Guidelines on shar’i wird

We know nothing about what is in these wirds (daroods), but we can tell you some guidelines that you can follow in order to know what is prescribed in Islam and what is bid’ah: 

1 – The best wirds are those whose words were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because Allaah did not choose for him anything but the most perfect and the best, and he did not choose anything but that for his ummah. 

2 – It is permissible for a person to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in words that were not narrated (in sharee’ah), so long as they do not include anything that is forbidden, such as exaggerating about him, or praying to Allaah by virtue of the Prophet, or calling upon him instead of Allaah. 

3 – The one who is remembering Allaah (reciting dhikr) should not specify any particular time, number or manner of reciting dhikr unless that is proven with saheeh evidence, because Allaah cannot be worshipped except in the manner that He has prescribed in His Book or on the lips of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Worship must be that which is prescribed in sharee’ah, with regard to the act itself, the manner in which it is done, the time when it is done and how many times it is done. Whoever adopts a wird whose wording was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or specifies a particular number of times or does it at a specific time, is committing bid’ah. 

The scholars called this bid’ah al-bid’ah al-idaafiyyah (additional innovation??), because the action itself is prescribed in sharee’ah, but some innovation has been added to it with regard to the manner, the number of times or when it is to be done. 

You should note that all goodness rests in following that which has been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Whoever studies those who recite made-up wirds will find that usually they are falling short when it comes to doing that which was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) such as the dhikrs for morning and evening, etc. This confirms what was narrated from one of the salaf, who said that no person ever introduces an innovation but he gives up an equivalent Sunnah. 

And Allaah knows best.