The Categories of Tawassul and Its Ruling
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The questioner, Abu Ibrahīm, has a set of questions he wrote to the program. He asks about tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) and its ruling in the Shari'ah. Honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling?
Answer:
Tawassul is of two types. The prescribed type is tawassul by the names and attributes of Allah, as He the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:180] You say, "O Merciful, have mercy on me; O Provider, provide for me."
And so on. Likewise, tawassul to Allah by righteous deeds, such as the story of the three men who took shelter in a cave during the night, and a rock fell on them. They thought of something to save them but found nothing except to seek nearness to Allah by the righteous deeds they had done. So they sought nearness to Allah by their righteous deeds, and Allah relieved them. Allah the Mighty and Majestic said:[Ali 'Imran 3:53] Tawassul by righteous deeds is prescribed.
As for the prohibited type, it is tawassul by persons, making them intermediaries between you and Allah in fulfilling your needs. Likewise, tawassul by the dead and the absent, and so on. Yes.
The questioner, Abu Ibrahīm, has a set of questions he wrote to the program. He asks about tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means) and its ruling in the Shari'ah. Honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling?
Answer:
Tawassul is of two types. The prescribed type is tawassul by the names and attributes of Allah, as He the Exalted said:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاAnd so on. Likewise, tawassul to Allah by righteous deeds, such as the story of the three men who took shelter in a cave during the night, and a rock fell on them. They thought of something to save them but found nothing except to seek nearness to Allah by the righteous deeds they had done. So they sought nearness to Allah by their righteous deeds, and Allah relieved them. Allah the Mighty and Majestic said:
Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger Jesus, so register us among the witnesses [to truth]."
رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَAs for the prohibited type, it is tawassul by persons, making them intermediaries between you and Allah in fulfilling your needs. Likewise, tawassul by the dead and the absent, and so on. Yes.
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 03/148 — archive.org (14:50)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.