the one praying is a created being, and with the circumstance for which prayer is offered. When God, exalted is He, bestows ṣalāh, it differs with those upon whom it is bestowed.
As for the first, it is known that the human being is subject to change and varying states, so his prayer varies with his states. We have already mentioned different states of those who pray in this chapter, such as the sick person’s prayer and the prayer of fear. Prayer also varies with the circumstance for which it is offered, such as eclipse prayer and prayer for rain.
As for its variation according to those upon whom it is bestowed, there is the Real’s ṣalāh upon His servants. He, exalted is He, says, “God and His angels bestow blessings upon the Prophet. You who believe, invoke blessings upon him” [al-Ahzab 33:56].
The believers asked the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, how to invoke the blessings God commanded them to invoke upon him. The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, told them, “Say: O God, bless Muḥammad and the folk of Muḥammad as You blessed Abraham and the folk of Abraham,” meaning with a blessing like that upon Abraham and his folk. This shows that divine blessing differs according to the states of its recipients and their stations with God.
(The Comparison with Blessings upon Abraham)
This hadith appears to give Abraham precedence over the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, since he asked for a blessing upon himself like that upon Abraham. Know that God commanded us to invoke blessings upon the Messenger of God,
Notes
Translator’s note TN2295-1: Ṣalāh denotes ritual prayer when performed by the worshipper and blessing when bestowed by God. The author explores both senses. “Folk” renders āl, the term whose meaning he defines and distinguishes from the household in what follows.
