Its Burdah everyone..

I have always been in the mawlid, be it Diba'i, Simtud Duror, Dhiya Ulamik or Berzanji. I am grateful to Allah that I have the chance to attend the gathering of his Beloved s.a.w. I didnt got the chance to attend Majlis Burdah before although there are certain events when they read maybe 2 chapter of the burdah but to be present in the complete reading of burdah, i never had the chance before. Perhaps I should have attended the Indian community burdah event at Masjid sultan for many years or following the Malbari at the Masjid Malabar, they have Burdah once in every month. Although Burdah is one of the most celebrate manual reading in the Muslim world, in Singapore we seldom attend such event. At the begining I guess, I have no idea what is Burdah although in the west Great Islamic Scholars such as Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad and Shaykh Hamzah Yusof speak on Burdah, I begin to take note o it. Infact when the Burdah CD read by Fez Singer released by Sandala (A great blessed Project), I was touched by their amazing sacred reading of the Burdah. It was my first introduction to Burdah, however, it didnt hooked me up with Burdah.

It was until I attended class at Pondok Pesantren Darul Musthofa at Tawangmangu that I begining to discover the beauty of Burdah. I dont know how to explain it. It just the heart felt the inclination towards it. Burdah is part of the school routine on every Friday morning after Subuh prayer. The rhythm of the drum and soothing voices from the boys in the school awake my hearts to appreciate Burdah. Then I began to attend Burdah event at the city which was lead by Habib Hasan al kaf. Amazing moment, I should say while being in the Burdah Majlis. Habib's voice is unique and beautiful . The melodies of the reading, bring awe to my heart. Its like my heart begining to love Burdah and yearning for the Prophet s.a.w.. Habib Hasan somehow makes Burdah simple and estatic to read.

It was evidence after the Burdah event in Singapore with Habib Hasan, more Muslims here are aware of Burdah and having majlis with their friends and family. And now with Madeehul Mustafa performing certain chapter of Burdah at their event and Burdah Nur Nabawiy group having many Majlis Burdah, inshaAllah more Muslims be aware of Burdah. Not forgetting the Burdah Night with Shaykh Fakhrudin Owaisi at Masjid Malabar as it was the first Burdah event we had in Singapore with a foreign Islamic Scholar. The majlis itself left many in the state of awe for Burdah. From that moment onward, I never stop trying to read Burdah alone though find it tough to complete it everyday. I think by attending Majlis Burdah consistently will help to gather strength in reading alone. Its like my experience with Mawlid Daibai, for many years attending the Majlis with the late Shaykh Zakaria ,it helps when you are alone reading it. Lets pray and hope we have more Burdah event in Singapore for many years to come, all for the sake of loving the Prophet saw. Rasulluah saw forever.

Photos: Burdah event with Habib Hasan al Kaf and Shaykh Afeefudin al Gaylani at Masjid Sultan Multi Purpose Hall organized by Raudhotul Muhibbin

Photos taken by Khairool Haque and Nash

Qasidah Burdah

One of the famous Qasidah of all time is the Qasidha Burdah written by Imam Al Busairi r.a.h in 11th century. It was said that the poem, whose actual title is al-Kawākib ad-Durrīya fī Madḥ Khayr al-Barīya ("Celestial Lights in Praise of the Best of Creation"),is being read by many Muslims around the world until today.

Imam Al-Busairi r.a.h narrated the miraculous circumstances of his inspiration to write the Burdah:

I had composed a number of praise poems for the Prophet, including one that was suggested to me by my friend Zayn al-Dīn Yʿaqūb b. al-Zubayr. Some time after that, I was stricken by fālij, an illness that paralyzed half of my body. I thought that I would compose this poem, and so I made supplications to the Prophet Muḥammad to intercede for me and (and ask God to) cure me. I repeatedly sang the poem, wept, prayed, and asked for intercession. Then I slept and in my dream, I saw the Prophet. He wiped my face with his blessed hands and covered me in his cloak (burdah). Then I woke up and found I was able to walk; so I got up and left my house. I had told no one about what had happened.

I encountered a Sufi (faqīr) on my way and he said to me: “I want you to give me the poem in which you praise the Prophet.”

I said: “Which one?”

So he said: ”The one that you composed during your sickness.”

Then he recited the first verse and said: “I swear by God that I heard it in a dream last night being sung in the presence of the Prophet Muḥammad. I saw the Prophet was pleased with it and covered the person who sang it with his cloak.”

So I recited the poem to him and he memorized it and related his vision to other

The Burda is divided into 10 chapters and 160 verses. Interspersing the verses is the refrain, "My Master, descend peace and blessings continuously and eternally on Your Beloved, the Best of All Creation" (Arabic: مولاي صلي و سلم دائما أبدا على حبيبك خير الخلق كلهم). Each verse ends with the Arabic letter mīm, a style called mīmīya. The 10 chapters of the Burda' 'comprise
On Lyrical Love Yearning
On Warnings about the Caprices of the Self
On the Praise of the Prophet
On his Birth
On his Miracles
On the Exalted Stature and Miraculous Merits of the Qur'ān
On the Ascension of the Prophet
On the Chivalrous Struggle of Allah’s Messenger
On Seeking Intercession through the Prophet
On Intimate Discourse and the Petition of One’s State.

Imam al-Busairi r.a.h. died in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 1295 CE. His grave is well known and is connected to a large mosque. His poem embellishes its walls.

The Burdah was also engraved on the Prophet's mosque in Madina. There it adorned its walls and reminded believers for centuries before being erased by people who could not comprehend it. There is still one line left that has not been removed:

He is the beloved whose intercession is hoped forAs arms against a host of relentless calamities.

excerpt from Wikipedia and BBC