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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Shiite Apologetics Question Twenty-five Does Resorting to Saints imply associating others with God and is it a source of innovation ? Answer: The defining element of resorting to saints to seek nearness to God - tawassul - refers to having a person well-esteemed in Allahs eyes act as an intermediary for one to attain nearness to God.

Lisan al-`Arab, a lexicon by Ibn Manzur, gives the following defining example for the word tawassul: He made entreaties to someone means he approached someone through the position of anything that might attract his attention.[1] The Glorious Quran says, O believers, fear God and seek the means to approach Him, and struggle in His way so that you may achieve salvation.

5:34 Jawahiri in his sihah al-Lughah gives the following definition for wasilah (the intermediary): Wasilah is something by which we aspire to approach someone. Hence the intermediary that we resort to can be either be [1] Lisan al-`Arab, vol. 11, p. 724. our own worthy deeds and sincere worship rendered to God or a meritorious person who enjoys a high standing in the eyes of God, both having the capability to serve as intermediaries to make us closer to the Lord of the universe.

Forms of Tawassul Our Worthy Deeds: In his commentary he has made on the Quranic verse: and seek the means to come to Him, Suyuti has quoted Qutadah as having interpreted it to mean: Approach Allah through obeying Him and doing things that please Him.[1] Resorting to Honorable Peoples Prayers: Relating the story of Prophet Yusuf, the Holy Quran quotes his brothers in this way They said: O our father, ask forgiveness of our faults for us; surely we were sinners Jacob said, I will ask for you forgiveness from my Lord; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

12: 97-8. This verse clearly shows that Yusufs brothers beseeched their father to pray, considering it a means of forgiveness. Their father, not reprimanding them (for such an appeal), answered their request. Persons Highly Honored by God: This kind of tawassul has been acknowledged by the of the Prophets (a.s) and the distinguished Muslims of the early days of Islam as following narrations indicate: [1] Al-Durr al-Manthur, vol. 2, p. 280, printed in Egypt.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad quotes `Uthman ibn Hunayf as having said, A blind man came to the Prophet (a.s) and said, Supplicate God to restore my eyesight.