Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Ahzab -> It is recommended to conclude supplications with Salah upon the Prophet .

At-Tirmidhi recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said: "A supplication remains suspended between heaven and earth and does not ascend any further until you send Salah upon your Prophet.'' This was also narrated by Mu`adh bin Al-Harith from Abu Qurrah from Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib from `Umar, as a saying of the Prophet . It was also recorded by Razin bin Mu`awiyah in his book, where he also attributed it to the Prophet reporting that he said:

«الدُّعَاءُ مَوْقُوفٌ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، لَا يَصْعَدُ حَتَّى يُصَلَّى عَلَيَّ، فَلَا تَجْعَلُونِي كَغُمْرِ الرَّاكِبِ، صَلُّوا عَلَيَّ، أَوَّلَ الدُّعَاءِ وَآخِرَهُ وَأَوْسَطَه»

(A supplication remains suspended between heaven and earth and does not ascend any further until a person sends Salah on me. Do not treat me like a spare water container, send Salah upon me at the beginning of your supplication, at the end and in the middle.) hSending Salah upon the Prophet is even more strongly encouraged in the Qunut supplication. Ahmad, the Sunan compilers, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim recorded that Al-Hasan bin `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The Messenger of Allah taught me some words to say during Al-Witr:

«اللْهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ، وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ، وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ،تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْت»

("O Allah, guide me along with those whom You have guided, grant me health along with those to whom You have granted health, be an ally to me along with those to whom You are an ally, and bless me for that which You have bestowed. Protect me from the evil You have decreed, for verily You decree and none can decree over You. Verily, he whom You show allegiance to is never abased and he whom You take as an enemy is never honored and mighty, O our Lord, blessed and Exalted are You.'')'' In his Sunan, An-Nasa'i has the addition,

«وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّد»

("and may Allah bless Muhammad.'') at the end of this Qunut. It is also recommended to say plenty of Salah upon him on Friday and on the eve of Friday. Imam Ahmad recorded that Aws bin Aws Ath-Thaqafi, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The Messenger of Allah said:

«مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَيَّامِكُمْ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ، فِيهِ خُلِقَ آدَمُ وَفِيهِ قُبِضَ، وَفِيهِ النَّفْخَةُ، وَفِيهِ الصَّعْقَةُ، فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَيَّ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فِيهِ، فَإِنَّ صَلَاتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَي»

(One of the best of your days is Friday; on this day Adam was created and died, on this day the Trumpet (Sur) will be blown and all will have swoon away. So on this day send plenty of Salah upon me, for your Salah will be presented to me.) They said, `O Messenger of Allah, how will they be shown to you after your body has dispersed into the earth' He said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ حَرَّمَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ أَنْ تَأْكُلَ أَجْسَادَ الْأَنْبِيَاء»

(Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets. )'' This was also recorded by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah, and it was graded Sahih by Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, Ad-Daraqutni and An-Nawawi in Al-Adhkar.

﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَالاٌّخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَاباً مُّهِيناً - وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُواْ فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُواْ بُهْتَـناً وَإِثْماً مُّبِيناً ﴾

(57. Verily, those who annoy Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this world and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating torment.) (58. And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, they bear the crime of slander and plain sin.)