Tawassul Through the Living and the Dead

Question

By what proofs is tawassul (seeking from Allah through an intermediary) through the prophets, the awliya and the righteous predecessors (salaf salihin) established in supplication? Prove it from an explicit saying of the Prophet ﷺ or from the reports (athar) of the Companions ﵃, so that it becomes clear that taking the dead as an intermediary in supplications is correct.

Answer

[ar]عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا ضَرِيرَ الْبَصَرِ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ: ادْعُ اللهَ أَنْ يُعَافِيَنِي، قَالَ: إِنْ شِئْتَ دَعَوْتُ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ صَبَرْتَ وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ، قَالَ: فَادْعُهْ، فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيُحْسِنَ وُضُوءَهُ وَيَدْعُوَ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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