Tawassul and Its Types
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh:
May Allah greet you and bless you.
The questioner:
This is a Sudanese resident in Riyadh who says: Honorable Shaykh, tell us about tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means). Is tawassul through a righteous man, known for his righteousness, permissible? And how was the Prophetic guidance and the practice of the Companions regarding tawassul, may they be rewarded?
The Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:35] The means (wasilah) is obedience, because it brings one closer to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. It is called a means because it brings one closer to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means), regarding which the question is asked, includes what is forbidden and what is prescribed.
The forbidden and prohibited tawassul is to seek tawassul through the dead, claiming that they are righteous men, or through the persons of the living, claiming that they are righteous. It is not permissible to seek tawassul through created beings. Allah has not prescribed that for us. So seeking tawassul through created beings by their own selves, or through the dead, is a forbidden matter, and it is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah), if it is not shirk itself. If one offers something of worship to the one through whom tawassul is sought, he has committed shirk with it, as Allah the Exalted said:[Yunus 10:18] They do not know in the heavens or on the earth. Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate with Him. He purified Himself of that and called it shirk, because whoever directs any part of worship to other than Allah, whether living or dead, has committed major shirk. But if one limits himself to seeking tawassul through him without directing any part of worship to him, then it is bid'ah (religious innovation), and it is a means to shirk. As for the prescribed tawassul, it is asking for supplication, asking a living person who is present and able to supplicate to make du'a' (supplication) for you. This is a permissible matter, this is permissible tawassul. Because 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), during his caliphate, when they sought rain, said: "O Allah, we used to seek tawassul to You through our Prophet, meaning through the supplication of our Prophet, and You gave us rain. Now we seek tawassul through the uncle of our Prophet, so give us rain. Rise, O Abbas," meaning Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). "Rise, O Abbas, and supplicate." So he rose and supplicated to Allah, and they said "Ameen," and Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, gave them rain.
Likewise, tawassul through righteous deeds is seeking tawassul to Allah through your righteous deeds, such as the story of those whom the cave sheltered. A rock closed over them, blocking their exit. They sought tawassul to Allah through their righteous deeds, so the rock moved and they came out. One of them sought tawassul to Allah through his restraint from zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) after he had been able to commit it. He left it out of fear of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. The second sought tawassul to Allah through his dutifulness to his parents. He did not let anyone, not even his small children, drink milk before his parents. He did not let them take precedence over them, meaning with milk, until he had given his parents their share. So one day he came and found them sleeping, and he disliked waking them. So he held the vessel in his hand and stood beside them, while the children were crying at his feet. He was patient until his father woke up, so he gave them their share, being dutiful to them. The third sought tawassul to Allah through his trustworthiness. He hired a worker, so the worker left and did not take his wage. The wage was from the sheep, so he increased them for him and they gave birth until they multiplied and filled the valley. So the man came asking for his right. He said: "Take everything in this valley, it is all yours." He said: "Are you mocking me, O servant of Allah?" He said: "No, I am not mocking you. This is your right." So he drove them out and did not leave anything of them. So Allah the Exalted relieved them through these great means of tawassul, and they walked out. Likewise, tawassul to Allah through His names and attributes. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:180] You say: "O Rahman (Most Merciful), have mercy on me. O Razzak (Provider), provide for me," and so on. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
May Allah greet you and bless you.
The questioner:
This is a Sudanese resident in Riyadh who says: Honorable Shaykh, tell us about tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means). Is tawassul through a righteous man, known for his righteousness, permissible? And how was the Prophetic guidance and the practice of the Companions regarding tawassul, may they be rewarded?
The Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of nearness] to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَThe forbidden and prohibited tawassul is to seek tawassul through the dead, claiming that they are righteous men, or through the persons of the living, claiming that they are righteous. It is not permissible to seek tawassul through created beings. Allah has not prescribed that for us. So seeking tawassul through created beings by their own selves, or through the dead, is a forbidden matter, and it is a means to shirk (associating partners with Allah), if it is not shirk itself. If one offers something of worship to the one through whom tawassul is sought, he has committed shirk with it, as Allah the Exalted said:
And they worship other than Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allah " Say, "Do you inform Allah of
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِندَ اللَّهِ قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللَّهَ بِمَاLikewise, tawassul through righteous deeds is seeking tawassul to Allah through your righteous deeds, such as the story of those whom the cave sheltered. A rock closed over them, blocking their exit. They sought tawassul to Allah through their righteous deeds, so the rock moved and they came out. One of them sought tawassul to Allah through his restraint from zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) after he had been able to commit it. He left it out of fear of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. The second sought tawassul to Allah through his dutifulness to his parents. He did not let anyone, not even his small children, drink milk before his parents. He did not let them take precedence over them, meaning with milk, until he had given his parents their share. So one day he came and found them sleeping, and he disliked waking them. So he held the vessel in his hand and stood beside them, while the children were crying at his feet. He was patient until his father woke up, so he gave them their share, being dutiful to them. The third sought tawassul to Allah through his trustworthiness. He hired a worker, so the worker left and did not take his wage. The wage was from the sheep, so he increased them for him and they gave birth until they multiplied and filled the valley. So the man came asking for his right. He said: "Take everything in this valley, it is all yours." He said: "Are you mocking me, O servant of Allah?" He said: "No, I am not mocking you. This is your right." So he drove them out and did not leave anything of them. So Allah the Exalted relieved them through these great means of tawassul, and they walked out. Likewise, tawassul to Allah through His names and attributes. Allah the Exalted said:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاThe presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 03/016 — archive.org (0:53)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.