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Hadith 9
اُردوEn
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " الْمَلائِكَةُ تُصَلِّي عَلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مَا دَامَ فِي مُصَلاهُ الَّذِي صَلَّى فِيهِ، وَتَقُولُ : اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ، اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْهُ مَا لَمْ يُحْدِثْ "
And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "As long as any one of you remains seated on his prayer place where he performed the prayer, and he does not lose his ablution, the angels continue to supplicate for mercy for him: O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! Have mercy on him."
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Abdullah Shameem
Explanation of the Hadith:
The angels supplicate for mercy for each one of you:
Regarding the angels who supplicate, some people say that specific angels are meant, whose sole duty is to supplicate. Others interpret them as the “noble scribes” (kiraman katibin). Yet others say that every angel could be intended, because the definite article (al-) in “the angels” is for comprehensiveness, which indicates generality. (Umdat al-Qari: 18/4)
And the meaning of “tusalli” is: they supplicate for forgiveness. In fact, “salat” has several meanings, the most important of which are:
➊ Sending down mercy: When “salat” is attributed to Allah, as in the statement of Allah the Exalted:
هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَائِكَتُهُ لِيُخْرِجَكُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۚ
(Al-Ahzab: 43)
“He is the One Who sends mercy upon you, and His angels (supplicate for you), so that He may bring you out from the darknesses (of disbelief and polytheism) into the light (of Islam).”
➋ Supplicating to Allah the Exalted for mercy and forgiveness on behalf of the believers: This meaning applies when it is attributed to the angels, as in the wording of the hadith under discussion: ((The angels supplicate for mercy for each one of you...))
“The angels supplicate for mercy for each one of you.”
➌ Sending blessings (salat and salam) upon the Prophet: When it is attributed to people, as in the statement of Allah the Exalted:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
(Al-Ahzab: 56)
“O you who believe! Send blessings and peace upon this Prophet, send peace upon him.”
((As long as he remains in his prayer place where he prayed))
“As long as he remains in his prayer place where he performed the prayer.”
Regarding this, it is possible that only that specific spot where the prayer was performed is intended; therefore, if a person moves to another place, he does not receive this reward and virtue. This meaning is supported by the wording in Sahih Muslim and Sunan Abu Dawud:
((As long as he remains in his prayer place where he prayed))
“That is, as long as he remains seated in the place where he performed the prayer.”
It is also possible that what is meant is the entire mosque in which he prayed, and this is the stronger opinion, for which the evidence is the wording of the narration:
((As long as he remains in the mosque))
“As long as he remains in the mosque.” (Irshad al-Sari: 31/2)
In any case, what is meant is the mosque. The evidence for this is the narration in Sahih al-Bukhari:
((For when one of you performs ablution and does it well, and comes to the mosque intending nothing but the prayer, Allah raises him one degree for every step he takes and removes a sin from him, until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he is considered to be in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer, and as long as he remains seated in the place where he prayed, the angels supplicate for him, saying: O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, have mercy on him, as long as he does not harm (the angels) by passing wind.))
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Prayer, No. 477)
“When any one of you performs ablution and observes its etiquettes, then comes to the mosque for no purpose other than prayer, Allah raises him one degree for every step he takes and removes a sin from him. Thus, he enters the mosque. After entering the mosque, as long as he waits for the prayer, he is considered to be in prayer, and as long as he remains seated in the place where he prayed, the angels supplicate for him for Allah’s mercy «اللهم اغفر له، اللهم ارحمه» O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, have mercy on him, as long as he does not harm (the angels) by passing wind.”
The angels supplicate: O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, have mercy on him:
These words of supplication are exactly in accordance with the statement of Allah the Exalted:
الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
(Al-Mu’min: 7)
“Those (angels) who bear the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says: The secret behind their seeking forgiveness is that the angels see the children of Adam committing sins and being negligent in obeying their Lord, so they seek forgiveness for them, because removing harm takes precedence over bringing benefit. Therefore, the angels supplicate: ((Allahumma irhamhu)) “O Allah, have mercy on him.”
(Summarized from Fath al-Bari: 2/143)
As long as he does not lose his ablution:
So, just as the angels supplicate for the forgiveness of the servant’s sins, they also supplicate: O Allah, increase Your favors upon him.
The difference between forgiveness (maghfirah) and mercy (rahmah):
The difference between forgiveness and mercy is that forgiveness means to pardon sins and conceal them, whereas mercy means to supplicate for an increase in favors, bounties, and honor.
Issues derived from the hadith:
The following issues are derived from this hadith:
➊ Some scholars say that whoever wishes for his sins to be forgiven should, after performing prayer, remain seated in his prayer place or at least stay in the mosque and wait for the next prayer. Because of this, the angels will supplicate for his forgiveness, and their supplication will be accepted, for they do not seek forgiveness of their own accord, but by Allah’s command. The statement of Allah the Exalted is:
وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى
(Al-Anbiya: 28)
“And they (the angels) do not intercede except for whom He is pleased with.”
➋ This hadith mentions the virtue of sitting in the mosque waiting for prayer.
➌ By losing ablution in the mosque, a person is deprived of the virtue of sitting in the mosque, and the angels’ supplication for forgiveness and mercy also ceases.
➍ A person without ablution may sit in the mosque. It is narrated from Abu al-Darda radi Allahu anhu that:
((He left the mosque, urinated, then returned and conversed with his companions without touching water (i.e., without performing ablution).))
It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu, Ata, Ibrahim al-Nakha’i, and Ibn Jubayr rahimahumullah that a person without ablution may sit in the mosque. (Umdat al-Qari: 18/4)
The angels supplicate for mercy for each one of you:
Regarding the angels who supplicate, some people say that specific angels are meant, whose sole duty is to supplicate. Others interpret them as the “noble scribes” (kiraman katibin). Yet others say that every angel could be intended, because the definite article (al-) in “the angels” is for comprehensiveness, which indicates generality. (Umdat al-Qari: 18/4)
And the meaning of “tusalli” is: they supplicate for forgiveness. In fact, “salat” has several meanings, the most important of which are:
➊ Sending down mercy: When “salat” is attributed to Allah, as in the statement of Allah the Exalted:
هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَائِكَتُهُ لِيُخْرِجَكُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۚ
(Al-Ahzab: 43)
“He is the One Who sends mercy upon you, and His angels (supplicate for you), so that He may bring you out from the darknesses (of disbelief and polytheism) into the light (of Islam).”
➋ Supplicating to Allah the Exalted for mercy and forgiveness on behalf of the believers: This meaning applies when it is attributed to the angels, as in the wording of the hadith under discussion: ((The angels supplicate for mercy for each one of you...))
“The angels supplicate for mercy for each one of you.”
➌ Sending blessings (salat and salam) upon the Prophet: When it is attributed to people, as in the statement of Allah the Exalted:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
(Al-Ahzab: 56)
“O you who believe! Send blessings and peace upon this Prophet, send peace upon him.”
((As long as he remains in his prayer place where he prayed))
“As long as he remains in his prayer place where he performed the prayer.”
Regarding this, it is possible that only that specific spot where the prayer was performed is intended; therefore, if a person moves to another place, he does not receive this reward and virtue. This meaning is supported by the wording in Sahih Muslim and Sunan Abu Dawud:
((As long as he remains in his prayer place where he prayed))
“That is, as long as he remains seated in the place where he performed the prayer.”
It is also possible that what is meant is the entire mosque in which he prayed, and this is the stronger opinion, for which the evidence is the wording of the narration:
((As long as he remains in the mosque))
“As long as he remains in the mosque.” (Irshad al-Sari: 31/2)
In any case, what is meant is the mosque. The evidence for this is the narration in Sahih al-Bukhari:
((For when one of you performs ablution and does it well, and comes to the mosque intending nothing but the prayer, Allah raises him one degree for every step he takes and removes a sin from him, until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he is considered to be in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer, and as long as he remains seated in the place where he prayed, the angels supplicate for him, saying: O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, have mercy on him, as long as he does not harm (the angels) by passing wind.))
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Prayer, No. 477)
“When any one of you performs ablution and observes its etiquettes, then comes to the mosque for no purpose other than prayer, Allah raises him one degree for every step he takes and removes a sin from him. Thus, he enters the mosque. After entering the mosque, as long as he waits for the prayer, he is considered to be in prayer, and as long as he remains seated in the place where he prayed, the angels supplicate for him for Allah’s mercy «اللهم اغفر له، اللهم ارحمه» O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, have mercy on him, as long as he does not harm (the angels) by passing wind.”
The angels supplicate: O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, have mercy on him:
These words of supplication are exactly in accordance with the statement of Allah the Exalted:
الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
(Al-Mu’min: 7)
“Those (angels) who bear the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe.”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says: The secret behind their seeking forgiveness is that the angels see the children of Adam committing sins and being negligent in obeying their Lord, so they seek forgiveness for them, because removing harm takes precedence over bringing benefit. Therefore, the angels supplicate: ((Allahumma irhamhu)) “O Allah, have mercy on him.”
(Summarized from Fath al-Bari: 2/143)
As long as he does not lose his ablution:
So, just as the angels supplicate for the forgiveness of the servant’s sins, they also supplicate: O Allah, increase Your favors upon him.
The difference between forgiveness (maghfirah) and mercy (rahmah):
The difference between forgiveness and mercy is that forgiveness means to pardon sins and conceal them, whereas mercy means to supplicate for an increase in favors, bounties, and honor.
Issues derived from the hadith:
The following issues are derived from this hadith:
➊ Some scholars say that whoever wishes for his sins to be forgiven should, after performing prayer, remain seated in his prayer place or at least stay in the mosque and wait for the next prayer. Because of this, the angels will supplicate for his forgiveness, and their supplication will be accepted, for they do not seek forgiveness of their own accord, but by Allah’s command. The statement of Allah the Exalted is:
وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى
(Al-Anbiya: 28)
“And they (the angels) do not intercede except for whom He is pleased with.”
➋ This hadith mentions the virtue of sitting in the mosque waiting for prayer.
➌ By losing ablution in the mosque, a person is deprived of the virtue of sitting in the mosque, and the angels’ supplication for forgiveness and mercy also ceases.
➍ A person without ablution may sit in the mosque. It is narrated from Abu al-Darda radi Allahu anhu that:
((He left the mosque, urinated, then returned and conversed with his companions without touching water (i.e., without performing ablution).))
It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu, Ata, Ibrahim al-Nakha’i, and Ibn Jubayr rahimahumullah that a person without ablution may sit in the mosque. (Umdat al-Qari: 18/4)
Source: Sahifa Hammam bin Munabbih: Commentary by Hafiz Abdullah Shameem, Page: 9
