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I cannot believe
that you are claiming that Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
had doubt concerning his meeting with Sayyidina
Musa (peace be upon him). What a blasphemic
claim! It is sad that your shaykh has taught you such claims. When the Qur?an discusses
issues of doubt, it is addressed to mankind not to the Prophets. The verses may
be revealed to the Prophets but it does not mean that they are addressing the Prophets,
as explained in the following verse demonstrates:
010.094
If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who
have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee
from thy Lord: so be in no wise of those in doubt.
This verse tells
us that the polytheists of Makkah doubted that Allah revealed the Qur?an. Allah
Azawajal says that they should go and
ask the previous nations whether He had previously revealed books to His Prophets.
It was not RasUlullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) himself who doubted
the Qur?an but the polytheists. In the same way, verse 032:023 is not addressing
Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) but it is addressing those
people who doubted the meeting between the Prophets. You should repent for even
suggesting that a Prophet can doubt something from Allah. Now please accept without
any hesitation that Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) met Sayyidina Musa
(peace be upon him) whilst in this world, otherwise you can explain what these verses
mean, or you can ask your Shaykh Yasin.
The deceased can
communicate
even after their death
In the war of
Yamama which was fought against the false prophet Musaylma Qaddab, Sayyidina Abu
Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) waged a war against him. Khalid bin Walid (may
Allah be pleased with him) was leading the army. Thabit bin Qais was a soldier in
the army and when the war began he changed into new clothes in his tent. Someone
said to him why was he doing such a useless thing and Thabit answered ?when you
go to see the King don?t you wear new clothes? I am now going to fight and I will
die a martyr I will meet my Lord, My king, and this is why I am wearing new clothes.?
Thabit bin Qais fought in the war and was martyred. Another Muslim found Thabit
bin Qais?s armour, took it and hid it under a big cauldron and placed his camel?s
saddle on top of it.
Thabit bin Qais
then appeared in someone?s dream and told them that he has two messages: one for
Khalid bin Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) and the other message for the Caliph
of that time, Sayyidina
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Thabit bin Qais told the person
to tell Khalid bin Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) that after he had been
martyred someone took his amour and hid it beneath their big cauldron and placed
their camel?s saddle on top of it. He further explained that there was a white horse
near the place the amour was hidden. His message for Sayyidina
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with
him) was that he had been meaning to free some salves though he did not have the
chance to do so, therefore he wanted Sayyidina
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)
to free those slaves on his behalf, and also to pay off his outstanding debt. These
messages were passed on to both Sayyidina
Khalid bin Walid and to Sayyidina
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with
them both). Sayyidina
Khalid bin Waleed went to the place where the white horse was tied and lifted
the camel?s saddle and the large cauldron and found the amour of Thabit bin Qais.
Sayyidina
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) freed Thabit?s slaves and paid off
his debt.
Ali: My shaykh
also told me that when the Ahl al-Sunnah Wa al-Jama?a visit the graves of the pious
they prostrate before them as they would in prayer and that you also sacrifice animals
and make vows in the names of the deceased pious. (I seek shelter in Allah!)
Qadhi: Your
shaykh has only told you that which he has heard from other people. I do not think
that he has ever even visited the grave of the pious himself, nor has he ever read
any Ahl al-Sunnah Wa al-Jama?a books and it is due to his ignorance that he has
said this. When one goes to the graves of the pious, no one prostrates before the
graves. It is extremely unlikely, although if someone who is ignorant of the teachings
of Islam prostrates to the grave, this is only due to their ignorance. Anyone who
observes another Muslim doing this, will stop him from doing it and the Ahl al-Sunnah
Wa al-Jama?a do not tell anyone to do such an act.
The Khawarij
think that if someone who is uneducated prostrates before a grave of the pious,
he has immediately become a polytheist, but we, the Ahl al-Sunnah Wa al-Jama?a believe
that person to be someone who has sinned. There are two types of prostrations: one
is in the form of worship and the other is in the form of respect. No Muslim prostrates
in the form of worship before anyone or anything else other than Allah. If they
did, they cannot be said to be a Muslim as Allah Ta?la says in the Qur?an:
041.037
And of His portents are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate
to the sun or the moon; but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if it is in truth
Him Whom ye worship.
It is impossible
that a Muslim would prostrate before other than Allah in the form of worship! If
an ignorant Muslim goes to the grave of a pious person and prostrates before the
grave he is not prostrating in the form of worship, but only in the form of respect.
Even though this sort of prostration is also unlawful, it does not make him a mushrik (polytheist) or
kafir (disbeliever), though it is a major sin. The reason for this is
during previous nations Allah made prostrating to others in the form of respect
permissible, as Allah Almighty says in the Qur?an:
002.034
And when
We said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate,
all save Iblis. He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever.
012.100
And he placed
his parents on the dais and they fell down before him prostrate, and he said:
O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream of old. My Lord hath made it
true, and He hath shown me kindness, since He took me out of the prison and hath
brought you from the desert after Iblis had made strife between me and my brethren.
Lo! my Lord is tender unto whom He will. He is the Knower, the Wise.
In these two
verses, this form of prostration was not worship, but was prostration in the form
of respect. If it was in the form of worship why did Allah Almighty ask His angels
to commit polytheism? Is Sayyidina
Yaqub (peace be upon him) committing polytheism by prostrating to his son
and is Sayyidina
Yusuf (peace be upon him) also committing polytheism by accepting the prostration
from his father?
Your Shaykh?s
second claim that the Ahl al-Sunna Wa-al Jama?a sacrifice and make vows in the name
of the deceased pious has two answers. Before I answer, I would like to remind you
of the following verse which mentions those who make false accusations and who are
liars:
018.005
(A thing) whereof they have no knowledge, nor (had) their fathers, Dreadful is the
word that cometh out of their mouths. They speak naught but a lie.
No Muslim would
even think of taking a vow or making a sacrifice in other than Allah?s name. This
does not happen anywhere. To do anything like that
is polytheism. Now to proceed to explain the reality of these accusations:
At the graves of many pious Muslims, there are Madrassas
(Islamic semminaries) that mostly accommodate poor and orphaned children.
These seminaries give the children an opportunity to receive an Islamic education.
In addition to the seminary, there is usually a public building near the graves
of the pious which provides accommodation for travelers who have come from afar
to visit the grave. The only vows that take place are in the name of Allah Almighty
alone. Many a time people make a vow with Allah that they will slaughter an animal
and distribute the meat to the poor children in the seminary near such and such
pious person?s grave. The vow is made with Allah. When sacrificing the animal it
is in the name of Allah and when distributing the food it is in the name of Allah,
the only way the name of a pious could be mentioned in a vow is if one was to specify
the seminary they are going to distribute the food in.
A clear example
could be ?Oh Allah. Due to the month of Ramadan, I am deeply thankful for all that
you have blessed me with; my child has been ill for some time and if you cure him
I vow that I will take dates, milk and food into the Mosque and ensure that everyone
opens their fast with what I have brought. Please accept this.? It is not only the
madrassa where one may want to distribute meat or anything else, it may also be
the accommodation building built near the graves for travelers. There is great reward
for generosity towards travelers.
Everyday during
the month of Ramadan people bring food to the Mosque. They also bring food for holy
events in the Mosuqe such as Laylatul Qadr. Is this all polytheism? Do not think
that all that I have explained to you is my personal opinion, rather, this has all
been mentioned in the books of the Ahl al-Sunna such as Mabsut
by al-Sarkhasi, al-Hidayah by Marghinani, Fath al-Qadhir by Ibn al
Humam, Fatawa ?Alam Ghiri by a group of Ulema mainly Mulla Nadam-u-Din, Shami
by ?Allama Shami, Fatawa Radviya by Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Qadri, Sharh Sahih
Muslim by Allamah Sai?di chapter on vows.
Ali: Brother
Qadhi. I have presented you countless verses and have explained myself to the best
of my ability but I can see that you do not understand what is being said. Now I
will present you a verse from the Qur?an that is crystal clear, explaining that
the dead have no power to profit or harm anyone in any way, as Allah
Azawajal says in the Qur?an:
010.049
Say: "I have no power over any harm
or profit to myself except as Allah willeth. To every people is a term appointed:
when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor (an hour) can
they advance (it in anticipation)."
From this verse
we learn that only Allah Azawajal can
profit or hurt us! The deceased Prophets and pious cannot profit or hurt us in any
way! Even Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) could not profit or
hurt the Muslims, Everything happens with the help of Allah alone, nothing can profit
or hurt themselves or anyone else, only Allah is capable of this and only Allah
can enable others to do this.
Qadhi: The verse
you presented means that no one can profit or harm with their own power and will;
it is Allah who grants the power to anyone or anything to hurt or profit. Though
Allah does hurt and profit through the means of someone or something else. The polytheists
of Makkah used to believe that their idols could directly profit and hurt them,
although Allah Azawajal did not give
them the power or ability to profit or hurt. He did not make them His means of approach,
though Allah did curse them!
We do not say
that the Prophets and pious can profit or hurt us without the help of Allah! The
only way they can actually profit or hurt us is if Allah wills it and only if Allah
gives them the power to do so. Allah Ta?la alone has the power to hurt or
profit anyone, however Allah Azawajal
does profit and hurt through the Prophet?s, angels and pious.
The Ahl al-Sunna
Wa-al Jama?a believe that to attribute an ?act? or ?doing? of Allah to the means
through which He does it, is permissible. For example one may say ?the food finished
my hunger? this does not mean that it was the food that directly finished the person?s
hunger; the food was merely a means which Allah created the ability in to stop the
hunger. In reality it was Allah who caused the hunger to come to an end, though
it is permissible to metaphorically attribute the ending of the hunger to the food.
The Khawarij
believe that to metaphorically attribute an act to the means is Kufr and Shirk,
even though Allah, Himself, has attributed the ability to profit and harm to his
own means, as Allah Ta?la says in the Qur?an:
·
002.236
There is no blame on you if ye divorce women before consummation or the fixation
of their dower; but bestow on them (A suitable gift), the wealthy according
to his means, and the poor according to his means;- A gift of a reasonable amount
is due from those who wish to do the right thing.
In this verse
we learn that the wife will gain profit from her husband, as the husband is commanded
to give her a gift. In this way she is gaining profit from her husband through the
gift.
·
Sayyidina
Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) is saying that he has power over himself and
his brother:
005.025
He said: "O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother: so
separate us from this rebellious people!"
If we interpret
010:049 the way you are then this must mean the Holy Qur?an is contradicting itself.
However the Qur?an is not contradicting itself, as Sayyidina
Musa (may Allah be pleased with him)
is only attributing the possession of power to himself. Obviously a Prophet of Allah
is aware that all power comes from Allah and that he cannot have any power without
Allah?s will. Therefore this must mean that power has been given to humans
by Allah?s leave and it is permissible to attribute the possession of power to yourself
and the pious.
·
010:049
Say: "I have no power over any harm or profit to myself except as Allah willeth.
To every people is a term appointed: when their term is reached, not an hour can
they cause delay, nor (an hour) can they advance (it in anticipation)."
From this we
learn that if Allah wills He can give anyone power, He can allow anyone to profit
or hurt! If you believe that we cannot profit or hurt one another in any way then
why is it that in this verse:
008.032
Remember how they said: "O Allah if
this is indeed the Truth from Thee, rain down on us a shower of stones form the
sky, or send us a grievous penalty."
008.033
But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst thou wast amongst them;
nor was He going to send it whilst they could ask for pardon.
the blessed
Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is profiting even the disbeliever?
From this verse we understand that Allah was going to punish the leaders of Makkah
when they questioned Allah?s existence. But because Rasulullah (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) was in their presence Allah did not punish them. Do you
agree that if it wasn?t for Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
being in the midst of the leaders of Makkah they would have been punished? This
clearly shows that even the disbeliever profited from Rasulullah?s (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) presence, further proving that we can profit one another
with Allah?s will!
·
023.021
And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example: from within their bodies We
produce (milk) for you to drink; there are, in them, (besides), numerous (other)
benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat;
·
016.005
And cattle He has created for you (men): from them ye derive warmth, and numerous
benefits, and of their (meat) ye eat.
Our Gracious
Lord has even created benefits out of the animals. He
Azawajal explains to us in the verse that I have just recited that the Cow
benefits us with her milk and meat. How can one think that we cannot profit from
one another and from the Prophet?s and the pious when even animals can benefit us?
·
051.055
But teach (thy Message) for teaching benefits the Believers.
Allah Azawajal has told us directly in this verse
that preaching the message to the believers benefits them. If humans cannot profit
one another in any way then why has Allah told His beloved to preach the message
to profit the believers? This clearly does not make any sense if you study these
verses with the belief that we cannot profit one another. Though if you understand
the verses carefully you will come to learn that with the power of Allah we can
benefit others.
·
033.037
Behold! Thou didst say to one who had received the grace of Allah and thy favour:
"
In this verse
Allah Almighty is telling Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that
He has favoured his companion Zayd, and in this way Zayd has profited (or benefited)
from Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
·
036.073
And they have (other) profits from them (besides), and they get (milk) to drink. Will
they not then be grateful?
From this verse
we know that the animals profit us in many ways: they provide us with meat, milk,
skin and hair etc. They benefit us in so many ways. In the Qur?an, Allah mentions
the way in which the cow benefits others. SubhanAllah! It is amazing how you can
believe that the cow can benefit us with its milk while the Prophet?s and pious
cannot benefit us in anyway.
·
057.025
We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book
and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We
sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for
mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His
messengers: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce
His Will).
Not only has
Allah told us that living things can benefit us, but also material things such as
metal. We learn from the verse that I have recited that even metal benefits us.
If metal can be profitable to humans, if animals can be profitable to humans then
surely with the will and power of Allah Azawajal
the Prophets and pious can profit us! If you have understood any of this you
will have realized that attributing something to the means which Allah uses is permissible.
Not only can we benefit one another but by Allah?s leave, we can also hurt one another
as Allah Almighty informs us in the Qur?an
071.025
Because of their sins they were drowned (in the flood), and were made to enter the
Fire (of Punishment): and they found- in lieu of Allah- none to help them.
071.026
And Noah, said: "O my Lord! Leave not of the Unbelievers, a single one on earth!
071.027
"For, if Thou dost leave (any of) them, they will but mislead Thy devotees,
and they will breed none but wicked ungrateful ones.
071.028 O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who
enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men and believing women: and to the
wrong-doers grant Thou no increase but in perdition!"
From these verses
we learn that Sayyidina Nuh?s (peace be upon him) supplication benefited the believing
Muslims, and they were saved from the flood, while the curse of Sayyidina Nuh (peace
be upon him) upon the disbelievers caused them to fall into destruction. We can
clearly see from this that Sayyidina Nuh (peace be upon him) benefited the Muslims
and harmed the disbelievers, so how can it be that the Prophets cannot benefit or
cause harm?
 back to contents
Proof from Hadith
Abdullah b. al-Harith reported: I heard Abbas say:
I said: Messenger of Allah, verily Abu Talib defended you and helped you; would
it be beneficial for him? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes; I found him in the lowest
part of the Fire and I brought him to the shallow part.
From this hadith
we understand that if it were not for the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him
and grant him peace), his uncle, Abu Talib, would be in the lowest part of the fire,
but he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) brought him from the lowest part
into the shallow part. In this way, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) benefited his uncle.
Ali: The Verse
I presented is crystal clear, NO ONE can profit or hurt, so how can one ask help
from the Prophets and pious?
Qadhi: The verse
you presented was addressing the polytheists of Makkah where Allah is telling them
that nothing can benefit or hurt them! When we say that the Prophets and pious can
help,
we do not believe that they can help in and of themselves (I seek shelter in Allah!)
Anyone who does think this is immediately a Disbeliever!
What we believe is that with the will of Allah
and the capability Allah has given them, they are able to help us, but without Allah?s
will and power they can do nothing! Look at the examples that
I have just cited for you.
PART 3
Wasila
***
Ali: I have tried my utmost to help you see the light.
I am constantly praying for you, though sadly you fail to open your heart towards
the verses of the Qur?an. The Ahl al-Sunna Wa al-Jama?a also use the Prophets and
the pious as a wasila (intermediary) between themselves and Allah just as
the polytheists of Makkah used to use their intermediaries between themselves and
Allah. Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was sent to this world
precisely to stop those who used to make intermediaries between themselves and Allah.
He (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) made Jihad against these very people
and yet you are doing that which the polytheists of Makkah used to do.
The Qur?an has
informed us that the only form of wasila we can use is our good deeds, meaning Salat,
Zakat Fasting and Hajj. Allah did not command us to use the Prophets and pious as
intermediaries. Now I will present you with further clear verses from the Qur?an
explaining that we are not to have anyone as an intermediary as Allah Almighty says
in the Qur?an:
003.128 It is no concern at all of thee (Muhammad) whether He relent
toward them or punish them; for they are evil-doers.
039.003 Surely
pure religion is for Allah only. And those who choose protecting friends beside
Him (say): We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah. Lo!
Allah will judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Lo! Allah guideth
not him who is a liar, an ingrate.
In the first
verse, Allah Azawajal has told Rasulullah
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that whatever happens to anyone, he (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) cannot do anything to help them and if he cannot
help anyone in anyway how can he possibly be an intermediary? In the second verse
that I recited, we are informed that it were the polytheists of Makkah who used
intermediaries between themselves and Allah and Allah has condemned them for doing
this so therefore the Ahl al-Sunna Wa al- Jama?a should stop the same practice of
the polytheists of Makkah. I do not want another lengthy lecture from you as the
verses are extremely clear. If you do not understand them or have no clear answer
then I am just going to change this topic completely as I am offering you help on
a plate though you are rejecting it!
Qadhi: It seems
to me that you are bored of the topic ?asking help from other than Allah? and that
is the reason why you are beginning the new topic. There is a lot of confusion concerning
Wasila and Insha?Allah with the help of Allah I will clarify your objections and
explain its reality. However, you will have to be patient with me whilst I explain
this. Also
I will answer your question in the following discussion,
as I know verses 039.003/003.128 would have been explained by your shaykh
as definite proofs against wasila. You will find
the real meanings and answers to your claims in the following discussion?
We, the Ahl
al-Sunna Wa al-Jama?a believe that one can make supplication to Allah without Wasila.
This is not a condition of supplication as Allah Tala says In the Qur?an:
002.186
And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer
the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them hear My call
and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright.
However some
people believe that when one makes a supplication to Allah, one can supplicate during
a blessed time or at a blessed place or even make supplication by using ones good
deeds as an intermediary or by using the Prophets and pious as intermediaries. Because
of this the supplication is believed to be accepted more rapidly. The Khawarij object
to this by claimining that there is no evidence in the Qur?an to use the Prophets
and pious as intermediaries and if one uses them as an intermediary then they have
become a polytheist and falls out of the circle of Islam. This being the case, Jihad
should be made against such people as they believe that their blood has become lawful!
The Ahl al-Sunna
Wa al-Jama?a believe that if one uses the Prophets and pious as intermediaries during
supplication then he is not committing polytheism, nor is he is not out of the pail
of Islam. The Ahl al-Sunna Wa al-Jama?a further believe that it is permissible to
make supplication to Allah using good deeds as intermediaries and when we make supplication
using the Prophets and pious as intermediaries in reality we are making supplication
using their good deeds as intermediaries. It was precisely because of the persons
good deeds that made them pious. For example, if one was to make supplication that
?Ya Allah I am supplicating to you, using Rasulullah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) as an
intermediary? by this he means that ?I am making supplication, using the
Prophet hood you granted Rasulullah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) as an
intermediary.? Another example is that one may say
that ?Ya Allah I am supplicating to You, using Sayyidina
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) as
an intermediary due to his companionship and martyrdom? usually though one
shortens the supplications by not mentioning the companionship or martyrdom and
only mentions Sayyidina
Umar?s (may Allah be pleased with him) name. The reason for this is the person
has the intention that Allah is aware of what his supplication really means so he
does not need to explain it to such an extent.
If one commits
a good deed you cannot separate it from the person: the good deed will remain with
that person, it is a part of that person. For example, one cannot say that when
Allah Azawajal granted Rasulullah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) prophecy, these two things split. It cannot
be said that the Prophecy is something apart and distinct from Rasulallah (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) though one must say that ?Rasulullah (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) is the Prophet of Allah?. The Prophet and the person are
one and the same, in the same way one cannot say that a martyr, such as the great
martyr Sayyidina
Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) is separate from his martyrdom, his
martyrdom is part of him. So if one was to mention Sayyidina
Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with
him) he is not only mentioning his name but also his companionship and great martyrdom.
Whosoever uses
the Prophets and pious as intermediaries is sure that Allah
Azawajal loves them and is pleased with them. There is no doubt that Allah
loves and is pleased with His beloved Prophet and we can also be sure that Allah
is pleased with the good deeds of the pious, which we use as intermediaries.
005.054 O
ye who believe! Whoso of you becometh a renegade from his religion, (know that in
his stead) Allah will bring a people whom He loveth and who love Him, humble toward
believers, stern toward disbelievers, striving in the way of Allah, and
fearing not the blame of any blamer. Such is the grace of Allah which He giveth
unto whom He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.
098.008 Their
reward is with their Lord: Gardens of
Eden
underneath which rivers flow, wherein they dwell for ever. Allah hath pleasure in
them and they have pleasure in Him. This is (in store) for him who feareth
his Lord.
In these verses,
Allah Most High informs us that He loves His pious servants and is also pleased
with them. Allah Most High always showers His Mercy on His beloved servants and
it is for this reason that their bodies become blessed and if someone?s clothes
were just to touch the blessed body, they to would become blessed, as Allah Almighty
says in the Qur?an:
002.248 And
the prophet said to them: Surely the sign of His kingdom is, that there shall come
to you the chest in which there is tranquillity from your Lord and residue of the
relics of what the children of Musa and the children of Haroun have left, the angels
bearing it; most surely there is a sign in this for those who believe.
Here Allah Almighty
informs us of the chest which contained the blessed possessions of the pious. These
blessed possessions granted the believers peace of mind. This clearly proves that
the possessions of the pious are blessed. The commentators of the Qur?an have all
said that the chest contained the clothes of Sayyidina
Musa (peace be upon him), Sayyidina Haroon
(peace be upon him) and their families. In the chest there was also Sayyidina Musa?s
staff, pieces of the Old Testament, and some belongings of previous Prophets, which
had touched their bodies. When the believers went to war they took this chest with
them and used to supplicate to Allah Azawajal
by using the chest as a wasila.
012.093
Go with this shirt of mine and lay it on my father's face, he will become (again)
a seer; and come to me with all your folk.
012.094 When the caravan departed their father had said: Truly I am conscious of
the breath of Joseph, though ye call me dotard.
012.095 (Those around him) said: By Allah, lo! thou art in thine old aberration.
012.096 Then, when the bearer of glad tidings came, he laid it on his face and he
became a seer once more. He said: Said I not unto you that I know from Allah that
which ye know not?
In these verses
we learn that Sayyidina
Yusuf (peace be upon him) sent his blessed shirt to his father and ordered
that his shirt be laid on his father?s face. Once it has been done, Sayyidina Yaqub?s
(peace be upon him) blindness was cured.
If the shirt
of the Prophets are blessed to such an extent that it can restore the eyesight of
the blind, then one can only imagine how blessed the bodies of the Prophets are.
Surely to use the bodies of such blessed Prophet?s as intermediaries cannot be polytheism?
Moreover, when the man went to Sayyidina
Yaqub (peace be upon him) and gave him the
shirt to lay upon his eyes, he did not recite any supplication to Allah to cure
Sayyidina
Yaqub (peace be upon him). He merely placed the shirt upon Sayyidina Yaqub?s
(peace be upon him) eyes and he was cured. This is extraordinary. If someone is
suffering through some illness you would expect a cure to come through some medicine,
not by simply placing a cloth over them. This event emphasizes the blessing and
status of not only the Prophets themselves, but even their possessions (their clothes).
Sayyidina
Yusuf (peace be upon him) used his shirt as a wasila for his father to be
cured and Sayyidina
Yaqub (peace be upon him) accepted this shirt as a wasila for his eyesight
to be restored, showing that it was the practice of two great Prophets to accept
a blessed item as a means of wasila.
Brother Ali
if you have understood what I have said then you will never again call one who uses
the Prophets and pious as intermediaries a disbeliever or polytheist. We should
not be anti-Wasila people, because even though Allah is most Powerful He, Himself
has chosen that whenever He is to approach us He always does it with a Wasila (Intermediary).
Do you not think that if whenever Allah approach?s us He does so through using intermediaries,
how then, is it possible for us to approach Him without using any intermediaries?
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Proof of Wasila from the Qur?an
002.089
And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have, and
aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieve, but when
there came to them (Prophet) that which they did not recognize, they disbelieved
in him; so Allah's curse is on the unbelievers.
The commentators
of the Qur?an have said that this verse discusses those Jews who used to make supplication
using the Wasila of the coming Prophet, Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) although when the Prophet came they denied him.
05:35
O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him,
and strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper
One can use Wasila in three forms, firstly, faith, which is clear in this verse
?O ye who believe!?
Secondly the good deeds;
in this verse Allah has addressed those
who already possess faith and good deeds, and strive with might and main in his
cause.? Allah is commanding those
who already possess faith and good deeds, to ?seek the means of approach unto
Him.? A question that arises is what means of approach should one seek
if one already has faith and good deeds? When we observe the other verses of the
Qur?an this question is answered.
004.064
We sent no messenger save that he should
be obeyed by Allah's leave. And if, when they had wronged themselves, they had but
come unto thee and asked forgiveness
of Allah, and asked forgiveness of the messenger, they would have found Allah
Forgiving, Merciful.
This verse clearly explains to us what the means of approach is: the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
Some may argue that Rasulullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is not
the means of approach being discussed in 05:35, though if it is not Rasulullah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) then what is this means of approach? We have
also acknowledged that it cannot be faith and good deeds as these have already been
mentioned separately.
The following verse helps us to further understand 004:064, as Allah Almighty says
in the Qur?an:
·
078.038
On the day when the angels and the Spirit
stand arrayed, they speak not, saving him whom
the Beneficent alloweth and who speaketh right.
·
017.079
And some part of the night awake for it, a largess for thee. It may be that thy Lord
will raise thee to a praised estate.
In the first verse, Allah informs us that there will no intermediary between Allah
Azawajal and His servants on The Day of Judgment
to intercede, unless Allah allows someone to do so. And the second verse informs
us clearly that on the Day of Judgment, the intermediary will be Rasulullah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) who will be
standing at the praised estate. This proves that the faith and good deeds are not
the only intermediaries, but also the Prophets and pious are intermediaries and
Allah has commanded us to seek the Prophets and pious to approach Him.
·
017.057
Those unto whom they cry seek the way of approach to their Lord, which of
them shall be the nearest; they hope for His mercy and they fear His doom. Lo! the
doom of thy Lord is to be shunned.
From this verse
we learn that the polytheists of Makkah used to worship the Jinn, although those
very Jinn became Muslims the polytheists of Makkah continued to worship them. Allah
Azawajal tells them in the verse that I just recited that those whom they worship
have already become Muslims and those Jinn hope for Allah?s mercy and fear Allah.
This means that they already had faith. Hoping for Allah?s mercy and fearing Allah
are both good deeds. Yet they still seek the way of approach to their Lord.
If the Jinn already have faith and good deeds then what approach to their Lord
are they seeking? In the following verses
we learn what this approach was:
019.087
They will have no power of intercession, save him who hath made a covenant with his
Lord.
021.028
He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede
except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him.
In these verses
we learn that other than faith and good deeds, the pious are also intermediaries
between Allah and the believers in this world and the hereafter.
?Make us die with the Righteous?
003.193 Our Lord! surely we have heard a preacher calling to the faith, saying:
Believe in your Lord, so we did believe; Our Lord! forgive us therefore our faults,
and cover our evil deeds and make us die with
the righteous.
In this verse
Allah Almighty praises those who want to die with the righteous. Isn?t it interesting
that Muslims would want to die with the
Righteous? The reason why they wish to do this is that they understand with the
wasila of the righteous their journey after death will not only be easier, but the
company of the righteous will also help them to become closer to Allah.
May Allah forgive
us with the wasila of the Righteous and I pray that we all die with the Righteous.
Amin.
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?Through the Prophets?
003.194 Our Lord! Grant us what Thou didst promise unto us
through Thine messengers, and save us from shame on the Day of Judgment:
For Thou never breakest Thy promise."
In this verse
the Muslims are making supplication to Allah asking that Allah Almighty fulfills
the promise He made through the Messengers. Muslims could easily ask Allah Almighty
directly to fulfil the promise He made, but because Allah made the promise through
the Prophets, Muslims are now asking Allah to fulfil the same promise through the
Prophets. The reason they are using the Prophet?s name is because they know that
the promise was made through the wasila of the Prophets and it will be fulfilled
through the wasila of the Prophets.
?Join me to the Righteous?
012.101 O my Lord! Thou
hast given me (something) of sovereignty and hast taught me (something) of the interpretation
of events - Creator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protecting Guardian
in the world and the Hereafter. Make me to die muslim (unto Thee), and
join me to the righteous.
Sayyidina Yusuf (peace
be upon him) was a great Prophet of Allah and even he would pray that Allah Almighty
join him witht the righteous. One may question that Sayyidina
Yusuf (peace be upon him) was a Prophet
of Allah and therefore one of the righteous, so what need did he have to pray to
be with the righteous? The answer is that when Sayyidina
Yusuf (peace be upon him) asked to
be with the righteous he did not mean people of a lower status than him, but to
the Prophets senior than him and of higher status, such as his fourth grandfather
Sayyidina
Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Being joined to one of the greatest Prophets
(Sayyidina
Ibrahim), could only mean that this would enable Sayyidina
Yusuf (peace be upon him) to use Syayidina
Ibrhaim (peace be upon him) as a wasila to become closer to Allah.
Messenger is among you
003.101 How can ye disbelieve, when it is ye unto whom Allah's revelations are recited,
and His messenger is in your midst?
He who holdeth fast to Allah, he indeed is guided unto a right path.
In this verse,
two things have bene mentioned. Firstly, the recitation of the Qur?an and secondly,
the presence of the Messenger. The word of the Qur?an should be sufficient for us
to become closer to Allah, though Allah Almighty has also mentioned the presence
of the Messenger. The reason being is that Allah Almighty sent us the Revelation
through the Messenger by using him as a wasila between mankind and Allah Almighty,
so for this reason we should also use the Messenger as a wasila to approach Allah.
If the Messenger did not have such importance in the matter of wasila there would
have been no need for Allah Almighty to mention the Messenger after the Qur?an.
Place
of Sayyidina
Ibrahim (peace be upon him)
002.125 And when We made
the House (at Makka) a resort for mankind and sanctuary, (saying):
Take as your place of worship the place where Abraham stood (to pray). And
We imposed a duty upon Abraham and Ishmael, (saying): Purify My house for those
who go around and those who meditate therein and those who bow down and prostrate
themselves (in worship).
The Ka?bah is
the house of Allah. Prayer can be performed anywhere near its surroundings although
Allah Almighty has specified Sayyidina Ibrahim?s (peace be upon him) place of prayer
as a place of prayer for us. The reason why Allah Almighty has specified the place
of Sayyidina
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) above all other places surrounding the Ka?bah
is because it has a direct connection with Sayyidina
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) as his
footprint is imprinted at that place. This place becomes a place of wasila for our
supplications to be accepted quicker. If merely the ?place? of a Prophet can be
used as a wasila then why can?t the Prophets themselves be used as a wasila for
our supplications to be accepted quicker.
So far, all
the verses I have presented to support Wasila actually include the word ?wasila?
in them; now can you ask your shaykh to present a verse of the Qur?an which includes
the word ?wasila? and directly says the ?Prophets and pious cannot be wasila, the
only wasila between Allah and the believers is faith and good deeds?. Just one verse
of the Qur?an which uses this statement and the word ?wasila?!
Ali:
I cannot understand why you always want to make dua using wasila.
This is shirk! You say that you are using the Prophets and pious as a wasila between
yourselves and Allah Almighty, as they will bring you closer to Allah, although
you do not know that this was the same claim the polytheists of Makkah made when
they worshipped their idols. This means you are doing exactly the same as the polytheists
of Makkah. Look to what Allah Almighty says about them:
039.003 Surely pure religion
is for Allah only. And those who choose protecting friends beside Him (say):
We worship them only that they may bring us near unto Allah. Lo! Allah will
judge between them concerning that wherein they differ. Lo! Allah guideth not him
who is a liar, an ingrate.
Qadi: You have
presented an interesting verse. It is interesting to know why the polythiests used
?wasila? as an excuse for their polytheism. When someone is in a debate they would
try their best to present an idea or argument that the opponent accepts and believes.
Because the polytheists knew their opponents (Muslims) believed in Wasila, they
used ?wasila? to justify their worship of idols. Allah Almigty commanded the polytheists
not to worship their idols, although they justified their worship by claiming they
were using their idols as a wasila between themselves and Allah. Allah Almighty
rejected this excuse because their crime of worshipping their idols could not be
justified with the excuse of wasila. It is a shame that even the polytheists of
Makkah knew that Muslims accept and use wasila, although sadly the Khawarij cannot
understand this. The polytheists knew that the Muslims believed in wasila as they
had heard this verse:
017.057
Those unto whom they cry seek the way of approach
to their Lord, which of them shall be the
nearest; they hope for His mercy and they fear His doom. Lo! the doom
of thy Lord is to be shunned.
in which Allah
Almighty informs us that we should seek the way of approach to our Lord (wasila).
Another interesting part of this verse is ?which of them shall be nearest?, which
informs us that they wanted to know which of them is nearest to Allah so that they
can use the nearest one to Allah as a wasila! Otherwise there would be no need for
them to find which of them is nearest to Allah. 017.057 is the famous verse which
the polytheisst of Makkah heard and realised that the Muslims believed in Wasila.
Even though the polytheists used the excuse of wasila to justify their worship,
it does not mean that it is the same as ours or that we are committing shirk like
them. Wasila does not justify their idol-worshipping!
Two Examples
It may be easier
to look at it like this: a mother may be feuding with her neighbours for some reason,
her son is tired of the feuding and begins to explain that Islam forbids feuding
with neighbours and encourages us to love our neighbours. However, at the same time
he is also cursing his mother as he is annoyed with the feud. At this point the
father comes home and asks his son why he is swearing at the mother. The son explains
how his mother has been feuding with the neighbours which is against Islam. The
father then explains that no matter what the mother was doing, it does not justify
the son swearing at her. In this example we can see that the son tried to justify
the swearing at his mother by saying he was stopping her from feuding with the neighbours.
The son justified his bad deed by using a good deed, although this is no justification
for the bad.
In the same
way, the polytheists used the good, permissible concept of wasila to justify their
bad idol-worshipping, just as cursing was not justified by forbidding the feuding
with the neighbours, the idol worshipping cannot be justified by using wasila.
Another example:
A young Muslim may be very stressed and wants to drown his sorrows by drinking alcohol
and taking drugs. When the young man is asked why he is committing this unlawful
act he will say he is drowning his sorrows to receive piece of mind. To achieve
peace of mind in Islam is permissible, but to do it through drink and drugs is completely
unlawful. So again you cannot justify something bad by using a permissible act.
Equally, the polytheists would justify their bad idol worshipping by saying that
being close to Allah is permissible, and they were using the idols to get closer
to Allah, as a means of wasila which is a good and permissible act. But as you know,
you cannot justify a bad act by using the excuse of achieving something good.
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