Qadi al-Nabhani on Istigatha

I cry for the love and companionship of my Master, the greatest of all Creation HabibAllah :sas: and his mighty stars his companions

The passing away of HabeebAllah :sas: was to me the greatest tragedy ever to take place on earth for our Master Syedina 'Umar al-Khattab :ra: and all other SaHabas.

Allah for the sake of them, and the sake of Imam al-Mahdi :as: give us strength.

 

Well brother, for a start if you could contribute then that would be useful - forget about everyone else - if we wait for others we will go nowhere.




Anyway, the following has been compiled through a joint effort by sunniforum brothers. It is a very rough first draft unprofessional translation but it is better than nothing. If any errors are seen let us know.


It is the first fatwa quoted by al-Nabhani rh above




Imām Ibn Hajar (al-Haythamī) said in al-Jawhar al-Munazzam:



“From amongst the untruths of Ibn Taymiyyah which no scholar before him had said, and whereby he created dissent between the people of Islām, is that he denounced tawassul and istighāthah through him (Allāh bless him and grant him peace); and that is not as he had decreed (i.e. that it is impermissible). Rather, tawassul through him is good (hasan) in every state: before his creation and after his creation, in the dunyā and in the Ākhirah.

“That which proves seeking tawassul through him (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) before his creation and that that is the path taken by the pious predecessors, the Prophets, the Āwliyā and others – and thus the view of Ibn Taymiyyah has no basis (and is) from his concoctions – is: that which al-Hākim transmitted and declared sahīh that he (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) said:

“’When Ādam committed his mistake he said: O my Lord, I am asking you to forgive me for the sake of Muhammad. Allah said: O Adam, and how do you know about Muhammad whom I have not yet created? Ādam replied, O my Lord, after You created me with your hand and breathed into me of Your Spirit, I raised my head and saw written on the heights of the Throne: lā ilāha illa -llāh Muhammadun Rasūl Allāh. I understood that You would not place next to Your Name but the Most Beloved One of Your creation. Allah said: O Adam, I have forgiven you, and were it not for Muhammad I would not have created you.’

“The meaning of ‘for his sake’ (bi haqqihī) is his rank and station in His sight Most High, or the right (haqq) that Allāh, glorified and majestic, made for him over creation, or the right which Allāh Most High made obligatory on Himself over him by His grace as in a sahīh hadīth ‘he said: what is the right (haqq) of the servants over Allāh?...’, not (that it is) incumbent (wājib) (upon Allāh) since nothing is incumbent upon Him.

“Furthermore, asking by him (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) is not actually asking him such that it may be considered associating (partners with Allāh). It is truly but asking Allah Most High through one who has a high estimation, an elevated rank and a great distinction with Him. From amongst his miracles (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) from his Lord is that He does not fail one asking through him, and seeking intermediary to Him through his rank. It suffices as humiliation for one who denies this that he is deprived of this (blessing).

“(That which proves seeking tawassul through him) during his lifetime is that which was transmitted by an-Nasā’ī and at-Tirmidhī who declared it sahīh that:

“’ An afflicted man approached the Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) and said “supplicate to Allāh on my behalf that He cures me”. He said “if you wish, I will supplicate (to Allāh on your behalf) and if you wish you can remain patient and that is better for you”. He said “supplicate to Him”’. And in (another) narration ‘(He said) “I have no guide and it is difficult for me” so he (the Prophet) instructed him to perform wudū’ and perfect his wudū’ and supplicate with this supplication: Oh Allah, I ask You and turn to You through my Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy; O Muhammad, I seek your intercession with my for my need, that it may be fulfilled. O Allah! grant him intercession for me’ Al-Bayhaqī also declared it sahīh and added ‘he stood and was able to see’ And in (another) narration ‘O Allāh! Grant him intercession for me and grant me intercession for myself’

“The Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) knew that but did not supplicate for him because he desired to achieve from him concentration and the toil of poverty, brokenness and desperation, seeking istighāthah through him (Allāh bless him and grant him peace), so as to attain for him the perfection of his objective. And such an implication is attainable in his life and after his death; and therefore the Salaf have used this supplication in their needs after his death (Allāh bless him and grant him peace). ‘Uthmān ibn Hunayf taught it to a sahābī… at-Tabrānī and al-Bayhaqī narrated it and at-Tabrānī narrated with a good (jayyid) chain that ‘he (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) mentioned in his supplication “for the sake of Your Prophet and the Prophets before me”’

“There is no difference between the mention of tawassul, istighāthah, tashaffu‘ and tawajjuh through him (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) or through others of the Prophets and likewise the Āwliyā’. This is because the permissibility of tawassul with actions as in the Sahīh hadīth of the cave has been mentioned despite them (the actions) being transitory; therefore pious souls are more preferable, and (also) because ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (Allāh be pleased with him) sought tawassul through al-‘Abbās (Allāh be pleased with him) for seeking rain and (al-‘Abbās) did not repudiate this. It is as though the wisdom of his tawassul through him and not the Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) and his grave was to display humilty on his behalf, and elevation of his relatives (Allāh bless him and grant him peace), and thus in his tawassul through al-‘Abbās he is performing tawassul through the Prophet (Allāh bless him and grant him peace) and more.”

It is not to said that the expressions: directing/turning (tawajjuh), and Istighathah presuppose that the one by whom aid is saught (al-Mustaghah bihi) is higher than the one whose aid is sought (Mustaghath Ilayhi). That is because directing/turning (Tawajjuh) comes from (the word) Jah which is a high status. Tawassul could be sought from a possesor of rank unto one who posseses a higher rank than him.

Istighathah is seeking aid, and the one seeking aid is seeking from the one from whom aid is sought in order to obtain aid from other than him, even if that other is greater than him. So turning/directing (tawajjuh) and Istighathah in him-sallallahu alayhi was sallam- and others than him does not have a meaning in the heart of the Muslims other than that and they do not intend by these two matters (Tawajjuh/Istighathah) anyone besides Him. So, whoevers breast is not opened with this, then let him cry over himself. We ask Allah for well-being. The one in whom aid is sought in reality is Allah the Exalted, and the Prophet-sallallahu alayhi was sallam-is an intermediary between Him and the ons seeking aid. So aid is sought from Him, the Exalted, and the aid comes from Him both in creating and bringing fourth. The Prophet is the one whose aid is sought and aid is from him by way of intermediary means and Kasb (?whats the best translation of this??) and aid is sought from him metaphorically.

So in general, using the term Istighathah in an unrestricted sense for the one from whom aid is obtained, even if only by way of intemediary means and kasb, is something well known and there is no doubt regarding it-not in the language, or in the Sacred Law. therefore, there is no difference between it and asking-especially in light of the narration that has been mentioned in al-Bukhari-may Allah the Exalted have mercy upon him- concerning the intersession on the day of judgement

"As they were in that state, they saught aid (istaghathu) from Adam, then Musa, then Muhammad-sallallahu alayhi was sallam."

Tawassul could also mean seeking supplication from him for indeed he is living and knowing the question of the one who asks him. It has been authentically reported from a long hadith:

The people suffered a drought during the successorship of `Umar, whereupon a man came to the grave of the Prophet and said:

"O Messenger of Allah, ask for rain for your Community, for verily they have but perished," after which the Prophet appeared to him in a dream and told him that the rain shall come. And in it also it appears: "Go to `Umar and give him my greeting, then tell him that they will be watered. Tell him: You must be clever, you must be clever!"

Meaning gentleness, because he was severe in the religion of Allah. So he came to him and informed him, after which he cried and then said: "O my Lord, I spare no effort except in what escapes my power!"

In another narration it states that the one who saw the dream was Bilal ibn Harith al-Muzani, the companion, may Allah be pleased with him.

 

I hope it;s not too late to wish Eid Mubarak to all.
I agree with brother faqir. If more people could help translate the text by Shaykh Nabhani the better.
May Allah help us all in our effort to promote the true path of the ahl as-Sunnah.

 

In my opinion there is a real need to translate such works into the English language to clarify the stance in a sound manner.

Bit by bit perhaps some of this can be translated?

if we cooperate then we can make this easier for each other and earn the reward inshaAllah.

i've got the translation of the first page or so [the fatwa of ibn hajar] - if anyone [like sidi abu Hasan] can help and we can coordinate it would be great.

 

IMHO, it's best to leave the scanned text as it is. Other brothers and sisters who know the Arabic language may learn from the valuable text of Sidi Nabhani.

 

brother faqir, i have split the thread for that reason. the scans from imam an-nab'hani's book are very valuable - and may Allah reward you for posting it here.

we acknowledge that you did not start any argument; it was i who did. i agree that it might not have been a prudent thing to do [even though i do not change my views].

if you still want to take it that personal and want to remove the scans from here - fine. let us know that you insist and i will remove it.

wa's salam.

 

Message to moderators:

Please delete this thread.

 

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ASalaamu alaikum


InshaAllah I hope to post here scans from the book of Imam al-Qadi Yusuf al-Nabhani on the "controversial" subject of Istigatha.

The book title is:

شواهد الحق في الاستغاثة بسيد الخلق ​

If anyone has the ability to provide a summary and translation of the salient points please do so!

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