[Holy Qur'an 17:81] And say: "Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish."

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Tawassul Through the dead

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Salafis oppose Tawassul through the dead. I wonder what their response would be after reading this:



أنّ رجلا كان يختلف إلى عثمان بن عفان في حاجة له، وكان لا يلتفت إليه ولا ينظر في حاجته، فلقى ابنَ حنيف فشكى إليه ذلك، فقال له ابنُ حنيف: إئت الميضأة، فتوظأ ثم ائتِ المسجد فصلِّ ركعتين، ثم قل: اللّهمّ إنّي أسألك وأتوجّه إليك بنبيّنا محمد نبيّ الرحمة، يا محمد إنّي أتوجّه بك إلى ربّك أن تقضي حاجتي، وتذكر حاجتك.

فانطلق الرجل فصنع ما قال، ثم أتى باب عثمان فجاءَه البوّاب حتى أخذ بيده، فأُدخِلَ على عثمان فأجلسه معه على الطنفسة فقال: حاجتك؟ فذكر حاجته وقضى له، ثم قال له: ما ذكرتُ حاجتك حتى كانت الساعة، وقال: ما كانت لك من حاجة فاذكرها، ثم إنّ الرجل خرج من عنده فلقى ابن حنيف فقال له: جزاك الله خيراً، ما كان ينظر في حاجتي ولا يلتفت إليّ حتى كلّمتَه فيّ.

فقال ابن حنيف: والله ما كلّمته، ولكن شهدتُ رسول الله، وأتاه ضرير فشكى إليه ذهاب بصره، فقال له النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): إن شئت دعوتُ أو تصبر، فقال: يا رسول الله إنّه ليس لي قائدٌ وقد شقّ عليّ، فقال له النبي: ائت الميضأة فتوضّأْ ثم صلّ ركعتين ثم ادعُ بهذه الدَعَوات. قال ابنُ حنيف: فو اللهِ ما تفرَّقْنا وطال بنا الحديثُ حتى دَخَلَ علينا الرجلُ كأنّه لم يكن به ضر

A man repeatedly visited Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him) concerning something he needed, but Uthman paid no attention to him or his need. The man met Ibn Hunayf and complained to him about the matter - this being after the death (wisal) of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and after the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar - so Uthman ibn Hunayf, who was one of the Companions who collected hadiths and was learned in the religion of Allah, said: "Go to the place of ablution and perform ablution (wudu), then come to the mosque, perform two rak'as of prayer therein, and say:

'O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through our Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy; O Muhammad (Ya Muhammad), I turn through you to my Lord, that He may fulfill my need,' and mention your need. Then come so that I can go with you [to the caliph Uthman]." So the man left and did as he had been told, then went to the door of Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him), and the doorman came, took him by the hand, brought him to Uthman ibn Affan, and seated him next to him on a cushion. 'Uthman asked, "What do you need?" and the man mentioned what he wanted, and Uthman accomplished it for him, then he said, "I hadn't remembered your need until just now," adding, "Whenever you need something, just mention it."

Then, the man departed, met Uthman ibn Hunayf, and said to him, "May Allah reward you! He didn't see to my need or pay any attention to me until you spoke with him." Uthman ibn Hunayf replied, "By Allah, I didn't speak to him, but I have seen a blind man come to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and complain to him of the loss of his eyesight. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "Can you not bear it?' and the man replied, 'O Messenger of Allah, I do not have anyone to lead me around, and it is a great hardship for me.' The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told him, 'Go to the place of ablution and perform ablution (wudu), then pray two rak'as of prayer and make the supplications.'" Ibn Hunayf went on, "By Allah, we didn't part company or speak long before the man returned to us as if nothing had ever been wrong with him."

The narration is recorded in Sahih Tirmidhi, Vol. 5, p. 119, No. 3578, Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1. p. 441, No. 1385 and Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 4, p. 138, and in other sources.

Imam Tirmidhi said:

هذا حديث حقٌّ حسنٌ صحيحٌ

This hadith is truly hasan sahih

Imam Ibn Majah said:

هذا حديثٌ صحيحٌ

This hadith is sahih

Imam Rufa'i said in Tawsil ila Aqiqat Tawassul, p. 158:

لا شك أنّ هذا الحديث صحيحٌ ومشهورٌ

There is no doubt that this hadith is sahih and well-known.

Imam Tabarani has recorded the above hadith VERBATIM in his Mu'jam al-Kabir, Vol. 9. p. 16 through this chain:

حدّثنا طاهر بن عيسى بن قريش المصري المقري: ثنا أصبغ بن الفرح: ثنا ابن وهب عن أبي سعيد المكي، عن روح بن القاسم عن أبي جعفر الخطمي المدني عن أبي أُمامة بن سهل بن حنيف، عن عمّه عثمان بن حنيف

Tahir ibn Isa ibn Quraysh al-Masri al-Maqri - Asbagh ibn Farah - Ibn Wahab - Abu Sa'eed al-Makki - Ruh ibn Qasim - Abu Ja'far Khatmi al-Madani - Abu Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf - Uthman ibn Hunayf:

This chain is sahih. Al-Tabarani has also recorded it from another chain, which contains the name Ruh ibn Salih al-Masri. Al-Dhahabi has written about him in his Mizan al-Itidal, Vol. 2, p. 85:

روح بن صلاح المصري يقال له ابن سيّابة ضعّفه ابن عدي، يكنّى أبا الحارث وقد ذكره ابن حبان في الثقات وقال الحاكم: ثقة مأمون

Ibn Siyabah declared him weak, as well as Ibn Adiyy. But, Ibn Hibban has included his name among the thiqah narrators in his book Thuqaat, and al-Hakim says "He is thiqah, mumin".

Basically, both chains are sahih.

Imam Bayhaqi too has recorded it through another chain:

أخبرنا أبو سعبد عبد الملك بن أبي عثمان الزاهد (رحمه الله): أنبأنا الإمام أبوبكر محمد بن علي بن الشاشي القفال قال: أنبأنا أبو عروبة: حدّثنا العباس بن الفرج: حدّثنا إسماعيل بن شبيب: حدّثنا أبي عن روح بن القاسم عن أبي جعفر المديني... إلخ السند

See Dalail Nubuwwah, Vol. 6, p. 168. Imam Bayhaqi declares it sahih.

To read more about the authenticity of the hadith, visit this link http://hadithproofsfortawassul.blogspot.com/2005/11/hadith-of-man-in-need.html

We read how a Companion did Tawassul of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) AFTER his death. Will Salafis accuse him of shirk? If they cannot, why?

These submissions by Ibn Taymiyyah even ends Salafis completely. Ibn Taymiyyah in his book Qā‘idah jalīlah fit-tawassul wal-wasīlah, commenting on the Qur’ānic verse:

O believers! Fear Allah and seek means (of approach to) His (presence and to His nearness and accessibility).
Qur’ān (al-Mā’idah) 5:35.

writes:

“Offering mediation in the court of Allah springs from one’s faith in the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and in his obedience. And it is by virtue of this obedience and faith that it is obligatory for every believer under any circumstances, outwardly or inwardly, during and after the Prophet’s life, and during his presence or absence. Once this condition is laid down, it cannot be voluntarily discontinued by any person on any excuse or pretext. And the only way to escape the divine wrath and punishment is to make the Holy Prophet (pbuhم) a means of salvation by obeying him and by reposing his trust in him, because the Prophet (pbuh) is the owner of the highest station of distinction in Paradise and he is the intercessor for his followers and the former and the latter ones will envy his position. His stature is the highest in the court of Allah and he is the greatest among the intercessors. Allah has declared about Mūsā (عليه السلام):

And with Allah, he was highly dignified (and respectable).
Qur’ān (al-Ahzāb) 33:69.

And about ‘Īsā (عليه السلام) Allah has declared:

He will enjoy respect and status (both) in this world and the Hereafter.
Qur’ān (Āl-i-‘Imrān) 3:45.

“While the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is blessed with the highest distinction among the prophets, his supplication and intercession will benefit only the person for whom he will pray and intercede. When he prays and intercedes for a person, he will make his prayer and intercession a source of mediation in the presence of Allah, as was the practice of the Companions.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, Qā‘idah jalīlah fit-tawassul wal-wasīlah (pp.5-6)

Once he was questioned whether it was valid or invalid to depend on the mediation of the Prophet (pbuh), he replied:

“All praise for Allah! By the consensus of the Muslims it is quite valid and proper to rely on the means of faith in the Prophet (pbuh), his obedience, his remembrance, his supplication and intercession, similarly his deeds and the deeds of his followers, which they have performed in obedience to the Prophet’s commands. And the Companions used to depend on his mediation during his life on earth and after his death, they depended on the mediation of his uncle, ‘Abbās as they used to rely on his mediation during his earthly life.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmū‘ fatāwā (1:140).

ISTIGHATHA: A SUNNI OPINION

Sunni scholar, Muhammad bin ‘Alawī al-Mālikīis Mafāhīm Yajib an Tusahhah, (pp.117-8) as a response to those Salafis who are opposed to istighathah says:

The conflicting view relates to intermediation without action (passive intermediation), i.e. when individuals and personalities are taken as means, for example, to say, “O God, I take Your Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) as an intermediary to You,” or “I take Abū Bakr as-Siddīq or ‘Umar bin al-Khattāb or ‘Uthmān or ‘Alī as intermediaries to You.” Some scholars treat it as forbidden. I believe that this difference is only superficial because in intermediation through an individual, the intermediary powers are vested in that individual on the basis of his deeds and intermediation through action is unanimously acceptable. People who deny intermediation have adopted a stubborn posture. If they had cared to look at the problem perceptibly, it would have cleared up, the doubts would have vanished and the conflict would have resolved which has led them to hurl unsavoury allegations against the Muslims. Intermediation without action is actually attributed to the intermediary and he has acquired this status on the basis of his actions. A man tends to choose someone as his intermediary because he loves him and reposes unqualified trust in his spiritual superiority as a consequence of this love, or he believes the intermediary is loved by Allah Himself. As He says:

(Allah) loves them and they love Him.
Quran (al-Ma'idah) 5:54

“O, my Lord! Undoubtedly, I love such and such person and I truly believe that he also loves You, he is Your loyal servant and he wages jihad for Your sake, and I believe You love him too, and You are pleased with him, and I offer him as an intermediary on account of my love for him, and I believe You will grant my prayer.”

“But there are a number of religious scholars (intermediationists) who limit its scope to the One Whose knowledge spans the secrets of the heavens and the earth and Who can detect the waywardness of the eyes and penetrate the secrets of the hearts. A person who says, “I take the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) as my intermediary,” and the other who says, “I take the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) as my intermediary because I love him,” are both on the same footing because he has chosen the first source of intermediation on the basis of his trust in the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and his love for him. If the prayee had not loved and trusted the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), he would not have chosen him as his intermediary. The same applies to the saints and the holy personages.

“This discussion lifts the haze off of the concept of intermediation. It clearly shows that the difference is only superficial and does in no way insinuate that the prayees (intermediatees) should be maligned as non-believers and chucked out of the fold of Islam. It is a moral stigma."

CAN THE DEAD HEAR US?

سورة الزخرف - سورة 43 - آية 45

واسال من ارسلنا من قبلك من رسلنا اجعلنا من دون الرحمن الهة يعبدون

And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before thee: Did We ever appoint gods to be worshiped beside the Beneficent?

Qur'an 43:45 shows that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to communicate with the earlier prophets (as). How was he able to do that if they could not hear him?

كيف تكفرون بالله وكنتم امواتا فاحياكم ثم يميتكم ثم يحييكم ثم اليه ترجعون

How can you reject the faith in Allah? Seeing that you were without life, (and) He gave you life; then He will cause you to die and will again bring you to life. Then again to Him will you return
Qur’ān (al-Baqarah) 2:28.


ولاتقولوا لمن يقتل في سبيل الله اموات بل احياء ولكن لاتشعرون

And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah that they are dead, (they are not dead) but they are living though you are not conscious (of their life)
Qur’ān (al-Baqarah) 2:154

ولاتحسبن الذين قتلوا في سبيل الله امواتا بل احياء عند ربهم يرزقون

And those who are slain in the way of Allah, do not (even) think of them as dead. But they live in the presence of their Lord, they find their sustenance (in the blessings of Paradise).
Quran Ali Imran 3:169

Besides the Qur’ānic verses, a number of traditions draw our attention to the fact that there is life after death even for the non-believers and infidels and they are endowed with the capacity to respond to the words of the living. For example, after the battle of Badr, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) himself called the slain infidels by their names and asked them:

Surely, we found the promise of our Lord absolutely true. (O infidels and non-believers!) Did you also find the promise of your lord true?

At this juncture ‘Umar bin al-Khattāb said to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): “O Prophet! You are addressing bodies which have no soul in them.” To make it clear, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) addressed the Companions:

I swear by the Power Who has in His control the life of Muhammad! The words I am speaking to these (infidels and non-believers), they far excel you in their power to listen to them.

.Bukhārī narrated it in his as-Sahīh, b. of maghāzī (military expeditions led by the Prophet) ch.7 (4:1461#3757); Muslim, as-Sahīh, b. of jannah wa sifat na‘īmihā wa ahlihā (Paradise, attributes of its and natives) ch.17 (4:2203#2874); Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad (3:145; 4:29); Tabarānī, al-Mu‘jam-ul-kabīr (5:96#4701); Baghawī, Sharh-us-sunnah (13:384#3779); Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (1:210); Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī, Fath-ul-bārī (7:301); & Haythamī in Majma‘-uz-zawā’id (6:90-1)

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