The Reality of Permissible and Prohibited Tawassul
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Question:
In a question from a questioner in the Arab Republic of Egypt, he says: Your Eminence, the concept of permissible tawassul and prohibited tawassul has become confused for many people.
We ask Your Eminence to clarify for us what tawassul is? What is permissible of it and what is prohibited? And examples of that?
May Allah reward you.
Answer:
Tawassul, as Ibn al-Qayyim and others (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned, has three categories:
The first type of tawassul is major shirk (associating partners with Allah): such as calling upon the dead, seeking aid from the dead, slaughtering animals for them, and making vows for them. This is major shirk. The polytheists say: [Az-Zumar: 3] .. [Yunus: 18]. They seek nearness through their calling and seeking aid from them, and this is major shirk.
The second type of tawassul: tawassul by their persons. You say: "O Allah, I ask You by the person of so-and-so, I ask You by Your Prophet so-and-so, O Allah, I ask You by Your righteous servants, O Allah, I ask You by Muhammad, by Musa." This is prohibited tawassul, a religious innovation (bid'ah); because it is a means to exaggeration and shirk.
The third type of tawassul: the permissible, prescribed tawassul. This is tawassul by the names and attributes of Allah, tawassul by your righteous deeds, by your faith. This is the prescribed tawassul, like what Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Al-A'raf: 180]. And like how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to call upon Allah by His names and attributes. This is called: prescribed tawassul. And like what is in the hadith: .
So tawassul by the attributes of Allah is a prescribed matter: "I ask You by Your mercy, I ask You by Your knowledge, I ask You by Your excellence, I ask You by Your power to forgive me." And from the limit of the supplication of the one who asked; when Uthman ibn Abi al-As asked him and complained to him of an illness, he said: "Place your hand on what you are complaining of, and say: 'I seek refuge in Allah by His might and His power from the evil I find and I fear.'" So he sought refuge by the might and power of Allah from the evil he finds and fears. And from that:Sahih Ibn Hibban 10:220.
As for tawassul by faith and righteous deeds, and by taqwa (mindfulness of Allah) for Allah; this is the Shari'ah tawassul. So tawassul by the attributes of Allah, and by the names of Allah, and by your faith and your taqwa, this is the Shari'ah tawassul.
As for tawassul by persons, the person of so-and-so and the person of so-and-so, or the status of so-and-so, or the right of so-and-so; this is innovative tawassul. So do not seek tawassul by the status of so-and-so, nor by the right of so-and-so, nor by the Prophet so-and-so, nor by the person of so-and-so; this is innovative tawassul.
As for tawassul by the knowledge of Allah, by obedience to Allah, by your following of the Shari'ah of Allah, all of this is fine. Tawassul by the attributes of Allah, and tawassul by the names of Allah and His attributes: [Al-A'raf: 180].
And from that: tawassul by righteous deeds, such as saying: "O Allah, I ask You by my faith in You, by my reliance upon You, by my trust in You, by my dutifulness to my parents, by fulfilling the trust, and the like of that. This is Shari'ah tawassul. And from that is the hadith of the people of the cave who were trapped by a rock; so they said among themselves: "Nothing will save you from this calamity except that you ask Allah by your righteous deeds." So they asked Allah by their righteous deeds. One of them said: This is tawassul by these three with their good deeds that they did for Allah (may He be exalted), so Allah benefited them with it during the hardship. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you, His Eminence the Shaykh, and bless you.
In a question from a questioner in the Arab Republic of Egypt, he says: Your Eminence, the concept of permissible tawassul and prohibited tawassul has become confused for many people.
We ask Your Eminence to clarify for us what tawassul is? What is permissible of it and what is prohibited? And examples of that?
May Allah reward you.
Answer:
Tawassul, as Ibn al-Qayyim and others (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned, has three categories:
The first type of tawassul is major shirk (associating partners with Allah): such as calling upon the dead, seeking aid from the dead, slaughtering animals for them, and making vows for them. This is major shirk. The polytheists say:
We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position
مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىThese are our intercessors with Allah
هَؤُلاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِThe second type of tawassul: tawassul by their persons. You say: "O Allah, I ask You by the person of so-and-so, I ask You by Your Prophet so-and-so, O Allah, I ask You by Your righteous servants, O Allah, I ask You by Muhammad, by Musa." This is prohibited tawassul, a religious innovation (bid'ah); because it is a means to exaggeration and shirk.
The third type of tawassul: the permissible, prescribed tawassul. This is tawassul by the names and attributes of Allah, tawassul by your righteous deeds, by your faith. This is the prescribed tawassul, like what Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them
وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاI seek refuge in Your might that You misguide me
أعوذ بعزتك أن تضلنيSo tawassul by the attributes of Allah is a prescribed matter: "I ask You by Your mercy, I ask You by Your knowledge, I ask You by Your excellence, I ask You by Your power to forgive me." And from the limit of the supplication of the one who asked; when Uthman ibn Abi al-As asked him and complained to him of an illness, he said: "Place your hand on what you are complaining of, and say: 'I seek refuge in Allah by His might and His power from the evil I find and I fear.'" So he sought refuge by the might and power of Allah from the evil he finds and fears. And from that:
O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your anger, in Your pardon from Your punishment, and in You from You. I cannot enumerate praise for You
اللهم إني أعوذ برضاك من سخطك، وبعفوك من عقوبتك، وبك منك، لا أحصي ثناء عليكAs for tawassul by faith and righteous deeds, and by taqwa (mindfulness of Allah) for Allah; this is the Shari'ah tawassul. So tawassul by the attributes of Allah, and by the names of Allah, and by your faith and your taqwa, this is the Shari'ah tawassul.
As for tawassul by persons, the person of so-and-so and the person of so-and-so, or the status of so-and-so, or the right of so-and-so; this is innovative tawassul. So do not seek tawassul by the status of so-and-so, nor by the right of so-and-so, nor by the Prophet so-and-so, nor by the person of so-and-so; this is innovative tawassul.
As for tawassul by the knowledge of Allah, by obedience to Allah, by your following of the Shari'ah of Allah, all of this is fine. Tawassul by the attributes of Allah, and tawassul by the names of Allah and His attributes:
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them
وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَاAnd from that: tawassul by righteous deeds, such as saying: "O Allah, I ask You by my faith in You, by my reliance upon You, by my trust in You, by my dutifulness to my parents, by fulfilling the trust, and the like of that. This is Shari'ah tawassul. And from that is the hadith of the people of the cave who were trapped by a rock; so they said among themselves: "Nothing will save you from this calamity except that you ask Allah by your righteous deeds." So they asked Allah by their righteous deeds. One of them said:
O Allah, I had two old parents, and I used not to give the evening drink to my family or my wealth before them. So one night, I went far in search of trees; and I did not return to them except that they had already slept. So I stood over their heads with the cup in my hand, waiting for them to wake up, and I did not like to wake them until the dawn broke. When they woke up, they drank their evening drink. O Allah, if You know that I did this seeking Your Face, then relieve us of what we are in. So the rock opened a little, but they could not get out of it. And the other said: O Allah, I had a cousin whom I loved as much as men love women, and I tried to seduce her, but she refused. Then a year of severe need came upon her, so she came to him saying: "O cousin, help me." He said: "No, until you allow me to have my way with you." So she complied because of her need. When he sat between her legs, she said to him: "O servant of Allah, fear Allah and do not break the seal except with its right." He said: "So I got up from her out of fear of You, and she is the most beloved of people to me. O Allah, if You know that I did this seeking Your Face, then relieve us of what we are in." So the rock opened a bit, but they could not get out. Then the third said: O Allah, I hired workers, and I gave every worker his right, except one who left his wage. So I increased it for him, and its fruit for him, until it became from it camels, cows, sheep, and slaves. So he came to me after that and said: "O servant of Allah, give me my wage." I said to him: "Everything you see is your wage from the camels, cows, sheep, and slaves." He said: "O servant of Allah, do not mock me." I said: "I am not mocking you. It is from your wage that I increased it for you. Take it and drive it all away." O Allah, if You know that I did this seeking Your Face, then relieve us of what we are in. So the rock opened until they got out
اللهم إنه كان لي أبوان شيخان كبيران، وكنت لا أغبق قبلهما أهلًا ولا مالًا، فنأى بي طلب الشجر ذات ليلة؛ فلم أرح عليهما إلا وقد ناما، فوقفت على رؤوسهما والقدح في يدي؛ أنتظر استيقاظهما، ولم أستحسن استيقاظهما حتى برق الصبح، فلما استيقظا شربا غبوقهما، اللهم إن كنت تعلم أني فعلت هذا ابتغاء وجهك؛ فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة شيئًا لا يستطيعون الخروج منه، وقال الآخر: اللهم إنه كانت لي ابنة عم كنت أحبها كأشد ما يحب الرجال النساء، وإني راودتها عن نفسها فأبت، فألمت بها سنة -يعني: حاجة شديدة- فجاءت إليه تقول: يا ابن عم، أعني، فقال: لا حتى تمكنيني من نفسك، فطاوعته من أجل حاجتها، فلما جلس بين رجليها، قالت له: يا عبد الله، اتق الله ولا تفض الخاتم إلا بحقه، قال: فقمت عنها خوفًا منك، وهي أحب الناس إلي، اللهم إن كنت تعلم أني فعلت هذا ابتغاء وجهك فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة بعض الشيء، لكنهم لا يستطيعون الخروج، ثم قال الثالث: اللهم إني استأجرت أجراء، فأعطيت كل أجير حقه، إلا واحدًا ترك أجره، فنميته له، وثمرته له، حتى صار منه إبل وبقر وغنم وعبيد، فجاء إلي بعد ذلك وقال: يا عبدالله، أعطني أجري، فقلت له: كل ما ترى من أجرك من الإبل والبقر والغنم والعبيد، قال: يا عبدالله، لا تستهزئ بي، قلت: إني لا أستهزئ بك، إنه من أجرك نميته له، فخذه فاستاقه كله، اللهم إن كنت تعلم أني فعلت هذا ابتغاء وجهك، فافرج عنا ما نحن فيه، فانفرجت الصخرة حتى خرجواThe presenter: May Allah reward you, His Eminence the Shaykh, and bless you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.