Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Burhaan Bhai Assalamo alaikum

I just need to ask you That how Many duroods and Salaams Are listed in Ahaadith. As one of my friend told me that reciting the following is a bidaah

"Allahumma Salle Ala Muhammadin wa ala ale muhammadin wa ala aalehe wa ashabehi ajmaeen.

He says that Addition of ashabehi is a bidaah and it is not mentioned any where in quraan or hadith. but i asked one khateeb and he said that there are more than 10 ahadeeth of the above mentioned salaam but did not give me any detail Can u just quote me what is said in quraan about durood and salaam and also quote some ahaadith.

Jazak allah khair

Wassalaam

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Answer:

Is durood on Prophet with companions a bidaah?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 56: Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.589 Narrated by Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila

We asked Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, 'O Allah's Messenger (saws)! How should one (ask Allah to) send blessings on you, for Allah has commanded us to salute you?' The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, 'Say: O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the ‘Aal’ of Muhammad (wives, family, followers, etc), as You sent Your Mercy on Ibraheem and on the ‘Aal’ of Ibraheem (wives, family, followers, etc) , for You are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious. O Allah! Send Your Blessings on Muhammad and the ‘Aal” of Muhammad, as You sent your Blessings on Ibraheem and on the family of Ibraheem, for You are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious.' "

The ‘durood’ or salutation commanded by Allah Subhanah, and the one taught to the believers by the Messenger of Allah (saws) is the one quoted in the authentic narration above. This is the ‘durood’ the Messenger of Allah (saws) prayed in his prayers, and this is the ‘durood’ the Messenger of Allah (saws) taught the believers to pray.

Your Question: As one of my friend told me that reciting the following is a bidaah

"Allahumma Salle Ala Muhammadin wa ala ale muhammadin wa ala aalehe wa ashabehi ajmaeen. He says that Addition of ashabehi is a bidaah and it is not mentioned any where in quraan or hadith.

Although the above quoted statement is often repeated in most mosques and the sermons, your friend who told you that this phrase ‘wa ashabehi ajmaeen’ is an addition and not mentioned anywhere in the Quran and Sunnah is indeed accurate in the ‘letter of the law’. The correct salutation is the one that was taught to the believers by the Messenger of Allah (saws), and the believers should adhere to that salutation (as quoted in the above authentic hadith narrated by Hadrat Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Laila).

Although the Arabic term ‘Aal’ is normally used to connote the ‘family’, the Quran uses this term ‘Aal’ in a much more vast and encompassing meaning to include all the people/followers of the person the term ‘Aal’ is associated with.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 40 Surah Ghaafir verses 45-46:

45 Then Allah saved him (the believer) from (every) ill that they plotted (against him), but the brunt of the Penalty encompassed on all sides the ‘Aal’ (people) of Pharaoh.

46 In front of the Fire will they be brought morning and evening: and (the Sentence will be) on the Day that Judgment will be established: "Cast ye the ‘Aal’ (people) of Pharaoh into the severest Penalty!"

In the context of the above Aayahs of Surah Ghaafir, it is obvious that Allah Subhanah uses the term ‘Aal’ to connote the people and followers of the Pharoah, rather than to restrict the term to only the ‘family’ of Pharoah!

Similarly, when reciting the ‘durood’ taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws), the term ‘Aale Mohamed’ would include his wives, his children, his descendants, his family, his sahabees (companions), and all the righteous followers of Prophet Mohamed (saws). Thus, even when argued logically, it would be better and more appropriate to recite the ‘durood’ as taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws), rather than single out the ‘sahabees’ amongst his (saws) ‘Aal’ and list them separately; as they are automatically included in the term ‘Aale-Mohamed’.

Your Question: but i asked one khateeb and he said that there are more than 10 ahadeeth of the above mentioned salaam but did not give me any detail

To the best of our humble knowledge, there is absolutely no mention in any of the authentic hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) taught the believers to list the phrase ‘wa ashabehi ajmaeen’ in the recitation of the durood.

In our humble opinion and in the quest to seek the knowledge of the truth, it would be best to contact the said ‘khateeb’ and ask him to give the reference details of the claimed ten, or even one authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he (saws) taught the believers to include his companions separately in the ‘durood’.

There is indeed one mention in the Book of Fiqh-us-Sunnah, in a hadith related by Abu Dawood and An-Nisaai whereby the Prophet (saws) did advise the believers to include his wives, his descendants and the members of his family when reciting the durood. But we could not find any authentic narration whereby the noble companions were included by name. If the brother Khateeb could give us the evidence where exactly the ‘sahabees’ are mentioned separately in any of the authentic traditions, we would be much obliged in our search for the knowledge of Truth.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.136a

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Whoever desires to be given (his reward) in full measure, should send salutations to us - the members of my family - and should say, 'O Allah, shower blessings upon Muhammad, the Prophet, his wives, the mothers of the believers, his descendants, and the members of his family, as you showered blessings upon the family of Ibrahim. You are the Praiseworthy and Glorious."

(Related by Abu Daw'ud and Nasa'i)

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan