Assalaamu`alaykum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh
I sent a few e-mails to a friend of mine - one about the Hadeeth of the man in need with some referances and another quote from at-Tabaree's Taareekh.
He gave me the following reply - editions in brackets mine:
"Alhamdulilah I read you[r] email and I asked a brother here at work who studied in medinah he is following a madhab (if that’s important) and is arab in origin.
He told me following, the books you mentioned are history books and their like. He said bring proof from the hadeeth books e.g. the six famous ones that this was recommended by the prophet. Also he told that the sahabah are not hujjah and all the madhab don't take the actions of the sahabah as hujjah unless its derived from quran and sunnah. So we have to refer back the things from even the sahabah under the light of quran and sunnah
Ask yourself these questions please:
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) that Allah should be invoked for help and guidance?
Answer: No
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) that Allah alone answers the call of a caller in distress?
Answer No.
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) that Allah is sole provider sustainer and cherisher?
Answer No
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) that one can walk upto a pious man of his age and ask him to pray for him?
Answer: No.
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) that good deeds are means of approach to Allah and acceptance of invocations?
Answer: No.
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) upon tabarruk?
Answer: No.
But
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) that one call upon awliya for help?
Answer: Yes
Is there any disagreement between ummat Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) that someone can walk upto graves of awaliya and ask them to pray to Allah to remove harm or provide benefit?
Answer: Yes
The Prophet*(peace and blessing upon him)*said,"My Ummah will not unite upon misguidance",
[Saheeh: Reported by at-Tirmidhee from Ibn 'Umar (radhiAllaahu 'anhumaa)]
Some scholars said also some different things:
Imaam Abu Haneefah on Tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah):
* It is not correct for anyone to call upon Allah except through Him and the permitted supplications that have been ordered as in the saying of Allah, the Most High:
"And to Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them. And shun those who distort His Names, they will soon be requited for what they used to do." (al-A'raaf 7:180)
[ad-Dur al-Mukhtaar Ma'a Haashiya Rad al-MuHtaar 6/396-7]
* It is hated for the one who supplicates to say, "I ask You on the behalf of so and so, or on the behalf of Your Prophets and Your Messengers or on the behalf of the sacred house or on the behalf of al-Mash'ar al-Haraam (i.e. al-Muzdalifa - Ibn Katheer).
[SharH 'Aqeeda aT-TaHaawiyah p.234, SharH al-Fiqh al-Akbar by al-Qaari' p.198]
And Abu Haneefah said:
((It is not befitting for anyone to call upon Allaah, except by Him, and it is even more detestable for him to say: "By the junctures of Honour from your Throne", or "By the Right of Your Creation")), [al-Fiqhul-Absat (p. 56)]
Anyhow I looked into the matter and it seems asking Allah through the prophet there is ikhtilaf on it, some scholars said it is permissible some say no, I will not call it shirk. But I cannot find evidence why we should do it if we can ask Allah alone and especially through some sheikhs who were after the prophet and so on. so this matter is not entirely clear and I rather stick to this hadeeth then:
“That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear. Between the two are doubtful matters that few people have knowledge about. Whoever avoids these doubtful matters absolves himself of blame with respect to his religion and his honor. Whoever falls into doubtful things will fall into what is unlawful, just like the shepherd who grazes his flock too close to a private pasture is liable to have some of his flock stray into it. Every king has a private pasture, and Allah’s private pasture is what he has prohibited. Verily, in the body is a small piece of flesh that if it is healthy, the whole body is healthy and if it is sick, the whole body is sick. This small piece of flesh is the heart.”
[Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]
Allah says clearly:
"And your Lord says: Call on Me, I will answer your (prayer). But Those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in hell, in humiliation " [Al Mu'min:60]
"When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me' let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me, that they may walk in the right way " [Al-Baqarah:186]
I found a link regarding this athar:
http://www.******************/wasila/2.asp
it comes back to who you trust. Personally I know Allah will [not?] ask me why didn't you make dua to me through the prophet. So its not nescassary in the deen to supplicate this way. For sure no problem through asking Allah alone.
I found another interesting thing:
as Sheikh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab said – that this issue is an issue of khilaf (legitimate difference of opinion) and one may not condemn another for doing, or not doing Tawassul through the Prophets and the righteous people.
So I don't condem you no[r] should you condem me. barakAllah feek I understand now tawassul better but I rather choose the safest side which is asking Allah alone. Allahu alam"
A good answer would be very welcoming indeed!
Wassalaam
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