol. 4, p. 1550, published Lahore)

It is mentioned in a blessed Hadith from Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir that the Presence of the Soul of the World (ﷺ) said:

اطلبوا الخیر والحوائج من حسان الوجوہ

Seek goodness and needs from those with beautiful faces.

(Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, Mujahid from Ibn Abbas, vol. 11, p. 81)

At one place in the Holy Qur’an it is stated:

قَالَ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنَا رَسُوۡلُ رَبِّکِ ٭ۖ لِاَہَبَ لَکِ غُلٰمًا زَکِیًّا

Translation of Kanzul Iman: He said, “I am the messenger of your Lord, so that I may grant you a pure son.”

In the above-mentioned ayah, the attribution of granting a child was made by Sayyiduna Jibreel (عليه السلام) to himself. It is understood that this attribution is metaphorical (majazi); in reality, the One who truly grants is Allah (عز و جل). They are merely a means and an intermediary.

(Surah Maryam, Ayah 19)

Imam Ahl as-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (عليه رحمۃ اللّٰہ), after writing seventeen Ahadith on seeking help (isti’anah), states:
“Where are the eyes of justice? Look with the sight of faith; these sixteen, rather seventeen, Ahadith clearly and explicitly state that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded seeking help (isti’anah) from his righteous followers, asking them for needs, and requesting good and kindness from them, saying that they will fulfill your needs with open hearts. Ask from them and you will receive sustenance, you will attain desires, you will find peace under their protective embrace, and you will enjoy life under their benevolent shade. O Lord! What else is isti’anah (seeking help)? What form of isti’anah could be greater than this? Furthermore, which follower could be more righteous and merciful than the Awliya, such that seeking help from them is deemed shirk, when we are commanded to ask them for needs? Alhamdulillah, the sun of truth has shone brightly, unveiled and unhindered.”

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, vol. 21, p. 317)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 26th July 2026