What is the authenticity of the hadiths that outwardly permit seeking help from other than Allah, such as: "If the riding animal of one of you stumbles, let him say, 'O slaves of Allah, hold it!'" and the hadith of the blind man who turned to Allah through the Prophet's prestige (Jah)? And what is their explanation?
Seeking help from other than Allah (Istighatha) is major shirk (polytheism), while tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through an intermediary) is a matter of differing opinions. The hadith, "If one of you loses his mount..." is weak and cannot be used as a proof, and likewise, the hadith, "If one of you loses something..." is also weak. The claim by some of experiencing positive results does not establish the sunnah (prophetic tradition) of an act; rather, the response might be a form of istidraj (a gradual leading astray). The two weak hadiths refer to "slaves of Allah" as non-human creatures such as angels or jinn, and this does not apply to saints and righteous individuals. Seeking their help is shirk because they cannot hear supplications nor are they able to respond. As for the hadith of the blind man, it is authentic and concerns tawassul.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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