Is It Shirk to Say the Prophet (Allah Bless Him and Give Him Peace) Is the Opener of Doors?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

Is it shirk to say the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the opener of doors?

Answer

I pray you are well.

No, it is not shirk to say the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the opener of doors. This is a metaphorical term that can refer to Allah Most High or one of His creations.

What Is Shirk?

Shirk, or associating others as gods with Allah, is essentially a claim that something shares one of Allah’s divine attributes. This can be anything from giving life, creating, or even deserving worship. This is wrong. [Sanusi, Sharh al-Muqaddimat]

We do not affirm any partners for Allah. He is unique, and He deserves worship, and all of the qualities of Godhood belong to Him alone.

No One Can Benefit or Harm Except Allah

The Quran draws our attention to this matter, “If Allah touches you with harm, then there is none to remove it except Him. And if He wants good for you, then there is no one to repel His generosity.” [Quran, 10:107]

This is the reality of matters, no matter what illusion we perceive. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to Abdullah Ibn’ Abbas, “Know that if the entire umma got together to benefit you, they would not except with something Allah had decreed for you. And if they got together to harm, they would not except with something Allah had decreed against you.” [Tirmidhi]

This includes everyone besides Allah. Therefore, any benefit we get through others is actually coming from Allah Most High Himself.

What Does “Opener of Doors” Mean?

Someone who uses this wording does not really have to have a closed or locked door in front of them. Rather, it is a metaphorical usage. The closed doors are a reference to a difficulty or the absence of an opportunity. The opening of a door would be the removal of that difficulty or the appearance of an opportunity.

If we were to use this wording for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), it would be in the metaphorical sense because Allah would be doing it in reality. How would the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) do it? Through his intercession and dua, ultimately, it is Allah who benefits and harms; everyone else is a means.

The issue of intercession is one which many leading scholars of the umma have declared to be permissible. Please refer to this answer for more details.

I pray that helps.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital, and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.