Our master Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari says concerning the (salawat) prayer on the Prophet ﷺ :
The prayer on the Prophet ﷺ will teach you manners (adab) with the Creator سبحانه وتعالى. In his life he ﷺ said, “I have been sent only as a teacher.” And after his passing to The Highest Companion the prayer on him ﷺ teaches you the manners with his Lord and Master.
Allah تعالي says, “O Prophet, Indeed we have sent you as a witness, a giver of glad tidings, and a warner.”
Without doubt the witness is not absent and a witness knows what’s being witnessed. Whoever testifies, says: “I saw and I heard such and such.” Allah has described the Prophet ﷺ as a witness. So how can the Prophet ﷺ be a witness and be absent? You, whenever you pray your salah, indeed the Prophet ﷺ will testify for you on the day of Judgement that you prayed.
Whoever loves the Prophet ﷺ sends prayers on him. And with the prayer on him ﷺ the angels open up the way and begin to descend, and light (nur) descends and his fragrance, which animates (the souls), emanates continuously. After that the Muhammadan Lights come, and when your soul strengthens, you will see and witness, to the extent of the strength of your soul, the Muhammadan reality (dhat). This worship is from the most virtuous of worship, and in it is facilitation for the one who performs it. And there is wilaya, whose price is nothing other than sincerity (ikhlas) for Allah. The jinn nor the satan is able to oppose you, because you are in the presence (hadra) of the Prophet, Allah’s prayers and peace upon him and his family…
Therefore, it is simply incumbent on you to increase in your prayer upon him ﷺ. And he will come to you and greet you saying “as-Salaam alaikum”, and the “tongue of his state” ﷺ says,
“I am well acquainted with you and due to your love I have come to you.”
Again it is incumbent on you to increase your prayers on the Prophet of repentance ﷺ , because when you increase in sending prayers and salutations upon him it will connect you. And when you are connected Allah will relent towards you and have mercy on you. And this is the closest path to salvific goodness for you.
Make him ﷺ visible in the mirror of your heart by turning to your Lord through him ﷺ so he will be the evident Imam of your soul.
He is the lamp on the horizon of divinity for those who wish to travel in his light towards the Divine presence. And he is the source of lordly secrets for the one who wishes to uncover the hidden secrets. And he is the repository of the treasure trove of knowledge of Allah for the one who wishes uncover the hidden jewels. He is the vision for those seeking insight, the reminder for those seeking admonition and the key for the opening of those who experience openings and the exemplar for the firm footed guides. ﷺ
Also learn more about Shaykh Salih’s collection of salawat here: Salawat al-Ja’fariyya.
