❀ Scholarly Analysis of the Misuse of Surah al-Baqarah (Verse 89) to Justify Tawassul ❀
Compiled by: Tauheed.com
ٱلْـحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَحْدَهٗ، وَٱلصَّلَاةُ وَٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَىٰ مَنْ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدَهٗ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ:
◈ Background of the Issue
Allah ﷻ in Surah al-Baqarah, verse 89 mentions the hypocritical attitude of the Jews, who despite anticipating the arrival of the final Prophet ﷺ and proclaiming glad tidings regarding his coming, rejected him once he appeared. However, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Na‘eemi, a prominent scholar of the Barelvi school of thought, attempts to extract from this verse a proof for invoking the Prophet ﷺ as a means (tawassul) in supplication, a claim which is not only contrary to the apparent meaning of the verse but also unsupported by any companion, successor, or classical scholar.
◈ The Verse and Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan’s Claim
Verse:
﴿وَكَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ مَا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوا بِهِ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ﴾
(Surah al-Baqarah: 89)
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan's Commentary (Tafsīr Nūr al-ʿIrfān, p. 21):
“It becomes evident that seeking supplication through the Prophet ﷺ is an ancient Sunnah, and denying his intercession is worse than the stance of Jews and Christians. The fulfillment of needs has been taking place even before through the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession.”
Issue: The verse has no reference to tawassul in supplication. It condemns the hypocrisy of the Jews who would seek victory over polytheists by mentioning the coming of the Prophet ﷺ, but rejected him when he came.◈ Historical Context and Correct Meaning of the Verse
The Jews living in Madinah would often clash with the Arab tribes of Aws and Khazraj. Being People of the Book, they were aware of the signs of the final Prophet and would warn the polytheists that when the Prophet arrives, they will join him and overcome them. However, when the Prophet ﷺ was actually sent from the descendants of Ismā‘īl (AS), not from the Jews, they refused to believe and were condemned.
ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUmar ibn Qatādah al-Anṣārī narrates:
“Our teachers (the companions) used to say: No one in Arabia knew more about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ than we did. The Jews used to live among us, and they were People of the Book, while we were idolaters. Whenever they were oppressed by us, they would say: A Prophet is about to be sent, and we will join him and destroy you as the peoples of ʿĀd and Iram were destroyed. But when Allah sent the Prophet ﷺ, we believed in him, and they disbelieved. This verse was revealed about us and the Jews.”
Sīrah Ibn Isḥāq, p. 84; Dalā’il al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqī, 2/75 – Isnad: ḤasanThe verse describes this betrayal and rejection, not the permissibility of using the Prophet ﷺ as a means in supplication.
◈ Clarification by Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (RA)
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (661–728 AH) explains:
“The Jews recognized the truth, but when Prophethood was not granted within their own tribe, they rejected the Messenger ﷺ. They perceived the truth as something that should be limited to their race or group. Islam teaches that the truth must be followed regardless of where it comes from.”
Iqtiḍāʾ al-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm, 1/88–89This further confirms that this verse exposes the tribalistic mindset and hypocrisy of the Jews, not any supposed precedent of tawassul through the Prophet ﷺ.
◈ Inconsistencies in Barelvi Interpretations
❶ Claim Based on Surah Āl ʿImrān (3:193)
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan writes in the tafsīr of:
﴿رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلْإِيمَانِ﴾
“If using one’s own faith as a means is permissible, then invoking the Prophet ﷺ as a means is also completely valid.”
Tafsīr Nūr al-ʿIrfān, p. 119 Issue: Faith (īmān) is an action, and using righteous deeds as a means in supplication is proven in the Qur'an and Sunnah. However, using a specific person's essence or being (dhāt) as a means is nowhere proven—not in Qur'an, not in Sunnah, nor from the companions.❷ Incorrect Inference from Pharaoh
He also claims under another verse in Āl ʿImrān:
“It shows that even Pharaoh acknowledged the means of a Prophet. Whoever denies this is more misguided than Pharaoh.”
Tafsīr Nūr al-ʿIrfān, p. 264 Issue: This is contradictory and misleading. If Pharaoh believed in tawassul, did that make him a believer? Certainly not. This is not only theologically flawed, but inconsistent with his other assertions.◈ Is There Any Proof for Using a Person’s Essence in Duʿāʾ?
Duʿāʾ is the essence of worship, and its methodology is clearly laid out in Qur'an and Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ taught numerous authentic supplications, none of which include invoking his person as a wasīlah.
The companions used:
- Their faith
- Their righteous deeds
- Allah’s Beautiful Names (al-Asmāʾ al-Ḥusnā)
as means in their supplications—not the essence or personality of the Prophet ﷺ.
❖ Hadith of the Three Men in the Cave
Each of them sought Allah’s help through their good deeds, and Allah accepted their duʿāʾ.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth 2215; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth 2743If using the Prophet’s ﷺ person as a means was recommended or preferable, the companions would have done so, but no such authentic narration exists.
◈ Conclusion of the Discussion
➤ Surah al-Baqarah (verse 89) speaks about the hypocrisy and treachery of the Jews.
➤ It contains no mention of tawassul through the Prophet ﷺ.
➤ No companion, successor, or classical scholar ever interpreted this verse as a proof for seeking intercession through the Prophet’s ﷺ essence.
➤ Using righteous deeds as a means in duʿāʾ is valid and proven.
➤ Using a person’s dhāt (essence) as a wasīlah in supplication is not supported by the Qur'an, Sunnah, or the practice of the Ṣaḥābah.
May Allah ﷻ grant us clarity in understanding His Book and keep us steadfast upon the truth. Āmīn.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
