Tawassul and It

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Tawassul and it's position in Islam

Many contemporaries have mixed both these forms up; a) asking directly from the

deceased and, b) asking Allah Alone, through the medium of some deceased) and have

passed one ruling of Shirk for both forms. This is clearly a gross oversight on their

path.

Tawassul and it's position in Islam

By Shaykh (Mufti) Ebrahim Desai (HA)

Question: I am told that waseela is permitted as long as we do not address our

needs directly to anyone other than Allah. It is also said that if this precaution

is taken then one could ask a Prophet or a saint to pray to Allah on our behalf

or conversely we could ask Allah to accept our duas for the sake of his

Prophets and/or the auliyas. As the Prophets are not alive how do we make

waseela through them ? If waseela is ja'iz through Prophets then does that

mean waseela through people who have passed away is permitted ? Is it

permitted to make ziyarat of the graves of the Prophets other than Sallahu

alaihi wassallam and other auliyas ?What is your opinion about the book AR-

Rah written by ibn Al Qayyim Al Jauziah ?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
http://www.central-mosque.com/index.php/Beliefs/tawassul-and-its-position-in-islam.htmlhttp://www.central-mosque.com/images/tawassul.JPGhttp://www.central-mosque.com/index.php/Beliefs/tawassul-and-its-position-in-islam/Print.html?pdf=1http://www.central-mosque.com/images/tawassul.JPGhttp://www.central-mosque.com/index.php/Beliefs/tawassul-and-its-position-in-islam/Print.html?pdf=1http://www.central-mosque.com/index.php/Beliefs/tawassul-and-its-position-in-islam.html


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Please see below our detailed answer on Tawassul.

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah

TAWASSUL

Q: With regards to asking the dead or the absent to supplicate to Allah on our

behalf, what is the understanding of the Ulama about this issue?

Tawassul and Waseelah literally means to make a request or supplicate through ameans. It is permissible for one to request Allah Ta'ala to accept his du'aa through the

medium of some deeds or the rank of certain individuals as this may be closer to

acceptance.

There are various forms of Tawassul and Waseela:

1To make Tawassul to Almighty Allah that He accepts the Du'aa due to one having

performed a certain good deed is permissible and unanimously accepted. It is

supported by the Hadith of Sahih Bukhari in which three people were trapped in a

cave. Each of them made Du'aa to Allah Ta'ala to move the obstructing rock and

they requested Allah Ta'ala to accept their du'aas due to some good deed that each

of them had done.

2To make Tawassul with the names and attributes of Almighty Allah: This is also

permissible and is supported by the following verse, 'And Allah has beautiful

names, so call unto Him through them.' (Surah A'araaf v.180). Example: If

someone says, 'Oh Allah, I ask you through your attributes and beautiful names to

grant my specific wish.'

3To make Tawassul to Allah Ta'ala through the rank and position of certain

individuals, alive or deceased, in the sight of Almighty Allah This includes the


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Prophets [alayhimus salaam], the martyrs and any other pious servant of Allah.

Example: If one says, 'Oh Allah, I beseech you to accept my du'aa due to the

status of Rasulullah [Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam] in Your eyes.' This form of

Tawassul is also permissible according to the vast majority of the Ulama (scholars)

and it has in fact remained part of their practise.

4Some scholars even mention a fourth type of Tawassul, where a person requests

some living pious servant of Allah to make du'aa for him: This is also unanimously

accepted.

The only type of Tawassul that is disputed is number3, where one makes Tawassul

through individuals that are alive or deceased by saying, 'O Allah, I besech you to

accept my Du'aa due to the status that Rasulullah [Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam] (or

some other pious person) hold in Your eyes.' The first opposition against this formof Tawassul was in the 7th century of Islam. (shifaa-u-siqaam)

There are numerous proofs that support the permissibility of Tawassul through

individuals. The following are some substantiations:

1Sayyiduna Uthmaan ibn Hunayf [radhiallaahu anhu] narrates that once a blind person

came to Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and said:

'O Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]! Ask Allah to cure me.' Rasulullah

[sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] replied, 'If you wish I will make Du'aa or else you may be

patient and this is better for you.' The man said, 'Make Du'aa instead', Rasulullah

[sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] then commanded him to make Wudhu properly and that

he recites the following Du'aa, 'Oh Allah, verily, I ask of you and I turn to you through

your prophet, the prophet of mercy, O Muhammad [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam], verily,

I have turned to my Lord through you so that my need be fulfilled. Oh Allah, accept his

intercession on my behalf.' (Musnad Ahmad vol.4 pg.138; Sunan Tirmidhi; Sunan ibn

Majah; Mustadrak Haakim and others). Imaams Tirmidhi, ibn Khuzaymah and Haakim

have classified this Hadith as authentic. The words, 'I turn to you through your prophet'

clearly proves Tawassul through the position of a person. Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi

wasallam] also told him that he should make the same supplication whenever he

needed to. (al-Raddul Muhkamul Mateen pg.145)


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2Sayyiduna Uthmaan ibn Hunayf [radhiallaahu anhu] taught this du'aa to someone

after the demise of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]. That person's need was

also fulfilled.

Abu Umaamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf [radhiallaahu anhu] reports that a person requested

Sayyiduna Uthmaan ibn Affaan [radhiallaahu anhu] to fulfil his need. Sayyiduna

Uthmaan [radhiallaahu anhu] did not attend to him. The person complained to

Sayyiduna Uthmaan ibn Hunayf [radhiallaahu anhu] about his plight. Sayyiduna

Uthmaan ibn Hunayf [radhiallaahu anhu] told him to make Wudhu, go to the Musjid,

offer 2 Rakaats of Salaat and recite the following Du'aa: 'O Allah, verily I ask you and I

turn to you through our prophet, the prophet of mercy (Rasulullah - sallallaahu alayhi

wasallam). O Muhammad! Verily, I have turned to our Lord through you so that He may

fulfil my need.' The person then went to Sayyiduna Uthmaan ibn Affaan [radhiallahu

anhu] who then [radhiallaahu anhu] immediately fulfilled his need and told him to

return whenever he had any need in the future. (al-Mu'jamus sagheer vol.1 pg.184; al-

Mu'jamul Kabeer vol.9 pg.17; Dalaailun-nubuwwah of Imaam Bayhaqi vol.6 pg.167-

168)

Imaam Tabrani has mentioned that this Hadith is authentic. (al-Mu'jamus sagheer vol.1

pg.184). Allamah Mahmood Zaahid Al- Kawthari has also classified the chains of Baihaqi

to be Saheeh (authentic). (Maqaalatul-Kawthari pg.391). For a detailed analysis refer to

al-Raddul Muhkamul Mateen of Shaykh Abdullah Siddique al-Ghumarie pgs.141-157;

Raf'ul Manaarah of Shaykh Mahmood Sa'eed Mamdooh pgs.125-131

3Sayyiduna Anas ibn Maalik [radhiallaahu anhu] reports that when the mother of

Sayyiduna Ali [radhiallahu anhu] passed away (Faatima bint Asad - radhiallaahu anha],

Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] made the following Du'aa before burying her:

'O Allah, The One who gives life and death, and Who is living and will never die, forgive

my mother Faatima bint Asad [radhiallaahu anha], and make her arguments known to

her, i.e. make the answering of Munkar and Nakeer easy, and make her grave spacious

for her. (I ask you) through the right of your prophet and all the prophet's before me,

for verily You are Most Merciful.' (al-Mu'jamul awsat vol.1 pg.152; Hilya vol.3 pg.121)

'Bi haqqi nabiyyika' (through the right of your prophet). This narration is classified as

authentic according to the standards of Imaam ibn Hibbaan and Haakim. (Raf'ul


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Manaarah pg.147; Maqaalaatul Kawthari). Haafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami(RA) that its

chain of narrators is good.(Refer to his footnotes on Al-Manaasik of Imaam Nawawi(RA)

pg.500...)

4When a person leaves the Musjid, the following du'aa is recorded, 'Allaahumma inniyas-aluka bi haqqis-saa-ileena alayka, wa bi haqqi mamshaaya haaza...'. (Translation:

Oh Allah, I ask you through the right of those who ask you and through the right of the

act of my walking...)

In this narration, Tawassul through people is established, '...through the right of those

who ask' and Tawassul through one's deeds is supported by the second part. This

Hadith is recorded in Sunan ibn Maajah, Musnad Ahmad (vol.3 pg.21), Musannaf ibn

Abi Shaybah and others. The following Muhadditheen have regarded it as authentic:

Imaam ibn Khuzaymah (Kitaab Tawheed pg.17), Hafiz Abdul-Ghani al-Maqdisi (al-Naseehah), Hafiz Abul-Hasan al-Maqdisi - teacher of Allaamah Munzhiri (refer al-

Targheeb vol.3 pg.273), Allamah al-Iraqi - Ustaadh of Hafiz ibn Hajar (Takhrijul Ihyaa),

Hafiz ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani (Nataa-ijul Afkaar vol.1 pg.272), Hafiz Dimyati (Al-

Matjarur-raabih). These are six great Muhadditheen that have accepted this Hadith to

be authentic, hence, there remains no doubt at all concerning its acceptability.

The following two proofs illustrate to us the practise of the Sahaaba [radhiallaahu

anhum] as well.

5Sayyiduna Maalik al-Daar, the treasurer of food during the time of Sayyiduna Umar

ibn al-Khattaab [radhiallaahu anhu], reports that once the people had been

experiencing a drought in the era of Sayyiduna Umar [radhiallaahu anhu], a man went

to the grave of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and said:

'O Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam], ask for rain on behalf of your Ummah, for

verily, they are being destroyed.' Thereafter this person was instructed in a dream to

go to Sayyiduna Umar [radhiallaahu anhu] and tell him that, 'the rains will soon come

and say to him, Be intelligent', When Umar [radhiallaahu anhu] was informed of this,

he began to cry and he said, 'O My Lord, I will only leave out what I am unable to do.'

(Musannaf ibn Abi Shaybah vol.12 pg.31-32; Dalaailun-nubuwwah of Imaam Bayhaqi

vol.7 pg.47). Hafiz ibn Katheer [ra] has stated that the chain of narrators is 'good and

strong' (Musnadul Faarooq vol.1 pg.223). Hafiz ibn Hajar has also indicated to its

authenticity in Fathul Bari.


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6Abul-Jawzaa - Aws ibn Abdullah [radhiallaahu anhu] reports that once, the people of

Madinah were experiencing a severe drought. They complained to Sayyidatuna Aaisha

[radhiallahu anha].

She advised them that they should make a hole in the tomb of the roof of Rasulullah

[sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] so that the grave is exposed to the skies. He says, 'When

they made a hole, heavy rains came down and crops also began to grow.' (Sunan

Darimi vol.1 pg.56)

7Imaam Haakim and others have narrated on the authority of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-

Khattaab [radhiallaahu anhu] that Rasulullah [Sallallahu alayhi wasallam] said, 'When

Adam [alayhis salaam] ate from the forbidden tree, he said,

'O My Lord, I ask you through the right of Muhammad [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] that

you forgive me.' The words used were, 'Bi haqqi Muhammad' Allah Ta'ala accepted

Aadam's [alayhis salaam] repentance. (al-Mustadrak vol.2 pg.615; Dalaailun-

Nubuwwah of Imaam Bayhaqi vol.5 pg.489; al-Mu'jamus saghir of Imaam Tabrani vol.2

pg.82)

The status of this narration has been extensively disputed by the various

Muhadditheen. Some have accepted it to be authentic and others rejected it. However,

there is another narration that supports this narration recorded by Imaam Abul-Hasan

ibn Bishraan [ra] on the authority of Sayyidatuna Maysarah [radhiallaahu anha]. The

chain of narrators for this Hadith is totally different from the previous one. And in fact,

Hafiz ibn Hajar [ra] has stated concerning a completely different narration which has

the very same chain of narrators, that this chain of narrators is strong. (al-Raddul

Muhkamul Mateen pgs.138-139; al-Ahaadeethul Muntaqaa pg.14, both of Shaykh

Abdullah Siddique al-Ghumarie). These narrations have all proven beyond a shadow of

doubt that this form of Tawassul is permissible and was widely practised as well.

Hereunder follows a list of some of the many illustrious Ulama of the past who had

practised upon Tawassul through the rank of the pious, deceased or alive:

1Imaam Hasan ibn Ibrahim al-Hallal [ra] has stated that whenever he had any urgent

need, he would go to the grave of Imaam Moosa ibn Ja'far [ra] and make Tawassul

through him. Allah Ta'ala would fulfil his need. (refer Taarikh Baghdaad)


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2Imaam Shaafi'ee [ra] would make Tawassul at the grave of Imaam Abu Hanifa [ra].

(Taarikh Baghdaad). Allaamah al-Kawthari has classified this incident as authentic.

(Maqaalaatul Kawthari pg.381)

3Allaamah Taajuddeen al-Subki [ra] has mentioned that the people would go to thegrave of Imaam ibn Foorak(ra), the teacher of Imaam Bayhaqi [ra] and make Du'aa

and their Du'aas would get accepted.

4Hafiz Al-Zarkashi [ra] has made Tawassul in the introduction to his commentary to

Sahih al-Bukhari entitled, 'al-Tanqeeh'.

5Hafiz Taqi-u-ddin al-Subki [ra], the father of Taajuddin al-Subki [ra], has approved of

this firm of Tawassul and he has written a detailed treatise on this topic. (See his book:

Shifaa-u-Siqaam pgs.293-318)

6Allamah Nawawi [ra] has mentioned that from among the etiquettes of visiting the

grave of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] one should make Tawassul through

Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] to Allah Ta'ala to accept his Du'aas. Thereafter,

Allamah Nawawi states, '...and one of the best things that one should do is what has

been related by Allaamah al-Mawardi [ra], al-Qaadhi Abu Teeb [ra] and all our Ulama

and they have all regarded it as commendable, and that is the incident of Imaam al-

Utabi [ra] that he said, 'I was once seated by the grave of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi

wasallam], when a Bedouin came and said, 'Peace be upon you, oh, Messenger of Allah.

O Messenger of Allah, I have heard Almighty Allah say in the Qur'aan "And if they,

when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you (Muhammad Sallallahu

alayhi wasallam) and begged Allah's forgiveness and the messenger had begged

forgiveness for them, indeed they would have found Allah All-Forgiving. Most

merciful.(Al-Nisaa:64) hence, I have come to you in a state that I seek forgiveness of

my sins by seeking your intercession by my Lord', thereafter he recited a few couplets

and departed. Imaam al-Utabi [ra] states, 'I then fell asleep and I saw Rasulullah

[sallallahu alayhi wasallam] instructing me by the words, 'O Utabi, go to that Bedouin

and give him the glad tidings that Almighty Allah has forgiven him.' (Refer al-Majmoo

vol.8 pg.456 - Cairo and Manaasikul-Imaam-Al-Nawawi pg.498-499 Maktabah Salafia).

This incident has been related by many Ulama in their respective compilations. Some of

them are: Haafiz Ibn-Katheer in his Tafseer, Allamah Abu-Muhammad ibn Qudaamah in

Al-Mughni vol.3 pg.556, Imaam Abul-Faraj in Al-Sharhul-Kabeervol.3 pg.495, etc.)


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7Imaam Ahmad bin Hambal(RA) has also encouraged making Tawassul through

Rasulullah [sallallahu alayhi wasallam] in ones duas. (Fataawa ibn Taimiyyah vol.1

pg.140, Also see Mafaaheem pg.137)

8Haafiz Shamsud-Deen Al-Sakhawi (RA), the grand student of Haafiz ibn Hajr Al-Asqalaani(RA) made Tawassul on many occasions through Rasulullah [Sallallahu Alayhi

Wasallam] in his books, see for example Al-Tuhfatul-Lateefah vol.1 pg.3, 17; al-Ibtihaaj

bi azkaaril musaafiril haaj

9Allamah Muhammad ibn-ul-Jazri(RA) the famous Muhaddith and Master of Qira'aat

has mentioned that from amongst the Aadaab etiquettes of dua is that one makes

Tawassul with the Ambiyaa and the pious ones.(Al-Hisnul Haseen)

10Imaam Al-Shawkaani Al-Salafi(RA) has also permitted Tawassul. (Tuhfatu-Zaakireen

pg.50)

These are ten Different types of Ulama (i.e. some are Fuqahaa, some Muhadditheen

and some are Qurraa). All have either practised on Tawassul or at least permitted it.

And the list could go on....(refer to Maqaalatul Kawthari pg.378-397). After

contemplating on all that was mentioned above, any person with sound intelligence

would believe without a shadow of doubt in the permissibility of this form of Tawassul.

More so when one realizes that this remained the practise of the Ummah for centuries.

Allamah Taqee-ud-Deen Al-Subki(RA) and other Muhadditheen have stated that Haafiz

Ibn-Taimiyyah(RA) - who passed away in the year 728 Hijri - was the first to refute the

permissibility of this form of Tawassul (Shifaa-us-Siqaam pg.293) In fact, Abu-Abdillah

Al-Tilmisani Al-Maaliki(RA) (a renown scholar of the 7th century) has written a book

concerning how this remained the practise of the entire Ummah since its existence.

(Refer Maqaalatul Kawthari pg.397)

Lastly, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that the above permissibility is

in regard to one who asks Allah Ta'ala for a particular need and in doing so, he uses

some honourable personality as his Waseela (means) without thinking or believing that

the person is being supplicated to or that he will fulfil his need. Yes, if one asks directly

from the deceased and he believes that the Anbiyaa [alayhimus salaam] and the pious

[rahimahumullah] independently possess the power to provide, then this would be

Shirk (polytheism) because he is now ascribing partners to Allah in the quality of

'Providing'.


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Many contemporaries have mixed both these forms up; a) asking directly from the

deceased and, b) asking Allah Alone, through the medium of some deceased) and have

passed one ruling of Shirk for both forms. This is clearly a gross oversight on their path.

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Ml. Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abasoomar

FACULTY OF SPECIALTY IN HADITH SCIENCES

CHECKED & APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Fatwa Dept.)

Tawassul (Supplicating Allah through an

intermediary)

By Shaykh (Mufti) Muhammad Ibn Adam (HA)

Question: This question is about 'Tawassul'. Clearly, the sect of the Salafs

state that it is shirk to do this act of worship and it breaks the Aqeedah of

tawheed, even the people of the city of Saudi Arabia have dislike in this, and

this Aqeedah has even been adopted by the Imams and Khateebs of the

Harmain (two sacred Harams). Please give your words of wisdom on this

controversial issue?

Answer: In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

Tawassul (using intermediaries in supplication to Allah) through the Prophet (Allah

bless him & give him peace), Awliya and righteous believers is permitted, rather

recommended according to the four schools of Sunni Islam.
http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?txt_QuestionID=q-22324795http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?txt_QuestionID=q-22324795http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?txt_QuestionID=q-22324795http://www.daruliftaa.com/question?txt_QuestionID=q-22324795


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This has been the mainstream belief held by scholars of this Ummah throughout the

eras. The Salaf (predecessors) from the earliest generations had this understanding and

this has been the way of the four Sunni Madhhabs in Fiqh.

The meaning of Tawassul is: To ask Allah Almighty through the medium andintercession of another person. For example, one says: "O Allah! I ask forgiveness for

my sins through the Wasila (intercession) of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)".

Tawassul can be carried out through one's own righteous deeds, the Prophet (Allah

bless him and give him peace), righteous people who have passed away and those who

are still alive. All these types of Tawassul are permitted and acceptable.

The permissibility of 'Tawassul' is proven from the Qur'an, Sunnah, continued practice

of the Ummah and reason.

Some of the proofs on the validity of Tawassul:

1Allah Most High says:

"O you who believe! Fear Allah and seek a means (wasila) to him" (Surah al-Ma'ida, V:

35)

The word "Wasila" (a means of approach) in its general indication includes Tawassul

(intercession) by persons, and through actions.

2Allah Almighty says:

"If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you (Prophet,

Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and asked Allah's forgiveness and the Messenger of Allahhad asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed forgiving and Most

Merciful". (Surah al-Nisa, V: 64)

These two verses are clear on the permissibility and recommendation of Tawassul. The

distinction made by some, between the living and the dead in this matter only comes


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from one who believes in the perishing of souls upon death, which would lead to

denying resurrection.

Also, when one uses Tawassul in supplication, one does not ask and seek from other

than Allah. Only the high position, status and rank of the person through whom Wasilais carried out is used as intercession. In other words, the servant is saying: "O Allah!

This certain Prophet or servant of yours is very close to you. I do not possess any good

deeds, but I have love for the pious. O Allah! Pardon me and forgive my sins due to this

love and connection I have with this pious servant of yours".

Now, every person with a sound mind will determine the fact that there is no reason to

distinguish and differentiate between the living and the dead. This is the reason why

scholars such as Imam Subki, Hafidh Ibn Kathir, Imam an-Nawawi and many others

have declared the permissibility of Tawassul through the righteous, whether alive orpassed away to the Mercy of Allah.

3Imam al-Tirmidhi (Allah have Mercy on him) and others relate from Uthman ibn

Hunaif (Allah be pleased with him):

"A blind man came to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) and

said: "I've been afflicted in my eyesight, so pray to Allah for me". The Prophet (Allah

bless him & give him peace) said: "Go perform ablution (Wudu), perform two rak'at

Salat and then say: "O Allah! I ask you and turn to you through my ProphetMuhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad! I seek your intercession with my lord

for the return of my eyesight, that it may be fulfilled. O Allah! Grant him intercession

for me". The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) then said: "and if there is some other

need, do the same". (Recorded by Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, Tabrani and others,

with a sound chain of narrators).

The express content of this Hadith proves the legal validity of Tawassul through a living

person. It implicitly proves the validity of Tawassul through a deceased person, as

Tawassul through a living or dead person is not through a physical body or through life

or death, rather, through the positive meaning attached to the person in both life and

death.

4Moreover, Tabrani relates in his ' Mu'jam al-Kabir ' reporting from the same Uthman

ibn Hunaif that a person repeatedly visited him concerning something he needed, but


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Uthman paid no attention to him. The man met his son and complained to him about

the matter- this was after the death of the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace)

and after the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar (Allah be pleased with them)- so

Uthman (who collected Hadith and was from the learned) said :

"Go to the place of Wudu, then come to the Masjid, perform two Rak'ats and then say :

"O Allah!, I ask you and turn to you through our Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of

Mercy. O Muhammad! I turn through you to my lord, that He fulfil my need"....... until

the end of the Hadith.

This is an explicit and clear text from a Companion proving the legal validity of

Tawassul through the dead. The Hadith has been classed as authentic (Sahih) by al-

Bayhaqi, Mundhiri, al-Haythami and many others.

5In the Hadith recorded by Imam al-Bukhari and others, the Companion Umar (Allah

be pleased with him) made Tawassul through the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (Allah

bless him & give him peace), Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhu), in asking Allah for rain at the

time of drought.

These and many other Ahadith are clear on the permissibility and validity of Tawassul.

This is the reason, why the great traditional Sunni scholars have held this belief

throughout the ages. Even in the present era, most of the Muslims who belong to the

Ahl Sunnah Wa al-Jama'ah in most parts of the world have this belief.

Many books in Arabic and other languages have been written in refutation of those who

regard Tawassul as Shirk. Scholars from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Emirates,

India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia itself have rejected the position held by the minority -

so called- Salafi sect.

As far as some of the scholars of the Haramayn are concerned, there views in matters

of Aqida are generally from the blind following of Imam Ibn Taymiyya... The Imam,

despite having great knowledge, in many issues chose a path which was different from

the path of the majority of the Ummah, and the Scholars by and large did not accept

his views.

At the same time, one should be precautious in not having any wrong belief in Aqidah.

There should be the conviction that Allah Almighty alone has influence over everything,


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outwardly and inwardly. Also, one should not have the belief that the supplication (Dua)

is not accepted without Tawassul.

This is the real Tawhid.

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

The Tawassul Challenge

By Ibn SaadThis is an open Challenge to those who are opposed to Tawassul. Please look at the

quotes below and answer all of the following questions in the comment section:

1Are the statements below correctly ascribed to their respective Imam, if not which is a

false statement and why?

2If indeed these Imams did make these claims, should Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal,

Imam Ibn Khuzaima, Imam Ibn Hibban, Imam Nawawi and Imam Shawkani be

considered kuffar based on this?

3If not, are they Muslims, but guilty of Shirk of some degree?

4If not, are they mubtadi'een?

5Were they jahils to allow/perform tawassul without (supposedly) any daleels?
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If you have said NO so far, can we agree that Tawassul is a Fiqh issue instead of an

Aqeedah one?

Imam Ahmad and Tawassul:

:( ( 2:456 "... :

. :

.."

Al-Mardawi said: "The correct position of the [Hanbali] madhhab is that it is permissible

in one's du'a to use as one's means a pious person (saalih), and it is said that it isdesirable (mustahabb). Imam Ahmad said to Abu Bakr al-Marwazi: 'Let him use the

Prophet as a means in his supplication to Allah.'" (Al-Insaf 2:456) This is also cited by

Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmu' Al-Fatawa (1:140).

Imam Shawkani and Tawassul:

: "

.(10/

" ( 34

Al-Shawkani said, in Tuhfatul Dhakireen:

"And in this hadith is proof for the permissibility of tawassul through the Prophet [s] to

Allah, with the conviction that the [actual] doer is Allah, and that He is the Giver and

the Withholder. What He wills is, and what He does not will, will never be."

Al-Albani on Imam Hanbal and Imam Al-

Shawkani:


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:( 8/456/ ( 14411

.

In his Rijal book Al-Thuqat (8:456:14411), under the entry of Ali bin Musa al-Ridha, Ibn

Hibban relates his own account of going to Al-Ridha's grave, performing tawassul

through him and states that whenever "I was afflicted with a problem during my stay in

Tus, I would visit the grave of Ali bin Musa (Allah's blessings be upon his grandfather

and him) and ask Allah to relieve me of that problem and it (my dua) would be

answered and the problem alleviated. And this is something I did, and found to work,

many times ..."

Tawassul and It

Documents

Transcript of Tawassul and It