General Articles, - Respect the things associated with Prophet

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Another element of the reverence and esteem for Beloved Prophet Muhammad Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is found in all things and places connected to him in Makkah al-Mukarrama, Madinah al-Munawwarah and elsewhere.
Hadrat Saffiyah bint Najda Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha tells us that Abu Madhura Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had a long lock of hair on his forehead that touched the ground when he sat down. When he was asked why he did not cut it he replied,
لم أكن بالذي أحلفها ، و قد مسها رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم بيده
"I will not cut off something that the hand of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him touched."[Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 62]
The Sword of Islam, Hadrat Sayyiduna Khalid Ibn Waleed Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had some strands of the Prophet's of hair that he placed inside his cap. During one of the battles the cap fell off whereupon he fought zealously to retrieve it. He told his companions that,
لم أفعلها بسبب القلنسوة ، بل لما تضمنه من شعره صلى الله عليه و سلم لئلا أسلب بركتها و تقع في أيدي المشركين
I didn't fight for the sake of the cap, rather I fought to retrieve the strands of the Prophet's hair that were tucked within it so that I would not be deprived of their blessing, and also to avoid them falling into the hands of the unbelievers.[Majma' az-Zawaid, Vol. 9, Page 349 – Mustadrik, Vol. 3, Page 239]
Ibn al-Sakan narrated through Safwan ibn Hubayra from the latter's father: Thabit al-Bunani said: Anas ibn Malik said to me (on his death-bed):
هذه شعرة من شعر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فضعها تحت لساني فوضعتها تحت لسانه فدفن وهي تحت لسانه
"This is one of the hairs of Allah's Messenger, Allah's blessings and peace upon him. I want you to place it under my tongue." Thabit continued: I placed it under his tongue, and he was buried with it under his tongue."[al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-Sahaba (Calcutta - 1853), Vol. 1, Page 72]
Imam al-Bayhaqi records in his Dalail al-Nabuwwah and Imam Qadi Iyad al-Maliki states in his Ash-Shifa:
رئي ابن عمر واضعاً يده على مقعد النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم من المنبر ، ثم وضعها على وجهه
Hadrat Sayyiduna Ibn Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho was seen placing his hand on the seat of the Beloved Prophet's pulpit and then wipe it over his face.[Dalail an-Nabuwwah lil Bayhaqi, Vol. 6, Page 249]
Abu Abd ar-RaHman Salma Alaihir raHma narrated from Ahmad Ibn Fadlwiya Zahid Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho that he was a famous archer in Battles. He says:
ما مسست القوس بيدي إلا على طهارة منذ بلغني أن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم أخذ القوس بيده
I never touched my bow without Ablution from the time Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him) took it in his Blessed Hands.[Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
It was on account of the esteem Imam Malik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had for the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him that we would not ride a mount in Madinah al-Munawwarah. He would say,
أستحي من الله أن أطأ تربة فيها رسول الله بحافر دابة
"I am too shy before Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala to trample with the hoof of an animal upon the earth in which the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is buried."[Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
Someone in Madinah al-Munawwarah said, "The soil of Madinah al-Munawwarah is bad." (May Allah Forbid) This outrageous statement caused Imam Malik to pronounce the judgement against him that he should be beaten and jailed. The man had connections to the hierarchy of Madinah al-Munawwarah but Imam Malik did not retract his judgement and said,
تربة دفن فيها النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يزعم أنها غير طيبة
"He claims the soil in which the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is buried is not good!"[Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
Of Madinah al-Munawwarah, the Beloved Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him said,
من أحدث فيها حدثاً أو آوى محدثاً فعليه لعنة الله و الملائكة و الناس أجمعين ، لا يقبل الله منه صرفاً و لا عدلاً
"The curse of Allah, the angels and all mankind falls upon whosoever innovates something (against the spirit of Islam) in it or shelters an innovator (of something against the spirit of Islam) therein."[Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
Imam Qadi Iyad al-Maliki Alaihir raHmah records in Ash-Shifa bi Ta'rifi Huqooqil Mustafa:
أن جهجاها الغفاري أخذ قضيب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم من يد عثمان رضي الله عنه ، و تناول ليكسره على ركبته ، فصاح به الناس ، فأخذته الأكله في ركبته فقطعها ، و مات قبل الحول
Jihjah al-Ghifari snatched hold of the Beloved Prophet's staff from Sayyiduna Uthman's hand and proceeded to try and break it across his knee. Upon seeing this, the people shouted at him. Thereafter he was stricken by an itching disease in his knee and despite its amputation he died within the year.[Ash-Shifa, Vol. 2, Page 63]
The Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him said,
من حلف على منبري كاذباً فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
"Whosoever swears to a lie on my pulpit will have a seat in the Fire."[Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 63]
Abu Fadl al-Jowhari Alaihir raHma was blessed to visit the City of Madinah al-Munawwarah and as he approached he recited:
رفع الحجاب لنا فلاح لناظر ـــ قمر تقطع دونه الأوهام
و إذا المطي بنا بلغن محمداً ـــ فظهورهن على الرجال حرام
قربننا من يخر من وطيء الثرى ـــ و لها علينا حرمة و ذمام
"The veil has been lifted from us and a moon shines; out to those who look on, banishing all illusions.
As our mounts reach Muhammad; it is forbidden for us to be found in our saddles.
We are drawing near to the best man to have ever walked upon the earth; so it is with respect and honor that we hold this ground."[Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 64]
When a pious Shaykh went on pilgrimage, he went on foot. When asked why he had done so, he replied,
العبد الآبق لا يأتي إلى بيت مولاه راكباً ! لو قدرت أن أمشي على رأسي ما مشيت على قدمي
"What, an offending worshiper going to the home of his master riding! Had I been able to walk upon my head, I would not have walked upon my feet!"[Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 64]
Reverence and respect for the places in which the Revelation were received and which the angels Jibra'il and Mika'il visited, as well as places where the angels descended, also places that heard the sounds of worship and exaltation, and the blessed soil that surrounds the body of the Master of all mankind Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him and places from which the religion of Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and the prophetic quotations of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him were spread are necessities.
One must also revere and respect the places where verses of the Holy Qur'an were studied, the mosques in which the prayer was offered, places where virtues and good deeds were witnessed, places that saw proofs and miracles, places associated with the rites of the religion and the stations of the pilgrimage and the way marks of the Master of all the messengers of Allah, praise and peace be upon them. The places where the Seal of the Prophets Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him lived and from which the prophecy gushed and where its waves overflowed. The places that witnessed the message, and the first earth that the skin of the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him touched after his death – its fragrance should be inhaled, its residence and walls kissed.
يا دار خير المرسلين و من به ـــ هدي الأنام و خص بالآيات
عندي لأجلك لوعة و صبابة ـــ و تشوق متوقد الجمرات
و علي عهد إن ملأت محاجري ـــ من تكلم الجدران و العرصات
لاعفرن مصون شيبي بينها ـــ من كثرة التقبيل و الرشفات
لولا العوادي ، و الأعادي زرتها ـــ أبدا و لو سحباً على الوزجنات
لكن سأهدي من حفيل تحيتي ـــ لقطين تلك الدار و الحجرات
أزكى من المسك المفتق نفحةً ـــ تغشاه بالآصال و البكرات
و تخصه بزواكي الصلوات ـــ و نوامي التلسيم و البركات
"O abode of the best of all Messengers; the one by whom people are guided
and he who was chosen to receive the verses. For you I have intense, passionate love,
and a yearning which kindles the embers of my heart. I have a vow – if I fill my eyes with those walls
and the places where you walked, then my turbaned Gray head will be covered with dust from so much kissing.
Had it not been for obstacles and enemies, I would always visit them, even if I were to be dragged upon my feet.
But I will be guided in my eagerness to greet the inhabitants of those houses and rooms.
By a scent purer than the most splendid musk which covers him each morning and evening.
Pure and ever increasing blessings are bestowed upon him through the prayers for Peace and Blessings upon Him."

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General Articles, - Convey my Salam to the Noble Prophet

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Question:What is the ruling of Shari'ah (Islamic Law) on saying, "Convey my Salams to the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam)"? Is it an Innovation (Bid'ah) ? Please guide us shedding some light in this context.
Answer:A person is allowed to ask someone traveling to the noble grave of the Beloved Prophet of Allah to give his greetings if he is unable to physically go himself. There is sufficient evidence that the Tabi’un would do this and therefore censoring it is erroneous as the reader shall notice from the below quotes of the great Imams of Hadith.
Shaykh Abdullah Siraajudin al-Halabi Rahmatullahi Ta'ala Alaih writes in his Salah al-Nabiy [Page 154-155]:
[Imam Shams al-Din] Sakhawi [1427 or 8-1497], May Allah have mercy on him, said [In al-Qawl al-Badee fi al-Salah ala al-Habeeb al-Shafee]: on the authority of Yazeed ibn Abi Sa’eed al-Madani who said: I gave my farewell greetings to Umar ibn Abd al-Azeez [d. 720] whilst leaving for the blessed trip to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah] who said: I need you to do something for me. He replied: “Oh Amir al-Muminin, what kind of a need do you ask me to fulfill?” Umar ibn Abd al-Azeez replied: “When you reach Madinah (al-Munawwarah) and you visit the Prophet’s grave, may Allah give him peace and blessings, give him greetings from me”.
Ibn Abi Dunya [823-894] narrated this and Bayhaqi [994-1066] cited it in his Shu’ab al-Iman through the former’s pathway.
Al-Hafiz al-Sakahwi also said: Bayhaqi [994-1066] narrated in Shu’ab al-Iman on the authority of Hatim ibn Wardan who related that Umar Ibn Abd al-Azeez, may Allah be pleased with him, used to send al-Bareed from Shaam to go to Madinah (al-Munawwarah) especially to give greetings to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah give him peace and blessings, on his behalf.
Shaykh al-Islam Imam Taqi al-Din as-Subki [1284-1355] states in his Shifa al-Siqam Fi Ziyarati Khayr al-Anaam:
Here I shall summarize some points given above in the passage by Imam Subki [1284-1355] in his unrivalled Shifa al-Siqam:
1. The report that Umar ibn Abd al-Azeez [d. 720] used to send al-Bareed from Shaam is well-circulated and a popular report .
2. Imam Subki saw this report in Mutheer al-Azm al-Sakin by Ibn al-Jawzi [1116 (ca.)-1201] in his handwriting.
3. Ibn Abi Asim [822-900] narrated it in his Manasik and declared it was an established report.
4. The only purpose of Umar II for sending someone from Shaam [this was in the era of the Tabi’un] was to give greetings to the Noble Prophet at his grave and then return.
5. Asking someone to give greetings to the Noble Prophet has been reported from others scholars too.
6. Abu al-Layth Samarqandi [d. 983] mentioned in his Fatawa, chapter on Hajj, that Abul Qasim said: When I was leaving for Madinah (al-Munawwarah), Qasim ibn Gassan told me that I should give the Prophet greetings from him. He said: I remembered this as soon as I entered the Masjid. Samarqandi thereafter remarked: in this is evidence that whoever is not able to physically make the journey, if he asks someone to convey his greetings, there is hope insha-Allah that he will get the reward of the greetings .
Lastly, there is no doubt that there are angels that carry the greetings to the Noble Prophet from wherever someone sends greetings but that does not restrict one from physically sending his greetings too. Various hadiths describe a single greeting reaches the Noble Prophet several times, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan [1856-1921] showed in his works that it reaches him 10 times [Ref: Inba al-Hay & Saltanat al-Mustafa]!
So what harm is there in sending the greeting through someone physically? The various ways a greeting reaches the Noble Prophet are in order to venerate the great station of the Beloved of Allah . After all, Allah Most High could have had a single means of having the greeting reach the Blessed Prophet but He chose not to. A faithful believer should not feel troubled with this view. Does that person not feel the pleasure of his name and greeting being presented before the Prophet through the angels as well as through someone who endured the pains of travel to reach the Noble Habeeb ? A faithful believer should feel the joy of this in his heart and not any bitterness.
We ask Allah Most High for the sweetness of greetings in our hearts and on our tongues and that He allows us to visit the Blessed Habeeb in order that we may humble ourselves before him and utter our greetings at his gracious door, Aameen!! I pray this suffices the seeker of guidance.

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General Articles, - Infallibility of the Prophets Alaihimus Salam

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It was very agonizing to have an email from a brother in which he asked us to assist him refuting some so-called Muslim ignorants who accused Prophets Alaihimus Salam being Sinful and Polytheists (Ma’azALLAH). As a matter of fact, the insults of the Prophets made by the deviant sects and insolent individuals have encouraged some people to openly slander and ridicule the Prophets. In addition to this, there has arisen a sect which says that the Prophets are sinners and even polytheists and Infidels (May Allah forbid!), believing that the Prophets were polytheists and Infidels and major sinners and only became Prophets after repenting (Tauba).
It is incumbent upon each and every Muslim to affirm faith (have Imân) in all the Prophets, in such a manner that one does not differ between the Prophets in their core Prophethood. Furthermore, one should respect all the Prophets and believe that they are free from any sin, (major or minor) or imperfections; before their declaration of Prophethood or after, is also an essential element in belief. This is the sound position and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars.
The Major and Minor Sins:
It must be known that leaving obligatory (farḍ) or necessary (wājib) acts even once without excuse is considered an enormity (kabīra). Likewise, committing the unlawful (Harām) is also considered an enormity. Leaving the sunna act once without excuse due to laziness or taking the matter lightly is considered a minor sin (ṣaghīra), as is committing a disliked action (makrūh). However, habitually leaving the sunnah or committing disliked actions also becomes an enormity, though they are considered enormities beneath other enormities. This is because major and minor are relative terms, and thus it is said,“The good deeds of the pious are the sins of the intimate (muqarrabīn).”
Sunnah here is taken in the juridical sense where it refers to an action regularly performed by the Messenger of Allāh SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam and left at times in order for it not be taken as an obligation. This is then sub-categorized into the emphasized sunnahs and the non-emphasized sunnahs, the latter being more like the mustaHabb (preferred ) acts, i.e., those performed by the Messenger SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam sometimes or encouraged in general.
Infallibility of the Prophets:
The Prophets (upon them be Blessings and Peace) are all free from major and minor sins, enormities, unbelief, and wicked acts before and after receiving Prophethood (Nubuwwah). However, some slips and mistakes have escaped them.
An example of a slip (zalla) is when Ādam Alaihis Salam ate from the tree, and an example of a mistake (khaṭa’) is when Mūsā Alaihis Salam killed a member of Pharaoh’s people. He did not intend to kill him, but only to strike him with his hand in order to push him away from the Israelite. Thus, the strike was intentional, but the killing a mistake. The killing was also a slip, because every mistake is a slip, but not every slip is a mistake. Therefore, between the two is the universal-particular relationship. A slip sometimes occurs by mistake, sometimes out of forgetfulness, sometimes out of inattentiveness, and sometimes out of leaving the more worthy or preferred action.
Imām 'Umar al-Nasafī states in his Tafsīr,“The Imāms of Samarqand do not use the word zalla for acts committed by the Prophets (upon them be blessings and peace) because a zalla is a type of sin. Instead, they say, “They performed the good act (fāḍil) and left the preferred one (afḍal), and they were lightly reproved for it, because for prophets to leave the more preferred act is equivalent to others leaving an obligation (wājib).”
Another view is that the slip of a Prophet or a Friend of Allāh Most High is a means of closeness to Him. Abū Sulaymān al-Dārānī (may Allāh have mercy on him) states:
“Dāwūd Alaihis Salam did not perform an act more beneficial for him than a misdeed. He continued to flee from it toward his Lord until he reached Him. Hence, the misdeed was the cause of his fleeing toward Allāh, away from himself and the world.”
Hadrat Shaykh al-MuHaqqiq Shaykh Abd al Haqq Muhaddith Dehlawi (may Allāh have mercy on him) states in his Ashi’ah al-Lam’at:
“What has been stated in the Holy Qur’an as regards to the ‘error’ of Prophet Adam and Allah’s reprimand shows the high status of Prophet Adam and his closeness to the Almighty Allah.”[Ashi’ah al-Lam’at Vol 1 Page 40]
Furthermore, it is Allah’s will, whoever He reprimands or punishes, even though the error committed by His slave, may not have reached the level in which we may say that it was a ‘sin’. No one has the authority to utter anything. There is a criteria and a standard for respect which is necessary to behold, and this standard of respect is that when Allah has reprimanded some of His Prophets, who are the closest to Him, or when one some occasions the Prophets or the Messengers expressed humility, by which someone may assume a defect in these prophets, then it is not permissible for us that we ponder into this and say the words of reprimand or humility to these noble prophets.
There are a number of explanations for why Syeduna Aadam Alaihis Salam ate from the forbidden tree. One is that he ate from it out of forgetfulness. Another is that he did not eat from the specific tree that Allāh forbade, but from another tree of the same type, assuming that the prohibition of Allāh was only regarding the specific tree, as Allāh said, “but approach not this tree.” He thus chose the less superior or suboptimal (rukhṣa) path, in accord with the wisdom of Allāh in order illustrate the weakness of the human ability and condition and to express the strength of divine forgiveness. This is why a Hadīth states, “If you did not sin, Allāh would bring forth a people who would sin and seek forgiveness and Allāh would forgive them” (Muslim, Tirmidhī).
Also Ādam’s Alaihis Salam offense was in Paradise, which was not considered an abode of accountability (dār al-taklīf ), in spite of the fact that Allāh forbade him from eating from the tree. In other words, he had no knowledge of the consequences for disobedience. Thus his disobedience was not open defiance as in the case of Satan.
Foot Mark of Hadrat Syeduna Aadam Alaihis Salam on
Mount Adam or Adam's Peak in Srilanka... First Foot Mark on Earth!!
Prophets are even protected from Minor Sins:
Imam Qadi `Iyad in al-Shifa' said thatthe Jumhur (Consensus) of the Jurists from the schools of Malik, al-Shafi`i, and Abu Hanifa, agree that the Prophets are protected from all minor sins because one is required to follow them in the minutest matters. It is even reported from Malik that this is obligatory to believe.
Abu Ishaq al-Isfarayini's (d. 418) position was thatno sin great or small issues from Prophets whether deliberately or by mistake and this is also our position.[Taj al-Din al-Subki Tabaqat al-Shafi`iyya al-Wusta as cited in the Kubra (4:260)]
Imam al-Zarqani said in his monumental commentary on al-Qastallani’s al-Mawahib al-Laduniyya (5:361) [Al-Qastallani’s original text is in parentheses):
(And among his Mu'jizaat is that he is immune from sins) before Prophethood and after it (both great and small, both by deliberate commission and by mistake) according to the soundest view, outwardly and inwardly, in secret and in public, in earnest and in jest, in contentment and in anger. And how not, when the Companions were unanimous in following him and faithfully imitating him in all his acts? (As were the Prophets)
Imam Taj al-Din al-Subki said:
"The Ummah concurs on the true immunity ('isma) of Prophets, in what pertains to conveyance and other, from grave and small, contemptible sins as well as persistence in small sins but there is disagreement over small sins that do not detract from their rank. The Mu'tazila and many others allow them. The preferred view is that they are precluded because we have been ordered to follow them in what issues from them; how then could something inappropriate occur on their part? As for those that deemed it possible, they did not do so on the basis of any textual stipulation or proof."
That is, they only clang to externalities which, if they followed their logical conclusions, would lead them to violate consensus and take positions no Muslim takes, as expounded by `Iyad [in al-Shifa'].
A very Interesting Fact:
It is stated in Radd al MuHtar,“The Prophets are protected from yawning, as yawning is from the Satan. The best way to stop this is that when one starts to feel yawning then he/she should immediately think (in their hearts) that the Prophets never yawned and were protected from it. By going this, the yawning shall immediately terminate.”[Radd al-Mohtar – Vol. 1 Pg. 336]
Any person having a slight Common Sense would be able to conclude that when the Exalted Prophets Alaihimus Salam are protected from Yawing as it is from Satan then how come the Prophets be accused of committing the sins or being the culprits?
CONCLUSION
Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala is the Lord and Creator of the Prophets and they are His beloved. He can mention their mistakes in whatever way He wishes and they can demonstrate their humility to Him in whatever way they wish. We have no right to speak about their mistakes or disrespect and slander them unless we want our record books blackened with sins. Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala has ordered us to respect and revere His Prophets. If a Prophet became a sinner, both opposing him and obeying him would become necessary, and this is a concentration of two opposite things. So, the majority of the Scholars including the Imams of the Four Schools of Law followed what they considered to be the stronger position, namely that Prophets are protected even from minor sins. Beware... Beware.. Beware O My Muslim Brothers and Sisters!! To disrespect any Prophet, to find any faults or defect in them or to be rude or insolent to these Prophets is Kufr (Infidelity).
May ALLAH keep us and our Generations be respectful towards the exalted Prophets Alaihimus Salam and protect us and our Generations for the misguided sects and deviant indivisuals. May ALLAH keep us on the path of those whom HE have favoured and refrain us from the path and even the shadow of those who earned HIS anger and those who are astray... Aameen!

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