In the words of
Moulana Ashraf
Ali Thanvi, the
Deobandi concept
of Tawassul is,
“to supplicate
directly to
Allah Ta’ala,
asking Him to
accept one’s
Du’aa by virtue
of the barkat
(auspiciousness)
of a pious
created being (a
Prophet or a
Wali)”[1]
Fazaail-e-Aamaal
mentions a
number of
stories in
support of this
erroneous means
of Tawassul.
In
‘Fazaail-e-Hajj’
is the story of
Hazrat Allama
Qastalani, who
says, “Once I
became severely
ill that doctors
despaired for my
health. For many
years, I
remained thus.
Then, one day on
28th of Jumadil
‘Ula 893 AH,
while in Mecca I
prayed to Allah
through the
Waseelah of
Rasoolullah
(Allah’s
Messenger) that
Allah may heal
me of my
affliction.
While I was
asleep, I saw a
vision in which
I saw a man with
a piece of paper
in his hand in
which it was
written:
‘Rasoolullah has
commanded that
this medicine be
given to Ahmad
Ibn Qastalani.’
When I awoke, I
discovered that
no sign of my
illness
remained.”[2]
The Deobandis
believe in the
Waseelah by
honor of their
Sufi Shaikhs and
elders. Moulana
Zakariyah, the
author of
Fazaail-e-Aamaal,
mentions the
entire Shajarah
of his Shaikh,
Rasheed Ahmad
Gangohi in his
book,
‘Mashaikh-e-Chist.”[3]
[A Shajarah is
similar to a
family tree,
except that a
Shajarah has a
chronological
order of Sufi
Shaikhs related
by the pledge (Bai’ah)]
Moulana
Zakariyah says,
“The aim of
reciting the
Shajarah is
Tawassul (to
supplicate to
Allah for mercy
through the
medium of their
name). Hence, it
is appropriate
to begin from
the lowest one
in the Shajarah
progressing to
the highest.”[4]
[5]
Waseelah of
Dogs:
Moulana
Zakariyah
further brings a
statement in
Mashaikh-e-Chist,
“O Allah! Accept
me through the
medium (Waseelah)
of this dog.”[6]
This type of
Waseelah ‘by
virtue or honor
of a pious
person’ that the
Deobandis
encourage has no
proof from the
Qur’aan and the
Sunnah.
The Qur’aan
mentions
supplications of
the Prophets,
the Messengers,
pious slaves and
believers[7]
but none of them
contain ‘seeking
closeness to
Allah by means
of the status of
Prophets or
righteous men.’
[1]
Quoted from
Kitabul
Janaiz (Hanafee),
p.21 - 24
published by
Majlisul
Ulema.
[2]
Faazail-e-Aamal,
(Eng.
Trans.),
Virtues of
Hajj,
Chapter.9,
p.170, story
no.11 (New
Edition
1982,
Published by
Dini Book
Depot -
Delhi).
[4]
This
Shajarah has
39 names of
Soofi Shaikh
in all. It
starts with
Khalil
Ahmad, then
Rasheed
Ahmad
Gungohi, all
the way up
till the
Tabi’e Hasan
Basree, then
Ali (radhi
allahu anhu)
and then the
Messenger of
Allah (sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
In fact, Ali
(radhi
allahu anhu)
has been
mentioned as
the head of
the Chisti
Tareeqah.
One wonders,
how a
Tareeqah,
which starts
with Alee
should be
named a
Chisti
Tareeqah,
when the
first
reference to
a Chisti,
comes after
14 links.
[7]
The Qur’aan
mentions
numerous
supplications
of the
Prophets and
Messengers,
some of them
are:
“Our Lord!
Give us in
this world
that which
is good and
in the
Hereafter
that which
is good and
save us from
the torment
of the
Fire.”
[Soorah
al-Baqarah
(2): 201]
“In Allah we
put our
trust. Our
lord! Make
us not a
trial for
the folk who
are
dhalimeen
(polytheist
and
wrong-doers).
And save us
by Your
Mercy from
the
disbelieving
folk.”
[Soorah
Yunus (10):
85-86]
“And
(remember)
when
Ibraheem
said: “O my
Lord! Make
this city
(Mecca) one
of peace and
security and
keep me and
my sons away
from
worshiping
idols. O my
Lord! Make
me one who
offers
prayers
perfectly,
and (also)
from my
offspring,
our Lord!
And accept
my
invocation.
‘Our Lord!
Forgive me
and my
parents, and
(all) the
believers on
the Day when
the
reckoning
will be
established.”
[Soorah
Ibraheem
(14): 35 and
40-41]
“Moses said:
“O My Lord!
Open for me
my chest
(grant me
self-confidence,
contentment
and
boldness).
And ease my
task for me;
and make
loose the
knot (the
defect) from
my tongue
(i.e. remove
the
incorrectness
from my
speech).”
[Soorah
Ta-Ha (20):
25-27]
“Our Lord!
Avert from
us the
torment of
Hell.
Verily, its
torment is
ever an
inseparable,
permanent
punishment.”
[Soorah al-Furqan
(25): 65]
