Who Do We Follow?

"And they will all come forth before Allah, then the weak will say to those who were arrogant, 'Indeed, we were your followers, so can you avail us anything against the punishment of Allah?' They will say, 'If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient; there is for us no place of escape.'"

Surah Ibrahim, 14:21

This verse captures a gripping scenario on the Day of Judgment: followers desperately turning to their leaders, pleading for help. They beg the very people they trusted, admired, and followed in this world to save them from Allah's punishment. But these leaders—those they thought were guiding them—will abandon them, saying, "We can't help you; we couldn't even help ourselves!"

This makes us pause and ask: Who are our leaders today? A boss, a politician, a community leader, or a sheikh? In worldly matters, we know who to ask for help when we need it—a manager for a promotion, a politician for funding, or a sheikh for spiritual guidance. But for our deen, who do we really follow? Who shapes our beliefs, our understanding of right and wrong, and our connection to Allah?

In this verse, the followers plead with their religious leaders—those who claimed to guide them to Allah. But the leaders they trusted had distorted the path, introducing teachings and practices far from the Qur'an and Sunnah. These were leaders who endorsed innovations, superstitions, and un-Islamic practices, leaving their followers astray.

Let's bring this into our context. Today, we see numerous groups claiming to represent Islam. Some promote deviant tariqats that introduce practices not found in the Qur'an or Sunnah. Others encourage their followers to seek blessings by visiting graves, making supplications at the tombs of "saints," or even believing these figures can intercede with Allah on their behalf. These practices are contrary to the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, who clearly forbade such acts.

In reality, turning graves into places of worship, seeking blessings from the deceased, or attributing divine power to anyone other than Allah is dangerous and can lead to shirk (associating partners with Allah). The Qur'an and Sunnah emphasize tawhid (the oneness of Allah) as the foundation of faith. No matter how "holy" someone might seem, blessings and help come only from Allah, not from His creation.

The Prophet ﷺ left us two clear sources of guidance: the Qur'an and his Sunnah. He said: "I have left you two things. You will never go astray as long as you hold firmly to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah." (Hadith). If a leader, sheikh, or religious group deviates from these sources, no matter how convincing they seem, they cannot be trusted to guide us.

On the Day of Judgment, true followers of the Prophet ﷺ will benefit from his intercession. But who qualifies as a true follower? Those who follow his teachings—not just in ritual but in creed, in their understanding of Allah, and in their rejection of innovations.

So, this verse serves as a wake-up call: be cautious about who you follow. Investigate whether their teachings align with the Qur'an and Sunnah. Don't blindly trust claims of "spiritual leaders" or "divine blessings" without verifying them against the Prophet's example.

Remember, the responsibility of ensuring our faith aligns with the true path is ours. On that Day, the leaders we blindly trusted won't be able to save us. Let's ensure we follow those who truly inherit the knowledge and path of the Prophet ﷺ—those who lead us to Allah, not away from Him.

Wallahu a'lam.