The Qasīdah al-Burdah (‘The Mantle Ode’) represents a poem par excellence in praise of the most beloved of creation, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him). Throughout the ages, a number of poets have written their own versions as an act of personal devotion. Their voices reflect the challenges of their own cultural and historical milieu.

    The poem here represents the first, original Qasīdah Burdah written entirely in English for a modern audience. Using the traditional form of an oral epic, it recalls the key points of the Prophet’s life, and begs us to honestly ask: how does Prophet Muhammad’s vision inhabit our own lives today?

     “And though I never beheld your sublime, mortal face,

       Hearing your true story brings us felicitation."