SALAAMS ON OUR BELOVED PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam

OTHER SALAAMS IN 'ARBI

Other salaams in 'Arbi are by:

1. Hafiz 'Imad-ud-Deen Ismail ibn Kathir (702-774 A.H), Rahmatullahi 'alahi who is universally acclaimed as Sahib u't Tafsir, one who did the Tafsir (explanation) of the Holy Qur'an Kareem. His kitab is titled Zikr Mawlid Rasulillah Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam (Remembrance of the Birth of Allah's Messenger, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam). Its contents have been composed into a nazm (eulogy) with 14 chapters and 300 verses by as-Sayyid al-'Allamah Muhammad bin Salim bin Hafeez Ibn Shaykh AbiBakr bin Salim. This nazm has been presented together with its sharh (explanation) by Imam as-Sayyid Muhammad bin 'Alawi al-Maliki in his kitab Baaqatun 'Athira (A Perfumed Bouquet).

The salaam in this mawlid eulogy is unlike any other in that it actually quotes the blessed Hadith Shareef as in these verses:

Wa fi'ssahihayni 'an-iz-Zuhriyy
'An ibni Mut'im-in 'an-in-Nabiyy

Yaqulu lee ism-an ana Muhammad
Wa Hashir wa 'Aaqib wa Ahmad

Wa ana Rabbu'l 'Arshi yamhul kufru bee
Wa khaatimu li'r-Rusli maa ba'dee Nabi

And in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim a hadith by az-Zuhri
Received from Ibn Mut'im that the Holy Prophet said:

My names are Muhammad
Hashir, 'Aaqib and Ahmad

The Lord of the Throne eliminates infidelity through me
I am the final prophet, there is no prophet after me.

The translation of the Hadith Shareef as given in Sahih Bukhari is:

Narrated Hadhrat Jubair bin Mut'im Rady Allahu Anhu: Rasul'Allah Sallallahu alaihi wa Sallam said, " I have five names: I am Muhammad and Ahmad; I am Al-Mahi through whom Allah will eliminate infidelity; I am Al-Hashir who will be the first to be resurrected, the people being resurrected there-after; and I am also Al-'Aqib (i.e there will be no prophet after me)". (Bukhari)

Those who thirst for Hadith can get satiated at this fount.

When we look for poetic content, we find that this mawlid eulogy as well as the salaam in it is a mathnawi. A mathnawi is a special type of poem in which each of the two half verses (misra or hemistish) rhyme and the rhyme changes from verse to verse. For example, the three verses quoted above rhyme in "Zuhriyy and Nabiyy", in "Muhammad and Ahmad", and in "Bee and Nabi". You never cease to be amazed at the rich diversity and wealth of Muslim scholarship.

2. Imam Abu'l Faraj ibn al-Jawzi Rahmatullahi 'alaih in his kitab titled Mawlid-il-'Arus (The Birth of the Bridegroom), a biography of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam with 23 chapters and 23 qasaaid (hymns), a qasida (hymn) being presented after each chapter. This mawlid eulogy is famous for having been composed by Imam ibn al-Jawzi (Ash-Shahir Bi'l-Jawzi).

The congregation's response in the salaam is: Salaamun 'alaik (salutations on you).

3. Imam as-Sayyid Muhammad 'Uthman al-Mirghani Rahmatullahi 'alaih in his mawlid eulogy titled Al-Asraar ar-Rabbaniyyah (The Secrets of the Lord), a 14 chapter biography of the beloved Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in poetic prose where the odd number verses rhyme in the letter "haa", while the even number verses rhyme in the letter "noon", for a total of 352 verses! The salaam itself rhymes in the letters "laam alif".

The opening verse of the salaam in this kitab is:

Marhaban bi'l Mustafa Yaa Mas'halaa
Mas'halan fee Marhaban fee Mas'halaa

Welcome to Mustafa O gentle one!
Most cordial welcome in all humility

4. Al-'Allamah Gulam Mustafa 'Ishqee, Rahmatullahi 'alaih of India. His salaam is usually given in kutub (books) of Awraad and Azkaar (additional voluntary invocations to Allah), for example in Majmu'ah Wazaaif (A Collection of Regular Voluntary Invocations) compiled by Qari Ridha u'l-Mustafa A'zami. Its opening verse is:

Yaa Shafi 'al-Waraa Salaamun 'alaik
Yaa Nabiyya'l Hudaa Salaamun 'alaik

O intercessor (on Judgement Day), salutations on you
O the Prophet of guidance, salutations on you.

Its closing verses are:

Matlabee Yaa Habibee Laisa siwaak
Anta Matloobunaa Salaamun 'alaik

Sayyidee Yaa Habibee Maulaaee
Laka Roohi Fidaa Salaamun 'alaik

Haadha Qaulu Ghulamika 'Ishqee
Minhu Yaa Mustafa Salaamun 'alaik.

I don't wish for anyone else besides you, O my beloved.
You are the one we seek, salutations on you.

My leader, my beloved, my patron
My soul be sacrificed for you, salutations on you

This is the saying of your servant 'Ishqee
"O Mustafa salutations on you from him".

5. Shaykh 'Abdulrahman Bin Shaykh 'Abdallah Rahmatullahi 'alaih of Somalia known as Shaykh Hajj Sufi, Rahmatullahi 'alaih. His kitab, Daleeli'l 'Ibaad Ilaa Sabil-i'r-Rashaad (Proof For People On The Right Path), is a collection of 60 of his spiritually effervescent qasaaid (hymns) together with his takhmees of the famous qasida "Tabaraka Dhu'l 'Ulaa" ("The Exalted, The One Who Is High Above"). The "takhmees" of a qasida is its augmentation from couplets to quintets. The Salaam itself has 32 verses most of which rhyme in the letter "kaaf" and, interestingly, its ever popular chorus of "Yaa Nabi Salaam 'Alaika" also rhymes in the letter "kaaf". Its concluding verses are:

Wa Salaatu Man Daraaka
Wa Salaamuhu 'Alaika
Wa 'Alaa Man Qad Qafaaka
Maa Danaa Daanin Ilayka

Blessings on those who know you
And salutations on you
And on those who follow you
As long as there is someone close by you (that is, forever)

6. Shaykh 'Abdulrahman bin Shaykh 'Umar ash-Shafi'i al-Qadiri, Rahmatullahi 'alaih of Somalia in his Mawlid it-Taqreeb Ilallahi Ta'ala wa Ilaa Habibi-hi'l Mustafa Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam (Mawlid To Bring You Close To Allah And To His Beloved Mustafa, Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon him), as given in al-Majmu' (Collected Works). This mawlid eulogy has 18 chapters and 315 verses all of which rhyme in the letters "Laam Alif" while most of the verses in the Salaam rhyme in the letter "Faa". It is of interest to note here that al-Majmu' also contains his "takhmees" of the qasida titled Aqeedatu'l Awam (Basic Common Creed), composed by al-'Allamah Ahmad Marzuq Rahmatullahi 'alaih.

The opening verse of the salaam is:

Yaa Rabbi Salli Sarmadaa
'Ala'l Habibi'l Mustafa

O Lord! Bestow blessings for ever and evermore
On the beloved Mustafa

The salaam explains the significance of the day and month the beloved Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam was born, which is Monday twelfth Rabi' al-Awwal and one of the verses declares it Eid.

Hilaluhu 'Idun Lana
Wa Zikruhu Feehi Shifa

Its crescent is Idd for us
And in its rememberance is a healing.

7. Shaykh Muhammad 'Abdullah Shaddad bin 'Umar Baa 'Umar Rahmatullahi 'alaih in his kitab Ad-Durru'l Munaddad Fee Seerati Sayyidina Muhammad Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam (A String Of Pearls In The History Of Our Master Muhammad, Peace and Blessings of Allah Be On Him) which is a poetic biography of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in 14 parts with 169 verses. The salaam has an additional 30 verses with the following chorus:

Yaa Nabi Salaam 'Alaika
Yaa Rasul Salaam 'Alaika
Yaa Shafi'u Yaa Mushaffa'
Fi'l Waraa Yaumu'l Qiyama

Salutations on you, O Prophet
Salutations on you, O Messenger of Allah
O the intercessor whose intercession is accepted
For all creation on the Day of Judgement.

In the introduction to this kitab, his son Shaykh Hasan Muhammad Shaddad explains that the reason his father Shaykh Muhammad Baa 'Umar Rahmatullahi 'alaih composed this kitab was because he saw the Holy Prophet Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam in a dream and addressed him with the above two verses. Sub'han Allah: Glory be to Allah!