Manners of Supplication

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells that Allah, the Almighty, answers the invocations of His slave, so long as he does not supplicate for an act of disobedience or for severing kinship ties, and so long as he is not hasty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the nature of haste that prevents the fulfillment of supplication. He explained that one complains that he supplicates repeatedly but gets no answer. Upon that, he thinks that his invocation is not going to be answered out of haste, so he stops asking Allah, the Almighty.

- صحيح البخاري، للإمام محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، تحقيق محمد الناصر، دار طوق النجاة. - صحيح مسلم، للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج النيسابوري، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار إحياء التراث العربي. - بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف سليم بن عيد الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة الأولى، 1418ه. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف د. مصطفى سعيد الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة، بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشرة، 1407هـ. - كنوز رياض الصالحين، لحمد بن ناصر العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا، الطبعة الأولى، 1430ه. - دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين، لمحمد علي بن محمد بن علان البكري الصديقي، اعتنى بها: خليل مأمون شيحا، دار المعرفة. - شرح رياض الصالحين، للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that when a Muslim supplicates Allah and asks for something that is not sinful, like asking for the facilitation of sin or injustice, nor does he ask for severing ties of kinship, like supplicating against his children or relatives, then Allah will grant him, through his supplication, one of three things: He will either hasten the fulfillment of his supplication and grant him what he asked for. Or Allah Almighty will delay it as a reward for him on the Day of Judgment by being elevated in rank or receiving mercy and forgiveness of misdeeds. Or He will prevent harm, in proportion to his supplication, from befalling him in his worldly life. Thereupon, the Companions said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): Then we should supplicate more to attain one of these advantages. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: What Allah possesses is way more and greater than anything you could ask for, for His bounty is infinite and endless.

1. The Muslim's supplication is answered and not rejected, provided that its conditions and etiquettes are fulfilled. Hence, one should engage diligently in supplication without being in a hurry for the answer.
2. Answering the supplication is not restricted to the fulfillment of the request; rather, it may result in the expiation of sins through his supplication or it could be stored for him in the Hereafter.
3. Ibn Bāz said: Persistence in supplication, having good expectations of Allah, and not losing hope are among the greatest causes for answering supplications. One should supplicate Allah persistently, have good expectations of Him, and realize that He is All-Wise and All-Knowing. Allah may hasten the response for a wise purpose, delay it for a wise purpose, or give the seeker something better than what he requested.

مسند أحمد (17/ 213) (11133). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 592). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص805). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 54). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، للقاري (4/ 1537). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1020).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encourages raising the hands during supplication and informed that Allah Almighty is (Bashful), possessing great bashfulness, and does not withhold giving. He does for the slave what brings him joy and refrains from what harms him. (Munificent) as He gives without being asked, so how much more after being asked! He feels bashful of His believing slave to return his hands empty of His answer and disappointed after they have been raised in supplication.

1. The more one shows his need for Allah Almighty and worships Him, the more likely it is to have his supplication answered.
2. Encouraging supplication and pointing out that it is recommended to raise the hands while supplicating, as this is one of the causes for the supplication to be answered.
3. Clarifying the extensive bounty and mercy of Allah towards His slaves.

سنن أبي داود (2/ 609) (1488). سنن الترمذي (5/ 521) (3556). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله البسام (7/ 552). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 423). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 483).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) preferred supplications that encompassed the good of this world and the Hereafter, with few words but deep meanings, containing praise of Allah Almighty and noble purposes, and he would leave aside anything else.

1. It is recommended to supplicate using simple words that encompass meanings of goodness, and it is disliked to resort to affectation and excessive elaboration in requests, as this goes against the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
2. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was uniquely granted the ability to speak with concise yet comprehensive words.
3. Adherence to what has been established that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated with, even if it is lengthy and contains many words, for all of it counts among the comprehensive supplications.

سنن أبي داود (2/ 605) (1482). مسند أحمد (42/ 76) (25151). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 542). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1003). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 15). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 349).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade making one's supplication conditional on something, even if it is Allah's will, as it is a well-known certainty that He does not forgive unless He wills. There is no point in conditioning one's supplication on His will, as this condition is only relevant for someone who may do something against his will under compulsion, which is something that Allah is far exalted above. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified this at the end of the Hadīth by saying that, indeed, none can compel Him. Moreover, nothing is too great for Allah to give; He is not incapable of anything, nor is there anything too great for Him that one would say: if You will. Making supplication conditional on His will is a form of being self-sufficient regarding His forgiveness. The statement: "If You will to give me such-and-such, then do so" is only used when addressing someone whom one does not need or someone incapable. However, when addressing the Able Whom one needs, then one should be determined in his request, asking for his needs and imploring Allah and resorting to Him, as He is the Self-Sufficient, the Perfect, and the One Capable of all things.

1. It is prohibited to make the supplication conditional on the divine will.
2. Exalting Allah far above anything that does not befit Him and showing His extensive grace, complete self-sufficiency, generosity, and bounty.
3. Affirming perfection for Allah Almighty.
4. Having great desire for what is with Allah and having good expectations of Him, may He be exalted.
5. Some people unconsciously make their supplications conditional on Allah's will, such as saying: May Allah reward you with good, if Allah wills, or May Allah have mercy on him, if Allah wills. This is not permissible due to the Hadīth in question.

صحيح البخاري (9/ 140) (7477). صحيح مسلم (4/ 2063) (2679). الجديد في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لمحمد القرعاوي (ص410). الملخص في شرح كتاب التوحيد، لصالح الفوزان (ص368). القول المفيد على كتاب التوحيد، لابن عثيمين (2/ 331).

It is mentioned in the beginning of the Hadīth that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up after one third of the night had passed, he would say to his followers: "O people, mention Allah," to wake them up from the state of heedlessness, and to encourage them to do the things that will earn them Allah's pleasure and His complete mercy. He reminds them to mention Allah with their tongues and their hearts so that the fruits of Allah's remembrance would lead them to do more good deeds and shun bad deeds. The Hadīth also indicates that the person may have a supplication that he asks for himself, and he may make one third of his supplication for the Prophet by sending peace and blessings upon him. He may also dedicate half of his supplication to the Prophet or even all of it, by invoking Allah's peace and blessings upon him instead of supplicating for himself. It was stated in an authentic Hadīth reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever sends Salāh upon me one time, then Allah will send Salāh upon him ten times." [Muslim 1/306, no. 408] The reward for his Salāh upon the Prophet is sufficient for him, and it is for this reason that he said: ''Then you will be relieved of your worries and your sins will be forgiven." In other words, when you supplicated for yourself, you asked for the removal of harm that causes worries and entails sin. If you send Salāh upon me instead of making this supplication for yourself, then you will be granted what you asked for. Another possible meaning of this Hadīth is dedicating part of his supplication to the Prophet, as if he meant that whenever he supplicated for himself, he invoked Allah's peace and blessings upon the Prophet, so both would go together in compliance with all texts.

بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي. تحفة الذاكرين بعدة الحصن الحصين؛ للإمام محمد بن علي الشوكاني، تحقيق سيد إبراهيم وغيره، دار الحديث-القاهرة، الطبعة الأولى، 1419م. الجامع الكبير؛ للإمام محمد بن عيسى الترمذي، تحقيق د. بشار عواد، دار الغرب الإسلامي-بيروت، الطبعة الثانية، 1998م. جامع المسائل؛ لشيخ الإسلام أحمد بن تيمية الحراني، تحقيق محمد عزيز شمس، دار عالم الفوائد، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين؛ لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، دار الكتاب العربي-بيروت. رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة؛ للشيخ محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، مكتبة المعارف-الرياض، 1415هـ. صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. كنوز رياض الصالحين؛ فريق علمي برئاسة أ.د. حمد العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1430هـ. المسند؛ للإمام أحمد بن حنبل، نشر المكتب الإسلامي-بيروت، مصور عن الطبعة الميمنية. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ.

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to the house of Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah, Chief of the Khazraj tribe. Sa‘d brought some bread and oil, which indicates that he brought what was easy for him to offer, and that this does not negate generosity. After the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had finished eating, he made this supplication: "Aftara ‘indakum as-sā’imūn," meaning; may Allah give you the reward that is promised for the one who offers food to fasting people to break their fast with; "wa akala ta‘āmakum al-abrār," meaning; may the righteous eat your food; and "wa sallat ‘alaykum al-malā’ikah," meaning; and may the angels ask forgiveness and mercy for you.

1- بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي. 2- تطريز رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف فيصل آل مبارك، تحقيق د. عبدالعزيز آل حمد، دار العاصمة-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1423هـ. 3- دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين؛ لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، دار الكتاب العربي-بيروت. 4- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. 5- سنن أبي داود؛ للإمام أبي داود سليمان بن الأشعث السجستاني، تعليق عزت الدعاس وغيره، دار ابن حزم-بيروت، الطبعة الأولى، 1418هـ. 6- سنن ابن ماجه؛ للحافظ محمد بن يزيد القزويني، حققه محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي، دار إحياء الكتب العربية. 7- المسند؛ للإمام أحمد بن حنبل، نشر المكتب الإسلامي-بيروت، مصور عن الطبعة الميمنية. 8- مسند الدارمي –المعروف بـ: سنن الدارمي-؛ للإمام عبدالله بن عبدالرحمن الدارمي، تحقيق حسين سليم، دار المغني-الرياض، الأولى، 1421هـ. 9- مشكاة المصابيح؛ تأليف محمد بن عبدالله التبريزي، تحقيق محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، المكتب الإسلامي-بيروت، الطبعة الثانية، 1399هـ. 10- نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ.