haddith of the blind man on tawussul

[Dawud_uk]

assalaamu alaykum mods,

i have been told the following haddith is weak, could you check it out with an alim for me if you guys r not sure?

this qoute is taken from sheikh nuh mim kellers translation of reliance of the traveller, i dont take knowledge from the man myself but many brothers and sisters do and so if you could look at this i would be grateful.

assalaamu alaykum,
Abu Abdullah

THE HADITH OF THE BLIND MAN

Tirmidhi relates, through his chain of narrators from 'Uthman ibn Hunayf,
that a blind man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)
and said, "I've been afflicted in my eyesight, so please pray to Allah for
me." The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "Go make
ablution (wudu), perform two rak'as of prayer, and then say:


"Oh Allah, I ask You and turn to You through my Prophet Muhammad, the
Prophet of mercy; O Muhammad (Ya Muhammad), I seek your intercession with my
Lord for the return of my eyesight [and in another version: "for my need,
that it may be fulfilled. O Allah, grant him intercession for me"]." The
Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) added, "And if there is some
need, do the same."


Scholars of Sacred Law infer from this hadith the recommended character of
the "prayer of need," in which someone in need of something from Allah Most
High performs such a prayer and then turns to Allah with this supplication
together with other suitable supplications, traditional or otherwise,
according to the need and how the person feels. The express content of the
hadith proves the legal validity of "tawassul" through a living person (as
the Prophet - peace be upon him - was alive at that time). It implicitly
proves the validity of tawassul through a deceased one as well, since
tawassul through a living or dead person is not through a physical body or
through a life or death, but rather through the positive meaning (ma'na
tayyib) attached to the person in both life and death. The body is but the
vehicle that carries that significance, which requires that the person be
respected whether dead or alive; for the words "O Muhammad" are an address
to someone physically absent - in which state the living and dead are alike
- an address to the meaning, dear to Allah, that is connected with his
spirit, a meaning that is the ground of "tawassul," be it through a living
or dead person.

 

[Skillganon]

Walaikum assalam.
Here is an excerpt provided below.

Answered by Sheikh `Abd al-`Azîz al-Râjihî

The concept of tawassul (seeking a means) through the Prophet (peace be upon him) is a broad one that deeds to be discussed in detail, since there is more than one way of engaging in tawassul through the Prophet (peace be upon him), and each has its own ruling.

The first way is to use one’s love of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and belief in his prophethood as a means of nearness to Allah. This is, in fact, obligatory as a basic tenet of the Islamic faith. Whoever does not seek nearness to Allah through love for His Messenger (peace be upon him) and belief in his message is not a believer.

The second way is to seek the supplication of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a means when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was alive. The Companions would beseech I him to supplicate on their behalf and they would say âmîn to the supplication. They did this for the supplication for rain (al-istisqâ’).

A blind man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him to ask Allah to return his sight to him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) supplicated on his behalf and at the same time instructed him to perform ablution and ask Allah to let His Prophet (peace be upon him) intercede for him, saying “O Allah accept his intercession on my behalf.”

The third way is seeking nearness to Allah through the person of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or by asking Allah in his name or by swearing an oath to Allah in his name. This is an innovation that the Companions never engaged in. They only sought nearness to Allah through the supplication of the Prophet (peace be upon him) during his lifetime.

After the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him), none of the Companions would come to his grave and ask him for any supplication regardless of whether the supplication was general or personal. When a famine occurred during the reign of `Umar B. al-Khattâb, he told the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) uncle: “O, `Abbas, ask Allah for us” and said: “O, Lord, we were soliciting you by our Prophet and you would answer us and let us have rain, now we are soliciting you by the uncle of our Prophet so we ask you to answer us”. Neither `Umar nor another Companion went to the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) grave and ask him for rain. No one used to go the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) grave to seek forgiveness.

The Companions clearly made a distinction between the living and the dead in this matter.

Therefore, seeking nearness to Allah by invoking the mention of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is an unfolded innovation. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “ Whoever innovates in our religion something not part of it then this thing is rejected” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

The fourth way is to supplicate directly to the Prophet (peace be upon him) instead of Allah. This is an act of major polytheism that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. It is the very thing that the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to condemn, put an end to, and declare as unbelief.

Allah says: “And do not call upon besides Allah who will neither benefit you nor harm you. If you do so, then you are among the wrongdoers.” [Sûrah Yûnus: 106]

He says: “So do not call upon another god with Allah, and thus be of those who are punished.” [Sûrah al-Shu`arâ’: 213]

He also says: “And that the mosques are for Allah, so do not call upon anyone along with Allah.” [Sûrah al-Jinn: 18]

Allah calls such supplications an act of worship, saying: “And who is more astray than he who calls upon other than Allah those who do not answer to the Day of Judgment, and who (in fact) are heedless of their call? And when humanity is gathered together, they will be hostile to them and reject their worship.” [Sûrah al-Ahqâf: 5-6]

Allah describes such supplications to other than Him as being polytheism: “To Him belongs all Dominion. And those whom you invoke besides Him have not the least power. If you invoke them, they will not listen to your call, and if they were to listen, they cannot answer you. On the Day of Judgment they will reject your polytheism. And none can inform you like the One who is acquainted with all things.” [Sûrah Fâtir: 13-14]

Allah describes supplications to other than Him as unbelief: “And whoever invokes with Allah another god-- he has no proof of this-- his reckoning is only with his Lord; surely the unbelievers shall not be successful.” [Sûrah al-Mu’minûn: 117]

From all of this, it should be clear that there are four ways of engaging in tawassul through the Prophet (peace be upon him), and each has its own ruling supported by evidence.

And Allah is the one who guides to success.

ref: http://islamtoday.com/show_detail_section.cfm?q_id=989&main_cat_id=13

Also read the following articles in the link provided:

1. Acts of Bid`ah ] [Tawassul & Asking the Dead ]

 

[Dawud_uk]

assalaamu alaykum,

jazakallah khairan for that, but it is this specific haddith i am wanting information on, i am quite convinced myself given the overwhelming amount of evidence.

to me even if this haddith was sahih or hassan it still wouldnt proof tawussul through a dead person, but if it isnt then it shoots down the whole basis for their argument.

so if you have any specific info on this haddith or if not could you find a knowledgeable alim or student of knowledge to ask please?

assalaamu alaykum,
Abu Abdullah

 

[Far7an]

Wa alaikum asalaam

You can find some info here.

 

[Dawud_uk]

jazakallah khairan, i am not a scholar or student of knowledge but it is quite clear they are saying it is possibly weak and even if not then it only supports this during the lifetime of the prophet muhammad saws, and the final part is an addition which is certainly weak and should be disgarded.

assalaamu alaykum,
Abu Abdullah