Salawaatun from God

Salam,

Salawat or blessing from God is not restricted to the Prophets only but those who are believers will also be sent blessing from God and His angels.

O you who believe! Celebrate the praises of God, and do this often, and glorify Him morning and evening. He it is Who sends blessing (yusalli) on you as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depth of darkness into light: And He is full of mercy to the believers. And the salutation on the Day they meet Him will be “Peace” (Salam), and He has prepared for them a generous rewards. (Surah 33:41-44)

And in another example given in the Quran, any one who is being tested by God and he patiently persevere he will also receive blessing from God.

Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss of goods or lives or the fruits of your toil, but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, who say, when affected with calamity: “To God we belong, and to him is our return.” They are those on whom will receive blessing (Salawatun) from God, and mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance. (Surah 2:155-157)

The only different between the Prophet and the believers is that although both the Prophet and the believers received blessing from God and His angels, the believers was to send him blessing when he was alive but now since he is dead we are to salute his with a worthy greeting when his name is being mentioned.

God and His angels send blessing on the Prophet, O you who believe! Send blessings on him and salute him with a worthy greeting. (Surah 33:56)

When he was living with his followers the above verse was applicable for the believers to send their blessing in term of prayer and help (or yusallu) and salute him with a worthy greeting but he is dead now so we cannot pray or help him any more.

However being a Prophet like any other prophet he and the prophets were best to be remembered and due respect is to be given to them.

When the Prophet Muhammad was alive he was told of the stories of Abraham, Ismail, Moses, Jesus and other prophets and when their names were being mentioned God commanded the Prophet Muhammad to give the word of respect; He commanded the Prophet Muhammad to

……Say: Praise be to God, and Peace on His servants Whom He has chosen..(Surah 27:59)

This mean Prophet Muhammad was commanded by God to give the word of respect to all the prophets and all the messengers who were being chosen by God and this words of respect is given to those chosen people who have passed away during the Prophet’s time.

By doing this to all the servants chosen by God, The Prophet Muhammad did not breach his covenant with God that he will not differentiate among all the apostles of God that God sent to this world

…….The Apostle (Prophet Muhammad) believes on what has been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one believes in God, His angels, His books and His apostles. “We make no distinction between one and another of His apostles.” And they say: “We hear and we obey: we seek your forgiveness, our Lord, and to you is the end of all journeys.” (Surah 2:285).

So by saying the above pledge to make no distinction on the messengers of God we are following the way of Prophet Muhammad how he pay respect to all the prophets and messengers before him and since he is dead we are to follow his example he did and say the same words of respect due to him as stated in Surah 27:59

“Praise be to God and Salam to His servants whom He has chosen.”

But the Muslims today give a salutation different from that which was taught by the Prophet Muhammad instead of saying the above the Muslims without realizing it they say in Arabic which insinuate a command to God to bless the Prophet saying “O Allah send Your Blessing on Muhammad”. Yet the Surah 33:56 command the Muslim to give their due respect or salutation to the Prophet.

So the Quran through the example of the Prophet Muhammad provides a neat way consistence with other verses to do the “Salaawat” to obey the command of God at Surah 33:56 sending blessing and salutation to the Prophet or any prophet for that matter based on their status as the chosen servants of God.

So if the Prophet’s name is being mentioned or any other prophet, one should exclaim by saying the content in the Surah 27:59 above which the Prophet Muhammad did when other prophet names were being mentioned during his time

Asar