Kinds of tawassul (توسل)
tawassul (توسل) may be
divided into the following kinds:
1. at-Tawassul lid-du‘ā’
2. at-Tawassul fid-du‘ā’
3. at-Tawassul bid-du‘ā’
4. at-Tawassul bin-nidā’
5. at-Tawassul bil-a‘māl-is-sālihah
6. at-Tawassul bi-āthār-is-sālihīn
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1. at-Tawassul lid-du‘ā’
ReplyDeleteThis (kind of intermediation)
seeks nearness of Allah
through a source approved by
Shariah.
2. at-Tawassul fid-du‘ā’
When a need or worry is
submitted to Allah for its relief,
the help of an intermediary is
sought to fulfil the need or
remove the worry.
Difference between the
two
The first kind of intermediation
is a means of drawing near to
Allah while the second kind of
intermediation serves to fulfil
the need of an individual or to
eliminate a specific anxiety.
Kinds of tawassul fid-du‘ā’
This kind of intermediation is
further divided into two kinds:
1. Intermediation through words,
and
2. Intermediation without words.
1. Intermediation through
words
In this form of intermediation,
the name of the intermediary
is mentioned (for the
acceptance of a prayer and
the fulfilment of a need and)
to acquire the close access to
Allah.
During prayer to Allah,
reference to a good deed or a
saintly person serves as a kind
of intermediation for the
acceptance of that prayer. The
petitioner does not need to
specify the name of the
intermediary, a mere reference
to him is enough as is
endorsed by Bukhārī, which is
summarized below:
“During journey, the entrance
of the cave closed on them. All
the three were virtuous men,
one of them prayed to Allah
by referring to his kindly
treatment of his parents. The
second man prayed by
suggesting how he had
managed to escape committing
a sin though it was the
easiest thing for him to do.
The third man talked about
how he had guarded the
wages of a labourer for many
years and paid him the money
after a lapse of considerable
time and then prayed. Their
prayers were accepted as Allah
removed the heavy stone that
had closed the entrance of the
cave.”
2. Intermediation without
words
When a good deed or a sacred
place serves as a means of
approach at the time of
prayer to attain the nearness
of Allah, this deed or place is
endeared to Him. Even though
these are not given a strictly
verbal form, they automatically
serve as a source of
intermediation.
It is also known as
intermediation through action.
It eliminates the use of the
words during prayer. The
petitioner either prays in the
company of a saintly person or
prays at a sacred place or he
places a hallowed object in
front of him and then prays
to Allah for a favourable
reception of his prayer.
The first instance of
intermediation through action is
attested by Zakariyyā’s prayer
at Maryam’s place of worship,
as it is stated by the Qur’ān:
At this place (Maryam’s place
of worship) Zakariyyā prayed
to his Lord. He besought, “O
my Master, bless me with
children who are of sound
moral character. There is no
doubt that You hear our
petitions.”[15]
In this verse, Allah has
pinpointed the blessed act of
Zakariyyā ( عليه السلام ).
When he observed out-of-
season fruit and other prized
objects at Maryam’s place who
was being groomed by him as
a trainee, he chose that
particular spot for the
submission of his prayer. Allah
responded positively to his plea
and he was blessed with Yahyā
( عليه السلام ) especially at a
time when it was almost
impossible for his wife to
conceive a child.
The second example is that of
Yūsuf ( عليه السلام )
dispatching his shirt to his
father Ya‘qūb ( عليه السلام )
for the restoration of his
eyesight through the mediation
of the shirt. Besides good
deeds of the prophets and the
righteous people, the relics
associated with these
personages can also act as
instruments of intermediation, a
topic that is proposed to be
dealt with at length in the
course of the book.
3. at-Tawassul bid-du‘ā’
ReplyDeleteIn this kind of intermediation a
person who is very close to
Allah is requested to pray for
the petitioner in order to
relieve him of the worries and
troubles that have turned his
life into sheer torture. When
this saintly person raises his
hands in prayer, Allah, out of
His infinite mercy, does not
turn down his request, but
acknowledges it as a proof of
the fact that He holds His loyal
servants so dear. Allah says:
And remember when you said,
“O Mūsā, surely we will not
remain content with only one
kind of food (manna and quail),
pray, then, to your Lord for
us that He may bring forth for
us of what the earth grows –
of its herbs, and its cucumbers
and its wheat and its lentils
and its onions.”[16]
In this verse, the words fad‘u
lanā rabbaka (pray, then, to
your Lord for us), are the
source of intermediation. The
followers of Mūsā (عليه
السلام) are clearly asking him
to pray for them to Allah.
Since here tawassul (توسل) is
being relied upon through
Mūsā’s prayer, this act is
known as tawassul bid-du‘ā’.
4. at-Tawassul bin-nidā’
The petitioner himself submits
his request to the Prophet
( صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) and uses him as a
means in his supplication to
seek Allah’s help. When he
processes his petition through
the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم ), it becomes a
source of intermediation for
Allah’s help. Ibn Kathīr says
that on the occasion of the
battle of Yamāmah, yā
Muhammadāh (O Muhammad,
help us), was the battle cry of
the Muslims. He adds that
during the war, Khālid bin
Walīd picked up the flag, and
passing through the army
positions, set out towards the
mountain of Musaylimah, the
Liar. He waited there for him
to turn up so that he could
kill him. Then he returned and,
standing between the two
armies, he shouted:
“I am the son of Walīd. I am
the son of ‘Āmir and Zayd.”
And then he raised the battle
cry current among the Muslims
which was “yā
Muhammadāh” (O Muhammad,
help us).[17]
In this tradition the Muslims
are relying on the Prophet
( صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) as a source of
intermediation, and the Muslims
who are committing this act
are the Companions themselves.
Thus to use the Prophet
( صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) as an intermediary
was a practice of the
Companions. Similarly, it is
narrated by ‘Abdullāh bin
‘Abbās that Allah’s Messenger
( صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) said:
Undoubtedly, there are some
of Allah’s angels on the earth
who are in addition to the
guardian angels. They note
down each leaf that falls down
from a tree. If anyone of you
is being tortured in the jungle,
you should cry, “O servants of
Allah, help me.”[18]
Here, the Prophet ( صلى الله
عليه وآله وسلم ) himself
and in his own words instructs
the Muslims to adopt
intermediation as a means of
seeking Allah’s help through His
angels. He is advising us not to
delink ourselves from those
who not only believe in Allah
but also practice their belief. In
case there is no human figure
to come to your rescue, you
should pray to Allah through
the mediation of the angels.
Allah will command them to
come to your help and fulfil
your need. This universe is not
a meaningless vacuum as many
atheists in their ignorance tend
to assume; it is filled with
flights of angels though they
remain invisible to the naked
eye and whenever human
beings under duress invoke the
help of Allah, the angels
practically demonstrate the
merciful presence of Allah by
meeting human exigencies. Thus
the words falyunād a‘īnū
‘ibādallāh are a clear proof
that intermediation through
the Prophet’s intervention is
permissible.
On the Day of Judgement,
ReplyDeletewhen the first and the last
among the Muslims are in
distress on account of the
gruelling heat and judgement is
yet to be pronounced, they
will all rally round the prophets
including the holy Prophet
( صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم), and in their
supplication to Allah will ask for
their help. The tradition cited
in different books bears
testimony to the propriety and
efficacy of this kind of
intermediation. If this is
permissible on the Day of
Judgement, this should be
equally permissible during our
stay in this world. This reflects
the kind-heartedness and
benevolence of the prophets
that the believers can depend
on their mediation as a means
of approach to the infinite
mercy of Allah, whether we
are on the earth or in the
Hereafter.
The text of the tradition is as
follows:
Narrated by ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar
that the Prophet ( صلى الله
عليه وآله وسلم ) said, “A
person constantly begs from
other people till he on the Day
of Judgement has no flesh on
his face.” He added, “The sun
will come closer to the people
on the Day of Judgement. It
will be so close that half of
one’s ear will be drenched in
sweat. In this condition, people
will first seek the mediation of
Adam, then of Mūsā and finally
of Muhammad ( صلى الله
عليه وآله وسلم ).” And
‘Abdullāh – the sub-narrator –
added, “Layth narrated to me
that Ibn Abū Ja‘far had
narrated: He (the Prophet
( صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم)) will intercede with
Allah to judge amongst the
people. Then he will leave here
until he will hold the arc of
the gate of Paradise. On that
day, Allah will make him ascend
the glorious station and all the
people present there will sing
his praises.[19]
Mutual relation between
ReplyDeleteintermediation, intercession
and seeking aid
Another point worth noting in
the context of intermediation
is that when we request
someone to act as our
intermediary to Allah, it also
seems to support the
relevance of the related
concepts of intercession and
seeking help from Allah’s
favourites. It means that when
the relevance of intermediation
has been proved, the
relevance of other two
concepts is automatically
established. The following
Qur’ānic verse clearly links the
three concepts by explaining
their mutually reinforcing role:
(O beloved!) And if they had
come to you, when they had
wronged their souls, and asked
forgiveness of Allah, and the
Messenger also had asked
forgiveness for them, they (on
the basis of this means and
intercession) would have surely
found Allah the Granter of
repentance, extremely Merciful.
[20]
This Qur’ānic verse clearly
argues in favour of
intermediation. It means when
people have committed sin,
they should seek the mediation
of the holy Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم ) in
their supplication to Allah and
the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم ) also prays for
their forgiveness, then they
will find Allah Compassionate
and Merciful.
Fastaghfarullāh argues for
intercession. When Allah
condoned their sin through the
intercession of the Messenger
( صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم), it means that
intercession is validated by the
Qur’ānic text. And the third
concept of istighāthah is in
fact a proof of seeking
someone’s assistance. When a
man returns to the holy
Prophet ( صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم ) for the
forgiveness of his sins, it
clearly means that he is asking
for his intercession: “O,
Messenger of Allah, I am a
sinner. Have mercy on me and
intercede for me before Allah
so that He may condone my
sins.” This desire of the sinner,
in fact, amounts to istighāthah
(seeking help from others)
while the Prophet’s readiness
to implore Allah for the
forgiveness of his sins is
intercession.
Referecences:
[14]. Ismā‘īl Dihlawī, Sirāt
mustaqīm (p.58).
[15]. Qur’ān (Āl-i-‘Imrān) 3:38.
[16]. Qur’ān (al-Baqarah) 2:61.
[17]. Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah
wan-nihāyah (5:30).
[18]. Haythamī narrates it in
Majma‘-uz-zawā’id (10:132) and
says that its men are
trustworthy.
[19]. Bukhārī, as-Sahīh, b. of
zakat (obligatory charity) ch.51
(2:536-7#1405); Tabarānī
transmitted it in al-Mu‘jam-ul-
awsat (9:331#8720); and
Haythamī cited it in Majma‘-uz-
zawā’id (10:371).
[20]. Qur’ān (an-Nisā’) 4:64.
Source:
Islamic Concept of Intermediation - Tawassul > Reality of Intermediation
http://mrehan.wapath.com/AULIYA+ALLAH/ISLAMIC+CONCEPT+OF+INTERMEDIATIO/___/CHAPTER+1