Virtues of Salawat/Darud: Biography of Author

The edition of the work being used annotated by Ahmad Sa’d al-Din Awwamah. We will start with a biography of the author, and Inshallah hope to post the authors introduction tommorrow followed by the rest of the chapters. And our tawfiq is only through Allah (the most High).

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Biography of Author[1]
He is Najm al-Din, and Sharaf al-Din, Abu Saeed, Shaban bin Muhammad Ibn Dawud al-Qurashi by way of lineage, Shafi by madhab, well known as al-Aathaari, born in Mosul and raised and passed away in Cairo.

The author was born on the 15th of Shaban in year 765 (hijri)[2] and it is said in the year 759 (hijri)[3]. He became well known by the name of al-Aathaari due to his association with it.

As for his moving to Cairo, it appears this was at a young age, this is indicated to by al-Sakhawi’s mention of the authors studying with Sh Shams al-Din Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Ali al-Ghumari who passed away in 782 (hijri) at which time the author would have been 17 or 23 years old (due the differences regarding his date of birth).
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His Teachers
From the notable scholars whom he studied with include:
– Siraj al-Bulqini
– Siraj Ibn al-Mulaqqin
– Sham al-Ghumari
– Burhan al-Ibnasi
– Al-Izz Ibn Jamah and others

Works Authored
He studied with them a number of Islamic sciences, including the Arabic language, in which he gained proficiency and expertise such that no less than al-Sakhawi described him as being an ‘Imam’ in this science[4]. This is evident in the list of his works which include the following:

-Poem on Ilm al-Kitabah
-Poem on Arabic language and balaghah
-Al-Badieiyyah al-Sughra, al-Wusta and al-Kubra
-Al-Halwah al-Sukriyyah: which is poem on grammar
-Al-Khair al-Kathir
-Al-Rad ala Man Tajawuz al-Had
-Commentary on the Alfiyyah Ibn Malik on grammar, he wrote three volumes on it, but passed away before completing it.
-Shifa al-Siqam fi Nawadir Al-Salat wal-Salam: In this he mentioned forty incidents of those whom Allah (the most High) helped because of their abundantly sending peace and blessings upon our master Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Al-Sakhawi mentioned many of them in his work ‘Al-Qawl al-Badi’ without referencing the narratives to him.
-Al-Iqd al-Badee, written in Makkah al-Mukkaramah in the year 809 (hijri)
-Al-Umdah fi al-Mukhtar Min Takhamis al-Burdah
-Inan al-Arabiyyah, a poem on grammar
-Al-Inayah al-Rabbaniyyah fi al-Tariqah al-Shabaniyyah: A work on calligraphy, it maybe the same as another of his works cited above. Its editor Ustadh Hilal al-Naji described it as a thousand line poem on Arabic calligraphy.
-Al-Farj al-Qarib fi Mujizat al-Habib (Allah bless him and give him peace)
-Al-Fadl al-Kathir fi Salat wa Taslim ala al-Bashir al-Nadhir: This the original work from which Al-Khair al-Kathir was summarized.
-Al-Qiladah al-Jawhariyyah fi Sharh al-Halawah al-Sukriyyah
-Kifayah al-Ghulam fi Irab al-Kalam: A thousand line poem on grammar which was commended by Jalal al-Bulqini.
-Lisan al-Arab fi Ulum al-Adab
-Manzumah al-Arab fi Ulum al-Adab
-Al-Manhaj al-Mashur fi Taqallub al-Ayyam wa Shahur
-Misk al-Khitam fi Ashar al-Salat was-Salam
-Al-Manhal al-Adhab: An anthology of his poetry in Prophetic praise
-Nuzhah al-Kiram fi Madh Taibah wal-Balad al-HAram: A poem consisting of 90 lines
-Nayl al-Murad fi Takhmis Banat Suad
-Al-Wajh al-Jamil fi Ilm al-Khalil: A poem on the sciences of Urud and Qawafi
-Wasilah al-Malhuf Ind Ahl al-Maruf
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Editors of his works mention that the above list is all that they have found thus far attributed to him, despite the fact that al-Sakhawi copied from the writing of al-Aathaari that his works on literature exceed thirty in number, most of them in the form of poetry.
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It is also evident that many of his works are linked to the praise of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), which is evidence of his immense love for the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace).

Passing Away
Imam al-Aathaari passed away in Egypt on the 7th of Jamadi al-Akhir in the year 828 (hijri). May Allah (the most High) have mercy on him and all of the scholars of Islam.
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[1] Taken from ‘al-Nujum al-Zahirah’ (14/302), ‘Manhal al-Safi’ (6/248), ‘Inba al-Ghamr’ (8/82) ‘Daw al-Lami’ (3/301) ‘Wajiz al-Kalam fi al-Dhail Ala Dawl al-Islam lil al-Dhahabi’ by al-Sakhawi (2/487) and Ustadh Hilal al-Naji’s introduction to ‘Khams Miah Nusus Islamiyyah Nadirah’ (p.5-12)
[2] ‘Al-Daw al-Lami’ (3/301-303)
[3] ibid
[4] See ‘Wajiz al-Kalam fi al-Dhail ala Duwal al-Islam lil Dhahabi’ (2/487)