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Excellence of Duroods

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

Innal llaha wa Malaa'ikatahu Yu salluna allan nabiyi. Ya Ayyuhal ladheena aamanu

sallu alaihi wasallimu tasleema.

Almighty Allah says: "Surely Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). O you who believe! Send Blessings (Durood) and Salutations (Salaams) on the Prophet with worthy Salutation". (Surah al-Ahzab: 56)

In this verse of the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah, His Malaa'ikah (Angles) and the Muslims have been mentioned as sending Durood upon Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). So, Durood Shareef is actually "a Du'a in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)."

Hadhrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) narrates that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "He who reads a single Durood upon me, Almighty Allah blesses him ten times, ten of his sins are forgiven, and he is increased ten times in stages (internally). (Mishkaat)

Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Ma'sud (radi Allahu anhu) also narrates that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said: "On the Day of Qiyamah, the closest to me from among the people will be those who have read the most amount of Durood Shareef". (Tirmidhi)

It is now evident that the recitation of Durood Shareef (Salawat) is in perfect obedience to the Divine Command and in complete conformity with the teachings of Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) of Islam. There is no scope to choose anything else when we have with us the words of Allah Ta'ala and His Apostle, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)

The one who recites this Durood Sharif once, will have his sins forgiven equivalent to 80 years

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

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

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

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

The highest blessing that Islam has conferred on man is the concept of Tauheed or Unity of Allah in its purest form. This has been furnished to mankind through Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), the last of the Prophets. It is a cardinal duty of every Muslim man and woman, young and old to entertain the highest respect, regard, love and esteem for the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and his family. It should be clear that obedience to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is always to be charged with intense love and highest regard for him, for it is through love and esteem that truth can be comprehended and communion with the Creator can be vouch-safed. In fact, love is the motive force, reverence dissolves and implicit obedience to the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) which is the natural outcome. It is therefore incumbent on those who love him, to pray to Allah Ta'ala and His Angels in wishing for him peace according to the Divine Command. This will reshape the life that is otherwise infested with turmoil. The reciter will get countless and matchless benefits in both the Worlds and can claim to be the lover of Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).

As Muslims we should recite Durood Shareef in the Arabic language. Islam seeks to create a unified outlook and it is in the Arabic language alone that welds all Muslims into one great brotherhood. Besides, Arabic is the language of Heaven, it is the language of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), it is the language of the Angels and it is the language of Hadhrat Abu-Bakr, Hadhrat Umar, Hadhrat Uthman and Hadhrat Ali (radi Allahu anhuma). The daily recitation of Durood Shareef has a tremendous effect on the human head, heart, mind and person. It purifies thoughts and intensifies actions. It makes passages for perfect peace and personal satisfaction.