and it is worship of Allah, obedience to Allah, the path of Allah’s allies, and the means of drawing near to Him which Allah commanded His servants to seek when He, Most High, said:

“O you who believe, fear Allah and seek the means of drawing near to Him.”

Seeking the means of drawing near to Allah is possible only through faith in Muhammad and following him. Drawing near through faith in him and obedience to him is obligatory upon everyone, inwardly and outwardly, during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and after his death, in his presence and in his absence. Once the proof has been established against a person, this obligation to draw near through faith in him and obedience to him is not waived under any circumstances or on any grounds. There is no way to attain Allah’s honour and mercy, or to escape the humiliation and punishment He inflicts, except by drawing near through faith in him and obedience to him.

He—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is the intercessor for all creation and the holder of the Praiseworthy Station, a distinction that the first and the last will wish to share. He is the greatest of all intercessors in rank and the highest in standing before Allah. Allah, Most High, said of Moses:

“He was held in honour before Allah.”

And He said of the Messiah:

“Honoured in this world and the Hereafter.”

Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—has a higher standing than all the prophets and messengers. Yet his intercession and supplication benefit only those for whom the Messenger intercedes and supplicates. Whoever the Messenger supplicates and intercedes for draws near to Allah through his intercession and supplication, just as his Companions used to draw near to Allah through his supplication and intercession, and just as people on the Day of Resurrection will draw near to Allah, Blessed and Most High, through his supplication and intercession. May Allah bless him and his family and grant him abundant peace.

In the Companions’ usage, the term (tawassul, seeking a means of approach) was employed in this sense. Drawing near through his supplication and intercession is beneficial when accompanied by faith in him. Without faith in him, however, the intercession of intercessors will avail disbelievers and hypocrites nothing in the Hereafter.