Question(57):
Are there any other types of Tawassul in addition to the four that you have mentioned?
Answer:
Yes, there is an additional type of Tawassul and it is the seeking of nearness to Allaah by means of the supplication of a righteous man and whom it is hoped that his invocation will be answered, because the companions ( ) used to ask the Prophet () to invoke Allaah for them, generally and specifically. Indeed it is reported in the saheehayen (al-Bukhaaree and Muslim collections of hadeeth) from the transmission of Anas bin Maalik () that a man entered the Mosque on the day of Jumu’ah and the Prophet () was giving the Khutbah and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, the livestock are dying and the roads are cut off so supplicate to Allaah for us that He should give us rain.” So the Prophet () raised up his hands and supplicated and said: ‘O Allaah bless us with rain,’-three times…and he did not descend from the minbar (pulpit) until the rain was dripping from his beard. The rain continued for a whole week. And on the next day of Juma’ah the same man or someone else came while the Prophet () was standing giving Khutbah…and said: ‘Buildings are being destroyed and livestock are being drowned, so supplicate to Allaah to withhold it for us.’ So the Prophet () raised his hands and said: ‘O Allaah, around us and not upon us…’ so he did not point with his hands in any direction except that the clouds cleared away…and we went out walking in sunshine.” 80
And there are several incidences on which the companions asked the Prophet () to supplicate to Allaah specifically for them. And from this is the case when the Prophet () mentioned that seventy thousand of his Ummah shall enter Paradise without reckoning nor punishment, and that they are those who do not treat themselves with Ruqya, 81 nor do they believe in good or bad omen nor do they get themselves branded (cauterized), but the put their trust in Allaah; thereupon ‘Ukaashah bin Muhsin stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, supplicate to Allaah to make me from amongst them.” So he () said: “You are one of them.”82 This is also from the kind of permissible Tawassul: that a person asks someone to supplicate to Allaah, The Most High, for him, if it is hoped for that this person’s supplication will be answered.
However, it should be that the person requesting someone to supplicate Allaah for him intends to benefit himself and his brother, the one from whom he asked the supplication, so that the request is not solely for his own interest. Since if you want to benefit your friend as well as yourself, then this will end up as something good for him. This is because when a man supplicates to Allaah for his brother in his absence, the angel says: “Aameen, and for you the same.” Similarly when someone supplicates Allaah for his brother, then he is from those who do good by virtue of this supplication, and Allaah loves those who do good.”
80 Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.2, no.55, nos.126-132, no.34, vol.4, no.782, and vol.8, no.115.
81 Ruqya: Recitation of Qur’anic texts on an ill or charmed person as a treatment from disease.
82 Reported by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. See Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, vol.7, no.606.