Chapter Four: Objections and Their Answers

The opponents on this issue raise various objections and specious arguments to defend their erroneous view, mislead ordinary people into believing it is correct, and sow confusion. I shall present these doubts one after another and, God willing, rebut each with a convincing, scholarly reply that confirms what I clarified in the previous chapter and accords with it, persuades every sincere and fair-minded reader, and exposes every false accusation made against us. With Allah alone is success, and He is the One whose help is sought.

The first objection: the ḥadīth of ʿUmar’s rain-prayer through al-ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him)

They cite, as evidence for the permissibility of tawassul by the rank, honor, or right of individuals, the ḥadīth narrated earlier by Anas: “Whenever drought afflicted them, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) would seek rain through al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, saying: ‘O Allah, we used to seek nearness to You through our Prophet and You would bless us with rain; now we seek nearness to You through the uncle of our Prophet, so send us rain.’” Anas added: “And they would be given rain.”¹

From this ḥadīth they infer that ʿUmar’s tawassul was solely by the rank of al-ʿAbbās and his standing with Allah the Exalted, and that his tawassul