a well-known device in the science of rhetoric. A felicitous opening is when a speaker begins his discourse with something that indicates its subject matter; this is called a felicitous opening. That is, he opens his discourse with something that points to its subject, without stating it explicitly. It is called felicity, meaning perceptiveness and intelligence. So what is the felicitous opening here? It is that this book deals with hadith, both ancient and recent.
“Prayers and peace be upon His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad, his family, and his Companions...” and so forth.
The phrase, “Prayers and peace be upon,” is declarative in form, but its meaning is supplication—as though you were saying: “O Allah, bestow prayers and peace.” What are prayers upon the Messenger? The best explanation offered is that of Abu al-ʿAliyah al-Riyahi, may Allah have mercy on him: they are Allah’s praise of His servant in the highest assembly, among the angels—that is, Allah, Exalted is He, mentions His servant favorably among the angels.
This is the view chosen by many scholars, especially the later ones. Yet I have some reservation about it: Abu al-ʿAliyah, may Allah have mercy on him, was one of the Successors, and something such as this cannot be stated on the basis of personal opinion. For whoever says that Allah praises him requires evidence from the sunnah by which the matter may be made clear and established.
Others have explained it by saying that prayers from Allah mean mercy. This too is incorrect, for Allah, Exalted is He, says in the Noble Quran: “Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy” [al-Baqarah: 157]. Conjunction requires a distinction; thus, mercy is other than prayers. Moreover, mercy may be invoked for every person: regarding anyone, you may say, “O Allah, have mercy on him.” But prayers are not invoked for every person; rather, the scholars differ regarding this, with further detail.
Therefore, we cannot state categorically that prayers are Allah’s praise of His servant in the highest assembly, nor can we say that they mean mercy, because that interpretation is invalid. Rather, we say that they involve a special mercy beyond the mercy granted to everyone, though we do not know their precise meaning. In this way, we are safe from the difficulty. Nevertheless, many leading scholars have explained them as Allah’s praise of His servant in the highest assembly.
As for peace, it means safety from every affliction. After his death, the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, is safe. During his lifetime, however, he was susceptible to illness, to harm, and to everything else to which human beings are susceptible. But after his death he is safe from this. So what is the benefit of supplicating for his safety? We say: beyond death lie terrors—what are they? The terrors of the Day of Resurrection. This is why the supplication of the messengers on the Day of Resurrection at the Bridge will be: “O Allah, grant safety, grant safety.” There are terrors there.
Moreover, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, he is safe from the physical afflictions that befall the living. Yet is it not possible that someone might gain power over him and, for example, take his body? It is possible, and it did occur, but Allah protected him. Two strangers came to Medina in order to take his noble body, peace and blessings be upon him, and they lodged in the mosque.