It is the belief of the
Ahl-as-Sunnah that it is permissible to supplicate to ALLAH with the Tawasul of
good deeds. It is permitted to supplicate with the Tawasul of a living pious
person and it is also permitted to supplicate with the Tawasul of the deceased
pious person. It is this belief that we shall prove in this chapter. (Insha’ALLAH)
The following is evidence that proves that it is permitted to seek the Waseela
of the living and the deceased;
Proof from the Qur’an
ALLAH most High says in the Holy Qur'an:
O you who Believe! Do your duties to ALLAH and fear Him seek the means of
approach unto him, and strive (with might and main) in His cause so that you may
prosper. (Surah Mai’dah verse 35, Surah 5)
In this verse, ALLAH has informed us to seek ways of obtaining Waseela, a means
to approach Him. Our Prophet (May ALLAH bless him and grant him peace), is our
Waseela in this world and hereafter.
ALLAH Ta’ala says in the Holy Qur'an:
Before that, they were asking for victory over the infidels by means of the same
Prophet. Surah Baqarah verse 89
Imam Tabari, Hafidhh Ibn ul Qayyum al Jawzi, Hafidhh Ibn Kathir and Qadi
Shawkani write that before the birth of the Messenger of ALLAH (May ALLAH bless
him and grant him peace), the Jews would make the Prophet, ALLAH's peace and
blessings be upon him, a Waseela in their supplications, when asking ALLAH to
defeat their enemies in battle. (Tafsir Ibn Jareer, Tafsir Ibn Kathir & Tafsir
Fath ul Qadeer Shawkaani. Ibn Qayyum. Under, verse Baqarah 89 and
Hadaya-tul-Hayara page 95 by Hafidhh Ibn Qayyum al Jawzi.
Someone may object to this by saying that this was an act of the Jews, hence it
cannot be used as evidence for Muslims. However, ALLAH has mentioned this event
in the Qur'an and did not condemn this, therefore this demonstrates that if it
were impermissible the Holy Qur'an would not have mentioned it, nor left it
unremanded
Proof from Hadith
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes: When Adam (Alay hissalaam) made a mistake, he made
Du'a like this: ' O ALLAH forgive my mistake with the Waseela of Muhammad, (May
ALLAH bless him and grant him peace).ALLAH asked the Prophet Adam peace be upon
him, (rhetorically) how he knew about Muhammad, (May ALLAH bless him and grant
him peace)
Adam, peace be upon him, answered “when you created me, I lifted my head and
saw: (LA ILA HA ILLALLAHU MUHAMMDUR RASU LULLAH) written on the throne.
Therefore I knew that this person must be of a very high status. Other wise you
would not have written his name with yours. ALLAH Ta'ala then said I have
forgiven you. He will be the last Messenger in your children and I have created
you because of him. The second narration is when ALLAH Ta'ala created the Sky,
and the Earth. He wrote our Prophet Muhammad's, (May ALLAH bless him and grant
him peace) name on the pillars of the throne and on the doors of paradise, and
on the leafs of the trees in Paradise. It was written that Muhammad (My ALLAH
bless him and grant him peace) would be the last Prophet. In addition to both of
these narrations, are counter proofs for one another. They have the status as
authentic narrations.
["Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya vol. 2 page 150" also Tareekh Ibn Kathir in Story of Adam]
Apart from Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyya, other Scholars have also written these
narrations. Like Hafidhh Suyuti, Bayhaqi and Tabrani.
Qadi Ayad writes; Imam Malik was present at the blessed grave of the Messenger
of ALLAH (May ALLAH bless him and grant him peace) where-upon the Caliph Haroon
approached and asked him 'Which direction shall I face when I supplicate?' Imam
Malik replied 'Why turn your face away from RasoolALLAH [May ALLAH bless Him and
grant Him peace] when the Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]is a
Waseela for you as he was for your Father Adam 'Alayhissalam. Turn your face
towards the Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]and make Istishfaa
(request for Du'a).
[“Kitab As-Shifa, Chapter Ziyarat un-Nabi by Qadi Iyad” ]
Du'a was even made with the Waseela of our Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and
grant Him peace] when he was a child.
Ibn Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab Najdi states, when our Prophet Muhammad, (May ALLAH
bless him and grant him peace), was a child, rain had not fallen upon Makkah for
a long period of time. His Uncle Abu Talib, prayed for rain through the Waseela
of our Prophet (SallALLAHu’alihi wa sallam.)
“Mukhtasar Seeratur Rasul, By Ibn Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab al Najdi”
Imam Bukhari writes that there was a famine during the Khilafah of Umar, (ALLAH
be pleased with him), who supplicated to ALLAH by presenting the Waseela of the
uncle of the Messenger of ALLAH, Abbas, May ALLAH be well pleased with him. He
prayed to ALLAH by saying: 'O ALLAH, we used to supplicate to you with the
Waseela of the Prophet (May ALLAH bless him and grant him peace) and you would
bestow us with rain. Now we present You the Waseela of (Abbas ALLAH be well
pleased with him), the uncle of the Prophet So please grant us rain.'
[“Bukhari in Baab-ul-Istisqaa”]
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah and Imam Ibn Sa’ad have both written that during the
Khilafah of Ameer Mu'awiya RadhiALLAHu 'anhu there was a famine. The people came
out of their houses and Ameer Mu'awiya asked them "Where is Yazeed bin Aswad
Jurshi?," where upon Yazeed bin Aswad RadhiALLAHu 'anhu came to Ameer Mu'awiya
who then supplicated in this way ‘Ya ALLAH we supplicate to you with the Waseela
of one of the best of the people from this age'. Then he asked Yazeed bin Aswad
to supplicate to ALLAH, for rain, and when he supplicated, it began to rain.
[“Tabqa'at Ibn Sa'ad biography of Yazeed bin Aswad & Ibn Tayymiah Al-Tawasul”
page 276]
Both the above narrations prove that to supplicate with the Waseela of a pious
person is permitted and is from the Ijma of the Sahaba.
The Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]himself said that make Du’a
through my Waseela.
Hafidhh Ibn Tayymiah writes that Uthman bin Haneef RadhiALLAHu 'anhu narrates
that a blind person came to RasoolALLAH [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him
peace]and said: 'Pray to ALLAH that He bestows me with sight'. RasoolALLAH [May
ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace] replied: 'Perform ablution, pray two rak'at
Salaah and then supplicate to ALLAH in this way: 'Ya ALLAH, I ask You through
the Waseela of the Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]; ALLAH
Subhana wa ta'ala returned his sight.
[“Al-Tawasul by Hafidhh Ibn Tayymiah page 80 he obtained information from these
books Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Haakim, Imam Bukhari in Tareekh, Musnad Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal and Tibraani”]
This Hadith proves that RasoolALLAH [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]
gave the permission to supplicate to ALLAH by presenting the Waseela of his
blessed self.
Imam Bukhari writes that Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]said,
“Help the poor, because the help and food that ALLAH has given to you is with
their waseela.”
[Bukhari chap on Jihad]
Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes that ALLAH helps the Ummah and provides them with food
because of the sincere du’as of the poor people.
[Fathul Bari chap on Jihad]
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim writes that the Prophet [May ALLAH bless him and
grant Him peace] said, “A time will come when the non-believers will fight the
Muslims. It will be asked, Is there anyone in the army who has seen the Prophet?
They will reply yes and will win the war. Another time will come when there will
be another war with the kafirs and the Muslims and a question will be asked,
have you anyone in the army who has seen the companions of the Prophet? They
will reply yes and will win the war. Another time will come and a question will
be asked, Is there anyone in the army who has seen the person who has seen the
companions’ companions? They will reply yes, and will win the war. [Bukhari
chapter on Jihad and Muslim chapter on Fada’il Sahaba]
Ibn Hajar Asqalani writes that these three wars will be won by the Muslims with
the waseela of the Sahabah, tabi’ee and taba tabi’ee. This hadith is also
verified by another hadith, where Prophet [May ALLAH bless him and grant Him
peace] said: “My time is the best, then the companions time is the best, then
the people who have seen the companions’ companions time is the best.”
[Fathul Bari chap on Jihad]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir writes, that the Prophet said that seven people will always
remain in my Ummah, and with their waseela, ALLAH will provide rain, help, and
food for the Ummah. Another hadith states that the Prophet [May ALLAH bless him
and grant Him peace] said that thirty abdaal (saints) will always stay in my
Ummah, and with their waseela, ALLAH Almighty will provide rain, help and food.
Qattadah says, Hasan al Basri was one of them.
(Tafsir ibn Kathir Surah Al-Baqarah under Verse 252).
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir and Qadi Shawkani write, Uthman bin Haneef reported that a
blind person came to the Prophet [May ALLAH bless him and grant Him peace]. The
blind person said, do du’a for me so ALLAH Almighty restores my sight. Prophet
[May ALLAH bless him and grant Him peace] said if you really want to, I can do
du’a for you or I can leave it. (This means that if the blind man leaves his
sight as it is, he will be rewarded more on the Day of Judgement). But the blind
man said insisted that the Prophet should do Du’a for him. The Prophet asked him
to perform ablution and pray two rakah nafl and make following supplication: “O
ALLAH! I ask You with the waseela of the Prophet [May ALLAH bless him and grant
Him peace]. Ya Muhammad! I am making du’a to ALLAH Almighty with your waseela,
so that ALLAH Almighty may accept my du’a. O ALLAH! Make Prophet [May ALLAH
bless him and grant Him peace] as my interceder.”
This hadith is written by ibn Majah, Nasai, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Haaqim, ibn Sunni,
Tibrani and ibn Huzaima. Tibrani and ibn Huzaima said this hadith is authentic.
This hadith proves that it is permissible to make supplication with the waseela
of Prophet [May ALLAH bless him and grant Him peace].
(Tareekh ibn Kathir chapter on Mowjizaat and Tuhfah Al Dhakireen chapter Salaah
ul Haajah).
Imam Bayhaqi has also wrote this narration but also included an additional
element of the hadith that states Uthman bin Haneef reported that the blind man
followed what the Prophet [May ALLAH bless him and grant Him peace] said and
when he returned, his sight was restored.
(chapter on Al-Mowjizaat).
It is proved from the above hadith that it is permissible to say “Ya Muhammad”
and it is also permissible to make supplication to ALLAH with the waseela of the
Prophet.
Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal writes that Sayyidna ‘Ali narrated that, the Prophet [May
ALLAH bless him and grant Him peace] said, “there will remain Forty Abdaal
(Saints) in Syria. Through their Waseela, ALLAH will provide food, shelter, rain
and victory over the Kaffirs. Whenever one dies, he is replaced by another.”
(Musnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, Musnad of Hadrat ‘Ali [Radi ALLAHu ‘anhu]
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir, Ibn abdul-Barr and Ibn Sa’aad, Ibn Athir writes: 'Whenever
there was a famine in Rome, then the Romans would supplicate by presenting the
Waseela of Abu Ayyub Ansari RadhiALLAHu 'anhu'.
(Tareekh Ibn Kathir). Tabakat Ibn Sa’d, Usdool-Gabah, Isteyab by Ibn Sa’d, Ibn
Atheer and Abdul-Barr)
Hafidhh Ibn Kathir made no critical comments with regards to this. When
supplication was made through Abu Ayyub Ansaari Radi ALLAHo making him the
waseela, it did rain.
Our Prophet is our Waseela even after his Death.
Hafidhh Ibn Taymyya writes: A person came to Uthman Ghani RadhiALLAHu 'anhu with
regards to seeking some assistance, but he was unable to attract the attention
of the Khalifah on every attempt. The same person met Uthman bin Haneef,
RadhiALLAHu 'anhu, and told him his problem. Uthman bin Haneef gave him some
advice which was: 'Perform Wudhu, pray two rak'at Nawaafil and then supplicate
in this way: " Ya ALLAH, I ask You through the Waseela of Your Messenger
Muhammad [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]The person again went to
Uthman bin Affan RadhiALLAHu 'anhu who helped him with his work and also said
'If you ever need my help in future, I will help you (with regards to work).
[Qay’da jaleelah Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah page 96 Tabraani, Bayhaqi, Hakim]
Hafidhh Ibn Taymyya After writing this narration writes that, 'Maqdasi states
that this narration is Sahih and Hakim declares that it fulfils the conditions
of Bukhari, then Hafidhh Ibn Tayymiah goes on to say: 'The opinion of Uthman bin
Haneef is that it is permitted to supplicate in this way even after our Prophet
[May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]passed away. But since this is not
evident from any other companion it does not prove that it is Wajib.
[“Al-waseela Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah page 98” ]
It is the belief of the Ahl-al-Sunnah that it is permitted, and has never been
claimed that it is Wajib. Ibn Taymyyah further adds: 'It is evident from a group
of the Salaf that they held the practice of supplicating with the Waseela of the
Prophet (SallALLAHu’alaihi wa sallam)' He then includes the following report:
'According to Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal it is permitted to supplicate with the
Waseela of the Prophet (SallALLAHu’ alaihi wa sallam.’) After writing all this
Hafidhh Ibn Tayymiah makes the statement: 'If a person makes the obedience of
the Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace] the Waseela, then this is
fine. But if he makes the Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace]
himself the Waseela then this is something with which we do not agree with'.
[“Al-waseela Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah page 100”]
Even in Hafidhh Ibn Taimiyyah's books, there are dozens of narrations, which
show that the Salaf would present the Waseela of RasoolALLAH [May ALLAH bless
Him and grant Him peace] when supplicating to ALLAH. So it is a very strange
phenomenon to deny the Waseela of the Prophet [May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him
peace] after having full knowledge of these narrations, and the practice of the
Salaf.
Muhammad bin Abdul Wahaab Al Najdi writes that scholars have different opinion
about making supplication du’a with the Waseela of the pious people. Some permit
it, while the others, do not. So it is not right to say some one is Kafir who
goes to the grave of a pious person and make Waseela.
(Majmooah ul Mu’allifat Al Qism ul Salith pg 68 by Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahaab ul
Najdi)
Qadi Shawkani writes that to supplicate with the waseela of the Prophet is
permissible and evidence for that hadith is narrated by Uthman bin Hanif that
states that the Prophet asked a blind man to pray with his Waseela. Tirmizi,
Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzamah and Hakim narrate this hadith. To pray with a
pious person’s Waseela is also permitted and Imam Bukhari gives evidence of that
hadith as he writes that companions of the Prophet made du’a with the Waseela of
Abbas during the time of famine in Madina.
(Tuhfa ul Dakireen chapter Adab ul Du’a by Qadi Shawkani)
These are all the proofs, that demonstrate that it is permitted to supplicate to
ALLAH by presenting the Waseela of the pious, whether they are alive or have
passed away. And success is from ALLAH.