Fatwa ID: 07991
Answered by : Aalimah Saleha Bukhari
Question :
!!السلام عليكم ورحمه الله وبركاته
Shaykh I want to ask you question about that can we say to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that O Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), I am sending blessings upon you, I am sending greetings upon you, please make a supplication to Allah regarding my distress? Or place my supplication and prayer before Allah, saying, “O Allah, forgive my Ummah, who is sending blessings upon me, or make his task easy.” Is it permissible to make such a supplication? Because I feel that it is a big problem in the Muslim Ummah that a group, which is quite large in number, agrees that we can pray in this way and they have their arguments, while others speak against it, please guide me fully as to which direction we should go and what was the way of the predecessors and companions, may Allah be pleased with them all. Jazak Allah Khair
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The issue of Tawassul, i.e., asking intercession by virtue of our Prophet ﷺ, is a matter of dispute amongst scholars. Believing in its permissibility or uttering such a representation as a way of seeking intercession to Allah is not Shirk; rather, it is a matter of a difference of opinion. The concept of intercession (waseelah) concerning Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is generally accepted and practiced, but it needs to be understood within the correct Islamic framework to prevent committing what is clearly prohibited.
Several Quranic verses and ahadith encourage Muslims to seek a means of closeness to Allah. Allah says in the Quran:
“O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of closeness] to Him…” [Quran 5:35] [1]
A hadith reported by al-Tirmidhi (and by others) states regarding intercession in the hereafter:
“When you hear the Mu’adhdhin (i.e., call to prayer), repeat what he says, then send blessings on me, for whoever sends one blessing on me, Allah will send ten on him. Then ask Allah to grant me Al-Waseelah, which is a rank in Paradise fitting for only one of Allah’s servants, and I hope that I will be that one. If anyone asks that I be given the Waseelah, intercession will be granted for him.” [2]
Another hadith over which there is dispute is reported by Al-Tirmidhi:
Uthman bin Hunaif narrated that a blind man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “Supplicate to Allah to heal me.” He (ﷺ) said: “If you wish I will supplicate for you, and if you wish, you can be patient, for 1 that is better for you.” He said: “Then supplicate to Him.” He said: “So he ordered him to perform Wudu’ and to make his Wudu’ complete, and to supplicate with this supplication: ‘O Allah, I ask You and turn towards You by Your Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), the Prophet of Mercy. Indeed, I have turned to my Lord, by means of You, concerning this need of mine, so that it can be resolved, so O Allah so accept his intercession for me (Allāhumma innī as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilaika binabiyyika Muḥammadin nabi-ir-raḥmati, innī tawajjahtu bika ila rabbī fī ḥājatī hādhihī lituqḍā lī, Allāhumma fashaffi`hu fīyya).’” [At-Tirmdhi: 3578] [3]
Thus, seeking waseelah through the Prophet can be done by mentioning his status and his closeness to Allah in one’s supplications, asking Allah by virtue of the Prophet’s status to grant one’s requests. It’s essential, however, that one directs the act of worship only towards Allah and understands that any intercession the Prophet makes is by Allah’s permission and will.
The blind man did as he was instructed and was healed. Thus, it is argued that this hadith indicates the permissibility of seeking intercession through our Prophet’s supplication, during his lifetime. However, after his death, scholars differed on the permissibility of this matter.
The idea of the Prophet’s intercession both in this world (asking for his intercession in one’s prayers) and in the hereafter (his intercession on behalf of his Ummah on the Day of Judgment) are generally accepted. However, it’s important to differentiate between permissible forms of waseelah, which involve using the Prophet’s status to seek Allah’s pleasure, and impermissible practices which might involve attributing divine powers to the Prophet or others, which is considered Shirk (associating partners with Allah).
As for the question about the prophets, there is a dispute about this, and it was stated by Imam Abu Hanifa and his companions that it is not permissible, and some scholars permit it. Among them is Al-Izz bin Abd Al-Salam, who said, “As for the issue of supplication, it came in some hadiths that the Messenger of God, taught some people supplication, and he said in his sayings: ‘Say: O God, I swear to you by Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy . ’”
Those who rely on the authenticity of this hadith should limit this reach to the Messenger of God because he is the Prophet and leader in Islam. One should not swear by God by anyone other than him from the prophets and angels, because others are not at his level, and this should be one of the things that was singled out as a reminder of his level and rank. Thus the opinion is that it is not permissible. [4]
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Aalimah Saleha Bukhari Islam Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱبْتَغُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ٣٥
[3] حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، ضَرِيرَ الْبَصَرِ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعَافِيَنِي . قَالَ ” إِنْ شِئْتَ دَعَوْتُ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ صَبَرْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ ” . قَالَ فَادْعُهُ . قَالَ فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيُحْسِنَ وُضُوءَهُ وَيَدْعُوَ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ ” اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ إِنِّي تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ إِلَى رَبِّي فِي حَاجَتِي هَذِهِ لِتُقْضَى لِي اللَّهُمَّ فَشَفِّعْهُ فِيَّ ” . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ الْخَطْمِيِّ وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ حُنَيْفٍ هُوَ أَخُو سَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ
[4] بالمخلوقات شرك بخالقها كما في السنن عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “من حلف بغير الله فقد أشرك” ١.
وأما الثاني: وهو السؤال المعظَّم كالسؤال بحق الأنبياء، فهذا فيه نزاع وقد تقدم عن أبي حنيفة وأصحابه أنه لا يجوز، ومن الناس من يجوّز ذلك” ٢.
قلت: من هؤلاء: العز بن عبد السلام حيث قال: “أما مسألة الدعاء فقد جاء في بعض الأحاديث أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم علم بعض الناس الدعاء فقال في أقواله: “قل: اللهم إني أقسم عليك بمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم نبي الرحمة”.
وهذا الحديث إن صح فينبغي أن يكون مقصورا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، لأنه سيد ولد آدم، وألا يقسم على الله بغيره من الأنبياء والملائكة، لأنهم ليسوا في درجته، وأن يكون هذا مما خُص به تنبيها على درجته ومرتبته” ٣.
قلت: لفظ الحديث هو: ” أن رجلا ضرير البصر أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: “ادع الله أن يعافيني قال: إن شئت دعوت، وإن شئت صبرت فهو خير لك، قال: فادعه، قال: فأمره أن يتوضأ فيحسن وضوءه ويدعو بهذا الدعاء: اللهم إني أسألك، وأتوجه إليك بنبيك محمد نبي الرحمة، إني توجهت بك إلى ربي في حاجتي هذه لتقضى لي، اللهم فشفعه فيّ” ٤.
ص276 – كتاب أصول الدين عند الإمام أبي حنيفة – المبحث الثاني عقيدة الإمام أبي حنيفة في التوسل إلى الله – المكتبة الشاملة
