When invoking blessings [ṣalawāt] on Muḥammad (ṣ), why do you also associate his progeny [ā] to him by saying, “Allāhumma ṣalli ‘alā Muḥammad wa Āli Muḥammad” [“O Allah! Bless Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad”]?

When invoking blessings [ṣalawāt] on Muḥammad (ṣ), why do you also associate his progeny [ā] to him by saying, “Allāhumma ṣalli ‘alā Muḥammad wa Āli Muḥammad” [“O Allah! Bless Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad”]?

Reply: It has been established that the Prophet (ṣ) himself had taught the Muslims how to invoke blessings on him. When the following noble verse,

﴿ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ﴾

“Indeed Allah and His angels bless the Prophet. O you who have faith! Invoke blessings on him and invoke Peace upon him in a worthy manner,”[1]

was revealed, the Muslims asked the Prophet (ṣ): “How should we invoke blessings (on you)?” The Prophet (ṣ) said:

“.البتراء الصّلوة عليّ تصلّوا لا”

“Do not invoke ‘incomplete’ blessings on me.”

They again asked: “How should we invoke blessings on you?” He (ṣ) replied: “Say:

مُحَمَّدٍ آلِ عَلىٰ وَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلىٰ صَلِّ أَللّهُمَّ

Allāhumma ṣalli ‘alā Muḥammad wa Āli Muḥammad.

“O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.”[2]

The exceptionally high station of the Prophet’s family [āl] (‘a) led Imām ash-Shāfi‘ī to compose the following famous poem:

حبّكم الله رسول بيت أهل يا

أنزله القرآن في الله من فرضٌ

انَّكم القدر عظيم من كفاكم

له صلوة لا عليكم يصلِّ لم مَن

O members of the Household [Ahl al-Bayt] of the Messenger of Allah! (Our) love for you is an obligation, which God has revealed in the Qur’an.

Your lofty station such that if one does not invoke blessings on you (while offering prayers) one’s prayer will be of no avail