This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahi Fazail-e-Amaal.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is worthy of respect both in the heavens and on the earth. In the heavens, Allah Almighty and the angels send blessings upon him, and on the earth, it is incumbent upon all believers to continuously send blessings and peace upon him. Allah the Exalted has said:
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾
"Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace."
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab:56)
Benefit: Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated from Abu Al-Aaliyah that the blessings of Allah mean the mention of the Prophet in the assembly of angels, and the blessings of the angels mean prayers for goodness and blessings upon him ﷺ.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, Chapter on the verse: Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet.
For further details, see: Jala' al-Afham by Hafiz Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, on the meaning and concept of "Salat" (blessings).
Imam Bukhari narrated from Ka'b bin Ujrah رضي الله عنه that the Companions رضي الله عنهم asked the Prophet ﷺ how to send blessings upon him, as they knew how to greet him with peace but not how to send blessings. The Prophet ﷺ said: Say:
اللهم صل على محمد، وعلى آل محمد، كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد. اللهم بارك على محمد وعلى آل محمد، كما باركت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد .
"O Allah, send Your mercy upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your mercy upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Honorable."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Prophets' Hadith, No. 3370.
It should also be remembered that whenever the mention of the Holy Prophet ﷺ comes, it is obligatory to send blessings upon him.
For further details see:
Reference: Tafsir Ibn Kathir, under the verse: Indeed Allah and His angels.
Reciting Durood (blessings) abundantly brings relief from troubles. Sayyiduna Abi bin Ka'b رضي الله عنه said that he asked:
يا رسول الله! إني أكثر الصلاة عليك، فكم أجعل لك من صلاتي؟ قال: ما شئت. قلت: الربع؟ قال: ما شئت، فإن زدت فهو خير لك، قلت: فالنصف؟ قال: ما شئت، فإن زدت فهو خير لك، قلت: فالثلثين؟ قال: ما شئت، فإن زدت فهو خير لك. قلت: أجعل لك صلاتي كلها؟ قال: إذا تكفيك همك، ويغفر لك ذنبك .
"O Messenger of Allah, I send blessings upon you abundantly, so how much time should I allocate for sending blessings upon you?" He ﷺ said: "As much as you wish." I said: "A quarter of the time for supplication?" He ﷺ said: "As much as you wish, if you do more, it is better for you." I said: "Then half?" He ﷺ said: "As much as you wish, if you do more, it is better for you." I said: "Then two-thirds?" He ﷺ said: "As much as you wish, if you do more, it is better for you." I said: "Then I dedicate all my time to sending blessings upon you." He ﷺ said: "Then this will be sufficient for removing your sorrows and your sins will be forgiven."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Chapters on the Description of the Resurrection, No. 2457.
Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, graded it as "Sahih."A gathering in which Allah's remembrance is not made, and no blessings are sent upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, is certainly a gathering devoid of blessings, and according to an authentic hadith, its participants may deserve Allah's punishment. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
ما جلس قوم مجلسا لم يذكروا الله فيه ولم يصلوا على نبيهم إلا كان عليهم ترة، فإن شاء عذبهم وإن شاء غفر لهم .
"Those who sit in a gathering in which Allah is not remembered and no blessings are sent upon the Prophet ﷺ, that gathering will be a cause of regret for them. So if Allah wills, He will punish them, and if He wills, He will forgive them."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Chapters on Supplications, Chapter: People sit but do not remember Allah, No. 3380 - Al-Silsilah al-Sahihah, No. 74.
The person who sends blessings upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ receives Allah's mercy. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من صلى على صلاة واحدة صلى الله عليه بها عشرا .
"Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send ten mercies upon him."
Reference: Sunan Nasai, Book of Forgetfulness, No. 1297 -
Al-Albani graded it as "Sahih."
Reference: Al-Mishkat, No. 902.
Sending blessings upon the Holy Prophet ﷺ elevates one's ranks. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من صلى على صلاة واحدة صلى الله عليه عشر صلوات وحطت عنه عشر خطيئات ورفعت له عشر درجات .
"Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah sends ten mercies upon him, forgives ten of his sins, and raises him ten degrees."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer, No. 912.
Sayyiduna Abu Darda رضي الله عنه said:
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever sends blessings upon me ten times in the morning and ten times in the evening, on the Day of Resurrection, he will be granted my intercession."
Reference: Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir: 2/1088.
On the Day of Judgment, the one closest to the Prophet ﷺ will be the one who sends the most blessings upon him. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
أولى الناس بي يوم القيامة أكثرهم على صلاة .
"On the Day of Resurrection, the closest among the people to me will be the one who sends the most blessings upon me."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Chapter on the Virtue of Sending Blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, No. 484 - Sahih Ibn Hibban, No. 2389 -
Ibn Hibban graded it as authentic.Sending blessings abundantly upon the Prophet ﷺ is a cause of entering Paradise. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من نسي الصلاة على خطي به طريق الجنة .
Reference: Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 286/9.
This hadith is Hasan.It is recommended to send abundant blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ on Fridays. Sayyiduna Uwais bin Uwais رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Among your days, Friday is the best day. So send abundant blessings upon me on that day, for your blessings upon me are presented to me." The narrator said that the Companions رضي الله عنهم asked: "O Messenger of Allah, how will our blessings upon you be presented when your blessed body will have decayed in the grave?" The Prophet ﷺ said: "Indeed, Allah has forbidden the bodies of the Prophets ﷺ to decay in the earth."
Reference: Sunan Abu Dawood, Chapter on the Distribution of the Chapters of Witr, No. 1531 -
Al-Albani graded it as "Sahih."Whenever the mention of the Prophet ﷺ occurs, blessings should be sent upon him. Husayn bin Ali bin Abu Talib رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
البخيل الذى من ذكرت عنده فلم يصل علي .
"A miser is the one in whose presence my mention is made but he does not send blessings upon me."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Chapters on Supplications, No. 3546 -
Al-Albani graded it as "Sahih."
Reference: Al-Mishkat, No. 933 - Al-Ta'liq al-Ragheeb: 284/2
