Abu Humaid As-Sa`idi (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "O Messenger of Allah! How should we supplicate for you?" He (PBUH) replied, "Say: `Allahumma salli `ala Muhammadin wa `ala azwajihi wa dhurriyyatihi, kama sallaita `ala Ibrahima; wa barik `ala Muhammadin wa `ala azwajihi wa dhurriyyatihi, kama barakta `ala Ibrahima, innaka Hamidum-Majid (O Allah sent Your Salat O Allah, exalt the mention of Muhammad and his wives and offspring as You exalted the mention of the family of Ibrahim, and bless Muhammad and the wives and the offspring of Muhammad as you blessed the family of Ibrahim. You are the Praised, the Glorious)."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
"Azwaj" is the plural of "Zauj" that is a pair. This is the reason that in Arabic it applies to both, masculine as well as feminine. Man is the Zauj of woman and woman is the Zauj of a man. In any case, here it means the Prophet's wives who are eleven in number. Two of them had died during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH) and nine survived after him. Islam does not permit more than four wives to a Muslim but the Prophet (PBUH) was given the exclusive permission for numerous considerations which have been discussed by religious scholars at length.
This Hadith also refutes the opinion of those who do not include his pious wives in the category of his "Al". The progeny of the Prophet (PBUH) includes his male and female children and their descendants. But after his death none except Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) and her children remained alive. In short, his "Al" includes his wives and progeny.
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