The Creed: Invoking blessing
1. البركة من الله تعالى، يختص بعض خلقه بما يشاء منها، فلا تثبت في شيء إلا بدليل. وهي تعني كثرة الخير وزيادته، أو ثبوته ولزومه . وهي في الزمان: كليلة القدر . وفى المكان: كالمساجد الثلاثة . وفى الأشياء: كماء زمزم . وفى الأعمال: فكل عمل صالح مبارك . وفى الأشخاص: كذوات الأنبياء، ولا يجوز التبرك بالأشخاص ـ لا بذواتهم ولا آثارهم ـ إلا بذات النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وما انفصل من بدنه من ريق وعرق وشعر، إذ لم يرد الدليل إلا بها، وقد انقطع ذلك بموته صلى الله عليه وسلم وذهاب ما ذكر
2. التبرك من الأمور التوقيفية، فلا يجوز التبرك إلا بما ورد به الدليل .
1. Blessings come from Allah the Exalted. But Allah has made particular some of His creations with blessings that He wished. Hence, a creation should not be acknowledged as a blessed one without any indications that confirm the label. Blessing means much and increased goodness, or eternal goodness. Some blessed times are the night of al Qadr. As for blessed places are the three mosques (the Masjid al Haram, masjid Nabawi, and masjid Al Aqsha). Blessed things such as the water of zam zam. Bliessed deeds such as every righteous deed, and the blessed among men such as the prophets. We ought not to seek blessings from men and their legacy, but from the Prophet-peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- and something which fell down from his body, such as his saliva, his sweat, and his hair, because there were indications that allow such practice. But it had stopped since the death of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- and his body has been buried inside of the earth.
2. Invoking blessing is among matters that ought to be supported with indications. Thus, it is not allowed to invoke blessing from anything but those that have been confirmed by indications. (See: “Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunah” by Dr. Nashir Al ‘Aql).
Explanation:
No. 1: Indication that all blessings come form Allah the Exalted only, is a verse of Allah The Exalted: “Say: “O Allah, Lord of all dominion! You bestow dominion on whomever You please, and take away dominion from whomever You please, and You exalt whom You please, and abase whom You please. In Your Hand is all good. Surely You are All-Powerful.” (QS. Ali Imran/The Family of Imran: 26).
Also a hadith from Ibn Mas’ud, he said, ” We were with the Messenger of Allah -peace and payer of Allah be upon him- in a journey, and our water was running out, then he said, ‘Find some water left.’ The companions brought to him a bucket with a little water in it, and he dwelled his hand in that bucket, and said, “Come do the blessed ablution, and blessings come from Allah.” Ibn Mas’ud said, “Indeed, I saw water gushed out from between the fingers of Allah’s messenger -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
If blessing touched a little things, it would be plenty, and if it came to an already plenty ones, they would be beneficial. Among the most excellent result of a blessing is that the affair it came upon is used in Allah’s cause.
There are some blessed things indicated by the verses, among those are:
Blessed times, such as :
– Month of Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said:
أَتَاكُمْ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ
“Ramadan has came to you, a blessed month.” (Narrated by Ahmad, Nasa’i, and Baihaqi in “Ash Shuab”, and “Shahihul Jami'” no. 55)
– The night of al Qadr (see chapter al Qadr)
– The first 10 days of month Dzulhijja. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said:
مَا مِنْ أَيَّامٍ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ فِيْهَا أَحَبُّ إِلىَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَيَّامِ – يَعْنِي أَيَّامَ الْعَشْرِ – قَالُوْا يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ وَلاَ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيْلِ اللهِ ؟ قَالَ “وَلاَ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيْلِ اللهِ إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ خَرَجَ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْجِعْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ بِشَيْءٍ
“There are no days in which the righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days’ meaning the (first) ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah). They asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Not even Jihâd in Allah’s cause?’ He said: Not even Jihâd in Allah’s cause.’ He said: ‘Except for a man who goes out, himself and his wealth, and does not return with any of that.” (Narrated by Al Bukhari, Abu Daud, and at Tirmidhi)
– Friday (based on hadith that explain about the virtue of friday and advised deeds on it, among those is to recite salawat to the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-).
– The last third part of the night. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said:
« يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ يَقُولُ : مَنْ يَدْعُونِى فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ ؟ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِى فَأُعْطِيَهُ ؟ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِى فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ ؟ » .
“Our Lord the Blesser and the Exalted comes down every night to the world’s sky during the last third part of the night. He said, “Whoever pray to Me, I’d grant his prayer. Whoever ask Me, I’d give (his asking) and whoever seek forgiven from Me, I’d forgive him.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
2. Blessed places, such as:
– Mosques, particularly the three mosques (masjid al Haram, masjid Nabawi, and masjid al Aqsha). The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, :
صَلاَةٌ فِي مَسْجِدِيْ هَذَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ فِيْمَا سِوَاهُ مِنَ الْمَسَاجِدِ إِلاَّ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَ صَلاَةٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَةٍ فِي مَسْجِدِيْ هَذَا بِمِائَةِ صَلاَةٍ .
“”Praying in this mosque of mine is 1000 times more excellent than in other mosques, but the masjid al Haram, and praying in masjid al Haram is 100 times more excellent than in this mosque of mine.” (Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Hibban, “Shahihul Jami'” no. 3841)
– The city of Mecca, Medina, and Sham. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- once prayed,
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ كَانَ عَبْدُكَ وَ خَلِيْلُكَ دَعَاكَ لِأَهْلِ مَكَّةَ بِالْبَرَكَةِ وَ أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ عَبْدُكَ وَ رَسُوْلُكَ أَدْعُوْكَ لِأَهْلِ الْمَدِيْنَةِ أَنْ تُبَارِكَ لَهُمْ فِي مُدِّهِمْ وَ صَاعِهِمْ مِثْلَيْ مَا بَارَكْتَ لِأَهْلِ مَكَّةَ مَعَ الْبَرَكَةِ بَرَكَتَيْنِ
”O Allah, indeed Ibrahim, Your slave, and Your lover, ever prayed to You to give blessings to the inhabitant of Mecca. I, Muhammad, Your slave and Your messenger pray for the residents of Medina so that You bless their mud and sha’ twice that You’ve given to the residents of Mecca; together with a blessing there are two blessings.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi, “Shahihul Jami'”, no. 1272)
He also said, :
عَلَيْكُمْ بِالشَّامِ فَإِنَّهَا صَفْوَةُ بِلاَدِ اللهِ يَسْكُنُهَا خِيَرَتُهُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ فَمَنْ أَبَى فَلْيَلْحَقْ بِيَمَنِهِ وَ لْيَسْقِ مِنْ غَدَرِهِ فَإِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ تَكَفَّلَ لِيْ بِالشَّامِ وَ أَهْلِهِ .
”Hold on to Sham, because it is the country that Allah has chosen, which was inhabited by His chosen creations. Whoever hesitate, come to Yemen and give drinks from it’s ponds, because Allah the Almighty has guaranteed the Sham and it’s inhabitant.” (Narrated by Ath Thabrani, “Shahihul Jami'” no. 4070)
3. Blessed things, such as,
– The water of zam zam. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said, :
إِنَّهَا مُبَارَكَةٌ إِنَّهَا طَعَامُ طُعْمٍ – يَعْنِي زَمْزَمَ –
””Indeed, it is blessed, it is food that satisfy (one who drinks it),” he meant the water of Zam zam.” (Narrated by Ahmad and Muslim)
– The olive oil (see chapter An Nur/The Light:35)
– The black seed. The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said:
فِي الْحَبَّةِ السَّوْدَاءِ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ إِلاَّ السَّامُ
”The black seed contains antidote from all diseases but death.” (Narrated by Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim. and Ibn Maja)
– Antimony (using ithmid). The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said:
عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْإِثْمِدِ عِنْدَ النَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ يَجْلُو الْبَصَرَ وَ يُنْبِتُ الشَّعْرَ
”You should use antimony, for it improves the eyesight and makes the hair (eyelashes) grow.”’ (Narrated by Ibn Maja and Hakim)
4. Blessed deeds, that is every piety or righteous deed. (See chapter Al A’raf/The Height: 96 and Ath Thalaq/The Divorce:2-5)
5. Blessings in oneself, that was in the body of the Prophet-peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- , including his saliva, his sweat, and his fallen hair when he was alive. Urwah narrated from Miswar and Marwan, that if the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- spat, that spit would be taken on the hand of one of his companions, who would rub it to his own face and skin.” (Narrated by Bukhari). It was special gift to the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- only, not to other pious men of his followers.
Some mistakes in invoking blessing
There are two kind of Mistakes occurred in invoking blessings:
Invoking blessings from something which no indications confirmed that it contains any blessings.
For example: Invoking blessings from the graves of the pious men, with the body of pious men and his legacy (such as his saliva, his sweat, the rest of his drinks, his cap, his clothes, and the likes.), invoking blessings with the day of Isra’ and mi’raj, the emigration day, the day of Badr battle, the day of the conquest of Mecca, etc. Or from the land of Karbala, kris, belt, amulet, etc. Or with tumpeng rice, tree, or other sacred things, stones, etc. Umar Ibn Khattab once said, when he kissed the black stone, “Indeed, I know that you are just a stone; you couldn’t benefit nor endanger. If it was not because I saw the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- kissed you, I will not kiss you.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
2. Invoking blessings, in a way that inconsistent with the sunnah. For example, kissing or rubbing the floor and earth of a mosque; the correct way to get blessing of the mosque is to perform various worshipping activities in it, such as in the three mosques that already been mentioned before, and not merely by visiting it. Another example is by performing deeds which weren’t exemplified by the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- , on blessed times or places. Such as reciting chapter Yaasin on the night or daylight of Friday, or reciting the Barzanji and ratib at certain times, etc.
And Allah knows best.
Author: Marwan Ibn Musa.
Article of www.WhatisQuran.com
References: Mujmal Ushul Ahlissunnah (by Dr. Nashir Al ’Aql), Shahihul Jaami’ (by Sheikh Al Albani), Sharh ’Aqidah Ahlussunnah wal Jama’ah (By Ustadz Yazid Ibn Abdul Qadir J.) Magazine of Al Furqan in article about invoking blessings (written by Ustadz . Abu Ahmad As Salafy), etc.