A piece of the cover of the holy kaba (kiswa) was presented to Sidi wa sanadi Hazrat Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib (Allah SWT preserve him & allow us to benefit from him abundantly. Ameen). One of the individual present asked Hazrat db its significance and possible uses, for example, keeping its threads in eyelids of the deceased, etc.

Hazrat db replied:

“The significance of tabarukat (blessed sacred relics) can not be denied. It is reported in authentic hadith that our lord Prophet salallaho alehey wa alehey wasalam gave his magnificent shirt for Abdullah bin Obii, the leader of hypocrites on the request of latter’s son to be used in his shroud. Also, he prayed on him the final prayers. However, Allah SWT reprimanded on this action: being not suitable, as stated in holy Quran. Abdullah bin Obii being an arch covert enemy of Muslims did not benefit from these and went to Hell.

Hadith expert have given different explanations for this act. The most prevalent is that this was the compensation for Hazrat Abbas radhiAllahu anhu’s shirt who once being a prisoner of a war was without a shirt and as he was a very well built man no one’s shirt fitted him properly. It was the shirt provided by Abdullah bin Obii that was the most suitable for his physique. And by giving him his shirt our master Prophet salallaho alehey wa alehey wasalam paid back in kind the favor he had done.

Another explanation which came to my mind as being equally valid, and later I found evidence for it in a hadith exegesis, is that our master Prophet salallaho alehey wa alehey wasalam wanted to show the Ummah the limitations of tabarukat (blessed sacred relics).
Can we bring to mind a much nobler tabaruk than the splendid shirt of Prophet salallaho alehey wa alehey wasalam itself? But be aware that without correct belief and actions it fell short to be a resource for superior rewards and salvation.

In short there is significance of tabarukat. But their level of importance has to be clear. Correct aqaid (belief) and actions are necessary to reap benefit from these tabarukat.”