The document provides an explanation of seeking refuge (al-isti'aadhah), one of the three fundamental principles of Islam. It defines seeking refuge as seeking protection from that which one hates by holding onto Allah alone. There are four types of seeking refuge: 1) Seeking refuge solely in Allah and believing in His perfect protection, 2) Seeking refuge in Allah's attributes, 3) Seeking refuge in the dead or absent is shirk, 4) Seeking refuge in permissible aspects of creation for shelter is allowed. The document uses evidence from the Quran and hadith to support each type of seeking refuge.

1. Musallah at-Taqwa
Islamic College of Canberra
Saturday
October 31,
2009
‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬
Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles
Class Notes – Term 4, Week 3
‫ﻭﺩِﻟﻴﻞ ﺍﻹﺳﺘﻌﺎﺫﺓ ﻗﻮﹸﻟﻪ َﺗﻌﺎﹶﻟﻰ: ﴿ ﻗﻞ ﹶﺃﻋﻮﺫ ﹺﺑﺮ ﱢ ﺍﻟﱠﺎﺱ. ﻣﻠﻚ ﺍﻟﱠﺎﺱ ﴾. ﻭﺩﻟﻴﻞ ﺍﻹﺳﺘﻐﺎﹶﺛﺔ ﻗﻮﹸﻟﻪ َﺗﻌﺎﹶﻟﻰ‬
َ ُ ْ ‫َ َ ﹸ ِْ َ ِ ﹶ‬
‫ﹸ ﹾ ُ ﹸ َﺏ ﻨ ﹺ ِ ِ ِ ﻨ ﹺ‬
َ ُ ْ ‫َ َ ﹸ ِ ِْ َ ﹶ ِ ﹶ‬
ْ ‫ﹾ ْ َ ِ ﹸ ﹶ َﺑ ﹸ ْ ﹶ ْ َ َ َ ﹸ‬
‫: ﴿ ﹺﺇﺫ َﺗﺴﺘﻐﻴﺜﻮﻥ ﺭﱠﻜﻢ ﻓﺎﺳﺘﺠﺎﺏ ﹶﻟﻜﻢ ﴾. ﻭﺩِﻟﻴﻞ ﺍﻟ ﱠْﺑﺢ ﻗﻮﹸﻟﻪ َﺗﻌﺎﹶﻟﻰ : ﴿ ﻗﻞ ﹺﺇ ﱠ ﺻﻼِﺗﻲ ﻭُﻧﺴﻜﻲ‬
ُِ َ
َ ‫ﹸﹾ ﻥ‬
َ ُ ْ ‫ََ ﹸ ﺬ ﹺ ﹶ‬
." ‫ﻭﻣﺤﻴﺎﻱ ﻭﻣﻤﺎِﺗﻲ ﷲ ﺭ ﱢ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﹶﻟﻤﲔ. ﻻﺷﺮﻳﻚ ﹶﻟﻪ ﴾. ﻭﻣﻦ ﺍﻟ ﱡﱠﺔ " ﹶﻟﻌﻦ ﺍﷲ ﻣﻦ ﺫَﺑﺢ ِﻟﻐﻴﺮ ﺍﷲ‬
ِ ‫َ َ َْ َ َ َ َ ِ َﺏ َ ِ َ َ ﹺ َ ُ َ ِ َ ﺴﻨ ِ َ َ ُ َ ْ ﹶ َ َ ْ ﹺ‬
.﴾ ‫ﻭﺩِﻟﻴﻞ ﺍﻟﱠﺬﺭ ﻗﻮﹸﻟﻪ َﺗﻌﺎﹶﻟﻰ : ﴿ ُﻳﻮﻓﻮﻥ ﹺﺑﺎﻟﱠﺬﺭ ﻭَﻳﺨﺎﻓﻮﻥ َﻳﻮﻣﺎ ﻛﺎﻥ ﺷ ﱡﻩ ﻣﺴﺘﻄﲑﺍ‬
ً ِ َْ ُ ُ ‫ﹸ ﹶ ﻨ ﹾ ﹺ َ َ ﹸ ﹶ ْ ً ﹶ ﹶ َﺮ‬
َ ُ ْ ‫ََ ﹸ ﻨ ﹾﹺ ﹶ‬
The evidence for seeking refuge (al‐isti’aadhah) is the saying of Allah (swt): ‘Say: I seek refuge with
the Lord of the dawn’ [Al‐Falaq; 113:1] and: ‘Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind’ [An‐Naas;
114:1]. The evidence for seeking deliverance (al‐istighaathah) is the saying of Allah (swt): ‘When you
sought aid and deliverance of your Lord and He responded to you’ [Al‐Anfaal; 8:9]. The evidence for
sacrificing (adh‐dhabh) is the saying of Allah (swt): ‘Say: Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and
my dying are all purely and solely for Allah, Lord of all creation. There is no share in any of that for
other than Him’ [Al‐An’aam; 6:162‐3], and from the Sunnah there occurs: “Allah has cursed anyone who
sacrifices for other than Allah” [Muslim]. The evidence for vows (an‐nadhr) is the saying of Allah (swt):
‘They fulfil their vows and they fear a day whose evil is widespread’ [Al‐Insaan; 76:7] .
Seeking Refuge ‐
•
‫ﺍﻹﺳﺘﻌَﺎﺫﹶﺓ‬
ِْ ِ
‫ – ﺍﻹﺳﺘﻌَﺎﺫﹶﺓ‬Which is translated as seeking refuge. It is to seek protection from that which one hates. So
ِْ ِ
the one who seeks refuge (al‐musta’eedh) longs for the One who he is seeking refuge with and holds onto
Him.
•
Al‐Isti’adhah is to seek protection by saying: ‫ﺍﻟﺮﺟﻴﻢ‬
‫ﱠﹺ‬
‫ ,ﹶﺃﻋﻮﺫ ﹺﺑﺎﷲ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺸْﻴﻄﺎﻥ‬meaning I seek protection in none
ِ ‫ُ ﹸ ِ َِ ﱠ ﹶ‬
other than Allah (swt) that the Shaytaan may harm me in my deen or dunya, or to turn me away from
something Allah (swt) has prescribed.
•
Nothing turns the Shaytaan away except Allah (swt), which is why He ordered us to seek refuge in Him from
the Shaytaan, because nothing turns him away, except the One who created him.
•
Al‐Isti’adhah is of four types:
i.
Al‐Isti’adhah with Allah (swt), which comprises absolute need for Him (swt). Holding onto Him and
believing in His sufficiency and His perfect protection against everything, whether it is in the
present, the future, large or small or human or inhuman. Allah (swt) says:

2. ∩⊄∪ t,n=y{ $tΒ ÎhŸ° ⎯ÏΒ ∩⊇∪ È,n=xø9$# Éb>tÎ/ èŒθããr& ö≅è%
Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak. From the evil of what He has created.
[Al‐Falaq; 113:1‐2]
Meaning, from the evil of all created things such as the Hell and Iblees. Allah (swt) also says:
∩⊆∪ Ĩ$¨Ψsƒø:$# Ĩ#uθó™uθø9$# Ìhx© ⎯ÏΒ ∩⊂∪ Ĩ$¨Ψ9$# Ïμ≈s9Î) ∩⊄∪ Ĩ$¨Ψ9$# Å7Î=tΒ ∩⊇∪ Ĩ$¨Ψ9$# Éb>tÎ/ èŒθããr& ö≅è%
Say: I seek Refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind. The King of mankind. The Ilaah (deity) of
mankind. From the evil of the whisperer (who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws
(from his whispering in one's heart after one remembers Allah). [An‐Naas; 114:1‐4]
Here Allah (swt) is telling the Prophet (saw) to seek refuge in three attributes of Allah (swt):
Lordship, Sovereignty and Divinity.
ii.
Al‐Isti’adhah in one of Allah’s (swt) attributes, such as His Speech, His Magnificence, His Might and
the like of that which has been established in the Quran and Sunnah. The evidence of this is the
saying of the Prophet (saw):
‫ﹶﺃ ُﺬ ﹺﺑﻜﻠﻤَﺎﺕ ﺍﷲ ﺍﻟﱠﺎﻣﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺷﺮ ﻣَﺎ ﺧﻠﻖ‬
َ ‫ﻋ ﹸ ﹶِ ِ ِ ﺘ ﱠ ِ ِ ْ َ ﱢ َﹶ‬
I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that which He created. [Muslim]
And ‫ا‬e (saw) would also say:
‫ﹶﺃ ُﻮﺫ ﹺﺑﻌﻈﻤِﺘﻚ ﹶﺃﻥ ﹸﺃﻏﺘَﺎﻝ ﻣﻦ َﺗﺤﺘِﻲ‬
ْ ْ ِ ‫ﻋ ﹸ َ ﹶَ َ ﹾ ﹾ ﹶ‬
I seek refuge in Your Might, that I should be assailed from below. [Abu Dawood]
iii.
Al‐Isti’adhah with either the dead or the living who are not present, both which are not able to
grant refuge. This is shirk. Allah (swt) says:
∩∉∪ $Z)yδu‘ öΝèδρߊ#t“sù Çd⎯Ågø:$# z⎯ÏiΒ 5Α%y`ÌÎ/ tβρèŒθãètƒ ħΡM}$# z⎯ÏiΒ ×Α%y`Í‘ tβ%x. …çμ¯Ρr&uρ
And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the masculine among the
jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind) in sin and disbelief. [Al‐Jinn; 72:6]
iv.
Al‐Isti’adhah by that which is permissible to seek refuge in the creation or in some place, as long as
it is something which can serve the purpose of providing shelter. This is permissible and the proof
for that is the statement of the Prophet (saw) whilst he was describing the fitan that would happen
in the near future. He (saw) said:
‫ﻣﻦ َﺗﺸﺮﻑ ﹶﻟﻬَﺎ َﺗﺴَﺘﺸﺮﹸ ُ, ﻓﻤﻦ ﻭﺟﺪ ﻣْﻨﻬَﺎ ﻣﻠﺠﺄ ﹶﺃﻭ ﻣﻌَﺎﺫﹰﺍ ﻓﻠَﻴﻌﺬ ﹺﺑﻪ‬
ِ ‫ْ ْ ﹺ ﻓﻪ ﹶ َ ْ َ َ َ ِ َ ﹾ َ ﹰ ْ َ ﹶ ﹾ ُ ﹾ‬
َ ‫َ ْ َﱠ‬
Whoever exposes himself to them will be destroyed by them, and whoever finds a place of
shelter or refuge from them, then let him take shelter in it. [Bukhari & Muslim]

3. If it is the case that someone for example is seeking refuge from the evil of an oppressor, then it is
obligatory to shelter them and grant them refuge as much as possible. However, if a person seeks
refuge in order to help him commit something forbidden, or flee from an obligation, then it
becomes forbidden to shelter them.
•
From the benefits of al‐Isti’adhah in Allah (swt) is that it acknowledges Allah’s (swt) Power and Ability, and
acknowledges the servants weakness and lack of ability in fighting the evil of that which Allah (swt) has
created. None can repel this evil except Allah (swt) who created them.
Seeking Deliverance & Rescue ‐
•
‫ﺍﻹﺳﺘﻐَﺎﹶﺛﺔ‬
ِ ِْ ِ
‫ – ﺍﻹﺳﺘﻐَﺎﹶﺛﺔ‬Which is translated as seeking deliverance and rescue. It is to seek deliverance and salvation
ِ ِْ ِ
from adversity and destruction.
•
Doing so in other than Allah (swt) in something which they are not capable of assisting, constitutes major
shirk. This will become clearer when we discuss the types of al‐isti’ghaathah.
•
Al‐Isti’ghaathah, like dua’a and tawakkul, is founded on the concept that none besides Allah (swt) has the
power to benefit or harm, therefore why would you seek help in anything besides Allah (swt)? Allah (swt)
says:
Ï&Î#ôÒxÏ9 ¨Š!#u‘ Ÿξsù 9ösƒ¿2 x8÷ŠÌムχÎ)uρ ( uθèδ ωÎ) ÿ…ã&s! y#Ï©%Ÿ2 Ÿξsù 9hÛØÎ/ ª!$# y7ó¡|¡ôϑtƒ βÎ)uρ
And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He intends any good
for you, there is none who can repel his Favour ... [Yunus; 10:107]
•
In this verse, Allah (swt) informs the Prophet (saw) that both good and evil are determined by Allah (swt),
and that none of His creatures have the power to lift harm or prevent benefit coming to anyone. All powers
of disposal are in Allah’s (swt) hands.
•
This proves that preventing or removing harm and the granting of benefit can only come from Allah (swt),
thus seeking assistance from something other than Allah (swt), while believing the opposite of this, is an act
of shirk.
•
Al‐Isti’ghaathah is of four types:
i.
Al‐Isti’ghaathah with Allah (swt), which is one of the most excellent and perfect deeds. This was the
persistent habit of the Messengers and their followers. The evidence for this used by the Sheikh (ra)
is Allah’s saying:
∩®∪ š⎥⎫ÏùÏŠóßΔ Ïπs3Íׯ≈n=yϑø9$# z⎯ÏiΒ 7#ø9r'Î/ Νä.‘‰ÏϑãΒ ’ÎoΤr& öΝà6s9 z>$yftFó™$$sù öΝä3−/u‘ tβθèW‹ÉótGó¡n@ øŒÎ)
When you sought the assistance of your Lord, and He responded that: "I will assist you with a
thousand of the angels, ranks on ranks." [Al‐Anfaal; 8:9]
This verse was revealed during the battle of Badr, when the Prophet (saw) saw the mushrikeen
outnumbering the Muslims. He (saw) entered the palm grove, earnestly calling upon Allah (swt) for
assistance and deliverance.

4. ii.
Al‐Isti’ghaathah with the dead or with the living who are not present and are incapable of granting
deliverance. This is shirk, because no one would do this except that they believe that these people
have some hidden control over the universe, thereby assigning them a portion of Ruboobiyya
(Lordship). Allah (swt) says:
WξŠÎ=s% 4 «!$# yì¨Β ×μ≈s9Ï™r& 3 ÇÚö‘F{$# u™!$xn=äz öΝà6è=yèôftƒuρ u™þθ¡9$# ß#ϱõ3tƒuρ çν%tæyŠ #sŒÎ) §sÜôÒßϑø9$# Ü=‹Ågä† ⎯¨Βr&
∩∉⊄∪ šχρã2x‹s? $¨Β
Or is that which you falsely worship along with Allah better than He who responds to the one in
distress when he calls Him, and who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth; is
there any Ilaah with Allah? Little is that you consider the greatness of Allah! [An‐Naml; 27:62]
Here Allah (swt) defines some of the attributes purely for Him (swt), amongst them responding to
those who are in dire straits, lifting harm from them. None can answer the oppressed or distressed
except Allah (swt).
iii.
Al‐Isti’ghaathah with the living ones who are aware of the situation and able to grant deliverance.
It is permissible to seek aid and rescue from them. Allah (swt) says in the story of Moosa (as):
( Ïμø‹n=tã 4©|Ós)sù 4©y›θãΒ …çνt“x.uθsù ⎯ÍνÍiρ߉tã ô⎯ÏΒ “Ï%©!$# ’n?tã ⎯ÏμÏGyè‹Ï© ⎯ÏΒ “Ï%©!$# çμsW≈tótGó™$$sù
... the man of his (own) party asked him for help against his foe, so Moosa struck Him with his
fist and killed Him. [Al‐Qasas; 28:15]
iv.
Al‐Isti’ghaathah with a living person who is not able to grant deliverance without the belief that
such as person has some hidden power. For example, a drowning man seeking rescue from a
paralysed man. This is useless and a mockery of the one whom he seeks rescue from, and is
prohibited for that reason. Another reason, is that the drowning man may deceive others into
believing that the paralysed man may have powers of deliverance.
‫ﺍﻟ ﱠْﺑﺢ‬
ُ ‫ﺬ‬
Sacrificing ‐
•
‫ – ﺍﻟ ﱠْﺑﺢ‬Which is translated as sacrificing. It is to kill a particular kind of animal by making its blood flow in a
ُ ‫ﺬ‬
specified manner.
•
Sacrificing is an act of worship which can only be done for Allah (swt). The one who does it for other than
Allah (swt) is a mushrik!
•
If a person offers a sacrifice to anyone other than Allah (swt), whether he mentions the name of Allah over
it or not, it is major shirk, and the meat slaughtered is not halal, rather it is dead meat.
•
Sacrificing may be done for a number of reasons.
i.
Adh‐Dhabh when one performs it as an act of worship, intending by it the exaltation and drawing
nearer to the One whom he is making the sacrifice to. This may not be done for anyone other than
Allah (swt) in the manner which He (swt) prescribed. Allah (swt) says:

5. çμs9 y7ƒÎŸ° Ÿω ∩⊇∉⊄∪ t⎦⎫ÏΗs>≈yèø9$# Éb>u‘ ¬! †ÎA$yϑtΒuρ y“$u‹øtxΧuρ ’Å5Ý¡èΣuρ ’ÎAŸξ|¹ ¨βÎ) ö≅è%
Say (O Muhammad ): "Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the
Lord of all creation. He has no partner ... [Al‐Ana’am; 6:162‐3]
This proves that drawing near to Allah by slaughtering animals will not be achieved unless it is
done purely and solely for Allah (swt) – anything else is shirk!
ii.
That it is done as a means of honouring a guest or for a wedding feast or the likes of that. So this is
something commanded, either by way of obligation or preference (mustahabb). This is evidenced
by Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen in the ahadeeth of honouring the guest and of the waleeema (wedding
feast).
iii.
That it is done to provide food as a means of charity, for enjoyment or for trade. This comes under
the category of mubaah (permissible). The principle concerning this, is that it is permissible based
on the saying of Allah (swt):
$pκ÷]Ïϑsù öΝçλm; $yγ≈oΨù=©9sŒuρ ∩∠⊇∪ tβθä3Î=≈tΒ $yγs9 ôΜßγsù $Vϑ≈yè÷Ρr& !$uΖƒÏ‰÷ƒr& ôMn=Ïϑtã $£ϑÏiΒ Νßγs9 $uΖø)n=yz $¯Ρr& (#÷ρttƒ óΟs9uρr&
∩∠⊄∪ tβθè=ä.ù'tƒ $pκ÷]ÏΒuρ öΝæκâ5θä.u‘
Do they not see that we have created for them of what Our hands have created, the cattle, so
that they are their owners. And we have subdued them for them so that some of them they have
for riding and some they eat. [Yaseen; 36:71‐2]
This permissibility of this slaughter may be desirable of prohibited depending upon what it leads to.
‫ﺍﻟﱠﺬﺭ‬
ُ‫ﻨ ﹾ‬
Vowing ‐
•
‫ – ﺍﻟﱠﺬﺭ‬Which is to make a vow, and it is an act of worship as Allah (swt) says:.
ُ‫ﻨ ﹾ‬
∩∠∪ #ZÏÜtGó¡ãΒ …çν•Ÿ° tβ%x. $YΒöθtƒ tβθèù$sƒs†uρ Í‘õ‹¨Ζ9$$Î/ tβθèùθãƒ
They fulfil their vows, and they fear a day whose evil will be wide‐spread. [Al‐Insaan; 76:7]
•
This verse is proof because it praises the fulfilment of vows, and Allah (swt) does not praise except that
which is obligatory, strongly preferred or refraining from the prohibited. Praising the fulfilment of vows,
means that Allah (swt) loves it, and every action beloved by Allah (swt) is an act of worship.
•
The fulfilment of vows which Allah (swt) has praised in this verse, are all the acts of worship He (swt) has
made obligatory. This is because when a person starts any of the obligatory acts of worship, they are duty
bound to complete them. Allah (swt) says:
∩⊄®∪ È,ŠÏFyèø9$# ÏMøŠt7ø9$$Î/ (#θèù§θ©Üu‹ø9uρ öΝèδu‘ρä‹çΡ (#θèùθã‹ø9uρ öΝßγsWxs? (#θàÒø)u‹ø9 ¢ΟèO
Then let them complete the prescribed duties (manaasik) of hajj, and fulfil their vows, and perform
tawaaf around the Ancient House. [Al‐Hajj; 22:29]

6.
•
Vows where a person obligates themselves to do something, or to do an act of worship that is not
obligatory, thus being bound by it, are disliked and some scholars have declared it to be forbidden. This is
because the Prophet (saw) has said:
‫ﹺﺇﱠﻪ ﻻ ﻳﺄﺗِﻲ ﹺﺑﺨْﻴﺮ ﻭﹺﺇﱠﻧﻤﺎ ُﻳﺴَﺘﺨﺮﺝ ﹺﺑﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟَﺒﺨِﻴﻞ‬
َ ِ ِ ُ َ ْ ْ َ َ ‫ﻧُ ﹾ َ ﹴ‬
It does not bring good, it merely causes the miserly person to spend. [Bukhari & Muslim]
•
However, if a person does go ahead and vow that he will do an act of obedience to Allah (when they are
not obligated to), then it becomes obligatory upon them to perform it as the Prophet (saw) said:
ُ ‫ﻣﻦ َﻧﺬﺭ ﹶﺃﻥ ُﻳﻄِﻴﻊ ﺍﷲ ﻓﻠُﻄﻌ‬
‫َ ْ ﹶ َ ﹾ َ َ ﹶ ﹾﻴ ِ ْﻪ‬
Whoever vows to act in obedience to Allah, then let him obey Him. [Bukhari]
•
To summarise, an‐nadhr applies to the obligatory acts of worship in general, and to making vows in
specific, which is that a person obliges themselves to do something for the sake of Allah (swt).
•
The specific definitions and categorisations of oaths and vows are defined in the books of fiqh. You will
Inshallah cover them in Chapter Nine of your fiqh textbook.
Review questions
1.
In your own words, briefly summarise the four types of al‐isti’adhah. Give evidence where possible.
2.
On what principle is al‐istighathah founded upon? Use evidence to support your answer. What other
acts of worship share this principle?
3.
In your own words, briefly summarise the four types of al‐istighathah. Give evidence where possible.
4.
Using the evidence in Surat Al‐Ana’am, explain how adh‐dhabh is an act of worship which should only
be directed to Allah (swt)?
5.
What are the two types of an‐nadhr? Which one is being referred to in the evidence used by the Sheikh
(ra)?