The Hanbali Madzhab Considers Tawaswswul in Du’a Desirable

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam ‘Ala ad-Din Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Mardawi (r.a.), as recorded in Kitab al-Inswaf, commenting on the theological position of Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.) and the Hanbali madzhab, said, “The correct position of the madzhab is that it is permissible in one’s du’a to use, as one’s means, of a pious person, and it is said that it is desirable.  Imam Ahmad said to Abu Bakr al-Marwazi, ‘Let him use the Prophet (s.a.w.) as a means in his supplication to Allah (s.w.t.).’” This is also cited in Shaykh Taqi’ ad-Din Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Halim ibn Taymiyyah’s (r.a.) Majmu’ al-Fatawa.