Often we hear the Adhān to recite ṣalawāt, especially when the name of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is mentioned. For some people, this may be considered merely a verbal routine or lip service. However, have you ever thought that this recitation carries very heavy legal weight? In fact, in certain fiqh perspectives, a person’s prayer can be considered completely invalid if they forget this recitation.
Partial understanding can be fatal. On one side, there is a threat to those who are “stingy” in sending ṣalawāt. On the other side, there is a risk that our obligatory worship will not be accepted due to neglecting the rights of the Messenger of Allah.
Let us dissect this issue down to its roots. We will examine the views of great Ulama from primary texts such as Al-Hawi Al-Kabir by Imam Al-Mawardi, Al-Kawkab Al-Wahhaj, and Al-Adhkar.
Common Misconceptions About the Meaning of “Allah Bestows Salawat“
The verse we most often hear regarding salawat is Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 56: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet…”
An intriguing question arises: If we pray to worship Allah, then when Allah sends blessings (ṣalawat), does Allah worship the Prophet? Of course not. This is a fatal misunderstanding that must be rectified.
The book Al-Kawkab Al-Wahhaj fi Sharh Sahih Muslim explains this linguistic phenomenon very clearly. In the verse, one verb (yushalluuna) is used for two subjects: Allah and the Angels. Yet, the reality of the action is different. This is called the linguistic style of ‘Umuum al-Majaaz (general metaphor).
Here are the details of its meaning so that we do not misunderstand:
1. Salawat from Allah (Ar-Rahmah wa al-Karamah)
When Allah sends blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad Consecration, its meaning is Tasyrif (exaltation) and Takrim (veneration). Allah provides real support (ta’yid), guidance, and elevates him to Maqam Mahmud (the praiseworthy station). So, Allah does not pray, but rather Allah bestows grace.
2. Salawat from the Angels (Istighfār)
The angels do not bestow mercy, for they do not possess that authority. Rather, the angels’ ṣalawāt means seeking forgiveness and supplicating that the Prophet’s rank continues to be elevated.
3. Salawat from Humans
For us, salawat is a form of request for intercession, proof of love, and recognition that we need a spiritual connection with him.
Fact: Allah Also Sends Salawat (Blessings) Upon Us (Ordinary People)
Many assume that Allah’s ṣalawāt (blessings) are exclusively for the Prophets. In reality, Allah also bestows “ṣalawāt” upon the believers. Of course, the purpose differs from the ṣalawāt offered to the Prophet.
If sending blessings upon the Prophet means an elevation in status, then Allah’s blessings upon us mean our emergence from darkness into light and the descent of mercy during calamity.
Here is a Qur’anic proof that is rarely discussed yet deeply comforting:
Salutations to Emerge from Darkness (QS. Al-Ahzab: 43)
Arabic Text:
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَمَلَائِكَتُهُۥ لِيُخۡرِجَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِۚ
Meaning: “It is He who bestows blessings (mercy) upon you and His angels (pray for forgiveness for you), so that He may bring you out from darkness into light…”
Salutations for the Patient (QS. Al-Baqarah: 157)
Allah promises blessings upon those who are patient during trials.
Arabic Text:
أُوْلَ ـ ٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَٰتٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٞۖ وَأُوْلَ ـ ٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ
Meaning: “It is they who receive ṣalawāt (blessings/perfect forgiveness) from their Lord, and mercy. And it is they who are the rightly guided.”
Heated Debate: Shalawat in Salat, Obligatory or Recommended?
This is the core of a fiqh issue that every Muslim must know. Is reciting ṣalawāt during Tahiyat Akhir obligatory or merely sunnah?
In the book Al-Hawi Al-Kabir (Volume 2, pages 137-138), Imam Al-Mawardi records a sharp difference of opinion among the leading Ulama.
Shafi’i School: Obligatory (Pillars of Prayer)
Imam Shafi’i held a very firm opinion: “Sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ is OBLIGATORY in the Final Tashahhud.”
The consequences are serious: If someone intentionally or forgetfully omits it, their prayer is invalid. This opinion is not without basis. Imam al-Shafi’i relies on strong evidence:
- The Command of the Qur’an: The phrase “Shallu ‘alaihi” (Send blessings upon him) is a mandatory command. Since it is not mandatory outside of prayer, the obligation falls within prayer.
- Defining Ḥadīth: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There is no Ṣalāt (not valid) for one who does not send blessings upon me within it.” (Reported by Ibn Majah).
- Analogy (Qiyas): Just as remembrance of Allah (Takbir, Tahmid) is obligatory in prayer, so too is the mention of the Prophet’s name obligatory in the Tashahhud.
Hanafi & Maliki Schools of Thought: Sunnah
Conversely, Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik are of the opinion that the Sunnah prayer within Ṣalāt is recommended. The Ṣalāt remains valid without it, although it is less than perfect.
They adhere to the ḥadīth of Ibn Mas’ud, where the Prophet said after teaching the tashahhud: “If you have finished reciting this, you have completed your ṣalāt.”
Intelligent Refutations of the Shafi’i School
In Al-Hawi, the Shafi’i stronghold cleverly responds to the Hanafi argument:
- The statement “If you have finished…” is most likely a statement of Ibn Mas’ud himself, not a saying of the Prophet.
- Even if that is a statement of the Prophet, it was uttered before the verse commanding ṣalawāt was revealed. After the verse was revealed, the ruling changed to obligatory.
The Threat of a “Dusty Nose”: The Dangers of Stinginess Outside of Salat
If omitting it can invalidate the prayer (according to al-Shafi’i), what is the ruling regarding it outside of prayer?
Imam An-Nawawi in Al-Adhkar quotes a hadith narrated by Tirmidhi that is quite “slapping”:
“May Allah disgrace the man…” (May Allah disgrace the person whose name is mentioned in his presence, but he does not send ṣalawāt upon me.)
The expression “dusty nose” is a metaphor for extreme humiliation. A person who remains silent when the Prophet’s name is mentioned is labeled as the most deprived. Simply out of laziness to move the tongue for a few seconds, such a person wastes the opportunity to receive ten mercies from Allah and instead invites disgrace.
Why is the Prophet Muhammad More Noble than the Prophet Adam?
There is one interesting theological point from Al-Kawkab Al-Wahhaj that often escapes our attention.
We know that Allah honored Prophet Adam AS by commanding the angels to prostrate to him. Iblis refused and was then expelled. However, pay attention to the detail: Allah commanded prostration, but Allah did not participate in the prostration.
Compare this with Muhammad ﷺ: Allah commands the sending of blessings, and Allah Himself begins it first, followed thereafter by the angels.
“Indeed, Allah and His angels…”
Allah’s direct involvement in this ennoblement is absolute proof that the station of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is at the highest peak compared to the other prophets.
Original Text Reference (Arabic Language)
For those of you who are seeking knowledge or need an authentic reference, here is the original text of the kitab kuning (classical Islamic text) upon which this article is based.
1. Text of the Law of Ṣalawāt in Ṣalāt (Kitāb al-Ḥāwī al-Kabīr):
مسألة : قال الشافعي رضي الله عنه : ” ثم يصلي على النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – ” وهذا كما قال الصلاة على النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – واجبة في الصلاة في التشهد الآخر … ودليلنا قوله عز وجل : { إن الله وملائكته يصلون على النبي يا أيها الذين آمنوا صلوا عليه وسلموا تسليما } قال الشافعي : فأوجب علينا أن نصلي على النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – وأولى الأحوال أن يكون في الصلاة … وروى سهل بن سعد الساعدي أن النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – قال : ” لا صلاة لمن لم يصل علي فيها “1.
2. Text of the Hadith of the Doomed Person (Kitab Al-Adhkar):
” رغم أنف رجل ذكرت عنده فلم يصل علي ” قال الترمذي : حديث حسن 2.
3. Text of the Meaning of Salawat (Kitab Al-Kawkab Al-Wahhaj):
قوله : { إن الله } سبحانه وتعالى { وملائكته يصلون على النبي } … فقوله : { يصلون } محمول على عموم المجاز … وهذا التشريف الذي شرف الله به نبينا – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أتم من تشريف آدم عليه السلام 3.
Summary Table of Laws & Meanings
To make it easier to understand, here is a summary of the differences in opinion and meaning:
| Aspect | Brief Explanation | Book Reference |
| The Meaning of Ṣalawāt of Allah | Veneration (Tasyrif), Special Grace, & Support | Al-Kawkab Al-Wahhaj |
| The Law in Ṣalāt (Shafi’i) | Obligatory / Pillar (Rukun). Ṣalāt is invalid without it. | Al-Hawi Al-Kabir |
| The Law in Ṣalāt (Hanafi) | Sunnah. Ṣalāt remains valid without it. | Al-Hawi Al-Kabir |
| The Law of Hearing the Prophet’s Name | Makruh (disliked) if silent; Threatened with disgrace/misfortune. | Al-Adhkar |
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Is my prayer valid if I forget to recite the blessings upon the Prophet in the final tahiyat?
If you follow the Shafi’i school (common in Indonesia), the prayer is not valid and must be repeated because recitation during the final tahiyat is a pillar (Rukun). However, according to the Hanafi school, the prayer remains valid. As a precaution (ihtiyath), it is best to never omit it.
What is the minimum recitation of ṣalawāt (blessings upon the Prophet) for the prayer to be valid?
The shortest reading sufficient for the rukun is “Allahumma sholli ‘ala Muhammad”. However, the most virtuous is the Ibrahimiyyah Salawat.
Is it permissible to abbreviate the writing of ṣalawāt as “SAW”?
It is permissible for quick writing, however the ʿulamāʾ strongly recommend writing Shallallahu ʿalaihi wa sallam in full as a prayer. We must ensure our tongues do not become accustomed to abbreviating it.
Guarding the tongue with ṣalawāt is not merely about pursuing reward, but a matter of the validity of our worship. Let us not be people with “dust on our noses” or have our prayers be in vain simply because we underestimate this noble string of words.
References
- Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥabīb al-Māwardī, al-Ḥāwī al-Kabīr fī Fiqh Madhhab al-Imām al-Shāfiʿī wa Huwa Sharḥ Mukhtaṣar al-Muzanī, edited by ʿAlī Muḥammad Muʿawwaḍ and ʿĀdil Aḥmad ʿAbd al-Mawjūd, 1st ed. (Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah, 1999), vol. 2, pp. 137–138. ↩︎
- Yaḥyā ibn Sharaf al-Nawawī, al-Adhkār, ed. ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Arnaʾūṭ (Beirut: Dār al-Fikr, 1994), 115. ↩︎
- Muḥammad al-Amīn al-Hararī, Al-Kawkab al-Wahhāj wa-al-Rawḍ al-Bahhāj fī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj, ed. Hāshim Muḥammad ʿAlī Mahdī, 1st ed. (Jeddah: Dār al-Minhāj, 2009), 23:99-100. ↩︎
