Among all the forms of remembrance, sending Durood Sharif (Salawat) upon the Beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ holds a rank like no other — for it is the one act of worship that Allah Almighty declares He Himself performs, along with His angels.
A Command from Allah Almighty
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran (Surah al-Ahzab, 33:56): "Indeed Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet; O you who believe, send blessings and abundant salutations upon him" (rendered after Kanz-ul-Iman, the translation of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمة الله عليه). No other deed is honoured in the Quran in this manner: before commanding us, Allah Almighty informs us that He and His angels already do it.
Ten Mercies for One Durood
The Beloved Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever sends one blessing upon me, Allah sends ten blessings upon him" (Sahih Muslim). Imagine — a single moment of Durood brings ten mercies from the Lord of the Worlds, ten sins erased, and ten ranks elevated, as narrated in other traditions.
Nearness to the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Judgement
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The closest of people to me on the Day of Judgement will be those who send the most blessings upon me" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). For the lover of the Prophet ﷺ, no promise could be sweeter. Durood is the path of nearness — in this world through love, and in the next through his blessed intercession, which we hope for and believe in.
Durood Opens the Doors of Acceptance
Our pious predecessors taught that supplication remains suspended between the heavens and the earth until Durood is sent upon the Prophet ﷺ. This is why every dua should begin and end with Salawat: it is the key that opens the door of acceptance.
The Best Times to Recite Durood Sharif
- Friday, abundantly — the Prophet ﷺ commanded extra Salawat on Fridays, for it is presented to him ﷺ.
- After every prayer, joining Durood to the daily salah.
- When his blessed name ﷺ is mentioned — the true miser, said the Prophet ﷺ, is the one in whose presence he is mentioned and who does not send blessings upon him (Jami' at-Tirmidhi).
- Morning and evening — ten in the morning and ten in the evening bring his intercession ﷺ, as narrated by at-Tabarani.
A Practice for Every Day
Begin small and stay constant: one hundred Durood a day, recited with love and presence of heart, will transform your days. The simplest form — Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammadin wa ala aali Sayyidina Muhammad — carries oceans of blessing, and longer forms such as Durood-e-Ibrahimi, recited in every salah, remain the most excellent.
May Allah Almighty make us among those whose tongues remain moist with the remembrance of His Beloved ﷺ, and may we be gathered under his banner on the Day of Judgement. Ameen, by the rank of the Master of Creation ﷺ.