Imam al-Baghawī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه  states, “The ṣalāt of Allah Almighty is to send down mercy, whereas our ṣalāt is to supplicate for mercy.”^[1]

A question arises here, that if Allah Almighty is already sending mercy upon His Beloved صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, then why have we been commanded to send ṣalāt upon him, i.e., to supplicate for mercy for him, as usually such a thing is sought which has not already been attained. So, if mercy is already descending, then what is the reason for supplicating for it?

Mufti Aḥmad Yār Khan NaꜤīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه explains:

O those who send ṣalāt upon the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, do not ever think that the descent of Our mercy upon Our Beloved صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is dependent on your asking, and that Our Beloved صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is in need of your ṣalāt! Whether you send ṣalāt or not, Our mercy continuously descends upon him. Your birth and your recitation of ṣalāt just began now, whereas the descent of mercy upon the Beloved صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has been occurring before even “when” existed, and before even “there” and “where” came into being.

Commanding you to recite ṣalāt, i.e., having you supplicate for mercy for the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is for your own benefit, for if you recite ṣalāt, then you will receive abundant reward.^[2]

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                                     صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

O devotees of the Prophet! There is no doubt that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is not in need of our ṣalāt, rather the one who recites ṣalāt is the one who benefits. The more ṣalāt a person recites, the more