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Tawassul (Resorting to Intermediary)
Some people claim that asking for help to other than god is polytheism.
Such people should never go to doctor when they becomes sick because this
is polytheism (shirk)! Their going to doctor is a type of seeking a help
from a specialist even though they do not say by their tongue that they are
getting help from the doctor. Acting shirk is enough. Also they should not
ask any question from anyone or request anything from any one because all
these are shirk. Furthermore, they shouldn't eat any food because they
should not help themselves by any other than God!
If they say that we do all these because Allah told us to do so, then based
on their own doctrine Allah is also polytheist (Mushrik). Na'udhu Billah!
Here is what they are missing: If we get help from any body, we do it with
the understanding that he by his own can not help us. He can not benefit us
unless Allah wishes to. If one calls Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) or Imam Ali
(AS) for help, he is, in fact, calling Allah for help through intermediary
of the Prophet or the Imams, and he does that with the understanding that
the Prophet or the Imams doe not have any independent power, but rather
what they have (which many others lack) is that they have CREDIT in front
of Allah and that Allah does not put down their requests if they pray to
Allah on my behalf. Imam Ali and all the martyrs are alive as Quran clearly
testifies, though they are not on the earth. So please do not treat them as
dead. Allah states in Quran:
Think not of those who are martyred in the way of Allah as dead. Nay!
They are living, finding their sustenance in the presence of their
Lord." (Quran 3:169)
In fact all of our Imams except Imam Mahdi were martyred either by sword or
by poison. Moreover, there are quite strong proofs in both Shia and Sunni
that the Prophet himself was also poisoned by a Jew in the battle of
Khaibar, and the poison slowly worked on his body till it finally killed
him. I just bring two traditions from Sahih al-Bukhari:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 5.551
Narrated Abu Huraira:
When Khaibar was conquered, a (cooked) sheep containing poison, was
given as a present to Allah's Apostle.
Sahih Bukhari Hadith: 5.713
... Narrated 'Aisha: The Prophet in his ailment in which he died, used
to say, "O 'Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at
Khaibar, and at this time, I feel as if my aorta is being cut from
that poison."
So they should not be called dead since they are alive according to Quran.
Thus we can make Tawassul to them the same way that the Shia of Moses made
Tawassul to Moses:
"And he (Moses) went into the city at a time when people (of the
city) were not watching, so he found therein two men fighting, one
being of his Shia and the other being his enemy, and the one who was
of his Shia cried out to him for help against the one who was of his
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
enemy" (Quran 28:15)
Two things which distinguishes Tawassul and Shirk should be noted here.
First, we do not believe that the Prophet and Imams have any independent
power from Allah. Second, Allah is the one who assigned the intermediate.
The idol worshipers used a wrong intermediate, and that was another reason
why it was condemned. Moreover, the idol worshippers believed that the
idols can cause harm or render a benefit. Muslims are monotheists and they
know that only Allah can cause harm or render a benefit. But calling the
Prophet and Imams with the understanding that they could only be an
intermediary to Allah, is not polytheism. ALL Muslims agreed on this point
from the time of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) up to the present day, except
Wahhabis. They contradict all Muslims with their new creed and accused
Muslims of blasphemy; they never let any body touch the blessed grave of
Prophet (PBUH&HF).
The Holy Quran further supports intermediary for approaching toward Allah
where it states:
"O' you who believe! Be mindful (of your duties) to Allah, and seek
the means of approaching toward Him." (Quran 5:35) ^^^^
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Quran tells us that there exists a means of approaching "al-Wasilah" for us
in each era, which is different than Allah and we should seek him if we
want to approach toward Allah. In fact, both Tawassul and Wasilah are from
the same root. When we make Tawassul, it means that we seek the Mercy of
Allah by resorting to a connection who was more obedient toward Allah and,
as a result, Allah answers his/her prayers faster than us. Allah may
forgive us for the credit and the honor of that man/woman. It is true every
where that doing a job (specially if it is asking for a big courtesy)
without any connection is difficult or might be impossible. Approving such
a courtesy needs credit, and the one without it should resort to the one
who has the credit and the connection. This credit has been acquired by
absolute obedience of Allah. Nonetheless, approving any intercession still
depends on Allah:
"Who can intercedes with Him except the cases that He permits?"
(Quran 2:255) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"They (i.e., prophets and Imams) do not say anything until He orders,
and they act (in all things) by His command. He knows what is
before them and what is behind them and they (i.e., those saints)
offer no intercession except for anyone whom Allah accepts, and they
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
are in awe and reverence of His (glory)." (Quran 21:27-28)
As you see there are exceptions. Some specific people can intercede with
Allah by His permission. But this is not granted to every people.
Now, I would like to give also more references from Sunni Hadith
collections in this regard. The first reference is on the Tawassul of Ibn
Abbas (RA) to Imam Ali (AS). Please note that Ibn Abbas spoke the following
words after the martyrdom of Imam Ali. Thus he did ask for intermediary of
what you called a dead person.
"When the death time of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) approached, he said:
`O Allah! I seek to approach toward you by means of Wilayah (accepting
the mastery) of Ali Ibn Abi Talib.'" ^^^^^^^^^^^
Sunni references:
- Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p662, Tradition #1129
- al-Riyadh al-Nadhirah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, v3, p167
- Manaqib Ahmad
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Please note that Ibn Abbas died in 68/687 which was 28 years after the
martyrdom of Imam Ali (AS). If resorting (Tawassul) to a dead was
considered association (shirk), then Ibn Abbas would not dare to say so,
and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal would not have recorded it.
As for resorting to alive, al-Bukhari reported that Umar used make Tawassul
to al-Abbas for rain:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 5.59
Narrated Anas:
Whenever there was drought, 'Umar bin Al-Khattab used to ask Allah for
rain through Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib, saying, "O Allah! We used
^^^^^^^
to request our Prophet to ask You for rain, and You would give us. Now
we request the uncle of our Prophet to ask You for rain, so give us
rain." And they would be given rain."
Another related question is that: Is kissing the grave of the Prophet
Shirk (association)? Is honoring the belongings of Prophet association?
Sahih al-Bukhari tells us it is NOT Shirk:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 1.373
Narrated Abu Juhaifa:
I saw Allah's Apostle in a red leather tent and I saw Bilal taking the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
remaining water with which the Prophet had performed ablution. I saw
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the people taking the utilized water impatiently and whoever got some
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
of it rubbed it on his body and those who could not get any took the
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moisture from the others' hands. Then I saw Bilal carrying an 'Anza (a
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
spear-headed stick) which he planted in the ground. The Prophet came
out tucking up his red cloak, and led the people in prayer and offered
two Rakat (facing the Ka'ba) taking 'Anza as a Sutra for his prayer. I
saw the people and animals passing in front of him beyond the 'Anza.
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 7.750
Narrated Abu Juhaifa:
I came to the Prophet while he was inside a red leather tent, and I
saw Bilal taking the remaining water of the ablution of the Prophet,
and the people were taking of that water and rubbing it on their
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
faces; and whoever could not get anything of it, would share the
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
moisture of the hand of his companion (and then rub it on his face).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As we see, the great companions were honoring the drop of water which had
touched the Prophet (PBUH&HF).
Sayyid Sharafuddin, a famous Shia scholar, went on pilgrimage to the
House of Allah during the reign of King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud. He was one of
those who were invited to the King's palace to celebrate the Eid of al-
Adh'ha. When his turn came to shake the King's hand, he presented a leather
bound Quran to the King. The King took the Quran and placed it on his
forehead and then kissed it. Sayyid Sharafuddin said: "O' King! why do
you kiss and glorify the cover which is made of a goat's skin?!" The king
answered: "I meant to glorify the Holy Quran, not the goat's skin." Sayyid
Sharafuddin said: "Well said O' King! We do the same when we kiss the
window or the door of the Prophet's Chamber, we know that it is made of
iron, and could not harm or render a benefit, but we mean what is behind
the iron and wood, we mean to respect the Messenger of Allah in the same
way as you meant with the Quran when you kissed its goat's skin cover."
The audience was impressed by his speech and said: "You are right." The
King was forced to allow the pilgrims to ask for blessings from the
Prophet's relics, until the order was reversed by the successor of that
King.
The issue is not that they are afraid of people associating others with
Allah, rather, it is a political issue based on antagonizing Muslims in
order to consolidate their own power and authority over Muslims, and
history is the witness to what they have done.
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