What is Tawassul & Isthigatha ?Is it allowed in Islam ?

In the name of Allah the most beneficent the most merciful.

Dua, in the technical sense of the word, is ONLY to Allah. Muslims who practice Tawassul and Istighatha are not making Dua, which is an act of worship, to the Prophet.

Dua in a technical sense in Islamic terminology is calling out with the belief that the one being called to is worthy of worship and is completely independent.

When we use the word Dua in this sense, of course it is not allowed to do Dua to the Prophet. Dua is only to Allah. And this is what is meant in the famous Hadith in Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasai, ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad, 'Dua is worship'.

Muslims who call out to the Prophets and the pious people do not believe they are worthy of worship and know that these individuals are totally dependant on Allah.

We must also note that even the word Dua itself (in its linguistic sense) does not always mean worship - in the Quran, Allah commands the Believers not to make their 'Dua' to the Prophet like their 'Dua' to each other -

(24:63)

If the word Dua always means worship, this verse would validate worshipping the Prophet and each other!

لا تَجْعَلُوا دعاء الرسول بَيْنَكُمْ كَدَعَاء بَعْضِكُم بَعْضًا"

But here, Dua just means calling, not worship. The verse simply tells Muslims not to call out to the Prophet by name like we call each other by name. This is a linguistic use of the word Dua.

We have explained you in detail simply to warn people who label certain practices (tawassul and istighatha) as shirk when these practices are not shirk according to Quran and Sunnah.The Sahabah themselves and the Salaf practiced Tawassul and Istighatha and never labelled them as shirk.We must go back to the understanding of the righteous predecessors and the consensus of Sunni Islam.Don't take the burden of accusing Muslims of shirk into your grave.May Allah guide the Ummah and grant us unity.

•✓Hadith of Tawassul and authenticated Sahih by Majority of Scholars as follows:- 

•Imam Ibn Saad (passed 230AH) said :-

"Malik ad-Dar (i.e. treasurer of Umar) relates: The people were gripped by famine during the tenure of Umar (Ibn-ul-Khattab).Then a man walked up to the grave of Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! ask for rain from Allah for your Ummah who is in dire straits".Then he saw the Prophet in dream.The Prophet said to him, Go over to Umar, give him my regards and tell him that the rain will come to you. And tell Umar that he should be on his toes, he should be on his toes (he should remain alert).He went over to see Umar and passed on to him the tidings.On hearing this, Umar رضي الله عنه broke into a spurt of crying.He said, O Allah, I exert myself to the full until I am completely exhausted.

*[Ref:: Al-Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 011, Page No. 118, Hadith Number 32538,Imam Bukhari in Ta'rikh al-Kabir biography of Malik Aldar].

This Hadith is authenticated Sahih by:

•Imam Ibn Sa'ad (passed 230AH) said, translation: "Malik ad-Dar was a slave freed by 'Umar bin al-Khattab. He reported traditions from Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and 'Umar, and Abu Salih Samman reported traditions from him. He was "WELL KNOWN (MAROOF)" [Ref: Ibn Sa'd, at-Tabaqat-ul-kubra Volume 006, Page No. 12, Narrator Number. 1423]

•Ibn Hibban (passed 354 AH) has attested to the trustworthiness and credibility of Malik ad-Dar : Imam Ibn Hibban Said, translation: "Malik bin 'lyad ad-Dar He has taken traditions from Umar Faroq, and Abu Saleh al-Samman, and He was a slave freed by 'Umar bin al-Khattab. [Ref:Kitab uth-Thiqat Volume 005, Page No. 384]

•Hafidh ibn Hajar Al-asqalani said on this hadith that Ibn Abu Shaybah narrated it with a Authentic chain the narration from Abi Salih as Samaan from Malik al Dar(end).fath ul bari volume .2,page.495)

•Imam Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah Wan Nihayah Volume No. 5, Page No. 167

•Imam Qastallani in al-Mawahib-ul-laduniyyah (4:276).

•Ibn-e-Taymiya in Fi-lqtida-as-Sirat-il-Mustaqim (Vol.1, Page 373) .

•Ibn Abi Shayba cites it in his Musannaf with a sound (sahih) chain as confirmed by Ibn Hajar who says: rawa Ibn Abi Shayba bi isnadin sahih and cites the hadith in Fath al-bari.He identifies Malik al-Dar as Hazrat Umar's treasurer (khazin `umar) and says that the man who visited and saw the Prophet in his dream is identified as the Companion Bilal ibn al-Harith, and he counts this hadith among the reasons for Bukhari's naming of the chapter "The people's request to their leader for rain if they suffer drought."


•This is proof for Ahlu Sunnah against the Wahhabi takfeeris that it is permissible to go the Grave of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and it is also permissible to make Tawassul by him as Hazrat Umar رضي الله عنه did not object to Hazrat Bilal's actions nor did he make takfeer on him,in fact none of the Companions or Tabieen.

However if wahhabis continue to blind follow their leaders, then what do they say about Umar رضي الله عنه for agreeing with Hazrat Bilal's actions? Which Ibn Baz(recent leading figure of Wahabism) claimed he committed an act of shirk.

Ibn Baz, in his commentaries on Ibn Hajar
al-Asqalani's Fathul-Bari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari said about Bilal رضي الله عنه:-

"The actions this Sahabi done is forbidden as it is one of the acts of SHIRK".

This truly shows their deviance, even when
wahhabis are given proof from the Companions,Tabieen or the Salaf about Tawassul,they still reject it and declare it as shirk.

Who first raised objection against this practices of Sahabas though it is part of Islam? Actually this objection was first raised by Ibn Taymiyyah (1263–1328), the father of Salafism,Before Ibn Taymiyyah, nobody dared to indulge in such malice and wickedness towards Prophet Muhammad ﷺ‎ and Sahabah (May Allah pleased with them) and Awliya Allah.which was followed by his students and intellectual heirs.

•✓Shaykh ul Islam Imam al- Subki رحمة الله عليه said on Tawassul as follows:-

"It should be known that Tawassul, "ASKING FOR HELP"(Isthigatha) and intercession through the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in the court of Allah is not only allowed but is "RECOMMENDED" It being Legal and recommended is a known fact for everyone who has understanding of deen, this is a deed of Prophets/Messengers, the salaf-as-Saliheen, the Ulama and general public of Muslims, none of them denied it nor in any time these deeds were called as bad except for when Ibn Taymiyyah (came in picture) and he started to reject them, his sayings made the weak get into confusion/dilemma, he did such a Bidah which nobody before him had done... ".

-[Imam Taqi ud din as-Subki – Rahimuhulllah in his magnificent work called Shifa us Siqaam fi Ziyaratil Khayr il Anaam, Page No. 357]

•✓Imam Ibn Hajr al Haythami رحمة الله عليه who requires no introduction, he allocates a whole chapter with title: Intermediation “BESEECHING FOR HELP” or Intercession through the Prophet (ﷺ)” in his book called Al-Jawhar al Munazzam fi Ziyaratil Qabril Muqarram,there he further writes:-

"Amongst the evil deeds of Ibn Taymiyyah, something which nobody before him in this world proclaimed is his rejection of Istighatha (Beseeching for help) and Tawassul through Prophet ﷺ. This Tawassul through Prophet ﷺ is Hassan (fair) in all conditions whether before his creation (i.e. him being sent to the world), after it (i.e. his death), also in this world and on Day of Judgment.”

Ref:-[Al-Jawhar al Munazzam fi Ziyaratil Qabril Muqarram, Page No. 171, Published by Dar ul Hawi, Beirut, Lebanon]