Commentary on the Hadits of the Blind Man’s Intercession through the Prophet (s.a.w.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

There is a direct and explicit order of the Prophet (s.a.w.), recorded in Sunan ibn Majah, to make tawaswswul upon the Prophet (s.a.w.).  It was narrated from Sayyidina ‘Utsman ibn Hunayf (r.a.) that a blind man came to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and said, “Pray to Allah to Heal me.” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) replied, “If you wish to store your Reward for the Hereafter, that is better, or if you wish, I will supplicate for you.” 

He said, “Supplicate.”  So, the Prophet (s.a.w.) told him to perform ablution and do it well, to pray two raka’at and to say this supplication: “Allahumma innii as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilayka bi nabiyyika Muhammad, nabiyyi rahmati.  Ya Muhammad inni atawajjahu bika ilaa rabbii fii haajati hadzihi li tuqdhaa lii Allahumma fashaffi’hu fiyya,” meaning, “O Allah, I ask of You and I turn my face towards You by virtue of the intercession of Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy.  O Muhammad, I have turned to my Lord by virtue of your intercession concerning this need of mine so that it may be met.  O Allah, Accept his intercession concerning me.” 

Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn ‘Abbad ar-Rundi (r.a.) said this hadits is swahih.  Imam Abu ‘Isa Muhammad ibn ‘Isa as-Sulami at-Tirmidzi (r.a.), in al-Jami asw-Swahih, declared it hasan swahih gharib.  It is also found in Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb an-Nasa’i’s (r.a.) ‘Amal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah; Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal’s (r.a.) Musnad; Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Hakim an-Nishaburi’s (r.a.) al-Mustadrak asw-Swahihayn, where he declared it swahih; Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi’s (r.a.) al-Adzkar; Hafizh ‘Imad ad-Din Abu al-Fida’ Isma’il ibn ‘Umar ibn Katsir’s (r.a.) al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah; and Imam Shibab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hajr al-Haytsami’s (r.a.) al-Jawhar al-Munazhzham.  Besides them all, Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah (r.a.), and Imam Shams ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad adz-Dzahabi (r.a.) declared the narration to be swahih. 

Similarly, there is another hadits recorded by Imam Hakim (r.a.), but in different words.  Like the previous hadits, Sayyidina ‘Utsman ibn Hunayf (r.a.) said he was present in the Prophet’s (s.a.w.) company when a blind man called on the Prophet (s.a.w.) and complained about the loss of his eyesight.  He added, “O Messenger of Allah, there is no one to guide me, and I am in great trouble.” 

On hearing his complaint, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Bring an earthen pot for ablution, then perform the ablution and offer two cycles of optional prayer.  Then say, ‘O Allah, I appeal to You, and submit to You through the mediation of Your merciful prophet, Muhammad.  O Muhammad, through your mediation, I submit myself to your Lord that He should Give light to my eyes.  O Allah, Acknowledge his intercession in my favour and Accept my supplication also in my favour.” 

Sayyidina ‘Utsman ibn Hunayf (r.a.) said, “I swear by Allah that we had neither left the company, nor had we carried on a long conversation that the man entered, and it seemed as if he had never been blind.”

This hadits is found in Imam an-Nasa’i’s (r.a.) ‘Amal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah; Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s (r.a.) Musnad; Hafizh ibn Katsir’s (r.a.) al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah; Imam Abu al-Fadhl ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuthi’s (q.s.) al-Khaswa’isw al-Kubra’; Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Qasthalani’s (r.a.) al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah bi al-Minah al-Muhammadiyyah; and Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi’s (r.a.) Dala’il an-Nubuwwah. 

Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ash-Shawkani (r.a.), while authenticating tawaswswul, explained the saying of Imam Abu al-Faraj ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Jawzy (r.a.) that one should ask Allah (s.w.t.) through the intermediary of the prophets and the pious servants of Allah (s.w.t.).  He said, “I say that to seek intercession with Allah through the prophets and righteous is proven as is narrated by at-Tirmidzi who called it hasan swahih gharib, and also narrated by an-Nasa’i, ibn Majah and ibn Khuzaymah in his Swahih.  al-Hakim said, ‘It is swahih on the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim, the hadits of ‘Utsman ibn Hunayf that a blind man came to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and said, ‘I have been afflicted in my eyesight, so pray to Allah for me.’ 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, ‘Go perform ablution, perform two raka’at of swalah and then say, ‘O Allah! I ask You and turn to you through my prophet, Muhammad.’’ 

This hadits is mentioned in the book of swalat al-hajat.  And regarding tawaswswul through righteous people, it is proven from Swahih,” referring to Swahih al-Bukhari, “that the swahabah used to seek rain through ‘Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  ‘Umar said, ‘O Allah we turn to you through the means of the Prophet's uncle.’”  This is written in Tuhfat adz-Dzakirin. 

Imam ash-Shawkani (r.a.) also said, “And in this hadits is the proof on permissibility of seeking intercession to Allah through the Prophet (s.a.w.) but with the belief that Allah is the One Who Grants or Takes; whatever He Wills Happens and whatever He does not Will cannot happen.”