Crying Out to a Saint for Help

Question

What is the meaning of “dohai” (invoking someone’s name as an appeal for help), and what of crying out for help to other than Allah — for instance, saying: “I adjure you by the name of Sulayman ﵇ and of Piran-e Pir (‘guide of guides’ — ‘Abd al-Qadir Jilani ﵀): do not do this”? Is this correct or not?

Answer

Crying out for help in this manner is impermissible — indeed, it is shirk, for it means regarding other than Allah as disposing [of affairs] in the way Allah ﷻ does.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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