Merits of Supplication

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that a Muslim's supplication for his fellow Muslim in his absence is answered because it demonstrates greater sincerity. At the head of the supplicator is an appointed angel who says whenever he invokes good for his brother: Amen, and may you receive the same.

1. Encouraging believers to show kindness to one another, even with supplication.
2. Supplicating for others in their absence is an indication of sincere faith and true brotherhood.
3. Restricting supplication for others to their absence, because this demonstrates greater sincerity and presence of heart.
4. One of the reasons for supplications being answered is when a Muslim prays for his fellow Muslim in his absence.
5. An-Nawawi said: The merit of supplicating for a fellow Muslim in his absence—even if one prays for a group of Muslims, this merit is attained. And if one supplicates for the entire Muslim community, it is evident that this merit is also attained. Some of the righteous predecessors, when they wished to supplicate for themselves, would supplicate for their Muslim brother with the same supplication, because it is answered, and they receive the same.
6. Clarifying some of the tasks of angels—among them are those whom Allah has entrusted with this specific task.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2094) (2733). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 585). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1018). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 48). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 510).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that supplication is worship. So, it should be purely directed to Allah, whether supplication is that of request, as the supplicant asks Allah Almighty to bring him what is beneficial and avert from him what is harmful in this world and in the Hereafter, or supplication of worship, involving such words and deeds, inward and outward, that are beloved and pleasing to Allah, acts of worship performed within the heart or through one's body or money. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cited as evidence the verse that reads: {Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, utterly debased.}

1. Supplication is the basis of worship and may not be directed to other than Allah.
2. Supplication comprises the true meaning of servitude to Allah, the servant's recognition of the self-sufficiency and power of his Lord, and the servant's need of Him.
3. The Hadīth contains a stern warning to those who are too proud to worship Allah and refrain from supplicating Him: that such people will enter Hellfire, utterly debased and humiliated.

سنن أبي داود (2/ 603) (1479). سنن الترمذي (5/ 292) (3247). سنن ابن ماجه (5/ 5) (3828). مسند أحمد (30/ 297) (18352). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (7/ 546). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 416). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 480). سبل السلام بشرح بلوغ المرام، للصنعاني (2/ 707).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that no act of worship is more virtuous in the sight of Allah Almighty than supplication. This is because supplication comprises recognition of Allah's self-sufficiency and the servant's helplessness and need of his Lord.

1. The Hadīth demonstrates the merit of supplication and that when a servant supplicates his Lord, he thus extols Him and acknowledges that He is Self-Sufficient, Hearing, Generous, Powerful, and Near, for supplication would not be directed to one who is needy, deaf, stingy, merciless, powerless, or distant - and the list of the attributes of Allah's excellence and majesty are numerous.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 385) (3370). سنن ابن ماجه (5/ 6) (3829). مسند أحمد (14/ 360) (8748). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (7/ 546). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 416). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 481). سبل السلام بشرح بلوغ المرام، للصنعاني (2/ 707).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the deeds of a person come to a halt when he dies. No good deeds are recorded for him after death, except for these three things, as he was the cause behind them: First: Charity whose reward is enduring, permanent, and ceaseless, like endowment, building mosques, digging wells, etc. Second: Knowledge from which people draw benefits, like authoring books of knowledge or teaching knowledge to someone, who in turn disseminates this knowledge after his teacher's death. Third: A pious, believing child who supplicates for his parents.

1. The scholars unanimously agreed that the rewards that reach a person after his death include ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, supplication, and Hajj, as mentioned in other Hadīths.
2. He singled out these three things in the Hadīth because they represent the foundations of goodness and they are mostly the things virtuous people want to endure after their passing.
3. Any beneficial knowledge will bring reward, but at the top and pinnacle of it is the Shar‘i knowledge and the sciences that support it.
4. Knowledge is the most beneficial of these three, because knowledge benefits the person who learns it, preserves the Shariah, and benefits people in general. Plus, it is more comprehensive and inclusive as people learn from your knowledge that exists during your lifetime and endures after your death.
5. The Hadīth encourages us to raise righteous children, as they are the ones who will benefit their parents in the Hereafter, and an example of their benefit is that they supplicate for them.
6. It encourages kindness to parents after their death, which is also a form of righteousness from which the child benefits.
7. Supplication benefits a deceased person even if the supplicant is not his child. But, a person's child is specifically mentioned because he is mostly the one who continues to supplicate for his parents until he dies.

صحيح مسلم (3/ 1255) (1631)، البحر المحيط الثجاج في شرح صحيح الإمام مسلم بن الحجاج (28/ 413).