A Hadith of Tawassul Analyzed Grammatically
by Ibn Ahmad
The amount of literature detailing the permissibility of tawassul is exhaustive. My purpose is not to expound on such in this brief research paper. For all those interested in the permissibility of this matter, there is literature abound that defends the soundness of the narrations through which this act of worship has come to us. My purpose is simply to analyze tawassul from a basic word-for-word, and slightly grammatical perspective. That alone is enough to establish it as an act of pure monotheism, much less in conjunction with the works of the muhaddithīn.
The du‘ā of tawassul is as follows:
اللهما إني أَسْأَلُكَ و أَتَوَجَّهُ إليكَ بِنَبِيِّنا محمد نَبِيُّ الرَحْمَة، يا مُحَمَّد: إني أَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ إلى رَبِّي فَيَقْضِي حاجَتي.
The rest of the du‘ā expresses the need for which the du‘ā was made.
This can be found in Reliance of the Traveller(1). It’s basic meaning is such: Oh Allāh, Verily I ask you and turn towards you through our Messenger Muhammad, the Messenger of Mercy. Oh Muhammad, Verily I turn – through you – towards my Lord so that He may fulfill my need. Let’s look at this du‘ā phrase-by-phrase.
اللهما
Oh, Allāh. The du‘a begins with us firstly calling onto Allāh. From the very beginning this du‘a closes the door to shirk. Thereafter, the seal against that shirk is tightened even further.
إني أَسْأَلُكَ و أَتَوَجَّهُ إليكَ
“Verily, I ask you and I turn towards you…” This is a verbal sentence that has been converted into a nominal sentence. Without the particle إنّ the expression would simply be I ask you and I turn toward you, but the inna particle grammatically places a special emphasis on the fact that it is only Allāh whom we ask and turn to for help. Furthermore, the verbs أسألك and أتوجه are both in the مضارع (muDāri‘) form, which denotes the imperfect or ongoing tense. One needs only to refer to almost any random lecture by Shayk Nuh Ha Mim Keller for proof that the muDāri‘ points to ongoing verbs. Thus, not only have we emphasized that it is only Allāh that we ask and turn to for help, but we are using the ongoing tense which signifies that we continually ask and turn to Allāh for help. This is the second level of protection against shirk.
بِنَبِيِّنا محمد
“Through our Messenger Muhammad (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him).” This expression is using the particle ب which in this instance denotes an instrument of aid. There are many uses of the ب in which the grammarians have agreed upon.
They are as follows:
الباء للإلصاق – The baa of adhesion.
الباء للظرْفِيَّة – The baa of time and place
الباء للقَسَم – The baa of swearing
الباء للمُصاحَبَة – The baa of companionship
الباء للتعْديّة – The baa that renders an intransitive verb as transitive
الباء للاستِعانة – The baa that indicates the instrument of whose aid we avail ourselves(2)
These are some of the many uses of the the particle bi utilized in the Arabic Language. The one of concern in this instance is الباء للاستِعانة or al-baa’ listi‘ānah, or the baa of instrumentation. Thus, the du‘a is asking Allāh – first and foremost – to grant us permission to utilize the Nabi (Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam) in order that we may draw closer to Allāh. This is in no way shirk. Whoever believes this to be so must bring forth evidence from the books of the non-Muslims that they make du‘ā in a likewise fashion. I doubt that this challenge will ever be fulfilled because the non-Muslims and some sects among the Muslims make their du‘ās directly to those individuals whom they claim to be making tawassul through without any mention of God The One.
نَبِيُّ الرَحْمَة
The Messenger of Mercy. This is an indefinite noun followed by a definite noun. In Arabic, this is referred to as an إضافة or possessive construction which indicates that the indefinite noun is possessed by the definite noun. By virtue of this possession, the indefinite noun is grammatically and linguistically definite, while orthographically indefinite. What does this all mean? It means that the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him) is amongst The Mercy or الرحمة. Keep in mind, that Ar-Rahmah, when used in its definite form with the alif lām article purely denotes that Mercy which comes from Allāh. It is permissible for us to seek tawassul via the Mercy or Rahmah of Allāh, so why should we not be able to seek tawassul through the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him) who himself is a component or element of that Ar-Rahmah.
يا مُحَمَّد
“Oh Muhammad.” It is only after we have given Allāh his due right that we seek the aid of His Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him) in order that we come closer to our Lord.
إني أَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ إلى رَبِّي
“Verily, I turn – through you – towards my Lord.” So after we have given Allāh His Due Right, and therefore, gained an implicit permission to communicate with the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him), we emphasize the point that we are turning to Allāh yet again. We are letting the Messenger know that we are merely using him as a tool to turn towards Allāh. The turning is towards Allāh and not the Messenger. We are using the particle bi- before talking to the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him) in the second person. This baa is the baa of instrumentation, as we have already discussed. However, we use the particle إلى before ربي which further indicates that the turning is towards Allāh and the instrumentation is through the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him). It would be a different situation if we used the particle إلى before the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him). This, however, is not the case because the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him) took careful measures to word this du‘a with precision.
فَيَقْضِي حاجَتي
“So that He (i.e., Allāh) fulfills my need.” This is the icing on the tawhīd cake because we are fully acknowledging the fact that it is Allāh who will fulfill this need and NOT the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him).
So upon analysis of the du‘ā phrase-by-phrase we see that each phrase is a guardian against Shirk. Some may adduce ayats from the the Qur’ān in which the mushrikīn justified their shirk by stating that they only directed their worship towards their idols so that they may achieve nearness to Allāh.
{أَلاَ لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلْفَىۤ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَـفَّارٌ}
Pickthall: {Surely pure religion is for Allah only. And those who choose protecting friends beside Him (say): We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah. Lo! Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Lo! Allah guideth not him who is a liar, an ingrate.} (Az Zumar, 39:3).
However, this argument falls short of the mark because none who partake in tawassul admit to worshiping the Nabi (Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam). That’s the first difference between them and the mushriks referred to in the ayah. Secondly, the mushriks were lying with regards to seeking nearness to Allāh. The truth is, they are lying and they did not believe in Allāh and the proof of their mere lip-service is in the following ayāt.
{قُلْ مَن بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ يُجِيرُ وَلاَ يُجَارُ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ. سَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّهِ قُلْ فَأَنَّىٰ تُسْحَرُونَ. بَلْ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ. مَا ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ إِلَـهٍ إِذاً لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـٰهٍ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ.}
Pickthall: {Say: In Whose hand is the dominion over all things and He protecteth, while against Him there is no protection, if ye have knowledge? They will say: Unto Allah (all that belongeth). Say: How then are ye bewitched? Nay, but We have brought them the Truth, and lo! they are liars. Allah hath not chosen any son, nor is there any god along with Him; else would each god have assuredly championed that which he created, and some of them would assuredly have overcome others. Glorified be Allah above all that they allege.} (Al Mu’minūn, 23:88-91)
These ayāt are in reference to those who ascribe a son to Allāh and yet claim that He is the Lord of the Universe. Clearly, Allāh details for us the duplicitous nature of the idolaters who know exactly what to say to the Muslims to appear monotheistic, yet blatantly and overtly they negate that monotheism by ascribing partners to Allāh. Where is the proof that those who partake in tawassul ascribe any sort of divinity to the Messenger (Peace & Blessings Be Upon Him)? How does the du‘a of tawassul resemble in any way, the ayāt that describe shirk?
These are just some points of reflection.
Jazakum Allahu Khaira for your time.
-Ibn Ahmad
Assalamu’alaikum,
Masha’Allah, an excellent observation and analysis. The truth is with the Jama’ah, alhamdulillah. The following is the famous narration of Ibn Hunayf from which the du’a analysed in the article is taken from :
‘Uthmàn ibn Hunaif reported that a man repeatedly visited Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him) concerning something he needed, but Uthman paid no attention to him or his need. The man met Ibn Hunayf and complained to him about the matter – this being after the death (wisal) of the Prophet (alayhi salaat wa salaam) and after the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar – so Uthman ibn Hunayf, who was one of the Companions who collected hadiths and was learned in the religion of Allah, said: “Go to the place of ablution and perform ablution (wudu), then come to the mosque, perform two rak’as of prayer therein, and say:
‘O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through our Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy; O Muhammad (Ya Muhammad), I turn through you to my Lord, that He may fulfill my need,’ and mention your need. Then come so that I can go with you [to the caliph Uthman].” So the man left and did as he had been told, then went to the door of Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him), and the doorman came, took him by the hand, brought him to Uthman ibn Affan, and seated him next to him on a cushion. ‘Uthman asked, “What do you need?” and the man mentioned what he wanted, and Uthman accomplished it for him, then he said, “I hadn’t remembered your need until just now,” adding, “Whenever you need something, just mention it.” Then, the man departed, met Uthman ibn Hunayf, and said to him, “May Allah reward you! He didn’t see to my need or pay any attention to me until you spoke with him.” Uthman ibn Hunayf replied, “By Allah, I didn’t speak to him, but I have seen a blind man come to the Messenger of Allah (alayhi salaat wa salaam) and complain to him of the loss of his eyesight. The Prophet (alayhi salaat wa salaam) said, “Can you not bear it?’ and the man replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do not have anyone to lead me around, and it is a great hardship for me.’ The Prophet (alayhi salaat wa salaam) told him, ‘Go to the place of ablution and perform ablution (wudu), then pray two rak’as of prayer and make the supplications.’” Ibn Hunayf went on, “By Allah, we didn’t part company or speak long before the man returned to us as if nothing had ever been wrong with him.”
Recorded by MANY muhadithoon. The same du’a may also be found in the famous hadith of the blind man which is usually quoted before the above.
“Verily, I turn – through you – towards my Lord.”
I understand where you’re coming from, but maybe I’m not fully getting this section of the dua. I’ve always been told that Islam is different from the other religions because the worshippers pray directly to God alone and does not require a ‘medium’; for example, in Christianity, followers pray through the priest for God’s mercy because they believe they are too sinful to ask for salvation, whilst in Islam, you pray directly to Allah (SWT) because every believer has a direct ‘link’ to Allah (SWT) through their prayers.
So from that point of view, I’m having trouble understanding why one would pray through a person; because, after all, the Prophet (SAW) was a human being. A mercy upon mankind, yes, but does that legitimize the concept of ‘praying through a vessel’?
Who says that du’aa “requires” a medium? That is not what tawassul is at all. Is it wrong to ask someone to make du’aa for you? Why do people have no problems with asking someone to make du’aa for you, yet we have a problem asking the Nabi (alayhis salaam), the one living – who is able to hear and respond, to make du’aa for one?
Turning through the Nabi (alayhis salaam) is only via his Right and Du’aa. Hope that clarifies. If not, maybe someone else can try to explain. The difference being that the catholics etc ask the person, not Allah. They are not asking Jesus to make du’aa, rather they are ASKING JESUS or the saints!
So a person not at the grave of the Nabi salalahu alayhi wa salam says while on some battlefield ‘Ya Rasoolullah salalahu alayhi wa salam defeat our enemy!’ firstly how does the Prophet salalahu alayhi wa salam hear this from afar? This is not salawat that the angels carry to him salalahu alayhi wa salam. Did the sahabah act this way during their battles?
This is catholism its not just that they worship saints but they sometimes call upon the saints to pray for them some of them call upon a dead pope to pray for them. Its all the same. They yes deitify Isa ibn maryam alayhis salam but they also through their supplications through the dead saints ask them to be a medium to Allaah.
“And they worship besides Allaah things that hurt them not, nor profit them, and they say: ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say: ‘Do you inform Allah of that which He knows not in the heavens and on the earth?’ Glorified and Exalted is He above all that which they associate as partners with Him!’ (10:18)
Asking a friend to make dua is fine. However, if im miles away and i say ‘O Sadiq make dua for me!’ yet im not communicating through a cellphone or any other communications except voice and i believe he has the faculty of hearing everything this in itself is shirk.
The Nabi salalahu alayhi wa salam is not hadhir nadhir. La illaha illa allah.
You are supplicating to those who neither can profit nor harm you.
“…And those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmir (the thin membrane over the date-stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call, and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the day of ressurection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you (O muhammad salalahu alayh iwa salam) like Him Who is the All knower (of each and everything).” 35:13-14
Remember the Saying of Allah ta ala “And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their Faith pure for Him only, but when He brings them safely to Land, behold they give a share of their worship to others.” 29:65
Now these people promote that during battles you can call upon the awliya, ambiya, and shuhadah. When they are in the sea upon the ships they can say ‘O Abdul qadir jilani bring us safely to land’ (as long as they believe Allah wills everything) What we have here is an excuse of shirk.
Why not stick to what the Prophet salalahu alayhi wa salam taught us? He never salalahu alayhi wa salam said ‘Call upon the awliya, shuhadah and myself to ask Allah because after our deaths we will be buried alive and be granted super hearing abilities and be granted miracles to come out of our graves to save you by Allah’s leave’
Instead we see the nabi salalahu alayhi wa salam saying “O everliving and Everlasting (Allah), in your Mercy I seek Help” (Reported by Tirmidhi as Hasan.)
The Prophet salalahu alayhi wa salam
“When you ask, ask from Allah, and when you seek help, seek the help of Allah.” (Reported by Tirmidhi as good and authentic hadith)
Qul Allaah Ta ala
“Say (O Muhammad salalahu alayhi wa salam) I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills. If i had the knowledge of the Ghaib (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe.” 7:188
Basically you justify your shirk by saying ‘As long as you believe that Allah causes all the effects in the world then your not commiting shirk.’
So basically we say to the christian in our dawah to them ‘You can call upon Jesus, but just dont believe he is Allah or that he is the son of Allah and it will be fine’
So all we are calling them to is rejecting Isa ibn maryam alayhis salam as a deity, but they can still call upon him (as long as they believe Allah is the source of harm and benefit). In conclusion we are excusing shirk and now it seems my dear brother that you have took the position that the Prophet salalahu alayhi wa salam is capable of hearing everything that even if we whisper ‘O messenger of Allah salalahu alayhi wa salam help me’ he hears and now we are placing tawakul upon the created instead of the Creator tabaraka wa ta ala.
May Allaah save us from slipping into shirk Ameen
As Salamu Alaykum Ya Sidi Mustafa,
If you believe this action to be shirk, then you must absolutely stay away from it. No questions asked! This includes reading articles pertaining to it because in that instance, you are pursuing something that you believe to be batil; and it is as Ibn Kathir said, if you believe it to be the truth, then you must follow it. What follows from that is that if you believe it to be false, then you must stay away from it (in EVERY way).
What you must do is follow what your heart is telling you regarding this matter and not even attempt to understand a differing viewpoint, because that will do you more harm than good. Just remember that Allah will not hold you accountable to something above your intellectual capacity.
As for those you have studied this issue from a multi-discipline perspective(i.e., hadith, qur’an, sarf, nahw, and i’rab), then we do not hold your position because your position is not binding upon us. Absolutely no amount of takfeer from Ibn Taymiyah (rahimahullah), Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab (rahimahullah), Ibn Baz (rahmiahullah), or anyone else will affect our opinion in the least bit.
Isnad is from our religion, and we follow that which comes to us via authentic isnad. The weaking of this chain of narration is as of yet outstanding. Once it has been decisively weakened, then we will immediately cease and desist from this action of “shirk.”
Thank you for your naseeha. We respect your opinion, as we are sure you do ours. And if there is anything we can do for you in the future, do not hesitate to ask us, for we love to try our best to help our Muslim brothers.
-With Love
Your Brother Ibn Ahmad
Firstly, what is your proof for restricting it to salawāt? Just because the ahadīth mention salawāt does not mean that they will not convey anything else. One is speaking to the Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa ‘alā Ālihi wa sallam) when they pray for him. You say, “Salaamu ‘alayka ayyuhan nabi, wa rahmatullahi wa barakātuh”. The “ka” at the end of Salaam is directed to none other than our beloved Sayyid (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa ‘alā Ālihi wa sallam). Why are you speaking directly to him, while yet the Angels convey? Why are we taught from childhood to speak DIRECTLY to Him (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa ‘alā Ālihi wa sallam) in an intimate way, yet you tell us he can not hear! Such restriction has no proof. The principle would thus show that the Angels are at the service of our Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa ‘alā Ālihi wa sallam), and that it is from his karamāt that he can hear us, whether by his grave – as he can here directly, or from afar – as it is conveyed to him.
Catholics also pray to God directly. Is that shirk too? So just because Christians do a deed that is also legislated in Islam it makes it shirk? Fear Allah! The scholars of Islām have unanimously approved of seeking tawassul by means of our beloved Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa ‘alā Ālihi wa sallam). By his right, by his person, and asking him to pray for us. The hadīth of Salatul-Hājah, the usage of it by Imām An-Nawawī in his Adhkār in order to instruct the people to do such, sufficiently proves our claim. See this link wherein you will also find in the comments sufficient proof that the salaf taught and practiced tawassul:
http://seekingilm.com/archives/153
This is manipulation of the text. It is not worshipping someone by asking them to make du’aa for you. What non-sense! It is not worshipping someone other than Allah by asking by the Right of the Saa’ilīn. If you say so, you have called Imām Bahā’ud-Dīn Al-Maqdisi and the Hanbalis Mushrik for teaching the du’aa…”and we ask you by the right of those who ask you (saa’ilīn)…” You can find the du’aa in al-‘Uddah.
How is it shirk if I know the malā’ikah convey that [i.e. to the Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa ‘alā Ālihi wa sallam)]? Furthermore, HOW IS IT SHIRK even if I say he can hear me say it? Maybe I would be crazy, but it is not shirk, as you are not worshipping someone for asking them to make du’aa for you. That is just a ridiculous claim! What is your proof that asking someone to make du’aa for you is worshipping that person? What is your proof it is worshipping them if they are in Jordan and I am in America? SubhānAllah! Yes, you could claim its nuts, a bida’ah or whatever, but not shirk, as it is not worshipping other than Allah!
The hadith of Mālik Ad-Dār, Uthmān ibn Hunayf and the multitude of authentic narrations stand against your words. The fact is, the Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa ‘alā Ālihi wa sallam) can benefit us by his Du’ā’, as has been proven in the texts. As for the āyāt you posted after this, then Imām Ash-Shawkānī states regarding them;
“Regarding what those who forbid tawassul to Allah through the Prophets and the saints cite to support their position, such as Allah’s sayings:
• “We only worship them in order that they may bring us nearer” (39:3)
• “Do not call on any other god with Allah, or you will be among those who will be punished” (26:213)
• “Say: Call on those besides Him whom ye fancy; they have no power to remove your trouble from you or to change them. Those unto whom they cry seek for themselves the means of approach to their Lord, which of them shall be the nearest; they hope for His mercy and fear His wrath: for the wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of” (17:57)
These verses are irrelevant. Rather: they support exactly the reverse of what the objectors to tawassul claim, since the verses are related to another issue. To wit: the verse “We only worship them in order that they may bring us nearer” explicitly states that they worship them for that purpose, whereas the one who makes tawassul through a scholar, for example, never worships him, but knows that he has a special distinction (maziyya) before Allah for being a carrier of knowledge; and that is why he uses him as a means.
Similarly irrelevant to the issue is Allah’s saying: “Do not call on any other god with Allah.” This verse forbids that one should call upon another together with Allah, as if saying: “O Allah and O So-and-so.” However, the one who makes tawassul through a scholar, for example, never calls upon other than Allah. He only seeks a means to Him through the excellent works that one of His servants achieved, just as the three men in the cave who were blocked by the rock used their good works as a means to have their petition answered.
Similarly irrelevant to the issue is Allah’s saying: “Those unto whom they cry…” for it refers to people who call upon those who cannot fulfill their request, at the same time not calling upon Allah Who can; whereas one who makes tawassul through a scholar, for example, never called except upon Allah, and none other besides Him.”[Ad-Durr An-Nadīd]
The rest of what you have stated has all been responded to by the ‘Ulamaa’ of Ahlus Sunnah. I would like to bring to your attention the following proofs for istighaatha and tawassul:
1. Al-Bukhari narrates in his Sahih that our mother Hajar, when she was running in search of water between Safa and Marwa, heard a voice and called out: “O you whose voice you have made me hear! If there is a ghawth (help/helper) with you (then help me)!” and an angel appeared at the spot of the spring of Zamzam.
2. Abu Ya`la, Ibn al-Sunni, and al-Tabarani in al-Mu`jam al-Kabir narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: “If one of you loses something or seeks help or a helper (ghawth), and he is in a land where there is no one to befriend, let him say: “O servants of Allah, help me! (ya `ibad Allah, aghithuni), for verily Allah has servants whom one does not see.” Al-Haythami said in Majma` al-Zawa’id (10:132): “The men in its chain of transmission have been declared reliable despite weakness in one of them.”
Another wording:
3. Al-Bayhaqi narrates on the authority of Ibn `Abbas in “Kitab al-Aadaab” (p. 436) and with a second chain mawquf from Ibn `Abbas in “Shu`ab al-Iman” (1:445-446=1:183 #167; 6:128 #7697) and a third from Ibn Mas`ud in “Hayat al-Anbiya’ ba`da Wafatihim” p. 44: “Allah has angels on the earth – other than the [two] record-keepers – who keep a record [even] of the leaves that fall on the ground. Therefore, if one of you is crippled in a deserted land where no-one is in sight, let him cry out: a’înû ‘ibâd Allâh rahimakum Allâh, ‘Help, O servants of Allah, may Allah have mercy on you!’ Verily he shall be helped, if God wills.” Ibn Hajar said its chain is fair (isnaduhu hasan) in “al-amali”.
Narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir with a fair chain (according to Ibn Hajar in al-Amali) of sound narrators according to al-Haythami (10:132), al-Bazzar (#3128) – as cited by al-Shawkani in Tuhfa al-Dhakirin (p. 219=p. 155-156) -, and Ibn Abi Shayba (7:103).
4. Ibn Abi Shayba relates in his “Musannaf” (7:103) from Aban ibn Salih that the Prophet (saws) said: “If one of you loses his animal or his camel in a deserted land where there is no-one in sight, let him say: “O servants of Allah, help me! (yâ ‘ibâd Allâh a’înûnî), for verily he will be helped.”
Al-Zahawi said in al-Fajr al-Sadiq, a book he wrote in refutation of Wahhabism:
Al-Shawkani also allows the calling on someone invisible: “In the hadith (of a`inu) there is evidence that it is permissible to ask help from those one does not see among the servants of God, whether angels or good jinn, and there is nothing wrong in doing it, just as it is permissible for someone to seek the help of human beings if his mount becomes unmanageable or runs loose.” Tuhfat al-Dhakirin p. 155-156.
5. Ahmad relates in his Musnad (4:217) that at the time of the greatest fitna of the Dajjal, when the Muslims will be at their weakest point, and just before `Isa ibn Maryam descends at the time of salat al-fajr, people will hear a caller calling out three times: “O people, al-ghawth (the helper) has come to you!”
6. Ibn Kathir in his history, al-Bidaya wal- Nihaya [7:91, Year 18] narrates that `Umar (ra) sought help and relief from drought and famine in Madina by writing to `Amr ibn al-As and Abu Musa al-Ash`ari in Egypt and Basra respectively, each with the words, “Yaa ghawthaah li Ummati Muhammad! = Help! Help! for the Community of Muhammad!” If this is not istighaatha and isti`aana then there is no istighaatha and isti`aana.
Al-Zahawi said in al-Fajr al-Sadiq:
Shaykh Khayr al-Din Ramli in his Fatawa Khayriyya (p. 180-181) was asked about “those who say: O Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir! O Shaykh Ahmad! O Rifa`i! [Give us] something for the sake of Allah (shay’un lillah) O `Abd al-Qadir! and such, at which time they become greatly entranced and experience states that make them jump up and down etc. He answered – Allah have mercy on him: ‘Know first of all that among the famous rules that are firmly put to use in the books of the Imams is the rule that matters are judged according to their ends… as taken from the hadith of the Two Shaykhs al-Bukhari and Muslim: Actions are only according to intentions…. and none denies the reality of the Sufis except every ignorant, foolish soul.’”
[taken from an article by Shaykh Haddad]
Shukran,
Abul Layth
Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh ya ibn ahmad,
Akhi Jazakallah khayr for your response. Your words were very well written and very polite.
Akhi abul layth jazakallah khayr for the evidence. Perhaps i am only misunderstanding the issue.
Akhi so if one says o Abdul qadir jilani give me something for sake of Allaah how does abdul qadir jilani hear this ya akhi?
give you what? du’aa?
Sure, saying ya Abdul qadir jilani make dua for me, or Ya abdul qadir jilani help me etc. How do we know that they the awliya hear. And whats evidence of this? I understand akhi the evidence you give me but perhaps its only my understanding but it seems those evidence to point to calling upon those awliya that have died from afar and that they hear you and respond.
this is a very confusing issue for me. If Allah is all hearing and knowing, then why can’t we just make duaa directly to him. why would we want to make duaa through the prophet *saw*? asking my sister to make duaa for me, makes sense because she is still alive and acknowledges the request that i have made of her. asking someone who has passed seems a little shirkish to me. I guess since the prophet is “living” as you say and can hear it is sounding a bit clearer to me, but is this accepted from the major ullamah? plz do not just quote kellar or other sufi scholars, give me real scholars.
Imam of Ahl ul Sunnah Ibn Hajr Haytami has repeated in many places of his book al-Sawa`iq al-muhriqa li ahl al-dalal wa al-zandaqa (eg page
180) and al-Khayrat al-hisan (p. 69):”Imam Shafi`i made tawassul through the Family of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt) when he said: Al al-nabi dhari`ati wa hum ilayhi wasilati arju bihim u`ta ghadan bi
yadi al-yamini sahifati The Family of the Prophet are my means and my intermediary to him. Through them I hope to be given my record with the right hand tomorrow”.Ibn Hajr Haytami, in Al-Sawa`iq al-muhriqa li ahl al-dalal wa al-zandaqa (eg page 180) AND in al-Khayrat al-hisan (p. 69) This has also been found in Diwan al-Shafi`i as edited by
`Umar Faruq al-Dabbagh (Beirut: Dar al-arqam, n.d) p. 50
Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, defining the manner of pilgrimage to the shrine of the Prophet (s), writes in the book al-Mughni Stand beside the tomb
of the Prophet (s), and say: I have come to you for forgiveness of my sins and to seek your intercession with Allah (taken from Al-Mughni
ma’ al-Sharh, vol. 3, p 588; al-Sharh al-Kabir ma’ al-Mughni, vol. 3, p. 494).
Al-Shafi’i said: I seek blessings through Abu Hanifah and come to his grave every day. If a problem befalls me, I pray two rak’ahs and come to his grave and ask Allah for the fulfillment of my need. Little time passes before it is fulfilled. (Tarikh Baghdad 1:22-25)
This account has been cited by Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi with a sahih chain, and by Al-
Haytami and Al-Kawthari.
It seems those early ‘Ulamaa’ had no problems making tawassul with the Awliyaa, as mentioned above by Ibn Sa’ad.
The bottom line, akhi, is that this is not something that can completely be understood with rationale. Do you know what the Ruh is? Do you know “how” the angels move about – have you seen them? Do you know how the Awliyaa performed miracles? All of course by the permission of Allah; but the “how” is really not understood by us. You are dealing with the unseen realm, the dimension we can not see. So to attempt to apply the laws of our realm upon the realm of the unseen will not work.
Firstly, may Allah bless you and your family, this is an issue of fiqh. We are discussing permissibility, not what one thinks is better. Secondly, why not ask the Nabi saaws to make du’aa for one? Is his du’aa rejected? Doesn’t Allah ta’alaa turn towards our beloved? Isn’t he saaws an intimate friend of Allah?
Why do you ask anyone to make du’aa for you? Can’t you just go to Allah? Is it that the odds are higher if they also make du’aa for your need? Is it that to know that person made du’aa for you comforts the heart? If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it.
NOTE: WE ARE NOT SAYING THIS IS OBLIGATORY. We are simply saying that tawassul is permitted and not shirk as claimed by some.
So for the hundreth time, the Nabi (saaws) is alive in his grave, able to hear, and able to make du’aa for you. That is the bottom line. We have shown this time and time again, and it always seems that people just don’t read.
May Allah bless our Nabi Muhammad (‘alayhis salaam).
Assalamu alaykum,
When the Prophet [s] passed away, Abu Bakr came, kissed him, and addressed him directly.
Likewise, Fatima addressed him directly.
Likewise, Ibn Umar sent salam to the Prophet [s] AND ABU BAKR AND UMAR in the first person (recorded by Ibn Abi Shayba with an authentic chain).
Is there any hadith that says the angels convey salawat to the shaykhayn, hence making it ‘non-shirky’ to address them directly?
This mode of speech is also recorded of Harun Al-Rashid and Imam Ali Al-Rida.
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Anyways…. the Uthman bin Hunayf report.
’nuff said.
Is there an impermissible form of tawassul? If so, what would be an example?
Here’s an analogy:
If a person, when prostrating towards the Ka’ba believes that he is worshipping the Ka’ba, it is shirk.
But if he believes that it is mandated by Allah Himself, and the person has the right aqida while performing the act – there’s no shirk.
Tawassul, with the right aqida, is something that is established in the shari’a. We have the hadith of Uthman bin Hunayf.
Those who object that this was only permissible during the lifetime of the Prophet [s], have to stop and LOOK at what the hadith imams, like Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaimah and others, called the chapter titles under which they placed this hadith, e.g: باب ما جاء في صلاة الحاجة , باب صلاة الترغيب والترهيب , من كتاب صلاة التطوع
I think it’s very clear that the Hadith imams did not understand the hadith to merely show a historical hap, but rather they saw the shari’a implication for the coming generations as well, and dedicated a chapter for it.
And let us not forget the authentic athar of the blind man as well.
Those who understand tawassul as a fiqh matter (which it is) don’t see a problem with it.
Those who see it with the goggles of aqida, see blatant shirk in it.
*I* say that the Prophet [s], Uthman bin Hunayf, and the imams that came later knew better what is shirk and what is not. It is WE who need to mould our understanding to fit their’s.
It’s a matter of putting things in perspective – the way Allah intended.
A truly misguided person might decide that prostrating to the Ka’ba is shirk, based on his own warped understanding.
Wallahu a’lam.
Wassalam.
Assalamu’alaikum,
erm..tawassul through the pope? lol