What is the authenticity of this salutation of Imam Shafi’i?
اللهم صل على محمد كلما ذكره الذاكرون وغفل عن ذكره الغافلون
Ibn Bunan Al Asbahani (rahimahullah) said, “I saw Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in my dream, and asked him, ‘Muhammad ibn Idris Ash Shafi’, your [distant] relative, have you benefitted him in any specific way?’ Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied, ‘Yes, I have asked Allah not take his reckoning.’ I asked, ‘And why is that O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Due to him reciting a salutation which no one else has recited.’ The salutation is اللهم صل على محمد كلما ذكره الذاكرون وغفل عن ذكره الغافلون.”
Answer
Imam Shafi’i (rahimahullah) himself has used this form of salutation in the foreword of his book, Ar Risalah.
(Ar Risalah, pg. 16, Refer: Al Qawlul Badi’, pg. 142/143)
Reliable scholars have cited this incident.
‘Allamah Sakhawi (rahimahullah) has referenced the incident regarding the dream to a Hadith Juz of Ibn Salah and Musalsalat of Ibn Masdi. ‘Allamah Subki (rahimahullah) has also recorded this incident.
(Tabaqatush Shafi’iyyah Al Kubra, vol. 1 pg. 188, Al Qawlul Badi’, pg. 490/491)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar