Muhammad’s family,” one would be invoking blessings upon him only within that general designation. Hence the wording, “upon Muhammad and upon Muhammad’s family,” invokes blessings upon him specifically as well as through the blessings invoked upon his family.

If it is said that he is included among his family when the two are mentioned together, just as he is included when his family is mentioned alone, then blessings have been invoked upon him twice: specifically and generally. This follows the view that a general term conjoined to a particular term includes the particular referent. Even if it is said that he is not included, this makes no difference, since invoking blessings upon him specifically suffices.

Furthermore, this wording makes clear that blessings upon the rest of his family are sought only in conjunction with him: he is the primary recipient, on whose account blessings are sought for his family. This explanation is completed by answering the familiar question concerning the words:

“Just as You bestowed blessings upon Abraham.”

These suggest Abraham’s superiority, because what is being compared is inferior to that with which it is compared. Various weak answers have been given to this question.

One answer is that the comparison relates only to the blessings upon the first-mentioned. Thus, the words “Bestow blessings upon Muhammad” constitute a separate statement, while the words “and upon Muhammad’s family, just as You bestowed blessings upon Abraham” begin a new statement. Al-ʿUmrānī transmitted this from al-Shāfiʿī, but its attribution to al-Shāfiʿī is certainly false: it is unworthy of his learning and eloquence. Such wording is awkward and exceedingly strained, and it raises questions of Arabic grammar whose discussion would be out of place here.