Seeking a means through Allah’s Names and Attributes

As for the divinely sanctioned forms of tawassul mentioned earlier, they are as follows:

1. Seeking Allah’s favor by invoking one of His Most Beautiful Names or one of His Sublime Attributes. A worshipper might say in his supplication, “O Allah, I ask You—since You are the All-Merciful, the Ever-Compassionate, the Subtle, the All-Aware—to grant me well-being.” Or he might say, “I ask You by Your mercy that has encompassed everything: show mercy to me and forgive me.” A similar example is the plea, “O Allah, I ask You by Your love for Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him,” for love is one of His attributes, exalted is He.

The proof that this form of tawassul is permissible is His statement: “To Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them.” 1 In other words, invoke Allah while seeking nearness to Him through His Most Beautiful Names. There is no doubt that His Sublime Attributes are included in this command, for those Names are themselves His attributes, unique to Him, Majestic and Exalted.

Another evidence is the supplication of Solomon, upon him be peace, which Allah relates: “My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, to do righteous deeds that please You, and by Your mercy admit me among Your righteous servants.” 2