FAQ8: Prohibition of “calling upon” is only addressed to mushrikeen of Mecca for their idols….

FAQ8: The verses in Quran which prohibit “calling upon” anyone other than Allah (swt) only refer to the idols of the mushrikeen of Mecca, they don’t prohibit us from calling upon the Imams (as).

Answer:

We have already refuted this claim while discussing the verses of Quran that prohibit supplicating to anyone other than Allah (swt). Our main point was, IF Allah (swt) was only talking about the idols of the mushrikeen, then why doesn’t Allah (swt) just say for example “The idols they call upon cannot help them……” or “Do not call upon the Idols besides Allah….”, rather we see that in all these verses Allah (swt) has given general principle, for example:
Surah Isra, 17: 57

Those whom they call upon [themselves] seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever feared.
Now, don’t attributes like “seeking means of access to their Lord” and “hoping for mercy and fearing his punishment” apply to the Prophet (saww) and Imams (as) as well? It means we cannot call upon them as well.

Surah Fatir, 35:40

Say, “Have you considered your ‘partners’ whom you call upon besides Allah? Show me what they have created from the earth, or have they partnership [with Him] in the heavens? Or have We given them a book so they are [standing] on evidence therefrom? [No], rather, the wrongdoers do not promise each other except delusion.”

Again Allah (swt) gives a general principle, that whoever you call upon besides Allah (swt), show me what have they created from the earth or do they have partnership with Allah (swt) in the heavens? Or has Allah (swt) ordered us in any book to call upon them?

We know that Prophet (saww) and Imams (as) did not create the universe (anyone who disagrees with that should immediately leave this book and read kalima again to make sure he is muslim), we know that they don’t have partnership with Allah (swt) and we know that Allah (swt) has not asked us to call upon them in his book. Therefore we cannot callupo n them.

Surah Zumar, 39:38

And should you ask them, Who created the heavens and the earth? They would most certainly say: Allah. Say: “Have you then considered that what you call upon besides Allah, would they, if Allah desire to afflict me with harm, be the removers of His harm, or (would they), if Allah desire to show me mercy, be the withholders of His mercy?” Say: “Allah is sufficient for me; on Him do the reliant rely.”

Subhanallah! This is such a general verse, Allah (swt) has given us a criterion, that if you want to call upon or supplicate to anyone other than Allah (swt), then make sure that they should have the ability to remove the harm that allah (swt) desires for you, and if Allah (swt) wants to show mercy, they have the ability to withhold that mercy. We know that neither tha Prophet (saww) nor the Imams (as) have this capability, it means we cannot callupon them.