Likewise, Muḥammad ibn ʿUmar—better known as al-Wāqidī, the teacher of Ibn Saʿd, author of al-Ṭabaqāt, who cites him profusely—falls into the same category. Dr. al-Būṭī was unfortunately taken in by him and reproduced many of his reports in Fiqh al-Sīrah, even though he had pledged to rely only on the Ṣaḥīḥ collections or on what is authentically established in the prophetic biography. Yet al-Wāqidī, as the hadith critics unanimously affirm, is also matrūk al-ḥadīth (discarded as a narrator). Ponder this well.

The difference between seeking tawassul through the Prophet’s person and merely requesting his supplication

Fourth Point: The report in question does not involve tawassul through the Prophet (God bless him and grant him peace). Rather, it describes requesting him to pray that Allah send rain upon the community. This is a separate issue, outside the scope of the previously cited hadiths, and none of the scholars of the righteous predecessors—may Allah have mercy on them—considered such a request permissible after his death. Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah writes in al-Qāʿidah al-Jalīlah (p. 19–20):

“Neither the Prophet (God bless him and grant him peace) nor any of the prophets before him ever legislated that people should invoke the angels, prophets, or righteous servants of Allah, or seek their intercession—whether after those persons have died or while they are absent. No one may say, ‘O angels of Allah, intercede for me with Allah; ask Allah to grant us victory, sustenance, or guidance.’ Likewise, no one may address a deceased prophet or righteous person with: ‘O Messenger of Allah, O friend of Allah—pray to Allah for me, ask Allah on my behalf, ask Him to forgive me…’ Nor may anyone say, ‘I complain to you of my sins, my meagre provision, the enemy’s oppression, or of so-and-so who has wronged me.’ He must not say, ‘I am under your protection, your guest, your neighbour,’ or, ‘You grant refuge to those who seek your refuge.’ No one should write a note and hang it on graves, or draft a memorandum stating that he has sought sanctuary with so-and-so and then present it to someone who traffics in such practices.”