Wikipedia's first sentence called it “commanding you by your sensual desires then cast away such caprice with blessings”. Today it says “famous collection of prayers for the islamic prophet muhammad”.
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The opening as it read in 2010
Dala'il al-Khayrat or Dalaail u'l Khayraat Wa Shawaariq u'l Anwaar Fee Zikri's Salaat Alan Nabiyyi'l Mukhtaar (meaning the Waymarks of Benefits and the Brilliant Burst of Sunshine in the Remembrance of Blessings on the Chosen Prophet) is a famous collection of prayers for Islamic prophet Muhammad , which was written by the Moroccan Sunni Sufi and Islamic Scholar Muhammad al-Jazuli (died 1465).1 It is popular in parts of the Islamic world amongst traditional Muslims - specifically North Africa , the Levant , Turkey , the Caucasus and the South Asia and is divided into sections for daily recitation. A fifteenth century manuscript of Dalail Khayrat Moroccan hadith scholar ‘Abdullah al-Talidi wrote of the Dala’il al-Khayrat: “Millions of Muslims from East to West tried it and found its good, its blessing, and its benefit for centuries and over generations, and witnessed its unbelievable spiritual blessings and light. Muslims avidly recited it, alone and in groups, in homes and mosques, utterly spending themselves in the Blessings on the Most Beloved and praising him ." The Dala’il al-Khayrat is the first major book in Islamic history which compiled litanies of peace and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad. It is also the most popular and most universally acclaimed collection of litanies asking God to bless the Prophet. Among some Sunni religious orders, most notably the Shadhili-Jazuli order, its recitation is a daily practice. In others however, its recitation is a purely voluntary daily practice. The work begins with the ninety nine names of God, and then the a collection of over one hundred names of the Prophet Muhammad . The legend behind the origin of the Dala’il al-Khayrat are that Imam al-Jazuli once awoke late for his morning prayers and began to look in vain for pure water to perform ritual ablutions. In the midst of his search al-Jazuli encountered a young girl who was aware of al-Jazuli's famed religiosity and was bewildered on why al-Jazuli could not find pure water. The girl then spit into a well which miraculously overflowed with pure sweet water for al-Jazuli to perform ablutions. Consequent to performing prayer, al-Jazuli inquired to the means by which the girl achieved such a high spiritual station. The girl replied it was simply by "Making constant prayer for God to bless the best of creation by the number of breaths and heartbeats." Al-Jazuli then resolved to write a work collecting litanies of prayers asking God to bless and show mercy and kindness to the Prophet Muhammad.2Al-Jazuli's work also collected numerous encouragements from Islamic scripture concerned with the importance of asking God to bless the Prophet Muhammad.3Imam al-Jazuli then moved East to Medina where he would recite the whole of the Dala’il al-Khayrat twice daily at the Prophet's grave in al-Masjid al-Nabawi .4The Dala'il Khayrat has since been seen as a testament of love and passionate longing for the Prophet Muhammad, with such eloquent and beautiful passages as the following: O God, I believed in Muhammad but did not see him; do not deprive me in the Gardens of his vision. Bestow his company upon me and cause me to die in his religion. Let me drink from his pool a quenching, pleasant, delightful drink after which we shall never thirst again. You are powerful over everything. O God, convey to the soul of Muhammad my greetings and peace. O God, as I believed in Muhammad but did not see him, do not deprive me in the Gardens of his vision. Adam Larson writes: Each section contains diverse praises, invocations, and poetic references seamlessly bound into a flowing unity. Its melodic, rhythmic language aids the devotee in memorization and attaining presence of heart. Its phrases of exquisite beauty express love and devotion to the Chosen One (God bless him and give him peace)... In one case, a Turkish calligrapher was commanded by the Prophet (God bless him and give him peace) in a dream to dedicate his life to copying Dala’il al-Khayrat, continually blessing the Prophet (God bless him and give him peace) through the loving strokes of his pen. Beautifully illustrated manuscripts, lithographs, and print copies, from all over the Islamic world indicate Dala’il al-Khayrat’s renown. Manuscript artists produced detailed illustrations of Mecca and Medina. These illustrations were not merely decorations; rather they were “attempts to create an ideal symmetry,” indicating “the feeling of a divinely ordered universe, as if the artists were reflecting the perfection of the Almighty’s plan as revealed within the sacred scriptures.” Manuscript copies of Dala’il al-Khayrat were often pocket-sized and could be carried in pouches as amulets. These small books both facilitated daily recitation and distinguished the “Companions of the Dala’il ”from others. When in need, people could turn to Dala’il al-Khayrat .".5
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 311450292.
The opening as it stood in 2015 16 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
A 15th-century copy of Dala’il al-Khayrat from the Chester Beatty Library .The opening page from a 17th-century copy of Dala’il al-Khayrat from the Walters Art Museum .A detail from a 15th-century manuscript of Dala’il al-Khayrat showing Al-Masjid an-Nabawi and Haram Ash-Sharif .Dala'il al-Khayrat or Dalaail u'l Khayraat Wa Shawaariq u'l Anwaar Fee Zikri's Salaat Alan Nabiyyi'l Mukhtaar (meaning the Waymarks of Benefits and the Brilliant Burst of Lights in the Remembrance of Blessings on the Chosen Prophet ) is a famous collection of prayers for the Islamic prophet Muhammad , which was written by the Moroccan Sufi and Islamic scholar Muhammad Sulaiman al-Jazuli ash Shadhili (died 1465). It is popular in parts of the Islamic world amongst traditional Muslims - specifically North Africa , the Levant , Turkey , the Caucasus and the South Asia and is divided into sections for daily recitation. Moroccan hadith scholar ‘Abdullah al-Talidi wrote of the Dala’il al-Khayrat : "Millions of Muslims from East to West tried it and found its good, its blessing, and its benefit for centuries and over generations, and witnessed its unbelievable spiritual blessings and light. Muslims avidly recited it, alone and in groups, in homes and mosques, utterly spending themselves in the Blessings on the Most Beloved and praising him". The Dala’il al-Khayrat is the first major book in Islamic history which compiled litanies of peace and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad. It is also the most popular and most universally acclaimed collection of litanies asking God to bless him. Among some Sunni religious orders, most notably the Shadhili-Jazuli order, its recitation is a daily practice. In others however, its recitation is a purely voluntary daily practice. The work begins with the ninety nine names of God , and then the a collection of over one hundred names of Muhammad . The legend behind the origin of the Dala’il al-Khayrat claims that al-Jazuli once awoke late for his morning prayers and began to look in vain for pure water to perform ritual ablutions. In the midst of his search al-Jazuli encountered a young girl who was aware of al-Jazuli's famed religiosity and was bewildered on why al-Jazuli could not find pure water. The girl then spat into a well which miraculously overflowed with pure sweet water for al-Jazuli to perform ablutions. Consequent to performing prayer, al-Jazuli inquired to the means by which the girl achieved such a high spiritual station. The girl replied it was simply by "Making constant prayer for God to bless the best of creation by the number of breaths and heartbeats." Al-Jazuli then resolved to write a work collecting litanies of prayers asking God to bless and show mercy and kindness to Muhammad. Al-Jazuli then moved east to Medina where he would recite the whole of the Dala’il al-Khayrat twice daily at the Prophet Muhammad's grave in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi . The Dala'il Khayrat has since been seen as a testament of love and passionate longing for Muhammad. Many of exegesis were written on the Dala'il Khayrat - most notably by the scholar Yusuf an-Nabhani in his work Afdal al-Salawat , and 'Abd al-Majid al-Sharnubi al-Azhari's Sharh Dala'il Khayrat .A classic Ottoman era work by Kara Davud is popular in Turkish , titled Muwafik-ul Khayrat Linayl-el Barakat Fi Khidmat-as Saadat , in short known as "Kara Davud".
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 650120806.
The opening as it stood in 2020 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
A 15th-century copy of Dala’il al-Khayrat from the Chester Beatty Library . The opening page from a 17th-century copy of Dala’il al-Khayrat from the Walters Art Museum . Dala'il al-Khayrat (دلائل الخیرات) or Dalaail u'l Khayraat Wa Shawaariq u'l Anwaar Fee Zikri's Salaat Alan Nabiyyi'l Mukhtaar (meaning the Waymarks of Benefits and the Brilliant Burst of Lights in the Remembrance of Blessings on the Chosen Prophet ) is a famous collection of prayers for the Islamic prophet Muhammad , which was written by the Moroccan Shadhili Sufi and Islamic scholar Muhammad Sulaiman al-Jazuli ash Shadhili (died 1465). It is popular in parts of the Islamic world amongst traditional Muslims - specifically North Africa , the Levant , Turkey , the Caucasus and the South Asia and is divided into sections for daily recitation. Moroccan hadith scholar ‘Abdullah al-Talidi wrote of the Dala’il al-Khayrat : "Millions of Muslims from East to West tried it and found its good, its blessing, and its benefit for centuries and over generations, and witnessed its unbelievable spiritual blessings and light. Muslims avidly recited it, alone and in groups, in homes and mosques, utterly spending themselves in the Blessings on the Most Beloved and praising him". The Dala’il al-Khayrat is the first major book in Islamic history which compiled litanies of peace and blessings upon Muhammad. It is also the most popular and most universally acclaimed collection of litanies asking God to bless him. Among some Sunni religious orders, most notably the Shadhili-Jazuli order, its recitation is a daily practice. In others however, its recitation is a purely voluntary daily practice. The work begins with the ninety nine names of God , and then the a collection of over one hundred names of Muhammad . The legend behind the origin of the Dala’il al-Khayrat claims that al-Jazuli once awoke late for his morning prayers and began to look in vain for pure water to perform ritual ablutions. In the midst of his search al-Jazuli encountered a young girl who was aware of al-Jazuli's famed religiosity and was bewildered on why al-Jazuli could not find pure water. The girl then spat into a well which miraculously overflowed with pure sweet water for al-Jazuli to perform ablutions. Consequent to performing prayer, al-Jazuli inquired to the means by which the girl achieved such a high spiritual station. The girl replied it was simply by "Making constant prayer for God to bless the best of creation by the number of breaths and heartbeats." Al-Jazuli then resolved to write a work collecting litanies of prayers asking God to bless and show mercy and kindness to Muhammad. Al-Jazuli then moved east to Medina where he would recite the whole of the Dala’il al-Khayrat twice daily at Muhammad's grave in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi . The Dala'il Khayrat has since been seen as a testament of love and passionate longing for Muhammad. Many of exegesis were written on the Dala'il Khayrat - most notably by the scholar Yusuf an-Nabhani in his work Afdal al-Salawat , and 'Abd al-Majid al-Sharnubi al-Azhari's Sharh Dala'il Khayrat . A classic Ottoman era work by Kara Davud is popular in Turkish , titled Muwafik-ul Khayrat Linayl-el Barakat Fi Khidmat-as Saadat , in short known as "Kara Davud".
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 955982800.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 17 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Collection of Islamic prayers A 15th-century copy of Dala'il al-Khayrat from the Chester Beatty Library . The opening page from a 17th-century copy of Dala'il al-Khayrat from the Walters Art Museum . Dalāʼil al-khayrāt wa-shawāriq al-anwār fī dhikr al-ṣalāt ʻalá al-Nabī al-mukhtār ( ), usually shortened to Dala'il al-Khayrat , is a famous collection of prayers for the Islamic prophet Muhammad , which was written by the Moroccan Shadhili scholar Muhammad al-Jazuli (died 1465 AD). It is popular in parts of the Islamic world amongst traditional Muslims—specifically North Africa , the Levant , Turkey , the Caucasus and South Asia —and is divided into sections for daily recitation.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1175043916.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Collection of Islamic prayers A 15th-century copy of Dala'il al-Khayrat from the Chester Beatty Library . The opening page from a 17th-century copy of Dala'il al-Khayrat from the Walters Art Museum . Dalāʼil al-khayrāt wa-shawāriq al-anwār fī dhikr al-ṣalāt ʻalá al-Nabī al-mukhtār ( Arabic : دلائل الخيرات وشوارق الأنوار في ذكر الصلاة على النبي المختار , lit. ' Waymarks of Benefits and the Brilliant Burst of Lights in the Remembrance of Blessings on the Chosen Prophet ' ), usually shortened to Dala'il al-Khayrat , is a famous collection of prayers for the Islamic prophet Muhammad , which was written by the Moroccan Shadhili scholar Muhammad al-Jazuli (died 1465 AD). It is popular in parts of the Islamic world amongst traditional Muslims—specifically North Africa , the Levant , Turkey , the Caucasus and South Asia —and is divided into sections for daily recitation.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1292685419. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “commanding you by your sensual desires then cast away such caprice with blessings”. Today it says “famous collection of prayers for the islamic prophet muhammad”. Read the current article and compare.
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2010, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
commanding you by your sensual desires then cast away such caprice with blessings
Now
famous collection of prayers for the islamic prophet muhammad
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.