Al-Qasida al-Burdah — Imam Busiri's Ode of the Mantle: The Most Celebrated Poem in Praise of the Prophet

The Story of al-Busiri and the Dream

Sharaf al-Din Muhammad al-Busiri (1213-1294 CE) was an Egyptian scholar and poet who suffered from paralysis — one side of his body was affected. He composed a poem of praise for the Prophet as an appeal for divine cure through love of the Prophet.

The tradition records: he fell asleep after completing the poem and saw the Prophet (SAW) in a dream. The Prophet was pleased with the poem and draped his mantle (burda) over al-Busiri’s paralyzed body. Al-Busiri awoke to find himself cured.

The poem thus carries the name al-Burdah (the mantle) in memory of this dream encounter.

Structure of the Poem — Ten Chapters

The Burdah’s 160 verses are organized into ten thematic sections:

1. Nasib (loving opening): Longing for the beloved and the cure of the poet’s illness
2. Warning against the nafs: Self-criticism and warning against following desires
3. The praise of the Prophet: His character, nobility, and supreme creation
4. The birth of the Prophet: His coming as divine mercy for the world
5. His signs and miracles: The moon splitting, the tree prostrating, the speaking gazelle
6. The Quran’s miraculous nature: The Quran as his greatest and most enduring miracle
7. The Night Journey (Isra’ wa Mi’raj): The ascension to divine proximity
8. The Prophet’s jihad: His battles and their outcomes
9. Intercession (Shafa’a): His role as intercessor on the Day of Judgment
10. Closing supplication: Prayers for forgiveness and salvation

The Most Famous Verses

The opening lines are among the most iconic in Arabic literary history. But the chapter on the Quran contains verses that have resonated for centuries:

“He is the Sun; the Companions are his stars — they show their light to the people only in his absence.”

And on the Quran as miracle:

“He honored us with a Quran that is never exhausted by repetition, bringing beauty with eternity — unlike all other beauties that diminish with time.”

The Burdah in Bohra Tradition

The Burdah is recited in Bohra communities on special occasions — the Prophet’s birthday (Mawlid al-Nabi), gatherings of remembrance, and events of communal celebration. Its opening is recognizable to Bohras who have attended community events where the qasida is sung in the traditional musical style of madih (prophetic praise poetry).

See also: Prophet Muhammad, Understanding Dua, Sulook, Adhkar, Marifa, Wali Awliya