Imam Abu Haneefa and Asking help from Prophet (PBUH)

Some extreme sufis quote this statement of Imam Abu Hanifa to prove their shirk.

Mujtahid, Imam ibn al-Humam (d. 861 AH), mentioned from Imam Abu Hanifa in his Fath al-Qadir (Sharh al-Hidaya) the following narration 2/336

امام اعظم ابوحنیفه
یا أكرم الثقلین یا كنز الوری
جدلی بجودك و أرضنی برضاكا
أنا طامع فی الجود منك و لم یكن
لأبی حنیفة فی الأنام سواكا

"When Imam Abu Hanifa visited Medina, he stood in front of the honorable grave (of the Prophet) and said,

"O (YA), most honorable of the Two Weighty Ones (humankind and jinn)!

O (YA), treasure of mankind, shower your generosity upon me and please me with your pleasure.

I am aspiring for your generosity, and there is no one for Abu Hanifa in the world but you."
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Response

Even though i did not find these statements but even if it is their; We need chain from Ibn Hammam to Imam Abu Haneefa because Ibne Hummam died in 861 h and Abu Haneefa ra died in 150 h, who will provide us the chain between these centuries? If Ibn Humam is yardstick to chose the truth and false; let me quote him where he is against these Sufis.

Ibn Hammam said

عند أكثر مشايخنا هو أن الميت لا يسمع عندهم على ما صرحوا به في كتاب الأيمان في باب اليمين بالضرب . لو حلف لا يكلمه فكلمه ميتا لا يحنث ; لأنها تنعقد على ما يفهم ، والميت ليس كذلك لعدم السماع . وأورد قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم في أهل القليب أقول منهم وأجابوا تارة بأنه مردود من عائشةرضي الله عنها قالت : كيف يقول صلى الله عليه وسلم ذلك والله تعالى يقول { وما أنت بمسمع من في القبور } {إنك لا تسمع الموتى } وتارة بأن تلك خصوصية له صلى الله عليه وسلم معجزة وزيادة حسرة على الكافرين ، وتارة بأنه من ضرب المثل كما قال علي رضي الله عنه .

ويشكل عليهم ما في مسلم { إن الميت ليسمع قرع نعالهم إذا انصرفوا } اللهم إلا أن يخصوا ذلك بأول الوضع في القبر مقدمة للسؤال جمعا بينه وبين الآيتين فإنهما يفيدان تحقيق عدم سماعهم ، فإنه تعالى شبه الكفار بالموتى لإفادة تعذر سماعهم وهو فرع عدم سماع الموتى

According to most of our teachers the dead can not hear as it is explained in “Kitab al Eeman Chapter Al Yameen bil Darab” that if one swears he will not speak to someone and he speaks to someone when [he is] dead, he has not broken his oath Because the meaning of speaking is to make other person understand, because the aim of speech is to make understand , and dead can not understand, because the dead can not hear. Some (people) objected that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said regarding the dead of the ditch of Badr “what I am saying to them, even you cannot hear more distinctly than they” They (our teachers) replied that Aisha ra rejected this and said How can Prophet peace be upon him say this? When Allah says, but you cannot make hear those who are in graves."[Fatir:22]. Second answer is that it was a miracle so that it can reprimand kafirs and third answer is that this was only a lesson for the living... [Fath ul Qadeer Book of Prayers Chapter of Funereal]

Source: http://www.islamweb.net/newlibrary/display_book.php?flag=1&bk_no=23&ID=755

Ibn Abdin also accepted this as he said

This is the conclusion of what he (ibn Humam) mentioned in “Fath (ul Qadir)” here and in the chapter of funerals” [“Darul Muhtar » vol 3 p 180 ]

Mufti Taqi Uthmani affirms this in his fatwa, he said

It was narrated from ‘A’ishah (Allah be pleased with her) that she took [the position] of the negation of hearing of the dead and interpreted the hadith of the people of Badr [in this way], and a group of ‘ulamaagreed with her on this. Al-Qadi Abu Ya’la from the great Hanbalis preferred this view. Ibn al-Humam (Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that most Hanafi scholars take the view that the dead do not hear, using as proof His statement (Most High) “Truly thou canst not cause the dead to listen” (27:80) and “Thou canst not make those to hear who are (buried) in graves” (35:22) and for this [reason, the Hanafis] say: if one swears he will not speak to someone and he speaks to him when [he is] dead, he has not broken his oath.

Source: http://www.ilmgate.org/can-the-dead-hear-commentary-of-a-hadith-from-sahih-muslim/
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Ibn Hammam also said in the book of Aqeedah

ﻭﺫﻜﺭ ﺍﻟﺤﻨﻔﻴﺔ ﺘﺼﺭﻴﺤﺎ ﺒﺎﻟﺘﻜﻔﻴﺭ ﺒﺎﻋﺘﻘﺎﺩ ﺃﻥ ﺍﻟﻨﺒﻲ ﻴﻌﻠﻡ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺏ ﻟﻤﻌﺎﺭﻀﺔ ﻗﻭﻟﻪ ﺘﻌﺎﻟﻰ ﻗﻝ ﻻ ﻴﻌﻠﻡ ﻤﻥ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﻤﺎﻭﺍﺕ ﻭﺍﻷﺭﺽ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺏ ﺇﻻ ﺍﷲ

Ahnaaf clearly states; it is Kufr(disbelief) if someone has a creed that Prophets know knowledge of Unseen, because it is against the verse of Quran Surat An-Naml [verse 65] - Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah" [المسايرة مع المسامرة page 235, Mullah Ali Qari Affirmed this in Sharah fiqh al-Akbar, Azeemabadi quoted this in Awn al-Mabood under the hadeeth no: 4240]
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Ibn Humam also said in "Fath Al-Qadir", vol 2 p 102, Maktabah Rashidiyah, Kuwait:

"Sleeping close to grave and relieving his needs, and all that is not justified by Sunnah is Hated, and what is justified by the Sunnah is only to visit graves, to read invocations while standing as would the Prophet (saw) do when he was going to Baqi"

Now let me quote from the hanafi Imam who rejected this idea from Imam Abu Haneefa

Muhiydeen Muhammad ibn Ali al-Birqivial-Hanafi (b 929 h) said in "Ziyaratul quboor page 58', explaining how muslem should visitgrave of prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa salam):

."Salamah ibn Wardan said: "I have seen Anas ibn Malik greeting prophet peace be upon him. Then he turned his back to grave and started to make prayer.There is no dispute on this issue between scholars. The difference is in the opinion where he should be greeted. Abu Haneefa used to turn towards qibla when he greeted prophet peace be upon him,and he didn't turn towards grave. Someothers said:"Person should turn to grave only when he is saluting". No one from 4 imams said that (anyone) should turn to grave when he is supplicating. There is only one baseless story on this issue that attributed to imam Malik. It also said that imam Shafi supplicated while he was standing near the grave of Abu Haneefa, and he was turned to his grave. And that's blatant lie".(end quote)

Now see some quotes from the books of hanafi fatawa

a) Fatwas of Abdul Hai Lakhnawi Hanafi

Question: What is the stance for that person who believes thatAuliyah knows and they can listen the one who is invoking from far and near andhe talks with them(auliyah) like he is talks with the person who is present andhe makes vows for them and says that i made vows for them(auliyah)

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Answer: TheCreed of this person is Invalid in fact there is a danger of Kufar because listening of Invocations by Auliyah is not proven and in all the periods it isspeciality of Allah that he has all the knowledge of unseen for all the things,It is mentioned in Fatawah Bazariyaah

""And one becomes akafir with the statement that the souls of the mashaykh are present, andknowing"." and same book says

"If someone married by making Allah and his Prophet witness he is kafir because he thought that Prophet has a knowledge of Unseen. And vows are prohibited if they are for others then Allah.And the vows which has been made is also Prohibited like it is mentioned inDurre Mukhtar and Bahr Al Raiq and Allah knows best[Majmoo Fatawa Abdul HaiUrdu Translation Vol 1 Book of Aqaid page 38 and 39 Translated by MolanaBarkatullah Ansaree Farangee Mohallee]

He also said

Question: If a person believes that Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jailani (may Allah have mercy on him) has the power to hear anyone who calls him from anywhere and turn his attention towards him [the caller]. What is the ruling of Shari'a regarding this belief?

Answer: This belief is not just against the aqaid of Islam but shirk. To hear the call of everyone from anywhere at all the time is only specific to Allah Most High and none of the creation has this attribute.Allah knows best. [Majmu al-Fatawa of Imam Abdul Hay Farangi Mahalli, V.I p.73]

• b) Fatwa of Imam Abu Haneefa

If they can quote things just from books without any chain than let me quote something interesting for them. It is mentioned in the book of Fiqh غرائب فى تحقيق المذاهب quoted by Shaykh Salahud din Yusaf in his Tafsir of Quran. He quoted from the book of Allamah Bashir al-Din Usmani Qinnawji who was student of Shah Muhammad Ishaq Dehalvi.

رأى الامام ابو حنيفة من ياتى القبور لاهل الصلاح فيسلم ويخاطب ويتكلم ويقول يااهل القبور هل لكم من خبر وهل عندكم من اثر انى اتيتكم من شهور وليس سؤلى الاالدعافهل دريتم ام غفلتم فسمع ابوحنيفة بقول يخاطبه بهم فقال هل اجابولك قال لافقال له سحقا لك وتربت يداك كيف تكلم اجسادا لايستطيعون جوابا ولايملكون شياء ولا يسمعون صوتا وقراوما انت بمسمع من فى القبور

Imam abu hanifa saw a MAN who was saying in front of some graves "O people of graves do you know anything? Do you have any athar? I am coming to you from many months and invoking you My question to you is ONLY for asking you to pray for me and NOTHING ELSE. Do you know about me Or you don't? Imam Abu Hanifah when heard him asked him. Did (the people of the grave) replied you? He said NO,

Abu Hanifa RA said May Curse be on to you, wipe your hands in mud, you are asking from those who can't answer and they don't have any ikhtiyaar and they can not hear from anyone. He (Abu Hanifa) recited the verse "وما انت بمسمع من فى القبور " but you cannot make hear those who are in graves(Al-fatir ayah 22)[Tafheem al-Masaail by Molana Muhammad Basheer qunooji who quoted from the book of fiqh "Gharaaib fe tahqiq al-Madaahib"]

c) It is mentioned in Dur ul Mukhtar Vol 2 Page 483 :
واعلم أن النذر الذي يقع للاموات من أكثر العوام وما يؤخذ من الدراهم والشمع والزيت ونحوها إلى ضرائح الاولياء الكرام تقربا إليهم فهو بالاجماع باطل وحرام

It should be known that many people who gives Nazar o Niaz in the name of Dead, present sacrifices to gain the nearness of Awlia e Karaam and present Nazar of their wealth, and lid the wax and oil on the graves (of Awlia Karaam). All these things are Falsehood and Prohibited.(end quote)

d) In the Sharah of Dur ul Mukhtar i.e. Al Rad Al Mukhtar it is mentioned :

( قَوْلُهُ بَاطِلٌ وَحَرَامٌ ) لِوُجُوهٍ : مِنْهَا أَنَّهُ نَذَرَ لِمَخْلُوقٍ وَالنَّذْرُ لِلْمَخْلُوقِ لَا يَجُوزُ لِأَنَّهُ عِبَادَةٌ وَالْعِبَادَةُ لَا تَكُونُ لِمَخْلُوقٍ .

وَمِنْهَا أَنَّ الْمَنْذُورَ لَهُ مَيِّتٌ وَالْمَيِّتُ لَا يَمْلِكُ .

وَمِنْهُ أَنَّهُ إنْ ظَنَّ أَنَّ الْمَيِّتَ يَتَصَرَّفُ فِي الْأُمُورِ دُونَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَاعْتِقَادَهُ ذَلِكَ كُفْرٌ

There are several reasons for this prohibition and falsehood of Nazar of Ghair Allah amongst them are, These Sacrifices for Graves, are the Vows of Creation. And Taking Vow for a Creation is not permitted, it is because taking Vow (Nazar o Niaz) is Ibadah, And Ibadah (Worship) of anyone other than Allah is not permitted, Second is that of whom Nazar o Niaz is given that person is dead and a dead person can never owns anything, Third is that if a Nazir ( The person who does Nazar or Niaz ) thinks of Manzur ( For whom Nazar has been intended ) that he can involved in the matters of Universe Besides Allah, So Keeping this kind of Creed is Kufr (Disbelieve) (end quote)

e) It is mentioned in Fatawa e Al Hindiya Vol 1 Page 216 which is written by about 500 Hanafi Ulemas,

وَالنَّذْرُ الَّذِي يَقَعُ مِنْ أَكْثَرِ الْعَوَامّ بِأَنْ يَأْتِيَ إلَى قَبْرِ بَعْضِ الصُّلَحَاءِ وَيَرْفَعَ سِتْرَهُ قَائِلًا يَا سَيِّدِي فُلَانٌ إنْ قَضَيْت حَاجَتِي فَلَكَ مِنِّي مِنْ الذَّهَبِ مَثَلًا كَذَا بَاطِلٌ إجْمَاعًا

There is a tradition in many of the folks that they go and take vow from the grave of any Pious Person, that O Such and Such Pious Person, If my wish will be completed so i will sacrifice such Gold on your grave. This Nazar is with Consensus Prohibited.(end quote)

f) Shukri Al-Alusi, who was son of Mahmud Al-Alusi said in “Ghayatul Amani” in refutation of An-Nabbahani about Tawassul with du’a:

“And this is done with alive people, and not dead, and this is Tawassul with their du’a and their Shafa’ah (intercession), because the alive is sought for that, and as for the dead, nothing is sought from him, neither Du’a nor anything else.” (“Ghayatul Amani” v 2 p 335)

g) Mahmud Alusi Hanafi the mufti of Baghdad said in his famous tafsir

وأما إذا كان المطلوب منه ميتاً أو غائباً فلا يستريب عالم أنه غير جائز وأنه من البدع التي لم يفعلها أحد من السلف

As for when the sought person is dead or absent, it is not hidden for scholars that it is not permissible and it is from innovations that none of the Salaf did [Imam Mahmud Al-Alusi in his Tafsir of Qur`an with the name of “Ruh ul-Ma’ani” in Tafsir of the verse “Seek Wasilah to Him” (Maidah: 35)]

He also said

"Allaah's saying: "{{Oh believers, fear Allah and seek a means (wasilah) towards reaching him}}", - Indeed people have increased supplicating to others apart from Allah from among the saints, those that are alive or dead and others. For example (they say): "Ya Sayyidi Fullaan Agithni (Oh my such and such master, aid me)". This is not from the permissible type of tawassul (intercession) at all!"

Source: http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=52&tSoraNo=5&;tAyahNo=35&tDisplay=yes&Page=7&Size=1&LanguageId=1

He also said Under the Qur’anic Surah 22, verse 73 he says:

إشارة إلى ذم الغالين في أولياء الله تعالى حيث يستغيثون بهم في الشدة غافلين عن الله تعالى وينذرون لهم النذور والعقلاء منهم يقولون : إنهم وسائلناإلى الله تعالى وإنما ننذر لله ونجعل ثوابه للولي ولا يخفى أنهمفي دعواهم الأولى أشبه الناس بعبدة الأصنام القائلين إنما نعبدهم ليقربونا إلى الله الله زلفىودعواهم الثانية لا بأس بها لو لم يطلبوا منهم بذلك شفاء مريضهم أو رد غائبهم أو نحو

{Surely, those you call apart from Allah cannot create even a fly}, writes: "This is an indication rebuking those who have exceeded the limit in regards to thesaints when seeking their aid at times of distress while being neglectful of Allah Most High and making vows (nadhr) to them. And the intelligent from among them say: "They are our means to Allah Most High; we are only vowing to Allah Most High and dedicating its reward to the wali". And it is clear that in their first claim they are similar to those who worship idols who say, "We only worship them so they may bring us close to Allah". And there is nothing wrong with their second claim as long as they do not seek from them, with that, cure for their sick or the return of their lost items or something like that".(end quote)

h) It is Mentioned in Bada`i al Sanai`e 5/126

(ويكره للرجل أن يقول في دعائه أسألك بحق أنبيائك ورسلك وبحق فلان لأنه لا حق لأحد على الله سبحانه وتعالى جل شأنه

It is disliked if a person say in prayer and ask Allah with the Haq of messengers and Prophets...

• i) Its mentioned in Fatawa-e-Bazaaria:قال علماؤنا‏:‏ من قال أرواح المشايخ حاضرة تعلم يكفر
Our Scholars Say, Whoever say that souls of our Mashaaeikhs are Present and knowing have committed Kufr. Source: http://www.al-eman.com/islamlib/viewchp.asp?BID=318&CID=17

• j) Muhammad Abid al-Sindi al-Hanafi:
» ما نصه

ولا يقول : يا صاحب القبر ، يا فلان ، إقض حاجتي ، أو سلها من الله ، أو كن لي شفيعا عند الله ، بل يقول : يا من لا يشرك في حكمه أحدا ؛ اقض لي حاجتي هذه
And do not say: YA Sahib al Qabar (O the companion of grave)! O such person, help me in my affair, or be a friend of mine to Allah,' but say: ' O you who no one associates with, help me in this affair'[Tawal'e al-Anwar Sharah Tanweer al-Ansaar ma ad-Durre Mukhtaar]

• k) It says in "Majma' al-Anhur" of the Ahnaaf: by للإمام إبراهيم بن محمد الحلبي الحنفي
وَيَكْفُرُ بِقَوْلِهِ أَرْوَاحُ الْمَشَايِخِ حَاضِرَةٌ , تَعْلَمُ
"And one becomes a kafir with the statement that the souls of the mashaykh are present, and knowing".
Source: http://feqh.al-islam.com/Display.asp?Mode=0&MaksamID=213&DocID=77&ParagraphID=1307&Diacratic=0

l) Qazi Shihab ud din Dolat Abadi (d 849 h) said:

وما يفعله الجهال على رأس كل حول وشهر ربيع الأول ليس بشىء ويقومون عند ذكر مولده صلى الله عليه وسلم ويزعمون ان روحه يجيء و حاضر فزعمهم باطل وهذا الاعتقاد شرك

On the start of year and in the month of Rabi ul Awwal in the name of Mawlid of peace be upon him Ignorants do something which is nothing(i.e these things have nothing to do with Islam). They claim that his (peace be upon him) soul comes and (he peace be upon him is) present. This is False and this creed is shirk.

[Majmoo Fatawa Qazi Shahab ud din 1/27]

Note: He was on of the great muftis of ahnaf, and he was Judge as it can be seen in the books سبحة المرجان فى آثار هندوستان page no: 39 and نزهة الخواطر

m) Same statement is in the book تحفة القضاة

n) Imam Qazi Khan [d 592 h) said
لانه يعتقد ان الرسول يعلم الغيب وهو كفر

..His creed is that Prophets know knowledge of unseen, and this is disbelief. [Fatawa Qazi Khan, Kitab an-Nikah, Fasal fe Sharaait an-Nikah 1/154]

He also said
وهو ما كان يعلم الغيب حين كان فى الاحياء فكيف بعد الموت
He (peace be upon him) did not know knowledge of unseen when he was alive, how can he know knowledge of unseen after his death?[Fatawa Qazi Khaan, Kitab as-seyar 4/468]

o) It is mentioned in Durrul-Mukhtar the book of fiqh (2/630), 'From Abu Haneefah: "It is not fitting at all that anyone should supplicate to Allah except by Him (Allah), and using such supplications have been permitted and ordered in the like of the Saying of Allah, the Most High, "And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call upon Him by them." (al ARAF 180)(end quote)

p) Its like is also found in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah (5/280), and al-Qudooree [He is Abu Hasan Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ja'far Ibn Hamdan, the scholar of Fiqh and he was the teacher of al-Khateebul-Baghdaadee. He was born in 362H and died in 428H.] said in his large book of Fiqh called Sharahul-Kharkhee in the chapter of detested matters:

"Bishr Ibn al-Waleed said: 'Abu Yusuf (one of the main students of Imam Abu Haneefah) narrated to us that Abu Haneefah said: 'It is not right that anyone should supplicate to Allah except by Him, and I hate that anyone should say: 'By the right of so and so' or 'By the right of your Prophets and Messengers' or 'By the right of your sacred house and the sacred area (of Muzdalifah)." Also See, Sharah Aqeedah at-Tahawiyah, p.237.

q) Az-Zubaydee says in Sharah-Ihyaa (2/285): "Abu Haneefah and his two companions hated that a person should say, 'I ask You by the right of so and so' or 'By the right of Your Prophets and Messengers' or 'By the right of the sacred house and sacred area (of Muzdalifah)' and the like, since no one has any right upon Allah. Likewise, Abu Haneefah and Mohammed Ibn Hasan ash-Shaybanee hated that a person who made supplication should say: 'O Allah I ask you by the glory of Your Throne.'"

r) Al-Qudooree also said: "Asking Him by His creation is not allowed since the creation had no right over the Creator, therefore it cannot be allowed."[ Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah reports this in al-Qaa'idatul-Jalijjah.](end quote)

s) Imam Barqivi Hanafi (d 929 h) said in Ziyaratul quboor bidiyyetuha wastihbabuha

فزيارة القبور لأجل الصلاة عندها والطواف بها وتقبيلها واستلامها وتعفير الخدود عليها وأخذ ترابها ودعاء أصحابها والاستعانة بهم، وسؤالهم النصر والرزق والعافية والولد وقضاء الديون وتفريج الكربات وإغاثةاللهفات وغير ذلك من الحاجات، التي كان عباد الأوثان يسألونها من أوثانهم، فليس شيء من ذلك مشروعًا باتفاق أئمة المسلمين إذ لم يفعله رسول الله r ولا أحد من الصحابة والتابعين وسائر أئمة الدين، بل أصل هذهالزيارة البدعية الشركية مأخوذة من عباد الأصنام

"Visiting graves to offer prayers by them, circumambulate them, kiss them, carry out their istilam, to rub cheeks on them, take their dust, to supplicateto the occupants [of the grave], seek their aid [isti'ana], ask from them help,sustenance, well being, children, fulfillment of debts, removal of difficulties, help with sorrows and other needs which the worshippers of idols used to ask their idols. None of this is sanctioned in Shari'ah, according to the consensus of the Imams of the Muslims, as the Messenger of Allah and none of the Companions and Followers and the imams of the faith did this. Rather, the basis of this polytheistic, bid'ati visit has been derived from the worshippers of statutes!"

Source: http://islamport.com/w/aqd/Web/4782/21.htm

t) Fatawa Alamgeeri says

يجب كفار الروافض فى قولهم برجعة الاموات الى الدنيا
It is obligatory to say Kafir to Rawafidh(Shias) because they say dead people visits this world.
[Fatawa Alamgeeri 2/92]

Comment: We have quoted 20 Fatwas from the scholars of Ahnaaf and from the classical fatwa books of Ahnaf against the creed of extreme hanafi sufis, Insha`Allah we will quote more if it is needed. There is another fabricated qasida attributed to Imam Abu Haneefa BY SOME IGNORANTS with the name of "Qasida-i Maymuna-i Mubaraka also known as Durru Maknun" This Qasida is fabricated as their own muftis agreed like Mufti Ak. Husein