Blessings from the blessed relics of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, were only attained by those who lived close to his time, namely the noble Companions, the great Followers (Tabi‘in), and the Followers of the Followers (Taba‘ Tabi‘in). After fourteen hundred years have passed, it is not possible to obtain blessings from these relics because all these relics have been lost. Some people have attributed self-made relics to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. They do not even have a chain of narration to prove the relics they claim; rather, they resort to mere falsehood.
Just as attributing any saying, action, or tacit approval to the Prophet, peace be upon him, requires great caution because falsely attributing something to him brings this truthful hadith:
من كذب علي؛ فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
Whoever lies about me, let him take his seat in Hell.
Similarly, attributing any relic, such as sandals, hair, cloak, or turban, to the Prophet, peace be upon him, also requires extreme caution. Whoever does so is undoubtedly subject to the Prophet’s warning. Therefore, one should fear Allah’s punishment. Before introducing self-made relics as Prophetic relics among people, one should think a thousand times whether they are not attributing falsehood to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
If someone claims, after fourteen hundred years, that certain relics belong to the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, they should present an authentic chain of narration for their claim. If someone says, “These are the blessed sandals of the Noble Prophet,” or “These blessed hairs belong to the Prophet, peace be upon him,” should we start venerating and honoring these sandals and hairs on such a mere statement? Should we begin seeking blessings from them? No, rather, an authentic chain of narration should be demanded for their attribution, and if no authentic chain is presented, the claim should be rejected because it is a lie against the noble person of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Therefore, the sensitivity of this matter must be understood.
Indeed, if something attributed to the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, is proven through reliable sources, then denying blessings from it is outright misguidance and extreme misfortune. But the tragedy is that some people consider the matter of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, extremely trivial and resort to chest-beating (showing false piety). If anyone asks them for evidence and proof, they immediately issue a fatwa of disrespect against that person.
The Prophetic relics have been lost:
It is an undeniable fact that the relics of the Prophet have been lost; their existence no longer remains in the world.
① The pulpit of the Prophet ﷺ
was burned.
② The funeral of Yahya bin Ma’in was carried on the bed of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
What happened to that blessed bed later? No one knows.
③ Similarly, Abdullah bin Anis رضي الله عنه had the blessed stick of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, which he used to tie with his sword all the time. His will was that this stick be placed with his shroud, and accordingly, it was buried with him.
narrated this hadith, while Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani
declared its chain authentic.
④ Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d رضي الله عنه narrates that a companion رضي الله عنه asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ for His blessed cloak, and that very cloak became his shroud.
⑤ The blessed ring of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, on which was inscribed “Muhammad Rasul Allah,” came into the possession of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه after the Prophet ﷺ. After him, it adorned the finger of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه, and then Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه. Eventually, this ring fell into a well from Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه’s hand, and despite many efforts, it could not be found.
The Matter of the Tree of Bay’at al-Ridwan:
➊ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما says:
رجعنا من العام المقبل، فما اجتمع منا اثنان على الشجرة التى بايعنا تحتها، كانت رحمة من الله
When we came to the place of Hudaybiyyah in the second year of the Hudaybiyyah treaty, two of us could not even agree on the identification of the tree under which we had pledged allegiance to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. This is the mercy of Allah Almighty.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani
says:
أن لا يحصل بها افتتان لما وقع تحتها من الخير، فلو بقيت لما أمن تعظيم بعض الجهال لها، حتى ربما أفضى بهم إلى اعتقاد أن لها قوة نفع أو ضر، كما نراه الآن مشاهدا فيما هو دونها، وإلى ذلك أشار ابن عمر بقوله: كانت رحمة من الله، أى كان خفاؤها عليهم بعد ذلك رحمة من الله تعالى
The wisdom behind the disappearance of the tree was so that people would not fall into discord over the matter that took place under that tree, which was a cause of good. If it had remained, there was a fear that some ignorant people would venerate it. People would develop the belief that the tree was the owner of benefit and harm. We have observed that such beliefs are held even about lesser things. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما alluded to this in his statement that the disappearance of this tree after that year is the mercy of Allah Almighty.
➋ Saeed bin Musayyib رحمه الله says:
كان أبى ممن بايع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عند الشجرة، قال: فانطلقنا فى قابل حاجين، فخفي علينا مكانها، فإن كانت تبينت لكم، فأنتم أعلم
My honorable father was among those who pledged allegiance to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم under the tree. He said that when we went for Hajj the next year, we did not find the place of the tree. If it appears before you, then you are more knowledgeable.
❀ Hafiz Nawawi
says:
قال العلماء: سبب خفائها ألا يفتتن الناس بها لما جرى تحتها من الخير ونزول الرضوان والسكينة وغير ذلك، فلو بقيت ظاهرة معلومة لخيف تعظيم الأعراب والجهال إياها وعبادتهم لها، فكان خفاؤها رحمة من الله تعالى
The scholars have explained the reason for its disappearance as that the goodness, pleasure, and tranquility that were attained under that tree should not cause people to fall into discord. If it remained visible and known, then villagers and ignorant people would begin to venerate and worship it. Therefore, its concealment is the mercy of Allah Almighty.
When a visible piece of land was hidden from the Companions, then how is it possible in our time to claim with certainty and conviction the attribution of blessings to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم? These have not reached us through trustworthy and reliable narrators generation after generation, nor is the claim about them proven. Mere unsupported statements cannot be trusted.
Allama Lakhnawi’s Opinion on the Existing Artifacts:
❀ Allama Abdul Hayy Lakhnawi Hanafi Athar, may Allah have mercy on him, says about the Prophets:
Thus, from all these ahadith and narrations, it is well established in the eyes of the believers that deriving blessings from all the Prophetic relics and honoring them is one of the excellent blessings of Allah. The proof of such blessings and reverence is found in the actions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them. However, Muslims should consider that just as these ahadith prove the blessings and reverence of the Prophetic relics, they also indicate the proper way to honor and derive blessings from them. Therefore, just as a person who denies the blessings of the Prophetic relics is considered irreligious and sinful, similarly, a person who invents a special method of reverence contrary to the rejected way of hadith will be regarded as an innovator and opponent of the Sunnah. Both are equally opposed to the Sunnah. This applies provided that the invented method does not include any explicit prohibited matters or definite prohibitions of Shariah. If the invented method includes any matters prohibited by Shariah, then two harms occur: first, the innovation of a special method, and second, the commission of Shariah prohibitions. The ruling on both is that the doer is a sinful disbeliever and a disbeliever who is sinful.
Secondly, it should also be considered that the blessings and reverence proven for the relics of the Master of the Prophets, peace be upon him, are specific to his relics alone. Treating the relics of others in the same manner as the relics of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is forbidden. Therefore, if anyone claims that a particular cloak, garment, or hair is the relic of the Prophet, peace be upon him, first it must be confirmed that these relics truly belong to him or to another person who has been falsely attributed to the Prophet out of desire. This is so that such certainty does not lead to treating the relics of others as if they were the relics of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Such certainty is obtained through methods that the muhaddithin (hadith scholars) have adopted in narrating hadith, because the affirmation of Prophetic relics is also a hadith narrated from the Messenger, peace be upon him. The method followed in hadith narration applies here as well. It is clear that when the proof of these relics depends on such a method of narration, their authenticity or lack thereof depends on the authenticity or weakness of the chain of narration. If even a weak chain is not available, then only the statements of ignorant people cannot establish it.
In summary, undoubtedly, honoring the Prophetic relics is among the signs of faith, proven by authentic ahadith. But that honor and seeking blessings depend only on the methods proven by ahadith. This reverence is contingent upon the correct attribution of these relics and blessings to the noble person of the Master of the Universe, peace be upon him. The correctness of attribution depends on the authenticity of the narration. Therefore, the relics proven by authentic narration must be honored in accordance with the method of the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and there is no doubt in deriving blessings from them. Those not proven by authentic narration should not be treated without investigation as the proven relics of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Doing so is like calling baseless statements hadith and acting upon them, for which severe warnings have been revealed.
Another Opinion:
❀ Mufti Muhammad Sharif-ul-Haq Amjadi Barelvi (Mubarakpur, Azamgarh, UP) writes:
Merely being kept in the Royal Mosque is not proof that a particular item was used by the Holy Prophet ﷺ; evidence is required for that, so the burden of proof is on you.
Current Relics and Other Scholars:
❀ Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
says:
هذا إذا كان النعل صحيحا، فكيف بما لا يعلم صحته، أو بما يعلم أنه مكذوب، كحجارة كثيرة يأخذها الكذابون وينحتون فيها موضع قدم، ويزعمون عند الجهال أن هذا الموضع قدم النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
This matter of veneration can only arise when the attribution of these shoes to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is established. But if their authenticity is unknown, or it is clearly known that they are false, some deceitful people take a stone and imprint the footprint of the Prophet, peace be upon him, on it, and then claim before the ignorant that these are the footprints of the Prophet, peace be upon him. In such a case, how can their veneration be correct?
❀ Hafiz al-Dhahabi
says:
مثل هذا يقوله هذا الإمام بعد النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بخمسين سنة، فما الذى نقوله نحن فى وقتنا لو وجدنا بعض شعره بإسناد ثابت، أو شسع نعل كان له، أو قلامة ظفر، أو شقفة من إناء شرب فيه، فلو بذل الغني معظم أمواله فى تحصيل شيء من ذلك عنده، أكنت تعده مبذرا أو سفيها؟ كلا
Such a statement was made by Imam (Ibn Sirin) fifty years after the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Now, if in our time we find a hair of the Prophet, peace be upon him, a strap of his shoe, a nail, or a piece of the vessel from which he used to drink water, with an authentic chain of narration, what would we say? If a wealthy person spends a large amount of money to acquire it, would you call him wasteful and foolish? No! Certainly not.
It is established that the scholars base the authenticity and inauthenticity of Prophetic relics on the chain of narration, so we too should rely on the chain of narration; this is the way of the believers.
❀ Allama al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
هذا ولا بد من الإشارة إلى أننا نؤمن بجواز التبرك بآثاره صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولا ننكره خلافا لما يوهمه صنيع خصومنا، ولكن لهذا التبرك شروطا؛ منها الإيمان الشرعي المقبول عند الله، فمن لم يكن مسلما صادق الإسلام؛ فلن يحقق الله له أى خير بتبركه هذا، كما يشترط للراغب فى التبرك أن يكون حاصلا على أثر من آثاره صلى الله عليه وسلم ويستعمله، ونحن نعلم أن آثاره صلى الله عليه وسلم من ثياب أو شعر أو فضلات قد فقدت، وليس بإمكان أحد إثبات وجود شيء منها على وجه القطع واليقين، وإذا كان الأمر كذلك؛ فإن التبرك بهذه الآثار يصبح أمرا غير ذي موضوع فى زماننا هذا، ويكون أمرا نظريا محضا، فلا ينبغي إطالة القول فيه
Opponents spread false propaganda about us; we believe in the permissibility of seeking blessings from the Prophetic relics, we do not deny it at all. But there are some conditions for this seeking of blessings:
① The one seeking blessings must be a Muslim and a believer; if he is not a true Muslim, Allah does not grant him any benefit from seeking blessings from the Prophetic relics.
② The thing from which blessings are sought must have an established attribution to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. However, we know that the hair, clothing, and other relics of the Prophet, peace be upon him, have been lost. Now, it is beyond anyone’s capability to prove them with certainty and definiteness. Therefore, in our time, seeking blessings from the Prophetic relics is unnecessary; it is merely a hypothetical matter, and lengthy discussion on it is inappropriate.
The Path of the Believers and a Rare Opinion:
❀ Imam Barelvi Ahmad Raza Khan Sahib writes:
In such a case, definite proof with authentic chains of narration is not essentially required; pursuing its investigation and scrutiny and refraining from reverence and seeking blessings without it is a severe deprivation and misfortune. The Imams of the religion considered it sufficient that this thing is known by the name of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
It is not known which Imams of the religion do not base the Prophetic relics on chains of narration? Rather, they settle for baseless claims. Certainly, no Imam among the Imams can be named who did not base the Prophetic relics on chains of narration.
We say that not pursuing investigation and revering and seeking blessings without investigation is misfortune and deprivation.
❀ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi Sahib writes:
For the proof of blessings, it is sufficient among Muslims that it is popularly known that these are the blessings of the Prophet ﷺ.
Proof of Marriage and Lineage and Blessings:
Na’eemi Sahib further writes:
We say that so-and-so is the son of so-and-so, the grandson of so-and-so; there is no proof of this in the Quran, nor from Hadith, nor do we have witnesses to our mother’s marriage, yet among Muslims this is well-known, and that is sufficient. Similarly, for the proof of relics, only reputation is considered valid.
It is submitted that the matter of attribution to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is different from ordinary claims. Attributing anything to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, requires evidence and caution. Attributing relics to the Prophet, peace be upon him, means attributing a characteristic to him. For example, calling a shoe the Prophet’s shoe means that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to wear that shoe. This is a Hadith, and the consequence of attributing a false Hadith to the Prophet, peace be upon him, is:
من كذب على متعمدا؛ فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his seat in Hell.
The relics of the present age are not proven, therefore attributing them to the Prophet, peace be upon him, is not permissible.
The example of marriage is misplaced because marriage is publicly declared. Besides two specific witnesses, others also witness it. Witnesses are present so that if any legal complication arises, these people can satisfy the court regarding it. When the entire community witnesses a marriage, this testimony reaches all present and future generations. If both witnesses of a person’s marriage have passed away, will the proof of that marriage not be presented in court?
Whereas it is impossible to prove relics attributed to the Prophet, peace be upon him. Muhaddithin and scholars have required an authentic chain of narration for them, and even the compassionate scholars have rejected the present relics, as we have already explained.
❀ Na’eemi Sahib mentions an incident and writes:
He was asked, “What is your noble name?” He replied, “Abdur Rahman.” “What is the noble name of your kind father?” He said, “Abdur Rahim.” We asked, “What is the proof that you are the son of Abdur Rahim?” Firstly, there are no witnesses to this marriage; even if there were, they would only testify to the marriage contract. How is it known that your noble birth is from his very drop?” He paused and said, “Sir, Muslims say that I am his son, and the testimony of Muslims is valid.” We said, “When Muslims say that this is the noble hair of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the testimony of Muslims is valid,” they were embarrassed.
This is a confusion of topics. The matter is about attributing something to the Prophet, peace be upon him, about which it has been clearly explained that false attribution to the Prophet, peace be upon him, leads to Hell. On the contrary, the Shariah has explained that if a child is born in someone’s house, he will be attributed to him. Even if someone claims that he committed adultery with the mother and this is his child, his claim will be rejected. This child will belong to the one on whose bed he was born, while the one claiming adultery will be punished for adultery.
❀ Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
الولد للفراش، وللعاهر الحجر
The child belongs to the one on whose bed he is born, but there are stones for the adulterer (who is married) as punishment.
If someone says that so-and-so is not the son of so-and-so, he has claimed illegitimacy on him, and for this claim he must present four witnesses, otherwise he will be flogged. But if someone claims about relics that these relics are not genuine, he does not need to present witnesses; however, the claimant of the authenticity of relics must present proof. Therefore, comparing relics to claims of marriage or legitimacy or illegitimacy is a comparison with a fundamental difference.
The Story of a False Claimant:
A recent incident occurred in the village of Dharabi, District Chakwal, where a person claimed that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had visited his house and that the blessed footprint of the Prophet (peace be upon him) remained there. People arrived there in caravans, but very soon this false claim was exposed.
Every Muslim should know that relics are related to religion and belief; they should not be left to the mercy of people. It is necessary to keep in mind the fear and reverence of Allah regarding the Prophetic relics and not to abandon caution. The matter of accountability before Allah is very severe; these false claims will become a source of torment on the Day of Judgment.
The Analogy of Prophetic Relics:
It is right to seek blessings from the Prophetic relics, but blessings should be sought in the manner practiced by the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the great Followers, and the Followers of the Followers. People have made images of the relics. Similarly, fabricated and artificial pictures of the noble Prophet’s sandals are used to decorate flags.
Firstly, the sandals attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) do not have an established attribution. Secondly, seeking blessings through fabricated pictures and representations of the Prophetic relics is an innovation (bid’ah). The noble Companions, the great Followers, and the Followers of the Followers were unaware of this. There is no evidence for this in the best of generations. This is an invention in religion and an exaggeration.
Love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) does not at all require making images of his relics, nor does it justify giving the same reverence and respect to these fabricated pictures and images that is not even permissible for the original relics. Pictures of relics are an innovation and a denial. This paves the way towards polytheism (shirk). If someone seeks evidence, they are called disrespectful. If someone calls these pictures and images artificial and fabricated, they face various fatwas. And if someone removes these fabricated pictures, they are declared disrespectful to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and even a commotion is raised against them.
Images of Prophetic Relics and the Ancestors of the Ummah:
❀ Imam Barelvi Ahmed Raza Khan writes:
In summary, the map of the sacred shrine is established from the statements of the pious successors and the image of the blessed sandals from the followers of the successors, and since then, in every century and among scholars and saints of every class, it has been customary and prevalent. The great scholars of the religion have always sought blessings from them and held them in reverence and respect.
If the attribution of this matter to the successors and the great scholars of the religion is expressed even in the mildest terms, it can only be said that this is an unfounded matter, the proof of which is impossible until the Day of Judgment.
An Examination of an Argument Regarding the Image of the Sandals:
قال عبد العزيز: وأخرج إلى أبو طالب عبد الله بن الحسن تمثالا، فذكر أن أبا بكر محمد بن عدي بن على بن زحر المنقري أخرج إليه تمثالا، فذكر أن أبا عثمان سعيد بن الحسن بن على التستري أخرج إليه تمثالا، فذكر أنه تمثال لنعل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وأن أحمد بن محمد الفزاري أخرج ذلك إليه بأصبهان وحدثه به، قال: ونا أبو طالب، قال: وحدثني محمد بن عدي بن على بن زحر المنقري، حدثني سعيد بن الحسن التستري بتستر: أنا أحمد بن محمد الفزاري، قال: قال أبو إسحاق إبراهيم بن الحسن، قال: قال أبو عبد الله إسماعيل ابن أبى أويس، واسم أبى أويس؛ عبد الله بن عبد الله بن أويس ابن مالك بن أبى عامر الأصبحي، قال: كانت نعل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم التى حذيت هذه النعل على مثالها؛ عند إسماعيل بن عبد الله بن أويس الحذاء، فحذا مثال هذا النعل بحضرته على مثال نعل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سواء، ولها قبالان.
Abu Abdullah Ismail Asbahi narrates that the blessed sandals of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were like the image made by Ismail bin Abdullah bin Owais, the cobbler. This (Ismail the cobbler) made shoes in front of them similar to the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ shoes, which had two straps.
This narration is a fabricated chain.
① Abu Talib Abdullah bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Hasan Basri’s reliability is not confirmed.
② Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Adi bin Ali bin Zahr Munqari Basri’s reliability is required.
③ The biography of Abu Uthman Saeed bin Hasan bin Ali Tastari is not found.
④ The identification and authentication of Ahmad bin Muhammad Fuzari is needed.
The chain is dominated by unknown and obscure narrators, and this is one of their fabrications. It is understood that the narration presented to justify the images of the Prophet’s relics is a fabricated narration. Drawing the image of the sandals attributed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and attributing false benefits to it is an intrusion into the religion.
Image of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) Grave:
It is an objectionable innovation to create an image of the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) grave or Aisha’s (may Allah be pleased with her) chamber and to venerate and honor it. Who invented this? It is unknown, and it is absolutely not established from any trustworthy Muslim to do such a thing.
❀ Hazrat Ahmad Raza Khan writes:
As for the depiction of the blessed shrine, there is fundamentally no scope for discussion or debate in its permissibility. Just as the prohibition of these images is certain, similarly, its permissibility is unanimously agreed upon.
This is not established from any Ahl al-Sunnah Muslim, let alone consensus on it.
Seeking Blessings from the Prophet’s Grave and the Pious Predecessors:
It should also be remembered here that the blessed grave of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not among the objects of seeking blessings (tabarruk). It is certainly blessed because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is buried in it, but it is not considered a source of blessing because none of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) or the best of generations (khair al-qurun) accepted this.
Some people try to justify seeking blessings from the blessed grave without any evidence.
❀ Allama Subki (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
إن معلوما من الدين وسير السلف الصالحين التبرك ببعض الموتى من الصالحين، فكيف بالأنبياء والمرسلين، ومن ادعى أن قبور الأنبياء وغيرهم من أموات المسلمين سواء؛ فقد أنى أمرا عظيما نقطع ببطلانه وخطئه فيه، وفيه حط لمرتبة النبى إلى درجة من سواه من المؤمنين، وذلك كفر بيقين، فإن من حط رتبة النبى عما يجب له؛ فقد كفر، فإن قال: إن هذا ليس بحط، ولكنه منع من التعظيم خوفا كما يجب له، قلت: هذا جهل وسوء أدب
From the religion and the conduct of the pious predecessors, it is understood that it is permissible to seek blessings from some righteous deceased persons, so why would it not be permissible from the Prophets and Messengers? Whoever claims that the graves of the Prophets and Messengers are equal in status to the graves of ordinary Muslims, we are certain that his claim is false and invalid. Whoever considers the status of the Prophet ﷺ equal to that of an ordinary Muslim, certainly this is disbelief (kufr), and whoever diminishes the rank and status of the Prophet ﷺ, certainly he has also committed disbelief. If he says that this is not to diminish the status of the Prophet ﷺ but to prevent exaggeration in reverence, then I say this is ignorance and disrespect.
It is not established in Islam or among the pious predecessors of the best generations that seeking blessings from graves is permissible. As for seeking blessings from the graves of the Prophets and Messengers, this is also a new innovation in religion. It is not established from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the great Tabi‘in, or the Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in that they did this. What kind of religion is it that was not present in the best generations?
No Muslim considers the grave of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ equal to the grave of an ordinary Muslim. This is merely suspicion. How can any true Muslim think that the blessed body of the Prophet ﷺ is in one grave and an ordinary follower in another, and both graves hold equal status? Yes! Regarding not seeking blessings, the issue is the same for the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and the grave of an ordinary follower: the grave of the Prophet is blessed but not a source of blessing. There is no aspect of diminishing the honor of the Prophet ﷺ in this; the reverence is that which is described in the Qur’an and Hadith and adopted by the best generations. There is no trace of ignorance or disrespect in this matter.
To accuse those who do not seek blessings from the Prophet’s grave of ignorance or disrespect is actually an attempt to criticize the pious predecessors. Name even one person among the pious predecessors who believed in or practiced seeking blessings from the Prophet’s grave. If this is not possible, then it should be fairly stated that the theory of seeking blessings from graves does not contradict the consensus of the pious predecessors.
Blessing from the imprint of the sandals:
Seeking blessings from the imprint of the sandals is also an innovation, because the imprint of the sandals itself is a denial and an innovation, as you have understood.
The Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ sandals were kept with Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه.
❀ Isa bin Tahman رحمه الله states:
أخرج إلينا أنس نعلين جرداوين، لهما قبالان، فحدثني ثابت البناني بعد، عن أنس، أنهما نعلا النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه brought to us two leather shoes without hair, which had two straps. After that, Thabit Banani narrated from Anas رضي الله عنه that these were the noble sandals of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
After Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه, there is no mention anywhere about who possessed these blessed shoes. Therefore, those who nowadays attribute sandals to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, this attribution is false. When this attribution is not proven, then making an imprint of the sandals and declaring it as the imprint of the blessed shoes of the Prophet ﷺ is certainly a great sin.
The second point is that just as the Companions رضي الله عنهم sought blessings from the Prophetic relics, similarly, it is permissible to seek blessings in that manner. Some people have fabricated and artificial imprints attributed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s sandals, and false benefits are claimed, false experiences are narrated, for example: the army that has this imprint will be victorious, the caravan that has it will safely reach its destination, the ship that has it will be safe from sinking, the house that has it will be safe from fire, the wealth and goods that have it will be safe from theft, and if anyone seeks intercession through the owner of the sandals for any need, it will be fulfilled, and this intercession will turn hardship into ease.
Among the claimed benefits and blessings of the imprint of the sandals, it is also mentioned that whoever keeps it with the intention of seeking blessings will be protected by its blessing from the oppression of tyrants, the dominance of enemies, the evil of devils, and the evil eye of the envious. Similarly, if a pregnant woman keeps it on her right side during labor pain, Allah Almighty will, by His power and will, ease her. Among the blessings of this imprint of the sandals, it is also stated that it protects a person from the evil eye and witchcraft, and it is also called an elixir for protection from accidents.
All these are self-invented matters. Who among the predecessors sought blessings from the imprint of the sandals? To say about an artificial imprint that it is the imprint of the blessed shoes of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and then to describe its benefits and blessings—what kind of religion is this?
Visiting Attributed Sacred Relics:
There is a visitation of blessings attributed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ, with announcements for specific months, specific dates, and specific occasions, and advertisements are published. What happens there is not hidden from anyone. These blessings are touched, kissed, applied to the bodies, and their visitation is considered a cause of goodness, blessings, and reward. Morally, many defects and corruptions are found as well, such as the mixing of men and women, indecency and immodesty at their peak, the gathering of young boys and girls, photographs, women dressing up and going out of their homes, which are among its defects.
❀ Allama Abdul Hayy Lakhnawi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
When all these matters have become apparent, one should understand the issues that those who arrange the visitation of the blessed hair according to the mentioned question are bound by innovations and fabrications. According to the narration mentioned above, when the water of the blessed hair was requested for a patient from Hazrat Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her), she neither sent a drum, nor arranged Quran recitation, nor organized a gathering, nor fixed a time, nor specified a date. In short, she did not make it beneficial by any special appointment, rather its blessing was considered beneficial at all times. Contrary to the situation described by the questioner, in which the determination of the month, day, and date is considered necessary and effective in increasing reward, which has no basis in the Prophetic Sunnah, and the holding and organizing of special gatherings is considered necessary, where drums, trumpets, and all kinds of musical instruments are provided, which are entirely the actions of devils. The Malida of the blessed hair is also offered as a vow to others besides Allah and distributed as a blessing, whereas benefiting from it is absolutely forbidden. They sing ghazals, although such melodies are unanimously forbidden. Thus, obtaining blessings, which at most would be recommended, has led to the commission of legal prohibitions from which avoidance is obligatory. It is clear that if the commission of a recommended act leads to abandoning an obligatory act, then abandoning it is obligatory. Therefore, in this case, the Shariah will never permit that the performance of this recommended act be correct with such innovations, and its very recommendation is valid only when it is proven that this blessed hair truly belongs to the Prophet ﷺ. If this matter is not established, then attending such gatherings with the intention of seeking blessings is not permissible, and making vows and offerings on the blessed hair is forbidden because vows are acts of worship, and worship of anyone other than Allah is forbidden.
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman bin Abi al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) that his mother informed him:
شهدت آمنة لما ولدت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلما ضربها المخاض نظرت إلى النجوم تدلى، حتى إني أقول لتقعن علي، فلما ولدت، خرج منها نور أضاء له البيت الذى نحن فيه والدار، فما شيء أنظر إليه، إلا نور
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was born, I went to Amina (may Allah be pleased with her), she was in labor pain. I saw the stars of the sky leaning towards the earth; I feared they might fall on me. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ came into the world, a light emerged that illuminated the entire house. Wherever I looked, I saw nothing but light.
The chain of narration is very weak.
① Abdul Aziz bin Imran is abandoned.
② Muhammad bin Abi Suwaid Thaqafi is unknown in status; only Ibn Hibban mentioned him
.
③ Hafiz Dhahabi states:
لاَ يعرف
He is unknown.
④ Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said he is unknown.
The noble mother of the Prophet ﷺ, Amina (may Allah be pleased with her), said that she saw three flags: one planted in the east, another in the west, and the third waving on the roof of the Kaaba.
The chain of narration is very weak.
① Abu Bakr bin Abi Maryam is weak.
② Yahya bin Abdullah Babilti is weak.
❀ Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) recited some verses in praise of the Prophet ﷺ:
أنت لما ولدت أشرقت الأرض وضاءت بنورك الأفق فنحن فى ذلك الصياء وفي النور وسبل الرشاد نخترق
When you ﷺ were born, the earth began to shine, and the horizons brightened with your light. We are in the lap of this light and illumination, and the paths of guidance have become clear.
The chain of narration is weak.
① Zahr bin Hisn Tai is unknown in status; only Ibn Hibban mentioned him
.
❀ Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
لا يعرف
He is unknown.
❀ It is narrated from Abu Hasan Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Bara: When a Jew was informed that a son was born to Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:
ذهبت النبوة من بني إسرائيل، هذا الذى سر أحبارهم، أفرحتم يا معشر قريش؟ والله ليسطون بكم سطوة يخرج نبأها من المشرق إلى المغرب
Prophethood has departed from the Children of Israel; this was what their rabbis rejoiced over. O Quraysh! Are you also pleased with this? By Allah! A sun has risen among you whose light will spread in the east and west.
It is weak due to being a mursal narration. The chain in Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d
is fabricated. It depends on Muhammad bin Umar Waqidi, who is a liar.
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he saw Abu Lahab in a dream one year after his death; he was in a bad state and said there was no relief except that every Monday the punishment was alleviated.
ذلك أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ولد يوم الإثنين، وكانت تويبة قد بشرته بمولده، فقالت له: أشعرت أن آمنة ولدت غلاما لأخيك عبد الله؟ فقال لها: اذهبي، فأنت حرة
The reason for the alleviation in punishment is that the blessed birth of the Prophet ﷺ occurred on a Monday. So Thuwaybah said to Abu Lahab, “Do you know that Amina (may Allah be pleased with her) has given birth to your brother Abdullah’s son?” Abu Lahab said to Thuwaybah, “Go, you are free from now on.”
This is a baseless narration; it has no chain of narration. Narrations without chains have no credibility.
