Al-Tawassul Supplication

Al-Tawassul Supplication

Subject	Tawassul to the Fourteen Infallibles
Hadith-Based/Non-Hadith-Based	Hadith-Based
Narrator	Al-Shaykh al-Saduq
Shi'a sources	Bihar al-anwar
Time	Shi'as traditionally recite this du'a on Wednesday eves

This article is an introduction to the al-Tawassul Supplication; to read its text see text:al-Tawassul Supplication.

Al-Tawassul Supplication (Arabic:دعاء التوسل) is the name for different supplications; however, there is one more famous supplication with the same name which is mentioned in Bihar al-anwar. Al-Majlisi says, "I found this supplication in an old manuscript written by one of our fellow Shi'a. There it was mentioned that, "this supplication has been narrated from Imams (a) by Muhammad b. Babawayh and for whatever request I recited it, it was fulfilled immediately." The Shi'a traditionally recite this du'a on Wednesday eves, in religious places in congregations.

Meaning of Tawassul

Main article: Tawassul

Tawassul (entreaty) is among the teachings of Shi'a and the majority of Muslims, which means to make entreaty to someone or something which has a high position before God in order to get near to God and getting the person's requests fulfilled. Tawassul has a close relationship with the teaching of intercession, and the two are usually mentioned together.

Different Types of Du'a of Tawassul

A number of du'as are called "al-Tawassul" as follow:

1. The famous du'a of Tawassul begins with the expression, "...اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّی أَسْأَلُک وَ أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَیک بِنَبِیک نَبِی الرَّحْمَةِ" (Allahumm-a inni as'aluk-a wa atawajjah-u ilayk-a bi nabiyyik-a Nabi al-Rahma…) (O God, surly I ask you and I turn toward you by Your Messenger, the Messenger of the mercy).
2. In Balad al-amin, al-Kaf'ami has narrated a comprehensive supplication called Du'a al-Faraj and beside it, he has also mentioned al-Tawassul supplication.
3. In al-Kalim al-tayyib, Sayyid 'Ali Khan has narrated a du'a of Tawassul from Shaykh Sahrashti's Qabas al-misbah.
4. Another supplication with the name of du'a al-Tawassul has been mentioned in Balad al-amin. Al-Kaf'ami mentioned this du'a without reference, as a du'a narrated from Imams (a). In this supplication, towards the final parts, the reciter asks God to fulfill his requests by swearing by the position of the Fourteen Infallibles (a).

The Reference of the Famous Du'a Tawassul

The reference of the famous du'a of Tawassul mentioned in Mafatih al-jinan is Bihar al-anwar. This du'a is narrated from Imams (a) by Muhammad b. Babawayh, without mentioning its references and the chain of its narrations. Al-Majlisi said that, "I found this du'a in an old manuscript written by one of our fellow Shi'a. There it was mentioned that, "this du'a has been narrated from Imams (a) by Muhammad b. Babawayh and for whatever request I recited it, it was fulfilled immediately; and the du'a is …"

Content

The content of du'a of Tawassul is supplication and mentioning requests from God, so that upon requesting, God is asked by swearing to the position of the Fourteen Infallibles (a) to fulfill our requests. Such a request shows the high position of the friends of God before Him and has no disagreement with Tawhid. (see:Tawassul and Tawhid)

In every part of this supplication, after mentioning the name of one of the Infallibles (a) and making entreaty to him with the expression, "O the Proof of God to His creation, O our chief and our master, surly we turn and ask the intercession and make entreaty to you toward God and present to you our requests" (یا حُجَّةَ اللّهِ عَلی خَلْقِهِ یا سَیدَنا وَمَوْلینا اِنّا تَوَجَّهْنا وَاسْتَشْفَعْنا وَتَوَسَّلْنا بِک اِلَی اللّهِ وَقَدَّمْناک بَینَ یدَی حاجاتِنا), the sentence, "O the reputable before God, make intercession for us before God" (یا وَجیهاً عِنْدَ اللّهِ اِشْفَعْ لَنا عِنْدَ الله) is repeated in every part. Regarding Lady Fatima (a), the above two expressions use feminine forms of address. At the end of the supplication it is recited that, "O our chiefs and masters, surly I turned to you my Imams (a) and my resources for the day of my poverty and need to God and I make entreaty to you towards God and I make intercession to you towards God, so make intercession for me before God and save me from my sins before God since you are my means towards God and by your love and by your intimacy I hope in salvation to God, O my hopes, O my chiefs, O friends of God, may God's peace be with them all; and may God curse God's enemies who oppressed them, from the first enemy to the last one, amen, O Lord of the Worlds" (یا سادَتی وَمَوالِی اِنّی تَوَجَّهْتُ بِکمْ اَئِمَّتی وَعُدَّتی لِیوْمِ فَقْری وَحاجَتی اِلَی اللّهِ وَتَوَسَّلْتُ بِکمْ اِلَی اللّهِ وَاسْتَشْفَعْتُ بِکمْ اِلَی اللّهِ فَاشْفَعُوا لی عِنْدَ اللّهِ وَاسْتَنْقِذُونی مِنْ ذُنُوبی عِنْدَ اللّهِ فَاِنَّکمْ وَسیلَتی اِلَی اللّهِ وَبِحُبِّکمْ وَبِقُرْبِکمْ اَرْجُو نَجاةً مِنَ اللّهِ فَکونُوا عِنْدَ اللّهِ رَجاَّئی یا سادَتی یا اَوْلِیاَّءَ اللّهِ صَلَّی اللّهُ عَلَیهِمْ اَجْمَعینَ وَلَعَنَ اللّهُ اَعْداَّءَ اللّهِ ظالِمیهِمْ مِنَ الاْوَّلینَ وَالاْخِرینَ امینَ رَبَّ الْعالَمینَ‌).

Time of the Supplication

No specific time has been mentioned for this supplication; however, the Shiite traditionally recite this supplication on Wednesday eves following the 'Isha prayer in religious sites in congregations.