Ya Allah, Ya Ali or Ya Hussain? - Tawassul

How can a reasoning person seek assistance in meeting his requirements and obtaining his needs from creatures other than their Creator, God Almighty?

Answer: The lexical meaning of tawassul is 'nearness' or a 'means' through which to reach a certain goal (see Lisan al-'Arab, Asas al-Balaghah and Tartib al-Qamus al-Muhit for meaning of wasala) For instance, when it is said wa wassala ila Allah, it means to perform a certain act for gaining proximity to God. Accordingly wasil here means being 'desirous of God'. According to the prominent Sunni scholar, Sayyid Muhammad Alusi al-Baghdadi, wasilah is a means of imploring in order to gain nearness to God through good deeds and abstaining from sins. For example when it is said "wasala ila kadha," it means a thing through which nearness is gained.

It should be noted that intercession in no way diminishes the fact that everything is under Allah's sovereignty. When we use the means of approach toward Allah (SWT), it does not mean we are worshiping that means, thus in no way does it go against the verse, "Thee do we worship.."(1:4). However, Allah created secondary causes and means as He has encouraged us in the Holy Quran to use assistance. In Chapter AL-Ma-Idah Allah (SWT) tells those who believe:

"Oh you who believe! Fear Allah and seek the means of approach to Him, and strive hard in His way, that haply you may have success" (5:35).

If we analyse the words in this verse closely we see that "fear Allah" is a commandment to abstain from sin, while "seek an approach unto Him" is an order to perform worship and acts of devotion (see Ruh al-Ma'ani, vol. 6, p. 124-128). Ibn Abi'l-Hadid Mu'tazali, one of the highly respected Mutazzali ulema, says in his Commentary of Nahju'l Balagha, that "Sayyida Fatima Zahra referred to the meaning of this verse in the presence of the Muhajirs and Ansars, while delivering her address in connection with the usurpation of her estate of Fadak, in these words:

"I praise Allah for Whose Dignity and Light the residents of the skies and the earth seek means of approach towards Him. Amoung His creation we are the means of approach."
Ibn Abi'l-Hadid Mu'tazali, Sharhe Nahju'l Balagha, Volume IV, page 79

This saying is coming from a person who Allah (SWT) has said regarding her and her family in Chapter of Al-Ahzab: "Verily Allah intends but to keep off from you (every kind of) uncleanliness, O you the people of the house, and purify you with a thorough purification.
Quran, Chapter 33, Al-Ahzab, Verse 33.

One might complain that this verse is not about the Prophet's daughter, so to that we bring a hadith from Sahih Muslim, narrarated from Aisha:

"A'isha reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) went out one morning wearing a striped cloak of the black camel's hair that there came Hasan b. 'Ali. He wrapped him under it, then came Husain and he wrapped him under it along with the other one (Hasan). Then came Fatima and he took her under it, then came 'Ali and he also took him under it and then said: Allah only desires to take away any uncleanliness from you, O people of the household, and purify you (thorough purifying)."
Sahih Muslim, Book 031, Number 5955

Amazingly, you see such people who seek help from other than God Almighty Asking for help: O Hussein! O Ali!, O Abbas…! They appeal for help from the aforementioned relatives of the Prophet (PBUH) to assist them obtain their needs, or to help them remove lessen whatever overburdens them.

An example of seeking forgiveness can be seen in the Holy Quran, Chapter of Yusuf, where the brothers of Prophet Yusuf (as) were ashamed of the act they had done, so they went to their father and said,

"O our father, ask forgiveness for our sins, verily we are sinners. He said: 'Soon I will ask forgiveness for you from my Lord. Verily He is oft-forgiving, most merciful'." (12:97-98).

"Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His; who is he that can intercede with Him but by his permission" (2:255); "Surely your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, and He is firmly established on the throne, regulating the affair; there is no intercessor except after His Permission."

Notice the words "but" and "except" in the above mentioned verses. These verses do not condemn the presence of an intercessor; they just put a condition for the fact of intercession. So far we are establishing the fact that intercession is not something condemned in Islam, rather it is something accepted highly by Islam. There are many more verses in the same context that explain the legitimacy of tawassul.

1. "On that day shall no intercession avail except of him whom the Beneficent God allows and whose word He is pleased with" (20:109)
   
2. "And intercession will not avail aught with Him save of him whom He permits" (34:23)
   
3. "And how many an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession does not avail at all except after Allah has given permission to whom He pleases and chooses" (53:26)
   
4. "...And they do not intercede except for him whom He approve..." (21:28)
   
5. "And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for intercession, but he who bears witness of the truth and they know (him)" (43:86)
   

The above verses only touch on the mere fact of intercession in Islam. However a verse in Chapter Nisaa', becomes more specific about the act of tawassal. In Chapter Nisaa' Allah explains:

"We did not send a messenger but that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission; and had they, when they had done injustice to themselves, come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness; and the messenger (also) had asked pardon for them, surely, they would have found Allah oft-returning, merciful" (4:64)".

Here it has been made clear that the presence of the Prophet of Allah (SWT) has been a way for the people to use as a means of approach in asking forgiveness.

The above mentioned verses and many other ayats/verses in Quran encourage the practice of tawassul, but only if its to the right people and to the chosen people by Allah (SWT).

Prophet Musa (as) and Prophet Muhammad (s) both prayed for helpers to ease their burdens

Right from the beginning of his mission Musa (as) prayed as follows:

"Musa said: O Allah! Assign me a Vizier from my family, (that is) my brother Haroon. Add to my strength through him, and make him share my task: that we may celebrate thy praise without stint... (Allah) said: "We granted your requests, O Musa" (The Qur'an 20:29-36)

Now here Musa (as) is asking for help, not from Allah (swt) alone but from his brother as well. He is NOT turning to Allah (swt) exclusively for help he is asking help from another human as well, is this an act of shirk?

Interestingly Suyuti in his commentary of the above verse sites the following tradition:

"When this verse descended, The Prophet (s) was on a mountain, straight after it's descent, The Prophet (s) prayed to Allah, �Oh Allah! Through my brother Ali, ease the burden on my back', and Allah accepted this prayer"
Tafsir Durre Manthur, by Jaladin Suyuti, Vol 4 p 295

Now clearly a Prophet (as) has more power than an ordinary human being and yet he asked for help from one of his companions, if seeking the help from other than Allah (swt) is shirk, then why did Prophet Sulayman (as) seek the help from am inferior subject? Would you logic not deem this to be an act of shirk?

Now, if a Prophet (as) can seek the assistance of an individual with a partial knowledge of the Book why can't I seek help from Rasulullah (s) who was the talking Qur'an, or from Maula Ali (as) who declared that he had a complete knowledge of the Book? In this regards we have the testimony of the great Sahaba Ibn Mas'ud said:

"The Holy Quran has outward and inward meanings, and Ali Ibn Abi Talib has the knowledge of both."
Hilyatul Awliyaa, by Abu Nu'aym, v1, p65

In addition contemplate these words of Imam Ali (as):

"Ask me about the Book of Allah, because there is no Ayah but that I know whether it was revealed at night or in daytime, on the plain or in the mountain"
History of the Khailfa's who took the right way by Jalaladeen Suyuti, English translation by Abdassamad Clarke, p 194

Ya ALI MADAD..................

Difference Between Shia Namaz and Sunni Namaz

Timing of NAMAZ:

Prayer timings according to the Qur'an

Allah (swt) says in His glorious book:

"Establish regular prayers at the Sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the recital of the Quran in the morning

prayer; for the recital of the dawn is Witnessed.”
Qur'an 17:78

Prayers times from the Qur’an are three, not five.

Sun's Decline
Darkness of the Night
The Morning Prayer.


Imam Fakhruddin Razi, the famous Sunni commentator on the Qur'an, wrote regarding the verse quoted (Chapter 17, Verse 78):

فإن فسرنا الغسق بظهور أول الظلمة كان الغسق عبارة عن أول المغرب وعلى هذا التقدير يكون المذكور في الآية ثلاثة أوقات وقت الزوال ووقت أول المغرب ووقت الفجر وهذا يقتضي أن يكون الزوال وقتاً للظهر والعصر فيكون هذا الوقت مشتركاً بين هاتين الصلاتين وأن يكون أول المغرب وقتاً للمغرب والعشاء فيكون هذا الوقت مشتركاً أيضاً بين

هاتين الصلاتين فهذا يقتضي جواز الجمع بين الظهر والعصر وبين المغرب والعشاء مطلقاً إلا أنه دل الدليل على أن الجمع في الحضر من غير عذر ولا يجوز فوجب أن يكون الجمع جائزاً بعذر السفر وعذر المطر وغيره

"If we interpret the darkness (ghasaq) as being the time when darkness first appears then the term ghasaq refers to the beginning of Maghrib. On this basis, three timings are mentioned in the verse: 'the time of noon, the time of the beginning

of Maghrib and the time of Fajr'. This requires that noon be the time of Zuhr and `Asr, this time is shared between these two prayers. The time of the beginning of Maghrib is the time for Maghrib and 'Isha' so this time is also shared between these two prayers. This requires allowing the combining between Zuhr and `Asr and between Maghrib and 'Isha' at all times.

However, there is proof to indicate that combining whilst at home without any excuse is not allowed. This leads to the view that the combining be allowed when travelling or when there is rain etc."
Tafseer Kabeer, Volume page 107

Whilst we shall inshallah refute Razi’s comments on combining prayers separately what we do so is the times of the obligatory prayers are only three:
1). The time of the two obligatory prayers, Zuhr (noon) and Asr (afternoon), which is shared between the two.
2). The time of the two obligatory prayers Maghrib (dusk) and 'Isha' (night) which is also shared between the two.
3). The time for the Fajr (morning) prayer which is specific to it.

We offer the Zuhr and Asr prayers and then Maghrib and Isha prayers at a time. We do not act this way as per our own

judgement, in fact this is done in the light of Holy Prophet’s (s) Sunnah. It is reported in Sahih Bukhari that Ibn Abbas [r] said:

“I offered eight rakahs (Zuhr and Asr) and seven Rakahs (Maghrib and Isha) at a time with Holy Prophet (s) (with no non-

obligatory prayers in between.)” Umru says that he said to Abul Shaqa: “I think Holy Prophet (s) offered Zuhr a bit late and Asr a little earlier, and Isha a little earlier Maghrib a bit late, Abul Shaqa replied that he felt the same thing.”

We read in Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 10, Number 537, Chapter Times of the Prayers:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed in Medina seven (rak'ahs) and eight (rak'ahs), i. e. (combined) the noon (Zuhr) and afternoon (`Asr) prayers (eight rak'ahs) and the dusk (Maghrib) and night ('Isha') prayers (seven rak'ahs).

While commenting on this tradition, on the same page of Tayseer al-Bari, Allamah Waheed uz Zaman says:

“The tradition is quite clear that two prayers can be offered at a time. A second tradition tells us about an incident in

Madina when neither there was any fear nor any compulsion. It has already been mentioned above that Ahl e Hadeeth consider it permissible, and in the books of Imamia there are many traditions from Imams of Hadeeth in the chapter of joining [prayers] and there is no reason for these traditions being incorrect”
Tayseer al Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book of Tahajjud, page 187, published by Taj Company Limited, Karachi

We also read in Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 10, Number 518:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
"The Prophet prayed eight Rakat for the Zuhr and 'Asr, and seven for the Maghrib and 'Isha prayers in Medina." Aiyub said,

"Perhaps those were rainy nights." Anas said, "May be."

In the Urdu commentary Tayseer al-Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, while commenting on the last phrase of Jabir wherein he guessed

that it could have been a rainy night, Allamah Waheed uz-Zaman writes:

“Jabir’s words are based on probability, its falsehood has been proven by Sahih Muslim’s tradition which states that neither was it rainy nor did any fear exist.”

Maulana Waheed uz-Zaman further writes:

“Ibn Abbas in another tradition says that Holy Prophet (s) did that in order to save his Ummah from any sort of difficulty.”
Tayseer al-Bari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, page 370, Book of Prayer times, published by Taj Company Limited.

In this connection Sunni traditions also eliminate any suggestion that the combination may have been on account of adverse

weather conditions:

The Prophet (s) prayed in Madinah, while residing there, not travelling, seven and eight (this is an indication to the seven Raka't of Maghrib and 'Isha' combined, and the eight Raka't of Zuhr and `Asr combined).
Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, Volume 1, page 221

“The Prophet (s) prayed Zuhr and `Asr in combination and Maghrib and 'Isha' in combination without a reason for fear or travel.”
Malik ibn Anas, al-Muwatta', Volume 1, page 161

Now let us have a look at a tradition from Sahih Muslim:

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (s) combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or rainfall. And in the hadith transmitted by Waki' (the words are): “I said to Ibn 'Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his (Prophet's) Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.”

We have relied on this tradition from the following Sunni sources:

Sahih Muslim (English translation), Kitab al-Salat, Book 4, Chapter 100 Combination of prayers when one is resident,

hadith no. 1520;
Jami al-Tirmidhi, volume 1, page 109, translated by Badee’ uz-Zaman, published by No’mani book store, Urdu bazaar Lahore.

Sunan Abi Daud, volume 1, page 490, Chapter: 'Combining of Salat', translated by Maulana Waheed uz-Zaman


In his commentary of this tradition, Zaman states:

There are two types of combination of prayers, Jama’ e Taqdeem and Jama’ e Takheer, the earlier one means to offer Asr at the time of Zuhr and Isha at the time of Maghrib, and the later type is to offer Zuhr at the time of Asr and Maghrib at the time of Isha, both the types are proven to be valid from Prophetic Sunnah.
Sunan Abu Daud, volume 1, page 490, translated by Maulana Waheed uz-Zaman, published in Lahore

Maulana Waheed uz-Zaman concludes the discussion on the same page by stating:

“The arguments against combining the prayers are weak, whilst those permitting it are strong.”
Sunan Abu Daud, volume 1, page 490, translated by Maulana Waheed uz-Zaman, published in Lahore

Shah Waliullah Dehalwi stated in Hujutallah Balagha, page 193:

The timings of prayers are actually three i.e. morning, Zuhr and the time in the darkness of night and this is the meaning of Allah’s statement ‘Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun’. And he stated ‘till the darkness of the night’ because the time to perform Zuhr prayer is spread till sunset as there isn’t any distance between the two, thus, in necessity, it is permissible to combine Zuhr and Asar and Maghrib and Isha prayers’

Now let us provide the testimony of another beloved Sahabi of Ahle Sunnah namely Abu Hurairah regarding the permissibility

of combining prayers. We read in Musnad Ahmed:

Abdullah bin Shaqiq narrated that once after the Asr, Ibn Abbas addressed till the sun set and the stars appeared, thus the people said: 'The prayer' and among the people there was a man belonged to Bani Tamim (tribe) who said: 'Prayer, prayer'.

Then he (Ibn Abbas) became angry and said: 'Would you teach me the Sunnah!! I saw Allah's messenger (pbuh) combining the Zuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha'. Abdullah (bin Shaqiq) said: 'I had doubt on that matter thus I met Aba Huraira and questioned him and he agreed with him (Ibn Abbas)'.
Musnad Ahmed, Volume 1 page 251 Tradition 2269

Shaykh Shu'aib al-Arnaout said:

'The chain is Sahih according to Muslim's standard'.

We shall now also mention the practice of famed Sahabi Anas bin Malik and his testimony regarding the offering of Asr prayers at the time of Zuhr. We read in Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 10, Number 524:

Narrated Abu Bakr bin Uthman bin Sahl bin Hunaif: that he heard Abu Umama saying: We prayed the Zuhr prayer with 'Umar bin Abdul Aziz and then went to Anas bin Malik and found him offering the Asr prayer. I asked him, "O uncle! Which prayer have you offered?" He said 'The Asr and this is (the time of) the prayer of Allah s Apostle which we used to pray with him."

This tradition provides attestation to the interpretation of the verse 17:78 provided by Fakhruddin al-Razi according to which the time to perform Zuhr and Asr prayers is same.

Praying the Namaz differently:

Think about this matter from an outside perspective. Non Muslims will no doubt mock the fact that Muslims are still not able to ascertain how the Prophet (s) prayed. Consider this. After the declaration of Prophethood, the Prophet was alive for 23 years, which means that He (s) must have offered Salat infront of the Sahaba atleast 700,000 times, and yet Muslims are still unable to agree on whether the Prophet (s) would pray with his arms open or folded! The confusion is not a new phenomenan; rather it dates back to the Sahaba themselves! The easiest way to resolve such confusion would be to refer the matter back to Allah (swt) and his Prophet (s) as is
stipulated in the Qur’an. Therefore we hereby ask our opponents on the basis of the Qur’an, to show us Qur’anic evidence that the arms should be folded during Salat. Lets turn to the words of the Prophet, about whom ‘Allah (swt) said says in Surah Nisa verse 65

But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction

In light of this instruction consider the guidance of our Prophet (s):

"I am leaving amongst you two things, the Qur'an and my Ahlulbayt, if you follow them you will never go astray".
Sahih Muslim, part 7, Kitab fada'il alSahabah, Chapter 4 (Fazail-e-Ali Ibne Abi Talib) [Maktabat wa Matba`at Muhammad `Ali

Subayh wa Awladuhu: Cairo] pp. 122-123

In light of this Hadeeth it is clear that we need to learn the method of Salat from the Ahl’ul bayt (as). As Maulana Shibli

Numani had said in his biography of Abu Haneefa:

We are confident that the act of folding the hands cannot be [proven from the Qur’an nor from Hadeeth which has only nine traditions with chains. We challenge the Ahl’ul Sunnah to bring us a Sahih tradition where in accordance with the rules of Ahl’ul Sunnah, the narrators are all Thiqah

One who offers Salat is like soldier of Allah (swt) and there is absolute consensus that ‘Mehrab’ means the place of war, if an officer tells his soldier to stand to attentyion and he responds by folding his hands, what will his reaction be? If he folds his arms this will be an objectionable act. Similarly Allah (swt) says ‘Qeema Salat’ that means stand striaght for Salat, if our arms are not straight then how is this manner of Salat correct?

If we were to restrict the discussion to the ordinance ‘Qeema Salat’ from the Qur’an, The verse actually means stand straight, not being crooked, always remaining upright, and always being stable etc, this place one at a 90 degree angle. When one does not remain straight in Salat what trust can we have in the rest of the acts associated with Salat?

Islam is the Deen of Fitrah, and Salat is accordingly a natural act. The opening of arms is a natural act. We come into this world in the natural state with our hands straight, and when we die, we also are laid in the grave with hands straight. When we come in this world we come with open hands, when we go back to His Majesty, we go with hands open, and that is how we stand when we are offering prayers, it is the natural state. Folding the arms is not a natural act. Salat by folding the arms is an unnatural act and hence if we ask why it is performed in this way, we neither get a logical response nor a reliable narration. When men perform an unnatural act there needs to be some rational basis for it.

Since Salat is the most superior of acts of worship, and most liked by the creator, an unnatural act connected to it will not be liked by Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) declares in Surah Nur verse 041:

Seest thou not that it is Allah Whose praises all beings in the heavens and on earth do celebrate, and the birds (of the air) with wings outspread? Each one knows its own (mode of) prayer and praise. And Allah knows well all that they do.

The verse proves that Salat is a natural act and is performed with the arms out stretched. There is no Qur’anic evidence to support the unaturual act of closing the arms during Salat.


"Hatred of Ali is such a thing that no good deeds will benefit, whilst love of Ali is such a thing that no bad deeds will

harm you".
al-Nasa'ih al-Kaafiyah page 67