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The detailed explanation regarding the permissible and impermissible forms of tawassul (intermediation) has already been presented in previous discussions. Now, let us turn to examine and refute the rational arguments that are commonly presented in support of tawassul.
It is said: “Just as a person needs a ladder to reach the roof, similarly, one needs saints (awliyā’) as a means to reach Allah.”
Response:
Firstly, it is impermissible to draw examples for Allah from His creation, for there is nothing like unto Him.
﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ﴾
(Ash-Shūrā: 11)
Translation: “There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
Allah is established above the Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty:
﴿الرَّحْمٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوٰى﴾
(Ṭāhā: 5)
Translation: “The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.”
However, in terms of His Knowledge and Power, He is closer to us than our jugular vein:
﴿وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ﴾
(Qāf: 16)
Translation: “And We are closer to him than (his) jugular vein.”
Thus, since Allah is near to us in knowledge and power, there is no need for an intermediary or a personal medium (such as a saint) to reach Him — as the “ladder and roof” analogy attempts to suggest.
Moreover, Allah Himself commands direct supplication to Him:
﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾
(Ghāfir: 60)
Translation: “And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’”
All the supplications found in the Qur’an and Hadith are directly to Allah, without invoking any personal intermediary. Hence, the analogy of the ladder and the roof is completely baseless.
Some claim: “Just as one cannot reach the king without first approaching his ministers, likewise, one cannot reach Allah without the saints.”
Response:
A king is difficult to reach because he is a weak and needy human being who cannot attend to every individual personally; hence, one must approach him through intermediaries.
But Allah is unlike any king — He hears the call of every supplicant directly:
﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ﴾
(Al-Baqarah: 186)
Translation: “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the supplication of the caller when he calls upon Me.”
Therefore, no “minister,” “gatekeeper,” or “saint” is required to reach Allah.
In a viral video, the head of Dawat-e-Islami, Ilyas Qadri, claims:
“When a theft occurs, we seek help from the police; when we need food, we seek help from our mother — does that mean this is shirk? Shouldn’t we then only ask Allah for help?”
Response:
This childish reasoning is easily refuted. Do we seek help from dead police officers? Or from those not present at the scene? Do we ask a deceased mother for bread, or a living one who can actually provide it?
Such help is known as matḥat al-asbāb (help through natural, worldly means), and it is permissible, as the Qur’an states:
﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى﴾
(Al-Mā’idah: 2)
Translation: “And help one another in righteousness and piety.”
However, the real issue is mā fawq al-asbāb — seeking supernatural help from those who have no power to assist, such as calling upon ʿAbd al-Qādir Jīlānī as “Ghawth al-Aʿẓam” (“the greatest rescuer”) by saying “Yā Ghawth al-Aʿẓam madad!”
This is explicit shirk, similar to what polytheists do in their temples.
Duʿā (supplication) itself is worship. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«الدعاء هو العبادة» ثم قرأ: ﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾
(Musnad Aḥmad: 18542; al-Tirmidhī: 2969 – ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ)
Translation: “Supplication is worship.” Then he recited: ‘And your Lord says, Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’
Since duʿā is an act of worship, worship must be devoted exclusively to Allah. Including any created being as a personal intermediary in duʿā amounts to associating a partner in worship, and directly invoking others besides Allah is clear and manifest shirk.
❖ Introduction
The detailed explanation regarding the permissible and impermissible forms of tawassul (intermediation) has already been presented in previous discussions. Now, let us turn to examine and refute the rational arguments that are commonly presented in support of tawassul.
⚖ Refutation of the Rational Arguments for Tawassul
① The First Argument: The Example of the Ladder and the Roof
It is said: “Just as a person needs a ladder to reach the roof, similarly, one needs saints (awliyā’) as a means to reach Allah.”
Response:
Firstly, it is impermissible to draw examples for Allah from His creation, for there is nothing like unto Him.
﴿لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ﴾
(Ash-Shūrā: 11)Translation: “There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
Allah is established above the Throne in a manner befitting His Majesty:
﴿الرَّحْمٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوٰى﴾
(Ṭāhā: 5)Translation: “The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.”
However, in terms of His Knowledge and Power, He is closer to us than our jugular vein:
﴿وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ﴾
(Qāf: 16)Translation: “And We are closer to him than (his) jugular vein.”
Thus, since Allah is near to us in knowledge and power, there is no need for an intermediary or a personal medium (such as a saint) to reach Him — as the “ladder and roof” analogy attempts to suggest.
Moreover, Allah Himself commands direct supplication to Him:
﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾
(Ghāfir: 60)Translation: “And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’”
All the supplications found in the Qur’an and Hadith are directly to Allah, without invoking any personal intermediary. Hence, the analogy of the ladder and the roof is completely baseless.
② The Second Argument: The Example of the King and His Ministers
Some claim: “Just as one cannot reach the king without first approaching his ministers, likewise, one cannot reach Allah without the saints.”
Response:
A king is difficult to reach because he is a weak and needy human being who cannot attend to every individual personally; hence, one must approach him through intermediaries.
But Allah is unlike any king — He hears the call of every supplicant directly:
﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ﴾
(Al-Baqarah: 186)Translation: “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the supplication of the caller when he calls upon Me.”
Therefore, no “minister,” “gatekeeper,” or “saint” is required to reach Allah.
③ The Third Argument: The Example of the Police and the Mother
In a viral video, the head of Dawat-e-Islami, Ilyas Qadri, claims:
“When a theft occurs, we seek help from the police; when we need food, we seek help from our mother — does that mean this is shirk? Shouldn’t we then only ask Allah for help?”
Response:
This childish reasoning is easily refuted. Do we seek help from dead police officers? Or from those not present at the scene? Do we ask a deceased mother for bread, or a living one who can actually provide it?
Such help is known as matḥat al-asbāb (help through natural, worldly means), and it is permissible, as the Qur’an states:
﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى﴾
(Al-Mā’idah: 2)Translation: “And help one another in righteousness and piety.”
However, the real issue is mā fawq al-asbāb — seeking supernatural help from those who have no power to assist, such as calling upon ʿAbd al-Qādir Jīlānī as “Ghawth al-Aʿẓam” (“the greatest rescuer”) by saying “Yā Ghawth al-Aʿẓam madad!”
This is explicit shirk, similar to what polytheists do in their temples.
Summary
Duʿā (supplication) itself is worship. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«الدعاء هو العبادة» ثم قرأ: ﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾
(Musnad Aḥmad: 18542; al-Tirmidhī: 2969 – ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ)Translation: “Supplication is worship.” Then he recited: ‘And your Lord says, Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’
Since duʿā is an act of worship, worship must be devoted exclusively to Allah. Including any created being as a personal intermediary in duʿā amounts to associating a partner in worship, and directly invoking others besides Allah is clear and manifest shirk.
