The life of human beings is established in this material...

The life of human beings is established in this material world on the basis of cooperation. All those in this world, who possess intellect, seek mutual assistance in their worldly affairs. This matter is so obvious that nobody has ever found fault with it and because our discussion is based on Qur’an and traditions, we shall restrain ourselves at this point by quoting a verse.

Zul-Qarnain while building the dam against the oppression of Ya'juj and Ma’juj turned towards the people of that place and said: فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا “Thus you only help me with workers; I will make a fortified barrier between you and them.

(Kahf 18:95)” Second Case Requesting someone to pray for good or seeking forgiveness from living persons in this material world; the correctness and firmness of such a request from the living is from the necessities related to the Holy Qur’an. Anyone having a little acquaintance with the Holy Qur’an is aware that the ways of the Prophets was to seek forgiveness for their ummah (nation) and or the ummah themselves were placing such a request before the Prophets.

Now we shall bring here all the verses which have come down in this regard. Of course, the verses concerning this section are of several categories where, for the sake of simplicity of the matter, we shall number them as follows: (1) Sometimes, God orders His Prophet to seek forgiveness for his people such as: فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ “Pardon them therefore and ask pardon for them, and take counsel with them in the affair.

(Aal-e-Imran 3:159)” فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ “Accept their pledge, and ask forgiveness for them from Allah, surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

(Mumtahena 60:12)” خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِمْ بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ إِنَّ صَلَاتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ “Take alms out of their property, you would cleanse them and purify them thereby, and pray for them, surely your prayer is a relief to them, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.

(Tauba 9:103)” In this verse, Allah directly commands the Holy Prophet (s) to pray for them and the effect of his prayers is so quick that one feels comfort in one's heart after the prayers of the Holy Prophet (s). (2) Sometimes, the Prophets themselves used to promise the sinners that they would seek forgiveness for them under special circumstances.

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