Darood Ibrahimi: Arabic, Transliteration, English Meaning & Hadith Source

By Effat Saleh · Founder of islamtics
Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 6357 & 3370, Sahih Muslim 406a & 408, Sunan Abi Dawud 976 & 1047, Sunan an-Nasa’i 1285, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 484, Quran 33:56 · Updated May 10, 2026

Darood Ibrahimi (also written Durood-e-Ibrahim or Salat al-Ibrahimiyya) is the salawat the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself taught his companions when they asked how they should send blessings upon him. It is the formula every Muslim recites in the second tashahhud of every salah, five times a day, and the most authenticated wording of any salutation upon the Prophet ﷺ in the entire Sunnah.

This guide gives the full Arabic text with transliteration and English translation, then walks through the hadith of Ka’b ibn ‘Ujrah where the Prophet ﷺ taught it word for word, the four reasons Ibrahim عليه السلام is named in a salutation upon Muhammad ﷺ, the Quranic command in Surah al-Ahzab 33:56, when to recite it, the fiqh ruling, and the most common questions about it.

What is Darood Ibrahimi?

Darood (Persian/Urdu) and salawat (Arabic) both mean “blessings sent upon someone”. When a Muslim sends salawat upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the formula universally recognised as the most authentic is Darood Ibrahimi, also called Salat al-Ibrahimiyya, Durood-e-Ibrahim, Salatul Ibrahimiyya, or in Urdu Darood Pak. It is named “Ibrahimi” because the words explicitly compare the blessings asked for Muhammad ﷺ and his family to the blessings already granted to Ibrahim عليه السلام and the family of Ibrahim.

It is important to distinguish Darood Ibrahimi from Darood Sharif (a generic term meaning “noble salawat”, which can refer to any of the dozens of valid wordings) and from short forms such as Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad. Darood Ibrahimi is one specific Prophet-taught wording. The Prophet ﷺ instructed it in response to a direct question from his companions, which is why it carries a status no later-composed salawat can match. For an overview of other valid forms, see our parent guide to Darood Sharif and Salawat.

Darood Ibrahimi in Arabic, Transliteration & English

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Transliteration: Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammad, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hameedun Majeed.
Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammad, kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahim, innaka Hameedun Majeed.

Meaning: O Allah, send Your salat upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent Your salat upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You are indeed Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.

The phrase “innaka Hameedun Majeed” closes both halves and is worth understanding word for word. Hameed (حَمِيد) means “Praiseworthy” — the One who is praised because He is intrinsically deserving of praise, regardless of whether anyone praises Him. Majeed (مَجِيد) means “Most Glorious” — combining honour, generosity, and majesty. Closing a request with attributes that match the request is a Quranic etiquette: you are asking Allah to praise and glorify the Prophet ﷺ, and you address Him by the very names that confirm He is the most fitting one to grant such honour.

The video below walks through the pronunciation of Darood Ibrahimi word by word for anyone learning the Arabic:

The Origin: How the Prophet ﷺ Taught This Salawat

The hadith behind Darood Ibrahimi is one of the most thoroughly transmitted reports in the entire Sunnah. After the verse of Surah al-Ahzab 33:56 was revealed, commanding the believers to send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, the companions came to him and asked the natural follow-up question: “O Messenger of Allah, we know how to greet you (with salam) — but how should we send blessings (salat) upon you?” His answer is the wording above.

The narration is recorded by both al-Bukhari and Muslim through the Companion Ka’b ibn ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him). Imam al-Bukhari placed it in two different chapters of his Sahih because of its importance:

• Sahih al-Bukhari 6357 — Book of Invocations (Kitab al-Da’awat), Chapter on Sending Blessings on the Prophet ﷺ.
• Sahih al-Bukhari 3370 — Book of the Prophets, the same isnad cited in the Ibrahim chapter.
• Sahih Muslim 406a — Book of Prayers, the chapter specifically on the salat (blessings) recited after the tashahhud.
• Sunan Abi Dawud 976 — graded sahih by Shaykh al-Albani; same isnad with minor wording variation.
• Sunan an-Nasa’i 1285 — narrated through Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari, with the addition “fil-‘alameen” (“in all the worlds”).

The convergence of so many independent chains across Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Nasa’i is what gives this wording its uncontested status. There are six or seven other prophet-taught salawat formulas, but Darood Ibrahimi is the one with the strongest isnad and the one chosen by every classical fiqh manual as the model for the second tashahhud.

Why Ibrahim ﷺ Is Mentioned in This Salawat

A natural question is: why does a salutation upon Muhammad ﷺ ask for blessings matching those given to Ibrahim عليه السلام? Wouldn’t the Prophet ﷺ already have a higher rank than Ibrahim عليه السلام in Allah’s sight? Classical scholars give four interconnected answers:

1. A divine reciprocation for Ibrahim’s supplication. In Surah al-Baqarah 2:129, Ibrahim عليه السلام made dua at the Ka’bah: “Our Lord, raise up among them a Messenger from themselves…” — a prayer for Muhammad ﷺ before he was even born. The salawat returns that favour through Muhammad’s own ummah.
2. Ibrahim عليه السلام is the one who named us “Muslims”. Surah al-Hajj 22:78 says: “It is He who named you Muslims, before and in this [revelation]” — referring to Ibrahim’s supplication in 2:128. Honouring Muhammad ﷺ alongside the prophet who gave the ummah its name is a form of acknowledgement.
3. Both are Khalil of Allah. Ibrahim عليه السلام is titled Khalilullah (the intimate friend of Allah) in Surah an-Nisa 4:125. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said in Sahih Muslim 532: “Allah took me as a Khalil as He took Ibrahim as a Khalil.” Pairing the two in salawat reflects this shared station.
4. Ibrahim’s family was elevated by Allah’s blessing. The line of prophets descended from Ibrahim — Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, Yusuf, Musa, Isa, and Muhammad ﷺ himself — is the strongest visible blessing on any prophetic family in human history. Asking Allah to grant Muhammad’s family that same elevation is asking for the highest established precedent.

None of this implies that Ibrahim عليه السلام ranks above Muhammad ﷺ. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, in Jala al-Afham, explains that the salawat asks the blessing be like the one given to Ibrahim — meaning of the same kind and pedigree, with the increase being implicit in the higher rank of the recipient. It is a comparison of category, not of magnitude.

Quranic Foundation: Surah Al-Ahzab 33:56

The reason any Muslim sends salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ at all is a direct command from Allah:

“Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and greet him with peace.”

Quran 33:56 — Surah al-Ahzab

The verse uses three different verbs in three different tenses. Allah confers blessing — present-continuous, never stopping. The angels [send blessings] — also continuous. You who have believed, send blessings — imperative, addressed directly to every believer. Imam Ibn Kathir, in his tafsir of this verse, notes that the wording places the believers in the company of Allah and the angels: the same act, in three different qualities, all directed to the same Prophet ﷺ.

It was specifically after the revelation of this verse that the Companions asked how they should comply with the command — and the answer was Darood Ibrahimi. So the Quran issued the command, and the Sunnah supplied the exact words. Together they form an inseparable pair: every recitation of Darood Ibrahimi is the believer’s direct fulfilment of an explicit Quranic order.

When to Recite Darood Ibrahimi

Darood Ibrahimi has fixed Prophet-taught occasions and broader recommended ones. Memorising both lists turns the dua from a single in-salah formula into a daily habit:

• In every salah, after the tashahhud. This is the original context the Prophet ﷺ taught it for. After reciting at-tahiyyatu lillah… in the final sitting, recite Darood Ibrahimi, then make personal dua, then give salam. The Attahiyat is the first half; Darood Ibrahimi is the second half of the same sitting.
• After the adhan. The Prophet ﷺ said: “When you hear the muadhin, repeat what he says, then send salawat upon me…” (Sahih Muslim 384). The recommended salawat after the adhan is Darood Ibrahimi.
• Before and after every personal dua. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every dua is veiled until salawat is sent upon Muhammad ﷺ” (al-Bayhaqi). Sandwich your personal dua between an opening of praise + Darood Ibrahimi and a closing Darood Ibrahimi.
• On Fridays, in abundance. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best of your days is Friday — so send much salawat upon me on it, for your salawat is presented to me” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1047). Fridays warrant a daily target far beyond the usual five-tashahhud baseline.
• Whenever the Prophet’s ﷺ name is mentioned. Al-Tirmidhi narrates: “Disgraced is the one before whom I am mentioned and he does not send salawat upon me” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3545). Hearing his name is itself a moment to send the dua.

Outside of these specific moments, scholars have also recommended a daily fixed count — common targets are 100 times in the morning and 100 in the evening — though no specific number is binding. The principle is: the more, the better, and the Prophet ﷺ is the only person whose remembrance has been commanded by Allah Himself.

Is Darood Ibrahimi Wajib or Sunnah?

Inside salah, the four Sunni schools of fiqh differ on the ruling of reciting salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ in the final tashahhud. None deny that it is at minimum a confirmed sunnah; the disagreement is whether it rises to the level of a condition for the prayer’s validity:

• Shafi’i and Hanbali schools: reciting salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ in the final tashahhud is wajib (obligatory). Imam al-Shafi’i held that omitting it intentionally invalidates the salah; omitting it forgetfully requires sajdat al-sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness). The proof is that the Prophet ﷺ, when asked how to send blessings, taught a specific wording in the same teaching session as the tashahhud, treating both as a single connected obligation.
• Hanafi school: it is sunnah mu’akkadah (a strongly emphasised sunnah), not a condition for validity. The salah remains valid without it, but a Muslim who skips it has missed a major reward and is encouraged not to make a habit of it. Imam Abu Hanifa relied on the apparent meaning of the Prophet’s instruction “say…” as guidance, not a binding obligation.
• Maliki school: it is mustahabb (recommended), not wajib. Imam Malik considered the obligation fulfilled by the testimony of faith alone, with the salawat as a meritorious addition.

The practical takeaway: regardless of which school you follow, recite Darood Ibrahimi in the final tashahhud of every salah. The reward is the same in all four schools, and only the Shafi’is and Hanbalis would consider the salah deficient without it — but no school treats omission as virtuous. Outside salah, all schools agree it is sunnah, never an obligation, and the more often it is said the better.

Virtues and Rewards of Darood Ibrahimi

Almost no other supplication in the Sunnah carries the volume of explicit rewards attached to salawat upon the Prophet ﷺ. The narrations below all refer to salawat in general, but Darood Ibrahimi is the wording most universally accepted as fulfilling the description:

1. Tenfold blessing in return. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever sends salawat upon me once, Allah sends salawat upon him ten times, ten of his sins are erased, and he is raised by ten degrees” (Sunan an-Nasa’i 1297, graded sahih). One recitation is therefore worth tenfold reward across three categories.
2. Closeness to the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Judgement. Ibn Mas’ud (RA) reported the Prophet ﷺ saying: “The closest of people to me on the Day of Judgement will be those who sent the most salawat upon me” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 484, graded hasan).
3. Acceptance of personal dua. Sandwich-style salawat is the practical result of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “Every dua is suspended until salawat is sent upon the Prophet ﷺ” (al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman).
4. Friday salawat is presented directly to him. “Send abundant salawat upon me on Fridays — for your salawat is presented to me” (Sunan Abi Dawud 1047). Whatever you recite on Friday is named and reported to the Prophet ﷺ specifically.
5. Expiation of sins and removal of distress. The Companions Ubayy ibn Ka’b reported asking the Prophet ﷺ how much of his nightly dua he should dedicate to salawat. When he reached “all of it”, the Prophet ﷺ replied: “Then your concerns will be taken care of and your sins will be forgiven” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2457, graded hasan).
6. The angels supplicate for the reciter. “Whoever sends salawat upon me, the angels continue to send salawat upon him as long as he sends salawat upon me. Let the slave do less or more of it” (Sunan Ibn Majah 907).

Notice the structure of these rewards. Salawat is the only act of worship in the Sunnah where the worshipper himself is described as receiving the same act back from Allah — when a believer says Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad, Allah replies with His own salat upon the believer, ten times over. This reciprocity is unique to this dua, and it is the engine of Darood Ibrahimi’s reward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Memorise Darood Ibrahimi once and pair it with every salah, every adhan, and every Friday. A few seconds, multiplied across a lifetime, leave a record that the Prophet ﷺ himself is told about — and that Allah replies to with His own blessing, tenfold, on every recitation.