Imam Al-Nawawi’s Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 243
The Obligation of Supplicating Allah to Exalt His Mention and its Excellence,
and its Manner
Allah, the Exalted, says:
“Allah exalts the mention of His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and His angels supplicate Him to do so. O you who believe! supplicate Allah to exalt his mention and to grant him safety and security.
1397. `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) saying: “Whoever supplicates Allah to exalt my mention, Allah will exalt his mention ten times.”
[Muslim].
1398. Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The people who will be nearest to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who supplicate Allah more often for me.”
[At-Tirmidhi].
1399. Aus bin Aus (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Among the best of your days is Friday; so supplicate Allah more often for me in it , for your supplications will be displayed to me.” He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah! How will our blessings be displayed to you when your decayed body will have mixed with the earth?” He (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) replied, “Allah has prohibited the earth from consuming the bodies of the Prophets.”
[Abu Dawud].
1400. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “May his nose soil with dust in whose presence mention is made of me and he does not supplicate for me.”
[At-Tirmidhi].
1401. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Do not make my grave a place of festivity, and supplicate Allah for me, for your supplication reaches me wherever you are.”
[Abu Dawud].
1402. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whenever someone greets me, Allah returns the soul to my body (in the grave) and I return his greeting.”
[Abu Dawud].
1403. `Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “The miser is the one in whose presence I am mentioned but he does not supplicate for me.”
[At-Tirmidhi].
1404. Fadalah bin `Ubaid (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) heard some one supplicating after his prayer without praising Allah and without supplicating Allah for the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). With regard to him, the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “This man rushed.” Then he called him and said, “When any one of you have performed Salat (prayer) and wants to supplicate, let him praise Allah first then glorify Him in the beginning and then he should supplicate Allah for me. Then he may supplicate for whatever he likes.”
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].
1405. Abu Muhammad Ka`b bin `Ujrah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) came to us and we asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, we already know how to greet you (i.e., say As-salamu `alaikum), but how should we supplicate for you?” He (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Say: `Allahumma salli `ala Muhammadin, wa `ala `ali Muhammadin, kama sallaita `ala `ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidum Majid. Allahumma barik `ala Muhammadin, wa `ala `ali Muhammadin, kama barakta `ala `ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidum Majid [O Allah, exalt the mention of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you exalted the family of Ibrahim. You are Praised and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed the family of Ibrahim. You are Praised and Glorious.”’
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
1406. Abu Mas`ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were sitting in the company of Sa`d bin `Ubadah (May Allah be pleased with him), when the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) came to us. Bashir bin Sa`d said: “O Messenger of Allah! Allah has commanded us to supplicate for you, but how should we do that?” The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) kept silent. We were much perturbed over his silence and we wished he did not asked him this question. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Say: `O Allah, exalt the mention of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you exalted the family of Ibrahim. And bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed the family of Ibrahim. You are the Praised, the Glorified,’ and the method of greeting (i.e., Salam) is as you know.”
[Muslim].
1407. Abu Humaid As-Sa`idi (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “O Messenger of Allah! How should we supplicate for you?” He (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) replied, “Say: `Allahumma salli `ala Muhammadin wa `ala azwajihi wa dhurriyyatihi, kama sallaita `ala Ibrahima; wa barik `ala Muhammadin wa `ala azwajihi wa dhurriyyatihi, kama barakta `ala Ibrahima, innaka Hamidum-Majid (O Allah sent Your Salat (O Allah, exalt the mention of Muhammad and his wives and offspring as You exalted the mention of the family of Ibrahim, and bless Muhammad and the wives and the offspring of Muhammad as you blessed the family of Ibrahim. You are the Praised, the Glorious‘.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
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