“The Salutation of Al-Mashish” [ salatu-l mashishiyyah ] is a sublime Sufic benediction upon the beloved Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, composed by the venerable pole [ al-qutb ], Mawlay ‘Abdu-s Salam ibn Mashish al-Hasani al-Idrisi, may Allah be pleased with him. He was a disciple of the venerable succour [ al-ghawth ], Sidi Abu Madyan Shu’ayb ibn al-Husayn al-Ansari, may Allah sanctify his secret. His inheritor was the luminous spiritual guide [ al-imam ] and famed Sufi master [ al-shaikh ], Abu-l Hasan ‘Ali al-Shadhili, may Allah illuminate his resting abode. The contemporary Shadhili master Shaikh Nooruddeen Durkee describes Salatu-l Mashishiyya as, “… a metaphysical paraphrase of a widely known prayer, in which the believer calls on God to bless the Prophet as if to thank him for having received Islam through him.” This benediction is the only surviving work of ibn Mashish. Yet, it is interesting to note that many notables have written deep commentaries upon ...