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Allama Majlisi Revived My People Part 4: Istighatha & Dua al-Tawassul


Allama Majlisi Revived My People Part 4: Istighatha & Dua al-Tawassul


Introduction: 


The author critiquing Allama Majlisi had implied that directly invoking the Imams and istighatha is not a characteristic of duas in al-Kafi and early classical works, particularly the style of Dua al-Tawassul. 


In the previous part of my series (part 3), I respond to this statement. And completely analyze the content of Dua al-Tawassul (why considering it a dua is justified, evidence of similar supplication in al-Kafi considered dua, etc).


However, I will share more ahadith in this post showing early duas from mainly early Shi’i sources (such as al-Kafi) and also canonical Sunni sources showing the style of Dua al-Tawassul is not strange. And one report in particular, will present a clear example of istighatha. 


Let us begin


Bismillah


Body:

  • Shi’i sources


  • Al-Kafi


(Al-Kafi, volume 3, page 473) 


When needing Rizq, pray two rak’at and then say the following: 


“O Allah, I turn my face towards You by virtue of the intercession of Muhammad the Prophet of mercy. 


O Muhammad, O Messenger of Allah. I turn my face through you to Allah - your Lord and my Lord that you [O Muhammad] send your blessings on Muhammad (i.e, on yourself) and his Ahlulbayt. 


I ask you [O Muhammad] for a generous scent from your scent, and an easy change in my situation, and wide Rizq [provision] which I can speed up my matter, pay off my debt, and use it for my children.”


ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุฅู„ูŠูƒ ุจู…ุญู…ุฏ ู†ุจูŠูƒ ู†ุจูŠ ุงู„ุฑุญู…ุฉ، ูŠุง ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูŠุง ุฑุณูˆู„ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุฅู†ูŠ ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุจูƒ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุฑุจูƒ ูˆุฑุจูŠ ูˆุฑุจ ูƒู„ ุดูŠุก ุฃู† ุชุตู„ูŠ ุนู„ู‰ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูˆุฃู‡ู„ ุจูŠุชู‡ูˆุฃุณุฃู„ูƒ ู†ูุญุฉ ูƒุฑูŠู…ุฉ ู…ู† ู†ูุญุงุชูƒ ูˆูุชุญุง ูŠุณูŠุฑุง ูˆุฑุฒู‚ุง ูˆุงุณุนุง، ุฃู„ู… ุจู‡ ุดุนุซูŠ ูˆุฃู‚ุถูŠ ุจู‡ ุฏูŠู†ูŠ ูˆุฃุณุชุนูŠู† ุจู‡ ุนู„ู‰ ุนูŠุงู„ูŠ».


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Mawla Muhammad Salih al-Mazandrani in his famous Sharh (explanation) of al-Kafi comments on this hadith saying: 


“I turn my face through you to Allah - your Lord and my Lord that you [O Muhammad] send your blessings on Muhammad (i.e, on yourself). 


This is linked to the statement “I turn my face to you [O Muhammad]”, and the reason why he asks intercession of [the Prophet] in the act of asking Allah to send his blessings upon - despite the fact already sends his blessings upon the Prophet.


This is definitely for [the supplicator] to display weakness and gravity of his situation, and to emphasize how his request when it comes from him alone [i.e, invoking Allah alone] would not be accepted without requesting the intercession of the Prophet. 


And in some copies [of other scribes] regarding this hadith, “you [O Muhammad] send your blessings” is changed to “He [Allah] send his blessings]. 


Except the phrase ‘Upon Muhammad and his Ahlulbayt’ [suggests the opposite]. In fact, suggesting this phrase is to seek the blessings of the Prophet ู„ู‚ุตุฏ ุงู„ุชุจุฑูƒ..”


ุงู† (ุชุตู„ูŠ ุนู„ู‰ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูˆุงู„ ู…ุญู…ุฏ) ู…ุชุนู„ู‚ ุจู‚ูˆู„ู‡ «ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุฅู„ูŠูƒ» ูˆุฅู†ู…ุง ุชูˆุณู„ ุจู‡ู… ููŠ ุทู„ุจ ุงู„ุตู„ุงุฉ ุนู„ูŠู‡ู… ู…ุน ุฃู†ู‡ ุชุนุงู„ู‰ ูŠุตู„ูŠ ุนู„ูŠู‡ู… ู‚ุทุนุงู„ุฅุธู‡ุงุฑ ุงู„ุนุฌุฒ ูˆุงู„ุงู†ูƒุณุงุฑ ูˆุงู„ุฅุดุนุงุฑ ุจุฃู† ู‡ุฐุง ุงู„ุทู„ุจ ู…ู† ุญูŠุซ ุฃู†ู‡ ุตุฏุฑ ู…ู†ู‡ ู„ุง ูŠุณุชุญู‚ ุงู„ู‚ุจูˆู„ ุจุฏูˆู† ุงู„ุชูˆุณู„ ุจู‡ู…، ูˆููŠ ุจุนุถ ุงู„ู†ุณุฎ «ูŠุตู„ูŠ» ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ุบูŠุจุฉ ูˆู‡ูˆ ุญูŠู†ุฆุฐ ู…ุชุนู„ู‚ ุจู‚ูˆู„ู‡: «ูŠุง ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูŠุง ุฑุณูˆู„ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุฅู†ูŠ ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุจูƒ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡» ุฅู„ุง ุฃู† ููŠ ู‚ูˆู„ู‡:

«ุนู„ู‰ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูˆุฃู‡ู„ ุจูŠุชู‡» ุนุฏูˆู„ุง ุนู† ุงู„ุฎุทุงุจ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ุบูŠุจุฉ ู„ู‚ุตุฏ ุงู„ุชุจุฑูƒ ุฃูˆ ุงู„ุฅุณุชู„ุฐุงุฐ ุฃูˆ ุงู„ุงู‡ุชู…ุงู… ู‡ุฐุง ุบุงูŠุฉ ุงู„ุฌู‡ุฏ ููŠ ุฑุจุท ู‡ุฐู‡ ุงู„ูู‚ุฑุฉ ุจู…ุง ู‚ุจู„ู‡ูู„ูŠุชุฃู…ู„.


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Questions:


  • Doesn’t the beginning of the portion about intercession in the hadith remind you of Dua al-Tawassul? 


Hadith in al-Kafi:


ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุฅู„ูŠูƒ ุจู…ุญู…ุฏ ู†ุจูŠูƒ ู†ุจูŠ ุงู„ุฑุญู…ุฉ، ูŠุง ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูŠุง ุฑุณูˆู„ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุฅู†ูŠ ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุจูƒ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡


Dua al-Tawassul:


ุงَู„ู„ّู€ู‡ُู…َّ ุฅู†ّูŠ ุงَุณْุงَู„ُูƒَ ูˆَุงَุชَูˆَุฌَّู‡ُ ุงِู„َูŠْูƒَ ุจِู†َุจِูŠِّูƒَ ู†َุจِูŠِّ ุงู„ุฑَّุญْู…َุฉِ ู…ُุญَู…َّุฏ ุตَู„َّู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ُ ุนَู„َูŠْู‡ِ ูˆَุขู„ِู‡ِ، ูŠَุง ุฃَุจَุง ุงู„ْู‚ุงุณِู…ِ ูŠَุง ุฑَุณُูˆู„َ ุงู„ู„ู‡ِ ูŠَุง ุฅِู…ุงู…َ ุงู„ุฑَّุญْู…َุฉِ ูŠَุง ุณَูŠِّุฏَู†ุงูˆَู…َูˆْู„ุงู†ุง ุฅِู†ّุง ุชَูˆَุฌَّู‡ْู†ุง ูˆَุงุณْุชَุดْูَุนْู†ุง ูˆَุชَูˆَุณَّู„ْู†ุง ุจِูƒَ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ِ


  • Does the latter part of the hadith suggests it is recommended to directly ask the Prophet for Rizq? 


Yes indeed! This is confirmed by 2 ahadith in (al-Kafi, volume 6, page 295-296), one of which says: 


“We were with Abi Abdilah [al-Sadiq], so he fed up. 


Then we all raised our hands and said ‘Alhamdulilah’. 


So Aba Abdilah [al-Sadiq] said: 


‘Oh Allah, this [Rizq, that is the food] is from you and from Muhammad your Messenger. O Allah, to you is praise, send your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.”


22 - ู…ุญู…ุฏ ุจู† ูŠุญูŠู‰، ุนู† ุฃุญู…ุฏ ุจู† ู…ุญู…ุฏ، ุนู† ุงู„ู‚ุงุณู… ุจู† ูŠุญูŠู‰، ุนู† ุฌุฏู‡ ุงู„ุญุณู† ุจู† ุฑุงุดุฏ، ุนู† ุงุจู† ุจูƒูŠุฑ ู‚ุงู„: ูƒู†ุง ุนู†ุฏ ุฃุจูŠ ุนุจุฏ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ุงู„ุณู„ุงู… ูุฃุทุนู…ู†ุง ุซู… ุฑูุนู†ุง ุฃูŠุฏูŠู†ุง ูู‚ู„ู†ุง:

" ุงู„ุญู…ุฏ ู„ู„ู‡ " ูู‚ุงู„: ุฃุจูˆ ุนุจุฏ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู…: " ุงู„ู„ู‡ู… ู‡ุฐุง ู…ู†ูƒ ูˆู…ู† ู…ุญู…ุฏ ุฑุณูˆู„ูƒ، ุงู„ู„ู‡ู… ู„ูƒ ุงู„ุญู…ุฏ ุตู„ ุนู„ู‰ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูˆุขู„ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ".


  • What is the logic of asking Rizq from the Prophet? Doesn’t this contradict the Quran? 


The following hadith in Kanz al-Fawa’id by al-Karajki clarifies: 


‘They mentioned that Aba Hanifa ate food with Imam al-Sadiq, and when Imam al-Sadiq raised his hand from his food - he said: 


‘Praise be to Allah - Lord of the worlds. Oh Allah, this [Rizq, that is the food] is from you and from Muhammad your Messenger.


So Abu Hanifa said: O Aba Abdilah [al-Sadiq], did you just associate a partner with Allah?! 


So he [the Imam said]: Woe to you! 


Allah says in his Book: “And they were not resentful except [for the fact] that Allah and His Messenger had enriched them of His bounty” (9:74)


And He says in another instance: “If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave themand said, "Sufficient for us is Allah; Allah will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allah” (9:59)


So Abu Hanifa said: By Allah, it is as if I had never ever read these verses, nor read them, except at this time...”


ูƒู†ุฒ ุงู„ููˆุงุฆุฏ ู„ู„ูƒุฑุงุฌูƒูŠ: ุฐูƒุฑูˆุง ุฃู† ุฃุจุง ุญู†ูŠูุฉ ุฃูƒู„ ุทุนุงู…ุง ู…ุน ุงู„ุฅู…ุงู… ุงู„ุตุงุฏู‚ ุฌุนูุฑ ุจู† ู…ุญู…ุฏ ุนู„ูŠู‡ู…ุง ุงู„ุตู„ุงุฉ ูˆุงู„ุณู„ุงู… ูู„ู…ุง ุฑูุน ุงู„ุตุงุฏู‚ (ุนู„ูŠู‡ุงู„ุณู„ุงู…) ูŠุฏู‡ ู…ู† ุฃูƒู„ู‡ ู‚ุงู„: ุงู„ุญู…ุฏ ู„ู„ู‡ ุฑุจ ุงู„ุนุงู„ู…ูŠู†، ุงู„ู„ู‡ู… ู‡ุฐุง ู…ู†ูƒ ูˆู…ู† ุฑุณูˆู„ูƒ (ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡)، ูู‚ุงู„ ุฃุจูˆ ุญู†ูŠูุฉ: ูŠุง ุฃุจุง ุนุจุฏ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุฃุฌุนู„ุช ู…ุนุงู„ู„ู‡ ุดุฑูŠูƒุง؟! ูู‚ุงู„ (ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู…) ู„ู‡: ูˆูŠู„ูƒ ุฅู† ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุชุจุงุฑูƒ ูŠู‚ูˆู„ ููŠ ูƒุชุงุจู‡: (ูˆู…ุง ู†ู‚ู…ูˆุง ุฅู„ุง ุฃู† ุฃุบู†ุงู‡ู… ุงู„ู„ู‡ ูˆุฑุณูˆู„ู‡ ู…ู† ูุถู„ู‡) ูˆูŠู‚ูˆู„ ุนุฒ ูˆุฌู„ ููŠู…ูˆุถุน ุขุฎุฑ: (ูˆู„ูˆ ุฃู†ู‡ู… ุฑุถูˆุง ู…ุง ุขุชู‡ู… ุงู„ู„ู‡ ูˆุฑุณูˆู„ู‡ ูˆู‚ุงู„ูˆุง ุญุณุจู†ุง ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุณูŠุคุชูŠู†ุง ุงู„ู„ู‡ ู…ู† ูุถู„ู‡ ูˆุฑุณูˆู„ู‡) ูู‚ุงู„ ุฃุจูˆ ุญู†ูŠูุฉ: ูˆุงู„ู„ู‡ ู„ูƒุฃู†ูŠ ู…ุง ู‚ุฑุฃุชู‡ู…ุง ู‚ุทู…ู† ูƒุชุงุจ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ูˆู„ุง ุณู…ุนุชู‡ู…ุง ุฅู„ุง ููŠ ู‡ุฐุง ุงู„ูˆู‚ุช. ูู‚ุงู„ ุฃุจูˆ ุนุจุฏ ุงู„ู„ู‡ (ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู…): ุจู„ู‰ ู‚ุฏ ู‚ุฑุฃุชู‡ู…ุง ูˆุณู…ุนุชู‡ู…ุง ูˆู„ูƒู† ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุชุนุงู„ู‰ ุฃู†ุฒู„ ููŠูƒ ูˆููŠุฃุดุจุงู‡ูƒ: (ุฃู… ุนู„ู‰ ู‚ู„ูˆุจ ุฃู‚ูุงู„ู‡ุง) ูˆู‚ุงู„ ุชุนุงู„ู‰: (ูƒู„ุง ุจู„ ุฑุงู† ุนู„ู‰ ู‚ู„ูˆุจู‡ู… ู…ุง ูƒุงู†ูˆุง ูŠูƒุณุจูˆู†)


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  • Other Shi’i sources, reports similar to Dua al-Tawassul:


  • Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, by Shaykh al-Saduq: 


(Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, volume 1, page 306) & al-Kafi 


4355 / 10 - ุงู„ุตุฏูˆู‚ ููŠ ุงู„ูู‚ูŠู‡: ู‚ุงู„ ุงู„ุตุงุฏู‚ (ุนู„ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุณู„ุงู…): (ุฅุฐุง ุฃุฑุฏุช ุฃู† ุชู‚ูˆู… ุฅู„ู‰ ุตู„ุงุฉ ุงู„ู„ูŠู„، ูู‚ู„: ุงู„ู„ู‡ู… ุฅู†ูŠ ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุฅู„ูŠูƒ ุจู†ุจูŠูƒู†ุจูŠ ุงู„ุฑุญู…ุฉ ูˆุขู„ู‡، ูˆุฃู‚ุฏู…ู‡ู… ุจูŠู† ูŠุฏูŠ ุญูˆุงุฆุฌูŠ، ูุงุฌุนู„ู†ูŠ ุจู‡ู… ูˆุฌูŠู‡ุง ููŠ ุงู„ุฏู†ูŠุง ูˆุงู„ุขุฎุฑุฉ، ูˆู…ู† ุงู„ู…ู‚ุฑุจูŠู†، ุงู„ู„ู‡ู… ุงุฑุญู…ู†ูŠ ุจู‡ู…، ูˆู„ุง ุชุนุฐุจู†ูŠุจู‡ู…، ูˆุงู‡ุฏู†ูŠ ุจู‡ู…، ูˆู„ุง ุชุถู„ู†ูŠ ุจู‡ู…، ูˆุงุฑุฒู‚ู†ูŠ ุจู‡ู…، ูˆู„ุง ุชุญุฑู…ู†ูŠ ุจู‡ู…، ูˆุงู‚ุถ ู„ูŠ ุญูˆุงุฆุฌูŠ ู„ู„ุฏู†ูŠุง ูˆุงู„ุขุฎุฑุฉ، ุงู†ูƒ ุนู„ู‰ ูƒู„ ุดุฆ ู‚ุฏูŠุฑ، ูˆุจูƒู„ ุดุฆ ุนู„ูŠู…


  • Misbah al-Mutahajjid by Shaykh al-Tusi


(Misbah al-Mutahajjid, page 323) 


ูˆุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุฅู„ูŠูƒ ุจู†ุจูŠูƒ ู†ุจูŠ ุงู„ุฑุญู…ุฉ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุขู„ู‡، ูŠุง ุฑุณูˆู„ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุฅู†ูŠ ุฃุชูˆุฌู‡ ุจูƒ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุฑุจูƒ ูˆุฑุจูŠ ู„ูŠู†ุฌุญ ุจูƒุทู„ุจุชูŠ ูˆูŠู‚ุถูŠ ุจูƒ ุญุงุฌุชูŠ، ุงู„ู„ู‡ู… ุตู„ ุนู„ู‰ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูˆุขู„ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ูˆ ุฃู†ุฌุญ ุทู„ุจุชูŠ ูˆุงู‚ุถ ุญุงุฌุชูŠ ุจุชูˆุฌู‡ูŠ ุฅู„ูŠูƒ ุจู†ุจูŠูƒ ู…ุญู…ุฏ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ูˆุขู„ู‡.


  • Sunni source:


(Sunan ibn Majah, Book 5, Hadith 583)


“It was narrated from ‘Uthman bin Hunaif that a blind man came to the Prophet (๏ทบ) and said:


“Pray to Allah to heal me.” He said: “If you wish to store your reward for the Hereafter, that is better, or if you wish, I will supplicate for you.” He said: “Supplicate.” So he told him to perform ablution and do it well, and to pray two Rak’ah, and to say this supplication: 


“Allahumma inni as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilaika bimuhammadin nabiyyir-rahmah. Ya Muhammadu inni qad tawajjahtu bika ila rabbi fi hajati hadhihi lituqda. Allahumma fashaffi’hu fiya (O Allah, I ask of You and I turn my face towards You by virtue of the intercession of Muhammad the Prophet of mercy. 


O Muhammad, I have turned to my Lord by virtue of your intercession concerning this need of mine so that it may be met. O Allah, accept his intercession concerning me)”.


ุนَู†ْ ุนُุซْู…َุงู†َ ุจْู†ِ ุญُู†َูŠْูٍ، ุฃَู†َّ ุฑَุฌُู„ุงً، ุถَุฑِูŠุฑَ ุงู„ْุจَุตَุฑِ ุฃَุชَู‰ ุงู„ู†َّุจِูŠَّ ู€ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุณู„ู… ู€ ูَู‚َุงู„َ ุงุฏْุนُ ุงู„ู„َّู‡َ ู„ِูŠ ุฃَู†ْ ูŠُุนَุงูِูŠَู†ِูŠ ‏.‏ ูَู‚َุงู„َ ‏"‏ ุฅِู†ْ ุดِุฆْุชَ ุฃَุฎَّุฑْุชُ ู„َูƒَูˆَู‡ُูˆَ ุฎَูŠْุฑٌ ูˆَุฅِู†ْ ุดِุฆْุชَ ุฏَุนَูˆْุชُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ูَู‚َุงู„َ ุงุฏْุนُู‡ْ ‏.‏ ูَุฃَู…َุฑَู‡ُ ุฃَู†ْ ูŠَุชَูˆَุถَّุฃَ ูَูŠُุญْุณِู†َ ูˆُุถُูˆุกَู‡ُ ูˆَูŠُุตَู„ِّูŠَ ุฑَูƒْุนَุชَูŠْู†ِ ูˆَูŠَุฏْุนُูˆَ ุจِู‡َุฐَุง ุงู„ุฏُّุนَุงุกِ ‏"‏ ุงู„ู„َّู‡ُู…َّ ุฅِู†ِّูŠ ุฃَุณْุฃَู„ُูƒَ ูˆَุฃَุชَูˆَุฌَّู‡ُุฅِู„َูŠْูƒَ ุจِู…ُุญَู…َّุฏٍ ู†َุจِูŠِّ ุงู„ุฑَّุญْู…َุฉِ ูŠَุง ู…ُุญَู…َّุฏُ ุฅِู†ِّูŠ ู‚َุฏْ ุชَูˆَุฌَّู‡ْุชُ ุจِูƒَ ุฅِู„َู‰ ุฑَุจِّูŠ ูِูŠ ุญَุงุฌَุชِูŠ ู‡َุฐِู‡ِ ู„ِุชُู‚ْุถَู‰ ุงู„ู„َّู‡ُู…َّ ูَุดَูِّุนْู‡ُ ูِูŠَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏


Conclusion: 


The claim that invoking the Prophet directly in a spiritual act dedicated to Allah alone is not corroborated in early Shi’i sources is a deceptive and false claim. Not only is it corroborated in early Shi’i sources, but also a Sunni source. 


Not only are there very early sources doing tawassul for the Prophet, but as I’ve shown the Kafi hadith which also asks for the Prophet’s Rizq. 


May Allah guide us all

Wasalaam

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