Part 1: There's Baraka in Awliya-Allahs' Graves.

1: THERE’S BARAKA IN THE AWLIYA-ALLAH GRAVES.

From the Layman’s Desk: Islamic Article No.17:  

      

In the Name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family and all his Companions.

Forewords: In the foregone pages of our Article (Parts 1 to 8), we noted how the Companions sought tabarruk during the lifetime of Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and from his relics even after his (Sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) passing away from this world.  We have also seen that calling upon someone who is absent, present, dead or alive is not Shirk.  The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) taught us to call for help.  According to Tafseer Ibn Katheer Surah an-Nisa [4] ayah 64 it is not shirk to call upon [du’a] the Messenger ﷺ whilst he is in his grave.   Imaam Muwaffaq ud-Deen Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdasi also included this is his al-Mughni, vol. 3, pp. 599-601, The Shaafi Master, Imaam Nawawi also included this narration in his book al-Adhkaar pp. 218-221, The Maaliki Master Qadi Iyaad also documented this is his classical text Ash-Shifaa’a and number of other Imaams from the Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah have used this as an evidence as seeking a need.  The Quranic evidence and the hadiths there are so many but this is not our purpose to repeat them here.  On reading Parts 1 through 8 of our previous Article we have established that it is well-settled that Tabarruk is a noble and established practice in our Islamic tradition and in full agreement with the Qur’an and Sunnah — even if the deviant sects foolishly think that Tabarruk and Tawassul are shirk (polytheism) and in pursuance of which they brazenly keep on correcting, deleting, omitting, adding and adversely commenting on the books of the Righteous Islamic Scholars of the Ahle Sunna wal Jamaat!

Lets move on with our present subject:

It is true that Allah says: “We are closer to him, than his own jugular vein.” (Surah Al-Kaaf, Verse 16).  Therefore, nearness of Allah (swt) to His servants is true and has been termed as the “general closeness  of Allah to every believer”.  But does that imply that the servant is always close to Allah (swt)?   The fact is that the servant has to consistently work to attain that closeness by way of good deeds and obedience to Allah by meticulously following the Shari’ah.  The Holy Qur’an mentions that “He raises (yarfa’u) some of the believers above others”.  Those whom Allah has particularly graced are defined as “the Prophets, the Siddiqs, the Shuhada’, and the Righteous” –  in that order.  Some Prophets are exalted above others.  Therefore, there is a hierarchy of believers in general and hierarchies of Prophets and Awliya in particular. The siddiqeen are also called Awliya-Allah for they are the people who are completely intoxicated with the love of Allah. That is why they have a special relationship of closeness and proximity with Allah.  Therefore, when we talk about a Wali we don’t imply the “general closeness” (i.e. “Wilayat-e-Aam) but mean the special proximity or Wilayat-e-Khaas.  A Wali is someone who occupies a very close station to Allah and is protected by Allah from major sins and repetition of sins in general, and kept in a state of obedience. It is a very special rank and position of acceptance given by Allah to His beloved servants. Every breath of an Arif (one who has recognized his creator) is a martyr.  Therefore, besides the Prophets (as) and the Martyrs, the Siddiqeen, the Saliheen, the Awliya-Allah come  within the ambit of the Quranic verses 3:169 and 2:154 that inform us about the martyrs being alive and being provided the sustenance by Allah.  Although all the Awliya Allah are equal as far as Wilayah is concerned, they differ as far as status is concerned.  So we don’t agree with any contrary assertions.  The Holy Qur’an testifies to the existence Awliya-Allah time and again: “Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve” [Qur’an 10:62].

The friends of Allah have been described in detail in the Holy Qur'an. The quality of their Taqwa (reverence) and Iman (faith), their actions, their worship, their character, their steadfastness, and the position that they are given by Allah, can be understood from the descriptions found in the Holy Qur'an.  Awliya-Allah have been given various titles in the Holy Qur'an. Each title reflects a certain quality, which makes the wali beloved in the sight of Allah. As their qualities are so numerous and each one describes the manner in which they love Allah, likewise, Allah has conferred many titles upon them.  Allah has referred to the Awliya as the Muslim and Believers who remember Allah much and are Truthful and Obedient.  They are Pious, Devout, Doers of good, Patient, Humble before Allah, Repentant, and the ones who Seek Forgiveness.  There are other references too in the Holy Qur’an such as the Foremost, Those Brought Near, and they have been called the Special Servants of the Most Merciful.   Although this may be applied to believers in general, the distinctive quality of the Awliya Allah is their steadfastness and the level of application of the above attributes in their personalities.  In fact, their unswerving "Steadfastness” is nothing short of a miracle.

Again, there are more descriptions including: Some faces that Day shall be shining and radiant, looking at their Lord (75: 22-23). It may be noted that Sayyedina Umar (Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu) said: “I heard the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala Alayhi wa Sallam) saying "Among Allāh’s servants there are some who are neither prophets nor martyrs but on the Day of Judgement the prophets and the martyrs will envy their grades. The Companions asked: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, tell us, who are those people?’ He replied: ‘those are the people who love one another on Allāh’s count. They are neither related to one another nor do they have any property to exchange. I swear on Allāh that they will have faces of light, they will be on pulpits of light. They will not have any fear when others will be afraid, they will not have any grief when others will be aggrieved.’ Then he recited the verse: Beware! No doubt, there is no fear for the friends of Allāh nor shall they be sad and sorrowful. " ([Qur’ān (Yūnus, Jonah) 10:62.]Abū Dāwūd, Sunan, b. of ijārah (wages) 3:288.

Further, coming to the Proof of Awliya-Allah in the Holy Qur’an:

1.Sayyidina al-Khadir (although the name is not mentioned in the Holy Qur’an).  Some Islamic scholars consider him to be a Prophet while some, a Wali.  He possessed knowledge directly from the presence of Allah without intermediary:  “Then they found one from among Our servants whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had taught knowledge from Ourselves” (Qur’an 18:65).    Baghawi stated in his Tafsir of this verse: "He taught him the inward (batin) knowledge by inspiration ilham)." Sayyidina Musa (as) did not have this knowledge.  Musa (a.s.) said to him: Shall I follow you on condition that you should teach me right knowledge of what you have been taught? [Quran 18:66]

2.Then, the  Wali who was with Sayyidina Sulayman (as) brought him the throne of Bilqis quicker than the blink of an eye. He was characterized as "one who had knowledge of the Book," as Allah stated, "One with whom was knowledge of the Book said, 'I will bring it to you before your gaze returns to you…' (Q27:40)", and this is Asif bin Barkhiya (a non-prophet human), the scribe and relative of Prophet Sulayman (as), according to the Tafsir of Ibn ‘Abbas and the majority of commentators.

3.An entire Quranic Surah has been named after Sayyida Maryam.  She was a Siddiqa (see Q4:69 and Q5:75), which is one of the highest categories of Ihsan, and she was granted numerous miracles, such as being provided for without intermediaries or secondary causes (Q3:37), and giving birth without human impregnation (Q3:47 and Q19:20), and super-human strength (Q19:25):

Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty: To the care of Zakariya was she assigned. Every time that he entered (Her) chamber to see her, He found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From Allah: for Allah Provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure." [Quran 3:37]

She said: My Lord! when shall there be a son (born) to I me, and man has not touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is. [Quran 3:47]

And shake towards you the trunk of the palm-tree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. [Quran 19:25]

4. Ashab al-Kahf (The people of the cave)

These servants of Allah, sometimes known as the Seven Sleepers (although the Quran does not specify an exact number), were not Prophets or Messengers but were blessed with special ranks and favours. This group of young believers resisted pressure from their people to worship others beside God and took refuge in a cave, following which they fell asleep for 300 solar years or 309 lunar years, whilst being guarded by a dog.

5. Other Examples

The story of Dhu'l Qarnayn whom Allah strengthened to do what was impossible for anyone else but him to do! (18:83-98). 
There are several other examples in the Qur’an of non-Prophets receiving "wahy," such as: Maryam (Q19:25), the mother of Musa and Harun (alayhim salam) (Q20:38, 28:7), and the disciples of Sayyidina ‘Isa (Q5:111).  The scholars of Tafsir agree unanimously that this "wahy" refers to inspiration (ilham) and unveiling (kashf), and not revelation which only Prophets receive.

Sura Al-Kahf (Qur’an Ch.18:60 – 82) describes the events of Prophet Moses and Khidr (a.s.).  So a Prophet’s going in search of a Wali to seek wisdom and knowledge is a Sunnah of the Prophet (Musa a.s).  We should remember that’s why Allah made it part of Quran. Allah warns all believers to keep company with them when He says: "O believers! Be wary of Allah, and keep company with the truthful!" (Qur’an 9:119).  Allah enjoins the followership of those who have turned to Him in true and complete repentence (Qur’an 31:15).  As stated by al-Tustari in his Tafsir: This means that anyone who has not been guided to the path [that leads] to God, Mighty and Majestic is He, should follow in the footsteps of the virtuous (ṣāliḥūn), so that the blessing (baraka) of following them may lead him to the path of God.  Do you not see how the dog of the Companions of the Cave benefitted by following those virtuous ones, to the point that God, Exalted is He, repeatedly mentioned it in a good light? Indeed, the Prophet said in a ḥadīth in this regard, ‘Anyone who keeps their company will not be among the wretched’."

Lets continue on this one by turning to a few out of the many ahadeeth on the subject:

1. Hadhrat Umar ® narrates that the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) said:  "There will be certain worshippers of Allah who will not be Prophets, nor martyrs, but the Prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Judgement."  The companions then asked, ‘O prophet of Allah! who are these people?’ Then the beloved prophet(peace be upon him) explained to them the qualities of Awliya. And the Prophet(sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) read to them the verse: ‘Beware, verily on the friends of Allah, there is no fear, nor shall they grieve’(Surah younus, verse 62).” [Abu Dawud, Sunan, book of ijarah 3:288:3527]

2. Harith ibn Malik al-Ansari passed by the Prophet ﷺ who asked him, “How are you this morning, O Harith?” and he replied, “This morning I am a true believer in Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Take care of what you say, for everything has a proof to it, so what is the proof of your belief?” He said: “I have turned myself away from this world by keeping awake at night and staying thirsty by day; and I can almost see the Throne of my Lord in full view before me, and I can see the people of the Garden visiting each other, and the people of the Fire wailing to each other.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “O Harith! You have realized (the truth), therefore cling to it.” Some versions add, “(This is) a believer whose heart Allah has illumined.”

[Recorded by Tabarani in his Mu’jam al-Kabir (3:266 #3367), Quda’i (Musnad Shihab, 2:127 #1028), Abu Nu’aym (Hilya, 1:242), Bazzar (Zawa’id, 1:26 #32), Ibn Abi Shayba in his Musannaf (7:226-27) and his Kitab al- Iman (#114-115)]

3. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Be wary of the spiritual vision (firasa) of the believer, for indeed he sees by the Light of Allah.”[Tirmidhi (#3052, Tafsir of Q15:75), Tabarani in his Mu’jam al-Kabir (8:121 #7497) and others.]

4. Similar to this is the hadith (reported through Anas and others) in which he ﷺ said: “Indeed, Allah has servants who know (the truth about people) through reading the signs (tawassum).” [Recorded by Tabarani in Mu’jam al-Awsat (3:207 #2935), Quda’i in Musnad Shihab (2:116 #1005), Hakim Tirmidhi in Nawadir (Asl #227) and others.]

5.  “In the nations before you were people who were spoken to (muhaddathun) who were not Prophets. If there is anyone in my community, it is ‘Umar ibn Khattab.”  [Bukhari (#3210, 3413), Muslim (#4411), Nasa’i (Sunan Kubra, #8119-20), Tirmidhi (#3626), Imam Ahmad (#23150) and others.]  In his narration Imam Muslim adds, “Ibn Wahb explained ‘spoken to’ to mean ‘inspired’ (mulhamun),” and this is the majority’s opinion according to Ibn Hajar in his Fath al-Bari (7:62), who adds, “spoken to” means, “by the angels.” In his explanation on Sahih Muslim, Imam Nawawi writes on this hadith: “…there is in this a confirmation of the miracles of Awliya” (Kitab Fada’il as-Sahaba, Ch. 2, #10). This hadith specifically refers to the perfection of the quality of Ilham (inspiration) in Sayyidina ‘Umar and not the fact that other Muslims lack this ability, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar explained in his commentary on this hadith.

6. Ibn Mas’ud (Radi Allahu ta'ala Anhu) asked, “Ya Rasoolallah (Salla Allahu ta'ala Alayhi wa Sallam), by what means do they attain that degree?” “They attain it by being generous, and by advising muslims,” said the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala Alayhi wa Sallam).

7. A Hadith Qudsi says: "Whoever shows hostility to My Wali, I proclaim war against him. My servant does not draw near to Me by anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me by the voluntary deeds, until I love Him. When I love him, I will be his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his feet with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him. And if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely give him refuge." (Agreed upon)  Regarding the statement in the hadith of Abu Huraira ® in Bukhari, vol8, 509, that we mentioned here: ‘I shall declare war on him who shows hostility to Wali of Mine…even the rigorous Ibn Taimiyya has gone to explain the statement to mean that Allah is expressing: "I will seek revenge like an aggressive lion against anyone who comes against My saints." 

Although the Holy Qur’an is replete with the many rewards that Allah confers upon Awliya Allah both in this world and the hereafter, the aforesaid definitions should be enough to give us an idea about the high esteem in which Allah (swt) holds his Friends.

Imam Jalaluddin as-Suyuti (ra) wrote an essay in his collection of fatwas, al-Hawi lil-Fatawi, and called it: “The narrations which demonstrate the existence of the Qutb and the Awtad and Nujaba and Abdal.” At the beginning of it, he writes: It has reached me that some of those who possess no knowledge deny what is famously known among the noble Awliya, namely, that among them exist Abdal (substitutes), Nuqaba (chiefs), Nujaba (nobles), Awtad (supports, or pegs), and Aqtab (poles, or axial pivots), while there are numerous hadiths and narrations which affirm their existence and reality…. And know that the denial of the stubborn is not to be given any weight or importance… So I say, it is authentically narrated from (and then he lists 18 Companions and Followers), and those after them, innumerable reports which attest to the above. [See Hawi li-l Fatawi (2:241ff), and for more information on hadiths about the Abdal see ‘Ajluni’s Kashf (#35) and Sakhawi’s Maqasid (#8).]

In short, superiority of the status of Awliya is not dependant on miracle they work, but are dependant upon their proximity to Allah and His love for them and their desire to be with Allah to the exclusion of all others, with no desire for the Jannah or the Houris or the world or the ability to work miracles, or for any other purpose . Awliya are the inheritors of Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wassallam) when he said, the scholars of the ummah are the inheritors of the prophets. Imam Sayuti said: "The Awliya of Allah are those, if you see them, Allah is mentioned, and if they are absent, they are missed and if they come Allah will be mentioned”.  And, lest it be misconstrued, let me add that “Becoming free from fear and grief” for Awliya-Allah simply means that for the pleasure of Allah, they remain content with whatever state and condition they find themselves in. Otherwise it is well known that the lives of Friends of Allah were full of incredible hardship, suffering and pain. Higher the rank, higher the trial.

No less than Ibn Taymiyya writes at the end of his `Aqida wasitiyya: 

The true adherents of Islam in its pristine purity are Ahl al-Sunnat wal-Jama`a. In their ranks the truthful saints (siddiqin), the martyrs, and the righteous are to be found. Among them are the great men of guidance and illumination, of recorded integrity and celebrated virtue. The Substitutes (abdal) and the Imams of religion are to be found among them and the Muslims are in full accord concerning the guidance. These are the Victorious Group about whom the Prophet said: "A group within my Community manifestly continues to be in the truth. Neither those who oppose them nor those who abandon them can do them harm, from now on until the Day of Resurrection."

Continued in Part 2....

NASIR

BLESSINGS THROUGH PROPHET (S), THE RIGHTEOUS, AND THEIR RELICS - Part 8.

Seeking blessings through Prophet (s), and the Righteous and their Relics: 

From the Layman, Nasir’s Desk: Islamic Article No.16: ISLAMIC BARAKA, Part 8:

In the Name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful. 

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family, and all his Companions. 

In order to deny the fact of Baraka, it is very common for the deviants to point out that Hazrat Umar ® chopped down the tree under which the Treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah was executed by the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  According to them, Hazrat Umar ® chopped… “all the trees under which the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had ever sat.”  So let's examine this: 

The Tree at Hudaybiyyah - Bay'at al-Ridwan

The tree became famous when Allah, subhanaHu wa Ta`ala, mentioned it in the Holy Qur'an (48:18) saying: (Laqad radiy Allahu anil muminina iz. Yubayi-oonaka tahta ash shajarah) "Verily Allah, subhanaHu wa Ta`ala, is Pleased with those Believers who gave Bay'ah to you under the Tree".  That tree was in Hudaybiyyah.  
The incident of cutting down the “Tree” by Hazarat Umar ® is mentioned in Tabaqaat ibn-Saad which is not a book of Hadith.  According to this book, based on the chain of narrators, Abdul Wahhaab Bin Ataa' reported "People were visiting a tree in Hudaybiyyah which had become famous as Shajaratul Ridhwaan and they were praying beside the tree. When Umar ® was informed about this, he ordered that the tree should be cut down." 
But the Tabaqaat also mentions: "Saeed Bin Musayyab was informed that people were praying at a location that had become famous as the tree of Hudaybiyyah, he laughed and said: My father [Musayyab Bin Hazn Al-Qurashi ® was among the Sahaabah who took oath under that tree, and Musayyab reported that when they went to Makkah the next year, they traveled to Hudaybiyyah to visit the tree but could not find it.  So it is like a joke for me that Sahaabah of Rasoolullah were unable to locate the tree and you have found it, so you have more knowledge than Sahaabah".
The word “Hudaybiyyah” appear 65 times in 56 prophetic traditions mentioned by Bukhari.  We ask the same people to show us either in Bukhari or Muslim where the above mentioned narration is mentioned regarding Umar's ® ordering that tree to be cut down. Hafiz ibn Kathir has not mentioned any narration about the cutting of the tree either in his Tafseer, or Tarikh or even in Seerat a-an-Nabi.  

This incident as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (Kitab al-Maghazi) and Muslim (Kitab al-Imamah) took place because there was controversy over which tree was the one where the honourable Bay'ah was taken and reliable sources from amongst the Sahabah held that that tree in question was definitely the wrong tree and the original Tree could no longer be located and had mysteriously vanished.  Ibn Umar (who was present in the Bay'ah under the Tree) said: "No one could locate the Tree after that year". (Bukhari)  In fact, according to him,  when they reached (Hudaibiyya) a year after the treaty of Hudaybiyya), not even two men amongst us agreed unanimously as to which was the tree under which we had given the pledge of allegiance, and that was out of Allah’s Mercy.  In Imam al-Bukhari's version, Sa'id ibn Musayib said: 'My father told me when he went to look for the tree of bay'a, he could not recognize the place where it was and had forgotten the exact place where it was' [i.e. it had disappeared] [Bukhari, chapter on 'Al-Hudaybiyya']  In the last moments of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah when he had lost his sight, he used to say: 'If I could see today I would show you the tree where the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) received the bay'a of the Companions".  [Bukhari, chapter on 'al-Magazi']  

To state very shortly:   Sahaabah loved to visit the sacred sites which had a NISBAT with Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) involving a special journey to Hudaybiyyah from Makkah  (22 km approx.) in the west which is not located en route to Madinah.  This indicates that visiting sacred sites was valid.  From the narration in Bukhari, we can say no one was stopped to go there.  

The above-mentioned narrations prove that if it were shirk to seek the blessings,  the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) would have struck down the tree.  This was not done!  Neither did this happen during the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr ®.   The Sahabah gave a lot of importance to that tree and that is why they tried to locate it after the year of the Bay'ah.  The Tabi'een would also go to the valley of Hudaibiyyah looking for that tree.  However, Allah, subhanaHu wa Ta`ala, had made the original tree vanish for mysterious reasons.  The tree that the Tabi’een were visiting at the Hudaybiyyah, in the time of Sayyidina Umar ® was not the real one, though it was in the same valley.  Sayyidina Umar ®  did not cut down the tree because he believed the people were committing shirk, he cut it because it was not the original tree and because it was being wrongly attributed to the Prophet (sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam). So, it is wrong to conclude from the premise of ibn Sa’d that Tabarruk from the relics of the pious is forbidden.  

On the contrary, Sayyidina Umar, radi Allahu `anh, had complete respect and honour for all things related to the Prophet, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, and it is unimaginable that he should show any kind of disrespect to them. He did not mean to prohibit the Tabarruk with the traces of the Messenger.  Had it been like what they thought, his son Abdullah would not have come to the tree of Samur, under which the Messenger used to sit, seeking the Tabarruk. He used to water it so that it does not dry out. Ibn Hibban related it and said it is Sahih. There is no doubt that Abdullah understood his father's biography more than Ibn Taymiyah and his followers did.

Sayyidina Umar's respect for the relics and things of the Nabi , sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, can also be ascertained from the  incident narrated in Kanzul Ummal (vol.7 p.66) and Ibn Qudamah (al-Mughni vol.4 p.554):   

Refixing the “Mizab” or Water Spout:

Once while going to the Masjid to lead the Friday Prayers  Umar ® passed by a ‘Mizab, which was in the way, and the dirty water from the Spout soiled his clean clothes.  Annoyed, he removed the Mizab out of the way,  went back home,  dressed up again, and went to Masjid.  There, the Prophet’s (sal Allah alayhi wasallam) uncle Sayyidina Abbas ® confronted him saying: "That ‘Mizab’ was fixed there by the Rasool Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam),  as I saw with my own eyes".  When Umar ® heard that, he immediately left the Masjid along with Abbas ® and went to the place where the ‘Mizab’ had been originally fixed.  Then he bowed as in a ‘Ruku’ and said to Abbas ®:  " O Uncle of the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), climb on to my back and put the back the Water Spout where Allah's Messenger had fixed it".

Hazrat Umar’s ® zeal in protecting the relics of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wasallam is also proved from what al-Bukhari transmitted from al-Zubayr that Allah’s Messenger (sal Allahu alalyhi wasallam) requested from (al-Zubayr) the spear with which he killed Abu Dhat al-Karish on the day of Badr, and it is mentioned here that “When Allah’s Messenger died, (al-Zubayr) took it (back). After that Abu Bakr ® demanded it and he gave it to him, and when Abu Bakr ® died, (al-Zubayr) took it (back). ‘Umar ®  then demanded it from him and he gave it to him.  When ‘Umar ® died, (al-Zubayr) took it (back).  Thereafter, ‘Uthman ® demanded it from him and he gave it to him. When ‘Uthman ® was killed, the spear remained with Ali’s ® offspring. Then ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr demanded it, and it remained with him till he was martyred.” [Kitab al-Maghazi in Sahih al-Bukhari, Bab Shuhud al-Mala’ikati Badran]

This was the love and respect Hadrat Umar ® had for the things related to the master of all believers, Sayyidina Muhammad Mustafa (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  And now it has become a common place to destroy the holiest of Islamic relics, including the home of the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu Alayhi wasallam). 

Kissing and Touching the Black Stone of Ka’ba: 

Next, as we are all aware, kissing the Black Stone (Hajar-e-Aswad) during the Hajj is a part of the pilgrimage rituals and is full of blessings.  However, in their zeal to deny the Baraka, the deviants point out the following hadith: 
Al-Bukhârî reports that ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him – came to the Black Stone (performing tawâf, circumambulation), kissed it, and said, “I know that you are a stone, you do not cause benefit or harm; and if it were not that I had seen Allâh’s Messenger – peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him – kiss you, I would never have kissed you.” [Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh, Chapter on what has been said about the Black Stone.]

So let us discuss this:

1. It may be noted that Hazrat Umar ® while visiting the Kaba, said before the Hajar al-aswad, "You cannot do anything! But I kiss you in order to follow Rasulullah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)."  Upon hearing this, Hazarat 'Ali ® said: "Rasulullah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) said, 'On the Day of Judgment, the Hajar al-Aswad will intercede for people.' " [This hadith is reported by at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasai, al-Baihaki, at-Tabarani, and al-Bukhari in his History.] And 'Umar ® thanked 'Ali ®.

2. Qutaiba narrated from Jarir, who from Khusaim, who from Sa'eed bin Jubair, who from Ibn Abbas, who said that Rasool Allah (sal Alayhi wasallam) said about Hajar-e-Aswad:  By Allah, Hajar-e-Aswad will be granted eyes on the Day of Judgment by Allah and also a tongue, which will give testimony in favour of those who behaved well with it. Abu 'Isa said that this hadith is "Hasan".[Sunnan Tirmidhi, Book of Hajj.]

3. The Black Stone will come forth on the Day of Resurrection and will testify in favour of those who touched it in truth.  It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said concerning the Stone: “By Allah, Allah will bring it forth on the Day of Resurrection, and it will have two eyes with which it will see and a tongue with which it will speak, and it will testify in favour of those who touched it in sincerity.”  [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 961; Ibn Maajah, 2944.   This hadeeth was classed as Hasan by al-Tirmidhi, and as ‘Qawiy’ by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari, 3/462]
The following Ahadith confirm the fact that Prophet Mohammad  (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and the Sahaba ® kissed and touched the black stone (Hajar al-Aswad)  at Ka'abatullah: 
4. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas ® said: The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The Black Stone came down from Paradise.”  
[Tirmidhi # 877; Nasaa’i # 2935]. The Hadith was classified as Saheeh by Tirmidhi.]

5. Narrated by Ibn Umar ®  He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) say: “Touching them both (the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamani) is an expiation for sins.” 
[Tirmidhi - 959.  This Hadith was classified as Hasan by Tirmidhi and as Saheeh by al-Hakim(1/664) and ad-Dhahabi agreed with him].

6. Narrated by Naafi’  ®  He said: I saw Ibn Umar ® touch the Stone with his hand then he kissed his hand. He (Ibn Umar ® said, I have never ceased to do this since I saw the Messenger of Allah  (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) do it. (Muslim - 1268).

No one doubts that while circumambulating the House of God {tawaf}, the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasalalam) used to touch or kiss the Black Stone {Hajar al-Aswad}.  Bukhari in his Sahih says:

“I saw the Messenger of Allah (S) touch and kiss it (Hajar al-Aswad).” [Sahih al-Bukhari (Egypt), vol. 2, “Kitab al-Hajj,” “Bab Taqbil al-Hajar,” pp. 151-152.]

If touching or kissing a stone was an act of associating partner with God, how would the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) who called for monotheism do it?
To conclude, it is worth warning those who show disregard for the items related to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and deny Tabarruk. It is stated in Al-Shifa that Jahiah seized from Uthman ® the Prophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) staff, and broke it over his knee.  Then Jahiah's knee became infected from a splinter, leading to amputation.  He died within a year.

CONCLUSION: 

What has been mentioned above are only a few incidents of Tabarruk out of the many that have been documented by the righteous Islamic Scholars.    By themselves, they are proof enough to show that the Holy Prophet, (sal Alahu alayhi wa sallam) taught us that there is indeed a benefit in seeking blessings (barakah) from the traces of the Prophets and the righteous and pious Muslims and in asking Allah for things by them whether during their lifetime or even after death.  As was mentioned above, Imam Nawawi (in “Sharh Sahih Muslim”) said: “In these narrations is evidence for seeking blessings with the relics of the saints” (fihi al-Tabarruk bi athar al-salihin). This is, of course, with the understanding that the relics of holy people are a means of receiving blessings from Allah Almighty.

Seeking Tabarruk was the methodology of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and those who followed them, i.e. the Salaf as-Saliheen and the Khalaf as-Sadiqeen.  The righteous Sunni scholars passed the uninterrupted chain of knowledge to the masses through the Four surviving authentic Schools of Islamic jurisprudence: Hanafi, Shafi’I, Maliki and Hanbali schools (madhaahib) who are followers of the Ash’ari-Maturidi creed. Therefore, those who say that it is ““shirk””/kufr to believe in Taburruk have no proof from either the Holy Qur’an and the ahadith and having invented their own methodology have deviated from the right path.  There is no hadith that proves that to get Tabarruk from the pious is forbidden.  It is also to be remembered that if Tabarruk was only permitted during the Prophet’s life, then he would have clearly indicated so. No hadith, not even a weak one, exists in which the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) informed us that after his passing away Tabarruk is haraam.    The sacred relics means that they contain God-given nobility.  We do not believe that they are inherently noble.  Thus respecting the sacred relics does not mean worshipping them.  The Ummah is connected to the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and so is his Baraka.  The Tabarruk through any  thing other than the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) is in reality through him (s) just as the Baraka through him is really from Allah (swt).

In view of the above, some of the simple questions for the doubters and slanderers are:  Why did the Companions of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) take his hair?  Why did the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) distribute his nails among the people?  Why did the Companions want the Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) sweat?  Why did the Companions of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) compete for his ablution water?  If putting the face on the grave was not objected to by any of the Companions, what would Ibn Taymiyah say?  Would he accuse Abu Ayyub ® of kufr or what would he do? Then what would he do with the statement of Imam Ahmad reported by his son Abdullah, which was mentioned previously about kissing and touching the minbar and grave of the Prophet in order to seek the blessing and a better status from Allah: No objection to that. We pray to Allah Almighty, not to the relics. In fact, like Maqam Ibrahim shows, you can pray towards a relic and it is still not shirk  because your intention is known to Allah alone. And so on!

 Hafidhh Ibn Kathir say’s in al Bidaya Wal Nihaya:   When Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah passed away some people came and gathered around him and sat close to his body to obtain blessing from him. Also a group of women came and the water that was left over after bathing him they drank to get blessing from it as Tabarruk. The left over leaves of a tree which were also used in bathing him, were distributed among themselves for the purpose of Tabarruk. Whatever touched his body, like for example handkerchief, scarf which he used wear round his neck, was sold for a large amount of money, to someone to keep as Tabarruk. People used to come day and night to his grave, and some people use to even spend the night there'. It is also stated in al Bidaya Wal Nihaya:  They sought barakah, their eyes were exalted with this beautiful vision and they started to kiss him to seek barakah. Then the men left and the women came and they did the same and then they left.  It is also mentioned therein that whilst doing ghusl they saw Ibn Taymiyyah had a Taweez around his neck, he had nits so the Taweez was to protect him from them. That Taweez was then auctioned, it was sold for 150 dirhams.
 [Tareek Ibn Kathir chapter: Death of Ibn Taymiya]

If from the clothes or from the water which is left over from touching his body or by sitting close to Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyya you may obtain blessing, then how can it be wrong to get blessing from the other pious people of Allah. Or how can that be called Bid’ah or go even as far as calling someone Mushrik for doing that.

It is well-settled that Tabarruk is a noble and established practice in our Islamic tradition and in full agreement with the Qur’an and Sunnah — even if the deviant sects foolishly think that Tabarruk and Tawassul are shirk (polytheism).  May Allah protect us from their designs, and may He keep all Muslims unswervingly on the path of Ahl al-Sunna and that of the true Salaf. We declare ourselves clear and innocent of the innovations of those who have attacked, rejected, or questioned the validity of Tabarruk and Tawassul. 

May Allah Guide us on the Right Path and forgive us for our wrong assumptions and misinterpretations of the actions of the pious.

And Allah and His Rasool know best.

CONCLUDED

Nasir.

SEEKING BLESSINGS FROM PROPHET (S), THE RIGHTEOUS & THEIR RELICS - Part 5:

From the Layman’s Desk: Islamic Article No.16: ISLAMIC BARAKA, Part 5:

In the Name of Allah, Most Beneficient, Most Merciful. 

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family and all his Companions.

Tabarruk with the Prophet's (sal Allahu Alayhi wasallam) Hair and Nails: 

There are very many hadiths on this.  Bukhari narrates in his Sahih in the Book of Clothing, under the chapter entitled "What is mentioned about gray hair," that `Usman ibn `Abd Allah ibn Mawhab said: "My family sent me to Umm Salama with a cup of water. Umm Salama brought out a silver bottle which contained one of the hairs of the Prophet, and it used to be that if anyone came under the evil eye or ill health they used to send her a cup of water through which she would pass this hair (for drinking). We used to look into the silver bottle: I saw some reddish hairs."

Uthman bin ‘Abdullah bin Mauhab said, “My people sent me with a bowl of water to Um Salama Radiyallaaho T`aalaa A`nhaa.” Isra’il approximated three fingers (‘indicating the small size of the container in which there was some hair of the Prophet sal Allaho alayhi wasallam. ’Uthman ® added, “If any person suffered from evil eye or some other disease, he would send a vessel (containing water) to Um Salama ®.  I looked into the container (that held the hair of the Prophet sal Allaho alayhi wasallam  and saw a few red hair in it.”  (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 72, Number 784)

Anas said: "When the Prophet shaved his head (after pilgrimage), Abu Talha was the first one to take of his hair."[ Bukhari].

Anas also said: "The Prophet threw stones at al-Jamra, then sacrificed, then told the barber to shave his head right side first, then began to give the hair away to the people."[ Muslim].
He said: "Talha was the one distributing it." [Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud].

He also said: "When the Prophet shaved his head in Mina, he gave me the hair from the right side and he said: Anas! take it to Umm Sulaym [his mother]. When the Companions saw what the Prophet gave us, they began to compete to take the hair from the left side, and everyone was getting a share from that." [Ahmad narrated it].

Ibn al-Sakan narrated through Safwan ibn Hubayra from the latter's father: Thabit al-Bunani said: Anas ibn Malik said to me (on his death-bed): "This is one of the hairs of Allah's Messenger, Allah's blessings and peace upon him. I want you to place it under my tongue." Thabit continued: I placed it under his tongue, and he was buried with it under his tongue."

Abu Bakr said: "I saw Khalid [ibn Walid] asking for the Prophet's forelock and he received it. He used to put it over his eyes and then kiss it." It is known that he then placed it in his qalansuwa (head cover around which the turban is tied) and never faced battle again except he won. 

Al-Waqidi (Maghazi), Ibn Hajar (Isaba). Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani relates that Imam Malik said: "Khalid ibn al-Walid owned a qalansiyya which contained some of the Prophet's hair, and that is the one he wore the day of the battle of Yarmuk.

Al-Bayhaqi too narrates in his book Dala'il anNubuwwah. He narrated, with a sahih (A Sahih hadith is one of the two types of hadith that can be relied upon in deducing judgments. The other type is the hasan hadith.) chain that Khalid Ibn al-Walid lost a headgear (qalansuwah) he wore during the Battle of al-Yarmuk. He asked the people to help him find it and they searched repeatedly until it was found. They saw it was a very old qalansuwah and thought it strange that Khalid Ibn alWalid was so insistent on finding it. Khalid Ibn alWalid told them: "The Prophet performed Umrah and then shaved his head. I rushed with the people to get some of his hair. I got some of the hair from the front part of his head which I put in this qalansuwah. Every time I went into battle with this qalansuwah, Allah gave me victory."

Note: Nobody told Khalid ibn Walid ® to put the blessed hairs in his hat. He did this from his own accord. 

Ibn Sirin (one of the tabi`in) said: "One hair of the Prophet in my possession is more precious to me than silver and gold and everything that is on the earth and everything that is inside it." [Bukhari, Bayhaqi (Sunan kubra), and Ahmad].

Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, Volume 10, page 353, said: "They used to call the silver bottle in which the hair of the Prophet was kept jiljalan and that bottle was in the home of Umm Salama." 

Hafiz al-`Ayni said in `Umdat al-Qari, Volume 18, page 79: "Umm Salama had some of the hairs of the Prophet in a silver bottle. When some people got ill, they would go and obtain blessings from these hairs and they would be healed by means of their blessings. If a person were struck by the evil eye or any sickness, he would send his wife to Umm Salama with a mikhdaba or water-pail, and she would pass the hair through that water and then drink the water and he would be healed, after which they would return the hair to the jiljal."

Imam Ahmad narrates in his Musnad (4:42) from `Abd Allah ibn Zayd ibn `Abd Rabbih with a sound (sahih) chain as stated by Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id (3:19) that the Prophet clipped his nails and distributed them among the people.

Ibn Sa'd writes:
"'Umar ibn 'abd al-Aziz had the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hair. He said: 'When I die bury me with the hair in my grave'
[Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd, chapter on 'Death of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Aziz']

Hafiz ibn Kathir writes:
"Mu'awiya had the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) nails and hair.He said: 'When I die can you bury the nails and hair with me in my grave'"[Ta'rikh Ibn Kathir, chapter on 'Death of Mu'awiya']

Also,  Ahmad ibn Hanbal had three hairs from the body of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He requested to be buried with one placed on his mouth, and the other two on each eye.  [p. 24. Tabarruk al-Sahaba bi Athar Rasul Allah. Sheikh Muhammad Tahir ibn Abd al-Qadir ibn Mahmud al-Kurdi.  (p. 13) Maktaba al-Qahira Publications, Cairo. 1997.]

Imam Ahmad is reported to have kept some hairs of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the sleeve of his shirt. During the days of the fitna over whether the Qur’an was created, al-Mu‘tasim refused to burn this shirt, because of the blessings of the hair [in it].  [p. 112. Tashīh al-Aqā’id. Muhammad Abd al-Hāmid Budāyūnī.]

Throughout his life, Imam Bukhari used to keep the blessed hair of Prophet(sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) in his clothes."
[Muqadama Fathul Bari By Imam Hajr Asqalani page 645]

Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) Bow: 
Qadi Iyad reports in al-Shifa that Ahmad ibn Fazlawiyya possessed the bow of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He said, ‘I have never touched this bow with my hands expect with Wudhu since I learnt that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) held this bow with his hand.’  [p. 275. Al-Shifa. Qadi Iyad. p. 275. Dar Ibn Hazm Publications, Beirut, 2002.]  

Tabarruk with Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) visits or Places of Prayers: 

The Sahaba used to get benefit of Barakah by the house in which Rasool Allah [sal Allahu alayhi wasallam] entered:

Narrated Abu Burda:  When I came to Medina. I met Abdullah bin Salam. He said, “Will you come to me so that I may serve you with Sawiq (i.e. powdered barley) and dates, and let you enter a (blessed) house in which the Prophet entered? [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 58, Number 159]

It is also narrated in Sahih Bukhari that Sayyidina Ibn Umar, radi Allahu `anh, when travelling between Makkah and Madinah, would make a point of praying at the spots where the Holy Prophet (sal-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam) used to pray during his lifetime.  Clearly, Sayyidina Ibn Umar, radi Allahu `anh, wished to receive the Barakah of Nabi Muhammad, sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam.

Thus it is also known that Ibn ‘Umar derived blessings even from walking in the same spots where the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had walked and praying exactly where he had prayed both at the Ka’ba and on his travels, and that he watered a certain tree under which Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had prayed so that it would not die.  
[Recorded by Bayhaqi in his Sunan al-Kubra (5:245), Abu Ya’la (10:87-88 #5724), Humaydi (#680, 682), Bazzar (Musnad, 1:81 #129), Tabarani (M. Awsat, 4:199), Ibn Abi Shayba (8:175), and Ibn Hibban (#7074). See also Ibn Hajar’s Fath al-Bari (1:569-70) and Imam Dhahabi’s Siyar A’lam an-Nubala (Chapter on Ibn ‘Umar)]
Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 471 (Sahih Bukhari):

It is related from 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to stop at Dhu'l-Hulayfa when he performed 'umra or hajj under an acacia tree at the spot where the mosque is in Dhu'l-Hulayfa. When he returned from an expedition or was coming from hajj or 'umra and was on that road, he came down along the riverbed and emerged from it and would make his camel kneel at the dip which is on the eastern side of the riverbed. He stayed there until morning, not at the mosque which is by the rocks nor on the hill with the mosque on it. There was a water channel there, where 'Abdullah prayed, with sand heaps in it. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray there. The floodwater drove the pebbles down until the place where 'Abdullah used to pray was buried. 

'Abdullah related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed at the site of the small mosque which is below the mosque at the hill at ar-Rawha'. 'Abdullah knew the place where the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had prayed. He said, "It is on your right when you are standing in prayer in the mosque." That mosque is on the right hand side of the road when you are going to Makka, a stone's throw or thereabouts from the largest mosque. 

Ibn 'Umar used to pray towards the small mountain which is at the end of ar-Rawha'. That mountain ends at the side of the road near the mosque, between it and al-Munsaraf when you are going to Makka. A mosque was built there. 'Abdullah did not pray in that mosque. He left it to his left and behind him. He prayed in front of it towards the mountain itself. 'Abdullah came back from ar-Rawha' and did not pray Dhuhr until he came to that place where he prayed. If he was coming from Makka and passed by it an hour before Subh or at the end of the night, he stopped until he could pray Subh there. 

'Abdullah related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to alight under a large sarj tree below ar-Ruwaytha on the right hand side of the road, facing the road in a wide level place and go on until he emerged from the small hill about two miles below the road of ar-Ruwaytha. The top of it is broken and inclines inward. It stands on a flat place where there are many sand-dunes.

'Abdullah related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed at the end of the upper part of the valley behind al-'Arj if you are on the way to Hadba.There are two or three graves at that mosque, on which are piles of stones, to the right of the path at the large stones marking the path. 'Abdullah used to return home from al-'Arj after the sun had declined from midday. He would pray Dhuhr in that mosque. 

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar related that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, alighted at the sarj trees at the left of the road in the river bed below Harsha. That slope joined the foot of Harsha about a bows-shot from the road. 'Abdullah used to pray at the sarj tree which was nearest the road. It was the tallest of them. 

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to alight at the slope which was closer to Marr az-Zahran towards Madina where it descends from the small valleys. He would alight on the flat of that slope to the left of the road when you are going to Makka. There is only a stone's throw between where the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, alighted and the road. 

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to alight at Dhu Tuwa and spent the night there until morning when he would pray Subh when he was going to Makka. The place where the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,* prayed was a great mound which is not inside the mosque which was built there, but is lower down. 

'Abdullah related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, faced the two gaps in the mountain between him and the tall mountain towards the Ka'ba. He put the mosque that was built to the left of the mosque at the end of the mound. The place where the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed was lower than it, on the black mound located ten cubits or thereabouts from the other mound. He prayed there facing the two gaps in the mountain between him and the Ka'ba. 

[End of Hadith]

An Islamic scholar points out:  Please see how beautifully and clearly Ibn Umar (ra) memorizes the places where Prophet (Peace be upon him) prayed. This hadith also proves of praying in Masajid which has graves inside them as Ibn Umar (ra) used to pray Dhuhr in that mosque of valley behind al-‘Arj. This hadith is also a proof of visiting all the holy places where Prophet (Peace be upon him) went. The Wahabis stop Muslims from this great Sunnah because they are against seeking Tabarruk from Athaar of Anbiya whereas Bukhari Shareef is filled with proofs that Sahaba took Tabbaruk from Athaar of Prophet (Peace be upon him). 

According to the Wahhabi Muhsin Khan, all the above hadiths of Sahih Bukhari in relation to the various places where Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) prayed on the way from Makkah to Madinah Shareef is impossible to translate and according to him it is “Narrated by Unknown”!  Therefore, there was no further translation by him.  Can you believe that?  According to Islamic scholars: “Although there are many examples of Muhsin Khan's lies and Dajl but this one is the ultimate of them all, because this has to do with the issue of taking Tabarruk from places where Prophet (Peace be upon him) prayed and this according to their guru Ibn Taymiyyah was ““shirk”” to the extent that Ibn Taymiyyah even tried to prove Ibn Umar (ra) as Mushrik in his Iqtida as Siraat al Mustaqeem (Audhobillah Min Dhalik!)… We ask the Wahabis what was impossible for Muhsin Khan to translate? This means that Muslims should not read Sahih Bukhari as there are impossible things beyond our comprehension in it? With such distortions/forgeries/corruptions to Sahih Bukhari these Wahabis are misguiding innocent new Muslims who think that Wahabis are on Tawhid whereas Christians and Jews would know that even the Tawhid of Wahabi is similar to theirs i.e. Tajseem-e-ELahi (Anthropomorphism).”

Next, similarly, Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, Ibn ‘Umar, Mu’awiya, Salama ibn Akwa’, and others used to search out the places where the Prophet (sal Allahu wasallam) prayed, and pray there for the blessings gained by that.
  
[For example: Bukhari (Kitab as-Salat, #448, 461-62, 472), Nasa’i (#1709), Imam Ahmad (2:75, 4:419),Bayhaqi (3:25), Tayalisi (#514), ‘Abd ibn Humayd (#774), Tabari’s Tafsir (11:33), Ibn Abd al-Barr’s Tamhid (5:119, 6:228, 13:65), Nawawi’s Sharh Sahih Muslim (5:161, 13:178) and Tahdhib al-Asma’ (1:262), Ibn Hajar’s Fath al-Bari (1:522, 571), Haythami’s Majma’ az-Zawa’id (3:295, 8:265), Malik’s Muwatta’ (1:423), Ruyani’s Musnad (#741, 757-59, 1142), Humaydi (#149), and others].

Narrated Yazid bin Al 'Ubaid: 
I used to accompany Salama bin Al-Akwa' and he used to pray behind the pillar which was near the place where the Qurans were kept I said, "O Abu Muslim! I see you always seeking to pray behind this pillar." He replied, "I saw Allah's Apostle always seeking to pray near that pillar." [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 481]

Other Sahaba used to ask Anas and Bilal where he (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) used to pray so they could pray in the same spots (Tabarani’s Mu’jam al-Awsat 3:350, 6:309).

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: 
The Prophet entered the Ka'ba along with Usama bin Zaid, 'Uthman bin Talha and Bilal and remained there for a long time. When they came out, I was the first man to enter the Ka'ba. I asked Bilal "Where did the Prophet pray?" Bilal replied, "Between the two front Pillars."
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 9, Number 483]

Hafiz Ibn Hajar (Isaba fi Tamyiz as-Sahaba, 4:424) stated that Zubayr ibn Bakkar recorded in Akhbar al-Madina (also Ruyani 2:230 #1106) that the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) entered the home of Sahl ibn Sa’d and sat in the middle of the house, and afterwards Sahl and his wife used to take that exact place as a place for prayer. 

Um Sulaym also asked the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) to pray in her house, so they could take that as a place of prayer too (Tabarani’s Mu’jam al-Awsat, 6:305 #6481). 

Thus, the Sahabah would search out the places where the Holy Prophet (sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam)  prayed, and they would pray there.

`Utban ibn Malik was one of the Companions of the battle of Badr. After he became blind he said to the Prophet: "I would like you to pray in my house so that I can pray where you prayed." The Prophet went to his house and asked where exactly he would like him to pray. He indicated a spot to him and the Prophet prayed there.  [Bukhari (#406-07, 627, 645, 795, 1113), Muslim (#48, 1053), Imam Malik (#377), and many others.]
The version in Muslim has: I (`Utban) sent for the Prophet the message: "Come and lay for me a place for worship [khutta li masjidan]."  

Imam Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim said: "It means: "Mark for me a spot that I can take as a place for worship by obtaining blessing from your having been there [mutabarrikan bi aathaarika]... In this hadith is evidence for obtaining blessings through the relics of saints (al-Tabarruk bi aathaar al-salihin)." Notice how many times (nine times total in his Sharh Sahih Muslim) already Imam Nawawi has shown that these Sahih hadiths prove the permissibility and recommendability of obtaining blessings thru the righteous and their relics. Imam Nawawi also said (Sharh Muslim 5:161): “From this hadith we gain three beneficial lessons: 1) it is permitted to obtain blessings from righteous people and the objects connected to them, 2) it is recommended to pray in the places the righteous used to pray, and 3) it is recommended to seek blessings from the places where the righteous people resided.”  

The Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) was also told to “pray in al-‘Aqiq because it is a blessed valley” (Bukhari #1436).  

Continued in Part 6…

SEEKING BLESSINGS FROM THE PROPHET (S), THE RIGHTEOUS & THEIR RELICS - PART 3.

From the Layman (Nasir’s) Desk: Islamic Article No.16: ISLAMIC BARAKA, Part 3:

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family, and all his Companions.

Making a shroud out of the clothes worn by the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam):

When Alī’s mother, Fātimah bint Asad died, her funeral rites were meticulously observed. After the bath, when it was time to dress her up in a shirt, the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) handed his own shirt to the women and commanded them to dress her up in that shirt and then wrap the coffin round it.
To drape her dead body in his shirt was most presumably intended to shower divine blessings on her.
[Tabarānī narrated it in al-Mu‘jam-ul-kabīr (24:351-2#871) and al-Mu‘jam-ul-awsat (1:152-3#191); Ibn ‘Abd-ul-Barr, al-Istī‘āb fī ma‘rifat-il-ashāb (4:382); Abū Nu‘aym, Hilyat-ul-awliyā’ wa tabaqāt-ul-asfiyā’ (3:121); Ibn-ul-Jawzī, al-‘Ilal-ul-mutanāhiyyah (1:268-9#433), Sifat-us-safwah (2:38); Ibn-ul-Athīr, Asad-ul-ghābah (7:213); Samhūdī, Wafā’-ul-wafā (3:897-8); and Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī in al-Isābah fī tamyīz-is-sahābah (4:380)].

As mentioned in Kanzul Ummal, vol.6, page 7, when Fatima binte Asad ® left for her heavenly abode, the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) shrouded her in his own shirt and laid her in the grave. And when he was asked to explain this action of his he said, "I wanted that the fire (of hell) should not touch her and that her grave becomes spacious for her."

2. When the Prophet’s daughter, Zaynab or Umm Kalthūm died, he blessed her with his own trouser-sash to wrap the coffin.
[Bukhārī narrated it in his as-Sahīh, b. of janā’iz (funerals) ch.8, 17 (1:422-3,425#1195,1204); Muslim, as-Sahīh, b. of janā’iz, ch.12 (2:648#939); Abū Dāwūd, Sunan, b. of janā’iz, (3:200#3157); Nasā’ī, Sunan, b. of janā’iz (4:28-33); Tirmidhī, al-Jāmi‘-us-sahīh, b. of janā’iz, ch.15 (3:315#990); Ibn Mājah, Sunan, b. of janā’iz, ch.8 (1:468-9#1458); Mālik bin Anas, al-Muwattā, b. of janā’iz, ch.1 (1:222#2); Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad (5:84, 6:407); Humaydī, Musnad (1:175-6#360); Ibn Hibbān, as-Sahīh (7:302,304#3032-3); Tabarānī, al-Mu‘jam-ul-kabīr (25:45-50#86,88-95,97-99)].
Sahl bin Sa‘d relates that he was buried in that sheet of cloth.

3. Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh narrates:
The Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) went over to ‘Abdullāh bin Ubayy after he had been buried.  He had his dead body taken out, covered his mouth with his saliva, and draped him in his own shirt.
Bukhārī transmitted in his as-Sahīh, b. of janā’iz (funeral prayers) ch.22,76 (1:427#1211); and Ahmad bin Hanbal in his Musnad (3:371).
The same tradition has also been reported in a modified form:
The Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) reached ‘Abdullāh bin Ubayy when he had been placed inside the grave.  He commanded him to be taken out (and when he was taken out) he (the Prophet) placed him over his knees, rubbed him with his own saliva, breathed into him, and draped him in his own shirt.
[Bukhārī related it in as-Sahīh, b. of libās (dress) ch.7 (5:2184#5459), b. of janā’iz (funeral prayers) ch.22 (1:427#1210); Muslim, as-Sahīh, b. of sifāt-ul-munāfiqīn wa ahkāmuhum (pertaining to the characteristics of the hypocrites and the command concerning them) 4:2140 (#2773); Nasā’ī, Sunan, b. of janā’iz (4:37-8); Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad (3:381); Bayhaqī, as-Sunan-ul-kubrā (3:402); and Wāqidī in Kitāb-ul-maghāzī (2:1057).]

4. ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar narrates:
When ‘Abdullāh bin Ubayy died, his son went over to the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I implore you to bless him with your shirt to make out of it a coffin for him, and you offer prayer on it and also pray for his forgiveness.  So he gave him his shirt.
[Bukhārī narrated it in his as-Sahīh, b. of libās (dress) ch.7 (5:2184#5460), b. of janā’iz (funerals) ch.22 (1:427#1210), b. of tafsīr (interpretation of the Qur’ān) ch.160,161 4:1715,1716 (#4393,4395); Muslim, as-Sahīh, b. of sifāt-ul-munāfiqīn wa ahkāmuhum (the signs of hypocrites and their commands) 4:2141 (#2774); Nasā’ī, Sunan, b. of janā’iz (funerals) 4:36, and Tafsir (1:551-2#244); Tirmidhī, al-Jāmi‘-us-sahīh, b. of tafsīr, ch.10 (5:279-80#3098); Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad (2:18); Ibn Hibbān, as-Sahīh (7:447#3175); Ibn ‘Abd-ul-Barr, as-Istī‘āb fī Ma‘rifat-il-Ashāb (2:336); Bayhaqī, as-Sunan-ul-kubrā (3:402; 8:199), and Dalā’il-un-Nubuwwah (5:287); Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-Nihāyah (3:635); and Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī in al-Isābah fī Tamyīz-is-Sahābah (2:336)].

5. When ‘Abdullāh bin Sa‘d bin Sufyān was martyred in the battle of Tabūk, the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) shrouded him in his own shirt.
[Ibn-ul-Athīr, Asad-ul-ghābah (3:262); Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī, al-Isābah fī tamyīz-is-sahābah (2:318)].

6. When ‘Abdullāh bin Hārith bin ‘Abd-ul-Muttalib bin Hashim died, the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi
wasallam) buried him in his own shirt and said: “He is fortunate and he has received blessings from it.”

Ibn ‘Abd-ul-Barr narrated it in al-Istī‘āb fī ma‘rifat-il-ashāb (2:279); Ibn-ul-Athīr, Asad-ul-ghābah (3:207); and Ibn Hajar ‘Asqalānī in al-Isābah fī tamyīz-is-sahābah (2:292).

7.  Similarly, a woman presented a shawl to the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  When he was dressed in it, someone said to him: O Messenger of Allah! What a beautiful shawl! Please give it to me; and he gave the shawl to him. The audience was displeased by it and started cursing the person who had requested for the shawl: when you knew that the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) never turns down the request of a petitioner, then why did you ask for this shawl? That person replied: I have taken this sheet of cloth not for wearing but for my coffin to draw blessings from it. The words of the tradition are as follows:
Sahl bin Sa‘d says: A woman brought a Burda, that is, a sheet of cloth for the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). Sahl asked the people: do you know what Burda is? People replied: it is a large and open sheet of cloth. Sahl said: Burda is a kind of sheet which has stripes in it.  The woman said: O Messenger of Allah! I present (this sheet) to you for wearing. The Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) accepted the shawl because, under the circumstances, he needed it. Then the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) wore it. One of the Companions had his eyes set on the shawl and he said to the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam):  What a graceful sheet of cloth! Please give it to me. He said: Yes, you take it. When the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) left, his Companions rebuked him. They said: You haven’t done good (especially) when you saw that the Prophet      (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had accepted it and also needed it, and you know that whenever a petition is made to the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), he never turns it down. The man replied: when the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had worn it, I expected it to bring blessings to me in case I am buried in it.
[Bukhārī narrated it in his as-Sahīh, b. of adab (good manners) ch.39 (5:2245#5689), b. of janā’iz (funeral prayers) ch.28 (1:429#1218), b. of buyū‘ (sales) ch.31 (2:737#1987), b. of libās (dress) ch.17 (5:2189#5473); Ibn Mājah, Sunan, b. of libās, ch.1 (2:1177#3555); Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad (5:333-4); and Ibn Sa‘d in at-Tabaqāt-ul-kubrā (1:454)].

8. Cure through the cloak, Jhubba, Robe of Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam):

• Imam Muslim relates that `Abd Allah, the freed slave of Asma' the daughter of Abu Bakr, the maternal uncle of the son of `Ata', said: "Asma' sent me to Abdullah ibn `Umar saying: "The news has reached me that you prohibit the use of three things: the striped robe, saddle cloth made of red silk, and fasting the whole month of Rajab." Abdullah said to me: "So far as what you say about fasting in the month of Rajab, how about one who observes continuous fasting? And so far as what you say about the striped garment, I heard `Umar ibn al-Khattab say that he had heard from Allah's Messenger: "He who wears a silk garment has no share for him (in the Hereafter)." And I am afraid that stripes were part of it. And so far as the red saddlecloth is concerned, here is Abdullah's saddlecloth [=his] and it is red." I went back to Asma' and informed her, so she said: "Here is the cloak (jubba) of Allah's Messenger," and she brought out to me that cloak made of Persian cloth with a hem of (silk) brocade, and its sleeves bordered with (silk) brocade and said: "This was Allah's Messenger's cloak with `A'isha until she died, then I got possession of it. The Apostle of Allah used to wear that, and we washed it for the sick so that they could seek cure thereby." Muslim relates in the first chapter of the book of clothing. Nawawi comments in Sharh Sahih Muslim (Book 37 Chapter 2 #10): "In this hadith is a proof that it is recommended to seek blessings through the relics of the righteous and their clothes (wa fi hadha al-hadith dalil `ala istihbab al-tabarruk bi aathaar al-salihin wa thiyabihim)."
[Sahih Muslim, Book 24,  Hadith #5149; Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume: 2, Page: 594, Hadith No #4210; Shu'b Al Eman-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume: 8, Page: 207;  Sharh us Sunnah-Imam Baghwi, Volume: 12, Page: 33, Hadith No #3104; Al Muntaqa-Imam Suliman bin Half Al Baji, Volume: 7, Page: 222; Sharah At Taqreeb-Imam Zain ud Din Iraqi, Volume:3, Page: 234 ; Mirqat Al Mafateeh-Imam Mulla Ali Qari, Volume: 7, Page: 2770; ►Tohfatul Ahwazi-Allama Mubarakfuri, Volume: 5, Page: 318; Jami' Al Usool-Ibn e Al Atheer, Volume: 10, Page: 688, Hadith No: 8344.]
It was the usual practice of the Companions to preserve relics of Prophet (sal Sallahu Alayhi wasallam) and to draw benefits and blessings out of them. This proves that they offered them to Allah as instruments of mediation when they needed His help and assistance.

One Clarification:
Some people assert that there is no benefit (blessings) in items possessed by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) i.e. clothes, hair, and nails. Those who doubt narrate ahadith in which our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave a shirt to 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy as Tabarrok, which had no effect for his forgiveness.
The answer to this is that an unbeliever or a munafiq (hypocrite) will gain no benefit from our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Tabarruk. 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy was the leader of the Munafiqin so how can he gain blessings from the shirt. Yes, a believer - such as the Companions -did benefit, as mentioned previously. They kept items such as shirts, hair, nails, and clothes. Some even asked to be buried with these items.
The second answer to this question is provided by Hafiz Ibn Kathir:
"There is a narration from the Salaf that the shirt which our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave was not for Tabarruk. This was because the Munafiq gave a shirt to our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) uncle, Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and so it was in return only that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) repaid him"
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, under Sura at-Tawba, verse 82]

Tabarruk with the Prophet’s staff:

Abdullāh bin Anīs has reported it from his father:
When I called on the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) , he said to me as he saw me: “The successful face (the successful man).” He says: I said to him: O Messenger of Allah, I have killed him (Khālid bin Sufyān). He said: You have spoken out the truth. Then the Messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) stood up beside me and went to his house and blessed me with his staff and said: O ‘Abdullāh bin Anīs! Keep it with you. When I came out carrying the staff, the people asked me: what is this (staff)? He replied: this has been given to me by the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and he has commanded me to keep it. The people said: won’t you return it to the Messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)? Ask the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) about it. ‘Abdullāh bin Anīs says that I called on the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and asked him: O Messenger of Allah! why have you given this staff to me? He replied: On the Day of Judgement this will serve as a mark of recognition between us when few people will cooperate with others. ‘Abdullāh bin Anīs tied the staff to his sword and always kept it with himself until he passed away. He had willed about the staff that it should be placed in his coffin, so we buried them together.

[Ahmad bin Hanbal's Musnad (3:496); Ibn Sa‘d, at-Tabaqāt-ul-kubrā (2:50-1); Al Musnad-Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal, Volume: 25, Page: 440, Hadith No#16047; As Sahi-Imam Ibn e Hibban, Volume:16, Page: 114, Hadith No#7160; Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume: 3, Page: 364/3, Hadith No#6024;  Dalail An Nubuwwah-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume: 1, Page: 517, Hadith No#445; Umdatul Qari Sharah Sahi Bukhari-Imam badr ud Din 'Ayni, Volume: 7, Page: 298; Jami' Al Masaneed Was Sunan-Imam Ibn e katheer, Volume: 5, Page: 18, Hadith No #5966; Seerat An Nabwiyah-Imam Ibn e Katheer, Volume: 3, Page: 368; Al bidayah Wan Nihayah-Imam ibn e Katheer, Volume: 4, Page: 160; Majma' Az Zawaid-Imam Haithami, Volume: 6, Page: 203, Hadith No #10344; Khasais Al Kubra-Imam Suyuti, Volume: 1, Page: 390; Seerat Ibn e hishaam-Allama ibn e Hisham, Volume: 2, Page: 260; Tareekh Al Islam-Imam Zahabi, Volume: 2, Page: 199.]

Qadi `Iyad relates in his book al-Shifa’, in the chapter entitled “Esteem for the things and places connected with the Prophet,” that after Jihjah al-Ghifari took the Prophet’s staff from the hands of `Uthman and tried to break it across his knee, infection seized his knee which led to its amputation, and he died before the end of the year.

Anas bin Mālik has reported:
That he had a short stick given to him by the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). When he died, it (the stick) was buried with him, between his shirt and the side of his body.
[Ibn Kathīr in al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (4:368).]

Continued in Part 4….

SEEKING BLESSINGS FROM THE PROPHET (S), THE RIGHTEOUS & THEIR RELICS - PART 2.

From the Layman (Nasir's) Desk: Islamic Article No.16: 
ISLAMIC BARAKA, Part 2:

Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds, and blessings and peace of Allah upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), his Family and all his Companions. 

The Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) also performed many actions which go to prove the permissibility of Tabarruk. There are many prophetic Traditions that prove the practices of seeking Tabarruk but all of them cannot be quoted.  Hence, we will just point out a few! 

Drinking from the Well of She-Camel of Salih (a.s): 

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: 

The people landed at the land of Thamud called Al-Hijr along with Allah's Apostle and they took water from its well for drinking and kneading the dough with it as well.  The Holy Qur’an states in Ch.15:80-81 thus about Al-Hijr: Verily the dwellers of Al Hijr (the rocky tract) denied the Messengers. We gave them Our Signs, but they were averse to them.  (When Allah's Apostle heard about it) he ordered them to pour out the water they had taken from its wells and feed the camels with the dough and ordered them to take water from the well whence the she-camel (of Prophet Salih) used to drink.  [Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 562.]
  
Ibn Umar narrated (Bukhari 3:1237, Muslim 4:2286) that when the companions came to the land of Thamud, the Prophet (Sal Alahu alaihi wasalam) ordered them to use the well-water which the camel used to drink from.  Muhammad Hattab al-Maliki (1497-1547 c.e.) the author of Mawahib al-Jalil 1:49 wrote - quoting Qurtubi in agreement: "This Hadith is a proof of the permissibility of seeking blessings through the remains and traces of the Prophets and the righteous, even after many centuries."

Imam Nawawi (Sharh Muslim vol.8 p.118) comments on this Hadith that we should try to derive blessings from things connected to pious people(wa min fawaid hadhal Hadith, at-Tabarruk bi Aathaar as-Saliheen).

Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) Ring: 

 ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar has narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) had a silver ring made for himself. It was in his hand, then it remained in Abū Bakr’s hand, then it remained in ‘Umar’s hand, then it remained in ‘Uthmān’s hand, then from his hand it fell into a well at Arīs. The following words were engraved on it: Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
[Related by Bukhārī in his as-Sahīh, book of libās (dress) ch.48 (5:2204#5535); Muslim, as-Sahīh, book of libās waz-zīnah (dress and embellishment) ch.12 (3:1656#2091); Abū Dāwūd in Sunan, the book of khātim (ring) 4:88 (#4215); Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Nasai, Volume:8, Page: 385, Hadith No#9476, Hadith No#9478; Sunan Al Mujtaba-Imam Nasai, Volume:8, Page: 178, Hadith No#5217; Mustakhraj-Imam Abu 'Awanah, Volume:5, Page: 262, Hadith No#8655; As Sahi-Imam Ibn e Hibban, Volume:12, Page: 307, Hadith No#5495; Ma'jam Al Ausath-Imam Tabrani, Volume:3, Page: 78, Hadith No#2545; Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume:2, Page: 595, Hadith No#4215; Shu'b Al Iman-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume:8, Page: 351, Hadith No#5929; Al Musannaf-Imam Ibn e Abi Shaibah, Volume:5, Page: 193, Hadith No#25130; Al Musnad-Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal, Volume:8, Page:358, Hadith No#4734 And Volume:10, Page: 377, Hadith No #6271.]
  
It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari (Kitab al-Maghazi) that the same holds true for the Spear of  Muhammad Mustafa (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)  It was passed on to Sayyidina Abu Bakr ®, and then to Sayyidina Umar ® and then to Sayyidina Uthman ® and finally to Sayyidina 'Ali ®. 

Tabarruk with money the Prophet gave away:

Jabir ® sold a camel to the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and the Prophet (sal Allah alayhi wasallam)  gave instructions to Bilal ®  to add a qirat (1/12 dirham) to the agreed sale price. Jabir ® said: "The Prophet's (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) addition shall never leave me," and he kept it with him after that. (Bukhari).

Tabarruk with his Holy Hand and Feet: 

1. Wā’il ibn Hajar said, "Whenever I shook hands with the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, or my skin touched his skin, I smelled the scent of musk on my hand for three days." (Majma' al-Zawa'id 7:33.)
2. The first hadith Imam Ahmad related from Anas ibn Malik in his Musnad Anas is: "The whole community of the people of Madina used to take the hand of the Prophet and rush to obtain their need with it."
3. Narrated `A'isha the Mother of the Believers: "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he had a complaint, would recite the last three suras of Qur'an, over himself and blow." She said, "When his pain was great, I would recite it over him and wipe him with his right hand hoping for its blessing."
4. Usama ibn Sharik narrates: "I came to see the Prophet while his Companions were with him, and they seemed as still as if birds had alighted on top of their heads. I gave him my salam and I sat down. [Then Beduins came and asked questions which the Prophet answered.] ... The Prophet then stood up and the people stood up. They began to kiss his hand, whereupon I took his hand and placed it on my face. I found it more fragrant than musk and cooler than sweet water." Narrated by Abu Dawud (#3855), Ti(2038 -- Hasan Sahih), Ibn Majah (3436), al-Hakim (4:399), and Ahmad (4:278). al-Hafiz Imam Bayhaqi cites it in Branch 15 of his Shu`ab al-iman entitled: The Fifteenth Branch of Faith, Namely A Chapter On Rendering Honor To The Prophet, Declaring His High Rank, And Revering Him (al-khamis `ashar min shu`ab al-iman wa huwa babun fi ta`zim al-nabi sallallahu `alayhi wa sallama wa ijlalihi wa tawqirih) Vol. 2 p. 200 (#1528).
5. Narrated `Abd Allah ibn `Umar: Ibn `Umar was sent with a detachment by the Apostle of Allah. The people wheeled round in flight. He said: I was one of those who wheeled round in flight. When we stopped, we said: What should we do? We have run away from the battlefield and deserve Allah's wrath. Then we said: Let us enter Medina, stay there, and go there while no one sees us. So we entered the city and thought: If we present ourselves before Allah's Apostle, and if there is a change of repentance for us, we shall stay; if there is something else, we shall go away. So we sat down (waiting) for the Apostle of Allah before the dawn prayer. When he came out, we stood up to him and said: We are the ones who have fled. He turned to us and said: No, you are the ones who return to fight after wheeling away. We then approached and kissed his hand, and he said: I am the main body of the Muslims. 
(Abu Dawud, Book 14 [Jihad], Number 2641.) This hadith is also found in al-Abhari; in the book of al-hafiz Ibn Muqri on standing up and kissing the hand out of respect; in the Adab al-Mufrad of Imam Bukhari (Chapter on Kissing the Hand and Chapter on Kissing the Foot), in Ibn Maja (Adab), in Bayhaqi's Dala'il an-Nubuwwa, and in the Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
6. Ibn `Umar told a story and said: "We then came near the Prophet and kissed his hand." It is related in Ibn Maja's Sunan, Book of Adab, Chapter on kissing by a man of another man's hand; in Abu Dawud's Sunan, Book of Adab, Chapter on kissing the hand; and in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shayba through two different chains.
7. Umm Aban, daughter of al-Wazi` ibn Zari` narrated that her grandfather Zari` al-`Abdi, who was a member of the deputation of `Abd al-Qays, said: "When we came to Medina, we raced to be first to dismount and kiss the hand and foot of Allah's Apostle... (to the end of the hadith)" [Abu Dawud, 41: 5206.] Bukhari relates from her a similar hadith in his Adab al-Mufrad: We were walking and someone said, "There is the Messenger of Allah," so we took his hands and feet and kissed them.
8. Burayda narrated that one of the Beduin Arabs who came to the Prophet, Peace be upon him, asked: "O Messenger of Allah, give me permission to kiss your head and your hands," and he received it. In another version, he asks permission to kiss the head and the feet.  [Narrated in Ghazali's Ihya' and the version mentioning the feet is in Hakim's Mustadrak and in Ibn Muqri. Both al-Hakim and al-`Iraqi declared the latter's chain authentic.]
9. From Safwan ibn `Asal al-Muradi: "One of two Jews said to his companion: Take us to this Prophet so we can ask him about Musa's ten signs... [the Prophet replied in full and then] they kissed his hands and feet and said: we witness that you are a Prophet..." Narrated by Ibn Abi Shayba (Book of Adab, Chapter entitled A Man Kissing Another Man's Hand When He greets Him), Tirmidhi (Book of Adab) who declared it Hasan Sahih, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Maja (Book of Adab), and al-Hakim who declared it Sahih.
10. When we were with Allah's Messenger on an expedition, a Bedouin came and asked for a miracle. The Noble Messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) pointed at a tree and said to the Bedouin: "Tell that tree that Allah's Messenger summons you." The tree swayed and brought itself out, and came to the presence of the Holy Messenger (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam), stating, "Peace be upon you Oh Messenger of Allah!" The Bedouin said, "Now let it return to its place!" When Allah's Messenger ordered it, the tree went back. The Bedouin said, "let me prostrate to you!" The Messenger answered: "No one is allowed to do that [ie it is Haraam]." The Bedouin said, "Then I will KISS YOUR HANDS AND FEET." and He (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) PERMITTED HIM THAT [ie it is jaa'iz]. [REf: al-QaaDee IyaaD, ash-Shifaa', 1:299; al-Bazzaar, Musnad, 3:49.]
11. Narrated Usayd ibn Hudayr: AbdurRahman ibn Abu Layla, quoting Usayd ibn Hudayr, a man of the Ansar, said that while he was given to jesting and was talking to the people and making them laugh, the Prophet poked him under the ribs with a stick. He said: Let me take retaliation. He said: Take retaliation. He said: You are wearing a shirt but I am not. The Prophet then raised his shirt and the man embraced him and began to KISS HIS SIDE. Then he said: This is what I wanted, Apostle of Allah! (Abu Dawud, Book 41, Number 5205.)
12. Ibn `Abd al-Barr relates, in his Isti`ab fi Ma`rifat al-as-hab (p. 673), that the Prophet, after forbidding two or three times the use of Khaluq (a kind of perfume mixed with saffron), and finding that Sawad ibn `Amr al-Qari al-Ansari was wearing it, nudged him in the mid-section with a palm-tree stalk (Jarida) and scratched him. The latter asked for reparation; when the Prophet bared his own belly to him, he jumped and kissed the Prophet's belly.
13. Ibn Ishaq's version in the Sira mentions that Sawad was standing in the ranks of the Companions of Badr at the time of this incident. The Prophet was arranging the ranks with his switch (Miqra`a) and he nudged Sawad's belly with it, scratching him inadvertently, with the words: "Align yourself with the others." Sawad said: "Ya Rasulallah, you hurt me, so give me reparation." The Prophet handed him the switch and said: "Take reparation." Sawad approached him and kissed his belly. The Prophet said: "What made you do that, O Sawad?" He replied, "Ya  Rasulallah, the time has come for what you see, and I loved that my last action in this Dunya be to touch you."
14. Narrated Buhaysah al-Fazariyyah: My father sought permission from the Prophet. Then he came near him, lifted his shirt, and began to kiss him and embrace him out of love for him... (Abu Dawud, Book 9, Number 1665.)
15. The Tabi`i Thabit al-Bunani said he used to go to Anas Ibn Malik, kiss his hands, and say: "These are hands that touched the Prophet. " He would kiss his eyes and say: "These are eyes that saw the Prophet."
Abu Ya`la narrated it in his Musnad (6:211).  

Ibn Hajar mentioned it in his al-Matalib al-`aliya (4:111). 

al-Haythami declared it sound in Majma` al-Zawa'id (9:325).

16. Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad also relates that Suhayb saw Sayyidina `Ali kiss both the hand and feet of the Prophet's uncle al-`Abbas, and that Thabit kissed the hand of Anas because it had touched the Prophet's hand.

17. According to Imam Bukhari in his Adab al-Mufrad:  Abd al-Rahman ibn Razin related that one of the Companions, Salama ibn al-Aku`, raised his hands before a group of people and said: "With these very hands I pledged allegiance (bay`a) to the Messenger of Allah," upon hearing which, all who were present got up and went to kiss his hand.

18. Another version of this hadith was also related by Ahmad.
Abu Malik al-Ashja`i said that he once asked another Companion of the Tree, Ibn Abi Awfa, "Give me the hand that swore bay`at to the Messenger of Allah, Peace be upon him, that I may kiss it." Ibn al-Muqri related it.

19. Al-Tabarani in al-Awsat and al-Kabir (4:16), and Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (5:67-68) with a sound chain as stated by al-Haythami in al-Zawa'id (4:211) narrated through Handhalah Ibn Hudhaym that the latter went with his grandfather, Hudhaym, to the Prophet. Hudhaym said to the Messenger of Allah: "I have sons and grandsons, some of whom are pubescent and others still children." Motioning to the young child next to him, he said: "This is the youngest." The Prophet brought this young child whose name was Handhalah next to him, wiped on his head, and told him, "barakallahu fik," which means: "May Allah bless you." After that, people started to bring Handhalah a person with a swollen face or a sheep with a swollen udder. Handhalah would place his hand on that part of his head the Prophet wiped, then touch the swollen part and say Bismillah, and the swelling would be cured.

There are very many ahadith on the subject of the Baraka of the Hand of the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam).  Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi’s article on The Hand of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) has extensively dealt with the subject, refreshing our Imaan.   Dear Readers are requested not to miss that Article.
  
Blessing through the gold given by the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam):

It was the usual practice of the Companions that they held every object associated with the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam)  even dearer than their own life and went to extraordinary lengths not to let it waste and to preserve it in its untarnished splendour. They saved the dinars given to them by the Prophet  (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) and avoided spending them even in the face of the most pressing temptation.

1. Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh has related:
Once I was travelling with the Holy Prophet(sal Allahu alayhi wasallam). Since I was riding a sluggish camel, I lagged behind everyone. When the Prophet  (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) passed by me, he asked: who are you?  I said: Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh. He asked me: what’s the matter?  I replied: I am riding a sluggish camel. He asked me for a stick and I brought the stick to him. He applied it to the camel and reprimanded it. Then the same camel ran ahead of all others. He wanted to buy my camel but I said: O Messenger of Allah! This is already yours and you can have it without payment. But the Holy Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) insisted on buying it and said: I have bought it from you for four dinars, and permitted me to ride it to Medina. When we reached Medina, he said: O Bilāl! Pay (Jābir) his price, and add some more to it. Bilāl paid him four dinars, adding a carat of gold to the price.
2. Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh relates:   The (carat of) gold given by the beloved Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wasallam) never parted us. (The narrator says): and that carat (of gold gifted by the Holy Prophet) always remained in Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh’s purse, and never left it.
[Bukhārī, as-Sahīh, b. of wakālah (representation) ch.8 (2:811#2185); Muslim, as-Sahīh, b. of musāqāt (watering) ch.21 (3;1222-3#715); Ahmad bin Hanbal, Musnad (3:299,314)].

Continued in Part 3…