Swalaath (Darood) and Salaam on the prophet (peace upon him).

The above verse No.56 of Surah Al-Ahzaab is generally translated as under:

" Indeed, Allaah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Send blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation." 33:56

If Allaah, the Exalted, is saying in the above verse that "I and My angels send blessings on the prophet, O believers! Send blessings and salutation on him.", then (in compliance of this order) why are we redirecting that command to Allaah and request Him: "O Allaah, (you yourself) send blessings on him" , which act (according to our translations), He is doing Himself without our request.

In fact, we need to replace the meanings of the words used in this verse: and with some other meaning. If we use the meaning "reciting Qur-aan" for and the meaning "submit / accept" for the words , then we can correctly understand what the verse requires of us.

It is said in verse 65 of Surah An-Nisa-a :

" But no, by your Lord, they will not believe (in truth) until they make you judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which you decide, and submit with full submission." 4:65

The reason for making the prophet the judge in our disputes is being given in the verse quoted earlier (33:56), that Allaah and His angels recite Qur-aan on the prophet, O believers! (you too) recite Qur-aan upon him and accept his judgment with full submission.

In several other verses (4:105, 5:49, 5:48) the prophet has been directed to make judgments keeping in view the Qur-aan.

In verse No. 43 of Sura Al-Ahzaab, the word has been used in the meaning of "reciting the Qur-aan" for Allaah and His angels in connection with the believers and the purpose of that has been given as "bring you forth from darkness unto light".

General Translation : " He it is Who sends blessings on you, and His angels (bless you), that He may bring you forth from darkness unto light; and He is ever Merciful to the believers." 33:43

If we replace the given meaning sends blessings on you, with the correct meaning recites Qur-aan upon you, then the matter stands clarified.

We also come to know from the above verse that as Allaah and His angels recite Qur-aan upon the prophet, , similarly they recite Qur-aan upon the believers too: .

The intention of the usage of the words: with the meaning of "Reciting of Qur-aan" gets further strengthened because its purpose is given as "to bring forth from darkness unto light", which is identical to the purpose of revelation of Qur-aan or its verses, as given in the following three verses, "to bring forth from darkness unto light.

" Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto you (Muhammad) that thereby you may bring forth mankind from darkness unto light, by the permission of their Lord, unto the path of the Mighty, the Owner of Praise." 14:1

" He it is Who sends down clear revelations unto His slave, that He may bring you forth from darkness unto light; and indeed for you, Allaah is Full of Pity, Merciful." 57:9

" A messenger reciting unto you the revelations of Allaah made plain, that He may bring forth those who believe and do good works from darkness unto light. And whosoever believes in Allaah and does right, He will bring him into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein to abide for ever. Allaah has made good provision for him." 65:11