Uniqueness of Reciting Durood

The Distinguishing Feature of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah

Hadhrat Zainul Aabideen Husain bin Ali (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) once said, “The salient feature of those affiliated to the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah is the recitation of abundant durood upon Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). (Al-Qawlul Badee’)

يَا رَبِّ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّم دَائِمًا أَبَدًا عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيرِ الخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ

Sufyaan bin Uyaynah (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) narrates from Khalf (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) saying: “I had a friend with whom I used to study Ahaadith. He passed away. I once saw him in a dream moving around in a new pair of green clothes. I said to him, “We used to study Ahaadith together, how did you manage to be honoured in this way?” He replied: “Definitely we studied Ahaadith together, but whenever I wrote the name of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), I would write ‘Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam’ with it. Due to this, Allah Ta’ala has honoured me in this way.” (Final Moments of the Pious pg. 345)

Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever sends durood upon me through writing the durood in a kitaab, the angels continue seeking forgiveness on his behalf as long as my name remains in that kitaab.

A Unique feature that we find in the famous books of hadeeth like the Sihaah Sittah i.e. Saheeh Bukhaari, Saheeh Muslim, Tirmizi, etc. is that when the authors recorded the ahaadeeth, they always wrote the durood on Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in full. They never used abbreviations as we find nowadays like ‘S.A.W.’. It didn’t matter even if the durood took up a third of the kitaab. Hence, we find that upon their demise, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) personally came to welcome and receive them. Thus, they lived for the sunnah and died for the sunnah.

Through the blessings of the ahadeeth and abundant durood, they were honoured during their lifetimes and even after death. The grave of Imaam Bukhaari (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) would give off a fragrant smell.

Hazrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned:

I have personally witnessed that in order for peace to prevail on the land, one effective method is turning to Allah Ta’ala and reciting abundant durood upon Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). When a person turns to Allah Ta’ala, reforms his ways and engages in zikr and durood shareef, Allah Ta’ala removes his difficulties and misfortunes and causes good conditions to prevail. (Qutbul Aqtaab Hazrat Sheikhul Hadith Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 400)

The Closest People to Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) on the Day of Qiyaamah

عَن عَبدِ اللهِ بنِ مَسعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ سَلَّم قَالَ أَولَى النَّاسِ بِي يَومَ القِيَامَةِ أَكْثَرُهُم عَلَيَّ صَلاَةً  (الترمذي رقم 484)

Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “The closest of people to me on the day of Qiyaamah will be those who recited the most durood upon me (during their lifetime).”

Fragrant Smell Due to Abundant Durood

The son-in-law of Moulana Faizul Hasan Saharanpuri (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) once mentioned to Hadhrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) that upon the demise of Moulana Faizul Hasan (Rahmatullahi Alaihi), a fragrant, sweet smell used to spread forth from his room. This continued for an entire month after his demise. When he related this condition to Moulana Qaasim Naanotwi (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) he remarked, “This is the blessing of the durood he used to recite upon Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). Moulana Faizul Hasan Saheb (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) had accustomed himself during his lifetime to recite abundant durood upon Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), particularly on a Friday night (i.e. the night preceding Friday). (Fazaail-e-Durood)

Hadhrat Abu Dardaa (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “The one who recites durood upon me ten times in the morning, and ten times in the evening, will receive my intercession on the day of Qiyaamah.

Abundant Durood will be a Noor (Light) on the day of Qiyaamah

Allamah Sakhaawi (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) reports a hadith wherein ibn Umar (Radhiallahu Anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Adorn your gatherings with the recitation of abundant durood upon me, because on the day of Qiyaamah the durood shall be a noor (a means of light) for you.

From ‘Qootul Quloob’ Allamah Sakhaawi (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) quotes that ‘abundant durood’ mentioned in the above hadith, refers to reciting durood at least three hundred times daily. Hadhrat Moulana Gangohi (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) also instructed his followers to recite durood upon Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) three hundred times daily. (Fazaail Durood)

It has been the practice of many Akaabir and pious elders to recite the eighty Durood after Asr on Friday. This practice was always understood to have been based upon the Hadith of Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu Anhu) wherein he had reported that Rasulullah ﷺ had said, “The one who performs Asr Salaah on Friday and thereafter recites eighty times before standing up from his place اللهم صل على محمد النبي الأمي وعلى آله وسلم تسليماً, eighty years of sins are forgiven for him and eighty years of (nafl) ibaadat are written for him”.

Excerpts Courtesy :ihyaauddeen.co.za