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Blessings of Durood

Divine blessings on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the highest and the most meritorious act in our religion. This Divine Blessings is called ‘Durood Shareef’.

When Almighty Allah sends Durood and Salaams on the Holy Prophet, He is actually blessing him. When the Malaa’ikah and the Muslims send Durood and Salaams, they are actually showing Almighty Allah their respect for the Holy Prophet. Muslims hope that, through the blessings of the Durood and Salaams, Almighty Allah will forgive them of their sins and increase their status in this world and in the Hereafter. The Malaa’ikah hope that Almighty Allah will increase their status.

Durood is a sure means of Allah granting blessings, peace, prosperity and favours of great magnitude on one who recites it. The reciter of Durood Shareef receives all the benefits in this world and utmost gain in the next world with addition to the love of the Holy Prophet. The more Durood Shareef we recite, the greater the gain and benefit in both the worlds.

Durood Sharif — Al Salat Ala Al Nabi — is an invocation we make to God to bestow His choicest favour and blessings on the Holy Prophet. It is a kind of prayer. The truth is that, after God, the greatest obligation on us is that of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He underwent tremendous hardships and endured the bitterest of persecutions in order to convey the divine guidance to us. Had he not borne these trials and sufferings the light of faith would never have reached us. We would be dwelling in the gloom of apostasy and making our home in hell after death.

Since faith is the greatest blessing on the earth and we have attained it solely through the merciful agency of the Holy Prophet, our greatest benefactor, next to Allah, is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). There is nothing we can do to pay back the enormous debt of gratitude we owe him. We can only pray for him to Allah as a token of our loyalty and gratefulness. But what prayer can we make that may be worthy of the

Holy Prophet? Naturally, none besides that Allah may magnify him and bless him with His choicest favours. This is just what Durood is.

The Holy Quran clearly enjoins on us to offer the Durood, and in what a wonderful manner does it do so: “God and His angels send blessings on the Holy Prophet: O ye that believe! send ye blessings on him and salute him with all respect” (xxxiii:56).

In this verse we are first told that Allah Himself honours the Holy Prophet and holds him in strongest affection and that His angels also do the same — they pay reverence to him and beseech Allah to bless him with His most marvellous favours. The verse then goes on to command us also, i.e., the believers to send blessings on him and salute him with all respects. Thus, before the command is given care is taken to explain to us that the thing we are being required to do is something, which is particularly pleasing to God and which the angels also fondly do. After knowing it, what Muslim is there worth his name who will not make it a religious duty to offer the Durood?

In sum, to send blessings on the Holy Prophet is a foremost duty we owe to him, a source of stupendous virtue and blessedness and the fountainhead of prodigious blessings in this world and the next.

Another important point in the Islamic scheme of things, is worship by night, especially during the latter part. It is highly commended by Allah. The Holy Quran says: “Stand (to prayer) by night, but not all night — half of it or little less, or a little more; and recite the Quran in slow, measured, rhythmic tones” — 73:2,3 and 4.

“Truly the rising by night is most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (framing) the word (of prayer and praise)” — 73:6.

In these verses it is stressed that the words of the Holy Quran must not be read hastily, merely to get through so much reading. They must be studied, and their deep meaning pondered over. They are themselves so beautiful that they must be lovingly pronounced in rhythmic tones.

For contemplation, prayer and praise, no other time can be as suitable as night, when calm and silence prevail, the voices of the marketplace are still, and the silent stars pour forth their eloquence to the discerning soul.

The blessings of the nightly prayers are manifold. It is incumbent upon every Muslim, man or woman, to earnestly and sincerely seek forgiveness of Allah every night.