Rubayi of Sheikh Sa'adi Shirazi (عليه الرحمة)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلوة و سلام على سيد المرسلين و حبيب رب العلمين

Hazrat Sheikh Sa'adi Shirazi (عليه الرحمة) was an alim-e-deen and a famous persian poet . One of his well known works involves an interesting incident. Once while the Sheikh was composing couplets about the Night of Acension (Me'raj) in honour of Rasoolullah صل الله عليه وسلم, he began writing as follows :

بلغ العلى بكماله  

Balaghal u'la bi kamalihi

He reached the Highest Place by his Perfection

كشف أدجى بي جماله

Kashaf ad-duja be jamalihi

He dispelled darkness by his beauty

حسنت جميع خصاله 

Hasunat jamee'u khis'alihi

Excellent are all his attributes (compared to all the creation)

After this he stopped to think of the last line to complete the ruba'yi (as every couplet has 4 verses/lines). He kept on thinking until he fell asleep. In his dream, he saw the Blessed Prophet Rasoolullah صل الله عليه وسلم , who asked him to write the next verse as:

صلو عليه و آلهي

Sallu 'Aleihi wa Aalihi

Send Blessings to him and his family

Hence , this beautiful and famous ruba'yi became a form of salawat.

A beautiful frame of the rubayi as taken from urdudesigner.com

Solving Problems: the Spiritual Way

Read Durood with Love

Our Leader and wellwisher of mankind Rasoolullah صلي الله عليه وسلم loves every ummati,  this compassionate relationship is stated in Quran Al Kareem :

[Taubah 9:128] Indeed there has come to you a Noble Messenger from among you - your falling into hardship aggrieves him, most concerned for your well being, for the Muslims most compassionate, most merciful.

[Taubah 9:129] Then if they turn away, say (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), "Allah suffices me; there is no worship except for Him; only Him have I trusted, and He is the Lord Of The Great Throne."

There are numerous Ahadees which further talk of this compassionate relationship. Therefore, it is recomended that while reading durood shareef/Salawat one must feel (or try to inculcate) deepest feelings of respect, compassion, warmth and love for his Noble Loving Leader Rasoolullah  صلي الله عليه وسلم.

Reading Durood In Times of Trouble

Hazrat Syed ibn Abideen (Rehmatullahi Ta'ala Aleih) narrates that "I read this at a time when a great upheaval and chaos began in Damascus, I hadn't finished reading 200 times when a person informed me that this trouble had been overcome الحمدلله . (An excerpt from Afdulussalawat ala Sayyedis Saadat pg. 154)

Durood e Hazarah /Alfi with English Translation

{O Allah, bestow your blessings on Our Master Muhummad (Peace be upon him) and his family for every atom thousand thousand times and give blessings and send peace.}

Popular amongst the Chishti circle, this durood is a source of immense spiritual blessings. It is documented that reciting this once gives the reader blessings (sawaab) worth thousand good deeds. Hence the name Hazari. Also, 100 needs of the reciter will be met. For worldly benefits, reading 11 times after every salah is recommended.

Those who have read this in Ramadan at the time of Tahajjud for 1000 times have been blessed with the vision of Rasoolullah (SallAllahu Alehi Wasallam) in dream.

For easing difficulties it is advisable to read 100 times after Fajr. 

For payment of debts and increase in sustenance, it should be recited 313 times after Isha everyday and if read 1000 times every friday, reciter goes to Jannah.

Qasida Al Burdah by Imam Sharafuddin Boseiri

Qaseedah refers to poem written in praise while burdah is a shawl/mantle. This poem was written by Sheikh Sharafuddin Abu Abdullah Muhammad Bin Saeed Bin Hammad Al Boseiri of Egypt (1212-1296 AD). When Imam Boseiri was suddenly affected by paralysis, friends and relatives left his company. Medicines by doctors turned ineffective, his condition weakened and the disease increased to half his body. He sought help for his condition by Dua and engaged himself by composing couplets in love and praise of  RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam).

A seasoned poet, he composed a poem with 160 couplets. He recited it regularly with hope until one day he fell asleep crying. In his dream, he saw himself reciting this Qaseedah in the august presence of RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam) - who was pleased by the recital and upon reaching a couplet (kam abra'at...) swept His Blessed Hand over the disease inflicted body and bestowed upon him a yemeni shawl. When he woke up, he found himself perfectly healthy with no sign of disease, and the shawl given to him was on his body. The Sheikh thanked Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) for His Blessing.

In the morning as Sheikh was passing through the market, a pious elderly man met him and requested him for the permission to copy the Qaseedah. Sheikh Boseiri inquired, which Qaseedah? (as he had written many poems) He said the one that begins with "Amin Tazakkuri...". Astonished, the Sheikh said, I haven't informed anybody about this Qaseedah, how did you come to know? The elderly man replied, that he too, was in the presence of RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam) last night, while the Sheikh was reciting it and narrated the Sheikh's dream exactly. Hence, the Sheikh (Rehmatullahi Ta'ala Aleih) gave him a copy of the Qaseedah Burdah and its blessings and popularity spread far and wide. 

A verse of Qasida Burdah (regarding intercession) on the door lock is still present inside Masjid un Nabwi. Many other couplets that previously adorned the masjid have been removed during renovation.

This poem can be divided into 10 chapters based on content:

1. Love of RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam)  
2. Evils of Self (Nafs)
3. Praise of  RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam) 
4. Events occuring upon birth of  RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam) 
5. Miracles of  RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam) 
6. In the Honor of Quran Al Kareem
7. Isra and Mi'raj
8. Battles involving RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Aleihi Wasallam)
9. Repentance for sins and pleading for intercession
10. Supplication (Dua)

Faithful and loving reciters over the world have experienced and documented various blessings and benefits spiritual and material -  such as the vision of RasoolAllah (Sall Allahu Aleihi Wasallam), fulfillment of wishes (rightful), improvement in health, solving of problems and easing of difficulties. 

Links for Qaseedah Al Burdah with English Commentary and translation:

http://www.alahazrat.net/library/englisharticles/qasida/

Dalail ul Khayrat Shareef

Dalail ul Khairat means ' Waymarks to Benefits'. It is a revered book of Durood shareef from early 15th century, written and put together by Hazrat Muhammad ibn Sulaiman Al Juzuli - a Moroccan Aalim e Deen, Sufi and Wali. It is a collection of various already known durood shareefs including, Durood e Ibrahimi, Durood e Tunajjina, Durood e Juma'a and many other durood shareef along with those lovingly composed by Hazrat Muhammad Al Juzuli (Alaihir Rahmah). The book gained popularity in islamic countries from North Africa to Southeast Asia. It was commonly read on daily basis , carried to Hajj by piligrims and its copies were made and sold in Makkah and Madinah Al Munawwarah.

The book commences with a description of Rawdatul Mubarak ( Masjid un Nabwi Shareef). Next is a chapter on the excellence of durood shareef detailing various Ahadith on the topic. However, these parts are not included in daily recitation. The recitation part (includes, dua iftitah, Names of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala, Names of Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) is practiced as follows:

• Monday: (The birthday of Holy Prophet Sallalahu Alaihi Wasallam)  : Recitation of Dua e Iftitah, Names of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala, Names of Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam and Chapter 1. 
• Tuesday, Wednesday,Thursday,Friday and Saturday: Names of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala, Names of Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam and Chapter 2,3,4,5 and 6 respectively.
• Sunday: Names of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala, Names of Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam and Chapter 7,  and Dua e ikhtetam (This dua was added later by Allama Sheikh Ahmed Nakhli  Alaihir Rahmah.) 

It is recommended practice to seek permission (ijazah) from a Sheikh once before beginning the first time. Regular recitation of this book is a source of immense blessings in this world and hereafter. Many reciters have been blessed with the vision of Blessed RasoolAllah (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) in their dream. 

A 15th Century copy of Dalail ul Khayrat depicting pictures of Haramayn Wal Shareefain.

Dalail ul Khayrat can be read/downloaded from

http://www.rehmani.net/library/Dalail-ul-Khairat/index.php

Reading Durood Shareef on Thursday and Friday

 According to Ahadith if anybody reads Durood Shareef on Thursday evening 100 times then 70 needs will be met in this life and 30 in the Hereafter. On every Thursday Allah Almighty sends Angels to the earth in the afternoon. They have silver leaves and golden pens which they use to record the Durood Shareef of the reciter from that afternoon of Thursday till the sunset of Friday. The Beloved Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) informed the Ummah, that reading Durood Shareef on Thursday night and Friday is presented to him.  The Beloved Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) has also informed us the best way to have our prayers answered, and that is to start with and end with Durood Shareef. (As taken from The Power of Durood Shareef , 2006)

It has been narrated by Hazrat Sahl Bin Abdullah (Radi Allahu Anhu) that Rasool Allah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam has said that  reciting the following durood sharif 80 times after Asr prayer on Juma'ah (Friday), erases 80 years of sins.