Tawassul in View of the Holy Quran and the Islamic Sources

This study investigates the concept of tawassul —seeking a means of approach to God—from the perspective of the Qurʾān and other Islamic sources. To achieve this goal, numerous Sunni and Shiʿi texts—primarily Sunni works—were examined, and a selection of the most authoritative sources was chosen as the foundation of the analysis. Employing a descriptive–analytical method, the research explores and compares diverse perspectives on the meaning, types, and applications of tawassul. The study also compares interpretations across traditions to clarify the relation between intercession and monotheism. The findings demonstrate that, according to the Qurʾān and Islamic tradition, the mediating entity may at times consist of righteous deeds and sincere acts of worship, and at other times a noble individual who enjoys a divinely granted rank and esteem. The study further reveals that tawassul has been widely acknowledged and practiced as an ancient religious tradition through which believers seek closeness to God. It eventually suggests that tawassul—when performed in accordance with divine instruction—does not constitute shirk (polytheism) but rather reinforces tawḥīd (monotheism). In other word, tawassul reaffirms tawhid by acknowledging that all mediation operates solely through God’s will.

Keywords:

Qurʾān , Islamic sources , tawassul , tawḥīd , shirk , istishfāʿ