Tawassul

Tawassul is an Arabic word originated from 'wasilat'. The wasilah is a means by which a person, goal or objective is approached, attained or achieved.

139016

Tawassul . Scholars . Grave

Is it correct to seek Tabarruk and Tawassul from the graves of our pious, but fallible, scholars?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 3 years ago

Pious servants of Allah are granted gifts from Allah including intercession for believers. These gifts from Allah (SWT) depends in the degree of that servant in front of Allah. We don't talk to the grave but to the pious servant of Allah who is granted an everlasting life as we read in Quran ( Don't think those who were killed in the way of Allah as dead, nay, there are alive but you do not feel)( Sura 3, verse 169).

'Every believer who dies with the love of Ahlul Bayt, die as a Shaheed. This is according to authentic Hadeeths in Shia and Sunni books including Tafseer of Zamajhshari and Tafseer Al-Fakhr Al-Raazi and many other Sunni books.

Wassalam.

138110

Tawassul

Is it permissible to ask your needs from Hazrat Abbas (a) and the infallible Imams?

We believe that no one grants us our needs and protects us but Allah, The Glorious. When we ask the Prophet (SAWA) or Infallible Imams or Hazrat Abbas (AS), we do that based on our concrete faith that Allah only gives when He Wants to give us, and our request from them is to seek from Allah to grant us our needs. Their intersection for us helps us getting our needs. No Muslim believes that his needs can be gained away from Allah (SWT). Seeking help of intersection from the Prophet and the Infallible Imams and pious servants of Allah Is completely right and according to Quran despite the Wahabi propaganda because they do not understand real Tawheed.

'Wassalam.

136290

God (Allah) . Imamah . Tawassul

All power is with Allah, so why do we call some of our Imams Babul Hawaij?

Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the... Answer updated 3 years ago

Bismillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

Yes you are correct, all power originates from Allah swt and no human being or creature can do anything without the power that Allah swt has given them.

About the imams (as), we say that they have a very high status with Allah swt; therefore if they make dua for someone, then there is more of a chance of our requests being accepted through them.

For example we can commit sins which block our Duas from being accepted, where as the imams (as) are of a status we cannot comprehend, and their duas are always answered. Just like if one in this life knows someone who is known to be pious. Yes, they can ask Allah swt themselves and make dua, but another way to get to Allah is by asking other believers to make dua for them as the supplications of the very pious people are more powerful. No one but a Jahil would claim this to be shirk.

This doesn’t negate the fact that a person should regularly and directly call on Allah swt especially through the Duas that the prophet and imams (as) taught us as they know how to best speak to Allah swt. Going through Ahlul Bayt (as) for one’s needs to be accepted is perfectly acceptable as long as one does so with the right aqeeda. One should know that rizq is only from Allah swt and the imams (as) do not give rizq but ask Allah swt for it. In this sense, they are the door of one’s needs.

It is also attributed to Imam Sadiq (as) that he said the following about 40:60 of the Quran:

1 heard Abu Abdullah (as) and he said:

‘Allah' does not Leave us to ourselves and had He Left us to ourselves, we would be like the ordinary people, and we are those Allah Mighty and Majestic Said: "Supplicate to Me, I will Answer you. [40:60)

Source: Basair al-Darajat

So while the verse is general and encourages one to make dua to Allah swt, it shows here how it is applied in the specific sense of the imams (as) being those whose supplications are answered, and there is no contradiction between the both explanations of the verse.

Therefore if one visits any of the shrines of the prophet or imams (as), they may ask them to make dua to Allah swt for them. This is not shirk as nawasib try to claim and they have no evidence to prove so.

For the sake of the argument let us say that we thought that the prophet and imams (as) could hear people at their shrines but in reality they couldn’t; would someone who spoke or asked them for something have committed shirk? No not at all. In the the worst case a person who spoke or asked them something would of just done a pointless action and not shirk (if we assumed the prophet and imams couldn't hear).

This isn’t case though as the prophet and imams (as) hear the words of the believers at their shrines and know about those who visit them.

May Allah grant you success

116421

Tawassul . Shafa'ah . Istighatha

What are the exact differences between Shafa'a, Tawassul and Istigatha?

Shafa'ah is (intercession) which means that we seek the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his Holy Progeny Ahlul Bayt (AS) for our sins to be forgiven by Allah (SWT). The intercession is granted by Allah to those who are allowed to get it from those who are allowed to give it. No intercession but only after permission from Allah. (They will not intercede for anyone except for those whom Allah allows.(Sura 21, Verse 28). Intercession is a Quranic fact and a fact mentioned by the Prophet (SAWA) in many Hadeeths which were narrated by over forty Companions according to نظم المتناثر من الحديث المتواتر Nadhm Al-Mutanaathir Minal Hadeeth Al-Mutawaatir, page 235.

Tawassul is seeking from the best servants of Allah to help us by their Du'a to Allah in our favor. Allah (SWT) ordered us to seek Waseela to Him (O those who believe, be pious and seek the mean (Waseela) to be near to Him) Sura 5, verse 35.

Istighatha is seeking urgent help in distress. We seek urgent help when we are in distress from Allah and from His most humble servants whose Du'a is acceptable by Allah. Direct Istighatha from Allah's sincere servants is mentioned in Quran when a follower of Prophet Musa (Moses) soke urgent help from Musa when he was in danger from his enemy, and Musa immediately came to his rescue and killed his enemy. فاستغاثه الذي من شيعته على الذي من عدوّه فَوَكَزَهُ موسى فقَضى عليه.(Sura 28, Verse 15).
We have the chance to seek urgent help in distress (Istighatha) from Imam Al-Mahdi (AS) who is our present Imam as that follower of Prophet Musa soke urgent help in distress from Prophet Musa (AS).

Wassalam.

115926

Tawassul . Du'a (Supplication)

Are we supposed to stand up when we come across the term Al-Qa'im during a recitation such as of Dua Tawassul?

It is recommended to stand up when we mention Al-Qa'im (AS) as we have narrations that Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (AS) stood up when he mentioned Al-Qa'im. It is not obligatory but recommended.

Wassalam.

111263

Tawassul . Intercession . Surah . Worship . Qur'anic Verse . Surat al-Fatihah

Doesn't the act of Tawassul and intercession go against the verse in Surah Fatiha where it says that it is You we worship and You who we ask for help?

The meanings of the Quranic verses can not be taken just from the superficial linguistic meanings. Allah (SWT) Has clearly mentioned in Quran that it is the responsibility of the Prophet (SAWA) to explain to the people the real meanings of Quran (Sura 16, Verse 44).

The meaning of Sura Al-Hamd verses which you quoted never suggest not to seek Waseela. Prophets were mentioned in Quran seeking help from people like Prophet Musa (AS) who asked people for food, and Prophet Sulaiman (AS) who asked people to help him in getting the throne of Bilqees.

We believe that no one can help with out the permission of Allah (SWT).

We do Tawassul because we are been ordered by Allah (SWT) to seek Waseela ( Sura 4, Verse 64.

Wassalam

96518

Tawassul . Du'a (Supplication) . God (Allah) . Ahl al-Bayt

What is the correct way to do Tawassul? Is addressing Prophet Muhammad (s) and Imam Ali (a) directly allowed as is the case in Dua Faraj? Or should we only address God and ask Him by the right - Bi Haqqi - of the Ahl al-Bayt (a)?

Tawassul is a matter which has been misunderstood by many Muslims now a days under the Wahabi propaganda which wrongly claimed it as a type of worship to other than Allah. Wahabi sect claims following Tawheed but their books prove that they do not understand the real meaning of Tawheed in Quran and authentic Hadeeth. That is why they accuse other Muslims to be Mushrik just because they don't follow the Wahabi misunderstanding of Tawheed.

'Tawassul is seeking the help of the most humble servants of Allah to get our needs. We believe that they (The Prophet and Ahlul Bayt (AS) are Servants of Allah and only do what Allah wants. There is no question at all of Shirk because Shirk means to believe that there is a partner or helper etc to Allah.
Addressing the Prophet is absolutely right as he himself taught Muslims to address him in Tawassul as it has been narrated in Sunni and Shia books in the famous Hadeeth of the blind حديث الأعمى which is narrated by Othman Ibn Hunaif that a blind person requested the Prophet to help him get back his eye sight. The Prophet told him to tolerate but he said : I can not tolerate. The Prophet advised him to perform Wudhu and pray two Rak'ats of Salah and say in the last Sajda: O Allah, I seek from You by Your Prophet, the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad; I am seeking from Allah through you to grant me my need.

'The blind did what the Prophet taught him and got back his eye sight. The Hadeeth is narrated in al-Tareekh al-Kabeer by al-Bukhari, and Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah and Nasaa'ee and al-Bayhaqi and Abu Na'eem in Ma'rufat al- Sahabah, and al-Tabaraani and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani and al-Soyooti and many other well known Sunni scholars.

'We can address the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS) directly knowing that they only do what Allah wants, as well as addressing Allah directly with the Waseela Bihaqqi of Ahlul Bayt (AS). Both are good.

'Wassalam.

98589

Angels . Tawassul

If it is correct to say Ya Ali Madad because God gave him authority to help others then why don't we also call out to specific angels for help who have been given different roles and authority for different tasks?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 5 years ago

It is ok to address a secondary cause (whether it be Imam 'Ali, an employer, a relative, etc) to request specific assistance as long as one agrees that Allah is the primary cause and these are just secondary means.

There is theoretically no problem with addressing the angels as well. However the Qur'an says that the angels fulfil God's command as God gives it to them and therefore this suggests they do not usually act according to the wishes or preferences of human beings. For instance, if an angel assigned to deliver sustenance, it will deliver what it was told to and not what the person wants. So for instance if I just casually say "Ya Jibra'il", it might not have the same effect. Of course God knows best.

89441

Forgiveness . Prophet Muhammad . Shafa'ah . Tawassul

Has Allah (SWT) conferred authority on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to forgive sins of all and sundry or is forgiving sins the exclusive prerogative of Allah?

Forgiveness of sins is in the hands of Allah (SWT) who gave the Prophet (SAWA) the greatest status of intercession ( Shafa'ah) and made it very clear in Quran that those who commit sinful acts should come to the Prophet so that he seeks forgiveness for them ( Had those who did wrong to themselves, come to you and begged for Allah's forgiveness, and the messenger had prayed for their forgiveness, they would have found Allah accepting their repentance and Merciful) Sura 4, Verse 64.
Wassalam.

82514

God (Allah) . Tawassul

What are the essential qualities in a person who claims to be an intercessor in relation to God?

The Infallible Imams are our intercessors to Allah, The Glorious.

No one is allowed to claim that he is a definite intercessor to Allah except the Infallible.

Wassalam.

80274

Tawassul . Shirk . Ahl al-Bayt

Is Tawassul to the Prophet (s) or the Ahlulbayt (a) a form of Shirk?

Tawassul is in fact a form of worshiping Allah and sincere Tawheed, that is why Allah (SWT) ordered the believers to do Tawassul to get forgiveness. In Sura Annisaa' verse 64: (Had they when they did injustice to themselves (committed sins) come to you then seek forgiveness and the messenger prayed for their forgiveness, they would have found Allah accepting repent and Merciful.

Allah (SWT) has ordered the believers to do Tawassul ( Sura 5, verse 35).

Tawassul does not mean worshiping other than Allah ( to be looked at as Shirk by some ignorant Wahabis) but it means seeking the blessings of the most humble servants of Allah to seek from Allah (SWT).

We believe that no wish can be granted through Tawassul but only by Allah (SWT).

In Quran we read in Sura Yousuf when his brothers requested their father (Prophet Yaqoob) to seek forgiveness from Allah for them and he accepted and said: I will seek forgiveness for you. (Sura Yousuf, verse 97). If it was wrong, the prophet Yaqoob should have told them when they did Tawassul through him.

Wassalam.

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Tawassul . Scholars . Du'a (Supplication) . Sunni-Shi'a

Is Dua Tawassul considered authentic by all Shia scholars?

Yes, it is authentic and narrated in many authentic books. Allama Majlisi narrated it in Biharul Anwaar, volume 99, page 247. Dua Tawassul was narrated by Mohammad Bin Babawayh from Infallible Imams.

There are always persons who create doubts because of their own misunderstandings or way of thinking, but their doubts are for them only, because our leading scholars who have much more knowledge like Allama Majlisi and leading Maraaji' are the scholars to be followed.

Wassalam.