Hawzah News Agency – Why do the Shia send their regards both to the Prophet and his descendants as saying,
اللهم صلي علي محمد و آل محمد؛
(O, God, send down Your blessings on Mohammed and his household)?
The answer: It is evident that the Prophet himself taught the Muslims the way of sending regards.
When the verse
ان الله و ملائكتة يصلون علي النبي يا ايها الذين آمنوا صلوا عليه و سلموا تسليما؛1
(Surely, Allah and his angels bless the Prophet, O, you who believe, call for Divine blessings on him with a salutation)
was revealed, the Muslims asked the Prophet how they could do so, and the Prophet answered:
لاتصلوا علي الصلوة البترا؛2
(Never send me incomplete regards).
They repeated their question, and he replied:
“say:
اللهم صلي علي محمد و آل محمد؛
(O, God, send down Your blessings on Mohammed and his household).
The status of the Prophet’s Ahlul-Bait (a.s) is so high that Shafee in his famous poem says:
"يا اهل بيت رسول الله حبكم
فرض من الله في القرآن انزله
كفاكم من عظيم القدر انكم
من لم يصل عليكم لا صلوة له"؛3
(O, the Prophet’s descendants, having affection towards you is a religious commandment, and Allah has revealed it in the holy Quran. Your position is so elevated that there is no regard for he who does not send his regards to you.)
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1. Ahzab Sura, verse no.56
2. Al-Savaegh Ul-Mohareghah, Ibn Hijr, the second edition, section 11, chapter 1, p.146. Also in Dur Ul-Manthur, vol.5, the commentary on the verse 56 Ahzab Sura
3. Ibid, section 11, chapter 1, p.148; Also Athaf, Shiravi, p.29; Moshareq Ul-Anvar, Hamzavi Maleki, p.88; Al-Mavaheb, Zarghani; and Al-Asaf, p.119.
Source: Book “The Shia Responds” written by Ayatullah Jafar Subhani