The Place of the Concepts of Salutations and Greetings to the Prophet in the Quran
The verb "salla" is not used in the sense of prayer(salat), but its meaning has been distorted and taken to mean something else, which has become a prominent issue today. Now let's try to understand this issue by examining the verses.
He it is Who sends Salah on you, and His angels too, that He may bring you out from darkness into light. And He is Ever Most Merciful to the believers.
In the verse, the present tense form of the verb "salla", "yusalli", is used in the sense of "support". If it were interpreted as "praise, glorification, veneration, and remembrance," the verse would mean, "He praises you, venerates you, glorifies you, and remembers you with the angels," which would be unbecoming of Allah's glory. We also cannot interpret this word as "worshiping/praying," because it is inconceivable that Allah, who is the direct recipient of prayer, would pray for believers. Therefore, the term "salat" is used here in the sense of "support."
As Razi stated, "Allah sends salah on His servants" can be understood as His mercy and compassion. In this case, we can suffice by reminding believers of the countless blessings Allah bestows upon them, such as intellect, free will, innate nature, conscience, visible and invisible gifts, the sending of scriptures, and the appointment of prophets, all within the context of Allah's mercy. Indeed, Allah bestows upon His servants are countless.
Regarding the angels' supplications for the forgiveness of the believers, it is stated in Surah Al-Mu'min 40:7:
Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, [saying], "Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.
However, Almighty Allah states the purpose of His and His angels' support for the believers as "to bring you out of darkness into light," declaring that He wants to bring them out of the darkness of all kinds of disbelief, such as polytheism, disbelief, and hypocrisy, into the light of revelation, that is, the truth. The reason the word "ez-zulümât" (darkness) is used in the plural in the verse is because there are multiple types of darkness. The word "en-nûr" (light), on the other hand, is singular; because truth and reality have a single source, which is "revelation." Contrary to popular belief, light is not the opposite of darkness, but rather its absence. This is why light has a source, but darkness does not . The verse that should be remembered at this point is:
1. Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord - to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy -
2. Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And woe to the disbelievers from a severe punishment.
Then, regarding verse 33:43, it can also be interpreted as Allah supporting the believers with revelation sent down through His angels to bring them out of darkness into light. Another verse used in a similar sense is...
are the ones who will have blessings(salawat-support) and mercy from their Lord: it is they who are on the right path!
The path described as the right path is the path of God, the path of revelation. It is stated that those who find this path will receive Allah's blessings(salawat), support, and mercy.
The following verse, in which our Almighty Lord invites believers to support our beloved Messenger, is one of the most misused and distorted topics in the literature of Islamic tradition.
Allah sends His Salah(support) on the Prophet, and also His angels (do so). O you who believe! Send your Salah(support) on him, and greet him with Taslim(submit to him completely).
We cannot interpret the word "sallû" here as "pray" because it is inconceivable that Allah, who is the direct recipient of prayer, would pray to His messenger. Therefore, the term " salat " is used here in the sense of "support".
Verses 53-59, including verse 56 of Surah Al-Ahzab, and verses 49-73, are entirely about the person and family of the Messenger of Allah. In fact, verse 52, one of the rare verses in the Quran that specifically addresses the Messenger of Allah, is found within this passage. In these verses, Allah, the source of the revelation, demands that His Messenger be kept free from all suspicion and condemns those who spread gossip about the Messenger and his pure family. To this end, He teaches, one by one, what is incumbent upon both the Messenger and the believers who have faith in him. The command to support the Messenger (salah) instructs believers to harbor no suspicion regarding him in their thoughts, words, or actions, and to consider him free and exempt from all kinds of blemish.
Unfortunately, today's Muslims, who are the direct recipients of this verse, have contented themselves with merely praying for the Prophet and have transformed the practical support that should be given to his cause into mere prayer. However, Allah has already given the necessary support to the Prophet through revelation; it is meaningless for Muslims to ask Allah for the same support again. While the phrase we call "salawat" contains Allah's command to believers to support their Prophet, it is a serious disrespect for believers to leave this matter to Allah. What is incumbent upon believers is not to recite salawat to the Prophet, but to support his cause. Indeed, the last sentence of the verse says , "Submit completely to his guidance!" thus commanding believers to submit to the guidance of the Prophet in the cause they should support.
Therefore, "salat-salam " directed towards the Prophet Muhammad means "to support him and wholeheartedly submit to the values he brought." Because this expression was understood and practiced in this way during the Prophet's time, Muslims prevailed. Nowadays, merely offering prayers instead of supporting the Prophet and the religion he preached stems from a failure to fully grasp the true meaning of salat. In that era, salat was an "action"; now it has become a "discourse." This is why the salat, or submission, aspect of the command mentioned in Surah Al-Ahzab 33/56 has been completely neglected.
Furthermore, for those who interpret the word "teslîmâ" in the verse as meaning "to greet" because it is derived from the root "Slm", it should be noted that the same word appears in two other places in the Quran, and in both instances it is used in the sense of "to accept/to submit".
But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.
This verse does not say that anyone is not a believer until they send blessings/salutations upon the Prophet, but it says that believers may have attained faith when they submit to/accept the Prophet's judgment in resolving disputes among themselves.
And when the believers saw the confederates, they said, “This is what Allah and His messenger have promised us; and Allah and His messenger have told the truth.” And it only increased them in faith and submission.
This verse also speaks of an event that increased their submission to God, not increased their greetings to Him.
Some have translated the words "salli" and "salâteke" in the following verse as prayers. However, it is very clear from the preceding verses that those mentioned as "them" are the hypocrites. In this case, it is impossible for the Prophet to have prayed for the hypocrites. The intended meaning here is nothing other than " to offer support ."
101. There are hypocrites among the Bedouins around you and among the townspeople of Madinah, steeped in hypocrisy. You do not know them; We know them, and We will punish them twice, then they shall be consigned to a great punishment.
102. [There are] others who have confessed to their sins, having mixed up righteous conduct with other that was evil. Maybe Allah will accept their repentance. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.
103. Take Sadaqah(charity-alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and Salli(pray/support) for them. Verily, your Salat(prayer/support) are a Sakan(relief) for them; and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
However, the following verse states that the Bedouin believers, through their acts of charity aimed at drawing closer to Allah, also sought the support/prayers of the Prophet .
And of the bedouins there are some who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and look upon what they spend in Allah's Cause as approaches to Allah, and a cause of receiving the Messenger's invocations. Indeed these (spendings in Allah's Cause) are an approach for them. Allah will admit them to His Mercy. Certainly Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
It is very important to state here that this is not an expectation (of blessings, goodness, etc.) from the Prophet. Because it is necessary to remember that all blessings and goodness we desire come entirely from Allah. Furthermore, people can seek forgiveness for others; however, no one can repent for another; because seeking forgiveness is a prayer, while repentance is a turning towards Allah that the individual must undertake. Praying for the righteousness of those who are alive, and for the forgiveness of the mistakes of those who died as believers, is an act of sensitivity, and Muslims should not withhold this from their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. It is useful to recall the relevant verse on this subject:
So know (O Muhammad SAW) that La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women. And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest (in your homes).
Another verse addresses the Prophet, mentioning whom he can warn:
And no bearer of burdens shall bear another's burden; and if one heavily laden calls another to (bear) his load, nothing of it will be lifted even though he be near of kin. You can warn only those who fear their Lord unseen and perform the Salah. And he who purifies himself (from all kinds of sins), then he purifies only for the benefit of himself. And to Allah is the Return (of all).
The word "tunżiru", which appears in the context of "you can warn", is used only once else in the Quran, and it seems to be used to explain what prayer is in this verse.
You can only warn him who follows the Reminder (the Quran), and fears the Most Beneficent (Allah) unseen. Bear you to such one the glad tidings of forgiveness, and a generous reward (i.e. Paradise).
As can be seen, conforming to and obeying the Quran should be a characteristic of those who pray.
The command to "tusalli" in the following verse can be understood as "prayer or funeral prayer ." Here, it is clearly stated that no prayer/funeral prayer should be offered for those who deny Allah and His Messenger and express this through their actions.
And do not pray, over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient(Fasiqun).
Since it's impossible to know who is an unbeliever except through their own confession, it's important to state that applying this judgment to every person we consider a sinner is also incorrect.