by Asma bint Shameem
“Please convey my salaams to the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) when you go and visit Madeenah.” That’s what they said to me as I was leaving for Hajj this year.
Some even said, “Take my name personally and say so-and-so has sent you the salaams, O Prophet of Allaah.”
And it wasn’t just a few who requested this. Many, many people asked me to do so.
I also know that it was out of sheer love and utmost respect for the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) that they said this.
But my dear brother/sister in Islaam, I have to tell you that this is an action that is not prescribed in the Sharee’ah.
Now, I am not saying that sending blessings and salaams on the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) itself is bad. Surely it is one of the best and most virtuous of deeds and one of the most beloved of deeds to Allaah and of course, we should send salaams on the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) all the time, as much as we can. And Allaah will send blessings on you in return tenfold. That is surely good.
What is wrong is telling a person traveling to Madeenah to convey your salaams to him (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam).
Did you know that your salaams will reach him (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) no matter where you are, whether you are standing in front of his grave in Madeenah or you are thousands of miles away in the U.S.?
The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:
“Send blessings upon me for your greeting will reach me no matter where you are.” (Abu Dawood–saheeh by al-Albaani)
And he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said:
“Allaah has angels who go around on earth, conveying to me the salaam of my ummah.” (al-Nasaa’i–saheeh by al-Albaani)
So, it doesn’t really matter whether you are in the privacy of your home or in the midst of the market place, or if you are a bedouin living in Madeenah or an astronaut flying in space. If you send salaams on the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam), he will receive them.
Besides, wouldn’t you like to send your salaams personally to the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) instead of sending it through somebody who may forget? Or he may not convey the salaams with that love and respect you would like him to?
Think about it.
When someone really special is coming, you would surely want to go meet him personally rather than just sending somebody else on your behalf, right?
Then, wouldn’t you want the angels to convey your special and personal salaams to him?
And who is a better and more trustworthy carrier than the angels?
How do we know it is wrong?
We know it is wrong because it was not the practice of the Sahaabah or the righteous people after them to convey the salaams of each other at the grave of the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) every time one of them visited Madeenah. If it was something good, surely, the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam)would have taught the Sahaabah to do that or he would have given us instructions to do so. But the fact of the matter is that he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) instructed us to do quite the opposite.
He (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said,
“Do not take my grave as a place of festivity (which you visit repeatedly). Send blessings upon me for your greeting will reach me no matter where you are.” (Abu Dawood)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “If you send salaam upon him (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) from the farthest ends of the earth, your salaam will reach him, because Allaah has appointed angels who travel about the earth, and if anyone sends salaams upon the Messenger (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam), they convey that salaam to the Messenger (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam). So if we say now, “O Allaah, send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allaah,” our salaam will be transmitted to him. In prayer we say, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’l-nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings),” and the salaam is transmitted to him… ”
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Naasir al-Barraak, a member of faculty in the Imam Muhammad ibn Sa’ood Islamic University, said: “There is no basis for sending salaams to the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) with one who is traveling to Madeenah. It was not the habit of the righteous salaf of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them), Taabi’een or scholars to send salaams in this manner, and no such thing has been narrated….”
Shaikh Ibn Baaz said:
“Based on this, sending salaams to the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) as an act or worship is an innovation (bid’ah). In fact it is not prescribed to send salaam to anyone who is deceased, rather salaams are to be said to the dead by one who visits him (his grave)…” (Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 23/416, 417)
We need to realize, my dear brother/sister, that sending blessings and peace upon our Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam is one of the noblest acts of worship and obedience, yet out of His Great Mercy and Immense Bounties, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala has made it so easy for us to do so, whenever we want, and to do that a great deal, from any spot on earth.
So take advantage of that blessing and make the most of this Mercy.And next time, when you want to send your salaams and blessings on your beloved Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam), don’t wait for anyone going to Madeenah.
Just say Allaahumma Salli ‘ala Muhammad from the bottom of your heart…..with utter love and devotion….and the angels will be honored to carry this piece of love to him and convey your salaams to him and he will surely receive it. Guaranteed.