A Critical Examination of the Wahhabi View on Declaring Tawassul to the Essence as a Means to Shirk, Based on the Hadith Darir
Document Type : Original Article
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student
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Assistant Professor of Law and Jurisprudence Department, University of Religions and Religions, Qom, Iran
Abstract
The Wahhabis categorize Muslims’ beliefs and practices regarding the divine saints into two groups: those involving shirk (polytheism) and those considered bid‘ah (innovation). By labeling supplication (istighatha) and intercession (shafa‘ah) as acts of shirk, they excommunicate Muslims and consider them polytheists. Furthermore, they regard tawassul to the essence of divine saints as a religious innovation and label those who practice it as innovators. According to Wahhabi doctrine, although tawassul to the essence is not inherently an act of shirk, it is deemed prohibited and an innovation because it allegedly leads to shirk. However, by examining the views of those who uphold the principle of sadd al-dhara’i (blocking the means), it becomes evident that they do not consider tawassul to the essence as a gateway to polytheism. On the contrary, relying on various narrations such as Hadith Darir, they have regarded it as a recommended and meritorious act. Additionally, historical evidence indicates that Muslims, during times of hardship and calamity, have consistently sought aid through the souls of the divine saints.
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