Durūd and ṣalawāt

The Darūd and Ṣalawāt are practices of invoking blessings upon the Prophet Muḥammad. For some Muslims, these practices hold great significance in their daily lives and are integral to prayer rituals. The origins of Darūd and Ṣalawāt can be traced back to the Qurʾān and the 

Ḥadīth. In the Qurʾān, Allāh commands Muslims to ṣalī upon the Prophet:

 

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا ٥٦

 

“Allāh and His angels ṣalī the Prophet- so, you who believe, ṣalī him too and give him
greetings of peace”.1

 

The command in this verse forms the basis of the Ṣalawāt practice. The term Ṣalawāt is
derived from the Arabic root “ṣ-l-w,” which means “to pray”. Therefore, the practice of
Ṣalawāt is sending prayers and blessings upon the Prophet.2

 

“When a third of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allāh stood and said: ‘O you people!
Remember Allāh! Remember Allāh! The Rajifah is coming, followed by the Radifah, death
and what it brings is coming, death and what it brings is coming!'” 

 

Ubayy said: “I said:  ‘O Messenger of Allāh! Indeed, I say very much Salat for you. How much of my Salat should I

make for you?’ He said: ‘As you wish.'” “I said: ‘A fourth?’ He said: ‘As you wish. But if you
add more, it would be better for you.’ I said: ‘Then half?’ He said: ‘As you wish. And if you
add more, it would be better.'”, “I said: ‘Then two-thirds? ‘He said: ‘As you wish, but if you
add more, it would be better for you.’ I said: ‘Should I make all of my Salat for you?’ He said:
‘Then your problems would be solved, and your sins would be forgiven.’”3

 

Nonetheless, it is crucial to highlight that this ḥadīth was exclusively imparted to a single
companion, with no others receiving this counsel. Furthermore, as will be demonstrated, this
ḥadīth is frequently subject to significant misinterpretation.

 

The Darūd, on the other hand, is rooted in the ḥadīth literature. The term Darūd is derived
from the Persian language, which means “praising” or “invoking blessings.” The practice of

 

Darūd, while in effect equivalent to Ṣalawāt, is usually reserved for practices revolving
around sending blessings upon the Prophet following a specific formula found in the ḥadīth:

 

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ, وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ, كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ, إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ, اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ, وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ, كَمَا بَارَكْتَ
عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ, إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

 

“O Allāh, ṣalī Muḥammad and the family of Muḥammad, as You ṣalī Ibrahim and the family
of Ibrahim. Grant blessings to Muḥammad and the family of Muḥammad, as You granted
blessings to Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. In all the worlds, indeed, You are
praiseworthy and exalted”.4

 

Darūd and Ṣalawāt have been emphasised by the Prophet himself, who encouraged his
followers to send blessings upon him:

 

“Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allāh will send blessings upon him ten times”.5

 

Nevertheless, numerous individuals carry this practice to excess, inadvertently equating the
Prophet with Allāh instead of upholding His pre-eminence. It is imperative to comprehend
that only Allāh merits being positioned at the core and the forefront of our devotional
activities, as proclaimed, “Exalted be Allāh, the true King, there is no Allāh but Him, the
Lord of the magnificent throne”.6

 

These practices have an apparent propensity to lead to excessive veneration of the Prophet Muḥammad, which border on idolatry, and distract Muslims from the worship of Allāh and, instead, focus their devotion on the Prophet.7 Any practice that diverts attention from Allāh and places it on another being, even a highly revered figure such as the Prophet Muḥammad, could potentially violate the fundamental principle of tawḥīd. Ultimately, what is apparent amongst the practices of modern Muslims is an emphasis on sending blessings where the Prophet is elevated to a status that is equal to or near that of Allāh.

 

While the practice of Ṣalawāt is grounded in the Qurʾān and Sunna, the way these are
practised today is the result of external influences on Muslims. The rituals associated with
sending blessings upon the Prophet have been inspired by practices from other religious
traditions, such as Christianity, where the veneration of saints and religious figures plays a
significant role. Furthermore, the practice of Ṣalawāt has its roots in Sufi mysticism, which
emphasises the spiritual connection between the believer and the Prophet and often
incorporates rituals that are not explicitly mentioned in the Qurʾān or Ḥadīth.8

 

Christians often invoke the intercession of saints through prayers and devotional acts, seeking
their assistance in attaining spiritual blessings and protection. This practice might have
influenced the development of Ṣalawāt in Islam, leading to a similar focus on seeking
blessings and divine favour through the veneration of the Prophet Muḥammad. Incorporating
non-Islamic practices into Islam could potentially dilute the essence of Islamic monotheism
and contribute to the elevation of the Prophet to a status comparable to Allāh.

 

Sufi mysticism is characterised by its emphasis on the spiritual connection between the
believer and the Prophet. Sufism often incorporates rituals and practices that are not explicitly
mentioned in the Qurʾān or Ḥadīth, such as the recitation of divine names (dhikr) and the
performance of sacred dances (samā‘). The practice of Ṣalawāt, as observed in Sufi circles,
might have originated from these mystical traditions. The spiritual experiences and states of
consciousness associated with Sufi practices could have contributed to the development of
Ṣalawāt as a means of connecting with the Prophet and seeking his spiritual guidance and
intercession. These forms of Ṣalawāt contain additional phrases not found in the original texts
of the Qurʾān and Ḥadīth. Incorporating these supplemental phrases into the practice
constitutes a deviation from the authentic teachings of Islam.9

 

Furthermore, these practices promote ritualism, which detracts from the spiritual aspects of
Islamic worship. The focus on reciting specific formulas of Ṣalawāt may lead to these
practices’ mechanical and superficial performance without fully understanding their meaning

 

 

and significance.10 How these practices are observed leads to development a “cult of

personality” surrounding the Prophet. The excessive focus on the Prophet might encourage
Muslims to view him as an intercessor or intermediary between them and Allāh, which could
undermine the Islamic principle of direct communication between the believer and Allāh.
This concern is particularly relevant in Islamic mysticism and Sufi practices, where the
Prophet is often regarded as the ultimate spiritual guide and source of divine knowledge.

 

Some Muslims go beyond the intended meanings of these verses and seek to equate Allāh
and His Prophet to the same level, despite the cautionary behaviour of the Prophet himself.
By observing how the prophets behaved and how particular they were with wording, for
instance, Al-Tufayl reported: A man among the idolaters said to a man among the Muslims,
“How excellent it would be of your people if you said: What Allāh wills and Muḥammad
wills.” The Prophet heard him, and he said, “Do not say: What Allāh wills and Muḥammad
wills. Rather, say: What Allāh wills, and then what Muḥammad wills.”11 

Hudhayfah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Do not say: What Allāh wills and this

person wills. Rather you should say: What Allāh wills, then what this person wills.”12

 

The Prophets of Allāh were fierce in their loyalty to the Most High; all motivations were for
Allāh – and the language and messaging they used never changed. In these two Ḥadīth, the
Prophet wants to distinguish between the will of Allāh and the will of humans; here, the
intention is clear. Ultimately all rests on the will of Allāh alone, and as such, no one can be a
partner in this degree of will. A person may be included in addition, i.e., ‘What Allāh wills,
then what this person wills’ due to causality. For instance, Allāh wills a cure for you, but you
are cured through the doctor willing to treat you. This effort of the noble Prophet Muḥammad
to remove himself as equal to Allāh is even more so apparent in another variation of the
Ḥadīth; Ibn Abbas reported: A man said to the Prophet, “What Allāh wills and you will!” The
Prophet said, “Do you make me equal to Allāh? Rather, what Allāh wills alone.”13

 

The Prophet’s particularity in wants to keep his rank and Allāh’s rank separate does not stop
here and can be seen in numerous reports; for instance, Qutaylah reported: A Jewish man

 

 

came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, “Indeed, you are setting
up rivals with Allāh and associating partners with Him when you say, ‘What Allāh wills and
you will,’ and when you swear by the Kaaba!” The Prophet ordered them to say when they
intend to swear an oath, “By the Lord of the Kaaba,” and for them to say, “What Allāh wills
and then what you will”.14