QUESTION:

Ever since we younger, my parents have taught us to kiss our thumbs when praying the first kalimah, or saying La ilaha illallah Muhammadur RasoolAllah. I was wondering why we some people believe we shouldn’t, and why we should? 

ANSWER:

It is mustahhab (recommended) to kiss the thumbs upon hearing the Prophet’s name ‘Muhammad’ (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) during the Adhaan, Kalimah etc.

Imam Sakhawi (رحمة الله عليه) writes :-

ذکرہ الدیلمی فی الفردوس من حدیث ابی بکر الصدیق رضی اللّٰہ تعالٰی عنہ انہ لماسمع قول المؤذن اشھد ان محمدا رسول اللّٰہ قال ھذا وقیل باطن الانملتین السبابتین ومسح عینیہ فقال صلی اللّٰہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلم مَنْ فَعَلَ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ خَلِیْلِیْ فَقَدْ حَلَّتْ عَلَیہِ شَفَاعَتِیْ

Imam Daylami (رحمة الله عليه) has narrated a hadith in his book Musnad al-Firdaus from Sayidina Abu Bakr Siddique (رضي الله عنه) that, when he heard the mu’azzin saying ‘ash hadu anna Muhammadur Rasool-Allah’ he repeated the same words and then kissed his index fingers (or thumbs) and wiped them over his eyes.

The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم) said: “Whosoever does this act, the act done by my friend, indeed my intercession for him is valid.”

[al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, page 384]

Imam Ahmad Rida Khan (رحمة الله عليه) has written a detailed fatwa on the kissing of the thumbs in his brilliant book – Munīr al-Áyn fī Ĥukmi Taqbīl al-Ibhāmayn. Please refer this book for more information.

Allah knows best.

Answered by Mawlana Mohammed Kashif

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