This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri's book The Shariah Status of Blessings.
This article discusses the seeking of blessings from the relics of the Prophet ﷺ by the pious predecessors, including the Companions, the Followers, and the Followers of the Followers, after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ.
Uthman bin Abdullah bin Moheb, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
[أرسلني أهلي إلى أم سلمة زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بقدح من ماء، فيه شعر من شعر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، وكان إذا أصاب الإنسان عين أو شيء بعث إليها مخضبه، فاطلعت في الجلجل، فرأيت شعرات حمرا.]
My family sent me to Sayyida Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, with a bowl of water in which were the hairs of the Prophet ﷺ. Whenever someone was afflicted by the evil eye or faced a problem, they would send the water vessel to Sayyida Umm Salama (she would take out the blessed hairs of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which he had kept in a silver box, dip them in the water for that person, and the sick person would drink that water and be cured). The narrator says that when I looked into this box, I saw red hairs in it.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5896
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) (852 AH) says:
[المراد أنه كان من اشتكى أرسل إناء إلى أم سلمة، فتجعل فيه تلك الشعرات، وتغسلها فيه، وتعيده، فيشربه صاحب الإناء، أو يغتسل به استشفاء بها، فتحصل له بركتها.]
The meaning of this blessed hadith is that if someone fell ill, they would send a vessel to Sayyida Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her). She would place the blessed hair of the Prophet ﷺ in it and shake it. The sick person would drink water from this vessel, bathe for healing from the illness, and receive the blessing of those blessed hairs.
Reference: Fath al-Bari: 10/353
Imam Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
[قلت لعبيدة: عندنا من شعر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، أصبناه من قبل أنس، أو من قبل أهل أنس، فقال: لأن تكون عندي شعرة منه؛ أحب إلي من الدنيا وما فيها.]
I said to Ubaidah (bin Amr al-Sulami, a Tabi'i of the early generation) (may Allah have mercy on him): We have some blessed hair of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which we received from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) or his family. Upon hearing this, Ubaidah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If I had even one of those hairs, it would be more beloved to me than the entire world and everything in it.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 170)
In one narration, Ubaidah al-Mukhadrim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
[لأن يكون عندي منه شعرة؛ أحب إلي من كل صفراء وبيضاء أصبحت على وجه الأرض وفي بطنها.]
If I had a single hair of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, it would be more beloved to me than all the gold and silver on and beneath the earth.
Reference: Musnad Imam Ahmad: 13685, Sunan al-Kubra by Bayhaqi: 4233, Hasan
Hafiz Zahbi, may Allah have mercy on him (748 AH), says:
[هذا القول من عبيدة؛ هو معيار كمال الحب، وهو أن يؤثر شعرة نبوية على كل ذهب وفضة بأيدي الناس، ومثل هذا يقوله هذا الإمام بعد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بخمسين سنة، فما الذي نقوله نحن في 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 في تحصيل شيء من ذلك عنده، أكنت تعده مبذرا أو سفيها؟ كلا.]
The statement of Ubaidah Sulmani, may Allah have mercy on him, is the standard of perfect love that people prefer a single hair of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ over all the gold and silver. This was said by this Tabi'i Imam only fifty years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Now, if in our time a hair, a shoe strap, a nail, or a piece of a vessel from which the Prophet ﷺ used to drink water is found with an authentic chain of narration, then what would we say about it (in terms of love)? And if a wealthy person spends a large amount of money to acquire it, would we call him wasteful and foolish? No! Absolutely not.
Reference: (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala: 42/4)
Warning ①:
It is narrated from Thabit Banani, may Allah have mercy on him, that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him:
[هذه شعرة من شعر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فضعها تحت لساني، قال: فوضعتها تحت لسانه، فدفن وهي تحت لسانه.]
This is a hair of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Place it under my tongue. Thabit says that I placed that blessed hair under his tongue. When Sayyiduna Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, was buried, that hair was still under his tongue.
Reference: Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah by Ibn Hajar: 127/1
The narration is weak and disconnected.
① Verification of Hubayrah Aishi is required.
② The chain below Safwan is also missing.
Warning ②:
It is narrated from Ja'far ibn Abdullah ibn Hikam, may Allah have mercy on him:
[إن خالد بن الوليد فقد قلنسوة له يوم اليرموك، فقال: اطلبوها، فلم يجدوها، فقال: اطلبوها، فوجدوها، فإذا هي قلنسوة خلقة، فقال خالد: اعتمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فحلق رأسه، فابتدر الناس جوانب شعره، فسبقتهم إلى ناصيته، فجعلتها في هذه القلنسوة، فلم أشهد قتالا وهي معي إلا رزقت النصر.]
During the Battle of Yarmouk, Khalid ibn Walid, may Allah be pleased with him, lost his cap, so he said: Search for it, but we could not find it. Then he ordered again: Search for it, and then we found it. It was an old cap. Sayyiduna Khalid, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Umrah and shaved his blessed head, so the Companions fell upon the hair around you ﷺ. I reached the hair in front of you ﷺ before them and placed it in this cap. In every battle in which I carried this cap with me, I was granted success.
Reference: Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 4/104, Hadith: 3804, Musnad Abi Ya'la: 7183, Al-Mustadrak by al-Hakim: 3/299, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by al-Bayhaqi: 6/249, Dala'il al-Nubuwwah by Abi Nu'aym: 367, Tarikh Ibn Asakir: 16/246, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala by al-Dhahabi: 1/374, 130/16
The chain of narration is weak.
Hafiz al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
[إسناده منقطع۔] "Its chain of narration is disconnected."
Reference: (Talkhis al-Mustadrak: 3/299)
Hafiz al-Haythami, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
[رواه الطبراني، وأبو يعلى بنحوه، ورجالهما رجال الصحيح، وجعفر سمع من جماعة من الصحابة، فلا أدري سمع من خالد أم لا]
This narration has been reported by Imam Tabarani and Imam Abu Ya'la, may Allah have mercy on them. Both of their narrators are authentic according to Sahih Bukhari. Ja'far heard it from a group of the Companions, but I do not know whether he heard it from Sayyiduna Khalid or not.
Reference: Majma' al-Zawa'id: 349/9
Warning ③:
It is narrated from Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad bin Abdullah:
[أوصى عمر بن عبد العزيز عند الموت، فدعا بشعر من شعر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأظفار من أظفاره، وقال: إذا مت؛ فخذوا الشعر والأظفار، ثم اجعلوه في كفني، ففعلوا ذلك]
Sayyiduna Umar bin Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, at the time of his death, ordered the hair and nails of the Prophet ﷺ to be brought and bequeathed: When I die, place these hairs and nails in my shroud, and so it was done.
Reference: Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa'd: 406/5
This is a fabricated narration.
① Muhammad bin Umar al-Waqidi is "abandoned and a liar."
②,③ The authentication of Muhammad bin Muslim bin Jamaz and Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad bin Abdullah is required.
Warning ④:
The narration attributed to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him,
Reference: (Manaqib Ahmad by Ibn al-Jawzi: 545, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala by al-Dhahabi: 337/11)
is also "weak." It does not contain the authentication of 'Asmah ibn 'Isam.Nowadays, some people roam around showing hair attributed to the Prophet ﷺ, but they do not have any authentic chain of narration or sound evidence proving that these are indeed the blessed hairs of the Prophet ﷺ.
Sayyiduna Abu Burda, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
[أخرجت إلينا عائشة إزارا وكساء ملبدا، فقالت: في هذا قبض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.]
"Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, took out a thick woolen cloak and showed it to us and said that the Prophet ﷺ passed away wrapped in this cloak."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3108, Sahih Muslim: 2080
The wording of a narration in Sahih Muslim is:
[دخلت على عائشة، فأخرجت إلينا إزارا غليظا، مما يصنع باليمن، وكساء من التي يسمونها الملبدة، قال : فأقسمت بالله، إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قبض في هذين الثوبين.]
I presented myself before Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and she took out a folded thick cloth made in Yemen, and a sheet called 'Mulbada'. Then Sayyida (may Allah be pleased with her) swore by Allah that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away wrapped in these two cloths.
Sayyida Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) freed slave Abdullah narrates that one day Sayyida Asma (may Allah be pleased with her) took out a cloak and said:
[هذه كانت عند عائشة حتى قبضت، فلما قبضت قبضتها، وكان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يلبسها، فنحن نغسلها للمرضى يستشفى بها]
This remained with Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) until her death. When she passed away, I obtained it. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to wear it, and we wash it and give the water to the sick to drink so that they may recover.
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2069
Sayyiduna Abu Burda رضي الله عنه narrates that once Abdullah bin Salam رضي الله عنه offered him water in such a blessed vessel in which the Prophet ﷺ had drunk water, and he had kept it with him. Abdullah bin Salam رضي الله عنه said to him: [ألا أسقيك في قدح شرب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فيه]
Shall I not give you water to drink from this blessed cup in which the Prophet ﷺ drank water?
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 7341
◈ Sayyiduna Abu Burda رضي الله عنه narrates that when I met Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam رضي الله عنه, he said:
[انطلق إلى المنزل، فأسقيك في قدح شرب فيه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم]
Come with me to the house, I will give you water to drink from the cup in which the Prophet ﷺ drank water.
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 7341)
Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d رضي الله عنه narrates:
[أقبل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يومئذ حتى جلس في سقيفة بني ساعدة هو وأصحابه، ثم قال: اسقنا يا سهل، فخرجت لهم بهذا القدح، فأسقيتهم فيه، فأخرج لنا سهل ذلك القدح، فشربنا منه، قال: ثم استوهبه عمر بن عبد العزيز بعد ذلك، فوهبه له]
On that day, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came and sat with his noble companions in Saqifah Bani Sa'idah, then he said: Sahl! Bring water. I took out a bowl and gave water to everyone in it. Sahl رضي الله عنه also brought the same bowl for us, and we drank from it as well. The narrator states that later Caliph Umar ibn Abdul Aziz رحمه الله asked for this bowl from them, and they granted it to him.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 5637, Sahih Muslim: 2007
Hajjaj ibn Hassan Basri رحمه الله narrates:
[كنا عند أنس بن مالك، فدعا بإناء، وفيه ثلاث ضباب حديد، وحلقة من حديد، فأخرج من غلاف أسود، وهو دون الربع وفوق نصف الربع، فأمر أنس بن مالك، فجعل لنا فيه ماء، فأتينا به، فشربنا وصببنا على رؤوسنا ووجوهنا، وصلينا على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم]
Once we were sitting with Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه. During this time, he brought a vessel containing three pieces of iron and a ring attached to it. He took out that vessel from a black cover, which was less than a quarter and a little more than half a quarter in size. By the order of Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه, water was poured into it for us. We drank that water, poured it over our heads and faces, and sent blessings and peace upon the Noble Prophet ﷺ.
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad:12948, and its chain is Hasan)
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates:
[إن أم سليم كانت تبسط للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نطعا، فيقيل عندها على ذلك النطع، قال: فإذا نام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أخذت من عرقه وشعره، فجمعته في قارورة، ثم جمعته في سك، قال: فلما حضر أنس بن مالك الوفاة، أوصى إلي أن يجعل في حنوطه من ذلك السك، قال: فجعل في حنوطه.]
Sayyida Umm Salim رضي الله عنها used to spread leather mats for the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ would take a nap on those mats at her place. Then, when the Prophet ﷺ would fall asleep, Sayyida رضي الله عنها would take the blessed sweat and the (fallen) blessed hair of the Prophet ﷺ. She would collect the sweat in a bottle and then mix it with sukh (a fragrance). The narrator of the hadith states that when Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه was near death, he instructed that some portion of this sukh (in which the Prophet’s ﷺ sweat was mixed) be added to the perfume used for his shroud. Accordingly, it was mixed into his perfume.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 6281
Imam Muhammad bin Sirin رحمه الله states:
[استوهبت من أم سليم من ذلك السك، فوهبت لي منه، قال أيوب: فاستوهبت من محمد من ذلك السك، فوهب لي منه، فإنه عندي الآن، قال: فلما مات محمد؛ حنط بذلك السك، قال: وكان محمد يعجبه أن يحنط الميت بالسك.]
I asked Umm Salim (may Allah be pleased with her) for perfumed oil mixed with the blessed sweat of the Prophet ﷺ. She granted it to me. Ayub Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I also asked Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) for a portion of it, and he also granted it. It is still with me. Ayub Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on him) says: When Muhammad bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) passed away, this same perfume was applied to him. It was Muhammad bin Sirin’s wish that this perfume be applied to his body.
Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d: 428/8, Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani: 19/25, and its chain is authentic
Humaid Taweel (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
[توفي أنس بن مالك، فجعل في حنوطه سكة، أو سك، ومسكة فيها من عرق رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم]
When Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, his shroud was given such perfume which included the blessed sweat of the Prophet ﷺ.
Reference: Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani: 715, Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 6709, and its chain is good
Isa bin Tahman (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
[أخرج إلينا أنس نعلين جرداوين لهما قبالان، فحدثني ثابت البناني بعد ، عن أنس، أنهما نعلا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم.]
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه brought to us two leather shoes without hair, they had two straps. Later, Shaikh Baniyah Rahimahullah narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه that these were the noble sandals of the Noble Prophet ﷺ.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3107
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates:
[إنه كانت عنده عصية لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فمات، فدفنت معه بين جيبه وقميصه]
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Anis رضي الله عنه had a small stick of the Noble Prophet ﷺ. When he passed away, the stick was buried with him between his shirt and his side.
Reference: Musnad al-Bazzar (Kashf al-Astar: 395/1, Hadith: 840), its chain is Hasan
Benefit: Regarding Sayyida Umm Salim رضي الله عنها:
[إن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم دخل على أم سليم، وفي البيت قربة معلقة، فشرب من فيها وهو قائم، قال: فقطعت أم سليم فم القربة، فهو عندنا]
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ visited the house of Umm Salim رضي الله عنها. In her house, a water skin was hanging. The Prophet ﷺ drank water while standing and drinking from its mouth. Umm Salim رضي الله عنها (as a blessing) cut the mouth of the water skin, which is still with us.
Reference: Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 12188, Al-Shama'il al-Muhammadiyyah by Tirmidhi: 215, Al-Muntaqi by Ibn al-Jarud: 868, Musnad al-Harith: 1190
The chain of narration is weak.
① Abdul Karim bin Malik al-Jazari did not hear from Bara bin Zaid.
Imam Ali bin Madini رحمه الله says:
[عبد الكريم الجزري لم يسمع من البراء]
Abdul Karim al-Jazari did not hear from Bara.
Reference: Al-Marasil by Ibn Abi Hatim: 134, and its chain is authentic
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah (3423)
contains:[تبتغي بركة موضع في رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم]
Sayyida Kabsha رضي الله عنها wanted to receive blessings from the place where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to put his mouth.
Reference: Mu'jam Kabir by Tabarani (Vol. 25, p. 15)
contains these words:[ألتمس البركة بذلك.]
I desired to receive blessings through it.
These two words are weak due to the transmission of Sufyan bin Uyaynah.
