The Hundred-word Eulogy

The Hundred-word Eulogy (Chinese: 百字讃; pinyin: Bǎi Zì Zàn) is a 100-character praise of Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad written by the Hongwu Emperor of the Chinese Ming dynasty in 1368.^[1] Copies of it are on display in several mosques in Nanjing, China.^[2]

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It was recorded that "His Majesty ordered to have mosques built in Xijing and Nanjing (the capital cities), and in southern Yunnan, Fujian and Guangdong. His Majesty also personally wrote baizizan (eulogy) in praise of the Prophet's virtues."^[3]

乾坤初始，天籍注名。
傳教大聖，降生西域。

授受天經，三十部冊，
普化眾生。億兆君師，萬聖領袖。

協助天運，保庇國民。
五時祈祐，默祝太平。
存心真主，加志窮民。
拯救患難，洞徹幽冥。

超拔靈魂，脱離罪業。
仁覆天下，道冠古今。

降邪歸一，教名清真。

穆罕默德，至貴聖人。

The universe began with the heavenly tablet recording his name.
The religion-delivering great sage, born in the western realm.

Conferring and receiving heavenly scripture in thirty parts, universally transforming all created beings.
Master of the trillion rulers, leader of the ten thousand sages.

Assisted by destiny, protector of the community.
In each of the five prayers, he silently supplicates for their total well-being.
His heart directed towards Allah, remembering the needy.
Deliver them from tribulations to safety, Knower of the unseen.

Exalted above every soul and spirit, free from any blameworthy deeds.
A mercy to all of the worlds, whose path is preeminent for all time.

Renouncing spiritual ignorance; returning to The One — that is the religion called Islam.

Muhammad is the most noble sage.

—Text and translation by B. Newlon^[4]^: 3

References

^ Sha, Zongping; Xiang, Shuchen (2023). The Islamic-Confucian Synthesis in China. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-6669-1337-8.
^ Tan Ta Sen, Dasheng Chen (2000). Cheng Ho and Islam in Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 170. ISBN 981-230-837-7. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
^ Maria Jaschok, Jingjun Shui (2000). The history of women's mosques in Chinese Islam: a mosque of their own (illustrated ed.). Psychology Press. p. 77. ISBN 0-7007-1302-6. For instance, in the early years of Emperor Hongwu's reign in the Ming dynasty ' His Majesty ordered to have mosques built in Xijing and Nanjing [the capital cities], and in southern Yunnan, Fujian and Guangdong. His Majesty also personally wrote baizizan ([eulogy]) in praise of the Prophet's virtues'. The Ming Emperor Xuanzong once issued imperial orders to build a mosque in Nanjing in response to Zheng He's request (Liu Zhi, 1984 reprint: 358–374). Mosques built by imperial decree raised the social position of Islam, and assistance from upper-class Muslims helped to sustain religious sites in certain areas
^ Newlon, Brendan (2015). "Praising the Prophet Muhammad in Chinese: A new translation and analysis of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang's Ode to the Prophet" (PDF). The Matheson Trust. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

External links

Dedicated page with two English translations, images, and original audio recordings.
image
Baizizan at MuslimHymns.com

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[1] Sha, Zongping; Xiang, Shuchen (2023). The Islamic-Confucian Synthesis in China. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-6669-1337-8.

[2] Tan Ta Sen, Dasheng Chen (2000). Cheng Ho and Islam in Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 170. ISBN 981-230-837-7. Retrieved 2010-06-28.

[3] Maria Jaschok, Jingjun Shui (2000). The history of women's mosques in Chinese Islam: a mosque of their own (illustrated ed.). Psychology Press. p. 77. ISBN 0-7007-1302-6. For instance, in the early years of Emperor Hongwu's reign in the Ming dynasty ' His Majesty ordered to have mosques built in Xijing and Nanjing [the capital cities], and in southern Yunnan, Fujian and Guangdong. His Majesty also personally wrote baizizan ([eulogy]) in praise of the Prophet's virtues'. The Ming Emperor Xuanzong once issued imperial orders to build a mosque in Nanjing in response to Zheng He's request (Liu Zhi, 1984 reprint: 358–374). Mosques built by imperial decree raised the social position of Islam, and assistance from upper-class Muslims helped to sustain religious sites in certain areas

[Newlon-4] Newlon, Brendan (2015). "Praising the Prophet Muhammad in Chinese: A new translation and analysis of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang's Ode to the Prophet" (PDF). The Matheson Trust. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

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