Source: Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah, Volume 1, Kitab al-Salah, Page 470
What is the ruling on making duʿāʾ through the intercession or in the name of the Prophet ﷺ or asking by his sake?
(Asked by: Haji Nazir Khan, Daman Hazro)
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾammā baʿd!
After the passing of the Prophet ﷺ, supplicating through his intercession or by his sake (tawassul or biḥaqqihi) is not established through:
✔ The Qur’an
✔ Authentic Hadiths
✔ Consensus (Ijmāʿ)
✔ Narrations from the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn (pious predecessors)
Refer to al-Wasīlah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله, among other works.
Narrated by Anas رضي الله عنه:
“When there was drought during the time of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه, he would perform the Salah of Istisqāʾ (prayer for rain) through al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib رضي الله عنه.
He would say:
‘O Allah, we used to do tawassul to You through our Prophet ﷺ, and You would grant us rain. Now we do tawassul to You through the uncle of our Prophet ﷺ, so grant us rain.’
And then it would rain.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1010)
① No evidence exists for making duʿāʾ through a deceased individual, even if that person is the Prophet ﷺ.
② Tawassul through the prayer of a living person is established.
③ In this narration, tawassul means seeking Allah's mercy through the duʿāʾ of a living individual, not by their status or name alone.
Quoted from al-Hidāyah (Book of Karāhiyyah, p. 475):
"It is disliked (makrūh) for a person to say in duʿāʾ: ‘By the right of so-and-so’ or ‘by the right of Your Prophets and Messengers,’ because the creation has no right upon the Creator.”
✔ This clarifies that such forms of duʿāʾ are discouraged and against the etiquette of supplicating to Allah.
✔ One should make duʿāʾ directly to Allah without any intermediaries.
✔ Allah is All-Knowing and All-Powerful, fully aware of His servant’s condition.
✔ All prophets, martyrs, and righteous people themselves prayed directly to Allah without using intermediaries.
❖ There is no valid proof for supplicating through the status, name, or sake of the Prophet ﷺ after his death.
❖ Instead, the authentic and correct way is to pray directly to Allah, just as the Prophet ﷺ and his companions did.
❖ Using the Prophet ﷺ’s intercession after his demise is not supported by the Sharīʿah.
ـــ ❖ ـــ
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on making duʿāʾ through the intercession or in the name of the Prophet ﷺ or asking by his sake?
(Asked by: Haji Nazir Khan, Daman Hazro)
✿ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾammā baʿd!
After the passing of the Prophet ﷺ, supplicating through his intercession or by his sake (tawassul or biḥaqqihi) is not established through:
✔ The Qur’an
✔ Authentic Hadiths
✔ Consensus (Ijmāʿ)
✔ Narrations from the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn (pious predecessors)
✿ For Further Detail
Refer to al-Wasīlah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله, among other works.✦ Evidence from the Practice of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه
Narrated by Anas رضي الله عنه:
“When there was drought during the time of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه, he would perform the Salah of Istisqāʾ (prayer for rain) through al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib رضي الله عنه.
He would say:
‘O Allah, we used to do tawassul to You through our Prophet ﷺ, and You would grant us rain. Now we do tawassul to You through the uncle of our Prophet ﷺ, so grant us rain.’
And then it would rain.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1010)
✔ What This Hadith Teaches:
① No evidence exists for making duʿāʾ through a deceased individual, even if that person is the Prophet ﷺ.
② Tawassul through the prayer of a living person is established.
③ In this narration, tawassul means seeking Allah's mercy through the duʿāʾ of a living individual, not by their status or name alone.
✿ View of Ḥanafī Jurisprudence
Quoted from al-Hidāyah (Book of Karāhiyyah, p. 475):
"It is disliked (makrūh) for a person to say in duʿāʾ: ‘By the right of so-and-so’ or ‘by the right of Your Prophets and Messengers,’ because the creation has no right upon the Creator.”
✔ This clarifies that such forms of duʿāʾ are discouraged and against the etiquette of supplicating to Allah.
✿ Correct Method of Duʿāʾ
✔ One should make duʿāʾ directly to Allah without any intermediaries.
✔ Allah is All-Knowing and All-Powerful, fully aware of His servant’s condition.
✔ All prophets, martyrs, and righteous people themselves prayed directly to Allah without using intermediaries.
Conclusion:
❖ There is no valid proof for supplicating through the status, name, or sake of the Prophet ﷺ after his death.
❖ Instead, the authentic and correct way is to pray directly to Allah, just as the Prophet ﷺ and his companions did.
❖ Using the Prophet ﷺ’s intercession after his demise is not supported by the Sharīʿah.
ـــ ❖ ـــ
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
