What is the prescribed tawassul?

The questioner : Tawassul to a created being—what of it has the Shari'ah permitted? What has the Shari'ah permitted of it?

The Shaykh : Tawassul to a created being?

The questioner : Through a created being.

The Shaykh : Tawassul through a created being, and you mean what you are saying, meaning...

The questioner : Yes, my Shaykh.

The Shaykh : I don't understand how, meaning?

The questioner : I mean, there is permissible tawassul, such as tawassul through righteous deeds, which is a created thing. Is there, meaning, anything other than righteous deeds that is a created thing through which tawassul is permissible?

The Shaykh : Subhan Allah, when you say "created being," the meaning is not understood, whereas "righteous deed" is understood, meaning the creation of a human body, an angel, a jinn, and so on. We have elaborated on the matter of tawassul in the well-known treatise on tawassul, its types and rulings. Tawassul is either by one of the names of Allah, or by one of the attributes of Allah, or by the tawassul of the person seeking nearness through his own righteous deed, or by the tawassul of the person seeking nearness through the supplication of his Muslim brother. After these four types, there is no prescribed tawassul.

The questioner : I ask Allah to reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And you as well.

The questioner : Shaykh, you mentioned in your book Kashf al-Nuqat