Thread by @Honour_Muhammad

Explanation of hadith on why 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab (RadiyAllahu anhu) asked al-'Abbas Ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib (RadiyAllahu anhu) to supplicate for rain and the fact it does not negate the prophet ﷺ ability but rather endorses it.

Anas Ibn Malik (RadiyAllahu anhu) narrates:

"When there was a drought, Umar Ibn al-Khattab (RadiyAllahu anhu) asked al-'Abbas ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib (RadiyAllahu anhu) to do the rain prayer. He supplicated, 'O Allah ﷻ, before we seeked intercession with You by the means of your

Prophet ﷺ and asked You for rain. We now also seek intercession with You by the uncle of our Prophet, so give us rain!'" He added, "And they were given rain."

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى ، عَنْ ثُمَامَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ كَانَ

إِذَا قَحَطُوا اسْتَسْقَى بِالْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ، فَقَالَ :

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّنَا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَتَسْقِينَا , وَإِنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إِلَيْكَ بِعَمِّ نَبِيِّنَا فَاسْقِنَا ، قَالَ : فَيُسْقَوْنَ .

References:

►Sahih Bukhari (Kitab al-Istisqa’, hadith #954)

►Ibn Khuzayma (Kitab as-Salat, #1421)

►Hakim (Mustadrak, 3:334 Sahih), Ibn Hibban (7:110 #2861)

►Bayhaqi in his Dala’il (6:147) and Sunan al-Kubra (3:352)

►Tabarani (Mu’jam al-Kabir, 1:72 #84 and Mu’jam al-Awsat, 3:49 #2437)

►Baghawi in Sharh as-Sunna (3:409 #1165)

►Abu Nu’aym (Dala’il, p.206)

►Ibn ‘Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq (26:355)

►Ibn `Abd al-Barr also relates it in
al-Isti`ab bi ma`rifat al-ashab

►Zubayr ibn Bakkar in his Ansab, and Ibn Sa’d in his Tabaqat (4:29).

Umar’s (RadiyAllahu anhu) tawassul through al-‘Abbas (RadiyAllahu anhu) is in fact still tawassul through the Prophet ﷺ, by
virtue of al-‘Abbas’s proximity to him ﷺ. For the historian Zubayr ibn Bakkar in his Ansab as quoted by Hafiz Ibn Hajar in his commentary on the hadith:

Sheikh ul Islam Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (Rahimahullah explains the Tawassul dua used that is mentioned in the hadith of Umar (Rahimahullah) and Ibn Abbas (Rahimahullah) in his great Fath al Bari as:

اللهم إنه لم ينزل بلاء إلا بذنب , ولم يكشف إلا بتوبة , وقد توجه القوم بي إليك لمكاني من نبيك

Translation: “O Allah, truly no tribulation descends except because of sins, nor is lifted except upon repentance.

The people have turned to you by means of me BECAUSE OF MY POSITION IN RELATION TO YOUR PROPHET…”

This can also be understood from Umar’s wording when he said, “by the uncle of our Prophet” instead of “by al-‘Abbas.”

From this we can see when Ibn Abbas (RadiyAllahu anhu) was told to supplicate for the rain he still used the Tawassul through the prophet ﷺ by putting into place and mentioning his relation and closeness with the beloved prophet ﷺ as a means for the dua request to be fulfilled.

Sheikh ul Islam Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (Rahimahullah) said in commentary on this hadith (Fath al-Bari 2:496-97):

“Ibn Umar said, “During this drought Umar gave a speech and in it said,

إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يرى للعباس ما يرى الولد للوالد , فاقتدوا أيها الناس برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في عمه العباس واتخذوه وسيلة إلى الله

Translation:
‘the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to see ‘Abbas just as a son considers his father, so follow his

treatment of his uncle ‘Abbas and take him as a means (wasila) to Allah.’…In this incident we learn of the desirability (istihbab) of seeking intercession through the people of piety and righteousness and through the Prophet’s household”

Sheikh ul Islam Imam Ibn Hajr al Asqalani (Rahimahullah) explains in the same passage that:
ويستفاد من قصة العباس استحباب الاستشفاع بأهل الخير والصلاح وأهل بيت النبوة , وفيه فضل العباس وفضل عمر لتواضعه للعباس ومعرفته بحقه

Translation: “From the story of ‘Abbas it follows that seeking intercession through the pious, the righteous and the Ahlul Bait (family of the Prophet) is praiseworthy
Reference: Fathul Bari Sharah Sahi Bukhari, Page : 577 Under Hadith number :1010 of Sahih Bukhari.

Imam Subki said under this hadith From this incidence we infer that, it is permissible to take Tawassul of all Righteous people. Infact no muslim ever rejected this, only those people who where from different sect[Innovators in religion] rejected Tawasul. (Shifa As Siqam p.377)

Hafiz Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in his al-Isti`ab (2:814) commented that ‘Umar chose al-‘Abbas in
response to Ka’b’s words: “O Commander of the believers, the Bani Isra’il in such circumstances used to pray for rain by means of the relatives of Prophets.” It is not because the

Prophet’s ﷺ means is no longer available that ‘Umar used al-‘Abbas as a wasila (to
Allah). This is because the one who is sought after in tawassul does not himself fulfill the need of the seeker, so that his death would prevent any future help from him. Rather, the one sought

after intercedes with Allah ﷻ by virtue of his rank with Him (Most High), so that Allah ﷻ would fulfill that person’s need, and physical death does not abolish this rank or ability to present a means.

So to conclude, in the end the wasilah/tawassul request was ultimately done by Ibn Abbas (RadiyAllahu anhu) through the Beloved prophet ﷺ to request Allah ﷻ for rain.

Thus, further proving from a Sahih hadith the permissibility of using Tawassul through the Beloved of Allah ﷻ even after his veiling from this worldly life.