Why do we recite the holy salwaat? I know it means O Allah let thy blessings be on Mohamed and his progeny.
Just thought i'd ask.
The holy salwaat.
Holy Salwat
God and His angels send blessings on the prophet: O' you who believe! Send blessings on him, and salute him with all respect. (The Holy Quran 33:56).
When we listen Holy Prophets' name and his progeny, we must offer salwat on them [Allahuma salli a'la Muhammad wa a'la aali Muhammad). Meaning as you narrated above.
When we listen Holy Prophets' name and his progeny, we must offer salwat on them [Allahuma salli a'la Muhammad wa a'la aali Muhammad). Meaning as you narrated above.
The late scholar and mystic, Annemarie Schimmel gives a very comprehensive explanation of Salwaat in her book And Muhammad Is His Messenger (pg. 92-104) as under:
Though thousands of prayers and poems speak of the Muslims' hope of Muhammad's intercession for themselves and their families, there is one means to this end that is much more powerful than anything else: to implore God to bless Muhammad and his family. The Koran itself says (Sura 33:56) that God and His angels "pray upon," that is, bless the Prophet. Could the believer do anything better than follow the example given by the Lord Himself? In fact, Rumi explains that "these acts of service and worship and attention do not come from us and we are not free to perform them. . . . They belong to God; they are not ours, but His." The blessing formula salla Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam, "God bless him and give him peace," known as the tasliya, as-salat aid Muhammad or (in the plural) salawat sharlfa, has been used from earliest times, and the pious Muslim will never mention the Prophet's name or refer to him without adding those words. In print, they are either stated in full or abbreviated with a siglum over or after the name: (Arabic exprsseion); in English, often (S). A very old variant of this blessing formula, "O God, bless Muhammad and his family as You have blessed Abraham and his family," connects the Prophet of Islam with the venerated prophet who erected the Kaba in Mecca and who is, through Ishmael, the ancestor of the Arabs. Related formulas have been used frequently through the centuries in more or less elaborate wording.
Numerous hadlth remind the Muslims of the importance of this blessing, for God Himself, as it is reported, once addressed the Prophet with the words, "Do you approve, O Muhammad, that nobody from your community utters the formula of blessing for you [even] once but I bless him ten times, and nobody from your community greets you [even] once but I greet him ten times?" This Divine promise was later expressed in more detailed form: for every blessing upon the Prophet, man is elevated by ten degrees, and ten good actions are credited to him, and so on in steady progression. The Prophet himself said, as the hadith has it, "Whosoever utters the blessing for me, he is blessed by the angels as often as he utters the blessing, be it often or rarely."
It is therefore not surprising that the tasliya has been accorded since earliest times a fixed position in ritual prayer. One should also utter it at certain other times, for instance while the call to prayer is recited (the earliest attested mention of this custom is from the year 710). A hadith admonishes the faithful to bless the Prophet often on Friday, "for your greetings are put before me that day." The blessing has also been regarded as a necessary condition for the granting of a prayer of petition: "The personal supplication (du'a) remains outside [the heavens] until the praying person utters the blessings upon the Prophet." Or, as the Sufi Ibn Ata (d. 922) says: "Prayer has supports, wings, means for being granted, and special times. . . . The means for being granted are the blessings for the Prophet."
In the beginning, the salat 'ala Muhammad was probably considered to be a kind of prayer intended to add to the Prophet's glory, but as time passed it was increasingly regarded as praise that the Prophet, alive near God, could enjoy. The attendant problem, that is, where the Prophet would have to be in order to really enjoy the blessings, has been discussed in detail. According to some traditions, the prophets are all alive in their graves (the Prophet can thus answer from the Rauda to the greetings of his visitors); according to others, at least Muhammad lives close to God, and Ibn Asakir states that if Muhammad can reply to the salam from his grave, he can do the same from everywhere. But however the prophets' life after death is imagined, there seems no doubt possible that they are, in a mysterious way, alive in their tombs, nourished by Divine signs of grace. How could the Prophet of Islam not be alive, argues Ibn Hazm, since one says "Muhammad is the messenger of God" and not "has been the messenger of God"?
This firm belief in the living presence of the Prophet, whose ubiquity was felt with increasing strength by the believers, led to ever more beautiful embellishments of the formula of blessing. One finds at the beginning of
literary works after the long, poetically elaborated formula "In the name of
God," blessings for the Prophet that are written in equally artistic verse, full of sublime eulogies. These became so developed as to form a special genre in Persian, Turkish, and Urdu epic poetry.
Theologians have occasionally discussed the problem whether the blessing upon the Prophet might be superfluous, because he is already perfect and perfected in every conceivable manner, so that even the blessing of the faithful cannot add anything more to his honor. The reply to this would be. "There is no perfection, but there is a greater one existing with God." These are the words of Shah Waliullah, the Indian reformist theologian of the eighteenth century, rebuking those who considered the tasliya unnecessary. In so doing, he felt, and most likely reflected the opinion of the majority of believers, that the blessing for the Prophet was still possible, even necessary. To defend his view he quoted from Busiri's Burda:
Verily the Prophet's greatness has no limit,
so that anyone who speaks with his mouth could express it.
Ultimately most Muslims would probably agree with Rumi, who saw in the salawat a means to draw closer to the beloved Prophet. As a folk poet in the Indus Valley sings:
Your dhikr [remembrance] is essential for the peace of the soul— Lord, the salawat for you cure grief and pain.
Thus in the mystical fraternities and the popular piety that developed under their influence, as well as in high poetry, the salawat-i sharlfa or, as they say in Indo-Pakistan, durud-i sharif became an important ingredient of the dhikr and is still repeated hundreds and thousands of times by the faithful, who often sing it to beautiful tunes. The Shadhiliyya order, for example, uses in the dhikr the well-known salawat al-mashishiyya, a prayer that goes back to the medieval Moroccan saint Ibn Mashish; these blessings are recited every day after the morning and the sunset prayers. Such litanies are regarded as extremely efficacious in many orders and are therefore widely used.
In poetry the blessing formula occurs frequently, again—as with the prayer for intercession—mainly as a refrain, so that poem acquires to a certain extent the character of a true litany. The wording of the durud varies according to the exigencies of meter and rhyme. A typical example is the Arabic refrain of an Urdu poem by the pioneer of Indo-Muslim historiography, Maulana Shibli Nuniani (d. 1914):
Bless, O Lord, the best Prophet and messenger!
Bless, O Lord, the noblest among djinn and men!
Innumerable formulas from the Koran and hadith have been collected and elaborated in the course of the centuries in order to recite these blessings in increasingly artistic and at the same time memorable forms. Pious collectors often mention the future recompense for reciting this or that formula at a certain moment, or a specific number of times. Among the many handbooks that contain such prayers and invocations the Dald'il al-khairat by al-Jazuli has been a favorite of the devout from the fifteenth century onward and is still being used by millions, from its Moroccan homeland to Malaysia and Indonesia. It invokes blessings over the Prophet in highly poetical language whose beauty is unfortunately lost even in the best translation. In it, Muhammad is described, inter alia, as
The man of the stalwart staff
The man who wore sandals
The man of argument
The man of sound reason
The man of power
The wearer of the turban
The hero of the Night Ascent . . .
He of whom the gazelles sought intercession in articulate speech
He to whom the lizard spoke at an open conference of the most learned
The devoted evangelist
The brilliant lamp . . .
He who was pure and yet purified
The light of lights . . .
The spreading dawn
The brilliant star
The trusty handle
The monitor of the people of the earth
There was even a sort of brotherhood in Marrakesh, called Ashab ad-dala'il, whose essential function was the recitation of this celebrated collection of prayers. The Dala'il commonly functions as a sort of talisman and is often carefully calligraphed or preserved in silver or embroidered leather cases.
In other formulas, God is asked to bless the hero of faith, who bears innumerable beautiful names and surnames, and who deserves blessings
to the number of the rolling clouds and the sweeping winds, from the Day when Thou didst create the world to the Resurrection Day... to the number of drops that rain from Thy heavens on Thy earth, and that will rain till the Resurrection Day... to the number of breezes of the wind and the movement of trees and leaves and field crops, and all that Thou hast created in desert or cultivated land, from the day of Creation till the Resurrection.
Constance E. Padwick, who has collected these invocations with great care, is right in maintaining that "the tasliya has become an essential, sometimes it would seem, the essential of the life of salvation and devotion," and her fine analysis of this type of piety is doubtless the best introduction to the loving veneration of the Prophet Muhammad.
"If a man brings on the Day of Resurrection as many good works as those of all people in the world and does not bring with them the calling down of blessing on the Prophet, his good works are returned to him, unacceptable." Thus says Utthman al-Mirghani, the founder of a Sufi brotherhood noted for its extreme veneration of the Prophet, and in one of his poems he sings:
May God the Most high bless—ala ah Ahmad!
The elected, chosen Prophet—ala ah Ahmad!
We constantly yearn for you—ala ah Ahmad!
We fly from joy toward you—ala ah Ahmad!
We lead our camels to you—ala ah Ahmad!
We wail in longing for you—ala ah Ahmad! . .
But there are much earlier stories that show that the tasliya was considered central for man's salvation. In one tale recounted in the fifteenth century,
One of the saints saw in his sleep a hideous form, and he said, "Who art thou?"
It answered, "I am thy misdeeds!"
He said, "And how can I be delivered from thee?"
It said, "By much calling down of blessing on the Prophet!"
The Muslims have trusted that even though their sins might be as manifold as the foam on the ocean, they will be forgiven by virtue of this
blessing. And if one has repeated the salawat often enough, the grave will
become wide and spacious, a garden of serenity, and the scales at Doomsday will be heavy in one's favor. But even more important is the belief that the formula of blessing can bring the believer closer to the Prophet and can also help him to see the beloved Muhammad in his dream. That is why many authors finish their works with blessings on or greetings to the Prophet:
I have finished it in a blessed hour—
Thousands of greetings to the Prophet Muhammad!
says Ghawwasi, the author of the Dakhni epic Saiful Muluk in seventeenth-century Golconda, to mention only one typical example. And the tasliya can also be used for practical purposes, for instance, to avert the evil eye, even "when looking in the mirror."
Handbooks that teach such formulas of blessing still appear frequently;
recently some of them have begun to be published in transcription in
Roman letters, or with an English translation of the Arabic text for those
who have not yet learned Arabic (as often with recent converts) or have
grown up in an environment with a different language and script (as in
India).
The formula of blessing had definitely become an integral part of the daily ritual by about 1200, but probably much earlier. The great saint Abu Hafs Umar as-Suhrawardi (d. 1234) provides a good example of this constant use of the tasliya in his Awdrif al-ma'arif (The Gifts of Spiritual perceptions), a book on religious etiquette (as one may describe it) that was widely studied wherever mystically inclined pious Muslims were found. In the following passage, the author instructs the novice in the correct performance of the ablution for lesser impurity before the ritual prayer:
During the ritual ablution one begins with the toothbrush, then one turns toward Mecca and begins with the ablution, starting with "In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate" and saying: "O Lord, I seek refuge with Thee from the instigations of the devils, and I seek refuge with Thee from their visitations." While washing his hands, the believer says: "God, I ask Thee for happiness and blessing and I seek refuge with Thee from misfortune and disaster." While rinsing his mouth he says: "My God, bless Muhammad and help me to recite Thy book and to remember Thee ften." While taking the water into the nostrils one says: "O my God, bless Muhammad and let me experience the fragrance of Paradise while Thou art content with me." While blowing out the water one says: "My God, bless Muhammad! I take refuge with Thee from the stench of Hellfire and the evil abode." While washing one's face one says: "My God, bless Muhammad and make my face white on the day on which the faces of Thy friends become white, and do not blacken my face on the day when the faces of Thy enemies turn black." While washing his right hand and lower arm: "My God, bless Muhammad and give me my book in my right hand and reckon with me with an easy reckoning." While washing his left hand and lower arm: "My God, I take refuge with Thee from [the possibility] that Thou givest me my book into my left hand or from behind." While passing the hand over the head: "My God, bless Muhammad and cover me with Thy mercy, send down something from Thy blessing and protect me under the shade of Thy Throne on the day when there is no shade but the shade of Thy Throne." While rinsing the ears one says: "My God, bless Muhammad and make me one of those who listen to the word and follow the best of it. My God, let me hear the call of the herald of Paradise along with the pure." While washing one's neck one says: "My God, save my neck from Hellfire. I take refuge with Thee from chains and fetters." While washing the right foot one says: "My God, bless Muhammad and make firm my foot on the Sirat-bridge along with the feet of the faithful." While washing the left foot one says: "My God, bless Muhammad! I take refuge with Thee from [the possibility] that my foot slide on the Sirat-bridge on the day when the feet of the hypocrites slide."
Here one sees that almost every movement during the ablution is introduced by a blessing over the Prophet; the same holds true for the other ritual acts that have to be performed throughout the day and the year.
Umar as-Suhrawardi was the organizer of one of the most successful Sufi orders, the Suhrawardiyya, and the tasliya has indeed become a distinctive feature of some Sufi fraternities. It is told that Maulana Rumi, when whirling around in ecstatic dance (sama'), sometimes uttered the blessing formula in the rhythm of the music. Of certain Sufis in the Sudan it is said that "this blessing isolates them from everything worldly, be it good or evil, because it is a prayer out of love for the Prophet for his own sake, not out of hope for his intercession or fear lest he withhold it—nay, purely out of love for him." That is certainly an important aspect of the tasliya, but it cannot be denied that even in Sufi orders a more "magical" quality of the salawat sharlfa was well known. In some North African circles one attends salawat meetings in which one indulges in congregational prayers for the Prophet and hopes that a request made in such a meeting will soon be granted. Among the formulas used there, one finds the so-called Cordovan Prayer of Consolation, which should be recited 4,444 times in one session in order to obtain one's wish "as fast as fire." It goes like this:
O God, bless with a perfect blessing our lord Muhammad by whom difficulties are solved, sorrows consoled, affairs completed, through whom the longed-for object is obtained and from whose noble countenance the clouds ask for rain, and [bless] his family and his companions
Members of the contemporary Hamidiyya Shadhiliyya order may pray for the Prophet Muhammad for two hours each night. But even more remarkable are the prayers of the Tijaniyya order, whose founder, Ahmad at-Tijani, claimed that he had been instructed in these litanies by the Prophet himself. A brief prayer, the salat al-fatih, was held in particular esteem:
O God, bless our master Muhammad, who opened what had been closed, and who is the seal of what had gone before; he who makes the Truth victorious by the Truth, the guide to Thy straight path, and bless his household as is the due of his immense position and grandeur!
Short as it is, the prayer is considered to have
merits of eight categories . . . : He who reads it once is guaranteed the bliss of the two abodes; also reciting it once atones for all sins and is equivalent to six thousand times all prayers of glorification to God, all dhikr and dud, long or short, which have occurred in the universe. He who recites it ten times acquires recompense greater than that due to a wall [saint] who lived ten thousand years but did not say it. Saying it once is equivalent to the prayers of all angels, human beings, and djinn from the beginning of their creation to the time when it was uttered, and saying it a second time is like it [i.e., equivalent to the recompense of the first] plus the recompense of the first and the second, and so on.
Even more exalted is the Jauharat al-kamal, which the Prophet himself taught to Tijani, and which he and the four first caliphs of Islam will attend when it is recited seven times. Tijani saw nothing unusual in his close constant relationship with the Prophet, for the latter's death "meant merely that he was no longer visible to all human beings, although he retained the appearance which he had before his death and became ubiquitous; and he appeared in dream or daylight to those whom he especially favored." Orthodox Muslims, however, rebutted the claim of Ahmad at-Tijani and his followers, for if the Prophet in person had taught him certain special formulas it would mean that Muhammad had "died without completely delivering his prophetic message, and [to believe] this is an act of infidelity, kufr."
Though such exaggerated claims of Sufi leaders about their familiarity with the Prophet have always been viewed with mistrust in more orthodox circles, the Sufi poets spread the glad tidings of Muhammad's kindness and of the necessity of durud for him over the whole Muslim world. For example, the singers in the Indian subcontinent, the qawwals, often take up the theme of the blessing for the Prophet in their songs. Then the listeners' ardor is aroused; they recite or murmur the words together with the singer, or hum the soft, rhythmical melodies full of delight, placing the right hand on their heart as a sign of veneration.
O heart, call blessings on him with blackened eye—
On the Day of Resurrection he will be your helper in the terror!
This is the beginning of a popular Arabic epic poem in honor of the Prophet. Even in the puppet theater the tasliya is not lacking, irreligious as the contents of the piece may be.
The medieval Turkish poet Ashiq Pasha reminds his compatriots of the primordial existence of Muhammad, which became such an important facet of mystical prophetology:
Adam was still dust and clay—
Ahmad was a prophet then,
He had been selected by God—
Utter blessings over him!
A Sindhi folk poet of our century sings, very similarly, in his "Golden Alphabet" under the letter k:
Lovely is and pure Muhammad,
King of laulak is Muhammad!
Leads you to the goal, Muhammad,
Leaves nobody grieved, Muhammad—
Bless him always, O my God!
And one of his compatriots, a simple shepherd from the Indus Valley, offers his blessings for the Prophet in the style of plain children's songs. In more than fifty verses he addresses all the prophets mentioned in the Koran and the Bible and reminds them, as he reminds everything created, that their blessings are all due to the Prophet:
O you Chosen of the Lord!
Master, blessings upon you!
Hour and hour and place and place
Master, blessings upon you!
Khidr's blessing, Abraham's,
Elijah's and Isma'il's,
Elisa's and Isra'il's—
Master, blessings upon you!
On the move and during rest,
Be it daytime, be it night,
Morning, noon, and evening
Master, blessings upon you!
As the drops in all the rains,
As the hairs on all the beasts,
And as sands in desert wide
Master, blessings upon you!
For the folk poets know that "water, fire, wind and earth, nay rather heaven and earth recite the salawat without tongue day and night."
The importance of the durud-i sharif in popular piety becomes evident from a charming little Sindhi ballad whose theme, as far as I know, does not occur in classical Arabic literature; allusions to it are, however, found in both the Turkish and the Indo-Muslim tradition. It is the story of the bee. Around 1300, Yunus Emre in Anatolia had mentioned that the bee, when entering the beehive, hums the blessings for the Prophet. This remark is particularly interesting because it is widely reported that the Prophet was indeed fond of honey and had praised the bees, which are also mentioned in the Koran as examples of God's inspiration working in animals (Sura 16:68-69). The Prophet's fondness for the wholesome honey inspired medieval Muslims in North Africa to call his birthday the "honey feast" because much honey was used during the celebrations. On the other hand, several miracles of Ali tell of his special relations with the useful insect. One Sindhi poet, who flourished around 1920, celebrated in plain verses, all rhyming in a, a marvelous event that happened one day in Medina:
In the books there is written
Such a lovely tale:
One day in the noble mosque
the heroes assembled were,
Coming as Muhammad's guests
they were full of cheer,
And they greeted the leader there
with great sincerity.
"And upon you be peace!" thus said
now the sweet Muhammad,
And he conversed friendly with them—
how happy they were there!
Quickly he ordered eggs and bread
to be made for the guests—
But there was nothing to eat with it
which could be offered to them.
When they discovered this mistake,
they were completely confused!
Suddenly there came a little bee,
whirling around them a bit.
"Why did you come?" thus asked now
Muhammad the little bee.
And in front of Muhammad the prince
the bee explained everything:
"I have come here this time for you
on order of the Lord—
Give me a special servant now
to go along with me!"
The sweet Muhammad now presently
pointed to Ali Shah,
And the bee flew ahead and then
there followed her Ali Shah.
In a hurry they reached a certain tree
which is not far from Medina,
And with a stick he then took down
the beehives altogether.
He brought them and gave them to the guests
who ate them happily.
Then Prince Muhammad asked the bee
to explain the strange event.
"How happened such a grace to you,
tell honestly the tale!"
In front of Prince Muhammad now
the bee explained it well:
"Whatever honey bees there be,
I am the leader of all;
We fly and we graze in the woods and trees,
bitter be they or sweet, And we collect all this flower sap
in hives high in the trees,
But the sap will never, never be sweet—
it serves us only as food.
But when we speak, O Prophet dear,
the blessings for you with love,
Then our honey becomes so sweet
by virtue of this word.
Thus you too speak the blessings now
For Muhammad with great love,
And become, thanks to this blessing, then
as sweet as honey is!"
This little folk ballad leads us back to the numerous miracle stories about the Prophet, from which our discussion of the shafa'a began.
Though thousands of prayers and poems speak of the Muslims' hope of Muhammad's intercession for themselves and their families, there is one means to this end that is much more powerful than anything else: to implore God to bless Muhammad and his family. The Koran itself says (Sura 33:56) that God and His angels "pray upon," that is, bless the Prophet. Could the believer do anything better than follow the example given by the Lord Himself? In fact, Rumi explains that "these acts of service and worship and attention do not come from us and we are not free to perform them. . . . They belong to God; they are not ours, but His." The blessing formula salla Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam, "God bless him and give him peace," known as the tasliya, as-salat aid Muhammad or (in the plural) salawat sharlfa, has been used from earliest times, and the pious Muslim will never mention the Prophet's name or refer to him without adding those words. In print, they are either stated in full or abbreviated with a siglum over or after the name: (Arabic exprsseion); in English, often (S). A very old variant of this blessing formula, "O God, bless Muhammad and his family as You have blessed Abraham and his family," connects the Prophet of Islam with the venerated prophet who erected the Kaba in Mecca and who is, through Ishmael, the ancestor of the Arabs. Related formulas have been used frequently through the centuries in more or less elaborate wording.
Numerous hadlth remind the Muslims of the importance of this blessing, for God Himself, as it is reported, once addressed the Prophet with the words, "Do you approve, O Muhammad, that nobody from your community utters the formula of blessing for you [even] once but I bless him ten times, and nobody from your community greets you [even] once but I greet him ten times?" This Divine promise was later expressed in more detailed form: for every blessing upon the Prophet, man is elevated by ten degrees, and ten good actions are credited to him, and so on in steady progression. The Prophet himself said, as the hadith has it, "Whosoever utters the blessing for me, he is blessed by the angels as often as he utters the blessing, be it often or rarely."
It is therefore not surprising that the tasliya has been accorded since earliest times a fixed position in ritual prayer. One should also utter it at certain other times, for instance while the call to prayer is recited (the earliest attested mention of this custom is from the year 710). A hadith admonishes the faithful to bless the Prophet often on Friday, "for your greetings are put before me that day." The blessing has also been regarded as a necessary condition for the granting of a prayer of petition: "The personal supplication (du'a) remains outside [the heavens] until the praying person utters the blessings upon the Prophet." Or, as the Sufi Ibn Ata (d. 922) says: "Prayer has supports, wings, means for being granted, and special times. . . . The means for being granted are the blessings for the Prophet."
In the beginning, the salat 'ala Muhammad was probably considered to be a kind of prayer intended to add to the Prophet's glory, but as time passed it was increasingly regarded as praise that the Prophet, alive near God, could enjoy. The attendant problem, that is, where the Prophet would have to be in order to really enjoy the blessings, has been discussed in detail. According to some traditions, the prophets are all alive in their graves (the Prophet can thus answer from the Rauda to the greetings of his visitors); according to others, at least Muhammad lives close to God, and Ibn Asakir states that if Muhammad can reply to the salam from his grave, he can do the same from everywhere. But however the prophets' life after death is imagined, there seems no doubt possible that they are, in a mysterious way, alive in their tombs, nourished by Divine signs of grace. How could the Prophet of Islam not be alive, argues Ibn Hazm, since one says "Muhammad is the messenger of God" and not "has been the messenger of God"?
This firm belief in the living presence of the Prophet, whose ubiquity was felt with increasing strength by the believers, led to ever more beautiful embellishments of the formula of blessing. One finds at the beginning of
literary works after the long, poetically elaborated formula "In the name of
God," blessings for the Prophet that are written in equally artistic verse, full of sublime eulogies. These became so developed as to form a special genre in Persian, Turkish, and Urdu epic poetry.
Theologians have occasionally discussed the problem whether the blessing upon the Prophet might be superfluous, because he is already perfect and perfected in every conceivable manner, so that even the blessing of the faithful cannot add anything more to his honor. The reply to this would be. "There is no perfection, but there is a greater one existing with God." These are the words of Shah Waliullah, the Indian reformist theologian of the eighteenth century, rebuking those who considered the tasliya unnecessary. In so doing, he felt, and most likely reflected the opinion of the majority of believers, that the blessing for the Prophet was still possible, even necessary. To defend his view he quoted from Busiri's Burda:
Verily the Prophet's greatness has no limit,
so that anyone who speaks with his mouth could express it.
Ultimately most Muslims would probably agree with Rumi, who saw in the salawat a means to draw closer to the beloved Prophet. As a folk poet in the Indus Valley sings:
Your dhikr [remembrance] is essential for the peace of the soul— Lord, the salawat for you cure grief and pain.
Thus in the mystical fraternities and the popular piety that developed under their influence, as well as in high poetry, the salawat-i sharlfa or, as they say in Indo-Pakistan, durud-i sharif became an important ingredient of the dhikr and is still repeated hundreds and thousands of times by the faithful, who often sing it to beautiful tunes. The Shadhiliyya order, for example, uses in the dhikr the well-known salawat al-mashishiyya, a prayer that goes back to the medieval Moroccan saint Ibn Mashish; these blessings are recited every day after the morning and the sunset prayers. Such litanies are regarded as extremely efficacious in many orders and are therefore widely used.
In poetry the blessing formula occurs frequently, again—as with the prayer for intercession—mainly as a refrain, so that poem acquires to a certain extent the character of a true litany. The wording of the durud varies according to the exigencies of meter and rhyme. A typical example is the Arabic refrain of an Urdu poem by the pioneer of Indo-Muslim historiography, Maulana Shibli Nuniani (d. 1914):
Bless, O Lord, the best Prophet and messenger!
Bless, O Lord, the noblest among djinn and men!
Innumerable formulas from the Koran and hadith have been collected and elaborated in the course of the centuries in order to recite these blessings in increasingly artistic and at the same time memorable forms. Pious collectors often mention the future recompense for reciting this or that formula at a certain moment, or a specific number of times. Among the many handbooks that contain such prayers and invocations the Dald'il al-khairat by al-Jazuli has been a favorite of the devout from the fifteenth century onward and is still being used by millions, from its Moroccan homeland to Malaysia and Indonesia. It invokes blessings over the Prophet in highly poetical language whose beauty is unfortunately lost even in the best translation. In it, Muhammad is described, inter alia, as
The man of the stalwart staff
The man who wore sandals
The man of argument
The man of sound reason
The man of power
The wearer of the turban
The hero of the Night Ascent . . .
He of whom the gazelles sought intercession in articulate speech
He to whom the lizard spoke at an open conference of the most learned
The devoted evangelist
The brilliant lamp . . .
He who was pure and yet purified
The light of lights . . .
The spreading dawn
The brilliant star
The trusty handle
The monitor of the people of the earth
There was even a sort of brotherhood in Marrakesh, called Ashab ad-dala'il, whose essential function was the recitation of this celebrated collection of prayers. The Dala'il commonly functions as a sort of talisman and is often carefully calligraphed or preserved in silver or embroidered leather cases.
In other formulas, God is asked to bless the hero of faith, who bears innumerable beautiful names and surnames, and who deserves blessings
to the number of the rolling clouds and the sweeping winds, from the Day when Thou didst create the world to the Resurrection Day... to the number of drops that rain from Thy heavens on Thy earth, and that will rain till the Resurrection Day... to the number of breezes of the wind and the movement of trees and leaves and field crops, and all that Thou hast created in desert or cultivated land, from the day of Creation till the Resurrection.
Constance E. Padwick, who has collected these invocations with great care, is right in maintaining that "the tasliya has become an essential, sometimes it would seem, the essential of the life of salvation and devotion," and her fine analysis of this type of piety is doubtless the best introduction to the loving veneration of the Prophet Muhammad.
"If a man brings on the Day of Resurrection as many good works as those of all people in the world and does not bring with them the calling down of blessing on the Prophet, his good works are returned to him, unacceptable." Thus says Utthman al-Mirghani, the founder of a Sufi brotherhood noted for its extreme veneration of the Prophet, and in one of his poems he sings:
May God the Most high bless—ala ah Ahmad!
The elected, chosen Prophet—ala ah Ahmad!
We constantly yearn for you—ala ah Ahmad!
We fly from joy toward you—ala ah Ahmad!
We lead our camels to you—ala ah Ahmad!
We wail in longing for you—ala ah Ahmad! . .
But there are much earlier stories that show that the tasliya was considered central for man's salvation. In one tale recounted in the fifteenth century,
One of the saints saw in his sleep a hideous form, and he said, "Who art thou?"
It answered, "I am thy misdeeds!"
He said, "And how can I be delivered from thee?"
It said, "By much calling down of blessing on the Prophet!"
The Muslims have trusted that even though their sins might be as manifold as the foam on the ocean, they will be forgiven by virtue of this
blessing. And if one has repeated the salawat often enough, the grave will
become wide and spacious, a garden of serenity, and the scales at Doomsday will be heavy in one's favor. But even more important is the belief that the formula of blessing can bring the believer closer to the Prophet and can also help him to see the beloved Muhammad in his dream. That is why many authors finish their works with blessings on or greetings to the Prophet:
I have finished it in a blessed hour—
Thousands of greetings to the Prophet Muhammad!
says Ghawwasi, the author of the Dakhni epic Saiful Muluk in seventeenth-century Golconda, to mention only one typical example. And the tasliya can also be used for practical purposes, for instance, to avert the evil eye, even "when looking in the mirror."
Handbooks that teach such formulas of blessing still appear frequently;
recently some of them have begun to be published in transcription in
Roman letters, or with an English translation of the Arabic text for those
who have not yet learned Arabic (as often with recent converts) or have
grown up in an environment with a different language and script (as in
India).
The formula of blessing had definitely become an integral part of the daily ritual by about 1200, but probably much earlier. The great saint Abu Hafs Umar as-Suhrawardi (d. 1234) provides a good example of this constant use of the tasliya in his Awdrif al-ma'arif (The Gifts of Spiritual perceptions), a book on religious etiquette (as one may describe it) that was widely studied wherever mystically inclined pious Muslims were found. In the following passage, the author instructs the novice in the correct performance of the ablution for lesser impurity before the ritual prayer:
During the ritual ablution one begins with the toothbrush, then one turns toward Mecca and begins with the ablution, starting with "In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate" and saying: "O Lord, I seek refuge with Thee from the instigations of the devils, and I seek refuge with Thee from their visitations." While washing his hands, the believer says: "God, I ask Thee for happiness and blessing and I seek refuge with Thee from misfortune and disaster." While rinsing his mouth he says: "My God, bless Muhammad and help me to recite Thy book and to remember Thee ften." While taking the water into the nostrils one says: "O my God, bless Muhammad and let me experience the fragrance of Paradise while Thou art content with me." While blowing out the water one says: "My God, bless Muhammad! I take refuge with Thee from the stench of Hellfire and the evil abode." While washing one's face one says: "My God, bless Muhammad and make my face white on the day on which the faces of Thy friends become white, and do not blacken my face on the day when the faces of Thy enemies turn black." While washing his right hand and lower arm: "My God, bless Muhammad and give me my book in my right hand and reckon with me with an easy reckoning." While washing his left hand and lower arm: "My God, I take refuge with Thee from [the possibility] that Thou givest me my book into my left hand or from behind." While passing the hand over the head: "My God, bless Muhammad and cover me with Thy mercy, send down something from Thy blessing and protect me under the shade of Thy Throne on the day when there is no shade but the shade of Thy Throne." While rinsing the ears one says: "My God, bless Muhammad and make me one of those who listen to the word and follow the best of it. My God, let me hear the call of the herald of Paradise along with the pure." While washing one's neck one says: "My God, save my neck from Hellfire. I take refuge with Thee from chains and fetters." While washing the right foot one says: "My God, bless Muhammad and make firm my foot on the Sirat-bridge along with the feet of the faithful." While washing the left foot one says: "My God, bless Muhammad! I take refuge with Thee from [the possibility] that my foot slide on the Sirat-bridge on the day when the feet of the hypocrites slide."
Here one sees that almost every movement during the ablution is introduced by a blessing over the Prophet; the same holds true for the other ritual acts that have to be performed throughout the day and the year.
Umar as-Suhrawardi was the organizer of one of the most successful Sufi orders, the Suhrawardiyya, and the tasliya has indeed become a distinctive feature of some Sufi fraternities. It is told that Maulana Rumi, when whirling around in ecstatic dance (sama'), sometimes uttered the blessing formula in the rhythm of the music. Of certain Sufis in the Sudan it is said that "this blessing isolates them from everything worldly, be it good or evil, because it is a prayer out of love for the Prophet for his own sake, not out of hope for his intercession or fear lest he withhold it—nay, purely out of love for him." That is certainly an important aspect of the tasliya, but it cannot be denied that even in Sufi orders a more "magical" quality of the salawat sharlfa was well known. In some North African circles one attends salawat meetings in which one indulges in congregational prayers for the Prophet and hopes that a request made in such a meeting will soon be granted. Among the formulas used there, one finds the so-called Cordovan Prayer of Consolation, which should be recited 4,444 times in one session in order to obtain one's wish "as fast as fire." It goes like this:
O God, bless with a perfect blessing our lord Muhammad by whom difficulties are solved, sorrows consoled, affairs completed, through whom the longed-for object is obtained and from whose noble countenance the clouds ask for rain, and [bless] his family and his companions
Members of the contemporary Hamidiyya Shadhiliyya order may pray for the Prophet Muhammad for two hours each night. But even more remarkable are the prayers of the Tijaniyya order, whose founder, Ahmad at-Tijani, claimed that he had been instructed in these litanies by the Prophet himself. A brief prayer, the salat al-fatih, was held in particular esteem:
O God, bless our master Muhammad, who opened what had been closed, and who is the seal of what had gone before; he who makes the Truth victorious by the Truth, the guide to Thy straight path, and bless his household as is the due of his immense position and grandeur!
Short as it is, the prayer is considered to have
merits of eight categories . . . : He who reads it once is guaranteed the bliss of the two abodes; also reciting it once atones for all sins and is equivalent to six thousand times all prayers of glorification to God, all dhikr and dud, long or short, which have occurred in the universe. He who recites it ten times acquires recompense greater than that due to a wall [saint] who lived ten thousand years but did not say it. Saying it once is equivalent to the prayers of all angels, human beings, and djinn from the beginning of their creation to the time when it was uttered, and saying it a second time is like it [i.e., equivalent to the recompense of the first] plus the recompense of the first and the second, and so on.
Even more exalted is the Jauharat al-kamal, which the Prophet himself taught to Tijani, and which he and the four first caliphs of Islam will attend when it is recited seven times. Tijani saw nothing unusual in his close constant relationship with the Prophet, for the latter's death "meant merely that he was no longer visible to all human beings, although he retained the appearance which he had before his death and became ubiquitous; and he appeared in dream or daylight to those whom he especially favored." Orthodox Muslims, however, rebutted the claim of Ahmad at-Tijani and his followers, for if the Prophet in person had taught him certain special formulas it would mean that Muhammad had "died without completely delivering his prophetic message, and [to believe] this is an act of infidelity, kufr."
Though such exaggerated claims of Sufi leaders about their familiarity with the Prophet have always been viewed with mistrust in more orthodox circles, the Sufi poets spread the glad tidings of Muhammad's kindness and of the necessity of durud for him over the whole Muslim world. For example, the singers in the Indian subcontinent, the qawwals, often take up the theme of the blessing for the Prophet in their songs. Then the listeners' ardor is aroused; they recite or murmur the words together with the singer, or hum the soft, rhythmical melodies full of delight, placing the right hand on their heart as a sign of veneration.
O heart, call blessings on him with blackened eye—
On the Day of Resurrection he will be your helper in the terror!
This is the beginning of a popular Arabic epic poem in honor of the Prophet. Even in the puppet theater the tasliya is not lacking, irreligious as the contents of the piece may be.
The medieval Turkish poet Ashiq Pasha reminds his compatriots of the primordial existence of Muhammad, which became such an important facet of mystical prophetology:
Adam was still dust and clay—
Ahmad was a prophet then,
He had been selected by God—
Utter blessings over him!
A Sindhi folk poet of our century sings, very similarly, in his "Golden Alphabet" under the letter k:
Lovely is and pure Muhammad,
King of laulak is Muhammad!
Leads you to the goal, Muhammad,
Leaves nobody grieved, Muhammad—
Bless him always, O my God!
And one of his compatriots, a simple shepherd from the Indus Valley, offers his blessings for the Prophet in the style of plain children's songs. In more than fifty verses he addresses all the prophets mentioned in the Koran and the Bible and reminds them, as he reminds everything created, that their blessings are all due to the Prophet:
O you Chosen of the Lord!
Master, blessings upon you!
Hour and hour and place and place
Master, blessings upon you!
Khidr's blessing, Abraham's,
Elijah's and Isma'il's,
Elisa's and Isra'il's—
Master, blessings upon you!
On the move and during rest,
Be it daytime, be it night,
Morning, noon, and evening
Master, blessings upon you!
As the drops in all the rains,
As the hairs on all the beasts,
And as sands in desert wide
Master, blessings upon you!
For the folk poets know that "water, fire, wind and earth, nay rather heaven and earth recite the salawat without tongue day and night."
The importance of the durud-i sharif in popular piety becomes evident from a charming little Sindhi ballad whose theme, as far as I know, does not occur in classical Arabic literature; allusions to it are, however, found in both the Turkish and the Indo-Muslim tradition. It is the story of the bee. Around 1300, Yunus Emre in Anatolia had mentioned that the bee, when entering the beehive, hums the blessings for the Prophet. This remark is particularly interesting because it is widely reported that the Prophet was indeed fond of honey and had praised the bees, which are also mentioned in the Koran as examples of God's inspiration working in animals (Sura 16:68-69). The Prophet's fondness for the wholesome honey inspired medieval Muslims in North Africa to call his birthday the "honey feast" because much honey was used during the celebrations. On the other hand, several miracles of Ali tell of his special relations with the useful insect. One Sindhi poet, who flourished around 1920, celebrated in plain verses, all rhyming in a, a marvelous event that happened one day in Medina:
In the books there is written
Such a lovely tale:
One day in the noble mosque
the heroes assembled were,
Coming as Muhammad's guests
they were full of cheer,
And they greeted the leader there
with great sincerity.
"And upon you be peace!" thus said
now the sweet Muhammad,
And he conversed friendly with them—
how happy they were there!
Quickly he ordered eggs and bread
to be made for the guests—
But there was nothing to eat with it
which could be offered to them.
When they discovered this mistake,
they were completely confused!
Suddenly there came a little bee,
whirling around them a bit.
"Why did you come?" thus asked now
Muhammad the little bee.
And in front of Muhammad the prince
the bee explained everything:
"I have come here this time for you
on order of the Lord—
Give me a special servant now
to go along with me!"
The sweet Muhammad now presently
pointed to Ali Shah,
And the bee flew ahead and then
there followed her Ali Shah.
In a hurry they reached a certain tree
which is not far from Medina,
And with a stick he then took down
the beehives altogether.
He brought them and gave them to the guests
who ate them happily.
Then Prince Muhammad asked the bee
to explain the strange event.
"How happened such a grace to you,
tell honestly the tale!"
In front of Prince Muhammad now
the bee explained it well:
"Whatever honey bees there be,
I am the leader of all;
We fly and we graze in the woods and trees,
bitter be they or sweet, And we collect all this flower sap
in hives high in the trees,
But the sap will never, never be sweet—
it serves us only as food.
But when we speak, O Prophet dear,
the blessings for you with love,
Then our honey becomes so sweet
by virtue of this word.
Thus you too speak the blessings now
For Muhammad with great love,
And become, thanks to this blessing, then
as sweet as honey is!"
This little folk ballad leads us back to the numerous miracle stories about the Prophet, from which our discussion of the shafa'a began.
--- In [email protected], abdul razak <diamond2u2001@...> wrote:
THE BENEFITS OF SAYING THE SALWAT...
Transalated by Zull Mamdani.
New'"
1. DILMA IMAM NO PYAR VADHE CHE
By saying Salwat, the love for Imam manifests and grows in your Heart.
2. KUDRAT NI RAHEMAT CHATRA CHAYA HETHAL RAAHE CHE
You attain Allah's Divine Mercy on your Household.
3. KHUDA-NO DOST BANI JAI CHE
You become Allah's Friend. The Bondage between you and Allah is strenthened when you say Salwat
4. DUS (10) RAHEMATO 00TRE CHE
You are Blessed with Ten (10) Merciful Divine Alms (Baksheesh)
5. DOZUK NI AAG HARAM THAI JAI CHE
You are saved from "The Fires of Hell"
6. DUS(10) NEAKI UNNE DUS(10) DARJA(STEPS) VADHI JAI CHE
One Salwaat is worth 10 Good Deeds (Benevolent acts) and you are 10 Steps ahead (in the direction of Heaven)
7. KUHSAMP (ENMITY) DOOR THAI JAI CHE
Disunity (in the family) and Enmity is eradicated
8. DUA KABUL THAI CHE
Your Prayers are accepted in Allah's Grace
9. IBADAT NO SAVAB MALEY CHE
You get the Benefit of Ibadat (Meditation and Prayers)
10. KOI NO DAAR(FEAR) RAHETO NATHI
You Fear Nobody and you gain Confidence
11. MUSHKELI AASAN THAI
JAI CHE
12. ROZI MAA BARKAT THAI CHE
You have Barakaat (Abundance) in Rozi (Food, Livelihood)
13. KARJA(DEBTS) MATHI CHUTI JAVIA CHE
New'">You will be blessed to solve your Financial Problems (Debts)
14. MUFHILISI,GARDISHI,MOHOTAJI TEMAJ TANG DASTIO DOOR THAI CHE
(YOU ARE NOT STRETCHED FOR MONEY OR ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON SOMEONE FOR MONEY)
15. EK LAKH GUNAH MAAF THAI CHE
A 100,000 Sins are forgiven by saying Salwat
16. EK LAKH NEEKI-NO SAWAB MAALEE CHE
The benefit of saying a Salwat is equivalent to a 100,000 Good Deeds (beneficent acts)
17. SALWAT NO BARKAT THI JAAN, MAAL, AULAD OOPER THI AAFAAT DOOR THAI JAI CHE
By Saying Salwat, Allah Protects you (your Life), Your Possessions and your Offsprings (Family)
18. SALWAT NI BARKAT THI ROOHANI SHANTI PRAPT THAI CHE
You accomplish Spiritual "Inner Peace" by saying Salwat
19. SALWAT NI BARKAT THI TAKLIFO DOOR THAI JAI CHE
Salwat keeps 'troubles at bay'
20. SALWAT NO BARKAT THI BIMAARIO DOOR THAI JAI CHE
Salwat keeps you Healthy. It cures illness and 'disipates' sickness.
21. SALWAT NI BARKAT THI KHUDA NI NAZDEEK THAI JAVAI CHE
With Salwat you become nearer to Allah.
22. SALWAT PARWATHI NABI KNOW SAACHA PYAR NI NISHANI CHE
Saying Salwat is a sign of your True Love for Prophet Muhammed.
23. ALLAH NI RAHEMATO SAW TARAF THI DHANKI LEEAYE CHE
The Compassion of Allah protects you from all the Dangers
A hug is like a boomerang -- you get it back right away. --Bil Keane
Worth remembering at all times:
>
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.
>
REMEMBER: If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
courtesy sophie sabe toronto
>
>
THE BENEFITS OF SAYING THE SALWAT...
Transalated by Zull Mamdani.
New'"
1. DILMA IMAM NO PYAR VADHE CHE
By saying Salwat, the love for Imam manifests and grows in your Heart.
2. KUDRAT NI RAHEMAT CHATRA CHAYA HETHAL RAAHE CHE
You attain Allah's Divine Mercy on your Household.
3. KHUDA-NO DOST BANI JAI CHE
You become Allah's Friend. The Bondage between you and Allah is strenthened when you say Salwat
4. DUS (10) RAHEMATO 00TRE CHE
You are Blessed with Ten (10) Merciful Divine Alms (Baksheesh)
5. DOZUK NI AAG HARAM THAI JAI CHE
You are saved from "The Fires of Hell"
6. DUS(10) NEAKI UNNE DUS(10) DARJA(STEPS) VADHI JAI CHE
One Salwaat is worth 10 Good Deeds (Benevolent acts) and you are 10 Steps ahead (in the direction of Heaven)
7. KUHSAMP (ENMITY) DOOR THAI JAI CHE
Disunity (in the family) and Enmity is eradicated
8. DUA KABUL THAI CHE
Your Prayers are accepted in Allah's Grace
9. IBADAT NO SAVAB MALEY CHE
You get the Benefit of Ibadat (Meditation and Prayers)
10. KOI NO DAAR(FEAR) RAHETO NATHI
You Fear Nobody and you gain Confidence
11. MUSHKELI AASAN THAI
JAI CHE
12. ROZI MAA BARKAT THAI CHE
You have Barakaat (Abundance) in Rozi (Food, Livelihood)
13. KARJA(DEBTS) MATHI CHUTI JAVIA CHE
New'">You will be blessed to solve your Financial Problems (Debts)
14. MUFHILISI,GARDISHI,MOHOTAJI TEMAJ TANG DASTIO DOOR THAI CHE
(YOU ARE NOT STRETCHED FOR MONEY OR ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON SOMEONE FOR MONEY)
15. EK LAKH GUNAH MAAF THAI CHE
A 100,000 Sins are forgiven by saying Salwat
16. EK LAKH NEEKI-NO SAWAB MAALEE CHE
The benefit of saying a Salwat is equivalent to a 100,000 Good Deeds (beneficent acts)
17. SALWAT NO BARKAT THI JAAN, MAAL, AULAD OOPER THI AAFAAT DOOR THAI JAI CHE
By Saying Salwat, Allah Protects you (your Life), Your Possessions and your Offsprings (Family)
18. SALWAT NI BARKAT THI ROOHANI SHANTI PRAPT THAI CHE
You accomplish Spiritual "Inner Peace" by saying Salwat
19. SALWAT NI BARKAT THI TAKLIFO DOOR THAI JAI CHE
Salwat keeps 'troubles at bay'
20. SALWAT NO BARKAT THI BIMAARIO DOOR THAI JAI CHE
Salwat keeps you Healthy. It cures illness and 'disipates' sickness.
21. SALWAT NI BARKAT THI KHUDA NI NAZDEEK THAI JAVAI CHE
With Salwat you become nearer to Allah.
22. SALWAT PARWATHI NABI KNOW SAACHA PYAR NI NISHANI CHE
Saying Salwat is a sign of your True Love for Prophet Muhammed.
23. ALLAH NI RAHEMATO SAW TARAF THI DHANKI LEEAYE CHE
The Compassion of Allah protects you from all the Dangers
A hug is like a boomerang -- you get it back right away. --Bil Keane
Worth remembering at all times:
>
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.
>
REMEMBER: If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
courtesy sophie sabe toronto
>
>
The following was quoted in the forum [email protected].
During Mowla Bapa's recent visit (less then 2 months ago) to Tajikistan, the president of the council prayed to Mowla and asked Him 'Mowla, your Golden Jubilee is coming soon, what can we give You?'
Mowla Bapa gave him His majestic smile, and kept His hand on the president's shoulder, and said ' I want my whole jamat to give me SALWAATS'
My dear brothers and sisters, please, please forward this email to all in
your address book and lets get the ball rolling.....
Ya Ali Madat
sam
During Mowla Bapa's recent visit (less then 2 months ago) to Tajikistan, the president of the council prayed to Mowla and asked Him 'Mowla, your Golden Jubilee is coming soon, what can we give You?'
Mowla Bapa gave him His majestic smile, and kept His hand on the president's shoulder, and said ' I want my whole jamat to give me SALWAATS'
My dear brothers and sisters, please, please forward this email to all in
your address book and lets get the ball rolling.....
Ya Ali Madat
sam
-
zubair_mahamood
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:12 pm
- Contact:
Ya Ali madaad,
I would like to share some words of ‘Allamah Nasir Al-Din Nasir Hunzai’ on Salawat who call himself as An Humble Servant in his Book “Studies in Spiritualism and Dreams”.
The wisdom of Salawat
It should be remembered that the key to the great treasures of religious wisdom are amazing and wondrous, for they too are of wisdom. Thus the subject of Salawat in this Wise Quran is such a treasure, the wisdom-filled key to which lies in that God commands to recite salawat upon Muhammad and his progeny (33:56), so that the wise Mumim may duly reflect and ask in order to be aware of the special wisdom of religion in which is hidden the spiritual eminence.
Prior to going into details of this wisdom-filled subject, let us pose question which, on the one hand will show the important of this discussion and on the other facilitate understanding of its difficult wisdoms:
Q.1. why did it become necessary to recite salawat upon Muhammad and his progeny in the sense of “May God send down upon you and your Progeny His mercy”, when he himself, by the command of God is already a mercy for all the worlds (21:107)?
A.1. According to the Quran, when God and His angels send salawat on Mumins (33:43), it is obvious that it is sent through Muhammad and his progeny. Therefore in order to receive this Divine and Angelic Salawat the Mumins are taught by God and the prophet to recite it as follows: Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa-ali Muhammad, i.e. O Allah! Send upon Muhammad and his progeny (that) salawat (which you send on Mumins, 33:56). Further, salawat also means following the Prophet and the pure Imams, which that the Divine and Angelic salawat comes to Mumins only when they hold Muhammad and his progeny in reverence and follow them.
Q.2. when God and His angles send salawat upon Mumins, does it come to them directly or does it come to them through the mediation of the Prophet and his progeny? If it comes to them directly, in what sense is the Prophet regarded as ‘a mercy for all the worlds’? Or, if it comes through the mediation of the Prophet and his progeny, has it not already been in the source of mercy, i.e. the light of Muhammad, from the very beginning. In other words, did salawat not already exist in the Prophet?
A.2. Had it been possible for God and His angels to send salawat on Mumins without the mediations of the Prophet, it would also have been possible for God and His angles to send them the other things of Quran and Islam. But this is impossible. Thus the fact is that, not only the Divine salawat, but every spiritual favour of God is also received through His treasures, namely the Holy Prophet and His true successor. Also, it should be noted here that the divine and angelic salawat for Mumins is already in the source of mercy (light of Muhammad (s.a.s)) from the very beginning. Therefore, when it comes to Mumins from the light of guidance, i.e. the Prophet or the Imam of the time, it is said that it come down from God. And this is true because in reality his act has already been done, for as He says:” And the act of God has already been done” (33:37). But it is only due to man’s inaccessibility that it is yet to happen. Thus we are compelled to say “become” or “will become” for what has already been done. This point is very important in connection with understanding Quran wisdom.
Q.3. how and where are the treasures of God, which are mentioned in the Quran and which contain everything?
A.3. The divine treasures which are mentioned in the Quran (15:21) are: Universal Intellect, Universal Soul, Natiq, Asas and the Light of all of them is in the Imam of the time, as mentioned in the verse (36:12) that everything is comprised in the holy personality of the manifest Imam. In the sense the manifest Imam encompasses all the treasures of God. Thus for Mumins everything is in the light of the Imam of the time. As God says: “And he has given you all that you asked of him” (14:34). That is, whatever you had asked of God in azal (pre-eternity), he has made all that a treasure for you and kept it in the manifest Imam.
Q.4.How does God send salawat on Mumins and in what sense do angles send it on them? Is there any difference between the divine and the angelic salawat, or is it the same thing?
A.4.The way in which God and His angles send salawat on Mumins is such that He only commands as it ought to be done and the angles convey the salawat from the Divine treasures to the Mumins. Thus whatever difference there is between the Divine and the angelic salawat is obvious. It is a different question as to what is the reality of the Divine command? or what is the tawil of the word “Be”.
Q.5.Are there any conditions necessary in order to obtain the divine and angelic salawat, or can it be obtained without any conditions? If there are conditions, what are they?
A.5.Yes, there are certain conditions necessary to obtain the divine and angelic salawat. The first and foremost condition is to follow (i.e. obey) Muhammad (s.a.s) and his progeny. For the way salawat is recited by the command of God and His Prophet, its wisdom is to follow Muhammad (s.a.s) and his progeny. That is, in the Quranic verse on sending salawat upon the holy Prophet and in the word which the Prophet has ordained to recite, in the language of tawil it is enjoined to follow Muhammad (s.a.s) and his progeny, for without this the Mumins cannot receive the Divine and angelic salawat.
The second condition is pecuniary sacrifice, through which the true Guide purifies the mumin, so that he may thereby be closer to God and be able to receive His and His angels’ salawat. See Quran 9:99,103 for the details of this condition.
The third condition is abundant dhikr (remembrance of God) and tasbih-u ibadat in the morning and in the evening. For the details of this condition see the verses (33:41-42) in which the salawat which comes to Mumins from God and His angels is also mention.
For details of the fourth condition, see the verses (2:155-159), the gist of which is patience. Through patience is return God and after return is received the salawat.
Q.6. What is meant by “salat” in God’s command to the Prophet: “wa-salli’alayhil, inna salataka sakanun lahum (and send upon them salat, for indeed your salat is a source of peace and satisfaction for them)” (9:103)? Does it mean the special salawat which the prophet sends upon mumins, or is it used in the sense of an ordinary prayer? If it means the salawat in its special sense, would you kindly furnish the proof?
A.6.In the Divine command to His friend- the Prophet: “wa-salli’alayhil, inna salataka sakanun lahum” (9:103) “salat” is used in the special sense and has a very profound and important meaning./ it is not an ordinary prayer, but is the same salawat which is mentioned in the Quran (33:56) which God and His angels send upon mumins. For when God said to His Prophet to send salawat upon Mumins, then this salawat on the basis of the Divine command amounted to the Divine salawat, in which is included the angelic salawat also. This shows that the salawat of God, the angels and the Holy Prophet is the same.
In the above mentioned verses (9:103), the salawat of the Prophet is regarded as Sakan (source of peace). The importance of the salawat of the Prophet is revealed when we see the meaning and wisdom of the word sakan other related verses of the Quran. For, the explanation or the answer of “what is sakan?” is given in many verses, which are: (2:248; 9:26,40; 48:4,18,26). In these verses through the word sakinah, is explained spiritual peace and satisfaction, in which it is alluded to the spirituality of every level. You should also reflect on these verses.
The importance of salawat of the Holy Prophet does not end here; rather, in order to understand the reward, fruit and purpose of salawat, it is necessary to examine all those verses which are related to the subject of salawat, so that its need and importance may be clear. For instance, from the verse (33:43), it is clear that the purpose of God and His angels in sending salawat is to bring mumins from darkness into light. This means that salawat, in its origin, is in the form of spirituality and knowledge and wisdom.
Q.7. In verse (9:103), if the word salawat is used not in the sense of an ordinary prayer, but as a special term, what is its Quranic proof?
A.7. (a) As for the special term, when God says about Himself: “Huwa ‘lladhi yusalli ‘alaykum (he it is Who send slalawat upon you”, 33:43), it becomes special. For here it does not make any sense if it used in the sense of ritual prayers (namaz) or prayer (du’a), since God Himself is the Worshipped (ma‘bud) rather than the worshipper(‘abid). Thus salawat in this verse is used as a technical term in the sense of sending blessings.
(b) where according to the technical meaning of “yusalli” God and the angels send salawat on mumins, there they receive it through the Prophet’s light, and thus in this sense God says to His Prophet: “ wa walli ‘alayhim ( and send salawat on them)”. thus it is clear for the wise that salawat is used in the sense of blessings and as a technical term.
(c) Every prayer of the Prophet and the Holy Imams is always special and is never just an ordinary prayer. Yet, it is mumins themselves who make it a special or an ordinary prayer? If the mumins are weak in their deeds, then the prayer should be for forgiveness and it becomes an ordinary prayer, but if they are pure in their deeds, they will receive salawat and it becomes a special prayer.
Zubair
I would like to share some words of ‘Allamah Nasir Al-Din Nasir Hunzai’ on Salawat who call himself as An Humble Servant in his Book “Studies in Spiritualism and Dreams”.
The wisdom of Salawat
It should be remembered that the key to the great treasures of religious wisdom are amazing and wondrous, for they too are of wisdom. Thus the subject of Salawat in this Wise Quran is such a treasure, the wisdom-filled key to which lies in that God commands to recite salawat upon Muhammad and his progeny (33:56), so that the wise Mumim may duly reflect and ask in order to be aware of the special wisdom of religion in which is hidden the spiritual eminence.
Prior to going into details of this wisdom-filled subject, let us pose question which, on the one hand will show the important of this discussion and on the other facilitate understanding of its difficult wisdoms:
Q.1. why did it become necessary to recite salawat upon Muhammad and his progeny in the sense of “May God send down upon you and your Progeny His mercy”, when he himself, by the command of God is already a mercy for all the worlds (21:107)?
A.1. According to the Quran, when God and His angels send salawat on Mumins (33:43), it is obvious that it is sent through Muhammad and his progeny. Therefore in order to receive this Divine and Angelic Salawat the Mumins are taught by God and the prophet to recite it as follows: Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa-ali Muhammad, i.e. O Allah! Send upon Muhammad and his progeny (that) salawat (which you send on Mumins, 33:56). Further, salawat also means following the Prophet and the pure Imams, which that the Divine and Angelic salawat comes to Mumins only when they hold Muhammad and his progeny in reverence and follow them.
Q.2. when God and His angles send salawat upon Mumins, does it come to them directly or does it come to them through the mediation of the Prophet and his progeny? If it comes to them directly, in what sense is the Prophet regarded as ‘a mercy for all the worlds’? Or, if it comes through the mediation of the Prophet and his progeny, has it not already been in the source of mercy, i.e. the light of Muhammad, from the very beginning. In other words, did salawat not already exist in the Prophet?
A.2. Had it been possible for God and His angels to send salawat on Mumins without the mediations of the Prophet, it would also have been possible for God and His angles to send them the other things of Quran and Islam. But this is impossible. Thus the fact is that, not only the Divine salawat, but every spiritual favour of God is also received through His treasures, namely the Holy Prophet and His true successor. Also, it should be noted here that the divine and angelic salawat for Mumins is already in the source of mercy (light of Muhammad (s.a.s)) from the very beginning. Therefore, when it comes to Mumins from the light of guidance, i.e. the Prophet or the Imam of the time, it is said that it come down from God. And this is true because in reality his act has already been done, for as He says:” And the act of God has already been done” (33:37). But it is only due to man’s inaccessibility that it is yet to happen. Thus we are compelled to say “become” or “will become” for what has already been done. This point is very important in connection with understanding Quran wisdom.
Q.3. how and where are the treasures of God, which are mentioned in the Quran and which contain everything?
A.3. The divine treasures which are mentioned in the Quran (15:21) are: Universal Intellect, Universal Soul, Natiq, Asas and the Light of all of them is in the Imam of the time, as mentioned in the verse (36:12) that everything is comprised in the holy personality of the manifest Imam. In the sense the manifest Imam encompasses all the treasures of God. Thus for Mumins everything is in the light of the Imam of the time. As God says: “And he has given you all that you asked of him” (14:34). That is, whatever you had asked of God in azal (pre-eternity), he has made all that a treasure for you and kept it in the manifest Imam.
Q.4.How does God send salawat on Mumins and in what sense do angles send it on them? Is there any difference between the divine and the angelic salawat, or is it the same thing?
A.4.The way in which God and His angles send salawat on Mumins is such that He only commands as it ought to be done and the angles convey the salawat from the Divine treasures to the Mumins. Thus whatever difference there is between the Divine and the angelic salawat is obvious. It is a different question as to what is the reality of the Divine command? or what is the tawil of the word “Be”.
Q.5.Are there any conditions necessary in order to obtain the divine and angelic salawat, or can it be obtained without any conditions? If there are conditions, what are they?
A.5.Yes, there are certain conditions necessary to obtain the divine and angelic salawat. The first and foremost condition is to follow (i.e. obey) Muhammad (s.a.s) and his progeny. For the way salawat is recited by the command of God and His Prophet, its wisdom is to follow Muhammad (s.a.s) and his progeny. That is, in the Quranic verse on sending salawat upon the holy Prophet and in the word which the Prophet has ordained to recite, in the language of tawil it is enjoined to follow Muhammad (s.a.s) and his progeny, for without this the Mumins cannot receive the Divine and angelic salawat.
The second condition is pecuniary sacrifice, through which the true Guide purifies the mumin, so that he may thereby be closer to God and be able to receive His and His angels’ salawat. See Quran 9:99,103 for the details of this condition.
The third condition is abundant dhikr (remembrance of God) and tasbih-u ibadat in the morning and in the evening. For the details of this condition see the verses (33:41-42) in which the salawat which comes to Mumins from God and His angels is also mention.
For details of the fourth condition, see the verses (2:155-159), the gist of which is patience. Through patience is return God and after return is received the salawat.
Q.6. What is meant by “salat” in God’s command to the Prophet: “wa-salli’alayhil, inna salataka sakanun lahum (and send upon them salat, for indeed your salat is a source of peace and satisfaction for them)” (9:103)? Does it mean the special salawat which the prophet sends upon mumins, or is it used in the sense of an ordinary prayer? If it means the salawat in its special sense, would you kindly furnish the proof?
A.6.In the Divine command to His friend- the Prophet: “wa-salli’alayhil, inna salataka sakanun lahum” (9:103) “salat” is used in the special sense and has a very profound and important meaning./ it is not an ordinary prayer, but is the same salawat which is mentioned in the Quran (33:56) which God and His angels send upon mumins. For when God said to His Prophet to send salawat upon Mumins, then this salawat on the basis of the Divine command amounted to the Divine salawat, in which is included the angelic salawat also. This shows that the salawat of God, the angels and the Holy Prophet is the same.
In the above mentioned verses (9:103), the salawat of the Prophet is regarded as Sakan (source of peace). The importance of the salawat of the Prophet is revealed when we see the meaning and wisdom of the word sakan other related verses of the Quran. For, the explanation or the answer of “what is sakan?” is given in many verses, which are: (2:248; 9:26,40; 48:4,18,26). In these verses through the word sakinah, is explained spiritual peace and satisfaction, in which it is alluded to the spirituality of every level. You should also reflect on these verses.
The importance of salawat of the Holy Prophet does not end here; rather, in order to understand the reward, fruit and purpose of salawat, it is necessary to examine all those verses which are related to the subject of salawat, so that its need and importance may be clear. For instance, from the verse (33:43), it is clear that the purpose of God and His angels in sending salawat is to bring mumins from darkness into light. This means that salawat, in its origin, is in the form of spirituality and knowledge and wisdom.
Q.7. In verse (9:103), if the word salawat is used not in the sense of an ordinary prayer, but as a special term, what is its Quranic proof?
A.7. (a) As for the special term, when God says about Himself: “Huwa ‘lladhi yusalli ‘alaykum (he it is Who send slalawat upon you”, 33:43), it becomes special. For here it does not make any sense if it used in the sense of ritual prayers (namaz) or prayer (du’a), since God Himself is the Worshipped (ma‘bud) rather than the worshipper(‘abid). Thus salawat in this verse is used as a technical term in the sense of sending blessings.
(b) where according to the technical meaning of “yusalli” God and the angels send salawat on mumins, there they receive it through the Prophet’s light, and thus in this sense God says to His Prophet: “ wa walli ‘alayhim ( and send salawat on them)”. thus it is clear for the wise that salawat is used in the sense of blessings and as a technical term.
(c) Every prayer of the Prophet and the Holy Imams is always special and is never just an ordinary prayer. Yet, it is mumins themselves who make it a special or an ordinary prayer? If the mumins are weak in their deeds, then the prayer should be for forgiveness and it becomes an ordinary prayer, but if they are pure in their deeds, they will receive salawat and it becomes a special prayer.
Zubair
Ismailis of Eastern Canada and their upcoming holy encounter with their beloved 49th Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan: The importance of Salawat
Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad
By SHIRAZ PRADHAN
Whenever Mawlana Hazar Imam graces us with didar, his arrival and his presence are greeted with the soul-soothing hum of the recitation of the Salawaat:
“Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad,” meaning “O, Allah shower thy choicest blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad.”
This has been our tradition for centuries. The question arises: Why do we seek blessings upon the Prophet and his progeny?
When the verse of the Holy Qur’an (33:56) “Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings upon (salloona ‘ala) the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask blessings upon him (salloo ‘alayhi) and salute him with a worthy salutation,” was revealed some of the companions of the Prophet asked him about it: “O Messenger of God, we know already how to greet you; but how should we invoke blessings upon you?”
The Prophet replied:
“You should say, ‘O God, bless Muhammad and his progeny (aal), even as you blessed Abraham and his progeny [O God], you are truly praiseworthy, great in glory’.” [1]
Further reinforcement of this invocation of blessing upon the Prophet and his progeny comes in the verse “Say: I ask you no reward (arjan) except love of the ‘near of kin (al-qurba)’. ” — 42:23
The key concept that emerges here is that of reward (arjan).
To understand this, we have to look at the fact that the Prophet was sent as a mercy to mankind as attested in the verse:
“And we have sent you not, except as mercy to the world.” — 21:107
What then is the reason for asking the ummah to seek blessing upon the Prophet and his progeny? And what is the reason for the expectation of a reward?
In reality the reward that the Prophet is asking, namely the love for the Prophet and his progeny, is not for his own benefit, but rather, for the benefit of the ummah (Muslim community) itself. And here in lies the elegance and efficacy of the Salawat that we recite. Imam Al-Baqir explains this by citing a verse in which Allah tells the Prophet:
“Say, whatever I ask you with regard to my reward, it is [actually] for you. I rely for my reward on no one except God and He is witness to everything.” — 34:47
Several ginans sing about the joys and delights when the Imam graces his murids with his physical didar. In one of these ginans we come across this concept of “reward”. A verse in Pir Sadardin’s ginan Aji Sham kun avanta jo kahe reads:
Sami ke gale me haar hai, heera manek jaddi ya,
Jis re bhave tan ku dete hai,
Saheb hai dil daariya…
Translation:
The beloved has a necklace of diamonds and pearls,
He showers these on who so ever he chooses
The beloved’s generosity knows no bounds.
In the joyful assemblage of Imam’s holy presence and didar, not only does the Imam shower the “reward” of jewels of blessings upon the murids, but the recitation of the Salawat opens the gate of mercy and every recitation of the Salawat multiplies these blessings many many many fold. A tradition from Shia sources refers to the blessings of reciting Salawat as follows:
“Whoever sends ten salawats upon Muhammad and his family, God and His angels will send him a hundred salutations, and whoever sends a hundred salawats upon Muhammad and his family, God and His angels will send him a thousand.“
The promise of reward goes even further. When a murid places his hands under the hand of the appointed spiritual authority of the time, Imam-e-Zaman, in an act of allegiance (bay‘at), “he indeed pledge his allegiance to Allah” (innama yubayi‘auna’lla). And thus, fulfilment of this bay’at merits nothing less than a great reward as promised by the verse 48:10 of the Qur’an that whosoever fulfils his bay’at with Allah shall merit a greater reward (arjan azim).
The first act of fulfilment of the bay’at is the declaration of the love for the Prophet and his progeny which is affirmed by the recitation of the Salawat. And its continuous recitation is a demonstration of this love between the murid and the Imam and the continuous shower of the jewels that Ginan Aji Sham kun avaanta jo kahe alludes to.
Date posted: November 11, 2017.
simerg.com/2017/11/11/ismailis-of-eastern-canada-and-their-upcoming-holy-encounter-with-their-beloved-49th-imam-his-highness-the-aga-khan-the-importance-of-salawat/
Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad
By SHIRAZ PRADHAN
Whenever Mawlana Hazar Imam graces us with didar, his arrival and his presence are greeted with the soul-soothing hum of the recitation of the Salawaat:
“Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad,” meaning “O, Allah shower thy choicest blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad.”
This has been our tradition for centuries. The question arises: Why do we seek blessings upon the Prophet and his progeny?
When the verse of the Holy Qur’an (33:56) “Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings upon (salloona ‘ala) the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask blessings upon him (salloo ‘alayhi) and salute him with a worthy salutation,” was revealed some of the companions of the Prophet asked him about it: “O Messenger of God, we know already how to greet you; but how should we invoke blessings upon you?”
The Prophet replied:
“You should say, ‘O God, bless Muhammad and his progeny (aal), even as you blessed Abraham and his progeny [O God], you are truly praiseworthy, great in glory’.” [1]
Further reinforcement of this invocation of blessing upon the Prophet and his progeny comes in the verse “Say: I ask you no reward (arjan) except love of the ‘near of kin (al-qurba)’. ” — 42:23
The key concept that emerges here is that of reward (arjan).
To understand this, we have to look at the fact that the Prophet was sent as a mercy to mankind as attested in the verse:
“And we have sent you not, except as mercy to the world.” — 21:107
What then is the reason for asking the ummah to seek blessing upon the Prophet and his progeny? And what is the reason for the expectation of a reward?
In reality the reward that the Prophet is asking, namely the love for the Prophet and his progeny, is not for his own benefit, but rather, for the benefit of the ummah (Muslim community) itself. And here in lies the elegance and efficacy of the Salawat that we recite. Imam Al-Baqir explains this by citing a verse in which Allah tells the Prophet:
“Say, whatever I ask you with regard to my reward, it is [actually] for you. I rely for my reward on no one except God and He is witness to everything.” — 34:47
Several ginans sing about the joys and delights when the Imam graces his murids with his physical didar. In one of these ginans we come across this concept of “reward”. A verse in Pir Sadardin’s ginan Aji Sham kun avanta jo kahe reads:
Sami ke gale me haar hai, heera manek jaddi ya,
Jis re bhave tan ku dete hai,
Saheb hai dil daariya…
Translation:
The beloved has a necklace of diamonds and pearls,
He showers these on who so ever he chooses
The beloved’s generosity knows no bounds.
In the joyful assemblage of Imam’s holy presence and didar, not only does the Imam shower the “reward” of jewels of blessings upon the murids, but the recitation of the Salawat opens the gate of mercy and every recitation of the Salawat multiplies these blessings many many many fold. A tradition from Shia sources refers to the blessings of reciting Salawat as follows:
“Whoever sends ten salawats upon Muhammad and his family, God and His angels will send him a hundred salutations, and whoever sends a hundred salawats upon Muhammad and his family, God and His angels will send him a thousand.“
The promise of reward goes even further. When a murid places his hands under the hand of the appointed spiritual authority of the time, Imam-e-Zaman, in an act of allegiance (bay‘at), “he indeed pledge his allegiance to Allah” (innama yubayi‘auna’lla). And thus, fulfilment of this bay’at merits nothing less than a great reward as promised by the verse 48:10 of the Qur’an that whosoever fulfils his bay’at with Allah shall merit a greater reward (arjan azim).
The first act of fulfilment of the bay’at is the declaration of the love for the Prophet and his progeny which is affirmed by the recitation of the Salawat. And its continuous recitation is a demonstration of this love between the murid and the Imam and the continuous shower of the jewels that Ginan Aji Sham kun avaanta jo kahe alludes to.
Date posted: November 11, 2017.
simerg.com/2017/11/11/ismailis-of-eastern-canada-and-their-upcoming-holy-encounter-with-their-beloved-49th-imam-his-highness-the-aga-khan-the-importance-of-salawat/
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FreeLancer
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:20 pm
On U tube, I was listening to a lecture by Alwaiz Kamal Saheb. He quoted a Farman of Hazar Imam in which Imam said," Recite salawat only on Prophet and Imams and not even on Pirs".
I uaually say salawat tasbih for ruhanis of my family, are these salawats valid or not? Also in JK for samar salawat tasbih is recited, is that valid or not?
I uaually say salawat tasbih for ruhanis of my family, are these salawats valid or not? Also in JK for samar salawat tasbih is recited, is that valid or not?
I would be surprised that such Farman has been made.FreeLancer wrote:On U tube, I was listening to a lecture by Alwaiz Kamal Saheb. He quoted a Farman of Hazar Imam in which Imam said," Recite salawat only on Prophet and Imams and not even on Pirs".
I uaually say salawat tasbih for ruhanis of my family, are these salawats valid or not? Also in JK for samar salawat tasbih is recited, is that valid or not?
Slawat includes progeny of Imam. Aal Ali thi Pir kari janro. Pirs are from the progeny of Ali therefore it is appropriate to say Salwat on the name of the Pir whenever it occurs, particularly at the end of a Ginan.
But you can say a Tasbih of Salwaat as is Ismaili customs whenever you want and especially during Chandraat when we have been ordered to recite many Salwaat (Chandrat Farman)
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FreeLancer
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:20 pm
Valid point I agree. So far Imam has not stopped Chand Raat Tasbih of salwats for ruhanis or Samar salwats. Appreciate if Alwaiz Kamal Saheb address this confusion.Admin wrote:I would be surprised that such Farman has been made.FreeLancer wrote:On U tube, I was listening to a lecture by Alwaiz Kamal Saheb. He quoted a Farman of Hazar Imam in which Imam said," Recite salawat only on Prophet and Imams and not even on Pirs".
I uaually say salawat tasbih for ruhanis of my family, are these salawats valid or not? Also in JK for samar salawat tasbih is recited, is that valid or not?
Slawat includes progeny of Imam. Aal Ali thi Pir kari janro. Pirs are from the progeny of Ali therefore it is appropriate to say Salwat on the name of the Pir whenever it occurs, particularly at the end of a Ginan.
But you can say a Tasbih of Salwaat as is Ismaili customs whenever you want and especially during Chandraat when we have been ordered to recite many Salwaat (Chandrat Farman)
The appropriate verses of a Ginan:Admin wrote: Slawat includes progeny of Imam. Aal Ali thi Pir kari janro. Pirs are from the progeny of Ali therefore it is appropriate to say Salwat on the name of the Pir whenever it occurs, particularly at the end of a Ginan.
ejee aal imaam kee peer karee jaanno
jethee bhav saagar tame chhutto ek jeeyo....................15
O momins: Regard the 'Peers' as the progeny of the Imaams.
It is due to the faith in this authority that you will overcome
the difficulties of crossing over the ocean of material existence.
ejee pahele dha(n)dhukaar maa(n)he nabee muhammed mustaphaa
sohee guru ja(m)pudeep maa(n)he aayaa ek jeeyo..............20
O momins: In the beginning and in the void,
Prophet Muhammed the Chosen was there. It is indeed the same Guide
(Peer) who has come to the Indian Subcontinent.
http://ismaili.net/heritage/node/23110
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FreeLancer
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:20 pm
The part 20th which you mentioned;kmaherali wrote:The appropriate verses of a Ginan:Admin wrote: Slawat includes progeny of Imam. Aal Ali thi Pir kari janro. Pirs are from the progeny of Ali therefore it is appropriate to say Salwat on the name of the Pir whenever it occurs, particularly at the end of a Ginan.
ejee aal imaam kee peer karee jaanno
jethee bhav saagar tame chhutto ek jeeyo....................15
O momins: Regard the 'Peers' as the progeny of the Imaams.
It is due to the faith in this authority that you will overcome
the difficulties of crossing over the ocean of material existence.
ejee pahele dha(n)dhukaar maa(n)he nabee muhammed mustaphaa
sohee guru ja(m)pudeep maa(n)he aayaa ek jeeyo..............20
O momins: In the beginning and in the void,
Prophet Muhammed the Chosen was there. It is indeed the same Guide
(Peer) who has come to the Indian Subcontinent.
http://ismaili.net/heritage/node/23110
ejee pahele dha(n)dhukaar maa(n)he nabee muhammed mustaphaa
sohee guru ja(m)pudeep maa(n)he aayaa ek jeeyo..............20
O momins: In the beginning and in the void,
Prophet Muhammed the Chosen was there. It is indeed the same Guide
(Peer) who has come to the Indian Subcontinent.
In primordial time Allah created Noor e Ali and Noor e Muhammadi same time. Prophet said," Ana wa Aliyyun min Noorin wahid".
Physically Prophet first appeared in Mecca and not in Junmpu dweep.
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FreeLancer
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 12:20 pm
Why Noor needs Salawaat?kmaherali wrote:The point being made is that the Pir who came to the SubContinent has the same Noor as that of Prophet Muhammad. Hence Salwaat is recited upon them as well.FreeLancer wrote: Physically Prophet first appeared in Mecca and not in Junmpu dweep.
In my opinion a mureed should recite tasbih of Salawaat for his/her salvation.
Pirs are dust of Prophet and Imams feet.
Today's Pir is Pir Mowlana Shah Karim. Insulting any Pir or any Imam is not tolerated in this Forum. I have repeated this enough time. It is part of the rules of posting. Your account has been suspended for the next 4 weeks. Don't write to reinstate. it.FreeLancer wrote: Pirs are dust of Prophet and Imams feet.
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aatimaram_1
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:01 pm
Dr. Ann Marie Schimmel has given general explanation of Salwaat related to different countries. She described Salawaat as BLESSING from God. She did not explained " Why Noor needs Salawaat"?kmaherali wrote:It seems you have not read the entire thread. Read late scholar Annemarie Schimmel's views mentioned in the third post.FreeLancer wrote: Why Noor needs Salawaat?
In my opinion a mureed should recite tasbih of Salawaat for his/her salvation.
Pirs are dust of Prophet and Imams feet.
Your post is irrelevant to the discussion of the thread which is on Salwat.Nuseri wrote:Ya Ali Madad:
I look like Admin in abetting ,aiding and enjoying the dasva avatar of a blogger.98% of all posting in the forum are JUNK and also 98% of Khojki manuscript you posses could be junk.
You are aware of both.What face will you show to ALI upon your death ?
Ask that question to your self ?
Both Nuseri and Mazhar accounts have been deleted from this Forum. None have bothered reading the rules of posting despite of many requests. They are not welcomed here anymore. This will bring a calm time to the Forum in the short future and allow over time serious people to have serious discussion here.
Thank you all for your understanding
The invoking of blessings upon the Prophet is a Qur’anic injunction
Posted by Nimira Dewji
Invoking blessings on the Prophet, known as salawat, is an integral part of prayer based on Qur’anic injunction:
“Indeed Allah and His angels bless the Prophet! O you who believe, invoke blessing on him (salloo ‘alayhi) and greet him with the full greeting of peace” (33:56).
Upon receiving the revelation of this verse, the companions of the Prophet asked him how they should invoke blessing on him, and he instructed them to say:
‘Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa-aali Muhammad kama sallayta, ala Ibrahim wa-aali Ibrahim.’
‘O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad in the same way as You sent Your blessing on [Nabi] Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim.’
(Kazemi, Justice and Remembrance, p 17)
Another ayat says:
‘Say: I ask you for no reward, save love of the near of kin’ (42: 23).
Kazemi explains that “according to several of the most important commentators of the Qurʼan, the referent of ‘near of kin’ in this verse is the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt. Love of the Prophet’s family is thus explicitly called for by the revelation, without this excluding the more general import of the verse, love of all those with whom one shares close kinship ties.”
The Ahl al-Bayt are referred to in a Qurʼanic verse as being pure:
‘God only wisheth to remove from you all impurity, O People of the House, and to purify you with a complete purification’ (33: 33).
Although there have been several interpretations of who constitute the Ahl al Bayt, numerous important early sources report that the Prophet called for Faṭima, Ali, and their two sons Ḥasan and Ḥusayn, and said, ‘This is my Ahl al-Bayt.’
The Hadith of the Prophet explains the spiritual importance of the Ahl al-Bayt:
‘I am leaving among you two matters of great weight (al-thaqalayn), the Book of Allah and my kindred (itrati – [the pure family]), the People of my House (Ahl al-Bayt), and these two shall never be separated until they return to me at the Pool [of Kawthar in Paradise on the Day of Judgement]…’
Kazemi notes that the “extent to which the Prophet’s family are to be revered by all Muslims is also indicated in the fact that blessings are to be invoked on his al, or progeny, as part of the blessings to be invoked upon him” (Justice and Remembrance, p 17). Devotion to the Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt is an important feature of Shia piety and Sufi tradition.
Prophet Ottoman Kaba miniature IIS
A sixteenth-century Ottoman miniature depicting angels decorating the Ka’ba on the birth of the Prophet. Source: Faith and Practices in Islamic Traditions, IIS
Successor to the Prophet
Upon the Prophet’s death, a small group held that the Prophet had designated Ali as his successor (Imam) based on divine command This minority group came to be known as shi’at Ali, “party of Ali,” or simply Shi’a. The Shi’a believed that the Islamic message contained inner truths that could not be understood through human reason and therefore, the successor was also responsible to explain the message of Islam. A person with such qualifications, according to the Shi’a, could belong only to the Prophet’s family (ahl al-bayt), “whose members alone could provide the legitimate channel for explaining and interpreting the teachings of Islam” (Daftary).
The Shi’a emphasised the importance of the Imam’s kinship to the Prophet as pre-requisite for possessing the required religious knowledge (‘ilm) and authority. The Shi’a also held that after Ali the leadership, or Imamat, of the Muslim community was the exclusive prerogative of descendants of Ali belonging to the ahl al-bayt.
In the Shia Ismaili interpretation, this hereditary leadership has continued today in Mawlana Hazar Imam as the forty-ninth Alid (descendant of Ali) Imam, and the salawat is recited:
Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa-aali Muhammad.
O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and his family.
Sources:
Dr Arzina Lalani, Early Shi‘i Thought: The Teachings of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, I.B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London 2000
Professor Azim Nanji, The Imamat in Ismailism, The Institute of Ismaili Studies
Farhad Daftary, A Short History of the Ismailis, Edinburgh University Press, 1998
Dr Reza Shah Kazemi, Justice and Remembrance: Introducing the Spirituality of Imam ‘Ali, I.B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2006
https://nimirasblog.wordpress.com/2018/ ... njunction/
Posted by Nimira Dewji
Invoking blessings on the Prophet, known as salawat, is an integral part of prayer based on Qur’anic injunction:
“Indeed Allah and His angels bless the Prophet! O you who believe, invoke blessing on him (salloo ‘alayhi) and greet him with the full greeting of peace” (33:56).
Upon receiving the revelation of this verse, the companions of the Prophet asked him how they should invoke blessing on him, and he instructed them to say:
‘Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa-aali Muhammad kama sallayta, ala Ibrahim wa-aali Ibrahim.’
‘O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad in the same way as You sent Your blessing on [Nabi] Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim.’
(Kazemi, Justice and Remembrance, p 17)
Another ayat says:
‘Say: I ask you for no reward, save love of the near of kin’ (42: 23).
Kazemi explains that “according to several of the most important commentators of the Qurʼan, the referent of ‘near of kin’ in this verse is the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt. Love of the Prophet’s family is thus explicitly called for by the revelation, without this excluding the more general import of the verse, love of all those with whom one shares close kinship ties.”
The Ahl al-Bayt are referred to in a Qurʼanic verse as being pure:
‘God only wisheth to remove from you all impurity, O People of the House, and to purify you with a complete purification’ (33: 33).
Although there have been several interpretations of who constitute the Ahl al Bayt, numerous important early sources report that the Prophet called for Faṭima, Ali, and their two sons Ḥasan and Ḥusayn, and said, ‘This is my Ahl al-Bayt.’
The Hadith of the Prophet explains the spiritual importance of the Ahl al-Bayt:
‘I am leaving among you two matters of great weight (al-thaqalayn), the Book of Allah and my kindred (itrati – [the pure family]), the People of my House (Ahl al-Bayt), and these two shall never be separated until they return to me at the Pool [of Kawthar in Paradise on the Day of Judgement]…’
Kazemi notes that the “extent to which the Prophet’s family are to be revered by all Muslims is also indicated in the fact that blessings are to be invoked on his al, or progeny, as part of the blessings to be invoked upon him” (Justice and Remembrance, p 17). Devotion to the Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt is an important feature of Shia piety and Sufi tradition.
Prophet Ottoman Kaba miniature IIS
A sixteenth-century Ottoman miniature depicting angels decorating the Ka’ba on the birth of the Prophet. Source: Faith and Practices in Islamic Traditions, IIS
Successor to the Prophet
Upon the Prophet’s death, a small group held that the Prophet had designated Ali as his successor (Imam) based on divine command This minority group came to be known as shi’at Ali, “party of Ali,” or simply Shi’a. The Shi’a believed that the Islamic message contained inner truths that could not be understood through human reason and therefore, the successor was also responsible to explain the message of Islam. A person with such qualifications, according to the Shi’a, could belong only to the Prophet’s family (ahl al-bayt), “whose members alone could provide the legitimate channel for explaining and interpreting the teachings of Islam” (Daftary).
The Shi’a emphasised the importance of the Imam’s kinship to the Prophet as pre-requisite for possessing the required religious knowledge (‘ilm) and authority. The Shi’a also held that after Ali the leadership, or Imamat, of the Muslim community was the exclusive prerogative of descendants of Ali belonging to the ahl al-bayt.
In the Shia Ismaili interpretation, this hereditary leadership has continued today in Mawlana Hazar Imam as the forty-ninth Alid (descendant of Ali) Imam, and the salawat is recited:
Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa-aali Muhammad.
O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and his family.
Sources:
Dr Arzina Lalani, Early Shi‘i Thought: The Teachings of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, I.B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London 2000
Professor Azim Nanji, The Imamat in Ismailism, The Institute of Ismaili Studies
Farhad Daftary, A Short History of the Ismailis, Edinburgh University Press, 1998
Dr Reza Shah Kazemi, Justice and Remembrance: Introducing the Spirituality of Imam ‘Ali, I.B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2006
https://nimirasblog.wordpress.com/2018/ ... njunction/
She wrote in her article:aatimaram wrote:Dr. Ann Marie Schimmel has given general explanation of Salwaat related to different countries. She described Salawaat as BLESSING from God. She did not explained " Why Noor needs Salawaat"?
"This firm belief in the living presence of the Prophet, whose ubiquity was felt with increasing strength by the believers, led to ever more beautiful embellishments of the formula of blessing."
This implies that we recite salwaat precisely because we believe in the ever presence of the Noor. It is not on the body of the Imam that we recite Sawaat but on his Noor reaffirming its ever presence. Muslims generally recite Salwaat not on the dead body of the Prophet but rather they believe that he is present in some mysterious way.
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) is already Rahmat-ul-almeen so reciting salwat is not for our Prophet but for us. Many of you have commented on the zahiri meaning of salwat so I wanted to discuss the batini meaning. The esoteric purpose of salwat is for the upliftment of our soul - as also mentioned in our Chandraat farman (please read or refer to it in its entirety). The recitation of salwat is a call or acknowledgement of our own soul. Our soul recognizes and answers to the salwat - it lifts it up/awakens it.
One explanation I have heard is that we are not asking in Salwat peace on the Prophet and his progeny the Imams but the esoteric meaning is that we are asking Peace on ourselves by the grace of our faith in the Prophet and his progeny.
The Chandrat Farman that you have pointed to is confirming this interpretation as it say that we are those who receive the benefit of the Salwat..
The Chandrat Farman that you have pointed to is confirming this interpretation as it say that we are those who receive the benefit of the Salwat..
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swamidada_1
- Posts: 239
- Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:21 pm
Taweel of Salwat by Nasir Khusraw in Wajh Din:
Nasir Khusraw explained that reciting salwat for Prophet means to obey Allah. He wrote in Wajh Din that in Arabic salwat means to follow some one properly behind him. He elaborated the taweel of salat in the following paragaphs.
He wrote," You should know that TAWEEL of salwat recited for Prophet and his progeny is to be obedient to Asas and follow the Prophet. By obedient to Imam is to follow Asas and by obedient to Hujjat and following his ta'lim should be able to recognize Imam in true sense".
" It is fardh on momineen, they should have faith and obeying progeny of the Prophet means true Imams is like same as to Follow Prophet. To obey Imam is to obey Asas and to obey Asas is to obey Natiq and to obey Natiq is to obey Allah".
" True momin is he who recite salwat in his Namaz (Du'a) because he knows without salwat Namaz or Du'a is not complete".
Nasir Khusraw Wajh Din chapter 50.
(Please note that Salat with its derivatives salwat, salu, usallun, sa'lam has various meanings: means to recite salwat, Du'a, Namaz, (pray for) Rahmat (blessing), ni'amat or to remember, to call, Zikr, to beseach, union with Allah and so on).
Nasir Khusraw explained that reciting salwat for Prophet means to obey Allah. He wrote in Wajh Din that in Arabic salwat means to follow some one properly behind him. He elaborated the taweel of salat in the following paragaphs.
He wrote," You should know that TAWEEL of salwat recited for Prophet and his progeny is to be obedient to Asas and follow the Prophet. By obedient to Imam is to follow Asas and by obedient to Hujjat and following his ta'lim should be able to recognize Imam in true sense".
" It is fardh on momineen, they should have faith and obeying progeny of the Prophet means true Imams is like same as to Follow Prophet. To obey Imam is to obey Asas and to obey Asas is to obey Natiq and to obey Natiq is to obey Allah".
" True momin is he who recite salwat in his Namaz (Du'a) because he knows without salwat Namaz or Du'a is not complete".
Nasir Khusraw Wajh Din chapter 50.
(Please note that Salat with its derivatives salwat, salu, usallun, sa'lam has various meanings: means to recite salwat, Du'a, Namaz, (pray for) Rahmat (blessing), ni'amat or to remember, to call, Zikr, to beseach, union with Allah and so on).
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mahebubchatur
- Posts: 735
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:01 pm
Article by IIS on Salwat
The lastest article in our What Ismailis Believe series explains why we recite the salawat for the family of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).
In their daily prayers, all Muslims recite salawat by seeking blessings on Prophet Muhammad. The Arabic word salawat is the plural of salat, meaning “prayer.” Based on guidance in the Holy Qur’an, various forms of salawat have evolved for Muslims to seek Divine blessings on the Prophet. Recitation of salawat is also considered a source of grace, blessings, and intercession for believers. Based on sayings attributed to the Prophet, it is common for many Muslims, including Shia and Sunnis, to recite forms of salawat that also include blessings on the Prophet’s family.
Reciting salawat for the Prophet and his family
The Holy Qur’an calls on believers to seek blessings on the Prophet in Surah 33, Ayah 56:
“Indeed, Allah and His angels bless the Prophet! O you who believe, invoke blessings on him and greet him with the full greeting of peace.”
When this verse was revealed, one hadith records that the Prophet’s companions asked him how they should recite the salawat. The Prophet is said to have replied:
“Say: ‘O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad in the same way as You sent Your blessings on Ibrahim (Abraham) and the family of Ibrahim’ (Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa-aali Muhammad kama sallayta ala Ibrahim wa-aali Ibrahim).”
Therefore, one common form of salawat is: Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa-aali Muhammad, meaning “O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.”
Muslims recite various forms of salawat, which is also known as tasliya or durud-i sharif. After mentioning the Prophet’s name, it is common for Muslims to invoke blessings upon him, saying: “salla Allahu alayhi wa-sallam,” meaning “may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.”
To the above, Shia Muslims and some Sunnis add reference to the Prophet’s family by saying “salla Allahu alayhi wa-aalihi wa-sallam,” meaning “may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family.”
Salawat as a prayer for intercession
The remembrance of Prophet Muhammad is an important part of Muslim prayers and devotional life and is believed to be an important way of receiving baraka, or blessings. In a hadith, the Prophet is said to have told believers, “He who calls God’s mercy upon me once, God sends His mercy upon him ten times.”
Muslims from most communities of interpretation regard Prophet Muhammad as an intercessor. Intercession means to plead or intervene on behalf of another. Believers ask those who are considered close to God to intercede with the Lord on their behalf.
In her book And Muhammad is His Messenger, Annemarie Schimmel explains that salawat is considered the most powerful prayer for Muslims to seek God’s intercession. She writes, “Though thousands of prayers and poems speak of the Muslims’ hope of Muhammad’s intercession for themselves and their families, there is one means to this end that is much more powerful than anything else: to implore God to bless Muhammad and his family.”
She suggests that most Muslims would probably agree with the Sufi mystic and poet, Rumi, that salawat is a means to draw spiritually closer to the Prophet, thereby seeking his intercession with God.
Muslim artistic expressions of salawat
Various forms of salawat appear in Muslim artistic expressions throughout history and across cultures and languages. Whenever the Prophet’s name is written in calligraphy, it is common to add a beautifully written salawat alongside it. Many Muslim poets and musicians have also expressed their love for the Prophet through compositions of salawat.
One of the most venerated poems in praise of Prophet Muhammad is Qasida al-Burda, composed by a 13th century Egyptian Sufi mystic, al-Busiri. It was written in Arabic but has been translated into almost every language of the Muslim world. The qasida contains a frequent refrain: “mawlaya salli wa sallim da’iman abadan, ‘ala habibika khayri’l-khalqi kullihim,” which translates as, “O my Lord, bless and grant peace always and forever, upon Your beloved one, the best of all Creation.”
Today, many globally recognised Muslim music artists have performed songs containing salawat. These include Sami Yusuf’s “Supplication,” Maher Zain’s “Ya Nabi Salam Alayka,” Asim Azhar’s “Durood O' Salam,” and a rendition of “Qasida Burda Sharif” by Sanam Marvi with Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad.
Ismaili artists have also composed songs that feature the salawat. These include popular songs such as “Durood O Salam” composed by Kamal Taj and “Allahuma Salli Aala” composed by Khairunissa and Fez Meghani. There are various renditions of songs containing the salawat released by The Ismaili Sounds.
Salawat in Ismaili devotional life
Many Muslims, including Shia and Sunnis, also believe in the intercession of members of the Prophet’s family, including the Shia Imams. Shia Ismailis believe that reciting salawat brings the believer closer not only to the Prophet, but to the hereditary Imam-of-the-Time from the Prophet’s family. The Imams are considered the inheritors of the Prophet’s authority, and are thus a source of grace, blessings, and intercession.
Many formal and informal Ismaili prayers and rituals around the world include various forms of salawat.
Ismailis recite salawat in the presence of the Imam-of-the-Time and when reading the Imam’s farmans, or guidance to the community. Salawat is also invoked to express thanks, when seeking support in times of difficulty, during rites of passage such as funerals, and in poetic and musical expressions.
Over a thousand years ago, Imam al-Mu‘izz, the 14th Ismaili Imam, expressed similar sentiments in a public Eid sermon made in 953 CE, saying: “May God bless Muhammad, lord of the messengers in former times and later. Remember God, the Mighty, in your invocation; seek His protection both for me and for you. Praise be to God and may His blessings and peace be on our lord Muhammad and his family in its entirety.”
Learn More
Curriculum book: Faith and Practice in Islamic Traditions, vol. 1 and 2 (Student Reader), The Institute of Ismaili Studies.
Music video: Durood O Salam, performed by Nizar Sr. Budhwani (Ismaili Sounds)
Music video: Allahuma Salli Aala, performed by Amisha Lakhani (Ismaili Sounds)
Music video: Allahuma Salli Ala, performed by Jishan Ali Thobani (Ismaili Sounds)
Sources
Faith and Practice in Islamic Traditions, vol. 1 and 2 (Student Reader). London: Islamic Publications Limited for The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2015.
Schimmel, Annemarie. And Muhammad is His Messenger. Chapel Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press, 1985.
De La Puente, Cristina. “The Prayer Upon the Prophet Muhammad (Tasliya): A Manifestation of Islamic Religiosity.” Medieval Encounters 5.1 (1999): 121–129.
Walker, Paul E. Orations of the Fatimid Caliphs: Festival Sermons of the Ismaili Imams. London: I.B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2009.
The Ismaili - October 2022
In their daily prayers, all Muslims recite salawat by seeking blessings on Prophet Muhammad. The Arabic word salawat is the plural of salat, meaning “prayer.” Based on guidance in the Holy Qur’an, various forms of salawat have evolved for Muslims to seek Divine blessings on the Prophet. Recitation of salawat is also considered a source of grace, blessings, and intercession for believers. Based on sayings attributed to the Prophet, it is common for many Muslims, including Shia and Sunnis, to recite forms of salawat that also include blessings on the Prophet’s family.
Reciting salawat for the Prophet and his family
The Holy Qur’an calls on believers to seek blessings on the Prophet in Surah 33, Ayah 56:
“Indeed, Allah and His angels bless the Prophet! O you who believe, invoke blessings on him and greet him with the full greeting of peace.”
When this verse was revealed, one hadith records that the Prophet’s companions asked him how they should recite the salawat. The Prophet is said to have replied:
“Say: ‘O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad in the same way as You sent Your blessings on Ibrahim (Abraham) and the family of Ibrahim’ (Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa-aali Muhammad kama sallayta ala Ibrahim wa-aali Ibrahim).”
Therefore, one common form of salawat is: Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa-aali Muhammad, meaning “O Allah, send Your blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.”
Muslims recite various forms of salawat, which is also known as tasliya or durud-i sharif. After mentioning the Prophet’s name, it is common for Muslims to invoke blessings upon him, saying: “salla Allahu alayhi wa-sallam,” meaning “may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.”
To the above, Shia Muslims and some Sunnis add reference to the Prophet’s family by saying “salla Allahu alayhi wa-aalihi wa-sallam,” meaning “may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family.”
Salawat as a prayer for intercession
The remembrance of Prophet Muhammad is an important part of Muslim prayers and devotional life and is believed to be an important way of receiving baraka, or blessings. In a hadith, the Prophet is said to have told believers, “He who calls God’s mercy upon me once, God sends His mercy upon him ten times.”
Muslims from most communities of interpretation regard Prophet Muhammad as an intercessor. Intercession means to plead or intervene on behalf of another. Believers ask those who are considered close to God to intercede with the Lord on their behalf.
In her book And Muhammad is His Messenger, Annemarie Schimmel explains that salawat is considered the most powerful prayer for Muslims to seek God’s intercession. She writes, “Though thousands of prayers and poems speak of the Muslims’ hope of Muhammad’s intercession for themselves and their families, there is one means to this end that is much more powerful than anything else: to implore God to bless Muhammad and his family.”
She suggests that most Muslims would probably agree with the Sufi mystic and poet, Rumi, that salawat is a means to draw spiritually closer to the Prophet, thereby seeking his intercession with God.
Muslim artistic expressions of salawat
Various forms of salawat appear in Muslim artistic expressions throughout history and across cultures and languages. Whenever the Prophet’s name is written in calligraphy, it is common to add a beautifully written salawat alongside it. Many Muslim poets and musicians have also expressed their love for the Prophet through compositions of salawat.
One of the most venerated poems in praise of Prophet Muhammad is Qasida al-Burda, composed by a 13th century Egyptian Sufi mystic, al-Busiri. It was written in Arabic but has been translated into almost every language of the Muslim world. The qasida contains a frequent refrain: “mawlaya salli wa sallim da’iman abadan, ‘ala habibika khayri’l-khalqi kullihim,” which translates as, “O my Lord, bless and grant peace always and forever, upon Your beloved one, the best of all Creation.”
Today, many globally recognised Muslim music artists have performed songs containing salawat. These include Sami Yusuf’s “Supplication,” Maher Zain’s “Ya Nabi Salam Alayka,” Asim Azhar’s “Durood O' Salam,” and a rendition of “Qasida Burda Sharif” by Sanam Marvi with Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad.
Ismaili artists have also composed songs that feature the salawat. These include popular songs such as “Durood O Salam” composed by Kamal Taj and “Allahuma Salli Aala” composed by Khairunissa and Fez Meghani. There are various renditions of songs containing the salawat released by The Ismaili Sounds.
Salawat in Ismaili devotional life
Many Muslims, including Shia and Sunnis, also believe in the intercession of members of the Prophet’s family, including the Shia Imams. Shia Ismailis believe that reciting salawat brings the believer closer not only to the Prophet, but to the hereditary Imam-of-the-Time from the Prophet’s family. The Imams are considered the inheritors of the Prophet’s authority, and are thus a source of grace, blessings, and intercession.
Many formal and informal Ismaili prayers and rituals around the world include various forms of salawat.
Ismailis recite salawat in the presence of the Imam-of-the-Time and when reading the Imam’s farmans, or guidance to the community. Salawat is also invoked to express thanks, when seeking support in times of difficulty, during rites of passage such as funerals, and in poetic and musical expressions.
Over a thousand years ago, Imam al-Mu‘izz, the 14th Ismaili Imam, expressed similar sentiments in a public Eid sermon made in 953 CE, saying: “May God bless Muhammad, lord of the messengers in former times and later. Remember God, the Mighty, in your invocation; seek His protection both for me and for you. Praise be to God and may His blessings and peace be on our lord Muhammad and his family in its entirety.”
Learn More
Curriculum book: Faith and Practice in Islamic Traditions, vol. 1 and 2 (Student Reader), The Institute of Ismaili Studies.
Music video: Durood O Salam, performed by Nizar Sr. Budhwani (Ismaili Sounds)
Music video: Allahuma Salli Aala, performed by Amisha Lakhani (Ismaili Sounds)
Music video: Allahuma Salli Ala, performed by Jishan Ali Thobani (Ismaili Sounds)
Sources
Faith and Practice in Islamic Traditions, vol. 1 and 2 (Student Reader). London: Islamic Publications Limited for The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2015.
Schimmel, Annemarie. And Muhammad is His Messenger. Chapel Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press, 1985.
De La Puente, Cristina. “The Prayer Upon the Prophet Muhammad (Tasliya): A Manifestation of Islamic Religiosity.” Medieval Encounters 5.1 (1999): 121–129.
Walker, Paul E. Orations of the Fatimid Caliphs: Festival Sermons of the Ismaili Imams. London: I.B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2009.
The Ismaili - October 2022
Re: The holy salwaat.
Over a thousand years ago, Imam al-Mu‘izz, the 14th Ismaili Imam, expressed similar sentiments in a public Eid sermon made in 953 CE, saying: “May God bless Muhammad, lord of the messengers in former times and later. Remember God, the Mighty, in your invocation; seek His protection both for me and for you. Praise be to God and may His blessings and peace be on our lord Muhammad and his family in its entirety.”
Chatur Saheb, can you elaborate the above paragraph, particularly the sentence, "Remember God, the Mighty, in your invocation; SEEK HIS PROTECTION BOTH FOR ME AND FOR YOU.....
Question is, does Imam needs protection?
Chatur Saheb, can you elaborate the above paragraph, particularly the sentence, "Remember God, the Mighty, in your invocation; SEEK HIS PROTECTION BOTH FOR ME AND FOR YOU.....
Question is, does Imam needs protection?
Re: The holy salwaat.
This topic of Imam talking to 2 audiences in a different way has been discussed over and over. I can not allowed this to repeat again and again in each topic of doctrinal value. Imam can not talk of Quantum physics to the students of pre-school level.