"We said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we know about sending salams upon you, but how should we send salah upon you?' He said: "Say: 'Alahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad, kama sallaita 'ala Ibrahima wa barik 'ala Muhammad kama barakta 'ala ali Ibrahim fil-'alamin, innaka hamidun majid (O Allah, send salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent salah upon the family of Ibrahim, and send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon the family of Ibrahim among the nations. You are indeed Worthy of praise, Full of glory.)'" (One of the narrators) Ibn Abi Laila said: "We used to say: 'And also upon us.'" Abu Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasa'I) said: It was narrated from his book, and this is a mistake.
The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)
Sunan an-Nasa'i 1287
Hadith Text & Context
The companions inquired about the proper method of sending salah upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, demonstrating their desire to perfect their worship and follow the precise prophetic guidance in their supplications.
Commentary on the Supplication
"Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad..." - This formulation connects the blessings upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with those bestowed upon Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), establishing a spiritual lineage and honoring both great messengers of Allah.
The phrase "kama sallaita 'ala Ibrahima" (as You sent salah upon Ibrahim) indicates that we ask Allah to grant Muhammad ﷺ and his family the same honor, status, and blessings granted to Ibrahim and his family.
Scholarly Observations
Ibn Abi Laila's addition "and also upon us" represents a common human tendency to include personal requests in worship, but An-Nasa'i clarifies this as erroneous, emphasizing the importance of preserving the exact prophetic wording without alteration.
The concluding phrase "innaka hamidun majid" affirms Allah's perfect attributes of being Praiseworthy and Glorious, making the supplication both a request and an acknowledgment of Divine perfection.
Legal Rulings
This hadith establishes the preferred wording for sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ during tashahhud in prayer, though other authentic formulations are also permissible according to different schools of jurisprudence.
Scholars emphasize that while the meaning of sending blessings remains constant, the precise wording transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ carries special merit and should be preferred when possible.