– “Āl Muḥammad”: the word ʾāl means “household.” Depending on context it can denote followers or blood relatives. In the verse, “Admit the household of Pharaoh to the most severe punishment” (Q 40:46), it clearly refers to his followers, whereas in the verse, “Allah only intends to remove defilement from you, O People of the House” (Q 33:33), it refers to the Prophet’s relatives.

– “Just as You sent prayers upon Abraham and the household of Abraham”: i.e., Isaac and Ishmael—and from Ishmael’s line, Muḥammad—peace be upon them all. Some reports explicitly say “and the household of Abraham.” Because of this wording the analogy of invoking blessings upon Muḥammad alone to invoking them upon Abraham together with his household, among whom is Muḥammad ﷺ, is sound.

– “You are ḥamīd”: One who is abundantly praised and ever worthy of praise in all circumstances.

– “Majīd”: Possessor of immense glory; majd is the perfection of honor, generosity, and every commendable attribute.

– “Bless Muḥammad”: meaning, confirm, perpetuate, and increase for him the honor and nobility You have already granted, for You are ḥamīd and majīd.

Scholarly disagreement

The Shāfiʿī and Ḥanbalī jurists hold that sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ in the final tashahhud is obligatory, whether the prayer has one tashahhud or two; omitting it invalidates the prayer. They rely on the Qur’anic command and on the Prophet’s words: “Say: O Allah, send blessings …,” and so on.

Abū Ḥanīfah and Mālik consider it a sunnah in the final tashahhud, citing his statement, after mentioning the tashahhud, “When you have done that, your prayer is complete.”

The stronger view is the first. Imām Ibn al-Qayyim devoted a detailed discussion to the obligation of invoking blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ in the final tashahhud in his book Jalaʾ al-Afhām fī al-Ṣalāh ʿalā Khayr al-Anām, decisively refuting those who held it to be non-obligatory.