In today's time, some people deny the blessings and cures (Shifa/Tabarruk) that come through the Prophet ﷺ in different forms. However, the Prophet ﷺ himself is a source of blessings, and even the items connected to him are a means of intercession and benefit for the Ummah. During his lifetime and even after his physical passing, the Sahaba ﵃ would seek blessings through actions like washing his cloak for healing, treasuring his hair above everything in the world, touching his pulpit for blessings, and wiping his leftover Wudhu water on their faces and chests. Some even competed to get his leftover Wudhu water for barakah.
In Light of the Quran
It was usual practice of the Companions to preserve relics of Prophet ﷺ and to draw benefits and blessings out of them. This proves that they offered them to Allah as instruments of mediation when they needed His help and assistance. Allah Himself has made reference to the relics of the Prophets in the Holy Qur’ān.
وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نِبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ ٱلتَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَبَقِيَّةٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسَىٰ وَآلُ هَارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ ٱلْمَلاۤئِكَةُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنْتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
The verse [Quran 2:248] highlights the significance of relics as a sign of divine authority and blessing. The Ark of the Covenant, mentioned in this verse, served as a physical symbol of security, peace, and reassurance from Allah to the Israelites. It contained sacred relics left by the families of Moses and Aaron, such as Moses’ staff, Aaron’s turban, a measure of manna, and fragments of the tablets of the Torah. These relics were carried by angels as a testament to Allah's power and as a sign for those with true faith.
Tafsir al-Jalalayn explains further that the Ark had been passed down since the time of Adam and was later lost to the Amalekites. It held great spiritual importance, as the Israelites would invoke it during battles for reassurance and protection. When the Ark was returned and placed before Saul (Talut), it confirmed his authority as king, as the people witnessed this miraculous event. This act strengthened their faith and motivated them to join the holy struggle under his leadership.
This story emphasizes the importance of relics in fostering faith, serving as reminders of Allah’s blessings, and acting as a means of reassurance and spiritual strength for believers.
Quran states:
ٱذْهَبُواْ بِقَمِيصِي هَـٰذَا فَأَلْقُوهُ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِ أَبِي يَأْتِ بَصِيراً وَأْتُونِي بِأَهْلِكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ ٱلْعِيرُ قَالَ أَبُوهُمْ إِنِّي لأَجِدُ رِيحَ يُوسُفَ لَوْلاَ أَن تُفَنِّدُونِ
قَالُواْ تَٱللَّهِ إِنَّكَ لَفِي ضَلاَلِكَ ٱلْقَدِيمِ فَلَمَّآ أَن جَآءَ ٱلْبَشِيرُ أَلْقَاهُ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِ فَٱرْتَدَّ بَصِيراً قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَّكُمْ إِنِّيۤ أَعْلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ
This passage from Surah Yusuf (12:93-96) highlights the miraculous events surrounding the reunion of Prophet Yusuf ﵇ with his father, Prophet Ya’qub ﵇.
Prophet Yusuf ﵇ instructed his brothers to take his shirt and place it on their father’s face, promising that it would restore his vision. When the caravan departed Egypt, Prophet Ya’qub ﵇, despite being far away, sensed the presence of Yusuf, exclaiming that he could "smell" Yusuf ﵇, though his family dismissed his feelings as delusional. However, when the shirt was placed over his face, his sight was miraculously restored. At that moment, Ya’qub ﵇ reminded them of his knowledge from Allah, which they had doubted.
There is some more Hadith which supporting the blessing through the holy relics of prophet Mohammed ﷺ
عن ابن سيرين، قال: قلت لعبيدة «عندنا من شعر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أصبناه من قبل أنس أو من قبل أهل أنس» فقال: لأن تكون عندي شعرة منه أحب إلي من الدنيا وما فيها (*1)
Ibn Sirin mentioned that he possessed some of the Prophet’s hair, which he had obtained from Anas (a close companion of the Prophet) or Anas's family. Upon hearing this, ‘Abida expressed his deep admiration and said that having even a single hair of the Prophet would be more valuable to him than the entire world and everything it contains.
Imam Muslim made a whole Baab (Chapter) with the name of
باب قرب النبي عليه السلام من الناس وتبركهم به
Which Express the importance of relics.
There is another Hadith
Uthman bin Abdullah bin Mauhab narrates that his people sent him to Umm Salama (one of the Prophet’s wives) with a small bowl of water. This water was used to immerse some of the Prophet's hair, which Umm Salama kept in her possession. People believed that this water, having come in contact with the Prophet’s hair, could be a source of healing or protection from the evil eye. Uthman mentions that he saw a few reddish hairs of the(2*)
Prophet in the container.
This hadith highlights how the early Muslims valued and preserved anything associated with the Prophet ﷺ and turned to it for spiritual and physical blessings.
There is incident in then history of sahaba Khalid bin Walid fighting for the Blessed hair of Prophet ﷺ
و روي عن صفية بنت نجدة ...
و كانت في قلنسوة خالد بن الوليد شعرات صلى الله عليه و سلم ، فسقطت قلنسوته في بعض حروبه ، فشد عليها شدة أنكر عليه أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم كثرة من قتل فيها ، فقال : لم أفعلها بسبب القلنسوة ، بل لما تضمنه من شعره صلى الله عليه و سلم لئلا أسلب بركتها و تقع في أيدي المشركين .(3*)
Hadrat Safiya (ra) shared that Khalid bin Walid’s helmet had some blessed hair of the Prophet ﷺ. Once, during a battle, the helmet fell, and Khalid began searching for it. Many companions were martyred in that battle, and people criticized him for prioritizing the search. He explained that he wasn’t just looking for the helmet—it held the Prophet’s blessed hair, and he feared it might fall into the hands of non-believers or that he would lose its blessings.
And also the sahaba kept
A Small water bag of leather as a source of Blessing
عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ جَدَّتِهِ كَبْشَةَ قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَشَرِبَ مِنْ فِي قِرْبَةٍ مُعَلَّقَةٍ قَائِمًا فَقُمْتُ إِلَى فِيهَا فَقَطَعْتُهُ(*4)
Abd-ur-Rahmān bin Abū ‘Amrah narrated from his grandmother, who heard it from Kabshah Ansāriyyah:
The Prophet ﷺ visited her, and there was a small leather water bag hanging nearby. He drank water from it while standing. Later, Kabshah cut off the mouthpiece of the water bag because it had touched the Prophet’s mouth, seeking its blessings.
The real follower of Prophet ﷺ found Cure through the Prophet's ﷺ Cloak
فرجعت إلى أسماء فخبرتها، فقالت: هذه جبة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فأخرجت إلي جبة طيالسة كسروانية لها لبنة ديباج، وفرجيها مكفوفين بالديباج، فقالت: هذه كانت عند عائشة حتى قبضت، فلما قبضت قبضتها، وكان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يلبسها، فنحن نغسلها للمرضى يستشفى بها(*5)
I went back to Asma’ and told her what happened. She then said, “Here is the cloak of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ.” She brought out a cloak made of Persian cloth, with a hem of brocade and sleeves also bordered with brocade. She explained, “This cloak belonged to Allah’s Messenger and was with ‘A’isha until she passed away. After her death, I came to possess it. The Prophet ﷺ used to wear it, and we would wash it and use its water to seek healing for the sick.
Blessing through the Holy Prophet's ﷺ Perspiration
عَنْ أُمِّ سُلَيْمٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَأْتِيهَا فَيَقِيلُ عِنْدَهَا فَتَبْسُطُ لَهُ نَطْعًا فَيَقِيلُ عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَ كَثِيرَ الْعَرَقِ فَكَانَتْ تَجْمَعُ عَرَقَهُ فَتَجْعَلُهُ فِي الطِّيبِ وَالْقَوَارِيرِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا أُمَّ سُلَيْمٍ مَا هَذَا " . قَالَتْ عَرَقُكَ أَدُوفُ بِهِ طِيبِي .
Umm Sulaim ﵂ reported that Allah’s Apostle ﷺ visited her home and rested there. She spread a piece of cloth for him, and he slept on it. While he slept, he sweated heavily. Umm Sulaim collected his sweat and stored it in a perfume bottle. When the Prophet ﷺ noticed and asked, “Umm Sulaim, what is this?” she replied, “It is your sweat, which I have kept in my perfume.” It is mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ would sweat intensely, even in cold weather, when revelation was sent down to him.(*6)
عَنْ ثُمَامَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ: «أَنَّ أُمَّ سُلَيْمٍ كَانَتْ تَبْسُطُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نِطَعًا، فَيَقِيلُ عِنْدَهَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ النِّطَعِ» قَالَ: «فَإِذَا نَامَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَخَذَتْ مِنْ عَرَقِهِ وَشَعَرِهِ، فَجَمَعَتْهُ فِي قَارُورَةٍ، ثُمَّ جَمَعَتْهُ فِي سُكٍّ» قَالَ: فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ الوَفَاةُ، أَوْصَى إِلَيَّ أَنْ يُجْعَلَ فِي حَنُوطِهِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ السُّكِّ، قَالَ: فَجُعِلَ فِي حَنُوطِهِ(*7)
Thumāmah, through Anas, narrates that Umm Sulaym would lay out a leather mat for the Prophet ﷺ to rest on for his midday nap. Anas said that when the Prophet ﷺ woke up, he collected his perspiration and hair, stored them in a bottle, and mixed them with perfume. Thumāmah adds that when Anas ﵁ was near death, he requested that this scented mixture be applied to his coffin, and it was done as he wished.
Reference :-
(*1)
► Volume 1, Book 4, Number 171: Sahih Bukhari
► Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Bayhaqi, volume 7, Page: 107, Hadith #13410
(*2)
►Book 72, Number 784: (Sahih Bukhari)
(*3)
Qadhi Iyaadh in Ash-Shifa, Volume No. 1, Page No. 619
(*4)
►Ibn Mājah narrated it with a sound chain of transmission in his Sunan, book of ashribah (drinks) ch.21 (2:1132#3423)
►Tirmidhī graded it hasan (fair) sahīh (sound) gharīb (rare or unfamiliar) in his al-Jāmi‘-us-sahīh, book of ashribah, ch.18 (4:306#1892), and in ash-Shamā’il-ul-Muhammadiyyah (p.178#203)
►Ahmad bin Hambal, Musnad (6:434)
►Tabarānī, al-Mu‘jam-ul-kabīr (25:15#8)
►Baghawī in Sharh-us-sunnah (11:379#3042)
►Musnad Humaidhi, Volume: 1, Page: 348, Hadith No #357
►Sahi Ibn e Hibban, Volume:12, Page: 138, Hadith No #5318
►Shu'b Al Eman-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume: 8, Page: 148, Hadith No #5624
►Musnad Shamiyyen-Imam Tabrani, Volume: 1, Page: 369, Hadith No #639
►Ma'rifat As Sahabah-Abu Nu'ym, Volume: 6, Page: 3432, Hadith No #7821
(*5)
►Sahih Muslim Hadith #5149
►Sunan Al Kubra-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume: 2, Page: 594, Hadith No #4210
►Shu'b Al Eman-Imam Bayhaqi, Volume: 8, Page: 207
►Sharh us Sunnah-Imam Baghwi, Volume: 12, Page: 33, Hadith No #3104
►Al Muntaqa-Imam Suliman bin Half Al Baji, Volume: 7, Page: 222
►Sharah At Taqreeb-Imam Zain ud Din Iraqi, Volume:3, Page: 234
►Mirqat Al Mafateeh-Imam Mulla Ali Qari, Volume: 7, Page: 2770
►Tohfatul Ahwazi-Allama Mubarakfuri, Volume: 5, Page: 318
►Jami' Al Usool-Ibn e Al Atheer, Volume: 10, Page: 688, Hadith No: 8344
(*6)
►Book 030, Number 5763: Sahih Muslim
(*7)
► Bukhārī in his as-Sahīh, book of isti’dhān (asking permission) ch.41 (5:2316#5925).
►Sahi-Imam Ibn e Khuzimah, Volume: 1, Page: 142, Hadith No #281
►Sharah Mushkil Al Athaar-Imam Tahawi, Volume: 6, Page: 360, Hadith No #2531
