Qasida Burda

Scholarship and Learning

After memorising the Noble Qur’an in his youth, Imam al-Busiri travelled to Cairo to pursue Islamic knowledge. There he distinguished himself as one of the foremost scholars of his generation, mastering a wide range of Islamic sciences, including Arabic language and grammar, linguistics, literature, Islamic history, Qur’anic exegesis, theology, logic, debate, and the Prophetic biography.

Allah blessed Imam al-Busiri with exceptional skill in calligraphy, and he initially earned his livelihood by writing inscriptions. His beautiful handwriting became widely admired, and many people sought him out to learn the art.

His reputation as a scholar attracted many students, among them Abu al-Hayyan al-Gharnati, the celebrated Qur’anic exegete and Arabic grammarian, and Imam Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ya’mari, better known as Imam Fath al-Din ibn Sayyid al-Nas, one of the leading hadith scholars of his age and the author of a celebrated biography of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Public Service

Before devoting himself entirely to scholarship and poetry, Imam al-Busiri served in several administrative posts within Egypt. During this period he became disillusioned with public life after witnessing corruption and misconduct among certain officials. His criticism of their behaviour, expressed through satirical poetry, earned him the hostility of influential figures and eventually led him to leave government service altogether.

Returning to Cairo, he briefly taught children before settling permanently in Alexandria, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Spiritual Formation

Although Imam al-Busiri excelled in the outward sciences, the defining influence upon his life came through Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, who accepted him as a disciple and initiated him into the Shadhili Sufi Order. Shaykh Abu al-Abbas was the foremost disciple and successor of Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili, the founder of the Shadhili Way.

At the time, Alexandria was one of the foremost centres of Islamic scholarship and Sufism. It was there that Imam al-Busiri sought out Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi and entered the Shadhili path under his guidance.

Under the guidance of his shaykh, Imam al-Busiri underwent a profound spiritual transformation. His love and admiration for Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi are reflected in his poetry, and one of his best-known poems praises both Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili and the successorship of Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi. More importantly, through his teacher’s guidance he developed an intense love, yearning, and attachment to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which became the defining characteristic of his devotional poetry and a central feature of the Shadhili tradition.

A Remarkable Prediction

Among the well-known accounts from Imam al-Busiri’s life is a narration concerning Shaykh Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi’s remarkable foresight. It is related that he was once seated with Shaykh Izz al-Din ibn Abd al-Salam, Shaykh Ibn Ata’illah al-Iskandari, and Imam al-Busiri. Turning to each of them in succession, he foretold what Allah would grant them.

To Shaykh Izz al-Din he said that he would become the leading scholar of his age. To Shaykh Ibn Ata’illah he foretold that Allah would bestow upon him immense wisdom. Finally, turning to Imam al-Busiri, he declared that Allah would make his poetry famous throughout the world.

According to the narration, each prediction was fulfilled. Shaykh Izz al-Din ibn Abd al-Salam became one of the foremost jurists, theologians, mujtahids, and the leading Shafi’i authority of his generation. Shaykh Ibn Ata’illah al-Iskandari’s writings, particularly his Hikam, became among the most influential works in the science of tasawwuf. Likewise, Imam al-Busiri’s poetry spread throughout the Muslim world, with Qasida Burda becoming one of the most celebrated, widely recited, and extensively commented upon devotional poems in the Islamic tradition.

A Turning Point

Several incidents from Imam al-Busiri’s life highlight important moments in his spiritual journey. Perhaps the most significant occurred when he was commissioned to compose a poem in praise of an aristocrat. As he set out, he was approached by an unknown man who asked whether he had ever seen the Prophet ﷺ. Imam al-Busiri replied that he had not, whereupon the stranger departed.

Deeply affected by the encounter, he returned home asking himself why he had never been granted the blessing of seeing the Prophet ﷺ. That night, he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a dream. Upon waking, he resolved never again to devote his poetry to praising worldly rulers, dedicating his gift instead to praising the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Hajj and the Development of His Poetry

Imam al-Busiri performed Hajj in 653 AH / 1255 CE, an experience that marked another important stage in his spiritual development. His poetry reflects three distinct phases: before Hajj, during Hajj, and after Hajj.

Before undertaking the pilgrimage, many of his poems expressed his longing and desire to visit the Prophet ﷺ. During his time in Makkah and Madinah, he composed verses celebrating the joy of visiting the sacred cities, living in the Prophet’s ﷺ neighbourhood, and visiting places honoured by his blessed presence. After Hajj, his poetry developed into a mature panegyric style devoted almost entirely to praising the Prophet ﷺ, distinct from his earlier compositions. It was during this period that he composed the work for which he is best remembered, Qasida Burda.

Literary Legacy

Imam al-Busiri composed numerous devotional poems in praise of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the most celebrated being Qasida Burda, Qasida Hamziyya, Qasida Mudariyya, and Qasida Muhammadiyya. Among these, Qasida Burda became the most influential, inspiring generations of scholars, poets, and devotees, and remaining one of the most widely recited and extensively commented upon poems in the Islamic tradition.

The Composition of Qasida Burda

Several narrations describe the circumstances surrounding the composition of Qasida Burda. One of the best known is related by Imam Abd al-Rahman al-Kutubi, who narrates the account directly from Imam al-Busiri himself.

A more detailed version is preserved by Shaykh Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad, better known as Ibn Maqlash al-Wahrani, in his commentary on the Burda. Unlike the earlier narration, his account includes a complete chain of transmission (sanad) together with additional details of Imam al-Busiri’s dream.

Ibn Maqlash al-Wahrani narrates from Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn Hasan ibn Badis al-Qusamtini; from his father, Abu al-Qasim ibn Badis; from Hafidh Abu Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab ibn Yusuf; who narrates directly from the poet, Imam al-Busiri:

Imam al-Busiri relates:

I had already composed a number of poems in praise of the Prophet ﷺ, some of them at the suggestion of my friend, Zayn al-Din Ya’qub ibn al-Zubayr.

Some time later, I was afflicted with hemiplegia, which paralysed one side of my body. During my illness, I resolved to compose this poem and seek Allah’s forgiveness through the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. I recited the poem repeatedly, wept, supplicated, and sought Allah’s mercy through His beloved ﷺ. Eventually I fell asleep and saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream. He ﷺ wiped my face with his blessed hand, covered me with his blessed mantle, and departed.

When I awoke, I found myself completely cured and able to walk. I rose from my bed and left my house without telling anyone what had happened. On my way, I encountered a dervish who asked me to recite the poem I had composed in praise of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When I asked which poem he meant, he replied, “The one you composed during your illness.”

He then recited its opening verse and said, “By Allah, I heard this poem last night while it was being recited before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I saw that the Prophet ﷺ was pleased with it and placed his blessed mantle upon the one reciting it.”

Ibn Maqlash al-Wahrani’s narration preserves an additional detail. According to his account, the dervish continued:

“When you reached the verse,

‘The utmost knowledge we possess of him is that he is a man…’

the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Continue.’

You replied that you had not yet completed the poem, whereupon the Prophet ﷺ completed the verse:

‘…yet he is the best of all Allah’s creation.’

The Prophet ﷺ then placed his blessed mantle upon you.”

Imam al-Busiri concludes:

I then recited the poem to the dervish. He memorised it and related his vision to others, whereupon news of the dream soon spread among the people.

Reports of Imam al-Busiri’s miraculous recovery, together with the account of his dream and the Prophet’s ﷺ bestowal of his blessed mantle, spread rapidly throughout the Muslim world. As news of these events circulated, so too did Qasida Burda. Over the centuries, the poem came to be widely recited, memorised, translated, and commented upon, securing its place as one of the most celebrated devotional poems ever composed in praise of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The Title

Imam al-Busiri originally gave his celebrated ode the title al-Kawakib al-Durriyya fi Madh Khayr al-Bariyya (“The Celestial Lights in Praise of the Best of Creation”). As the poem became increasingly renowned, particularly following reports of Imam al-Busiri’s miraculous recovery, it came to be known by several other names. The most famous of these is Qasida Burda, although it is also referred to as al-Bur’a and al-Burdiyya.

The title Burda (“The Mantle”) has been understood in both a literal and symbolic sense. It recalls the blessed mantle with which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ enrobed Imam al-Busiri in his dream after hearing the poem recited. It has also been explained as symbolising the poem itself, which encompasses the principal aspects of the Prophet’s ﷺ life, noble character, and virtues, just as a mantle envelops the body.

Another traditional title is al-Bur’a (“The Healing”), referring to Imam al-Busiri’s recovery from paralysis after composing the poem. The title al-Burdiyya (“The Mantle Ode”) likewise commemorates the Prophet’s ﷺ placing his blessed mantle upon the Imam during the same vision, while Imam al-Busiri recited the poem directly before him.

The Original Burda

Although Imam al-Busiri’s Qasida Burda is the better known of the two, it was not the first poem to bear this title. The earlier Burda was composed by the Companion Ka’b ibn Zuhayr I during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. His ode, generally known by its opening words Banat Su’ad (“Su’ad Has Departed”), occupies an important place in the history of Arabic praise poetry and established a model later echoed in Imam al-Busiri’s own work.

Ka’b was the son of Zuhayr ibn Abi Sulma, one of the most celebrated poets of the pre-Islamic period. Zuhayr’s poetry was counted among the famous Mu’allaqat, the great odes traditionally associated with the Ka’bah in Makkah. He died before the beginning of the Prophetic mission, leaving behind his sons Ka’b and Bujayr, both of whom inherited much of his poetic ability.

Bujayr embraced Islam and supported the Prophet ﷺ, while Ka’b initially rejected the new faith. He composed satirical verses attacking his brother and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and used his poetry to stir opposition against the early Muslim community. Bujayr later accompanied the Prophet ﷺ during the conquest of Makkah and the siege of Ta’if. Aware of the fate of poets who had slandered the Prophet ﷺ, his wives, and the Muslims, he wrote to Ka’b warning him of the danger he faced and advising him to come before the Prophet ﷺ in repentance.

Ka’b therefore travelled to Madinah seeking forgiveness and protection. He arrived shortly before dawn, as the Prophet ﷺ was preparing to lead the Fajr prayer, and performed his first prayer behind him. When the prayer had ended, Ka’b approached the Prophet ﷺ, sat before him, and placed his hands in the Prophet’s blessed hands. Still concealing his identity, he spoke of himself in the third person and asked whether Ka’b ibn Zuhayr would be accepted if he came as a Muslim, repentant for what he had done, and seeking protection. The Prophet ﷺ replied that he would. Ka’b then revealed himself, saying, “I am Ka’b ibn Zuhayr.”

During his journey to Madinah, Ka’b had composed an eloquent poem as an expression of remorse and praise. Following the conventions of classical Arabic poetry, he began by recalling the departure of his beloved:

Su’ad has departed, and today my heart is weak and afflicted,
enslaved in her wake and bound with no means of escape.

The poem then turns from the traditional love prelude to Ka’b’s fear, repentance, and hope in the Prophet’s ﷺ mercy. Addressing the threat that had reached him, he said:

I was informed that the Messenger of Allah had threatened me,
yet in the presence of the Messenger of Allah pardon is hoped for.

Near the conclusion of the ode, Ka’b praised the Prophet ﷺ with the celebrated words:

The Messenger of Allah is indeed a light by which guidance is sought,
an unsheathed Indian sword from among the swords of Allah.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr relates that when Ka’b recited these words, the Prophet ﷺ signalled to his Companions to listen attentively. Other narrations state that the Prophet ﷺ then bestowed his blessed Yemeni mantle upon Ka’b. The gift publicly signified Ka’b’s forgiveness, acceptance, and entry into the protection of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Ka’b preserved the mantle for the remainder of his life. It is related that Mu’awiyah later offered him ten thousand dirhams for it, but Ka’b refused, saying that he would not give preference to anyone over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. After Ka’b’s death, Mu’awiyah purchased the blessed mantle from his heirs for twenty thousand dirhams.

The relationship between Ka’b’s Burda and Imam al-Busiri’s Burda extends beyond their shared title. Both poems are associated with repentance, redemption, praise of the Prophet ﷺ, and the gift of his blessed mantle. Ka’b received the mantle physically during the Prophet’s ﷺ lifetime. Around six and a half centuries later, Imam al-Busiri was granted a similar honour in a dream after composing his own ode in praise of the Prophet ﷺ. This striking parallel explains the close historical and spiritual association between the two works.

Structure

Qasida Burda belongs to the tradition of qasidah al-madih, Arabic panegyric poetry composed in praise of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. In both its style and composition, it follows the established conventions of the classical Arabic qasidah and reflects the literary tradition developed by the early Arab poets.

Like many poems of this genre, Qasida Burda follows a traditional structure built around four principal themes:

1. Elegiac prelude (nasib)
2. Self-abasement and acknowledgement of one’s shortcomings
3. Praise of the one petitioned (mamduh)
4. Supplication and benediction

The poem consists of 160 couplets, each divided into two hemistiches (half-lines) separated by a caesura, the natural pause within a verse. During public recitation, a refrain (chorus) is traditionally recited between each couplet. Every verse concludes with the Arabic letter meem (م), giving the poem its distinctive monorhyme.

Virtues of Qasida Burda

Since its composition more than seven centuries ago, Qasida Burda has been recited throughout the Muslim world in mosques, homes, zawiyas, and gatherings of remembrance. Numerous scholars have praised the poem for its eloquent expression of love for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and have written extensively about the blessings associated with its recitation.

Among the reported virtues of Qasida Burda are:

• Seeking Allah’s mercy and blessings in the place where it is recited.
• Hoping for the forgiveness of sins and the elevation of one’s spiritual rank.
• Strengthening one’s love and attachment to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
• Receiving the honour of seeing the Prophet ﷺ in a dream.
• Seeking relief from anxiety, hardship, and distress through devotion to the Prophet ﷺ and supplication to Allah.

For generations, Muslims have recited Qasida Burda both individually and in congregation as an expression of love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. By reciting the poem, a person follows the example of Imam al-Busiri, who devoted his poetic gift to praising the Prophet ﷺ and sought Allah’s mercy through his intercession. Numerous scholars have also transmitted accounts of people experiencing spiritual blessings through its recitation, forming part of the rich devotional tradition that has developed around the Burda across the Muslim world.

Gaining the Vision of the Prophet ﷺ

Among the most frequently mentioned virtues of Qasida Burda is the hope of being blessed with the vision of the Prophet ﷺ. Many commentators relate reports of individuals who saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream after regularly reciting the poem with sincerity and observing the etiquettes prescribed by the scholars. To witness the Prophet ﷺ, whether in a dream or, for those specially favoured by Allah, in a wakeful state, has long been regarded as one of the greatest blessings that can be bestowed upon a believer.

Because of the sanctity associated with such visions, a number of commentators outlined conditions that they considered conducive to attaining this blessing. Imam al-Kharputi, for example, lists eight pre-requisites for those hoping to see the Prophet ﷺ through the recitation of Qasida Burda. He states that the reciter should:

• Be in a state of ritual purity (wudu).
• Face the qiblah throughout the recitation.
• Recite the poem with proper tajwid.
• Understand the meaning of every verse.
• Have memorised the entire poem.
• Recite the poem melodiously.
• Have permission to recite the poem from a teacher or authority possessing a chain of transmission (sanad) back to Imam al-Busiri.
• Recite the refrain after every couplet, or at the very least after every ten couplets.

Imam al-Kharputi illustrates the importance of these etiquettes by relating the account of Imam al-Ghaznawi, who recited the Burda every night hoping to see the Prophet ﷺ in a dream, yet was not granted this blessing. He therefore sought the advice of his teacher, Shaykh Kamel, who suggested that he might not be observing all of the recommended conditions.

Imam al-Ghaznawi replied that he followed every condition carefully. Shaykh Kamel therefore sat with him during one of his recitations and discovered the omission. He explained that Imam al-Ghaznawi had neglected to recite the Burda’s refrain, which Imam al-Busiri himself had regularly used to send prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ.

Further in his commentary, Imam al-Kharputi highlights several verses that he regarded as especially beneficial for those hoping to be blessed with the vision of the Prophet ﷺ. These include:

How can you deny your love after two upright witnesses,
your tears and your sickness, have testified against you? (6)

He surpassed all Prophets in form and in character,
none drew near to him in knowledge or in generosity. (38)

All of them seek from the Messenger of Allah
a handful from the ocean or a sip from the unceasing rain. (39)

How noble is the form of a Prophet adorned by noble character,
enveloped in beauty and distinguished by a radiant smile. (54)

Imam al-Bajuri likewise mentions the virtues of Qasida Burda as a means of attaining the vision of the Prophet ﷺ. In particular, he highlights the eighth couplet, stating that whoever frequently recites it after the evening prayer (Isha) and falls asleep while doing so may, by Allah’s permission, be blessed with seeing the Prophet ﷺ in a dream.

Yes, a vision of the one I love came to me by night and kept me awake,
for love interrupts every pleasure with pain. (8)

Other Reported Benefits

In addition to the virtues already mentioned, scholars have also transmitted a number of other benefits associated with the regular recitation of Qasida Burda. Among the reports mentioned in the traditional literature are:

• A house in which the Burda is recited daily is protected from many hardships.
• A house in which the poem is kept is safeguarded from thieves and other dangers.
• A traveller who recites the Burda once each day is protected from the hardships of travel.
• A house in which the Burda is regularly recited is reported to be protected from seven afflictions: the mischief of the jinn, plagues and epidemics, smallpox, diseases of the eyes, misfortune, insanity, and sudden death.

The Chapters of Qasida Burda

Qasida Burda is divided into ten chapters that guide the reader through a carefully structured spiritual journey. The poem opens with Imam al-Busiri expressing his profound love and longing for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, before turning to self-reproach, repentance, and the struggle against the lower self (nafs), which continually inclines its owner towards evil.

The central chapters praise the Prophet ﷺ and recount the major events and themes of his blessed life. These include his noble character and virtues, his blessed birth, the miracles granted at his hands, the excellence of the Noble Qur’an, his Night Journey and Ascension (Isra and Mi’raj), and his striving in the path of Allah. In this respect, the Burda follows a pattern familiar to traditional mawlid literature, celebrating the life, mission, and virtues of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

The poem concludes with Imam al-Busiri turning from praise to supplication. Acknowledging his own shortcomings and sins, he seeks the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession on the Day of Judgement before ending with a heartfelt appeal to Allah, in Whose mercy alone lies the ultimate hope of salvation.

The ten chapters are:

1. Yearning and the lament of love
2. Warning against the desires of the lower self
3. In praise of the Prophet ﷺ
4. The blessed birth of the Prophet ﷺ
5. The miracles of the Prophet ﷺ
6. The virtues and excellence of the Qur’an
7. The Prophet’s Night Journey and Ascension ﷺ
8. The Prophet’s jihad ﷺ
9. Seeking nearness to Allah through the Prophet ﷺ
10. Intimate supplication and presenting our needs

Additional Verses

Following the main text of Qasida Burda are seven verses that were added at a later date and are traditionally recited in some parts of the Muslim world. These invoke Allah’s good pleasure and forgiveness for the four Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Prophet’s ﷺ Family, his Companions, the Followers (the generation after the Companions), and all Muslims M.

The additional verses conclude with praise of Allah and a final supplication, asking that, through the blessing of the 160 verses of Qasida Burda and Allah’s boundless generosity, our difficulties be eased and our prayers accepted.

Other Works

Alongside Qasida Burda, Imam al-Busiri’s most celebrated poems include Qasida Mudariyya, Qasida Muhammadiyya, and Qasida Hamziyya.

Qasida Mudariyya is a devotional poem centred on prayers and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It invokes Allah to send abundant blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, his Family, his Companions, all the Prophets and Messengers, and the Muslim community. Imam al-Busiri asks that these blessings be multiplied by the countless animate and inanimate creations throughout the heavens and the earth. The poem concludes with a heartfelt plea for Allah’s forgiveness for himself, the Muslims, their parents, families, neighbours, and all believers, declaring that every one of them stands in need of Allah’s mercy.

Qasida Muhammadiyya is the shortest of Imam al-Busiri’s major poems. Consisting of sixteen couplets, every line begins with the blessed name Muhammad ﷺ. The poem celebrates the noble qualities, virtues, and unique rank of the Prophet ﷺ, while its simple yet powerful style has made it one of the Imam’s most beloved compositions.

Qasida Hamziyya, formally titled Umm al-Qura fi Madh Khayr al-Wara, is one of Imam al-Busiri’s longest and most comprehensive works in praise of the Prophet ﷺ. It recounts his blessed life, miracles, noble character, and exalted rank, and has been studied and recited throughout the Muslim world alongside the Burda.

Together, these poems reflect Imam al-Busiri’s profound love for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Through eloquent praise, abundant prayers, and heartfelt supplication, they continue to inspire generations of Muslims to deepen their love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and to follow his noble example.