Tawassul

Opinion of Contemporary Hanafi Scholars on Permissibility

Here, we will study the legal opinions (fatwa) of contemporary Hanafi scholars on permissibility oftawassul to the Prophet (S.A.W.A.).

Alusi al-Baghdadi quotes Ibn 'Abd al-Salam as saying that it is permissible to invoke ALLAH (SWT) for the sake of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.), since Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.A.) is the leader of the children of Adam. Alusi bases his reasoning on the hadith (hasan and sahih) related by both Tirmidhi and Ahmad ibn Hanbal on the authority of 'Uthman bin Hunayf, which says that:

Once when a blind man asked the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) to pray to ALLAH (SWT) to grant him eyesight, he was told to make wudu' and recite the following supplication:“O ALLAH (SWT)! I request you and I have turned to you through Your Prophet, the Prophet of Mercy; O Messenger of ALLAH (SWT)! I have turned to you as a means towards My God for fulfillment of this wish of mine; O ALLAH (SWT)! Accept his (Prophet's) intercession (shafa'at ) for me”.

Alusi thus believes that there is no objection in makingtawassul to God by means of the dignity (jah) and prime position of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.), whether it is in his lifetime or after his death, since dignity here refers to an attribute which is one of the attributes of Almighty ALLAH (SWT). Alusi also says thattawassul by means of dignity of a person other than the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) is also permissible, provided that the one who is being considered awasilah has a station and position of dignity in the sight of ALLAH (SWT).[^12]

The famous Sunni scholar of India, Shaikh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri in his book al-Muhannad 'ala al-Mufannid has collected the fatwa or legal opinions of 75 leading Sunni scholars from different parts of the Islamic world on the permissibility oftawassul to the shrine of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.A.). He writes:

In our opinion and that of our teachers, pilgrimage to the shrine of the Master of Messengers (my soul be sacrificed for him) is the most exalted of proximities, the most important of blessings, and the greatest of means (wasilah ) for attaining lofty ranks. It could be said that it is an enjoinment almost to the degree of obligations, even if it requires the trouble of a journey to perform it and there is no other option other than to make efforts with life and wealth.Tawassul to the Prophets, saints, pious persons, martyrs and the righteous during supplications, whether in their lifetime or after their death, is permissible in the following manner:Allahumma inni atawassalu ilayka bi-fulan an tujiba da'wati wa taqdia hajati (O ALLAH (SWT)! I beseech you by means of so and so a person, accept my supplication and grant my request).[^13]