Importance of Praising the Prophet

By Ismail Ebrahim

It is among the prescriptions of the Shari'ah (Islamic Law) to recite Salutations and Blessings upon Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) as is evident in the following Qur’anic verse : "Undoubtedly, Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet (the Communicator of Unseen News), O you who believe ! Send upon him blessings and salute him fully well in abundance" (Surah al-Ahzab, Verse 56).
 

Allah Almighty in the Holy Qur’an has enjoined the performance of many things by us such as Salaat, Fasting, Hajj etc. and has praised His Prophets and described their good qualities. He created Sayyidina Adam (`alayhis salaam) and directed the Angels to make sajda (prostration) to him. However, he does not say in any of His directions, "I (Allah) am doing it, therefore you should do likewise".

This honor was exclusively conferred upon our Beloved Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad (s). Here, in the above verse, Allah Almighty at the very outset attributed salawat (recital of blessings) on our Beloved Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad (s), first to Himself (Sunnat iIaahi), then to His Angels (Sunnat il-Malaa'ika), and after this enjoined on the Muslims (Sunnat il-Mu'mineen) to do the same, by saying, "Undoubtedly, Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet (the Communicator of Unseen News), O you who believe ! Send upon him blessings and salute him fully well in abundance".

There cannot be a greater honor for the Believers than this, who have been favored with a share in this Divine Action by Allah Almighty and His Angels. It is stated in the commentary of the Qur’an, Tafseer Ruh al-Bayaan, "Some Ulema are of the opinion that the meaning of Allah's blessing is, to raise Sayyidina Muhammad Mustafa (s) to al-maqaam il-mahmood (Glorious Station), the place from where he will intercede with Allah Almighty on behalf of his Ummat; the Angels' blessing means their prayer for enhancing the position of Sayyidina Muhammad Mustafa (s) and beseeching forgiveness for his followers. Blessings on the path of the believers means to obey, love and eulogize him."

Tafseer Ruh al-Bayaan further states that the honor and reverence shown to Sayyidina Muhammad (s) is of a much greater degree than shown to Sayyidina Adam (as) to whom only angels were made to bow down (in honor). For in honoring Sayyidina Muhammad Mustafa (s) Allah Almighty has also attributed it to Himself, whereas in the case of Sayyidina Adam (as) Allah Almighty asked only the Angels to show honor.

Having established and expounded on the injunction of the Holy Qur’an we quote a few ahadith of the Holy Prophet (s) pertaining to salawat and salaam.

Imam Tibraani (rahmat ullah `alayh) has recorded this Hadith narrated by Sayyidina Abu Darda (r):
The Holy Prophet (s) said : "Increase your recitation of salawat on me on Friday because on this day Angels present themselves to me. There is no servant of Allah who recites salawat upon me, except that his voice reaches me from wherever he is". The Companions asked even after your departure ? "He replied, Yes after my departure too, because Allah has made it Haraam upon the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets".1

“On Fridays recite the Salawat for me repeatedly ! The Salawat will be conveyed to me."2 When it was asked whether it would be conveyed to him after his wisaal also, the Prophet (s) answered, "Soil does not rot Prophets' bodies. Whenever a Muslim says the Salawat for me, an Angel informs me of it and says, 'So-and-so's son, so-and-so of your Ummah sent his Salaam and prayed for you.'"

Sahl ibn Sa`d (r)narrates: Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wasalam) came out and met Abu Talha. The latter rose and went to him saying: "My father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah! I see joy and delight in your countenance?" The Prophet (s) said: "Yes, for Gabriel has just come to me saying: O Muhammad, whoever among your Community invokes blessings upon you once, Allah records for Him ten good deeds, erases from his account ten evil deeds, and raises him ten degrees because of it."3

"Invoke blessings upon me abundantly on Friday because it is a day that is (particularly) witnessed and the Angels witness it (abundantly). As soon as a person invokes blessings on me his invocation is shown to me until he ends it." Abu al-Darda' (r)said: "Even after (your) death?" The Prophet (s) replied: "Verily, Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of Prophets.”4

Some made the initial addition of the following: "The best of your days is Friday, for in it Adam was created, and in it his soul was taken back, and in it is the blowing of the Horn, and in it is the universal Seizure, therefore invoke blessings upon me abundantly on Friday…”5

The Holy Prophet (s) says in a Hadith, "Definitely there are many Angels of Allah that sojourn the earth and bring the Salaam of my Ummat to me".6

Sayyidina 'Abd ar-Rahman bin 'Auf (r) says that one day the Holy Prophet (s) came and entered a date garden. There he performed a very long prostration. Sayyidina 'Abd ar-Rahman (r) feared that Allah had sent death to him. He drew close to him and began to look at him. The Holy Prophet (s) raised his holy head from the prostration and asked what had happened to him, then he disclosed his fear to him. At this, the Holy Prophet (s) said Sayyidina Jibra'il ('alaihis salaam) asked whether he should not give him glad tidings that Allah said that He would send blessings to the person who recited the Holy Qur'an on him and peace and security to the person who bade Salutations to him.7

Footnotes

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Auzubillahim minash shaitan ir rajeem,

Bismillah ir rehman ir rahim

Assalamualikum wa rahmatullah,

The Fiqh of sending Blesslings on the Prophet(SAW)

by Sohail Hanif, with Faraz Rabbani

In the name of Allah, the inspirer of truth. All praise is to Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate, and all blessings and peace to our Master Muhammad, his family, companions, and those who follow them.

Allah most high says “Allah and his angels send blessings on the prophet, o you who believe, send blessings on him and salute him with all respect.” [Qur’an, 33:56]

The messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said “the one in whose presence I am mentioned and does not send blessings on me is a miser.”  [reported by Tirmidhi, who declared it well and rigorously authenticated]. The meaning of sending blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)

The great 19^thCentury Shaykh al-Azhar, Imam Bajuri mentions in his supercommentary (hashiya) on the Sanusiyya in aqida, 

“There are three meanings for salat (‘sending blessings’): 

The first is purely linguistic and it is prayer (du`a) in it's most general sense. 

The second is purely legal and it is the spoken elements and physical actions that start with the saying Allahu Akbar (‘Allah is most great’) and ends with the greetings of peace (taslim), with specific preconditions.  [f: Namely, the ritual prayer.]

The third is both linguistic and legal. According to the majority, it is mercy when attributed to Allah; and seeking forgiveness (istighfar) when attributed to any other than Him, whether angels and others…

As for the word 'salam', it's meaning is security. The purpose of this is to reassuring the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) about what he fears for his nation…Some have explained it as greeting, meaning, when attributed to Allah, that He address him with His beginninglessly eternal speech to indicate the loftiness of his immense rank.” [Ibrahim al-Bajuri, Hashiya al-Bajuri `ala al-Sanusiyya, pg 7, Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi]

Imam al-Sakhawi, in his Qawl al-Badi`, added that linguistically, the word salat ('sending blessings') returns to two meanings. The first is supplication (du`a) and seeking blessings (tabarruk). Allah’s saying, “And pray for them, indeed your prayer is a source of tranquility,” carries this sense. The second meaning is worship. It can also be used to mean seeking forgiveness (istighfar), blessings (baraka), recitation, mercy, and forgiveness. Therefore, the meaning of the word salat depends on the context, as well as the one offering it, and the one it is being directed to.

The ruling of sending the peace and blessing on him (May Allah bless him and give him peace)

Imam Haskafi mentions in his Durr al-Mukhtar concerning sending the peace and blessings on the prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace),

“It is obligatory once in a persons life, without any difference of opinion… and it is differed upon concerning it's necessity every time he is mentioned (Allah bless him and give him peace) the chosen opinion according to Tahawi is that it is necessary (wajib) every time he is mentioned and the opinion of the school is that is repeating it is recommended [f: that is, saying it once in a session is necessary, and repeating it every time the Prophet’s name is mentioned is recommended].”

Ibn Abidin explains,

“sending of blessings on the prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is necessary once in each session [where his name is mentioned] ... and its repetition is recommended [if the prophet’s name (Allah bless him and give him peace) is repeated].” [radd al-muhtar `ala al-durr al-mukhtar, 1:246, bulaq ed.]  This was taken from the position verified by Imam Abu’l Barakat al-Nasafi in his al-Kafi and Imam Kamal ibn al-Humam in his Zad al-Faqir.

Places and time when the sending of peace and blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is recommended

Imam al-Haskafi mentions,

“it is recommended in all times, when possible.”

Ibn 'Abidin adds,

“The scholars have specifically mentioned a number of places when it is recommended:

· on Fridays during the day and the night before, in the morning and evening,

· upon entering the mosque and upon exiting,

. when visiting his blessed grave (Allah bless him and give him peace),

· when at Safa and Marwa,

· during the Friday sermon and other sermons [f: the khatib; as for those listening, they do not do so with their tongues, but within themselves],

· after replying to the adhan,

· when the call to commence the prayer is given (iqamah), 

· in the beginning, middle and end of a supplication (du`a) [f: because the salat on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is accepted by Allah, and He will not reject that which is between it, out of His supreme generosity, as the scholars mention],

· after the du'a of qunut [in the witr prayer],

· when meeting and parting,

· during the ablution,

· when having forgotten something,

· when giving an admonition,

· when commencing and completing the reading of hadith,

· for all authors, students, and teachers,

· people getting married and people marrying others off,

· in letters,

· and before all important matters.” [Radd al-Muhtar, 1:348, Bulaq]

What is the reward and benefit of the peace and blessings

Imam al-Sakhawi records numerous benefits and rewards of sending blessings on the blessed prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).  These include:

1. Allah's sending blessings on the slave

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “He who sends blessings on me once, Allah sends him blessings ten times.”  [Muslim, Abu Dawud, & Tirmidhi]

Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “He who sends blessings on me once Allah sends blessings on him ten times and removes from him ten sins and raises him by ten degrees.”  [al-Nasa'i].

2. Forgiveness

Abu Kahil relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “O Abu Kahil, whoever sends blessings on me three times every day and three times every night out of love for me and longing for me, it is his right on Allah that He forgive him his sins for that day and night.” 

3. Sufficiency for one's worldly and other-worldly affairs for the one who makes all of his prayers blessings on the prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)

Ubayy ibn Ka`b relates: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I send much blessings on you.  What proportion of my prayer should I devote to you?” He said, “As much as you like.”  I said, “A quarter?”  He said, “As much as you like, and if you increased it would only be better for you.”  I said, “Then a half?”  He said, “As much as you like and if you increased then it would only be better for you.”  I said, “Then two thirds?”  He said, “As much as you like and if you increased it would only be better for you.”  I said, “I'll devote all of my prayers to sending blessings on you.”  The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “In that case it will suffice you from your worries and your sins will be forgiven. “ [Reported by Tirmidhi who declared it well authenticated]

4. Attaining intercession of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)

Abu al-Darda' relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever sends blessings on me ten times in the morning and ten in the evening will have my intercession on judgement day.” [Tabarani]

Imam al-Sakhawi mentions other benefits, including:

• attaining the pleasure of Allah Most High and His mercy,
• protection from His anger,
• being shaded by Allah's throne on judgement day,
• purification of the heart from hypocrisy,
• and seeing our Beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in one's sleep. [al-Qawl al-Badi' fi al-salat 'ala al-Habib al-Shafi', 203]

May Allah fill our hearts with love of His beloved Prophet. May He inspire our tongues to send much blessings on him (Allah bless him and give him peace) and guide us to lead our lives in accordance to his exalted and noble sunna.