What is the opinion of Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani on tawassul? Is it permissible to use the dead to practice tawassul? Is it permissible to use Imam al-Mahdi, may Allah let us be sacrificed for him, to practice tawassul based on the belief that he is alive? What is the correct tawassul that this great scholar orders?
“Tawassul”, in the general sense of the word, is to use a means to obtain Allah’s grace and forgiveness, which is undoubtedly permissible in general; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ﴾[1]; “O you who believed! Fear Allah and seek a means to (draw close to) Him,” and said: ﴿يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ﴾[2]; “They seek a means of approach to their Lord, whichever of them is the nearest,” and “tawassul”, in the specific sense of the word, is “to seek intercession,” and its ruling is as follows:
1. It is not permissible to seek the intercession of inanimate objects. Everything whose intercession is sought, from stones, trees, and the like, is one of the idols; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ شُفَعَاءَ ۚ قُلْ أَوَلَوْ كَانُوا لَا يَمْلِكُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[3]; “Or have they taken intercessors besides Allah? Say: ‘Even though they do not possess anything and have no understanding?’” and said: ﴿وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلَاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ۚ قُلْ أَتُنَبِّئُونَ اللَّهَ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ﴾[4]; “And besides Allah, they worship those who do not benefit or harm them, and they say: ‘These are our intercessors before Allah.’ Say: ‘Do you inform Allah of what He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?’ Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate (with Him).”
2. It is permissible to seek the intercession of the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous while they are alive, in this way that a person goes to them and then asks them to seek Allah’s forgiveness for him; as the brothers of Yusuf did so when they went to their father and then ﴿قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ﴾[5]; “said: ‘O father! Ask for forgiveness for our sins, for we were indeed wrongdoers.’ He said: ‘I will surely ask my Lord to forgive you, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’” It is permissible to only seek their intercession and not that of inanimate objects because they are in reality closer to Allah and able to intercede, unlike inanimate objects, and they intercede only for one whom Allah has permitted to be interceded for, and that is one who has not associated any partner with Allah; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿مَا مِنْ شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ﴾[6]; “There is no intercessor except after His permission,” and said: ﴿مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ﴾[7]; “Who can intercede with Him except with His permission?” and said: ﴿وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى﴾[8]; “And they do not intercede but for one with whom He is pleased,” and said: ﴿وَلَا يَمْلِكُ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ الشَّفَاعَةَ إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾[9]; “And those they call upon besides Him have no power of intercession, except for those who bear witness to the truth while they know.” Rather, Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may Allah Almighty support him) believes that seeking the intercession of Allah’s Caliph on the earth is obligatory when one is able to do so; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا يَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَوَّوْا رُءُوسَهُمْ وَرَأَيْتَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ وَهُمْ مُسْتَكْبِرُونَ﴾[10]; “And when it was said to them: ‘Come so that the Messenger of Allah asks for forgiveness for you,’ they turned away their heads, and you saw them stopping (people) while acting arrogantly,” and said: ﴿وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا﴾[11]; “And if they had come to you when they wronged themselves and asked for forgiveness from Allah and the Messenger had asked for forgiveness for them, they would surely find Allah the Acceptor of Repentance, the Most Merciful.”
3. It is permissible to seek the intercession of the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous at their graves; because they are ﴿أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ﴾[12]; “alive with their Lord, being well provided for,” and Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may Allah Almighty support him) believes that they hear the voices of those who visit their graves. What indicates that is the words of the Prophet where he said: «مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرِي بَعْدَ وَفَاتِي كَانَ كَمَنْ زَارَنِي فِي حَيَاتِي»[13]; “Whoever visits my grave after my death is like one who visited me during my life,” and said: «مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ عِنْدَ قَبْرِي سَمِعْتُهُ»[14]; “Whoever sends peace upon me at my grave, I hear him,” and his words about Isa ibn Maryam
where he said: «لَئِنْ قَامَ عَلَى قَبْرِي فَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، لَأُجِيبَنَّهُ»[15]; “If he stands at my grave and say: ‘O Muhammad!’ I will answer him,” that is, after he descends in the end time, and he said: «الْأَنْبِيَاءُ أَحْيَاءٌ فِي قُبُورِهِمْ يُصَلُّونَ»[16]; “The Prophets are alive in their graves, praying,” and said: «مَرَرْتُ بِمُوسَى لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِي وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي قَبْرِهِ»[17]; “I passed by Musa on the night of my journey, and he was standing and praying in his grave,” and his words to the people of graves, where he said: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ دَارَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ، أَنْتُمْ لَنَا فَرَطٌ، وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ لَاحِقُونَ»[18]; “Peace be upon you, O abode of believing people! You have gone ahead of us, and we will surely join you, Insha’Allah,” and his words to his companions, when they said to him: “How do you speak to bodies that have no souls?” So he said: «مَا أَنْتُمْ بِأَسْمَعَ لِمَا أَقُولُ مِنْهُمْ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ أَنْ يُجِيبُوا»[19]; “You do not hear what I say any better than they do, but they cannot answer,” and what has been narrated from Abu Bakr al-Hadrami, where he said: «قَالَ لِي جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: تَأْتِي قَبْرَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، فَقَالَ: أَمَا إِنَّهُ يَسْمَعُكَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ»[20]; “Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq
said to me: ‘Do you visit the grave of the Messenger of Allah
?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘He surely hears you from near,’” and what has been narrated from Amir ibn Abdullah, where he said: «قُلْتُ لِجَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: إِنِّي زِدْتُ جَمَّالِي دِينَارَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثَ عَلَى أَنْ يَمُرَّ بِي إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ أَحْسَنْتَ، مَا أَيْسَرَ هَذَا، تَأْتِي قَبْرَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ، أَمَا إِنَّهُ يَسْمَعُكَ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ»[21]; “I said to Ja‘far ibn Muhammad
: ‘I paid my cameleer two or three dinars more to take me through Medina.’ So he said: ‘You have done well. How easy it is. You visited the grave of the Messenger of Allah
and sent peace upon him. He surely hears you from near,’” and what has been narrated from ibn Umar that when he returned from a journey, he visited the grave of the Prophet
and said: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr. Peace be upon you, O my father,”[22] and what has been narrated from Dawud ibn Abi Salih; he said: “Marwan came one day and found a man putting his face on the grave. He said: ‘Do you know what you are doing?!’ So he turned toward him, and he was Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. Then he said: Yes, I came to the Messenger of Allah
and I did not come to a stone. I heard the Messenger of Allah
say: «لَا تَبْكُوا عَلَى الدِّينِ إِذَا وَلِيَهُ أَهْلُهُ، وَلَكِنِ ابْكُوا عَلَيْهِ إِذَا وَلِيَهُ غَيْرُ أَهْلِهِ»; Do not cry over religion when its people are in charge of it, but cry over it when those other than its people are in charge of it,’”[23] and what has been narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas that “he was returning from his village. Then he passed by the graves of the martyrs. So he said: ‘Peace be upon you, and we will surely join you.’ Then he said to his companions: ‘Do you not greet the martyrs so they will answer you?’”[24] and what has been narrated from Zayd ibn Aslam; he said: “Abu Huraira and his companion passed by a grave. Then Abu Huraira said: ‘Greet him.’ The man said: ‘Shall I greet a grave?!’ Abu Huraira said: ‘If he ever saw you in the world, he would recognize you now.’”[25] These are not contrary to the words of Allah Almighty, where He has said: ﴿إِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى﴾[26]; “You certainly cannot make the dead hear”; because His intended meaning of the dead is the people of disbelief, and His intended meaning of hearing is guidance, as it appears from His words, where He has said: ﴿إِنْ تُسْمِعُ إِلَّا مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِآيَاتِنَا فَهُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ﴾[27]; “You can make none hear except for those who believe in Our signs. So they are Muslims.”
4. It is not permissible to call upon the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous in their absence as if they are present, even if it is to seek their intercession with Allah; because they do not know the unseen, and Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may Allah Almighty support him) believes that this is an exaggerated notion; as one of his companions informed us, he said:
«كَانَ الْمَنْصُورُ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ: ”يَا عَلِيُّ“، إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ عِنْدَ قَبْرِهِ، وَكَانَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّهُ غُلُوٌّ»; “Mansoor hated a man saying: ‘O Ali,’ except at his grave, and he said: ‘It is an exaggerated notion.’”
Rather, he believes that it is polytheism; as one of his companions informed us, he said:
«كُنْتُ عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ، وَسَأَلُوهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِمْ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، يَا عَلِيُّ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَعَلِيٌّ يَقُولَانِ عِنْدَ الْحَاجَةِ: يَا اللَّهُ، فَإِنْ تَقُولُوا كَمَا كَانَا يَقُولَانِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ، فَقَالُوا: الْآنَ تَبَيَّنَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ وَهَّابِيٌّ! فَغَضِبَ الْمَنْصُورُ غَضَبًا شَدِيدًا، وَقَالَ: أَمَا لَئِنْ قُلْتُمْ ذَلِكَ لَقَدْ جَاءَ مِنَ اللَّهِ بُرْهَانٌ أَنَّهُ مَنْ دَعَا غَيْرَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ! ﴿فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ كَيْدٌ فَكِيدُونِ﴾[28]! ثُمَّ قَالَ: اغْرُبُوا عَنِّي -أَيُّهَا الْجَاهِلُونَ- قَبْلَ أَنْ أَلْعَنَكُمْ لَعْنًا يُمْلِئُ قُبُورَكُمْ نَارًا! فَخَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ مُسْرِعِينَ!»; “I was with Mansoor. Then some men from Shias came to him and asked him about their saying in times of need: ‘O Muhammad! O Ali!’ So he said to them: ‘Muhammad and Ali said in times of need: ‘O Allah!’ So if you say as they said, it is better for you.’ They said: ‘Now it has become clear to us that you are a Wahhabi!’ So Mansoor became extremely angry and said: ‘If you say that, then a proof has surely come from Allah that whoever calls upon other than Him in (their) absence has indeed become a polytheist! “So if you have a plot, then use it against me!”’ Then he said: ‘Go away, you ignorant ones, before I curse you with a curse that will fill your graves with fire!’ So they left him quickly!”
Yes, it is permissible for a person to say in their absence: ‘O Allah! I seek to draw close to you through your Prophet or your friend, in fulfilling my need, so accept his intercession for me”; because it is calling upon Allah, but it is not permissible for him to say: “O Prophet” or “O friend of Allah! Fulfill my need” or “intercede for me with Allah to fulfill my need” if he is not in his present or at his grave; because it is calling upon someone who does not hear or answer until the Day of Judgment, and this is the farthest one can go astray; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ﴾[29]; “And who is more astray than one who calls besides Allah upon those who do not answer him until the Day of Judgment and are heedless of their supplication?!” and Ibrahim said to the worshippers of idols: ﴿هَلْ يَسْمَعُونَكُمْ إِذْ تَدْعُونَ﴾[30]; “Do they hear you when you call upon them?!” Therefore, He has reproached them for calling upon someone who does not hear, and that includes calling upon a Prophet or a friend of Allah in his absence; because he does not hear in it. As for what has been narrated from Uthman ibn Hunayf that the Prophet
instructed a blind man to pray with this du‘a: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ، يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إِنِّي تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ إِلَى رَبِّي فِي حَاجَتِي هَذِهِ لِتُقْضَى لِي، اللَّهُمَّ شَفِّعْهُ فِيَّ»[31]; “O Allah! I ask You and turn to You by virtue of Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad, I turn by virtue of you to my Lord concerning this need of mine that it might be met for me. O Allah! Accept his intercession for me,” it does not contradict that; because it appears that he instructed him to make du‘a while he was present before he left. Therefore, the blind man made du‘a while he listened to him; as it has been said in a narration: «فَدَعَا بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ، فَقَامَ وَقَدْ أَبْصَرَ»[32]; “So he prayed with that du‘a and then got up while the Messenger of Allah watched.” This is also the case with what has been narrated from Uthman ibn Hunayf that he said to a man after the Prophet
who went to Uthman ibn Affan but he did not fulfill his need: “Go to wudu place and perform wudu. Then go to the mosque and perform two rak‘ats prayer in it. Then say: ‘O Allah! I ask You and turn to You by virtue of Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad, I turn by virtue of you to my Lord so He may fulfill my need,’ and mention your need”[33]; because the intended meaning of the mosque mentioned in it is the mosque of the Prophet
which was near his grave and was not large at that time. Therefore, whoever entered it could call the Prophet
; as they would sometimes clear their throats in it for the Prophet
to come out to them[34] and calling upon an absent person, meaning to request something from him, has not been authentically reported from the Prophet
or anyone from his Ahl al-Bayt or companions, and there is no request in phrases like their saying: «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ»; “Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings” in the taslim of prayer, even though it has been narrated that they said it while he was among them, but when he passed away, they said: «السَّلَامُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ»; “Peace be upon the Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.”[35]
5. It is not permissible to call upon Imam Mahdi in his absence, even if he is alive; because it is a form of calling upon an absent person, and its prohibition has been previously explained. This shows you the hideousness of what has become widespread among Shias, as they sit in mosques and houses and call upon Imam Mahdi
and ask him for needs from afar, whereas Allah has obligated them to go to him on foot and on every lean camel so that he seeks forgiveness for them, teaches them the religion, and rectifies their affairs, and if his location is hidden from them, it is because of what their hands have sent forth, ﴿وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ﴾[36]; “and undoubtedly, Allah is not unjust to (His) servants.” Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may Allah Almighty support him) believes that they can reach him if they abandon supporting oppressors, devote themselves to him, and make preparations for him as the people of Medina made preparations for the Messenger of Allah
. Therefore, they should do this instead of these foolish actions that serve no purpose and have no basis in Sharia.