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35. ISTE’AANAT, ISTIGHAASA, AUR ISTE’AAZA KE MA’ANI AUR MAFAHEEM [Seeking Assisstance, Seeking Refuge, & Asking For Help]

SEEKING ASSISSTANCE, SEEKING REFUGE, & ASKING FOR HELP

 

 

MEANING OF THESE WORDS:

 

Seeking Assistance (Isti’aanah):

“We do not worship anything but you. We do not turn to anyone else for help except You.

 

Asking for Help (Istighaathah):

To be rescued from a difficulty or disaster.

 

Seeking Refuge (Isti’aadhah):  

seeking protection from something disliked

 

The proof for Seeking Assistance (Isti’aanah) is Allah’s saying: 

«You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help» (Qur’an 1:5). 

 

Likewise, the hadeeth,

“If you ask for help, then ask help from Allah” (Tirmidhee) 

 

The proof for Seeking Refuge (Isti’aadhah) is Allah’s saying: 

«Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak» (Qur’an 113:1)

 And  «Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the people» (Qur’an 114 : 1) 

 

The proof for Asking for Help (Istighaathah) is Allah’s saying:

 «And remember when you sought help from your Lord and He responded to you…»(Qur’an 8: 9)

 

Seeking Assistance:

This verse indicates a method of constraint (hasr) since the object of the sentence, even though usually comes after the verb in the Arabic language, is mentioned before the verb, affirming it for whom it is mentioned in the sentence and negating it for anything else. Therefore, it is as if the person has said, “We do not worship anything but you. We do not turn to anyone else for help except You.” 

 

Seeking Refuge:

seeking protection from something disliked. 

 

Asking for Help:

To be rescued from a difficulty or disaster. 

Seeking assistance, seeking refuge, asking for help, and asking for intercession can be sought from a human being as long as s/he is able to while fulfilling the four conditions; alive, present, able, and a means.

 

Act of Polytheism: Seeking Refuge with Beings other than Allah:

Allah, Exalted be He, says:

“And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden (i.e., sin).” (Qur’an: Al-Jinn: 6)

❖ There were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn: This phrase refers to a common pre-Islamic practice. The Arab pagans used, when passing by a valley at night, to seek refuge in the (jinni) master of that valley.

 
General Meaning of the Qur’anic Verse

 

 Allah, Glorified be He, related that some people sought refuge with some of the jinn. However, instead of providing them with safety, the jinn increased the humans’ fears. Undoubtedly, this was a punishment from Allah. 

 

Relevance of the Qur’anic Verse to the Chapter 

Upon accepting Islam, a group of the jinn used to express their renunciation of acts perpetrated by the Arab pagans before the advent of Islam. Such acts entailed polytheism and included practices such as seeking refuge with false deities besides Allah.

 

 Lessons Drawn from the Qur’anic Verse

 ❖ Seeking refuge with any deity other than Allah is an act of polytheism. Consequently, the believers from among the jinn, as quoted by Allah, said:

 “…And we will never associate with our Lord anyone.” (Qur’an: Al-Jinn: 2)

 

 Denouncing this act of polytheism, the jinn said: 

“And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jin n…” (Qur’an: Al-Jinn: 6) 

❖ The Prophet (PBUH) has been sent for the sake of guiding both the jinn and mankind.

 ❖ Seeking refuge with anyone other than Allah is a major cause of fear and weakness. 

❖ The verse signifies that seeking refuge with Allah fills man with strength and safety.

 

Acts of Polytheism: Seeking Refuge with anyone besides Allah and Invoking anyone besides Him

Allah, Exalted be He, says: “And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the (unjust) wrongdoers.” (Qur’an: Yunus: 106)

 

❖ Seeking Refuge and invoking:

The difference between seeking refuge and invoking is that the former is confined to those who are always in distress while the latter is so comprehensive that it is usually practiced by those in distress or not.

 
 ❖ Unjust wrongdoers:

Polytheists are regarded the worst unjust wrongdoers

Allah commands His Prophet (PBUH) not to invoke anyone of the creatures, who are incapable of either bringing about benefit or repelling harm. Had the Prophet invoked anyone besides Allah, he would have been regarded as one of the polytheists. The prohibition enunciated in the Qur’anic verse is general and addressed to the whole Muslim nation.

 

Relevance of the Qur’anic Verse to the Chapter

 In this verse, Allah prohibits people from invoking anyone besides Him since such an invocation is considered an act of polytheism that contradicts pure monotheism. 

 

Lessons Drawn from the Qur’anic Verse 

❖ Invoking deities besides Allah is an act of major polytheism. 

❖ If the most righteous servant of Allah invoked false deities besides Allah, he would be regarded as a polytheist. So, those of less righteousness are more entitled to fear this grave sin. 

❖ The Qur’anic verse highlights the disability of the polytheists’ false deities, and thus the invalidity of adoring them.

 

REFERENCES:
[1] BOOK: “THE THREE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES” 
EXPLANATION BY “Sheikh Haytham ibn Muhammad sarhan” @Teacher at the prophet’s mosque
 
[2] “CONCISE COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF TAWHID”
 BY SHAYKH DR. SALIH AL FAWZAN Hafizullah.

 

 

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