S A L A W A A T

Salawaat is the only ibada in which Allah joins with His servants in sending blessings to the Holy Prophet. In Sura Al Ahzaab 33, ayat 56 which reads:

InnAllaha Wa Malayakatuhu Yousalloona AlanNabi Ya Aiyyuhal Lazeena Amano Salloo Alaihe Wa Sallemoo Tasleema

Surely Allah and His angels send salawaat on the Prophet, O You who believes! Send salawaat on him, and salute him a through salutation.

Shaikh Sadouq in “The fountains of the wisdom words of Imam Raza” says “ O Allah send your blessings on to the one that daily prayers is honored with having the salawaat on him”. Muslims all over the world send salawaat on the Holy Prophet during five times prayers. Prayers are not accepted without salawaat. When this ayat was revealed, the companions enquired of the Prophet as to how the salawaat should be recited. The Prophet said “ Allahumma Salle Alaa Mohammad Wa Ale Mohammad Kama Sallaita Ala Ibrahim Wa Ale Ibrahima Innaka Hamidun Majeed; Wa Barik Ala Mohammadin Wa Ale Mohammadin Kama Barakta Ala Ibrahima Wa Ale Ibahima Innaka Hamidun Majeed”. The Divine promise of exalting esteem of the Prophet is fulfilled as stated in Sura Alam Nashrah ayat 4 which reads “Wa Rafaana Laka Zikrak” “And we raised high for you your esteem”. During life time of the Prophet, people were reciting salawaat in different ways. The prophet expressed his displeasure and advised them to recite correctly.

Majority of Muslims recite salawat as “Allahumma Salle Ala Mohammadin Wa Ala Ale Mohammad”.The founder of one of the four schools of thoughts in Islam, Imam Shafei praises in the following couplets “Ya Ahle Baite Rasool Allah Hubbukum Faraza Min Allah Wa Fil Qur’an

Anzala; Kafakum Min Azeem Alqadre Innakum Man Lam Yusalle Alaikum La Salata Lahoo”

O Ahle Baite Rasool! Love for you have been made obligatory in Holy Qur’an; Testimony to your excellence is sufficient that if any one does not recite salawaat in prayers his prayer is unacceptable to Allah. Hazrat Aaisha narrated that the Holy Prophet said that prayers without ablution (wuzu) and salawaat is not acceptable.

Salawaat is the most valuable deed. Who ever cannot make an atonement for his sins, then he should recite salawaat as this destroys the sins thoroughly. There are many ahadees stating that in order to have your supplications granted, start your supplications with salawaat and make duaa and end it with salawaat. Because Allah is more merciful than to accept the beginning of your supplications and the end of it, but does not grant the one in the middle. Imam Ali Al Raza said

“Who ever remember Allah will receive 10 rewards and who ever remember Prophet will receive 10 rewards”. One of the benefits of reciting salawaat is that it treats forgetfulness.

Ibne Kaseer quotes the Holy Prophet” The miser is the one in whose presence I am mentioned then he does not send salawaat up on me”

Allama Majlisi narrates a miracle of Salawaat in “Hayatul Quloob” that a momin was told by the Prophet that if he loves Mohammad and Ale Mohammad then he should always recite salawaat.

One day two hypocrites approached him and tried to discourage him about reciting salawaat and relying on the love of Ahle Bait. A fisherman came by them, the momin was poor but the hypocrites encouraged him to buy the fish and request the Prophet to pay for it. The momin bought the fish and when he cut open the fish he found 2 pearls valued at about 2 lakh Dirham.

The hypocrites were surprised but still persuaded the fisherman to repossess the pearls but as soon as he picked up the pearls it converted into scorpions. The momin found two more pearls in the fish. He took the four pearls to the Prophet and told him what had happened. The Prophet told him that it was his reward for his Iemaan.