Complete Guide — Full Arabic Text, 4-Language Translations, Word-by-Word Meaning, Hadith Chain Investigation & Definitive Scholarly Verdict on the 100,000 Reward Claim
The 100,000 reward claim attached to Durood-e-Lakhi has no authenticated hadith basis. Scholars have not found a sound chain supporting it. The text itself — asking Allah for blessings as numerous as His knowledge — is theologically sound and found in partial form in some narrations. The distinction matters: the du'a is permissible; the reward claim is unverified. This guide explains both fully.
Durood-e-Lakhi (درود لاکھی) is a Salawat formula that has become one of the most frequently shared Islamic messages across WhatsApp, Facebook, and other social media platforms in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Its extraordinary appeal lies in a bold claim: that reciting it once carries the reward of reciting Durood upon the Prophet 100,000 times — hence the name, as "lakh" (لاکھ) means 100,000 in South Asian numeral systems.
The text of Durood-e-Lakhi asks Allah to send blessings upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in quantities equal to all things contained in Allah's infinite knowledge — a beautiful, theologically rich sentiment. Variations of this phrase do appear in some Islamic literature. However, the specific claim that this equals 100,000 Durood — the very thing that makes it viral — is what scholars have investigated and found to be without authenticated support.
The result is an important distinction that every Muslim should understand: the concept behind the text is sound; the specific claimed reward is not authenticated. This guide investigates both fully, with complete transparency.
The name "Lakhi" is not an Arabic term — it is a South Asian colloquial word derived from the Sanskrit/Hindi/Urdu "lakh" (لاکھ), meaning 100,000. This immediately reveals something significant: the name itself is not from classical Islamic scholarship but from the South Asian popular tradition that gave this Durood its reputation.
The naming of a Salawat after its claimed numerical reward — rather than after its content, origin scholar, or spiritual quality — is itself unusual in Islamic scholarship. Classical Salawat compositions like Salat al-Ibrahimiyya (Durood-e-Ibrahim), Salat al-Tafrijiyya (Durood-e-Nariya), and Salat al-Tunajjina (Durood-e-Tunajjina) are named after their content or the blessing they seek. "Durood-e-Lakhi" is named after its alleged shortcut reward — which itself signals how it spread.
The most widely circulated Arabic text — with diacritical marks for correct pronunciation
One telling sign of a Durood without a firm hadith foundation is the existence of multiple significantly different versions circulating simultaneously — because there is no single authoritative source text to standardise it. Durood-e-Lakhi exists in at least three major variants, each with different wordings and sometimes different reward claims.
Why Multiple Variants Are a Red Flag: Durood-e-Ibrahim has one fixed text — because it was directly dictated by the Prophet. When a Salawat exists in 3-4 significantly different versions simultaneously, it signals that no single authoritative source exists. Each community or individual has modified the text, confirming its origin in popular tradition rather than prophetic narration.
| Arabic Phrase | Transliteration | Meaning | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ | Allāhumma ṣalli | O Allah, send blessings | Standard Salawat opening — addressing Allah directly. Theologically correct and sound. |
| عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ | ʿalā sayyidinā Muḥammadin wa ʿalā ālihī | Upon our master Muhammad and upon his family | Standard Salawat structure. "Sayyidinā" (our master) is a debated addition in some schools but generally permitted. Blessings upon the Prophet's family is an authentic element. |
| صَلَاةً دَائِمَةً | ṣalātan dāʾimatan | A blessing that is perpetual / everlasting | Asking for an eternal blessing — one that persists as long as Allah's attributes persist. Beautiful and theologically appropriate, as it acknowledges Allah's eternal nature as the granter. |
| بِدَوَامِ مُلْكِ اللَّهِ | bi-dawāmi mulkillāh | As perpetual as the dominion of Allah | Mulk (dominion/sovereignty) belongs to Allah alone and is eternal. Linking the blessing to Allah's eternal dominion is theologically sound — it glorifies Allah while asking for a lasting Salawat. |
| عَدَدَ مَا فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ | ʿadada mā fī ʿilmillāh | As many times as all things in the knowledge of Allah | This phrase — asking for blessings as numerous as everything in Allah's infinite knowledge — is actually the most theologically powerful phrase. A related concept appears in authentic narrations (see Section 07). The phrase itself is sound; its inflated 100,000× reward claim is not. |
Key Finding: Every individual phrase in Durood-e-Lakhi is theologically sound. The text asks Allah for appropriate things in appropriate ways. The problem is entirely with the 100,000 reward claim — not with the text itself. This important distinction will guide the final ruling.
"O Allah, send blessings upon our master Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad — a blessing that is perpetual, as perpetual as the dominion of Allah; and bestow Your grace upon him and upon his family, as many times as the number of all things in the knowledge of Allah."
"ऐ अल्लाह! हमारे आक़ा हज़रत मुहम्मद पर और उनकी आल पर इतना दरूद भेज जो हमेशा रहे, जितनी देर अल्लाह की बादशाहत क़ायम है; और उन पर और उनकी आल पर रहमत नाज़िल फ़रमा, अल्लाह के इल्म में जितनी चीज़ें हैं उतनी तादाद में।"
"হে আল্লাহ! আমাদের সরদার হযরত মুহাম্মাদ এবং তাঁর পরিবারের উপর এমন দরূদ পাঠাও যা চিরস্থায়ী, আল্লাহর রাজত্ব যতক্ষণ টিকে আছে ততক্ষণ; এবং তাঁকে ও তাঁর পরিবারকে বরকত দান করো, আল্লাহর জ্ঞানে যত কিছু আছে তার সংখ্যা পরিমাণ।"
"اے اللہ! ہمارے آقا حضرت محمد اور ان کی آل پر ایسا درود بھیج جو ہمیشہ باقی رہے، جب تک اللہ کی بادشاہت قائم ہے؛ اور ان پر اور ان کی آل پر برکت نازل فرما، اللہ کے علم میں جو کچھ ہے اس کی تعداد کے برابر۔"
In Islamic scholarship, any claimed prophetic reward must be traceable through an authenticated chain of narrators (isnād) back to the Prophet. For Durood-e-Lakhi, scholars have conducted this investigation and documented their findings. Here is the step-by-step methodology and what was discovered:
Scholars searched Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sunan al-Nasa'i, Sunan Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad. Result: The specific wording of Durood-e-Lakhi with a 100,000 reward claim was not found in any of these collections.
A broader search in al-Tabarani's Mujam collections, al-Bayhaqi's Shu'ab al-Iman, and other major secondary hadith works also did not yield the specific Durood-e-Lakhi with its reward claim. Result: Not found in secondary collections either.
The concept of asking for Salawat "as many as what is in Allah's knowledge" (ʿadada mā fī ʿilmillāh) does appear in a hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim (2793) where a du'a before sleep includes the phrase "as many as You have knowledge of." A similar construction appears in other authenticated narrations. This confirms the concept is sound — but none of these authenticated narrations attach a 100,000× reward multiplier to it.
When scholars attempted to trace where the 100,000 reward claim originated, they could not find a single classical scholarly source — no fatwa, no hadith commentary, no scholarly text of any era that authenticated this specific number as a prophetic statement. Result: The 100,000 claim appears to be a popular fabrication with no scholarly root.
Based on the investigation, contemporary hadith scholars including those at major Islamic institutions classify the specific claim that reciting this Durood equals 100,000 recitations as either mawdū' (fabricated) — meaning it was invented after the Prophet — or at minimum severely weak (munkar). The text as a general du'a may be permissible; attributing a verified prophetic reward to it is not.
By contrast, Durood-e-Ibrahim's reward — 10 blessings from Allah, 10 sins erased, 10 degrees elevated per recitation — is found in Sahih Muslim (408) with a sound, authenticated chain directly from the Prophet. Ten authenticated blessings are infinitely more valuable than 100,000 unverified ones.
The Real Maths: 100 recitations of Durood-e-Ibrahim with its authenticated 10× reward from Sahih Muslim = 1,000 guaranteed blessings from Allah, 1,000 sins erased, 1,000 degrees elevated — every single day. This is infinitely more spiritually valuable than an unverified claim of 100,000, because one verified blessing from Allah is worth more than a billion imagined ones.
| Criteria | Durood-e-Ibrahim ⭐ | Durood-e-Lakhi | Durood-e-Tunajjina | Durood-e-Nariya |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hadith Source | Bukhari & Muslim | None found | Weak chain | None found |
| Authenticity | Sahih — Highest | Fabricated reward | Da'if (Weak) | No chain |
| Text Permissibility | ✓ Fully authenticated | ✓ Text OK as du'a | ✓ Sound text | ~ With correct belief |
| Reward Claim | ✓ 10× verified | ✗ 100,000× fabricated | ✗ Unverified | ✗ Unverified |
| Used in Salah | ✓ All 4 Madhabs | ✗ No | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Multiple Versions | One fixed text | 3-4 different versions | Minor variations | Some variations |
| Safe to Forward | ✓ Always safe | ✗ Not with reward claim | ~ With caveats | ~ With caveats |
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
For the complete comparison of all six major Durood types with full authenticity analysis, see our comprehensive guide: Durood-e-Ibrahim vs Other Durood — What's the Difference?
No need for her to stop reciting the text — it is theologically sound as a personal du'a. The key change is intention: she should recite it as a sincere Salawat upon the Prophet (PBUH) without expecting the specific 100,000 reward, since that has not been verified. Any sincere Salawat earns at minimum the authenticated 10× reward from Sahih Muslim. Her decades of love for the Prophet through this recitation are not wasted — they reflect sincere devotion, which Allah rewards.
It matters because in Islam, rewards come only through authentic divine or prophetic promise. Claiming a specific reward that the Prophet never promised is a form of lying about the Prophet — even unintentionally. It also creates a false hierarchy of Durood, leading Muslims to neglect Durood-e-Ibrahim (whose reward IS verified) in favour of a Durood whose reward is invented.
The concept of asking for blessings "as many as in Allah's knowledge" appears in other authentic narrations in different forms — but never with a "100,000 reward multiplier" attached. The closest authenticated text is the du'a in Sahih Muslim (2793) which uses a similar structure for general supplication. You can recite that concept authentically without the unverified reward claim.
Partially — you receive reward for sincere Salawat upon the Prophet regardless of which permissible formula you use. But the specific claimed reward (100,000×) requires a specific hadith to be true. You cannot simply decide that an unverified reward claim becomes valid through good intentions. The intention to send Salawat earns general reward; it does not validate fabricated specific rewards.
Make sincere tawbah (repentance) to Allah for the unintentional error — you did so out of genuine love for the Prophet and desire to benefit others, which is commendable. Now share accurate information with your contacts: the text is permissible as du'a, but the 100,000 reward claim is not authenticated. Correcting misinformation about the Prophet's teachings is itself a good deed that earns reward.
Durood-e-Ibrahim — without any question. It is the only Durood directly taught by the Prophet (PBUH), narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari (3370) and Sahih Muslim (406). Its reward of 10 blessings from Allah per recitation is verified. 100 daily recitations = 1,000 guaranteed blessings, 1,000 sins erased, 1,000 degrees elevated. No other Durood can match this combination of authenticity and verified reward.
Sirat Guidance — Authentic Islamic Knowledge
Access authenticated, scholar-verified Salawat, duas and Islamic prayers. Every entry includes the full Arabic text, hadith source, authenticity grade, and honest scholarly commentary — so you always know exactly what you are reciting and why it is valid.
Learn with verified hadith sources — not viral claims
Viral Durood-e-Lakhi Claims — Fact-Checked
Durood-e-Lakhi spreads through social media with different claims attached to it. Here are the most common claims Muslims encounter and their accurate scholarly assessment:
The Danger of Forwarding Unverified Reward Claims: When a Muslim forwards a message claiming "The Prophet said: reciting this once equals 100,000 Durood" — and the Prophet never said that — the forwarder is, even unintentionally, attributing a false statement to the Prophet (PBUH). The hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (109) directly addresses this. Always verify reward claims before sharing them as Islamic facts.