Waseelah

Waseela

It is the belief of the Ahl-as-Sunna that it is permissible to supplicate to Allah with the tawassul of good deeds. It is permitted to supplicate with the tawassul of a living pious person and it is also permitted to supplicate with the tawassul of the deceased pious person. It is this belief that we shall prove in this chapter (insha’llah).

The following is evidence that prove the permissibility to seek the wasila of the living and the deceased:

Proof from the Qur’an

Allah Most High says in the Holy Qur’an:

“O you who Believe! Do your duties to Allah and fear Him; seek the means of approach unto him, and strive (with might and main) in His cause so that you may prosper [Sura Ma’ida, verse 35]

In this verse, Allah has informed us to seek ways of obtaining wasila, a means to approach Him. Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is our wasila in this world and the hereafter.

Allah Most High says in the Holy Qur’an:

“Before that, they were asking for victory over the infidels by means of the same Prophet”

[Sura Baqara, verse 89]

Imam Tabari, Hafiz ibn al-Qayyim, Hafiz ibn Kathir and Qadi Shawkani write that before the birth of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) the Jews would make the Prophet a wasila in their supplications, when asking Allah to defeat their enemies in battle.

[Tafsir Ibn Jareer, Tafsir Ibn Kathir & Tafsir Fath ul-Qadir Shawkani, Ibn al-Qayyim, Hadaya-tul-Hayara, under Sura Baqara, page 89 and 95]

Some may object to this by saying that this was an act of the Jews, hence it cannot be used as evidence for Muslims. However, Allah has mentioned this event in the Qur’an and did not condemn this, therefore demonstrating its permissibility.

Proof from Hadith

Hafiz ibn Taymiyya writes:

“When Adam (peace be upon him) made a mistake, he made du’a like this: ‘ O Allah forgive my mistake with the wasila of Muhammad!’ Allah asked Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) [rhetorically] how he knew about Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Adam (peace be upon him) replied, ‘When you created me, I lifted my head and saw: ‘LA ILA HA ILLALLAHU MUHAMMADUR RASUL’LLAH’ written on the Throne. Therefore I knew that this person must be of a very high status. Otherwise you would not have written his name with Yours.’ Allah Most High then said, ‘I have forgiven you. He will be the last Messenger from your children and I have created you because of him.’

The second narration is when Allah Most High created the sky, and the earth. He wrote our Prophet Muhammad’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) name on the pillars of the Throne and on the doors of Paradise, and on the leaves of the trees in Paradise. It was written that Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would be the last prophet. In addition, both of these narrations are proofs which support each other. They have the status as authentic narrations”

[Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya, vol. 2, page 150; also Ta’rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on ‘Story of Adam’]

Apart from Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya, other scholars, such as Hafiz Suyuti, al-Bayhaqi and Tabrani, have also written these narrations.

Qadi ‘Iyad writes:

“Imam Malik was present at the blessed grave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) whereupon Caliph Harun approached and asked him ‘Which direction shall I face when I supplicate?’ Imam Malik replied, ‘Why turn your face away from Rasulu’llah when he is a wasila for you as he was for your father, Adam.Turn your face towards the Prophet and make istishfaa [request for du’a]’ ”

[Qadi Iyad, Kitab ash-Shifa, chapter on ‘Ziyara un-Nabi’]

Du’a’ was even made with the wasila of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) when he was a child. Muhammad ibn ”Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdi states:

“When our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was a child, rain had not fallen upon Makka for a long period of time.His uncle, Abu Talib, prayed for rain through the wasila of our Prophet.

[Ibn ”Abd al-Wahhab, M, Mukhtasar Sirat-ur-Rasul]

Imam Bukhari writes:

“There was a famine during the khilafa of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who supplicated to Allah by presenting the wasila of the uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). He prayed to Allah by saying: ‘O Allah! We used to supplicate to you with the wasila of the Prophet and you would bestow us with rain. Now we present you with the wasila of ‘Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet. So please grant us rain’ ”

[Bukhari, chapter on ‘Istisqaa’]

Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya and Imam Ibn Sa’d have both written that during the khilafa of Amir Mu’awiya (may Allah be pleased with him) there was a famine. The people came out of their houses and Amir Mu’awiyaasked them, ‘Where is Yazid ibn Aswad Jurshi?’, whereupon Yazid ibn Aswad (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Amir Mu’awiya. The Amir then supplicated in this way: ‘Ya Allah! We supplicate to you with the wasila of one of the best of the people from this age.’Then he asked Yazid ibn Aswad to supplicate to Allah for rain and, after he supplicated, it began to rain”

[Tabqa’at Ibn Sa’d, Biography of Yazid ibn Aswad;& Ibn Taymiyya, at-Tawassul page 276]

Both the above narrations prove that to supplicate with the wasila of a pious person is permitted and is from the ijma of the Sahaba.

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Himself, Advised Us to Make Du’a Through His wasila.

Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes:

“Uthman ibn Hanif (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a blind person came to Rasulu’llah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: ‘Pray to Allah that He bestows upon me sight.’ Rasulu’llah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied: ‘Perform ablution, pray two rak’as salat and then supplicate to Allah in this way:’Ya Allah, I ask You through the wasila of the Prophet.’ Allah Most High returned his sight”

[Ibn Taymiyya, at-Tawassul, page 80; he obtained information from: at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Hakim; Bukhari, in ‘Ta’rikh’; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad Ahmad, and at-Tabarani]

Hafiz Ibn Kathir and Qadi Shawkani write:

“‘Uthman ibn Hanif reported that a blind person came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The blind person asked, ‘Do du’a’ for me so Allah Most High restores my sight.’ Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘If you really want to, I can do du’a’ for you or I can leave it [This means that if the blind man leaves his sight as it is, he will be rewarded more on the Day of Judgement]. But the blind man still insisted that the Prophet should make du’a’ for him. The Prophet asked him to perform ablution and pray two rakas nawafil and to make the following supplication: ‘O Allah! I ask You with the wasila of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Ya Muhammad! I am making du’a’ to Allah Most High with your wasila, so that Allah Most High may accept my du’a’. O Allah! Make Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as my interceder”

This hadith is written by Ibn Majah, an-Nasa’i, at-Tirmidhi, Ahmad, al-Hakim, Ibn Sunni, at-Tabarani and Ibn Huzayma. At-Tabarani and Ibn Huzayma said this hadith is authentic. This hadith proves that it is permissible to make supplication with the wasila of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

[Ta’rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on ‘Mu’jizat and Tuhfah al-Dhakireen’ and chap
ter on ‘Salat al-Hajat’).

Imam al-Bayhaqi has also wrote this narration but also included an additional element of the hadith that states ‘Uthman ibn Hanif reported that the blind man followed what the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said and when he returned, his sight was restored.

[chapter on ‘al-Mu’jizat’]

It is proved from the above hadith that it is permissible to say ‘Ya Muhammad’ and it is also permissible to make supplication to Allah with the wasila of the Prophet.

Imam Bukhari writes that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘Help the poor, because the help and food that Allah has given to you is with their wasila.’

[Bukhari, chapter on ‘Jihad’]

Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani writes that Allah helps the Umma and provides them with food because of the sincere du’a’s of the poor people.

[Fath al-Bari, chapter on ‘Jihad’]

Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write:

“The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘A time will come when the non-believers will fight the Muslims. It will be asked, ‘Is there anyone in the army who has seen the Prophet?’ They will reply ‘yes’ and then win the war. Another time will come when there will be another war between the non-believers and the Muslims and it will be asked, ‘Is there anyone in the army who has seen the Companions of the Prophet?’ They will reply ‘yes’ and then win the war. Another time will come and a question will be asked, ‘Is there anyone in the army who has seen the people who have seen the Companions of the Prophet?’ They will reply ‘yes’, and will win the war'”

[Bukhari, chapter on ‘Jihad’, and Muslim, chapter on ‘Fada’il Sahaba’]

Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani writes that these three wars will be won by the Muslims with the wasila of the Sahaba, Tabi’un and Tabi’u’t-Tabi’in. This hadith is also verified by another hadith, where theProphet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The best of generations is my generation, and then that of the generation after mine, and then the generation after that”

[Fath al-Bari, chapter on ‘Jihad’]

Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes:

“The Prophet said that ‘Seven people will always remain in my Umma, and with their wasila, Allah will provide rain, help, and food for the Umma.’ Another hadith states that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that30 abdal (saints) will always stay in my Umma, and with their wasila, Allah Most High will provide rain, help and food.’ Qatadah says Hasan al-Basri was one of them”

[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Sura al-Baqara under verse 252]

Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal writes:

“Sayyiduna ‘Ali narrated that, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘There will remain 40 abdal (Saints) in Syria.Through their wasila, Allah will provide food, shelter, rain and victory over the kuffar.Whenever one dies, he is replaced by another’ ”

[Musnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal; Ibn Athir, Usd al-Gabah]

Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Ibn ‘Abdi’l-Barr and Ibn Sa’d, Ibn al-Athir writes:’Whenever there was a famine in Rome, then the Romans would supplicate by presenting the wasila of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him)’.

[Ta’rikh Ibn Kathir. Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d, Usd al-Gabah, Isti’ab by Ibn Kathir, Ibn Sa’d, Ibn al-Athir and

Ibn ‘Abdi’l-Barr respectively]

Hafiz Ibn Kathir made no critical comments with regards to this. Whenever supplication was made through Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), making him the wasila, it did rain.

The Prophet is Our Wasila Even After His Death

Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes:

“A person came to ‘Uthman Ghani with regards to seeking some assistance, but he was unable to attract the attention of the khalifa on every attempt. The same person met ‘Uthman ibn Hanif, (may Allah be pleased with him), and told him his problem. ‘Uthman ibn Hanif gave him some advice which was: ‘Perform wudu, pray two rak’at nawafil and then supplicate in this way: ‘Ya Allah, I ask You through the wasila of Your Messenger Muhammad. The person again went to ‘Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) who helped him with his work and also said, ‘If you ever need my help in future, I will help you (with regards to work)’ ”

[Ibn Taymiyya, Qay’da Jaleelah, page 96, at-Tabarani, al-Bayhaqi, al-Hakim]

Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya, after writing this narration, writes:

“Maqdasi states that this narration is sahih and al-Hakim declares that it fulfils the conditions of Bukhari …The opinion of ‘Uthman ibn Hanif is that it is permitted to supplicate in this way even after our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) passed away.But since this is not evident from any other Companion it does not prove that it is wajib”

[Ibn Taymiyya, Al-Wasila, page 98]

The belief of Ahl as-Sunna is that it is permitted to seek the wasila off the Prophet, and it has never been claimed that it is wajib.Ibn Taymiyya further adds:

“It is evident from a group of the Salaf that they held the practice of supplicating with the wasila of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)’ He then includes the following report: ‘According to Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal it is permitted to supplicate with the wasila of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).’ After writing all this Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya makes the statement: ‘If a person makes the obedience of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) the wasila, then this is fine. But if he makes the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) himself the wasila then this is something with which we do not agree with’ ”

[Ibn Taymiyya, Al-Wasila, page 100]

Even in Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya’s books, there are dozens of narrations, which show that the Salaf would present the wasila of Rasulu’llah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) when supplicating to Allah. So it is a very strange phenomenon to deny the wasila of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) after having full knowledge of these narrations, and the practice of the Salaf.

Muhammad ibn ”Abd al-Wahhab an-Najdi writes that scholars have different opinion about making supplication (du’a’) with the wasila of the pious people. Some permit it, while the others do not. So it is not right to say some one is Kafir who goes to the grave of a pious person and make wasila.

[Wahhab, Ibn Abdul, Majmu’ ul-Mu’allifat, al-Qism-ul-Salith, page 68 ]

Qadi Shawkani writes that to supplicate with the wasila of the Prophet is permissible and evidence for that hadith is narrated by ‘Uthman ibn Hanif that states that the Prophet asked a blind man to pray with his wasila. At-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzamah and al-Hakim narrate this hadith.To pray with a pious person’s wasila is also permitted and Imam al-Bukhari gives evidence of that hadith as he writes that Companions of the Prophet made du’a’ with the wasila of ‘Abbas during the time of famine in Madina.

[Qadi Shawkani, Tuhfa ul-Dakireen,chapter on ‘Adab ad-Du’a’ ]

These are all the proofs that demonstrate that it is permitted to supplicate to Allah by presenting the wasila of the pious, whether they are alive or have passed away.And success is from Allah.