Tawassul from sunnah
We have already seen the concept of Waseelah and
Tawassul finding explicit mention in the Holy Quran to the extent that in Surah
Maaedah (5): Verse 35 Allah has exhorted the believers to adopt a Waseelah to
acquire divine proximity.
It is time to turn to the Sunnah for more proof on
Tawassul. Although a single verse of the Quran should prove sufficient to
establish Tawassul as an Islamic concept, I want to leave no stone unturned in
putting the matter beyond doubt. This blog should be an eye opener for all the
skeptics.
The concept of Waseelah and توسل can be traced in traditions. For the sake
of brevity, we will mention a few instances here.
1) Hazrat Adam (a.s.) resorts
to Tawassul
a) When Hazrat Adam (a.s.) disobeyed his Lord and
incurred His Anger he resorted to Tawassul like this:
O
Allah forgive my mistake with the Waseelah of Muhammad.
Allah asked the Prophet Adam how he knew about Muhammad.
Allah asked the Prophet Adam how he knew about Muhammad.
Adam replied: When you created me, I lifted my head
and saw: (لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله) written on the throne. Therefore I knew
that Muhammad must be of a very high stature, else you would not have written
his name along with Your Name.
Allah said: I have forgiven you. He will be the last
Messenger and from your progeny. I have created you because of him.
b) The second narration is when Allah created the sky
and the earth. He wrote Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w.a.) name on the Pillars of
the Throne and on the Doors of Paradise and on the leaves of the trees in
Paradise. It was written that Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) would be the last Prophet.
In
addition to these narrations, there are several more proofs for taking the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as Waseelah in prayers and for seeking forgiveness.
(Fataawa of Ibne Taymiyya vol 2 pg 150, Tarikh-e-Ibne Kathir in Story of Adam)
(Fataawa of Ibne Taymiyya vol 2 pg 150, Tarikh-e-Ibne Kathir in Story of Adam)
Apart from Ibne Taymiyya, other Sunni scholars have
also documented these narrations viz. Suyuti, Bayhaqi and Tabarani.
2) Prediction and instruction
of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
Ayesha narrates that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
predicted about the Khawaarij:
هم شر الخلق و الخليقة يقتلهم خير الخلق و الخليقة
أقربهم عند اللّه الوسيلة
They (Khawaarij) are the worst of the creatures who
shall be put to sword by the best of creation and the most proximate of mediums
(waseelah) towards Allah. (Sharhe Nahj al-Balaaghah vol 2 pg 247)
In this tradition – Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) Ali b.
Abi Talib (a.s.) is referred to as the Waseelah towards Allah.
3) Conduct of Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.)
Abu Hurairah says: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) informed
about Adam (a.s.) and his seeking medium (refer above under Tafseer of Surah
Baqarah (2: 37)):
Allah addressed Adam (a.s.):
يا آدم هؤلاء صفوتيفإذا كان لك حاجة فهؤلاءتوسل
O Adam, these (progeny of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.))
are my chosen ones. Whenever you have a need, make them your medium (towards
me).
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) continued:
نحن سفينة النجاة و من تعلق بها نجا و من حاد عنها هلك
فمن كان له الي الله حاجة فليسالنا اهل البيت
We are
the Arks of Deliverance, anyone who embarks on them is saved and anyone who
defies them is destroyed. Anyone who has a need before Allah must make us Ahle
Bait (a.s.) as his medium.
(Faraaed al-Simtain vol 1 pg 34 tradition 1)
(Faraaed al-Simtain vol 1 pg 34 tradition 1)
4) Sermon of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.)
The daughter of the noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.) – Hazrat
Fatima Zahra (s.a.) says in her sermon
و احمد الله الذي بعظمته و نوره يبتغي من في السموات
والارض اليه الوسيلة و نحن وسيلة في خلقه
I praise Allah the One through Whose Greatness and Light
everyone in the heavens and the earth seeks medium for proximity and we are the
medium of proximity to Allah among His Creation.’ (Sharhe Nahj al-Balaaghah vol
1 pg 211)
5) Umar resorts to Tawassul
a)
Ibne Hajar al-Asqalaani (exp 852 A.H.) records in Fath al-Baari fi Sharh
al-Bukhari vol 2, pg 412:
It has been narrated by reliable chain of narrators that during the time of the second caliph – Umar b. Khattaab there was a drought and famine.
It has been narrated by reliable chain of narrators that during the time of the second caliph – Umar b. Khattaab there was a drought and famine.
Bilal b. Haaris who was a companion of the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) approached the grave of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and
pleaded:
Your
nation is being destroyed, seek rains of mercy from the Lord of the World.
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) appeared in his dream and said: Rains will soon pour
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) appeared in his dream and said: Rains will soon pour
b) As recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari on the authority
of Anas:
At the
time of drought Umar b. Khattaab used to request Abbas b. Abdul Muttalib to
invoke Allah for rain.
Umar himself would supplicate:
Umar himself would supplicate:
O
Allah! We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for rain, and You would bless
us with rain, and now we ask his uncle to invoke You for rain. O Allah! Bless
us with rain.
And so it would rain.
(Sahih al-Bukhari vol 2, book 17, trad 123)
And so it would rain.
(Sahih al-Bukhari vol 2, book 17, trad 123)
Umar was a caliph of the Muslims and among the
foremost Salaf. He resorts to Tawassul of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). As a matter
of fact Umar takes the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as a Waseelah through the Waseelah of
Abbas b. Abdul Muttalib. The aforementioned narrations show that not only was
Tawassul a recommended practice during the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) lifetime, it was
recommended even after his (s.a.w.a.) demise.
6) Residents of Medina resort
to Tawassul
Masoodi documents in Muruj al-Zahab:
In the 53rd year of Hijrah, Ziyaad b. Abeeh the ruler
of Iraq wrote to Muawiyah:
All of Iraq lies under the control of my right hand
whereas my left hand is empty (indicating towards the rule of other countries).
Muawiyah entrusted him with the rule of Hijaz (area
covering Medina and Mecca).
When the inhabitants of Medina heard this, all of
them – adults as well as children entered the mosque of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
wailing and praying for three days and sought his mediation with Allah because
they were aware of the oppression and tyranny wrought by Ziyaad.
As a
result of this Tawassul, Ziyaad died after three days.
(Muruj al-Zahab vol 3 pg 32)
(Muruj al-Zahab vol 3 pg 32)
7) Hakim Nishapuri resorts to
Tawassul
It is
recorded in Faraaed al-Simtain that Hakim Nishapuri – renowned Sunni scholar
and author of Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain mentions his seeking intercession
though Imam Ali b. Moosa al-Reza (a.s.) thus:
Allah endowed me with the recognition of the sacred shrine of Imam Ali b. Moosa (a.s.) …As an example I quote from my experience – for a long time I was afflicted with such a pain in my foot that I could move only slightly and that too with great difficulty.
Allah endowed me with the recognition of the sacred shrine of Imam Ali b. Moosa (a.s.) …As an example I quote from my experience – for a long time I was afflicted with such a pain in my foot that I could move only slightly and that too with great difficulty.
In
this condition I went for the Ziyaarah of the grave of Imam Ali b. Moosa
al-Reza (a.s.) and remained there for the night. The following morning there
were no signs of the pain in my foot and I returned safely to Nishapur.
(Faraaed al-Simtain vol 2 pg 22)
(Faraaed al-Simtain vol 2 pg 22)
8) Ibne Hibbaan resorts to
Tawassul
Ibn Hibban, who according to many Sunni scholars
ranks as the most reliable scholar after Bukhari and Muslim has documented his
visitation (Ziyaarah) to the tomb of Imam Ali b. Moosa al-Reza (a.s.) in
Mashshad, Iran, in his Sahih-e-Ibn Hibban:
I have
done ziyaarah of his tomb many times, during my stay at Tus. Whenever I got
into any difficulty I went to the grave of Imam Ali b. Moosa al-Reza (a.s.) and
asked Allah for the fulfillment of my need. Every time I was answered and my
difficulty was removed. This is such a reality that I found it to be true no
matter how many times I did it. May Allah grant us death in the true love for
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his blessed Ahle Bait.
(Ibn Abi Haatim al-Raazi, Kitab al-Theqah, vol. 8 pg 457, tradition 14,411)
(Ibn Abi Haatim al-Raazi, Kitab al-Theqah, vol. 8 pg 457, tradition 14,411)
9) Mansoor-e-Dawaaneqee ordered
to do Tawassul through the Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
Qazi Ayyaaz b. Moosa the renowned Sunni scholar of
Marrakech, Morroco, records: Mansoor-e-Dawaaneqee (or Haroon Rashid according
to other narrations) asked Imam Malik (one of the leaders of jurisprudence of
Ahle Tasannun) in a debate that took place in Masjid-e-Nabawi:
While supplicating, should I stand facing the Qiblah
or should I face the burial place of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)?
Imam
Malik: Why are you turning your face away from your father the Holy Prophet
(s.aw.a.)? He is your intercessor and the intercessor of your forefather Adam
(a.s.). Rather, turn towards the grave of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) and seek
intercession through him.
(Kitab al-Shifa, Chapter Ziyaarah al-Nabi by Qazi Ayyaz)
(Kitab al-Shifa, Chapter Ziyaarah al-Nabi by Qazi Ayyaz)
10) Tawassul through the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in his childhood
Supplications were made with the Waseelah of the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) even before his prophethood, while he was still a child.
This is hardly surprising as we have already seen the Tawassul of Hazrat Adam
(a.s.) thousands of years before the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) birth.
Ibn
Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhab Najdi states – When Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was a child,
Mecca witnessed a rain deficit for an extended period of time. The Prophet’s
(s.a.w.a.) uncle Abu Talib (a.s.) prayed for rain through the Waseelah of the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
(Mukhtasar Seerat al-Rasool by Ibne Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhab al-Najdi)
(Mukhtasar Seerat al-Rasool by Ibne Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhab al-Najdi)
It is notable that Abu Talib (a.s.) is the one
praying through the Waseelah of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) which belies the claims
of the skeptics that he was a disbeliever in Islam and the Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
Rather the skeptics are the disbelievers in Islam and Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
because they deny Tawassul through the medium of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), who
was the saviour of past prophets like Hazrat Adam (a.s.).
11) Blind man regains eyesight
with Tawassul
Ibne Taymiyyah records that Usman b. Hunaif narrates
that a blind person came to the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and requested him
(s.a.w.a.): Pray to Allah that He bestows me with sight.
The
Prophet (s.a.w.a.): Perform ablution, offer two units prayers and then
supplicate to Allah thus:
O Allah, I ask You through the Waseelah of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
Allah resored his sight.
(Al-Tawasul by Ibne Taymiyyah pg 80 sourced from Tirmizi, Ibn Maajah, Hakim Nishapuri, Imam Bukhari in Tareekh, Musnad-e-Ahmad Ibne Hanbal and Tabarani)
O Allah, I ask You through the Waseelah of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
Allah resored his sight.
(Al-Tawasul by Ibne Taymiyyah pg 80 sourced from Tirmizi, Ibn Maajah, Hakim Nishapuri, Imam Bukhari in Tareekh, Musnad-e-Ahmad Ibne Hanbal and Tabarani)
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) himself recommends Tawassul to
the blind man while he (s.a.w.a.) could just as easily have prayed for the
blind man himself which incidentally would also have been tantamount to
Tawassul.
Skeptics justify this by claiming that Tawassul of
this nature in the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) lifetime was permitted but is
prohibited after his demise. The claim is groundless. Are they claiming that
Tawassul was abrogated after the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) demise? Let them advance
a verse from the Quran which abrogates Tawassul if they are truthful in their
claims.
12) Waseelah of companions
Not just the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), even righteous
companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) were Waseelah for the people in times of
distress.
Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abdul Birr, Ibn Saad, Ibn Athir
record: Whenever there was a famine in Rome, the Romans would supplicate
through the Waseelah of Abu Ayyub Ansari (r.a.).
When
supplication was made through the Waseelah of Abu Ayyub Ansari (r.a.) it did
rain.
(Tareekh-e-Ibne Kathir, Tabaqaat-e-Ibne Saad, Usd al-Ghaabah, Istiaab).
(Tareekh-e-Ibne Kathir, Tabaqaat-e-Ibne Saad, Usd al-Ghaabah, Istiaab).
These are some proofs of tawassul from authentic sources hope this will make you 100% firm in your belief about permissibility of intercession through pious person of Allah.
May bless us all.Ameen
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