Salutations upon the Prophet (s.a.w.) is a Necessity for the Believer

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Both Sayyidina Anas ibn Malik (r.a.), and Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.) said that every supplication is veiled, mahjub, until the one making it sends swalawat upon the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This was recorded with tsiqah narrators from Imam Zaki ad-Din ‘Abd al-‘Ahzim ibn ‘Abd al-Qawiy al-Mundziri’s (r.a.) at-Targhib wa at-Tarhib; and Imam Shibab ad-Din Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hajr al-Haytsami’s (r.a.) Majma’ az-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id; by Imam Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ayyub ath-Thabarani (r.a.), in his Mu’jam al-Awsath; Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi (r.a.), in his Shu’ab al-Iman Abu Manswur Shahradar ibn Shiruyah ibn ad-Daylami (r.a.), in his Musnad al-Firdaws; Imam Abu ash-Shaykh Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Iswfahani (r.a.); and others. 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said, “The person most deserving of me on the Day of Rising is the one who sends the most swalawat upon me.”  This was recorded by Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari (r.a.), in his Tarikh al-Kabir; Imam Abu ‘Isa Muhammad ibn ‘Isa as-Sulami at-Tirmidzi (r.a.), in his Kitab asw-Swalah; Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Amr al-Bazzar (r.a.), in his Musnad; Qadhi Abu Ya’la Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn al-Farra’ (r.a.); Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.), his Shu’ab al-Iman; Imam ath-Thabarani (r.a.), in his Mu’jam al-Kabir; and Imam Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Fayswal at-Tamimi ibn Hibban (r.a.).  Imam Abu Ahmad ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Adi (r.a.) recorded it, in his al-Kamil fi al-Jarh wa at-Ta’dil; from Sayyidina Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (r.a.) as a hasan; while Imam Abu al-Fadhl ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuthi (q.s.) stated it is swahih, in his Jami’ asw-Swaghir.  This is confirmed in Fatḥ al-Bari fi Sharḥ Swaḥiḥ al-Bukhari. 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said, “None of you will believe until I am more beloved to him than his parents, children, and all of mankind,” and “Whoever loves something, mentions it frequently.”  The former hadits was recorded by Imam al-Bukhari (r.a.); Imam ‘Asakir ad-Din Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (r.a.); Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.); Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb an-Nasa’i (r.a.); Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah (r.a.); Imam Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman ad-Darimi (r.a.); Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.), in his Shu’ab al-Iman; Imam ath-Thabarani (r.a.), in his Mu’jam al-Awsath; Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Humayd (r.a.); and others.  The latter hadits was recorded by Imam ibn ad-Daylami (r.a.), in his Musnad al-Firdaws.  However, it is classified as dha’if by Imam as-Suyuthi (q.s.), in his Jami’ asw-Swaghir.  It was also recorded by Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Dunya (r.a.), and Imam Ahmad (r.a.), in their Kitab az-Zuhd; Imam Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn Ahmad ibn Shahin (r.a.), in his at Targhib fi Fadha’il al-A’amal; Imam Abu Nu’aym Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Aswbahani (r.a.); and Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.), in his Shu’ab al-Iman, with slight differences in wording. 

This means that the true believers love the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) more than any other human, and that because of this love, they mention and invoke him frequently, each time sending swalawat upon him.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) also said, “No Muslim sends swalawat upon me without the angels sending swalawat upon him in return, as long as he sends swalawat upon me.  So, let him decrease or increase as he wishes.”  Those who complain of people reciting “too much” swalawat upon the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) should reflect upon these ahadits.  This hadits was recorded by Imam Ahmad (r.a.); Imam ibn Majah (r.a.); Imam Ḍhiyaʼ ad-Din Abu ʻAbdullah Muhammad ibn ʻAbd al-Wahid al-Maqdisi (r.a.); Imam Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Shaybah (r.a.); Imam ‘Abd ar-Razzaq ibn Hammam asw-Swanʽani  (r.a.); Imam Abu Muhammad al-Husayn ibn Mas’ud al-Baghawi (r.a.); Imam al-Bayhaqi (r.a.), in his Shu’ab; Imam Abu Nu’aym (r.a.); Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (r.a.), in his Kitab az-Zuhd; Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Humayd (r.a.), in his Musnad, and it is swahih, according to Imam as-Suyuthi (q.s.), in his Jami’ as-Swaghir, and hasan according to Imam al-Mundziri (r.a.), in his at-Targhib wa at-Tarhib.