بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Blessings to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The Rasul that Allah loves the most and endured the heaviest test. The Rasul that brought blessing for the whole world and its contents.

Alhamdulillahi rabbil alamin, all praises to Allah, lord of the worlds that chose us to be one of Prophet Muhammad’s ummah (people).

In the hadith below, Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ) shared that when offering a salawat to him, Allah will then return the benefit tenfold towards the person.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَىَّ صَلاَةً وَاحِدَةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْرَ صَلَوَاتٍ وَحُطَّتْ عَنْهُ عَشْرُ خَطِيئَاتٍ وَرُفِعَتْ لَهُ عَشْرُ دَرَجَاتٍ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever sends salah upon me once, Allah (SWT) will send salah upon him tenfold, and will erase ten sins from him, and will raise him ten degrees in status.”

Source: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1297

Narrated by: Anas bin Malik

The command to send blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ) in the Quran

To make the claim even stronger, Allah and His angels as well send blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ) as in this verse below taken from the Quran:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا٥٦

Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace.

Quran: Surah al-Ahzab, verse 56.

This truly shows that the Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ) is beloved by Allah and the angels. Thus we as Muslims should honour him too as commanded by God.

Hadiths regarding offering blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ )

There are lots of narrations about saying blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ). As you read further on, you’ll find some variations of the salawat in these hadiths below:

قَالَ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا التَّسْلِيمُ فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ قَالَ ‏”‏ قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَرَسُولِكَ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ ‏”‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو صَالِحٍ عَنِ اللَّيْثِ ‏”‏ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ‏”‏‏.‏

We said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! (We know) this greeting (to you) but how shall we invoke Allah for you?” He said, “Say! Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin `Abdika wa rasulika kama-sallaita ‘ala all Ibrahim wa barik ala Muhammadin wa’ala ali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala all Ibrahim

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 4798

Narrated by: Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri

قَالَ لَقِيَنِي كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُهْدِي لَكَ هَدِيَّةً سَمِعْتُهَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّ، صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ بَلَى، فَأَهْدِهَا لِي‏.‏ فَقَالَ سَأَلْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ الصَّلاَةُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ عَلَّمَنَا كَيْفَ نُسَلِّمُ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏ “‏ قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ‏”‏‏.‏

Ka’ab bin Ujrah met me and said, “Shall I not give you a present I got from the Prophet?”Abdur-Rahman said, “Yes, give it to me.” I said, “We asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! How should one (ask Allah to) send blessings on you, the members of the family, for Allah has taught us how to salute you (in the prayer)?’

He said, ‘Say: O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Mercy on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious. O Allah! Send Your Blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent your Blessings on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.’ “

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3370

Narrated by: Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila

أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ نُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ قَالَ ‏ “‏ قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ‏”‏ ‏

They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: Apostle of Allah, how should we bless you? He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Say:” O Allah! bless Muhammad, his wives and his offspring as Thou didst bless Ibrahim, and grant favours to Muhammad, and his wives and his offspring as Thou didst grant favours to the family of Ibrahim; Thou art Praiseworthy and Glorious.”

Source: Sahih Muslim 407

Narrated by: Abu Humaid as-Sa’idi

أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَتَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي مَجْلِسِ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَشِيرُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ أَمَرَنَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ نُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى تَمَنَّيْنَا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْأَلْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ “‏ قُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ وَالسَّلاَمُ كَمَا عَلِمْتُمْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us in the Majlis of Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah and Bashir bin Sa’d said to him: ‘Allah has commanded us to send Salah upon you, O Messenger of Allah; so how should we send salah upon you?’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained silent until we wished that he had not asked him.

Then he said: ‘Say: ‘Alahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala ali Muhammad, kama sallaita ‘ala Ibrahima wa barik ‘ala Muhammad kama barakta ‘ala ali Ibrahim fil-‘alamin, innaka hamidun majid (O Allah, send salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent salah upon the family of Ibrahim, and send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent blessings upon the family of Ibrahim among the nations. You are indeed Worthy of praise, Full of glory.)” And the salam is as you know.'”

Source: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1285

Narrated by: Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari

قَالَ سَأَلْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ خَارِجَةَ قَالَ أَنَا سَأَلْتُ، رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏ “‏ صَلُّوا عَلَىَّ وَاجْتَهِدُوا فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَقُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

“I asked Zaid bin Kharijah who said: ‘I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he said: Send salah upon me and strive hard in supplication, and say: Alahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala ali Muhammad (O Allah, send salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad).'”

Source: Sunan an-Nasa’i 1292, graded as Hadith hasan.

Narrated by: Musa bin Talha

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَكَمُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي لَيْلَى، قَالَ لَقِيَنِي كَعْبُ بْنُ عُجْرَةَ فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُهْدِي لَكَ هَدِيَّةً، إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا كَيْفَ نُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْكَ، فَكَيْفَ نُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ قَالَ ‏ “‏ فَقُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ ‏”‏‏.‏

Kaab bin ‘Ujra met me and said, “Shall I give you a present? Once the Prophet (ﷺ) came to us and we said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) ! We know how to greet you; but how to send ‘Salat’ upon you? He said, ‘Say: Allahumma Salli ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala `Ali Muhammadin, kama sal-laita ‘ala all Ibrahima innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kama barakta ‘ala ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6357

Narrated by: Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila

There are lots more hadiths about the words of blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ) but I took only a few for examples. As most of the hadiths above are authentic, you can chose to pick one or memorize and practice them all.

The salawat that I choose to practice when sending blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ )

I chose these two salawats as it is easy for me to memorize and practice. The first one is similar to the salawat that is recited during the tahiyatul akhir.

For the second salawat because it is short and easy to recite when I’m working around.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Allahumma Salli ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala `Ali Muhammadin, kama sal-laita ‘Ibrahim wa’ala ali Ibrahima innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ‘ala ali Ibrahim wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim, innaka hamidun majid.

O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your Mercy on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious. O Allah! Send Your Blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent your Blessings on Abraham and on the family of Abraham, for You are the Most Praise-worthy, the Most Glorious.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

Alahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala ali Muhammad

O Allah, send salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad.

Video recitation of the salawat blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ )

Conclusion about sending blessings to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ )

Saying the salawat is one of the ways to show our love and respect to Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ). InsyaAllah, each of our salawat shall be rewarded tenfold by Allah. Furthermore Allah promises to wipe off ten of our sins and raise ten degrees of our status.

So lets practice salawat to the Rasulullah in our daily lives and do it as much as we can. Add it in our daily Dzikirs and may Allah let us offer the salawat until the end of our time.

As always, do share this piece of article out to all of your family and friends. Remember to practice giving salawat as a daily activity. May it be one of the long lasting good deeds that rewards us well. Here in this world and in the hereafter, InsyaAllah.