Salat al-Ali al-Qadr
Salat al-Ali al-Qadr (Arabic: صلاة العلي القدر; “The Prayer of the One of Supreme Rank”) is a noble formula of sending prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ, transmitted by eminent scholars such as Imam al-Suyuti and Shaykh Ahmad al-Sawi. It has been widely praised by the awliya, who mention that regular recitation, especially on Thursday night, brings immense spiritual benefit, ease at death, and a special nearness to the Prophet ﷺ in the grave. According to Imam Suyuti, whoever consistently recites this salutation every Thursday night, even if it is recited only once, will be honoured by the Prophet ﷺ himself upon their passing.
Read lessArabic, Transliteration and Translation
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ الْحَبِيبِ الْعَالِي الْقَدْرِ الْعَظِيمِ الْجَاهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ ❁
Allāhumma ṣalli wa-sallim wa-bārik ʿalā sayyidinā Muḥammadini n-nabiyyi l-ummiyyi l-ḥabībi l-ʿālī l-qadri l-ʿaẓīmi l-jāhi wa-ʿalā ālihi wa-ṣaḥbihi wa-sallim.
O Allah, send prayers, peace, and blessings upon our master Muhammad, the primordial Prophet, the beloved, the exalted in rank and great in honour, and upon his Family and Companions, and grant them peace.
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About Salat al-Ali al-Qadr
Salat al-Ali al-Qadr is a highly regarded formula of sending blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It is cited by Shaykh Ahmad al-Sawi in his commentary on the prayers of Shaykh Ahmad al-Dardir and is also transmitted by the scholar Muhammad al-Amir al-Saghir in his thabat. Regarding this prayer, Imam al-Suyuti is reported to have said:
Whoever makes a habit of reciting it every Thursday night, even if only once, will be laid to rest in the grave by none other than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself.
Sayyid Ahmad Dahlan also included it among the virtuous formulas of Salawat and relates the following from a number of the gnostics (ʿarifin) who said:
Anyone who remains constant in reciting this prayer on Thursday nights, even once, will, at the moment of death and upon entering the grave, be shown the Prophet ﷺ in a visionary form (mithal), to the extent that it will seem as though the Prophet ﷺ himself is placing them in their grave. Some of them also recommended reciting it 10 times each day and 100 times on Thursday night for those seeking this virtue and the abundant good associated with it, by Allah’s permission.
Reported Virtues
Classical devotional works attribute numerous virtues and benefits to the recitation of Salat al-Ali al-Qadr. Among those mentioned are:
- Reciting it regularly on Thursday night, even once, is said to bring a special nearness to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at the time of death and burial.
- It is reported that the reciter will be honoured by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the grave, or granted a vision of him ﷺ so vivid that it is as though he himself oversees the burial.
- It is traditionally associated with comfort and ease in the grave.
- It is said to remove fear during the questioning by the angels Munkar and Nakir.
- It is reported to relieve fear, constriction, and distress.
- According to Fath al-Rasul, reciting it 10 times after the Isha prayer carries the reward of reciting it throughout the entire night.
Recommended Recitation
Various scholars and spiritual masters have also recommended particular recitations, including:
- Thursday night: Recite once every Thursday night (the eve of Friday) as a regular practice.
- Daily practice: Recite 10 times each day.
- Thursday night devotion: Recite 100 times on Thursday night.
- After Isha: Recite 10 times after the Isha prayer.
In the Book “Fath Al Rasool” (الفتح الرسول), it’s said whoever recites this 7 times after Isha Prayer, it is as if he gave life to the entire night.
It’s also said whoever recites this Durood Sharif 10 times after the Isha Prayer, it’s as if he recited this Durood Sharif for the entire night (Salawat PDF from the Naqshabandi Tariqah Websites).
And Allah Knows Best 🕋 ﷺ 🌺
Mashallah