Waseela – Hadith of Blind Sahabi by Usman bin Hunaif

 

See full scans of narrations at bottom of this article.

حدثنا ‏ ‏أحمد بن منصور بن سيار ‏ ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏عثمان بن عمر ‏ ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏شعبة ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏أبي جعفر المدني ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏عمارة بن خزيمة بن ثابت ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏عثمان بن حنيف
أن رجلا ضرير البصر أتى النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏فقال ادع الله لي أن يعافيني فقال إن شئت أخرت لك وهو خير وإن شئت دعوت فقال ‏ ‏ادعه ‏ ‏فأمره أن يتوضأ فيحسن وضوءه ويصلي ركعتين ويدعو بهذا الدعاء اللهم إني أسألك وأتوجه إليك ‏ ‏بمحمد ‏ ‏نبي الرحمة يا ‏ ‏محمد ‏ ‏إني قد توجهت بك إلى ربي في حاجتي هذه ‏ ‏لتقضى اللهم شفعه في

The Hadith states: It was narrated from ‘Uthman bin Hunaif that a blind man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said: “Pray to Allah to heal me.” He said: “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 he told him to perform ablution and do it well, to pray two Rak’ah, and to say this supplication: “Allahumma lnni as’aluka wa atawajjahu ilaika bimuhammadin nabiyyir-rahma. Ya Muhammadu inni qad tawajjahtu bika ila rabbi fi hajati hadhihi lituqda. Allahumma fashaffi’hu fiya (O Allah, I ask of You and I turn my face towards You by virtue of the intercession (waseela) of Muhammad the Prophet of mercy. O Muhammad, I have turned to my Lord by virtue of your intercession (waseela) concerning this need of mine so that it may be met. O Allah, accept his intercession concerning me)”.

Hafiz Ibn Taymiyya writes:

“Uthman ibn Hunaif (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a blind person came to Sayiduna Rasul’ullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: ‘Pray to Allah that He bestows upon me sight.’ Rasul’ullah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied: ‘Perform ablution, pray two rak’as salat and then supplicate to Allah in this way: ‘Ya Allah, I ask You through the wasila of the Prophet.’ Allah Almighty returned his sight”

[Ibn Taymiyya, at-Tawassul, page 80; he recorded from: at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Hakim; Bukhari in ‘Ta’rikh’; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad Ahmad, and at-Tabarani]

 

Hafiz Ibn Kathir and Qadi Shawkani write:

“Sayiduna Uthman ibn Hunaif reported that a blind person came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The blind person asked, ‘Do du’a’ for me so Allah Most High restores my sight.’ Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘If you really want to, I can do du’a’ for you or I can leave it [This means that if the blind man leaves his sight as it is, he will be rewarded more on the Day of Judgement]. But the blind man still insisted that the Prophet should make du’a’ for him. The Prophet asked him to perform ablution and pray two rakas nawafil and to make the following supplication: ‘O Allah! I ask You with the wasila of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Ya Muhammad! I am making du’a’ to Allah Most High with your wasila, so that Allah Most High may accept my du’a’. O Allah! Make Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as my interceder”

[Ta’rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on ‘Mu’jizat and Tuhfah al-Dhakireen’, chapter on ‘Salat al-Hajat’)

This hadith was recorded and authenticated by several traditional scolars, the following all classified it rigorously authentic (sahih):  Imam Ibn Majah in his al-Sunan; Imam Nasai in his ‘Amal al-Yaum wa al-Lailah; Imam Hakim in his al-Mustadrak, Imam Baihaqi in Dala’il al-Nubuwwa; Imam Mundhiri in al-Targhib wa al-tahrib; Imam Haythami in Majma’ al zawa’id wa manba’ al-fawa’id; Imam Tibrani in his al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir.

The narration is also recorded by Imam Bukhari in his al-Tàrikh al-Kabir, Imam Tirmidhi in his Sunan, Imam Ahmad in his al-Musnad, Imam Abu Nu’aym in Marifa al-Sahaba and Imam ibn Khuzaima in his Kitab al-Sahih.

This hadith proves that it is permissible to make supplication with the waseela of the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace].

The narration recorded by Imam Bayhaqi in Dalà’ilu al-Nubuwah also includes an additional element of the hadith that states ‘Uthman ibn Hunaif reported that the blind man followed what the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said and when he returned, his sight was restored.

[Imam Baihaqi in Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, chapter on ‘al-Mu’jizat’]

Imam al-Dhahabi affirmed its authenticity in his annotations on al-Mustadrak.

It is proved from the above hadith that it is permissible to say ‘Ya Muhammad’ and it is also permissible to make supplication to Allah with the wasila of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)

References and Scans

►1) Ibn Majah transmitted it in his Sunan, book of Iqamat al-salat wa al-sunnat (establishing prayer and its sunnahs) [Page 197, Hadith No#1385]

Front Cover: Sunnan Ibn Majah, Published by Dar us Salaam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sunnan Ibn Majah, Hadith No 1385, Page 197

In Sunnan Ibn Majah then it says:

قال ‏ ‏أبو إسحق ‏ ‏هذا ‏ ‏حديث صحيح

Translation: Imam Abu Ishaaq (rah) said: This hadith is “SAHIH” [ibid]

►2) Tirmidhī in al-Jami-us-sahīh, book of da‘awat (supplications) ch.119 (5:569#3578) where he declared it “HASAN SAHIH GHARIB”

Jami al-Tirmidhi Front Cover
Jami al-Tirmidhi, Chapter of Supplications, Hadith No. 3578, Page 813

►3) Imam Nasa’i, ‘Amal-ul-yawm wal-laylah (Hadith No. 658-659, page 417)

Front Cover: Amal-ul-yawm wal-laylah by Imam Nasai
Book : ‘Amal-ul-yawm wal-laylah, Hadith number : 658-659, Page : 417

►4) Imam Ahmad bin Hambal in his Musnad (4:138 #17246-17247)

►5) Imam al-Hākim, al-Mustadrak (1:313,519) where he declared it “SAHIH”

►6) Imam Bukhari, Book : Tareekh Ul Kabeer Volume : 6 page : 209-210, Biography number : 2192

Front Cover – Imam Bukhari, Book : Tareekh Ul Kabeer
Imam Bukhari, Tareekh Ul Kabeer, Volume 6, Biography number 2192, page 209
Imam Bukhari, Tareekh Ul Kabeer, Volume 6, Biography number 2192, page 210

►7) Ibn e Khuzaymah, Book: Sahi Ibn e Khuzaymah, Chapter : Salat At Targheeb Wat Tarheeb (527) Volume 2, Page 225, Hadith Number 1219

Sahih Ibn e Khuzaymah Front Cover
Chapter : Salat At Targheeb Wat Tarheeb (527) Volume 2, Hadith Number 1219, Page 225
Chapter : Salat At Targheeb Wat Tarheeb (527) Volume 2, Hadith Number 1219, Page 226

►8) Imam Hakim, al-Mustadrak Sahiyan,  Book : Salat At Tatawa’, Volume 1, Hadith Number 1181, Page 449

Imam Hakim al-Mustadrak Front Cover
Imam Hakim al-Mustadrak, Book Salat At Tatawa, Volume 1, Hadith No 1181, Page 449

►9) Imam Bayhaqi,  Book : Dalail An Nubuwwah Volume 6, Page 166-167

Imam Bayhaqi,  Book : Dalail An Nubuwwah by Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah Beirut Lebanon Front Cover
Imam Bayhaqi – Dalail un Nubuwwah Volume 6 Page 166