Prayer

Nafi‘ said that when ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar sat during the prayer he placed his hands on his knees, pointed with his finger and gave his whole attention to it. He then said that God’s Messenger had said, “It has a more severe effect on the devil than iron,” meaning the forefinger. Ahmad transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud used to say, “It pertains to the sunna to repeat the tashahhud quietly.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan gharib tradition.

We asked God’s Messenger this question, “How is blessing to be invoked on you who belong to the prophetic family? God has taught us [only] how to salute you.” He told us to say, “O God, bless Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst bless Abraham and Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious. O God, grant favours to Muhammad and Muhammad’s family as Thou didst grant favours to Abraham and Abraham’s family. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.” (Bukhari and Muslim, but Muslim did not mention Abraham in the two places.)

Abu Humaid as-Sa‘idi said that when some people asked God’s Messenger how they should invoke blessings on him he told them to say, “O God, bless Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst bless Abraham; and grant favours to Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst grant favours to the family of Abraham. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes blessing on me once, God will bless him ten times.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on me once, God will grant him ten blessings, ten sins will be remitted from him, and he will be raised ten degrees.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one who will be nearest me on the day of resurrection will be the one who invoked most blessings on me.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God has angels who travel about in the earth and convey to me greetings from my people.” Nassa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No one will express a greeting to me without God restoring my spirit to me so that I may respond to his greeting.” It is transmitted by Abu Dawud and by Baihaqi in [Kitab] ad-da'awat al-kabir.

He reported that he had heard God’s Messenger say, “Do not turn your houses into graves,* and do not make my grave a place to gather as for visitation, but invoke blessings on me, for your blessing will reach me wherever you are.” *This is most probably a figurative expressive indicating that a house in which prayer is not offered is like a grave, as God is not worshipped there.Nasa’i transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “May he be abased who does not invoke a blessing on me when I am mentioned in his presence. May he be abased who passes through the whole of Ramadan before his sins are forgiven him. May he be abased one or both of whose parents have reached old age without causing him to enter paradise.* *This means that he has shown them no kindness.Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Gabriel came to me and told me that my Lord says, “Does it not please you, Muhammad, that none of your people will invoke a blessing on you without my blessing him ten times, and that none of your people will give you a greeting without my greeting him ten times?” Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Ubayy b. Ka'b said he told God’s Messenger that he frequently invoked blessings on him and asked how much of his prayer* he should devote to him. He replied that he might devote as much as he wished, and when he suggested a quarter he said, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested a half and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested two-thirds and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He then suggested devoting all his prayer to him and he replied, “Then you will be freed from care and your sin will be expiated.” * The word used is salat. It has been explained as referring here to the petitions (du’a) offered at the end of the salat.Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Fadala b. ‘Ubaid said-that while God’s Messenger was sitting, a man entered and prayed aying, “O God, forgive me and show mercy to me.” God’s Messenger said, “You who are praying are in a hurry. When you pray and come to the point when you sit, you should worthily extol God’s praises, invoke blessing on me, and then make your supplication.” He said that afterwards another man prayed, extolling God’s praises and invoking a blessing on the Prophet, and the Prophet said to him, “You who are praying, if you make supplication you will receive an answer.”Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

I was praying, and so was the Prophet accompanied by Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. When I sat I first extolled God’s praises then invoked blessings on the Prophet, then made supplication for myself, and the Prophet said, “If you ask you will be given it, if you ask you will be given it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

If anyone would like to have the fullest measure granted him when he invokes blessings on us, the members of the prophetical family, he should say, “O God, bless Muhammad the ummi* prophet, his wives who are the mothers of the faithful, his offspring, and the people of his house as Thou didst bless the family of Abraham. Thou art indeed praiseworthy and glorious.” * This has commonly been explained as meaning “illiterate”, but it may mean “gentile”. Cf. Al-Qur’an; 7:157, 158.Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The niggardly one is the man in whose presence I am mentioned but who does not invoke a blessing on me.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it from al-Husain b. ‘Ali. Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on me at my grave I shall hear him, and if anyone invokes a blessing on me at a distance I shall have it conveyed to me.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu‘ab al-lman.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr said, “If anyone invokes blessing on the Prophet once God and His angels will grant him seventy blessings.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Ruwaih' reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on Muhammad saying, ‘O God, cause him to occupy the place near Thee on the day of resurrection’, he will be guaranteed my intercession.” Ahmad transmitted it.