Types of Tawassul

Question:
Abd al-Rahman from Harimla says: What are the types of tawassul?

Answer:
Tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means). Its types are numerous, but some are forbidden and some are permissible. Tawassul to Allah by His names and attributes is a prescribed matter, as He said: “So invoke Him by them.” This is tawassul by the names and attributes of Allah. You say, “O Merciful, have mercy on me; O Generous, be generous to me; O Accepter of Repentance, O Forgiver, accept my repentance and forgive me,” and so on. This is a prescribed matter.
Tawassul by the names and attributes of Allah, and also tawassul by the righteous deeds that have come from the servant. One tawassuls with his righteous deeds. “Our Lord, we have believed” This is tawassul to Allah by faith and by following the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). As for those upon whom the rock closed, blocking the entrance to the cave so they could not get out, they said, “None can save you except the righteousness of your deeds.”
So they tawassul to Allah by the righteousness of their lives. Some tawassul with their chastity from fornication after they had been able to commit it but left it out of fear of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Some tawassul with their dutifulness to their parents. Some tawassul with preserving the rights of people and safeguarding the wages of the worker until he came and took it from him after a period of time, including the increase that had accrued to it. He took all of it. So they tawassul to Allah by that, and the rock opened up for them, and they walked out. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you.