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Intercession: calling Imam Musa al Kadhim Bab al Hawaij

by Posted in All Q&A, Imam Kadhim as, The Fourteen Infallibles Tagged , , , ,

Question 159: In a dua’a made at the Shahadat of Imam al Kadhim (AS), a reference to was made calling him ‘Bab al Hawaij’. Someone explaining it to me stated it meant he is a door to dua’as or prayers being heard or granted. When we are making dua’as after salah and try to call on the intercession of the Imams (AS), after saying salawat of course, are we to name the Imams (AS) and Rasullah (SAWS) by name for the ones that we want to intercede for us? Can we generally say “Ya abwab (doors) al Hawaj (in referencing that any of the imams that are referred to or known to intercede for dua’as to be answered)?

Answer 159: The believers have been asked to practice this method of tawassul in the Qur’an,[1] “Oh you who believe! Be wary of Allah (swt) and seek a means of nearness to Him…” Therefore, there is no contradiction between asking the Imams (AS) and Allah’s (SWT) apostles (SAWS) for something. The doctrine of tawhid, keeping in mind that if the Imams (AS) do something, it is with the permission of Allah (swt). Thus it is okay to say ‘Ya Ali Madad’ or ‘Abwab al Hawaj’ with such a mindset.

‘Bab al Hawaij’ means the door to fulfilling people’s needs. Many hadiths allow us to ask the Imams (AS) for help and a means of livelihood, making no difference between asking them during their lifetime and after. They are the mediators of Allah’s (SWT) grace and it is through them that Allah’s (SWT) grace flows to the rest of His creation, and they are of great respect to Him. The nickname of ‘Bab al-Hawaij’ is one of the most famous nicknames of Hadrat Abalfadl al-Abbas (PBUH) amongst the Shiites. All the Imams (AS) referred to ‘Bab al-Hawaij’ too.

When we make dua’as, instead of calling on the Imams (AS) by individual names can we just refer to any of them as ‘Bab Al Hawaij’ and ‘Abwab al Hawaij’, because the Imams (AS) are infallible and ‘Bab al-Hawaij’.

For further information in this regards, please refer to the following answer:

Index: Name, Titles and Lineage of Imam Musa Kadhim (AS), answer 030.

Index: The unmarried daughters of Imam Kadhim as / Fatima Masumah sa, answer 027.

Index: Seeking one’s need from someone other than Allah, answer 005.

[1] . Surah Maidah, Verse 35.

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Tawassul: Seeking one’s need from someone other than Allah

by Posted in All Q&A, Intercession Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Question 005: What do the verses in the video tell us to do? Should we call upon Allah (swt) in all times directly? What is the permissibility of seeking the Imams (as) help in such a situation (Tawassul)? The verse seemingly says that from Allah (swt) alone comes help, yet we had the Divine Messenger (saws) seek Imam Ali (as) help during Khaiber. Also Ayatollah Fadlallah used to discourage his followers from saying anything other than Ya Allah (swt)? Please clarify the position in which the Shia should follow.
Answer 005: This video clip belongs to Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Hussaini Qazwini, who was born in the city of Qazvin, in Iran. He is a professor of Hawzah and the head of a Wilayat Satellite Channel under the supervision of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi (ha).
I have watched this video in which the Ayatollah talking about “Muslims have been excommunicated by Wahhabism”, in Farsi Language References, here: (2).

In reply to the Takfiri, Wahhabi, ISIS and other disbelievers who don’t believe in asking for help from anyone other than Allah (swt) such as the Holy Prophet (saws) or the Infallible Imams (pbuth), he explained that saying or reciting such divine names of Allah (swt) or Tawhidi verses of the Holy Qur’an without believing in recourse (Tawassul) are considered as a serious conspiracy planned by them.

Note: We Shia believe that if one reveres, refers or takes recourse to, or seeks one’s needs from these personages with the intention that these personalities are separate from Allah (swt) and independent of Him in fulfilling our needs, such an intention and notion is polytheistic and contrary to tawhid af’ali (the Unity of actions—the independence of Allah (swt) from all else, and the dependence of all other beings on Him in their actions) and tawhid rububi (the Unity of Lordship—His being the sole Planner and sovereign Lord, with all others, whether angels, prophets, or the natural worlds, being Divine workers). Such an intention constitutes polytheism in one’s understanding of Divine actions or Lordship.

If this same respect, reference, and recourse are with the intention of the following, then there is not contradiction with Unity of actions of Lordship or with the fact that Allah (swt) is the sole (independent) Fulfiller of needs, since the actions,, planning, and fulfillment of peoples desires through these personages are subordinate to Allahs (swt) action, Lordship, and His being the Fulfiller of Needs They are not independent of Him for it to be considered polytheism:

a. Obedience to a Divine command;

  1. Repaying the debt we owe them by virtue of their being the conduit of Divine grace in the creational and legal realms;
  2. Follow their example or benefit from their special attention, without viewing them as independent of Allah (swt);

Thus, the criterion of polytheism in seeking one’s needs from someone other than Allah (swt) is the intention of the individual. If he maintains the Divinity or Lordship of whoever he takes recourse to, or views them as being free of need of Allah (swt), such recourse is considered polytheism because of that belief. If it is in order to obey Allah (swt) and benefit from the honor and esteem, those esteemed people enjoy before Him, so that they implore Allah (swt) for that person’s needs or fulfill them with Allahs (swt) permission, such an action is not only not polytheistic, but the person taking recourse is also worthy of a reward for having acted in accordance with a Divine command.

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References: (1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL-1VHfMgQs. (2) http://www.velayattv.com/fa/page.php?bank=archive&id=2522.

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