Tawassul

Tawassul in the View of Prominent Imami 'Ulama'

According to such prominent Imami 'ulama' as Shaikh al-Ta'ifah Tusi, Shaikh Amin al-Islam Tabrisi, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Tabataba`i, Imam Sayyid Ruhullah Khomeini and others,wasilah means faith, love and reverence for the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) and obedience to him.

'Allamah Tabataba`i writes in his monumental exegesis on the Holy Qur'an that the wordal-wasilah or 'approach' as used in theAyah "and seek an approach unto Him" (5:35) confirms the reality of worship and means turning submissively and supplicating to God, with knowledge and practice serving as the requisite instrument for this connection.[^14]

Furthermore, elaborating on the narration found in the Tafsir of 'Ali bin Ibrahim Qummi that theAyah "and seek an approach unto Him" means seeking ALLAH (SWT)'s proximity through the Infallible Imam (A.S.), 'Allamah Tabataba`i, says that this refers to obedience or adhering to the path of the Imam (A.S.) in order to reach ALLAH (SWT).[^15]

It is evident that the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) and the Infallible Imams (A.S.), who are considered the practical models of divine law and the finest exemplars of morals and etiquette, are thewasilah , since it is through obedience to them and adherence to their path that one can attain proximity to God. Likewise, as stated by prominent Imami or Shi’a jurists, the laws of the Shari'ah are thewasilah , on the basis of adherence to which, proximity of Almighty ALLAH (SWT) is attained. Accordingly, some prominent Imami jurisprudents like Shaikh Hurr al-'Amili, Ayatollah Abu al-Hasan Isfahani and Imam Khomeini have used the titlewasilah for their jurisprudential treatises such as Wasa'il al-Shi’a,Wasilah al-Najat and Tahrir al-Wasilah , respectively.Wasilah al-Najat or the 'Means of Salvation' is the title of over 40 scientific treatises written by Shi’a 'ulama'.[^16]

Thus, as ascertained by Imami scholars, the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) is thewasilah towards God for Muslims since he is the best exemplar and is in fact the 'Practical Qur'an'. So also is the Prophet's (S.A.W.A.) infallible progeny (A.S.), who along with the Book of ALLAH (SWT) (Holy Qur'an), is the immortal legacy of the Prophet and continuation of his path as borne out by the Hadith al-Thaqalayn, which is unanimously, confirmed by both Shi’a and Sunni 'ulama'. Muslims, through thewasilah of these two, hold fast to divine laws and strive to attain ALLAH (SWT)'s proximity, since good deeds, obedience and adherence to the Qur'an, the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) and his Infallible Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) are the basis ofshafa'at . This is better explained by 'Allamah Tabataba`i in his exegesis:

Persons who lack any ability to attain the required perfection are like the illiterate who wants to become the doyen of scholars merely through recommendation, since he neither has any basic learning nor has he the required connection with the one who could intercede. Or they could be compared to a slave who is disobedient to his master, but without coming out of this state of insubordination and disobedience wants to be forgiven through intercession (shafa'at ). In none of these two cases intercession is beneficial, sinceshafa'at is thewasilah or means for accomplishment of a cause and is not a cause in itself to make him a doyen of scholars in the first

case, and in the second case to avail forgiveness from the master in the state of disobedience.[^17]

Therefore, as it has been clearly mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, if a person does not fulfill his obligations and adherence to the path of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) and the Infallible Imams (A.S.), he will not be considered worthy ofshafa'at , even if the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) were to intercede on his behalf.

"Alike it is for them whether you seek forgiveness for them or seek not forgiveness for them; Never will God forgive them..." (63:6)

  1. Opinion on Non-Permissibility of Tawassul

In the opinion of Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah and later Hanbali scholars’tawassul to the person of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) himself is not permissible.Tawassul has three concepts, of which two are deemed correct, and according to Ibn Taymiyyah, whoever rejects these two concepts oftawassul is either an infidel or an apostate.

1)Tawassul to the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) to reach God is indicative of faith and love for the Prophet (S.A.W.A.). For example, when it is said Allahumma asaluka bi-Nabiyyika Muhammad (O ALLAH (SWT)! I beseech you for the sake of your Prophet, Muhammad (S.A.W.A.)), it means I seek from You on the basis of the faith and love, which I have for Your Prophet.

TheAyah "and seek an approach unto Him", is a means of approaching ALLAH (SWT) by obedience to Him and His Messenger, as it is said: Whoever obeys the Prophet has indeed obeyed ALLAH (SWT).

This concept oftawassul is permissible in the opinion of all 'ulama'. Ibn Taymiyyah has considered it a pious act and has supported his views by citing reports from certain companions of the Prophets, the first generation of Muslims (tabi'in) and jurists such as Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.[^18]

  1. The concept oftawassul as supplication or intercession (shafa'at ) of the Prophet, like the supplication of the second caliph, which reads: "O ALLAH (SWT)! Whenever drought afflicted us we madetawassul to You through our Prophet (tawassalna ilayka bi-Nabiyyina), and now we maketawassul to You through the uncle of our Prophet, Send down rain for us."

  2. The concept oftawassul as making an oath or invoking ALLAH (SWT) by the right of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.). According to Ibn Taymiyyah this form oftawassul was neither done during the lifetime of the Prophet nor after him by his companions. In this regard contemporary scholars opposed totawassul have quoted Abu Hanifah as saying: Do not say asaluka bi-haqqi anbiya'ika (I invoke You by the right of Your Prophets).[^19]

Rejection of Ibn Taymiyyah's Opinion

  1. The claim that the companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) never supplicated in this manner is the understanding and deduction of Ibn Taymiyyah. How do we know that when the second caliph says "we maketawassul to You through our Prophet" does not mean "for the right of our Prophet (bi-haqqi nabiyyina)", or is not addressed to the Prophet himself? Most Sunni 'ulama' have given the latter meaning and from the wording of the sentence itself the Prophet is being called upon.

  2. Suppose none of the companions had madetawassul by the right of any of the divine Prophets, it does not meantawassul is Haram even if some of the companions were to explicitly prohibit such an act. The opinion of the companions of the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) is not binding on the Muslim ummah, except perhaps for a few jurisprudents, unless it is related from Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.A.) himself.