What is the ruling on seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the prophets, and the righteous?
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The questioner : Noble Shaykh, what is the ruling on seeking nearness to Allah through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and likewise seeking nearness through the prophets and the righteous? What is the difference between seeking nearness through the living and seeking nearness through the dead? And what is the permissible form of seeking nearness?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
The truth is that this question, as you mentioned, is an important one that requires a detailed answer. I say that seeking nearness (tawassul) is: adopting a means to reach the intended goal. It is close in meaning to "attainment," meaning that the means is the thing that leads to the intended end. The means must necessarily lead to the intended end, either in reality or by religious law. If it does not, then preoccupation with it is mere nonsense. Furthermore, if it is in the context of worship, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah); otherwise, it is idle talk and nonsense.
And seeking nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is entirely a matter of worship, because the intended goal is reaching Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His pleasure. Whatever is a means to this is worship. And since it is worship, it is contingent upon what the Shari'ah has brought. It is not permissible for us to invent a means to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) that the Shari'ah has not brought. Accordingly, we say: seeking nearness is of two types:
Forbidden seeking nearness, and permissible, prescribed seeking nearness.
As for the forbidden seeking nearness, its criterion is that a person seeks nearness to Allah with something that has not been established by religious law as a means. Among this is seeking nearness through the dead, which is forbidden (haram) and may even be major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that takes one out of the religion. Also among this is that a person seeks nearness through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), according to the stronger opinion. This is because the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is among the greatest statuses with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). If Moses and Jesus are among the nobles with Allah, then Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is better and more deserving of status than anyone else. However, status is only beneficial to the one who deserves it. As for the one making the supplication, he does not benefit from it because he gains nothing from it.
The position of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with Allah is only beneficial to him alone. As for others, nothing benefits them with Allah except faith in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and what he brought, and what is a legitimate means according to the Shari'ah.
As for the second type, which is permissible seeking nearness, it has categories:
The first: seeking nearness to Allah by His names. For example, you say: "O Allah, I ask You by Your beautiful names and Your exalted attributes to forgive me, for instance." This is permissible. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:180].
And in the famous hadith of Ibn Mas'ud regarding the removal of worry and grief:Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 18:73 to the end of it. Here he said: Mishkat al-Masabih 2452 the hadith.
So seeking nearness to Allah by His names is valid and prescribed, whether you seek nearness by His names in general, such as saying: "I ask You by Your beautiful names, I ask You by every name that is Yours," or by a specific name from His names, as if you say: "O Allah, You are the Forgiver, the Merciful, so forgive me and have mercy on me."
The second: seeking nearness to Allah by His attributes. As came in the hadith:Mishkat al-Masabih 2497 Here he asked Allah by one of His attributes, by Your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation. From this is the seeking nearness in the prayer for guidance (istikharah): Sahih al-Bukhari 6382.
The third: seeking nearness to Allah by His actions. That is, you seek nearness by an action that Allah the Exalted performed for someone else, so that He grants you what He did for that other person. Among this is:Sahih al-Bukhari 3370 Here we sought nearness to Allah by one of His actions, which is His sending blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim, so that He sends blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.
The fourth: seeking nearness to Allah by faith in Him. Among this is His saying, the Exalted:[Ali 'Imran 3:193] So you say: "O Allah, I ask You by my faith in You and in Your Messenger to forgive me and to protect me from the great terror on the Day of Judgment," and the like of that.
The fifth: seeking nearness to Allah by righteous deeds. That is, a person seeks nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by his righteous deed so that He gives him what he desires. Among this is the story of the three men in the cave who were trapped by a rock in the cave and could not move it. They sought nearness to Allah the Exalted by their righteous deeds. One of them sought nearness by his dutifulness to his parents, the second by his chastity from unlawful sexual intercourse, and the third by his fulfillment of the wages of his companion. So Allah accepted from them, the rock moved, and they walked out.
The sixth: seeking nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by the supplication of the righteous. Among this is the request of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to supplicate for them. For example: the request of the man who entered while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday, and he said: And also the statement of 'Ikamah ibn Mahsan when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning or punishment, and he said: "O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to make me among them." He said: .
This is the prescribed seeking nearness regarding the righteous: that you seek nearness to Allah by their supplication. As for seeking nearness to Allah by their very selves, this is from the non-prescribed seeking nearness, indeed from the forbidden seeking nearness.
And the seventh: seeking nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by mentioning one's state. This is seeking compassion and tenderness, meaning: asking for compassion and asking for tenderness. Among this is the statement of Moses (peace be upon him):[Al-Qasas 28:24] So you say: "O Allah, I am poor, incapable, destitute, weak," and the like of that. You complain of your state to Allah. This complaint is considered a means to the mercy, forgiveness, and provision of Allah.
These are the prescribed categories of seeking nearness. As for seeking nearness by other than what has been transmitted, it is from the forbidden seeking nearness. And Allah knows best.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
The truth is that this question, as you mentioned, is an important one that requires a detailed answer. I say that seeking nearness (tawassul) is: adopting a means to reach the intended goal. It is close in meaning to "attainment," meaning that the means is the thing that leads to the intended end. The means must necessarily lead to the intended end, either in reality or by religious law. If it does not, then preoccupation with it is mere nonsense. Furthermore, if it is in the context of worship, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah); otherwise, it is idle talk and nonsense.
And seeking nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is entirely a matter of worship, because the intended goal is reaching Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and His pleasure. Whatever is a means to this is worship. And since it is worship, it is contingent upon what the Shari'ah has brought. It is not permissible for us to invent a means to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) that the Shari'ah has not brought. Accordingly, we say: seeking nearness is of two types:
Forbidden seeking nearness, and permissible, prescribed seeking nearness.
As for the forbidden seeking nearness, its criterion is that a person seeks nearness to Allah with something that has not been established by religious law as a means. Among this is seeking nearness through the dead, which is forbidden (haram) and may even be major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that takes one out of the religion. Also among this is that a person seeks nearness through the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), according to the stronger opinion. This is because the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is among the greatest statuses with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). If Moses and Jesus are among the nobles with Allah, then Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is better and more deserving of status than anyone else. However, status is only beneficial to the one who deserves it. As for the one making the supplication, he does not benefit from it because he gains nothing from it.
The position of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with Allah is only beneficial to him alone. As for others, nothing benefits them with Allah except faith in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and what he brought, and what is a legitimate means according to the Shari'ah.
As for the second type, which is permissible seeking nearness, it has categories:
The first: seeking nearness to Allah by His names. For example, you say: "O Allah, I ask You by Your beautiful names and Your exalted attributes to forgive me, for instance." This is permissible. Allah the Exalted said:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them
وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاAnd in the famous hadith of Ibn Mas'ud regarding the removal of worry and grief:
I ask You, O Allah, by every name that is Yours by which You named Yourself, or which You revealed in Your Book, or which You taught any of Your creation, or which You kept exclusive in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the great Qur'an the spring of my heart
أسألك اللهم بكل اسم هو لك سميت به نفسك، أو أنزلته في كتابك، أو علمته أحداً من خلقك، أو استأثرت به في علم الغيب عندك، أن تجعل القرآن العظيم ربيع قلبيI ask Thee by every name Thou hast by which Thou hast called Thyself
أسألك بكل اسم هو لك سميت به نفسكSo seeking nearness to Allah by His names is valid and prescribed, whether you seek nearness by His names in general, such as saying: "I ask You by Your beautiful names, I ask You by every name that is Yours," or by a specific name from His names, as if you say: "O Allah, You are the Forgiver, the Merciful, so forgive me and have mercy on me."
The second: seeking nearness to Allah by His attributes. As came in the hadith:
O God, by Thy knowledge of the unseen and Thy power to create, grant me life as long as Thou knowest life to be best for me, and take me when Thou knowest death to be best for me
اللهم بعلمك الغيب وقدرتك على الخلق أحييني إذا علمت الحياة خيراً لي، وتوفني إذا علمت الوفاة خيراً ليAllahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa as'aluka min fadlika-l-'azim
اللهم إني أستخيرك بعلمك، واستقدرك بقدرتك، وأسألك من فضلك العظيمThe third: seeking nearness to Allah by His actions. That is, you seek nearness by an action that Allah the Exalted performed for someone else, so that He grants you what He did for that other person. Among this is:
O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Mercy on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.
اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيدThe fourth: seeking nearness to Allah by faith in Him. Among this is His saying, the Exalted:
Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.
رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الأَبْرَارِThe fifth: seeking nearness to Allah by righteous deeds. That is, a person seeks nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by his righteous deed so that He gives him what he desires. Among this is the story of the three men in the cave who were trapped by a rock in the cave and could not move it. They sought nearness to Allah the Exalted by their righteous deeds. One of them sought nearness by his dutifulness to his parents, the second by his chastity from unlawful sexual intercourse, and the third by his fulfillment of the wages of his companion. So Allah accepted from them, the rock moved, and they walked out.
The sixth: seeking nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by the supplication of the righteous. Among this is the request of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to supplicate for them. For example: the request of the man who entered while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday, and he said:
O Messenger of Allah! The wealth has been destroyed and the paths have been cut off, so call upon Allah to send us relief. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made a supplication, and Allah sent them relief.
يا رسول الله! هلكت الأموال وانقطعت السبل فادع الله يغيثنا، فدعا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فأغاثهم اللهYou are among them.
أنت منهمThis is the prescribed seeking nearness regarding the righteous: that you seek nearness to Allah by their supplication. As for seeking nearness to Allah by their very selves, this is from the non-prescribed seeking nearness, indeed from the forbidden seeking nearness.
And the seventh: seeking nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by mentioning one's state. This is seeking compassion and tenderness, meaning: asking for compassion and asking for tenderness. Among this is the statement of Moses (peace be upon him):
My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need."
رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌThese are the prescribed categories of seeking nearness. As for seeking nearness by other than what has been transmitted, it is from the forbidden seeking nearness. And Allah knows best.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.