What is the Islamic view of seeking blessings from prophet's hairs?

Question

Is there any basis for seeking Barakah (blessings) from Prophet's hair? What is the Islamic View Point for this? Can I practice tabarruk?

Answer 1

According to a saheh hadith I have read some time ago, when rasulullah (May Salat and Salam be upon him) has witnessed people collecting his cut beard, he told them it is better if they rather focus on his teachings.

P.S: I don't have the reference to the source right now, but it is in one of the famous, legitimate hadith books. Maybe someone can edit this answer and quote it.

Answer 2

According to Ahlus-Sunnah, There is no doubt that it was narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) (may Allah be pleased with them) would seek blessings from the Prophet's leftover ablution water, hair, mouth spittle and nasal expectoration. These practices were authentically reported about the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet).

It was authentically reported in the Hadith narrated by Abu Juhayfah in the two Sahih (Authentic) Books of Hadith that during the Farewell Pilgrimage, when Bilal stepped out with what was left of the Prophet's ablution water, the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) rushed to take it; some of them took a little of it and others took much.

It was authentically reported that there was a blessing in his body, sweat, hair and all the parts of his body. Also, the Prophet (peace be upon him) approved of the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) regarding seeking blessings from his belongings. If it had not been permissible, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not have approved of it.

Also, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) had his hair cut during the Farewell Pilgrimage, he divided his hair into two halves; a half to be distributed among the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) and the other to be given to Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him).

These all were authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him). There is no doubt among Muslim scholars on the blessing of the Prophet's body including his hair, sweat, ablution water and all that touches his body.

However, This type of barakah of the physical essence was cut off after the death of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) except what remains of his physical essence after his death (eg. Hair). However, the certainty that something remains today and the truthfulness of that has diminished after the passing of time. Anyone making the claim has to provide isnaad to show that something is from the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) since many make that claim. Moreover, things like hair decompose with time and it is not realistic to expect them to survive after 1400+ years.

Moreover, this form of worship is only restricted to the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wassalam) alone. This is proven since the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) (may Allah be pleased with them) did not do similar practices with Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq , Umar , Uthman or Ali who were the best of the Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet). They are the best people after the prophets. So, tabarruk from anyone other than Prophet salallahu alayhi wassalam) is not permissible, according to Ahlus-Sunnah.

References: Chapter on Tabarruk ,
The Understanding of Tabarruk with Ahl us-Sunnah

Answer 3

(This Answer is according to view of Shia scholars)

Is there any basis for seeking Barakah (blessings) from Prophet's hair?

By referring to the last chapter of Sahih Bukhari about jihad and also the chapter related to the armour, stick, sword, vessels, seal, ring, hair and shroud of the Holy Prophet (s) one can become aware of the evident examples of tabarruk.

Even the Sahaba asked Tabaruk from grave of prophet after his death.

What is the Islamic View Point for this?

All Shia scholars consider Tabarruk (including anything related to prophet and today mostly to grave) of prophet and Ahl Bayt permissible and even recommended. For example, there are many holy shrines of Ahl Bayt in Egypt; even Sunni Muslims visit them and ask Tabarruk from them.

Can I practice tabarruk?

basically Tabarruk is seeking blessing from God using the high love of God to prophet and if the hair of prophet has cure it is for love of God to prophet and a hair itself has no value. Tabarruk can be practiced to anything related to prophet including hair. But today if you want you can use grave and tomb of prophet. According to Shia not only it is not Haram but is allowed.

Some evidences for seeking Tabarruk from grave of prophet after his death:

(1) After the Holy prophet's burial, his daughter Fatima (‘a) stood near his grave and then taking some soil from the grave she put it over her face. She later cried and recited these two poems:

“What happens to the one who smells the soil of grave of Ahmad, who till he is alive, shall smell no more the expensive musks”.

“I was faced with such calamities that if it had befallen on the bright day it would have changed to night” [Many of the research writers have narrated this incident such as al-Shabrawi in al-Tuhaf page 9 and al-Samhudi in Wafa' al-wafa', vol. 2 page 444 and al-Khalidi in Sulh al-'Ikhwan, page 57 and others.]

(2) The great companion Bilal who left Medina for some reason and settled by order of the frontier guards, in the districts of Syria saw in his dream that the Holy Prophet (s) was saying: “What kind of injustice is this, O Bilal? Has not the time come that you visit us!? He woke up from his sleep in sadness and sat on his horse and left for Medina. When he reached the grave of the Holy Prophet (s) he started to cry and rubbed his face over it. Later he saw al-Hasan and al-Husayn and kissed both of them. [This incident has been narrated by a group like al-Subki in Shifa al-Saqam narrating from Ibn 'Asakir, and Ibn al-'Athir in Usd al-ghaba, vol. 1 page 28.]

(3) Amir al-mu'minin 'Ali ('a) says: “Three days had lapsed from the burial of the Holy Prophet (s) when a Bedouin Arab came and threw himself over the grave of the Holy Prophet (s). He sprinkled the soil of his grave over his head and started to converse with the Holy Prophet (s). He said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, you spoke and we listened. You received the truth from Allah and we too received it from you. From the things which Allah revealed to you is this

I have done injustice upon myself. So seek forgiveness for me from Allah. Suddenly he heard a voice saying: Your sins have been forgiven.

This incident has been narrated by most of the historians mainly al-Samhudi in Wafa' al-wafa', vol. 2 page 612 and Shaykh Dawud al-Khalidi (died in 1299 AH) in Sulh al-'Ikhwan and others.

(4) al-Hakim narrates in al-Mustadrak that: Marwan bin al-Hakam entered the mosque and saw a man putting his face over a grave. Marwan caught hold of his neck and said: “Are you aware of what you are doing?” The man lifted his head and it became apparent that he was Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. He said: ‘I have not come to visit a stone, but have come to visit the Holy Prophet (s). O Marwan, I have heard the Holy Prophet (s) saying: When the pious people bear the leadership do not cry for that. Do cry when unworthy men become the leaders (i.e. you and your Umayyad household).’ [Mustadrak al-Hakim, vol. 4 page 515]

This period of history reveals the root of ‘creation of obstacle’ to prevent seeking tabarruk from the grave of the Holy Prophet (s) and shows that the companions of the Holy Prophet (s) were constantly seeking tabarruk from the holy grave of the Holy Prophet. It was people like Marwan bin al-Hakam who used to prevent people from this well-known deed.

The historical incidents in this case are so numerous that narrating all of them will lengthen our discussion. Interested readers can refer to the book Tabarruk al-sahaba and the valuable book al-Ghadir vol. 5 page 146-156.

References and more info:

Seeking Benediction and Cure from the Signs and Traces of Awliya

Tawassul {Resorting To Intermediation}, Death and Shafa‘Ah {Intercession} According to the Shi`ah and the Wahhabis

Performance of Prayer and Supplication Near Graves of the Holy Personalities

Al-Baqi'

Rebuild Jannat-ul-Baqee Movement

Destruction of early Islamic heritage sites

Answer 4

Do we worship the black stone in Kaaba? Can that stone bring you any good or bring you any harm? That stone is our priced possession, but still "nothing is worthy of worship except Allah".

Similarly the prophets (pbuh) hair is a priced possession but still can't answer your prayers (like seeking blessings)

The hair may have healing powers like the cloak of Yusuf (pbuh), but only with permission of Allah.

So seek blessings of Allah...