❖ Ruling on Sending Salām to the Prophet ﷺ Through Pilgrims ❖
Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khālis, Vol. 1, p. 90
Question:
Is it permissible to send greetings (Salām) to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through those performing Ḥajj or ‘Umrah? And is it permissible to perform Ṭawāf or ‘Umrah on behalf of someone else?
Sending verbal Salām to the Prophet ﷺ via pilgrims or visitors is not established through authentic Sunnah. This task is actually fulfilled by the angels.
In a ḥadīth narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ سَيَّاحُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، يُبَلِّغُونِي مِنْ أُمَّتِي السَّلَامَ"
Translation:
"Indeed, Allah and His angels roam the earth to convey to me the Salām of my Ummah."
(Sunan al-Nasā’ī 1/119, Sunan al-Dārimī 2/225, ḥadīth no. 2777, al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim 2/421, Mishkāt 1/86, Musnad Aḥmad 1/387, 441, 452)
This ḥadīth has a sound (ṣaḥīḥ) chain.
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"وَصَلُّوا عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّ صَلَاتَكُمْ تَبْلُغُنِي حَيْثُ كُنْتُمْ"
Translation:
"Send blessings upon me, for your Ṣalāt (i.e., Durūd) reaches me wherever you may be."
(Sunan al-Nasā’ī, Mishkāt 1/86)
This ḥadīth is ḥasan (good).
✔ Sending verbal Salām to the Prophet ﷺ via Ḥajj or ‘Umrah pilgrims is not established in the Sunnah.
✔ Angels themselves convey the Salām of the Ummah to the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ encouraged sending Durūd, not Salām through intermediaries.
✔ In the well-known narration of Ḥajjat al-Nabī ﷺ from Jābir رضي الله عنه, there is no instruction for pilgrims to deliver Salām.
✔ Therefore, sending written requests or Salām through visitors is an innovation (bid‘ah).
The ruling on performing Ṭawāf and ‘Umrah on behalf of someone else will be discussed in detail under forthcoming issues.
✔ The strongest and most authentic view is that there is no explicit Sunnah allowing acts of worship to be performed on behalf of others except for one’s parents.
✔ Analogical reasoning (qiyās) is not permissible in acts of worship, as discussed in detail earlier.
◉ Sending Salām to the Prophet ﷺ through Ḥajj or ‘Umrah pilgrims is not supported by the Sunnah.
◉ Angels are appointed to deliver Salām to the Prophet ﷺ.
◉ The Prophet ﷺ encouraged sending Durūd, not Salām through others.
◉ Sending letters or Salām via pilgrims is a form of bid‘ah (innovation).
◉ As for performing ‘Umrah or Ṭawāf on behalf of others, no clear Sunnah supports this except in the case of parents.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best.
Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khālis, Vol. 1, p. 90Question:Is it permissible to send greetings (Salām) to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through those performing Ḥajj or ‘Umrah? And is it permissible to perform Ṭawāf or ‘Umrah on behalf of someone else?
❀ Ruling on Sending Salām Through Pilgrims or Visitors
Sending verbal Salām to the Prophet ﷺ via pilgrims or visitors is not established through authentic Sunnah. This task is actually fulfilled by the angels.
In a ḥadīth narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ سَيَّاحُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، يُبَلِّغُونِي مِنْ أُمَّتِي السَّلَامَ"
Translation:
"Indeed, Allah and His angels roam the earth to convey to me the Salām of my Ummah."
(Sunan al-Nasā’ī 1/119, Sunan al-Dārimī 2/225, ḥadīth no. 2777, al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim 2/421, Mishkāt 1/86, Musnad Aḥmad 1/387, 441, 452)
This ḥadīth has a sound (ṣaḥīḥ) chain.In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"وَصَلُّوا عَلَيَّ فَإِنَّ صَلَاتَكُمْ تَبْلُغُنِي حَيْثُ كُنْتُمْ"
Translation:
"Send blessings upon me, for your Ṣalāt (i.e., Durūd) reaches me wherever you may be."
(Sunan al-Nasā’ī, Mishkāt 1/86)
This ḥadīth is ḥasan (good).
Summary of the Ruling:
✔ Sending verbal Salām to the Prophet ﷺ via Ḥajj or ‘Umrah pilgrims is not established in the Sunnah.
✔ Angels themselves convey the Salām of the Ummah to the Prophet ﷺ.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ encouraged sending Durūd, not Salām through intermediaries.
✔ In the well-known narration of Ḥajjat al-Nabī ﷺ from Jābir رضي الله عنه, there is no instruction for pilgrims to deliver Salām.
✔ Therefore, sending written requests or Salām through visitors is an innovation (bid‘ah).
❀ Ruling on Performing Ṭawāf and ‘Umrah on Behalf of Others
The ruling on performing Ṭawāf and ‘Umrah on behalf of someone else will be discussed in detail under forthcoming issues.
✔ The strongest and most authentic view is that there is no explicit Sunnah allowing acts of worship to be performed on behalf of others except for one’s parents.
✔ Analogical reasoning (qiyās) is not permissible in acts of worship, as discussed in detail earlier.
Conclusion
◉ Sending Salām to the Prophet ﷺ through Ḥajj or ‘Umrah pilgrims is not supported by the Sunnah.
◉ Angels are appointed to deliver Salām to the Prophet ﷺ.
◉ The Prophet ﷺ encouraged sending Durūd, not Salām through others.
◉ Sending letters or Salām via pilgrims is a form of bid‘ah (innovation).
◉ As for performing ‘Umrah or Ṭawāf on behalf of others, no clear Sunnah supports this except in the case of parents.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best.
