Firstly, one of the things that are well known in Islam and
that no Muslim has any excuse for not knowing is that it is not permissible
to do any kind of act of worship for anyone except Allaah – not to any angel
who is close to Him or to any Prophet who was sent. Whoever does any kind of
act of worship for anyone other than Allaah is a mushrik (polytheist, one
who associates others with Allaah) and a kaafir (disbeliever). The evidence
for that is the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And the mosques are for
Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah”
[al-Jinn 72:18]
Ibn Katheer said: Here Allaah is commanding His slaves to
worship Him alone and not to call on anyone alongside Him, and not to
associate anyone with Him.
This action is a kind of exaggeration about the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), which the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us against and
forbade us to do. He said: “Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians
exaggerated about the son of Maryam, for I am no more than His slave, so
say, the slave of Allaah and His Messenger.” Undoubtedly this action
(prostrating) is a form of worship.
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Ahaadeeth al-Anbiya’,
3189).
Undoubtedly this action is a kind of worship, and the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned us against following
the Jews and Christians in that. He said during his final illness: “May the
curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of
their Prophets as places of worship.” He was warning against doing what they
did. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Salaah, 417)
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) warned us against standing up for him. It says in the hadeeth
[referring to when he led them in prayer sitting down because he was ill,
and they were standing, so he gestured to them to sit down]: “Just now you
nearly did the action of the Persians and Romans, who stand up for their
kings whilst they [the kings] are sitting.” (Narrated by Muslim,
al-Salaah, 624)
And it says in the hadeeth: “Do not do as the Persians do for
their leaders.” This is narrated in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7380. If this
is what is said about standing up for him (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), then what about prostrating for him?
Prostration is one of the most exclusive acts of worship, to
be done only for Allaah. Allaah has commanded us to prostrate to Him alone
and none other, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Prostrate yourselves not
to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allaah Who created
them, if you (really) worship Him”
[Fussilat 41:37]
“So fall you down in
prostration to Allaah and worship Him (Alone)”
[al-Najm 53:62]
Secondly: what is prescribed in Islam is to send blessings
upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when
making du’aa’. This is a kind of etiquette to which attention should be
paid.
Al-Nawawi said: The scholars are unanimously agreed that it
is mustahabb to begin du’aa’ with praise of Allaah, then to send blessings
upon the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), and to conclude the du’aa’ in like manner, as it says in the hadeeth:
“Whilst the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting, a man
entered and prayed, then he said, ‘O Allaah, forgive me and have mercy on
me.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, ‘You are in a hurry, O worshipper. When you have prayed, sit and
praise Allaah as He deserves to be praised, then send blessings upon me, and
then call upon Him (make du’aa’).’ Then another man prayed and then praised
Allaah and sent blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, ‘O worshipper, make du’aa’, for you will be answered.’”
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Da’waat, 3398; Abu
Dawood, 1481; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood,
no. 2756).
It was narrated that Faddaalah ibn ‘Ubayd said: “The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard a man making du’aa’
during his prayer, but he did not send blessings upon the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘This man is in a hurry.’ Then he
called him and said to him, or to someone else, ‘When any one of you prays,
let him begin by praising Allaah, then let him send blessings upon the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then after that
let him make du’aa’ as he wishes.’” Abu ‘Eesa said: this is a saheeh hasan
hadeeth. (al-Tirmidhi, 3399; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
Abi Dawood, 2767)
It was narrated in a hadeeth that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood
said: “I was praying, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) was nearby, and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were with him. When I sat I
started by praising Allaah, then I sent blessings upon the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then I prayed (made du’aa’) for
myself. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
‘Ask, it will be given to you; ask, it will be given to you.’” (Narrated by
al-Tirmidhi, al-Jumu’ah, 541; al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi,
it is hasan saheeh; no. 486).
If it is asked, how do we send blessings upon the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?
The answer is:
The way to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) is to say: “Allaahumma
salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kamaa salayta ‘ala aali Ibraaheem.
Wa baarik ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammad kama baarakta ‘ala aali
Ibraaheem fi’l-‘aalameen innaka hameedun majeed (O
Allaah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You
sent blessings upon the family of Ibraaheem, and bless Muhammad and the
family of Muhammad, as You blessed the family of Ibraheem among the nations.
Verily You are Most Praiseworthy, Full of Glory).”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Ahaadeeth al-Anbiya’, 3119)
This is how blessings are sent upon the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him). As for what is mentioned in the
question about prostrating for the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), this is haraam (forbidden) and is major shirk,
because prostration may only be done for Allaah. So the Muslim must learn
about the matters of his religion from the Qur’aan and Sunnah and from
trustworthy scholars; he should ask about everything that he does not
understand, so that he will not fall into shirk, Allaah forbid.
He should also keep away from everyone who enjoins shirk,
bid’ah (innovation) and misguidance. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and
sound.
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