Bismillah-ir Rahman-ir Raheem
Questions & Answers for ISLAM TODAY
"Saint Worship is NOT Islam"

Thank you so much for your Email and your question regarding Islam. It is wonderful to see people like yourself taking the time and interest to learn more about the correct teachings of Islam. This in itself is a sign of guidance from the Almighty Above. May He grant us the wisdom to know the right knowledge and the ability to put it into practice, ameen.

Now you can search our site for answers - yourself. Just go to:

Now as regards your question:
Re:
Worshipping 'saints' or 'holy people'

Bismillah Al Hamdulilah was Salat wa Salam ala rasoolulah. Maa baad:
Allahu Alim.
In the Name of Allah, I praise Allah and thank Him and ask for His Peace and Prayers upon Muhammad, and all of the prophets of Allah, ameen. It is only Allah Who has all the Knowledge, and we only have what He might give us.
To continue:
This is shirk and it is a promise of Allah to go to Hell for this. This is NOT ISLAM. Your are exactly right. And it is only Allah who has guided you to know the difference. Praise Him as much as you can and beg Him to keep you on the Straight Path.
"Brayalwee" or "Brailvee" as they are known around the world, are a group of 'sufees' as are the 'Nakhshbandi' and the 'Dervish' (Darwish of Turkey) and the 'Shazaleeyah' (Northern Africa).
There are many different 'Sufi' orders and all of them have serious deficiencies in belief. They usually claim to follow Islam first and then they follow their various 'orders'. This is not correct. If you follow Islam, there is nothing else you can follow after that. One group tells me they first perfect the Shari'ah of Islam and then they follow their sheik. This just does not make any sense when you understand the true Islam.

Your problem now is "What do I do?"
Good question. They are your parents and you can not talk harshly to them nor will they accept that you, a child of their own making is now going to come along and tell them how to practice Islam. You can see how that would not be acceptable to them, right?

So, here then is my humble recommendation (and I hope it works):
1.) Immediately start praying to Allah and begging Him for the Guidance of Islam for you and for your whole family.
2.) Get up in the nights and pray the late night prayer (then continue this for the rest of your life)
3.) Talk to your siblings and others who are close to the situation and ask them all to pray for Guidance for all of you (do not mention this to those who do not need to know).
4.) Have you folks check out our web site on the issue of Belief and Tawheed of Islam at:
http://www.TodayIslam.com/belief/
http://www.TodayIslam.com/tawheed.htm

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Again, it is only Allah who has All Knowledge. May He forgive me my mistakes and guide us all to the right way, ameen.

You can find a lot of answers by researching on our website. Both Quran and Sunnah (Hadeeths) are word searchable:
http://www.TodayIslam.com/everything/
Try it. You'll like it, inshallah.
Jazakalah khair and may Allah continue to guide you, ameen. Wa As-Salam alaykum wa rahmatulah wa barakatah,

Your Brother in Islam,
Yusuf Estes
http://www.TodayIslam.com/
[email protected]
Chaplain to World Assembly of Muslim Youth, WAMY Visit us at: wamy.org