The Great Verse

Allah Almighty said:
“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.”
This noble verse combines the actions of Allah, the angels, and the command for believers to send blessings and peace, highlighting the greatness of the prophetic station and its centrality in the entire universe.

Blessings from Allah, the Angels, and the Believers

  • Blessings from Allah: An eternal and overflowing mercy flowing to all creations, with the Prophet ﷺ as the primary source and channel of this mercy.
  • Blessings from the Angels: Submission and obedience to the primary cause of the universe, demonstrating complete reverence for his noble station.
  • Blessings from the Believers: A declaration of acceptance of divine grace and recognition of the source of light, resulting in hearts being purified and illuminated.
  • Peace (Salam): Removes all obstacles to achieve complete submission to the Prophet’s ﷺ will, which is the essence of Allah’s will.

The Virtue of Praying upon the Prophet ﷺ

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Gabriel came to me and said: Your Lord says: Does it not please you, O Muhammad, that whenever someone from your nation prays upon you once, I pray upon him ten times? And whenever someone sends peace upon you, I send peace upon him ten times.”

He ﷺ also said:
“No servant prays upon me except that the prayer rushes to him; there is no land or sea it does not pass through… Allah creates from it a bird with seventy thousand wings… every tongue glorifies Allah in seventy thousand languages, and Allah records all its reward.”

Imam Ali, may Allah honor his face, said:
“Educate your children with three qualities: love your Prophet, love his family, and recite the Qur’an.”

Effects of Praying upon the Prophet ﷺ

  • Relief of difficulties and expansion of hearts.
  • Facilitation of matters and gaining blessings.
  • A means to obtain intercession and salvation on the Day of Judgment.

It was reported that a man was accused of stealing a she-camel, but Allah absolved him due to his frequent prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ, until the Prophet said to him:
“On the Day of Judgment, the bridge will return to me, and your face will shine brighter than the full moon.”

Love of the Prophet ﷺ as a Condition of Faith

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“No one of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children, and all of mankind.”

Complete love for the Prophet ﷺ leads to adherence and draws the servant closer to Allah until reaching the station of intimacy:
“My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing by which he hears, his sight by which he sees…”

Stations and Types of Prayer

  • Creative Prayer: The flow of divine mercy throughout the worlds, which sustains and expands all existents.
  • Legislative Prayer: Attracting believers to perfection through remembrance, worship, and obedience, increasing their closeness according to their submission to the Prophet ﷺ.

Allah Almighty said:
“It is He who sends blessings upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so], that He may bring you out of darkness into light.”

Secrets of Praying upon the Prophet ﷺ

  • Purifies the hearts and heals the souls.
  • The best supplication, as it is a prayer for another, and the best of others is the Prophet ﷺ.
  • Its lights spread to all beings, as it is connected to the Perfect Human who manifests divine mercy.

Conclusion

Praying upon the Prophet ﷺ is the essence of existence, nourishing hearts and souls and opening the doors of mercy and light. It is an act of worship that unites Allah, His angels, and the believers, manifesting in both its creative and legislative forms, remaining a secret of divine closeness.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May Allah bless our Master Muhammad ﷺ with praise, revelation, message, and wisdom, and grant peace upon his family and companions.