Book 4: Prayer

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on me once, God will grant him ten blessings, ten sins will be remitted from him, and he will be raised ten degrees.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one who will be nearest me on the day of resurrection will be the one who invoked most blessings on me.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God has angels who travel about in the earth and convey to me greetings from my people.” Nassa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No one will express a greeting to me without God restoring my spirit to me so that I may respond to his greeting.” It is transmitted by Abu Dawud and by Baihaqi in [Kitab] ad-da'awat al-kabir.

He reported that he had heard God’s Messenger say, “Do not turn your houses into graves,* and do not make my grave a place to gather as for visitation, but invoke blessings on me, for your blessing will reach me wherever you are.” *This is most probably a figurative expressive indicating that a house in which prayer is not offered is like a grave, as God is not worshipped there. Nasa’i transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “May he be abased who does not invoke a blessing on me when I am mentioned in his presence. May he be abased who passes through the whole of Ramadan before his sins are forgiven him. May he be abased one or both of whose parents have reached old age without causing him to enter paradise.* *This means that he has shown them no kindness. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Talha told of God’s Messenger coming one day with a cheerful look on his face and saying: Gabriel came to me and told me that my Lord says, “Does it not please you, Muhammad, that none of your people will invoke a blessing on you without my blessing him ten times, and that none of your people will give you a greeting without my greeting him ten times?” Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Ubayy b. Ka'b said he told God’s Messenger that he frequently invoked blessings on him and asked how much of his prayer* he should devote to him. He replied that he might devote as much as he wished, and when he suggested a quarter he said, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested a half and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested two-thirds and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He then suggested devoting all his prayer to him and he replied, “Then you will be freed from care and your sin will be expiated.” * The word used is salat. It has been explained as referring here to the petitions (du’a) offered at the end of the salat. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Fadala b. ‘Ubaid said-that while God’s Messenger was sitting, a man entered and prayed aying, “O God, forgive me and show mercy to me.” God’s Messenger said, “You who are praying are in a hurry. When you pray and come to the point when you sit, you should worthily extol God’s praises, invoke blessing on me, and then make your supplication.” He said that afterwards another man prayed, extolling God’s praises and invoking a blessing on the Prophet, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, “You who are praying, if you make supplication you will receive an answer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said: I was praying, and so was the Prophet (ﷺ) accompanied by Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. When I sat I first extolled God’s praises then invoked blessings on the Prophet, then made supplication for myself, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If you ask you will be given it, if you ask you will be given it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.