Explanation of the author's statement: "May Allah send blessings upon him, and upon his family, and peace, an abundant peace"
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The Shaykh :"May Allah send blessings upon him, and upon his family and his Companions, and peace, an abundant peace". What does "May Allah send blessings upon him" mean, O Bukhari? And what is the meaning of "May Allah send blessings upon him"?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What do you say when you say "May Allah send blessings upon Muhammad," and what does it mean?
The student: Pray upon him.
The Shaykh : Yes, "May Allah send blessings upon him" means pray upon him, but what is the meaning of "pray upon him"?
The best that has been said about it is what Abu al-'Aliyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The prayer of Allah upon His Messenger is His praise of him in the highest assembly"
As for the one who interpreted the prayer of Allah upon him as mercy, his statement is weak, because mercy is for everyone. For this reason, the scholars agreed that it is permissible for you to say: "So-and-so, may Allah have mercy on him." They differed, however, on whether it is permissible to say: "So-and-so, may Allah send blessings upon him." This indicates that the prayer is not the mercy.
Also, Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:157] and the conjunction implies difference, so the prayer is more specific than the mercy. Thus, the prayer of Allah upon His Messenger is His praise of him in the highest assembly.
Likewise, His saying: "and upon his family". Who are his family? His family: his followers in his religion. This is if you mention the family alone or with the Companions, for then they are his followers in his religion from when he was sent until the Day of Resurrection. And what indicates that the family means the followers in the religion is His saying, the Exalted:[Ghafir 40:46] So his followers in his religion are the family.
As for when it is coupled with the followers, and it is said: "his family and his followers," then the family are the believers from the household, the household of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.
Here, the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) did not mention the followers. He said: "his family and his Companions" So we say: his family are his followers in his religion, and his Companions are everyone who was with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, believing in him and died upon that. And the conjunction of the Companions here to the family is from the type of conjoining the specific to the general, because companionship is more specific than following in general.
"and peace, an abundant peace": In the peace is safety from afflictions, and in the prayer is the attainment of good things. So the author combined in this formula asking Allah the Exalted to realize for His Prophet the good things, the most specific of which is praising him in the highest assembly, and to increase for him safety from afflictions, and likewise for those who followed him.
And his saying: "abundant", means: additional or an increase. The intended meaning is a peace that is additional to the prayer, so it becomes another virtue or another supplication after the peace. And success is from Allah.
We have lengthened the explanation in reality, and our lengthening in the future will not be like this, because if we proceeded in this manner, we would not finish the creed in fifteen days, yes.
The student: Morning and evening, or not?
The Shaykh : No, evening only.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What do you say when you say "May Allah send blessings upon Muhammad," and what does it mean?
The student: Pray upon him.
The Shaykh : Yes, "May Allah send blessings upon him" means pray upon him, but what is the meaning of "pray upon him"?
The best that has been said about it is what Abu al-'Aliyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The prayer of Allah upon His Messenger is His praise of him in the highest assembly"
As for the one who interpreted the prayer of Allah upon him as mercy, his statement is weak, because mercy is for everyone. For this reason, the scholars agreed that it is permissible for you to say: "So-and-so, may Allah have mercy on him." They differed, however, on whether it is permissible to say: "So-and-so, may Allah send blessings upon him." This indicates that the prayer is not the mercy.
Also, Allah the Exalted said:
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy
أُولَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌLikewise, His saying: "and upon his family". Who are his family? His family: his followers in his religion. This is if you mention the family alone or with the Companions, for then they are his followers in his religion from when he was sent until the Day of Resurrection. And what indicates that the family means the followers in the religion is His saying, the Exalted:
The Fire, they are exposed to it morning and evening. And the Day the Hour appears [it will be said], "Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment."
النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوّاً وَعَشِيّاً وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِAs for when it is coupled with the followers, and it is said: "his family and his followers," then the family are the believers from the household, the household of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.
Here, the Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) did not mention the followers. He said: "his family and his Companions" So we say: his family are his followers in his religion, and his Companions are everyone who was with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, believing in him and died upon that. And the conjunction of the Companions here to the family is from the type of conjoining the specific to the general, because companionship is more specific than following in general.
"and peace, an abundant peace": In the peace is safety from afflictions, and in the prayer is the attainment of good things. So the author combined in this formula asking Allah the Exalted to realize for His Prophet the good things, the most specific of which is praising him in the highest assembly, and to increase for him safety from afflictions, and likewise for those who followed him.
And his saying: "abundant", means: additional or an increase. The intended meaning is a peace that is additional to the prayer, so it becomes another virtue or another supplication after the peace. And success is from Allah.
We have lengthened the explanation in reality, and our lengthening in the future will not be like this, because if we proceeded in this manner, we would not finish the creed in fifteen days, yes.
The student: Morning and evening, or not?
The Shaykh : No, evening only.