Praying upon the Prophet ﷺ is a divine command mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. God Almighty ﷻ has addressed the believers in the Holy Quran in more than one verse and in more than one place to urge them to pray upon the Prophet ﷺ. The Almighty ﷻ said: “Indeed, God and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet, O you who have believed, Invoke blessings on him and invoke Peace upon him in a worthy manner. ” [Surat Al Ahzab: 56] indicating the virtue of praying upon the Prophet ﷺ.
{ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا }
A Narration:
Ubayy bin Ka’b asked the Prophet ﷺ : “I said: O Messenger of Allah, I send a great deal of blessings upon you; how much of my du‘aa’ should be sending blessings upon you? He said: “Whatever you wish.” I said: One quarter? He said: “Whatever you wish, and if you do more, that will be better for you.” I said: One half? He said: “Whatever you wish and if you do more, that will be better for you.” I said: Two thirds? He said: “Whatever you wish and if you do more, that will be better for you.” I said: I will make all of my du‘aa’ for you. He said: “Then your concerns will be taken care of and your sins will be forgiven.”
When it comes to the significance of reciting blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, there's a profound insight he shared. He expressed that on the Day of Judgment, those closest to him will be those who consistently invoked blessings upon him in this life. Particularly, he highlighted the immense merit of doing so on Fridays and Friday nights, at which he said: “ A hundred-fold blessings hold a remarkable promise: fulfilling a hundred needs, with seventy pertaining to the Hereafter and thirty to this worldly life. Then God ﷻ will appoint an angel who will personally escort the devout into their final resting place akin to being presented with a gift. Then the angel informs me of the devout and his lineage, so I record it.”
The Value:
On the authority of Abdul Rahman bin Awf, he said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was prostrating, and so he prostrated for a long time, and then He said: “Jibril came to me and said: Whoever prays upon you, I pray upon him, and whoever greets you, I greet him, so I prostrated in gratitude to God ﷻ”.
By that we understand that the angels join in, mirroring the blessings and greetings extended to the Prophet ﷺ. This act of humility, where the Prophet ﷺ prostrates in thankfulness to God ﷻ, marks the profound connection between us believers and our beloved Prophet ﷺ.
By sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, we invoke blessings from Allah ﷻ and His angels upon ourselves as well, hence it is one of the most profound acts of worship.
An Understanding:
Al-Ezz bin Abdul Salam said: “Our prayer for the Prophet ﷺ is not an intercession on our part for him, for someone like us cannot intercede for someone like him. Rather, Allah ﷻ has commanded us to reward those who do good to us and bestow blessings upon us, and if we are unable to do so, we reward him with supplication”.
From that, we understand that the supplication is but a humble gesture of reciprocation for the immense goodness and blessings he brought into our lives. By invoking blessings upon him, we honor his status and acknowledge our indebtedness to his teachings and legacy.
Understanding in Depth:
An important aspect to note is the specific wording of the supplication, "O God, bless our Prophet Muhammad." It reflects a recognition of our limitations in comprehending the exalted status of the Prophetﷺ before Allah ﷻ. Indeed, it's a testament to his unparalleled significance, with his name inscribed upon the throne of the Almighty ﷻ alongside the declaration of divine oneness: “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad His Messenger.”
The benefits of sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ:
The virtue of praying for the Prophet ﷺ is not limited to these benefits alone but rather goes beyond to reach hundreds of virtues in this world and the hereafter.
- When you offer prayers upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, each invocation brings tenfold rewards (good deeds).
- Not only does this act elevate the status of the one who prays upon the Prophet ﷺ by ten degrees, but it also cleanses them of ten sins.
- Such prayers serve as a means to the Prophet's ﷺ intercession on the Day of Judgment.
- Allah ﷻ responds to the supplications made in honor of His Messenger ﷺ by granting sufficiency in worldly affairs.
- Remarkably, even the angels, led by the revered Archangel Jibril (Gabriel) -peace be upon him-, join in this divine chorus of prayers and blessings upon the devout servant who remembers the Prophet ﷺ.
- It's a profound act of obedience to the commands of Allah ﷻ to invoke blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and it's also known to be a catalyst for answered prayers when a supplication begins and ends with it.
- This practice instills a spirit of generosity and charity within the one who engages in it regularly. Charity is one of the ultimate good deeds known to us in the Holy Quran.
- The blessings bestowed upon one's life, both in this world and the hereafter, are a direct result of honoring the Prophet ﷺ in prayers.
- It serves as a steadfast anchor, keeping the believer firmly on the straight path during the trials of the Day of Resurrection.
- Drawing nearer to Allah ﷻ and experiencing the unlocking of the gates of His divine mercy and grace as inevitable consequences of devoutly praying upon the Prophet ﷺ.
- Worries and anxieties melt away, replaced by contentment and peace, as one finds their desires fulfilled through this blessed practice.
- It's a tangible expression of love and devotion to the Messenger of God ﷺ, a love that is affirmed and reciprocated by Allah ﷻ.
- Poverty is averted, and sustenance flows abundantly to those who honor the Prophet ﷺ in their prayers.
- By praying for the Prophet ﷺ, a Muslim is bestowed the honor of distinction and recognition by the Prophet ﷺ.
- Reviving one's heart with the remembrance of the Prophet ﷺ leads to spiritual growth and enlightenment.
- In the eyes of Allah ﷻ, the one who prays upon the Prophet ﷺ is brought closer to him in status and honor.
- It's a compelling reason for Allah Almighty ﷻ to shower His prayers, blessings, and mercy upon His servant.
Translation and Pronunciation:
In the video below is a recitation that includes pronunciation and English translation. Kindly do not forget to leave a Like, and subscribe to their channel.
