Warning against adding the word "our master" in the tashahhud, i.e., the Ibrahimi prayer, and restricting oneself to what is reported in the Sunnah.
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The questioner: Professor, excuse me, the Ibrahimi prayers in the prayer upon the Messenger of Allah... O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad... we have... I mean, some people say...
The Shaykh : This is another issue. The use of the word "master" in the Ibrahimi prayers is a matter of disagreement between the Hanafis and the Shafi'is. The Hanafis say that the word "master" did not come in the Prophetic instruction to his Companions regarding the prayer upon him. The Shafi'is acknowledge this, but they say that out of etiquette toward the Messenger (peace be upon him), we use the word "master."
And we see that the correct view is with the Hanafis. Of course, not because I was raised on the Hanafi school, for you all know that I have no sectarian bias; rather, I am biased toward the Book and the Sunnah. So I say that the correct view is with the Hanafis. This is because some intelligent scholars, when they addressed the explanation of the disagreement in this issue between the Hanafis and the Shafi'is, noted that the Hanafis preferred following (the text) over the etiquette that a person brings from himself, while the Shafi'is preferred etiquette over following. The Hanafis called following "compliance" (imtithal), meaning by that, or pointing to that, that when Allah (Mighty and Majestic) revealed His saying in the Qur'an[Al-Ahzab 33:56] As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 5:436 to the end of the Ibrahimi prayers, this is the command. So the Hanafis said compliance is better than etiquette, meaning better than adding the word "master." The Shafi'is said, as you heard, no, etiquette is better than compliance. Then some of the intelligent scholars, when they addressed this disagreement, said, "But compliance is the etiquette." He resolved the disagreement with a concise and useful phrase: compliance is the etiquette. And there is no doubt in this when a person reflects on this phrase.
And I give an example so that you understand that compliance is the etiquette, and deviating from compliance is a lack of etiquette, contrary to what many people think. If it is etiquette to exalt the Messenger (peace be upon him) with a word we add to the Prophetic instruction, then it is even more so, and even more so, that we exalt Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and show etiquette toward Him with a word we add from ourselves to the Prophetic instruction. So he (peace and blessings be upon him), for example, says... and the Ibrahimi prayer is related to prayer, so let us bring another example related to prayer.
Sunan an-Nasa'i 1298Sahih (Darussalam) to the end of the well-known tashahhud. So what is the opinion of the sensible Muslims if a person hears that phrase "etiquette is better than compliance," and the Messenger said to the end? As long as etiquette is better than compliance, I would say "The greetings are to Allah the Exalted" or "The greetings are to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He" or "The greetings are to Allah, Mighty and Majestic," and "The pure things are peace upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah, Mighty and Majestic," to the end. It would result in a tashahhud that is strange and far from the instruction of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And say the same about every instruction: if we want to put our intellect and our cold etiquette into it, that will lead us to changing the legislation of the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) brought.
Therefore, compliance is the etiquette. So the prayer upon the Messenger (peace be upon him) we recite as we were taught it, without any addition from ourselves. But at the same time, I say I have no objection if I sometimes say "Our master, the Messenger of Allah, said so and so," to clarify that he is truly our master, as mentioned in the previous hadiths. But in the narrations that came from the Messenger (peace be upon him) preserved word for word, it is not permissible to add to them, just as it is not permissible to subtract from them. For this reason, the common people say, "The extra is the brother of the missing."
The questioner: Shaykh, there is a hadith...
The Shaykh : This hadith has no basis.
The questioner: I am thinking about the seven, Professor, that we, before the Divine, do not say "O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad" as etiquette for the sake of Muhammad, His servant and His Messenger.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner: We say "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad"
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner: Because before the Divine, it means...
The Shaykh : It means that the greatest etiquette must be with Allah.
The questioner: I specified...
The Shaykh : This is another issue. The use of the word "master" in the Ibrahimi prayers is a matter of disagreement between the Hanafis and the Shafi'is. The Hanafis say that the word "master" did not come in the Prophetic instruction to his Companions regarding the prayer upon him. The Shafi'is acknowledge this, but they say that out of etiquette toward the Messenger (peace be upon him), we use the word "master."
And we see that the correct view is with the Hanafis. Of course, not because I was raised on the Hanafi school, for you all know that I have no sectarian bias; rather, I am biased toward the Book and the Sunnah. So I say that the correct view is with the Hanafis. This is because some intelligent scholars, when they addressed the explanation of the disagreement in this issue between the Hanafis and the Shafi'is, noted that the Hanafis preferred following (the text) over the etiquette that a person brings from himself, while the Shafi'is preferred etiquette over following. The Hanafis called following "compliance" (imtithal), meaning by that, or pointing to that, that when Allah (Mighty and Majestic) revealed His saying in the Qur'an
Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.
إن الله وملائكته يصلون على النبي يا أيها الذين آمنوا صلوا عليه وسلموا تسليماThe Companions of the Prophet said, "O Messenger of Allah, we know this greeting, but how do we pray upon you?" He said, "Say: O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim"
قال أصحاب النبي يا رسول الله هذه السلام قد عرفناه فكيف الصلاة عليك قال قولوا اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيمAnd I give an example so that you understand that compliance is the etiquette, and deviating from compliance is a lack of etiquette, contrary to what many people think. If it is etiquette to exalt the Messenger (peace be upon him) with a word we add to the Prophetic instruction, then it is even more so, and even more so, that we exalt Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and show etiquette toward Him with a word we add from ourselves to the Prophetic instruction. So he (peace and blessings be upon him), for example, says... and the Ibrahimi prayer is related to prayer, so let us bring another example related to prayer.
Rather say: At-tahiyyatu lillahi wasalawatu wat-tayibaat
إذا جلس أحدكم في التشهد فليقل التحيات لله والصلوات والطيباتSay, "The greetings are to Allah"
قولوا التحيات للهTherefore, compliance is the etiquette. So the prayer upon the Messenger (peace be upon him) we recite as we were taught it, without any addition from ourselves. But at the same time, I say I have no objection if I sometimes say "Our master, the Messenger of Allah, said so and so," to clarify that he is truly our master, as mentioned in the previous hadiths. But in the narrations that came from the Messenger (peace be upon him) preserved word for word, it is not permissible to add to them, just as it is not permissible to subtract from them. For this reason, the common people say, "The extra is the brother of the missing."
The questioner: Shaykh, there is a hadith...
The Shaykh : This hadith has no basis.
The questioner: I am thinking about the seven, Professor, that we, before the Divine, do not say "O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad" as etiquette for the sake of Muhammad, His servant and His Messenger.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner: We say "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad"
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner: Because before the Divine, it means...
The Shaykh : It means that the greatest etiquette must be with Allah.
The questioner: I specified...