Reflecting on sending Salawat on the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

Allah subhana wa ta’ala says in the Quran:

“Surely Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet.  O you who believe!  Call for divine blessings on him and salute him a with a becoming salutation“

Surah al-Ahzab 33:56.

I heard from a Ba Alawi Shaykh, an Ashiq of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that the word ‘malaikatuhu’ (angels) is not specific to any particular group of angels, ie the ayah refers to all the angels in existence and that will ever exist.  Subhan Allah, just reflecting on that is amazing.  An innumerable number of these heavenly beings are sending blessings upon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) as well as doing the task they were created to do.

What is truly amazing though is that Allah subhana wa ta’ala is saying He himself sends blessings upon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).  It’s a form of worship that we are commanded to perform (it’s fard upon every Muslim to do at least once in their life) but it is also an act of worship that Allah Himself does (obviously it’s not an act of worship the way it apllies to us).

How would our salawat compare to the salawat that Allah sends upon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)?  In reality we don’t send blessings upon the Prophet, we ask Allah to send blessings upon him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) because only He can truly bless al-Habib with a worthy blessing.

Do we appreciate how Allah is honouring and raising the rank of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in this ayah?  If we use the logic the Shaykh applied with the angels, Allah does not specify a time when He sends salawat (Allah subhana wa ta’ala is not constrained by an aspect of creation like time).  Therefore Allah is always sending blessings upon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).  As we believe Allah will never cease to exist the salawat upon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) will never end. We also believe Allah is Pre-eternal (attribute of being beginning less) so salawat have always been sent…….. even before He created him (صلى الله عليه وسلم)?   Allahu a’lam.

Do we appreciate how Allah is honouring and raising the rank of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in this ayah?  - Is it even possible for us to conceive of the magnitude of what Allah is saying in this ayah?

May Allah make us from amongst those who send abundant blessings upon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and may He accept them and grant us the shifa of His al-Habib al-Mustafa (صلى الله عليه وسلم) .

Amin