10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
The accomplished scholars have divided attainment (التوسل) into two divisions:
• Lawful attainment (التوسل): is the means endorsed by Islamic law
• Unlawful attainment (التوسل): is to draw close to Allah the All Exalted through illegitimate means not
endorsed by Islamic law
Lawful attainment (التوسل)
It is all means endorsed by Islamic law which has previously been defined. There are many kinds of this type of attainment (التوسل) although scholars differ in their numeration of them they collectively meet in three divisions:
a) To draw close through the Divine Names and Attributes of Allah
b) To draw close to Allah the All Exalted in supplication of aspiration that expects its supplication
to be answered
c) To draw close to Allah the All Exalted through virtuous deeds
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
a) To draw close through the Divine Names and Attributes of Allah
An example of this is for a Muslim to say in his supplication: “Oh Allah with your Perfect Names and Exalted Attributes I ask You to forgive and grace me.” And also “Oh Forgiver, forgive me, Oh Sustainer sustain me.” Evidence of the lawfulness of this type of attainment
(التوسل) is Allah’s words:
| (( |
وَلِلَّهِ الأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ |
)) |
The most beautiful names belong to Allah. So call on him by them; but shun such men as use profanity in his names: for what they do, they will soon be requited. [7:180]
Drawing close to Allah through His Divine Names and Attribute is of two dimensions:
•
First
•
Second
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
The first dimension: Drawing close to Allah through His Divine Names and Attribute in general is exemplified by: the authentic Hadeeth narrated by Ibn Mas’ood ®:
| أن النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- كان يقول في دعاء الهم والغم: أسألك بكل اسم هو لك سميت به نفسك |
)) |
| نفسك أو علمته أحداً من خلقك، أو أنزلته في كتابك، أو استأثرت به في علم الغيب عندك، أن تجعل القرآن العظيم |
| (( |
ربيع قلبي ونور صدري وجلاء حزني وذهاب همي |
| رواه الإمام أحمد، والحاكم في المستدرك، وصححه ووافقه الشيخ الألباني |
((The Prophet PBUH used to say in the supplication of grief and anxiety: I ask you by all names that belong to You in which You have names yourself or taught anyone from your creation, or revealed in your book, or existing in the knowledge of the unseen to make the Quran the spring of my heart and the light of my breast, the withdrawal of my sadness and relief of my anxiety.)) Reported by Imam Ahmad and al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, and has been authenticated and endorsed by Sheikh al-Albaani.
The evidence from the Hadeeth is:
((I ask you by all names that belong to You in which You have names yourself))
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
The second dimension: drawing close to Allah the All Exalted through specific names and attributes is exemplified by the Hadeeth of Abi Bakr ®:
| حيث طلب من النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- دعاء يدعو به في صلاته، فقال: قل اللهم إني ظلمت نفسي |
)) |
| (( |
ظلماً كثيراً ولا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت فاغفر لي مغفرة من عندك وارحمني إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم |
((When he requested from the Prophet PBUH a supplication to supplicate in his prayer, he said: say On Lord verily I have oppressed my soul a severe oppression and no one pardons sins except You, so forgive me my sins and grace me indeed You are the Oft Forgiving All Merciful.)) Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
b) To draw close to Allah the All Exalted through the supplication of a righteous person that hopes his supplication is answered
What explains this form of correct attainment (التوسل) is to draw close to Allah the All Exalted through the supplications of a believer for his believing brother with the condition that person supplicating is alive and present. This form of attainment (التوسل) is endorsed by the companions ® as they used to ask the Prophet PBUH to supplicate for them both specific and general supplications. In the two authentic books from the Hadeeth of Anas ibn Malik ®:
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
| أن رجلاً دخل يوم الجمعة من باب وجاه المنبر -ورسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قائم يخطب- فاستقبل |
)) |
| رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قائماً فقال: يا رسول الله هلكت المواشي وانقطعت السبل، فادع الله يغيثنا |
| قال: فرفع رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يديه فقال: اللهم اسقنا، اللهم اسقنا. قال أنس: ولا والله ما نرى |
. |
| ولا شيئاً وما بيننا وبين سلع من بيت |
، |
[القزعة: القطعة من السحاب] |
في السماء من سحابة ولا قزعة |
| فلما توسطت السماء انتشرت، ثم |
[أي: أنها مستديرة] |
ولا دار، قال: فطلعت من ورائه سحابة مثل الترس |
| ثم دخل رجل من ذلك الباب في الجمعة المقبلة |
، |
[أي: أسبوعاً] |
أمطرت، قال: والله ما رأينا الشمس سبتاً |
| المقبلة ورسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم قائم يخطب فاستقبله قائماً، فقال: يا رسول الله هلكت الأموال، وانقطعت |
| وانقطعت السبل فادع الله يمسكها. قال: فرفع رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يديه ثم قال: اللهم حوالينا ولا |
| [جمع ظرب، وهو الجبل الصغير] |
علينا، اللهم على الآكام، والظراب |
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
| رواه البخاري ومسلم |
(( |
والأودية و منابت الشجر. قال: فانقطعت، وخرجنا نمشي في الشمس |
. |
((A person entered on a Friday from a door close to the podium of the Messenger of Allah PBUH whist he is standing giving a sermon. He went towards the Messenger of Allah PBUH standing and said: Oh Messenger of Allah, our livestock have died and we are left with no means, supplicate to Allah to assist us. He said: so the Messenger of Allah PBUH raised his hands and said: Oh Lord give us water, Oh Lord give us water. Anas said: By Allah we did not see in the sky a cloud or a cloudlet or anything between us and between the cracks of our homes, he said: from behind it appeared rolling clouds when it reached the centre of the sky it spread then it began raining. He said: By Allah we did not see the sun for a week. That man entered from that door on the following Friday whilst the Messenger of Allah PBUH is standing giving a sermon so he went to him standing and said: Oh Messenger of Allah PBUH our wealth is gone and our means cut off, supplicate to Allah. He said: So the Messenger of Allah PBUH raised his hands and said: Oh Lord around us and not upon us, Oh Lord upon the hills and mountains and upon the medicines and tree roots. He said: then it stopped and we went out walking in the sun.))
Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
Under this type of attainment (التوسل) through supplicating the living and present are two forms:
• First
• Second
To request from the living and present supplication that it may be answered, to supplicate for him without supplicating the requesting seeker. The example of this form is what the Prophet PBUH did from supplicating for the Bedouin in the previous Hadeeth of requesting water.
To request the supplication of the living and present then for himself to supplicate asking Allah to accept the supplication of the intermediary or believe in his supplication, there are two supplications in this form:
Firstly: from the living and present whose supplication is requested. Secondly: from the seeker himself.
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
c) To draw close to Allah through righteous deeds is a lawful and correct means
Because the one way of reaching the pleasure of Allah the All Exalted and to achieve what He posses of the good of this world and the next is righteous deeds according to what has been brought by the Prophet PBUH by the consensus of all the scholars. This is because there is no means to reach Allah the All Exalted except through following His Messenger PBUH, this is what is intended by the term
(الوسيلة) ‘means’ in Allah’s words:
| [المائدة:٣٥] |
(( |
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ |
)) |
O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him [5:35]
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
If righteous deeds vary it fundamentally agrees with three points: what is specific to the heart, what is specific to the body, what is shared by both body and heart. Evidence in support of attainment
(التوسل) through righteous deeds is Allah’s words:
| [آل عمران:١٦] |
(( |
الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ |
)) |
(Namely), those who say: "Our Lord! We have indeed believed: forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of the Fire;" [3:16]
Those firmly established in knowledge reached their Lord through their belief in the forgiveness of their sins and their seeking protection from the torments of the hellfire. Righteous deeds are raised with good speech of the servant. If a person is free of righteous deeds, his words will not reach Allah the All Exalted. This is because righteous deeds are that which reaches Allah the All Exalted and Allah raises the status of the righteous honours him and draws him close to Him.
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
What further elucidates that drawing close to Allah through righteous deeds performed by the servant is one of the most successful and beneficial forms of attainment (التوسل) is the story of the dwellers of the cave that is reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim. That is that there were three people trapped in a cave. One of them tried to draw close by means of obedience to parents, the second tried to draw close through his compassion and abstinence from the unlawful, whilst the third attempted to draw close by means of fulfilling trusts so Allah relived them of their predicament and they left the cave.
Al-Hasan al-Basri-may Allah show him mercy-said:
“If a servant says a good word and performs a good deed his words are raised to Allah the All Exalted through his actions.” Here ends his words.
Wahab ibn Munbah-may Allah show him mercy-said:
“The likeness of a person who supplicates without actions is like the person who throws without a bow.” Here ends his words.
Al-Rabi’ ibn Anas-may Allah show him mercy-said: “In a wisdom a righteous deed raises a person if he stumbles.”
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
The Intended Meaning of Unlawful Attainment (التوسل)
It is to draw close to Allah the All Exalted my illegitimate means not endorsed by Islamic law and it is of two types:
• First
• Second
The first type: to be of means which the law has remained quiet on. This is considered unlawful attainment
(التوسل) and could lead to shirk. An example is: for a person to draw close by means of esteemed persons who are esteemed by those who Allah considers esteemed like the those highly esteemed by the Prophets PBUT; because it is a means not established in law and because the esteemed of the esteemed has no impact on the acceptance of supplications.
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
This is because such matters do not concern the esteemed who is merely an esteemed person. So to draw close by means of an esteemed person is from one perspective an innovative form of attainment (التوسل) and is polytheistic from another. It is considered innovation because it is unknown by the Prophet PBUH or his companions ®. It is polytheistic because all those who believe that a person is cause of obtaining goodness and preventing evils has committed a form of shirk. For this reason to draw close by means of the saints and righteous is cautioned except if a person was to say: “I ask you by way of your Prophet Muhammad PBUH” by virtue of this person drawing close through his belief and love in the Messenger indeed that is an act of righteousness and a lawful means.
The second type: of illegitimate means: is the attainment (التوسل) of the polytheists through their statues and idols along with the attainment (التوسل) of the ignorant through the saints and righteous. They say: I ask you by means of the right of the Prophet upon you, by the right of his exalted grave or its dome, or his esteemed status and blessings over you, oh Prophet of Allah I beseech you over your Lord.”
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah -may Allah show him mercy-said:
“The term attainment (التوسل) intends three things: to draw close through the conviction of the Prophet PBUH this is the foundation of belief and Islam. Secondly: his supplication and intercession this type is also benefits the seeker whom the Prophet supplicates and intercedes for. Thirdly: to draw close by his essence meaning to swear oaths by the being of the Prophet and to ask in his name. This type was not performed by the companions in requesting water nor in any other matter in the life of the Prophet PBUH nor after his death nor at his grave or graves of others. Nor is it known by any of their popular supplications.” Here ends his remarks -may Allah show him mercy.
The obligation towards the saints and righteous
Undoubtedly the obligation towards the saints and righteous is love of them and lawful visitation of their graves that reminds of the hereafter and to pray for them. Not to perform devotions by their graves nor to wipe yourself with them or to be subservient and submissive in their grave sites or to call them to intercede and draw them close to Allah and act as intermediaries between them and Allah. More severe than this is to consider them holy which is a form of shirk forbidden by Allah the All Exalted.
10.3 The Intended Meaning of the Permitted and Prohibited Meaning of Attainment along with an Explanation of the Obligation towards the Saints and the Righteous
He also forbade us to turn to them in supplication and to seek aid and assistance through them expecting from their supplications support, overabundance, rain and kindness. These unlawful acts and practices from those that supplicate the saints and the righteous is not accepted by the correct and lawful governor of the law; because the saints and righteous are servants of Allah the All Exalted who knew him properly and did not accept shirk. If the governor forbids it with all of his influence they would not have gathered at his grave and supplicate him and seek his aid and would have said to them:
It is surprising that I am an intercessor to other than you
To you through me is poverty of 1000 intercessors