The Blessed Sandals of the Prophet [Naalain Paak]

The Blessed Sandals of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w)

In Arabic, the Holy Prophet’s sandal is known as Naal-e-Nabi.

The Naalain Paak are the Blessed Sandals of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w), which were used by him during his lifetime.

The blessings one can be blessed with by keeping and honouring themselves with the symbol of the sacred Naalain Paak are uncountable. To obtain these blessings, one does not even need the actual or original Blessed Sandals of our Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w), but a depiction/image of the holy footwear as drawn & recorded by the blessed Companions.

For this reason, it is very popular to keep an image of the Blessed Sandals in a purse or in a frame on the wall.

An original pair of the Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w)'s Naalain Paak have been kept and safeguarded in the famous Islamic Museum in Turkey, the Topkapi Palace.

Respecting Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w)’s Sacred Belongings

The practice of respecting Tabarruk (relics) was common among the Companions of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w).

Imam Nawawi comments in Sharh Sahih Muslim, "It is recommended to seek blessings through the relics of the righteous and their clothes (istihbab al-tabarruk bi aathaar al-salihin wa thiyabihim)." [Book 37 Chapter 2 #10]

The Noble Companions gave the utmost respect to the relics of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w), and used to seek blessings from these reminders they had from the life of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w).

They also made the relics a way to cure illnesses, solve difficulties, obtain spiritual comfort, as they knew the full spiritual strength these items had due to the fact they belonged to the Best of Creation (s.a.w).

Why Treasure the Holy Belongings?

There is not a civilization that has loved and celebrated its leader the way that Islamic civilization loves and celebrates its Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (s.a.w).

Love is the strongest of all human attachments, and is the greatest thing that distinguishes the relationship of Muslims with our Beloved Prophet (s.a.w), who said:

“None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his very self, wealth, and all people.”

[Bukhari, Muslim]

Motivated by this love, as well as by an understanding of the immense importance of the personal example of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w), the Muslim community has recorded and preserved his entire life in the most exact & precise detail.

The Islamic scholars do not limit their attention to the moral and legal example of the Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w) alone.

Rather, they also focus on his daily life, like his habits of eating, drinking and sleeping, as well as other matters that do not have immediate legal implications.

From that time until this present day, Muslims have sought to imitate the example of their Beloved (s.a.w) in all its detail, unless they were of particular matters that Allah Most High chose only for Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w) himself.

Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w)'s external, physical appearance was also amongst the matters that Muslims pay great attention to, as were his habits of dress.

This is also because to continue the Sunnah, the example of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w), is of great reward and also increases the love & connection a Muslim has for the Master (s.a.w).

Amongst the matters of external appearance, the Holy Prophet’s Noble Sandals receive particular attention, perhaps because of what his followers feel; utmost love and humility for their Beloved Prophet (s.a.w), such that they see themselves not even worthy of the holy dust under his Blessed Feet.

The Companions & the Noble Sandals

The focus & respect given to the Noble Sandals is not an innovated matter.

Rather, the first generation of Muslims i.e. the Companions of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w), were the first to give them attention and importance, such that some of them were known to have distinguished themselves with serving the Noble Sandals and taking care of the blessed footwear.

It has been reported that Hazrat Anas bin Maalik [R.A] was the one of the keepers of the Sandals of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w).

Narrated from Hazrat Qatada, "I asked Anas to describe the sandals of Allah's Messenger and he replied: 'Each sandal had two straps'; and from Isa ibn Tahman: 'Anas took out a pair of shoes and showed them to us. They did not have hair on them.'" [Bukhari and Tirmidhi] The remark refers to the Arabian practice of not removing the hair from the leather from which shoes were made.

Imam Qastalani said that Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Masud was one of the Prophet's servants, and that he used to bring for the Prophet his cushion (wisada), his tooth-stick (siwak), his two sandals (nalayn), and the water for his ablution. When the Prophet rose he would put his sandals on him; when he sat, he would carry the Prophet's sandals in his arms until he rose. [Mawahib al-Laduniyya]

And Imam al-Salih al-Shami reported in his work, Subul al-Huda wa’l Rash?d (8:318) that Hazrat Abdullah ibn Masud used to get up as soon as the Messenger of Allah sat down, and would take off the latter’s sandals, and place them under his own arms. Then, when the Prophet would get up, he would put them on him.
Many other narrations have been transmitted from the Companions giving exact descriptions of the noble sandals of the Prophet.

Hazrat Ubayd ibn Jarih said to Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar, "I saw you wear tanned sandals." He replied, "I saw the Prophet wearing sandals with no hair on them and perform ablution in them, and so I like to wear them." [Bukhari, Malik, Abu Dawud]
 

Many other narrations have been transmitted from the Companions giving exact descriptions of the Noble Sandals of Sayyidina Rasulallah (s.a.w).

The Status of the Depiction of the Noble Sandals

The depiction of the Naalain Paak has had a special place in the hearts of Muslims since it is one of the daily items used by our Beloved (s.a.w) during his lifetime, and since it inspires in us the utmost humility towards his High Rank.

Because of this, special care has been taken to record this depiction, and to draw it, and it has sometimes even been placed under the turbans of the Pious (the Companions & the Awliya), to emphasise their complete subservience & devotion to the greatness of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w).

Writers and poets write eloquently in praise of the Noble Sandals, and in doing so they have described the feelings of their ecstatic love for the Master (s.a.w) who wore them.

"May the best of blessings and peace be upon the Owner of these Blessed Sandals,

Verily I serve the image of the Sandal of Mustafa

So that I may live in both worlds under its protection."

Here, one can only wonder: when Jannat lies under the feet of our mothers, what of the treasures which lie beneath the feet of the Beloved of Allah (s.a.w)?