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 .