All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and companions.
There is no harm for a Muslim to ask others to supplicate Allah on his behalf, since the Prophet (PBUH) said (What means): ”The supplication of a Muslim for his (Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: 'A meen! May it be for you, too'." [Related by Moslim]. In addition, Al-Imam An-Nawawi (May Allah have mercy on his soul) said: ” Chapter / the recommendation of asking pious people to supplicate on behalf of someone even if the latter was more pious especially in holy places; there are many narrations in this chapter stressing the above recommendation and in accordance to the consensus of Muslim scholars in this regard.” [Al-Athkar pp.40].
In addition, asking people to supplicate on behalf of someone is permissible especially pious people, yet the acceptance of the supplication isn’t stipulated with asking poor people to supplicate on behalf of a person because not all of them are pious or righteous as well being poor doesn’t render supplication answered by Allah.
However, a person in all cases shouldn’t abstain from supplicating Allah, The Exalted for his need by himself for He Said (What means): ”And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them hear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright.” [Al-Baqarah/186]. Besides, the charity should be given utterly for the sake of Allah only and not for the purpose of asking the poor recipient to supplicate on behalf of the charitable giver since asking the poor to do so on his behalf won’t make him liable to get the whole reward of giving charity; rather, he should supplicate Allah by himself for Allah, The Exalted said (What means):” (Saying): We feed you, for the sake of Allah only. We wish for no reward nor thanks from you;” [Al-Insan/9].
In conclusion, when Aiysha’ (May Allah be pleased with her) was gifting someone, she used to say to the messenger taking the gift: ”If they supplicate for me then you should supplicate for them the same in return in order to get the whole reward from Allah.” As well the forefathers said: ”If you gave charity to the poor and he supplicated for you .i.e.: ”May Allah Blesses you then you should supplicate the same in return so you won’t be compensated in return of giving charity.” And Allah knows best.
