Q: On this website muftionline.co.za I was browsing and in one question a person asked if we can supplicate through an intermediary i.e through tawasul of a righteous one, living or dead e.g through Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani...in which the answer was gives yes..I was suprised to see this answer. How could this be possible if it is written dead or even alive. This is a clear form of major shirk. We ask Allah directly. There is no dipute among any knowledgebale scholar or pious predessor in my understanding regarding this. I am 100% sure. How can this be possible. How can a dead person or alive person benefit us when Allah states in the Quraan clearly to ask from Him. Even asking through the Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is not allowed. Can you please explain?
A: Your understanding is perverted. You are not asking the dead person to make things work for you. You are asking through the tawassul and intermediary. Saheeh Bukhaari has got a hadeeth where some people had made du`aa through the intermediary of their actions. If the intermediary was totally haraam then how did Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) speak of this. Get your understanding right. Don't jump to conclusions without proper understanding. This is common sense that you make du`aa for yourself sometimes, and sometimes you request others to make du`aa for you. Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has also instructed to make du`aa for the believers. Is this also shirk? Half information is quite dangerous.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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