Types of tawassul

Types of tawassul

Tawassul can be divided into three types:

1. Tawassul by performing righteous deeds, as stated by Jalāl ad-Dīn as-Suyūṭī who expounds on the noble verse,

﴾ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ إِلَيْهِ وَٱبْتَغُوا ﴿

“And seek the means of recourse to Him”:

تعالى: قوله في قتادة عن

.يرضيه بما العمل و بطاعته الله إلى تقربوا :قال ﴾ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ إِلَيْهِ وَٱبْتَغُوا ﴿

 “Qatādah said concerning the verse, “And seek the means of recourse to Him”: Seeking nearness to God by obeying Him and doing that which pleases Him.”[1]

2. Tawassul through the supplication of meritorious servants (of God), as the Holy Qur’an recounts in the tongue of the brothers of Yūsuf (Joseph) (‘a):

﴿ قَالُواْ يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ ٭ قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّيَ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴾

“They said, ‘Father! Plead [with Allah] for forgiveness of our sins! We have indeed been erring’. He said, ‘I shall plead with my Lord to forgive you; indeed He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful’.”[2]

It is evident from the quoted verse that the sons of Ya‘qūb (Jacob) (‘a) had sought the means of recourse to Him through supplication, regarding this act as means of attaining forgiveness. Besides, Hadrat Ya‘qūb (‘a) did not refuse their offer but promised to pray for the forgiveness of their sins.

3. Tawassul through spiritually dignified personages who enjoy special station and honor in the sight of God with the aim of seeking divine proximity.

Now, we shall review the proofs of hadīths and behavior of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) and great figures of Islam:

1. Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal thus narrates in his Musnad on the authority of ‘Uthmān ibn Ḥunayf:

– وسلّم [وآله] عليه الله صلى – النّبي أتى البصر ضرير رجلا إنّ”

إن و لك دعوت شئت إن :قال يعافيني، أن الله ادع فقال:

يتوضّأ أن فأمره .أدعه :فقال خير، فهو ذاك أخّرت شئت

إني اللّهم الدّعاء: بهذا يدعو و ركعتين فيصلّي وضوئه فيحسن

إنّي محمّد يا الرّحمة نبيّ محمّد بنبيّك إليك واتوجّه أسئلك

“.فيّّ شفعه اللّهم لي فتقضى هذه، حاجتي في ربّي إلىٰ بك توجّهت

A blind man came to the Prophet (ṣ) and said: “Pray for me and ask God to cure me.” Upon hearing this he said: “I will pray for you if you want and if you like I will postpone it and the latter is better.” The blind man said: “Will you?” The Holy Prophet commanded him to perform ablution as perfectly as possible, to say two rak‘ahs [cycles] of prayer and then supplicate with these words: “O God! I beseech You and turn to You through Muḥammad the Prophet of Mercy. O Muḥammad! I turn to my Lord through you to grant this request. O God! Let him be my intercessor.”[3]