Reality of Intermediation>>Literal meaning of tawassul -PART5

Literal meaning of tawassul
(توسل)


Tawassul (intermediation) and
wasīlah (means) are similarly
used. Lexicologists think that
wasīlah is a means of achieving
an objective.

1. Imam Rāghib Asfahānī
comments:
Wasīlah means to seek willingly
access to something and since
it is based on willingness, it is
related to wasīlah, the means
of approach.[8]
[8]. Rāghib Asfahānī, Mufradāt
alfāz al-Qur’ān (p.871).


2. Ibn Manzūr, in his research
conducted on the word
wasīlah, writes:
In fact, wasīlah is a means of
approach to something to
attain nearness to it.[9]
[9]. Ibn Manzūr, Lisān-ul-Arab
(11:725).



3. Imam Zamakhsharī says:
Everything that helps in
seeking means of approach,
that is, nearness to Allah, is
wasīlah.[10]
[10]. Zamakhsharī, al-Kashshāf
‘an haqā’iq ghawāmid-it-tanzīl
(1:488).


Source:
Islamic Concept of Intermediation - Tawassul > Reality of Intermediation
http://mrehan.wapath.com/AULIYA+ALLAH/ISLAMIC+CONCEPT+OF+INTERMEDIATIO/___/CHAPTER+1