By Yūsuf Badāt
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
“God and His angels send blessings on the Prophet, O believers! Send blessings and salutations on him, with all respect.” (Qurʾān 33:56)
Cheer to the Prophet ﷺ and Ten Fold Rewards
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَاءَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَالْبُشْرَى فِي وَجْهِهِ فَقُلْنَا إِنَّا لَنَرَى الْبُشْرَى فِي وَجْهِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ أَتَانِي الْمَلَكُ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقُولُ أَمَا يُرْضِيكَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ صَلَّيْتُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرًا وَلاَ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرًا
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings upon him) arrived [to us] one day with a cheerful expression on his face and we said, “We see you looking cheerful”. He said, “The angel came to me and said, ‘O Muḥammad, your Lord says, ‘Will it not please you [to know] that anyone who will send prayers of blessings upon you, I will send blessings upon them tenfold, and anyone who will send salutations upon you, I will send peace upon them tenfold?'” (Nasaʾī, Musnad Aḥmad)
Angels Carry the Salutations
إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلاَئِكَةً سَيَّاحِينَ فِي الأَرْضِ يُبَلِّغُونِي مِنْ أُمَّتِي السَّلاَمَ
“The Messenger of God (peace and blessings upon him) said, “God has appointed angels who travel around the earth conveying to me the salutations of my community.’” (Nasaʾī)
Angelic Supplications
مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يُصَلِّي عَلَىَّ إِلاَّ صَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ مَا صَلَّى عَلَىَّ فَلْيُقِلَّ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ لِيُكْثِرْ
“Any Muslim who sends peace and blessings upon me, the angels will send peace and blessings upon them as long as they send peace and blessings upon me. So let a person do a little of that or a lot.” (Ibn Mājah)
Reduce Stress and Grief
قَالَ أُبَىٌّ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أُكْثِرُ الصَّلاَةَ عَلَيْكَ فَكَمْ أَجْعَلُ لَكَ مِنْ صَلاَتِي فَقَالَ مَا شِئْتَ قَالَ قُلْتُ الرُّبُعَ قَالَ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنْ زِدْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ قُلْتُ النِّصْفَ قَالَ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنْ زِدْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثَيْنِ قَالَ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنْ زِدْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ قُلْتُ أَجْعَلُ لَكَ صَلاَتِي كُلَّهَا قَالَ إِذًا تُكْفَى هَمَّكَ وَيُغْفَرُ لَكَ ذَنْبُكَ
Obayy (may God be pleased with him) said, “I said, ‘O Messenger of God! Indeed I recite many blessings for you. How much of my prayers of blessings should I make for you?’ He replied, ‘As you wish.'” [He stated] “I enquired, ‘A fourth?’ He said, ‘As you wish but if you add more it would be better for you.’ I said, ‘Then half?’ He said, ‘As you wish, however if you add more it would be better [for you].'” [He stated,] “I said, ‘Then two-thirds? ‘He said, ‘As you wish but if you add more it would be better for you.’ I said, ‘Should I make all of my prayers of blessings for you?’ He said: ‘Then your problems would be solved and your sins would be forgiven.'” (Tirmidhī)
Proof of Love
جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَقُولُ فِي رَجُلٍ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا وَلَمْ يَلْحَقْ بِهِمْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ
A man came to God’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) and asked, “O God’s Messenger! What do you say about a person who loves some people but cannot catch up with their good deeds?” God’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) responded, “Everyone will be with those whom they love.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī)
Intercession
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وأَنْزِلْهُ الْمَقْعَدَ الْمُقَرَّبَ عِنْدَكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي
“Whoever recites, “O God send blessings upon Muḥammad and grace him with the ‘Station of Proximity’ by You, on Judgement Day, my intercession becomes incumbent on them.”” (Mʾujam Al-Kabīr Ṭabrānī)
Closeness
أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ عَلَيَّ صَلَاةً
“The closest to me on Judgement Day will be the one who was the most excessive in conveying blessings upon me.” (Abū Dāwūd)
Supplications Accepted
سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً يَدْعُو فِي صَلاَتِهِ لَمْ يُمَجِّدِ اللَّهَ وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَجِلْتَ أَيُّهَا الْمُصَلِّي ثُمَّ عَلَّمَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَسَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً يُصَلِّي فَمَجَّدَ اللَّهَ وَحَمِدَهُ وَصَلَّى عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ادْعُ تُجَبْ وَسَلْ تُعْطَ
God’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) heard a man supplicating during the prayer without glorifying God nor sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him). The Messenger of God (peace and blessings upon him) said, ‘You are in a hurry, O worshipper.’ Then the Messenger of God (peace and blessings upon him) taught them. Thereafter, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings upon him) heard a man praying; he glorified and praised God, and also sent blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him). The Messenger of God (peace and blessings upon him) said, ‘Supplicate now, you will be answered; ask and you will be given.'” (Nasai)
Conclusion
May we all internalize the importance, excellence and virtues of this noble act. May we take out time on a daily basis to schedule offering ṣalwāt and salām upon the final Messenger, Muḥammad (peace and blessings upon him). Most importantly, may we live his life, have his concern and continue his legacy and work.
