QASIDAH AL-BURDA SHAREEF: THE PROPHET& MANTLE

QASIDAH AL-BURDA SHAREEF:

THE PROPHET'S MANTLE

Introduction…

Love for our Beloved… Rasool Allaah  [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wasalam] is the perfection of our leeman [Faith].

According to Hadees:

"None of you has [perfect] leeman until I am more beloved to him than his parents and his children" and in another Hadees "than all mankind."

This love can only be achieved if we know and understand  the perfections and exalted status of our Beloved Habeeb Prophet Muhammad 
[Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wasalam] 

 Allaah Ta'alaa's .... Best of Creation.

This translation and commentary of the Qasidah Burdah, highlights the lofty status and perfections of his Last Prophet.

The famous Burdah Shareef, or the ‘Poem of the Mantle’ is a Qasidah [Ode] 

composed by the great Soofie Shaiekh Imaam Sharaf ud deen Muhammad Al-Busiree

[Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] of Egypt.

The poem, whose actual title is al-Kawakib ad-Durriya fi Mad… Khayr al-Bariya

"Celestial Lights in Praise of the Best of Creation",

 is famous throughout the Muslim world.

Introduction…

The Author of this Blessed ode... Soofie Shaiekh Imaam Sharaf ud deen Muhammad Al-Busiree 

[Rahmatul Laah Alaieh] 

had become paralyzed.

His doctors and physicians gave up all hope of his recovery. Eventually in this state of complete helplessness and despair he composed this poem expressing the grandeur and excellence of Saiyyidina Rasool Allaah [SallaL Laahu Alaieh Wassalam].

Invoking the help of the Prophet and his intercession, he fervently prayed to Allah Almighty, with tears repentance and sincerity of purpose, to grant him a speedy relief from the disease. He continued reciting the poem with ardent zeal again and again till he fell asleep.

He was blessed  and honored in his dream to see the vision of our our Beloved Prophet Muhammad [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam]

He told Beloved Prophet Muhammad [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam]of his illness whereupon he passed his blessed hand over Imaam Busairee's body. Through the barakat and blessing of Beloved Prophet Muhammad [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam]….Allaah Ta’alaa granted him complete cure from his paralysis.

When he awoke he found a scarf or shawl on his body which he had seen Saiyyidina Beloved Prophet Muhammad [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam] place on his paralyzed limbs.

This resulted in the poem being named "Qasidah Burdah" [The Poem of the Scarf].

In the morning when due to some necessity. he went to the bazaar, a pious dervish greeted him with salaam and requested him to recite the Qasidah which he had composed in praise of Beloved Prophet Muhammad 
[Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam].

The poet said that I have composed many poems in praise of Beloved Prophet Muhammad [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam], which one do you wish to hear?

The dervish replied: 'The one which begins with, A-min Tazak-kurin

 [Qasidah Burdah]".

Upon this request the poet became wonder struck and said,

"I take an oath that no one knows about this poem. Tell me the truth, from whom did you hear about it?" The dervish replied, "I take an oath by Allaah Kareem that I heard it from you last night when in a dream you had recited it to Saiyyidina Rasool Allaah [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam],whereupon Saiyyidina Rasool Allaah [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wassalam]became attentive towards you and because of its blessings Allaah Ta'alaa granted you complete cure from your ailment".

When the poet gave this poem to the dervish his secret became known to all the people and its barakat and blessings too became general for all.

When the poet gave this poem to the dervish his secret became known to all the people and its barakat and blessings too became general for all. This Beautiful and Blessed Qasidah is read everywhere in the Muslim world where traditional Sunni Muslims are present from Morocco to Malaysia. It has been translated into every language of the Muslim world and also into many European languages.

This poem is a masterpiece of Arabic literature and contains 10 sections and a total of a 160 verses.

The chorus, 

'Maula Ya Salli wa sallim da`iman abada`

`Alaa Habibika khayrin khalqi kullihimi'

[O Allaah send peace and blessings for eternity

Upon Your Beloved the Best of all Creation]

.

 The poem is a favorite with traditional Muslims everywhere and has the following 10 sections:

1.Love for Rasool Allaah [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wasalam]

2. A warning against the desires of the nafs [Ego,Lust.Desire,]

3. Praise of the beloved Prophet [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wasalam]

4. Miraculous Events occurring on his birth

5. His miracles

6. Praise of the Glorious Qur`aan

7. The 'Isra' and 'Mi`raj' of the noble Prophet [Sallall Lahu `Alaiehi wa Sallam]

8. His battles

9. Repentence, asking forgiveness of Allaah [Sub`hanahu wa Ta`ala] and seeking intercession of the beloved Prophet [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wasalam]

10. Supplication to Allaah [Sub`hanahu wa Ta`ala]

Each verse ends in the Arabic letter Meem and the poem is also known thus as a 'Meemiya'.

More than 90 commentaries have been written on this Qasidah and it has been translated in many languages….Bangla, Persian, Urdu, Turkish,Punjabi, English, French and German,Spanish,Japanese among other languages.The infinite value and greatness of the Qasidah Burdah in creating an attachment with Rasool Allaah  

[Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wasalam]

May Allaah Kareem make this a means granting us true love for His Beloved 
 [Sallal Laahu Alaiehi Wasalam] 
and his Sunnat, and bless with His Divine Love and Nearness.

Aameen