Tawassul: Islamic vs. bid’ah
Q: aslamu aleyka
Ya sheikh, I have question regarding the tawasul, I was telling someone
that seeking tawasul at graves and asking the person who died to make
dua to Allah it's wrong, he told me what is wrong with if I asked pious
person during his life to make Dua and when he died I asked him to make
dua what wrong with it. So I want you to clarify to me how to answer the
brother, what kind Tawasul is allowed and which one not allowed since a
lot people have been misguided in this Area?
A: Tawassul in
Arabic means seeking to draw close. Allaah says in the Qur’aan
(interpretation of the meaning): “…[they] desire means of access to
their Lord…” [al-Isra’ 17:57], {يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ},
Transliteration: Yabtaghūna 'Ilá Rabbihimu Al-Wasīlata,
i.e., means of drawing close to Him. There are two types of Tawassul,
correct Islamic tawassul and forbidden tawassul.
Correct Islamic tawassul:
This means seeking to draw close to Allaah through acts of worship which
He loves and which please Him; these may be waajib (obligatory) or
mustahabb (encouraged), and may take the form of words, actions or
beliefs. Some types are as follows:
Seeking to draw close to Allaah by means of His names and attributes.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (all) the Most
Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the
company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His
names. They will be requited for what they used to do.” [al-A’raaf
7:180], {وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ
فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ ۚ
سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ}, Transliteration: Wa
Lillahi Al-'Asmā'u Al-Ĥusná Fād`ūhu Bihā Wa Dharū Al-Ladhīna
Yulĥidūna Fī 'Asmā'ihi Sayujzawna Mā Kānū Ya`malūna. So when a person
makes du’aa’ to Allaah, he begins by calling on Allaah with the name
that is most apt, such as “al-Rahmaan” (the Most Merciful) when seeking
mercy and al-Ghafoor (the All-Forgiving) when asking for forgiveness,
and so on.
Seeking to draw close to Allaah by means of faith and Tawheed. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): “Our Lord! We believe in what You
have sent down, and we follow the Messenger, so write us down among
those who bear witness (to the truth).” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:53], {رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ}, Transliteration: Rabbanā 'Āmannā Bimā 'Anzalta Wa Attaba`nā Ar-Rasūla Fāktubnā Ma`a Ash-Shāhidīna.
Seeking to draw close to Allaah through righteous deeds, whereby a
person asks Allaah by virtue of the best deeds that he has done, such as
salaah, fasting, reading Qur’aan, avoiding haraam things, and so on. An
example of this is the saheeh hadeeth narrated in the Saheehayn about
the three people who entered a cave, and a rock fell and blocked their
way out. They asked Allaah by virtue of their best deeds (to save them).
A person may also ask Allaah by virtue of his total dependency upon
Him, as Allaah mentions in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
“[Ayyoob said:] ‘Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most
Merciful of those who show mercy.’ [al-Anbiya’ 21:83], {وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ},
Transliteration: Wa 'Ayyūba 'Idh Nādá Rabbahu 'Annī Massanī
Ađ-Đurru Wa 'Anta 'Arĥamu Ar-Rāĥimīna; or by admitting his own
wrongdoing and his need for Allaah, as Yoonus is described as saying
(interpretation of the meaning): “ ‘None has the right to be worshipped
except You (O Allaah). Glorified (and exalted) are You. Truly I have
been of the wrong-doers.’” [al-Anbiya’ 21:87], {لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ}, Transliteration: Lā 'Ilāha 'Illā 'Anta Subĥānaka 'Innī Kuntu Mina Až-Žālimīna.
The rulings on Islamically correct tawassul vary according to its type.
Some types are waajib, such as seeking to draw close to Allaah through
His names and attributes and through Tawheed (believing in His absolute
Oneness), and some are mustahabb, such as seeking to draw close to Him
by virtue of all kinds of righteous deeds.
Tawassul that is bid’ah and therefore forbidden:
This is the attempt to draw close to Allaah by means of things that He
does not like and that do not please Him, whether they be words, deeds
or beliefs. One example of this is trying to draw close to Allaah by
calling on the dead or people who are absent, asking them for help, and
so on. This is a form of major shirk (shirk akbar), which goes against
Tawheed and means that a person is no longer considered to be a Muslim.
Calling upon Allaah, whether it is for a purpose such as asking Him to
grant some benefit or to ward off some harm, or as an act of worship to
express humility and submission before Him, can only be addressed
directly to Allaah. If du’aa’s or prayers are addressed to anything or
anyone else, this is shirk. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me (and ask Me for anything), I will
respond to your invocation. Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e., do
not invoke Me and do not believe in My Oneness], they will surely enter
Hell in humiliation!” [Ghaafir 40:60], {وَقَالَ
رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ},
Transliteration: Wa Qāla Rabbukum Ad`ūnī 'Astajib Lakum 'Inna Al-Ladhīna
Yastakbirūna `An `Ibādatī Sayadkhulūna Jahannama Dākhirīna. In this
aayah, Allaah explains the punishment of those who arrogantly refuse to
call on Allaah, whether they call on someone other than Allaah or they
do not call on Him at all, out of pride and self-admiration, even if
they do not call on anyone else.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret…” [al-A’raaf 7:55], {ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً}, Transliteration: Ad`ū Rabbakum Tađarru`āan Wa Khufyatan. Allaah commands His slaves to call on Him and not anyone else.
Allaah says of the people of Hell (interpretation of the meaning):
“[They say:] ‘By Allaah, we were truly in a manifest error when we held
you (false gods) as equals (in worship) with the Lord of the Worlds.”
[al-Shu’ara’ 26:97-98], {تَاللَّهِ إِن كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٩٧﴾ إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُم بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ}, Transliteration: Ta-Allāhi 'In Kunnā Lafī Đalālin Mubīnin, 'Idh Nusawwīkum Birabbi Al-`Ālamīna.
Anything that results in equating something other than Allaah with
Allaah in worship or acts of obedience is shirk, the crime of
associating partners with Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): “And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides
Allaah, such as will not answer him until the Day of Resurrection, and
who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them? And when
mankind are gathered (one the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities)
will become enemies for them and will deny their worshipping.”
[al-Ahqaaf 46:5-6], {وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو
مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ
وَهُمْ عَن دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ ﴿٥﴾ وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا
لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ},
Transliteration: Wa Man 'Ađallu Mimman Yad`ū Min Dūni Allāhi Man Lā
Yastajību Lahu 'Ilá Yawmi Al-Qiyāmati Wa Hum `An Du`ā'ihim
Ghāfilūna, Wa 'Idhā Ĥushira An-Nāsu Kānū Lahum 'A`dā'an Wa Kānū
Bi`ibādatihim Kāfirīna.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoever invokes (or
worships) besides Allaah, any other god, of whom he has no proof, then
his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely, al-kaafiroon (the
disbelievers in Allaah and in the Oneness of Allaah) will not be
successful.” [al-Mu’minoon 23:117], {وَمَن يَدْعُ
مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ لَا بُرْهَانَ لَهُ بِهِ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُ
عِندَ رَبِّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ},
Transliteration: Wa Man Yad`u Ma`a Allāhi 'Ilahāan 'Ākhara Lā Burhāna
Lahu Bihi Fa'innamā Ĥisābuhu `Inda Rabbihi 'Innahu Lā Yufliĥu
Al-Kāfirūna.
Allaah states that anyone who calls on anything other than him is taking
that thing as a god, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “…And
those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a
qitmeer (the thin membrane over a date-stone). If you invoke (or call
upon) them, they hear not your call, and if (in case) they were to hear,
they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of
Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can
inform you (O Muhammad), like Him Who is the All-Knower (of
everything).” [Faatir 35:13-14], {وَالَّذِينَ
تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ ﴿١٣﴾ إِن تَدْعُوهُمْ
لَا يَسْمَعُوا دُعَاءَكُمْ وَلَوْ سَمِعُوا مَا اسْتَجَابُوا لَكُمْ ۖ
وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكْفُرُونَ بِشِرْكِكُمْ ۚ وَلَا يُنَبِّئُكَ
مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ}, Transliteration: Dhalikumu Allāhu Rabbukum Lahu
Al-Mulku Wa Al-Ladhīna Tad`ūna Min Dūnihi Mā Yamlikūna Min Qiţmīrin, 'In
Tad`ūhum Lā Yasma`ū Du`ā'akum Wa Law Sami`ū Mā Astajābū Lakum Wa Yawma
Al-Qiyāmati Yakfurūna Bishirkikum Wa Lā Yunabbi'uka Mithlu Khabīrin.
In this aayah, Allaah explains that He is the only One Who deserves to
be called upon, because He, and no one else, is the Sovereign who is
directing everything. Those things that are worshipped cannot hear
du’aa’s, let alone respond to the one who invokes them, and even if they
were able to hear, they cannot respond, because they do not have the
power to either benefit or harm.
The mushrik Arabs whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) was sent to call were disbelievers because of this shirk. They
would call upon Allaah sincerely at times of difficulty, but they
became disbelievers at times of ease and plenty, when they would call on
others besides Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allaah, making their Faith
pure for Him only, but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they
give a share of their worship to others.” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:65], {فَإِذَا
رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ
فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ},
Transliteration: Fa'idhā Rakibū Fī Al-Fulki Da`aw Allāha Mukhlişīna Lahu
Ad-Dīna Falammā Najjāhum 'Ilá Al-Barri 'Idhā Hum Yushrikūna.
“And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon
besides Him vanish from you excpet Him (Allaah Alone). But when He
brings you safely to land, you turn away (from Him)…” [al-Isra’ 17:67], {وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فِي الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ},
Transliteration: Wa 'Idhā Massakumu Ađ-Đurru Fī Al-Baĥri Đalla Man
Tad`ūna 'Illā 'Īyāhu Falammā Najjākum 'Ilá Al-Barri
'A`rađtum.
“… till when you are in the ships and they sail with them with a
favourable wind, and they are glad therein, then comes a stormy wind and
the waves come to them from all sides, and they think that they are
encircled therein, they invoke Allaah, making their Faith pure for Him
Alone…” [Yoonus 10:22], {هُوَ الَّذِي
يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا كُنتُمْ فِي
الْفُلْكِ وَجَرَيْنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٍ طَيِّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُوا بِهَا جَاءَتْهَا
رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَاءَهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَظَنُّوا
أَنَّهُمْ أُحِيطَ بِهِمْ ۙ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ},
Transliteration: Huwa Al-Ladhī Yusayyirukum Fī Al-Barri Wa Al-Baĥri
Ĥattá 'Idhā Kuntum Fī Al-Fulki Wa Jarayna Bihim Birīĥin
Ţayyibatin Wa Fariĥū Bihā Jā'at/hā Rīĥun `Āşifun Wa Jā'ahumu Al-Mawju
Min Kulli Makānin Wa Žannū 'Annahum 'Uĥīţa Bihim Da`aw Allāha Mukhlişīna
Lahu Ad-Dīna.
The shirk of some people nowadays goes even further than the shirk of
people in the past, because they direct some acts of worship to
something other than Allaah, calling upon them and asking them for help
even at times of distress; laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (there
is no strength and no help except in Allaah). We ask Allaah to keep us
safe and sound.
To sum up our response to what your friend mentioned: asking the dead
for anything is shirk, and asking the living for anything that no one
except Allaah is able to do, is also shirk. And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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