Free From Worry, Forgiven of Sins
In his book entitled ‘Jalā’ul Afhām’ which focuses on the manners and merits of sending salutations upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله mentioned the following narration:
وعن أبي بن كعب رضي الله عنه: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا ذهب ثلث الليل، قام فقال: ”يا أيها الناس اذكروا الله، جاءت الراجفة، تتبعها الرادفة، جاء الموت بما فيه، جاء الموت بما فيه”
Ubay ibn Ka’b رضي الله عنه stated that when one-third of the night would pass, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would stand up and announce: “Oh, People! Remember Allah! The blowing of the first trumpet has come, to be followed by the second blowing of the trumpet. (Refer to Surah an-Nāzi’at, 6-7]. Death has approached with all that it entails! Death has approached with all that it entails!”
قلت: يا رسول الله إنى أكثر الصلاة عليك، فكم أجعل لك من صلاتى؟ قال: “ما شئت” قلت: الربع؟ قال: “ما شئت، فإن زذت فهو خير” قلت: فالنصف؟ قال: ما شئت فإن زذت فهو خير قلت” فالثلثين؟ قال: ما شئت فإن زدت فهو خير” قلت: أجعل لك صلاتى كلها؟ قال: “إذا تكفى همك، ويغفر لك ذنبك
Ka’b said: “Oh Messenger of Allah ﷺ, indeed, I frequently send salawāt upon you, so how much of my of my du’ā should I devote to you?”. The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘As much as you wish’. I said, “A quarter?” He replied: ‘As much as you wish, and if you increase, it will be good.” I suggested half and he replied, ‘As much as you wish, and if you increase, it will be good.’ I then suggested two-thirds and he said, ‘As much as you wish, and if you increase, it will be good.’ Ka’b then said, “Shall I dedicate all of my du’ā to sending salawāt upon you?” The Prophet ﷺ replied: ‘(If so) Then you’ll be spared from your worries and your sins will be forgiven.’” [Gathered by at-Tirmidhi and al-Imām Ahmed in his Musnad and al-Hākim in al- Mustadrak. at-Tirmidhi stated the hadith is ‘Hasan Sahīh’]
Ibnul Qayyim mentioned: “I asked our Shaykh Abul Abbās (ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله) about the explanation of this hadith and he said:
“Ubay ibn Ka’b used to have a supplication that he would use for himself, so he asked the Prophet ﷺ if he should dedicate a quarter of that to send du’ā upon him, so he replied: ‘If you increase in that it would be good for you’. So, then Ubay questioned about half, and the Prophet ﷺ replied: ‘If you increase in that it would be good for you’, until Ubay questioned if it was appropriate to turn all of his supplications into sending salawāt upon the Prophet ﷺ, who then replied: ‘(If so) Then you’ll be spared from your worries and your sins will be forgiven’. This is because whoever sends salutations upon the Prophet ﷺ, Allah will send ten rewards upon them, and likewise they’ll be spared from worries and their sins will be forgiven. This is the meaning of his speech ﷺ.”
Source: Tahdhīb Jalā’ul Afhām fee as-Salāt was-Salām ‘alā Khayril Anām, p. 24-25, Dār ‘Atā’at al-Ilm
