What is the meaning of Al-Shafi'i's saying: "And out of veneration for him and drawing closer to him, peace and blessings be upon him, and our drawing closer to him through prayer upon him is by way of nearness"?

Summary of the Answer:

Imam Ash-Shafi'i stated that invoking blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) at the time of slaughtering an animal is an act of faith in Allah. He feared that Satan might have instilled in the ignorant the prohibition of mentioning the Prophet's name to prevent them from invoking blessings upon him. He pointed out that everyone who invokes blessings upon him does so out of faith in Allah, glorification of Him, and seeking nearness to Him.

Al-Mu'allimi said that Ash-Shafi'i's intention with the phrase "due to a meaning that arises in the hearts of the heedless" was to avoid the intention of slaughtering for Allah and for the Messenger, or the misconception that mentioning his name is obligatory like mentioning Allah's name.

Al-Sa'di explained that the verse "Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and greet him with [a worthy] salutation" indicates the high status of the Messenger, and that Allah and the angels praise him. The command to the believers to invoke blessings upon him is out of emulation, recompense, perfecting their faith, and glorifying him.

Invoking blessings upon the Prophet is an act of obedience to Allah, glorifying Him, and seeking nearness to Him, not seeking nearness to the Prophet himself. The phrase "seeking nearness to him - peace be upon him -" means that nearness is to Allah Almighty because of invoking blessings upon the Prophet, and the invocation itself is not seeking nearness to the Prophet, but rather it is a supplication for him.