Author: Hafiz Abu Yahya Noorpuri
There are several forms of seeking intercession (Waseela) through a pious person. Some are permissible and some are impermissible. The form supported by the early righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) is the one that is legitimate and prescribed. Let us explore the era of the Companions and the Tabi'un to understand their understanding of intercession through pious people, and their stance on seeking intercession through the person themselves or the deceased.
A narration states:"The people of Damascus experienced a drought, so Mu'awiyah went out to seek rain using the intercession of Yazid bin Al-Aswad..."
(Tarikh Abi Zur'ah Al-Dimashqi: 1/602, Tarikh Dimashq: 65/111-112, and its chain is authentic)
Readers should note that these are the exact words used in the narration in Sahih Bukhari, where the term استسقي بالعباس بن عبدالمطلب is used, and here the term يستسقي بيزيد بن الأسود is used.
Now consider what Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah meant by using Yazid bin Al-Aswad as an intercession to Allah. Another narration clarifies this:
"A drought occurred, so Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan and the people of Damascus went out to seek rain. When Mu'awiyah sat on the pulpit, he said: 'Where is Yazid bin Al-Aswad Al-Jurashi?' The people called him, and he came walking among the people. Mu'awiyah ordered him to ascend the pulpit and sit at his feet. Mu'awiyah then prayed: 'O Allah! We seek intercession to You today with our best and most virtuous person. O Allah! We seek intercession to You today with Yazid bin Al-Aswad Al-Jurashi. Yazid, raise your hands to Allah.' Yazid raised his hands, and the people raised theirs as well. Soon, a cloud appeared in the west, resembling a shield. A wind blew, and it rained so much that people could hardly reach their homes."
(Al-Ma'rifah wal-Tarikh by Ya'qub bin Sufyan Al-Fasawi: 2/219, Tarikh Dimashq: 65/112, and its chain is authentic)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) declared the chain of this narration as "authentic." (Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah: 6/697)
This shows that the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray through living pious people and would refer to them when supplicating to Allah. This was their method of seeking intercession through pious people.
"Al-Dahhak bin Qays went out to seek rain and said to Yazid bin Al-Aswad: 'Stand, O you who weep much!'"
(Al-Ma'rifah wal-Tarikh: 2/220, Tarikh Abi Zur'ah Al-Dimashqi: 1/602, Tarikh Dimashq: 65/220, and its chain is authentic)
Dear readers, who had a better understanding of the concept of Waseela, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah and Sayyiduna Dahhak bin Qays or people from later generations? Furthermore, not a single Companion, Tabi'i, or trustworthy Muhaddith has ever supported the permissibility of intercession through a person themselves.
Can anyone still interpret the intercession mentioned in the hadith of Sahih Bukhari as referring to the person themselves?
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"As for intercession through the person themselves in their presence, absence, or after their death, such as swearing by them or other Prophets, or asking for something through their persons without their supplication, this was not well-known among the Companions and the Tabi'un. Instead, when Umar ibn al-Khattab, Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, and those with them from the Companions of the Prophet and the Tabi'un experienced drought, they would seek intercession through the living, such as al-Abbas and Yazid bin Al-Aswad. They did not seek intercession through the Prophet (peace be upon him) in this manner, neither at his grave nor elsewhere. Rather, they would turn to others like al-Abbas and Yazid, while in their supplications, they would send blessings upon him. Umar said:
'O Allah! We used to seek intercession with You through our Prophet, and You would give us rain, now we seek intercession with You through the uncle of our Prophet, so grant us rain.' They made this a substitute for the other since it was not possible to seek intercession through him in the manner that was lawful during his lifetime. They could have come to his grave and sought intercession through him, saying in their supplication in the desert: 'We ask You by Your Prophet,' or 'We ask You by the status of Your Prophet,' or similar phrases, but they did not do so."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa: 1/318)
The Imams and scholars followed the method of the Salaf, not seeking intercession through the deceased but only through the living pious people present.
(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 4/7, Hadith: 33819, and its chain is authentic)
This shows that Sayyiduna Umar and other Companions did not consider it permissible to seek intercession through the bodies or graves of the Prophets. The polytheists of the Persian regions believed in this form of intercession. To eliminate this wrongful act, Sayyiduna Umar ordered the body of this Prophet to be buried in an unknown place.
(Al-Sirah by Ibn Ishaq, p. 66-67, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut; Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqi: 1/381-382, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)
These two narrations show that the Companions did not consider it permissible to seek intercession through the bodies or graves of the Prophets. Therefore, they took great care to hide the body of Prophet Daniel so that people would not know his grave and seek intercession through it.
Some people deceitfully present only parts of these narrations to their audience, claiming that intercession through the bodies and graves of the Prophets was practiced during the time of the Companions. They omit the parts clarifying that this act was practiced by the Persian polytheists and that the Companions did not consider it permissible. The Companions took extreme measures to prevent it.
This is a grave betrayal. In this world, Allah may give such so-called scholars a respite, but they will not escape His punishment on the Day of Judgment. Even now, they should remember the Hereafter and accountability.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"Therefore, the Salaf would block this door (of intercession through the Prophets and righteous). When the Muslims conquered Tustar, they found there a coffin with a dead person whom they said was 'Daniel.' They also found a book with events written in it. The people of that region would seek rain through his intercession. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari wrote to Umar about this, and he wrote back, instructing that thirteen graves be dug during the day. Then, at night, Daniel should be buried in one of them, and the grave leveled so that people would not fall into fitnah (trial) over him."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa: 27/170)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah further states:
"In this story, what the Muhajirun and Ansar did by hiding the grave of Daniel so that people would not be tempted by him is evidence that the Companions considered intercession through the bodies and graves of the Prophets and the righteous as impermissible."
It is evident that authentic hadiths and the practices of the early scholars do not support intercession through the person themselves or the deceased.
There are several forms of seeking intercession (Waseela) through a pious person. Some are permissible and some are impermissible. The form supported by the early righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) is the one that is legitimate and prescribed. Let us explore the era of the Companions and the Tabi'un to understand their understanding of intercession through pious people, and their stance on seeking intercession through the person themselves or the deceased.
Evidence No. 1
The Companion of the Prophet, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), sought rain using the intercession of a very pious Tabi'i, Yazid bin Al-Aswad (may Allah have mercy on him) during his time.A narration states:"The people of Damascus experienced a drought, so Mu'awiyah went out to seek rain using the intercession of Yazid bin Al-Aswad..."
(Tarikh Abi Zur'ah Al-Dimashqi: 1/602, Tarikh Dimashq: 65/111-112, and its chain is authentic)
Readers should note that these are the exact words used in the narration in Sahih Bukhari, where the term استسقي بالعباس بن عبدالمطلب is used, and here the term يستسقي بيزيد بن الأسود is used.
Now consider what Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah meant by using Yazid bin Al-Aswad as an intercession to Allah. Another narration clarifies this:
"A drought occurred, so Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan and the people of Damascus went out to seek rain. When Mu'awiyah sat on the pulpit, he said: 'Where is Yazid bin Al-Aswad Al-Jurashi?' The people called him, and he came walking among the people. Mu'awiyah ordered him to ascend the pulpit and sit at his feet. Mu'awiyah then prayed: 'O Allah! We seek intercession to You today with our best and most virtuous person. O Allah! We seek intercession to You today with Yazid bin Al-Aswad Al-Jurashi. Yazid, raise your hands to Allah.' Yazid raised his hands, and the people raised theirs as well. Soon, a cloud appeared in the west, resembling a shield. A wind blew, and it rained so much that people could hardly reach their homes."
(Al-Ma'rifah wal-Tarikh by Ya'qub bin Sufyan Al-Fasawi: 2/219, Tarikh Dimashq: 65/112, and its chain is authentic)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) declared the chain of this narration as "authentic." (Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah: 6/697)
This shows that the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray through living pious people and would refer to them when supplicating to Allah. This was their method of seeking intercession through pious people.
Evidence No. 2
Besides Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), another Companion of the Prophet, Sayyiduna Dahhak bin Qays (may Allah be pleased with him), also sought intercession through the prayer of this pious Tabi'i. The narration states:"Al-Dahhak bin Qays went out to seek rain and said to Yazid bin Al-Aswad: 'Stand, O you who weep much!'"
(Al-Ma'rifah wal-Tarikh: 2/220, Tarikh Abi Zur'ah Al-Dimashqi: 1/602, Tarikh Dimashq: 65/220, and its chain is authentic)
Dear readers, who had a better understanding of the concept of Waseela, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah and Sayyiduna Dahhak bin Qays or people from later generations? Furthermore, not a single Companion, Tabi'i, or trustworthy Muhaddith has ever supported the permissibility of intercession through a person themselves.
Can anyone still interpret the intercession mentioned in the hadith of Sahih Bukhari as referring to the person themselves?
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"As for intercession through the person themselves in their presence, absence, or after their death, such as swearing by them or other Prophets, or asking for something through their persons without their supplication, this was not well-known among the Companions and the Tabi'un. Instead, when Umar ibn al-Khattab, Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, and those with them from the Companions of the Prophet and the Tabi'un experienced drought, they would seek intercession through the living, such as al-Abbas and Yazid bin Al-Aswad. They did not seek intercession through the Prophet (peace be upon him) in this manner, neither at his grave nor elsewhere. Rather, they would turn to others like al-Abbas and Yazid, while in their supplications, they would send blessings upon him. Umar said:
'O Allah! We used to seek intercession with You through our Prophet, and You would give us rain, now we seek intercession with You through the uncle of our Prophet, so grant us rain.' They made this a substitute for the other since it was not possible to seek intercession through him in the manner that was lawful during his lifetime. They could have come to his grave and sought intercession through him, saying in their supplication in the desert: 'We ask You by Your Prophet,' or 'We ask You by the status of Your Prophet,' or similar phrases, but they did not do so."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa: 1/318)
The Imams and scholars followed the method of the Salaf, not seeking intercession through the deceased but only through the living pious people present.
Evidence No. 3
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:"When they conquered Tustar, they found a man with a nose as long as a cubit in a coffin. They would seek rain and victory through it. Abu Musa wrote to Umar bin Khattab about this, and Umar wrote back: 'This is a Prophet among the Prophets. The fire does not consume Prophets, nor does the earth consume Prophets. Bury him in a place known only to you and your companions,' meaning the companions of Abu Musa. So we went, Abu Musa and I, and buried him."(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 4/7, Hadith: 33819, and its chain is authentic)
This shows that Sayyiduna Umar and other Companions did not consider it permissible to seek intercession through the bodies or graves of the Prophets. The polytheists of the Persian regions believed in this form of intercession. To eliminate this wrongful act, Sayyiduna Umar ordered the body of this Prophet to be buried in an unknown place.
Evidence No. 4
The Tabi'i Abu Al-Aliya (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:"When we conquered Tustar, we found in the treasury of Hormuzan a bed with a dead man lying on it. Near his head was a book. We took the book and brought it to Umar ibn al-Khattab. He called for Ka'b, who translated it into Arabic. I was the first Arab to read it. I read it like I read the Quran. I asked Abu Al-Aliya, 'What was in it?' He said, 'Your deeds, your affairs, your religion, your ways of speaking, and what will happen after you.' I asked, 'What did you do with the man?' He said, 'We dug thirteen graves during the day. At night, we buried him in one of them and leveled all the graves to confuse the people so that they would not exhume him.' I asked, 'What did they hope for from him?' He said, 'When they suffered from drought, they would bring out his bed, and it would rain.' I asked, 'Who did you think the man was?' He said, 'A man they called Daniel.' I asked, 'How long ago did you find him dead?' He said, 'Three hundred years.' I asked, 'Was there any change in his body?' He said, 'No, except for a few hairs on the back of his neck, because the flesh of the Prophets is not consumed by the earth nor eaten by wild animals.'"(Al-Sirah by Ibn Ishaq, p. 66-67, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut; Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqi: 1/381-382, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)
These two narrations show that the Companions did not consider it permissible to seek intercession through the bodies or graves of the Prophets. Therefore, they took great care to hide the body of Prophet Daniel so that people would not know his grave and seek intercession through it.
Some people deceitfully present only parts of these narrations to their audience, claiming that intercession through the bodies and graves of the Prophets was practiced during the time of the Companions. They omit the parts clarifying that this act was practiced by the Persian polytheists and that the Companions did not consider it permissible. The Companions took extreme measures to prevent it.
This is a grave betrayal. In this world, Allah may give such so-called scholars a respite, but they will not escape His punishment on the Day of Judgment. Even now, they should remember the Hereafter and accountability.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
"Therefore, the Salaf would block this door (of intercession through the Prophets and righteous). When the Muslims conquered Tustar, they found there a coffin with a dead person whom they said was 'Daniel.' They also found a book with events written in it. The people of that region would seek rain through his intercession. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari wrote to Umar about this, and he wrote back, instructing that thirteen graves be dug during the day. Then, at night, Daniel should be buried in one of them, and the grave leveled so that people would not fall into fitnah (trial) over him."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa: 27/170)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah further states:
"In this story, what the Muhajirun and Ansar did by hiding the grave of Daniel so that people would not be tempted by him is evidence that the Companions considered intercession through the bodies and graves of the Prophets and the righteous as impermissible."
It is evident that authentic hadiths and the practices of the early scholars do not support intercession through the person themselves or the deceased.