Question
Thank you for answering the question on Tawassul. I have few more questions on the hadith that I mentioned.I hope you would clarify them.
1) In the first hadith recorded in Tirmidhi, the supplication reportedly taught by the Prophet(pbuh) includes ” O Muhammad…”Why did the supplication includes such an expression? Please note that the Prophet (pbuh) may not be present when the dua is made. Does this not indicate sort of Waseela of the Prophet (pbuh) in the Dua?.
2) You wrote that the second hadith is not reliable. But what is confusing me is that the second hadith is authenticated by top scholars of hadith : Bayhaqi, Haythami, Mundiri etc. If Tawassul through dead is prohibited, why did these scholars authenticate the hadith. I couldn’t believe that these prominent scholars did not know that Tawassul through dead persons is prohibited, which is so basic in Islam.
Please clarify me.
May God show the Right path.
Answer
In the first hadith (i.e. tradition) the part that states “O Muhammad” is not a supplication per se but rather part of the acknowledgment of the Prophet’s supplication. This cannot be deemed as Tawassul as you have expressed. Surely the Prophet was alive and well and the blind man was not calling out to the Prophet’s spirit or something of the sort.
Firstly it should be remembered that even great scholars can be wrong as they are human. No one is infallible. However, in this case these scholars were not wrong but the misunderstanding is clearly on your part and blame should not be placed on them. I did not deem the hadith inauthentic rather I merely stated that At’Tabarani did not authenticate the story itself. I also went on to show the various problems revolving around this hadith. These scholars, as did At’Tabarani and others, accept the hadith but did not authenticate the story and clearly the problems with it are even mentioned by Bukhari. I am not aware that any of the mentioned scholars support Tawassul of the living or dead based on this or any other hadith.
I hope I have clarified the issue.
God knows best.