SANKORE'

Institute of Islamic - African Studies International

The Maximum Blessings Upon Our Master

Muhammad the Chosen One

The Imam of Awliyya, the Light of the Age, the Reformer of the Religion the Sword of Truth

Shaykh Uthman ibn Fuduye`

Translation Annotation and Commentary by

Shaykh Muhammad Shareef bin Farid

Copyright 1430/2009Muhammad Shareef

www.siiasi.org / www.sankore.org
Published by

SANKORE'

Institute of Islamic - African Studies International

The Palace of the Sultan of Maiurno
Maiurno, Sennar, Sudan
Book design by Muhammad Shareef
The cover motif is an ornamental kufic calligraphic design which reads: O Allah send blessings upon Muhammad and his family.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise,
without written permission of the publishers

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Folio 1 of the manuscript as-Salawaatl-Kubra of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, which I digitized from the archives of Shaykh
Bello ibn Abdr-Raaziq ibn Uthman ibn Abdl-Qaadir ibn Mustafa in the town of Maiurno, Sennar, Sudan.

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28
1430 ] 18 2009[

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful, may Allah send blessings upon
the one after whom there will be no Prophet17
17

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful, may Allah send blessings upon the spirit of our
master Muhammad among all spirits, upon the body of our master Muhammad among all bodies, upon
the grave of our master Muhammad among all graves, and upon his family and Companions in the
same manner, and give them abundant peace, and upon us along with them. Says the poor slave in need
of the mercy of his Lord, Abu Alfa Umar Muhammad Shareef bin Farid, the sinner, rolling in the dust
of the sandals of our master Muhammad, upon him be the best blessings and most perfect peace. My
close friend like a blood brother, Waziri Hassan Yusef, the American asked me to clarify some of the
meanings, spiritual indications and gnosis concealed within the five thousand blessings of our master,
the Amirl-Mumineen Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, may Allah engulf him in his mercy, and afford us
with some of his baraka and spiritual overflowing Ameen. Subsequently, I responded to his request,
(although at the time, I was busy with the vigils of the blessed month of Ramadan); so in order to be
counted among those about whom, he upon him be blessings and peace said: The best action is
causing happiness to enter the breast of a Muslim. Further being preoccupied with learning beneficial
knowledge and teaching it to others is superior to private spiritual vigils and worship. Rather, it is as he
upon him be blessings and peace said when he was once asked: What is the best form of worship? He
responded: The best form of worship is seeking knowledge. This is because worship cannot be
perfected except by means of knowledge. So I ask Allah the Mighty Lord of the Tremendous Throne,
with the same supplication which Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` supplicated with in some of his books:
that He make it purely for His Generous Countenance, and make it a proof for us and not against us,
that He show us the baraka of it on the Day we are stopped in His presence, and at the time that
humans decompose in their graves; and that it be of benefit to those who read it, peruse it, transcribe it,
and encourage others to it. I also desire from those who come across this text that they will associate
me in their righteous supplications, so that Allah may benefit me by means of it in this life and the
Hereafter, and success is with Allah. The author, may the mercy of Allah be upon him said in the
beginning: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is the well known basmalla
which comprises the Greatest Great Name of Allah which if you supplicate by means of It, will be
answered, and if you ask by means of It, will be given. In it is gathered the sciences of the first and the
last. The Waziri and government minister, Abdl-Qaadir ibn Gidadu said in his Bastl-Fawaaid wa
Taqreebl-Maqaasid: Our master the learned Abul-Abass Ahmad ibn Abdl-Aziz said in his
commentary upon the Mukhtasar: The essential reason for beginning with the basmalla is in imitation
of the Wise Quran, and the Sunna of the generous Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
out of obedience to what was related from him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace in the best of
the narrations, and being in conformity with the actions of the excellent spiritual masters, and the
informed exemplars. As for the Quran, it begins with it by verbal expression, and by transcription in
the Faatiha and every chapter. As for the Sunna, there are many famous prophetic traditions that have
been transmitted regarding the fact that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace commenced every
letter of dispatch with it. He also commanded us to commence with the basmalla in all of our affairs,
as it was related by Abdl-Qaadir ar-Rawaahi in his al-Arba`een on the authority of Abu Hurayra that
he, upon him be blessings and peace said: Every affair of importance which is not begun in the Name
of Allah, is severed. In another narration he said: it is cut off; and in yet another, he said: it is
stopped. The teachings regarding the basmalla are an immeasurable ocean, whose shores are
impossible to reach and whose end cannot be realized, for its merits are impossible to enumerate. The
saying of the author, may Allah ta`ala be merciful to him: may Allah send blessings upon the one after
whom there will be no Prophet is out of obedience to his words, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace as it was related by at-Tabarani in his al-Awsat on the authority of Abu Hurayra: Whoever
sends blessings upon me in a book, there will remain an Angel seeking forgiveness for him as long as
my name is in that book. In this regard, as well, are his words, upon him be blessings and peace:
Whoever sends blessings upon me in a book, then bliss, for what comes in that book. His words:
after whom there will be no Prophet is an indication of many prophetic traditions in which he upon
him be blessings and peace said: There will be no prophet after me. Among these is what was related
by Ahmad on the authority of Ibn Umar that he upon him be blessings and peace said: I am
Muhammad, the Unlettered Prophet! I am Muhammad, the Unlettered Prophet! I am Muhammad, the
Unlettered Prophet! There will be no prophet after me. I have been given the keys to clear speech, the
seal of clear speech, and comprehensive speech. I know the number of the chambers of Hell, and the
number of the Supporters of the Throne. Among these is what was related by Ibn Asaakir on the
authority of Abu Amama that he upon him be blessings and peace said: O mankind! There will be no
prophet and after me, and there will be no new religious community after you. Therefore! Worship

Question:18 the Amirl-Mumineen Uthman ibn Fuduye`, may Allah raise in

stations - Ameen informed us:19
your Lord, pray your five prayers, fast your month, connect to your ties of kinship, give the alms on
your wealth from the goodness of your souls, and obey those who possess the authority from among
you, and you will be entered into the Paradise of your Lord. Among these is what was related by alHakim in his al-Mustadrak on the authority of Wahb ibn Munabbah who said: Allah has not sent a
prophet except that he was given an insignia of his prophethood in his right hand; except our Prophet
Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whose prophetic insignia was placed between
his shoulder blade. Our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace was asked about that and
he said: This insignia between my shoulders is the same prophetic insignia given to the prophets
before me, because there will be no prophet or messenger after me. In these prophetic traditions are
established the finality of the prophethood with our master Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace. Thus, his words: after whom there will be no Prophet is an actual axiom from the axioms
of Divine Unity, and Allah knows best.
18
The etymological origin of the word question is from the expression he asked, to ask, a question
and an issue, which is an affair or concern which a scholar is questioned about. Derived from this
phrase is the expression an issue of jurisprudence, that is to say, a matter in jurisprudence about
which the jurist is questioned and thereafter adjudicates on regarding it. This particular issue or
question emerged as a result of questions from some of the elite of the disciples of the Shehu, may the
mercy of Allah be upon him about his methodology in sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace. It is well known that the sending of blessings upon the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace was the greatest of his litanies and was the fundamental cause and
greatest means by which he attained his nobility, spiritual stations, and spiritual ranks with Allah ta`ala.
He himself said in his Tahdheerl-Ikhwaan Min Ad`aal-Mahdiyya: The most of what I know about
myself is that Allah ta`ala established me in a spiritual presence, where spiritual unveilings descended
upon me from the time I was a youth until I reached the age of thirty-one. Then I was magnetically
drawn into a spiritual state from the illuminations of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, as a result of the baraka of sending blessings upon him; until I was brought into the
very presence of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When this
occurred I began to weep exceedingly. I then desired to recite the poem of Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith,
may Allah be pleased with him that he composed in eulogy of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace after he died. Then, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace ordered me to recite it in his presence. I then started reciting it and when I reached where
he said in the poem: Since he has guided us, we do not fear errors, affecting us, because the Messenger
is our Guide. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then said: Stop
here!, so I stopped. He then gave me the good news by his words: I am your Guide upon the path of
the religion, and you will not go astray. That good news was better for me that all this world and what
is in it. He also said in his Kitabl-Wird: When I reached the age of forty-one, five months and a few
days, Allah attracted me into His presence. I found there the master of men and jinn, our master
Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace and with him were the Companions, the
Prophets and the protected friends of Allah (awliyya). They then welcomed me and sat me in the
middle of their gathering. Then the savior of men and jinn, my master Abd 'l-Qaadir 'l-Jaylani came
with a green cloak trimmed with the statement Laa ilaha illa Allah Muhammadun rasuulullah, and a
white turban designed with the verse, 'Say He Allah is One.' He gave these to the Messenger of Allah,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who placed them on his breast for a while. He then gave
them over to Abu Bakr 's-Sidiq, then to Umar 'l-Farruq, then to Uthman Dhu 'n-Nurayn, then to Ali
(may Allah ennoble his face!) and then to Prophet Yusef, upon him be peace. Yusef then returned them
to my master Abd 'l-Qaadir 'l-Jaylani, who then dressed me in them with their permission. They said to
him, 'Dress him and tie the turban on him and name him with the name which is special to him.' He sat
me down, dressed me, tied the turban on me and called me by the name Imam 'l-Awliyya. He
commanded me to do good and forbade me from indecency. He then girded me with the Sword of
Truth and commanded me to unleash it against the enemies of Allah. And he commanded me with
what he commanded me. In that regard as well is what Amirl-Mumineen Muhammad Bello said in
his Infaql-Maysuur: He (the Shehu) informed me of the time when he obtained the divine attraction
by means of the baraka of the prayer upon the Prophet (as-salaat `ala 'n-nabiyy), may Allah bless him
and grant him peace. He was persistent with this without boredom, laziness nor laxity. Allah assisted
him with the overflowing of illumination (fayd 'l-anwaar) by means of Shaykh Abd 'l-Qaadir 'l-Jayli,
may Allah be pleased with him, and his grandfather the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace. He then witnessed the astounding things of the unseen kingdoms (`ajaa'ib 'l-malakuut)

and realized the mysteries of the kingdom of power (garaa'ib 'l-jabaruut). He witnessed the
phenomena of the Divine Attributes, Names and Essence. He became acquainted with the Guarded
Tablet (al-lawh 'l-mahfuudh) and untied its remarkable secrets. The Lord of Truth gave him to drink
the sweetness of inviting people to Him and crowned him with the crown of direction and guidance to
Him. Thus, the Shehu may the mercy of Allah be upon him arose inviting people to Allah ta`ala,
giving advice to His servants regarding the religion of Allah, demolishing blameworthy customs,
destroying Satanic heretical innovations, and reviving the Living Sunna of Muhammad. All of this is
evidence that sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace was among
the greatest of the means of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` in his spiritual path to Allah ta`ala. The
superiority of sending blessings upon the Prophet, over the remainder of the superogatory acts of
worship has been established by the Book, the Sunna, the consensus of the scholars and the teachings
of righteous awliyya.
19
As for the one who transmitted this text, it was Amirl-Mumineen Abu Bakr ibn Shaykh Uthman ibn
Fuduye`, who was famous as Ateeku. He was the blood brother of Amirl-Mumineen Muhammad
Bello, may Allah be merciful to both of them. Among his remarkable achievements is that he used to
serve his father personally, and adhere to him during the first part of the night, and would be the one
who locked the door of his father, before proceeding to his own home. Among his achievements is that
he used to lead his father in the superogatory prayers made in his home in Sokoto. Due to this close
companionship, he inherited the secrets of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, thus he became known as the
Companion of the secrets of his father. It has been related that his father informed him of one hundred
and fifteen types of secrets from the time he was residing in Gwandu, to Sifawa and then to Sokoto. He
informed the people about fifteen of these secrets and neglected transmitting the remaining one
hundred until he died. However, it has been said that he did inform some of his children, like AmirlMumineen Ahmad Zaruuq ibn Abu Bakr Ateeku, who in turn informed some of the elite of his
children and companions, such as Shaykh Abdl-Qaadir ibn Mustafa and others. Thus, this text is
considered among those fifteen secrets which he transmitted to the people when he was at Sifawa, as
his father, the Shehu, may the mercy of Allah be upon him transmitted it to him. After the death of
Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, and the oath of allegiance was given to Muhammad Bello, Abu Bakr
Ateeku was appointed over training horses for the cavalry, maintenance of the military arsenal and
training of the mujaahiduun for war. Later, he was appointed as the amir of Chimola. Eventually, he
was given oath of allegiance over the khilafate, seven days after the death of his brother, Muhammad
Bello, on Thursday, the 2nd of Sha`baan in the year 1253 A.H. [appr. 27 October 1837 C.E.]. He then
arose commanding the good, forbidding evil, placing major barriers in front of the people of corruption
and evil, which caused corrupt entertainment to die during his reign. This caused the rulers and the
people of corrupt passions to hate and the scholars and te righteous to love him. He drew the latter to
him, and he used to sit in the assemblies of the scholars and the righteous and provided for them from
precious wealth of public treasury. He made the jihaad in the way of Allah, and persisted in making
military expeditions and fighting in the Way of Allah. He died on Thursday, the 11th of the month of
Shawwal in the year 1258 A.H. [appr. August of 1842 C.E.], while returning from a military
engagement against the disbelievers of Gobir and Katsina in the country of Zamfara. At the time he
was sixty years old. His burial place, which is visited often, is there in a village called Katuru. Among
his outstanding achievements also, may Allah be merciful to him, is that he was among the ten people
given the good news by Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` of entering Paradise from among his companions.
The rest of them were: Shaykh Abdullahi Faruwu, Shaykh Uthman Ajibba ad-Duhaak, Mallam Ishaq,
Shaykh Uthman Jallow, Mallam Umar, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ghara, Shaykh Muhammad Yero
Ladanyaju, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghadawi, and Shaykh Muhammad as-Sawawwi, may Allah ta`ala
be pleased with all of them and afford us with their baraka Ameen. His words: the AmirlMumineen Uthman ibn Fuduye`, may Allah raise in stations - Ameen informed us is evidence that he
and others from the Jama`a received this issue after the Shehu made the emigration from Degel to
Gudu and after he had been appointed as amirl-mumineen over the Jama`at. My spiritual master,
Shaykh Umar ibn Ahmad Zaruuq, once of the keepers of the secrets of the knowers of Allah in Maiurno
said that Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` transmitted this issue to the elite among his Jama`at when he was
at Sifawa, during a period of five years from the month of Ramadan in 1224 A.H. until Monday, the 5th
of the month of Jumadt-Thani in the year 1230 A.H. [from 1810 until 1815 C.E.]. This period was the
most fruitful era of the Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` with regard to connecting his spiritual disciples to
direct gnosis of Allah ta`ala and helping to become spiritual masters themselves, transmitting is many
teaching licenses in foundations of the religion, the sciences of the outward and inward to his disciples
and students, the production of illustrious books regarding these sciences, as well as the issues of
government, politics, social justice and equity. His words: may Allah raise in stations - Ameen also

Saying: Whoever send blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace five thousand times during each day Allah will provide him with ten
things: five in this world and five in the Hereafter.20
gives evidence that the Shehu transmitted this issue while he was alive, and that it was also transmitted
from him and transcribed during his life time, may Allah ta`ala be merciful to him. This is because the
normal custom of authors is to utilize the expression: may Allah raise in stations during the life time
of the person being referred to; if not then they customarily utilize the expressions: may Allah be
merciful to him, may Allah ennoble his secret, or may Allah engulf him in His mercy specifically
when making reference to Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, may Allah be merciful to him, as it is well
known.
20
That is to say, send blessing upon him with any wording one chooses. However, my spiritual master
Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin ibn Adam Kari`angha when he gave me license in this litany taught me to
utilize the wording: O Allah send blessings upon Muhammad, and the family of Muhammad and give
them peace. Further, there has been transmitted many prophetic traditions regarding the methodology
of sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as well as regarding
their merits and the most superior of them. The reformer, Shaykh Ahmadu Baba ibn Ahmad at-Tinbukti
al-Maliki clarified in his ad-Durrun-Nadeer Fee Kayfiyya as-Salaat `Ala as-Shafee` al-Basheer with
the most perfect and abridged explanation, in which he cited what is said regarding the most superior of
the methodologies of sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. In
it said: The first of them are those that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace taught to his
Companions, after they asked about that, since he only chose for himself the most noble and superior.
The second is: O Allah send blessings upon Muhammad every time those who remember, remember
him, and every time those who are heedless are heedless of him. Al-Marwazi mentioned this from the
followers of as-Shafi`. The third is: O Allah send blessings upon Muhammad as he deserves and is his
right. This was mentioned by al-Qadi Husayn from the followers of as-Shafi`. The fourth is: O Allah
send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, with the best of Your blessings
and to the number of what is know to You. This was mentioned by as-Sharaf al-Baaziri. The fifth is:
O Allah send blessings upon Muhammad the Unlettered Prophet, and upon every prophet, Angel and
protected friend, to the number of every even and odd thing, and to the number of Your words. O our
Lord with perfected blessings. This was narrated by Shaykh Majd d-Deen as-Shirazi. The sixth is:
O Allah send blessings upon Muhammad Your servant, prophet and messenger, the Unlettered
Prophet, and upon his family, wives, descendents and grant them peace, to the number of Your creation,
the pleasure of Yourself, the beauty of Your Throne, and the extent of Your words. The seventh is: O
Allah send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad with blessings which are
eternal with Your Eternity. The eighth is: Muhammad send blessings upon Muhammad and the
family of Muhammad and reward Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace with what he
deserves. After these he cited five other blessings about which its has been said that hey constitute
best methodologies of sending blessings upon the prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Among them he mentioned: The eleventh is: O Allah forever send the best of Your blessings upon
our master, Your servant, Prophet and Messenger Muhammad, and his family and grant him much
peace, and increase him in nobility, and generosity, and lodge him near to You on the Day of
Judgment. This was mentioned by al-Kamaal ibn al-Himaam al-Hanifi. He also said: The thirteenth
is: O Allah to You belong the praise as you deserve, therefore send blessings upon Muhammad as he
deserves. And be with us with what is deserving of You. For verily You are deserving of extending
forgiveness and fearful awareness. This was mentioned by Abu Abdullah an-Numayri on the authority
of the ascetic Abdallah ibn al-Mushtahir al-Musali, who said: Whoever desires to praise Allah ta`ala
with the best praise of the people of the earth and heavens, and to send blessings upon Muhammad,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the same fashion, and then ask for the same; should say
what was mentioned. Each of the above mentioned blessings which we cited from the book of Shaykh
Ahmadu Baba were also transmitted by Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` in his famous Dalaail. This is
because he only placed in it the most superior methods of sending blessings upon the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus, whoever among the Jama`at of the Shehu desires the best
expressions in sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the
Dalaail of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, may Allah engulf him in His mercy will suffice him. In it are
twenty blessings about which there is unanimous agreement regarding their superiority. In side notes of
some copies of the text, the Shehu cited the merits of each of them. Further, one of the scholars from
Maiurno, Ustadh Shaykh Bashir ibn Ahmad ibn Modibo Abdullahi Bellel composed a commentary
upon the Dalaail which he called Nabdhat Lateefa Fee Fadl as-Salaat `Ala Sayyidinaa Muhammadin

Afdall-Kaainaat. In it he said: In the years past I made istikhaara of Allah regarding extracting the
legal sources for as-Salawaat of my master Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, . I commenced writing and
had composed most of it, after which my soul became distracted, I neglected it and put the pages aside.
I continued over the years to be hesitant in it, and then one day, I renewed my intention, and istikhaara
hoping by that to provide some service to systematizing on whole the sending of blessings upon the
master of the spiritual master. Since all actions are judged by their intention, here I present A Small
Tract Regarding the Merits of Sending Blessings Upon Our Master Muhammad the Best of Existence,
may Allah bless him and his family. Realize, oh generous brother that whatever you see something in
these pages are actually extracted from the book of the servant of the Sunna and seal of the Imams,
Shaykh Yusef an-Nabhaani, may Allah be pleased with him. Realise that Allah subhammahu wa ta`ala
said in His Mighty Book exhorting people that the sending of blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace is among the best of actions: Verily Allah and His Angels send
blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe send blessings and abundant peace upon him. Thus,
He the exalted informs us He and His Angels send blessings upon that immense Prophet, and He orders
His servants among the believers to draw near to Him by means of extensive sending of blessings upon
him. What merit is equal to that? As for the prophetic traditions which have been narrated regarding the
merits of sending blessings, these pages cannot bear that. However, we desire here to gather the baraka
by citing twenty prophetic traditions from them, just as the blessings which the Shehu chose for his
Dalaail were twenty. Perhaps by this I will attain the baraka in the wisdom which the Shehu intended
in citing twenty blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Shehu Uthman
ibn Fuduye` said in his Kitabl-Wird: Sending blessings upon the Prophet without limit is an
incumbent obligation upon us, but since inability, laziness and boredom has been established in us, we
will come with ten blessings based upon the necessity of the arrangement on the ten verse which clarify
the religion of Islam. He thus, made it ten blessings to be recited after each of the five prescribed
prayers for the common people and the beginners in his Jama`at. As for the spiritually elite and those
dedicated to worship among his Jama`at. He made its full number five thousand blessings to be recited
each day. This in reality is an incitement to send extensive blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace continuously without limit, as Qadi `Iyad related in his as-Shifa on the
authority of Abi Ibn Ka`b that he once said: O Messenger of Allah, I usually send extensive blessings
upon you. How much of my supplications should I dedicate to you? He said: Whatever you like. He
said: A fourth? He said: Whatever you like, but if you exceed that amount it will be better for you.
He said: A third? He said: Whatever you like, but if you exceed that amount it will be better. He
said: Half? He said: Whatever you like, but if you exceed that amount it will be better for you. He
said: Two thirds? He said: Whatever you like, but if you exceed that amount it will be better. He
said: O Messenger of Allah shall I dedicate all of my supplications to you? He then said: In that case
it will suffice you and you will be forgiven of your sins. The meaning of the above mentioned words
of Abu Ka`b: I usually send extensive blessings upon you is I usually preoccupy my times with it
after performing the obligations and the like. This is legal evidence that sending blessings upon the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace was a common litany of the Companions of the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace and a confirmed Sunna with them. The meaning of
his words, upon him be blessings and peace: Whatever you like, but if you exceed that amount it will
be better, is that whatever amount you desire and whatever is easiest for you, but if you exceed that
cited amount it will be advantageous for you and better for you in this life and the Hereafter. The
meaning of his words, upon him be blessings and peace: In that case it will suffice you and you will
be forgiven of your sins, is that if you dedicate all of your supplications to me, it will suffice you from
doing anything beyond that. This is because in sending blessings upon him is the good of this life and
the Hereafter, by means of its baraka it guarantees increase in daily provision and is atonement for the
remainder of sins. Shaykh Shihabd-Deen Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Khifaaji said in his NaseemrRiyaad Fee Sharh Shifa Qadi `Iyad: The sending of blessings in this context means making
supplication as it mentioned in the as-Salaat wal-Bishr. What it means is the sending blessings is in the
same category of the supplications made at the end of the prescribed prayers and the like, when he
desires to supplicate for himself, and for him may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The questions
arise in that, should he make more supplications for himself than sending blessings upon him? Should
he make them the same? Should he increase in sending blessings upon him over making supplication
for himself? Or should he make all of his supplication for him, upon him be blessings and peace and
leave making supplication for himself? If he does the latter, it will suffice him from making
supplication for himself because Allah sends blessings upon him multiplying the blessings he sent upon
him. In this manner he attains every good from Allah ta`ala without seeking after it. This is foremost
and more beloved with Allah and His Messenger. If you realize this, then what can be said about the

As for the five in this life:21 the first is that Allah will provide him with what
he consumes along with his family;22 the second is that Allah will mitigate for him
above cited prophetic tradition implies that sending blessings upon him, may Allah ta`ala bless him and
grant him peace is the more superior than all the remainder of the acts of worship? Since the Lawgiver
when He specified a certain time for a specific act of worship, then that act of worship is better at that
time than any other; like the forms of remembrance done during bowing and prostration. In that case
those forms of remembrance are superior to any other at that time. From this perspective, sending
blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, can be considered superior to
saying: There is no deity except Allah, even though there has been transmitted the prophetic tradition
which says: The best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is: There is no deity except
Allah. These words from Shaykh Shihabd-Deen are priceless with regard to the Jama`at because it is
evidence for the permissibility of leaving all of the litanies for the one who wants to preoccupy all of
his times in sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as Shehu
Uthman ibn Fuduye`, may the mercy of Allah ta`ala be upon him did out of yearning for the Messenger
of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he left all of the litanies beside sending
blessings upon the Prophet; even to the point of not speaking to people for an entire year from the day
of the Mawlid of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace of the 12th of Rabi`l-Awwal
until the 12th of Rabi`l-Awwal of the following year. It was after the completion of this covenant for a
year that Allah ta`ala illuminated his heart with Muhammadan Lights.
21
That is to say, five things which Allah ta`ala will provide in this life for the person who adheres to
this litany.
22
The meaning of his words: is that Allah will provide him with what he consumes is that Allah
will provide the one who sends blessings upon he Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
with increase in his daily provision and wealth based upon the extent that he sends blessings upon him.
This is because Allah will be Grateful to him, Loving of him, will be his Guardian, and will be the
Guarantor of his provision. Thus, the sending of blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace takes this place of wealth and provision. A prophetic tradition has been related by Ibn
Abi Shayba and Ibn Mardawiya on the authority of Abu Hurayra, may Allah ta`ala be pleased with him:
Send blessings upon me, for verily your sending blessings upon me is alms for you. That is to say,
that it stands in the place of wealth which one gives to another by giving its rights from intentions of
your soul and by your giving preference to making supplication for him over making supplications for
yourself. In this prophetic tradition is an ancillary metaphor likening the sending of blessings upon the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace with wealth which is required to expend. Allah
ta`ala says: And what you expend for good, you expend for yourself. What you expend should only be
expended for the sake of Allah. For what you expend of good will be return back to you and you will
not be treated unjustly. It has been related by Ahmad on the authority of Ali ibn Abi Talib, by atTirmidhi on the authority of al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib, by an-Nisaai, Ibn Hibban and al-Haakim
on the authority of al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib and by al-Bayhaqi on the authority of Abu Hurayra
that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said: The true stingy person is
the one who when I am mentioned does not send blessings upon me. In this is an expressive statement
which is not hidden, where it an imaginative signification which indicates that neglecting sending
blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is equal to neglecting to expend
ones wealth. The meaning of his words: along with his family is that sending blessings upon the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace benefits him by the amplification of wealth due to
its baraka, and it brings advantage to his family as well, meaning his wives, parents, children and all
those related to him, in an unlimited multiplied fashion because Allah ta`ala provides in a manner in
which a person cannot reckon without limit. It has been narrated by Shaykh Ahmadu Baba in his adDurrun-Nadeer a prophetic tradition on the authority of Abdallah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased
with him: Send blessings upon me, for it is doubly multiplied for you. That is to say, that it is
amplified for you because the etymological root of multiply is equal to plus increase. When a person
says something is multiplied, he intends by that double the like there of or three times the amount
because it implies amplification without limit. It has been related by Ahmad in his Musnad, al-Bukhari
in his al-Adab, an-Nisaai, al-Haakim in his al-Mustadrak and al-Bayhaqi in his Shu`bl-Imaan on the
authority of Anas ibn Malik who said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace said: Whoever sends blessings upon me one Allah will send blessings upon him ten times,
remove from him ten errors, and raise him ten spiritual ranks. That is to say, that Allah will be
merciful to him and multiply His reward for him based upon the testimony of the Quran: Whoever
comes with good, he will have ten like it. If this is the recompense for one who send blessings upon
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace one time, then how will be the reward for the

that which will conceal his faults along with those of his family;23 the third is that
Allah will facilitate for him those who will serve him and assist him and every affair
which is difficult for him;24 the fourth is that wherever he sits, Allah will provide him
with a jama`at who will circulate around him;25 and the fifth is that when he speaks
one who send blessings upon him five thousand times each day? There is no doubt that advantage of
this will also include his family. In another narration of Ahmad on the authority of Ibn Umar:
Whoever sends one blessing upon me Allah and His Angels will send seventy blessings upon, whether
he does it a little or a lot.
23
That is to say that He will lighten his sins and the sins of his family by furnishing him with that
which will conceal his sins and those of his family. This is because the sending of blessings upon the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is atonement for the remainder of sins when he
sends blessings upon him even one time; as he upon him be blessings and peace said: and it
removes from him ten errors which is the plural of error meaning sins. If sending a single blessing
upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is the atonement of ten errors, then what
can you say about the one who sends blessings upon him five thousand times daily? There is no doubt
that it will be atonement for all of his sins as well as the sins of his family and will be a protection from
the wrath of Allah, as well as veil between him and the sight of people, because sending blessing upon
the Prophet is illumination. Shaykh Abdullahi ibn Fuduye` said in his Diyal-Qawa`id: By means of
the sending of blessings upon him, the person acquires illumination because darkness cannot be
eliminated except by means of illumination. What is meant by darkness, in this respect, is that which is
connected to the soul from impurities and to the heart from the barriers which preempt good. Thus, by
means of sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace it increases and
amplifies the illuminations of the outward and the inward; negates small and major sins and conceals
them from the sight of people.
24
That is to say, that Allah will reinforce him with those who will assist him from among the righteous
among men and jinn, and from among His Awliyya from among the Men of the Unseen and others;
who will provide service to him in all the affairs which he finds difficulty; especially in the spiritual
journey to Allah ta`ala, because the spiritual Path is innately difficult. There can be no arrival except by
means of a guide and a teaching Shaykh who guides on his spiritual journey to his Lord. There is no
guide to Allah ta`ala more superior to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace. To this, Shaykh Abdullahi ibn Fuduye` said in his Diyal-Qawaa`id: For sending blessings
upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is the spiritual ascension when the aspirant
cannot find a teaching Shaykh. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said: The
sending of blessings upon me is illumination in the heart, and illumination on the Straight Path. Thus,
when this illumination enters the heart, then all darkness leaves it and he becomes guided. So whenever
your aspiration becomes difficult for you, then it is necessary for you to increase in the sending of
blessings upon him, for he is the medium between us and our Exalted Lord, he is ouir guide to Him and
reinforcement extends from him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace to the entire creation from
the prophets and the awliyya, since all of their actions are first presented to him, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace. For this reason, Allah ta`ala reinforces him by means of sending blessings upon
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace with support from His awliyya and their
reinforcement and presence in all of his affairs.
25
This is because the sending of blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him is a
gathering together of the secrets of the Divine Names of Allah and His Attributes. It is a corporeal
manifestation of His Divine Name the Gatherer. This is because sending blessings upon the Prophet
is an action which Allah, His Angels and all the believers from the beginning of time until the end are
gathered in performing. Allah ta`ala says: Verily Allah and His Angels send blessings upon the
Prophet. O you who believer, send blessings upon him and give him abundant peace. For the sending
of blessings from Allah is His mercy and contentment; while from the Angels it is their supplication
and seeking of forgiveness; and from the believers it is their supplication and showing esteem for his
immense affair, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus, the believers gather together with
Allah azza wa jalla and His Angels in sending blessings upon the one who was given comprehensive
speech, and who said, as it was related by ad-Daylami on the authority of Abu Raafi`: I have been
taught all the Divine Names, just as Adam was taught all the Divine Names. For by means of the
sending of blessing upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace Allah ta`ala gathers
together the Self Manifestation of His Divine Names and Attributes into the hearts of His servants from
among the knowers of Allah. Thus, it is the most superior of all the forms of remembrances and
supplications which are highly recommended to perform during human social gatherings, such as when

before people, his words will be accepted in their hearts, even with the ruler of the
entire world.26
his name is mentioned in a gathering, or when hearing the call to the congregational prayer, or when
pilgrims gather on the Day of `Arafa; and the best of the locales of gathering on the day of Friday and
its prayer. For this reason, the scholars and the realized ones agree regarding increasing the sending of
blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace as it has been related by anNisaai on the authority of Aws ibn Aws that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
said: Verily among the best of your days is the day of Friday. So therefore, increase in sending
blessings upon me, for your blessings are presented to me. Friday is called jumu`a because it is a
description of the action of that day, which is the gathering of the people during it. The jurists agree
that jumu`a has five pillars which make it valid and sound. They are: a congregational masjid in which
the people gather to pray; a jama`at of Muslims around which a village or town develops; the sermon
which the people gather to listen to the admonitions from Allah; the Imam whom the people gather
behind in their prayers; and being resident, which means to be socially domicile and not a traveler or
stranger. Each of these pillars are from the attributes of human social gatherings which are all corporeal
manifestations of His Divine Name the Gatherer, as well as a Self Manifestation of the Names of
Essence and His Majesty and Beauty combined. It is for this reason that the night and day of Friday
(jumu`a the day of gathering) is considered the most superior time for sending blessings upon the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace by consensus of opinion. We learn from what we
cited here that from the sending of blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace is the locus for the appearance of all human social well being whether religious or worldly. It is
for this reason that the Shehu, may the mercy of Allah ta`ala be upon him mentioned that whoever
sends blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace five thousand times daily
that Allah ta`ala will provide him with a jama`at (community) from among the righteous of men and
jinn who will circulate around him, wherever he resides, or in whatever land he lives; or in any place he
sits. This alone, is an immense secret regarding the sending of blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace. I myself, have tested this and have found it to be sound and discovered
it to be a responsive affair, and all praises are due to Allah for that.
26
This is because it has been related in a prophetic tradition from an-Nisaai on the authority of Anas
ibn Malik who said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said:
Whoever I am mentioned in the presence of, he should then send blessings upon me. Whoever sends
blessings upon me once Allah will send blessings upon him ten times. This means that He will show
mercy to him and amplify His reward for him based upon the evidence of the Quran: Whoever comes
with good will have ten like it. Thus, whoever send blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace five thousand times daily, Allah and His Angels will send blessings upon him fifty
thousand times; and he will then be included among those about whom He says: He is the One who
sends blessings upon you, as well does His Angels, in order to bring you out of the darkness into the
Light, for He is merciful to the believers. He will thus be included among those whose concern is that
of sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as Sultan
Muhammad Bello ibn Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye` said in his Dhikr Man Yusalli Allahu ta`ala `Alayhi
wa Malaikatuhu: It is mentioned in the al-Baghawi: Anas said regarding the reason for the revelation:
Verily Allah and His Angels send blessings upon the Prophet; that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased
with him said: O Messenger of Allah, you have never been singled out with some nobility except that
we have also been made partners with you in that nobility. Then Allah ta`ala revealed: He is the One
who sends blessings upon you, as well does His Angels. The scholars of Quranic exegesis
mentioned that this verse was revealed regarding those who send blessings upon the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus, the meaning of the blessings from Allah in this particular
verse is mercy, excellence and baraka; while the blessings of the Angels include supplication and
seeking of forgiveness. For whoever sends five thousand blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace daily, Allah and His Angels will spread beautiful mention of the person
among the servants of Allah, places love for him in their hearts, as well as respect, standing and an all
encompassing baraka with which people will seek to attain. Allah ta`ala will also subject to him what
is in the heavens and the earth, even the elements of fire, water, air and earth, and what is generated
from these, such as spiritual realities, intellectual realities, psychic realities and natural realities. Allah
ta`ala will subject to him the hearts of men, until when he speaks among the people, or presents his
opinions, his speech or ideas will be accepted, and made firm in the hearts of people, even with the
ruler of the entire world, which include those who possess the authority among the Muslims, the
disbelievers, men, jinn, spirits and others from among the righteous servants of Allah.

As for the five in the Hereafter: the first one is that Allah will protect him
from being persistent in sins;27 the second is that when he dies he will find all his
supplications answered;28 the third is that when his appointed time comes, Allah will
27

This is because sending of blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
stands in the place of seeking forgiveness of Allah and the absence of persistence in sin, as he upon
him be blessings and peace said: The one who seeks forgiveness does not persist in sins. For
whoever is preoccupied with sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace from making supplication for himself, Allah ta`ala will give him what is better than what he
would have asked for. Now, the phrase being persistent in sins is an expression indicating disbelief,
heretical innovation and disobedience. This is because those who are persistent are those for whom
Satan has beautified what they commit of disbelief, heretical innovation and disobedience, he deceives
them my means of these, and causes them to commit them until they die in that state. We ask Allah for
well being. Thus, the reality of being persistent in sins is as the ascetic Shaykh Ahmad, may Allah
ta`ala be merciful to him said: The limits of being persistent in sins is entering the time of prayer and
he has not repented. Thus, being persistent in not repenting is also a form of being persistent in sins.
Subsequently, whoever sends blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
five thousand times daily, Allah ta`ala will protect him from not repenting and from being persistent in
the sins of disbelief, heretical innovation and disobedience, because He the Exalted will by means of
His blessings and the blessings of the Angels upon him, take him out of darkness into the Light, from
disbelief into true faith, from heretical innovation into the Sunna, and from major and minor sins into
fearful awareness of Allah ta`ala and obedience of Him; little by little, day after day, until when his
appointed time comes, he will die in sincere repentance; for the one who truly repents is like the one
who has no sins. Allah ta`ala says: O you who believe remember Allah with much remembrance. And
glorify Him in the mornings and evenings. He is the One who sends blessings upon you, as does His
Angels, in order to bring you out of the darkness into the Light, and He is merciful to the believers;
and success is with Allah.
28
This is because sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is a
supplication which is accepted and answered with Allah ta`ala. It being accepted and answered comes
in four perspectives. The first perspective is that sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace a supplication for someone not present. It has been related by Muslim on the
authority of Abu d-Darda who aid that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace said: There is no one who supplicates for his brother who is absent, except that an Angel says
for him: And to you the like of that. In another narration: The supplication of a Muslim person for
someone absent is answered. At his head is an Angel, who each time he supplicates for his brother with
good, the responsible Angel says: And for you the like of that. In another narration: Allah ta`ala
says: O My servant with the response will began. In another narration: The fastest supplication
which is answered is the supplication made for someone absent. In these diverse narrations, the
meaning of absent is that the person is absent from him by a long distance, or absent from him by
means of death. There is no one absent from the believers, either by death, or by means of a remote
distance such as the Hereafter, who is better than the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace. Thus, the best supplication one can make for him is by sending blessings upon him,
which is the most superior form of making supplication for one absent for the best of those who are
absent, upon him be blessings and peace. Thus, when a person sends blessings upon the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace five thousand times daily, it goes without saying, that his
supplications are answered and accepted with Allah ta`ala. The second perspective is that sending
blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace is the ultimate cause for the
acceptance of supplications. A prophetic tradition has been related by at-Tabarani on the authority of
Ali ibn Abi Talib: Every supplication remains veiled until the person sends blessings upon
Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. That is to say, that it is the causative factor for the
acceptance of his supplication, thus, when he sends blessings upon him five thousand times daily, it
necessitates Allah lifting the veil between Himself and all the persons supplications, and he finds all of
them accepted and answered. The third perspective is that sending blessings upon the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace stands in the place of making supplication and seeking
forgiveness for himself, since he becomes preoccupied by it from making any request from Allah ta`ala.
This is taken from the hadith qudsi related by ad-Daylami on the authority of Hudhayfa who said the
Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said relating from Allah azza wa jalla:
Whoever is preoccupied with My remembrance from asking Me, I will give him that which is superior
to what I give to those who ask. For this reason, whoever is preoccupied with sending blessings upon

strengthen his faith and Satan will have no influence upon him;29 the fourth is that
when his spirit rises into the heavens, the spirits of the believers will encompass it due
to the Pleasure of Allah with it;30 and the fifth is when he is resurrected on the Day of
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace from making supplication for himself, Allah will
give him what is better than tat which He gives to those who make request of Him. This is because
Allah ta`ala is Aware of all of his circumstances, desires and needs. So when he neglects his own
choices, being content with the Choice of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala, and being preoccupied in that
with sending blessings upon the Best of creatures, may Allah bless him and grant him peace with
sincerity, and high resolve, there is no doubt that he will find all of his supplication accepted and
answered. The fourth perspective is that although he is automatically answered by means of sending
blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace in this life and the Hereafter; yet
if his own desires are not given to him in this life, he will find them at death, of after that. This is based
upon what at-Tirmidhi related on the authority of `Ubada ibn as-Saamit who said that the Messenger of
Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said: There is no supplicant who supplicates except
that Allah answers his supplication, or by means of it wards off some evil from him, or due to its
strength removes his sins from him, as long he does not supplicate for something sinful or the breaking
of family ties. Each of these perspectives gives the evidence that Allah ta`ala accepts all the
supplications of the one who sends blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace five thousands times daily.
29
That is to say, that Satan will not seize his faith from him at death and he will not encounter an evil
ending. This is because Satan seizes the faith of many among mankind during their last years as a result
of the viciousness of their actions and as a result the leave this world in a state of disbelief. Although
their names were listed among the Muslim in this life, yet they will be resurrected on the Day of
Judgment among the names of the disbelievers. This is because Satan took away their faith at death,
while other people were unawares. Thus, their judgment in the outward is that were among the
Muslims, while in the Hereafter they will be among the disbelievers. The evidence for this is in what
was narrated by Abu Nu`aym on the authority of Waila who said that the Messenger of Allah, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace said: Be present with those who die among you, cause them to
recite: There is no deity except Allah, and give them the good news of Paradise. This is because even
the most forbearing of men and women will become perplexed during their demise. Further, Satan is
closest to the son of Adam during his demise. By the One in whose Hand is my soul! He examination
of the Angel of Death is more severe than being struck a thousand times with a sword! By the One in
whose Hand is my soul! The soul of a servant will not be taken from this world until he has been
tormented to the number of every drop of sweat which flows from him. Thus, whoever is persistent in
sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace five thousand times daily,
Allah ta`ala will establish his faith, and strengthen it until every door by which Satan can enter to seize
his faith will be closed to him at death.
30
This is an indication of the meaning of many prophetic traditions, among them was what was related
by an-Nisaai on the authority of Abu Hurayra who said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace said: When the believer approaches death, the Angels of mercy come to him
with white silk and say: Come out pleased and pleasing to amusement and refreshing winds and to a
Lord who is not angry! Then the spirit of the believer will brought out like the scent of the most
excellent smelling musk, until his scent will affect all the surrounding spirits. And when his spirit rises
to the heavens, they will say: What an excellent scent which you have brought from the earth! Then
the spirits of the believers will come surrounding it. Among this type of narrative is what was related
by Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayra who said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace said: When the spirit of the believer is brought out from him, two Angels comes
to him and ascends with him. Much mention is made of the excellence of his fragrance, and the People
of the heavens will say: A fragrant spirit which has come to us from the earth! May Allah send
blessings upon you and upon the body in which you resided! Then the spirit will be brought to its Lord
and He will say: Take him back until the Last Time. Thus, the meaning of the words of the Shehu,
may the mercy of Allah be upon him: when his spirit rises into the heavens; is that when it rises to
the Gate of the heavens as it was mentioned in the the two above mentioned prophetic traditions. The
meaning of his words: the spirits of the believers will encompass it; is that it is conceivable that
what is meant by spirits here are the Angels, because Angels are believers in reality and are from
among kingdom of spirits. It is also conceivable that what is meant here are the actual spirits of the
believers from among mankind who have already died. It is also conceivable that what is meant here
are the Angels, the spirits of the believers from among mankind such as the spirits of the messengers,

Judgment, he will be resurrected under the Banner of the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace.31 It is complete.

the prophets, the awliyya, the scholars, the martyrs, the remainder of the spirits of the righteous
servants of Allah, the spirits of the believing jinn, their awliyya, scholars, righteous, and servants, as
well as the remainder of the spirits from the People of the heavens. This latter opinion is the foremost
conceivable view. Thus, all of these spirits come to the spirit of the one who sends blessings upon the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace five thousand times daily, while it is ascending to
the Gate of heavens; and encompass it out of Allah ta`alas contentment with it. This is because the
contentment of Allah is incumbent as a result of the abundant sending of blessings upon the best of the
creation of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
31
The etymological root of the phrase the banner of Praise is from banner which is a flag which
the leader of the army usually carries. It is an expression referring to the flag of the Prophet, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace which he will carry on the Day of Judgment, at which time he will be
sitting upon the Throne. His flag is distinguished with the name praise because he, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace at that time will praise Allah and glorify Him in the presence of the entire
creation with praises which no one had praised Him before or will praise Him with after. Then he will
be given the banner which will be called the Banner of Praise. It is conceivable it is called so because
the banner itself will articulate its praises of Allah ta`ala on the Day of Judgment. However, the first
interpolation is the foremost. There will be no spiritual station for the righteous servants of Allah which
will be higher and more exalted that the Station of Praise and below it ends all the spiritual stations,
as an-Nuurabashti said. Thus, when Allah ta`ala establishes him in the station of Mahmuud, on the Day
of Judgment, He will then give him the banner of Praise, Underneath his banner will be gathered the
first and last of the believers. It is to this that he may Allah bless him and grant him peace indicated by
his words, as related by al-Hakim, at-Tabarani in his al-Kabeer, and al-Bayhaqi on the authority of Abu
Musa in a long prophetic tradition where he upon him be blessing and peace said: the Banner of
Praise will be in my hands. The keys to nobility will be in my hands, and I will be the first to address
creation, the first to interceded on behalf of others, and the first to give the Good News of Paradise. In
the narration of at-Tirmidhi on the authority of Anas who said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace said: I will be the first of mankind who will come forth on the
resurrection, and I will be the one who addresses them when they are gathered. I will be the one who
gives them the Good News when they we be in difficulties. The Banner of praise will be in my hands at
that time, and I will be the most noble of the children of Adam to my Lord, and this is no boast. In the
narration of Ahmad on the authority of Abu Sa`id al-Khudri who said that the Messenger of Allah, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace said: I will be the master of the children of Adam on the Day of
Judgment, and that is no boast. In my hands will be the Banner of Praises, and that is no boast. Then
there will be no prophet, from Adam on anyone besides him, except that they will be underneath my
Banner. I will be the first to intercede, and the first given intercession, and that is no boast. The
meaning of his words, upon him be blessings and peace: Then there will be no prophet, from Adam on
anyone besides him, except that they will be underneath my Banner is that our master Adam and all
those beside him from among the Messengers, the Prophets, and the righteous servants of Allah from
the first religious community until the last of them will be underneath his Banner. While the remainder
of mankind from the disobedient Muslims, the disbelievers and hypocrites will not be underneath his
Banner, rather they will be underneath the Sun of the Day of Judgment. Whoever sends blessings upon
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace five thousand times daily, Allah ta`ala will
resurrect underneath the Banner of Praise in the close company of the Prophet, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace. This is indicated by his words, upon him be blessings and peace as related by atTirmidhi, and Ibn Maja on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud: The foremost people with me on the Day of
Judgment will be those who sent the most blessings upon me. This means that the nearest of mankind
with me, and those who will most deserve my intercession will be those who sent the most blessings
upon me. This prophetic tradition is decisive proof that the methodology of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`,
may the mercy of Allah ta`ala be upon him was in giving the most abundant blessing upon the Prophet,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thus, when a person sends blessings upon the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace five thousand times daily, Allah ta`ala will provide him with these
ten things. However, more than what the Shehu mentioned in this narrative is the spiritual openings,
certain gnosis which Allah ta`ala will give him, as it will be mentioned.

If you desire an opening for the Opening has come; one thousand times.32
32

In the side notes of this manuscript is found written after the completion of the text of the book the
words of Allah ta`ala: If you desire an opening for the Opening has come, one thousand times.
Initially the reason for placing this Quranic verse in the side notes of this book was unknown to me,
until I showed it to Shaykh Umar ibn Ahmad Zaruuq who said: This verse is an indication of the other
advantage of sending blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace five
thousand times daily, is Clear Spiritual Opening from Allah ta`ala. It is essential for the person who
completes these blessings daily to recite the words of Allah ta`ala: If you desire an opening for the
Opening has come one thousand times. He should then seal this with the Blessing of Opening one
time which some attribute to Shaykh Abdl-Qaadir al-Jaylani, while some say it is attributed to Shaykh
al-Bakri, may Allah be pleased with both of them, and is beneficial for the beginner, the intermediate
and those at the end of the spiritual journey. It also comprises secrets and amazing miracles. It is: O
Allah send blessings upon our master Muhammad, the opener of what was closed, the seal of what
preceded, the helper of the Lord of truth, by means of the Lord of truth, and the guide to Your straight
path, and upon his family, to the extent of his rank, and immense ability. The meaning of the words of
Shaykh Umar ibn Ahmad Zaruuq: Clear Spiritual Opening from Allah ta`ala has two meanings:
and outward opening and an inward opening. As for the outward opening it is that Allah ta`ala opens
for him the doors of victory, sufficiency, and prominence by the establishment of the religion, reviving
the Sunna, supremacy over ones enemies and those who do not love the honor of Islam and its people.
As for inward opening it is the Great Opening, the Divine spiritual attraction through the Self
manifestation of the actions of Allah ta`ala, the Self manifestation of the Divine Names, Attributes and
Essence, and emersion into the oceans of the Divine realities and gnosis. Shaykh as-Sharnubi said in his
commentary of the al-Hikam: In this world there is an advanced Paradise, whoever enters it will
thereafter never yearn for the Paradise of the Hereafter, nor for anything else; and he will never be
alone in anything. It was said: What is this Paradise? He said: Knowledge of Allah ta`ala. Malik
ibn Dinar once said: The people of this worlds life have left this world, without ever tasting the best it
has to offer! It was said: What is it? He said: Knowledge of Allah ta`ala. This advanced Paradise
which the best thing in this world and the Hereafter is the Paradise of the Knowers of Allah. No one
enters its gates except by means of its keys, The keys of the Paradise of the Knowers of Allah is
sending abundant blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Shaykh
Abdullahi ibn Fuduye` said in his Diyal-Qawaa`id: Among the most important of affairs is sending
blessings upon the master of all the spiritual masters during all times, for the one who truly desires to
draw near to the Sustainer of the earth and the heavens. This is because by means of sending blessings
upon him, it is the gatherer of secrets and spiritual openings, the purification of the inward from the
filth, for the beginners, those of intense spiritual yearning and the masters of those who have ended
their spiritual trek. The one traveling the path it is his curative. For the disciple it is his training. For the
Knower it is his continuity after his annihilation. The sending of blessings upon the Prophet increases
the one of the spiritual journey in strength. It increases the disciple in righteous chivalry. It increases
the Knower is awe. To the one on the spiritual journey, sending of blessings upon the Prophet, makes
him love righteous deeds. To the disciple it makes him earn spiritual states. To the Knower it
establishes him in unending spiritual stations. By means of sending of blessings upon the Prophet, the
one on the spiritual journey has his faith strengthened. By it, the disciple has his certainty amplified. By
it, the Knower has his Divine assistance increased. The one on the spiritual journey by means of
sending of blessings upon the Prophet increases his illumination. The disciple by it increases his secrets.
The Knower by means of it makes his night and days the same. The one on the spiritual journey earns
by means of sending of blessings upon the Prophet spiritual vitality. The disciple by means of it
induces him out spiritual weakness. The Knower by means of it trains himself on the Carpet of spiritual
arrival, and other than these from the expressions of spiritual attainment. There is no doubt that sending
of blessings upon the Prophet is among the most noble of the rites of the religion under which are
arranged all the spiritual stations of certainty. For when Allah revealed: Verily Allah and His Angels
send blessings upon the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
said: Allah has made me independent of your sending blessings upon me. However, Allah azza wa
jalla has ordered you to it as a form of ennoblement for you. Here ends what he said and with its
ending I end the explanation, spiritual indications and gnosis hidden with the Maximum Blessings of
our master Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, may Allah engulf him in his mercy and afford us with his
baraka and spiritual overflowing Amen. I completed it on the night before Friday, the 28th of
Ramadan, in the year 1430 A.H. [18 September, 2009 C.E.] in response to the request of my beloved
brother in Allah ta`ala Wazir Hassan Yusef. O Allah illuminate our sight with sending blessings upon
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, loosen our tongues with it, open our hearts by it,

 " " 2

Folio 2 of the manuscript as-Salawaatl-Kubra of Shehu Uthman ibn Fuduye`, which I digitized from the archives of Shaykh
Bello ibn Abdr-Raaziq ibn Uthman ibn Abdl-Qaadir ibn Mustafa in the town of Maiurno, Sennar, Sudan.

expand our breast with it, wash our bodies with it, redeem us from all terrors and destructions by it,
fulfill all our needs by it, forgive all our sins by means of it, raise us by means of it to the highest
spiritual stations, and make us attain by means of it the loftiest Goals in all manners of spiritual good in
this life and after death. O Allah send blessings upon our master Muhammad, and the family of our
master Muhammad in the first and the last and make the last of our supplication be: All praises are
due to Allah the Lord of the worlds.

SANKORE

Institute of Islamic-African Studies International