Using Intermediary (Waseela) when Supplicating Allah S.W.T

Mohammad Rafoqie

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Using Intermediary (Waseela) when Supplicating Allah S.W.T.:allahuakbar:

By Mohammad Rafique Etesame

Almighty Allah Says in the holy Qur’an,” supplicate Me, I shall accept it.” The holy Prophet (PBUH) said,” Supplication is the essence of worship”. (Al-Mishkat-tul-Masbih)

The question is: whether a faithful believer can supplicate Allah the Most High directly or he should use intermediary (Tawasssul) when supplicating, through His righteous persons like the holy Prophets (May peace and mercy of Allah upon them), the companions (R.A.) or the Saints? For example, one says “O Allah the Most High! Please accept my supplication and fulfill my need in consideration of your such-and-such pious and beloved persons?

According to the majority of Muslim scholars including the four Imams of Islamic jurisprudence like Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Imam Malik (May Allah bless them), it is permissible according to the teachings of Islam. Reality of ‘twassul’ (Intermediary) is that someone merely highlights the lofty position of the person before Allah and one’s love for him, i.e. saying, “O Allah, this certain Prophet of yours is very close to you. I do not possess any good deeds, but I have love for the pious. Pardon me and forgive my sins due to this love I have with this pious servant of yours”. As such, the thing being presented before Allah is the ‘love’ and ‘connection’ with the Prophet, which in reality is a righteous deed.

There are three forms of intermediary as:-

(1) Seeking intermediary through one’s good actions. For example, someone says,” O Allah the Most High, please fulfill my need in consideration of such-and-such my good deeds that I did only for your pleasure”.

Proof of this type of intermediary is the famous incident mentioned by the holy Prophet (PBUH) that three men of a nation before Islam were on the journey in a mountain area, suddenly it rained. They got shelter in a cave. Meanwhile, a heavy rock fell down from the mountain and blocked the cave. Now they decided to use intermediary by every one’s good actions and then supplicated Allah the Most High to remove the rock so that they might get rid of that miserable position. One of them was the shepherd of the flock and he served his parents much. So he supplicated Allah by that good action. And second one was also a shepherd of the flock; he got some money from a man for partnership in his business and paid him the immense profit in returning. And the third one was a general merchant, who stopped himself from committing adultery to his female cousin by fearing Allah. Consequently, Allah accepted their supplication and removed the rock from the cave and they came out of it safe and sound. (Bokhari, Muslim)

(2)

Seeking intermediary through living righteous persons. For example someone says,” O Allah the Most High, please fulfill my need in consideration of such-and-such your pious persons and your love for him.” The proof of its permissibility is the tradition narrated by Anas bin Malik ( Allah be pleased with him) that Hazrat Umer ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) sought rain at the time of drought using the intermediary of the uncle of the holy Prophet ,al-Abbas ibn AbduMuttalib (R.A.)(Sahih al-Bukhari)

(3)Seeking intermediary through deceased righteous persons.

This refers to seeking intermediary through deceased persons like the holy Prophets (May peace and mercy of Allah be upon them) or Saints. For example, someone says,” O Allah Most the High, please fulfill my need in consideration of such-and-such Your Prophet (PBUH) whom Youlove or “O Allah, I ask you through your Prophet.”

Among many proofs of its permissibility, there is a tradition narrated by Uthman ibn Hunaif (Allah be pleased with him) from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) that he advised a man complaining his blindness, to offer two rak’at Salat then supplicate Allah Most the High,” O Allah, I ask you and turn to you through your Prophet, the Prophet of mercy (PBUH), please remove my blindness. (Tirmadhi)

After passing the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the same companion (Uthman ibn Hunaif (R.A.) advised to a man to use intermediary of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to Allah S.W.T for fulfilling some of his need. (Al-Mu’jam al-Kabirof Tabarani and classed as authentic (sahih) by al-Bayhaqi, Mundhiri, al-Haythami and others).

It is to be noted here that it is not necessary to use intermediary to supplicate Allah Most High for every supplication. Because Allah Almighty can accept every supplication without any intermediary and it depends upon His willingness. However, if someone thinks that he is a sinful man and if he shall use intermediary for supplication, it will be better for me. So he can use it, and Allah Knows the best.
 
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