Chapter 3: Seeking Blessing From The Relics Of Saints
Loving and showing affiliation and affection for the saints, for, they are the pious and beloved servants of Allah, is a suitable, decent and beneficent practice, which itself is a sort of nearing oneself to Allah.
Allah has Himself promised his decent and pious servants that he would put their love in the hearts of the people:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وُدًّا
Surely, on those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will (Allah) Most Gracious bestow love. (19:96).
All of us know that love is a heartly and interior factor and does not have any kind of obvious and exterior symbols. One, for the sake of its manifestation and declaration, must set foot on the ways which are traditional among the sane and wise people except for the occasions where there is a religious prohibition.
One of the ways of love expression for the saints of Allah, the pure ones and those close to Allah, which the Prophet has not prohibited, is the seeking of blessing from the relics of the saints and their signs, and the respect of everything which reminds man about them.
Just as the kissing of Hajar Al-Aswad (black stone of Kabah), circumbulation of Kabah and even the practices and meditations which we perform as prayers are all the signs of servitude humbleness and humility before Allah, similarly the seeking of blessing and benedictions from the relics of the Allah saints is also the show of our heartfelt love and affiliations which Allah has made obligatory and incumbent upon us.
This is the reason that we see that the companions of the Prophet (S) after the death of Prophet loved, honoured and sough t blessing from anything attributed and connected to him, to manifest their heartfelt love and devotion to that magnanimous personality.
Just as Yaqoob (‘a) (Jacob) the Prophet touched and rubbed the shirt of Yousuf (‘a) which was the sign of his beloved (son) upon his eyes and his eyes got cured. Now, we concentrate upon the traditions in this connection:
عن عون بن أبي جحيفة عن أبيه قال أتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وهو في قبة حمراء من أدم ورأيت بلالاً أخذ وضوء النبي يصب منه شيئاً أخذ من باب صاحبه.
Aon Ibn Abi Jaheefi narrated from his father: I went to the Prophet (S) and be was present in a tent made of tainted skin and I saw Bilal collecting the ablution water of the Prophet (S). People were rushing to the water of ablution and everybody was taking some of it and rubbing and pulling it on his head and the one who cannot get from it, takes it from the dampness of the hand of his friends.1
عن أبي جحيفة قال خرج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله بالهاجرة الى البطحاء فتوضأ ثم صلى الظهر ركعتين والعصر ركعتين وبين يديه عنزة. قال كان يمر من ورائها المارة وقام الناس فجعلوا يأخذون يديه فيمسحون بها وجوههم، قال: فأخذت بيده فوضعتها على وجهي فإذا هي أبرد من الثلج وأطيب من رائحة المسك.
Abi Hajeefa narrates: One day the Prophet (S) went to bath at the Dhuhur (afternon) prayer time, made ablution, and offered the Dhuhur and Asr prayers, each two Rakats. There was a club lying before him. He says (the passers-by crossed over from the back or it). People stopped. They would take the hands of the Prophet (S) and rubbed them to their faces. He says: I too took his hands and rubbed them to my face and I felt his hands were colder than ice and more fragrant than musk. 2
قال أبو بردة….قال لي عبدالله بن سلام ألا أسقيك في قزح شرب منه النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.
Abu Barda says: Abdullah Ibn Salam said to me, may I not quench your thirst (with water) in the bowl out of which the Prophet (S) took water?
The same bowl came to the hands of Omer Ibn Abdul Aziz and be retained it 3
Similarly, Bukhari has given a chapter in his Sahih under the title:
باب من ذكر من درع النبي وعصاه وسيفه وقدحه وخاتمه وما استعمل الخلفاء من بعدهم ذلك مما لم يذكر قسمته ومن شعره ونعله وآنيته مما يتبرك أصحابه وغيرهم بعد وفاته.
The chapter with the statement about the armoured jacket or the Prophet (S) his cup, bowl, ring and all that the caliphs after trim too benefit of and the hair and shoes and utensils of the Prophet (S) from which the companions Sahabah and others (non-companions) used to seek blessings after his death.4
Thereby Bukhari has mentioned numerous traditions under the same chapter.
عن سلمة بن الأكوع قال بايعت النبي صلى الله عليه وآله بيدي هذه فقبلناها فلم ينكر ذلك.
Salama Bint Alakoo says: l took the oath of allegiance for the Prophet with this hand or mine then I kissed his hand and he did not object upon it. 5
جاء الأشج يمشي حتى أخذ بيد النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فقبلها فقال له أما إن فيك لخلقين يحبهما الله ورسوله….
Ashja was walking till the held the hand of the Prophet (S) and kissed it. The Prophet (S) said to him There are two qualities in you which Allah and His Prophet love. 6
عن يحيى بن الحارث قال لقيت واثلة بن الأسقع فقلت: بايعت بيدك هذه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله؟ فقال نعم قلت فاعطني يدك أقبلها فأعطانيها فقبلتها.
Yahyah Ibn Haris says: I met Wasila Ibn Asqa and said to him have you taken the oath of allegiance for the Prophet (S) with your hand. He said: Yes I said, Give me your hand so that I kiss it. He gave me his hand and I kissed it. 7
عن أبي جدعان قال ثابت لأنس أمسيت النبي بيدك؟ ، قال نعم فقبلها.
Abu Jadaan says: Thabit Ibn Anas said, Have you touched the Prophet (S) with your hand. He said, Yes then he kissed his hand. 8
عن عمار بن أبي عمار أن زيد بن ثابت ركب يوماً فأخذ إبن عباس بركابه فقال تنحى يا إبن عم الرسول فقال: هكذا أمرنا أن نفعل بعلمائنا وكبرائنا فقال زيد: أرني يدك. فأخرج يده فقبلها فقال: هكذا أمرنا أن نفعل بأهل بيت نبينا.
One day Zaid Ibn Thabit rode a horse. Ibn Abbas caught hold of the treadler. He said, ''Oh cousin of the Prophet (S), leave it. So Ibn Anas said, We have been ordained that we may have such conduct with our scholars and magnanimous (personalities). Zaid said, Show me your hand. Ibn Abbas held his hand out. Thus, Zaid kissed it and said, we have been commanded to have such a conduct with the Ahl al-Bayt household of the Prophet (S).9
عن علي عليه السلام قال لما دُفن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله جاءت فاطمة فوقفت على قبره وأخذت قبضة من تراب القبر فوضعت على عينيها وبكت.
It is narrated from Ali (‘a) that, when the Prophet (S ) was buried Fatimah (s.a.) came and stood in front of his grave and took a handful of clay from his grave and held that over her eyes (a respect gesture) and wept. 10
عن أبي الدرداء: أن بلالاً رأى في منامه النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وهو يقول له: ما هذه الجفوة يا بلال اما آن لك أن تزورني يا بلال؟ فانتبه حزينا وجلا خائفاً فركب راحلته وقصد المدينة فأتى قبر النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فجعل يبكي عنده ويمرغ وجهه عليه فأقبل الحسن والحسين فجعل يضمهما على صدره ويقبلهما.
Abu Durda says: Bilal saw the Prophet (S) in his dream. He was saying to him, Oh Bilal what sort or unkindness is this. Have the time of it that you visit me (my grave) not yet. Come? Bilal woke up and rode his horse in a sad and grieved condition and headed towards Madina. He arrived at the grave of the Prophet (S). He was weeping over there and rubbing his face upon the clay of the grave of Prophet (S), Then Hasan (‘a) and Husayn (‘a) came. He, then started hugging and kissing them.11
عن داود بن أبي صالح قال: أقبل مروان يوماً فوجد رجلاً واضعاً وجهه على القبر فقال: أتدري ما تصنع؟ فأقبل عليه فإذا هو أبو أيوب. فقال: نعم جئت الى رسول الله ولم آت الحجر. سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله يقول: لا تبكوا على الدين إذا وليه أهله ولكن ابكوا على الدين إذا وليه غير أهله.
Once Marwan said that a man has set his face upon the grave of the Prophet (S). So, he said, Do you know, what you are doing? That man, who was Abu Ayub Ansari, turned his face towards him and said; Yes I have come to the Prophet of Allah and have not come to a stone. I have heard the Prophet of Allah say, When the capable or suitable men become the in-charge of the religion do not weep upon the condition of religion. But when incapable and unfit persons become in-charge then do weep over the religion. 12
ذكر الخطيب بن جملة: أن ابن عمر كان يضع يده اليمنى على القبر الشريف وان بلالاً وضع خديه عليه أيضا.
Khateeb Ibn Jumla says Ibn ‘Umar used to keep his right hand upon the grave of the Prophet (S) and Bilal also used to keep his face upon it. 13
عن إبراهيم بن عبد الرحمن: أنه نظر إلى ابن عمر وضع على مقصد النبي صلى الله عليه وآله من المنبر ثم وضعها على وجهه.
It is narrated by Ibrahim Ibn Abd Ar-Rahman that he saw Ibn ‘Umar kept his hand upon the sitting place of the Prophet (S) on the tribune (cathedra) and then caressed and rubbed his hand against his face. 14
عن عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل قال: سألت ابي عن الرجل يمس منبر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ويتبرك بمسه ويقبله ويفعل بالقبر مثل ذلك رجاء ثواب الله تعالى. قال: لا بأس به.
Abdullah Ibn Ahmad Bib Hanbal says, I enquired from my father about the man who touches the cathedra (tribune) of the Prophet (S) and seeks blessing from it and kisses it and has the same conduct with the grave as well and does perform all these activities with the hope of Allah's reward. He replied, There is no objection over it.''15
It becomes clear and evident from this collection of traditions that the act of seeking blessing and benediction from the relics of the Prophet (S) and saints of Allah was customary and a normal routine factor and the Prophet (S) and Sahabah (his companions) never at all sloped and prohibited it and it was a kind of respect, and honour as regards to them.
- 1. Sahih Bukhari vol. 7, p. 283.
- 2. Sahih Bukhari, vol. 5, p. 29.
- 3. Sahih Bukhari vol. 7, p. 206 and 207.
- 4. Sahih Bukhari vol. 4, p. 184.
- 5. Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, p. l84.
- 6. Hayat us sahaba, vol. 2, p. 484.
- 7. Majma az zawaid vol. 8. p. 42.
- 8. Hayat us sababa, vol. 2, p. 485.
- 9. Kanz al-’Ummal vol. 13, p. 396.
- 10. Wafa ul wafa, vol. 4, p. 1405.
- 11. Tehzib Tarikh Dameshiq. vol. 2, p. 259.
- 12. Majma uz zawaid, vol. 5. p. 245.
- 13. Wafa ul wafa, vol. 4, p, 1405.
- 14. Hayat us sahaba, vol. 4, p. 1405.
- 15. Wafa al-Wafa, vol 4, p. 1404.