Abdul Muqit Chowdhury :
All prayers, worships and supplications should be followed by Durud and Salam to Hazrat Muhammad (SM). Acceptance of worship by Allah depends greatly on the believers’ love and salutations to him.
The Holy Qur’an reveals : “God and His Angels/Send blessings on the Prophet:/O ye that believe!/Send ye blessings on him,/And salute him/With all respect.” (Sura 33: 56, The Holy Qur’an : Translation and Commentary by A. Yusuf Ali)
A. Yusuf Ali comments : “God and His Angels honour and bless the holy Prophet as the greatest of men. We are asked to honour and bless him all the more because he took upon himself to suffer the sorrows and afflictions of this life in order to guide us to God’s Mercy and the highest inner life.”
“Those that lower their voice/In the presence of/God’s Apostle,–their hearts/Has God tested for piety:/For them is forgiveness/And a great reward.” (Sura Huzurat 49 : 3, Do)
“And obey God/And the Apostle ;/That ye may obtain mercy.” (Sura Al Imran 3:132,Do)
“Those are limits/Set by God : those who/Obey God and His Apostle/Will be admitted to gardens/With rivers flowing beneath, /To abide therein (forever)/And that will be supreme achievement.” (Sura Nisa 4:13, Do)
The Muslims have to express their allegiance to Rasulullah (SM) by their loyalty.
The Holy Quran introduced Muhammad (SM) as a ‘Mercy for all creatures’. The greatest personalities of the world, irrespective of caste, creed, race and colour, have also offered their best praises on his unique, unparalleled character, who opened the great era of peace and prosperity for the mankind by preaching the universal ideal of brotherhood and equality.
Michael H. Hart salutes him in his ‘The Hundred’ : “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.”
By practicing patience and self-restraint in fasting, the Muslims submit to the Will of Allah and recognise their allegiance to the noble ideals of the Messenger of Allah to attain emancipation in this world and salvation in the Hereafter.
Offering of salams to the most respected Messenger of Allah, on whom ‘Allah and His Angels send blessings’ is a great virtue, specially in the month of Ramzan. It is to be remembered that Allah has directed the believers to send ‘blessings on him (the Prophet) and salute him with all respect.’
So, all prayers and worship, including fasting, should be made with Durud and Salam to Hazrat Muhammad (SM).
