Durud Shareef

To send Durud and Salaam on our beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) is a great Ibaadah which allows us to get closer to him and earns us his Muhabbat and his love. In a Hadith, Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said that the person who is closest to me on the day of Qiyamah is the one who sent more Durud on me.

Everyone desires to be in touch with stars, elites and celebrities. That is why a person does not think twice when he gets such an opportunity. He considers it as a golden opportunity! He is willing to pay a considerable sum for himself and his family in order to achieve his desire and ambition. Allah Ta'ala is our true beloved. Who comes after Allah Ta'ala? Is there anyone who is equal to our Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam)? The one whom a Muslim must love most after Allah Ta'ala is our beloved Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) because nothing is equal to him among the creation. Thus, the desire to be close to Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) must be an unequal and an incomparable desire. According to the Hadith, the means to attain this goal is by sending Durud in abundance on Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam).

It is an Ibaadah that can be done in any posture that a person wants. There is no special posture which is imposed by the Shariah. A person can do it while walking, standing or sitting also. Moreover, we do it in the sitting posture itself in the Salah. The Tilaawat (reading) of Qur'an-e-Kareem is also recommended in the posture of Tashahhud. If it is recommended to do the Tilaawat of the Qur'an-e-Kareem in the sitting posture, then there is nothing wrong in doing Salaat-o-Salaam in the sitting posture. It is unjustifiable to qualify Salaat-o-Salaam in sitting posture as disrespect. To do it while sitting is a quite normal way and it is approved by the Shari'ah. There is no special recommendation from the Shariah to do it in a standing posture. It is a practice which seems right according to our reasoning. But it is good to know that Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not like the Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum) standing up when he appeared in front of them. The Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum) were aware of this. Therefore, they abstained from it although there was no one dearer to them than Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). Thus, one should not impose a special posture to do this Ibaadah.  Imposing a way that is not imposed by the Shariah is Bid'ah. It is a great Ibaadah which should not be mixed with Bid'ah. The beauty and splendour of an Ibaadah is in doing it according to the Sunnah. An Ibaadah like the Salaat-o-Salaam which pertains to Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam), will also have its desired effect if it is done according to the Sunnah and this is the way of the Sahaabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu Anhum), the Taabi'in, the Tabi Taabi'in and the former 'Ulama-e-kiraam who practiced it.

According to principle, one must read only Attahiyyaat in the second Rak'aat of a Salah which contains 3 or 4 Rak'aat. If ever, we read Allaahumma Salli 'ala Muhammad after Attahiyyaat, then according to Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullaahi alayh), this requires Sajdah-e-Sahw. Someone may ask: Is it a mistake to read Durud in Salah? If it is not a mistake, then why does it require Sajdah-e-Sahw? The 'Ulama explained that Durud Shareef is a great Ibaadah but in spite of this, Sajdah-e-Sahw must be done as the Salah was not performed according to the Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam). Thus, every Ibaadah has its method of performance. Imposing another way is incorrect.

There is no Muslim on this earth who can allow himself to refuse to accept Salaat-o-Salaam. One must accept it otherwise one is not a Muslim. But one may have difference of opinions regarding the method of doing  it. A Muslim will be absolutely right if he refuses to do it in a specific way which is not imposed by the Shariah. In this case, it will be an intellectual dishonesty to qualify him as one who does not believe in Salaat-o-Salaam. It is a scheme to induce the public into error and to make him believe that which does not exist. It is like qualifying Imam Abu Hanifah (Rahmatullaahi alayh) as one who opposes the Durud Shareef because he applies Sajdah-e-Sahw when it is read in certain occasions in Salah. As we know, this is not true. Likewise, it is incorrect to accuse someone of not agreeing with Salaat-o-Salaam merely because he does not do it in a specific posture or in the standing posture which we call Qiyaam.

Sometimes a person can become emotional to such an extent that he cannot bear it, thus he stands up. It is a state of mind called "Haal". The case of this person is different. One can neither blame him nor generalise this condition either. It should not be that everyone claims to be in this category. It would be a lie to claim to be in a state of mind which one is not in. To act dishonestly and to lie regarding an Ibaadah such as Salaat-o-Salaam is even worse.

[English version of "Daroud shareef" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.1]