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Is there any basis in the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, for what "the Murabitun" claim regarding seeing "the people of good" (nas al-khayr) who inform them of news before it happens, and who are believed to be from among the Muslim jinn and considered to be among the awliya' (saints/friends) of Allah whose supplications are answered? And are they truly from among the awliya' of Allah?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The term "Al-Murabitun" (the Marabouts) is used in some countries to refer to individuals believed to be righteous and pious, whether living or deceased. It may also be applied to innovators who have lost their minds, do not fear impurities, and do not maintain their prayers. Miraculous feats, such as walking on water, do not necessarily indicate a person's righteousness; they can be performed by charlatans and imposters, just as they can be miracles for the Friends of Allah (Awliya' Allah). The criterion for judging a person's righteousness is what appears of the signs of faith, the indications of piety, and adherence to the Qur'an and Sunnah, not merely the occurrence of extraordinary phenomena. The Friends of Allah have agreed that if a man were to fly in the air or walk on water, he should not be admired until his adherence to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is examined. The miracles (karamat) of the Friends of Allah are greater than these extraordinary matters, which may occur at the hands of the enemies of Allah, or many disbelievers, polytheists, people of the Book, and hypocrites, and may be from the devils. Therefore, it should not be assumed that everyone who exhibits such phenomena is a Friend of Allah; rather, the Friends of Allah are identified by their characteristics, actions, and states as indicated by the Qur'an and Sunnah. The unseen (ghayb) is of two types: absolute, which no one knows but Allah, and relative, which some creatures know while others do not. The answering of a prayer does not necessarily imply the righteousness of the servant. As for seeking blessings from the persons of the righteous and their relics, the preferred view is that it is not permissible.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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