Q: I have seen some books that are printed for people to write durood. Can a person use these books for writing durood and will one be rewarded?
A: It is permissible to use these books for writing durood. Verbally reciting durood as well as writing durood, both are established in the Mubaarak Ahaadith. Hence, it is permissible for one to use these books for writing durood and one will be rewarded for writing the mubaarak durood of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). The virtue mentioned in the Hadith for writing durood is as follows:
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Whoever sends durood upon me through writing the durood in a kitaab, the angels continue seeking forgiveness on his behalf as long as my name remains in that kitaab.” (Al Mujamul Awsat # 1835)
From this hadith, we understand that writing durood is a virtuous deed and as long as the durood remains in the book, the angels will continue seeking forgiveness on behalf of the writer.
The great muhaddith of our recent times, Hazrat Shaikhul Hadith Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahimahullah) has mentioned the following incident in his kitaab, "Fazaail Durood":
A reliable friend of mine informed me regarding a scribe of Lucknow. He would commence his daily work after writing durood on a sheet of paper which he had reserved for this very purpose.
At the time of his death, he was overcome with fear of the Hereafter saying, “What will become of me after I depart from this world?” On saying this, a majzoob (a saintly personality who constantly engaged in the remembrance of Allah Ta'ala) appeared and said, “Why are you so worried? The sheet of paper (upon which you would write durood) is with Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and is being adorned.” (Fazaail Durood, pg. 153)
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من صلى علي في كتاب لم تزل الملائكة تستغفر له ما دام اسمي في ذلك الكتاب (المعجم الأوسط للطبراني، الرقم: 1835، وسنده ضعيف كما في كشف الخفاء، الرقم: 2518)
عن أنس بن مالك قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من صلى علي صلاة واحدة صلى الله عليه عشر صلوات وحطت عنه عشر خطيئات ورفعت له عشر درجات (سنن النسائي، الرقم: 1297، وسنده حسن كما في المطالب العالية 13/785)
عن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: من صلى علي واحدة صلى الله عليه عشرا (صحيح مسلم، الرقم: 408)
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Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Q: There are many of these books being sold and given out now.
1. I noticed the fatwa above says 'permissible'. Is it sunnat, or established from sahaba that they did this?
2. Should a person be dedicating time to write 1000 durood in the book or rather spend time in reciting durood?
3. Most of these books contain Virtues of writing durood which are speaking about hadith and during the hadith when Nabi ﷺ is mentioned, to write out his name fully. Do these Virtues also apply to writing out durood with no hadith?
4. Can we use a story of Hazrat Shaikh and the person who used to write durood once daily as a proof for us to write durood in a book form and encourage this practice, do we find this in the Sahaabah and tabeeen etc?
A: In the books of hadith, wherever the mubaarak name of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is mentioned, we find the muhadditheen writing the durood next to the mubaarak name of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Hence, the practice of writing the durood commenced from the time of the Sahaabah and continued for centuries.
The only difference one may say is that they were writing the durood when recording the Ahaadith and people in today's times are just writing the durood alone. However, when sending durood is established as a great ibaadat and virtue and there is a general hadith which establishes the virtue of only writing durood, then there is no reason for one to doubt the permissibility of this action, though one will not say that writing out the durood alone in this way is a separate sunnah practice.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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