the Companions would say in their supplications, for instance, “O Allah, by the saliva of Your Prophet, heal our sick,” or, “O Allah, by the urine of Your Prophet—or by his excrement—deliver us from the Fire!” No rational person could stomach even hearing such a report, let alone putting it into practice. If Dr. al-Būṭī is still unsure about this point, and if he considers it permissible, then let him prove it in deed by standing on his own pulpit and voicing prayers like those just mentioned. Should he refrain—and, God willing, he will refrain so long as he retains his sanity and even an atom’s weight of faith—his silence will testify that his tongue is uttering what his heart does not believe.
That said, we must state clearly that we do accept the legitimacy of tabarruk with the Prophet’s relics, contrary to the impression our opponents try to create. Yet such tabarruk is subject to conditions. One of them is sound, acceptable faith; whoever is not a true Muslim will gain no benefit from it whatsoever. Another is that the seeker of blessing must actually possess one of the Prophet’s relics and make use of it. We know, however, that all of his relics—whether garments, hair, or any other remains—have been lost, and no one today can establish with certainty that any item attributed to him is genuine. In light of this, seeking blessing through those relics has become irrelevant in our time⦗1⦘, a purely theoretical issue that scarcely merits extended discussion. Yet there is a matter that must