Introduction

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May blessings and peace be upon the leader of the prophets and messengers, upon his family and Companions, and upon all who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.

To proceed: The treatise I now present to esteemed readers originated as two lectures delivered by our teacher, Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, to a group of Muslim youth in the summer of 1392 AH, at his home in Yarmouk Camp in the fair city of Damascus. In those lectures he examined the issue of tawassul (seeking a means of approach to Allah) from every perspective, employing the copious learning, sound judgment, and meticulous verification for which he is renowned—qualities seldom matched in our time.

Those in attendance were greatly impressed by this valuable research. Its rigorous scholarly analysis and clear, compelling argument persuaded them of the conclusions he reached and the position he adopted—one that is, in fact, the view of the early mujtahid imams, may Allah have mercy on them all.

Recognizing the immense benefit and the pressing need to publish this study,