The Benefits of Reciting Salawãt-Durud
An Afghani man who loves Allah’s Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] performed the Pilgrimage to Holy Mecca and then travelled to the blessed Medina. Following one of the Salat-prayers he sat at the Rawdha for a while and there he fell asleep. In his sleep he saw Allah’s Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] and asked him [صلى الله عليه وسلم], “O Rasul Allah, teach me a form of Salawãt-Durud that you like the most so that I can recite it regularly”. Allah’s Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] told him, “Go to Sham country [Damascus in Syria] and ask for “Shamsu Sham” Shaykh Badru Deen Al-Hasani*, convey to him my salutations and say to him, “teach me the form of Salawãt-Durud you recite upon Rasulillah [صلى الله عليه وسلم], for that one I love the most”.
The Afghani man travelled to Damascus in Syria and inquired about Shaykh Badru Deen Al-Hasani and was led to him. There he told him his vision. When Shaykh Badru Deen Al-Hasani heard the greetings of Allah’s Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم], he cried and said to the man: “Here is the form of Salawãt I recite upon Rasulillah [صلى الله عليه وسلم]:
اللهم صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ الْحَبِيبِ الْمَحْبُوبِ الْعَالِ الْقَدَرِ الْعَظِيمِ الْجَاهِ
وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ
Allahumma Salli ‘Ala Sayyidina Muhammadin, Annabiyyil Ummiyyi, Al-Habeebil –Mahboobi, al‘Aali al-Qadari, al-‘Azeemil-Jaahi, wa ‘Ala Aalihi wa Sahbihi wa Sallim.
Translation: O Allah, bless with Your Regards our Master Muhammad, the Most sought unlettered Prophet, the beloved and most loved, the rank of his station is most high, whose eminence is most magnificent, and set Your regards and salutations upon his family and companions.
The Afghani man wrote it down and travelled back to his country.
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Also in reference to the above format of invoking the Divine Blessings Salawãt-Durud upon the holy Prophet upon whom be peace, Shaykh Ahmad Al-Habbãl said: Allah’s Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] upon whom be peace told me during my sleep, “whoever recites it between sunset and sunrise 100 times, it becomes an obligation upon Allah’s Messenger [صلى الله عليه وسلم] to lay him in his grave with his own hands”.
* Shaykh Badru-Deen Al-Hasani (1850-1935 AD)