An exegesis of the verse of Durood

Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation.  Surah Ahzaab (33:56)

 

Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui writes in the exegesis (Tafseer) of this verse:

 

The intent here is that as per the Hadith:  If one loves a thing, he will mention it profusely; the mention of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) seems the more the better, regardless of whether one does it himself or herself or someone else does it.  Then those who understand the subtleties will obviously make profuse mention of His Beloved (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) to please the Lord Almighty.  They do not require any other encouragement.

 

For those people who do not take up a thing as long as they don’t see a special benefit in it, various kinds of exhortations have been given.  These people are again of 2 kinds.  Some are inclined towards the benefits of this world and some are inclined towards the benefits of the hereafter.  Each group has been promised rewards as per their inclination.

 

Thus, for the first kind the glad tiding is given that due to this poverty is dispelled, one’s sustenance is increased.  In fact, this suffices for every affair of life and no anxiety or worry remains.

 

For those people who are desirous of great reward and benefits of the hereafter, it is said to them that the reward of this is equal to spending mountains of charity and freeing a large of number of slaves and is more excellent than fighting in the path of Allah Most High.  In fact, it is equal to whatever all the people do on the face of this earth.  This act (of sending Durood on the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)) is the most excellent one with Allah Most High.  Due to this, a thousand virtues are recorded and a thousand sins are erased and the stations of that person are raised.  The one who does this will see his/her place in paradise before death itself.  That person will be in the shade of the ‘Arsh and will be delivered from the worry and horror of the Day of Judgment.  That person will be blessed with the intercession of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and His proximity.  All the affairs of the hereafter will be easy for such a person.  He will be saved from the wrath of Allah Most High.

 

          For those who desire the pleasure and approval of Almighty Allah, it is said that this act purifies the heart.  It gains one the pleasure of Almighty Allah.  The angels supplicate for the forgiveness of this person and Almighty Allah Himself declares “Ameen” to those supplications.

 

Then to further encourage the believers in general, Almighty Allah says that He Himself also participates in this along with the angels.

 

Thus, many other encouragements and exhortations have been given in this regard.  Even after all this, if someone does not accept it, then the punishment for that person is that neither is his Taharah accepted nor Salaat nor any supplication and that wretch will stray from the path of paradise and will enter hell.  (Anwaare Ahmadi, Pg. No. 56-57)

 

The excellence of Durood

 

It is narrated that someone asked the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):  O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), what is meant by the Words of Almighty Allah:

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  This is secret knowledge.  If you had not asked Me, I would never have told you.  Almighty Allah has appointed 2 angels for Me.  When My mention is made before any Muslim and that Muslim recites Durood on Me, they say:  May Allah grant you His forgiveness; and Almighty Allah says Ameen to it.  For the person who doesn’t recite Durood when My mention is made, those angels say:  May Allah never forgive you!  Almighty Allah says Ameen to that as well.

 

Congratulations to those folk, to specially pray for whom, angels have been appointed and the Lord Almighty Himself and all other angels say Ameen to it!  This is nothing but grace for the sake of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Otherwise, whither the majesty of the Lord Almighty and whither this word!  Even though, we are sure that the meaning of this word is something else, but still Almighty Allah does use this word.  Praise be to Allah!  What high status is being granted to the Ummah for the sake of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  This cannot be described in its entirety.

 

At the same time, it should also be known that just being in the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is not enough.  All this depends only on whether one’s relations with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) are clear.  Otherwise, forget about high stations, it is difficult to be sure of one’s faith alone!  Just see what this Hadith says:  None of you can be a true believer unless he loves Me more than he loves himself.  (Anwaare Ahmadi, Pg. No. 63)