◈ The Meaning of Tawassul
The word "tawassul" means seeking a means of nearness. In the Qur'an, Allah commands:
❝وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ❞
(“And seek the means of nearness to Him.”)
According to classical lexicons and scholars like Imam Rāghib al-Isfahānī and Imām Ṭabarī, "wasīlah" refers to drawing near to Allah through obedience, acts of devotion, and righteous deeds, not through intermediaries or persons.
✔ Valid Forms of Tawassul
Scholars and classical texts have outlined the permissible types of tawassul, such as:
① By Allah’s Names and Attributes
❝فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا❞ – (“Call upon Him by His names.” – al-A‘rāf: 180)
② By Tawḥīd (as in the supplication of Yunus عليه السلام)
❝لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ...❞
③ By Righteous Deeds and Sincere Faith
As shown in the supplication of the believers:
❝رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا...❞ (Āl ‘Imrān: 193)
And in the authentic hadith of the three men trapped in the cave who invoked Allah through their righteous actions (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī & Muslim).
④ By One’s Weakness and Need
Like the dua of Ayyūb عليه السلام:
❝أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ...❞
⑤ By Requesting Du‘ā from the Living
As the Companions did by asking al-‘Abbās (رضي الله عنه) for prayer during drought, not by invoking the Prophet ﷺ posthumously.
⑥ By Acknowledging One's Sins
As Mūsā عليه السلام said:
❝رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي❞
✘ Illegitimate Forms of Tawassul (Unlawful and Polytheistic)
① Tawassul through the Dead
Asking deceased saints or prophets for help or intercession is invalid and classified as shirk. The dead cannot hear or respond.
② Tawassul by Status or Rank
Saying, "O Allah, I ask You by the status of Your Prophet ﷺ" is not supported by any authentic Hadith, nor practiced by the Companions.
③ Tawassul by Personalities or Names (Tawassul bi al-Dhawāt)
This was common among pagan Arabs and later among misguided sects. It is akin to the Christian doctrine of atonement and contradicts Islam’s principles of accountability and divine justice.
④ Shirk in Intercession and Mediation
Qur’anic verses have strictly negated any form of independent intercession or partnership with Allah:
❝وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا لَّا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ...❞
❝وَقُطِعَتْ بِهِمُ الْأَسْبَابُ❞
⑤ False Interpretation of Wasīlah in the Qur'an
The verse ❝وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ❞ (An-Naḥl: 16) refers only to navigational guidance, not gaining unseen knowledge through stars.
✔ Refutations by Classical Scholars
❝If such tawassul was valid, the Companions would not have resorted to al-‘Abbās after the Prophet ﷺ's demise.❞
✔ Quranic Clarification
Allah declares that none can aid, intercede, or even possess a particle of authority in His dominion without His permission:
❝لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ...❞ (Saba’: 22)
And only those granted explicit permission will be able to intercede:
❝إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ❞
◈ Conclusion
Unlawful tawassul, such as invoking saints, the Prophet ﷺ posthumously, or using their status as a means to approach Allah, is an innovation and a form of shirk. Only the means established by the Qur'an, Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf are valid. Deviating from this path leads to polytheistic practices condemned by the Qur'an and Sunnah.
وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ التَّوْفِيقِ وَالسَّدَادِ
وصلى الله على نبيه محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم.
The word "tawassul" means seeking a means of nearness. In the Qur'an, Allah commands:
❝وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ❞
(“And seek the means of nearness to Him.”)
According to classical lexicons and scholars like Imam Rāghib al-Isfahānī and Imām Ṭabarī, "wasīlah" refers to drawing near to Allah through obedience, acts of devotion, and righteous deeds, not through intermediaries or persons.
✔ Valid Forms of Tawassul
Scholars and classical texts have outlined the permissible types of tawassul, such as:
① By Allah’s Names and Attributes
❝فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا❞ – (“Call upon Him by His names.” – al-A‘rāf: 180)
② By Tawḥīd (as in the supplication of Yunus عليه السلام)
❝لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ...❞
③ By Righteous Deeds and Sincere Faith
As shown in the supplication of the believers:
❝رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا...❞ (Āl ‘Imrān: 193)
And in the authentic hadith of the three men trapped in the cave who invoked Allah through their righteous actions (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī & Muslim).
④ By One’s Weakness and Need
Like the dua of Ayyūb عليه السلام:
❝أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ...❞
⑤ By Requesting Du‘ā from the Living
As the Companions did by asking al-‘Abbās (رضي الله عنه) for prayer during drought, not by invoking the Prophet ﷺ posthumously.
⑥ By Acknowledging One's Sins
As Mūsā عليه السلام said:
❝رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي❞
✘ Illegitimate Forms of Tawassul (Unlawful and Polytheistic)
① Tawassul through the Dead
Asking deceased saints or prophets for help or intercession is invalid and classified as shirk. The dead cannot hear or respond.
② Tawassul by Status or Rank
Saying, "O Allah, I ask You by the status of Your Prophet ﷺ" is not supported by any authentic Hadith, nor practiced by the Companions.
③ Tawassul by Personalities or Names (Tawassul bi al-Dhawāt)
This was common among pagan Arabs and later among misguided sects. It is akin to the Christian doctrine of atonement and contradicts Islam’s principles of accountability and divine justice.
④ Shirk in Intercession and Mediation
Qur’anic verses have strictly negated any form of independent intercession or partnership with Allah:
❝وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا لَّا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ...❞
❝وَقُطِعَتْ بِهِمُ الْأَسْبَابُ❞
⑤ False Interpretation of Wasīlah in the Qur'an
The verse ❝وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ❞ (An-Naḥl: 16) refers only to navigational guidance, not gaining unseen knowledge through stars.
✔ Refutations by Classical Scholars
- Ibn Qayyim, al-Ālūsī, Anwar Shāh al-Kashmīrī, and others firmly reject all forms of tawassul through the dead or personalities.
- They clarify that tawassul by prayer (du‘ā) of a righteous living person was the practice of the Companions, not by invoking the Prophet ﷺ after his death.
❝If such tawassul was valid, the Companions would not have resorted to al-‘Abbās after the Prophet ﷺ's demise.❞
✔ Quranic Clarification
Allah declares that none can aid, intercede, or even possess a particle of authority in His dominion without His permission:
❝لَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ...❞ (Saba’: 22)
And only those granted explicit permission will be able to intercede:
❝إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ❞
◈ Conclusion
Unlawful tawassul, such as invoking saints, the Prophet ﷺ posthumously, or using their status as a means to approach Allah, is an innovation and a form of shirk. Only the means established by the Qur'an, Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf are valid. Deviating from this path leads to polytheistic practices condemned by the Qur'an and Sunnah.
وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ التَّوْفِيقِ وَالسَّدَادِ
وصلى الله على نبيه محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم.
