Eighteenth Verse

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The commentary of the word of Allah, the High:

إِنَْ اللهَ وَمَلاَئِكَتَهُ يُصَلُْونَ عَلَى النَْبِيِْ يَا أَيُْهَا الَْذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُْوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِْمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

“Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet. O you who believe! Call for (Divine) blessings on him and salute him with a (becoming) salutation.”[1]

It is recorded in Ghaayah al-Maraam from Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Part IV, Section IV and this Part comprises of nine sections and is more comprehensive than three. He says, “Narrated unto us Qais Ibn Hafs and Moosa Ibn Ismaaeel from Abd al-Waahed Ibn Ziyaad from Abu Farwah Muslim Ibn Saalem al-Hamdaani from Abdullah Ibn Eesa who heard Abd al-Rahmaan Ibn Abi Lailaa who narrates, “Ka’b Ibn Ajrah met me and asked, ‘Should I not gift you with a statement that I have heard from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)?’ I replied, ‘Yes, please do gift it to me.’ He said, ‘We asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), ‘O Messenger of Allah! What is the method of salutations upon you Ahle Bait (a.s.)? Has Allah taught us how we should salute? He (s.a.w.a.) replied, ‘Say: O Allah! Send blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibraheem and the progeny of Ibraheem. Surely, You are the Praised, the Majestic.”[2]

I say: Traditions on this subject are numerous, rather consecutive, from both the sects. In Ghaayah al-Maram, he (r.a.) has recorded twenty-three traditions from their chains and nineteen from our sources.[3] We shall mention a few from these as a source of blessing.

Tradition Seven: From Saheeh Muslim in the middle of Part IV, through his chain of narrators, “We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! As for salutations upon you, we know. But how should we invoke blessings upon you?’ He (s.a.w.a.) replied, ‘Say: O Allah! Send blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, just as you have blessed Ibraheem and the progeny of Ibraheem.”[4]

Tradition Eight: Tha’labi records in his exegesis, “Informed us al-Husain from Abu al-Abbas Muhammad Ibn Hamaam from Ishaaq Ibn Abdullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Rezzeen from Hassaan — i.e. the son of Hassaan — from Hammaad Ibn Salamah, the son of Hameed al-Taveel’s sister, from Ali Ibn Zaid Ibn Jadh’aan from Shahr Ibn Haushab from Umm Salmah — may Allah be satisfied with her — from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), who said to Hazrat Fatemah (s.a.), “Bring your husband and two sons to me.” She (a.s.) brought. He (s.a.w.a.) put a cloak on them and placed his hand upon them and invoked, “O Allah! This is the progeny of Muhammad; so send Your blessings and benedictions. Surely You are the Praised, the Majestic.” I (Umm Salmah) said, “I lifted the cloak that I may join them but he (s.a.w.a.) prevented me from doing so, saying, ‘You are on goodness.’” He (Tha’labi) also records, “Abu Haatim has narrated from Abu Hurairah, ‘The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) looked at Ali, Fatemah, al-Hasan and Husain (peace be on them all) and declared, ‘Surely I am at war with the one who is at war with you and am at peace with the one who is at peace with you.”[5]

Tradition Nine: Ibraheem Ibn Muhammad al-Hamveeni records from his detailed chain of narrators terminating at Anas Ibn Maalek, who said, “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) informed, “Whoever invokes one blessing on me, Allah will send ten benedictions on him, erase ten of his sins and raise him ten levels in degrees.”[6]

Tradition Ten: The same al-Hamveeni records through the earlier chain till Abd al-Rahmaan al-Nesaabi who says, “Informed us Saeed Ibn Yahya Ibn Saeed al-Amweeni in his tradition from his father from Uthman Ibn Hakeem from Khaaled Ibn Salamah, who says, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) say, ‘Invoke blessings on me and strive in supplications and say, ‘O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad.”[7]

Tradition Eleven: The same al-Hamveeni records, “Informed us al-Shaikh al-Imam the Mufti of the Haram (Ka’bah) of Allah — the High — Muhibbuddeen Ahmad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr al-Tabari al-Makki at Makkah in the Holy Haram facing the Holy Ka’bah (may its sanctity increase) in front of the dome of the stone (may its honour increase) on Saturday after the Asr prayers on the fourteenth day of the holy month of Zilhijjah in the year 679 Hijri — and he enumerated (benedictions) these before me — that informed us Qazi of the Holy Haram Ishaaq Ibn Abi Bakr al-Batari – and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from al-Shaikh al-Imam Sharafuddin Abu al-Muzaffar Muhammad Ibn Alwaan Ibn Muhaajer al-Mosuli — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from al-Shaikh Abu al-Faraj Yahya Ibn Mahmud Ibn Sa’d al-Thaqafi — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from his ancestor — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from al-Shaikh Abu Bakr Ibn Khalaf — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from al-Imam Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ibn Abdillah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Hamdavayh Ibn Noaim al-Haakem — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Haazem al-Haafez at Kufah — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from Harb Ibn al-Hasan al-Tahhaan — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from Yahya Ibn al-Musaawer al-Hannaat — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from Umar Ibn Khaaled — and he enumerated these (benedictions) before me — from Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Ali (a.s.) who said that Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a.s.) enumerated these (benedictions) before me and said that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) enumerated these (benedictions) before me and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said that Jibraeel (a.s.) enumerated these (benedictions) before me and Jibraeel (a.s.) informed, “I have descended with the following (benedictions) from the Lord of the Might, “O Allah! Send blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibraheem and the progeny of Ibraheem; surely You are the Praised, the Majestic. O Allah! Send Your benedictions on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad as You have sent Your benedictions on Ibraheem and the progeny of Ibraheem; surely You are the Praised, the Majestic. O Allah! Have mercy on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad as You had mercy on Ibraheem and the progeny of Ibraheem; surely You are the Praised, the Majestic. O Allah! Be Compassionate towards Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad as You were Compassionate towards Ibraheem and the progeny of Ibraheem; surely You are the Praised, the Majestic. O Allah! Send salutations on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad as You send salutations on Ibraheem and the progeny of Ibraheem; surely You are the Praised, the Majestic.”[8]

After mentioning other traditions from al-Hamveeni, (Sayed Haashem Bahraani (r.a.)) says, “After recording these traditions, Ibraheem Ibn Muhammad al-Hamveeni — a celebrated scholar of the Ahle Sunnah — writes,

‘Note: The Imam, the learned scholar, Fakhr al-Deen Muhammad Ibn Umar al-Raazi says, ‘Allah has made the Ahle Bait (a.s.) of His Prophet (s.a.w.a.) equal to him (s.a.w.a.) in five things:

A)    Love: Allah — the High — says, فَاتَْبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللهُ “…then follow me, Allah will love you…”[9] and said, قُل لاَ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلاَ الْمَوَدَْةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى “Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives…”[10]

B)    Prohibition of (taking of) Charity: He (s.a.w.a.) declared, “Charity (صدقه)is prohibited for me and for my Ahle Bait (a.s.).”

C) Purity: Allah — the High — says, طه  مَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لِتَشْقَى إِلاَ تَذْكِرَةً

لِْمَن يَخْشَى “Ta Ha. We have not revealed the Quran to you that you may be unsuccessful. Nay, it is a reminder to him who fears.” [11] And He said about his (s.a.w.a.) Ahle Bait (a.s.), وَيُطَهِْرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا “…and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.”[12]

D) Salutation: He said, ‘Peace be on you, O Prophet!’ and about his (s.a.w.a.) Ahle Bait (a.s.), He declared, سَلاَمٌ عَلَى إِلْ يَاسِينَ “Peace be on the progeny of Yaaseen (i.e. the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)).”[13]

E) In sending benedictions on the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the Ahle Bait (a.s.) as is observed in the end of Tashahhod.[14] [15]

And indeed, he (Sayed Haashem Bahraani (r.a.)) has also recorded from the second volume of the book ‘al-Firdaus’ from the chapter of the Arabic alphabet ‘meem’ through his chain of narrators from Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), “There is no supplication but that between it and the heaven is a veil till he (the invoker) invokes blessings on the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and on the progeny of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.). When he does so, this veil is ripped apart and the supplication enters the heaven. But if he does not do so, the supplication returns.”[16]

These were some of the traditions narrated through their sources.

As for the traditions from our sources, they are innumerable. We shall invoke divine blessings by mentioning a few of these. In Ghaayah al-Maraam, he (r.a.) has mentioned as follows:

Tradition Three: Ibn Babwayh records that al-Hasan Ibn Ahmad Ibn Idris informed us from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khaaled from Hameed from Muhammad Ibn Abi Umayr from Abdullah Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Ali from his father from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said, “Whoever says, ‘Blessings of Allah be on Muhammad and his progeny’, Allah — Mighty be His Majesty — answers, ‘Blessings of Allah be on you’. So do more of this (act). And whoever says, ‘Blessings of Allah be on Muhammad’ but did not invoke blessings on his (s.a.w.a.) progeny will not scent the fragrance of Paradise while its fragrance can be scented from a distance of five hundred years.”[17]

Tradition Four: Ibn Babwayh records that Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Masroor (r.a.) narrated unto us from al-Husain Ibn Muhammad Ibn Aamer from al-Mualla Ibn Muhammad Ibn Jamhoor al-Qummi from Ahmad Ibn Hafs al-Bazzaaz al-Kufi from his father from the son of Abu Hamzah from his father (Abu Hamzah) who says, “I asked Abu Abdillah (Imam Sadeq (a.s.)) about the saying of Allah — Mighty and Majestic be He – “Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet. O you who believe! Call for (Divine) blessings on him and salute him with a (becoming) salutation”[18]. He (a.s.) replied, “Blessings from Allah — Mighty and Majestic be He — is His Mercy and from His angels is His purification and from the people is a supplication. As for His saying, ‘and salute him with a (becoming) salutation’ it implies submission to Him before what has come from Him.” I (the narrator) asked, ‘How should we invoke salutations on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad?’ He (a.s.) informed, “They say, ‘Blessings of Allah, blessings of His angels, His Prophets, His Messengers and all of His creatures be on Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, and salutations be on Him and on them (Ahle Bait) and Allah’s Mercy and His Benedictions.” I asked, ‘What is the reward of the one who invokes blessings on the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his progeny (a.s.) with these invocations?’ He (a.s.) informed, ‘He will come out from the sins like the day his mother gave birth to him.’ [19]

He continues the traditions till the following:

Tradition Thirteen: Ibn Ya’qoob (al-Kulaini) narrates from a number of his companions from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khaaled from Ismaaeel Ibn Mehraan from al-Hasan Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Hamzah from his father from Haseen Ibn Abi al-Alaa from Abu Baseer from Abu Abdillah (Imam Sadeq) (a.s.), “When the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is mentioned, invoke as much blessings as possible on him (s.a.w.a.). For, whoever invokes one blessing on the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Allah sends on him a thousand blessings in a thousand rows of angels and nothing remains from what Allah has created except that it invokes supplications on that person for the blessings of Allah and the blessings of His angels. So, whoever is not inclined towards this (invocation of blessing) is ignorant, arrogant.”[20]

Know that the noble traditions that explain the holy verse prove that the purpose of invoking salutations on the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in the verse implies invoking salutations on his progeny (a.s.) as well. So, Allah — Mighty be His Majesty — has informed firstly that He — the High — and His angels send blessings on the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his progeny (a.s.). Thereafter, He has ordered the believers, all of them, that they should invoke divine blessings upon him (s.a.w.a.) and his progeny (a.s.) and submit to His command, a thorough submission; or, they send salutations upon him (s.a.w.a.) and his progeny (a.s.). Through this, He — Mighty be His Majestic — has shown them the position of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) near Him, the position of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) near Him and that their (a.s.) position before the Ummah is like that of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) before the Ummah. Therefore, by informing that He and His angels are sending blessings upon the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his Ahle Bait (a.s.) proves that their (a.s.) status near Him is like that of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) near Him. Just as His command to the believers that they should invoke divine blessings upon him (s.a.w.a.) and his Ahle Bait (a.s.) establishes that the position of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) in front of the believers is the same as that of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

Thereafter, the usage of the present tense and not the past tense over here proves that Allah — the High — and the angels are described as sending salutations on him (s.a.w.a.) and his Ahle Bait (a.s.) perennially and incessantly. Essentially, by no means does it imply that this sending of salutations is only in the present or in the future and not in the past.

Moreover, this is an honour and grace that is sans parallel. Hence, with this great position and status, they are the caliphs of Allah — the High — and His proofs upon the creatures, inevitably. It is absolutely irrational and illogical to give preference to the one who has been ordered to invoke divine blessings, salutations and benedictions in caliphate, Imamate and mastership to them (a.s.).

All Praise is for Allah Who guided us to the mastership and love of the Ahle Bait (a.s.) and granted us hostility towards their enemies.

Finally, know that the variation in the mode of invoking divine blessings upon them (a.s.) is dependent upon the levels of grace and superiority.

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[1] Surah Ahzaab (33): Verse 56

[2] Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Vol. 3, H. 1233; Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 311

[3] Ghaayah al-Maraam, pp. 311-314

[4] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 311

[5] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 311

[6] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 311 narrating from Faraaed al-Simtain

[7] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 312 narrating from Faraaed al-Simtain

[8] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 312 narrating from Faraaed al-Simtain

[9] Surah Aale Imraan (3): Verse 31

[10] Surah Shooraa (42): Verse 23

[11] Surah Taha (20): Verses 1-3

[12] Surah Ahzaab (33): Verse 33

[13] Surah al-Saaffaat (37): Verse 130

[14] I say: Nay, there are six things and the sixth is in mastership. Allah the High says, ِنَْمَا وَلِيُْكُمُ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَْذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَْذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَْلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَْكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ “Only Allah is your Vali and His Apostle and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow.” (Surah Maaedah (5): Verse 55) — The Author (r.a.).

[15] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 312 narrating from Faraaed al-Simtain

[16] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 312

[17] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 313 narrating from Amaali of Shaikh Saduq (r.a.), p. 310 (60^th Majlis).

[18] Surah Ahzaab (33): Verse 56

[19] Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 313 narrating from Ma’ani al-Akhbaar, p. 367

[20] Al-Kaafi, vol. 2, p. 492; Ghaayah al-Maraam, p. 314