Origin and transmission
History of Darood E Taj
درود تاج کی تاریخ
The history of Darood E Taj: its traditional attribution to Sayyid Abu Bakr ibn Salim of Hadhramaut, and how it travelled to South Asia through Sufi orders.
By the Darood E Taj project · Checked against printed sources · Last reviewed
Darood E Taj is traditionally attributed to Sayyid Abu Bakr ibn Salim (1513–1584 CE), a Hadhrami scholar and Sufi of the Ba‘Alawi lineage, born in Inat in Yemen. From Hadhramaut it travelled along the sea-trade routes of the Indian Ocean and, through the Qadiri and Chishti orders, reached the Indian subcontinent.
Some details of its early history are passed down as traditional accounts rather than documented chains, so treat the dates and routes as such. What is clear is that the text has been recited for centuries, and that printings and manuscripts have differed in small details, which is why this site checks its Arabic against printed sources.
Timeline: from Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim to South Asia
1513 CE
Born in Inat, Hadhramaut, Yemen
Sayyid Abu Bakr ibn Salim al-Hadrami is born into the Ba'Alawi Sayyid lineage, a family of scholars and saints descended from the Prophet ﷺ and central to the spread of Islam across the Indian Ocean world.
1584 CE
Death and Transmission of the Durood
Darood E Taj is traditionally attributed to Sayyid Abu Bakr, and by the time of his death it was being passed on through chains of spiritual authorisation. His students carried it outward along the sea-trade routes of the Indian Ocean.
17th Century
Reaches the Indian Subcontinent
Through the Qadiri and Chishti Sufi orders, Darood E Taj enters South Asia. It finds a home in the devotional practice of Muslims from Lahore to Dhaka, and becomes part of the recitations after prayer at shrines and mosques.
Today
Recited Across the Muslim World
Today the text is read in mosques, homes, and gatherings across the Muslim world. Over the centuries, printings and manuscripts have differed in small details, which is why this site checks its Arabic against established printed sources.
Darood E Taj and Darood Ibrahim
| Aspect | Darood E Taj | Darood Ibrahim |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An extended Salawat composed by scholars | The Salawat taught by the Prophet ﷺ |
| Length | Twelve verses | Two short lines |
| Where it is recited | Daily devotion, after prayer, on Fridays | In the final sitting (Tashahhud) of every prayer |
| Its ruling | Voluntary | Described differently by the legal schools |
| Main focus | The titles, character and station of the Prophet ﷺ | Asking Allah to bless Muhammad ﷺ as He blessed Ibrahim |
Questions about history and author
Who was Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim?
Sayyid Abu Bakr ibn Salim, also written Shaykh Abu Bakr bin Salim, was a Hadhrami scholar and Sufi of the Ba'Alawi lineage to whom Darood E Taj is traditionally attributed. He is said to have been born in Inat, Yemen, in 1513 CE and to have died in 1584 CE. Some details of his life and of the text's early history are passed down as traditional accounts.
Who wrote Darood E Taj?
Darood E Taj is traditionally attributed to Sayyid Abu Bakr ibn Salim (1513-1584 CE), a Hadhrami Sufi scholar, saint, and descendant of the Prophet ﷺ who was born in Inat, Yemen. It spread across the Muslim world through Sufi chains of transmission, reaching South Asia through the Qadiri and Chishti orders. Some details of its early history are passed down as traditional accounts, so treat the dates and chains as such.
Is Darood E Taj from the Quran or Hadith? Which para (juz) is it in?
Darood E Taj itself is not from the Quran or Hadith, and it is not a surah or part of any para (juz) of the Quran. It is a composed Salawat (supplication of blessings). However, sending Salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ is commanded in the Quran: 'O you who believe, send Salawat upon him and greet him with peace.' (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:56). Darood E Taj is one specific way of fulfilling that command.
What is the meaning of Darood E Taj?
Darood is the Urdu and Persian word for Salawat, meaning a prayer of blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ. Taj means Crown in Arabic. Darood E Taj therefore means The Salutation of the Crown, honoring the Prophet ﷺ as the crown of all creation. The text describes his sacred attributes, his night journey to Allah, and calls on believers to send blessings upon him.
Why is it spelled so many ways: Darood, Durood, Drood, Salawat, Taj, Taaj?
The name is transliterated from Arabic, Persian and Urdu, so spellings vary. Darood, Durood and Drood all come from the Persian dorud and mean a prayer of blessings. Salawat is the Arabic plural of salah. Taj and Taaj are both the word for Crown, and in Urdu script it is written درود تاج. You may also see Darood Taj, Durood-e-Taj, Salawat Taj and Taj Salawat. They all refer to the same Salawat.