Is It Permissible to Send Greetings to the Prophet via a Visitor?

Answered by Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad

Question

Is it permissible to ask someone traveling to Madina to convey our greetings to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his Family, and his Companions.

The Importance of Sending Salawat Upon the Prophet

Sending prayers upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is prescribed and recommended in any form, including the manner mentioned in the question, as it serves as a reminder for the visitor to send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) when visiting him from one of his beloved followers. The details of this are as follows:

Sending prayers upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is one of the closest acts of devotion and the greatest of obedience. Whoever adheres to it will attain happiness in this world, and their sins will be forgiven in the Hereafter. It brings about goodness, fulfills needs, wards off calamities, and opens the door to Allah’s pleasure, abundant rewards, and His love for His servants.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the source of all good in both worlds. He is the intercessor for all creation in the Hereafter, and sending prayers upon him is an intercessor for supplications in this world. Therefore, the command to send prayers upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) has been established in the Quran and Sunna.

Allah (Most High) says:

“Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O  believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace.” [Quran, 33:56]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Whoever sends one blessing upon me, Allah will send ten blessings upon him.” [Muslim; Ibn Hibban; Abu Dawud; Tirmidhi; Darimi; Ahmad]

The Virtue of Sending Salawat Upon the Prophet

Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) would stand up after one-third of the night or two-thirds had passed and say,

“O people, remember Allah, remember Allah. The earthquake will come followed by the Hour. Death will come with all that it entails.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I send many blessings upon you. How much of my supplication should I make for you?” He said, “Whatever you wish.” I said, “A quarter?” He said, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it, it is better for you.” I said, “Half?” He said, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it, it is better for you.” I said, “Two-thirds?” He said, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it, it is better for you.” I said, “Shall I make all my supplication for you?” He said, “Then your concerns will be taken care of, and your sins will be forgiven.” [Hakim; Tirmidhi; Ahmad]

In another narration, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Then Allah will take care of what concerns you in your worldly and religious affairs.” [Hakim; Tirmidhi; Ahmad; Ibn Abi Shayba]

The Continuous Conveyance of Greetings by Angels

By the grace of Allah upon the followers of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), their prayers reach him wherever they are. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Allah has angels who travel around the earth conveying to me the greetings of my umma.” [Ibn Hibban; Hakim; Ahmad; Ibn Abi Shayba]

The Permissibility of Asking a Visitor to Madina to Convey Greetings

Due to their deep attachment to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), Muslims have become customary to ask those visiting Madina to convey their greetings to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Some scholars have indicated the permissibility of this practice.

Scholarly Opinions on Conveying Greetings

Zabidi, in his commentary on “Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din,” mentioned:

“If someone was instructed to convey greetings by one of his beloved ones, he should say after the mentioned supplication: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, or from so-and-so, daughter of so-and-so.’

This practice has been passed down through the generations. Kings used to send messengers to convey their greetings. It is reported that ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz would send messengers from Syria to say: ‘Convey my greetings to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).’” Ibn Jawzi narrated this in “Muthir al-Gharam.” [Zabidi, Ithaf al-Sada al-Muttaqin Sharh Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din; Ibn Jawzi, Muthir al-Gharam al-Sakin ila Ashraf al-Amakin]

Imam Nawawi (Allah have mercy on him) said: “If someone was instructed to convey greetings to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), he should say: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, or from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, sends you greetings, O Messenger of Allah,’ or a similar phrase.” [Nawawi, al-Majmu‘]

The Obligation of Fulfilling the Trust of Conveying Greetings

It is mentioned in “al-Ikhtiyar li Ta‘lil al-Mukhtar” and “al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya”: “And he conveys the greetings of the one who instructed him by saying: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, seeking your intercession with your Lord for him, so intercede for him and for all Muslims,’ then he should stand facing the Prophet’s face, turning his back to the Qibla, and send prayers upon him as much as he wishes.” [Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar li Ta‘lil al-Mukhtar; al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya]

Some scholars even went so far as to say that conveying greetings to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) becomes obligatory for the person entrusted with this task as a matter of fulfilling trust. In “Sharh al-Zurqani ‘ala al-Mawahib al-Ladunniyya,” it is stated:

“If someone is entrusted with conveying greetings to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) by someone who says: ‘Say: Peace be upon you from so-and-so,’ or ‘Convey my greetings to him,’ and the person accepts this responsibility, it becomes obligatory upon him to convey it, as it is a trust that must be fulfilled. He should say: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, from so-and-so.’” [Zurqani, Sharh al-Zurqani ‘ala al-Mawahib al-Ladunniyya]

In “Matalib Uli al-Nuha,” it is mentioned:

“If someone was instructed to convey greetings, he should say: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, from so-and-so, son of so-and-so,’ and he is obligated to convey it if he accepted the responsibility, to discharge his duty.” [Mustafa Hanbali, Matalib Uli al-Nuha]

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is no harm in sending greetings to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) through someone visiting Madina. However, this should not detract from one’s zeal in increasing in sending blessings and peace upon him directly, to attain the virtues associated with it. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad