{"id":1498,"date":"2011-09-04T11:07:26","date_gmt":"2011-09-04T11:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bakkah.net:\/en\/?p=1498"},"modified":"2011-09-04T15:07:52","modified_gmt":"2011-09-04T15:07:52","slug":"connections-waasitah-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/connections-waasitah-system.htm","title":{"rendered":"Inside Connections: The “Waasitah” System in Some of the Muslim Countries"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…<\/em><\/p>\n

Muslims from the West\u00a0may find difficulty in understanding and working under the systems of law in some of the Muslim countries, especially the “waasitah”<\/em> system<\/strong>, wherein\u00a0one relies on a person of status to\u00a0act as a\u00a0special connection, or intermediary,\u00a0between himself and\u00a0the authorities, to help him get a job, a visa for a relative, or any number of services or concessions.\u00a0 Before taking a rash position on the illegality or corruption of such a system, Muslims should educate themselves about the topic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Waasitah<\/em> in the Arabic Language<\/strong><\/p>\n

Waasitah<\/em><\/strong> comes from wasat<\/em><\/strong> (the middle), and it means: someone or something that comes between two things.<\/em>\u00a0In old Arabic, the waasitah<\/em> of a necklace was its jewel or pendant in the middle.\u00a0 The Arabs used words like waseet<\/em> and mutawassat<\/em> for our modern usage of the term waasitah<\/em>, meaning: an intermediary.\u00a0 They are all words from the same root.<\/p>\n

The modern use of the term waasitah<\/em> is a synonym for another classical Arabic term, shaafi’ <\/em>or shafee’ <\/em>(intercessor), from shafaa’ah<\/em> (intercession), when someone assists a person in need.<\/p>\n

Allaah says: [1]<\/p>\n

\u0645\u0646 \u064a\u0634\u0641\u0639 \u0634\u0641\u0627\u0639\u0629 \u062d\u0633\u0646\u0629 \u064a\u0643\u0646 \u0644\u0647 \u0646\u0635\u064a\u0628 \u0645\u0646\u0647\u0627 \u0648\u0645\u0646 \u064a\u0634\u0641\u0639 \u0634\u0641\u0627\u0639\u0629 \u0633\u064a\u0626\u0629 \u064a\u0643\u0646 \u0644\u0647 \u0643\u0641\u0644 \u0645\u0646\u0647\u0627<\/p>\n

( Whoever intercedes (on behalf of someone) in a good way shall have some of its benefit, and whoever intercedes in a bad way shall have some of its burden )<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Known by the context of the verse,\u00a0it was originally revealed about military expeditions<\/strong>.\u00a0 The good intercession refers to\u00a0assisting others in battling against the spread of evil.\u00a0 The bad intercession refers to\u00a0assisting others in fighting against\u00a0the spread of the truth.\u00a0 However, the generality of its wording includes all types of personal assistance and intercession<\/strong>, as stated explicitly by early\u00a0scholars of Tafseer<\/em>, like Mujaahid. [2]<\/p>\n

So the generality of the verse includes our modern usage of the term waasitah, <\/em>as introduced.<\/p>\n

The Waasitah<\/em> System According to the Book and the Sunnah<\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea of using a waasitah<\/em> or acting as one\u00a0has been mentioned in the Qur’aan, as preceded.\u00a0 Notice that Allaah has mentioned the people’s intercessions for each other as two types: good and bad.<\/p>\n

The great scholar of Tafseer<\/em>, Al-Qurtubee (d.671) said, “Whoever intercedes to help someone shall get a reward, and whoever intercedes to harm someone shall receive a burden (of sin).\u00a0 It has also been said that the good intercession is in acts of righteousness and obedience (to Allaah), while the bad one is in acts of disobedience…” He mentioned other opinions, and then said, “And Al-Hasan (al-Basree) said: The good kind (of intercession) is in\u00a0every permissible thing in the Religion, and the bad one is in every impermissible thing.\u00a0 This seems to\u00a0be the most comprehensive opinion<\/strong>.” [3]<\/p>\n

Aboo Moosaa al-Ash’aree (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Whenever someone came to the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) with a request, he would turn to those sitting with him and say: [4]<\/p>\n

\u0627\u0634\u0641\u0639\u0648\u0627 \u0641\u0644\u062a\u0624\u062c\u0631\u0648\u0627 \u0648\u0644\u064a\u0642\u0636 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0644\u0633\u0627\u0646 \u0646\u0628\u064a\u0647 \u0645\u0627 \u0623\u062d\u0628<\/p>\n

“Intercede (for him), so that you could be rewarded!\u00a0 And let Allaah decide whatever He likes upon the tongue of his Prophet.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This hadeeth is found in al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.\u00a0\u00a0Al-Bukhaaree collected it in four places in his\u00a0Saheeh<\/em>, in one of them he named the chapter: The Chapter of Muslims Cooperating with Each Other.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And the chapter title (placed by An-Nawawee) in Saheeh Muslim<\/em> is:\u00a0The Chapter of\u00a0the Recommendation of Interceding in Affairs that are not Haraam.<\/em><\/p>\n

It should be absolutely clear<\/strong> from this\u00a0that interceding for people to help them in their halaal<\/em> requests, without causing harm to anyone, within a “waasitah system”<\/em>, has been legislated by Allaah in His Book, and it\u00a0was\u00a0a system instituted and practiced by the\u00a0finest of His Creation, the Messenger Muhammad<\/strong> (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace).<\/p>\n

Yet, there may remain some people who say: I am not convinced that the texts about shafaa’ah (intercession) apply to the waasitah system used today.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let us look at a very clear question answered by the\u00a0Permanent\u00a0Committee of Senior Scholars<\/strong> in Saudi Arabia\u00a0[5] about\u00a0the modern\u00a0waasitah<\/em> system:<\/p>\n

What is the ruling on the waasitah?\u00a0 Is it haraam?\u00a0<\/strong> For example, if I wanted to get a job, or get accepted at a school, and I use a waasitah (to accomplish that), what is the ruling on this?\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Committee, headed by the great scholar, ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz [d.1420]\u00a0(may Allaah have Mercy on him), replied:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Firstly,<\/strong> if using an intercessor to get a job entails depriving someone else who has more right, meaning someone\u00a0who\u00a0is more knowledgable about the field and\u00a0more capable of performing the related duties properly, then this intercession is not allowed<\/strong>, since it is an act of oppression against a deserving individual, as well as an act of oppression against the authorities as well, who are deprived of qualified and capable workers to complete the\u00a0tasks required\u00a0to help take care of the society’s needs.\u00a0 Thus, it is a transgression against the society itself, preventing capable people from serving it in the best and most efficient way.\u00a0 Furthermore, it leads to animosity, bad feelings, and other harms between the people.<\/p>\n

However, if no one’s rights are deprived or squandered because of the intercession, then it is permissible<\/strong>,\u00a0even encouraged<\/strong> in Islaam, yielding rewards to the intercessors, in shaa’ Allaah.\u00a0 It has been authentically established that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said: “Intercede, so that you could be rewarded!\u00a0 And let Allaah decide whatever He likes upon the tongue of his Prophet.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Secondly,<\/strong> schools, institutes, and universities are for the general benefit of the whole society.\u00a0\u00a0In them, people learn things of benefit for their Religion and for their worldly life.\u00a0 No one should hold a status over another except by accomplishments, not because of intercession.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Thus, if someone in a position\u00a0to intercede recognizes that his intercession will result in the deprivation of someone who has more right, due to qualifications, age,\u00a0his place in line (for a promotion, for example, i.e. he was supposed to be next), or other factors, then\u00a0his intercession is not allowed<\/strong> in this case, since it results in\u00a0the oppression of the deprived,\u00a0or making\u00a0someone work in a\u00a0more distant\u00a0school that is\u00a0difficult for him to reach, but it makes\u00a0it easy on the one interceded for.\u00a0\u00a0Also (it is not allowed), due to the animosity and corruption it causes in the society.<\/p>\n

And from Allaah is our success.\u00a0 May Allaah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Good and Bad Usage of Waasitahs<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

From what has preceded from the Book, the Sunnah, the statements of the Companions and early scholars of the Salaf<\/em>, as well as the most recognized group of qualified scholars\u00a0of today, we see clearly that the use of a waasitah<\/em> is of two types:\u00a0good and\u00a0bad, and thus: either\u00a0halaal\u00a0<\/em>or haraam<\/em>.<\/p>\n

To summarize:<\/strong> The good, halaal waasitah<\/em><\/strong>, includes helping people with their needs and halaal<\/em> requests, without harming anyone else.\u00a0 The bad, haraam waasitah<\/em><\/strong> includes either haraam<\/em> requests or haraam<\/em> methods used in the process of intercession, like harming other candidates, lying, deceiving, bribing, etc. [6]<\/p>\n

Although the second category may be widespread, we may not conclude that the waasitah<\/em> system itself is corrupt<\/strong>, as it is from the perfect Religion of Allaah, based upon clear texts in the Book and the Sunnah.<\/p>\n

And Allaah knows best.<\/p>\n

Written by: Moosaa Richardson<\/em><\/p>\n

FOOTNOTES:<\/strong><\/p>\n

[1] Soorah an-Nisaa’<\/em> (4):85<\/p>\n

[2] See: Jaami’ al-Bayaan<\/em> of at-Tabaree (8\/580-581).<\/p>\n

[3] Al-Jaami’ li-Ahkaam al-Qur’aan<\/em> (6\/484-485)<\/p>\n

[4] Collected by al-Bukhaaree (#6026)\u00a0and Muslim (#2627).\u00a0 This is the wording of Muslim.<\/p>\n

[5] Official\u00a0Verdicts of the Committee (25\/389-390)<\/a><\/p>\n

[6] It is also impermissible to intercede for someone who has committed a crime that warrants an Islaamically legislated punishment, after the proofs have been established and the judge has ruled in the case.\u00a0 This is understood from the hadeeth about the\u00a0woman from the Makhzoom Tribe\u00a0who stole, as collected by\u00a0al-Bukhaaree (#6788)\u00a0and Muslim (#1688), and how the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) rejected the intercession of Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with him) on her behalf.\u00a0 While this specific act of intercession was unacceptable, it further proves what is established from the hadeeth of Aboo Moosaa (mentioned previously), that the waasitah<\/em> system was in place<\/strong> as a normal routine in the time of the Messenger (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful… Muslims from the West\u00a0may find difficulty in understanding and working under the systems of law in some of the Muslim countries, especially the “waasitah” system, wherein\u00a0one relies on a person of status … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[94,85,64],"tags":[153],"class_list":["post-1498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commerce","category-fiqh-islamic-rulings","category-original-articles","tag-waasitah-system"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1498"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1520,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions\/1520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}