[Q 194] Kissing Thumbs During Adhan: Significance

Question 

Why do we kiss our thumbs and place over our eyes when the name of Rasool’Allah ﷺ is said. What is the significance and what is the correct method/recited? 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer 

Kissing the thumbs and rubbing the nails over one’s eyes when hearing the name of our beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم is a virtuous and a commendable act. This act is proven from the first caliph of Muslims, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه.

Sayyidna Sheikh Abu Talib Makki عليه الرحمة relates from Sayyidna Ibn Uyayna رضي الله عنه, that once on the 10th of Muharram al-Haram, the beloved Prophet ﷺ, having concluded the Friday prayer, sat near a pillar in Masjid Nabawi. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddique رضي الله عنه also joined him, sitting by his side.

Sayyiduna Bilal Habshi رضي الله عنه commenced the Adhan. When he رضي الله عنه  reached the words ” اَشْھَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللہ ” Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddique رضي الله عنه placed the nails of his two thumbs on his eyes and uttered, ” قُرَّۃُ عَیْنِیْ بِکَ یَارَسُوْلَ اللہ.” Upon the completion of Adhan, the Holy Prophet ﷺ stated, “O Abu Bakr! Whoever does as you have done, Allah will pardon all their past and future sins.”

(Ruh al-Bayan, Surah Al-Ahzab: 57, Vol. 7, p. 229)

A great Muhadith, Shaykh Ali Al-Qari عليه الرحمة states: 

When evidence of this act was established from Siddiq-e-Akbar, رضي الله عنه, it is sufficient for this practice because the beloved Prophet ﷺ said: “Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.”

(Al-Asrar al-Marfu’ah fi al-Akhbar al-Mawdu’ah, P. 316, Muassasat al-Risalah, Beirut)

It is stated in Tafsir Ruh al-Bayan:

When Sayyiduna Adam عليه السلام desired to meet the beloved Prophet ﷺ in Paradise, Allah revealed to him that he ﷺ  is amongst your offsprings and will appear in the last era.

Then Allah Almighty made the light of our Prophet ﷺ shine on the index finger of Sayyiduna Adam’s عليه السلام  right hand. Then this light recited the Tasbeeh of Allah Almighty. That’s why the name of this finger became the “finger of Shahadah”. 

Furthermore, Allah Almighty manifested the beauty of Prophet ﷺ, akin to a mirror, in the fingernails of both thumbs of Sayyiduna Adam عليه السلام. As a result, he عليه السلام kissed the nails of his thumbs and rubbed them over his eyes. Hence, this Sunnah continued in his children.

When Sayyiduna Jibreel عليه السلام  mentioned this incident in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ , he ﷺ  said: “Whoever hears my name in Adhan, kisses his thumbs and touches his eyes, such a person will never be blind.”

(Ruh al-Bayan, Surah Ahzab: 56, Vol. 7, p. 229)

The method is mentioned in Radd al-Muhtar by Allama Ibn Abidin Shami, رَحْمَۃُ اﷲِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ:

‘Upon hearing the first Shahadah, it is Mustahab to say: ‘صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْکَ یَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ.’ And upon hearing the second one, (he should say): ‘قَرَّتْ عَیْنِیْ بِکَ یَارَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ.’ Then one should place the nails of his thumbs on his eyes and say: ‘اللّٰہُمَّ مَتِّعْنِیْ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالْبَصَرِ.’ (When he does this) then, Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم will be his guide towards Paradise.

(Radd al-Muhtar ‘Ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Salat, Bab al-Adhan, vol 1, P. 398, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)

There are many virtues of kissing the thumbs upon hearing the name of Prophet ﷺ.

1.Allama Daylami عَلَیْہِ رَحمَۃُ اللہ الْقَوِی states that when Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه placed his thumbs on his eyes, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated, “Whoever does what my dear friend did, my intercession will become Halal for him.

(Al-Maqsad al-Hasanah li al-Sakhawi, Harf al-Mim, Hadith: 1021, p. 390; Kashf al-Khafa, Harf al-Mim, Hadith: 2294, Vol. 2, p. 184)

2.It is narrated about Faqeeh Muhammad bin Nusaybah عليه الرحمة that once, a strong wind blew, and a small stone got stuck in his eye. It caused him severe pain when attempts were made to remove it. (Then during Azan) when the Mu’adhin proclaimed, اَشْھَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللہ, he heard these words and responded, مَرْحَبًا بِحَبِيْبِيْ وَقُرَّةُ عَيْنِيْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللہ. Then, he kissed both his thumbs and placed them on his eyes. As a result, the stone immediately came out, and he was saved from this calamity.

(Al-Maqsad al-Hasanah li al-Sakhawi, Harf al-Mim, Hadith: 1021, p. 391)

3.Sayyiduna Zahid Bilaali رَحْمَۃُ اﷲِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ reported that Imam Hasan رضي الله عنه, said: “Whoever hears the Mu’adhin say, اَشْھَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللہ and then says, مَرْحَبًا بِحَبِيْبِيْ وَقُرَّةُ عَيْنِيْ مُحَمَّد بْنُ عَبْدِ اللہ, and then kisses both his thumbs and places them on his eyes, he will never become blind, and his eyes will never ache.”

(Al-Maqsad al-Hasanah li al-Sakhawi, Harf Mim, Hadith: 1021, p. 391)

To learn more about this, please refer to Ala Hazrat’s work “Munir al-Ayn” in the 5th volume of Fatawa Razawiyya.

Answered by: Bilal Sadiq Attari (AskMufti Scholar)  

Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari