1

Qasidah Al-Burdah: 1he Cloak of Love or Ignorance?

By Ahmad Musa Jibril

i.vittab

Introduction
Imam Muslim related rom Anas ,radia allahu anh, that he said: 1he Messenger o Allah
,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, said: None o you will truly beliee until I am more beloed
to him than his amily, wealth and all the people.`` |6|
In the same way that loe o the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, is a reason or
attaining the good o this world and the lereater, loing him is also a reason or
achieing the sweetness o Iman.
But, how do we maniest our loe or him It is by ollowing the Sunnah o the Prophet
,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. Allah says: Say ,Muhammad,, i you do loe Allah, ollow
me, Allah will loe you ,in return, and orgie your sins` ,Qur`an 3:31,
1o loe the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, is to loe Allah alone, to worship Allah
as he worshipped Allah. Allah says: 1here are men who take others besides Allah as
equal with lim. 1hey loe them as much as they should loe Allah. But the belieers
hae more loe or Allah.` ,Qur`an 2:165,
In the past ew years, there is a particular piece o Arabic poetry that has reached the
Muslims in the west and has been translated into Lnglish. 1his poem is called Qasidah
Al-Burdah by Muhammad Al-Busairi. It is also known as the most amous i not the
most amous poem that supposedly praises the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,.
1he poem has been widespread in Arabic or nearly eight centuries and many scholars
hae replied to it in Arabic.

Among those replies are:
1. Al Dur AlNadeed or Alshawkany.
2. In 1asier AlAzeez Alhameed is a reply by Sheikh Sulieman Bin Muhammad Bin
Abdelwahab.
3. lateh AlMajeeed Abdalrahman bin lassan
4. Reply to Al Burdah by Sheikh Abdallah Aba Ibteen ,0 page long reply,
5. Ghayat AlAmany e Alrad Ala Alnabhany by Mahmood Shukry Al Aloosy
6. Reply to Burdah by Abdel Badee3 Saker
. Reply to Burdah by sheikh Abdel Azeez Al Abdel Latee
8. Ma3loomat Muhimah An Aldeen By Jameel Zino

1here would hae been no need to write a reply in Lnglish had not misguided people
translated it, bolstered it, and undertook to propagate it at so-called Muslim social eents.
\hile it has recently been translated into Lnglish by those who support this, through my
research, I was unable to ind any conclusie or inconclusie reply to it in Lnglish.

1hereore, I take it as my duty to deend this Aqeedah and ask Allah that it be or lis
sake only, and that the harm o those who will slander me
be among my balance on the judgment day.
2

1here are lines in the poem that may mean something good or bad. Len though, these
lines may be interpreted with truth or alsehood, the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh
wasalam, taught us to think good irst unless there is proo against a particular matter.
lence I gae the author the beneit o the doubt and did not mention those lines. Based
on this there are two aspects o the poem that must be remembered. lirst, there was
enough and suicient errors in the other lines. Second, in some translations, the meaning
is not accurate. 1he explanation o how it is wrong and read in Arabic must be noted.

Background
1. 1his poem is ery popular and widespread in Arabic. 1here are those who
memorize it and others who chant it. 1here are those who made it their ocus o
study coupled with supposed scholars who waste their time on its elucidations.
1oday, there are oer ity written elucidations on this in Arabic.

2. 1he name gien to this poem was Qasidah Al-Burdah. 1he author chose this
name as a copycat rom another poem praising the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh
wasalam, by a companion named Ka3b Bin Zuhier. 1here are no similarities in
the two poems except the name.

It was gien other names such as Albara`ah, meaning the cure, because it
supposedly cured the author rom being paralyzed ater he read it.

It was also gien the name the lardship because it supposedly eases o
hardships when one reads it.

3. Some Suis claim that or each line o that poem is a special beneit such as
helping you rom being poor or helping you to cure diseases.
i


Muhammad Saeed Kailany replied to this and said: Some were not satisied with
the abrication they placed on signiicance in reading this poem rather they went
on to place rules on reading this poem that were not placed on the Qur`an. Some
rules or example are to be pure upon reading it, to ace the kiblah, and to hae
precise grammar and pronunciation upon its recitation. 1o ully comprehend its
meaning, they also had a special band that was sent out to wedding and unerals
to chant it. 1hey were gien monetary compensation, and o course that is all the
abrication o the Suis who wanted to monopolize its recitation.`
ii


4. As to why he wrote it, Al-Busairi had become paralyzed at or beore he wrote
this poem. le claims he wrote it, prayed and cried, and recited it. Ater he
prayed he had a dream that the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, placed his
cloak on him. 1he next day he took a walk to the local bazaar where he was
approached by some poor people. One asked him, \here is the poem` le
answered, \hat poem` 1he person then explained, 1he one you chanted to
the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, while you were ill, wallahi I hae seen a
ision where the Prophet is happy with it and placed a cloak on the one who
recited it.` 1he poor man then recited part o its beginning, and said that he saw
the Prophet swaying back and orth to the tones o the poem in his ision.

Ater that, the dream became popular and so did the poem.

3
RLPL\:
a, le sought reuge and cure possibly in and through the poem itsel which
is shirk because reuge in other than Allah is shirk. Or, i it was the
contents that supposedly cured him then that is shirk as well.
b, le said he had seen a dream o the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,
yet did not describe him. As we know the deil does not and cannot
imitate the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, in his original orm.
loweer, the deil can come in other orms claiming to be the prophet.
lere, Al-Busairi did not describe the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh
wasalam, een though he had supposedly seen him in his dream.
c, As to how Allah responded to his dua' and cured him rom being
paralyzed, Ibn 1aimieh ,rahimahu allah, said: 1he reason Allah responds
to those who do dua' in a haram manner is because they are in such a
hardship so extremely desperate in making their dua' that had they been
making that dua` in ront o a statue, Allah would respond to them.
Because he desperately turned to Allah een though he is committing
shirk next to a statue, and sometimes een when one seeks reuge in
those dead in grae in similar desperate hardships Allah responds and
then the person will be punished or that shirk unless Allah orgies
him,.`
iii


5. 1he author, Muhammad Bin Saeed Al-Busairi is attributed to the town where he
was born in Lgypt in 608 A.l. le deled into Suism and worked as a writer
een though he was not a ormidable writer. lis works show he was not a
knowledgeable aqih either. In act, he was not een a righteous worshipper. 1he
people o his time hated him because he used his tongue in eil. le would always
ask people or money. le supported the leaders whether they were righteous or
not in order to receie inancial gain.

le joined the Sui Shathilieh 1areekah, and had poems praising it and its
manners. \et he had other poems where he complained about it because, he tells
us, he was unable to satisy his wie`s sexual desires. le died 695 ater hijra
i


Analysis of the Poem
= i__ \,..\! _\} =.. =,: ' ' ' ,.\! = \,..\! y_>. ,\ v\
Ior had it not been for him this world would not have come out of non
existence. (Chapter 3/J0)

1, 1his is an extreme exaggeration in the description o the Prophet Muhammad
,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. \e loe the Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu
alieh wasalam, but this loe has a limit we cannot go beyond or below. lor
example, because o our loe o the Prophet we cannot say he is the son o Allah,
as the Christians went into an extreme in loing their prophet. I we did this, we
would be just like the Christians.

In this line Al-Busairi said the unierse was not created except or the purpose o
the Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, .

Allah said And I hae not created human and jinn but to worship me.`
,Althariyat:56,
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And een the Prophet was created to worship as Allah said, And worship your
Lord until there comes unto you the certainty ,i.e. death,.` ,Allijer 99,
1he Suis may come back with a supposed hadith where it was said, "lad it not
been or you the unierse would not hae been created." 1he problem with this
hadith is it is abricated and cannot be gien as proo.

_\> _ _\> _ ,,,.\! _\ ''' _: v ,===\=== _ ==.!.=, ,=\
_=.\= =! =_ = ,\: ''' .\! = \=_ l _>,\! = \_=
He transcends the Ambiya, physically and in (noble) character.
And (the other Ambiya) cannot come near his in knowledge and noble nature
kindness.
1hey all obtained from Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).
(Like a) handful (of water) from the ocean or (a few) sips from continuous rains.
(Chapter 3/22)

2, lere Al-Busairi claims that all messengers beneited and receied rom the
Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. Meaning, the prior messengers
receied and beneited rom the latter. No realistic mind can accept that, and
more importantly, there is no proo or that claim.

1his goes back to some major misguidance which is present in Sui belie.
Alhalaj said, 1he Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, has brightness beore the
unierse was created, and rom it eery ,piece o, knowledge and eery thing was
deried, he een supplied the preious messengers.`

Ibn Araby Altaey said, Lery Prophet and messenger rom Adam to the last
messenger takes rom the guidance o the Prophet Muhammad .`
i


__\.\! -.=.! \= g. _ ,,,. ' ' ' ,:.>! -, \>.= =.= \=, ,:>!
Discard what the Christians claim about their Nabi
1hen decide and say what you wish in praise of him (Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam). (Chapter 3/29-30)

3, lere he says as long as you rerain rom claiming to our messenger that which
Christians claimed to theirs then it is permissible or you to go as extreme as you
want in your loe or the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. So long as you do
not claim calling the Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, the son
o Allah, one can state anything, be as extreme as they wish to be about him to
show one`s loe or him. 1o be more speciic then, one can prostrate to the
Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, so long as one does not claim about him
what the Christians do that he is to be worshipped.

1he proo against this is the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, said, Do not
do to me as the Christians did to Issa, I am a messenger o Allah, thereore, say
the serant o Allah and lis messenger.`

Ibn Al Jawzy said the hadith means do not go into extreme in one`s loe or the
Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. 1he context o the hadith was such that
Mu`ath ,radia allahu anh, asked the Prophet i he may prostrate to him, and the
5
Prophet ,sallah allah alieh wasalam, set a rule against going into extreme loe or
him.
ii


\=== -.\,l _. =,=\. \ ' ' ' ,=_\! __!. _=., ,> -==! \,>l
If his miracles were proportionate (according) to his rank, in greatness,
1hen his name would have, when called out brought decaying bones back to life
(Chapter 3/3S-36)

4, 1hose who explained this poem said that this line means that had the miracles
been gien to him by Allah reached the leel o his honor, then among those
miracles would be that Allah would reconstruct rom bones and dust a human
simply due to the blessing and sacredness o calling o his name.
iii


In an indirect way this objects to the miracles Allah has chosen or his
messenger.

Imam Mahmood Shukry Al Aloosy said in reply to this line, 1his is extremism
in praise o the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, , as how can one say the
Qur`an does not suit the honor o the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,, or
that it is lower than his honor. Also the name o Allah is mentioned yet as sacred
as Allah`s name is, the bones and dust do not resurrect to lis name.
ix


-===l , \,_. ., _,= v ' ' ' ,..\= -.= _=..=\ _,=
No perfume equals the dust (earth) which is touching his (Rasulullah Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam's mubarak) body.
Glad tidings be to the person who smells it (the dust) and kisses it. (Chapter 3/6J-
62)

5, Al-Busairi made the dirt where the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, is buried
better than the smell o best o musk. 1hen he said ,1uba, praise or ,praise o
jannah, or the one who inhales it or kisses it.

1hat is extremism, and no doubt, an innoation that leads to clear shirk.

Ibn 1aimieh ,Rahimahu allah, said, 1he imams agreed that the grae o the
Prophet should not be touched or kissed, and that is to guard tawheed.`
x


-\ } _=.=\! _=s\\, ===l ' ' ' ,=s\! i__,= -,=. -,\ =
I take an oath (of truth) by the moon that was split, it bears.
A connection with his heart (which shows) the truth of my oath. (Chapter S/7-8)

6, lere the author gies an oath by the moon. As we know, giing an oath by other
than Allah is minor shirk. 1he Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, said,
\homeer gies an oath by other than Allah has committed Shirk or kuer.`
xi


Ibn Abdel Albar said, It is not permissible to gie an oath by other than Allah in
any manner or orm, and it is united upon by scholars.`
xii


., = ,_!.\! _.= ===.\! v ' ' ' ,\.== _,> = _..\! ==\.=! v}
I did not ask for the wealth of the two worlds from his hand.
But I received a great gift the best hand that was ever kissed. (Chapter S/J9-20)
6

, 1he author says he would like to achiee the richness o both worlds in this lie
and the hereater rom the Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, .

loweer, Allah says:
\hateer grant you hae is rom Allah.` ,Nahl:53,
See rom Allah your rizk and worship him.` ,AlAnkaboot: 1,
And say who gies you rizk rom the sky and earth.` ,\ounis:31,

linally, as a warning to us with regards to this matter, Allah says, Say: ,O
Muhammad to those polytheists, pagans, etc., "Call upon those whom you assert
,to be associate gods, besides Allah, they possess not een the weight o an atom
,or a small ant,, either in the heaens or on the earth, nor hae they any share in
either, nor there is or lim any supporter rom among them.` ,Saba: 22,

_.,==., -.= -=. _\ \ ' ' ' _\>\! _l = !.=>= ,=.\\,
If I had committed any sin my covenant is not (likely to be) violated.
With my Nabi Rasuluallah Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam and nor is my rope
broken.
Ior verily I have a security from him due to my name.
(Being) Muhammad , while he is the most faithful of mankind in fulfilling his
promise. (Chapter 9/JJ-J4)

8, lere, Al-Busairi claims that he has a special coenant and relationship with the
Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, based on the act that his name is also
Muhammad .

1here is no bond between anyone and the Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu
alieh wasalam, simply because he shares the same name. 1here are many
indiiduals whose name is Muhammad who are corrupt deiants.

1he bond between anyone and the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, comes
with the obedience to Allah and ollowing the commands o the Prophet
Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. Sharing the same name has no
relation to ollowing the prophet`s ,sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, actions and
commands.
xiii


_,_ -=>_ \ \==s, ,> ' ' ' \,\! _=> _\= _.\. _ ,=s\!
Perhaps the mercy of my Lord when distributed.
Would be distributed in proportion to the sins. (Chapter J0/9-J0)

9, lere he says that it is possible that the mercy o Allah comes down based on the
amount o sins. Meaning, the more one sins, the more mercy rom Allah. 1his
goes against what Allah says in the Qur`an.

Allah says, And do not do mischie on the earth, ater it has been set in order,
and inoke lim with ear and hope, Surely, Allah's Mercy is ,eer, near unto the
good doers.` ,AlAra: 56,`

Allah says, And ordain or us good in this world, and in the lereater. Certainly
we hae turned unto \ou. "le ,Allah, said: ,As to, My Punishment I alict
7
therewith whom I will and My Mercy embraces all things. 1hat ,Mercy, I shall
ordain or those who are the Muttaqun ,pious,, and gie Zakat, and those who
beliee in Our Ayat ,proos, eidences, erses, lessons, signs and reelations,
etc.,." ,AlAra:156,

-, .\l = _\ \= =_\! ,_:l \, ' ' ' \> ..= =!= ,=\! =.\>\!
Most generous of mankind, I have no one to take refuge in
Lxcept you at occurrence of widespread calamity. (Chapter J0/J-2)

10, Al-Busairi says here that when the biggest o all hardships bealls him, he has no
one to turn to but the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. 1his is the kind o
shirk that may place one in an eerlasting spot in hell

Allah says, "And inoke not besides Allah, any that will neither proit you, nor
hurt you, but i ,in case, you did so, you shall certainly be one o the Zativvv
,polytheists and wrong-doers,. " ,\ounis:106,

Imam Sulieman bin Abdel \ahab said, Pay attention to this line o shirk, he
denied anyone to turn to in hardships but the Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu
alieh wasalam,. And, reuge really belongs to Allah with no partner, as le is the
One whom all humans turn to. le ,AlBusairy, also calls the Prophet ,sallah
allahu alieh wasalam, in that line ,o poetry, in lowliness and time o hardship
and need, and asked him that which should only be asked o Allah. And, that is
shirk in uluhiyah.`
xi

Imam Abdelrahaman bin lasan bin Abdelwahab said, le honored the Prophet
,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, in that which saddens the prophet, and the Prophet
orbade exaggerating in his honor that which is much less than what Al-Busairi
has done here as anyone with any knowledge knows. 1his person limited humans
to turn to another human rather than Allah. Allah denounced those who do
liyath` ,the term the author used as turning to, in Surat al Jinn ayah 6 ;.va rerit,,
tbere rere vev avovg vav/iva rbo too/ .better ritb tbe va.cvtive avovg tbe ;ivv., bvt tbe,
;;ivv.) ivcrea.ea tbev ;vav/iva) iv .iv ava ai.betief.) Meaning they added deiance,
liyath and giyath. One o which is to ask or good. And, the other asking to turn
away harm. Both are orms o worship that only belong to Allah.`
x

AlShawkany said, Look at how he limited liyath ,turning or good, to no other
than the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, and he orgot about Allah, ina
lillah wa ina ilieh rajioon.`
xi


-, =_.=! \=, _=.\! _.=\= \= ' ' ' ,, ,\ -.= !_! =\. v}
Whenever time caused me any distress and I took refuge in him.
I receive shelter from him which was not misused. (Chapter S/J7-J8)
11, lere he is saying that eery time he became worried, distressed or ill, he would
call upon the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,, and then these problems
would disappear.
In relaying the story o Ibrahim, Allah says the words o Ibrahim, "And when I
am ill, it is le who cures me,` ,Ash-Shu`ra:80,
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Allah says, And i Allah touches you with harm, none can remoe it but le, and
i le touches you with good, then le is Able to do all things.` ,AlAnam: 1,
1he Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, told Ibn Abbas, I you ask, ask Allah,
and i you seek aid, seek it rom Allah.`
xii


_, ==\ =! =_ _,, \ ' ' ' ,s..= ,=\, _\>. ,,_:\! !.}
And O messenger of Allah, your exalted status will not diminish, because of me
(intercession on my behalf)
When most Bountiful (Allah 1a'ala) will manifest (Himself) by the name of the
punisher. (Chapter J0/3-4)

12, Suliem bin Abdallah bin Muhammad said, In this line he is seeking rom the
Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, exactly what the mushrikeen
sought rom their statues, jah, which is intercession to Allah, and that is shirk.
Also, the intercession comes rom Allah, thereore it should not be asked rom
other than Allah. Allah permits one to gie intercession not the one giing
intercession initially.`
xiii


\._ \,..\! =. = \ ' ' ' ,\s\! _\\! ,\= ==\= =
Ior verily amongst your bounties is this world, and the hereafter.
And part of your knowledge is knowledge of the Preserved 1ablet (Lowh), and
the Pen. (Chapter J0/S-6)

13, lere he is saying that this lie and the lie ater is rom the generosity o the
Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. 1hereore, this lie and the
hereater belong to the Prophet Muhammad ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. \et
Allah attributes both this lie and the lie ater to him.

Allah says, 1ruly! Ours it is ,to gie, guidance, And truly, unto Us ,belong, the
last ,lereater, and the irst ,this world,. 1hereore I hae warned you o a lire
blazing iercely ,lell,, None shall enter it sae the most wretched, \ho denies
and turns away.` ,AlLayl 12-16,

In the second line o poetry, Al-Busairi mentions ,al-Lahw, which is with Allah
alone, as well as ,the kalam,, which is the unoreseen knowledge, where Allah has
written eerything that will happen 50,000 years beore the creation o the sky
and earth. Al-Busairi attributes this knowledge to the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh
wasalam, and claims that the Prophet knows what is in that book.

1his is rom deiance as Allah says,
Say: "None in the heaens and the earth knows the Cbaib ,unseen, except Allah,
nor can they perceie when they shall be resurrected." ,AlNaml: 65,
And with lim are the keys o the Cbaib ,all that is hidden,, none knows them
but le. And le knows whateer there is in ,or on, the earth and in the sea, not a
lea alls, but he knows it. 1here is not a grain in the darkness o the earth nor
anything resh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.` ,AlAn3am: 59,
9
Conclusion
In conclusion, this poem does nothing but airm that we, as Muslims, should be irm in
our Aqeedah, in our belie and knowledge o 1awheed. 1his poem airms that because it
is being read at Muslim social eents today, we are ery ignorant o what is acceptable
and unacceptable in our religion. It is also indicatie o the act that dawah materials in
Lnglish are not readily aailable to counter these types o deiant works.

Instead o deling into these kinds o poetry, we should encourage the propagation o
the authentic writings o the Sahabah such as those o Ka3b bin Zuheir and lasan bin
1habet, the companions o the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam,. Both o whom
wrote remarkable poems which praised the Prophet ,sallah allahu alieh wasalam, in the
most eloquent terms without alling into shirk and deiance.


May Allah strengthen the Muslims. Ameen

-Ahmad Musa Jibril
13
th
day o Ramadan, 1425


i
Almadeh Alnabawieh Zaky Mubarak P. 197
ii
Mukadimat Diwan Albusairy p. 29-30
iii
Iktida Alsirat Almustakeem 2/692-693
iv
See his biography in Diwan AlBusairy edited By Muhammad Saeed Kailany p. 5-44& Albusairy
Dirasah Wa Nakd
v
Silsilat aldafeeh 1/299; Alsanany fe Mawduateh P. 46
vi
Mahabar Al rasool Abdel Raoof Uthman 169-196
vii
Fateh Albary 12/49
viii
Ghaet Al Amany Alaloosy 2/349
ix
See above and AlDur Alnaded Ibn hamdan p. 136
x
Alrad Ala Alakhniay p, 41
xi
Narrated by ahmad 4509, Tirmithy 1534
xii
Altamheed 14/366-367
xiii
Taiseer al azeez Alhameed p.22; Aldurar Alsunieh 9/51
xiv
Tayseer Al azeez alhameed 219-220
xv
Aldorar alsunieh 9/89; and 9/49
xvi
Al dur alnadeed p, 26
xvii
Narated by Tirmithy as hasan
xviii
Aldurar alsunieh 9/52

*All English translations have been derived from
http://www.geocities.com/durood/burdah/b1.htm