ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Beseeching For Help (istighathah) Chapter 2: The Meaning of Appeal to the Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him and His Household) for Help According to sound Islamic belief, the ultimate focus of beseeching help and assistance through the prophets and saints is Allāh Himself because He is the only true helper and supporter and has the real power to relieve a difficult situation and mitigate an intractable exigency.

He Himself has repeatedly stressed upon the people to implore Him for help and relief whenever they face an ugly predicament or are driven into a tight corner. Thus, if anyone sets aside this fundamental Qur’ānic teaching and regards someone else except Allāh as the source of gain and loss, he is surely guilty of disbelief, because it virtually amounts to imploring non-God for help and assistance.

He is a disbeliever whether his request is conditioned by natural causes or is engineered by supernatural factors. On the other hand, if he believes in Allāh as the true helper and then turns to some other person for assistance, he is not committing disbelief because his action is religiously sanctioned.

For example, if he consults a doctor for treatment or seeks the assistance of a saint for supplication or some kind of spiritual healing, he is operating within the well-recognised and widely accepted parameters of Islamic faith. His act conforms to approved standards and is compatible with the traditionally hallowed practice of the virtuous people. Allāh has on many occasions in the Qur’ān stressed upon the believers to help one another.

He says: And help one another in (acts of) righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in (the acts of) sin and oppression. [1] In the Qur’ānic verse Allāh is enjoining upon the community of Muslims to help and cooperate with one another. This cooperation is predicated on the fact of discrepancy between its members, as it is inconceivable without the presence of inequality among them.

Thus it is possible only when there are two classes among the believers: the affluent and the non-affluent. The latter are supposed to ask for the help of the former who are expected to extend this help to them.