VASEELA IN ISLAM : SEEKING MEANS TO REACH ALLAH
[Shakir 5:35] O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to
Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful.
[Yusufali 5:35] O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and
strive with might and main in his cause: that ye may prosper.
[Pickthal 5:35] O ye who believe! Be mindful of your duty to Allah, and seek the way of approach
unto Him, and strive in His way in order that ye may succeed.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 5:35]
Wasilah is a means of access to a thing or a being.
If Allah had willed He could have guided mankind directly through inspiration, but in His infinite
wisdom, He had not deemed it desirable. He selected and appointed His representatives to convey His
message and laws to people and administer their affairs in every age. Please refer to pages 1 to 7,
and the commentary of al Baqarah: 2 to 5, 30 to 38, 48, and 124 to know that the Holy Prophet and
his Ahl ul Bayt are the only means of approach to Allah.
Thus wasilah or means of access to Allah is to faithfully follow the Holy Prophet and the holy
Imams of his holy house, who have been thoroughly purified by Allah (Ahzab: 33).
The Holy Prophet said:
"I and Ali are from one divine light."
"I will soon be called back, so I will have to go away from you, but I leave behind, amid you, the
thaqalayn (two weighty indispensable influential authorities), the book of Allah and my Ahl ul
Bayt. Should you be attached to these two, never, never shall you go astray, after me, for verily
these two will never be separated from each other; and, joined together, they shall meet me at the
spring of Kawthar."
"My Ahl ul Bayt amongst you are like the ark of Nuh. He who sails on it will be safe; but he who
holds back shall be drowned and lost.".