A Comparative Study of the Wahhabi and Maliki Views on Tawassul through Status, Rank, and Right

The issue of tawassul is one of the contentious topics between Wahhabism and other Muslims. While the legitimacy of certain forms of tawassul is unanimously agreed upon, and the illegitimacy of others is also unanimously accepted, some of its instances -such as tawassul through the status, rank, and rights of God’s saints-remain a subject of dispute between Wahhabism and other Muslims. Examining the views, arguments, and evidence of each side is necessary for uncovering the truth. In this study, the Wahhabi perspective is compared with that of the Maliki school, one of the four Sunni jurisprudential schools, regarding tawassul through status and rank. The focus is on what each of these two groups believes in this matter, and where their points of agreement and divergence lie.The main objective of this research is to clarify the differences and similarities between these two perspectives.
Wahhabism considers tawassul through status, rank, or the rights of God’s saints as an innovation (bid‘ah), forbidden (haram), and even a precursor to polytheism (shirk), and strongly emphasizes its prohibition. Their main argument is that neither the Prophet, his Companions, nor the Followers (Tabi‘un) practiced it, and that the rank of any person does not benefit another. In contrast, Maliki scholars regard it as permissible and legitimate, to the extent that this form of tawassul is observed in the practical tradition of Maliki scholars. Their evidence rests upon transmitted narrations (ahadith) in this regard. However, some Maliki scholars have ruled it impermissible; yet, unlike Wahhabis, they do not consider it an innovation, but merely argue that the status of saints does not benefit others.