Al-Tabrruk

Al-Tabrruk

Al-Tabarruk means to seek blessings.

Blessing means the constant growth and stability of goodness in a thing.

Blessings are from Allah, bestowed upon some of His creatures, as described in the Quran:

 فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ ﴾ [المؤمنون: 14] )

[So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.] 23:14

تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ﴾ [الرحمن: 78] )

[Blessed is the Name of your Lord.] 55:78

 تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ ﴾ [الفرقان: 1] )

[Blessed is the One Who sent down the Decisive Authority.] 25:1

 تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ ﴾ [الملك: 1] )

[Blessed is the One in Whose Hands rests all authority.] 67:1

Allah has placed blessings in some of His creations, such as Zamzam water, and He has made His words blessed, as mentioned in the verse:

 كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ ﴾ [ص: 29] )

[˹This is˺ a blessed Book which We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺] 38:29

Allah also made the Sacred House a blessed place, etc.

Seeking blessings can be permissible or prohibited.

Permissible is seeking blessings from the Prophet, peace be upon him, during his lifetime. The companions used to seek blessings through the Prophet's remnants, such as his sweat, and the Prophet approved of it.

However, seeking blessings from the Prophet now is not permissible at all.

Can one seek blessings from the family of the Prophet and righteous people, drawing an analogy to blessings from the Prophet (PBUH)?

No, seeking blessings from anyone other than the Prophet, peace be upon him, is not allowed, and no one should be compared to him. The companions did not seek blessings from Abu Bakr, Umar, or the family of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

The Quran is one of the greatest sources to seek blessings from, as the Almighty says:

 كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ ﴾ [ص: 29] )

[˹This is˺ a blessed Book which We have revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺] 38:29

The Prophet ﷺ said about Surah Al-Baqarah that grasping it brings the blessings. Reciting the Quran brings blessings to the home, provision, wealth, and time.

Permissible means of seeking blessings includes drinking Zamzam water for its blessed nature, as the Prophet ﷺ described it, saying, "Indeed, it is blessed."

Forbidden practices of seeking blessings include:

• Seeking blessings from stones and trees, akin to the pre-Islamic practices mentioned in the verses.

 أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّى * وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَى ﴾ [النجم: 19، 20] )

[Now, have you considered ˹the idols of˺ Lât and ’Uzza, and the third one, Manât, as well?] 53:19-20

• Seeking blessings from the graves of prophets and righteous individuals, known as sacred tombs, kissing grave windows, sitting or praying in places considered virtuous by some, seeking blessings from grave soil or the so-called soil of Karbala.

• Seeking blessings from the air around the graves of righteous individuals, and what is known as deriving benefit from the spirits of the righteous.

• Seeking blessings through the saliva of the righteous people, a practice observed by some Sufis with their mentors. All of these forbidden practices are deemed unlawful and may even constitute acts of associating partners with Allah (shirk).

Abu Waqid Al-Laithi narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) went out to Hunain he passed a tree that the idolaters called Dhat Anwat upon which they hung their weapons. They(the Companions) said: "O Messenger of Allah! Make a Dhat Anwat for us as they have a Dhat Anwat.' The Prophet (s.a.w) said: "Subhan Allah! This is like what Musa's people said: Make for us a god like their gods. By the One in Whose is my soul! You shall follow the way of those who were before you."

So, the Prophet ﷺ perceived their seeking blessings from the Sidra tree as a form of deification, as seeking benefit or warding off harm is meant for Allah alone, the One who possesses such power.

This concludes the fourth lesson. All praise be to Allah.