This article investigates the theological validity of three devotional practices—tawassul, istighātha, and shafāʿa—through which believers seek divine favour via intermediaries. Focusing on their role within Twelver Shīʿī Islam, it explores ongoing debates about their permissibility and compatibility with the doctrine of Islamic monotheism (tawḥīd). The study contextualises their evolution from pre-Islamic Arabia, where polytheistic intermediary practices were reoriented under Islam to affirm divine sovereignty, and traces their continuity through early Islamic, post-Prophetic and contemporary periods. By examining key Qurʾānic verses and ḥadīth from both Shīʿī and Sunnī sources, the study establishes that intermediaries operate solely under God’s permission, negating accusations of polytheism (shirk). From a Twelver Shīʿī theological perspective, such practices are understood as manifestations of Divine Mercy that operate entirely under God’s authority. The article refutes Salafi-Wahhabi critiques, particularly objections to posthumous intercession, by arguing that Prophets and Imams retain a spiritually dynamic role in barzakh (the intermediate realm), enabling them to intercede by divine will. The study concludes that tawassul, istighātha, and shafāʿa reinforce monotheistic principles, enhance spiritual connectivity, and remain integral to Shīʿī devotional practice.

KEYWORDS: Tawassul, istighātha, shafāʿa, intercession, tawḥīd, shirk.