Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:56

"Indeed, Allah and His angels..."

It is read: wa-malāʾikatuhu (and His angels) in the nominative case (rafʿ), as a conjunction to the position of inna and its noun. This is evident according to the school of the Kufans. As for the Basrans, they explain it by the omission of the predicate, indicated by the phrase yuṣallūna ʿalayhi (they send blessings upon him).

The command {Send blessings upon him and peace} means: "Say: 'May blessings and peace be upon the Messenger.'" Its meaning is a supplication that Allah may have mercy upon him and grant him peace.

If you ask: Is sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) obligatory or recommended? I say: It is indeed obligatory, though scholars have differed regarding the timing of its obligation. Some have made it obligatory whenever his name is mentioned, based on the Hadith: "Whoever hears my name mentioned and does not send blessings upon me, and then enters the Fire, may Allah distance him."

It is also narrated that it was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the saying of Allah, 'Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet'?" He replied: "This is from the hidden knowledge. Had you not asked me about it, I would not have told you. Allah has appointed two angels over me; whenever I am mentioned in the presence of a Muslim and he sends blessings upon me, those two angels say: 'May Allah forgive you,' and Allah and His angels respond to those two angels: 'Amen.' And whenever I am mentioned in the presence of a Muslim and he does not send blessings upon me, those two angels say: 'May Allah not forgive you,' and Allah and His angels say to those two angels: 'Amen.'"

Others have said: It is obligatory once in every gathering, even if his name is mentioned repeatedly, similar to the ruling on the verse of prostration (sajdah) and responding to a sneeze. Likewise, it is recommended at the beginning and end of every supplication. Others have said it is obligatory once in a lifetime, similar to the declaration of the two testimonies of faith (shahādatayn). The path of caution is to send blessings upon him at every mention, due to the reports that have come down.

If you ask: Is sending blessings upon him during the ritual prayer (ṣalāh) a condition for its validity or not? I say: Abu Hanifa and his companions do not consider it a condition. From Ibrahim al-Nakhaʿi, it is reported that the Companions sufficed with the tashahhud—that is, "Peace be upon you, O Prophet." As for al-Shafiʿi (may Allah have mercy on him), he made it a condition.

If you ask: What do you say regarding sending blessings upon others? I say: Analogy permits sending blessings upon every believer, due to the words of Allah: "It is He who sends blessings upon you" (33:43), and "Pray for them; indeed, your prayers are a comfort for them" (9:103), and the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "O Allah, send blessings upon the family of Abu Awfa."

However, scholars have a distinction: If it is done as a secondary act—such as saying, "May Allah send blessings upon the Prophet and his family"—there is no issue. But if one singles out someone other than the Prophet from the People of the House (Ahl al-Bayt) with blessings, just as he is singled out, it is disliked (makrūh). This is because that has become a hallmark of the mention of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and because it leads to accusations of Rafḍ (Shi'ism). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not stand in places of suspicion."

"Indeed, those who abuse Allah and His Messenger—Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment. And those who abuse believing men and believing women for [something] other than what they have earned have certainly borne upon themselves a slander and manifest sin."