Dala'il al-Khayrat: Samples of Makkah and Madina

The Dala'il al-Khayrat, an assortment that includes prayers, blessings for the Prophet Muhammad has been recited at mosques and homes as well as in zawiyas and maqams across the globe since its compilation during the fifteenth century.

The book, which is translated roughly to the "Guide to Happiness The book was written in the hands of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Jazuli who was a renowned scholar who was born in the present day Morocco. It is believed that the book was written by him following an amazing encounter with a girl. According to the story, Imam al Jazuli went to a well to perform his ablutions however, he could not get any water. When he realized his dilemma the girl came and spat in the well and it began to fill with water. The Shaykh inquired about what she did to achieve an enlightened state of mind in which she said, " By saying the Blessings upon him whom beasts lovingly followed as he walked through the wilds (Allah bless him and give him peace)." When he heard this the man decided to write the Dala'il al-Khayrat.

Alongside recitations from the book and other rituals that take place every day across the globe as well as at the burial site of Imam Jazuli himself in Marrakesh A beautiful tradition in illuminated, illustrated and illuminated texts from the Dala'il al-Khayratemerged from Morocco in the west, all the way towards China to the East. It was an important and widely popular holy texts within Sunni Islam after the Qur'an.

A common theme in these are depictions of locations and objects that are related with the prophet Muhammad as well as pictures from Mecca along with Madina

Birds-Eye View

Below is an example of a double-page spread, variants of which can be seen in many manuscripts. A bird's-eye perspective of Mecca is displayed on the right. Kaba is clearly visible, and is flanked by the four places from the 4 madhabs that were once a part of the Harem. On the left, three rectangular shapes are the places of rest that the Prophet Muhammad and his companions Abu Bakr and Umar al-Khattab (God be with their remains) at Madina. The minbar of Prophet Muhammad can also be seen.

The square-shaped format that this book has, coupled and its Maghribi script and the late Western Islamic style of decoration that are found throughout, indicate the manuscript's production during the 16th century Morocco. Although it is a typical Islamic manuscripts, it's evidence of the extensive tradition of travel and pilgrimage throughout this part of the Islamic world. The manuscript was discovered from the bazaar of Kabul, Afghanistan in the 1960s. The Devangri script on the paper, which was later used to bound the manuscript suggests that it was transported to Mecca and was later purchased by a different pilgrimage coming from India.

The manuscript of the 17th century likely of Tunisia is believed to be one of the oldest copies from the Dala'il al-Khayrat. Illustrations by Muhammad bin Ahmad bin 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Riyahi, Mecca is depicted again on the right side, and Medina to the left. Both the minbars for Holy Mosques are visible as red lines on lower half in both the books. The three tombs of the blessed in Madina even though they are faded are visible within the enclosure of a square.

The three manuscripts listed below were made in Kashmir in the early 19th century. They have a similar layout as the North African illustrations. They also have a similar format to the North African illustrations. tear-filled datepalm appears in the lower left corner of each manuscript. The third manuscript identifies Khan Yunus Khan Bahu as the scribe, and lists the exact date of its creation in the form of Sha'ban 1223 AH (September 1808 AD).).

The unique 19th century manuscript illustrates that the Mosque of the Prophet on the right as well as Jannat al-Baqi cemetery on the left. The most prominent tombs are identified. It may have been made in India or possibly at Mecca by Indian artists.

The Rawdah and Minbar of the Prophet

Dala'il al-Khayrat manuscripts often contain an extra page that shows the tombs of the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Omar on one side while the Minbar for the Prophet is on the reverse. The below manuscript is dating from the 18th century East Turkestan. The four final letters are taken from North Africa.

It is important to note that prior to the advent of the camera, images like the ones found from the manuscripts written by Dala'il al-Khayrat, were the only means by which of Muslims could ever view their way to the Holy Cities as well as the Mosques in Mecca and Madina and the pious tombs of the Prophet and his companions.

While the depictions are usually abstract and symbolic in nature, they frequently reflect the architectural characteristics of the times. The domed structures depicted on the tombs that are prominent in Jannat al-Baqi cemetery, the places in the madhabs of the Harem of Mecca and the general design of mosques, none of which exist or, in the case of the former they have been extended beyond recognition.

As with the actual texts of Dala'il al-Khayrat, that was accepted by people all over the world solely out of love and desire for the Messenger of God (its author even read it in the grave of the Prophet each day during his stay in Madina) and the illustrations also depicted the which was a constant reminder of him, earthly reminders of his existence, and signs of his presence easily recognized everywhere from Morocco in west Africa to China in the east.