In his Sahih ...

In his Sahih , Bukhari narrates a long tradition which contains a description of some of the features of the Prophet (S) and his , and says: "وإذا كادوا توضأ يقتتلون على وضوئه." “When he (Prophet) performed wudu’ , they (Muslims) would seemingly fight with one another (in order to get some of the water the Prophet (S) used in wudu’ ).”[^4] b. Ibn Hajar says: "إن النبيّ صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم كان يؤتي بالصبيان فيبرك عليهم." “They brought children to the Prophet (S) and he blessed them.”[^5] c.

Muhammad Tahir al-Makki says: “Umm Thabit is reported to have said: ‘Once the Messenger of Allah (S) called on me and while standing drank water from the mouth of a waterskin, which was suspended.

So I rose up and cut off the mouth of the waterskin’.” He then adds: “Tirmidhi narrates this hadith , too and says: ‘It is an authentic { sahih } and sound { hasan } hadith ’, and the commentator of this hadith says in the book, Riyad as-Salihin : ‘Umm Thabit cut off the mouth of the waterskin so as to keep for herself the place of the Prophet’s mouth whereby she sought blessing { tabarruk }.

Similarly, the would drink water from where the Prophet used to drink’.”[^6] "كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم إذا صلى الغداة جاء خدم المدينة بأنيتهم فيها الماء فما يؤتي بإناء إلا غمس يده فيه فربما جاؤوه في الغداة الباردة فيغمس يده فيها." “The servants of Medina used to go to the Messenger of Allah (S) after morning { subh } prayer with vessels full of water and he would place his hand into each vessel.

Sometimes they would go to him in cold mornings and he would place his hand into them (vessels).”[^7] This shows clearly that seeking blessings through the belongings of awliya’ of God is not a problem. It also shows that those who accuse the Shi‘ah of polytheism and associating partners with Allah on account of this practice have no clear idea of the meaning of monotheism { tawhid }.

Polytheism or worshipping other than Allah means to have one of the creatures as a god along with Allah or to attribute to that creature some divine acts by considering him as independent and needless of God in the essence of creation or power. This is while the Shi‘ah regard the belongings of awliya’ of God, just like theirs owners, as things that are made by God and these things are in need of Him both in the essence of existence and in power.