THE EXCELLENCE IN RECITING THE DUROOD SHAREEF UPON THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD ﷺ AS EXPLAINED IN THE HOLY QURAN AND AHADITH

The message of Allah Ta’ala to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has come down to us in the form of the Holy Quran and the teachings of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) have reached us in the form of the Ahadith. Let us see what both the Holy Quran and Ahadith say about Durood Shareef (Salawat):

 

Almighty Allah says: “Surely Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). O you who believe! Send Blessings (Durood) and Salutations (Salaams) on the Prophet with worthy Salutation”. (Surah al-Ahzab: 56)In this verse of the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah, His Malaa’ikah and the Muslims have been mentioned as sending Durood upon Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).

So, Durood Shareef is actually “a Du’a in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).” Sayyiduna Anas (radi Allahu anhu) narrates that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: “He who reads a single Durood upon me, Almighty Allah blesses him ten times, ten of his sins are forgiven, and he is increased ten times in stages (internally). (Mishkaat) Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Ma’sud (radi Allahu anhu) also narrates that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: “On the Day of Qiyamah, the closest to me from among the people will be those who have read the most amount of Durood Shareef”. (Tirmidhi) It is now evident that the recitation of Durood Shareef (Salawat) is in perfect obedience to the Divine Command and in complete conformity with the teachings of Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) of Islam. There is no scope to choose anything else when we have with us the words of Allah Ta’ala and His Apostle, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).

WHAT IS DUROOD SHAREEF AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DUROOD SHAREEF

Divine blessings on Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is the highest and the most meritorious act in our Deen. This “Divine Blessings” is called Durood Shareef.

When Almighty Allah sends Durood and Salaams upon Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), He is actually blessing him. When the Malaa’ikah and the Muslims send Durood and Salaams to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), they are actually showing Almighty Allah their respect for the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).Muslims hope that, through the blessings of the Durood and Salaams, Almighty Allah will forgive them of their sins and increase their status in this world and in the Aakirah. The Malaa’ikah hope that Almighty Allah will increase their status.

Durood is a sure means of Allah Ta’ala granting blessings, peace, prosperity and favours of great magnitude on one who recites Durood Shareef on the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). The reciter of Durood Shareef receives all the benefits in this world and utmost gain in the next world with addition to the love of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).The invocation of Blessings on the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is styled in Arabic as “Salawat”, in Persian as “Durood”, and in Urdu as “Salawat-o-Salaam”.

The regular recitation of Durood Shareef on Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) lifts up our hearts on to a plane of comprehension where we gaze in our new found peace and moral armour.

The reciter of Durood Shareef will, after some time, come to realise by himself that it is the spontaneous outpouring of his heart before the Great Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) of Islam, whose love and attachment is needed to get all the present day problems solved and obtain mercy in the next world.

The more Durood Shareef we recite, the greater the gain and benefit will be achieved in both the worlds. Sayyiduna Shaikh-e-Akbar Mo’inuddin ibn Arabi (radi Allahu anhu) has stated that, “Those who claim to love and revere the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) should increase their recital of the Durood Shareef in patience and perseverance until, through the mercy of Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), they have the opportunity of witnessing his blessed countenance”.

The special and exclusive aspect of this prayer is that Durood Shareef is immediately accepted by Allah Ta’ala. No one can doubt its acceptance, as Durood Shareef is being recited by Allah Ta’ala too. Not only this, but He has revealed this secret in the Holy Quran by saying:

“Have I not exalted thy name.” Muslims are a very fortunate people. Allah Ta’ala chose for them the name of Islam as a religion, declared to be comprehensive and final for mankind. The person chose to deliver this message in this specific form and extra-ordinary style of love and hope was the most beloved of Allah Ta’ala and became the Light of Divinity to be shed upon the entire universe. This Light devastated all the domains of darkness and depression. By reciting Durood Shareef (Salawat) we invite Light and drive away all darkness from our inner soul. Our mind becomes soft and love saturated. If there is softness in everything, it tends beauty to it. People become ugly owing to lack of this essential beauty of the inner part of the mind. This ugliness cannot be glossed over by any amount of cosmetics. It is the Durood Shareef on the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) which works wonders.

In the same manner, the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) taught us Durood Shareef to attain salvation, perfect peace and maximum gain in this world as well as the next. The soul is the soil where the faith of Allah is to be implanted firmly and faithfully which requires continuous recitation of Durood Shareef to thrive and flourish.

We have been told by Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) that Durood Shareef is itself Light and when Light enters the soul every aspiration is achieved and every goal is won. Nothing remains thereafter to worry about.

Human spirit today is depressed everywhere and mankind has come to the edge of destruction, decay and devastation. Everyone is engulfed in untold miseries and tragedies of a very great magnitude. Troubles and tortures, pain, poverty, hunger, ill-health, frustrations and accidents have broken the back of a human being. All this can evaporate with the recitation of Durood Shareef on the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) who has clearly proclaimed that Durood Shareef is the panacea of all ills and that if any one comes across a calamity he should recite Durood Shareef in the maximum number. Allah Ta’ala has promised that if anyone recites Durood only once, He showers ten blessings on the reciter immediately.

It is narrated that once Sayyiduna Musa (alaihis salaam) walked a very long distance in the desert during summer at noon. He fainted due to thirst and hunger. After a while, when he regained his consciousness, Allah Ta’ala sent Sayyiduna Jibrael (alaihis salaam) to go and inquire from Sayyiduna Musa (alaihis salaam) if he was thirsty or not. Sayyiduna Musa (alaihis salaam) replied that he was thirsty. Allah Ta’ala told him that the thirst on the Day of Judgement will be a million times more than what Sayyiduna Moosa (alaihis salaam) experienced. Sayyiduna Musa (alaihis salaam) was told that if he wished to get rid of that thirst on the hottest Day of Judgement, he would have to do one thing. When Sayyiduna Musa (alaihis salaam) enquired as to what should be done, Allah Ta’ala told him that he should recite Durood Shareef in abundance on His last Prophet, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). Sayyiduna Musa (alaihis salaam) thanked Allah Ta’ala and immediately began reciting Durood Shareef on the Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).

From the above fact it is quite clear that Allah Ta’ala has given orders even to his Ambiya to recite Salawat on the last and final Prophet of Islam, and that Durood Shareef is not only panacea and a solution to the ills of this world but in the next too.

In another story, it is narrated that when Sayyiduna Adam (alaihis salaam) saw Bibi Hawa (radi Allahu anha) he wanted to be close to her, but Allah Ta’ala sent Sayyiduna Jibrael (alaihis salaam) to stop him. Allah Ta’ala told him that if he wanted to take Bibi Hawa (radi Allahu anha) as his wife, he should first pay Mahr (dowry). On his inquiry as to what the Mahr was, Allah Ta’ala told Sayyiduna Jibrael (alaihis salaam) to inform him that the best way of paying the dowry is for him to recite Durood Shareef 3 times on His last Prophet, Sayyiduna Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). Sayyiduna Adam (alaihis salaam) did so, Bibi Hawa (radi Allahu anha) was granted to him as his legal and legitimate wife.

The highest blessings which Islam has conferred on man is the concept of Tauheed or Unity of Allah in its purest form. This has been furnished to mankind through Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), the last of the Prophets. It is a cardinal duty of every Muslim man and woman, young and old to entertain the highest respect, regard, love and esteem for the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and his family. It should be clear that obedience to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is always to be charged with intense love and highest regard for him, for it is through love and esteem that truth can be comprehended and communion with the Creator can be vouch-safed. In fact, love is the motive force, reverence dissolves and implicit obedience to the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) which is the natural outcome. It is therefore incumbent on those who love him, to pray to Allah Ta’ala and His Angels in wishing for him peace according to the Divine Command. This will reshape the life which is otherwise infested with turmoil. The reciter will get countless and matchless benefits in both the Worlds and can claim to be the lover of Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).As Muslims we should recite Durood Shareef in the Arabic language. Islam seeks to create a unified outlook and it is in the Arabic language alone which welds all Muslims into one great brotherhood. Besides, Arabic is the language of Heaven, it is the language of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), it is the language of the Angels and it is the language of Sayyiduna Abu-Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman and Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhuma).The daily recitation of Durood Shareef has a tremendous effect on the human head, heart, mind and person. It purifies thoughts and intensifies actions. It makes passages for perfect peace and personal satisfaction.