(; ) or () is an

Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

complimentary

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

phrase which contains veneration for Muhammad. This phrase is usually expressed by

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

s as part of their five daily prayers (usually during the ) and also when Muhammad's name is mentioned. is a plural form of () and from the

triliteral root The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or " radicals" (hence the term consonantal root). Such abstract consonantal roots are used in the formation of actual words by adding the vowel ...

of ''ṣ-l-w'' (the letters , ) which literally means 'prayer' or 'send blessings upon'. Some Arabic philologists suggest that the meaning of the word varies depending on who uses the word and to whom it is used for. The suffix , meaning "May God's peace be upon him and his household", is a respectful Arabic term used in

and Persian Islamic texts to respect the prophet of

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

when his name mentioned. Of course, this term can be used for

the Fourteen Infallibles The Fourteen Infallibles (, '; , ') in Twelver, Twelver Shia Islam are the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatima Zahra, Fatima, and Twelve Imams, the Twelve Imams. All are considered to be ismah, infallible under the theological conce ...

or any great person. This phrase is most often used after the name

, the

Prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...

. This Arabic phrase may also come after the names of special and holy people. All of these phrases mean "asking for divine favor for a special and holy person." On the other hand, in Islamic sources, may also be seen in other forms, including (''translation: May God grant him and his family mercy and peace''), (''translation: May God send his mercy and blessings upon him''), (''translation: May God's blessings be upon him and his household''), (''translation: May God's blessings be upon him''), (''translation: May the peace of

Allah Allah ( ; , ) is an Arabic term for God, specifically the God in Abrahamic religions, God of Abraham. Outside of the Middle East, it is principally associated with God in Islam, Islam (in which it is also considered the proper name), althoug ...

be upon him'') or (''translation: May the peace and blessings of

be upon him''). According to some researchers, is expressed in more than 210 different Arabic phrases in Islamic sources. with the text , meaning "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and his family", or with the text , meaning "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and his family and hasten their attainment", is an Islamic invocation used to honor the

Prophet

and his family. The most famous form of throughout history and according to the sources, has been to say it in the form of , meaning "O

, send blessings upon Muhammad and his household". In Islamic circles, when the name of the

is mentioned, it is customary to send blessings upon him to respect his high position. Also, the recitation of is used in worship because of its virtue and reward, and sometimes people even vow to recite a specific number of it (''for example, 100, 200, or 1000'') in order to have their heartfelt desires (''called "Haajat" in Islamic thoughts''), so that through this, they may receive God's grace and their problems may be resolved.

Significance

, when a Muslim or

angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

() recites , it means they are sending it to the prophet and are showing

their respect for

, while when the same is sending upon prophet by Allah himself, it means he is blessed by

(''name of God in Islam''). "When Muhammad sends upon the believers, it indicates his prayer for their welfare, blessing and salvation." Muhammad was also reported to have said: "The meanest person is he who does not invoke upon me when my name is mentioned in his presence." Ibn Asakri transmitted from al-Hasan bin Ali that Muhammad said: "Invoke more upon me, for your invocation is conducive to your sins being forgiven. And pray for me a high status and intercession, for surely my intercession will plead in your favour before Allah." According to

Ja'far al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Isla ...

, Muhammad said: "All supplications to Allah will remain in a veil from the sky until a is sent to Mohammad PBUH and his Household." In another tradition, Ja'far al-Sadiq was quoted that: "Whoever sends on the Prophet PBH and his Household means 'I am standing on the promise that I gave when Allah asked me, 'Am I not your lord? And I answered yes you are.'"

The concept of "Aal" in

When the companions and friends of the Prophet of Islam asked him: "How should we send blessings, peace, and greetings upon you?" the Prophet of Islam included the word «», "Aal" (''meaning family, household or progeny'') in his and asked for all the mercy and blessings that were requested from God for his family too, this meaning, the

wants all the mercy and blessings that were requested from God in for his "family" or his "household" or his "progeny" (''including the

twelve Imams The Twelve Imams (, '; , ') are the spiritual and political successors to the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Twelver branch of Shia Islam, including that of the Alawite and Alevi. According to Twelver theology, the Twelve Imams are exemp ...

with the Prophet's daughter,

Fatima Fatima bint Muhammad (; 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fatima al-Zahra' (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, the fourth of the Rashidun caliphs and the first Shia imam. ...

, or the so-called

the fourteen infallibles The Fourteen Infallibles (, '; , ') in Twelver, Twelver Shia Islam are the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatima Zahra, Fatima, and Twelve Imams, the Twelve Imams. All are considered to be ismah, infallible under the theological conce ...

Twelver Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

doctrine''). The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, believed that the blessings and peace of God and the angels, included in , extended to his family, so in the most types of the , both the name of Prophet himself and one of the phrases of "his family" or "his household" or "his progeny" () are mentioned for the mercy and blessings receiving from God. This shows that in the view of the Prophet Muhammad, the

and his daughter

, as the saying goes,

, had a position that was aligned with his own position, and their divine mission was similar to the mission of the Prophet of Islam himself in some ways. Otherwise, all these beneficence which considered for them, would seem unreasonable if only it is because of kinship with the Prophet.

How to cite

In the many Islamic orison writings, explained how to greet the Prophet of Islam according to the traditions. In the book "

Sahih al-Bukhari () is the first hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. Compiled by Islamic scholar al-Bukhari () in the format, the work is valued by Sunni Muslims, alongside , as the most authentic after the Qur'an. Al-Bukhari organized the bo ...

" written by

Muhammad al-Bukhari Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Ismāʿīl ibn Ibrāhīm al-Juʿfī al-Bukhārī (; 21 July 810 – 1 September 870) was a 9th-century Persian Muslim '' muhaddith'' who is widely regarded as the most important ''hadith'' scholar in the histor ...

, it is narrated from "Abu Saeed al-Khudri" that: "We said, O Messenger of God! Peace be upon you is known; how should we send blessings upon you?", the Prophet said: Meaning: In the same book and on the same page, this

Hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...

is narrated in more detail from "Ka’b ibn Ujrah" (''one of the famous

companions of the Prophet The Companions of the Prophet () were the Muslim disciples and followers of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who saw or met him during his lifetime. The companions played a major role in Muslim battles, society, hadith narration, and governance ...

'') who said to the Prophet Muhammad: “We have learned how to greet you, but how should we send blessings upon you?” The Prophet said "you should say": Meaning: Note that Al-Bukhari mentions these

s under the verse 56 of

Surah A ''surah'' (; ; ) is an Arabic word meaning 'chapter' in the Quran. There are 114 ''suwar'' in the Quran, each divided into ayah, verses (). The ''suwar'' are of unequal length; the shortest ''surah'' (al-Kawthar) has only three verses, while ...

Al-Ahzab: , meaning, “Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels sk Him to do so O you who have believed, ask llah to conferblessing upon him and ask llah to grant himpeace”. In the book “

Sahih Muslim () is the second hadith collection of the Six Books of Sunni Islam. Compiled by Islamic scholar Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj () in the format, the work is valued by Sunnis, alongside , as the most important source for Islamic religion after the Q ...

” written by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, which is the second most famous

reference book for

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

s, it is narrated from “Abi Mas’ud al-Ansari” that: The Prophet came to us while we were in the assembly of "Sa’d ibn Ibadah", then "Bashir", the son of "Sa’d", said: "O Messenger of God! God has commanded us to send blessings upon you, how should we send blessings upon you?". The Prophet was silent at first, then he said "you should say": Meaning: In one of the

interpretation books called " Al-Dur al-Manthur" by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, which is the most famous book of narration interpretation among Sunnis, the author cites the same narration of "Abu Saeed al-Khudri" from "

", " Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb al-Nasa'i", "

Ibn Majah Abū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Yazīd Ibn Mājah al-Rabʿī al-Qazwīnī (; (b. 209/824, d. 273/887) commonly known as Ibn Mājah, was a Middle Ages, medieval scholar of hadith of Persian people, Persian origin. He compiled the last of Sunni ...

", and "Ibn Mardavieh" on behalf of the Prophet of Islam. In the same book, the same statement of “Abi Mas’ud al-Ansari” has been narrated by Muhammad al-Tirmidhi, " Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb al-Nasa'i", and "Ibn Mardavieh". Again, in the same book, the same content is narrated, with slight differences, by "

Malik ibn Anas Malik ibn Anas (; –795) also known as Imam Malik was an Arab Islamic scholar and traditionalist who is the eponym of the Maliki school, one of the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence in Sunni Islam.Schacht, J., "Mālik b. Anas", in: ''E ...

", "

", " Abu Dawud al-Sijistani", " Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb al-Nasa'i", "

", "Ibn Mardavieh", and several others, on behalf of "Abu Ahmad Sa'idi". "Ahmad ibn Husayn ibn Ali Bayhaqi Neishaburi" known as "

al-Bayhaqi Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Mūsā al-Khusrawjirdī al-Bayhaqī (, 994–1066), also known as Imām al-Bayhaqī, was a Sunni scholar widely known for being the foremost leading hadith master in his age, leading authority in th ...

" also narrated numerous narrations in this regard in his famous book " Sunan al-Kubra", some of which clarify the duties of

s during

prayer File:Prayers-collage.png, 300px, alt=Collage of various religionists praying – Clickable Image, Collage of various religionists praying ''(Clickable image – use cursor to identify.)'' rect 0 0 1000 1000 Shinto festivalgoer praying in front ...

and during the

Tashahhud The ''Tashahhud'' (, meaning "testimony f Iman (concept), faith), also known as at-Tahiyyat (), is the portion of the Salah, Muslim prayer where the person Sitting in salah, kneels or sits on the ground facing the ''qibla'' (direction of Mecca ...

(''one of the parts of

''). For example, in a

narrated by "Uqbah ibn Amr": A man came and sat in the presence of the Prophet, while we were also with the Prophet. He said: "O Messenger of God! We know the quality of greetings upon you, but how should we send blessings upon you when we pray?" The Prophet remained silent or a while until we thought, "I wish this man had not asked such a question." Then the Prophet said: Meaning: Then the author "

" quotes Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i as saying: "

Al-Bayhaqi Abū Bakr Aḥmad ibn Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Mūsā al-Khusrawjirdī al-Bayhaqī (, 994–1066), also known as Imām al-Bayhaqī, was a Sunni scholar widely known for being the foremost leading hadith master in his age, leading authority in th ...

" has also cited numerous other

s regarding how to recite upon the Prophet of Islam, both during the

and outside of the

; In particular, in a Hadith narrated by "Ka'b ibn Ujrah" on behalf of the Prophet of Islam, he states: Meaning: It is clear from this

that even the Prophet of Islam himself used to send these blessings in his prayers. "

" says in one of the narrations in which there is no mention of

: Therefore, all Muslims, regardless of their sects, are obligated to say the greetings of peace upon the Prophet of Islam in the form of , meaning, “Peace be unto you O’ prophet and the mercy of God” during the

in the

, as the Prophet himself used to say. Although there is a slight difference of opinion among the four major

schools of

Islamic jurisprudence ''Fiqh'' (; ) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence.Fiqh
Encyclopædia Britannica ''Fiqh'' is of ...

within

Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...

on this matter; In the

Shafi'i school The Shafi'i school or Shafi'i Madhhab () or Shafi'i is one of the four major schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It was founded by the Muslim scholar, jurist, and traditionis ...

and in the

Hanbali school The Hanbali school or Hanbalism is one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence, belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It is named after and based on the teachings of the 9th-century scholar, jurist and traditio ...

, they said: It is obligatory to reciting upon the Prophet of Islam during the second

Salah ''Salah'' (, also spelled ''salat'') is the practice of formal worship in Islam, consisting of a series of ritual prayers performed at prescribed times daily. These prayers, which consist of units known as ''rak'ah'', include a specific s ...

, while in the Maliki school and in the

Hanafi school The Hanafi school or Hanafism is the oldest and largest Madhhab, school of Islamic jurisprudence out of the four schools within Sunni Islam. It developed from the teachings of the Faqīh, jurist and theologian Abu Hanifa (), who systemised the ...

, consider it as an arbitrary tradition or so-called

Sunnah is the body of traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...

. This is despite the fact that according to most narrations, including the above narrations, the in the

is obligatory upon all

One recommended by Muhammad is: Muhammad was also reported to have said: "Do not invoke incomplete upon me". His asked him: "What is incomplete ?" He replied them: "When you say: 'O God, send blessing to Muhammad' and then stop on that. Rather say: 'Allahumma! send Your blessing to Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad."

Variants of

Several variant phrases of may be used. The most common phrases are: According to some researchers, is expressed in more than 210 different Arabic phrases in Islamic sources. The famous mentioned in narrations and

s are listed below:

Supposed benefits

It is said that whoever sends 10 upon Muhammad and his household will be sent a thousand by God and his angels, and whoever sends 1,000 upon Muhammad and his household will not be affected by the fire of

hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location or state in the afterlife in which souls are subjected to punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history sometimes depict hells as eternal destinations, such as Christianity and I ...

. Sending upon Muhammad and his progeny is said to pave the way for his intercession on the day of judgement, serve as a compensation for sins, and to be the most weighty deed on the scale of deeds. upon Muhammad and his households is said to lead to the affection of God and his messenger, to purify deeds, and to serve as the light in the grave,

As-Sirāt () is, according to Islam, the bridge over which every person must pass on the () in order to enter (). It is not mentioned in the Quran, but described in the Hadith. is said to be thinner than a strand of hair and as sharp as the shar ...

bridge and

Paradise In religion and folklore, paradise is a place of everlasting happiness, delight, and bliss. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical, eschatological, or both, often contrasted with the miseries of human ...

. is said to be one of the best deeds on Friday, and is said to lighten and open the heart. Reciting aloud is said to vanish hypocrisy, and continuous recitation of is said to fulfil one's worldly and heavenly wants (supplication). It is mentioned in verse 56 of

Al-Ahzab: , meaning “Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels sk Him to do so O you who have believed, ask llah to conferblessing upon him and ask llah to grant himpeace.” There are numerous narrations and discussions in the Islamic world about the reason of sending blessings (''Salawat'') upon the Prophet. The first reason of sending blessings upon Muhammad is that the prophet and his status among people should not be forgotten. In this way, sending blessings upon the Prophet helps in some way to preserve

and the name of the Prophet of Islam. In some books dedicated to Islamic worship instructions, it is mentioned that sending blessings upon Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, causes the person sending the blessings to become good-natured and well-minded, and the sins of the person sending the blessings to be forgiven. As it is mentioned in the pilgrimage of Jami'ah Kabirah: In other narrations, reciting in the form of , meaning "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and his family" is mentioned as a factor in the forgiveness of sins. On the other hand, reciting and peace upon the Prophet of

, and his family, or reciting upon other prophets and other great figures, is a form of gratitude and appreciation for the efforts that these individuals have made to guide people. Gratitude and appreciation for a useful thing is a kind and noble behavior.

Unicode

References

{{Authority control Muhammad Hadith Islamic terminology Sufism Religious formulas Salah terminology Islamic culture Arabic words and phrases Islamic prayer Islamic theology Islamic honorifics Arabic words and phrases in Sharia Arabic-language honorifics Religious titles Religious terminology Religious honorifics Honorifics Quranic words and phrases