Waseelah is
nearness and the
means by which
one approaches
and draws near
to something. In
the Islamic
context,
Waseelah refers
to the means by
which once can
achieve nearness
with Allah.
Another meaning
of al-Waseelah
is a rank and
standing with
Allah, as is the
Hadeeth. The
Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
said:
“When you
hear the caller
to prayer then
say the like of
what he says,
then send
blessings upon
me… Then ask
Allah to grant
me al-Waseelah
because it is a
station in
Paradise, which
is appropriate
only for a
single servant
from the
servants of
Allah, and I
hope that it
will be me.”[2]
The definition
of Waseelah, “it
is the means by
which one
achieves
nearness to
Allah”, has its
basis in the
Qur’aan.
“Those
whom you call
upon desire (for
themselves)
means of access
(al-Waseelah) to
their Lord
(Allah), as to
which of them
should be
nearest and they
hope for His
Mercy and fear
His Torment.
Verily, the
Torment of your
Lord is
something to be
afraid of!”[3]
Abdullah Ibn
Mas’oud (radhi
allahu anhu)
said: “This
verse was
revealed
concerning a
group of Arabs,
who worshiped a
group of Jinn.
The Jinn
accepted Islam
which was
unknown to those
people who
worshiped them.”[4]
Al-Hafidh Ibn
Hajr
(rahimahullah)
said: “The
people who used
to worship the
Jinn continued
to worship the
Jinn, and the
Jinn were not
pleased with
their worship,
since they had
accepted Islam.
And they were
the ones who
sought a means
of nearness to
their Lord…”[5]
Allah says in
the Qur’aan:
“O
you who believe!
Do your duty to
Allah and fear
Him. Seek the
means of
approach (al-Waseelah)
to Him, and
strive hard in
His Cause as
much as you can.
So that you may
be successful.”[6]
Al-Hafidh Ibn
Katheer
(rahimahullah)
reported Ibn
Abbas (radhi
allahu anhu)
saying in his
commentary of
this verse: “The
meaning of al-Waseelah
is to draw
closer.” He also
reports from Qatadah: “This
is that you draw
near to Him by
obedience to Him
and through
actions that are
pleasing to
Him.” And Ibn
Katheer
(rahimahullah)
said: “And with
regard to what
those Imams (Ibn
Abbas and
Qatadah) said
there is no
disagreement
between the
scholars of
Tafseer about
it… al-Waseelah
is that by means
of which one
reaches that
which he
desires.”[7]
These two verses
and their
authentic
Tafseers
(commentaries)
clearly explain
that Waseelah
consists of
seeking nearness
to Allah by
means of
righteousness in
order to get
closer to Allah.
This refutes any
other
explanation of
Waseelah like
that of those
who consider
Waseelah to mean
directly
supplicating to
the dead saints.
It refutes the
erroneous belief
held by the
Deobandis of
seeking
‘Tawassul’
through the
status and honor
of the Prophets
and saints.
This also
refutes the
incorrect
Tafseer by the
Deobandis that…
Moulana Aashiq
Ilahi Meerathi
mentions in
Irshaadul-Mulook,
“It is
imperative for
the Salik (one
searching for
the path) to
have a
Shaik-e-Kamil
(spiritual
guide) so that
the Shaikh
becomes the
companion along
this road, and
explains the ups
and downs and
the pitfalls of
this journey.
Hence, Allah
says:
“O People
of Eemaan! Adopt
Taqwa (god
fearing) and
search for a
Waseelah (means)
towards Allah.”[8]
Allah says:
“And
to Allah belongs
all the
beautiful Names,
so call upon Him
by them.”[9]
Tawassul by
means of Allah’s
Beautiful Names
is to invoke
Allah mentioning
His Beautiful
Names, like
saying, “O
Allah, I ask you
for You being
the Most
Merciful, the
Bestower of
Mercy, the Most
Gracious, the
All-Knower that
You grant me
safety and well
being…” This
form of Tawassul
is known from
numerous
Ahaadeeth.
The Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
would say before
giving salaam in
his prayer:
“O
Allah! By Your
Knowledge of the
hidden and
Unseen, and Your
Power over the
creation, grant
me life for as
long as You Know
that life is
good for me, and
grant me death
when death is
good for me…”[10]
Once, the
Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
saw a man saying
in his Tashahhud:
‘I ask You by
virtue of the
fact that all
praise belongs
to You, none has
the right to be
worshiped but
You Alone,
having no
partner. The
Great Bestower
of all
blessings, O
Originator of
the Heavens and
the Earth. O
Possessor of
Majesty and
Honor, O
Ever-Living, O
Sustainer and
Protector of all
that exists.
Indeed, I ask
You for
Paradise, and I
seek Your Refuge
from the Fire.”
So the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
said to his
companions:
“Do
you know what he
has supplicated
with?” They
said: “Allah and
His Messenger (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
know best.” He
said: “By Him in
Whose Hand is my
soul, he has
supplicated to
Allah by His
Great Name, if
He is called
upon by them, He
responds and if
He is asked by
it, He gives.”[11]
Anas (radhi
allahu anhu)
reported saying,
when a matter
grieved the
Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam),
he would say: “O
Ever-Living, O
Sustainer and
Protector of all
that exists, by
Your Mercy I beg
of Your aid.”[12]
“Those who say:
‘Our Lord! We
have Indeed,
believed, so
forgive us our
sins and save us
from the
punishment of
the Fire’”[13]
Tawassul by
means of
righteous deeds
is to invoke
Allah by
mentioning one’s
righteous
actions, in
which he feared
Allah and hoped
for His Mercy
and reward,
while giving
precedence to
His obedience.
Like saying,
“Our Lord! We
have believed in
what You have
sent down, and
we follow the
Messenger; so
write us down
among those who
bear witness (to
the truth i.e.
none has the
right to be
worshiped except
Allah).”[14]
“Our Lord!
Verily, we have
heard the call
of one (Muhammad
(sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam))
calling to
Faith; ‘Believe
in your Lord,’
and we have
believed. Our
Lord! Forgive us
our sins and
remit from us
our evil deeds,
and make us die
in the state of
righteousness
along with Al-Abraar
(those who are
obedient to
Allah and
strictly follow
His orders).”[15]
This form of
Tawassul is also
mentioned in a
number of
Ahaadeeth of
Allah’s
Messenger (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam).
From amongst
them is the
famous story of
the companions
of the cave. The
Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
mentioned the
story of three
men who spent a
night in a cave.
A boulder rolled
down from the
mountain and
blocked the
entrance of the
cave. So, they
supplicated to
Allah by means
of their
righteous
actions. One of
them mentioned
his obedience
towards his
elderly parents,
the other
mentioned an
incident when he
refrained from
zina (adultery)
despite having
the means to do
so, and the
third mentioned
an incident in
which he was
truthful and
honest in a
monetary matter.
Allah, the
Exalted, upon
hearing their
supplication
moved the rock
from the
entrance of the
cave.[16]
This third type
of Tawassul is
to ask any
righteous living
person to make
Du’aa
(supplication)
for oneself.
Anas (radhi
allahu anhu)
reported saying:
“The people were
afflicted with
drought in the
time of the
Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam),
so whilst the
Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
was giving the
Khutbah (sermon)
on the day of
Jumuah, a
Bedouin stood
and said: “O
Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)!
The livestock
are dying and
the children are
hungry, so
supplicate to
Allah for us.”
So he (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
raised his hands
and supplicated
and we could not
see any trace of
clouds. By Him,
in Whose Hands
is my soul, as
soon as he had
lowered his
hands, clouds
like mountains
had gathered,
and he did not
descend from his
minbar (pulpit)
until I saw rain
dripping from
his beard...”[17]
Tawassul by
means of a
Supplication
made by a
Righteous Person
is also reported
from the
practice of the
Sahabah (radhi
allahu anhu).
Anas Ibn Malik
(radhi allahu
anhu) narrates
from Umar Ibn
Khattab (radhi
allahu anhu)
that when the
people suffered
from drought he
used to ask
al-Abbas Ibn
Mutallib (radhi
allahu anhu) to
pray for rain
for them. He
used to say: “O
Allah we used to
request our
Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
to supplicate to
You for rain,
and You would
bless us with
rain. Now, we
ask the uncle of
our Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wa-sallam)
to supplicate to
You, so grant us
rain.”[18]
Also the noble
Tabi’e, Sulaym
Ibn Aamir al-Khabairee,
reported: “The
sky withheld any
rain, so
Muawiyah Ibn
Abee Sufyan and
the people of
Damascus went
out to pray for
rain. When
Muawiyah sat
upon the minbar
he said: “O
Allah! We are
today asking the
best and most
noble amongst us
to supplicate to
You for us, O
Allah, today we
put Yazeed Ibn
al-Aswad al-Jurashee
forward to
supplicate to
You for us.”
Then Yazeed
raised his hands
and so did the
people, and it
rained until
people could
hardly reach
their houses.[19]
Apart from these
three correct
manners of
Tawassul, there
is no authentic
proof for any
other form of
Tawassul in the
Qur’aan or the
Sunnah.
