What is tawassul in dua?
Tawassul means seeking a means of getting closer to Allah so that your dua is more likely to be accepted. Some kinds are agreed on by all scholars, like calling Allah by His names or mentioning your good deeds. Other kinds, like asking "by the status of the Prophet ﷺ", are debated.
What the word means
Tawassul comes from wasilah, a means or a way to reach something. In dua, it means adding something that Allah loves to your request, as a way of drawing near to Him.
Types that all scholars accept
- Through Allah's names and attributes. "Ya Rahman, have mercy on me", "Ya Razzaq, provide for me". Allah says, "To Allah belong the best names, so call upon Him by them" (Quran 7:180).
- Through your own good deeds. Three men were trapped in a cave by a rock. Each asked Allah by a sincere deed he had done, and the rock moved away (Sahih al-Bukhari 2272).
- Through your faith. "Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us" is a form found many times in the Quran.
- Asking a living, righteous person to make dua for you. During a drought, Umar asked al-Abbas, the Prophet's ﷺ uncle, to pray for rain (Sahih al-Bukhari 1010). See Can I ask other people to make dua for me?
The disputed type
Scholars differ on saying, "O Allah, I ask You by the status (jah) or right of Your Prophet ﷺ" or of a righteous person who has died. Many scholars of the Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi'i schools allowed it, as long as the request is made to Allah alone. Ibn Taymiyya and many Hanbali and Salafi scholars disliked or rejected it, pointing out that the Companions turned to al-Abbas after the Prophet ﷺ died rather than asking by the Prophet's ﷺ status. Sincere Muslims hold both views, so handle this topic with respect.
The clear line: dua is only to Allah
All scholars agree that calling on anyone other than Allah, like asking a dead saint to cure you or give you a child, is not allowed. Tawassul is always asking Allah, never asking someone else in His place. For the related topic of who can intercede on the Day of Judgement, see What is intercession in Islam?
As a new Muslim, the safest and simplest approach is to use the agreed types: call Allah by His beautiful names, mention your good deeds and your faith, and ask others to pray for you.
- Tawassul means seeking a means of nearness to Allah in your dua.
- Agreed types: Allah's names, your good deeds, your faith, and a living person's dua.
- Asking "by the status of the Prophet ﷺ" is debated among scholars.
- Calling on anyone besides Allah is never part of tawassul.
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