Indexed OCR Text

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
Commentary
This hadith was mentioned in a previous chapter. See hadith 922. It highlights that the reward
for exercising patience is extremely great. It also teaches us that a person should be pleased
with the decision of Allah &s in all conditions.
Why does Allah &s question the angels when He is aware of everything? The reason is that
when Allah des created man, the angels objected saying that man would cause corruption
and bloodshed on earth. Now, when man exercises patience in difficulty and further praises
Allāh &S, He boasts about it to the angels in the form of a dialogue.
Shurayh # stated, "Allah has kept three bounties in every calamity which befalls a person:
it did not affect his religion; it was not more worse; and it was destined to happen and has
happened."
Hadith 1396
: (( إِنَّ اللـه لَيَرْضَى عَنِ العَبْدِ يَأْكُلُ الأَكْلَةَ ،
وعن أنس رطُّهُ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رسول الله
فَيَحْمَدُهُ عَلَيْهَا ، وَيَشْرَبُ الشَّرْبَةِ ، فَيَحْمَدُهُ عَلَيْهَا )) رواه مسلم .
Anas
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "Allah is pleased
with a servant who eats a morsel of food and praises Him for it, and who
takes a sip of a drink and praises Him for it." (Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhī)
Commentary
It is impossible to repay Allah & for the innumerable bounties which He de bestows upon
us every second of the day. As an example, millions of Allah's des creations are utilised for
producing every morsel of food that we eat and for the water that we drink. Even after it is
consumed, Allah &s has made a system of digestion and excretion. If any one of these systems
has to malfunction, man will die. Therefore, it is only appropriate that we show appreciation
to Allah & and acknowledge His favours. For this, we should recite the appropriate du'ās
before and after meals as they include the praises of Allah &s.

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كتاب الصَّلاة عَلَى رَسُول الله
THE BOOK OF SALUTATIONS UPON THE MESSENGER
OF ALLAH
CHAPTER 243
باب فضل الصلاة عَلَى رَسُول الله
Chapter on the virtue of salutations upon the Messenger of Allah
قَالَ الله تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلْتِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَى النَّبِىِّ ◌َيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ أُمَنُوا صَلُّوْا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوْا
تَسْلِيْنً﴾ ( الأحزاب : ٥٦ ) .
Allāh &s says: "Allah and His angels send mercy upon the Messenger. O
believers! Send mercy to him and salute him with salutations of peace."
(Sūrah al-Aḥzāb, 56)
Introduction
In Arabic, the term oslo (salat) has several meanings, namely rahmah (mercy), du'a'
(supplication) and madah (praise). When the word salat is attributed to Allah &, it refers to
His mercy. When it is attributed to the angels, it means du'a'. When it is attributed to the
believers, it refers to praise.
According to some scholars, the sending of salat upon the Messenger
is a du'a' to Allah
to increase His mercy upon him
and increase his honour.
It is interesting to note that in no other command of the Qur'an, besides that of sending salat
upon the Messenger
, did Allah &es state that He Himself performs a certain action which
the believers are commanded to imitate. This speciality and honour is reserved for the best
of Allah's Les creation - Muhammad
Hadīth 1397
، يقول : (( مَنْ صَلَّى
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص، ظًا: أنَّه سمع رسول الله
عَلَيَّ صَلاةَ ، صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْراً)) . رواه مسلم .

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'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Ās 44
, narrates that he heard the Messenger of
Allāh
saying: "One who sends one salutation upon me, Allah sends ten
mercies upon him on account of it." (Muslim, Ahmad, Hakim)
Commentary
This hadith confirms the verse of the Qur'an,
﴿مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ اَمْثَالِهَا﴾
"Whoever brings a good action, receives ten times as much." (Sūrah al-An'ām, 160)
Allāh &s showers His special mercies upon a person who recites salawat, and He mentions
him to the high-ranking angels. Being mentioned and remembered by Allah & is the greatest
of bounties as there can be no greater honour than this.
This hadith mentions a reward of ten, while another hadith mentions seventy. Scholars have
given three answers to this apparent contradiction:
1. Allāh &s first rewarded the Ummah by ten and then increased it to seventy due to His
kindness.
2. The exact reward depends on the occasion and the sincerity of the person who recites it.
3. The reward of seventy applies to the day of Jumu'ah because some narrations state that
actions done on Jumu'ah are multiplied seventy times.
Abū Țalḥah
narrates, "One morning, the Messenger
came to us in a very pleasant
and cheerful mood, and the happiness emanating from his blessed face was clearly apparent.
Some people enquired, "O Messenger of Allah, you seem very pleased today. Happiness is
visible upon your blessed face." The Messenger
replied, "Yes indeed! A messenger came
to me from My Lord conveying the following message, 'Whoever from amongst your Ummah
will recite salat upon you once, Allah will record for him ten righteous deeds, wipe out and
pardon ten faults, raise his rank in the Hereafter by ten stages, and reply to him in a like
manner." (Ahmad, Nasa'ī)
Hadīth 1398
قَالَ : (( أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِي يَومَ القِيَامَةِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ عَلَيَّ
وعن ابن مسعود روايته: أنَّ رسول اللـه حُـ
صَلاَةً )) . رواه الترمذي ، وقال : (( حديث حسن )) .
Ibn Mas'ud 4% narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "The people

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
who will be closest to me on the day of Qiyamah will be those who sent
the most salutations upon me." (Tirmidhi)
Commentary
"The people who will be closest to me on the day of Qiyamah" may either mean that they
will be in close physical proximity to the Messenger of Allah
or that they will be most
eligible for his intercession.
"Most salutations," according to 'Allamah Sakhawi «, refers to a minimum of three hundred
șalawāt daily. According to a narration of Țabrānī, a person will be entitled to the intercession
of the Messenger
if he recites salawat at least ten times every morning and every evening.
Several eminent scholars have stated that this hadith refers to the muhaddithin (hadith scholars)
because they have the opportunity to recite or write salawat every time they recite, narrate
or write ahadith in which the name of the Messenger §
appears. However, this virtue may
also apply to any person who reads or teaches ahadith. Abu Hurairah
narrates that the
Messenger of Allah
said, "One who sends salawat upon me by writing it in a book, the
angels continue seeking forgiveness for him as long as my name remains in that book."
(Țabrānī in Awsaț)
Hadīth 1399
: (( إِنَّ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَيَّامِكُمْ يَومَ الجُمُعَةِ
وعن أوس بن أوس ﴿ه، قَالَ : قَالَ رسولُ الله
، فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَّ مِنَ الصَّلاةِ فِيهِ ، فَإِنَّ صَلاَتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَيَّ )) . قَالَ : قالوا : يا رسول الله
، وَكَيْفَ تُعْرَضُ صَلاَتْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَقَدْ أَرَمْتَ ؟! قَالَ: يقولُ بَلِيتَ . قَالَ : ((إنَّ اللهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَى
الأَرْضِ أَجْسَادَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ )). رواه أَبُو داود بإسنادٍ صحيح .
Aus ibn Aus
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "The best
day for you is the day of Jumu'ah. So send abundant salutations upon me
on this day because your salutations are presented to me." The Șahabah
asked: "O Messenger of Allah, how will our salutations be presented to you
when you have been reduced to dust?" He replied: "Allah has prohibited
the bodies of the Messengers for the earth." (Abū Dawūd, Nasa'ī, Ibn Mājah)
Commentary
Ibn Qayyim « stated that salawat on the day of Jumu'ah is greater in virtue than other days
because the Messenger of Allah
is the best of creation and Jumu'ah is the best day of the
week. Other scholars state that Jumu'ah is a special day because the Messenger of Allah

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was conceived on that day.
Many narrations mention the virtue of reciting eighty salawat on the day of Jumu'ah. The
Messenger of Allah
said, "The recitation of salawat upon me will be a source of light on
the șirat. One who sends eighty salawat on me on Jumu'ah, eighty years of his sins will be
forgiven. (Țabrānī, Dāraquțnī)
Similarly, there are ahadith that encourage the recitation of a thousand salawat on Jumu'ah.
For example, the Messenger
said, "One who sends salawat upon me a thousand times on
Jumu ah, will not pass away until he sees his abode in Paradise." (Abū Hafs ibn Shahin)
"Your salutations are presented to me," means that the salawat of a person who recites it at
a distance from the Messenger
are conveyed to him by the angels. The Messenger
said, "Allah has appointed various angels who traverse the limits of the earth and convey
to me the salams of the followers of my Ummah." (Ahmad, Nasa'ī) As for those who recite it
when they are close to the Messenger
he hears it because he
is alive in his grave. The
Messenger
said, "I personally hear the one who recites salawat upon me at my grave. The
șalawāt of one who recites it from a distance is conveyed to me." (Bayhaqī in Shu'ab al-Īmān)
The Messenger of Allah
said, "Allah has appointed over my grave an angel to whom He
has granted the gift of hearing the speech of the creation. Whoever sends salawat upon me
until the day of Qiyamah, this angel will convey it to me together with the person's name
and his father's name. 'This is so-and-so, son of so-and-so who has recited salawat on you.'
(Țabrānī in Kabīr)
From this hadith and others, the scholars have deduced that the Messengers
are alive in
their graves. This is also proven by the fact that the Messenger of Allah
saw Mūsā
as well as Ibrahim & performing salah in their graves.
Hadīth 1400
: (( رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ
وعن أبي هريرة ﴿هُ، قَالَ : قَالَ رسول الله
عَلَيَّ )) . رواه الترمذي ، وقال: (( حديث حسن )) .
Abū Hurayrah 4% narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "May that
person be humiliated who, when my name is mentioned in his presence,
does not send salutations upon me." (Tirmidhī, Hakim, Ibn Hibbān)
Commentary
This hadith is part of another longer hadith which reads: "May that person be humiliated
who, when my name is mentioned in his presence, does not send salutations upon me. And

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may that person be humiliated who, despite Ramadan coming and going, does not acquire
forgiveness from Allāh &S. And may that person be humiliated who finds one or both of his
parents in old age, yet they do not become a means of him entering Paradise." (Tirmidhi)
One who considers the tremendous sacrifice of the Messenger
will not hesitate to send
salutations upon him. He
left his home and family and migrated to Madinah Munawwarah,
he was stoned in Țaif, he was injured at Uhud, he supplicated for his Ummah on his death
bed, and on the day of Qiyamah he will not be at ease until every individual of his Ummah
will be saved. One who does not appreciate such kindness and sacrifice is truly unfortunate.
Hadith 1401
: ((لا تَجْعَلُوا قَبْرِي عِيداً ، وَصَلُّوا عَلَيَّ، فَإِنَّ صَلاَتَكُمْ
وعنه ربِ ◌ّهَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رسول الله {﴾
تَبْلُغُنِي حَيْثُ كُنْتُمْ )) . رواه أبو داود بإسنادٍ صحيح .
Abū Hurayrah 4% narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "Do not
make my grave a place of celebration. Send salutations upon me because
your salutations reach me wherever you are." (Abū Dāwūd, Ahmad, Bayhaqī)
Commentary
"Do not make my grave a place of celebration," can have one of three meanings:
1. Do not make my grave a manifestation of the day of 'Id in which permission is granted
for extra joy and happiness because this is contrary to the required etiquette. The object
of coming to the grave of the Messenger
is to derive lessons and convey salawāt. The
nations of the past engaged in celebrations at the graves of their pious and they then made
them places of worship. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah
said, "O Allah, do not
make my grave an idol which will be worshipped. The anger of Allah was intense upon that
nation which made the graves of their Messengers places of worship." (Mu'attā)
2. The word 'Id is derived from the word i'tiyad which means to make a habit of something.
Hence, the hadith means that one should not visit the grave as a ritual since this will lead
to disrespect. One should regard every visit as a tremendous opportunity and a great act of
worship.
3. Do not make visiting my grave like 'Id which occurs only twice a year. In other words, we
are encouraged to visit the blessed resting place of the Messenger
regularly.
Hadith 1402
٤، قَالَ : (( مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يُسَلِّمُ عَلَيَّ إِلَّ رَدَّ اللهُ عَلَيَّ رُوحِي حَتَّى أَرُدَّ
وعنه : أن رسول الله

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمَ )) . رواه أَبُو داود بإسنادٍ .
Abū Hurayrah 4
% narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "No person
sends greetings of peace upon me without Allah returning my soul to me
so that I may return the greeting to him." (Abū Dawud, Ahmad, Bayhaqī)
Commentary
This hadith encourages us to send abundant salawat and salam upon the Messenger
so that
we can be blessed with the honour of a reply by the most honourable of Allah's creation
It is an established fact that every soul has to taste death. The bodies of people other than
the Messengers of Allah & decompose with time and only the soul remains in the life of
Barzakh. The Messengers &) were human beings and also experienced death. However, they
are blessed with a special life in their graves after death which resembles the life of this
earthly abode. Their souls as well as their bodies are preserved in their graves.
Allah des says regarding the martyrs:
﴿وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ قُتِلُوْا فِىْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ اَمْوَاتًا بَلْ اَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُوْنَ﴾
Never regard those slain in the path of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive
in the presence of their Sustainer and provided with sustenance. (Sūrah Al
'Imrān, 169)
The scholars explain that if the martyrs, who are of a lower status than the Messengers
, are alive in their graves, then the Messengers &
should enjoy the same privilege and
honour to a greater extent.
If we now accept that the Messenger
is alive in his grave, what does the hadith mentioning
Allāh &s returning his soul to him mean? The scholars of hadith have given various answers.
One of them is that the blessed soul of the Messenger of Allah
is absorbed and engrossed
in the splendour of Allah &S. When a person sends salutations, the Messenger of Allah
turns his attention to that person. This has been phrased as, "Allah returns my soul to me."
Any further doubts may be clarified by accepting the reality that the life of the grave cannot
be understood according to the life of this world.
Scholars state that the Messenger
returning salutations is general and applies to those
who are present at his grave and those who are far away. The only difference is that the
Messenger of Allah
hears the one who recites salawat before him, and the salawat recited
from a distance are conveyed to him.

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Hadith 1403
وعن عليّ ◌َّهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﴿: ((البَخِيلُ مَنْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ، فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيَّ))
. رواه الترمذي ، وقال : (( حديث حسن صحيح )) .
‘Alī
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "A miser is one in
whose presence my name is mentioned and he does not send salutations
upon me." (Tirmidhī, Ahmad)
Commentary
A miser is a person who does not grant another his due rights. Abandoning salawat upon the
Messenger
is a sign of miserliness and a proof of one's baseness because sending salawat
does not require much effort. In addition, such as person deprives himself of great reward
and disobeys the Wajib command of Allah & as mentioned in the Qur'an. The Messenger
of Allāh
deserves that șalawāt be sent upon him as he
is the cause of our success in
this world and the Hereafter.
Hadīth 1404
وعن فَضَالَهَ بِنِ عُبَيْدٍ ﴿هَ، قَالَ: سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﴿، رَجُلاً يَدْعُو فِي صَلاَتِهِ لَمْ يُمَجِّدِ
: ((عَجِلَ هَذَا)) ثُمَّ دَعَاهُ فَقَالَ
الله تَعَالَى، وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَى النَبِّ: ﴿، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله ◌ُ
لَهُ - أَوْ لِغَيْرِهِ - : ((إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِتَحْمِيدِ رَبِّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ ، وَالثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ ، ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي
عَلَى النَّبِّ :﴿١، ثُمَّ يَدْعُو بَعْدُ بِمَا شَاءَ)). رواه أبو داود والترمذي، وقال: (( حديث
حسن صحيح )) .
Fadālah ibn 'Ubayd 4
narrates: "The Messenger of Allah
heard a man
supplicating in his salah without glorifying Allah && or sending salutations
upon the Messenger of Allah
The Messenger of Allah
said: 'This
person is hasty' He then called for him and said to him - or to someone
else - 'When any of you performs salah, he should commence with praising
his Sustainer and glorifying Him. He should then send salutations upon
the Messenger of Allah $
and he may thereafter supplicate for whatever
he desires." (Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī, Nasa'ī)
Commentary
Scholars have stated that a person should commence his du'a' by praising Allah & and then
sending salutations upon the Messenger
He should then request whatever he desires

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
from Allah &S. At the end of his du'a' he should again send salutations upon the Messenger
and praise Allah &S. It is hoped that because the praise of Allah &s and salutations upon
the Messenger
are accepted forms of worship, whatever is requested between them will
also be accepted by Allah &s.
‘Umar.
mentioned: "Du as remain suspended between the heavens and the earth. They do
not proceed towards the heavens as long as salawat upon the Messenger
have not been
recited." (Tirmidhī)
Hadith 1405
وعن أَبي محمدٍ كعبٍ بن عُجْرَةٍ ﴿هَ ، قَالَ: خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا النبيُّ :﴿، فَقُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَدْ
عَلِمْنَا كَيْفَ نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ ، فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ ؟ قَالَ : (( قُولُوا: اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ،
وعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ . اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ
، وعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجْيدٌ)) . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Abū Muhammad Ka'b ibn 'Ujrah 4% narrates: "The Messenger of Allah
came out to us and we said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we know how to offer
salām to you, but how should we send salutations upon you?' He replied: 'Say:
"O Allah, send salutations upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad
as You sent salutations upon the family of Ibrahim. You are worthy of
praise, majestic. O Allah, grant blessings upon Muhammad and the family
of Muhammad as You granted blessings upon the family of Ibrahim. You
are worthy of praise, majestic." (Bukhārī, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhī)
Commentary
This salawat is considered to be the most virtuous form of salawat, since the Messenger of
Allāh
taught it to the Șahabah A
when they requested him.
The Șahabah
knew how to offer salām to the Messenger
because this was the salām
they normally recited in salah in tashahhud,
السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته
Why do we ask Allah & to send salutations upon the Messenger
when we have been
commanded in the Qur'an to send salutations ourselves? Various answers have been given
for this:

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1. We have been taught to do so by the Messenger
himself when he was asked by the
Șaņābah.
2. Man is sinful and the Messenger
is sinless, hence we can never praise him as he deserves
to be praised. For this reason, we refer the matter to Allah &s so that our supplication can
increase in value and purity and be presented in this manner.
3. We reinforce our belief in tawhid. Despite our love for the Messenger
, we acknowledge
that he is also in need of Allah's &'s special mercy, hence we request Allah &s to send
salutations and mercy upon him.
"The family of Muhammad" may refer to the close family members of the Messenger
such as his wives, children, the Banū Hashim and Banū 'Abd al-Muttalib, etc. Alternatively,
it can refer to every person who obeys the Messenger
Hadith 1406
، قَالَ: أَتَانَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﴿، وَنَحنُ في مَجْلِسٍ سَعدِ بن عُبَادَةَ
وعن أَبي مسعودٍ البدري ﴿﴾
، فَقَالَ لَهُ بَشْيرُ بْنُ سَعِدٍ : أمَرَنَا الله تَعَالَى أنْ نُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّي
عَلَيْكَ ؟ فَسَكَتَ رسُولُ اللهِ ﴿٣، حَتَّى تَمَنََّا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْأَلَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ رسُولُ الله
قُولُوا: اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى
مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، كَمَا بَارَكْت عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ، وَالسَّلَامُ كَمَا قَدْ
عَلِمْتُمْ )) . رواه مسلم .
Abū Mas'ūd al-Badrī 4% narrates: "The Messenger of Allah
came to us
while we were in the assembly of Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah &
2. Bashir ibn Sa'd said
to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, Allah && has ordered us to send salutations
upon you. How should we send salutations upon you?' The Messenger of
Allāh
remained silent for so long that we wished that he had not asked
him the question. The Messenger of Allah
then said: 'Say, "O Allah,
send salutations upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You
sent salutations upon the family of Ibrahim. Grant blessings to Muhammad
and the family of Muhammad as You granted blessings to the family of
Ibrahim. You are worthy of praise, majestic." And the salām is as you know."
(Muslim, Ahmad, Nasa'ī)
Commentary
The Messenger of Allah
remained silent anticipating revelation to descend. The Șaņābah

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
, wished that he had not asked the question because they feared that it may have been
inappropriate and because of their compassion and love for the Messenger
Hadith 1407
وعن أَبِي حُمَيدِ السَّاعِدِيِّ لَهُ، قَالَ: قالوا: يا رسولَ الله ◌َيْفَ نُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ : ((قُولُوا
: اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرِّيَتِهِ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى
مُحَمَّدٍ ، وَعَلَى أزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرَِّتِهِ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ )) . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Abū Humayd as-Sā'idī
" narrates: "The Sahabah A asked: 'O Messenger
of Allah, how should we send salutations upon you?' He replied: 'Say, "O
Allah, send salutations upon Muhammad, his wives and his progeny as You
sent salutations upon the family of Ibrahim. Grant blessings to Muhammad,
his wives and his progeny as You granted blessings to the family of Ibrahim.
You are worthy of praise, majestic." (Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasa'ī, Abū Dāwūd)
Commentary
The word "progeny" occurs in this hadith and not in others. One's lineage usually continues
with one's male offspring, however the daughters of the Messenger
are also included
in his lineage. From the four daughters of the Messenger $
, only the progeny of Fatimah
can be traced today throughout the world. This was because of the blessings of this
supplication.
کتاب الأذكار
THE BOOK OF THE REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH
CHAPTER 244
باب فَضلِ الذِّكْرٍ وَالحَثِّ عليه
Chapter on the virtue of dhikr and encouragement to engage in it
Introduction
The blessings and favours of Allah 'S upon us are unlimited. For this reason, it is only natural

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
that we thank Him and remember Him by means of dhikr.
The objective of dhikr is to gain closeness to Allah des and to increase one's rank in the
Hereafter. However, by the blessings of dhikr, one will also be rewarded with goodness in
this world. Some of the many benefits of dhikr as mentioned in the Qur'an and hadith are
mentioned below:
1. It generates peace of mind and tranquillity.
2. It cures illnesses.
3. It purifies the heart.
4. It draws sustenance.
5. It protects one from the whisperings of Shaitan.
قَالَ الله تَعَالَى: ﴿وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ﴾ (العنكبوت : ٤٥)،
Allāh &s says: "And the remembrance of Allah is the greatest." (Sūrah al-
'Ankabūt, 45)
وقال تَعَالَى: ﴿فَاذْكُرُوْنِىّ اذْكُرْكُمْ﴾ (البقرة: ١٥٢)،
Allāh && says: "Remember Me and I will remember you." (Sūrah al-Baqarah,
152)
وقال تَعَالَى: ﴿وَاذْكُرْ رَّبَّكَ فِىْ نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَّخِيْفَةً وَّدُوْنَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ
وَالْأَصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنْ مِّنَ الْغُفِلِيْنَ﴾ ( الأعراف: ٢٠٥)،
Allāh & says: "Continually remember your Sustainer in your heart with
humility and awe, and without raising your voice. [Remember Him] by
morning and evening and do not remain heedless." (Sūrah al-A'raf, 205)
وقال تَعَالَى: ﴿وَاذْكُرُوا اللهَ كَثِيْرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُوْنَ﴾ ( الجمعة: ١٠)،
Allāh & says: "And remember Allah abundantly so that you may be
successful." (Sūrah al-Jumu'ah, 10)
وقال تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَالْمُسْلِمْتِ﴾ .. إِلَى قَوْله تَعَالَى: ﴿وَالذُّكِرِيْنَ اللهَ كَثِيْرًا

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وَالذُّكِرْتِ اَعَدَّ اللهُ لَهُمْ مَّغْفِرَةً وَاَجْرًا عَظِيمًا﴾ (الأحزاب: ٣٥)،
Allāh & says: "Surely the Muslim men and the Muslim women, the believing
men and the believing women, the truly devout men and the truly devout
women, the truthful men and the truthful women, the patiently enduring
men and the patiently enduring women, the humble men and the humble
women, the charity-giving men and the charity-giving women, the fasting
men and the fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the
women who guard [their chastity], the men who remember Allah abundantly
and the women who remember [Allah abundantly] - Allah has set aside for
them forgiveness and a great reward." (Sūrah al-Ahzab, 35)
وقال تَعَالَى: ﴿یَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ أُمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيْرًا وَّسَبِّحُوْهُ بُكْرَةً وَاَصِيْلاً﴾ ( الأحزاب
: ٤١ - ٤٢ ) الآية .
Allāh &s says: "O believers! Remember Allah with unceasing remembrance.
And continue glorifying Him at morning and evening." (Sūrah al-Aḥzāb,
41-42)
والآيات في الباب كثيرة معلومة.
There are numerous other verses in this regard.
Hadīth 1408
: (( كَلِمَتَانِ خَفِيفَتَانِ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ ، تَقِيلَتَانِ فِي
وعن أبي هريرة ◌ِلَّهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رسُولُ الله.
المِيزَانِ ، حَبِيَتَانِ إِلَى الرَّحْمَانِ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ ، سُبْحَانَ اللهِ العظيمِ )) . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Abū Hurayrah Kg
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "There
are two phrases which are light on the tongue, weighty in the scale, and
most beloved to the Merciful (Allah): "Glory be to Allah and praise be to
Him. Glory be to Allāh, the Majestic." (Bukhārī, Muslim, Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah)
Commentary
This was the last hadīth narrated by Imam Bukharī in his Sahih. It mentions a dhikr which is
easy to recite but is extremely weighty in reward.
It is "light on the tongue" means that it is easy to pronounce as it contains only those letters

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
of the Arabic alphabet which are light and easy to pronounce. It does not contain letters
of shiddah (أجد قط بكت) and isti la (خص ضغط فظ) which require greater effort. In addition, the
phrases are concise.
They will be "weighty in the scale" of deeds on the day of Qiyamah due to the blessings of the
name of Allah & and the meaning of tawhid contained in them. Scholars state that despite
these words being abstract, Allah & will give them a form on the day of Qiyamah so that
they can be weighed.
That these words are most beloved to Allah &'s implies that one who recites them will also
become beloved to Him.
Allah's &s name al-Rahman (the Merciful) has been used in this hadith to show the vastness
of Allah's & mercy because He grants great rewards for small acts of goodness such as
recitation of the dhikr mentioned here.
By reciting & blå, one testifies that Allah &s is pure from all such qualities which are not
befitting of His grand status. The word las is an acknowledgement of His perfection in
every respect. سُبْحَانَ اللهِ العظيم is also an acknowledgement of ones inability to appropriately
praise and glorify Him.
ål SLÅ is repeated in emphasis because there have always been more people who have
attributed false qualities to Him compared to those who contested His qualities of perfection.
Hadīth 1409
: ((لَأَنْ أَقُولَ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ ؛ وَالحَمْدُ للهِ ؛ وَلاَ إلهَ إِلاَّ
وعنه ﴿ّهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رسول الله .
اللـهُ، وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ، أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ)) . رواه مسلم .
Abū Hurayrah 4% narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "I prefer
saying, 'Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is none worthy of
worship besides Allah, and Allah is the greatest,' to everything upon which
the sun rises." (Muslim, Tirmidhī)
Commentary
This hadith and the previous one encourage us to glorify and praise Allah &S, and proclaim
His oneness and greatness. This is the crux of tawhid - the most important belief in life.
Scholars have stated that all the beautiful names of Allah des are encompassed in these four
phrases. &l blå encompasses those names of Allah &s which indicate towards His purity
such as al-Salām, al-Quddūs, etc. ¿ dal encompasses those names which indicate towards

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
the mercy, beauty, knowledge, and power of Allah & such as al-Rahman, al-Rahim, al-Karīm,
13
al-'Alīm, al-Samī', al-Basīr, al-Qadir, etc. ¿ l VI JĮ y encompasses those names which indicate
to the oneness of Allah &'s such as al-Wahid, al-Ahad, etc. "si &l encompasses those names
which indicate to the loftiness and grandeur of Allah des such as al-'Alī, al-Kabir, al-A'la and
al-Muta'āl.
These words are far superior to the entire world because they are amongst the actions of
the Hereafter, referred to as bāqiyāt al-șālihat (noble actions which will remain forever). Their
rewards will never terminate whereas everything in this world will perish and be destroyed.
It is stated that once Sulayman
de was travelling on his throne, together with his armies and
the jinn, and the birds had spread their wings to protect him from the heat of the sun. On
seeing the grandeur of his kingdom, a worshipper recited &l ... Sulayman & remarked,
"The credit in the account of deeds of a believer for reciting &l Stad once is more than the
entire kingdom of Sulayman because this kingdom is transitory, while the reward of
reciting it is everlasting."
Additional Points
v One may recite these words in any order, however it is best to follow the order mentioned
in the ahādīth.
v These words are generally the most virtuous to recite, however, du'as which have been
taught for specific occasions are more virtuous at those times.
Hadith 1410
وعنه : أنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﴾ قَالَ: (( مَنْ قَالَ لا إلهَ إِلَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَريكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ المُلْكُ وَلَهُ
الحَمْدُ ؛ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، في يَوْمٍ مِنَةَ مَرَّةٍ كَانَتْ لَهُ عَدْلَ عَشْرِ رِقَابٍ وَكُتِبَتْ لَهُ مِنَةُ
حَسَنَةٍ ، وَمُحِيَتْ عَنْهُ مِنَّهُ سَيَِّةٍ ، وَكَانَتْ لَهُ حِرْزاً مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ يَوْمَهُ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يُمْسِي ، وَلَمْ
يَأْتِ أَحَدٌ بِأَفْضَلَ مِمَّا جَاءَ بِهِ إِلَّ رَجُلٌ عَمِلَ أكْثَرَ مِنْهُ)) .
وقال : (( مَنْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ الله وَبِحَمْدِهِ ، فِي يَوْمٍ مِثَةَ مَرَّةٍ ، حُطَّتْ خَطَايَاهُ ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ
زَبَدِ البَحْرِ )) . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Abū Hurayrah
narrates that the Messenger of Allah
2% said: "One who
says, 'There is none worthy of worship besides Allah. He is one and has no
partner. His is the sovereignty and all praise is due to Him. He has power
over everything,' a hundred times a day receives the reward equivalent
to freeing ten slaves, a hundred good deeds are recorded in his favour, a

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
hundred evil deeds are erased from his record, and it will protect him from
Shaitan for that day until the evening. No one can produce anything better
than what he has done except one who does it more than that." And he
said: "One who says, 'Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him,' a hundred
times a day, will have his sins erased even if they are like the foam of the
ocean." (Bukhārī, Muslim, Ahmad)
Commentary
"He is one," means that Allah &s is unique in His qualities and attributes.
"His is the sovereignty," means that all power and dominion is solely in His control.
"All praise is due to Him," since He is the possessor of all perfection. The perfection found
in the creation is only a manifestation of His perfection.
"He has power over everything," is a reminder for man that he is completely dependent
upon Allah &s.
Imam Nawawī > mentioned that a person will be granted the reward mentioned in this hadith
whether he recites these words a hundred times in one or separate gatherings. However, it
is best to recite them in one gathering.
Hadīth 1411
وعن أبي أيوب الأنصاريِّ ﴿له، عن النَّبِّ ﴿، قَالَ: (( مَنْ قَالَ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لا
شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ المُلْكُ ؛ وَلَهُ الحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، عَشْرَ مَرَّاتٍ . كَانَ كَمَنْ أَعْتَقَ
أَرْبَعَةَ أَنْفُسِ مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ )) . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Abū Ayyub 4% narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said: "One who
recites, 'There is none worthy of worship besides Allah. He is one and
has no partner. His is the sovereignty and all praise is due to Him. He has
power over everything,' ten times is like one who frees four slaves from
the progeny of Isma'il."
Commentary
The progeny of Isma'il
has been specifically mentioned because they were the ancestors
of the Messenger
Various other ahadith have mentioned the virtues of these or similar words. For example,
the Messenger of Allah
said, "One who recites the words,

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
لاَ إِلهَ إِلَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحِيْ وَيُمِيْتُ وَ هُوَ حَيٍّ لَا يَمُوْتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ
وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْئٍ قَدِیٌّ
in the marketplace will receive a million rewards, a million of his sins will be forgiven and
a house will be built for him in Paradise." (Tirmidhī)
Hadith 1412
وعن أَبِي ذَرِّ ◌ِلَّهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رسولُ اللهِ ﴾: ((ألاَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِأَحَبِّ الكَلَامِ إِلَى اللهِ ؟ إنَّ أَحَبَّ
الكَلامِ إِلَى اللهِ: سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ )) . رواه مسلم .
Abu Dharr aog narrates: "The Messenger of Allah
said to me: 'Should
I not tell you of the words which are most beloved to Allah? Glory be to
Allah and praise be to Him."" (Muslim)
Commentary
Allah & loves that His servant praises Him and proclaims His purity from inappropriate
attributes. Hence, the virtue and rewards of these phrases are many as stated in various
ahādīth. A few of these are mentioned below:
1. "One who says, "ِ◌ُسُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِه" , a date palm is planted for him in Paradise." (Bazzar)
2. "One who recites "ِسُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِه' one hundred times a day, his sins will be forgiven, even
if they are equal to the foam of the ocean." (Muslim, Tirmidhi)
3. "One who is too weak to engage in worship at night, too miserly to spend wealth and too
cowardly to fight the enemy, should recite in abundance, "ِ◌ُسُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِه, since this is more
beloved to Allah than a mountain of gold which one spends in the path of Allah." (Țabrānī)
Hadith 1413
وعن أبي مالك الأشعري ﴿هُ قَالَ: قَالَ رسولُ اللهِ﴿: ((الطُّهُورُ شَطْرُ الإِيمانِ، وَالحَمْدُ
للهِ تَمْلأَّ الِمِيزَانَ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَالحَمْدُ للهِ تَمْلَآنِ - أَوْ تَمْلأُ - مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ
)) . رواه مسلم .
Abū Malik al-Ash'arī de narrates that the Messenger of Allah
said:
"Purity is half of faith. (The phrase) al-Hamdulillah fills the scale. (The
phrases) Subhanallūh and al-Hamdulillah fill (or the reward fills) all the
space between the heavens and the earth." (Muslim, Ahmad, Dārimī)

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
Commentary
This hadith was mentioned previously. See hadith 25.
&l SLÅ is an all-encompassing phrase which means that Allah &s is pure from all deficiencies,
weaknesses and faults. This purity can be categorised in the following manner:
1. His being is free from all deficiencies. He has no partner. He is free from being confined
to a particular place. He was not created. He does not possess a body and He has no spouse
and offspring.
2. His qualities are free from all deficiencies. He is free from ignorance, weakness and His
qualities can never change.
3. His actions are free from all deficiencies. He does according to His wisdom, which man,
due to his deficient understanding, can never fully comprehend.
4. His names are free from all deficiencies. He possesses beautiful names and every name
reflects a quality within Him, as opposed to man, who may have a name which does not
befit his qualities.
5. His laws are free from all deficiencies. The rules and statutes of Allah &s are free from
error, injustice, ignorance, irrationality and prejudice.
& dati is also an all-encompassing phrase which means that Allah &s is perfect in every way.
This perfection can be categorised in the following manner:
1. He is perfect and unique in His Being. There never was and never can be anyone similar
to Him.
2. He is perfect in His qualities. His qualities of knowledge, power, mercy and forgiveness
are perfect and matchless.
3. He is perfect in His actions. His actions of creating, sustaining, honouring and disgracing
are exclusive and unparalleled.
4. He is perfect in His names. His names are most beautiful and every name of His describes
one of His beautiful qualities.
5. He is perfect in His laws. Every law which He prescribed for man is the best and most
superior. No better system of living exists other than that commanded by Him and His every
law is completely suited to man's nature and temperament.
Hadith 1414
﴿، فَقَالَ : عَلِّمْنِي كَلاَمَاً
وعن سعد بن أبي وقاصٍ ﴿ّه قَالَ: جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٍّ إِلَى رَسولِ اللهِ ،
أَقُولُهُ. قَالَ : ((قُلْ لاَ إِلهَ إِلَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيراً، وَالحَمْدُ للهِ كَثِيراً ،

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
وَسُبْحَانَ اللهِ رَبِّ العَالِمِينَ ، وَلاَ حَولَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّ بِاللهِ العَزِيزِ الحَكِيمِ )) قَالَ: فهؤُلاءِ لِرَبِّي
، فَمَا لِي ؟ قَالَ : ((قُلْ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي ، وَارْزُقْنِي )) . رواه مسلم .
Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqās 4,
narrates: A Bedouin came to the Messenger of
Allāh
and said: "Teach me some words which I could say." He said:
"Say, 'There is none worthy of worship besides Allah. He is one and has
no partner. Allah is the greatest. Abundant praise be to Allah. Glory be to
Allah, the Sustainer of the worlds. There is no power and might except
with Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise."" The man said: "These words are for
my Sustainer. What about for me?" He said: "Say, 'O Allah, forgive me, be
merciful to me, guide me, and provide me with sustenance." (Muslim, Ahmad)
Commentary
The essence of this du'a' is as follows, "O Allah, forgive me for all past sins, be merciful to
me so that I can abstain from all future sins, guide me to all righteous actions, and grant me
Halal and pure sustenance." It is an extremely comprehensive du'a' because it combines one's
needs of this world and the Hereafter. The greatest needs of a person regarding his spiritual
life are forgiveness, the mercy of Allah & and guidance which will lead him to attain the
pleasure of Allāh &S. His greatest need in this world is sustenance which gives life to his
physical body. The du'a' incorporates all of these aspects.
Hadith 1415
وعن ثَوبانَ بِّهُ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسولُ اللهِ ﴿ إِذَا انْصَرَفَ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ اسْتَغْفَرَ ثَلاثَاً، وَقَالَ : ((
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلاَمُ، وَمِنْكَ السَّلاَمُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَاذَا الجَلَاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ )) قِيلَ لِلأوْزَاعِّ - وَهُوَ
أحَدُ رواة الحديث - : كَيْفَ الاسْتِغْفَارُ؟ قَالَ : تقول : أسْتَغْفِرُ الله ، أسْتَغْفِرُ الله . رواه مسلم.
Thauban 4% narrates: "When the Messenger of Allah
2 used to complete
his șalāh, he would seek forgiveness three times and say: 'O Allah, You are
peace and all peace is from You. You are most blessed, O possessor of might
and honour!" Al-Auza'ī, one of the narrators of this hadith, was asked: "How
should one seek forgiveness?" He replied: "Say, 'I seek forgiveness from
Allāh. I seek forgiveness from Allāh."" (Muslim, Ahmad, Nasa'ī)
Commentary
The fact that the Messenger
sought forgiveness thrice after every salah teaches us that
no matter how perfect one's worship may be, it can never fulfil the rights due to Allah &s.
When the Messenger of Allah
, who was most perfect in carrying out acts of worship,

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RIYĀD AL-ȘĀLIĶĪN
sought forgiveness after an act of worship, then his followers should do so all the more.
"O Allah, You are peace," can have one of two meanings:
1. "O Allah, You are pure from any form of change as well as every deficiency, weakness and
flaw."
2. "O Allah, You are the being who grants peace." In other words, peace and security is in
Allah's &os power. By pleasing Him, man will find peace in his life, family, home and society.
"All peace is from You" can have one of two meanings:
1. "We desire that You rid us of all weaknesses, flaws and faults."
2. "We desire peace and security from You."
JSuns indicates towards Allah's des qualities of Jalal (grandeur and might), whilst elsyils refers
to His qualities of Jamal (beauty and perfection.) Perfection is in possessing both these types
of qualities, thus complete perfection is only for Allah &s.
The Messenger
encouraged the Ummah to regularly make du'a' using these two magnificent
names of Allah &S. In a narration, Mu adh ibn Jabal ade narrates that the Messenger
heard
a man uttering these two names. He remarked, "Your du'a' has been accepted, therefore ask
whatever you desire." (Tirmidhī)
Hadith 1416
كَانَ إِذَا فَرَغَ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : ((
وعن المغيرة بن شعبة ريه : أنَّ رسول الله
لاَ إِلهَ إِلَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ المُلْكُ وَلَهُ الحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ، اللَّهُمَّ
لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ ، وَلاَ يَنْفَعُ ذَا الجَدِّ مِنْكَ الجَدُّ )) . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِ .
Al-Mughīrah ibn Shu'bah
ğ narrates: "When the Messenger of Allah
completed the salah and made the salam, he would say: "There is none
worthy of worship besides Allah. He is one and has no partner. His is the
sovereignty and all praise is due to Him. And He has power over everything.
O Allah, none can withhold what You give and none can give what You
withhold. The influence of any person who has it is of no avail against
You." (Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Nasa'ī)
Commentary
According to the Hanafi scholars, the Messenger of Allah
would generally recite a short
du'a' after those Fard salahs which were followed by Sunnah salahs. After performing the
Sunnah salāhs, he would recite the longer du'ās. The reason for this is that the Sunnah salāhs