The Concept of Tawassul
The first pillar of Islam is Shahada declaring that Allah is to be worshipped alone. In this article, we will aim to explain the concept and ruling of Tawassul from the Quran and Hadith, when Tawassul is permissible through the Prophet ﷺ, as well as the general consensus in the Ummah regarding Tawassul.
Explanation of the Concept and Ruling of Tawassul
In linguistic terms, wasīlah (means of nearness) refers to drawing close to something. The essence of a Muslim’s life is to draw nearer to Allah and seek His pleasure and reward. In His mercy, Allah has legislated various acts of worship and opened the door for nearness to Him. Therefore, the entire Quran commands believers to seek a means (wasīlah) to Allah, meaning to draw closer to Him through all lawful means.
All four schools of thought have agreed on the permissibility—and even the recommendation—of seeking intercession through the Prophet ﷺ, without differentiating between his lifetime and after his passing. The only exception is Ibn Taymiyyah, who differentiated between seeking intercession through the Prophet ﷺ during his life and after his passing. However, his view is an isolated one against the consensus of the scholars. The following are evidences from the Quran and Sunnah supporting this consensus.
Quranic Evidence for the Permissibility of Tawassul through the Prophet ﷺ
- Allah says: “O you who believe! Fear Allah and seek the means (wasīlah) to Him, and strive in His cause so that you may succeed.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 35). This verse commands believers to draw closer to Allah through various acts of devotion, and supplicating to Allah through the Prophet ﷺ is one such means, as will be clarified through the hadiths. There is no restriction specifying one particular type of wasīlah over another. Since supplication or du’a is an act of worship, it is accepted as long as it does not involve severing ties of kinship, committing a sin, or contradicting the fundamental beliefs of Islam.
- Allah says: “Those whom they call upon seek a means of nearness to their Lord, striving to be the closest to Him. They hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Surely, your Lord’s punishment is to be feared.” (Surah Al-Isra: 57). In this verse, Allah praises those believers who respond to Him and seek nearness to Him through wasīlah in their supplications.
- Allah says: “If only, when they wronged themselves, they came to you [O Prophet] and sought Allah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would have certainly found Allah ever Accepting of Repentance, Most Merciful.” (Surah An-Nisa: 64). This verse explicitly commands believers to go to the Prophet ﷺ and seek Allah’s forgiveness in his presence, as his supplication for them would be more likely to be accepted. The ruling of this verse remains valid even after the Prophet’s passing.
Prophetic Hadiths Supporting Tawassul through the Prophet ﷺ
1. The Hadith of the Blind Man
Uthman ibn Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a blind man came to the Prophet ﷺ and requested: “Pray to Allah to heal me.” The Prophet ﷺ replied:
“If you wish, I will supplicate for you, and if you wish, you may remain patient, and that would be better for you.”
The blind man said: “Then pray for me.”
The Prophet ﷺ instructed him:
“Perform ablution carefully, then supplicate with this prayer:
‘O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad! I turn to my Lord through you so that my need may be fulfilled. O Allah, grant him intercession for me.’
(Reported by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah; authenticated by numerous hadith scholars including Tirmidhi, Ibn Khuzaymah, Tabarani, and Hakim.)
This hadith serves as clear proof of the recommended nature of this supplication, as the Prophet ﷺ personally taught it to a companion. Furthermore, Allah immediately granted the blind man’s request, demonstrating the efficacy of intercession through the Prophet ﷺ.
2. The Incident of the Man in Need
It is narrated that during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), a man repeatedly sought an audience with him regarding a need but was ignored. He approached Uthman ibn Hunayf and expressed his distress.
Uthman ibn Hunayf advised him:
“Go to the ablution area, perform ablution, enter the mosque, offer two units of prayer, then say:
‘O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad! I turn to my Lord through you so that my need may be fulfilled.’ Then mention your need.”
The man followed these instructions. Soon after, the gatekeeper of Uthman ibn Affan called him in. Uthman ibn Affan greeted him warmly, seated him beside him, and promptly fulfilled his need.
This report, authenticated by scholars such as Hafiz Al-Mundhiri, Hafiz Al-Haythami, and Abdullah ibn Al-Siddiq Al-Ghumari, serves as compelling evidence that the supplication taught by the Prophet ﷺ was not restricted to his lifetime.
3. Hadith on Seeking Intercession through the Right of the Worshippers
Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever says when leaving for prayer:
‘O Allah, I ask You by the right of those who supplicate to You, and by the right of my walking to You, for I have not come out seeking vanity, pride, or hypocrisy, but I have come out in fear of Your wrath and seeking Your pleasure. I ask You to save me from the Fire and to forgive my sins, for no one forgives sins except You,’
Allah will assign seventy thousand angels to seek forgiveness for him, and He will turn to him with His face until he completes his prayer.”
(Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Khuzaymah; authenticated by scholars including Al-Baghawi, Al-Maqdisi, Al-Dimyati, and Ibn Hajar.)
4. The Story of Adam (AS) and Intercession Through Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
In a narration by Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA), the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“When Adam (AS) committed the mistake, he said, ‘O Lord, I ask You by the right of Muhammad to forgive me.’ Allah replied, ‘O Adam, how do you know Muhammad when I have not yet created him?’ Adam said, ‘O Lord, when You created me with Your hands and breathed into me from Your spirit, I raised my head and saw written on the pillars of the Throne: La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur Rasulullah (There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). So I knew that You would only attach to Your name the most beloved of creation to You.’ Allah said, ‘You have spoken the truth, O Adam. Indeed, he is the most beloved of creation to Me. Call upon Me by his right, for I have forgiven you. Were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created you.'”
This narration, recorded by Al-Tabarani in Al-Awsat and Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak, was authenticated by Al-Hakim, who stated it has a Sahih (authentic) chain. Although some scholars like Al-Dhahabi criticized its chain due to a weak narrator, it remains acceptable for discussing virtues and acts of worship. This narration highlights the permissibility of seeking intercession (Tawassul) through the Prophet ﷺ in supplication.
5. The Narration of “Help the Servants of Allah”
Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Allah has angels on Earth other than the recording angels who write down even the falling of tree leaves. If one of you is stranded in a barren land, let them call out, ‘Help the servants of Allah!'”
This narration, recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Al-Tabarani, and Al-Bayhaqi, has a reliable chain of narrators, as noted by Al-Haythami. It demonstrates the concept of seeking help from unseen creations, such as angels, whom Allah may send to assist us. This principle can also extend to the souls of the righteous, as they may intercede on our behalf.
6. The Story of Seeking Rain Through the Prophet (PBUH) During Umar’s (RA) Caliphate
During a severe drought in the time of Umar (RA), a man visited the grave of the Prophet (PBUH) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, pray for rain for your Ummah, for they are perishing.” The Prophet ﷺ appeared to him in a dream and said, “Go to Umar, convey my greetings to him, and inform him that rain will come. Tell him to be mindful and wise.”
When the man relayed the message, Umar (RA) wept and said, “O Lord, I strive to the best of my ability.” This narration, recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah and authenticated by Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani in Fath Al-Bari, is also supported by Ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah. It serves as evidence for the permissibility of seeking the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession, even after his passing, for matters like rain and supplication.
Intercession in Islam
Scholars of the four schools of thought (madhahib), along with others, have unanimously agreed on the permissibility and recommendation of seeking intercession (tawassul) through the Prophet ﷺ during his lifetime and after his passing. They have all affirmed that it is undoubtedly a legitimate practice without any prohibition. This is the consensus: that seeking intercession through the Prophet ﷺ is recommended and one of the prescribed forms of supplication to Allah Almighty.
The same ruling applies to seeking intercession or Tawassul through the family of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the righteous friends of Allah. The majority of scholars agree that it is a legitimate practice with no prohibition.
The Limits of Tawassul: When It Becomes Shirk
It is our duty as Muslims to seek knowledge. Although Tawassul is permissible there are certain conditions that need to be met. Tawassul can become shirk when directed to the dead or when one believes that intermediaries have independent power to grant requests, as Allah warns:
“And they worship besides Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say, ‘Do you inform Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth? Exalted is He above what they associate with Him.'” (Surah Yunus, Ayah 18)
Therefore, permissible Tawassul, as Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has taught us, is within the boundaries of Islam, while any form that involves seeking help from others in ways exclusive to Allah falls into shirk.
“It is God alone who is the Giver and the Preventer; that which He wills is, and that which He does not will is not.”