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Thursday, January 10, 2013

Milad an-Nabi: Ruling on Tawassul or Asking Allaah by the Status of the Prophet

Question: We are group of expatriates and we pray behind Salaat at-Taraaweeh sometimes behind one of our brothers who supplicates in the Qunoot by saying, “I ask You (i.e. Allaah) by the status of the Prophet, Muhammad [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him]. What is the ruling on this?”

Answer:  It is not permissible to seek Tawassul (to ask Allaah via something else) by the Prophet or the any of the Prophets or the righteous. Likewise, it is not permissible to seek Tawassul by the status of the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] or anybody else. This is because this an act of Bid’ah, something that has not been narrated by the Prophet or any of his Companions. The Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] said,
“Whoever introduces something new into this religion of ours that is not a part of it will have it rejected.'" [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (2550); Muslim (1718)].

And he said,
“Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours (Islam) will have it rejected.” [Reported Muslim (1718)]

It is legislated for the Muslim to seek Tawassul by the love one has for the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] or the Eemaan one has in him or the fact that he follows his Sunnah (TN: Meaning we are allowed to do Tawaasul via te good deeds we have done and these are examples of them) as Allaah, the Most High, says
Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” [Aal-Imraan 3:31]

And,
Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.

Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.’
‘Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers.’

‘Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad) calling to Faith: 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and remit from us our evil deeds, and make us die in the state of righteousness along with Al-Abrar (those who are obedient to Allah and follow strictly His Orders).’” [Aal-Imraan 3:190-193]
And it has been narrated in the two Saheehs [Al-Bukhaari (2272) and Muslim (2734)] the story of the three that were trapped in the cave. One sought Tawassul in Allaah by asking him to free them because he had been dutiful to his parents. The other sought Tawassul in Allaah by asking him to free them because he had remained chaste in the face of fornication. And the third one sought Tawassul in Allaah by asking him to free them because he had protected the right of another. So Allaah answered their supplication.

Likewise the Muslims used to ask the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] to supplicate for them when he was alive but after he died this stopped. It was has been narrated on the authority of ‘Umar [May Allaah be Pleased with him] that he said on the pulpit when seeking rain (Istisqaa), “Oh Allaah! We used to do Tawassul to You with Our Prophet and You Would Respond to us but know we do Tawassul to You by the uncle of Our Prophet, so make it rain.”
Therefore, the Companions [May Allaah be Pleased with them all] used to ask the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] to make Dua’a for them when he was alive but when he passed away they stopped asking him, so they would ask the uncle of the Prophet, al-Abbaas, because he was alive and capable of supplicating for the Muslims. [Narrated by al-Bukhaaree (3507)]

Likewise on the Day of Judgment, the believers will go from Prophet to Prophet seeking their intercession. They will go to Aadam to Nooh, to Ibraaheem, to Moosaa, to Esaa and all of them [Peace be Upon them all] will seek to excuse themselves from doing it. Esaa [Peace be Upon him] will say to them, “Go to Muhammad, the slave that Allaah has forgiven his previous and forthcoming sins.” So they will go to him and he will then intercede to Allaah on their behalf and ask for their difficulties to be removed. Then the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] will approach Allaah and he will prostrate and Allaah will say to him,
“Lift your head, seek intercession and you will be given.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, (4712)] 

There are many Ahadeeth which narrate this incident.
It is legislated for the Muslim to Allaah and seek Tawassul in Allaah by His Names and Attributes as He says,

And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah , so call on Him by them” [A’raaf 7:180]
[Majmoo Fataawa 'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baaz (9/331-333)]

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