The Meaning of al-Waseelah in the Qur’an

The definition of tawassul that I have outlined earlier is the one acknowledged by the Arabic language, a point on which no scholar has ever differed. On the basis of that same meaning the righteous predecessors and the leading Qur’anic exegetes explained the two noble verses in which the word al-waseelah occurs:

“O you who believe, be mindful of Allah and seek the means of approach to Him, and strive in His path so that you may prosper.”¹

“Those whom they invoke themselves seek a means of approach to their Lord—who among them will be closest—hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment. Truly, your Lord’s punishment is something to beware of.”²

Regarding the first verse, the imam of the commentators, the ḥāfiẓ Ibn Jarir, said in his tafsīr:

“O you who have affirmed Allah and His Messenger in what they have conveyed, and have believed His promise of reward and His warning of punishment. ‘Fear Allah’ means: respond to Allah in what He has commanded and forbidden by obeying Him therein. ‘Seek the waseelah to Him’ means: seek nearness to Him by performing works that please Him.”

The ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn ʿAbbas that the waseelah here means ‘closeness,’ and he relates the same explanation from Mujahid, Abu Waʾil, al-Hasan, ʿAbd Allah ibn Kathir, al-Suddi, Ibn Zayd, and many others. He also transmits Qatadah’s comment: “Draw near to Him through obedience and by doing what pleases Him.” Ibn Kathir then remarks, “There is no disagreement among the commentators concerning what these authorities have said … al-waseelah—”