he was also a great devotee of Rasool. His obedient slave ‘Ayyaaz’ had a son namely ‘Muhammad’. Whenever Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه wanted to call him, he would call him by his name. One day, Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه called him by saying, ‘O the son of Ayyaaz!.’ Ayyaaz presumed that the king was annoyed today, that’s why he did not call his son by name. Ayyaaz went to his court and humbly asked, ‘Has my son made any mistake today because you did not call him by his name?’ Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه replied, ‘Your son’s name is ‘Muhammad’. I do not call him by name without Wudu for the sake of the reverence for the name ‘Muhammad’. Since I was not in Wudu at that time, I did not consider it to be appropriate to say the name ‘Muhammad’ without Wudu.

(Ruh-ul-Bayan, vol. 7, pp. 185)

لب پہ آ جاتا ہے جب نامِ جناب

منہ میں گُھل جاتا ہے شہدِ نایاب

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب              صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! Have you noticed that the famous devotee of Rasool, Mahmood Ghaznavi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه had a very beautiful manner of expressing devotion! Undoubtedly, he completely became embodiment of the devotion to Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Since the blessed name bears a relation to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه did not say the blessed name ‘Muhammad’ as a token of reverence without Wudu. Although it is permissible as per Shari’ah to say the name ‘Muhammad’ without Wudu, but his devotion did not allow him to do so. For example, if he ever found himself in a situation in which he had no choice, but to say the blessed name ‘Muhammad’ and that time he would not be in Wudu, so he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه would use any other appropriate name as a token of respect.

اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, it is the Sadaqah (reward) of respecting the blessed name ‘Muhammad’ that these respectful personages are famous and regarded everywhere. Therefore, following the footsteps of these devotees of Rasool, we should also form the habit of respecting the name ‘Muhammad’ and the