Tawassul (Waseela)

Tawassul (Waseela); whether it is done through the medium of the living, the dead, their beings, their actions, a person’s own actions or someone else’s actions; in all these instances the truth of the matter is that Tawassul in reality is done by drawing the Rahmat (Mercy) of Allah Ta’ala, i.e. by using the aforementioned as a medium in drawing and attracting His Rahmat. For example, a person may say: “I am making Tawassul through the blessings that were showered on a certain accepted slave of Allah or through my good actions or someone else’s good actions which were earned solely through your Mercy oh Allah.

Due to the fact that Tawassul is done by drawing the Mercy of Allah it is more readily accepted. No one can doubt this fact and this would include all the abovementioned scenarios. Therefore Tawassul done through the medium of the Ambiyaa, Auliyaa, the living, the dead, their beings or actions will all be permissible.

In the Aayah هنالك دعا زكريا ربه Hazrat Zakariyyah Alayhi Assalaam sought Tawassul through the mercy that was showered upon Maryam Radiallahu Anha and his Du’aa was accepted. A Hadeeth makes mention of three people, who got trapped in a cave, and then were released through the Waseelah of their good actions.

Thus the truth of the matter is thus, that by Waseelah we are basically making Du’aa that “Oh Allah! That Mercy which you bestowed upon us (or upon a certain pious servant of yours) when doing a certain action, through that same Mercy you accept our prayers!”

From the above mentioned we have deduced the permissibility of Tawassul through the medium of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam. However if there is a fear of any misconception occurring within the general masses and they begin asking by means of this Wasilah such things which could lead to Shirk, then abstention would be preferable, even though Tawasuul in itself is permissible. Furthermore, the invocations mentioned in the Ahaadeeth etc. are generally devoid of Tawassul. There is no doubt in the Masnoon Duas being more readily accepted by Allah.

It is most befitting that this topic be concluded with a few beneficial words of Hakimul Ummah Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alayhi which he mentioned in Imdaadul Fataawa (page 372, volume 4):

“Tawassul made through the medium of accepted slaves of Allah (pious) whether living or dead is permissible, e.g. Umar Radi Allahu Anhu’s incident in asking for rain or the incident of the blind person as well.” He further mentions that Tawassul is permissible without doubt however if extremism becomes apparent in the general masses then it would be better to refrain from making Tawassul. Having this belief that it is incumbent upon Allah to accept the invocations through Tawassul or to hope for help from those close slaves of Allah who were the medium of Tawassul or to believe that their names hold the weight of the names of Allah, will lead to extremism and transgressing the limits of Shari’ah.