Chapter: 62. Allah May Not Be Asked to Intercede With His Creatures

It is reported on the authority of Jubair Ibn Mut'im (ra) that he said: "A bedouin Arab came to the Prophet and said: "Oh, Messenger of Allah ! The people are enfeebled, families are starving and wealth has perished, so ask your Rabb to send us some rain and we will seek Allah's intercession upon you and yours upon Allah ." The Prophet said:

"Subhaan Allaah! Subhaan Allaah!" ¹ He continued to do so until the effect of it was apparent in the faces of his Companions. Then he said: "Woe to you! Do you not know Who Allah is? Allah's Sublimity is far greater than that! There is no intercession of Allah upon anyone." (Narrated by Abu Dawood)

Jubair Ibn Mut'im (ra) informs us in this Hadith that a bedouin man came to the Prophet and complained to him of the deprivation, hunger and financial loss which they were suffering due to a prolonged drought and he requested from the Prophet that he pray to Allah to lift this affliction from them and send rain; but the method used by this bedouin man constituted a great wrong upon Allah and His Messenger - may Allah forgive him - for he sought Allah's intercession upon the Prophet and that of the Prophet upon Allah ! When the Messenger of Allah heard this, he became extremely angry and rejected the bedouin's words and he began to praise Allah repeatedly, proclaiming His Exaltedness and rebuking the bedouin and informing him that Allah is Greater than to be called as an intercessor for any of His creatures because He possesses all of them and they are under His complete authority – He is not asked about what He does, but they will be asked about what they do.

Benefits Derived From This Hadith

1. The permissibilty of seeking supplication from the living.

2. The forbiddance of praying for rain from other than Allah .

3. The lawfulness of supplicating Allah and confirmation of its effectiveness.

4. Proof of the harmfulness of ignorance.

5. The obligation to reject that which is detestable.

6. The obligation to proclaim Allah Exaltedness above all that is not befitting to His Majesty.

7. The forbiddance of seeking intercession from Allah with any of His creatures.

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter

That the Hadith proves the forbiddance of seeking Allah's intercession with any of His creatures.

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of Tawheed

That it proves the prohibition of seeking Allah's intercession with any of His creatures because to do so is to belittle His Majesty and His Greatness and this is in conflict with correct Tawheed.

Footnotes

1. Subhaan Allaah!: Allah (swt) is Exalted far above any of His creation, free of any imperfection and without any need.