Qasida Burdah

[Kenneth Larson]

QasidaBurda is a type of qasidah al-madih, an Arabic supplicatory poem in praise of the Prophet ﷺ. It follows a largely traditional methodology, and an established pattern set by the classical Arab poets.

The Burda consists of 160 verses or couplets, which are separated into two hemistiches (half-line of verse) by a caesura (a pause between two lines). The refrain (chorus) is recited between each couplet. Each verse ends with the Arabic letter meem.

Sometime after this, I was stricken by hemiplegia, an illness that paralysed half of my body. [Thus,] I thought that I would compose this poem [i.e. the Burda], which I did, and so I made supplications to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to intercede for me and cure me.

I repeatedly sang the poem, wept, prayed, and asked for intercession. Then I slept and, in my dream, I saw the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ wiped my face with his ﷺ blessed hands and covered me in his ﷺ cloak. Upon awakening, I found was able to walk! I now got up and left my house; telling no one about what had transpired.

It then transpired that I was stricken with hemiplegia, which left half of my body paralysed. At this moment, I thought of composing the poem [i.e. the Burda] and so I did. With it, I asked for intercession with Allah and for Him to forgive me.

Due to the sanctity associated with witnessing the Prophet ﷺ and the fact the Burda itself became consecrated, many commentators added stringent conditions for those hoping to witness the Prophet after reciting the Burda.

A certain Imam al-Ghaznawi used to read the Burda every night with the intention to see the Prophet ﷺ while he slept, but he was not blessed with any visions. He asked his mentor, Shaykh Kamel, about this and pondered over the secrets [of the Burda].

Imam al-Bajuri V makes mentions of merits of the Burda and how it can be used as means of attaining the beatific vision, particularly on the virtue of couplet eight. The Imam states that if a person recites couplet eight often after the evening prayer (Isha) and then falls asleep whilst doing so, they will see the Prophet as in their dream:

The Sufis claim that for each line of that poem is a special benefit such as helping you from being poor or helping you to cure diseases. Some were not satisfied with the fabrication they placed on significance in reading this poem rather they went on to place specific rules that one should abide by when reading this poem.

It was said that the reason for his composing the Burdah was that al-Busiri was afflicted by a chronic disease, and no remedy was of any help; he used to send a lot of blessings (salawat) upon the Prophet (ﷺ) until he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) in a dream one night, and he covered him with his cloak (burdah), and when al-Busiri woke up, he stood up and there was no trace of sickness in him, so he composed this poem (qasidah).

They often appeal to authority (a logical fallacy) claiming that the poem has stood the test of time by being over 800 years old and accepted by most Muslim scholars (what they mean is Sufis) with only a minority discounting it. Now, of course, dismissing the claims of experts i.e. scholars of Islam would be foolish, however, it is entirely possible that the opinion of the majority is wrong and that of the minority is right.

Although there is no doubt that some parts of the Burdah contain ambiguous and ghuluw statements and could be understood as blatant shirk at face value, yet at least some Sufi authorities view it with specific ta`wilat (interpretations) that are free of shirk. Now if they are truthful or not is between them and Allah, what counts is that even they see the need to water down some of its statements.

The best of this world is the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), by which alone this worldly has any meaning; and the best gift of any human to humanity in the Hereafter is the intercession the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) makes-as established in rigorously authentic hadiths, as we will see below.

The explanation clarifies that nowhere it is meant (or even clearly stated) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is the creator of the world. The entire explanation is sound and based on sound Sunni creed (even if it comes from a Sufi).

What we need to understand is that Allah granted His Beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) tremendous knowledge of the Unseen, including details of matters of this life and the next; and He granted His Beloved (Allah bless him and give him peace) greater knowledge of Himself than any of His creation.

Indeed, it is unfair to accuse the author or the poem of shirk if what is meant by asking the Prophet (ﷺ) is how one would address him at the Day of Judgement where all of us will be present. This is similar to the aforementioned poem by Imam al-Safarrini who never endorsed beseeching the Prophet (ﷺ) in supplication.

After all, Rabbani is upon the same methodology of the likes of Ali al-Jifri and other renowned Sufis who justify such ghuluw i.e. invoking the Prophet for help at any time and any places under the pretext (misuse) of tawasul.

A group of scholars such as Shaykh Muhammad b. Abdul-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy upon him) who visited the lands of the Rafidah and Sufis and witnessed Sufi-Rafidi heresies and ghuluw that are associated with the likes of Burdah came to very harsh conclusions; they either regarded segments of it as blatant shirk or borderline-shirk. And the Najdis were not alone in this. Amongst the harsh critics of the Burdah is also Imam Mahmud Shukri al-Aalusi al-Baghdadi al-Hanafi, an Athari Ottoman scholar from Iraq, and Imam Shawkani (a Najdi critic) from Yemen.

However, one cannot dismiss that Sufi authorities themselves have interpreted the controversial parts of the Burdah with sound Islamic understanding that is void of shirk; nonetheless, The problem is that the masses are not affected by their interpretations but rather by the apparent meaning of the poem that at the very least includes statements of ghuluw or/and ambiguity, to the extent that Sufis themselves see the need of clarifying it and applying some ta`wilat on it.

I have heard several things about the Burdah. Some say its good and beneficial and I have also read that it may be shirk as some of the verses are praising the Prophet (pbuh) with attributes of Allah. I am asking for your opinion on this and whether you think it is shirk and to be avoided.

It was said that the reason for his composing it was that al-Busayri was afflicted by a chronic disease, and no remedy was of any help; he used to send a great deal of blessings (salawaat) upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a dream one night, and he covered him with his cloak (burdah), and when al-Busayri woke up, he stood up and there was no trace of sickness in him, so he composed this qaseedah. And Allah knows best whether this story is true or not.

With regard to turning to, this is the same as seeking refuge; seeking refuge is to ward off evil and turning to is to attain something good. Imam Ahmad and others narrated that there was consensus that it is not permissible to seek refuge except in Allah and His names and attributes. As for seeking refuge with anyone else, that is shirk and there is no difference of opinion concerning that.

He denied that there is any refuge when calamity strikes except the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But that applies only to Allah alone, with no partner or associate. He is the one in Whom people can find no refuge except Him.

He called upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), beseeched him, expressed his need of him, and stated that he had no choice but to seek his help, and asked of him these things that can only be asked of Allah. This is associating partners with Allah in His divinity (shirk al-uloohiyyah).

This is telling a lie about Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). There is no special connection between him and one whose name is Muhammad except through obedience, not by just having the same name yet committing shirk.

This is a great contradiction and obvious shirk, because he is asking first and not doubting that his high position will enable him to help him, then he asks him to take him by the hand out of generosity and kindness, otherwise he will be doomed.

It may be said: How can you ask him first for intercession, then ask him to be kind to you? If you say that intercession can only come after permission from Allah, then how can you call upon the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and ask him to intercede? Why don't you ask for intercession from the One under Whose authority all types of intercession come, the One Who is the Sovereign and Controller of heaven and earth, the One Who there is no intercession except after His permission. This renders invalid your seeking intercession from anyone other than Allah.

In these lines of verse there is turning away from the Creator -- may He be exalted and sanctified -- and relying on created beings with regard to calamities of this world and the Hereafter, as is obvious to the believer. What comparison can there be between this and the words of Allah?

This poor man made his refuge in the Hereafter with the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and not with Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. He said that he will be doomed if he (the Prophet) does not take him by the hand, and he forgot Allah, may He be glorified, in Whose hand is harm and benefit, giving and withholding; He is the One Who will save His close friends and those who obey Him. The poet is making the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the sovereign and controller of this world and the Hereafter. He described him as having knowledge of the unseen, part of which is knowledge of what is in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz and the Pen. This is blatant kufr and ultimate exaggeration; we ask Allah to keep us safe and sound.

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