Who are the Awliyaa of Allah?

The allies of Allah, those of pious practice are those who follow the example of Muhammad (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). They do that which he enjoined, and stay away from that which he interdicted and forbid. They follow his example in those things in which Allah has instructed them to follow him. So He aids them with His angels and a spirit from Him, and casts into their hearts some of His light. They are given karamaat (miraculous occurrences) with which Allah honors (yukrimu, from the same root as karamaat) the best among His allies, those of pious practice. The karamaat of the allies of Allah are for the purpose of aiding them in convincing people of the truth and calling them to the way, or to fill a need of the Muslims, just as the miracles of the Prophet (ﷺ) were for these two purposes.

The karamaat of the allies of Allah only come about because of the blessing of following the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), so they are, in reality, a part of the miracles of the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) of which there were many, such as the splitting of the moon (Bukhari and Muslim), the pebbles which glorified Allah in his hand (At-Tabarani and Al-Bazzaar), the leaning of the tree toward him (Muslim), the tree-trunk becoming sad when he stopped using it as a Minbar (Bukhari and Muslim), his being shown Jerusalem in all its details when the Makkans refused to believe that Allah had taken him there in the night (Buhkari and Muslim), his telling the companions about what was and what will be – and they forgot some and remembered some (Muslim), his coming with the Qur’an, large amounts of food appearing from a little on many occasions, such as in the battle of the trench when the whole army ate their full from a single pot of food without decreasing it in the least (Muslim and Bukhari).

The whole army quenched their thirst in the battle of Khaibar from a single water skin without decreasing it, and the stores of the army were filled from a little food in the year of Tabuk without decreasing it, and they were about 30,000 troops. Water was seen to spring from between the fingers of the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) on many different occasions in quantities sufficient for all of those with him, as in the battle of Hudaibiya in which they were 1400-1500 men. He returned the eye of Abi Qatada when it ran out on his cheek and it became the better of his two eyes (weak hadith). When he sent Abdullah ibn ‘Ateek to kill Abi Raafi’, and he fell down and broke his leg, the Prophet rubbed over his leg, and it was healed (Bukhari). He once fed one hundred and thirty people from a roasted animal, he tore off a piece for each one and made it two pieces. All of them ate, and there was still meat left. And he allowed Abdullah the father of Jabir to pay his debt to a Jew to whom he owed thirty camel loads of dates. Jabir said: The Prophet told the creditor to take all of the dates there were on the trees as payment for his debt, but he refused (seeing that they were not equal to the amount due). Then the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) walked among the trees and said to Jabir: Cut for him (what he is owed). He was paid his thirty camel-loads, and seventeen more camelloads were left over. There are many other examples of the miracles of the Prophet, I have collected about one thousand of them.

The karamaat of the companions and those who followed them and the righteous ones are very many in number. Asyad ibn Hudhair used to see a cloud filled with what appeared to be many lamps which appeared to him when he read the second chapter of the Qur’an (Al- Baqara). These were angels who came down for his reading (Bukhari). Angels used to greet ‘Imran ibn Husein. Salman and Abu Ad-Dardaa’ used to hear the praises of Allah emanating out of the plate out of which they were eating, or out of the food. Abbad ibn Bishr and Asyad ibn Hudhair once left the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) on a dark night. A light came to them and guided them on their way, and when they parted ways, the light split into two, one for each of them. This was narrated by Al- Bukhari and others.

And, in the well known story found in both Muslim and Bukhari, Abu Bakr went to his home with three guests. Each time one of them ate a piece of food, a bigger piece appeared underneath it. They all ate their fill, and the food was more than it had been in the first place. When Abu Bakr and his wife saw this, they took it to the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). Many groups of people then came and all ate their fill.

Khabib ibn Adiy was once a prisoner of the associationists in Makka, and grapes used to be brought to him which he ate, though there are no grapes in or around Makka.

‘Aamir ibn Fuhaira was killed as a martyr. They searched for his body, but could not find it. He had been lifted up after being killed. ‘Aamir ibn At-Tufail saw him raised up. ‘Urwa said: They saw that the angels had lifted him.”

Umm Ayman set out in migration to the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) at Madina, having neither food nor water. She nearly died of thirst. When it was the time of breaking fast (she was fasting), she heard a sound near her head. When she raised her head, she saw a pitcher of water hanging in the air. She drank and quenched her thirst, and was never again thirsty for the rest of her life.

Safina, the possession of the Prophet, once met a lion on the road. When he told that lion that he was a messenger sent by the Messenger of Allah, the lion walked with him until he safely reached his destination. (Sahih hadith narrated by Al-Haakim.)

Al-Baraa’ ibn Malik used swear by Allah to certain things, which always came to pass. When fighting became very intense, the Muslims used to say to him: O, Baraa’, swear by your Lord! Then, he would say: O, Lord, I swear by You for that victory which you have granted us. The enemy would then be defeated. In the battle of Al-Qadisiya, however, he said: I swear by You O, Lord for the victory which you have granted us, and for making me the first martyr. The Muslims were granted victory in that battle, and Al-Baraa’ was killed as a martyr.

Khalid ibn Al-Waleed once surrounded an impenetrable fortress. The people inside said to him: We will not come out until you drink poison. Khalid drank the poison, but it did him no harm.

Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas used to have his supplications answered (The Prophet (ﷺ) had asked Allah to grant him his wish when he supplicated). Whatever he asked for was granted. He was the one who defeated the forces of Kisrah, and conquered Iraq.

Umar ibn Al-Khattab once sent out an army and assigned a man named Sariah as its leader. While Umar was giving the Khutba, he began screaming, while still on the minbar: O Sariah, the mountain! O Sariah, the mountain, the mountain! Later, a scout from the army came to Madina. When Umar asked him the news of the army, he said: O leader of the believers, we met the enemy and were being defeated. Suddenly, there was someone screaming: O Sariah, the mountain! O Sariah, the mountain! So, we put our backs to the mountain, then Allah defeated them. (This is narrated with a good, i.e. hassan chain of narration)

A woman named Az-Zaneera was tortured because of her Islam, but refused to change her position until she went blind from the torture. The associationists said: Al-laat and Al-‘uzza (two idols in the ka’aba before Islam) have taken her sight. When she heard this, she said: No! By Allah! And Allah gave her back her sight.

Saeed ibn Zaid asked Allah to take the sight of Arwa bint Al-Hakam when she lied against him (and took some of his land by lying), saying: O, Allah, if she is lying, make her blind and kill her in her land! She became blind, and fell into a pit on her land shortly thereafter and died.

Al-‘Alaa’ ibn Al-Hadhrami was the appointed governor of the Prophet over Bahrain. He used to say in his du’a (supplication): O all-knowing (‘aleem), O Wise (haleem), O Great (‘adheem), and his prayers were answered. Once he prayed to Allah to give them water to drink and to make ablutions when there was a drought, and it was granted. Another time they were faced with a body of water which they could not cross with their horses. They crossed on top of the water such that not one saddle became wet. He asked Allah that his body not be seen after his death, and when he died, they could not find his body in his grave. Things like this also used to happen to Abi Muslim Al-Khawlaani, who was once thrown into fire. He set out with some companions from the encampment of the Tigris river which was throwing out pieces of wood because of high waters. He turned to his companions and said: Did any of you lose something out of his supplies, so that I can pray to Allah for its return? One of them said: I have lost a nose-bag. He told the man to follow him, which he did until he found it hanging from something and he took it. Al-Aswad Al- ‘Ansiy sought him out when the former had made his false claim to prophethood. When he found him, he said to him: Do you testify that I am the messenger of Allah? Abi Muslim said to him: I can’t hear you. Al-Aswad said: Do you testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah? He said: Yes! Al-Aswad then ordered a fire to be built and threw him into it. They found him standing in the middle of the fire and praying – it had become for him coolness and peace.

He came to Madina after the death of the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), and Umar had him sit down between himself and Abu Bakr As-Siddique, may Allah be pleased with them, and said: Praise is to Allah who did not bring about my death until I was able to see one from the nation of Muhammad (ﷺ) for whom Allah did as He did for His friend Ibrahim. His slave girl once put poison in his food, but it had no effect on him. Another time, his wife had another woman pose as her in her bed, and he asked Allah against her, and she became blind. When she came to him asking forgiveness and repenting to Allah, he again prayed to Allah, and she regained her sight.

‘Aamir ibn Abduqais used to receive a pension of two thousand dirhams and put them in  his sleeve. He would give large numbers of coins to anyone who asked him along the way, and would reach his house with same number with which he started, and the same weight. He once passed by a caravan which was being held up by a lion. He came to them until his robe brushed against the lion. Then he put his foot on the lion’s neck and said: You are nothing more than one of the dogs of the Merciful, and I feel shame in front of Allah to fear anything other than Him. The caravan passed and went on its way. He asked Allah to make purification easy for him in the winter, and water used to be brought to him giving off steam. He asked Allah to keep shaitaan away from his heart when he was in prayer, and shaitaan could not get to him after that.

Al-Hajjaaj could not find Al-Hassan Al-Basry for a period of time. He had his men enter his dwelling many times, but Al-Hassan prayed to Allah and they did not see him. Once he prayed against some of the khawaarij who were harassing him, and they fell over dead.

The horse of Wasla ibn Asheem once died during a battle. He said: O, Allah, do not allow me to become indebted to one of your creation. He prayed to Allah, and He brought his horse back to life. When he reached his house, he said to his sons: O, my sons, take the saddle off the horse, for I have only borrowed him. When they removed the saddle, the horse died. Another time, he became hungry while in the area of Ahwaz, and so he prayed to Allah for food. Then a quantity of fresh dates in a silk garment fell down behind him. He ate the dates, the piece of silk remained with his wife for a period of time. Once a lion came to him while he was praying in a thicket at night. When he concluded his prayer, he said to the lion: Go seek your sustenance elsewhere! The lion then turned and left, yelping.

Saeed ibn Al-Musayyib, during the days of Al-Harra used to hear the adhaan coming from the grave of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) at the times of prayer while the masjid was empty and he was alone.

A man from the tribe if An-Nakh’ was travelling when his donkey died. His companions said to him: Give us your load and we will divide it up between our animals. He said to them: Give me a little time. He made very meticulous ablutions, prayed two rakaat of prayer, and made du’a to Allah. Allah brought his donkey back to life, and he continued on his way, with the full load on his own donkey.

When Uwais Al-Qarany died, they found among his clothes burial shrouds which he had never had before. Then they found for him a grave already dug with the lahd in stone. ( The lahd is a recession in the bottom of an Islamic grave into which the body is placed, it is then covered with boards or other material, so the dirt is not thrown directly on the body when filling the grave.) So they wrapped him in those shrouds, and buried him in that grave.

‘Amr ibn ‘Uqba ibn Farqad was once praying in intense heat when a cloud came over him and give him shade. Wild animals used to guard him while in the wilderness tending the riding animals of his companions. He used make a condition on his companions when they went to a battle that they would allow him to serve them if they returned from the battle, then he would tend their animals for them.

When Mutarraf ibn Abdullah ibn Ash-Shakheer entered his house, his household utensils used to glorify Allah along with him. He was once walking in pitch darkness with a friend, and the tip of a whip became a light for them, showing them the way.

When Al-Ahnaf ibn Qais died and was being buried, someone’s hat fell into the grave. When he descended into the grave to get it, he saw that his grave had been expanded for him for as far as the eye could see.

Ibrahim At-Taimi used to stay for one or two months without eating anything. One day, he went out to look for food for his family, but could not find any. He came to a level patch of reddish dirt, and took some of it in his bag. When he reached home and they opened it, they found it to be fine red millet. Every time he planted any of that millet, it produced nothing but spikes full of grain from its root to its top.

‘Utba Al-Ghulam asked his Lord for three things: a beautiful voice, abundant tears, and food to eat without difficulty. After that, whenever he read the Qur’an, he wept and caused others to weep. He was always seen shedding tears. He used to go to his house, and find therein his food, having no idea how it got there.

Abdulwahid ibn Zaid was afflicted with semiparalysis. He asked Allah to release his body members at the time of making ablutions. His affliction used to disappear long enough for him to make his ablutions, and then return as before.

All of the above were examples of the karamaat of the companions and the tabi’een (the first generation after the companions). This area is very wide, and I have dealt extensively with the karamaat of the allies of Allah elsewhere.

As for that which I myself have witnessed and have direct knowledge of in this time (Ibn Taymiyya lived in the seventh century after the Hijrah), it is very many cases indeed. It is important to know the these karamaat occur for two basic reasons: for some need on the part of the one granted them, or to aid him in calling others to guidance. If a believer needs these occurrences because of some weakness in his faith, or because of some material need, he may be granted that which strengthens his faith, or fills his need. Another one who is greater in wilaya (closeness or alliance) to Allah than him may not be in need of such things, and so they do not occur for him because of his higher level, and  his lack of any need for them, not because of any lack in his wilaya to Allah. This is why these things were much more common among the tabi’een than among the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). This is different from the one on whose hands karamaat occur, not for any need on his part, but for the purpose of guiding people and for filling their needs. Those granted this type of karamaat are on a much higher level than the first type.

All of this is completely different from the satanic states, such as the state of Ibn Sayyaad who appeared in the time of the Prophet (his story is found in both Muslim and Bukhari). Some of the companions thought that he was Ad-Dajjaal (Anti-Christ, as the Christians call him), and the Prophet (ﷺ) withheld his judgement on that at first, until it became apparent to him that he was not Ad-Dajjaal.

“The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: I have hidden something for you. Ibn Sayyaad said: Ad-dukh, Ad-dukh. The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) had hidden for him the chapter of the Qur’an called Ad-Dukhaan. Then, the Prophet said to him: Be silent, for you will never exceed your bounds!”

He means: You are only one of the sorcerers. The sorcerers have partners among the shayateen (devils) who inform them of many unseen things by means of the hearing which they “steal” from the heavenly assembly. Then, they mix the truth with lies, as in the hadith found in the collection of Bukhari and others in which the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Verily, the angels descend to the clouds, and they mentions that which has been decreed. The shayateen come and steal a listen, and then pass it on to the sorcerers. They lie along with it one hundred lies from themselves.”

In the collection of Muslim, the following is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas:

“Once while the Prophet (ﷺ) was among a group of the Helpers, they saw a shooting star. The Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: What did you used to say in the jahiliya when you saw these? They said: We used to say that some great person has died or some great person has been born. The Prophet said: Verily, these are not thrown for the death of anyone, nor for the life of anyone. Rather whenever our Lord decrees something, the carriers of the Throne praise Him, then the inhabitants of Heaven below them, then those below them, until their praise reaches this lowest heaven. Then, the inhabitants of the seventh heaven ask the carriers of the Throne: What has your Lord said? So they inform them, then the inhabitants of each heaven ask those above them, until the news reaches the lowest heaven. Then the devils try to steal a listen, but these things are thrown at them. (Whatever they get) they send to their allies. That which they deliver as it is, is the truth, but they add to it.” In another version, Muammar asked As-Zuhri (one of the narrators): “Were they thrown at them in the jahiliya (i.e. before Islam)? He said: Yes, but they increased after the commissioning of Muhammad (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam).”

Al-Aswad Al-‘Ansiy who claimed to be a prophet had shayateen who informed him about various unseen things. When the Muslims fought him, they were afraid the devils would inform him of what they were saying about him. Finally, his own wife helped the Muslims against him when his kufr (disbelief) became clear to her, and the Muslims killed him.

Musailama Al-Kadhdhaab (another imposter who claimed prophethood) also had with him devils who informed him about some of the unseen, and helped him in various ways.

There are many such examples throughout history, such as Al-Harith Ad-Dimashqiy who appeared in Syria-Jordan in the time of Abdulmalik ibn Marwan, and claimed to be a prophet. His shayateen used to take his feet out of the leg irons, and prevent weapons from penetrating his body. Marble slabs praised Allah when he rubbed his hand over them. He used to see people walking and riding up in the sky and would say that they were the angels. In reality, they were nothing but the Jinn. When the Muslims captured him and prepared to kill him, the executioner thrust his spear at him, but it would not penetrate his body. Abdulmalik said to him: You forgot to say Bismillahi. The executioner then said the bismillahi, and killed him.

This is the condition of the people of the satanic states: their devils neglect them and flee when that which drives them away is mentioned to them such as Ayat-ul-Kursiy (the verse in the Qur’an 2:255). It is recorded in Muslim and Bukhari that:

“When the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) appointed Abu Huraira to guard the property of Zakat-ul-Fitr, a man came each night and stole some of the property. Each time this happened, Abu Huraira caught him and held him until he repented and begged to be released. The Prophet said to him: What did your prisoner do last night? Abu Huraira said: He claimed that he will not return. The Prophet said: He lies, surely he will return. On the third time, the man said to Abu Huraira: Leave me, and I will teach you that which will benefit you. When you go to bed read Ayat-ul-Kursiy. Allah’s protection will continue to be with you and no shaitaan will be able to come near you until morning. When Abu Huraira informed the Prophet of what shaitaan said, the Prophet said: He has spoken the truth and he is a great liar. Then the Prophet informed him that his nightly visitor was none other than shaitaan.

Thus, if one reads this verse during a satanic state with true intention, it will eliminate it, such as one who entered fire with a satanic state, or attends the listening to whistling and banging (i.e. music and percussion) until the devils descend upon him and speak on his tongue talk of which the man himself knows nothing, and perhaps understands nothing also. He may amaze some of the people by telling them something which is in their hearts, or he may speak in different languages, as the jinn speaks on the tongue of the possessed. The one to whom these things occur is unaware or them just like the possessed which the devil strikes down with his touch, possesses him, and speaks on his tongue. When he comes out of it, he has no recollection whatsoever of what he said.

This is why possessed people are sometimes beaten in such a way that would kill a normal person of his build or make him very sick, but it has no effect on him. When he comes out of it, he will say that he felt no beating, because the beating was not hitting him, it was hitting the jinn which had occupied him.

Among these people also are those to whom the shaitaan brings foods, fruits and sweets which are not found in the area of the person. Others are flown by their jinn to Makka or to Jerusalem or other places. Some of them are carried to Arafat on the day of standing at Arafat in the Hajj, and are returned the same night. He has not made a legal Islamic Hajj. He goes in his ordinary clothes, does not enter Ihram when passing the point of doing so, does not pronounce the “Labbaik” of the Hajj, does not stand at Muzdalifa, does not perform Tawwaf (circumambulation) of the Ka’ba at Makka, does not run between Safa and Marwa, and does not throw the stones at the boulders symbolizing the devil. No, he just goes to Arafat in his ordinary clothes, and comes back the same night. This is not a valid Hajj in the consensus of all of the Muslims. It is like one who comes to the Friday prayer and prayers without ablutions to other than the direction of prayer. One of these people who were carried to Arafat on the day of standing saw angels in his sleep after his return recording the reward of the pilgrims. He asked them: Aren’t you going to record me? To which they answered: You are not one of the pilgrims. i.e. You did not perform a legal Islamic Hajj.

There are many differences between the karamaat with which Allah honors His allies, and the satanic states which seemingly resemble them. For example, the karamaat of the allies of Allah are a result of faith and pious practice, while the satanic states are a result of that which Allah and His Prophet (ﷺ) have interdicted. Allah said:

“Say: That which my Lord has forbidden is none other that despicable acts – both apparent nd hidden – sin, transgression with no justification, to associate as partners with Allah that for which He has sent no authority, and to say about Allah that which you do not know.” Qur’an 7:33

Thus speaking about Allah without knowledge, associationism, oppression, and all despicable acts have been forbidden by Allah ta’ala, and His Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). They can never, therefore, be a cause or reason for the honor bestowed by Allah on His allies in the form of karamaat. If any seemingly miraculous feat does not come about via prayer, remembrance of Allah, and reading of the Qur’an, but is brought about  by that which is loved by shaitaan , and by those things in which there is shirk (associationism) such as seeking the aid or succor of created beings, or is something sought for the purpose of oppressing others or committing sins, all of these are satanic states, and are not of the karamaat of Ar-Rahman!

Some of them, when they attend the sessions of whistling and beating sounds (music) are descended upon by their shaitaan, and carried through the air right out of the house. If one of the true allies of Allah comes on the scene, the shaitaan is repulsed, and the man falls to the ground as has happened on more than one occasion.

Others seek the succor of created beings – either living or dead – and irregardless of whether the one whose aid is sought is a Muslim, a Christian, or a Pagan. Shaitaan then comes to them in the form of the one whose aid was sought, and helps him out with some of his needs. The man then thinks that the one who he called indeed came to him, or that an angel came to him in the form of the one called. In reality, it is none other than shaitaan, who has succeeded in leading him astray by getting him to commit blatant shirk by calling to other than Allah for aid, just as shaitaan used to enter into the idols of Makka, and speak to the idol-worshippers. Sometimes, shaitaan appears to them in human form and says that he is Al-Khidhr. He then informs him of some of the unseen things, and helps him with some of his needs. Another satanic trick which has been witnessed by many Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others among the disbelievers in the lands of the East and the West is that when one of them dies, shaitaan comes to them after his death in his form and his face, and so they believe that it is that person (i.e. his “ghost”). This jinn then may pay off some of the dead man’s debts, return his trusts, do various other things related to the dead man, and enter into his wife, and leave. They may have burned the body of the dead man, as the disbelievers of India do, and so imagine that he lives after his death. One of these who are fooled by shaitaan was an old man in Egypt. He left a will to his servant not to let anyone wash his body, telling him that he would come himself after his death to wash his own body. When he died, his servant saw someone come in the form of the man, and believed that it was him and that he washed his own body! When the one who had come had finished the body washing, he vanished without a trace. That was a shaitaan he had succeeded in leading the one who had died astray by telling him that he would come to wash himself and not to allow anyone to wash his body. When he died, this shaitaan came in his form in order to lead others astray as he had already led the dead man astray.

Some have seen a throne in the air above which there is a light and a voice which addresses them saying: I am your Lord. If they are people of knowledge, they recognize this as shaitaan, castigate him, seek refuge in Allah from him, and the whole vision and the voice disappear.

Others see humans while they are wide awake, and they claim to be prophets or righteous men or “shaikhs”. This has happened to many people. Some have seen this when visiting the grave of that person – they see the grave split open, and this image comes out of it to them, and they believe it to be the dead man. It is nothing but a jinn which has assumed the form of the dead man. Others have seen a horseman coming out of the grave or entering it. That, too, is nothing but a shaitaan. Anyone who says that they have seen a prophet with his eyes saw nothing but his own imagination.

Some of them see in their sleep a great man such as Abu Bakr or others come to them and shave their head, or cut short their hair, or dress them in a hat or a robe. Then, when they wake up, they find their hair shaven or shortened, or that hat or coat which they dreamed on them. It was a jinn who came and did these things, and this is one of the satanic states which occur to those who have deviated from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. They are of different levels (of deviation), just as the jinn which become attached to them and are of their type and their school of belief are. Some of the jinn are disbelievers (kuffar), some corrupt sinners (faasiq), and others are simply mistaken in their actions (mukhti’). If the human is a disbeliever or a sinner, or ignorant, the jinn will join him in his disbelief or sin  or going astray. They may help him when he agrees with them in the kufr which they have chosen such as swearing in the name of those jinn which they view as great (thereby associating them with Allah), or writing the names of Allah or His words with filthy materials, or inverting the opening chapter of the Qur’an or the sura of Ikhlaas, or Ayat-ul- Kursiy or other parts of the Qur’an, and then write them with filth. Then the jinn will carry him on water, or through the air because of that kufr which has pleased him. What’s more, they may come to him with women or young boys which they desire, either through the air, or by driving them to him. There are many such examples which would take too long  to enumerate. Belief in such things is belief in Al-jabt and At-Taaghoot which has been mentioned in the Qur’an (4:51). Al-Jabt is sorcery, and At-Taaghoot is devils and idols. If a man is in obedience to Allah and His Prophet, they (i.e. the evil jinn) will not be able to join him in that, nor to make peace with him.

This is why the prescribed worship of the Muslims is in the mosques, which are the houses of Allah. Those who frequent the mosques most are the farthest of the creation from the satanic states. On the other hand, the people of associationism and innovation (bid’a) sanctify graves and tombs of the dead. They pray to the dead (saints, etc.) or they pray  (to Allah, but) in his name, or they hold the conviction that any du’a made in the presence of his grave is answered. Such are much closer to the satanic states, the Prophet said in a hadith reported by both Muslim and Bukhari:

“Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians, they took the graves of their prophets as places of prayer (masajid).”

And, in the collection of Muslim, it is recorded that the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said just a few nights before his death:

“The most generous of people with me with his companionship and that which he possesses is Abu Bakr. If I were to take a beloved friend from the people of this world, I would take Abu Bakr as my beloved friend, but I am the beloved friend of Allah. Let there not remain any small opening into the masjid without being sealed up except for that of Abu Bakr. Verily those who came before you take their graves as places of worship. Take note! Do not take graves as places of worship, verily, I forbid you that.”

In Muslim and Bukhari it is reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) during his terminal illness was told by his companions of a church in Ethiopia, its beautiful architecture and its statuary. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Those people, whenever a righteous man among dies build a place of worship over his grave, and carved for it those statues. They are the most  evil of Allah’s creation before Allah on the day of Qiyama.”

In the collection of Ahmad and Ibn Hibban, it is reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Verily among the most evil of Allah’s creation are those to whom Qiyama comes while they are still alive, and those who take graves as places of worship.”

And, in another sahih hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do not sit on graves, nor pray toward them.”

In the collection of Malik, the Prophet (ﷺ) is recorded as having said:

“O, Allah, do not let my grave become an idol after I am gone which is worshipped. The anger of Allah is intense at a people who take the graves of their prophets as places of worship.”

In the books of As-Sunan, it is recorded that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Do not take my grave as a special place (to which you exert yourselves to come from near and far), and ask Allah’s prayers upon me wherever you are for, verily, your prayers reach me.”

“No one gives salaam to me but that Allah returns my soul to me until I can return his greeting.”

“Verily, Allah has assigned angels to my grave who deliver to me the greetings of my nation.”

“Be prolific in asking Allah’s prayers upon me on Friday, and the night before Friday, for your prayers are shown to me. They said: O, Messenger of Allah, how are our prayers shown to you when you have decomposed in the earth?

The Prophet said: Verily Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the meat of the prophets.”

Allah said in His book about the associationist people of Nuh:

“They said: Do not forsake your gods, do not forsake Wadd, Suwaa’, Yaghooth, Ya’ooq, and Nasr.” Qur’an 71:23

Ibn Abbas and others of the first generations reported about this verse:

“These “gods” (mentioned in the verse) were a righteous people among the people of Nuh. When they died, the people were devoted to their graves. Later, they made images of them and worshipped them. This was the beginning of idol worship.”

Thus, the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade the taking of graves as places of worship to block the way which leads to shirk, just as he forbad praying at the time of sunrise and sunset because the associationists at that time used to prostrate to the sun, and shaitaan positions himself in line with the sun at those times. Prayer at those times resembles the prayer of the associationists, so the Prophet closed this door. Shaitaan leads the sons of Adam astray to the extent of his ability. So whoever worships the sun and the moon and the planets and calls to them as the planet worshippers do, shaitaan will cone upon them and speak to him and inform of certain things. They then call this the “spirits of the planets”, and it is shaitaan! Although shaitaan may aid a person with some of his needs and goals, he does harm to him many times greater than any benefit! The final disposition of one who obeys him is evil indeed – except for he toward whom Allah turns in acceptance.

Likewise, the devil may address those who worship idols, and likewise also those who call for aid from someone who is dead or absent, and likewise someone who prays to a dead man, or prays with his name, or believes that supplication near his grave is superior to supplication in his house or in the mosques. Many of them believe in an alleged hadith, which is a forgery in the unanimous opinion of the experts, and which says:

“When knowledge fails you, you must take yourselves to the people of the graves” (forged hadith)

This was forged by those wishing to open the door to shirk.

The people of innovations (bid’a) and the people of shirk who resemble them among the idol worshippers, the Christians, and the Muslims who have gone astray experience phenomena at the tombs which they visit which they imagine to be karamaat, but which are from the devils. For example, they may put a pair of pants on the grave, and come back to find it tied in a knot, or they may bring someone who is possessed to the grave, and see the jinn who has afflicted him leave him. The devil does this to lead them further astray. If Ayat-ul-Kursiy is read there with true belief and intention, none of these things will happen. Tauhid drives shaitaan away. This is why some of them have been carried in the air and when they said: “Laa ilaha illa Allah” (There is no deity but Allah), they fell to the earth. When some of them see the grave split open and someone coming out of it who they imagine to be the dead man, it is really a shaitaan. There are so many examples that this small book is not sufficient to enumerate them.

Since isolation in caves or deserts is an innovation which has not been prescribed or recommended by Allah and His Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), the devils frequently make their abode in caves and on mountains. Examples are the cave of blood which is on Mount Qasiyoon, Mount Lebanon, Mount Fath in Aswan, Egypt, the Mountains of Rome in Afghanistan, various mountains in the Arabian Peninsula, Mount Lukam, Mound Al-Ahyash, Mount Sulan near Ardabeel, Mount Shahank in Tabriz, Mount Mashko in Aqshwaan, Mount Nahawund, and many other mountains and places where people believe there are righteous man of the human type. They call them “the men of the unseen”, and they are nothing but men of the jinn. The jinn are “men”, just as humans are men. Allah said:

“And verily some men from among the humans used to seek refuge in men from among the jinn, and so the latter merely increased the former in their burden (their burden of fear as the jinn gain more ability to strike fear into them due to their shirk, and their burden of sin, as they sink deeper and deeper into the shirk of seeking the protection of the jinn instead of Allah.)” Qur’an 72:7

Some of these jinn appear in the form of a man covered with hair, with skin like that of a goat, and people who do not know him think him to be a human, but he is a jinn. It is said: on every mountain of the ones mentioned earlier are the forty Abdaal . Those who they believe to be the abdaal are the jinn who live on those mountains, as is well known in a number of ways.

Again, this area is too vast to go into it here, nor to mentions all of the things which I know about it. I have personally seen and heard more of these things than can fit in this book which was written for one who asked me to mention to him something about the allies of Allah, and how to recognize the important elements in this question.

In relation to miraculous events, people have gone in three directions:

1. Some refuse to admit their existence except in the case of the prophets. Or they may accept their existence in general, but refuse to accept the reports which reach them about many people because they don’t feel them to be among the allies of Allah.
2. Others believe that anyone who possesses some ability to perform miraculous feats is an ally of Allah. Both this position and the one before it are erroneous. This is why you will find the second group people saying that the associationists, the Christians, and the Jews helpers who aid them in fighting the Muslims, and that they are among the allies of Allah, while the first group would reject the possibility that any such miraculous things could happen for them.
3. The third position is the correct one. Indeed, they have with them helpers but they are of their own kind, not of the allies of Allah. Allah said:

“O, you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of each other. Whoever among you turns his loyalty toward them is surely one of them.” Qur’an 5:51

These devotees and ascetics who not among the allies of Allah, those of pious practice, the followers of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are joined by devils. Then they will perform miraculous feats appropriate to their state. However, the “miracles” of such people contradict each other, and if a true ally of Allah of high degree came along, he would eliminate and destroy all of them. Also, there must of necessity be in the actions of these people lies – either intentional or in ignorance – and sins which are appropriate to the state of the devil which has attached himself to them. This is so that Allah may allow us to differentiate between His allies, those of pious practice and between those who mimic some of their characteristics from among the allies of shaitaan. Allah said:

“Should I tell you upon whom the shayateen descend? They descend upon every forging sinner.” (Qur’an 26:221)

The “forger” (affaak) is the one who lies consistently, and the “sinner” (atheem) is the corrupt one, the transgressor of bounds.

One of the most potent aids to the satanic states is the listening to singing and musical instruments. It is the worship of the associationists as Allah said:

“Their prayers at the Ka’ba were nothing but whistling and clapping sounds.” Qur’an 8:35

Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar and others among the first generations said:

“The second word (At-tasdiya) means the clapping of hands, and the first word (Al-mukaa’ ) means whistling, and this was the worship of the associationists.” (Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, etc.)

As for the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) and his companions, their worship was that which Allah had enjoined upon them: prayer, reading of the Qur’an, remembrance of Allah, etc, along with gatherings which are endorsed by the shari’a. The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions never gathered for listening to singing, nor clapping of hands, nor beating of drums, nor was (the Prophet (ﷺ)) or any of his companions ever overcome with feeling nor did he drop his cape in ecstasy. All of these are lies about the Prophet in the unanimous opinion of the scholars of the hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam).

When the companions met together, they used to have one of them read the Qur’an, and the rest would listen. Umar ibn Al-Khattab used to say to Abi Musa Al-Ash’ariy: Remind us of our Lord. Abi Musa would then recite the Qur’an, and all present would listen.

“The Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) once passed by Abu Musa while he was reading, and (later) said to him: I passed by you last night while you were reading, and I stayed listening to your reading. Abu Musa said: If I know that you were listening, I would have refined my reading much more.” (Muslim and Bukhari)

He means that he would have made his voice more beautiful, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Beautify the Qur’an with your voices.”

“Verily Allah listens more intently to the man who reads the Qur’an with a beautiful voice than the listening of the keepers of female singing servants to their singing.”

“The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Ibn Masood: Read the Qur’an to me. He said: Should I read it to you and to you it was sent? The Prophet (ﷺ) said: I like to hear it read by other than myself. He read for the Prophet from sura An-Nisaa until he came to the verse which reads: “So, how will it be when we bring from every nation a witness, and we bring you (i.e. Muhammad (ﷺ)) as a witness over these (i.e. the Muslims)” 4:41. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: That’s enough, and his eyes were seen to be flowing with tears.”

This type of “listening” (samaa’), then is the listening of the prophets and their followers, just as Allah has mentioned in the Qur’an:

“These are the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed His grace of the prophets among the descendants of Adam, among those who we carried along with Nuh, and among the descendants of Ibrahim and Isra’il, and among those who we guided and selected. When the verses of the Merciful are recited to them they fall down in prostration and weeping.” Qur’an 19:58

And, Allah said about the people of knowledge:

“When they hear that which has been sent down to the Messenger (ﷺ), you can see their eyes flowing with tears because of the truth which they have recognized.” Qur’an 5:83

Allah ta’ala has praised the people of this listening (i.e. whose “music” is the Qur’an) because of the increase in faith, the trembling of the flesh, and the tear of the eye. Allah said:

“It is Allah who sent down the best of discourses, completely consistent in its parts, each of them supporting and explaining the others. The skins of those who fear their Lord tremble from (hearing) it, then their skins and their hearts soften to the mentioning of Allah.” Qur’an 39:23

“The believers are none other than those who, when Allah is mentioned, tremble in their hearts, and when Allah’s verses are recited to them they are increased in faith, and depend fully on their Lord; Those who establish the prayer and spend of that which We have given them. These are the true believers, they will have high positions with their Lord, forgiveness, and fantastic bounty.” Qur’an 8:2-4

As for the innovated “listening” (samaa’), the listening to clapping, drums and chimes, none of the companions of the Prophet nor the righteous followers nor any of the leaders of Islam held that to be a way to Allah. They did not consider it to be of that which brings one closer to Allah nor to be an act of obedience to Him. Rather, they considered it a blameworthy innovation (bid’a). Ash-shafi’i said:

“I have left behind in Baghdad something which the heretics have innovated which they call At-Taghbeer (a ritual involving steel chimes and dancing) with which they block people from the Qur’an.” (Ash-Shafi’i)

The knowledgeable allies of Allah recognized this innovation for what it was, and new that shaitaan had a very large share in these activities. This is why the best of those who attended these events when they were first introduced, repented from it after that.

The farther one is from knowledge and from the completeness of his wilaya to Allah, the greater the share of shaitaan in him. This ritual music is like alcohol, in fact, its effect on the soul is more severe than the effects of drinking alcohol. This is why when the intoxication of the music becomes strong, the devils descend on the participants, speak on their tongues and carry some of them through the air. Enmity may also arise between them, just as it arises between the drinkers of intoxicants, and maybe the shaitaan of one of them is stronger than that of the other, and it kills his opponent.

The ignorant ones then believe that to be of the karamaat of the allies of Allah, those of pious practice. This only takes the one for whom it occurs farther from Allah, and it is nothing but a satanic phenomenon. The killing of a Muslim is not allowed except with the conditions with which Allah has allowed it. How, then, can the killing of a Muslim be of that with which Allah honors His allies? The maximum honor is the staying on the straight path, and there is no greater honor from Allah than to aid his slave in doing that which He loves and is pleased with, and enables him to do more to bring himself closer to Allah, and raise his station.

Some miraculous occurrences are in the nature of knowledge, such as revealing some of the unseen, “reading peoples’ minds”, etc.. Others are in the nature of power and dominion, such as the performance of miraculous (physical) feats, while a third type are in the nature of wealth of the type which is visibly given to people by way of knowledge, political power, property, and richness.

All of that which Allah gives to His slave in these categories, if he uses it to aid him in that which Allah loves and is pleased with, and that which will bring him closer to Allah and raise his rank, that which has been ordered by Allah and by His Prophet (ﷺ)(sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), will mean an increase in his highness and his closeness to Allah and His Prophet and an increase in his rank. On the other hand, if he uses that which Allah has given him to aid him in that which Allah and His Prophet have interdicted, like associationism, oppression, and obscenity and sin, this will make him deserving of blame and punishment. If Allah does not bless him with his making repentance, or the doing of good deeds greater than his sins which will wipe them out, he will be a sinner like any other sinner.

This is why so many of those who perform miraculous feats are punished in this life. Sometimes this is via the cutting off of these occurrences, as the king is removed from his sovereignty, or the scholar loses his knowledge, or he may become incapable of any voluntary extra efforts, and so drop down from the special alliance of the allies of Allah, those of taqwa to the general alliance of all of the believers to Allah. Sometimes, they may even drop to the level of the deviants form Islam (fusaaq), and sometimes they may leave the deen altogether. This occurs for those whose miraculous feats were satanic in nature. Many such people end up leaving Islam altogether, and many of them never realize that the things which happened to them were satanic in nature.

Rather, they believe them to be of the karamaat of the allies of Allah. And they often believe that when Allah grants someone miraculous occurrences by his hand, that he will not hold him responsible for them, just as many of them believe that when Allah gives someone sovereignty or property or power that He will not hold them responsible for that. Some of them use these miraculous occurrences to aid them in things which are allowed (mubaah) i.e. which are  not  obligatory  nor  forbidden. Such are  under  the general wilaya of Allah, they are the righteous the doers of good in moderation. As for the forerunners, those brought near, they are on a higher level than this, just as the messenger slave is on a higher level than the prophet king.

These miraculous occurrences are frequently a cause of a decrease in ones rank. For this reason, many of the righteous people repent from such things, and seek the forgiveness of Allah just as they would if they had committed a sin like adultery or theft. They are offered to some of them, and they ask Allah to remove it from them. All of them order their students and seekers not to become preoccupied with them, not to make them his goal, and not to be boastful about them. This while they believe them to be of the karamaat with Allah honors His allies, so what about the situation when they are in reality from the devils who seek to lead them astray with them? I personally know people to whom plants speak, telling them things which are useful – this is none other than a devil which has entered into the plant. And I know others who are addressed by stones and trees which say to them: Congratulations O Ally of Allah. They recite Ayat-ul-Kursiy, and that disappears.

I know someone who goes out to hunt birds, and the sparrows address him saying: Take me, so that the impoverished may eat me. That is the devil who has entered into the bird just as he enters into humans, and speaks to him. Some of them will be in their house which is all locked up, and suddenly find themselves outside without the house having been opened, or he may be on the outside and suddenly find himself on the inside. The same thing may happen at the gates to the city, and it is the jinn who take them in and out at very high speeds. Sometimes, the jinn show them lights, or bring to them whoever they call for, but this is merely a devil who has made himself in the form of the person requested. When Ayat-ul-Kursiy is read repeatedly, all of these things will disappear immediately.

I know someone who is addressed by something which says: I am of the order of Allah. It promises him that he is the “Mahdi” who the Prophet (ﷺ) (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) predicted. It shows him miraculous things such as putting into his heart that the birds or the locusts will fly to the right or to the left, and then they go where he felt they would. He may put into his heart that certain animals in front of him are going to stand up, or lie down, or move away, and then it happens just as it wanted without any apparent movement on its part. It may carry him to Makka and back, or it may come to him with some individuals of beautiful form and looks and say these are archangels, they wished to visit you.

He will say to himself: How could they come in the form of young boys? Then when he lifts his head, he will see them having beards. And it will say to him: The sign that you are the Mahdi is that a mole or birthmark will appear on your body, and then it grows and he sees it. All of this and others like are part of the schemes of the devil.

There is so much in this area, if I mentioned only that of which I know, it would require a huge volume. Allah said:

“As for man, when his Lord tries him by honoring him and bestowing His bounty upon him, he says: My Lord has honored me. As for when He tries him by restricting his sustenance, he says: My Lord has debased me.” Qur’an 89:15-16

Then, Allah said: No! (kallaa), a word which contains castigation and warning. The castigation is against falling into making such a statement. The warning is to draw attention to that which comes after it by way of information and order (please refer to the verses which follow the above), in which Allah makes it clear that not everyone who is given the good things of this life can be said to have been given karaama, or that Allah has honored him, just as it is incorrect to believe that everyone whose wealth in this life has been restricted has been debased by Allah because of that.

Rather, Allah ta’ala tests His servants with ease and plenty and with hardship and scarcity. He may give plenty and wealth in this life to those who He does not love, and who are not honored in front of Allah in order to draw them all the way out (istidraaj), getting them to show their true colors. On the other hand, He may shield the one whom He loves from the wealth of this world so  that his rank may not be decreased, or so that he may not fall into that which Allah dislikes because of that wealth.

The karamaat of the allies of Allah must have as their cause or reason faith and pious practice. Thus, whatever is brought about by kufr, corrupt conduct, or disobedience is a “miraculous” feat of an enemy of Allah, and not of the karamaat of His allies. Whoever has such astounding feats, but they do not come about through prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, remembrance of Allah, praying in the night, and making du’a or supplication, rather they come about through shirk (associationism) such as supplication of a dead person, or someone who is not present, or they come about with corrupt conduct and disobedience and the consumption of forbidden things such as snakes, hornets, beetles, blood and other unclean things or through singing and dancing and especially with the participation of women and young boys.

The intensity of such feats decreases in the presence of the recitation of the Qur’an, and increases in the presence of the horns of Satan (music). Thus, he can dance through the night, but when prayer time comes, he prays sitting down, or prays quickly like the bobbing of a rooster’s head. He detests hearing the Qur’an, and flees from it. It is difficult for him, he has no love in it nor does he experience any sweetness from it, but he loves listening to “clapping and whistling”, and from it he experiences powerful feelings and inspirations. These are satanic states, and he is one of those intended by Allah’s statement:

“Whoever turns away from the reminder of the Merciful, we will assign a devil to him who will be a partner to him.” Qur’an 43:36

The Qur’an is the “reminder of the Merciful” (Dhikr-ur-Rahman) mentioned in this verse. Allah said in another verse:

“As for the one who turns away from My reminder (dhikriy), for him is an oppressive life, and We will bring him back on the day of Qiyama blind. He  will say: My Lord, why have you brought me back blind, though I used to see? Allah says: In this way my verses came to you and you forgot them, and in the same way today, you are forgotten.” Qur’an 20:124-126

The meaning of forgetting the verses of Allah here is to neglect their application. Ibn Abbas said:

“Allah has undertaken, with respect to those who read His book and practice what is therein, that they would not become lost in this life, and would not suffer hardship in the next left…” then he recited the above verse. (Ibn Abbas)