Wasilah
/wəˈsiːlə/noun
In Islamic theology, a means or intermediary through which a person seeks nearness to God.
Did you know?The word appears in the Qur’an in the command to seek al-wasīlah, later inspiring theological discussions about prayer, intercession, and spiritual mediation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*waṣal-
“To join, connect, or reach; a reconstructed Semitic root”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
waṣala
“He reached, arrived, joined, or became connected”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
wasīla
“A means of approach, connection, or intermediary”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
al-wasīlah
“The means of drawing near to God; mentioned in Qur’an 5:35”
Medieval Islamic scholarship
Arabic
tawassul
“Seeking nearness to God through a means or intermediary”
Modern English
English
wasilah
“An Islamic spiritual means or pathway of approach to God”