Adapted from the book Zikr-e-Mustafa ﷺ by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
True love for Allah and His Messenger ﷺ demands obedience and adherence to their commands — not emotional innovation or rituals without Sharʿī evidence.
❖ Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه stated in his first sermon as Caliph:
أطيعوني ما أطعت الله ورسوله، فإذا عصيت الله ورسوله، فلا طاعة لي عليكم
“Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. If I disobey Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, then your obedience to me is no longer required.”
[Sīrah Ibn Hishām: 6/82, chain is ḥasan]
“Exaggeration (ghulūw) and excessive praise (iṭrā’) are forbidden, whereas respect and reverence are obligatory.
If the line between excessive praise and lawful respect becomes blurred, a scholar must withhold judgment, exercise caution, and consult someone more knowledgeable.
There is already sufficient guidance from countless aḥādīth detailing how to honor the Prophet ﷺ, and one must avoid the ghulūw similar to the Christians who elevated ʿĪsā عليه السلام from prophet to deity and son of God.
Excessive praise of the Prophet ﷺ may lead to disrespecting Allah, the Exalted.
May Allah protect us through taqwā, and preserve our love for the Prophet ﷺ in the way He is pleased with.”
[Mīzān al-Iʿtidāl: 2/650]
Many people kiss their thumbs and place them on their eyes upon hearing:
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
in the Adhān.
This practice is a form of exaggeration (ghulūw) and not legislated in the Sharīʿah. If it were righteous or respectful in the Sharʿī sense, the noble Companions and early Imāms — the most reverent toward the Prophet ﷺ — would certainly have done it.
There is no authentic report from any reliable Imām supporting this act. Therefore, this is not part of the religion; rather, it is a contravention of it.
Claimed incident:
He heard the Muʾadhin say: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ, repeated the words, kissed his index fingers, and touched his eyes. The Prophet ﷺ allegedly said, “Whoever does as my beloved did, my intercession will become obligatory for him.”
Status: This narration is baseless and unsourced.
❖ Ḥāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله states:
“لَا يَصِحّ” – It is not authentic.
[al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah: p. 385]
☞ Note: Some argue that “not ṣaḥīḥ” does not negate ḥasan — but in this case, no chain of narration (isnād) exists at all.
Claimed narration:
Whoever hears the words أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ, says:
مرحبا بحبيبي وقرة عيني محمد بن عبد الله صلى الله عليه وسلم,
then kisses his thumbs and places them on his eyes — will never go blind.
Status: Fabricated and baseless.
❖ Ḥāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله wrote:
“بسندٍ فيه مجاهيل مع انقطاعه”
Its chain contains unknown narrators and is disconnected.
[al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah: p. 385]
☞ Without a chain, there’s nothing to analyze — let alone accept.
❖ Ḥāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله:
“There is no authentic marfūʿ ḥadīth (i.e., attributed to the Prophet ﷺ) on this subject.”
[al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah: p. 385]
❖ Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī رحمه الله:
“None of the narrations reported on this topic are authentically marfūʿ.”
[al-Mawḍūʿāt al-Kubrā: p. 210]
❖ Ibn ʿĀbidīn al-Shāmī رحمه الله:
“None of the marfūʿ reports on this matter are proven.”
[Radd al-Muḥtār: 1/293]
“Even if this is proven from Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه, then that alone is enough to act upon.”
Rebuttal: First bring an authentic chain of narration, then validate the reliability of its narrators. Unsourced stories carry no weight.
Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī رحمه الله cites the Gospel of Barnabas, claiming that:
“Prophet Ādam عليه السلام desired to see the Nūr of Muḥammad ﷺ. It appeared in his thumbs, so he kissed them and touched his eyes.”
Rebuttal:
Muslims are commanded to follow the Qur’ān and Sunnah. Corrupted and altered books like this are not proof in Islam.
Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān further states:
“Even if the ḥadīth is weak, it is acceptable in virtuous deeds.”
Rebuttal:
❖ Imām Ibn Ḥibbān رحمه الله:
“I do not consider the narration of a weak narrator, as such narrations are equal to non-existent.”
[al-Thiqāt: 9/159]
❖ He also wrote:
“The narration of a weak person and no narration at all are the same in ruling.”
[Kitāb al-Majrūḥīn: 1/328]
❖ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله:
“There is no difference between acting on a ḥadīth in rulings or virtues; both are part of the Sharīʿah.”
[Tabyīn al-ʿAjab fīmā Wurida fī Rajab: p. 2]
Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī wrote:
“Calling it ḥarām without clear prohibition is ignorance. As long as there’s no explicit prohibition, we can’t forbid it. The general acceptance of Muslims suffices for recommending it.”
Rebuttal:
❖ Imām Abū Shāmah al-Maqdisī رحمه الله (d. 665 AH) said:
“Whoever performs an act thinking it to be legislated while it is not, then he is an extremist in the religion, an innovator, and one who speaks falsely about Allah — whether by words or actions.”
[al-Bāʿith ʿalā Inkār al-Bidaʿ wa al-Ḥawādith: p. 20–21]
Kissing the thumbs upon hearing the Prophet’s ﷺ name during Adhān:
✖ Has no basis in the Qur’ān or Sunnah
✖ Is not practiced by the Companions or early Imāms
✖ Is supported only by fabricated or unsourced narrations
✖ Is a bidʿah (innovation) under the guise of love
✔ True love is shown by obedience, not innovation
❖ Introduction: Love for the Prophet ﷺ Requires Obedience, Not Innovation
True love for Allah and His Messenger ﷺ demands obedience and adherence to their commands — not emotional innovation or rituals without Sharʿī evidence.
❖ Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه stated in his first sermon as Caliph:
أطيعوني ما أطعت الله ورسوله، فإذا عصيت الله ورسوله، فلا طاعة لي عليكم
“Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. If I disobey Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, then your obedience to me is no longer required.”
[Sīrah Ibn Hishām: 6/82, chain is ḥasan]
❖ The Statement of Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī رحمه الله (d. 748 AH)
“Exaggeration (ghulūw) and excessive praise (iṭrā’) are forbidden, whereas respect and reverence are obligatory.
If the line between excessive praise and lawful respect becomes blurred, a scholar must withhold judgment, exercise caution, and consult someone more knowledgeable.
There is already sufficient guidance from countless aḥādīth detailing how to honor the Prophet ﷺ, and one must avoid the ghulūw similar to the Christians who elevated ʿĪsā عليه السلام from prophet to deity and son of God.
Excessive praise of the Prophet ﷺ may lead to disrespecting Allah, the Exalted.
May Allah protect us through taqwā, and preserve our love for the Prophet ﷺ in the way He is pleased with.”
[Mīzān al-Iʿtidāl: 2/650]
❖ Kissing the Thumbs Upon Hearing the Prophet's ﷺ Name During Adhān
Many people kiss their thumbs and place them on their eyes upon hearing:
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
in the Adhān.
This practice is a form of exaggeration (ghulūw) and not legislated in the Sharīʿah. If it were righteous or respectful in the Sharʿī sense, the noble Companions and early Imāms — the most reverent toward the Prophet ﷺ — would certainly have done it.There is no authentic report from any reliable Imām supporting this act. Therefore, this is not part of the religion; rather, it is a contravention of it.
❖ Debunking Fabricated Reports and Popular Misconceptions
✿ 1. Claim About Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه:
Claimed incident:
He heard the Muʾadhin say: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ, repeated the words, kissed his index fingers, and touched his eyes. The Prophet ﷺ allegedly said, “Whoever does as my beloved did, my intercession will become obligatory for him.”
Status: This narration is baseless and unsourced.❖ Ḥāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله states:
“لَا يَصِحّ” – It is not authentic.
[al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah: p. 385]
☞ Note: Some argue that “not ṣaḥīḥ” does not negate ḥasan — but in this case, no chain of narration (isnād) exists at all.
✿ 2. Claim About Sayyidunā Khiḍr عليه السلام:
Claimed narration:
Whoever hears the words أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ, says:
مرحبا بحبيبي وقرة عيني محمد بن عبد الله صلى الله عليه وسلم,
then kisses his thumbs and places them on his eyes — will never go blind.
Status: Fabricated and baseless.❖ Ḥāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله wrote:
“بسندٍ فيه مجاهيل مع انقطاعه”
Its chain contains unknown narrators and is disconnected.
[al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah: p. 385]
☞ Without a chain, there’s nothing to analyze — let alone accept.
❖ Statements from Scholars Rejecting These Narrations
❖ Ḥāfiẓ al-Sakhāwī رحمه الله:
“There is no authentic marfūʿ ḥadīth (i.e., attributed to the Prophet ﷺ) on this subject.”
[al-Maqāṣid al-Ḥasanah: p. 385]
❖ Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī رحمه الله:
“None of the narrations reported on this topic are authentically marfūʿ.”
[al-Mawḍūʿāt al-Kubrā: p. 210]
❖ Ibn ʿĀbidīn al-Shāmī رحمه الله:
“None of the marfūʿ reports on this matter are proven.”
[Radd al-Muḥtār: 1/293]
❖ Further Commentary by Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī رحمه الله:
“Even if this is proven from Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه, then that alone is enough to act upon.”
Rebuttal: First bring an authentic chain of narration, then validate the reliability of its narrators. Unsourced stories carry no weight.❖ Reference to Injīl Barnabās
Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī رحمه الله cites the Gospel of Barnabas, claiming that:
“Prophet Ādam عليه السلام desired to see the Nūr of Muḥammad ﷺ. It appeared in his thumbs, so he kissed them and touched his eyes.”
Rebuttal:Muslims are commanded to follow the Qur’ān and Sunnah. Corrupted and altered books like this are not proof in Islam.
❖ The Issue is Not Fadāʾil (Virtues) — It’s Sharʿī Ruling
Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān further states:
“Even if the ḥadīth is weak, it is acceptable in virtuous deeds.”
Rebuttal:- Our primary demand is for an actual chain of narration — and none is provided.
- This issue does not fall under virtues (fadāʾil), but rather Sharʿī rulings.
- Even for fadāʾil, ḥadīths must not be fabricated or severely weak.
❖ Statements on Weak Aḥādīth by Scholars
❖ Imām Ibn Ḥibbān رحمه الله:
“I do not consider the narration of a weak narrator, as such narrations are equal to non-existent.”
[al-Thiqāt: 9/159]
❖ He also wrote:
“The narration of a weak person and no narration at all are the same in ruling.”
[Kitāb al-Majrūḥīn: 1/328]
❖ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله:
“There is no difference between acting on a ḥadīth in rulings or virtues; both are part of the Sharīʿah.”
[Tabyīn al-ʿAjab fīmā Wurida fī Rajab: p. 2]
❖ False Logic: No Prohibition = Permissible?
Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī wrote:
“Calling it ḥarām without clear prohibition is ignorance. As long as there’s no explicit prohibition, we can’t forbid it. The general acceptance of Muslims suffices for recommending it.”
Rebuttal:- No reliable scholar has stated this practice to be recommended (mustaḥabb) with an authentic chain.
- Religion is based on proof, not majority practice.
- If you say “there’s no explicit prohibition, so it’s allowed,” this opens the door to every innovation imaginable.
- Can one then call the Adhān before Eid prayer mustaḥabb due to no prohibition? Of course not.
❖ The Principle: Acts of Worship Require Proof
❖ Imām Abū Shāmah al-Maqdisī رحمه الله (d. 665 AH) said:
“Whoever performs an act thinking it to be legislated while it is not, then he is an extremist in the religion, an innovator, and one who speaks falsely about Allah — whether by words or actions.”
[al-Bāʿith ʿalā Inkār al-Bidaʿ wa al-Ḥawādith: p. 20–21]
Conclusion
Kissing the thumbs upon hearing the Prophet’s ﷺ name during Adhān:
✖ Has no basis in the Qur’ān or Sunnah
✖ Is not practiced by the Companions or early Imāms
✖ Is supported only by fabricated or unsourced narrations
✖ Is a bidʿah (innovation) under the guise of love
✔ True love is shown by obedience, not innovation
