Tabarruk (receive blessings from the body or remains of shalihin/faithful people)

Many people misunderstood the true meaning of Tabarruk to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, remains of Prophet s.a.w, his Ahlulbait s.a.w and all his joint heirs which were Moslem canonists, the Moslem scholars and the saints of Islam. Because the truth that they have yet understood, they daringly judge them as kafir (unbeliever) or musyrik (polytheist), anyone who performed Tabarruk towards Prophet s.a.w or ulama (Moslem canonists).

Regarding the use of Azimat (Ruqyyat/seeing, believing) with Arabic letters, it is permitted, as long as it is not praising other than Allah s.w.t. As explained that Azimat with words of verses from Al Qur’an or prayers were mentioned in Faidhulqadir Book Juz (Part) 3 page. 192, and Tafsir Imam Qurtubi Juz 10 pages.316/317, and many more explanation from Muhadditsin (experts in Hadits) regarding the permission of using Azimat, because it is only performing Tabarruk (receive blessing) from verses of Alqur’an.

Regarding sacred /supernatural things, it needs a clear explanation that those sacred things will not bring advantages nor mudharrat (harm/disadvantages), but it may be used as Tabarruk (receive blessing) from the previous owner, for example if he was shalih (a faithful person), as the history has it:

• All the comrades almost killed each other when struggled to get the remaining water used for wudhu by Rasulullah s.a.w (Shahih Bukhari Hadits no. 186)

• Allah s.w.t clarified that when Ya’qub a.s was blind, and being thrown Yusuf a.s’ clothes to his face, hence he could see again, as Allah explained in His command: “(said Yusuf a.s to his elder brothers) GO ALL OF YOU WITH THIS CLOTHES OF MINE, THEN THROW IT TO MY FATHER’S FACE, THEN HE WILL BE RECOVERED FROM BLINDNESS” (QS Yusuf 93), and also from this verse : “THUS WHEN COMING TO HIM THE GOOD NEWS, AND BEING THROWN TO HIS FACE (Yusuf a.s’s clothes) THEN HE (Ya’qub a.s) WAS RECOVERED FROM BLINDNESS” (QS Yusuf 96). This is a statement from Alqur’an, that things / clothes of faithful people may become the mediator of someone’s recovery with Allah’s blessing of course, we may ask why Allah mentioned this verse clearly?, what was the purpose of mentioning Yusuf’s scarf in his words: "GO ALL OF YOU WITH MY CLOTHES, THEN THROW IT TO MY FATHER’S FACE, THEN HE WILL BE RECOVERED FROM BLINDNESS”. What was the purpose of mentioning the clothes being thrown to his father’s face?, to make us understand that Allah S.W.T glorifies things that have been touched by the body of His faithful servants. We will see other indications.

• After Rasul s.a.w passed away, Asma binti Abubakar shiddiq r.a made his s.a.w’s clothes as medication, if there was a sick person, then she plunged this clothes of Rasul s.a.w into the water and let the sick person drink that water (shahih Muslim hadits no.2069).

• Rasul s.a.w himself made the saliva of faithful people as blessing for medication, as he stated: “In the name of Allah, in the name of our soil on earth, for the sake of saliva from some of us, be healed the sick who came to us, with the permission of our God” (shahih Bukhari hadits no.5413), said him s.a.w : “for the sake of saliva from some of us” indicated that saliva of faithful people can heal diseases, with permission from Allah s.w.t, the same way as a doctor can heal the patient, also with permission from Allah, this hadits explained that Prophet s.a.w performed tabarruk with the saliva of faithful people and even the soil on earth, showing that in essence this whole world brings blessings from Allah s.w.t.

• A comrade of Rasul s.a.w asked Rasul s.a.w to pray in his house, then he would make the spot where Rasul s.a.w performed prayer as musholla (prayer place) in his house, then Rasul s..aw came to his house and asked: “where do you want me to perform prayer?”. Thus the comrades performed tabarruk with the place where Rasul s.a.w performed shalat, and made it a musholla (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.1130).

• Prophet Musa a.s when he was dying, he requested to be closed to the holy place in Palestine, indicating that Musa a.s wanted to be buried and received blessing from the holy place (shahih Bukhari hadits no.1274).

• Allah praised Prophet s.a.w and Umar bin Khattab r.a who made Maqam Ibrahim a.s (not his grave, but the place where Ibrahim a.s stood and prayed in front of Ka’bah which was named Maqam Ibrahim a.s) as a praying place (musholla), as His commands: “And they made the place where Ibrahim used to pray as the place for praying” (QS Al Imran 97), thus clearly that Allah s.w.t glorified a place where His servants prayed, Rasul s.a.w also performed tabarruk with the praying place of Ibrahim a.s, and Allah praised this action.

• The history has it when Rasul s.a.w just received the beautiful piece of scarf for clothes from an old lady, and came a man who soon asked him to give away the scarf while Rasul s.a.w was still wearing it, then the comrades started to scold the man, the comrades said : “I asked it because I’m hoping for its blessing when being worn by Prophet s.a.w and I wanted it as my shroud / winding sheet when I die” (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.5689), how deep the comrades’ love towards their Prophet s.a.w, even until their winding sheet, they wanted it to be the one touched by the body of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

• Sayyidina Umar bin Khattab r. a as he was facing sakratulmaut (death struggle), when the sword attacked and ripped his stomach causing the wide wound, he fell down and was out of breath, he asked his son (Abdullah bin Umar r.a), "Go to Ummulmukminin, tell him I’m sending my best regards to him, and if I may, I want to be buried next to the Grave of Rasul s.a.w and Abubakar r.a", and when Ummulmukminin has given him permission, Umar r.a said: "There is nothing more important for me than getting a position in that resting place” (being buried next to the grave of Rasul s.a.w” (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.1328). For Umar bin Khattab r.a, the Grave of Prophet s.a.w has the Holiest meaning, until his grave should be at the side of the grave of Prophet s.a.w, he even said: "There is nothing more important for me than getting a position in that resting place”

• Also Abubakar shiddiq r.a, whom when Rasul s.a.w passed away, he cried and opened the clothes covering the face of Prophet s.a.w then hugged him with tears falling down his cheeks as he was kissing the body of Prophet s.a.w and said: “In the name of my father, and you and my mom, o’ Rasulullah.., Allah would never create two deaths upon you, then the death that has been written by Allah for you is now being passed”. (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.1184, 4187).

• Salim bin Abdullah r.a performed sunnah prayer on the sidewalk, and when he was asked why, he answered “my father performed sunnah prayer here, and my father said that Rasulullah s.a.w performed prayer in this place, and it had been said that Ibn Umar r.a also did it. (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.469). Thus what the comrades of Rasul s.a.w did, for them the places having been touched by their Prophet s.a.w would always be noble and sacred although having been stepped on by thousands feet. They were looking for blessings by praying on such places, thus their adoration towards the Prophet s.a.w.

• In other story, it had been said to Abu Muslim, “o’ Abu Muslim, I saw you always forced yourself to pray in that place?,” then Abu Muslim r.a answered: I saw Rasul s.a.w performed prayer in this place” (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.480).

• As being told by Sa’ib r.a: “My aunt asked me to meet Rasul s.a.w, saying: O’ Rasulullah.., my nephew is sick.., then Rasul s.a.w wipes my head slowly and prays for my blessing, then he takes wudhu (ritual washing), then I drink the water from which Prophet s.a.w used for wudhu, then I stand behind him and I see the Sign of His being Prophet s.a.w" (Shahih Muslim hadits no.2345).

• Other story being told to Ubaidah r.a that we keep the hair of Rasul s.a.w, he said: “If I had one thread of hair of Prophet s.a.w, then it would be much more precious to me than the whole world and its content” (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.168). Thus, how dignified one piece of hair of Prophet s.a.w in the eyes of His comrades, more gracious than the whole world with its content.

• Being told by Abi Jahiifah from his father, that the comrades fought for the remains water Rasul s.a.w used for wudhu and wiped their faces and their both hands, and those who didn’t get the water still tried to wipe their face from the wet clothes of the other comrades who were lucky enough to get the remain water used by Rasul s.a.w then wiped their face and hands” (Shahih Bukhari hadits no.369, also in Shahih Bukhari hadits no.5521, and in Shahih Muslim hadits no.503 with more stories).

• Being told that when Anas bin malik r.a in seconds close to sakratulmaut (death struggle), he already kept a bottle filled with the sweat and pieces of hair of Rasul s.a.w, then when he was dying he made will and asked that the bottle be with him inside his winding sheet and the hanut (fragrance used for corpse) (shahih Bukhari hadits no.5925).

It seems that if they live now in present time, these comrades would absolutely be condemned as musyrik, certainly Abubakar would also be accused as musyrik because he cried over and hugged the body of Rasul s.a.w and talked to the corpse of Prophet s.a.w, certainly Umar bin khattab would be accused as musyrik because during sakratulmaut (death struggle), instead of remembering Allah he remembered the grave of Prophet s.a.w. Certainly these comrades would be condemned musyrik and their blood is halal (allowed) to be killed, because they already over worshipped and cult Prophet Muhammad s.a.w and treated and worshipped him like God, including fighting for the water used by Prophet s.a.w for wudhu, the same thing performed by Christians who fight for water from pastor!

There... we may consider ourselves, whether we go along with the comrades of Prophet s.a.w or whether we go along with the wrong generation. O’ my brothers, don’t be allergic to the word ‘syirik’ (polytheism), syirik is for those who believe that there is another God besides Allah, or there is a stronger one besides Allah, or believe that there is God equals to Allah s.w.t. This is the meaning of syirik. As Nabi s.a.w stated : “The blessings are for the elderly and your ulama (Moslem canonists)” (Shahih Ibn Hibban hadits no.559). Has been said by Al hafidh Al Imam Jalaluddin Abdurrahman Assuyuthiy to react to hadits written in shahih muslim that Rasul s.a.w read mu’awwidzatain then blew it to both of his palms, and wiped it to his whole body as far as his hands could reach, this action is tabarruk with breath and saliva that had been through recitation of Alqur’an, the same thing as dzikir being written in vessel or basin (for medicine). (Al Jami’usshaghiir Imam Assuyuthiy Juz 1 page 84 hadits no.104).

It has been proved scientifically by one Japanese professor, that water will change its form and appearance as well as its shape by only being read to it certain words, if the words are love, grateful and other beautiful words then the water will change its appearance to become more beautiful, if bad words and being uttered then the water will change its form to become bad, and if its written to it the noble and beautiful words like grateful, love poems or other beautiful words, the water will become more beautiful in its form, but if the words written to it are bad words then the form of the water will also become bad. The conclusion is that water can change with the emotional changes of people close to it, be that the written words or verbally.

The scientific miracle which has just been invented recently, while Rasul s.a.w and his comrades have understood this a long time ago, they performed tabarruk with the water that touched the body of Rasul s.a.w, they performed tabarruk with the water being prayed by Rasul s.a.w. Thus, only narrow minded Moslem people with shallow understanding of syariah who will keep against it although it has been proved scientifically, showing that their shallow understanding are nothing but jumud and out-of-date.

Walillahittaufiq