Monday, August 15, 2016

Ruling on adding “Sayyiduna Muhammad” while sending Salaah upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Firstly:
No doubt that the best - of all the creations, and the Khaleel of the Lord of the worlds, the one who has been allotted the “Praised Position” (al-Maqaam al-Mahmoud) and the Cistern (al-Haudh), the Prophet of Mercy, and the Messenger of guidance, the one with the great moral character, the honored, the generous, the slave of Allaah and His Messenger, our master, our beloved and our intercessor - is Muhammad Ibn `Abdullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reported Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying: I shall be pre-eminent amongst the descendants of Aadam on the Day of Resurrection and I will be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted (by Allaah). [Saheeh Muslim (5655) and others]

So whoever affirms pre-eminence for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, then he has affirmed the truth and that which is correct. There is no conflict amongst the Muslims regarding this.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had said regarding al-Hasan Ibn `Alee رضي الله عنهما: This son of mine is a Sayyid [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2704, 3629, 3746, 7109)]

And he صلى الله عليه وسلم said to the Ansaar regarding Sa`d Ibn Mu`aadh رضي الله عنه: Get up for your chief (Sayyidikum). [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3043, 4121, 6262) and Saheeh Muslim (4368)]

Rather, the Companions affirmed the high position for some amongst them, `Umar Ibn al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه used to say: “Abu Bakr is our Sayyid (chief), and he manumitted our Sayyid (chief)”, meaning Bilaal. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3754)]

So after this, how can we not address the best of creations, the Prophet of Allaah, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم that he is our Sayyid?!

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Secondly:
Regarding the matters of `Ibaadah, the foundation is that they are “Tawqeef” (i.e. matters of `Ibaadah are restricted to textual evidences from the Qur’aan and the Ahaadeeth). So the principle is that one should limit his actions in accordance to what has been reported in the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم; included in this are the wordings for the Adhaan and the Iqaamah, and the Salaah upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (i.e. Salaatu Ibraahimiyyah) after the Tashahhud. There are many Ahaadeeth which mention the (different) wordings for the Salaah upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, but there is not a single narration from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم or his Companions or even the Taabi`een that they used to add the word “Sayyiduna Muhmmad” in it.

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Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله mentioned in his book “Saiftus-Salaat al-Nabiy” that Ibn Hajar رحمه الله was asked about the way one should send the Salaah upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم – in the prayer and outside of it – that should one make it a condition to include the word “Sayyid”, which is one of the attributes of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, by saying: “صلِّ على سيِّدنا محمدٍ”, or “على سيّدِ الخلق”, or “سيّد ولد آدم”, or should he limit it to: “اللهم صلِّ على محمد”?

What is better? Should one include the word “Sayyiduna” because it is one of his confirmed attributes of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم or should one not do so due to the absence of any textual evidence for it?

Ibn Hajr رحمه الله said:
Yes, adhering to the wordings which have been transmitted (in the books of Hadeeth) is the most correct (way). No one ever said: “Perhaps he صلى الله عليه وسلم may have omitted it due to his humility, like the way it was not said “صلى الله عليه وسلم” when he was mentioned, even though his Ummah has been assigned to send Salaah upon him whenever he is mentioned.” For we say: If it was preferable to say that (i.e. by adding “Sayyiduna Muhammad”), then something would have been narrated from the Companions and their students that they had done so. But no narration has been reported from anyone amongst the Companions or the Taabi`een that they ever added this word, even though such a large number of narrations have been reported from them (but all without this addition).

And here we see Imaam al-Shaafa`ee رحمه الله – who is one of those who showed the most veneration towards the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم – saying in the introduction to his book (al-Risaalah), which is the primary reference for the followers of his Madhhab: “O Allaah, send blessings upon Muhammad…” And towards the end he said: “Every time the mindful people remember him, and every time the heedless people forget him.” It is as if he extrapolated that from the Saheeh Hadeeth in which it says: “Glory be to Allaah as many times as the number of His creatures.” [As has been mentioned in Saheeh Muslim from the Hadeeth of `Aaishah رضي الله عنها]

Al-Qaadi `Iyyaad wrote a chapter in his book al-Shifaa’ describing ways of sending blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, in which he quoted Marfoo‘ reports from a number of the Companions and Taabi`een; and none of them reported it with the addition of “Sayyiduna”.

Without exceptions, all the Fuqahaa’ (Jurists) who had discussed this topic (about sending Salaah upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not mention the addition of the word: “Sayyiduna”. If this addition was prescribed, then it would not have been hidden from all of them till that they were ignorant all together. Therefore, the goodness is in following (the Texts). And Allaah Knows best.”

[Sifat Salaat an-Nabi (صفة صلاة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم) of Shaikh al-Albaanee (173-174)]

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Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen replied:
No rational person will deny that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is the Sayyid (chief) of all the children of Aadam, every sane Believer believes in this. Al-Sayyid is a person who has high status, who is obeyed and who has authority, and the obedience to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is obedience to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى:

﴿مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّـهَ

{He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), has indeed obeyed Allaah…} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 80]

We and other than us from the Believers – none of us doubts that our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is our chief, is the best of us, and the most superior of us in the sight of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى, and that he is obeyed in whatever he commands us. May Blessing and Peace of Allaah be upon him.

Part of our belief - that he صلى الله عليه وسلم is the chief of all those who are obeyed – is that we do not surpass what he has ordained, either in our speech, or actions, or beliefs. And from what has been ordained upon us - regarding the description of sending the Salaah upon him in the Tashahhud - is to say:

اللهم صل على محمد، وعلى آل محمد كما صليت على إبراهيم، وعلى آل إبراهيم، إنك حميد مجيد

…or something similar in wordings that have been transmitted (through the authentic narrations).

I do not know of any narration which has been transmitted with the wordings which the questioner has described (i.e. with the addition “Sayyiduna”):

اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آل سيدنا محمد

And since it has not been reported from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with these wordings then the best is not to send Salaah upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم using these wordings. Rather, we send Salaah upon him in the manner he صلى الله عليه وسلم has taught us.

And on this occasion I would like to alert every person who believes that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is our Sayyid (chief) - that part of this belief is that one should not surpass or exceed what he has ordained, nor should one reduce from it anything; and that one should not innovate (or make additions) in the Deen of Allaah that which is not a part of it, nor should he remove from the Deen of Allaah that which is a part of it. This is the real pre-eminence which is the right of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم upon us.

So based upon this, the innovators who have innovated in the matters of Adhkaar and Salaah upon the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم with things which have not been legislated in the Sharee`ah of Allaah, upon the tongue of His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم – (the actions) of this innovator negates the claim that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is Sayyid. This is because part of believing in the pre-eminence of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is to not exceed in the things which have been legislated, nor reduce from it. A person should contemplate and ponder on the meaning of what he says till the matter becomes clear to him and that he realizes that he is supposed to follow and not to legislate (something new in the religion).

[Al-Manaahee al-Lafdhiyah (المناهي اللفظية) of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen]

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Fatwas of the Permanent Committee:
Q: Should we honor the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم with the word "Sayyiduna" (i.e. Our master), saying: "Sayyiduna Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم”, or just say “صلى الله عليه وسلم” when his name is mentioned? Which is more correct?

A: The matter is flexible; it is permissible to say “Muhammad” or “Sayyiduna Muhammad” صلى الله عليه وسلم because he صلى الله عليه وسلم is the master of the former and the latter peoples. However, a Muslim should not add the epithet “Sayyiduna” to the Prophet's name in the Adhaan (call to Prayer) and Iqaamah (call to start the Prayer). Muslims should adhere to the formulas mentioned in the Hadeeth, saying:

“I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.”

The same applies to Tashahhud in which the epithet "Sayyiduna" should not be added while reciting it. Adhering to the formulas on these occasions shows greater veneration of the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet).

May Allaah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'
Member: `Abdullaah Ibn Qa`ood   
Member: `Abdullaah Ibn Ghudayyaan
Deputy Chairman: `Abdul-Razzaaq `Afifee
Chairman: `Abdul-`Azeez Ibn `Abdullaah Ibn Baaz

[Fatwaa Lajna (24/150)]

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