THE PROPHET REFUTES THE WAHABIS
AND THEIR MISLEADING
There is no doubt that the Holy Qur'an has acknowledged intercession and tawassul between Allah and His people, and not prohibited that nor prevented His messenger from it. Rather, the Qur'an has made it permissible and recommended it.
The Qur'an has made the Prophet's doings, savings, and approving of others' doings as example for us to follow in our lives, when saying:
Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar. 1
On this basis, we will take the Prophet's doings and savings as our evidences. We shall not derive our evidences from the books of the Shia nor all the books of the Sunni, for that shall be uncountable. We shall be satisfied with what al-Bukhari has mentioned in his Sahih alone, so that the answer to the Wahabis shall be by the knockout that they may not argue after it if they are fair. Otherwise, their obstinacy and blind fanaticism shall expose them before all Muslims.
After we have proved the permissibility of tawassul from the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunna, we discuss what is, to the Wahabis, more defamed and more deniable than tawassul is; it is the asking blessing of and wiping one's body (against holy shrines and sacred places).
The Wahabis have reached an extent that they beat the hajjis for doing so and accuse them of polytheism.
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1 Qur'an, 33:21.
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THE COMPANIONS SEEK THE BLESSING
OF THE PROPHET'S HAIR
It is worth mentioning to say that the doings of the Prophet's companions is an argument against the Wahabis, because they believe that all the companions totally are just and honest, and they claim that they imitate them. They call themselves as Salafis meaning that they follow the "pious ancients" and that all the companions were pious and righteous in their view.
Al-Bukhari has mentioned in his Sahih that Malik ibn Ismaeel narrated from Israel ibn Aasim from Ibn Sirin who said, "Once, I said to Ubavdah, 'We have some of the Prophet's hair. We have got it from Anas or the family of Anas.' He said, 'If I have one hair from him, it shall be more beloved to me than the world and all what there is in it."
1
Al-Bukhari also mentioned a tradition narrated by Muhammad ibn Abdurraheem from Sa'eed ibn Sulayman from Etad from ibn Sirin that Anas said, "When the messenger of Allah (a.s.) had his hair cut, Abu Talha was the first one to take from his (the Prophet's cut) hair."
2
Since Anas ibn Malik, the famous companion, kept the Prophet's hair and gave from it to his relatives and friends, and since a companion said, "If I have one hair from him, it shall be more beloved to me than the world and all what there is in it", (I swear) by my life, this is the clearest evidence that the
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 1 p. 51.
2 Ibid.
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companions sought blessing in the belongings of the Prophet (a.s.) and everything related to him. And, by my life, this refutes the Wahabis who beat the hajjis who seek blessing in the Prophet's belongings.
In my book 'Then I was Guided, I have mentioned the nice story of the Shia scholars who offered a copy of the Holy Qur'an wrapped in leather as gift to the Saudi king at that time. The king kissed the Qur'an and put it on his forehead as a kind of honoring. The Shia Scholar said to the king, "Why did you kiss the leather and honor it?"
The king said, "When I kissed the leather, I intended what there was inside the leather, which is the Holy Qur'an."
The Shia scholar said, "And so do we! When we kiss the window of the Prophet's room (inside which he has been buried), we know that it is iron, which neither benefits nor harms, but we mean what is beyond the iron, and it is the messenger of Allah (a.s.). "
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COMPANIONS AND CALIPHS SEEK BLESSINGS
IN THE PROPHET'S BELONGINGS
AFTER HIS DEATH
Through my researching on this subject, I found more than twenty traditions in the six Sahihs (the Sunni books of Hadith) showing that the companions in general and the caliphs especially sought blessing in the Prophet's belongings. However, as I have promised, I shall only mention one or two traditions from alBukhari who seems to be strict in such traditions.
Al-Bukhari has mentioned in his Sahih in a chapter "on what was narrated about the Prophet's armor, stick, sword, drinking-vessel, ring, and what the caliphs used of that after him... and from his hair, shoes, and vessels by which his companions and others sought blessing after his death."
1
Al-Bukhari has mentioned in his Sahih that az-Zubayr said, "On the Day (the battle) of Badr, I met (in fighting) Ubaydah ibn Sa'eed ibn al-Aas, who was heavily armed that nothing was seen from him except his eyes, and who was surnamed as Abu Thatil Karsh. He said, 'I am Abu Thatil Karsh.' I attacked him with my iron-tipped stick. I hit him in his eye and he died." Hisham said, "I was told that az-Zubayr said, 'I put my leg against him and stretched myself, and effortfully I could take it out (the stick) where its ends were bent." Urwa said, "The messenger of Allah (a.s.) asked him (az-Zubayr) to give it to him, and he gave it to him. When the messenger of Allah (a.s.) was taken (made to die),
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 4 p. 46. Chapt. The Prophet's call for Islam and Prophethood.
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he (az-Zubayr) took it hack. Then, Abu Bakr asked for it, and he gave it to him. When Abu Bakr died, Umar asked for it, and he gave it to him. When Umar died, he took it back, and then Uthman asked for it, and he gave it to him. When Uthman was killed, it became in the possession of Ali's family, and then Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr asked for it, and it was with him until he was killed."
1
A necessary note
We notice from this tradition that the messenger of Allah (a.s.) himself sought blessing in that stick, which az-Zubayr had and with which he fought heroes in wars. With this stick, he fought Ubaydah ibn Sa'eed ibn al-Aas who was heavily armed and armored that only his eyes were seen. Despite that, az-Zubayr struck him with this stick in his eye and killed him, and then, he difficultly could take it out. It was really a wonderful stick, and it might be from the kind of Moses' stick, by which he split the sea to the Children of Israel. Allah says :
Then We revealed to Moses: Strike the sea with your staff. So it had cloven asunder, and each part was like a huge mound. 2
And when Moses prayed for drink for his people, We said: Strike the rock with your staff So there gushed from it twelve springs. 3
It is no wonder then that the messenger of Allah (a.s.) asked azZubayr to give him that iron-tipped stick to seek blessing in it, or to teach people that seeking blessing is permissible in Islam. This possibility is too strong, especially when we know that all the caliphs after the Prophet (a.s.) asked for this stick which moved
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 5 p. 14. Chapt. The presence of angels in the battle of Badr from the book al-Maghazi (raids).
2 Qur'an, 26:63.
3 Qur'an, 2:60.
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from one to another until finally it came to Abdullah ibn azZubayer, for it was his father's heritage.
We find in the Holy Qur'an many references to seeking blessing in things that related to prophets and messengers. It has been said in the Qur'an :
He said: What was then your case, 0 Samiri? He said: I perceived what they perceive not, so I seized a handful from the footsteps of the messenger, and then threw it in. Thus, my soul commended to me. 1
Perhaps, the Samiri, who perceived what the rest of companions did not perceive when he seized a handful from the earth that the Prophet had stepped on, might achieved some miracles, and so he thought that Moses was a great magician, and that the miracles he showed before people were just magic that whoever had its causes could do. Therefore, he threw the handful of earth and his soul incited him to take the Children of Israel back to worship the calf. The story confirms what we have said that he showed some charismata and miracles to the Israelites until they were deceived and they followed him.
We find other references in the Holy Qur'an to the seeking of blessing and cure by the belongings of the prophets. Allah says in the Sura of Yousuf :
Take this my shirt and cast it on my father's face, he will (again) be able to see, and come to me with all your families. And when the caravan had departed, their father said: Most surely I perceive the scent of Yousuf, unless you pronounce me to be weak in judgment. They said: By Allah, you are most surely in your old error. So when the bearer of good news came, he cast it on his face, so forthwith he regained his sight. He said: Did I not say to you that I know from Allah what you do not know. 2
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1 Qur'an, 20:95-96.
2 Qur'an, 12:93-96.
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What is understood from these verses is that the Prophet Jacob (a.s.) was blind and that his son Yousuf sent him his shirt and asked the bringer of good news to wipe his father's face with the shirt in order to recover his sight, and this actually happened.
Despite our deep faith that Allah the Almighty is able to make the Prophet Jacob (a.s.) recover his sight without the shirt of Yousuf (a.s.), able to make water gush out of the rock, and the sea to split without the Stick of Moses, and able to restore to life the killed one without hitting him with some pieces of the cow,' Allah the Almighty has made a means for that to make people understand that means and intercession is from the law of Allah to His people, and not polytheism as the Wahabis and their followers claim.
Allah says :
This is Our book that speaks against you with justice; surely We wrote what you did. Then as to those who believed and did good, their Lord will make them enter into His mercy; that is the manifest triumph. And as to those who disbelieved: What! were not My communications recited to you? But you were proud and you were a guilty people. 2
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1 In reference to these verses, "And when you killed a man, then you disagreed with respect to that, and Allah was to bring forth that which you were going to hide. So We said: Strike the (dead body) with part of the (Sacrificed cow), thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs so that you may understand. 2:73"
2 Qur'an, 45:29-31.
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THE PROPHET ADMITS SEEKING BLESSING
AND TEACHES IT TO HIS COMPANIONS
Let no one be deceived by the sayings of deniers who say that seeking blessing in things is a heresy invented by some companions or some of their successors. They say that out of ignorance or fanaticism to new Wahabism which is itself a heresy that accuse Muslims of polytheism just for a false doubt the Wahabis themselves have invented.
The messenger of Allah (a.s.) acknowledged on many occasion what his companions did, seeking blessing in certain things and he recommended them to do that. After that, the companions competed among themselves to do it.
Al-Bukhari in his Sahih has mentioned a tradition narrated by Adam from Shu'bah from al-Hakam that Abu Juhayfah said, "The messenger of Allah went out to us in the midday. He was brought some water and he performed wudu with it. People began taking from the remaining water of his wudu and wiping themselves with it. The Prophet (a.s.) offered the Noon Prayer in two rak'as and the Afternoon Prayer in two rak'as, and there was a stick in front of him. Abu Musa said, 'The messenger of Allah (a.s.) called for a vessel of water with which he washed his hands and face and ejected (from his mouth) in it and said to them (his companions), `Drink from it and pour on your faces and necks.'"
1
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 1 p. 55.
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Al-Bukhari mentioned another tradition in his Sahih clearer than the previous one. He mentioned that Abu Musa (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "Once, I was with the Prophet (a.s.) while he was in al-ja'rana (a place) between Mecca and Medina, and Bilal was there with him. A nomad came to the Prophet (a.s.) and said to him, 'Would you not carry out to me what you have promised?'
The Prophet said, 'Be delighted!'
The nomad said, 'How much you said to me: be delighted (with good news)!'
The Prophet (a.s.) came to Abu Musa and Bilal while somehow angry, saving, 'He rejected the good news. You both come to me!'
They came to him. He called for a vessel of water. He washed his hands and face in it, and then rinsed out his mouth in it and said, 'Drink from it and pour on your faces and necks and wait for good news!' They took the vessel and did so. From behind a curtain, Umm Salama (the Prophet's wife) called out, 'Leave some of it to your mother!' And they left some to her."
1
These true traditions on seeking blessing do not show that the Prophet (a.s.) approved the matter, but it was he who ordered his companions to do it after he had washed his hands and face and rinsed out his mouth in the water. Then, he asked them to drink and pour on their faces and necks from that water. He gave them good news that they would receive goodness by the blessing of that water with which the Prophet washed his hands, face, and mouth, until Umm Salama (the Prophet's wife) asked to leave for her some of that water to be blessed by it. So where are the Wahabis from these facts? Or there are locks on the hearts!
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 5 p. 103.
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MUHAMMAD IS A HUMAN NOT LIKE
OTHER HUMANS, BUT AS
CORUNDUM AMONG GEMS
Another time, we say to all people that the Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) is the best of all creatures and no one from the children of Adam can be compared to him. He is the master of them all. Despite whatever is said about his human aspect, Allah has purified him from every dirt and vice.
Traditionists have mentioned that he had qualities that no one at all from the human beings ever has. The examples on that are too many; flies did never sit on him at all, a cloud was shadowing him, the earth swallowed all his excrements, the scent of musk emitted from his holy body that Abu Bakr said when he was laid out dead, "May my father and mother die for you! How good scented you are alive and dead!"
When I read like these traditions that I have already mentioned and believed in their reliability, I understand from them what others may not understand. I do not deny anyone to drink from the remainder of the Prophet's washing water, because the Prophet (a.s.) is not like any other human being; he is like corundum among other gems.
Which one of us may willingly drink from a water with which someone else has washed his hands, face, and mouth? In addition to that, we fear that microbes and diseases may come from dirts and fifths. Our souls detest that, especially when we see with our eyes what is done to the water.
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If we have not believed and are not certain that the Prophet (a.s.) has been purified from dirts, microbes, and bad smells and that his body is pure and immaculate, we shall not perceive these traditions. And if the loyal companions had not that deep faith in these facts, they would not compete to drink the remainder of the Prophet's washing water, to an extent that they struggled for it.
In fact, the loyal companions knew of the facts of the Prophet (a.s.) what others did not know. The remainder of the washing water in which the Prophet (a.s.) washed his hands, face, and mouth did not suffice them. We shall mention more than that which human souls cannot bear.
Al-Bukhari has mentioned in his Sahih a long story from which we shall take the theme that concerns our study. He said, "...then Urwa began glancing at the Prophet's companions and he said, "By Allah, the messenger of Allah did not expectorate, except that it (his extract) fell in the hand of one of them (willingly) and he (a companion) rubbed it to his face and skin. When he (the Prophet) ordered them, they hurried to carry out his order, and when he performed the wudu, they quarreled with each other to get (the remainder of the water of) his wudu ..."
1
Al-Bukhari mentioned too a tradition narrated by Urwa that alMusawwir and Marwan said that the Prophet (a.s.) came out to them at the time of Hudaybiyya... and he mentioned the tradition, "the messenger of Allah did not expectorate, except that it (his extract) fell in the hand of one of them (willingly) and he rubbed it to his face and skin ...".
2
This leads us to say that the great companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would not do that, unless the Prophet (a.s.) kept silent when they did it, or rather he approved it to them.
There is no doubt that the companions saw charismata because of
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1 Sahib al-Bukhari, vol. 3 p. 180.
2 Ibid., vol. 1 p. 66.
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that, such as recovering health and soundness, goodness, prosperity, and cure of diseases; otherwise, they would not massage their faces and skins with the Prophet's pituitrin.
To confirm what we say, we quote this tradition from Sahih alBukhari, to show people the falsehood of Wahabism. The tradition reads, "Once, the messenger of Allah went out in the midday to the desert. He performed wudu and offered the Noon Prayer in two rak'as and the Afternoon Prayer in two rak'as, and in front of him there was a stick...Awn added that his father Abu Juhayfa said, "Passers passed behind it (the stick). And then people got up and began taking his (the Prophet) hands and massaging with them their faces. I took his hand and put it on my face. It was colder than ice and better (in its scent) than the scent of musk."
1
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 4 p. 165.
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SEEKING HEALING BY THE
PROPHET'S BLESSING
There is no doubt that the Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) cured patients by his touching, water of wudu, saliva, and other things.
Muslim has mentioned in his Sahih and al-Bukhari as well that Sahl ibn Sa'eed (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "On the Day (battle) of Khaybar, the messenger of Allah was heard saying, 'I will give the banner to a man at whose hands Allah will grant victory. He loves Allah and His messenger, and Allah and His messenger love him.' That night, people remained thinking to which of them the Prophet (a.s.) would give the banner. They all looked forward to it. He (the Prophet) asked where Ali was, and it was said to him that he had sore eyes. The Prophet (a.s.) spat in his (Imam Ali) eyes and he recovered as if he never suffered any pain. Then he (the Prophet) gave him the banner and he (Ali) said, 'Will I fight them to be like us (Muslims)?' He (the Prophet) said, `Go on until you arrive in their field, and then invite them for Islam and tell them of their obligations. By Allah, if Allah guides by you one man, it is better to you than to have red camels (abundant wealth)."
1
Al-Bukhari has said too, "I heard as-Sa'ib ibn Yazid saying, `Once, my aunt took me to the Prophet (a.s.) and said to him, '0 messenger of Allah, this son of my sister has fallen.' He rubbed my head and prayed Allah to bless me. Then, he performed wudu and I drank from the water of his wudu ...'"
2
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 4 p. 20.
2 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 1 p. 56,57.
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He also said, "I heard Jabir saying, 'One day, the messenger of Allah came to visit me when I was ill of insanity. He performed wudu and poured on me from the water of his wudu, and I became sane. I asked him, 'O messenger of Allah, to whom the inheritance shall be, for I have neither parents nor children?' Then, the verse of obligations (inheritances) was revealed."
1
Surely, the messenger of Allah (a.s.) was in such a position to Allah that he made a blind man recover his sight by his saliva and a mad one recover his sanity by the water of his wudu and that his companions massaged their faces and skins with his pituitrin seeking health and soundness.
It has been mentioned in traditions that Huthayfa ibn al-Yaman had a pouch with which he cured patients and that whomever he put the pouch on was cured. People were very influenced by him until his news reached the Prophet (a.s.) who sent for him, asking, "Are you seditious O Huthayfa?"
He replied, "Certainly not O messenger of Allah, but I have kept the stone that once had harmed your foot. I put it in a piece of cloth, and now I cure patients by it."
The Prophet (a.s.) said to people, "If you trust in a stone, it shall benefit you."
2
We do not mean by these traditions that we trust in jugglers and swindlers, or that we do not believe in scientific medicine. How would that be where we always depend on the Prophet's saying, "Bring a physician to him, because Allah has created the disease and created the cure to it." And this does not mean that Muslims only depend on supplication, amulets, the Qur'an, blessing, and other things that are familiar in all Muslim countries for treatment. We quote these evidences just to argue against the
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 1 p. 56,57.
2 I do not remember the source of this tradition, but I have heard it from our teachers in Tunisia.
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Wahabis who deny all these things and consider whoever believes in them as a polytheist.
Surely, the companions had their justification in their seeking blessing and tawassul in the Prophet (a.s.), for they lived with him and saw his miracles and charismata that astonished them an filled their selves with reverence and hope.
Biographers, who were interested in the Prophet's miracles, had mentioned all the miracles mentioned in the Qur'an of the prophets who had preceded him, such as healing the patients, the blind, and the leprous, giving life to the dead, the coming down of food from the heaven, talking with animals, and many other signs.
We shall mention only one or two traditions from al-Bukhari and let researchers themselves read what scholars have written on this matter.
Qatada narrated that Anas said, "A vessel was brought to the Prophet (a.s.) while he was in az-Zawra. He put his hand inside the vessel and water began gushing out from between his fingers. All people performed wudu (from that water)." Qatada said, "I asked Anas how many men they were and he said that they were three hundred or about three hundred men."
1
Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated, "On the day of al-Hudaybiyya, people felt thirsty. There was a pot before the Prophet (a.s.). He performed wudu. People hurried towards him, and he asked, `What happened to you?' They said, 'We do not have water to perform wudu or drink, except this water before you.' He put his hand in the pot, and water began gushing out between his fingers like springs. We drank and performed wudu."...I asked how many ones they were and he said, 'If we were one hundred thousand, the water would be enough. We were fifteen hundred men."
2
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1 Sahib al-Bukhari, vol. 4 p. 170-, chapt. the signs of prophethood in the book "the beginning of creation".
2 Ibid.
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Alqama narrated that Abdullah said, "One day, we were with the messenger of Allah on a travel. We ran out of water. He (the Prophet) said, 'Bring me a little of water.' They brought him a vessel having a little water. He put his hand inside the vessel and said, 'Come on to the pure, blessed (water), and blessing is from Allah!' I did see water spring between the fingers of the messenger of Allah...and we did hear the glorifying (tasbeeh) of food while it was being eaten."
1
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1 Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 4 p. 170-, chapt. the signs of prophethood in the book "the beginning of creation".
