Written by: Maulana Abu Al-Hasan Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani
Question:
Is it permissible to kiss the thumbs when hearing the name of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)?
Answer:
During the call to prayer (Adhan), it is required to respond to the words of the Mu'adhdhin (the one who calls the Adhan) and recite the following after the phrases “Ashhadu an…”:
"Wa ana ashhadu alla ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu, raditu billahi rabban wa bi Muhammadin rasulan wa bil islami dinan"
[Muslim, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Istihbab al-Qawl Mithl Qawl al-Mu'adhdhin… etc. 386, Ibn Khuzaymah 1/220]
No other act during the Adhan, such as kissing the thumbs, is proven from the Qur'an, Hadith, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), or the Tabi'un (the successors). Adhan was called during the time of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Companions would listen to it. What was taught to them is mentioned in the Hadith. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“When you hear the call to prayer, say what the Mu'adhdhin says, and then send blessings upon me.”
[Sahih Muslim: 849]
Another narration in Sahih Muslim clarifies this. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“When the Mu'adhdhin says: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, one of you should also say: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Then, when he says: Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah, you should say: Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah. When he says: Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah, you should say: Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah. When he says: Hayya alas salah, you should say: La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. When he says: Hayya alal falah, you should say: La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. When he says: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, you should say: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. When he says: La ilaha illallah, you should say: La ilaha illallah from your heart, and whoever does so will enter Paradise.”
[Muslim, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Istihbab al-Qawl Mithl Qawl al-Mu'adhdhin… etc. 850]
↰ Apart from this, there is no authentic Hadith proving that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) instructed anyone to kiss their thumbs and rub their eyes, nor is this practice authentically attributed to any of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). None of the four Imams can provide a chain of narration supporting this.
↰ Despite the clear and explicit Hadith (which instructs only to repeat the phrase Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah, with a promise of Paradise for responding accordingly), unfortunately, people have started various self-invented actions like kissing thumbs and saying 'Qurratu Ayn' (coolness of my eyes). These actions and phrases have no connection to Islam.
↰ It should also be noted that the narrations concerning Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) or any other such stories related to this practice are fabricated and invented.
For instance, in the Hanafi jurisprudential book Radd al-Muhtar [1/293], Ibn Abidin al-Shami writes:
◈ Ibn Abidin al-Shami states:
"None of the Marfu' narrations (directly attributed to the Prophet) about this are authentically proven."
◈ Allama Shawkani, referencing Ibn Tahir al-Hanafi’s book “Al-Tadhkirah”, writes:
"The narration concerning Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) kissing his thumbs in the presence of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is not authentic."
[Al-Fawaid al-Majmoo’ah fi al-Ahadith al-Mawdoo’ah: 9]
◈ Hasan bin Ali Hindi, in his annotations of Mishkat, writes:
"None of the narrations about placing thumbs on the eyes upon hearing the testimonies from the Mu'adhdhin are authentic."
◈ Allama Aini al-Hanafi forbids this practice, stating:
"It is essential for listeners to refrain from any action other than responding to the Adhan."
↰ Even the scholars have deemed these narrations as fabricated and self-invented.
◈ Imam Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahani said:
"Everything narrated regarding this is fabricated."
◈ Allama Suyuti also commented:
"All of it is fabricated."
[Taysir al-Maqal]
↰ Regarding the Hadith that includes the phrase 'Qurratu Ayn' (coolness of my eyes):
◈ Imam Shaybani, in “Tamyeez al-Tayyib min al-Khabith”, states:
"Shaykh al-Sakhawi said: This Hadith related to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is not authentic because it is disconnected, and its chain contains unknown narrators."
[Tamyeez al-Tayyib min al-Khabith 189]
Kissing the thumbs and rubbing them on the eyes upon hearing the name of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is not a manifestation of love. True love is shown by obeying and following the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and sacrificing everything for this purpose. When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) once began rubbing the water of the Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) ablution on their bodies, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“What has prompted you to do this?” They said: “Love for Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“Whoever wishes to love Allah and His Messenger or to be loved by Allah and His Messenger, let him speak the truth when he talks, fulfill his trust when he is entrusted, and treat his neighbor well.”
[Shu’ab al-Iman al-Bayhaqi 1533, Hidayat al-Ruwat 4920, Al-Saheehah 2998]
In other words, true love lies in being a sincere follower of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in both words and deeds.
Question:
Is it permissible to kiss the thumbs when hearing the name of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)?
Answer:
During the call to prayer (Adhan), it is required to respond to the words of the Mu'adhdhin (the one who calls the Adhan) and recite the following after the phrases “Ashhadu an…”:
"Wa ana ashhadu alla ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu, raditu billahi rabban wa bi Muhammadin rasulan wa bil islami dinan"
[Muslim, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Istihbab al-Qawl Mithl Qawl al-Mu'adhdhin… etc. 386, Ibn Khuzaymah 1/220]
No other act during the Adhan, such as kissing the thumbs, is proven from the Qur'an, Hadith, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), or the Tabi'un (the successors). Adhan was called during the time of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Companions would listen to it. What was taught to them is mentioned in the Hadith. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“When you hear the call to prayer, say what the Mu'adhdhin says, and then send blessings upon me.”
[Sahih Muslim: 849]
Another narration in Sahih Muslim clarifies this. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“When the Mu'adhdhin says: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, one of you should also say: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Then, when he says: Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah, you should say: Ashhadu alla ilaha illallah. When he says: Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah, you should say: Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah. When he says: Hayya alas salah, you should say: La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. When he says: Hayya alal falah, you should say: La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. When he says: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, you should say: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. When he says: La ilaha illallah, you should say: La ilaha illallah from your heart, and whoever does so will enter Paradise.”
[Muslim, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Istihbab al-Qawl Mithl Qawl al-Mu'adhdhin… etc. 850]
↰ Apart from this, there is no authentic Hadith proving that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) instructed anyone to kiss their thumbs and rub their eyes, nor is this practice authentically attributed to any of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). None of the four Imams can provide a chain of narration supporting this.
↰ Despite the clear and explicit Hadith (which instructs only to repeat the phrase Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah, with a promise of Paradise for responding accordingly), unfortunately, people have started various self-invented actions like kissing thumbs and saying 'Qurratu Ayn' (coolness of my eyes). These actions and phrases have no connection to Islam.
↰ It should also be noted that the narrations concerning Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) or any other such stories related to this practice are fabricated and invented.
For instance, in the Hanafi jurisprudential book Radd al-Muhtar [1/293], Ibn Abidin al-Shami writes:
◈ Ibn Abidin al-Shami states:
"None of the Marfu' narrations (directly attributed to the Prophet) about this are authentically proven."
◈ Allama Shawkani, referencing Ibn Tahir al-Hanafi’s book “Al-Tadhkirah”, writes:
"The narration concerning Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) kissing his thumbs in the presence of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is not authentic."
[Al-Fawaid al-Majmoo’ah fi al-Ahadith al-Mawdoo’ah: 9]
◈ Hasan bin Ali Hindi, in his annotations of Mishkat, writes:
"None of the narrations about placing thumbs on the eyes upon hearing the testimonies from the Mu'adhdhin are authentic."
◈ Allama Aini al-Hanafi forbids this practice, stating:
"It is essential for listeners to refrain from any action other than responding to the Adhan."
↰ Even the scholars have deemed these narrations as fabricated and self-invented.
◈ Imam Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahani said:
"Everything narrated regarding this is fabricated."
◈ Allama Suyuti also commented:
"All of it is fabricated."
[Taysir al-Maqal]
↰ Regarding the Hadith that includes the phrase 'Qurratu Ayn' (coolness of my eyes):
◈ Imam Shaybani, in “Tamyeez al-Tayyib min al-Khabith”, states:
"Shaykh al-Sakhawi said: This Hadith related to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is not authentic because it is disconnected, and its chain contains unknown narrators."
[Tamyeez al-Tayyib min al-Khabith 189]
Kissing the thumbs and rubbing them on the eyes upon hearing the name of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) is not a manifestation of love. True love is shown by obeying and following the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and sacrificing everything for this purpose. When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) once began rubbing the water of the Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) ablution on their bodies, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“What has prompted you to do this?” They said: “Love for Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said:
“Whoever wishes to love Allah and His Messenger or to be loved by Allah and His Messenger, let him speak the truth when he talks, fulfill his trust when he is entrusted, and treat his neighbor well.”
[Shu’ab al-Iman al-Bayhaqi 1533, Hidayat al-Ruwat 4920, Al-Saheehah 2998]
In other words, true love lies in being a sincere follower of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in both words and deeds.