THE SHARIAHS' PERMISSIBILITY OF SALAWAT AND SALAAM AND RELATED ISSUES
By Ismail Ebrahim
PREFACE
Nahmadahu wa nu’salli a’la Rasoolihil Kareem
The noble action of the recitation of the Salawaat and Salaam, be it in whatever language, and in the manner of standing with utmost reverence, is not confined to the Ahle Sunnah from amongst the Indo-Pak region only, but can be traced to almost every country from Africa to the remote regions of the far North and spreading across from Asia to the heart of America.
None of the authentic Kitaab written by the righteous scholars of the Ahle Sunnah, who are in the majority, have ever condemned this practice of the recitation and the standing and indeed no objection can be found either in the Glorious Qur’aan or the Ahadith. However, there are still a minority group who severely condemn this practice and have labeled this very practice as Shirk, Bid’at and Haraam.
A book of this nature was very much needed and, Alhamdulillah, Brother Ismail Ebrahim, a university student, has researched this topic extensively using a number of authentic Kitaabs, and has answered every objection and misconception, thus proving the permissibility of standing and reciting the Salawaat and Salaam. I have also had the privilege of reading through the manuscript and have found all the sources to be exact.
May Almighty Allah, through the Wasila of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), grant Brother Ismail His special Favors and assist him in upholding the pristine teachings of the Ahle Sunnah Wa Jamaat at a time when false ideologies are misleading the Ummah from the Straight Path. Aameen.
It is also my fervent Du’a that the youth read this book with the light of Imaan and the objectivity that it deserves so that the practice of standing and reciting the Salawaat and Salaam continues to grow and the love of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) becomes a foundation of their beliefs. Aameen.
Maulana Abdun Nabi Hamidi
Chairman: Sunni Ulema Council (Tvl.)
1) INTRODUCTION
This publication is intended to settle any controversy surrounding the issue of reciting Salawat (Durood) and Salaam [Blessings and Salutations] upon the Holy Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) :
(A) In a standing position (Qiyaam),
(B) Using terms of addressing Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) directly e.g.. Ya Nabi Salaam 'Alaika !, and
(c) With the thought in mind that Rasoolullah (sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam) is Haazir and Naazir.
Words such as Shirk and Bid'a have been attributed to this blessed practice by those who are ignorant of the blessings of reciting Salawat and Salaam and of the true meanings of the words Shirk and Bid'a, thereby leaving certain sectors in the community in a state of utter confusion. These students of the 14th Islamic Century, in their haste to pronounce this noble act as a bid'a, have even ignored the opinion of their own spiritual luminaries, who practiced and advocated this noble act.
The permissibility of reciting Salawat and Salaam is one of the many beliefs which distinguishes the Ahle-Sunnah Wal Jama'at from the other sects of Baatil (Deviation).
It is our intention to remove the stigma of Bid'a and Shirk attributed to this noble practice by presenting documented proof from the Qur'aan, Sunnah and the great Islamic scholars of the Hijaaz (Arabia), Misr (Egypt), Shaam (Syria) and Indo-Paksubcontinent.
We have systematically categorized the baseless arguments that have arisen over the years into separate chapters. We, thereafter, answered each argument thereby proving once and for all the permissibility of reciting Salawat and Salaam from Qur'aan, Hadith and by citing examples from books written by the scholars of Deoband.
You are therefore urged to read this book with an open mind and decide for yourself.
Compiler