Al-B¯us¯ır¯ı was the author of one of the most famous
poems in the world of Islam, the “Qasidat al-
Burda,” or “Ode to the Mantle,” a panegyric (poem
of praise) to the prophet MUHAMMAD.
Born in the village of Abusir in Egypt, al-B¯us¯ır¯ı
made a modest living in Alexandria copying manuscripts.
He studied under a mystic Sufi master
and was affected by the atmosphere of Sunni religiosity
cultivated by the Ayyubid sultans. As a result,
he produced a body of poems praising
Muhammad that continue to be read by Muslims
today. These poems, like others of the period, ascribe
miracles and prodigies to the prophet.
By far his most famous work was the “Burda”
(also called “Luminous Stars in Praise of the Best of
Mankind”), which critics have celebrated and other
poets have attempted to imitate. Admirers have
learned its verses by heart and have had them inscribed
in gold letters on public buildings. The poem
has even been venerated as a charm against evil.
According to legend, al-B¯us¯ır¯ı began to compose
the “Burda” after praying for a cure for a
stroke, which had paralyzed half of his body.
Falling asleep, he dreamed that Muhammad
touched his body and threw his mantle over him—
a mantle celebrated in another poem from the
prophet’s day. The poet was instantly cured, and he
penned his adoring poem in gratitude. The tone
of pious love can be seen in these lines:
The merits of God’s Prophet are limitless;
No human speech can encompass them.
If his miracles in their greatness were equal
to his rank
Dry bones would revive at the mention of
his name.
Such is the power of al-B¯us¯ır¯ı’s imagery and expressions
of love for Muhammad that his poem continues
to influence Arabic poetry to the present day.
An English Version of a Work by al-B¯ us¯ır¯ı
“Burda.” Translated by Stefan Sperl and Christopher
Shackle. Reproduced in Night and Horses and the
Desert, edited by Robert Irwin, 334–45. Woodstock,
N.Y.: Overlook Press, 2000.
Works about al-B¯ us¯ır¯ı
Huart, Clement. A History of Arabic Literature. Beirut:
Khayats, 1966.
Nicholson, R. A. A Literary History of the Arabs. New
York: Kegan Paul International, 1998.