Bismillāhir Raḥmānir Raḥīm
ʿAbdur-Raḥmān ibn ʾAbī Laylā narrated:
“Kaʿb bin ʿUjrah met me and said: ‘Shall I not give you a gift I heard from the Nabī ﷺ?’ I said: ‘Yes, of course.’ So he gifted it to me. He said: We asked the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ : ‘O Messenger of Allāh, how can we send ṣalāt upon you and the ʾAhl Bayt? Indeed, Allāh has taught us how to send salām.’ He replied: ‘Say:
،اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰی اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
کَمَا صَلَّیْتَ عَلٰی إِبْرَاهِیْمَ وَعَلٰی اٰلِ إِبْرَاهِیْمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِیْدٌ مَّجِیْدٌ۔
،اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰی اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
کَمَا بَارَکْتَ عَلٰی إِبْرَاهِیْمَ وَعَلٰی اٰلِ إِبْرَاهِیْمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِیْدٌ مَّجِیْدٌ۔
Allāhum-ma ṣal-li ʿa-laa Mu-ḥam-mad. Wa ʿa-laa aa-li Mu-ḥam-mad.
Ka-maa ṣal-lay-ta ʿalaa ʾibra-hee-ma wa ʿa-laa aa-li ʾibra-hee-ma, in-na-ka ḥa-mee-dum ma-jeed.
Allāhum-ma baa-rik ʿa-laa Mu-ḥam-mad.Wa ʿa-laa aa-li Mu-ḥam-mad.
Ka-maa baa-rakta ʿalaa ʾibra-hee-ma wa ‘a-laa aa-li ibra-hee-ma, in-naka ḥa-mee-dum ma-jeed.
O Allāh, honour and send praises upon Muhammad (ﷺ) and upon the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) as You honoured and sent praises upon ʾIbrāhīm ( عليه السلام) and the family of ʾIbrāhīm (عليه السلام). Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy and Most Majestic, Most Glorious.
O Allāh, continuously bless and increasingly honour Muhammad (ﷺ) and the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) as You have continuously blessed and increasingly honoured ʾIbrāhīm (عليه السلام) and the family of ʾIbrāhīm (عليه السلام). Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy and Most Majestic, Most Glorious.’”[1]
Commentary:
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ
This means: O Allāh, honour Muḥammad.
- Honour him in this world by elevating his name/mention, manifesting his Dīn (religion) and preserving his Sharīʿah.
- Honour him in the hereafter by increasing his reward, granting him the ability to intercede on behalf of his ʾummah and manifesting his virtue through the maqam maḥmūd (the loftiest station of praise).[1]
وَ عَلٰی اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
The ‘āl’ of Muḥammad ﷺ can refer to:
- Those relatives of Nabī ﷺ upon whom it is prohibited to give ṣadaqah (charity) to. (This is the preferred opinion.)
- The ʾAhl Bayt.
- The wives and progeny of Nabī ﷺ.
- The progeny of Fāṭimah رضي الله عنها specifically.
- All of the Quraysh.
- The ʾUmmah who responded to his message [some restrict it to the muttaqīn (righteous, Allāh conscious ones) among them].[2]
كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلٰی إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلٰی اٰلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ.
Objection: In this ṣalāt, we are comparing the honour and praise we are asking Allāh to bestow on Nabī ﷺ and his family to the honour and praise He bestowed on ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام and his family. Generally, a person being compared is lower in rank than the one it is being compared to but Nabī ﷺ is undoubtedly superior to ʾIbrāhim عليه السلام.
Responses:
- He said it out of humility and he commanded his ʾUmmah to do so that they can gain from this virtue.
- The comparison is with regards to the essence of ṣalāt but not to its quality.
[Meaning, it is requesting Allāh Taʿālā to invoke the ṣalāt He invoked on ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام but it will be in a greater manner which is befitting to the superior rank of Nabī ﷺ.]
(ʾImām Qurṭubī رحمه الله gave preference to this opinion. This is also one of the opinions ʾImām Nawawī رحمه الله also gave preference to.)
In Fatḥul Mulhim[3], the following example further expounds on this interpretation:
When something has many different types and forms and one is searching for specific type, one would take a sample from the different pieces of that type whether it is a low quality or high quality. For instance, when one wishes to purchase a specific type of cloth, one would say: I would like something similar to this.” Majority of the time it is a small rag. It is only shown as a sample to outline what type one would like but is not similar in quality and value, etc. It does not have all the qualities of the cloth one would like to buy.
Similarly, the ṣalāt and blessing one is praying for includes all the types of praise and mercy and all the types of compassion and blessings.
So here, it is presenting the type of ṣalāt and blessings that Allāh bestowed on ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام and his family as a sample of the type of ṣalāt and blessings we seek for Muḥammad ﷺ and his family. It does not indicate that the thing we are comparing it to is greater in its quality or quantity than the thing being compared.
3. In this context it is not the kāf which indicates similitude. Rather, the kāf is for taʿlīl – it provides an explanation, a reasoning and rationale. For example: The usage of the kāf in Sūrah Baqarah: verse 198:
وَاذْكُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَاكُمْ وَإِن كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الضَّالِّينَ.
And remember Him, as He has guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray.
4. It means that he was asking to be Allāh’s khalīl (friend) like how ʾIbrāhīm p is the Khalīlullāh and asking for a truthful tongue like how He gave ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام so that he could attain the love that is associated with a khalīl.
5. The thing being compared does not always have to be lower. Sometimes the thing that is used as the comparison is the one that is equal or lower than the thing being compared.
For example: Allāh Taʿālā’s nūr (celestial light) being compared to the lamp’s niche in the Qurʾān. The celestial light of Allāh Taʿālā is obviously far greater than the mishkāt (lamp’s niche).
But the mishkāt is used as the comparison because the people are familiar with it. Similarly, the honour of ʾIbrāhim عليه السلام and his family is well-known and clear. Therefore, that is why the similarity was given.
Ṭībī رحمه الله commented: It is not a similitude of something that is deficient with something that is perfect. Rather, it is a similitude of something that is unknown with something that is known.
Ḥalīmī رحمه الله commented: the similitude is because of what is already known regarding the angels conveying Allāh Taʿālā’s mercy and blessings upon the family of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام as mentioned in An-Nisāʾ:73.
6. Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله stated that is best to consider Muḥammad ﷺ to be from the progeny of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام. This is established from the tafsīr of Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما regarding verse 33 of Sūrah Āl ʾImrān. He [i.e., Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما] said: “Muḥamamd ﷺ is from the progeny of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام.” Thus, it is as though we are sending ṣalawāt to Muḥammad ﷺ and his family specially what is befitting for them coupled with the share they would also receive from the ṣalawāt sent to ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلامand his family since they are also the progeny of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام. So, his progeny will get their alotted amount and the remainder would remain for Muḥammad ﷺ. In this manner, Nabī ﷺ would definitely be bestowed with more than any of the other progeny of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام.
7. The similitude is not comparing it with the actual thing mentioned, rather it is more metaphorical. It is praying for the qualities of the Prophets عليهم السلامwho were produced from the progeny of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام for the followers of Muḥammad ﷺ.
It is asking to make those from the followers of Muḥammad ﷺ become those who uphold the Sharīʿah like how Prophets عليهم السلامwho upheld the Dīn were produced from ʾIbrāhīm’s عليه السلام followers.
Additionally, it is asking to make people from among the followers of Muḥammad ﷺ those who will inform of the unseen like how you produced Prophets who informed of the unseen from the followers of ʾIbrāhīm’s عليه السلام.
8. Whatever is established for someone that is virtuous, it should be established to a greater degree for the one that is more virtuous. It is as though we are saying: “You sent ṣalāt on ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلامand his progeny before, so we ask You to send ṣalāt on Muḥammad ﷺ and his progeny because they are more deserving of it.
9. It is not a comparison to one that is excellent to one that is more excellent, but it is pleading to Allāh to bestow ṣalāt on Muḥammad ﷺ.
Weaker Interpretations & Their Refutations:
- Nabī ﷺ taught them this manner of ṣalāt before he knew he was superior to ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام.
Evidence:
Muslim collected a ḥadīth narrated from ʾAnas رضي الله عنه that someone asked Nabī ﷺ: “Who is the best of creation?” He replied: “It is ʾIbrāhīm.”
Ibn ʿArabī رحمه الله indicated towards this and emphasised it by stating that he asked to be granted an equal status to ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام and he commanded his ʾummah to supplicate for such also. So Allāh Taʿālā granted him a greater virtue than ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام without him asking for it.
Refutation:
If this was so, then the wordings of ṣalāt would have changed after he became aware that he was superior.
2. The similitude is not for Muḥammad ﷺ. Rather, it is for his family. (This is one of the opinions ʾImām Nawawī رحمه الله gave preference to.)
Refutation: It is not possible for a person who is not a prophet to be equivalent to a prophet. So, how can on one seek ṣalāt which is sent to ʿIbrāhīm عليه السلام and his progeny who were also Prophets for them?
A Possible Response: The reward they will receive is intended and not all the qualities and attributes which are the cause of the reward.
Although this opinion has been deemed to be quoted from ʿImām Shāfiʿī رحمه الله, Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله considers it farfetched that ʿImām Shāfiʿī رحمه الله would transmit this opinion because ʿImām Shāfiʿī رحمه الله would not say such a statement which would cause the grammatical analysis of the sentence to be defective since he was eloquent and proficient in the Arabic language.
Response: This interpretation does not result in a defective grammatical analysis. Rather, there is a hidden word. The sentence should be: Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammad wa ṣalli ʿalā ʾāli Muḥamamd. In this manner, it is possible for the similarity to be only applicable to the āl (progeny) in the second sentence: ‘wa ṣalli ʿalā ʾāli Muḥammad’ and not to Muḥammad ﷺ himself.
3. The similitude is for combination of all the prophets who were the progeny of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام versus the combination of the many virtues of Muḥammad ﷺ. In this manner, the combination of all the Prophets put together can then be equivalent to or more than Nabī’s ﷺ. (This is one of the opinions ʾImām Nawawī رحمه الله gave preference to.)
Refutation: The strength of this interpretation is weakened because in some narrations, the comparison is only for Muḥammad n versus ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام. The word ‘ʾāl’ (progeny/family) is not included: Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Muḥamamd kamā ṣallayta ʿalā ʾIbrāhīm.
4. The similitude will ultimately end up to be greater for Nabī ﷺ if looked at from the following angle. The amount of ṣalāt Nabī ﷺ and his family will receive from the time it was taught until the Day of Resurrection will be far greater than the ṣalāt upon ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام and his family.
5. The similitude is not for the ṣalāt upon Nabī ﷺ but for the reward of the person who recites the ṣalāt.
Refutation: This interpretation is weak because then it would be as though one is saying: “O Allāh, grant me rewards for the ṣalāt I am sending on the Nabī ﷺ just as you sent ṣalāt on ʾIbrāhīm.”
Possible Response: It can mean that he is asking for a reward similar to the reward of those who send ṣalāt on ʾIbrāhīm (ʿalayhis salām) .[4]
وَعَلٰی اٰلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ
The ‘āl’ of ʾIbrāhīm عليه السلام can refer to:
- The progeny of ʾIsmāʿīl عليه السلام and ʾIsḥāq عليه السلام.
- The Muslims and people of taqwā.
اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلٰی اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلٰی إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلٰی اٰلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ
‘Barakah’ means:
- Increase in goodness, nobility and honour.
- Establish this and continuously bestow it.
- Purification from flaws.[This is a weaker opinion.] [5]
Therefore, this sentence, ‘Allāhumma bārik ʿalā Muḥammad’, means:
- “O Allāh, continuously grant him (ﷺ) abundant goodness, nobility and honour.”
- “O Allāh, Establish honour and nobility for him (ﷺ) and continuously bestow honour and nobility upon him (ﷺ).”[6]
- Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما stated: It means: Supplicate to Allāh Taʿālā to bless him (ﷺ).[7]
[1] [See: Fatḥul Bārī 14/373]
[2] [See: Fatḥul Bārī 14/379-80]
[3] [See: Fathul Mulḥim 3/328-29]
[4] [See: Fatḥul Bārī 14/381-83, 10/517]
[5] [See: Fatḥul Bārī 14/384]
[6] [See: ʿUmdatul Qārī 15/363]
[7] [See: Fatḥul Bārī 3/56]
[1] [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī #3370]