We have explained Sima al Mawta i.e. hearing of the dead and Hayat al Anbiya i.e. Life of Prophets Here. Now we would discuss concept of Tawassul (intercession) in detail. There are many verses and hadiths on proof of Tawassul.
The Qur’an states:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا
Translation: We sent not the Messenger, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of Allah. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come to the Messenger and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft- returning, Most Merciful. (Al- Qur'an, Surah an- Nisa, 4:64. Yusuf Ali.)
This is a direct Divine order to seek intercession of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and this verse is Mutlaq (not restricted to any time). None of the classical commentators of Qur'an said that it only applied to the Physical life of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as falsely asserted by Salafis. To make something Khaas (specific) from Aam (general), the Salafis should show proof from Qur’an or hadith that Prophet (Peace be upon him) restricted this verse only during his presence.
Before citing many other proofs we would like to present a logical and rhetorical question and then provide an answer:
Question: When Allah is most Qarib (close) then why does He not say: Ask me in your homes and I will answer you? Why does He put the condition of going to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in this verse?
Answer: If the deniers of intercession understand this point then, God willing, it shall be a source of guidance to them and their generations to come. This verse proves from the Nass (categorical proof) of the Qur'an that intercession in sight of Allah is an approach that He likes & prescribes. Please remember that we as Ahlus Sunnah consider both the ways to be right i.e.
a) Asking Allah without an intermediary.
b) And also asking Allah through an intermediary.
Imam an- Nawawi (rah) while emphatically proving Tawassul said:
ثم يرجع إلى موقفه الاول قبالة وجه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ويتوسل به في حق نفسه ويستشفع به إلى ربه سبحانه وتعالى ومن أحسن ما يقول ما حكاه الماوردي والقاضي أبو الطيب وسائر أصحابنا عن العتبي مستحسنين له قال (كنت جالسا عند قبر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فجاء أعرابي فقال السلام عليك يا رسول الله سمعت الله يقول (ولو أنهم إذ ظلموا أنفسهم جاءوك فاستغفروا الله واستغفر لهم الرسول لوجدوا الله توابا رحيما) وقد جئتك مستغفرا من ذنبي مستشفعا بك إلى ربي
Translation: (The Pilgrim) should turn towards the face of the Messenger of Allah (قبالة وجه رسول الله) and make him a means (ويتوسل به) for the sake of himself and also seek his intercession towards reaching God (ويستشفع به إلى ربه). In this regard “THE BEST OF SAYINGS” is the Hikayat of Imam al- Marwadi (rah) and Qadhi Abu at- Tayb (rah) and “ALL MY OTHER COMPANIONS also narrate it by considering it RECOMMENDED/ADMIRED (مستحسنين له)” the narration of Utbi” i.e. A Bedouin who visited the Prophet's grave and sat beside it said: Peace unto you O Messenger of Allah, I have heard Allah say:
Had they, when they had wronged themselves, come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness and the Apostle had asked forgiveness for them, they would certainly have found Allah Most- Propitious, Most- Merciful. (Holy Qur'an 4: 64).
Therefore, I have come to you for forgiveness of my sins and seeking your intercession with Allah [Imam an- Nawawi in Al- Majmu' Volume No. 8, Page No. 274]
The incident of the Bedouin has also been recorded by the following:
1. Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab -ul- Imaan (Volume no: 3, Page no:495, 496, Hadith No#4178)
2. Ibn Qudamah in al- Mughni- (Book : Kitab Al Hajj Chapter : Wa Yustahabbu Ziyarat Qabr An NABI Volume : 5 Page : 465)
3. Ibn ‘Asakir in Tahdhīb tarikh Dimashq al- kabir popularly known as Tarikh/Tahdhib Ibn ‘Asakir as quoted by Imam as- Subki in Shifa’- us- siqam fī ziyaat khayr- il- anam (pp. 46-7).
4. Tafsir al- Bahr al- Muheet by Imam Abu Hayyan al- Andalusi (3/282, Dar al Fikr edition) or Book : Tafseer bahr Al Muheet Volume : 3 Page : 269 Under :An Nisa verse number 64
5. Imam al- Mutaqi al- Hindi in Kanz ul Amaal (1/714 #10422
6. Ibn Hajar Haythami in al- Jawhar -ul- munazzam (p. 51).
And many others, plus none of these Imams called it shirk or Bidah.
Important Note: This report is only shown to reveal the beautiful Aqida (belief) of so many scholars and none of them had declared it to be Shirk or Bidah. If Salafis reject this report in spite of Imam- Nawawi (rah) calling it admired, then we have overwhelming Sahih hadiths which establish Tawassul.
The Qur’an states:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach (Wasila) unto Him, and strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper. [Yusuf Ali: 5:35, Brackets mine]
This verse uses the word Waseela. Waseela is defined as Qurbah (i.e. to seek closeness to Allah) too, however in the Sahih Hadith of Bukhari the word Tawassul is proven to mean intercession. Read hadith of Umar (ra)’s intercession through al-Abbas (ra) which shall be shown later in this chapter.
Ibn Muflih al- Hanbli said in regards to 5:35:
ويجوزُ التَّوسُّلِ بصالحٍ، وقيلَ: يستحبُّ ، قالَ أحمدُ في منسكِهِ الَّذِي كتبَهُ للمروذيِّ: إنَّهُ يُتوسَّلُ بالنَّبيِّ صلَّى اللهُ عليْهِ وسلَّمَ في دعائِهِ، وجزمَ بِهِ في «المستوعبِ» وغيرِهِ، وجعلَهَا شيخُنَا كمسألةِ اليمينِ بِهِ، قالَ: والتَّوسُّلُ بالإيمانِ بِهِ، وطاعتِهِ، ومحبَّتِهِ، والصَّلاةِ، والسَّلام عليْهِ، صلَّى اللَّهُ عليْهِ وسلَّمَ، وبدعائِهِ وشفاعتِهِ، ونحوِهِ ممَّا هُوَ مِنْ فعلِهِ وأفعالِ العبادِ المأمورِ بِهَا فِي حقِّهِ مشروعٌ (ع)، وهُو مِنَ الوسيلةِ المأمورِ بهَا في قولِهِ تعالى؛ {ٱتَّقُوا ٱللَّهَ وَٱبْتَغُوۤا إِلَيْهِ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ
Translation: And intercession through the righteous is "PERMITTED" and It is said: It is "RECOMMENDED" Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal (rah) said in his Mansak which is written by al- Marwadhi: He sought intercession "THROUGH THE PROPHET PEACE BE UPON HIM" in his supplications, which is also "AFFIRMED" in <> and others. Our Shaykh agreed with this matter and said: The intercession is with belief in him [i.e. The Messenger of Allah], his obedience, and his love and "BY HIS SUPPLICATION AND INTERCESSION" and (his nahw) from what he can do and the actions of the appointed servants by which its reality is legislated [Having evidences in the sacred law] and it is from the intercession which Allah has ordained in His saying {Do your duty to Allah, "SEEK THE MEANS OF APPROACH UNTO HIM – 5:35} [Al- Furuh by Ibn Muflih al- Hanbli (2/159)]
Hadith Section:
Hadith # 1
Book 024, Number 5149: (Sahih Muslim)
…Narrated by Sayyidah Asma bint Abi Bakr (RA). Whereupon she said: Here is the cloak of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him). and she brought out to me that cloak made of Persian cloth with a hem of brocade, and its sleeves bordered with brocade and said: This was Allah's Messenger's cloak with 'A'isha until she died, and when she died. I got possession of it. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to wear that, and "WE WASHED IT FOR THE SICK AND SOUGHT CURE THEREBY"
May our parents be taken a ransom for great Sahaba who even took the blessed cloak of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as a means of cure, and we can only have pity upon those people who deny intercession through the blessed Dhaat (personality) of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
Direct and explicit order of Prophet
Hadith #2
حدثنا أحمد بن منصور بن سيار حدثنا عثمان بن عمر حدثنا شعبة عن أبي جعفر المدني عن عمارة بن خزيمة بن ثابت عن عثمان بن حنيف
أن رجلا ضرير البصر أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال ادع الله لي أن يعافيني فقال إن شئت أخرت لك وهو خير وإن شئت دعوت فقال ادعه فأمره أن يتوضأ فيحسن وضوءه ويصلي ركعتين ويدعو بهذا الدعاء اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بمحمد نبي الرحمة يا محمد إني قد توجهت بك إلى ربي في حاجتي هذه لتقضى اللهم شفعه في
The Hadith states: It was narrated from 'Uthman bin Hunaif that a blind man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) 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, to pray two Rak'ah, and to say this supplication: O Allah, I ask of You and I turn my face towards You by the intercession of Muhammad the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad, I have turned to my Lord by your intercession concerning this need of mine so that it may be met. O Allah, accept his intercession concerning me.
References:
►Ibn Majah transmitted it in his Sunan, book of Iqamat al- salat wa al- sunnat (establishing prayer and its sunnahs) [Hadith No#1385. Declared Sahih by Salafi Dar us Salam publication]
In Sunnan Ibn Majah then it says:
قال أبو إسحق هذا حديث صحيح
Translation: Imam Abu Ishaaq (rah) said: This hadith is "SAHIH" [ibid]
►Tirmidhi in al- Jami’ Book of da‘awat (supplication) Vol. 6, Book 46, Hadith 3578, where Imam at- Tirmidhi declared it "HASAN SAHIH GHARIB" and also declared Sahih by Dar us Salam publication.
And many others narrate it.
Look at the wording:
. فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيُحْسِنَ وُضُوءَهُ. وَيُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ. وَيَدْعُو بِهذَا الدُّعَاءِ
Translation: (The Prophet) ordered: Perform ablution and the ablution should be good, then pray 2 Rakaat and supplicate with “THIS DUA”
Explanation: This wording proves that Prophet (Peace be upon him) ordered to do ablution and pray 2 cycles of prayer. There is no condition of Prophet asking him to do this in his presence only.
Plus Albani a Salafi big authority tried to misuse the wording “وَيَدْعُو بِهذَا الدُّعَاءِ” and he said that the Tawassul was actually “DUA OF PROPHET HIMSELF NOT HIS PERSONALITY WHICH COMPANION TOOK”
This is proven as wrong by the next wording of hadith which states:
:اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ، وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ. يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي قَدْ تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ إِلَى رَبِّي فِي حَاجَتِي هذِهِ لِتُقْضَى. اللَّهُمَّ فَشَفِّعْهُ فِيَّ
Translation: 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 CONSERNING THIS NEED OF MINE, so it may be met, O Allah accept his intercession concerning me [Translation of Salafi published Sunnan Ibn Majah by Dar us- Salam. Hard copy, Volume # 2, Page # 329, 330]
Read the highlighted parts carefully, now this directly proves Albani to be wrong because the Prophet (Peace be upon him) “DID NOT MAKE THE DUA HIMSELF” rather he told the Blind Sahabi to make it, the wording of the hadith and dua are clear, i.e. the Blind Sahabi is “ORDERED” to ask through intercession of the Prophet not that the Prophet asked through his own intercession by calling himself a “PROPHET OF MERCY” (which would be illogical)
The Salafis are asked to prove that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) is making dua himself by saying “YA MUHAMMAD I TURN TO LORD THROUGH YOUR INTERCESSION.” How on earth could this be possible? How could Prophet turn into a second person himself and ask the Lord by saying “YA MUHAMMAD I TURN TO LORD THROUGH YOU (يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي قَدْ تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ إِلَى رَبِّي)”
The wording “نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ” i.e. Prophet of Mercy, proves intercession through the personality of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). The attribute of Prophet is that he is Rauf ur Raheem (kind and merciful) and Rehmat al Lil Aalameen (Mercy to the worlds) as mentioned in the Qur’an is being used. Had this not been through his personality, then hadith would have categorically said “BI DUA AN- NABI (WITH THE DUA OF PROPHET) RATHER THAN NABI AR- RAHMAH”
Now let us turn towards hadith scholars and their chapter titles in regards to this hadith. Imam Ibn Majah (rah) allocated the chapter as:
باب ما جاء في صلاة الحاجة
Translation: What was narrated concerning “PRAYER AT TIMES OF NEED” [Sunnan Ibn Majah, English translation by Dar us Salaam. Hard copy, Volume # 2, Page # 328]
This chapter title is Mutlaq (i.e. for all times), the Salafis are asked to prove from hadith masters that when they narrated the hadith of Uthman bin Hunayf (ra) in regards to prayer in need then they only restricted it during physical life of the Prophet.
If Salafis say yes, this chapter is right, then do they believe that hadith scholars asked us for Bidah in their chapter titles? Did they not know which hadiths to bring under chapter titles?
If Salafis say that hadith scholars can err in chapter titles, then remember many of them like al-Mundhiri (rah) in his Targheeb wa Tarheeb, Imam an- Nawawi (rah) in his Kitaab ul Adhkaar also narrated it with same chapter title. Imam an- Nawawi (rah)’s Adhkaar not only proves intercession by author's direct testimony, but is rather a book of Adhkaar (remembrance of Allah) which is written for Muslims in all times, hence later hadith scholars repeating same chapter title proves that they did not err in naming this chapter title.
Finally, let us come towards a “SAHIH HADITH” which proves directly from the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that he told the companions and through them all Muslims to do it whenever in need.
Here is the hadith first:
حدثنا مسلم بن إبراهيم، حدثنا حماد بن سلمة، نا أبوجعفر الخطمي، عن عمارة بن خزيمة، عن عثمان بن حنيف، أن رجلاً أعمى أتى النبي فقال: إني أصبت في بصري، فادع الله لي. قال: "اذهب فتوضأ، وصل ركعتين ثم قل: اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبيي محمد نبي الرحمة، يا محمد إني أستشفع بك على ربي في رد بصري، اللهم فشفعني في نفسي، وشفع نبيي في رد بصري، وإن كانت حاجة فافعل مثل ذلك". .
Translation: it is narrated from Muslim bin Ibrahim, who said it is narrated from Hammad bin Salama from Abi Jafar al- Khatami from Amara bin Khuzayma from Uthman bin Hunaif (ra): A blind man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) and said: I am afflicted in my eyesight, “Kindly pray to Allah for me". The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Go perform ablution (Wudu), perform two rak'at Salat and then say: “O Allah! I ask you and turn to you through the intercession of my Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad! I seek intercession (أستشفع) through you to my lord for the return of my eyesight, that it may be fulfilled. O Allah, accept my intercession for myself and accept the intercession of my Prophet for the restoration of my sight. (The Prophet said): “WHENEVER YOU HAVE ANY NEED DO THE SAME” [Tarikh Ibn Abi Khaythma, Volume No.3]
All the men of this hadith are “THIQAAT” now again Albani and Ibn Taymiyyah wrongly said that Hammad bin Salama’s addition is rejected. Such a statement is proof of Ibn Taymiyyah and Albani’s ignorance in principles of hadith. The “ZIYADAH (ADDITION)” of “THIQA MA’MOON (UTTERLY RELIABLE)” narrator is accepted.
Imam Hammad bin Salamah (rah) is not only Thiqa but is rather “THIQA MA’MOON” also “IMAM UL HADITH (LEADER IN HADITH NARRATION)” and has many more praises to the extent that some hadith scholars considered him greater than Sufyan ath-Thawri in knowledge [Refer to Tahdhib ul Kamaal and Tahdhib ut Tahdheeb under the biography of Hammad bin Salamah bin Dinaar al Basri, also refer to Kitab ul Thiqaat of Ibn Hibban]
Imam Ibn Hibban (rah) said about Hammad bin Salamah “IN REGARDS TO HIS ADDITIONS IN HADITH”
تفرد بها حماد ابن سلمة وهو ثقة مأمون وزيادة الألفاظ عندنا مقبولة عن الثقات إذ جائز أن يحضر جماعة شيخا في سماع شيء ثم يخفى على أحدهم بعض الشيء ويحفظه من هو مثله أو دونه
Translation: Hammad bin Salamah is “ALONE” in narrating this and he is “THIQA MA’MOON (HIGHEST GRADE OF AUTHENTICITY)” and according to us (hadith scholars) “ADDITION IN WORDS” of (such narrators) is “ACCEPTED” because it is “JAIZ (PERMISSIBLE/POSSBILE)” that one group is present with the teacher and then “SOMETHING REMAINS HIDDEN FROM HIM AND THEN ANOTHER NARRATOR OF THEIR STANDARD OR “EVEN LOWER STANDARD” HAS MEMORIZED IT” [Kitab ul Thiqaat, Volume # 8, Page # 1]
What a beautiful explanation by Imam Ibn Hibban (rah), now remember additions of even reliable narrator is accepted let alone “UTTERLY RELIABLE ONE”
If Salafis say that his hadith becomes Shadh (odd), then they have to prove from the sayings of "MUTUALLY AGREED UPON" scholars directly who called this addition as Shadh. Now the only way we could be refuted is by quoting "MUTUALLY AGREED UPON" scholars who passed ruling on “THIS” specific hadith to be “SHADH”
Things do not just stop here, Albani contradicted himself and that too regarding same Hammad bin Salamah (rah). Albani without realizing his contradictions said about same Hammad bin Salamah in his Silsilaat al Ahadith as Sahiha:
و خالف الجماعة حماد بن سلمة فقال :
" عن هشام بن عروة عن أبي سلمة عنها مختصرا بلفظ :
" قالت : سابقت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فسبقته " .
أخرجه أحمد ( 6 / 261 ) و حماد ثقة حافظ فيحتمل أن يكون قد حفظ ما لم يحفظ
Translation: Hammad bin Salamah (rah) “WENT AGAINST” a group and said: Hishaam bin Urwa narrated from Abi Salamah with abridged wording that (Aisha RA) said: I got ahead of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in the race.
This is narrated by Ahmed (6/261) and “HAMMAD IS RELIED UPON MEMORIZER” and I reckon “THAT HE REMEMBERED WHAT THEY (GROUP) DID NOT REMEMBER” [Silsilat al Ahadith as- Sahiha (1/204)]
Allah is the best of planners and he made Albani prove the addition of Hammad bin Salamah to be authentic.
Imam al Bayhaqi said:
الزيادةُ من الثِّقَةِ
مقبولةٌ
Translation: The Ziyadah (addition) of relied upon narrator is accepted [Sunnan Bayhaqi al Kubra (10/297)]
Imam al- Hakim (rah) said:
الزيادة من الثقة مقبولة
Translation: The Ziyadah (addition) of relied upon narrator is “ACCEPTED” [Mustadrak al Hakim, Hadith # 2111]
Imam al- Hakim (rah) also beautifully said in his Muqadma of Mustadrak:
عند كافة فقهاء أهل الإسلام أن الزيادة في الأسانيد والمتون من الثقات مقبولة
Translation: "Near all the fuqaha (jurisprudents) of Islam the additions in chains and texts from relied upon narrators are accepted [Muqadma al Mustadrak, (1/42)]
Imam an- Nawawi (rah) said:
واحتج الجمهور بأن الزيادة من الثقة مقبولة
Translation: The Majority takes proof of Ziyada (addition) from Thiqa to be “ACCEPTED” [Sharh Sahih Muslim (4/68)]
Imam al- Bukhari (rah) says in his booklet of Raf ul Yaddain (dubious book due to Mujhool narrator in it, whereas it is Hujjah upon Salafis):
لأن هذه زيادة في الفعل والزيادة مقبولة إذا ثبت
Translation: This is the “ADDITION” in practice and addition of “THABAT IS ACCEPTED” [Juzz Raful Yaddain under Hadith # 80]
Imam Bukhari (rah) regarding the addition of doing Raful Yaddain in prostrations says:
أنه لاختلاف في ذلك إنما زاد بعضهم على بعض والزيادة مقبولة من أهل العلم
Translation: 'There is no difference in that some narration increase upon others and the Ziyadah (additional wording) are accepted from the people of knowledge'. [Juzz Raful Yaddain, under Hadith # 98]
Imam al- Zarqani (rah) said:
زيادة من ثقة حافظ غير منافية فيجب قبولها
Translation: The Ziyadah (addition) from relied upon memorizer which does not have an “OPPOSING (STATEMENT)” then it is “NECESSARY TO ACCEPT IT” [Sharh of Muwatta Imam Malik (1/160)]
This statement is very important to understand and we have used this for a strong reason, i.e. nobody has “OPPOSED” Hammad bin Salamah in this regard, remember opposition means that some other Muhadith should narrate contrary wording to the hadith like for example the Prophet (Peace be upon him) instead of saying: “WHENEVER YOU HAVE ANY NEED DO THE SAME” would have said: “DO NOT DO THIS IN NEED BUT DO IT ONLY IN MY PRESENCE”
Salafis are asked to show a single hadith from Uthman bin Hunayf which says opposite to Ziyadah of Hammad bin Salamah, hence the Ziyada of Hammad is accepted without doubt and cannot be called “SHADH” according to Usool ul Hadith.
Imam al- Hakim (rah) also said:
والتفرد من الثقات مقبول
Translation: The Tafarud (being alone in narrating) of a “RELIED UPON NARRATOR IS ACCEPTED” [Mustadrak ala Sahihayn (1/91)]
So even Hammad being lone in narration has to be accepted as he is “THIQA MA’MOON, HAFIDH, THIQA, THABAT, and many other praises he has.
Such a great memorizer of hadith could not have attributed a lie to the Prophet (Peace be upon him); had addition of such a big authority been his personal insertion, he would be counted as a Liar upon the Prophet and anyone who intentionally lies upon Prophet shall be in hell fire (this cannot be even assumed for Hammad)
Imam al Bukhari (rah) himself narrates about Hamad bin Salamah:
سمعت عبد الرحمن بن مهدي يقول: لم أر أحداً مثل حماد بن سلمة ومالك بن أنس
Translation: Abdur Rahman bin Mahdi was heard saying: “I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYONE” like Hammad bin Salamah (rah) and Malik bin Anas (rah) [Tarikh ul Kabeer (3/22)]
The Hadith specialists had put Hammad bin Salamah on par with Imam Malik (rah).
Assuming that the addition of Hammad is not accepted, still it will stand as a valid viewpoint of Hammad and he cannot be accused of treachery or attributing lies to Prophet (Peace be upon him). This proves that classical hadith scholars accepted Tawassul and considered the hadith to be “MUTLAQ” and not time bound.
As Salafis always claim that they follow the Fahm (understanding) of Salaf in regards to hadith, then let us understand that Dua of Waseela was practiced by Salaf as Saliheen (righteous predecessors) and even Ibn Taymiyyah proved it. He said:
ورُوي في ذلك أثر عن بعض السلف، مثل ما رواه ابن أبي الدنيا في كتاب مجابي الدعاء، قال: حدثنا أبوهاشم، سمعت كثير ابن محمد ابن كثير بن رفاعة يقول: جاء رجل إلى عبد الملك بن سعيد ابن أبجر، فجس بطنه فقال: بك داء لا يبرأ. قال: ماهو؟ قال: الدُّبَيْلة. قال: فتحول الرجل فقال: الله الله، الله ربي، لا أشرك به شيئاً، اللهم إني أتوجه إليك بنبيك محمد نبي الرحمة تسليماً، يا محمد إني أتوجه بك إلى ربك وربي يرحمني مما بي. قال فجس بطنه فقال: قد برئت ما بك علة.
قلت: فهذا الدعاء ونحوه قد روي أنه دعا به السلف، ونقل عن أحمد بن حنبل في منسك المروذي التوسل بالنبي في الدعاء، ونهى
Translation: This is narrated in Athar of some Salaf (early Muslims), Ibn Abi Duniya narrated it in his Kitaab Majabi’i ad- Dua from Abu Hashim who heard from Kathir ibn Muhammad ibn Kathir bin Rafa’ who said: A person came to Abdul Mulk bin Sa’eed, he (Abdul Mulk) pressed his tummy and said, you have an incurable disease called “Dabila” which occurs in the stomach and it kills many patients, that man turned around and exclaimed: Allah, Allah, Allah, My Lord you have no partners, I ask you and turn to you through the Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad! I turn through you to my lord. O Lord cure me, after this (Abdul Mulk) pressed his tummy and said, you are cured.
(Ibn Taymiyyah) said: This dua and similar to it have been narrated by Salaf. It is known from Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal (rah) as mentioned in Manasik of Al- Marwadi that one should ask Allah through the intermediary of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) [Qaida al Jaleela, Fit Tawassul wal- Wasila, Page No. 91 #524]
Also another big authority of Salafis i.e. Qadhi Shawkani’s Istadlal over ongoing Tawassul through Prophet shall be mentioned towards end of this chapter.
Hadith # 3
Salafis ask for proof whether Sahaba asked Allah through Waseela of Prophet after his Zahiri passing away. Ahlus Sunnah use this following authentic Mawquf hadith in this regard which Salafis try to call weak with hook and crook methods. It states:
حدثنا طاهر بن عيسى بن قيرس المصري التميمي حدثنا أصبغ بن الفرج حدثنا عبد الله بن وهب عن شبيب بن سعيد المكي عن روح بن القاسم عن أبي جعفر الخطمي المدني عن أبي أمامة بن سهل بن حنيف عن عمه عثمان بن حنيف أن رجلا كان يختلف إلى عثمان بن عفان رضى الله تعالى عنه في حاجة له فكان عثمان لا يلتفت إليه ولا ينظر في حاجته فلقي عثمان بن حنيف فشكا ذلك إليه فقال له عثمان بن حنيف ائت الميضأة فتوضأ ثم ائت المسجد فصلي فيه ركعتين ثم قل اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بنبينا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم نبي الرحمة يا محمد إني أتوجه بك إلى ربك ربي جل وعز فيقضي لي حاجتي وتذكر حاجتك ورح إلي حتى أروح معك فانطلق الرجل فصنع ما قال له عثمان ثم أتى باب عثمان فجاء البواب حتى أخذ بيده فأدخله عثمان بن عفان فأجلسه معه على الطنفسة وقال حاجتك فذكر حاجته فقضاها له ثم قال له ما ذكرت حاجتك حتى كانت هذه الساعة وقال ما كانت لك من حاجة فأتنا ثم ان الرجل خرج من عنده فلقي عثمان بن حنيف فقال له جزاك الله خيرا ما كان ينظر في حاجتي ولا يلتفت إلي حتى كلمته في فقال عثمان بن حنيف والله ما كلمته ولكن شهدت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأتاه ضرير فشكا عليه ذهاب بصره فقال له النبي صلى الله عيه وآله وسلم أفتصبر فقال يا رسول الله إنه ليس لي قائد وقد شق علي فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إيت الميضأة فتوضأ ثم صل ركعتين ثم ادع بهذه الدعوات قال عثمان فوالله ما تفرقنا وطال بنا الحديث حتى دخل علينا الرجل كأنه لم يكن به ضرر قط لم يروه عن روح بن القاسم إلا شبيب بن سعيد أبو سعيد المكي وهو ثقة
It is narrated by same Uthman bin Hunaif (ra) that a person repeatedly visited Uthman bin Affan (ra) concerning something he needed but Uthman paid no attention to him. The man went to Uthman bin Hunaif (ra) and complained to him about the matter- [Note: this was after the death of the Prophet and after the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar] so Uthman bin Hunaif said : “Go to the place of Wudu, then come to the Masjid, perform two Rak'ats and then say : “O Allah!, I ask you and turn to you through our Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad! I turn through you to my lord, that He fulfil my need” and mention your need. Then come so that I can go with you [to the caliph Uthman] So the man left and did as he had been told, then went to the door of Uthman ibn Affan (Allah be pleased with him), and the doorman came, took him by the hand, brought him to Uthman ibn Affan, and seated him next to him on a cushion. 'Uthman asked, "What do you need?" and the man mentioned what he wanted, and Uthman accomplished it for him ...(till the end of hadith)
Imam at- Tabrani after narrating it said:
لم يروه عن روح بن القاسم إلا شبيب بن سعيد أبو سعيد المكي وهو ثقة
Translation: This is not narrated from Ruh bin Qasim except from Shabeeb bin Sa’eed Abu Sa’eed al- Makki and “HE IS THIQA” [Mu’jam as- Sagheer (1/306, 307, Hadith # 508]
Remember when a Muhadith calls a specific narrator out of all narrators as “THIQA” then he is authenticating the whole hadith. Salafis give pseudo Juroohat on this hadith such as: Only son of Shabeeb bin Sa’eed should narrate from him, narrations from Ibn Wahb are Munkar, or that it should only come via route of Yunus. All these Juroohat are Mubham, but still we will prove the chain authentic without Ibn Wahb and also his son Ahmad bin Shabeeb narrating from his father.
Imam al- Bayhaqi (rah) narrates it with another authentic chain without Ibn Wahb. The chain is:
أخبرنا أبو علي الحسن بن أحمد بن إبراهيم بن شاذان، أنبأنا عبد الله بن جعفر بن درستويه، حدثنا يعقوب بن سفيان، حدثنا أحمد بن شبيب بن سعيد، فذكره بطوله
[Dalayl un Nubuwah (6/168), Published by Dar ul Kutb al ILmiyyah]
This chain does not include Ibn Wahb and is absolutely authentic. Imam al- Faswi (rah) has narrated the complete chain with above mentioned Mawquf hadith in his Makhtuta Mashaykha Abi Yusif bin Sufyan al- Faswi, Hadith # 113. The chain is: Abdullah bin Jafar narrates from Ya’qub, he narrates from Ahmad bin Shabeeb bin Sa’eed, he narrates from his Father (Shabeeb bin Sa’eed), he narrates from Ruh bin Qasim, he narrates from Abi Jafar al Madni, he narrates from Abi Amama bin Sahl bin Hunaif, and he narrates from Uthman bin Hunaif … till the end of Hadith.
This chain is absolutely authentic and all Rijaal are “THIQAAT.” Hence Salafis cannot find the defects that hadith has to be from son of Shabeeb from his father without Ibn Wahb.
Let us look at detailed authentication of Shabeeb bin Sa’eed whom Salafis accuse.
شَبِـيْبُ بنُ سَعِيْد التّمِيْمِي الحَبَطِي ، أبُو سَعِيْدٍ البَصْرِي ، وَالِدُ أحْمَد بن شَبِـيْب بن سَعِيد .
روى عنأبان بن تَغْلِب، وأبان بن أبـي عَيّاش، ورَوْح بن القاسم، وشُعبة بن الحَجّاج، ومحمد بن عَمْرو بن عَلَقَمة بن وَقّاص، ويحيـى بن أبـي أُنَيْسة، ويونُس بن يزيد الأيْليّ
روى عنه ابنُه أحمد بن شَبـيب بن سعيد (خ خد س)، وزَيْد بن بهشر الحَضْرميّ، وعبد الله بن وَهْب، ويحيـى بن أيوب المِصْريّ .
قال عَليّ بن المديني : ثقة ، كانَ من أصحاب يونُس بن يزيد، كان يختلفُ في تجارة إلى مِصرَ، وكتابُهُ كتابٌ صحيحٌ وقد كَتَبْتُها عن ابنه أحمد.
وقال أبو زُرْعَة : لابأسَ به .
وقال أبو حاتم : كان عنده كُتُب يونُس بن يزيد، وهو صالح الحديث لا بأس به .
وقال النّسائي : ليسَ به بأس .
وقال أبو أحمد بن عَدِي : ولشبـيب نسخة الزّهريّ عنده عن يونُس، عن الزّهريّ أحاديث مُستقيمة، وحَدّث عنه ابنُ وَهْب بأحاديث مناكير.
وذكره ابنُ حِبّان في كتاب «الثّقات».
روى له البخاريّ، وأبو داود في «الناسخ والمنسوخ»، و النّسائي .
Translation: Shabeeb bin Sa’eed at- Tameemi al- Habati Abu Sa’eed al- Basri the father of Ahmed bin Shabeeb:
He narrated from: Abaan bin Taghlab, Abaan bin Abi Ayaash, “RUH BIN QASIM” Shu’ba bin Hajjaj, Muhammad bin Umar bin Alqama bin Waqas, Yahya bin Abi Anbasa and Yunus bin Yazid. From him narrated: His son Ahmed bin Shabeeb bin Sa’eed, Zayd bin Bashr al- Hadhrami, “ABDULLAH BIN WAHB” Yahya bin Ayoob al- Misri
Ali bin Mudayni said: “HE IS THIQA” and he is from the companions of Yunus bin Yazid, he went on trip for trade to Egypt and his book is sahih, and from him wrote his son Ahmed. [Unconditional Ta'deel]
[Note: Albani misused rather forged this quote by deleting the word “THIQA” plus Albani made an assumption that Shabeeb's hadith should only be from the book of Yunus, although there is no such stipulation here]
Abu Zura’ said: There is “NO HARM IN HIM” [Unconditional Ta'deel]
Abu Hatim said: He had book of Yunus bin Yazid and he (Shabeeb) is “UPRIGHT IN HADITH AND THERE IS NO HARM IN HIM” [Note: This is again an uncondtional Ta'deel and there is no Stipulation even here that it is a must for him to narrate from the book of Yunus. Albani and Salafis make mistake]
Imam Nasai’i said: There is “NO HARM IN HIM” [Unconditional- Ta'deel]
Imam Abu Ahmed bin Adi said: Shabeeb had the Nuskha of Zuhri which had (narrations) from Yunus, the ahadith from him through Zuhri are fine and Ibn Wahb narrated (some) Manakeer reports from him.
[Note: This is the best Jarh which Salafis quote, we have already proven different turaq of the hadith without Ibn Wahb, plus Ibn Adi is not talking about all the hadiths from Ibn Wahb but only few out of which he himself presents 2, although after research even those 2 hadiths are proven Sahih, so Ibn Adi’s Jarh is Jarh Mubham (vague)]
Ibn Hibban mentioned him in “THIQAAT” [Unconditional Ta'deel]
Bukhari, Abu Dawud in "Nasikh wal Mansookh" and Nasai narrated from him [Tahdheeb ul Kamaal (8/270, 271)]
In front of these detailed authentications the Mubham Jarh will not count. This is why a great Muhadith Imam Ibn Yusuf al- Salhi (rah) said:
الباب الخامس في ذكر من توسل به - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بعد موته
روى الطبراني والبيهقي - بإسناد متصل ورجاله ثقات - عن عثمان بن حنيف أن رجلا كان يختلف إلى عثمان بن عفان في حاجة
Translation: Chapter 5: Regarding Tawassul through the Prophet (Peace be upon him) "AFTER HIS DEATH". It is narrated by At- Tabrani and al- Bayhaqi "WITH CONTINEOUS CHAIN (بإسناد متصل) HAVING THIQA NARRATORS" the hadith of Uthman bin Hunaif (ra) that a man came to Uthman bin Affan (ra) regarding his Hajah .. until the end of same hadith [Muhammad bin Yusuf al- Salihi in Subl ul Huda War Rashaad, Volume No.12, Page No. 407]
Plus this hadith is Sahih even according to criteria of Imam al- Bayhaqi as he mentioned in the Muqadma of Dalail al- Nubuwah:
ويعلم أن كل حديث أوردته فيه قد أردفته بما يشير إلى صحته أو تركته مبهماً وهو مقبول في مثل ما أخرجته وما عسى أوردته بإسناد فيه ضعف أشرت إلى ضعفه وجعلت الاعتماد على غيره
Translation: You should know that “EVERY HADITH” which I have narrated in (Dalail an Nabuwah) then before It I have mentioned a hadith which points towards it’s “AUTHENTICITY”, and when I have left any hadith as “MUBHAM (VAGUE) THEN IT IS MAQBOOL (ACCEPTED) TOO JUST LIKE THE ONE WHICH I HAVE NARRATED” and I have not narrated a report with chain which has waekness (but) I have also pointed its weakness and trusted some report other than that. [Dalail an Nabuwah (1/46)]
Then Imam al- Bayhaqi (rah) said:
وعادتي في كتبي المصنفة في الأصول والفروع الاقتصار من الأخبار على ما يصح منها دون ما لا يصح أو التمييز بين ما يصح منها ومالا يصح
...
Translation: My procedure is that I rely only on “SAHIH REPORTS” from all the books on Usool and Furoh, and I have “REJECTED THOSE WHICH ARE NOT SAHIH” and my way is to “Distinguish sahih from non-Sahih” [Dalail al Nabuwah (1/47)]
Even Imam al- Dhahabi (rah) said about Dalayl un Nubuwah:
قال فيه الحافظ الذ هبي: عليك به فإنه كله هدى ونور
Translation: In this regard (i.e. Regarding Dalail an Nabuwah of Imam al- Bayhaqi) Hafidh al- Dhahabi (rah) said: Whatever is in it is "TOTAL GUIDANCE AND NUR" [Sharh ala Muwahib (1/120)]
Please note that Imam al- Bayhaqi (rah) has shown no Jarh on the hadith of Man in need, hence he considered it authentic.
Imam al- Hakim (rah) also gave hukm on both Marfu and Mawquf hadiths in his Mustadrak when he said:
شبيب بن سعيد الحبطي عن روح بن القاسم زيادات في المتن والإسناد والقول فيه قول شبيب فإنه ثقة مأمون
Translation: Shabib ibn Sa‘id al- Habati narrated by way of Ruh ibn al- Qasim with some additions to the text (matn) and the chain (isnad). The decision in this matter is that of Shabib, he is utterly reliable (thiqah Ma’mun).[Mustadrak: Hadith #1929]
We have shown authentication from Muhaditheen that hadith is Sahih and also shown authentic chains from son of Shabeeb narrating from him and also without Ibn Wahb Hence there is no way this Mawquf hadith could be weak. Salafis on the other hand have to show from three mutually agreed upon classical scholars who declared this hadith as weak. People like Albani will not be considered as proof.
Hadith # 4
Fourth hadith is a Sahih report of Malik al- Dar (RA) which states:
حدّثنا أبو معٰوية عن الأعمش عن أبي صالح عن مٰلك الدار ، قال: وكان خازن عمر على الطعام، قال: أصاب الناس قحط في زمن عمر، فجاء رجل إلى قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال : يا رسول الله استسق لأمتك فإنهم قد هلكوا، فأُتِيَ الرجل في المنام فقيل له: ائت عمر فأقرئه السلام، وأخبره أنكم مستقيمون وقل له: عليك الكيس عليك الكيس فأتى عمر فأخبره فبكى عمر ثم قال: يا رب لا آلو إلاّ ما عجزت عنه
قال حافظ ابن كثير : وهذا اسناد صحيح
Malik ad- Dar i.e. treasurer of Umar (RA) relates: The people were gripped by famine during the tenure of Umar (Ibn -ul- Khattab RA). Then a man walked up to the grave of the Prophet and said: O Messenger of Allah! Ask for rain from Allah for your Ummah who is in dire straits. Then he saw the Prophet (SAW) in a dream. The Prophet (SAW) said to him, Go over to Umar, give him my regards and tell him that the rain will come to you. And tell Umar that he should be on his toes, he should be on his toes (he should remain alert). He went over to see Umar and passed on to him the tidings. On hearing this, Umar broke into a spurt of crying. He said, O Allah, I exert myself to the fullest until I am completely exhausted.
References:
Al- Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah Volume 011, Page No. 118, Hadith Number 32538
Its chain is declared Sahih by:
Imam Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah Wan Nihayah Volume No. 5, Page No. 167
Imam Ibn Hajr al- Asqalani (rah) in Fath ul Bari : Volume No.2, Page No. 495
Imam Qastallani in al- Mawahib -ul- laduniyyah (4:276)
And others.
Nasir ud din Albani the leading scholar according to Salafis has in haste declared Malik al-Dar (RA) to be unknown. We will come to other points later whether this hadith is weak due to Tadlees issue or not.
Nasir al- Albani said:
الأول: عدم التسليم بصحة هذه القصة، لأن مالك الدار غير معروف العدالة والضبط، وهذان شرطان أساسيان في كل سند صحيح كما تقرر في علم المصطلح، وقد أورده
ابن أبي حاتم في "الجرح والتعديل" (4/213) ولم يذكر راوياً عنه غير أبي صالح هذا، ففيه إشعار بأنه مجهول
Translation: "Firstly: We do not accept that this story is authentic since the reliability and precision of Malik ad- Dar is not known, and these are two principle conditions necessary for the authenticity of any narration, as is affirmed in the science of hadith. Ibn Abi Hatim mentions him in al- Jarh wa- Ta'deel (4/1/213) and does not mention anyone who narrates from him except Abu Salih. So this indicates that he is unknown [At- Tawassul, Arabic Page # 69. Published by Maktab al Islami]
Our Answer: This is ignorance shown by Albani, and the quote of Ibn Abi Hatim (rah) is misused by him too.
Before citing overwhelming hadith scholars such as Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah) and many others in regards to Malik al- Dar (RA), we would like to refute Albani from his own wording where he accepted that Malik al Dar was known. He, while quoting the hadith from Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, tacitly accepts:
وروى ابن أبي شيبة بإسناد صحيح من رواية أبي صالح السمان عن مالك الدار – وكان خازن عمر
Translation: It is narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah “WITH SAHIH CHAIN” from the narrations of Abi Salih as- Samaan from Malik al- Dar “WHO IS TREASURER OF UMAR” [ibid]
Khazin means treasurer; now such a great person who was deputed as treasurer by Sayyiduna Umar (RA) is being called as Mujhool (unknown) by Albani. Plus Ibn Abi Shaybah (rah) himself proved Malik al Dar (rah) to be well known by calling him “خازن عمر” so this is proof # 1 and Albani stands refuted from the saying he himself quoted.
Here is the second proof that Albani himself declared a hadith as Hasan, having Malik al Dar (ra) in it.
As Allah is indeed the best of Planners, in “SAHIH TARGHEEB WA TARHEEB” by Albani, he says, about narration from Malik al- Dar (Ra)
926(13) (حسن موقوف) وعن مالك الدار
أن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه...
Albani himself declared a hadith via the route of “MALIK AL DAR AS HASAN MAWQOOF (GOOD BUT STOPPED AT COMPANION)” [Sahih Targheeb wa Tarheeb by Albani # 926, Published by Maktaba al Ma’rif, Riyaadh, Saudi Arabia]
Zubayr Ali Zai al- Bakistani said:
When Tawtheeq (reliability) is proven, then sayings regarding someone being Mujhool (unknown), Mastoor etc… become “MURDOOD (NULL AND VOID)” How many narrators are there who are called Mujhool by Abi Hatim and others, whereas other Hadith specialists have proven them Thiqa. Therefore we will follow the Tawtheeq of those scholars, look at Quwaid fi Uloom al- Hadith, Page # 267 [Nur al Aynain by Zubair Ali Zai, Page No.197]
Albani quoted Imam al- Mundhri (rah) saying:
رواه الطبراني في الكبير، ورواته إلى مالك الدار ثقات مشهورون، ومالك الدار لا أعرفه
Translation: (This hadith) is narrated by at- Tabrani in his al-Kabeer and the narrators up to Malik al- Dar are all “RELIABLE AND FAMOUS” whereas I do not know (لا أعرفه) of Malik al- Dar [at- Tawassul of Albani, Page # 69]
Again, this is ignorance on the part of Albani. Please note that the wording used by Imam al- Mundhiri (rah) is “لا أعرفه” i.e. I do not know him. This wording does not mean he is unknown to others. If some hadith scholar does not know any narrator then the narrator does not become unknown automatically, even a beginner studying science of hadith knows that hadith scholars did not have “COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL NARRATORS” so either Albani and Salafis want to call Imam al- Mundhiri (rah) as one who has complete and comprehensive knowledge or they have to accept that Albani was absolutely wrong.
Now here are proofs from great hadith specialists and scholars that Malik al- Dar (RA) was indeed well known.
Proof # 1
مالك بن عياض
مولى عمر هو الذي يقال له مالك الدار له إدراك وسمع من أبي بكر الصديق وروى عن الشيخين ومعاذ وأبي عبيدة روى عنه أبو صالح السمان وابناه عون وعبدالله ابنا مالك وأخرج البخاري في التاريخ من طريق أبي صالح ذكوان عن مالك الدار
Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah) said: "Malik bin Iyaadh the freedman of Umar, he is the one called Malik al Dar, He has found the era of Nubuwah (له إدراك) and heard narrations from Abu Bakr, he narrated from both the Shaykhain (i.e. Abu Bakr and Umar) also from Muadh, Abu Ubaida, and from him have narrated Abu Salih as Saman, and his own 2 sons who were Awn and Abdullah. His (narrations) are mentioned in Tarikh of Bukhari with the route of Abi Salih al Dakwan from Malik al Dar. [Al- Asqalani in Al- Isabah fi Tamyiz as- Sahaba Volume No. 6, Page No. 273, #8362]
Now, whether he is “SAHABI OR GREAT SUCCESSOR” is disputed and we shall shed more light upon this. According to author’s viewpoint he found the era of Nubuwah but accepted Islam later and thus became such a great Tabi'i that Sayyiduna Umar (RA) appointed him as his treasurer. This is by itself great Ta'deel on the narrator.
Even if he was not Sahabi, although Masbat (something being established) supersedes Nafi (something being negated) then at least his meeting with Abu Bakr (RA), Umar (RA) and other Sahaba is proven.
Proof # 2
Imam Ibn Sa’d (of the Salaf as Saliheen) said:
مالك الدار مولى عمر بن الخطاب وقد انتموا إلى جبلان من حمير، وروى مالك الدار عن أبي بكر الصديق وعمر،رحمهما اللـه روى عنه أبو صالح السمان ، وكان معروفا
Translation: Malik al Dar (ra) was the freed slave of Umar bin Khattab (ra)…he reported traditions from Abu Bakr as- Siddiq and ‘Umar, and from him narrated Abu Salih as- Samaan. He was “WELL KNOWN (معروفا) [Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d, Volume No. 5, Page No. 12 # 1423]
Proof # 3
al- Dhahabi mentions him in names of Sahaba:
مالك بن عياض مولى عمر روى عن أبي بكر الصديق و عنه أبو صالح السمان
Translation: Malik bin Iyaadh, the Freedman of Umar, he narrated from Abu Bakr (ra) and from him, narrated Abu Salih as Samaan (rah) [al- Dhahabi in Tajrid Asma al Sahaba, Volume No. 2, Page No. 51]
Proof # 4
Imam Taqi -ud- din Ibn Fahd al Makki [Student of Imam Ibn Hajr] also mentions him among Sahaba and said:
مالك بن عياض مولى عمر روى عن أبي بكر الصديق و عنه أبو صالح السمان
Translation: Malik bin Iyaadh, the Freedman of Umar, he narrated from Abu Bakr (ra) and from him narrated Abu Salih as Samaan (rah) [Mukhtasar Asma al Sahaba, Page No. 85, Al Azhar University Manuscript]
Proof # 5
Imam Ibn Hibban also mentioned him in his Kitab ul Thiqaat without making any criticism on him which means he considered him reliable.
He said: Malik bin ‘Iyad ad- Dar He has taken traditions from Umar al- Farooq, and Abu Salih al- Saman, and He was a freed slave of Umar bin al- Khattab. [Kitab uth- Thiqat Volume 5, Page No. 384]
Proof # 6
Hafidh al- Khalili (rah) said:
مالك الدار مولى عمر بن الخطاب الرعاء عنه : تابعي , قديم , متفق عليه , أثنى عليه التابعون , وليس بكثير الرواية , روى عن أبي بكر الصديق , وعمر
Translation: Malik al- Dar the Freedman of Umar Bin Khattab (RA): He is a Qadeem Tab’i muttafaq `alayh athna `alayhi al- tabi`un (meaning, He is agreed upon as trustworthy and the Successors have approved highly of him). He did not narrate many hadiths, he narrated from Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA)…(Then al-Khalili (rah) narrates the hadith of Malik Dar’s tawassul too) [From al- Irshad fi Ma'rifa Ulama al- Hadith of Hafiz al- Khalili (1/313, 314)]
Now when Malik al- Dar (RA) is proven to be “Ma’roof (well known), Agreed upon, Praised by successors, is a treasure of Umar (RA) then let us come towards scholars who authenticated this chain and thus also Matn (as no hukm from classical scholars can be shown by Salafis where Hadith specialists called the Athar itself as weak)
Authentication # 1 (On Complete chain, including Malik al Dar)
Hafidh Ibn Kathir (rah) after narrating the report of Malik al Dar’s Tawassul said:
وهذا إسناد صحيح
Translation: This is a “SAHIH CHAIN” [Al Bidayah wan Nihayah (7/106)]
Note: This is an authentication of the whole chain so the claim of Salafis that chain is not Mutaassil (connected) or some narrator was unknown is proven Batil (false).
Let us prove Salafis wrong from yet another authentication given by Ibn Kathir (rah):
Ibn Kathir in his Jami al- Masanid (1/223) - Musnad al- Farooq - declared the: "Chain as Jayyid Qawi: ITS CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION IS GOOD AND STRONG"
Now please note here that he is calling chain as good and strong, hence there was no doubt in mind of Ibn Kathir that the hadith was absolutely Sahih nor was there any defect in the chain as Salafis wrongly claim today.
The Salafis use a trick that calling chain as correct is not proof of Matn (content) to be correct. Remember, O Salafis, this Usool is not “MUTLAQQAN (COMPLETELY)” correct, if you claim it be absolutely correct, then reject all hadiths which just have a grading of “Isnaduhu Sahih” upon them, indeed you would not do that, remember you have to show direct criticism from hadith specialists that the content of this hadith is not Sahih.
We ask the Salafis to prove which classical and unanimously accepted Muhadith has called the content of this hadith to be weak.
Authentication # 2
Hafidh Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (rah) said:
وروى ابن أبي شيبة بإسناد صحيح من رواية أبي صالح السمان عن مالك الداري - وكان خازن عم
Translation: Ibn Abi Shaybah (rah) narrated it with “SAHIH CHAIN” from Abi Salih as- Samaan from Malik al- Dar the treasurer of Umar [Fath ul Bari, Sharh Sahih ul Bukhari (2/495)]
Ibn Hajr (rah) has shown this hadith also in his Isaba fi Tamiyz as Sahaba a book which he wrote on “SAHABA” he mentioned it under same narrator Malik bin Iyaadh who is Malik al- Dar. Nowhere has he criticized this hadith, had this been an innovation or polytheism, then such big hadith scholars would not have abstained to mention it along.
Let’s come towards Albani’s claim about authentication of Ibn Hajr (rah), he said:
إنه ليس نصاً في تصحيح جميع السند بل إلى أبي صالح فقط
Translation: Since we say: It is not declared that all of the chain of narration is authentic (Saheeh), rather only that it is so up to Abu Saalih. [At- Tawassul, Page # 69]
Here Albani made a huge assumption that Ibn Hajr did not declare the whole chain as Sahih. Ibn Hajr (rah) himself knew about Malik al Dar to be known and being treasurer of Umar (ra) to the extent that he proved “IDRAAK” for Malik al Dar (RA), hence he authenticated the whole chain.
Now let us come to the biggest accusation on this report by Salafis
The Salafis claim: Amash is Mudallis (cheater). Ibn Hajr mentioned him in 2nd category [Tabqaat al Mudalliseen (2/55)] but he also mentioned him in 3rd category of Mudalliseen in Al Nukt ala Ibn al Salah (2/640).
Answer: This is the so- called biggest criticism from Salafis.
Salafis first accept that Ibn Hajr (rah) mentioned him in 2nd category of Mudaliseen. Now Ibn Hajr (rah) has divided Mudaliseen into 5 categories, the Mudaliseen of first 2 categories are accepted if they narrate from reliable narrators like for example Imam Malik (rah), Imam Hasan al Basri (rah), Imam Sufyan ath- Thawri (rah), Imam Sufyan bin Uyayna (rah), A’mash (rah) and others.
Ibn Hajr (rah) has mentioned A'mash at Number 55 in the 2nd category, so the blame of Salafis is absurd.
However, the problem starts only from third category, so why Ibn Hajr mentioned him in the 3rd category in Nukt? Assuming this is a contradiction (although it is not because in Nukt Ibn Hajr is just mentioning the third category of those who did more Tadlees whereas in Tabaqat he has allocated an overall classification of 2nd category to A’mash), still let’s analyze further.
Here is a revealing answer from al- Dhahabi in regards to A'mash and this answer from al- Dhahabi proves this specific chain to be absolutely authentic because A’mash is narrating from his “KNOWN TEACHER CALLED ABI SALIH AS- SAMAAN”
Hafidh al- Dhahabi said:
قال " عن " تطرق إلى احتمال التدليس إلا في شيوخ له أكثر عنهم : كإبراهيم ، وابن أبى وائل ، وأبى صالح السمان ، فإن روايته عن هذا الصنف محمولة على الاتصال
Translation: When A‘mash begins a tradition with the word ‘an (from), then there is a possibility (احتمال) of Tadlees (cheating). EXCEPT when he relates it from his elders from whom he narrates in great deal, like Ibrahim, Ibn Abu Wa’il, Abu Salih as- Samaan then it is attributed to possess sound linkage (محمولة على الاتصال) [Meezan ul A’itidal, Volume # 2, Narrator # 3517]
This report is from same Abu Salih as- Samaan who is confirmed teacher of A’mash and is also relied upon (whereas blame on A'mash could only be given credit if he narrates from his unknown teachers or weak narrators) hence to accuse him of cheating while narrating from his teachers like al- Dhahabi said, then it is a wrong blame.
Al Dhahabi mentions A’mash as:
سليمان بن مهران، الامام شيخ الاسلام، شيخ المقرئين والمحدثين،
Translation: Suliman bin Mehraan “The Imam, SHAYKH UL ISLAM” the teacher of Reciters and Hadith specialists. [Siyr A’lam an Nubala (6/419)]
We checked the books of hadith and there are roughly 2000+ hadiths via the route of A’mash -an- Abu Salih, this is why a great hadith specialist called Imam al- Busayri (rah) said while authenticating a hadith from “A'mash"
ـ حدّثنا أحمد بن عبد الرحمن بن بكار بن عبد الملك بن الوليد بن بسر بن أبي أرطأة . ثنا الوليد . حدثني شيبان ، عن الأعمش ، عن أبي صالح ، عن ابن عباس ، عن النبي قال: «إذا استنفرتم فانفروا». (289) هذا إسناد صحيح رجاله ثقات وشيبان هو ابن عبد الرحمن والوليد هو ابن مسلم صرح بالتحديث فزالت تهمة تدليسه.
Translation: This hadith is Sahih and the men are relied upon. Shibaan is Ibn Abdur Rahman and Walid is Ibn Muslim “HE HAS NARRATED WITH SAREEH TAHDEETH AND IT REMOVES THE BLAME OF TADLEES UPON HIM” [Imam al Busayri in Masabah al Zajajah # 986]
Note: al- Busayri (rah) only says this about Walid, but not about A’mash “AN” Abi Salih although A’mash is Mudalis too, this proves that hearing of A’mash from Abu Salih is definitely proven according to Muhaditheen.
The Salafis without knowing principles are trying to drag the great Abu Mua’wiya Muhammad bin Khazim (rah) into the category of unaccepted Mudaliseen too.
The Salafis without knowing principles are trying to drag the great Abu Mua’wiya Muhammad bin Khazim (rah) into the category of unaccepted Mudaliseen too.
Little do they know that “WORDING OF HADASNA IS NARRATED FROM ABU MU’AWIYA” here is the proof:
al Khaleeli (rah) narrates the hadith in this fashion:
حدثنا أبو خيثمة , حدثنا محمد بن خازم الضرير , حدثنا الأعمش , عن أبي صالح , عن مالك الدار ، قال : أصاب الناس قحط في زمان عمر بن الخطاب , فجاء رجل إلى قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال : يا نبي الله , استسق الله لأمتك فرأى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في المنام فقال : " ائت عمر , فأقرئه السلام , وقل له : إنكم مسقون , فعليك بالكيس الكيس " . قال : فبكى عمر , وقال : يا رب , ما آلو إلا ما عجزت عنه يقال : إن أبا صالح سمع مالك الدار هذا الحديث
Translation: Hadasna Abu Khaytama, Hadasna Muhammad bin Khazim al- Dhareer>> Hadasna al- A’mash…
In the end. Imam al-Khaleeli (rah) says: Aba Salih “HEARD FROM MALIK AL DAR (RAH) IN THIS HADITH” [Hafidh al- Khaleeli inal- Irshad fi Ma'rifa Ulama al- Hadith (1/313, 314)]
It proves:
1) Proof that Abu Muawiya (rah) narrated with direct Seegha of hearing i.e. Hadasna
2) Even Abu Salih as Samaan’s hearing is directly proven from Malik al Dar (ra)
Secondly Imam Ibn Hajr al- Asqalani (rah) mentioned Abu Mu’awiya (ra) in “2ND CATEGORY OF MUDALISEEN” [Refer to Tabaqat al Mudaliseen Narrator # 61] and such Mudaliseen are accepted if they narrate from Thiqa narrators.
Hadith # 5
حدَّثَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ مُوسَى ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَجِيدِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي رَوَّادَ ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ ، عَنْ زَاذَانَ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، قَالَ: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلائِكَةً سَيَّاحِينَ يُبَلِّغُونِي عَنْ أُمَّتِي السَّلامَ قَالَ: وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم:حَيَاتِي خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ تُحَدِّثُونَ وَنُحَدِّثُ لَكُمْ، وَوَفَاتِي خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ تُعْرَضُ عَلَيَّ أَعْمَالُكُمْ،
فَمَا رَأَيْتُ مِنَ خَيْرٍ حَمِدْتُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا رَأَيْتُ مِنَ شَرٍّ اسْتَغْفَرْتُ اللَّهَ لَكُمْ
وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ لاَ نَعْلَمُهُ يُرْوَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ.
Translation: Abdullah (Ibn Masud) narrates from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) who said:
Allah has (appointed) angels wandering on earth, they bring me the Salam of my Ummah”, and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said : “ My life is good (Khayr) for you, you narrate me and I narrate to you, and my death is good for you, your actions will be presented to me, what I will see from good deeds I will praise Allah, what I will see from bad deeds, I will ask forgiveness from Allah for you”
And al Bazzarr said: “We do not know anyone who narrated the last part from Abdallah (Ibn Mas’ood) expect from this way (this sanad)” [Musnad al Bazaar, Hadith # 1925, Published by Maktaba al Uloom wal Hikam]
This hadith is absolutely Sahih and it proves that the Prophet witnesses our deeds and still makes dua for us (hence Istighatha/Waseela with belief that Prophet will make dua for us is proven from this hadith). We will tackle the wrong accusations on the narrator “Abdul Majid bin Abdul Aziz” but let us first look at authentications on this hadith.
Authentication # 1
Imam Nur -ud- din al- Haythami (rah) said after narrating this:
رواه البزار ورجاله رجال الصحيح.
Translation: It is narrated by al- Bazaar and all the men are “MEN OF SAHIH” [Majma uz Zawaid (9/24)]
Authentication # 2
وقال الحافظ السيوطي في الخصائص الكبرى ( 2 / 281 ) سنده صحيح
Translation: Imam al- Hafidh as- Suyuti (rah) said in his Khasais ul Kubra: It’s Sanad is “SAHIH” [Khasais ul Kubra (2/281)]
Imam Suyuti (rah) also authenticated its chain in Manahil al- Safa (Page No. 31 #8)
Authentication # 3
The great Muhadith and big authority Imam al- Hafidh al- Iraqi (rah) said:
وروى أبو بكر البزار في مسنده بإسناد جيد
Translation: Abu Bakr al Bazzar (rah) narrated it in his Musnad with “STRONG CHAIN” [al- Iraqi in Tarh al- Tathrib (3/275), Published by Dar ul Kutb al iLmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon]
Authentication # 4
Imam Ibn al- Jawzi (rah) also narrated it in his magnificent Al- Wafa bi Ahwal lil Mustafa, Page No. 826, Hadith No. 1564, Published by Dar ul Kutab al iLmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon
Note: In the beginning of this book Imam Ibn Jawzi the strictest scholar on Jarh wa't Ta'dil said: I have not mixed Sahih hadiths with false in this book.
Salafis reject this hadith by saying:
1. Sufiyan ath- Thawri is Mudallis and this narration is from An
2. Abdul Majeed ibn Abi Ruwad is Mudallis and this narration is with An
3. Abdel Majeed is “WEAK” according to “MAJORITY”
Our reply: All these accusations have no effect on the authenticity of this hadith as it has been authenticated by many Muhaditheen as we showed above. We have already written in detail over Tadlees of Sufyan ath- Thawri (rah) in the fiqh section of this book, in the chapter of Raf ul Yaddain.
We ask the Salafis to quote classical scholars who called this hadith as weak, remember al- Iraqi (rah) in his later work Tarh at Tathreeb has authenticated this hadith and even in Takhreej of Ihya Uloom ud din of al- Ghazzali he has not gone towards declaring it weak whereas Salafis misquote him, here is his complete quote with translation.
أخرجه البزار من حديث عبد الله بن مسعود ورجاله رجال الصحيح، إلا أن عبد المجيد بن عبد العزيز بن أبي داود وإن أخرج له مسلم ووثقه ابن معين والنسائي فقد ضعفه كثيرون، ورواه الحارث ابن أبي أسامة في مسنده من حديث أنس بنحوه بإسناد ضعيف.
Translation: It is narrated by al- Bazzar (rah) from a hadith of Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (RA) “THE MEN OF IT ARE MEN OF SAHIH” except Abdul Majeed bin Abdul Azeez bin Abi Dawud. “IMAM MUSLIM NARRATED FROM HIM” whereas Ibn Ma’een and Imam al Nasa’i declared him “RELIABLE” on the other hand many called him weak. It is also narrated by Harith bin Abi Usama in his Musnad as hadith from Anas (RA) and this is “WEAK” [Note: The one from Anas RA is called Da’eef directly by Hafidh Iraqi not the one from Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud RA] (4/128)
If we read carefully, then al- Iraqi is declaring another hadith from Anas (RA) to be weak but not the one from Ibn Mas’ud (RA)
We have already shown the great authentication on this hadith from many other hadith specialists. Assuming 1 hadith scholar did not know about Tadlees of Sufyan (which is not possible because they did know about it, but they knew his tadlees from relied upon narrators had no harm on the narration) than other specialists backing up the authentication leave behind no doubt that hadith has no defect whether in the chain or content.
Before going further, we would like to show a valid “WITNESS” over this hadith which shall leave behind no doubt that it is authentic.
حدثنا سليمان بن حرب قال: ثنا حماد بن زيد قال: ثنا غالب القطان ، عن بكر بن عبد الله المزني ، قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «حياتي ير لكم تحدثون ويحدث لكم، فإذا أنا مت كانت وفاتي خيرا لكم، تعرض علي أعمالكم فإن رأيت خيرا حمدت الله، وإن رأيت غير ذلك استغفرت الله لكم»
Translation: Bakr bin Abdullah al- Mazni (rah) narrates that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: My life is good (Khayr) for you, you narrate me and I narrate to you, and my death is good for you, your actions will be presented to me, what I will see from good deeds I will praise Allah, what I will see from other than that (i.e. Bad deeds), I will ask forgiveness of Allah for you” [Imam Ismail bin Ishaq, book Fadhl as- Salaat Alan Nabi, Hadith # 25 in the Albani version]
Albani himself said about this Mursal hadith:
إسناده مرسل صحيح
Translation: Its Chain is “MURSAL SAHIH” [ibid]
Hence, the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud (RA) becomes absolutely authentic and different turaq (routes) testify to this fact. Zubayr Ali Zai a leading authority according to Salafis has himself accepted the principle that if some weak hadith is supported even by Mursal one then it becomes good and authentic. Here is the proof.
Zubayr Ali Zai says in his book Noor al Aynain Page # 139
Benefit # 3: If the narration of Mudallis is proven from a “MUTBAR MUTABIYAT (CREDIBALE CORROBORATION)” then his narration becomes “STRONG” [Noor al Aynain, Page # 139]
Now we have shown credible Mutabiyat to the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud (ra) and it is “MURSAL SAHIH AS EVEN ACCEPTED BY ALBANI”
Now the point arises whether Mursal from a Thiqa Tabi’i is accepted or not? The vast majority of Hadith specialists and Fuqaha accept Maraseel of Thiqa Tabiyeen because they cannot be blamed of lying. Here we would like to present a complete chapter on acceptance of “MURSAL HADITH” .
Mursal is hujah (Proof)
Regarding authenticity of Maraseel “FROM TABIYEEN” here are overwhelming proofs.
محل قبوله عند الحنفية ما إذا كان مرسله من أهل القرون الثلاثة الفاضلة ، فإن كان غيرها فلا ، لحديث : « ثم يفشوا الكذب » صححه النسائي . وقال ابن جرير : أجمع التابعون بأسرهم على قبول المرسل ولم يأت عنهم إنكاره ، ولا عن أحد من الأئمة بعدهم إلى رأس المائتين ، قال ابن عبد البر : كأنه يعني أن الشافعي أول من رده ، وبالغ بعضهم فقواه على المسند ، وقال من أسند فقد أحالك ومن أرسلِ فقد تكفل لك
Imam Jalal ud- din Suyuti (rah) said: Some scholars have said that any Mursal hadith which comes from “QAROON ATH THALATHA (first 3 generations)” then it is accepted according to (hadith scholars and jurists) of Hanafi school otherwise not because it has come in the hadith that (after 3 generations) lying would become common. …Imam Ibn Jarir (rah) said: “ALL SUCCESSORS HAVE CONSENSUS THAT MURSAL HADITH IS ACCEPTED AND NONE OF THEM HAVE REJECTED THIS SAYING,” even after 200 years the (majority) of Imams did not reject this. Ibn Abdul Barr said that Imam ash- Shafi’i was the first to reject Mursal hadith whereas many Imams have considered “MURSAL EVEN BETTER THAN MUSNAD (COMPLETELY LINKED NARRATION)” they said this because when a (Thiqa) narrator narrates a complete chain, then he leaves the research upon us, but if he leaves someone from in- between then “HE HIMSELF BECOMES GUARANTEE OF CHAIN” [As- Suyuti in Tadrib al Ravi, Volume No.1, Page No. 198]
So when consensus had happened during the first three generations which is the praised time according to the Prophet (Peace be upon him), then later sayings whether of Ibn Salah or Imam Muslim cease to be strong. Here we would like to use a Sahih hadith of Bukhari regarding first three pious generations.
قال: سمعتُ عِمرانَ بنَ حُصَين رضي الله عنهما قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلّم: «خيرُكم قَرْني، ثمَّ الذين يَلونَهم ، ثمَّ الذين يَلونَهم ـ قال عمرانُ: لا أدري أذَكَرَ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلّم بعد قرنِه قَرنَين أو ثلاثة ـ قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلّم : إنَّ بعدَكم قَوماً يَخونون ولا يُؤتَمنون، ويَشْهدون ولا يُسْتَشهَدون، وينذِرون ولا يَفون، ويَظْهَرُ فيهمُ السِّمَن».
Volume 3, Book 48, Number 819 : (Sahih Bukhari)
Narrated by Zahdam bin Mudrab I heard Imran bin Husain saying, "The Prophet said, 'The best people are those living in my generation, then those coming after them, and then those coming after (the second generation)….
Mullah Ali Qari (rah) said: These are the three generations on whose greatness has Prophet (Peace be upon him) told us to stick [Sharh Najbatul Fikr, Page No. 112]
Hence, Imam Abu Hanifa (rah) and Imam Malik (rah) accepting Mursal narrations is conclusive proof that Mursal is to be accepted. Even Imam ash- Shafi’s saying will become odd as compared to these 2 giant jurists. Remember Imam ash-Shafi (rah) himself said that we are like children of Abu Hanifa in Fiqh (Fiqh includes all sciences including Qur’an and Hadith methodology).
Imam Ibn us Salah (rah) himself accepted Mursal to be acceptable according to two great schools of jurisprudence i.e. Hanafi and Maliki.
والاحتجاج به من مذهب مالك وأبي حنيفة وأصحابهما
Translation: They (Maraseel) are taken as proof in the Madhab of Malik and Imam Abu Hanifa and his companions [Muqadma Ibn us- Salah, Chapter on Mursal narrations]
Allama Sindhi (rah) said: It is proven from the saying of Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani that Imam Malik, jurists of Hanafi School and one saying of Imam Ahmed (rah) say the “MURSAL HADITH IS ACCEPTED” [Aalam ul Quran, Al- Hawi al- Ashr, Page No. 102]
We have only gone in detail about Mursal to strengthen the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud (ra) which is itself Marfu (elevated) and Mutassil (linked), so there should be no doubt left about its authenticity now.
Hadith # 6
Here is the complete hadith with chapter title set by Imam al- Daarimi (rah)
باب ما أكرم الله تعالى نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم بعد موته
حدّثنا أبو النُعمانِ حدثنا سعيدُ بنُ زيدٍ ، حدثنا عَمْرُو بنُ مالكٍ النكريُّ ، حدثنا أبو الجوزاء أوسُ بنُ عبدِ اللَّهِ قال: قحطَ أهل المدينة قَحْطاً شديداً، فشَكَوْا إلى عائشةَ فقالَتْ : انظُروا قبرَ النبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلّم فاجعلُوا منه كواً إلى السماءِ، حتى لا يكون بَيْنَهُ وبينَ السماءِ سقْفٌ، قال: فَفَعَلُوا فمطِرْنا مطراً حتى نَبَتَ العشبُ، وسَمِنَتِ الإبِلُ حتى تَفَتَّقَتْ من الشحمِ، فسُمِّيَ عامَ الفتقِ
Chapter: "Allah's generosity to His Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) after his death"
Hadith # 93: The people of Medina were in the grip of a severe famine. They complained to Aisha (about their terrible condition). She told them to go towards the Prophet’s grave and open a window in the direction of the sky so that there is no curtain between the sky and the grave. The narrator says they did so. Then it started raining heavily even the lush green grass sprang up (everywhere) and the camels had grown so fat (it seemed) they would burst out due to the over piling of blubber. So the year was named as the year of greenery and plenty
[Sunnan Darimi (1/90 #93); Ibn -ul- Jawzi in al- Wafa’ bi- ahwal -il- mustafa (Pg. 817, 818); Subki in Shifa -us- siqam fī ziyarat khayr -il- anam (p.128); Qastallani in al- Mawahib -ul- laduniyyah and Zurqani in his Commentary (11:150)]
May Allah Bless Imam al- Daarimi (rah) for setting such a beautiful chapter title. Salih Munajjid of Salafi website islamqa while wrongly calling this hadith weak, tacitly accepted that Tawassul is through the personality of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). He said:
"THIS IS THE BLESSING OF HIS PURE BODY AND HIS HONOUR BEFORE ALLAH" [islamqa.info/en/103585]
The Salafi scholar tacitly accepts Tawassul through the personality of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in this statement.
Coming back to the hadith. If honest people read this reply with patience and dedication then they will understand for sure that this Athar is absolutely Sahih without any Ghubaar (doubt) over it.
Let us see, "DETAILED TADEEL" on the great narrator of this hadith i.e. Sa'eed bin Zayd (Rahimuhullah)
al- Albani tried to declare Sa’id bin Zaid as weak but he forgot that Sa’id is praised by both Imam al- Bukhari (rah) and Imam Muslim (rah) and the latter even narrated from him, Imam al- Bukhari (rah) said:
قال مسلم حدثنا سعيد بن زيد أبو الحسن صدوق حافظ
Translation: Muslim bin Ibrahīm reported to us that Sa‘īd bin Zayd Abul Hasan is a “Truthful memorizer” [Bukhari in Tarikh ul Kabeer (Volume No. 3, Page No. 472 Dar ul Kutb al iLmiyyah)]
Other Hadith Specialists said the following about this narrator:
قال عبد الله بنُ أحمد بن حَنْبَل ، عن أبيهِ: ليس به بأس
وقال عَبّاس الدّوري ، عن يحيـى بن معين: ثقة
وقال ابن سعد: رُوي عنه، وكان ثقة،
وقال العجلي : بصري ثقة
وقال أبو زرعة: سمعت سليمان بن حرب، يقول: ثنا سعيد بن زيد وكان ثقة. وقال أبو جعفر الدارمي: ثنا حبان بن هلال، ثنا سعيد بن زيد وكان حافظاً صدوقاً
Translation: Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Hanbal narrated from his father (Imam Ahmed) who said: “THERE IS NO HARM IN HIM”
- Abbas al- Duri narrates from Yahya bin Ma'een who said: He is "THIQA"
- Ibn Sa`d said: "THIQA"
- al-` Ajli said: "He is from Basra, and he is "THIQA"
- Abu Zur`a said: "I heard Sulayman ibn Harb say: Sa`id ibn Zayd narrated to us, and he is "THIQA"
- Abu Ja`far al- Darimi said: "Hibban ibn Hilal narrated to us: Sa`id ibn Zayd narrated to us, and he was a memorizer of hadith and he was reliable." [Ibn Hajr in Tahdhib ut- Tahdhib (2/366)]
Hafidh Ibn Hajr al- Asqalani (rah) himself said of him:
الحافظ أخو حَمَّادٍ
Translation: He is a "Memorizer" and brother of Hammad [Lisaan ul Mizaan (7/235)]
We know that there have been "SMALLER HADITH SPECIALISTS THAN ABOVE" who criticized Sa'eed, however due to authentication by Imam al- Bukhari (rah) and Imam Muslim (rah) and many others, the blame on this narrator is lifted. He is reliable, even if he quotes in "MUNFARAD (LONE)" form.
There are many more hadiths which prove intercession but have not been shown due to brevity issue. They have been authenticated by scholars of Ahlus Sunnah, like for example:
1. The hadith of Adam (alayh salam)’s Tawassul through Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), which has come from two different chains, one from Umar (ra) and other from Maysra al- Fajr (ra). These hadiths have been deemed authentic by Imam al- Qastalani (rah) [Refer to: Sharh ala Muwahib (12/220-222)] Muhammad bin Yusuf al- Salihi (rah) [He declared the chain of hadith from Maysra as strong and having nothing wrong in it. Subul al- Huda war Rashhad, Volume No.1, Page No. 86]. Qadhi Iyadh (rah) [He mentioned it under Chapter about “SAHIH AND FAMOUS” narrations and Ibn Jawzi (rah) deemed the hadith of Maysra (ra) as authentic [al- Wafa bi Ahwal al Mustafa in first chapter. In the introduction of the book he says: "(In this book) I do not mix the sound hadith with the false. Later on in same book Ibn Jawzi says in the chapter concerning the Prophet's superiority over the other Prophets: "Part of explaining the superiority of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to other Prophets is that "ADAM ASKED HIS LORD FOR FORGIVENESS THROUGH THE HURMAT OF MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM) AS I HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED” al- Wafa Page # 365]. Even Ibn Taymiyyah said: "These two are like the elucidation (tafsir) of the authentic hadiths (concerning the same topic)" (Fatawa 2:150).
Please note: Salafis say that Adam and Eve’s dua is mentioned in Qur’an i.e. They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers." [7:23], and that is the only dua they made. However the incident of Adam’s (singular) Tawassul is mentioned seperatly in Qur’an 2:37 regarding which Qadhi Iyaadh (rah) said: "It is said that this hadith explains the verse: 'And Adam received words from his Lord and He relented towards him' (2:37).
2. The Hadith of Fatima bint Asad (RA) in which Prophet said: (O Allah,) forgive my mother—Fatimah bint Asad— and help her answer properly at the time of questioning and through the mediation of Your Prophet (Muhammad) and the former prophets, make her grave capacious. [Tabarani Mu'jam Al- Awsat Volume 001, Page Number 67, 68, Hadith Number 189] and many others. Salafis do Jarh on one narrator of this hadith i.e. Rawh bin Salah. He is called Thiqa by Ibn Hibban and “THIQA MA’MOON” by al- Hakim. This supersedes the Jarh Mubham (vague criticism) on the narrator.
However we often come across Salafis citing this following hadith and saying that intercession was allowed during the Prophet’s time but afterwards Sahaba abandoned it.
حدثنا الحسن بن محمد قال: حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله الأنصاري قال: حدثني أبي، عبد الله بن المثنى، عن ثمامة بن عبد الله بن أنس، عن أنس:
أن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه: كان إذا قحطوا استسقى بالعباس بن عبد المطلب. فقال: اللهم إنا كنا نتوسل إليك بنبينا فتسقينا، وإنا نتوسل إليك بعم نبينا فاسقنا، قال فيسقون.
Translation: It is related from Anas, "If there was a drought, 'Umar ibn al- Khattab would ask al- 'Abbas ibn 'Abdu'l - Muttalib to do the rain prayer. He would say, 'O Allah, we would seek intercession with You by Your Prophet and we would ask you for rain, now we seek intercession with You by the uncle of our Prophet, so give us rain!'" He added, "And they were given rain."[Sahih Bukhari Book: Al istasqa (Rain prayer) Hadith number :1010]
We have not used translation of Salafi Muhsin Khan because he has severely mistranslated this hadith and removed the wording “intercession” although it is clearly mentioned in hadith.
The Salafis state that this hadith proves that Sahaba had left intercession through the Prophet after his death and turned towards alive people only.
According to Ahlus Sunnah, this hadith proves taking intercession not only of Prophet but of other pious people too. It does not have negation of taking intercession of the Prophet. In this regard, we would like to present a hadith from Sahih Muslim as proof.
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَلَمَةَ - عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ خَيْرَ التَّابِعِينَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ أُوَيْسٌ وَلَهُ وَالِدَةٌ وَكَانَ بِهِ بَيَاضٌ فَمُرُوهُ فَلْيَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ "
Book 031, Number 6171: (Sahih Muslim)
'Umar b. Khattab reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saying: Worthy amongst the successors would be a person who would be called Uwais. He would have his mother (living with him) and he would have (a small) sign of leprosy. Ask him to beg pardon for you (from Allah).
With regards to this Hadith, the critics should use same logic and say that even the Prophet (Peace be upon him) taught Sahaba to leave his intercession and intercession of Sahaba who were higher in rank than Uwais al- Qarni (rah), who was not a Sahabi but a successor.
Why was Uwais (rah) asked to pray when great Sahaba like Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (Ridhwan Allaho Ajmain) were present? Would have Allah heard anyone more than these noble personalities? The point to understand from the hadith of al- Abbas (RA) and also this hadith is that intercession through people lesser in rank is also allowed in the Sacred Law i.e. intercession is accepted both through the Prophets and other Saliheen (righteous).
In the end, we would like to quote a scholar who is an authority in the Salafi school of thought i.e. Qadhi Shawkani. We will explain how he understood the hadith of al- Abbas (ra) and other hadiths on Waseela.
قوله ويتوسل إلى الله سبحانه بأنبيائه والصالحين أقول ومن التوسل بالأنبياء ما أخرجه الترمذي وقال حسن صحيح غريب والنسائي وابن ماجة وابن خزيمة في صحيحه والحاكم وقال صحيح على شرط البخاري ومسلم من حديث عثمان بن حنيف رضي الله عنه أن أعمى أتى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال يا رسول الله ادع الله أن يكشف لي عن بصري قال أو أدعك فقال يا رسول الله أني قد شق علي ذهاب بصري قال فانطلق فتوضأ فصل ركعتين ثم قل اللهم أني أسألك وأتوجه إليك بمحمد نبي الرحمة الحديث وسيأتي هذا الحديث في هذا الكتاب عند ذكر صلاة الحاجة وأما التوسل بالصالحين فمنه ما ثبت في الصحيح أن الصحابة استسقوا بالعباس رضي الله عنه عم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال عمر رضي الله عنه اللهم إنا نتوسل إليك بعم نبينا
Translation: Qadhi Shawkani explains the saying of Imam Ibn al-J arzi i.e. One should ask Allah through the intermediary of Prophets and Pious servants of Allah: I (Qadhi Shawkani) say that to seek Intercession with Allah through Prophets and Righteous (is proven) as is narrated by Tirmidhi who called it Hassan Sahih Gharib, also narrated by Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzayma in his “Sahih” Hakim who said: It is Sahih on the criteria of Bukhari and Muslim, the Hadith of Uthman bin HUNAIF (ra) that a blind man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) and said: “I've been afflicted in my eyesight, so pray to Allah for me". The Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Go perform ablution (Wudu), perform two rak'at Salat and then say: “O Allah!I ask you and turn to you through my Prophet Muhammad. This hadith is mentioned in the book (with chapter) of Salaat al Hajah. And regarding Tawassul through righteous people, It is proven from Sahih (Bukhari) that Sahaba used to seek rain through Abbas (ra) the uncle of Prophet (Peace be upon him). Umar (ra) said: O Allah we turn to you through the means of Prophet's uncle [Tuhfa tul Dhakireen, Page No. 48]
He also said:
وفي الحديث دليل على جواز التوسل برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الله عز وجل مع اعتقاد أن الفاعل هو الله سبحانه وتعالى وأنه المعطي المانع ما شاء كان وما يشأ لم يكن
Translation: And in this hadith is the Proof on permissibility of seeking intercession to Allah through Prophet (Peace be upon him) but with the belief that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’la is the one who grants or takes , whatever he wills happens and whatever he does not will cannot happen. [Tuhfa tul Dhakireen, Page No. 138]
Nawab Saddiq Hasan Khan Bhopali, another big authority of Salafis said In explaining Imam Ibn al Jazri – rah’s qawl that One should seek intercession of Prophets to Allah:
The Tawassul towards Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala through Prophets, the “PROOF” on this is as narrated in Tirmidhi the hadith of Uthman bin Hunayf that a blind man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said (Then Bhopali quotes the hadith which has already been shown above in this chapter)
(Bhopali said): And in regards to Tawassul through Saliheen (righteous) then proof on this is as proven from Sahih that Sahaba did Istisqa through al- Abbas (RA) the uncle of Prophet (Peace be upon him). Umar (RA) said: O Allah we (now) seek intercession with you by the uncle of our Prophet.
(Bhopali then refutes Salafis of his time and said): This matter of Tawassul through Prophets and Saliheen was disputed by people of knowledge in such a strict (shadid) manner that it reached to an extent where “SOME STARTED TO DO TAKFIR ON SOME OTHER OR CALLED EACH OTHER AS BIDA’EE OR MISGUIDED” although this matter was not that complicated nor was there any such need of such (disputation). The author of Book called “Ad- deen al Khalis” and Allama Shawkani in his “Dur an- Nadheed fi Ikhlaas at- Tawhid” have completed the research in this regard, the “SUMMARY” of which is that Tawassul is allowed through them (Prophets and Saliheen) and according to some narrations Qasr (restriction to Prophet) should be done and nobody else should be done Qiyaas on this, nor anything be added. We have “NO DOUBT” that anyone who does not consider Tawaassul to be “KHAAS WITH ALLAH” has “NO BLAME ON HIM” and whosoever considers opposite to this is also not to be blamed because he did something permitted. Similarly Tawassul could be taken through good deeds as we pointed towards it before. In summary this matter is “NOT SUCH THAT IT IS MATTER OF TAZALZUL (TO BASH EACH OTHER)” but there is (no cure) for ignorance, Ta’sub (hatred) and Taqleed (of wrong viewpoints) and they are too many to mention. [Nuzul Abrar, Page # 37, 38 in Dar ul Ma’rifah edition and Page # 75, 76 in Dar Ibn Hazm edition]
This is how even big Salafi authorities understood the hadith of Umar (RA) and al- Abbas (RA), not that they believed it abrogated intercession of Prophet (Peace be upon him). We can cite many other scholars who accepted the concept of intercession.
Reconciliation: Sunnis and Shia accept intercession as it is proven from Qur’an and the Sunnah. Even big authorities of Salafis like Qadhi Shawkani, Al- Mubarakfuri, Nawab Sadiq Hasan khan Bhopali and others have accepted Tawassul.
The Sahaba even took the blessed cloak of Prophet (Peace be upon him) as a source of cure let alone his blessed personality which they indeed took as a means to Allah as has been proven from verses and hadiths. The Jah (honour) of Prophets and righteous remains constant in sight of Allah and it does not change due to life or death.
Qur'an states:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْا مُوسَىٰ فَبَرَّأَهُ اللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا ۚ وَكَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا
Translation: O ye who believe! Be not as those who slandered Moses, but Allah proved his innocence of that which they alleged, and he was well esteemed in Allah's sight (عِندَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا). (Pickthall: 33:69)
If Salafis say that Waseela through the Jah of Prophets cannot be taken now then they are rejecting this verse and claiming Moses and Prophets were only “esteemed in sight of Allah while they were alive.” According to us Ahlus Sunnah the Jah (honour/esteem) of Prophets and righteous remains constant forever in sight of Allah.
Qur'an states:
إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ
(Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah." (Muhsin/Hilali: 3:45)
So Salafis use Jewish approach who also deny Tawassul and disrespect Isa (alayh salam) whereas Honour/esteem of all Prophets and righteous remains same in sight of Allah forever. Had intercession/Waseela been Bidah or Shirk then it would have been Bidah or Shirk in all forms whether during life, or on day of judgement. The Salafis have absurd understanding of Tawhid and Shirk which leads them to have wrong beliefs due to which they pass fatwas on other Muslims.
All four schools of jurisprudence i.e. Hanafi, Shafi’i, Hanbli, and Maliki accepted Waseela.
Imam Ibn Abideen ash Shami al- Hanafi (rah) writes in his magnificent Hashiya Rad ul Muhtar ala Dur al Mukhtar
قال السبكي يحسن التوسل بالنبي إلى ربه ولم ينكره أحد من السلف ولا الخلف إلا ابن تيمية فابتدع ما لم يقله عالم قبله
Translation: Imam as- Subki (Rahimuhullah) said: It is recommended to seek intercession through the Prophet (Peace be upon him), no one from the Salaf or Khalaf have rejected this except for Ibn Taymiyyah, he did such a Bidah which none before him did [Hashiya Rad ul Muhtar, Volume No. 5, Page No. 254, Published by Dar ul Ihya, Beirut, Lebanon, and Volume No. 6, Page No. 397, by Dar al Fikr Beirut]
Imam an- Nawawi (Rahimahullah) the leading Shafi'i jurist agreed upon by all Ahlus Sunnah due to his amazing works like Riyaadh us Saliheen, Sharh Sahih Muslim, Arba'in an Nawawi, Sharh Mudhahib and many others.
He states:
ثم يرجع إلى موقفه الاول قبالة وجه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ويتوسل به في حق نفسه ويستشفع به إلى ربه سبحانه وتعالى
Translation: The (pilgrim) should first turn towards the face (موقفه الاول قبالة وجه) of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) and seek intercession "THROUGH HIM (ويتوسل به)" in respect to his self (في حق نفسه), and make him an intercessor towards Lord the Sublime and Exalted (ويستشفع به إلى ربه سبحانه وتعالى). [Shaykh ul Islam, Yahya bin Sharaf an- Nawawi in Al- Majmu' Volume # 8, Page # 274]
Written by: Aamir Ibrahim al-Hanafi