Asking Favors from Allah for the Holy Prophet, Muhammad and his Family, recipient of divine supreme covenant

لَا يَزَالُ الدُّعَاءُ مَحْجُوباً حَتَّى يُصَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ[1].

“A supplication remains barred until one sends blessings on Muhammad (sw) and the family of Muhammad (sw).”

مَنْ دَعَا وَ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ النَّبِيَّ ص رَفْرَفَ الدُّعَاءُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ‌[2] فَإِذَا ذَكَرَ النَّبِيَّ ص رُفِعَ الدُّعَاءُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever prays and does not mention the Holy Prophet, his prayer remains dangled over his head. When he mentions the Holy Prophet only then his prayer is raised up (to heavens).”’

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي أَجْعَلُ لَكَ ثُلُثَ صَلَوَاتِي لَا بَلْ أَجْعَلُ لَكَ نِصْفَ صَلَوَاتِي لَا بَلْ أَجْعَلُهَا كُلَّهَا لَكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذاً تُكْفَى مَئُونَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ[3].

“Once a man came to the Holy Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, “I assign one third of my prayer to you. No, in fact, I assign half of my prayer to you. No, I assign all of my prayer to you.” The Messenger of Allah said, ‘That means that you have complete supplies for this and the next life.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا مَعْنَى أَجْعَلُ صَلَوَاتِي كُلَّهَا لَكَ فَقَالَ يُقَدِّمُهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ كُلِّ حَاجَةٍ فَلَا يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ شَيْئاً حَتَّى يَبْدَأَ بِالنَّبِيِّ ص فَيُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَسْأَلَ اللَّهَ حَوَائِجَهُ.

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘What is the meaning of, “I assign all of my prayer to you?’’ The Imam said, ‘He mentions the Holy Prophet before asking any help. He does not ask Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, anything until he begins with the Holy Prophet. He asks from Allah favors for the Holy Prophet an

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَا تَجْعَلُونِي كَقَدَحِ الرَّاكِبِ فَإِنَّ الرَّاكِبَ يَمْلَأُ قَدَحَهُ فَيَشْرَبُهُ إِذَا شَاءَ اجْعَلُونِي فِي أَوَّلِ الدُّعَاءِ وَ فِي آخِرِهِ وَ فِي وَسَطِهِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Do not consider me as the water container of a traveler who fills up his water container and drinks from it whenever he wants. You should place me at the beginning of your prayer, at the end of it and in the middle.’”

قَالَ: إِذَا ذُكِرَ النَّبِيُّ ص فَأَكْثِرُوا الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص صَلَاةً وَاحِدَةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ أَلْفَ صَلَاةٍ فِي أَلْفِ صَفٍّ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ لَمْ يَبْقَ شَيْ‌ءٌ مِمَّا خَلَقَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا صَلَّى عَلَى الْعَبْدِ لِصَلَاةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَ صَلَاةِ مَلَائِكَتِهِ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَرْغَبْ فِي هَذَا فَهُوَ جَاهِلٌ مَغْرُورٌ قَدْ بَرِئَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ وَ رَسُ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whenever the Holy Prophet is mentioned, ask from Allah favors (in the form of al-Salat) for the Holy Prophet. Ask from Allah a great deal of favors for the Holy Prophet. Whoever does so once, Allah will do the same for him one thousand times in one thousand rows of angels and nothing w

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَلَائِكَتُهُ وَ مَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُقِلَّ وَ مَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُكْثِرْ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever asks from Allah favors for me (in the form of al-Salat ), Allah grants him favors and the angels pray for him. It is up to people to perform this (noble) act very little or a great deal.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَيَّ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِي تَذْهَبُ بِالنِّفَاقِ.

“The Messenger of Allah (sw) has said, ‘Sending blessings upon me and my family removes hypocrisy.’”

مَنْ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ قُضِيَتْ لَهُ مِائَةُ حَاجَةٍ ثَلَاثُونَ لِلدُّنْيَا وَ الْبَاقِي لِلْآخِرَةِ.

“Whoever says, ‘O Lord, grant favors to Muhammad and his family, one hundred times one hundred of his wishes will be granted, thirty of them in this world and the rest in the next life.’”

كُلُّ دُعَاءٍ يُدْعَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ مَحْجُوبٌ عَنِ السَّمَاءِ حَتَّى يُصَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ.

“Every prayer to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, remains on hold and barred from heavens until he asks from Allah favors (in the form of al-Salat) for the Holy Prophet and his family.”

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ أَجْعَلُ نِصْفَ صَلَوَاتِي لَكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَجْعَلُ صَلَوَاتِي كُلَّهَا لَكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَلَمَّا مَضَى قَالَ- رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص كُفِيَ هَمَّ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ.

“One who had heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) narrated to me that the Imam said, ‘Once a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “I assign half of my Salat (prayers) for you. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘That is fine.’ He then said, ‘I assign all of my Salat, to you.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘That is fine.’ When h

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي جَعَلْتُ ثُلُثَ صَلَوَاتِي لَكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ خَيْراً فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي جَعَلْتُ نِصْفَ صَلَوَاتِي لَكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ ذَاكَ أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي جَعَلْتُ كُلَّ صَلَوَاتِي لَكَ فَقَالَ إِذاً يَكْفِيَكَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا أَهَمَّكَ مِنْ أَمْرِ دُنْيَاكَ وَ آخِرَتِكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ أَصْلَ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Once a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have assigned one third of my prayers for you.” The Messenger of Allah said, ‘That is good.’ He then said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have assigned half of my prayers for you.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘That

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ ارْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّهَا تَذْهَبُ بِالنِّفَاقِ.

‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “Raise your voices with al-Salat (asking from Allah favors for me); it removes hypocrisy.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا إِسْحَاقَ بْنَ فَرُّوخَ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَشْراً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَلَائِكَتُهُ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ وَ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَلَائِكَتُهُ أَلْفاً أَ مَا تَسْمَعُ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكُمْ وَ مَلائِكَتُهُ لِيُخْرِجَكُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُماتِ إِلَى النُّ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said, ‘O Ishaq ibn Farrukh, whoever asks from Allah al-Salat (favors) for the Holy Prophet and his family ten times, Allah and His angels will do the same for him one hundred times. Whoever asks from Allah al-Salat for the Holy Prophet and his family one hundred times, Allah and His angels w

مَا فِي الْمِيزَانِ شَيْ‌ءٌ أَثْقَلَ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَتُوضَعُ أَعْمَالُهُ فِي الْمِيزَانِ فَتَمِيلُ بِهِ‌[2] فَيُخْرِجُ ص الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْهِ فَيَضَعُهَا فِي مِيزَانِهِ فَيَرْجَحُ بِهِ.

“On the balance there will be no other thing as heavy as asking from Allah al-Salat (favors) for the Holy Prophet and his family. A man will place his deeds on the balance and it will tilt. Then he will bring forth his deed of asking from Allah al-Salat for the Holy Prophet and his family to place on the balance and it

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَاجَةٌ فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِالصَّلَاةِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ثُمَّ يَسْأَلُ حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ يَخْتِمُ بِالصَّلَاةِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَكْرَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يَقْبَلَ الطَّرَفَيْنِ وَ يَدَعَ الْوَسَطَ إِذَا كَانَتِ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ لَا تُحْجَبُ عَنْهُ‌[3].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever needs help from Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, should first ask from Allah al-Salat (favors) for the Holy Prophet and his family, then pray and plead before Allah for help, then conclude it with asking from Allah al-Salat for the Holy Prophet and his family; Honor of Allah,

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي دَخَلْتُ الْبَيْتَ وَ لَمْ يَحْضُرْنِي شَيْ‌ءٌ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ إِلَّا الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ أَحَدٌ بِأَفْضَلَ مِمَّا خَرَجْتَ بِهِ.

‘I entered the house and I did not remember any prayer except asking from Allah al-Salat (favors) for the Holy Prophet and his family.’ The Imam said, ‘You should know that no one has come up with something better than what you have.’”

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع فَقَالَ لِي مَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ- وَ ذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى‌[4] قُلْتُ كُلَّمَا ذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ قَامَ فَصَلَّى فَقَالَ لِي لَقَدْ كَلَّفَ اللَّهُ- عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ هَذَا شَطَطاً[1] فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَكَيْفَ هُوَ فَقَالَ كُلَّمَا ذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ صَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ.

“Once I went in the presence of abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) and he asked me, ‘What is the meaning of: “. . . remember the name of the Lord, and pray to Him.” (87:15) I said, ‘Whenever he remembered the name of his Lord, he stood up and prayed.’ The Imam said to me, ‘If so, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, had

إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ وَ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ النَّبِيَّ وَ آلَهُ ص فِي صَلَاتِهِ يُسْلَكُ بِصَلَاتِهِ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْجَنَّةِ[2] وَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَنْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيَّ دَخَلَ النَّارَ فَأَبْعَدَهُ اللَّهُ وَ قَالَ ص وَ مَنْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَنَسِيَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيَّ خُطِئَ بِهِ طَرِيقَ الْجَنَّةِ.

“Whenever anyone of you prays and does not mention the Holy Prophet and his family in his prayer, his prayer will be taken to a direction other than that toward paradise. The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If a person before whom my name is mentioned does not ask from Allah al-Salat (favors) for me, he will enter the fi

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَنَسِيَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَيَّ خَطَّأَ اللَّهُ بِهِ طَرِيقَ الْجَنَّةِ[4].

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If my name is mentioned before a person and he forgets to ask from Allah al-Salat (favors) for me, Allah will make him lose the way to paradise.’”

سَمِعَ أَبِي رَجُلًا مُتَعَلِّقاً بِالْبَيْتِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبِي يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لَا تَبْتُرْهَا[5] لَا تَظْلِمْنَا حَقَّنَا قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ.

“My father once heard a man, clinging to the Ka’bah, saying, ‘O Lord, grant al-Salat (favors) to Muhammad.’ My father then said to him, ‘O servant of Allah, do not shorten it that way. Do not do injustice to us in our rights. Say, “O Lord, grant al-Salat to Muhammad and his family.’”