Where is this belief in the speech of Allaah:

When My servants ask You concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way [Baqarah 2:186]

This noble verse indicates that the one and only intermediary for coming closer to Allaah the Exalted is correct and true Eemaan in Him, then worshipping Him by what He has commanded. This verse has placed the righteous action as being above Eemaan so as to make mankind aware of the significance of correct and righteous action and that it is a necessary condition for attaining success with Allaah's happiness and entering into His Paradise.

Allaah the Exalted has mentioned Waseelah (the means of getting closer to Him) in the Quran intending by it acts of obedience. This is the one intermediary which will bring you closer to Him, open up for you the doors of His Mercy and enter you into His Paradise.

O you who believe! Fear Allaah and seek the means of approach to Him and strive in His path in order that you may succeed [Maa'ida 5:35]

Allaah has mocked the unmindful ignorants who have taken the righteous servants of Allaah as intermediaries while these servants themselves are in need of the means of approach to Allaah. This the obedience which will bring them closer to Allaah. Their is no other path for attaining closeness to Him besides it just like Allaah the Exalted has mentioned:

Those whom they call upon do desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord, - even those who are nearest: they hope for His Mercy and fear His Wrath: for the Wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of. [Israa 17:57]

It is sad that out of neglecting the correct and righteous actions and committing sins, these unmindful people have been enticed into depending upon such intermediaries. This is what has caused the failure of those Muslims who have forgotten or affected ignorance of the speech of Allaah to His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) who is the leader of all the sons of Aadam:

Say: I have no control of benefit or harm over myself [A'raaf 7:188]

and also the saying of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) to his daughter, the myrtle of his heart: "O Faatimah!... I can avail you nothing from Allaah." and his (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) saying: "When a man dies his actions cease except for three: recurring charity, knowledge which he imparted and a son which supplicates for him."

If there had not been in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah proof of the impermissibility of seeking nearness to Allaah through the prophets and the righteous except that of Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab when he requested his uncle, Al-'Abbaas, to supplicate for the Muslims and abandoned Tawassul through the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) , it would be enough as a refutation against this group. How excellent is what Imaam Abu Haneefah said (rh): And I detest that Allaah should be asked (for something) except by Allaah (i.e. directly)ias occurs in Durr ul-Mukhtaar and other books of the Hanafees. If seeking nearness to Allaah by means of the bodies of those whom we have mention were permissible then we would have found supplications in the Qur'aan and the Hadeeth - and how great is their number - linked to making tawassul through them!

THE THIRD: Amongst the Muslims are those who understand intermediation between Allaah and His creation to be the Messengership, which consists of knowledge, education and training. They have comprehended its great importance and the extent of mankind's need for it. So they hurry towards the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) taking him as the greatest intermediary and means of approach for obtaining the Sharee'ah and seeking light (i.e. guidance) with the light of revelation. They study, together, the Messenger' Seerah and his Sunnah just as they study the Qur'aan, their motto being the call of Allaah the Exalted:

There hath come to you from Allaah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book,- by which Allaah guides all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight. [Maaidah 5:17-18]

This group is the saved one which has been mentioned in the previous hadeeth and which has been given the glad tidings of Paradise.