Salawaat

THE MOST FAMOUS SALAAT OF THE IMAM

The most popular salaat from Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah is: Allahumma Salli wa Sallim billisaani'l jaami'ah Fi'l hadhrati'l waasi'ah 'Alaa 'Abdika'l jaami'i li'lkamaalaati'l insaaniyyah Al waasi'i fi'l mashaahidi'r roohiyyah 'Adada'l harakaati wa's sakanaat Wa'l khataraati wallahadhaat Wa 'adada'l musalleena 'alaih Wa 'adada salawaatihim Wa 'adada'z zaakireena lahu Wa 'adada azkaarihim Salaatan yaqirru nuruhaa fee udhunee falaa ta'see Wa yaqirru nuruhaa fee 'aynee falaa ta'see Wa yaqirru nuruhaa fee lisaanee falaa ya'see Wa yaqirru nuruhaa fee qalbee falaa ya'see Wa yaqirru nuruhaa fee jasadee kullihi falaa ya'see Allahumma awsilnee ilaa haalatin Laa ya'malu feehaa qalbee bimukhaalafah Wa laa yahummu bihaa Wa laa tuqaarifu feehaa jawaarihee ma'siyah Wa ballighnee ilaa maqaamin Laa yafturu feehi qalbee 'an taa'atin lak Mardhiyyatin ladayk maqboolatan 'indak Wa laa tanfakku jawaarihee feehe 'An 'amalin saalihin khaalisin liwajhika maqboolin ladayk Yaa Arhama'r Raahimeen O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace that are invoked by all tongues in a vast gathering on Your servant (the noble Prophet), who combined in himself all admirable human qualities: such extensive blessings as are witnessed in

the realm of souls; in every situation, in every thought, in every moment; as many times as the number of those who invoke blessings on him and the number of such invocations, and as many times as the number of those who remember him and the number of such rememberances, such blessings whose spiritual light may abide in my ears, in my eye, on my tongue, in my heart and indeed in my whole body so that neither my body nor these its parts disobey Allah. O Allah! Let me reach to the situation where my heart does not act contrary to Your Wishes, does not cause me any anxiety, and does not temp my limbs to disobedience; and let me reach a position in which my heart does not slacken in Your obedience, is pleasing in Your Presence, acceptable before You; and let my limbs not separate from good deeds done sincerely to please You, that are acceptable in Your Presence, O The Most Merciful of those who show mercy. As can be seen, this salaat is in two parts. The first part is the salaat itself which is there in Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah. The second part is dua (invocation). Although it is not in Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah, it is generally recited after this salaat and is contained in many other kutub (books) such as Azkaar wa'l Awraad (Regular Voluntary Invocations) compiled by Shaykh Muhyuddin bin AbdulRahman bin Muhammad of Zanzibar. This salaat has become so famous that it is recited at the end of every gathering of ilm (learning), zikr (rememberance of Allah), and mawlid (birth) celebration of the beloved Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam by the

muhibbeen (loving disciples). One reason perhaps why this salaat has taken such a hold is that it is one of the easier salawaat of Imam al-Habshi to recite and understand! And of course, its spiritual benefits are all too obvious for everyone to witness. Indeed, Al-Habib al-Qutb Ahmad bin Abibakar bin Sumeit Naf'an Allahu Bih (1277-1343 A.H) who was the Chief Kadhi of Zanzibar took this salaat so much to heart that he wrote a sharh (appreciation) on it in Arabic.

PRAISE WITH EACH LETTER OF HIS NAME It has become traditional for Muslims to praise the beloved Prophet Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in association with each letter of his name and Imam al-Jazuli Rahmatullahi 'alaih offers it to us in salawaat. The word Muhammad means "the praised one" and is formed using the letters "meem", "haa" and "daal". The following salaat uses these letters in the order "haa", "meem" and "daal" which forms the word "hamd", again meaning "praise". We also notice that this salaat has sprinklings from parts of the salawaat by Imam Shafi'i Rahmatullahi 'alaih and Gauth u'l A'zam Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani QaddasAllahu Sirrahu'l 'Azeez. Allahumma Salli 'alaa Sayyidina Muhammad-in Haa i'r Rahmati wa Meem i'l Mulki wa Daal i'd Dawaami As-Sayyid i'l Kaamil i'l Fatih i'l Khaatimi 'Adada maa fee 'Ilmika kaainun au qad kaana Kullamaa Zakaraka wa Zakara hu'z Zaakiroon Wa kullamaa ghafala 'an Zikrika wa Zikri hi'l ghaafiloon Salaatan daaimatan bi-Diwaamika baaqiyatan bi-Baqaaika Laa muntahaa lahaa doona 'Ilmika Innaka 'alaa kulli shay'in Qadeer O Allah! Bestow blessings on Sayyidina Muhammad, the letter "Haa" in whose name is for mercy, the letter "Meem" is for the Kingdom and the letter "Daal" denotes everlastingness; who is an accomplished perfect master, the opener (of doors of mercy), the Seal (of the Prophets), as many times as is in Your Knowledge of what will happen and what has happened, whenever You are remembered and he is remembered by those who remember and whenever you are not remembered and he is not remembered by the negligent, such blessings as are perpetual with Your Everlastingness, preserved with Your Eternity, that don't end at all without Your Knowledge,

(as nothing happens without your Knowledge, O Allah). Truly, You are Powerful over all things. • • • • • • • • • •

The first major book of salawaat The importance of salawaat The Niyyah (intention) Salawaat taught by the beloved Prophet Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik The salawaat that existed in his time Countable and uncountable blessings Salawaat with praise of the Holy Prophet Praise with each letter of his name Dua

SALAAMS IN MAWLID U'N NABI OF IMAM BARZANJI The mawlid eulogy by Imam as-Sayyid Ja'far ibn Hasan ibn 'Abdal Karim al-Barzanji (16901766 C.E) Rahmatullahi 'alaih is popular Muslim poetry in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam, universally recited to celebrate his birth (mawlid) on twelfth Rabi' u'l Awwal. It is a poetic biography of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam with his birth as its main theme. And when a Muslim says 'mawlid', every other Muslim knows it is the birth of the sweet beloved Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam that is being referred to. This mawlid eulogy, just like dozens of others, is based on the Holy Qur'an Kareem, Hadith Shareef and books of seerah (history). It is in two parts. The first is Mawlid Barzanji Nathr, a 19 fasl (chapter) history of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in poetic prose with 355 verses while the second is Mawlid Barzanji Nazm, a similar 16 chapter history in poetic form with 205 verses all of which rhyme with the letter 'noon'. After the recitation of each verse in this mawlid eulogy as in all mawlid eulogies, the congregation responds: Sallallahu 'Alaih Allah's blessings be upon him

or Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'Alaih Allah's blessings and peace be upon him.

The spiritual benefits of reciting these salawaat are obviously immeasurable. Mawlid Barzanji is in 'Arbi, it has been translated into Kiswahili by Mzee bin Ali Muhammad from the Comoro Islands of Africa, it is printed in Singapore, its introduction is in the Indonesian language in the Java dialect, it has been transcribed by Mawlana Uthman Abdulkarim Nasserpuri Rahmatullahi 'alaih of Kenya, it has been applauded in Zikr-e-Habib (Rememberance of the Beloved Prophet) by Ad-Daa'ee al-Kaamil Mawlana Abdul 'Aleem

Siddiqi, Rahmatullahi 'alaih who incidentally composed salaams in Urdu, it has been reproduced in countless other kutub (books) including Baaqatun 'Atirah (A Perfumed Bouquet) of Imam as-Sayyid Muhammad 'Alawi al-Maliki of Makkah, and it is recited from Makkah to Mombasa, from Madina to Singapore, from Arafat to Jakarta and from Mina to Toronto, that is throughout the world by Muslims of all the four Madh'habs and all Tariqas. When the munshid (reciter) reaches the narration of the actual birth of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam, all rise with respect and devotion in a standing ovation to the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam and they all offer him salaams from the depths of their hearts with deep love and affection in a resounding chorus which practically all Muslims know by heart, and indeed many other salaams whether in Arabic, Urdu or English have adopted this very same chorus. Yaa Nabi Salaam 'alaika Yaa Rasul Salaam 'alaika Yaa Habib Salaam 'alaika Salawaatu'llah 'alaika Salutations on you, O Prophet Salutations on you, O Messenger of Allah Salutations on you, O Beloved Blessings of Allah be upon you.

Although this Qiyam (standing ovation) is normally printed together with the Mawlid-u'nNabi Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam composed by Imam Barzanji, it cannot yet be established who actually composed it because it is also reproduced in the Mawlid-u'n-Nabi Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam titled Sharaf al-Anaam (Noble In The Whole World) composed by al-'Allamah Shaykh Ahmad bin Qasim Rahmatu'llahi 'alaih, as well as the one composed by al-Hafiz Shaykh Abdirrahman ibn Ali ad-Dayba'ee Rahmatu'llahi 'alaih. Interestingly, Shaykh ad-Dayba'ee is called al-Hafiz because he knew more than 100,000 Hadith Shareef of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam by heart. Such is the stature of the ulama who have composed Mawlid-u'n-Nabi Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. Of the 35 verses in this qiyam following the chorus, the ones that are normally recited are: Ashraqa'l Badru 'alaina Fakhtafat Minhu'l Buduru Mithla Husnika Maa Ra'aina Qattu Yaa Wajhas-Suroori Anta Shamsun Anta Badrun Anta Noorun Fawqa Noori Anta Ikseerun wa Ghaali Anta Misbaahu's-Sudoori Yaa Habibee Yaa Muhammad Yaa 'Arusa'l Khaafiqayni Yaa Muayyad Yaa Mumajjad Yaa Imama'l Qiblataini

Man-ra'aa Wajhaaka Yas'ad Yaa Kareem al-Waalidaini Hawdhuka's-Saafi'l Mubarrad Wirdunaa Yawm an Nushoori A full moon rises over us The other moon disappears We never saw the like of your beauty O face of gladness You are the sun, you are the moon You are light upon lights You are gold and even more priceless You are the light of hearts O my beloved, O Muhammad O star of east and west O supporter, O praised one O leader of both Qiblas Whoever sees your face, gets happiness O the kind one to both parents Your clear and cool fountain Is our goal on the Day of Reckoning

It ends with the following dua (prayer): 'Aalim-us-Sirri wa Akhfaa Mustajeeb-ud-Da'awaati Rabbi Farhamnaa Jamee'a Bijamee-'is-Saalihaati The Knower of the secret and even more hidden One who accepts supplications O Lord forgive us all For the sake of all the good deeds.

The munshideen (reciters) love to add to the qiyam these verses of the qasida that the children of Madina recited on daf in greeting the beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam and his noble companions when they entered that blessed city, as narrated by Imam alGhazali Rahmatullahi 'alaih in his Ihya 'Ulum al-Deen (Revival of the Religious Sciences). Tala'al Badru 'Alayna Min Thaniyyaatil Wadaa' Wajabah Shukru 'Alayna Maada'a Lillahi Daa' The full moon rises on us. From Thaniyyatil Wadaa' And it is abiligatory on us to express thanks Whenever called upon by a summoner for the sake of Allah

Muslims never tire of sending salaams on the beloved Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam and they keep on finding novel and more interesting ways of sending salaams. An alternative resounding chorus for this salaam is: Marhaban Yaa Nura 'Ainee Yaa Nura 'Ainee Marhaban Jadda'l Husaini Marhaban Ahlan wa Sahlan Ahlan wa Sahlan Marhaban Yaa Khaira Daa'ee Welcome! O the light of my eyes, O the light of my eyes Welcome! The grandfather of Imam Husain Welcome! Greetings! Greetings! Welcome! O the best caller and inviter to Islam.

A variation to this chorus is: Yaa Habibee Marhaba Yaa Nura 'Ainee Marhaba Yaa Habibee Marhaba Jadda'l Husaini Marhaba O my beloved: Welcome! O the light of my eyes: Welcome! O my beloved: Welcome! The grandfather of Imam Husain: Welcome!

Yet another variation that forms a preliminary before the start of the "salaam" proper is: Marhaba Yaa Marhaba Yaa Marhaba Rahmatullil 'Aalameena Marhaba. Welcome! O Welcome! O Welcome! Welcome the mercy for all the worlds.

Yet another way of offering salaams in this mawlid eulogy is to recite the second part of its fourth chapter in which the verses end in the letter "Hamza". All stand and the munshid (reciter) leads in rapturous resonance: Wa Muhayyan Kash-shamsi Minka Mudeeun Asfarat 'Anhu Laylatun Garraau Lailatu'l Mawlidilladhee Kaana Liddeeni Suroorun Biyaumihi Wazdihaau Yauma Naalat Biwad'ihibnatu Wahbin Min Fakhaarin Maa Lam Tanalhu'nnisaau Wa Atat Qaumahaa Bi-Afdali Mimmaa Hamalat Qablu Maryamu'l 'Adhraau Mawlidun Kaana Minhu Fee Taali'il Kufri Wabaalun 'Alaihimoo wa Wabaau Wa Tawaalat Bushra'l Hawaatifi an qad Wulida'l Mustafa wa Haqqa'l Hanaau

And your face that shines like the sun Has been unveiled on the finest night The night of your birth bestowed happiness on religion And splendour on its day The day the daughter of Wahb succeeded in getting Of prestige what other women never succeeded in attaining She came to her people with a pregnancy Superior than that of the blessed virgin Mary before her A birth that resulted for the disbelievers In nothing but woes and epidemics And the glad tidings of rejoicers came one after another That the chosen one was born and happiness was a must.

After each verse, the congregation responds: Rabbi Salli 'ala'l Habibi Muhammad Wa 'Ala'l Aali Man Humu'l Kuramau O Lord bless the beloved Muhammad And his family members who were (all) benevolent people

Imam Barzanji Rahmatu'llahi 'alaih has borrowed these verses from the "Hamziyya" of the universally acclaimed Imam Sharafuddin Muhammad al-Busiri Rahmatu'llahi 'alaih (608-695 A.H., 1212-1296 C.E) of Egypt. The "Hamziyyah" is a qasida in praise of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam with 456 verses, all of which rhyme in the letter "Hamza", hence the title "Hamziyyah". Then came Imam Yusuf Ibn Ismail an-Nab'haani Rahmatu'llahi 'alaih of Lebanon who tried to emulate Imam al-Busiri Rahmatu'llahi 'alaih and composed a "Hamziyyah Alfiyyah" in praise of the beloved Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam, with almost 1000 verses (987 to be exact), all rhyming in the letter "Hamza"! You begin to wonder whether miracles will ever cease! And you begin to understand what is meant by the phrase "love for the Prophet", Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. And you surely realise that the mashaaikh (spiritual masters) are madly in love with their very own Muhammad-e-'Arabi, Rasuli Rabbi'l 'Aalameen, Rahmatullil 'Aalameen, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. Sallu ala'r Rasul Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'Alaih. Salawaat by Sufi Mashaaikh Chapter 1: SALAWAAT Of: GAUTH U'L A'ZAM MUHYUDDEEN Shaykh 'ABDUL QADIR JILANI An Appreciation by Siddiq Osman Noormuhammad

KIBRITI'L AHMAR Kibritil Ahmar which means "the Philosopher's Stone" is also included in many kutub some of which are:

1. Fuyudhaat u'r Rabbaniyyah, compiled by al-Hajj Ismail ibn as-Sayyid Muhammad

Sa'eed al-Qadiri. 2. Awraad u'l Qaadiriyyah Rahmaniyyah, compiled by Hadhrat al-'Allamah as-Sayyid

Muhammad Tayyib Shah. 3. Awraad u'l Qaadiriyyah, compiled by Muhammad Salim Bawwab. 4. Mishkaat u's Salawaat (A Niche For Lit-Up Blessings) of Mawlana Muhammad

Ilyas Burney. 5. Majmu'ah Wazaaif Ma' Dalaail u'l Khairaat (Compilation of Regular Voluntary

Invocations Together With Dalaail u'l Khairaat), translated into Urdu and compiled by Pir Muhammad Karam Shah. Kibriti'l Ahmar is truly magnificent. It weaves verses of the Holy Qur'an Kareem together with Asma-u'n-Nabi Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam (his attributive names of praise), dua (invocation), and five salawaat, three of which are famous. These are: (a) As-Salaatu Kanzi'l A'zam, the salaat with which Kibriti'l Ahmar begins and which will be observed in more detail later, (b) As-Salaatu'l Gauthiyyah, which we have already looked at, and (c) As-Salaatu'l In'aam, which is now presented.

As-Salaatu'l In'aam Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaihi wa 'alaa aalihi 'Adada na'maaillahi wa ifdhaalihi O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on him and on his family As many times as Allah's bounties and Grace. Kibriti'l Ahmar ends with the following verses of the Holy Qur'an Kareem. Sub'haana Rabbika Rabbi'l 'Izzati 'Amma Yasifun Wa Salaamun 'ala'l Mursaleen Wa'l Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbi'l 'Aalameen Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power (He is free) from what they ascribe to Him And peace be on the Messengers. And praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds (37:180-182).

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His Most Well-Know Salawaat As-Salaatu'l Gauthiyyah Kibriti'l Ahmar As-Salaat U'l Kubra

• • • •

Kanzi'l A'zam Huruf U'l Muqatta'at Salaams On The Beloved Prophet A Blessed Son Of The Blessed Prophet

S-SALAATU'L GAUTHIYYAH This salaat of the Gauth u'l A'zam is so famous that many mashaaikh (spiritual masters) choose to include it in their kutub (books) as part of the awraad and azkaar (regular voluntary invocations). Some of the kutub that contain this salaat are: 1. Dalaail u'l Khairaat (Proofs of Goodness) of Imam Muhammad bin Sulayman al-

Jazuli. 2. Hizb u'l A'zam (The Great Supplication) of Hadhrat Mulla 'Ali al-Qaari. 3. Majmu'ah Salawaat u'r Rasul (Compilation of Blessings On The Messenger,

Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) of Hadhrat Khwaja Shaykh Abdur Rahman Chohravi. 4. Afdhal u's Salawaat (The Best Blessings) of Imam Yusuf ibn Ismail an-Nab'haani. 5. Awraad u'l Qaadiriyyah (Regular Voluntary Invocations of the Qaadiriyyah),

compiled by Muhammad Salim Bawwaab. 6. Durood Shareef (Noble Blessings) (in Urdu) by Khwaja Nithaar Ahmad. 7. Fazaaile Durood Shareef (The Benefits of The Noble Blessings) (in Urdu) by al-

Allamah Habibu'l Bashar Khairi Rangooni. Here then is As-Salaatu'l Gauthiyyah, shining as distinctly as the north star. Allahumma Salli 'alaa Sayyidina Muhammad-in As-Saabiqi li'lkhalqi nuruhu Wa Rahmatullil 'aalameena dhuhuruhu 'Adada man madhaa min khalqiqa wa man baqiya Wa man sa'ida minhum wa man shaqiya Salaatan tastagriqu'l 'adda wa tuhitu bi'l haddi Salaatan laa gaayata lahaa wa laa muntahaa wa lanqidha'a Salaatan daaimatan bidawaamika Wa 'alaa aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallim tasleeman mithla dhaalik O Allah! Bestow blessings on our master Muhammad whose light was created first, and whose appearance is a mercy for all the worlds, as many times as the number of Your creations past and yet to come among those that are blessed and those that are unfortunate; such blessings that are unlimited and unbounded, countless, endless, never finishing; such blessings as everlasting as You, and on his family and companions, and in the same manner complete salutations as well.

In this salaat, Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu declares his aqeeda (belief) loud and clear that before Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala created anything else, He created Nur-eMuhammadi, the Nur of Sayyidina Muhammad Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam. Sub'hanAllah! Salawaat by Sufi Mashaaikh Chapter Four: TANBEEHI'L ANAAM Of: Shaykh 'ABDUL JALIL BIN 'AZOOM AL-MAGHRIBI An Appreciation by Siddiq Osman Noormuhammad

SALAWAAT WITH DUA AND ASMA U'L HUSNA The final chapter Fee Itmaam i's Salawaat i'l Mukarramah wa'd Du'aai bi Asmaillahi Ta'aala'l-Mu'az-zamah (Completion of the Blessed Salawaat with Invocations Using the Most Beautiful Names of Allah Ta'ala) fills one's heart with joy on reciting 198 salawaat together with Asma u'l Husna. The most well-known Asma u'l Husna are 99, and in this instance, the salawaat that have been composed by Shaykh 'Azoom are exactly twice that number! Allahu Akbar! It is fitting to conclude with one of these salawaat. Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Salaatan tasturuna bihaa fi'l hayaati wa ba'da'l mamaat Yaa Saami'al aswaat O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad. With this salaat hide my shame in life as well as after death; O the Hearer of supplications. May Allah Sub'hanahu wa Ta'ala give us the hidaya (guidance) to continue to offer salawaat on the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in ever increasing profusion everyday, Aameen Yaa Rabba'l 'Aalameen. Salawaat by Sufi Mashaaikh Chapter Four: TANBEEHI'L ANAAM Of: Shaykh 'ABDUL JALIL BIN 'AZOOM AL-MAGHRIBI An Appreciation by Siddiq Osman Noormuhammad

THE SIFAAT OF THE HOLY PROPHET Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam Consider what we learn from the following salawaat about the sifaat (qualities) of the noble Prophet Sayyidina Muhammad Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alladhee u'tiya khuluqa Adam wa ma'rifata Sheeth Wa shaja'ata Nuh wa shiddata Musa Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alladhee u'tiya khullata Ibrahim wa lisaana 'Ismail Wa hubba Daaniyaal wa ridhaa Is'haaq wa zuhda 'Isa O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad

who was given the character of Prophet Adam Alayhissalaam, the gnostic knowledge of Prophet Sheeth Alayhissalaam, the valour of Prophet Nuh Alayhissalaam, and the strength of Prophet Musa Alayhissalaam. O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad who was given the friendship of Prophet Ibrahim Alayhissalaam, the tongue of Prophet Ismail Alayhissalaam, the love of Prophet Daaniyaal Alayhissalaam, the contentment of Prophet Is'haaq Alayhissalaam and the abstinence of Prophet 'Isa Alayhissalaam. Indeed, the beloved Prophet Muhammad al-Mustafa Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam combined in himself all the superlative qualities of all the previous Prophets 'alaihimussalaam. To gain a flavour of some of the sifaat of the noble Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam, it suffices to recite the following four salawaat, cross referenced with (translations of) his blessed Hadith Shareef. Salaat Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alladhee kaana khuluquhu'l Qur'an O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad whose character was the Qur'an Hadith Shareef Sa'd bin Hisham said: I went to 'Aisha Rady Allahu Anha and said, "Mother of the faithful, tell me about the nature of Allah's Messenger, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam". She asked, "Do you not recite the Qur'an?" On my replying that I certainly did, she said, "The Prophet's nature was the Qur'an". (Muslim) Salaat Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alladhee kaana yusallee wa li sadrihi azeezun Ka azeezi'l mirjali mina'l bukaa O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad who when he prayed salah, his chest sounded like the sound of a boiling pot. Hadith Shareef Abdullah ibn Shikh-khir, Rady Allahu Anhu relates, "Once I visited the Holy Prophet, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam, when he was offering salah (prayers). I heard the sound of his weeping coming out of his chest which was like the sound of a boiling pot". (Tirmidhi)

Salaat Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alladhee kaana waj'huhu yatala'lau tala'lua'l qamari laylata'l badr O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad whose face shone like the full moon. Hadith Shareef Narrated Abu Is'haq Rady Allahu Anhu: Al-Bara' Rady Allahu Anhu was asked, "Was the face of the Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam (as bright) as a sword?" He said, "No, but (as bright) as the moon". (Bukhari) Salaat Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alladhee kaana laa ya'kul-u's-sadaqah O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad who did not eat of (what was given as) charity. Hadith Shareef Hadhrat Buraidah Rady Allahu Anhu reports that when the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam emigrated to Madina, Hadhrat Salman Farsi Rady Allahu Anhu brought a tray full of fresh dates and offered it to him. He asked, "What is this"? Salman Rady Allahu Anhu said, "It is a sacrifice (sadaqah) for you and your companions." He said, "We do not eat sadaqah". On the second day too, Salman Rady Allahu Anhu came out with a tray of dates and said, "These dates are a gift". Then the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam and the companions ate of those dates. Thereafter, Salman Rady Allahu Anhu saw the Seal of Prophethood (in between his shoulders) and embraced Islam. (Tirmidhi) AS-SALAWAAT U'L HURUFIYYA Shaykh 'Abdul Jalil bin 'Azoom Rahmatullahi 'alaih has also composed salawaat with all the letters (huruf) of the Arabic alphabet from "Alif" to "Yaa", one salaat for each letter. Such salawaat can be referred to, for ease of understanding, as "As-salawaat u'l hurufiyyah". They begin as follows: Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alif i'l ibtidaa' Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Baai bidaayati'l ikhtiraa' Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Taa'i tamaami'l fawaaid

Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Thaa'i thubuti'l aqaaid O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Alif" is for the start. O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Baa" is for the beginning of the discovery. O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Taa" is for complete benefits. O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Thaa" is for unshakeable tenets of belief. Each of the letters of the alphabet is thus said to have a meaning and to stand for something. AS-SALAWAAT U'L HURUFIYYA Shaykh 'Abdul Jalil bin 'Azoom Rahmatullahi 'alaih has also composed salawaat with all the letters (huruf) of the Arabic alphabet from "Alif" to "Yaa", one salaat for each letter. Such salawaat can be referred to, for ease of understanding, as "As-salawaat u'l hurufiyyah". They begin as follows: Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Alif i'l ibtidaa' Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Baai bidaayati'l ikhtiraa' Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Taa'i tamaami'l fawaaid Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad Thaa'i thubuti'l aqaaid O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Alif" is for the start.

O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Baa" is for the beginning of the discovery. O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Taa" is for complete benefits. O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on our patron Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad: The letter "Thaa" is for unshakeable tenets of belief. Each of the letters of the alphabet is thus said to have a meaning and to stand for something.

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QASAAID

ASMA' ALLAH U'L HUSNA IN VERSE

By: Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu Many mashaayikh (spiritual masters) and the awliya (saints) have composed poems in praising and invoking Allah with the tawassul (means) of Asma Allah ul Husna (the Most Beautiful Names of Allah). The 99 Asma' Allah appear in their poems in the sequence in which they appear in the Hadith Sharif. Gawth ul A'zam Shaykh 'Abdul Qadir Jilani Rady Allahu 'Anhu (470-561 A.H / 1077-1166 C.E) also composed one such beautiful poem (nazm) which is contained in Al-Fuyudaat ur-Rabbaniyya, a kitab (book) that has many of his azkaar and awraad (additional voluntary devotions), compiled by as-Sayyid al-Hajj Isma'il Muhammad Sa'id al-Qadiri. It has been translated by Shaykh Muhtar Holland. It is a laamiyya: all its 63 verses end and rhyme in the letters "laam-alif". We are grateful to the publishers al-Baz, and especially to Brother Ruslan Moore for giving us permission to reproduce it here. May Allah, the Glorified and the Exalted, engrave the Asma' Allah in our hearts, Aameen.

O Preventer, prevent me from sinning, and cure me of the evil results of what I have committed in affectation. wa ya Mani'u 'mna'-ni mina 'dh-dhanbi fa-'shfi-ni 'ani 's-su'i mim-ma qad janaitu ta'ammula

O Injurer, subject our enviers to stern rebuke, and, O Benefactor, grant us the benefit of spiritual attainment. wa ya Darru kun li'l-hasidina muwabbikhan wa ya Nafi'u 'nfa'-ni bi-ruhin muhassala

O LightYou are the Light in everything that is apparentand O Guide, cause the light in the heart to be ignited. wa ya Nuru Anta 'n-Nuru fi kulli ma bada wa ya Hadi kun li'n-nuri fi 'l-qalbi mush'ila

Originator of all creatures, from the flow of Whose grace I hope to benefit, while continuity remains with none but You. Badi'a 'l-baraya arju min faidi lutfi-hi wa lam yabqa illa Anta Baqin la-hu 'l-wila

O Inheritor, make me an heir to Your knowledge, and grant me right direction, O Director, in fine form. wa ya Warithu 'j'al-ni li-'ilmi-ka warithan wa rushdan anil-ni ya Rashidu tajammula

[You are] Ever-Patient and Ever-Pardoning, so assist my dedication to patience, and grant me discreet discrimination. Saburun wa Sattarun fa-waffiq 'azimati 'ala 's-sabri wa 'j'al li 'khtiyaran muzammila

Source: As-Sayyid al-Hajj Muhammad Sa'id al-Qadiri, Al-Fuyudaat ur-Rabbaniyya (Emanations of Lordly Grace), A Treasury of Qadiri Prayers and Wisdom, translated from the Arabic by Muhtar Holland, Al-Baz Publishing, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 1421/2000, p.85-95 Related Web Pages: Asma Allah ul Husna Al-Baz Publishing Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani

Reproduce with permission and acknowledgments Return to Top HIS DUA

It is fitting to conclude with the dua at the end of Chapter 15 in Volume 1 which combines dua with Asma u'l Husna, verses of the Holy Qur'an and salaat in a style that is unique to Shaykh 'Abdur Rahman Chohravi Rahmatullahi 'alaih. Allahumma Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyoomu Yaa Hannaanu Yaa Mannaanu Yaa Dayyaanu Yaa Sultaanu Yaa Sub'haanu Laa Ilaaha Illa Anta Sub'haanaka Innee Kuntu Minazzalimeen Fastajabnaa Lahoo Wa Najjaynaahu Minal Ghammi Wa Kadhaalika Nunjil Mu'mineen Wa Zakariyyaa idh Naadaa Rabbahoo Rabbi laa Tadharnee Fardan wa Anta Khayrul Waritheen Allahumma Salli wa Sallim 'alaa Sayyidina Muhammad-in Wa 'alaa aali Sayyidina Muhammad-in Madh-hari'l Ahadiyyati wa Majlaa Hadhra-ti't-Tajalliyaa-ti'l Qudsiyya-ti'l Waahidiyyati Wa Hudhoori Hadharaa-ti'l Muqaddasa-ti'l Wahdaaniyyati Qul Huwallahu Ahad Allahussamad Lam Yalid Wa Lam Yoolad Wa Lam Yakullahoo Kufuwan Ahad. O Allah! O The Ever-Living, O The Self-Subsisting, O The Merciful , O The Ever-Giving, O The Giver of Religion, O The Ruler, O The Glorified None is to be worshipped but You. Glory be to You. Truly, I was one of the unjust. Then We responded to him and delivered him from grief and thus do We deliver the believers. And Zakaria when he called his Lord: O my Lord! Leave me not alone and You are the best of inheritors (21:87-89) O Allah! Bestow blessings and peace on Sayyidina Muhammad and on the family of Sayyidina Muhammad, who is clear in (his declaration of) Divine Unity, and who is manifestly present in the Sacred Manifestation of the Oneness of Allah

and present in the Sacred Presence of the One and Only. Say: He is Allah, The One. Allah is He on whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like Him. (112:1-4)

RECITE IT IN MASJID NABAWI

Once you have formed the habit of reciting Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah, you feel like reciting it in Masjid Nabawi in Madina. Those who go for Hajj inevitably make the intention of praying forty salaah in Masjid Nabawi, as is recommended. So they stay in Madina for at least eight days to pray the five times daily obligatory salaah for a total of forty salaah and to complete the recitation of the whole Qur'an Kareem (and more if possible) in the very presence of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. The muhibbeen (loving disciples) would be well advised to seize the opportunity to complete the recitation of Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah as well in those eight days. Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah is in seven parts, one part for each day of the week beginning from Friday. So you can finish Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah in seven days and start all over again with the first part on the eighth day to set the seal of continuity. In the process, you will have prayed forty salaah (prayer of worship of Allah Ta'ala) in Masjid Nabawi as well as the Qur'an Kareem and the salawaat (invocations of blessings on the noble Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam). It is no surprise to find that the famous translator of the kutub of Mawlana al-Haddad Rady Allahu 'Anhu, Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi has included eleven of the salawaat from Lataail i'l 'Arshiyyah in his kitab titled Ziyara Sayyidi'l Kawnain Sallallahu 'alaihi wa aalihi wa Sallam (Visit To The Leader of Both The Worlds) to be recited at the Rawda of Rasulullah, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. If the pilgrim does not have time enough to recite Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah in full, he should not become despondent. Perhaps, the recitation of a smaller, yet spiritually rich kitab compiled by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, would also yield complete blessings, InshaAllah. Here is Imam al-Habshi who is saturated with the love of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam and here we are who aspire to attain his love. We would naturally want to recite these salawaat in the very presence of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in Masjid Nabawi: as we enter Baab u's Salaam, at the Rawda, at the Qubba, behind the august pillars of the masjid, in the precincts of the original masjid where the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam himself prayed, in the place where the Ashaab u's Suffa Rady Allahu 'Anhum used to stay; in fact, in every blessed spot in Masjid Nabawi, but above all as part of the salawaat and salaams on the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam as we stand before him and cry our hearts out to him in loving agony. Assalaatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Rasul'Allah Assalaatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Nabiyy'Allah Assalaatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Habib'Allah Assalaatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Khaira Khalqi'llah Assalaatu wa's Salaamu 'alaika Yaa Nura 'Arshi'llah

Blessings and salutations on you, O Messenger of Allah. Blessings and salutations on you, O The Prophet sent by Allah. Blessings and salutations on you, O The Beloved of Allah. Blessings and salutations on you, O The Best Creation of Allah. Blessings and salutations on you, O Light of Allah's Throne. At this time, the Nur (light) of Allah's 'Arsh (Throne) is descending upon you as you begin your recitation from Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah. In fact, the very first salaat in Lataaif i'l 'Arshiyyah has been composed to be recited on the occassion of the Ziyara (visit) of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. It is included in the kitab of Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi just referred to, as well as in Mukhul Ibada (The Essence of Worship) whose compiler is anonymous. It begins as follows: Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Allahumma Salli wa Sallim wa Baarik 'alaa Sayyidina Muhammad-in Awwali mutalaqqi li-faydhika'l awwal In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful. O Allah! Shower Your Blessings, Peace and Grace on Sayyidina Muhammad who is the first person to receive the first blessing from You. Imagine your thrill as you sense seventy thousand angels reciting salawaat and salaams along with you!