Some persons say
that to utter "Ya Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilani Sha'in lillah" is Shirk because one
is making partnership with Allah Ta’ala (committing Shirk) by asking for
assistance from the creation of Allah Ta'ala. They say that one can only ask
directly from Allah Ta’ala. The Ahle Sunnah Wal Jama'at believes that it is
absolutely permissible to say "Ya Sheikh Abdal Qaadir Jilani Shai un lillah"
when asking for assistance from those servants of Allah Ta'ala whom He has
appointed as helpers of the Ummah.
We understand from the verse "Iyya ka
Na'budu Wa Iy'ya ka Nas Ta'een" (You Alone we worship and You Alone we ask for
Help), which is found in Surah Fateha, that the True Helper is Allah Ta'ala. But
it is Allah Ta’ala who has appointed helpers from within His servants to assist
the creation with His permission.
Sayyiduna Shah Abdul Azeez Muhaddith
Delhwi (alaihir rahmah) explains the Tafseer of the verse "Iy'ya ka Na'budu Wa
Iy'ya Ka Nastaeen" by writing: "Here, it should be understood that to ask for
assistance from anyone other than Allah, by putting full trust and not thinking
of it as a marvel of Almighty Allah, is prohibited. But, if the attention is
towards Allah and then to think of a person as the splendour of Almighty Allah
and by keeping the means and wisdom of Almighty Allah before you, if one asks
from anyone other than Allah, then this is not far from the Wisdom of Almighty
Allah. This action is permissible and allowed in Shari’ah. To ask for help in
this way is not really asking from someone but Allah, but in reality it is to
ask from Allah." (Tafseer Azeezi)
As long as a person bears this fact in
mind that the True and Real Helper is Allah Ta'ala and no matter whom he asks
from, it will be through the Mercy of Allah Ta'ala, then it is permissible to
ask from such a person. This can never be termed as Shirk.