I used to think that the prayer upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) consisted of rak'ahs, and I have prayed a number of rak'ahs without intending to associate partners with Allah in worship. What is...
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The questioner : In years long past, I used to think that the prayer upon the noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) consisted of rak'ahs. I prayed a number of rak'ahs, believing that this was the prayer upon him. Without a doubt, I did not intend to associate partners with Allah in worship, and I seek refuge in Allah from shirk (associating partners with Allah). There is no god but Allah. What is your opinion? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
Before answering this question, I would like to point out that it is obligatory for a person not to perform an act of drawing near to Allah or of worshipping Allah the Mighty and Majestic unless he has knowledge that this is from the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) of Allah, so that he worships Allah the Exalted with insight. The evidence for this is the statement of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Isra 17:36].
The one who understood the prayer upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) to be bowing and prostrating to him has understood it in a wrong and invalid manner. However, since he was relying on a principle he believed to be correct, I hope that Allah the Exalted will not hold him accountable for what he did. He should seek forgiveness from Allah the Exalted and repent to Him for his shortcoming in seeking knowledge. Since he now knows that this is not what is intended by the command to pray upon him (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and it has become clear to him that the meaning of the prayer upon him is to say: “O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad” or what conveys this meaning, I hope that Allah will overlook it and forgive him.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment:
Before answering this question, I would like to point out that it is obligatory for a person not to perform an act of drawing near to Allah or of worshipping Allah the Mighty and Majestic unless he has knowledge that this is from the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) of Allah, so that he worships Allah the Exalted with insight. The evidence for this is the statement of Allah the Exalted:
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
وَلا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًاThe one who understood the prayer upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) to be bowing and prostrating to him has understood it in a wrong and invalid manner. However, since he was relying on a principle he believed to be correct, I hope that Allah the Exalted will not hold him accountable for what he did. He should seek forgiveness from Allah the Exalted and repent to Him for his shortcoming in seeking knowledge. Since he now knows that this is not what is intended by the command to pray upon him (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and it has become clear to him that the meaning of the prayer upon him is to say: “O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad” or what conveys this meaning, I hope that Allah will overlook it and forgive him.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.