الْفَصْلُ الثَّالِثُ فِي مَدْحِ سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﷺ
Chapter Three: Praise of the Prophet ﷺ
The central theological heart of the Burda. Al-Busiri praises the unmatched moral, physical, and cosmic perfection of the Prophet ﷺ—who spent his nights standing in prayer until his feet swelled, who rejected mountains of gold, and whose true station transcends human comprehension while remaining firmly a servant and beloved of Allah.
Chapter Three: Praise of the Prophet ﷺ
الْفَصْلُ الثَّالِثُ فِي مَدْحِ سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ﷺ
Theme & Spiritual Context • Praise of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
The central theological heart of the Burda. Al-Busiri praises the unmatched moral, physical, and cosmic perfection of the Prophet ﷺ—who spent his nights standing in prayer until his feet swelled, who rejected mountains of gold, and whose true station transcends human comprehension while remaining firmly a servant and beloved of Allah.
مَوْلَايَ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَدًا عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ
“Mawlāya ṣalli wa sallim dā'iman abadā 'Alā ḥabībika khayril khalqi kullihimi”
O my Master! Send blessings and peace continually and eternally Upon Your Beloved, the best of all creation.
The sacred refrain traditionally chanted between verses across the Muslim world.
ظَلَمْتُ سُنَّةَ مَنْ أَحْيَا الظَّلاَمَ إِلَى أَنِ اشْتَكَتْ قَدَمَاهُ الضُّرَّ مِنْ وَرَمِ
Transliteration
Ẓalamtu sunnata man aḥyādh ẓalāma ilā Anishtakat qadamāhuḍ ḍurra min warami
English Meaning
I have wronged the Sunna of him who enlivened the dark nights By praying till his feet complained of painful swelling.
وَشَدَّ مِنْ سَغَبٍ أَحْشَاءَهُ وَطَوَى تَحْتَ الحِجَارَةِ كَشْحًا مُتْرَفَ الأَدَمِ
Transliteration
Wa shadda min saghabin aḥshāʾahu wa ṭawā Taḥtal ḥijārati kash-ḥan mutrafal adami
English Meaning
He placed a stone over his belly and soft skin, Tightening a belt over it to diminish the hunger pangs.
وَرَاوَدَتْهُ الجِبَالُ الشُّمُّ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَأَرَاهَا أَيَّمَا شَمَمِ
Transliteration
Wa rāwadat-hul jibālush shummu min dhahabin ʿAn nafsihi fa arāhā ayyamā shamami
English Meaning
Lofty mountains tried, to tempt him with turning to gold, But he showed them the height of his own loftiness!
وَأَكَّدَتْ زُهْدَهُ فِيهَا ضَرُورَتُهُ إِنَّ الضَّرُورَةَ لاَ تَعْدُو عَلَى العِصَمِ
Transliteration
Wa akkadat zuhdahu fīhā ḍarūratuhu Innaḍ ḍarūrata lā taʿdū ʿalal ʿiṣami
English Meaning
His dire neediness only strengthened his detachment; neediness like his never leads to transgression.
وَكَيْفَ تَدْعُو إِلَى الدُّنْيَا ضَرُورَةُ مَنْ لَوْلاَهُ لَمْ تُخْرَجِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ العَدَمِ
Transliteration
Wa kayfa tadʿū ilad dunyā ḍarūratu man Lawlāhu lam tukhrajid dunyā minal ʿadami
English Meaning
How could need tempt him with worldliness, when but for him The world would not have emerged from non-existence?
مُحَمَّدٌ سَيِّدُ الكَوْنَيْنِ وَالثَّقَلَيْـ ـنِ وَالفَرِيقَيْنِ مِنْ عُرْبٍ وَمِنْ عَجَمِ
Transliteration
Muḥammadun sayyidul kawnayni wath thaqalay- -ni wal farīqayni min ʿurbin wa min ʿajami
English Meaning
Muhammad is the master of both abodes, of both kinds, And both classes [of people]: Arabs and non-Arabs.
نَبِيُّنَا الآمِرُ النَّاهِي فَلاَ أَحَدٌ أَبَرَّ فِي قَوْلِ لاَ مِنْهُ وَلاَ نَعَمِ
Transliteration
Nabiyyunal āmirun nāhī falā aḥadun Abarra fī qawli lā minhu wa lā naʿami
English Meaning
Our Prophet, who commands and who forbids; None is more true than him in saying “yes” or “no”.
هُوَ الحَبِيبُ الذِّي تُرْجَى شَفَاعَتُهُ لِكُلِّ هَوْلٍ مِنَ الأَهْوَالِ مُقْتَحَمِ
Transliteration
Huwal ḥabībul ladhī turjā shafāʿatuhu Li kulli hawlin minal ahwāli muqtaḥami
English Meaning
He is the Beloved whose intercession is hoped for, Victorious over every terror and disaster.
دَعَا إِلَى اللهِ فَالْمُسْتَمْسِكُونَ بِهِ مُسْتَمْسِكُونَ بِحَبْلٍ غَيْرِ مُنْفَصِمِ
Transliteration
Daʿā ilaLlāhi fal mustamsikūna bihi Mustamsikūna biḥablin ghayri munfaṣimi
English Meaning
He called [people] to Allah, so those who hold fast to him Are holding fast to a rope that never shall break.
فَاقَ النَبِيّينَ فِي خَلْقٍ وَفِي خُلُقٍ وَلَمْ يُدَانُوهُ فِي عِلْمٍ وَلاَ كَرَمِ
Transliteration
Fāqan nabiyyīna fī khalqin wa fī khuluqin Wa lam yudānūhu fī ʿilmin wa lā karami
English Meaning
He excelled the other Prophets in form and qualities; Their knowledge and nobility did not come near his.
وَكُلُّهُمْ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ مُلْتَمِسٌ غَرْفًا مِنَ البَحْرِ أَوْ رَشْفًا مِنَ الدِّيَمِ
Transliteration
Wa kulluhum min rasūliLlāhi multamisun Gharfan minal baḥri aw rashfan minad diyami
English Meaning
They all seek something from Allah’s Emissary – handfuls from the sea, or small sips of drizzle.
وَوَاقِفُونَ لَدَيْهِ عِنْدَ حَدِّهِمِ مِنْ نُقْطَةِ العِلْمِ أَوْ مِنْ شَكْلَةِ الحِكَمِ
Transliteration
Wa wāqifūna ladayhi ʿinda ḥaddihimi Min nuqṭatil ʿilmi aw min shaklatil ḥikami
English Meaning
They all stand before him, observing their limits; Dots to his knowledge, or vowel-marks to his wisdom.
فَهْوَ الَّذِي تَمَّ مَعْنَاهُ وَصُورَتُهُ ثُمَّ اصْطَفَاهُ حَبِيبًا بَارِئُ النَّسَمِ
Transliteration
Fa huwal ladhī tamma maʿnāhu wa ṣūratuhu Thummaṣṭafāhu ḥabīban bāriʾun nasami
English Meaning
It is he whose meaning and form attained perfection Then the Maker of Souls chose him for His beloved.
مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ شَرِيكٍ فِي مَحَاسِنِهِ فَجَوْهَرُ الحُسْنِ فِيهِ غَيْرُ مُنْقَسِمِ
Transliteration
Munazzahun ʿan sharīkin fī maḥāsinihi Fa jawharul ḥusni fīhi ghayru munqasimi
English Meaning
Exalted above having a rival in his perfections; In him is the undivided essence of beauty.
دَعْ مَا ادَّعَتْهُ النَّصَارَى فِي نَبِيِّهِمِ وَاحْكُمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ مَدْحًا فِيهِ وَاحْتَكِمِ
Transliteration
Daʿ maddaʿat-hun naṣārā fī nabiyyihimi Waḥkum bimā shiʾta mad-ḥan fīhi waḥtakimi
English Meaning
Eschew the claim Christians have made for their Prophet. Then say in his praise what you will, but wisely!
وَانْسُبْ إِلَى ذَاتِهِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَرَفٍ وَانْسُبْ إِلَى قَدْرِهِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ عِظَمِ
Transliteration
Wansub ilā dhātihi mā shiʾta min sharafin Wansub ilā qadrihi mā shiʾta min ʿiẓami
English Meaning
Ascribe whatever honour you will to his essence, And ascribe what greatness you will to his worth;
فَإِنَّ فَضْلَ رَسُولِ اللهِ لَيْسَ لَهُ حَدٌّ فَيُعْرِبَ عَنْهُ نَاطِقٌ بِفَمِ
Transliteration
Fa inna faḍla rasūliLlāhi laysa lahu Ḥaddun fa yuʿriba ʿanhu nāṭiqun bifami
English Meaning
For the worth of Allah’s Emissary has no limit That could be expressed by a human mouth.
لَوْ نَاسَبَتْ قَدْرَهُ آيَاتُهُ عِظَمًا أَحْيَا اسْمُهُ حِينَ يُدْعَى دَارِسَ الرِّمَمِ
Transliteration
Law nāsabat qadrahu āyātuhu ʿiẓaman Aḥyaʾsmuhu ḥīna yudʿā dārisar rimami
English Meaning
If his miracles were commensurate with his greatness, The mere mention of his name would give life to dry bones.
لَمْ يَمْتَحِنَّا بِمَا تَعْيَا الْعُقُولُ بِهِ حِرْصًا عَلَيْنَا فَلَمْ نَرْتَبْ وَلَمْ نَهِمْ
Transliteration
Lam yamtaḥinnā bimā taʿyal ʿuqūlu bihi Ḥirṣan ʿalayna falam nartab wa lam nahimi
English Meaning
He did not try us with things that confound the mind Out of concern for us, so we neither doubted nor strayed.
أَعْيَا الوَرَى فَهْمُ مَعْنَاهُ فَلَيْسَ يُرَى فِي القُرْبِ وَالْبُعْدِ فِيهِ غَيْرُ مُنْفَحِمِ
Transliteration
Aʿyal warā fahmu maʿnāhu falaysa yurā Fīl qurbi wal buʿdi fīhi ghayru munfaḥimi
English Meaning
Man’s mind is exhausted trying to understand his meaning; All of them, near or far, appear as if dumbstruck.
كَالشَّمْسِ تَظْهَرُ لِلْعَيْنَيْنِ مِنْ بُعُدٍ صَغِيرَةً وَتُكِلُّ الطَّرْفَ مِنْ أَمَمِ
Transliteration
Kash shamsi taẓ-haru lil ʿaynayni min buʿudin Ṣaghīratan wa tukilluṭ ṭarfa min amami
English Meaning
He is like the sun: small to the eye when seen from afar, But dazzling to the sight when seen close up.
وَكَيْفَ يُدْرِكُ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَقِيقَتَهُ قَوْمٌ نِيَامٌ تَسَلَّوْا عَنْهُ بِالحُلُمِ
Transliteration
Wa kayfa yudriku fid dunyā ḥaqīqatahu Qawmun niyāmun tasallū ʿanhu bil ḥulumi
English Meaning
How can his reality be grasped in this world By sleeping folk, distracted from him by dreams?
فَمَبْلَغُ العِلْمِ فِيهِ أَنَّهُ بَشَرٌ وَأَنَّهُ خَيْرُ خَلْقِ اللهِ كُلِّهِمِ
Transliteration
Fa mablaghul ʿilmi fīhi annahu basharun Wa annahu khayru khalqiLlāhi kullihimi
English Meaning
The extent of our knowledge is that he is a mortal – And that he is the best of Allah’s creation!
وَكُلُّ آيٍ أَتَى الرُّسْلُ الكِرَامُ بِهَا فَإِنَّمَا اتَّصَلَتْ مِنْ نُوِرِهِ بِهِمِ
Transliteration
Wa kullu āyin atar ruslul kirāmu bihā Fa innamat taṣalat min nūrihi bihimi
English Meaning
Every miracle produced by the noble Emissaries Came to them by virtue of his light alone
فَإِنَّهُ شَمْسُ فَضْلٍ هُمْ كَوَاكِبُهَا يُظْهِرْنَ أَنْوَارَهاَ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الظُّلَمِ
Transliteration
Fa innahu shamsu faḍlin hum kawākibuhā Yuẓ-hirna anwārahā lin nāsi fidh ẓulami
English Meaning
For he is the sun of virtue, and they are its planets; They display its lights to mankind in the darkness.
أَكْرِمْ بِخَلْقِ نَبِيٍ زَانَهُ خُلُقٌ بِالحُسْنِ مُشْتَمِلٍ بِالبِشْرِ مُتَّسِمِ
Transliteration
Akrim bikhalqi nabiyyin zānahu khuluqun Bil ḥusni mushtamilin bil bishri muttasimi
English Meaning
How noble the qualities of a Prophet beautified by such traits: Full of beauty, and marked by smiles and good cheer!
كَالزَّهْرِ فِي تَرَفٍ وَالبَدْرِ فِي شَرَفٍ وَالبَحْرِ فِي كَرَمٍ وَالدَّهْرِ فِي هِمَمِ
Transliteration
Kaz zahri fī tarafin wal badri fī sharafin Wal baḥri fī karamin wad dahri fī himami
English Meaning
Like flowers in delicate beauty, like the full moon in honour; like the sea in generosity, like time in persistence.
كَأَنَّه وَهْوَ فَرْدٌ مِنْ جَلاَلَتِهِ فِي عَسْكَرٍ حِينَ تَلْقَاهُ وَفِي حَشَمِ
Transliteration
Ka annahu wa huwa fardun min jalālatihi Fī ʿaskarin ḥīna talqāhu wa fī ḥashami
English Meaning
So majestic was his presence that even when alone he appeared surrounded by a large army and retinue.
كَأَنَّمَا اللُّؤْلُؤْ المَكْنُونُ فِي صَدَفٍ مِنْ مَعْدِنَيْ مَنْطِقٍ مِنْهُ وَمُبْتَسِمِ
Transliteration
Ka annamal luʾluʾul maknūnu fī ṣadafin Min maʿdinay manṭiqin minhu wa mubtasami
English Meaning
It is as if precious hidden pearls, sparkling from their shells, came from the treasure-mine of his speech and smile.
لاَ طِيبَ يَعْدِلُ تُرْبًا ضَمَّ أَعْظُمَهُ طُوبىَ لِمُنْتَشِقٍ مِنْهُ وَمُلْتَثِمِ
Transliteration
Lā ṭība yaʿdilu turban ḍamma aʿẓumahu Ṭūbā li muntashiqin minhu wa multathimi
English Meaning
No perfume can match the ground that holds his bones. Blessed are those who breathe in its fragrance or kiss it!