Lawful and Prescribed Tawassul and its types
From what has preceded we know that there are two separate matters, the first of which is that the use of a means (tawassul) must be prescribed, and that this can only be known through an authentic proof from the Book and the Sunnah. The second matter is that the tawassul should be by means of a correct natural means by which one does indeed reach what is desired.
We know that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, ordered us to supplicate to Him and to call upon Him for aid. He says:
“And your Lord said: “Invoke Me (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell inhumiliation!”32
He, the Most High, says:
“And when My slaves ask you (0 Muhammad ( )) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near to them (by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.”33
He, the Mighty, has prescribed for us a number of types of prescribed means (tawassut) which are beneficial and reach the desired goal. Allaah has granted that He will certainly respond to those who call upon Him by these means, as long as the other conditions for acceptability of the supplication are fulfilled.
So now let us look, without clingin g blindly to one opinion or prejudice, at what is apparent after careful research, of what is reported in the Noble Book and the pure Sunnah, and that is that there are three types of Tawassul whichAllaah, the Most High, has prescribed and encouraged. Some of them are reported in the Qur’aan and were used by the Messenger ( ) and he encouraged their use. Amongst them there is not to be found any tawassul by Tuhfah) and others.
means of any person, nor their status, nor their rights, nor their station. So this shows that this is not prescribed and does not enter into the general ‘waseelaV which is mentioned in the two Aayaat. As for the types of prescribed tawassul which are indicated then they are:
I. TAWASSUL (SEEKING A MEANS OF NEARNESS) TO ALLAAH, THE MOST HIGH, BY MEANS OF HIS PERFECT AND MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES OR HIS EXALTED ATTRIBUTES.
Such as the Muslim saying in his supplication: “0 Allaah I ask You by Your being the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy, the Most Gracious Knower of all that is hidden, the Fully-acquainted: that You grant me safety and wellbeing.”
(Allaahumma innee Asaluka biannaka Anta ar -Rahmanur-
Raheem...}, Or such as: “0 Allaah I ask you, by Your Mercy which compre - hends everything, that You have mercy upon me and forgive me... .” Like it is the saying of a person: “0 Allaah I ask You by Your love for Muhammad... ,” since love is one of His Attributes. The proof for the prescription of this form of tawassul is the Saying of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic:
“And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them.”3 4
The meaning of this is: Call upon Allaah, the Most High, by means of (per - forming tawassul with) His perfect Names, and there is no doubt that His exalted Attributes fit into this since His Names are Attributes of His. From this is what Allaah, the Most High, mentions about the supplication of Sulaymaan, ‘alaihis-salaam, when he said:
“He said: “My Lord! Inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.” 35
Also from the proofs of this is the saying of the Prophet( ) in an established supplication which he would say before giving the Salaam in his Prayer: 0 Allaah by Your Knowledge of the Hidden and Unseen, and Your Power over the creation, grant me life for as long as You know that life is good for me, and grant me death when death is good for me..^. From them is that he ( ) heard a man saying in his tashahhud; “0 Allaah, I ask You, 0 Allaah, the One, the Single, the Self Sufficient Master Who needs none, but all have need of (Him), Who does not beget, nor was He begotten, nor is there any like Him..., that You forgive me my sins, indeed You are the Most forgiving, the Most Merciful.” So he ( ) said: He has been forgiven, he has been forgiven?1
The Prophet ( ) also heard another man saying in his tashahhud: “0 Allaah I ask You by virtue of the fact that all praise belongs to You, none has the right to be worshipped but You, alone, having no partner. The Great Bestower of all blessings, 0 Originator of the heavens and the earth, 0 Possessor of Majesty and Honour, 0 Ever-Living, 0 Sustainer and Protector of all that exists. Indeed I ask You for Paradise and I seek Your refuge from the Fire.” So the Prophet( ) said to his Companions: Do you know what he has supplicated with? They said: ‘Allaah and His Messenger know best.’ He said: By Him in Whose Hand is my soul he has supplicated to Allaah by His Great name (and in a narration: by His greatest name) if He is called upon by it then He responds and if He is asked by it He gives.38
From this is his ( ) saying: Whoever is greatly troubled and says: “0 Allaah I am Your slave, son of Your male slave and female slave. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your judgement is continually operative upon me. Your sentence concerning me is just. I ask You by every name which is Yours, with which You named Yourself, taught to anyone from Your creation, or sent down in Your Book, or which You kept to Yourself in the knowledge of the Hidden with You, that You make the Qur’aan the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the removal of my sadness and of my anxiety” then Allaah will remove his anxiety and sorrow and replace it with
joy?39
Also from this is what is reported from his ( ) seeking Allaah’s refuge with the words: OAllaah, I seek refuge in Your Might, none has the right to be worshipped but You, ...40
Also from them is what Anas, radiyallaahu ‘anhu reports about the Prophet ( ), that when a matter grieved the Prophet, he would say: 0 Ever-Living, 0
Sustainer and Protector of all that exists, by Your Mercy I beg for Your aid.^1
So these ahaadeeth and their like show the prescription ottawassul to Allaah, the Most High, with one of His Names or His Attributes, and that this is something which Allaah loves and is pleased with. Therefore it was done by Allaah’s Messenger ( ) and Allaah, the Blessed and Most High, says:
“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad ( )) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).”42
So it is prescribed for us to call upon Allaah, the one free of all imperfections, in the manner which His Messenger ( ) called upon Him. That is a thousand times better than calling upon Him with supplications which we originate and in forms which we ourselves invent.
II. TAWASSUL TO ALLAAH, THE MOST HIGH, BY MEANS OF A RIGHTEOUS DEED WHICH THE PERSON SUPPLICATING HAS DONE.
Such as the Muslim’s saying: “0 Allaah by my Eemaan in You, and my love for You, and my following of Your Messenger, forgive me...” or his saying: “0 Allaah I ask You by my love for Muhammad ( ) and my Eemaan in him, that you rescue me...” From it is that the person supplicated and mentions an important pious act which he has done, and in which he feared Allaah, the One free of all imperfections, and did in obedience to Him, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment, and giving precedence to pleasing Him and obeying Him over everything else, and then using that as a means ottawassul in his supplication, so that it is more liable to be accepted and responded to. This form oftawassul is good and beautiful and has been prescribed by Allaah, the Most High, and it is pleasing to Him. Its prescription is shown by the Saying of Allaah, the Most High:
“Those who say: “Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire.”43 His Saying:
“Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger (Jesus); so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth i.e. none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah).”44
“Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad ( )) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and remit from us our evil deeds, and make us die in the state of righteousness along with Al-Abraar (those who are obedient to Allaah and strictly follow His Orders).”4?
and His Saying:
“Verily! There was a party of My Slaves, who used to say: “Our Lord! We believe, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, for You are the Bes t of all who show mercy!” ^ This form of tawassul is also proven by what Buraidah ibn al-Husayb, radiyallaahu ‘anhu reports, saying: “The Prophet ( ) heard a man saying: ‘0 Allaah I ask You by virtue of the fact that I testify that You are Allaah, none but You has the right to be worshipped. The One, The Self-Sufficient Master whom all creatures have need of. He who does not beget, nor was He begotten, Who has no equal or anything comparable to Him.’ So he ( ) said: He has asked Allaah by His greatest name, which if He is asked by it He gives and if He is supplicated to with it, He responds.” 47
Also from this is what occurs in the story of the companions of the cave, as is reported by ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar, radiyallaabu ‘anhumaa, who said: I heard Allaah’s Messenger ( ) say: Three men, amongst those who came before you set out until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. But a boulder rolled down from the mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. So they said: Nothing can rescue you from this rock except that you supplicate to Allaah by mentioning righteous deeds you have done, (and in the narration of Muslim: So one of them said to the others-. Think of righteous deeds which you have done purely for Allaah by, making mention of them, that He might release you). So one of them said: ‘0 Allaah I had two elderly parents and I had not used to give precedence over them to my family and slaves in giving them milk to drink. But one day I was delayed in seeking after something (in the narration of Muslim: for fodder) and I did not return with the flock until they (my parents) had slept. So I milked the animals for them but found that they were both asleep. However I hated to give milk to my family and slaves before them, so I waited with the bowl in my band for them to awake. Then with the break of dawn they awoke and drank their milk. 0 Allaah if I did that seeking Your Face, then relieve us from this situation caused by the rock.’ So it moved slightly, but they were unable to escape. The Prophet ( ) said: The next said: ‘0 Allaah my uncle bad a daughter and she was the most beloved of the people to me and I tried to persuade her to have sexual relations with me, but she refused me until she suffered from 47. Reported by Ahmad (5/349/350), Aboo Daawood (translation l/389/no.l488) and others and its isnaad is saheeh. 31
a year of famine. Then she came to me and I gave her a hundred and twenty deenars on the condition that she would comply with my desire for her, so she agreed. But when I was about to fulfil my desire she said: ‘It is unlawful for you to break (in a narration of Muslim: 0 servant of Allaah, fear Allaah and do not break) the seal except by lawful means. So I felt ashamed to commit the crime against her so I left her alone, and.she was the most dear of all the people to me, and I (also) left the gold which I had given her. 0 Allaah if 1 did that seeking Your Face then release us from the situation we are in.’ So the rock opened further but they were still unable to escape. The Prophet ( ) said: And the third said: ‘0 Allaah I employed some labourers and paid them their wages except a single man who did not take his wages and went away. I invested his wages and it grew into a great deal of property. Then after some time he came to me and said: ‘0 servant of Allaah, give me my wages.’ So I said to him: ‘All the camels, cows, sheep and slaves that you see are your wages.’ So he said: ‘0 servant of Allaah, do not mock me.’
So I said: ‘I am not mocking you.’ So he took all of that and led them away and did not leave any of it. 0 Allaah if I did that seeking Your Face, then release us from our situation.’ So the rock moved and they walked out of the cave.48
So it is clear from thi s hadeeth that when these three Believers were in distress and in such difficulty, and when they despaired of any means of escape except that Allaah, the Blessed and Most High, alone should save them, then they turned to Him and supplicated purely and sinc erely to Him. They also mentioned righteous actions which they had done being aware of Allaah in times of ease, hoping that their Lord would in return now rescue them in their time of hardship. Just as is reported in the hadeeth o f t h e P r o p h e t ( ) in which there occurs:... Remember Allaah in times of ease and He will remember you in times of difficulty. 49
So they sought a means of nearness (tawassul) to Him, the One free of all imperfections, through those actions. So the first used his kindness to his parents as tawassul and his merciful and compassionate treatment of them to the point that it lead him to that singular and beautiful action, and I do not think any other person, except for the Prophets, would reach this level of kindness and goodness to their parents.
Then the second used as tawassul his abstention from fornicating with his uncle’s daughter, and he had the strongest desire for her and she was at his disposal and had submitted to Him unwillingly due to hunger and need. But she reminded him of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and his heart accepted the admonition and his limbs trembled and he left her and the money which he had given to her.
Then the third used as tawassul his preserving the right of his employee, who left his wages which amounted to a measure of rice, as occurs in an authentic narration of the hadeeth, and went off. So the employer invested this until it grew to amount to sheep, cows, camels and slaves. Then when the employee was later in need of his wages, he requested his meagre earnings from the man who employed him. He in turn handed over all the wealth which astonished the worker and caused him to think that he was being mocked. However when it was clear that the man was serious and that this was all the product of his wages he led them off with joy and wonder, not leaving anything behind.
Indeed, by Allaah, the action of the employer here reached an astonishing level of beneficent treatment of the worker and was an exemplary example of fine and honourable treatment of those whom one is in charge of. It was of such a level that the position of all those who claim to support the workers and the common man does not even reach a hundredth of it, those who make a profitable business out of their claims to protect the rights of the poor and needy, and to treat them fairly and give them their rights. So the supplication of thesethree to their Lord, the One free of all imperfections, using as a means of nearnessto Him these extremely righteous and noble actions, declaring that they had done them purely and solely to seek the pleasure of Allaah, the Most High, not intending by them any worldly or personal benefit or any wealth.
So they hoped that Allaah, the Majestic would release them from their difficulty and free them from their trial, so He, the One free of all imperfections responded to their supplication, relieved their distress and did as they had hoped of Him by granting them a clear miracle, causing the rock to move away in three stages each time one of them supplicated so that it opened totally when the third man finished his supplication, after their having been in a state where death was imminent.
Then our noble Messenger ( ) narrated this fine story to us after it was something unknown and hidden, known only to Allaah, the One free of all imperfections and the Most High. He informed us of this to remind us of excellent and exemplary actions performed by excellent and exemplary followers of the previous prophets in order that we should follow their example, act as they acted, and draw valuable lessons and admonition from their story. It cannot be said: ‘These actions were done before the sending of our Prophet Muhammad ( ) and so do not apply to us,’ based upon what is the correct view in the Principles of Fiqh that prescribed laws for those who came before us are not prescribed laws for us. This is not said here because the Prophet ( ) quoted this event in terms of praise and esteem, and this was a tacit approval of it from the P rophet ( ). Indeed it is even more than a tacit approval of their righteous actions: it is not except an explanation of and a practical example of how the previous Aayaat are to be put into practice. The revealed laws agree in their teaching’s and guidance and this is not surprising since they come from a single source and emanate from a single light, particu larly with regard the condition of people and their relation to their Lord, the One free of all imperfections, so they only differ very slightly and very rarely as required by the wisdom of Allaah, the One free of all imperfections.
III. SEEKING A MEANS OF NEARNESS TO ALLAAH, THE MOST HIGH, BY THE SUPPLICATION OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN.
If a Muslim falls into great difficulty or a great misfortune befalls him, and he knows that he has been very negligent with regard to Allaah, the Blessed and Most High’s, rights upon him, so he wishes to use a strong means of drawing nearer to Allaah. So he goes to man whom he believes to be righteous and to be one who fears Allaah, or a person possessing excellence and knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah, and he asks him to supplicate to his Lord for him that He (i.e. Allaah) should relieve his distress and remove what had befallen him. This is a further type of prescribed tawassul which is proven and guided to in the pure Shares’ah. Examples of it are found in the noble Sunnah and examples of it are found in the practice of the noble Companions, may Allaahthe Most High be pleased with them all.
Anas ibn Maalik, radiyallaahu ‘anhu reports, saying: “The people were afflicted with drought in the time of the Prophet ( ), so whilst the Prophet ( ) was giving the khutbah [upon the minbar], standing, on the day of jumu’ah a bedouin stood [and in a narration: entered] [from the people of the desert] [through a door which faced the minbar] [near to the house sold for the repayment of a debt50, and Allaah’s Messenger ( ) was standing. So he stood facing Allaah’s Messenger ( )] and said: “0 Messenger of Allaah, the livestock are dying and the children are hungry [and in a narration: destroyed] [and in another narration: the horses are dying and the sheep are dying] [and in another wording: the cattle are dying and the roads are cut off] so supplicate to Allaah for us [that he should give us rain] [and in another: that he should give us a downpour].”
So he raised up his hands and supplicated [until I saw the whiteness of his armpits]: [0 Allaah bless us with rain, 0 Allaah bless us with rain] [and the people raised up their hands along with him supplicating] [and he did not mention that he turned his cloak inside out, nor that he faced the Qiblah], and [By Allaah] we could not see [any cloudsnor] any trace of clouds [nor anything, 50. Daarul-Qadaa - a house which belonged to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab and which was sold in order to repay a debt and there was no building or house between us and sal’51] [and in a narration:
Anas said: And the sky was clear as glass] [He said: So I then saw a large cloud like a shield and when it came to the middle of the sky it spread and it rained]. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, as soon as he had lowered his hands clouds like mountains had gathered, and he did not descend from the minbar until I saw the rain dripping from his beard, [and in a narration: suddenly the wind blew gathering clouds which came together and then rain poured down from the sky] [and he came down from the minbar and prayed the Prayer] [so we went out and waded through the water until we reached our homes] [and in a narration: and it was such that a person could hardly reach his home]. So it continued to rain that day, and the next, and the next, and that which followed, until the following Jumu ‘ah and it had not ceased [so the waterways of al-Madeenaah were filled] [and in a narration: so, by Allaah we did not see the sun for a week]. Then that bedouin or someone else stood up [and in a narration:
Then a man entered from that door in the next jumu’ah and Allaah’s Messenger ( ) was standing giving khutbah, so he stood facing him] and he said: 0 Messenger of Allaah, buildings are being destroyed, [and in a narration: houses are collapsing, roads are cut off and the cattle are dying] [and in a narration: the traveller cannot proceed and the roads are blocked]
and livestock are being drowned. So supplicate to Allaah [to withhold it] for us [so the Prophet ( ) smiled] and he raised his hands and said: 0 Allaah, around us and not upon us, [0 Allaah upon the tops of mountains, hillocks [and hills] and river beds and places where trees grow}. So he did not point with his hand in any direction except that the clouds cleared away producing a clear circular hole [and in a narration: so I looked and saw the clouds separating around al-Madeenah [to the right and the left] forming [a sort of crown] [and in another: so the clouds cleared away from al-Madeenah just as clothes are removed] and it was now raining all around us, but not raining upon us at all [in a narration: not a drop] [and we went out walking in the sunshine]. So Allaah showed them a miracle for His Prophet ( ) and His response to his
51. A small mountain in al-Madeenah.
36 supplication. The valley of Qanaat was flooded for a month, and no one came from outside except that he told of abundant rain.”52 Anas ibn Maalik, radiyallaahu ‘anhu^ narrates from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, radiyallaahu ‘anbu, that when the people suffered from drought he used to ask al-‘Abbaas ibn al-Muttalib to pray for rain for them. He used to say: “0 Allaah we used to request our Prophet ( ) to supplicate to You for rain (natawassalu ilaika) and You would bless us with rain. Now we ask the uncle of our Prophet to supplicate to You (natawassalu ilaika), so grant us rain.” What the saying of ‘Umar (Inaa kunnaa natawassalu ilaika binabiyyinaa wa inaa natawassalu ilaika bi’ammi nabiyyinad) means is: We used to go to our Prophet ( ) and ask him to supplicate for us, and draw nearer to Allaah by means of his supplicating for us, and now that he ( ) has passed on to the company of the highest Angels and it is not now possible for him to supplicate for us, then now we go to the uncle of our Prophet ( ), al-‘Abbaas, and ask him to supplicate for us. It certainly does not mean that they used to supplicate saying: ‘0 Allaah, by the status of Your Prophet grant us rain’ and then after his ( ) death say: ‘0 Allaah by the status of al-‘Abbaas grant us rain’, since this supplication is an innovation having no proof or basis in the Book or the Sunnah, and it was not done by a single one of the Pious Predecessors, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with them all, as will be discussed in more detail shortly, if Allaah wills.
Also from this is what al-Haafidh Ibn ‘Asaakir, rahimahullaah ta’aalaa reports in his Tareekh (18/151/1) with an authentic chain of narration54 from the noble tabi’ee Sulaym ibn ‘Aamir al-Khabaairee: “That the sky withheld any rain, so Mu’aawiyah ibn Abee Sufyaan and the people of Damascus went out to pray for rain. So when Mu’aawiyah sat upon the minbar he said: ‘Where is Yazeed ibn al-Aswad al-Jurashee?’ So the people called him and he came stepping between the people. Then Mu’aawiyah commanded him and he ascended the minbar and sat at his feet. Then Mu’aawiyah said: “0 Allaah we are today asking the best and most noble amongst us to supplicate to You for us, 0 Allaah today we put Yazeed ibn al-Aswad al-Jurashee forward to supplicate to You for us,” “0 Yazeed raise up your hands to Allaah.” So he raised up his hands and the people raised up their hands. Then very quickly rain -clouds like a large shield came quickly from the west, and the wind blew and it rain ed so profusely that people could hardly reach their houses.”
Ibn ‘Asaakir also reports with an authentic chain of narration that ad-Dahhaak ibn Qays went with the people to pray for rain, and he also said to Yazeed ibn al-Aswad: ‘Stand up 0 he who weeps much!’ and in a narration: “So he only supplicated three times before it rained so heavily that it almost drowned them.”
So again we have Mu’aawiyah, radiyallaahu ‘anbu, not doing tawassul by means of the Prophet ( ) for the reason that has preceded, rather he used the supplication of that righteous man, Yazeed ibn al-Aswad, rahimahullaah, as a means of tawassul. So he asked him to supplicate to Allaah, the Most High, that He should bless them with rain. Then Allaah, the Blessed and the Most High, responded to his request, and the same thing occurred during the gov-ernership of al-Dahhaak ibn Qays.
54. Al-Haafidh al-‘Asqalaanee also attributes it in al-Isaabah (3/634) to Aboo Zur’ah ad-
Dimashqee and Ya’qoob ibn Sufyaan in his Tareekh with an authentic chain of narration from Sulaym ibn ‘Aamir.
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