Muslim Scholars Praise of the Dalail al-Khayrat
Salam
Continuing our series regarding the Dalail al-Khayrat:
Praise Regarding the Dalail al-Khayrat
The Dalā’il al-Khayrāt’s acceptance and popularity amongst scholars and laity alike serves as an important reminder of the importance of this text since it was authored. It was based on the spiritual benefits which worshippers found resulted from its recitation thay lead to many of them recording their praise of this work. Shaykh Yūsuf al-Nabhānī said,
“Our Shaykh, the Shaykh of the Sunnah, Imām al-ʿAllāmah, Shaykh Ḥasan al-ʿAdawī al-Misri in his marginalia on Bulūgh al-Musarrāt ʿala Dalā’il al-Khayrāt said, ‘It is sufficient honour for this book that it has attained in terms of benefit and acceptance that which the intellects find astonishing. How can it not be so when some of the gnostics have taken it directly from the Master of the Messengers (Allah bless him and give him peace).
The Shaykh of our Shaykhs, and their Shaykh, Imām al-Sujāʿī said in his marginalia to this book, copying from his Shaykh the Quṭb and Ghawth, Imām Muḥammad al-Ḥifnī, ‘I have taken this book through the outward means from our Shaykh al-ʿAllāmah Muḥammad al-Budayrī al-Dimyāṭī, who took it from the Quṭb al-Ghawth Muḥammad bin Aḥmad al-Meknāsī to the end of the chain to the author.
He said, I have also taken it by spiritual means from the friend of Allāh Most High, Sayyidī Muḥammad al-Maghribī al-Tilmisānī who said: I have taken it spiritually from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).’”[1]
Shaykh al-Nabhānī further added,
“In Kashf al-Ẓunūn an Asmā’’ al-Kutub wal-Funūn it is [mentioned], Dalā’il al-Khayrāt wa Shawāriq al-Anwār fi Dhikr al-Salāt ʿala al-Nabī al-Mukhtār upon him be blessings and peace. It’s beginning is, ‘All praise is due to Allāh who guided us to faith…to the end by the Shaykh Abī ʿAbdullah Muḥammad bin Sulaimān bin Abī Bakr al-Jazūlī al-Simlālī, al-Sharīf al-Ḥasanī who died in the year 875H.
This book is a sign from the signs’ of Allāh regarding the sending of blessings and peace. It is continuously recited in the East and the West, not least in the land of al-Rūm. It has a fine interlineal commentary by Shaykh Muḥammad al-Mahdī bin Aḥmad bin ʿAlī bin Yūsuf al-Fāsī which he named Maṭālʿi al-Musarrāt bi Jalā’ Dalā’il al-Khayrāt. The Dalā’il has variants in the manuscript copies due to the large number of narrators of it from the author (Allah bless him and give him peace). However the relied upon is the copy of Shaykh Abi ʿAbdullah Muḥammad al-Ṣughayyir al-Sahlī who was from his most senior companions. The author corrected it eight years before his death which was [at the time of] Duha on Friday on the 6th of Rabi al-Awwal in the year 862H. It has other commentaries, however the relied upon is the aforementioned commentary of al-Fāsī.”[2]
The Muhaddith of India and Sufi Master, Shāh Walīullah al-Dihlawī praised the Dalā’il by saying the following,
“The Dalā’il al-Khayrāt at this time is recited by many people in the Arab world. If a person wishes to attain divine blessings for a particular need by means of it, then it should be with the condition that his self in general has one resolve. When this opening occurs this person persists in this meaning linked to this action; and makes it a means of attaining his needs.”[3]
Shaykh al-Talīdī said,
“What is meant is that the Dalā’il al-Khayrāt is priceless and there is nothing similar to it in it’s genre, the writer of these words is from those who has witnessed and experienced its blessings. The book by the praise of Allāh (the Most High) does not contain that which the author can be criticized for except for some hadith which are fabricated or have no basis. A book whose author does not possess knowledge of hadith is not free of this. As for that which they criticized it for such as his words: ‘And send blessings upon our Master Muḥammad by the number of your knowledge’…it is interpreted and understood in a good way as is known from the answer of Abul Maḥāsin Sayyidī Yūsuf al-Fāsī as in Mumtiʿ al-Asmā’ and Mirāh al-Maḥāsin. As for that which it contains of intercession by means of the Messenger of Allāh (Allah bless him and give him peace), seeking a means by him and calling out to him by his name ‘Ya Sayyidana Muḥammad’. The objection to this is from the whisperings of the Wahabis and their false drivel. The pure sunnah and language of the Arabs contains that which is evidence for this, as is known by the people of correct knowledge and which is mentioned in the books in refutation of the Wahabis and their followers.”[4]
Shaykh al-Talīdī continued by advising the following,
“I sincerely advise all Muslims to regularly recite the Dalā’il al-Khayrāt for the one who regularly (recites it) along with reflection on the greatness of the noble Messenger and with love towards him will be successful if Allāh (the Most High) wills.”
Mawlana Muḥammad Karam Shāh al-Azharī writes regarding the Dalā’il,
“The Dalā’il al-Khayrāt includes all those forms of sending salutations which have been transmitted with various chains. It has attained such widespread acceptance that all spiritual orders recite it and it is regarded as a means of felicity and salvation. In the Indian sub-continent the four well known orders, the Chishtiyyah, Qādiriyyah, Suhrawardiyyah and Naqshbandiyyah all recite this litany regularly. Those people who are inclined to it and have made it their habit have personally witnessed its blessings…Hadrat Shah Walīullah Muḥaddith Dihlawī (Allāh Most High have mercy on him), his Shaykhs, father, ancestors and his students recited it.”[5]
