SHALAWAT AL-MASHISHIYYAH: SEEING THE PROPHET IN DREAMS, PURIFICATION, PROTECTION AND INNER PEACE

Salat al-Mashishiyya was transmitted by the great saint and Gnostic Abd al-Salam Ibn Mashish. Of the well-known formulas of prayer, this is one of the best, and its virtues are immense. It is effective for forging a special connection (nisbat) with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and for seeing him in dreams. It is considered the most important prayer upon the Prophet ﷺ in the Shadhili Tariqa.

Salat al-Mashishiyya Benefits:

About Salat al-Mashishiyya, the erudite Sayyid Muhammad Ibn Abidin, a prominent scholar and jurist from Syria, and author of the famous Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Dur al-Mukhtar, said in his thabat:

I have also received the prayer of the Shaykh and Imam, the Pole and knower of Allah and guide unto Him, the possessor of the luminous spiritual path and tremendous and radiant spiritual states, the one of Prophetic lineage and excellent character, our master and liege lord, scion of the Prophetic Household, Abd al-Salam Ibn Mashish — pronounced with a ba or a mim — al-Husayni al-Maghribi (d. 622 AH).

This prayer was mentioned by al-Shihab Ahmad al-Nakhl and his student al-Shihab al-Manini and their respective thabats. Al-Nakhli mentioned that he received the prayer from Shaykhs Ahmad al-Babuli and Isa al-Tha’alabi. He said, “He [Shaykh Isa] instructed me to recite it once after the Dawn Prayer and once after the Sunset Prayer…. I also saw in some annotated copies of the prayer that it should be recited three times daily: after the Dawn Prayer, after the Sunset Prayer and after the Night Prayer. So great are the lights and secrets obtained from this prayer that only Allah knows their reality. In reciting this prayer there comes divine succor and the lordly spiritual opening (al-fath al-rabbani). The one who makes it his regular practice to recite this prayer will remain in a state of truthfulness and sincerity; his breast will be expanded and his affair will be made easy, and he will enjoy the protection of Allah from all travails, tribulations, and sicknesses, inwardly and outwardly; he will be granted victory against all foes; he will receive Allah’s tremendous divine assistance in all of his affairs; he will be looked upon with the eye of Allah’s solicitude and concern — the Generous and Bestower — and the solicitude of His Messenger, may Allah send prayers and peace upon him and his Family and Companions. The benefit of this prayer will manifest when it is recited regularly and with truthfulness, sincerity, and God-consciousness — and whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and keeps conscious of Him, then it is they who are the triumphant. (24:52)