Muhammad Muḥammad - (محمد)
Life Life in Mecca Migration to Medina Life in Medina Conquest of Mecca The Farewell Pilgrimage
Career Hadith Early Reforms Under Islam Diplomacy Military Persecution by Meccans Migration to Abyssinia
Attributed miracles Quran Attributed miracles Isra and Mi'raj Splitting of the Moon
Views Jews Christians Slavery
Succession Farewell sermon Hadith (Pen and Paper) Saqifah Ahl al-Bayt Companions History
Praise Durood Na'at Mawlid
Perspectives Islamic Jewish Bible Medieval Christian Historicity Criticism
Related Mosque of the prophet Relics
Category Islam Portal
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A Na`at (Arabic: نعت‎) is a poetry that specifically praises the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The practice is popular in South Asia (Pakistan and India), commonly in Urdu or Punjabi language. People who recite Naat are known as Naat-Khua'an or Sana'a-Khua'an.

History [edit]

It is difficult to trace the history of Na'at Khawani since no authenticated record of when it was initiated can be found. On a more regularized basis, Muhammad's companion Hassan ibn Thabit started this work^{[citation needed]}. He was also known as Shair-e-Darbaar-e-Risalat. Even before accepting Islam he was a poet, but after embracing Islam he gave a new turn to his poetry and started writing Na'ats in honor of Muhammad.^[1][2] He was famous for his poetry that defended Muhammad in response to rival poets that attacked him and his religion. Therefore Hassan is known as the first Sana-Khawaan (Naat reciter) of that time. After that many a poet followed this trend and totally dedicated themselves to writing Naats.

Islamic poetry is rich in the praise of Muhammad. Rarely has there been any Muslim poet who has not written about him.^{[citation needed]} This is mainly inspired from the Islamic Hadith that each act of veneration will result in ten blessings of God on the person who venerates.^{[citation needed]}.

Language [edit]

Commonly the term Naat-Shareef (Exalted Poetry) is reserved and used for poetry in the praise of Muhammad written in Bengali, Urdu, English, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, Punjabi and Sindhi Language.^[3]

In the Arabic language, Naat is usually referred as Madih (praise), or simply as Nasheed (poetry) or Anasheed (plural). The latter two terms can describe any type of religious poetry.

Anasheed or Naat usually is not accompanied by musical instruments. However some scholars have allowed the use of the daf (small drum). Usually poetry that is accompanied by musical instruments is called Ghinaa (music).

==See also== The informal

References [edit]