In a report in bukhari, three men made dua to Allah, using wasilah/tawassul (intercession) of their good deeds, when they were trapped in a cave. https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2215 My question is can an individual use three unique wasilah for the same dua. Like 1. He didn't commit suicide for the sake of Allah. 2. He didn't abort third offspring when female contraceptive, copper-T failed (kids were 4 & 2 years old). 3. He didn't have a house and yet prefered major pilgrimage when Allah blessed him with wealth. Can this individual use all the three deeds for the same dua to increase the likelihood of getting accepted? The report of bukhari only mentions wasilah of one good deed.

Allah, the exalted, says in the Noble Quran as such: > وَالَّذِي هُوَ يُطْعِمُنِي وَيَسْقِينِ ﴿٧٩﴾ وَإِذَا مَرِ‌ضْتُ فَهُوَ > يَشْفِينِ ﴿٨٠ > > > "And it is He who feeds me and gives me drink; and when I am ill, it is > He who cures me" > > (**Surat Ash-Shu`arā,verse79-80 **) So, according to this verse we should ask our wills from Allah and we can simply ask them directly from Allah, what is the need of tawassol to holy men? Why some Muslims (Shia) call the name of some holy men with the intention that he will recourse in front of Allah for them? Is tawassol allowed in Islam?

An Islamophobic website cites the following narration to prove that the Sahaba prayed to the Prophet instead of Allah. They attack Islam in such a way. The following are some of the narrations they have quoted:- It is just as necessary to have esteem and respect for the Prophet after his death as it were when he was alive. This means to show it whenever the Prophet, his hadith or sunna are mentioned, when anyone hears his name or anything about his life or how his family and relatives behaved. It includes respect for the People of his House (ah al-bayt) and his Companions… Abu Humayd said, "Abu Ja'far, the Amir al-Mu'minin, had a dispute with Malik in the Prophet's mosque. Malik said to him, 'Amir al-Mu'minin, do not raise your voice in this mosque. Allah taught the people how to behave by saying, ‘Do not raise your voices above the Prophet’ (49:2) He praises people with the words, "Those who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah." (49:3) He censures people, saying, "Those who call you..." Respect for him when he is dead is the same as respect for him when he was alive." "Abu Ja'far was humbled by this. He asked Malik, 'Abu Abdullah, **do you face qibla when you supplicate or do you face the Messenger of Allah?**' He replied, '**Why would you turn your face from him when he is YOUR MEANS and the means of your father, Adam, to Allah on the Day of Rising?** **I face him and ASK HIM to intercede and Allah will grant his intercession. Allah says, "If, when you wronged yourselves, they had come to you.**"'" (4:64) (Pp. 237-238) al-Darimi in the Chapter 15 of the Muqaddima (Introduction) to his Sunan (1:43) entitled: "Allah's generosity to His Prophet after his death," relates from Aws ibn Abd Allah with a good chain: "The people of Madina complained to A'isha of the severe drought that they were suffering. She said: "Go to the Prophet's grave and open a window towards the sky so that there will be no roof between him and the sky." They did so, after which they were watered with such rain that vegetation grew and the camels got fat. That year was named the Year of Plenty." (Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine, III. QUESTIONS ON TAWASSUL) They are also claiming that Hadith narrator "Sa`id ibn Zayd Abu al-Hasan" is a thiqa narrator and Albani's declaration of him being weak has been rejected by the scholars! They cite the following website to prove their point that why Albani was wrong when he classified it as weak:- **http://www.sunnah.org/publication/encyclopedia/html/tawassul.htm** They also claim that Allah created Adam (Alayhisalam) because of Prophet (Sallallahualayhiwassalam)! Al-Bayhaqi cited the following hadith in his book "Dala'il an-Nubuwwah" (Signs of Prophethood): Narrated 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab: the Prophet said: "When Adam committed the sin, he said to Allah, **'O My Lord, I ask You with reference to Muhammad to forgive me'**. Allah said: 'O Adam! How did you know about Muhammad, for I have not yet created him?' Adam replied, 'O My Lord, when You created me, I looked up and saw inscribed on the legs of the Throne the words: There is no God worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger. I knew that you do not attach to Your name but the name of the dearest of Your Creation.' Allah said to Adam, 'You have spoken rightly, Adam. **Muhammad is the dearest of My Creation. I have forgiven you because you asked by Muhammad. AND HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HIM, I WOULD NOT HAVE CREATED YOU.**'" This hadith was narrated by al-Hakim who also classified it as sahih (authentic). Among the transmitters of this hadith is 'Abd ar-Rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn Aslam. Al-Haythami said: "This hadith was reported by at-Dabarani and in its chain of transmitters are people I do not know. Al-Hakim was therefore mistaken in classifying this hadith as sahih because he himself criticised 'Abd ar-rahman Ibn Zayd Ibn Aslam in his book ad-Du'afa, so how can he state the authenticity of the hadith after he had criticised him?!!" (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Part 1, Surah Al-Fatiah Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 1 to 141, Abridged by Sheikh Nasib Ar-Rafa'i [Al-Firdous Ltd., London: Second Edition 1998], p. 107, fn 10; underline and capital emphasis ours) They also said that a man came to the grave of Prophet (Sallallahu'alayhiwassalam) and prayed for rain! It is also narrated that Ibn ‘Umar would place his hand on the seat of the Prophet’s minbar then wipe his face with it2 and that Abu Ayyub was seen resting his face on the Prophet’s grave.3 This practice of the Companions clarifies two matters. The first is the permissibility of asking Allah for things by the Prophet (tawassul) after his death since by their act the Companions were truly making tawassul. Likewise it is permissible to ask Allah for things by means of other pious Muslims. The second is the permissibility of tabarruk or seeking blessing (baraka) from objects connected to the Prophet. It is similarly related that in the year of the drought called al-Ramada (17-18) during the successorship of ‘Umar the Companion Bilal ibn al-Harith, while slaughtering a sheep for his kin, noticed that the sheep’s bones had turned red because the drying flesh was clinging to them. He cried out “Ya Muhammadah!" Then he saw the Prophet in a dream ordering him to go to ‘Umar with the tidings of coming rain on condition that ‘Umar show wisdom. Hearing this, ‘Umar assembled the people and came out to pray for rain with al-‘Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet.4 The same is related from the Companion or Successor Malik ibn ‘Iyad, also known as Malik al-Dar:5 **A man came to the grave of the Prophet and said: “Messenger of Allah, ask for rain for your Community (istasqi li’ummatik), for verily they have but perished!"** after which the Prophet appeared to him in a dream telling him: "Go to ‘Umar and give him my greeting, then tell him that they will be watered. Tell him: Be clever!" The man went and told ‘Umar. The latter wept and said: "My Lord! I spare no effort except in what escapes my power!"6 Ibn Hajar identifies Malik al-Dar as ‘Umar’s treasurer and the man who visited and saw the Prophet in his dream as the Companion Bilal ibn al-Harith, counting this hadith among the reasons for al-Bukhari’s naming of the chapter “The people’s request to their leader for rain if they suffer drought." What is the reality of these reports?

> عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ : أنّه کَانَ إِذَا قَحَطُوا اسْتَسْقَى > بِالْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِالْمُطَّلِبِ ، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا > کُنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَیْکَ بِنَبِیِّنَا فَتَسْقِينَا، وَإِنَّا > نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَیْکَ بِعَمِّ نَبِیِّنا فَاسْقِنَا، قَالَ: > فَیُسْقَوْنَ. صحیح البخاری - البخاری - ج 4 - ص 209 > > > ( **محمد ابن اسماعیل البخاری ، صحیح البخاری باب المناقب عباس ابن عبد** > **المطلب حدیث 3710 ، النشر الثالث ،بیروت ؛ دارالکتب العلمیه**) >In accordance with a narration in Sahih Al-Bukhari, when there was famine in Medina, Omer ibn Khatab recoursed to the honor of Abbas ibn Abdol Motaleb (the Prophet's uncle) and said: o God, we have recoursed to the honor of your Prophet and you gave us rain, now we recourse to the honor of his uncle and ask you rain. >**(Sahih Al Bukhari - Al-Bukhari - V4 - pg 209)** I was heard from a person that Sunnis don't agree with Tawassol (recourse) and even many of them assume that it is like Shirk. But when I saw the hadith (narration) above, I did not believe the speech of that person. Since if there is such narration(s) (that I mentioned from Sahih Al-Bukhari), hence it shows and even perhaps demosntrates that Omar agreed with Recourse and this is not Shirk. How do Sunnis interpret this hadith?

I am looking into the rulings established of what is permissible to do and not to do when visiting a grave in general, and visiting graves of prophets and pious people. This question was spurred from discussions in this question . I tried to search my best, but I really found it rather difficult. Many sources I found of different schools of Fiqh tells that it is okay to visit a grave, but there are certain innovations that should not be done, but they don't go on telling what are they. I am looking for the views of four schools of Fiqh, as to draw a general guideline.

I am suspicious about **Imam's beliefs** regarding (Walee Ullah). His saying about pious people (Walee Ullah) is that they are closer to GOD. So ask them to pray for you instead pray directly. He put example that "my son is in bank and bank official will give more importance to my work if my son ask them to do that work, otherwise they will not listen to me". On Juma prayer he use to discuss minor contradictions in beliefs of "Deoband Followers" and "Bralli Followers" and make fun of "Deoband Followers", I want to know I am doubtful about his basic beliefs regarding GOD's "oneness" and about "Holly Prophet's Death" should I offer my prayer in his imam-at? Will Such prayer be accepted in front of GOD. With answer please mention **reference**.

There is a Hadith in Sunni sources which reads: > Narrated Anas: > > Whenever there was drought, Umar bin Al-Khattab used to ask Allah for > rain through Al-Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, saying, "O Allah! We used > to request our Prophet to ask You for rain, and You would give us. Now > we request the uncle of our Prophet to ask You for rain, so give us > rain." And they would be given rain.ref According to that, 1 . Can we ask our demands from Allah this way? Is this a right way? 2 . Does this amount to *Tavassol* or not? ---------- ref. Sahih al-Bukhari 3710; In-book reference: Book 62, Hadith 61; USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 57, Hadith 59.