Inal-Hamdulillahi Rabbil-Alameen, wa salatu wa salamu ala sayyidina wal anbiyya i wal- mursaleen,
wa salatu wa salamu ala aalihi wa sahbihi ajma'een
Asalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuhu wa maghfirtuhu
This is a discussion on the issue of waseela and its types and what is allowed from it and the answer
to the misconceptopns that have arose regarding tawassul in the action of those who try to bring the matters of an essential
matter of the religion, a matter that brings about the thine line between tawheed and shirk and from sunnah to bida, and from
emaan to kufr. It is also important to note that the form of tawassul that receives criticisms form ahlu-sunnah re those mentioned
by certain ulema who classify them as "istighatha" or "isti'ana"
The Discussion on Tawassul
Of
course in this topic one must know the definition of the matter discussed.
at-Tawassul- this word in the arabic as
is referenced repeatedly in the quraan and the hadeeth in the linguistic meaning refers literally to seek the means to draw
closer to what one needs and desires.
Imaam ar-Raazi has stated that "tawassul', as a religious term, entails drawing
closer to Allah by performing good deeds" (Mukhtar As-Sihah)
al-Haafidh in Katheer said in his tafseer "al-Wasilah
(root word of tawassul) is the means that one uses to obtain a need.
al-Wasilah is also the best grade grade in paradise, the grade of the Messenger of Allah that is his residence in paradise"
further
stated by Ibn Katheer
"Oh ye who beleive, do your duty to Allah and fear Him. Seek al-Wasilah to Him" Ibn Katheer reported
that Ibn abbass had stated that al-Wasilah here means good deeds. This is also the tafseer of the mujtahid Imaams Mujaahid,
Abu Wa-il, Hasan al-Basri, Qatadah, as-Suddi, ibn Zayd and others who are all noted Imaams and mufassireen.
Ibn Katheer
added that Qatadah said that the ayaah means "draw closer to Allah by obeying Him and by performing the deeds that please
Him", then, Ibn ktheer commented on this that this tafseer by these scholars is unopposed.
Tawassul is an original Arabic word occurring in the
Qur’aan and Sunnah and in ancient Arabic poetry and prose, and its meaning is: To draw near to what one seeks after
and to approach that which one desires.
Ibnul-Atheer said in an-Nihaayah:
“Al-Waasil is one who desires or longs for something, and al-Waseelah is nearness and a means, and that by which one
is able to approach and draw near to something. Its plural is Wasaail.”
Al-Fayroozabaadee said in al-Qaamoos:
‘”He performed waseelah towards Allaah, the Most High,’ means: He did an action in order to draw near -
er to Him, as a means of approaching Him.” Ibn Faaris said in Mu’jamul
Maqaayees-. “Waseelah is to
desire and to seek after. One says Waslas for one who wishes and aspires for something, and the Waasil is the one who wishes
to draw nearer to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and it occurs in the saying of Labeed: ‘I see that the people do
not know the value of their affair, whereas every religious person seeks to draw nearer to Allaah.’”
Ar-Raaghib al-Asfahaanee said in al-Mufradaat; “Al-Waseelah (written with
the letter ^) is to approach that which one desires, and it is more particular than al-Waseelab (written with the letter ^
since it includes the concept of being desirous of it. Allaah, the Most High, says:
“Seek
the means of approach (al-waseelah) to Him
The reality of seeking a waseelah to Allaah, the Most High, is: To take care to follow His way
with (good) actions and worship, by adhering to the noble qualities required in the Sharee’ah. It is like nearness,
and the waasil is one who aspires nearness to Allaah, the Most High.”
The famous scholar Ibn Jareer also reports this meaning and then brings as evidence the saying
of the poet: “If the informers miss us then we will arrive, and the relations and the means of approach (waseelah) between
us will be restored.”
Then there is another meaning for waseelah and it is rank and standing with a king and closeness to him. Just as in
the hadeeth, it is the name given to the highest station in Paradise, in his ( ) saying: When you hear the caller to Prayer
then say the like of what he says, then send blessings (salaat) upon me, since whoever sends a single blessing upon me then
Allaah will send ten upon him because of it. Then ask Ailaah to grant me al-waseelah because it is a station in Paradise which is appropriate only for a single servant from the servants of Ailaah, and I hope that it will be me. So whoever
asks for al-waseelah to be granted to me then my intercession is due for him
However, the intent of this page about the validity of tawasul does not entail or conect with any of what has been
related above, infact we have encouraged it. What will follow bi ithnillah will be the forms that fall or oppose what has
been described above and in other ways of the allwable performance of tawassul, or those ways that fall in line with the concept
but are rejected due to the action done to fulfill the legislated form.
Another important and grave matter in understanding this issue, a reality that if neglected to understand
correctly, results in the practition of the innovative forms of tawassul that leads to shirk, and this matetr of understanding
is that tawassul in hadeeths merely refers to the prophet's salalahu alaihi wa salam's invocation to Allah in du'a.
This is essential to have in mind because the practice of the companions is what validates or invalidates
any act of worship, especially in matters of getting closer to Allah.
In the narrations of hadeeth, anyone notices, after having some type of knowledge regarding the reality
of how certain ahadeeth were mentioned or came about, is that the companions use to make tawassul to the prophet when he was
alive. They sought istisqaa. After the death of the noble prophet salallahu alaihi wa salam, the companions haulted their
seeking of waseela to Allah "through" the prophet and used other living righteous noble among them. as Umar and others did
with al-Abbass, and Muawiyyah ibn Abi Sufyaan use to seek waseela to Yaid ibn al-Aswaad. And never do you read in their practice
that they made tawassul witht he jah of whoever they made tawassul with and nor did they regard the ones who they did seek
tawassul with to be their ghauth and other sufi terminology.
Tawassul is Worship
The
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“If you ask in prayer then ask only
Allah, and if you seek help, seek it only from Allah.” (Reported by Ibnu Abbaas and collected by at-Tirmidhee. See Imam
an-Nawawee’s 40 Hadeeth)
“Du’aa (invoking or calling upon) is worship.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood vol.1 p387 no.1474)
And I (Allah) created not the jinn’s and humans
except they should worship Me (Alone). (adh-Dhariyat 51:56)
Say (O Muhammad sallallaahu alayhi
wa sallam): Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind,
jinn’s and all that exists). (al-An'am 6:162)
Now it must be pointed out for further understanding
of the matter that tawassul implies both religious
and material. as for the material type, it entails the material means and methods that will help people attain benefit that
Allah has created for them on earth. This type of tawassul
is the same for both beleivers and disbeleivers. Example, water is needed to quench thirst, and food is needed to satisfy
hunger. So food is the wasilah of hunger and water is the wasilah of thirst.
As for the religious wasilah, it entails
every method that help obtain the religious objectives that Allah has legislated in His Book or by the tongue of His messenger
in the sunnah. This type is exclusive for the beleivers, those who seek to obey Allah's commandments and satisfy the obligations
that He has required them to fulfill. This type of wasilah also includes the uttering of the shahadah with sincerity, knowledge,
love, and certainty of it (the shahadah). The shahada is a waasilah or to be saved from the hellfire.
as for the religous
wasilah, mankind is by defualt unable and religiously crippled to uncover the knowledge of religious wasilah except throuhg
revelation. Hence the Past Imaams of the sunnah have stated that "Everything in the dunya (worldly affairs) is halal (permissible)
unless there is a text making it haraam (impermissible), and everything in the ibaadah (Worship) is forbidden unless there
is a text allowing it"
The legal types of tawassul
Tawassul by Allah's names and attributes, tawassul by the righteous and good deeds that one performs, and tawassul by soliciting the du'aa of a righteous, living person.
Tawassul to Allah by invoking His Most Beutiful of Names and Perfect Attributes is legislated
for muslims, according to the Quraan and Sunnah and the consensus of the scholars of Islam throughout the ages.
The
proof for this is that Allah said "And the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them,
and leave the company of those who belie or deny His Names"
As for the legislated tawassul by the righteous, good deeds that one performed, then invoking Allah by the
slave's love for the prophet, which is one of the necessary elements of Islam, is included in this type of Wasilah that entails
invoking Allah through one's good deeds. Loving and beleiving in the prophet and following his of sunnah are the origin
of all good deeds.
Tawassul by asking a righteous
living person to perform du'aa on one's behalf is yet another type of tawasul that is allowed. this is among the very known
matters like beleivers asking each other for such an such. There are some hadeeth and actions of the sahaba that prove the
validity of this tawassul which ahlu-sunnah is fully
in 100 percent agreement with
Impermissible Tawassul:
A Refutation Against the People of Innovated Beleifs and Practices
Now this is the actual topic
under discussion which for some reason those who attest to beleive in Allah and His messenger actuall defend this impermissible
type and actually make the accusations (slander) that the Imaams of the sunnah were upon this.
THE INCORRECTNESS AND
FUTILITY OF SEEKING TO DO TAWASSUL IN ANY WAY OTHER
THAN THE THREE PRECEDING WAYS
1. Tawassul by
means of the Names of Allaah, the Blessed and
the Most High, and His Attributes.
2. Tawassul by means of a righteous action which the person
who is supplicating has done.
3.
Tawassul by means of the supplication made by a righteous
man.
The
above mentioned types is from the permissible and anything outside of this arena enters into the realm of impermissible (forbidden)
matters.
What is certainly very strange is that you see these people turning away from the previous correct and prescribed
types of tawassul. They hardly use anything from
them in their supplications or when they are teaching the people, despite the fact that they are established in the Book,
the Sunnah and the consensus of the Ummah. But instead of this you see them turning to supplications which they have invented
and using forms of tawassul which they have innovated
and which were not prescribed by Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, nor were they used by His chosen Messenger (IH), nor are
they reported by the Pious Predecessors amongst this Ummah, the people of the three praiseworthy generations, and the best
that can be said about their forms of tawassul is
that they are things about which there is disagreement. So how deserving these people are of the Saying of Allaah, the Blessed
and the Most High
Would you exchange that which is better for that which is lower?”67
Statements of the Imaams
So perhaps this is one of the witnesses to the truth of what The Noble
Tabi’ee Hassaan ibn ‘Atiyyah al -Muhaaribee, rahimahullaab, said: “No people introduce
an innovation into their religion except that Allaah will take away a corresponding amount of their Sunnah, and will not restore
it to them until the Day if Resurrection.” We are not alone in criticising these innovated forms of tawassul, rather great imaams and scholars of the past preceded us in this criticism,
and this is also confirmed in at least one of the schools of thought which people follow, and that is the madhhab of Aboo
Haneefah, rahimahullah.There occurs in ad-Durrul -Mukhtaar (2/630), and it is one of the most famous of the books of the Hanafees;
“From Aboo Haneefah: It is not fitting at all that anyone should sup - plicate to Allaah except by Him, and using
such supplications as have been per - mitted and ordered in the like of the Saying of Allaah, the Most High:
“And
(all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call upon Him by them.”69
Its like is also found in al-Fataawal-Hindiyyah
(5/280), and al -Qudooree70 said in his large book of Fiqh called Sharhul -Kharkbee in the chapter of detested matters: “Bishr
ibn al -Valeed said: Aboo Yoosuf narrated to us, that Aboo Haneefah said: “It is not right that anyone should supplicate
to Allaah except by Him, and I hate that anyone should say: ‘By the glory of Your Throne’ or ‘By the right
of Your creation’.”” This is also the saying of Aboo Yoosuf. Aboo Yoosuf said: “The One who gives
glory to the Throne is Allaah, so I do not hate that, but I hate that anyone should say: ‘By the right of so and so’
or ‘By the right of Your Prophets and Messengers’ or ‘By the right of the Sacred House, and the Sacred Area
(dMuzdalifah).’”
Az-Zubaydee says in Sharhul-Ibyaa (2/285): “Aboo Haneefah
and his two companions hated that a person should say: I ask You by the right of so and so’ or ‘ By the right
of Your Prophets and Messengers’ or ‘By the right of the Sacred House and Sacred Area (of Muzdalifah)’ and
the like, since no one has any right upon Allaah. Likewise Aboo Haneefah and Muhammad [ibn Hasan ash-Shaybaanee] hated that
a person making supplication should say:
‘0 Allaah I ask You by the glory of Your Throne’ and it was allowed
by Aboo Yoosuf due to a report which reached him.”
Ash-Shaikh Abut-Tayyib Shamsul-Haqq al-‘Azeemabaadee
said inAl-Ta’leeq al- Mughnee ‘alaa Sunanid-Daaraqutnee (pp.520-521): “From the vilest
of evil acts and the greatest of innovations and the most severe inventions is the practice of the people of innovation that
they mention Shaikh ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee, rahimahullaah, by saying: ‘0 Shaikh ‘Abdul-Qaad ir al-Jeelaanee
grant us something for the sake of Allaah,’ and they misdirect their prayers to Baghdad, and many other practices.
These
people are worshippers of others besides Allaah and they make a totally deficient and unjust estimate of Allaah. These ignorant
people do not know that the Shaikh, rahimabullah, is not able to bring them an atoms weight of good, nor to remove an atoms
weight of evil from them. Why do they call upon him for help and why do they seek their needs from him? Is Allaah not sufficient
for His servants?! 0 Allaah we seek Your refuge from associating anything with You,or honouring any of Your creation with
the honour due to You.” They also state in al-Bazzaaziyyah and other books of religious rulings: “Whoever claims
that the souls of the Shaikhs are present, and that they know what occurs, has become an Unbeliever.”
Also
ash-Shaikh Fakhruddeen Aboo Sa’d ‘Uthmaan al-Jiyaanee ibn Sulaymaan al-Hanafee said in a treatise of his:
“Whoever thinks that any dead person has any control over the affairs besides Allaah, and he believes
that, then he is an Unbeliever.” This is what is mentioned in Al-Bahrur-Raaiq. al-Qaadee Hameeduddeen Naakoree
al-Hindee said in at-Tawsheeh: “From them are those who supplicate to the prophets and the pious
when they have a need or are in distress, believing that their spirits are present and hear their call and know of their needs.
This is vile shirk and clear ignorance, Allaah, the Most High, says:
“And who is more astray
than one who calls (invokes) besides Allaah, such as will not answer him till the Dayof Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware
of their calls (invocations) to them?”
In al-Bahr (3/94) there occurs: “If
such a person marries, attesting his belief in Allaah and His Messenger, then the marriage is not correct. Rather he is an
Unbeliever due to his belief that the prophet ( ) knows the Hidden and Unseen."
Its like occurs in the Fataawaa
of Qaadee Khaan, al-‘Aynee, ad- Durrul-Mukhtaar, al-‘Aalamgeeriyyah and other books by the Hanafee scholars, Then
as for the Noble Aayaat and sayings in the pure Sunnah in refutation of the foundations of shirk, and in pure rebuke of those
guilty of it, then they are too many to be counted. Our Shaikh, the scholar, as-Sayyid Muhammad Nadheer Husayn ad-Dehlawee
has a clear and beneficial treatise in reply to these evil innovations.
Imaam al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abdis -Salaam
said in his treatise: Al-Waasitab (p.5): “Whoever makes the prophets, and the scholars of the religion,
intermediaries between Allaah and His creation, like the door keepers employed by earthly kings who come between them and
their subjects, and thinks that they are the ones who raise up the needs of the creation to Allaah, the Most High, and that
Allaah, the Most High, guides, gives provision and aid to His creation through them, meaning that the creation make request
of them and then they in turn make request of Allaah, just as the intermediaries with earthly kings pass on the request of
subjects to them, and the people ask them since it is not deemed correct for them to ask the king directly, and it is more
beneficial for them to make their request to the intermediaries than to ask the king directly, since they are closer to the
king.
So whoever deems them to be intermediaries in this way, then he is a Kaafir and a mushrik. His repentance is to
be sought, and he either repents or he is killed. Such people make similarity with Allaah; they take Him to be like His creation,
and attribute rivals to Allaah...”
Alaamah al-Imaam Muhamamd al-Ameen ash-Shanqeetee said "The saying of the Exalted, ‘You Alone we ask for help’: meaning that we do not seek aid from anyone
but You because the command/affair in it’s totality is under Your control Alone, no one else has even an atoms weight
of control over it. And in this statement’s following His saying, ‘You Alone we worship’ lies an indication
that it is not permissible to put our trust in anyone except the One that deserves worship because no one else has control
over the command/affair. This meaning which is indicated here is clearly explained in other verses, like His sayings,
‘So
worship Him and put your trust in Him’ (12:123
‘But if they turn away, say: Allaah is sufficient for me, none
has the right to be worshipped but Him, in Him I put my trust’ (9:129
‘The Lord of the East and the West, none
deserves to be worshipped but Him, so take Him as the Disposer of your affairs’ (73:9)
‘Say: He is the Most
Beneficent, we have believed in Him and put our trust in Him’ (67:29) (Al-Adwaa u-Bayaan)
Alamaah al-Imaamu-Zaahid
Muhammad Ibnu-Saalih al-Uthaymeen said "major shirk, is, every type of shirk which the Lawgiver described
as such and which puts a person beyond the pale of his religion – such as devoting any kind of act of worship which
should be for Allaah to someone other than Allaah, such as praying to anyone other than Allaah, fasting for anyone other than
Allaah or offering a sacrifice to anyone other than Allaah. It is also a form of major shirk to offer supplication (du’aa)
to anyone other than Allaah, such as calling upon the occupant of a grave or calling upon one who is absent to help one in
some way in which no one is able to help except Allaah. " (Majmoo al-Fatwaa wa rasa'il Ibn Uthaymeen)
Ash-Shaykh
Naasir al-Aql says "To direct any form of worship, such as, du'aa, istigaaathah (seeking help), isti'aana
(seeking aid or assistance), Nadhr (vowing), dhabh (slaughtering), tawakkul (reliance), khawf (reverential fear), rajaa (hope),
mahabah 9love, or other similar acts, to other than Allah the Most High, consitutes ascribing partners to Allah (shirk) irrespective
of who the worship was directed to; whether it be an wangel, a prophet, a righteous person (awliyaa) or someone other than
this" (General precepts of ahlu-sunnah wal jama'ah)
Al-Imaam, al-Mujadid, al-Alamaah al-Faqeeh and the Subdoer
of Innovations Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal ash-Shaibaanee was recorded by Khatabee (narration saheeh)
"Khattabi
said: Ahmed used to adduce by the hadith { I seek refuge in the perfect Words of Allah } that the Prophet did not seek help
from creation" Ibn Hajar Asqalani, Fath al-Bari 410/6 and al-Mardawi al-Hanbali confirmed that in al-Insaaf. "
Imaam Abu Haneefa said
"it is not befitting for anyone to call upon
Him, except by Him, and with the supplication that He has permitted and ordered, that which is instructed in His statement
"And
Allah has beautiful names, so call upon Him by them, and leave the company of those who deviate concerning His names. They
will be recompensed for what they used to do" (7;180) "ad-Durrul-Mukhtar Ma'a Hashiyyah Raddul-Mukhtar"(6/396-397)
About the Ayah “
Seek Waseelah to Him”, Hanafi scholars said in tafseer “ Seek Qurbah of Allah with actions of obedience and leaving
sins”
Abu Layth Samarqandi, one of the big Hanafi scholar said about this Ayah : “ Meaning seek Qurbah
and Fadeelah with good deeds”
Imam Abu Su’ood Al ‘Imadi al Hanafi said in tafseer : “ It is
Fa’eelatun with meaning what we do Tawassul with to Allah from actions of obedience and leaving sins”
Also
Nassafi mentioned in Madariku Tanzeel that Tawassul as been used to “ What we do Tawassul with to Allah with actions
of good and leaving sins”
Imam Mahmood Aloosi and his son Nu’man followed him : “ This is Fa’eelatun
with meaning of what one does tawassul with from actions of obedience and leaving sins” and some people took daleel
from this ayah to justify istighathah from Saliheen, making them Waeelah between Allah and slaves, and Qasam on Allah for
them is to say : “O Allah we do Qasam on you with Fulan that you give us that” and some of them say to the absent
or dead from pious slaves of Allah : “ Ya Fulan, invoke Allah that He gives us Rizq this and that”, and they think
that it is from chapter of seeking Waseelah, and they tell from the Prophet saw : “ When things are difficult for you,
then go to Ahle Quboor or seek help from Ahle Quboor” ( a fabricated narration), and all of this is far from the truth”
(
Rooh Al Ma’ani v 6 p 124-125, Jala ul Aynayn p 494)
Imam Haskafi said in Durul Mukhtar, Fasl fil Bay’ :
“ And in Tatar Khaniyah Ma’ziyan lil Muntaqa, from Abu Yussuf from Abu Haneefah : “ One should not invoke
Allah except with Himself, and the Du’ah permitted in it and prescribed is what is taken from His Saying : “ And
for Allah are beautiful Names, invoke with them” ( A’raf, 180), and this saying is makrooh : : Bi Haqq of Your
Prophets or Nabi or Awliyah…”
Ibn Abideen As Shamee said in explanation of “except with Himself”
: “ Meaning with his Dhat, His Sifat and His Names”
Allamah Rustami Al Hanafi said : “ Know that
in this saying ( of Abu Haneefah) there is restriction to Tawassul of Tawassul Ismi in du’a in Names of Allah and His
Sifat. And the condition of these muqalideen is that they leave the saying of their Imam, and follow their desire without
knowledge…and our shaykh ( Ar Ribati) Al fadil Al Allamah Al Adeeb, Jami’ Al Ma’qool and Manqool, one of
the Afadil Hanafiyah fair refuting Quburiyah, has some Kalam important in istidlal from this saying of Imam Abu Haneefah,
and he quoted sayings of Hanafi scholars cutting backs of Quburiyah…” ( Tibyan p 182 of Rustami, see also “Kowakib
Ad Duriyah fi tahqeeq Waseelah Shar’iyah” p 125 of Ribati Al Hanafi”
Mahmoof Aloosi Sahib Roohul
Ma’ani said about Tawassul of Sahabah :
“ That one seek Du’a, Shafa’ah, so the Tawassul and
Tawajuh is in truth with his du’ah and his Shafa’ah, and this is from what is not forbidden, as for what is in
language of a lot of people, that meaning is to ask Allah with his dhaat, and do Qasam on him with it, this is subject of
dispute, and you have known words on it, and it has been put in Iqsam not legislated the saying of someone : “ O Allah,
I ask you with status ( Jahun) of Fulan” because this is not proven from any of the salaf that he invoked like that…And
Tahqiq of kalam in this topic is that istighathah from creation, and making him a waseelah in meaning of asking for his du’a,
there is no doubt for its permissibility, if the one asked is alive, and if the asked is dead or absent, then it is not hidden
for the scholar that it is not permissible, and it is from the innovations that none of the Salaf did, and none of the Salaf
came with this, while they were most desiring people from creation to do good deeds…and Taj Subki insulted Al Majd (
Ibn Taymiyah), as it is his ‘adat, and said : “ And tawassul is Hassan, and Istighathah with Nabi saw to the Lord,
and none from the Salaf or khalaf denied this until Ibn Taymiyah came, and he denied this, and deviated from Sirat Mustaqeem,
and innovated…. (Al Aloosi answered ) : “And you know that Du’a Mathoorah from pure Ahle Bayt and others
from Aimah, there is not in them Tawassul with his Respected Dhat…the one who claims a text, then he should present
it”
( Rooh Al Ma’ani v 6 p 126-127 and Jala Ul Aynayn of his son Nu’man Al Aloosi p 497-498)
And
Shukri Aloosi, great son of Mahmood Aloosi said in Ghayatul Amani in refutation of Nabbahani about Tawassul with du’a
: “ And this is done with alive, and not dead, and this is tawassul with their du’a and their Shafa’ah,
because the alive is sought for that, and for the dead, nothing is sought from him, not du’a nor anything else”
( Ghayatul Amani v 2 p 335)
For more on Tawassul and other innovations of graves, see the book of Nu’man Al Aloosi
Al Hanafi “ Jala ul Aynayn fi Muhakamati baynal Ahmadayn” in which he refutes Ibn Hajar Al Haytami’s attack
against ibn Taymiyah, on Tawassul, ibn Arabi, taqleed, Asma wa Sifat, Ismah of Anbiyah and many other attacks of AL Haytami,
that Al Aloosi called unjust and leaving ways of scholars by attributing things to ibn Taymiyah he never said.
Also
Zyaratul Qubur of Al Barkawi Al Hanafi, Majalis ul Abrar of Roomi Al Hanafi, Khazeenatul Asraar translation of Majalis ul
Abrar of Subhan Baksh Al Hindi Al Hanafi for refutation of innovated Tawassul that are done on graves of Saliheen, the many
books of Shukri Al Aloosi against Yussuf Nabbahani Ash Shazili.
Note : Among kibar Ahnaf who also defended Ibn Taymiyah,
there is Badrudeen Al Ayni, as mentioned by Shukri al Aloosi in Ghayatul Amani v 2 p 128-132, Ibn Nasirudeen quoted Al Ayni
in his book “ Rad Al Wafir” : “ The Madhab of Salaf is Ithbat with Tashbeeh, Tanzih without Ta’teel,
Imam Malik was asked about His saying “ Ar Rahman ‘ala Arshi stawa” and he said “ Istiwa is known,
the Kayf is Majhool, and Iman in it is Wajib and question about that is an innovation” and this Imam, Ay Shaykhul Islam,
as I saw his creed and discovered his thinking, the one who is on this creed, how can we attribute him Hulool and Ittihad,
Tajseem, or to what went people of Ilhad”
So it shows that many Kibar from Ahnaaf did not see any wrong in Ibn
Taymiyah’s creed as Ayni, the Aloosi family, rather they defended him from unjust attacks of people of kalam and Tasawwuf.
Now
to finish, let us quote from Muhadithul asr of Deobandiyah
In Faydul Bari, Kitab Jihad, v 3 p 434, Anwar Shah Kashmiri
said
Chapter : “ One who seeks help with weak and Salihin” : Know that the tawassul for Salaf was not
as it is practiced between us, because when they wanted to do Tawassul with someone, they went to the one they wanted to do
tawassul with, also with him, so he makes du’a for them, and they sought help from Allah, making du’a to Him,
hoping His answer…
As for the Tawassul with names of Salihin, as it is known in our time, in which the one who
is done tawassul with is not aware of our tawassul, rather his being alive is not a condition, and tawassul is only done with
mention of their names, thinking they have status in front of Allah, and acceptation, so Allah will not make ( du’a)
vain with mention of their names.
This matter, I do not like to enter it, nor do I claim any prove from Salaf, nor
do I make Inkar. Look ar Shami for that.
As for His Saying : “ Seek Waseelah to Him”, this, even if it
necessitates seeking of Wasilah, there is no prove for Tawassul with only names, and Ibn Taymiyah went to its forbiddance,
and Sahibu Durul Mukhtar enabled it, but he did not give any text from Salaf.: end of Kashmiri’s words
Anwar
Shah Kashmiri said in Faydul bari, Abwabul Witr v 2 p 379 :
“ Allah we used to do tawassul with our Prophet saw”
: There is not in this ( shar’I tawassul mentioned in hadeeth) the Tawassul known, that is done secretly, until he has
no perception from basis ( meaning the one who is done tawassul with has no knowledge of that), rather there is in this the
Tawassul of Salaf, and it is to come to a man of Satus in front of Allah, and he asks him to invoke Allah…as was done
with Abbas, uncle of the Prophet saw, it it was Tawassul of mutaakhireen, then why did they need to go to Abbas with them,
Tawassul with their Prophet saw after his death was sufficient for them, or with Abbas without his presence, and this kind
of things is permissible for mutakhireen, and Hafiz ibn Taymiyah forbade this, and I am doubtful ( mutraddidun) in this, because
a text from Imam came in quoting of Qadoori that Iqsam to Allah without His Names is not permissible, and he took from negation
of Iqasam negation of Tawassul, and if tawassul is Iqasam, then the case is as said by Ibn Taymiyah, and if it is not Iqsam,
it remains permissible.
As for taking ( daleel) from his saying saw “ You are given Rizq with your weak”
then this is not supporting this, because it is not Tawassul, but the meaning is that Allah gives you your rizq with Ri’ayat
( taking care) of weak and Ri’ayah of their being with them, not the Tawassul with toungue : “ Allah give us Rizq
with Waseelah of Fulan”…
End of Kashmiri’s words
So one can see Shah Sahib denies any text
from Salaf doing Tawassul with status, and he made a clear affirmation that tawassul of Khalaf is different that Tawassul
of Salaf.
He also refuted claims of people doing Istidlal with the Ayah “ Seek Waseelah to Him” and the
hadeeth of Umar doing tawassul with Abbas, which is a refutation of Al Kawtharee and many others who took daleel from them.
Such
a great Muhadith like Kashmiri, who knew Kanzul A’mal and Hidayah by heart, who had a big nathar on books of Salaf and
khalaf, could not find any text from Salaf doing Tawassul with names.
Also there is no text from Imam Abu Haneefah,
nor his students permitting Tawassul with status, and it is well known that Muqalid should not act on any hadeeth nor saying
of anybody except their Imam, as they do not know whether the hadeeth is abrogated, and they do not have faculty of istinbat,
traking rulings from hadeeth.
But the shock is that we see Muaqlidoon of Abu Haneefah doing things without any text
of their Imam, how is it possible that if this was done by Mutawatir from Sahabah, Tabiin, and Imams and we have no text from
Abu Haneefah that he was doing tawassul with Status, nor any text from his students ?
If this practice was agreed upon
by Salaf, where is mutawatir report of it, so none can deny it ?
The Arguement of the people o Confusion and Desires
The following are arguement used to validate the innovated forms of tawassul
1. Hadeeth 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
__________________________
2. The Hadeeth of Maalik Dar
Imam al-Bayhaqi relates with a sound (sahih) chain:
It is related from Malik al-Dar, `Umar's treasurer, that the
people suffered a drought during the successorship of `Umar, whereupon a man came to the grave of the Prophet and said:
"O
Messenger of Allah, ask for rain for your Community, for verily they have but perished," after which the Prophet appeared
to him in a dream and told him: "Go to `Umar and give him my greeting, then tell him that they will be watered. Tell him:
You must be clever, you must be clever!"
The man went and told `Umar. The latter said: "O my Lord, I spare no effort
except in what escapes my power!""
This hadeeth is reported in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Irshaad of al-Khalilee, Bidaya wan-Nihayaa,
Fath al-Bari and others.
