The Ruling on the Burdah Poem
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
He says: This Sudanese man has this remaining question about the Burdah poem. Honorable Shaykh, some people circulate it and encourage its memorization and recitation. We ask the Shaykh for guidance.
Answer:
The Burdah, which is al-Busiri’s poem, is in praise of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, he exaggerated in his praise of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to the point of claiming that he has control over the universe and that he is the one who saves people from punishment on the Day of Resurrection. For this reason, he addresses the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and says: “O best of creation, to whom shall I take refuge other than you when the general calamity befalls? If you are not among my enemies, take my hand. Otherwise, say: ‘O slip of the foot.’” He considered the Messenger to be the one who saves from the punishment of Allah on the Day of Resurrection and the one to whom one seeks refuge from punishment.
Then he said something more severe: “From your generosity, the world and its sister [the Hereafter]. From your knowledge, the knowledge of the Preserved Tablet and the Pen.” He placed the world and the Hereafter in the hands of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and made all knowledge the knowledge of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), leaving nothing for Allah. Is there any exaggeration greater than this?
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not praise me excessively,” meaning do not praise me and exaggerate in my praiseAsh-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 329Sahih (Zubair `Aliza'i). This is false speech and it is shirk (associating partners with Allah) with Allah the Exalted; it is major shirk. How can one praise this poem which contains this shirk and this false exaggeration? I seek refuge in Allah. It is not to be praised. Either the one who praises it is ignorant and does not know the creed, or he is deviant and misguided, calling people to shirk with Allah the Exalted. This poem must be prohibited and not recited, and measures must be taken to protect Muslims from its evil and its spread. If the superstitious people care for it and read it, especially on the day of the Mawlid which they claim, this is all a matter that is not permissible. It is promoting shirk and its means, and promoting superstitions. We ask Allah for safety. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you. Honorable Shaykh,
He says: This Sudanese man has this remaining question about the Burdah poem. Honorable Shaykh, some people circulate it and encourage its memorization and recitation. We ask the Shaykh for guidance.
Answer:
The Burdah, which is al-Busiri’s poem, is in praise of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). However, he exaggerated in his praise of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to the point of claiming that he has control over the universe and that he is the one who saves people from punishment on the Day of Resurrection. For this reason, he addresses the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and says: “O best of creation, to whom shall I take refuge other than you when the general calamity befalls? If you are not among my enemies, take my hand. Otherwise, say: ‘O slip of the foot.’” He considered the Messenger to be the one who saves from the punishment of Allah on the Day of Resurrection and the one to whom one seeks refuge from punishment.
Then he said something more severe: “From your generosity, the world and its sister [the Hereafter]. From your knowledge, the knowledge of the Preserved Tablet and the Pen.” He placed the world and the Hereafter in the hands of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and made all knowledge the knowledge of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), leaving nothing for Allah. Is there any exaggeration greater than this?
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not praise me excessively,” meaning do not praise me and exaggerate in my praise
as the Christians extolled [Jesus] the son of Mary. I am merely a servant,’ so say: '[He is] Allah’s servant and His Messenger.’
كما أطرت النصارى ابن مريم، إنما أنا عبد فقولوا عبد الله ورسولهThe presenter:
May Allah reward you. Honorable Shaykh,
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 03/004 — archive.org (11:43)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.