Durood Tanjeena

About Durood Tanjeena

Shaykh Umar ibn Ali ibn Salim al-Fakahani (d. 734 AH) relates directly from Shaykh Musa al-Dirar in his book Fajr al-Munir how Darood Tanjeena was revealed. Shaykh Musa said:

I was once riding upon a ship in the sea and we were assailed by a powerful tempest they had called the Capsizer (al-iqlabiyya) and which seldom left behind survivors who did not drown. As we were battling against the fierce winds I was overcome by sleep.

In my sleep I saw the Prophet ﷺ and he said to me, ‘Tell the passengers in the ship to say the following 1000 times: Allahumma ṣalli ʿala Sayyidinā Muḥammadin ṣalātan tunjīnā bihā…’

When I had awoken I told the other passengers what I had seen, and by the time we had recited the supplication 300 times, the tempest — by the blessings of prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ — had settled.

The rendition of Darood Tanjeena that appears above is the original version that was revealed by the Prophet ﷺ to Shaykh Musa al-Darir. Over the years, versions with slight variations and additions have appeared. The erudite hadith master Ahmad al-Utaridi, as reported by Sayyid Muhammad Effendi Abidin, said that the following phrase was added to the end of the prayer by al-Arif al-Akbar:


Yā arḥama r-rāḥimīn, Ya Allah
O Most Merciful of the Merciful, O Allah.
The Turkish Shaykh and gnostic Muhammad Haqqi Effendi al-Nazili (d. 1884) in his book Khazinat al-Asrar (Treasure Trove of Secrets) writes: “It is better to make mention of the Prophetic household in the prayer (i.e. start the prayer with Allahumma ṣalli ʿala Sayyidinā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā āli Sayyidinā Muḥammadin ṣalātan tunjīnā bihā…) as the Prophet ﷺ said that it is more complete and more potent in eliciting a swift answer.” The version of the prayer mentioned by Shaykh al-Akbar Mohiuddin ibn Arabi also includes the Prophetic household.

Darood Tanjeena appears in the famous Dala’il al-Khayrat composed by Imam al-Jazuli, specifically in the third hizb that is recited on Wednesday. Shaykh Hasan ibn Ali al-Aswani, in his exposition of Dalail al-Khayrat, mentions: “Anyone who invokes with this prayer 1000 times during an adversity or unforeseen difficulty will be delivered from it by Allah, and Allah will cause him to realise his wishes.”

It is further mentioned that: “Anyone who invokes with this prayer frequently during the outbreak of a plague will be safe from it, and anyone who invokes with it frequently when embarking on the sea will be safe from drowning.”

Mohiuddin ibn Arabi says: “It is one of the treasures of the arsh (throne). One who supplicates with this prayer 1000 times in the midst of the night for any desire — be it for this world or the next — Allah will fulfil their desire. It will be answered more swiftly than a flash of lightening.”

He further said: “Its secrets should remain hidden and not be mentioned to those who would not understand them.”

One of the gnostics also said: “anyone who reads it 500 times will attain whatever he wishes of profit and wealth, Allah willing. It is tried and tested and true for all of those situations.”

Shaykh Muhammad Haqqi Effendi al-Nazili adds: “This salutation has been recited in various numbers up to 4000 (in another version 12,000). Every group recites it according to what they find effective. People have found its benefits and secrets accordingly, and have witnessed relief from difficulties and in the attainment of their goals…”

Shaykh Ahmad al-Buni and Imam al-Jazuli have both mentioned the benefits and subtleties of this salutation, but they did not reveal its secrets, being weary of allowing them to fall into the hands of the ignorant.