Reported Supplications

Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet’s uncle (may Allah be pleased with him), asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to teach him a supplication to ask Allah for. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught him to ask Allah for well-being and safety from calamities and shortcomings in religion and in this world and the Hereafter. Al-‘Abbās said: A few days later, I returned to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) again and asked him to teach me a supplication to ask Allah for. Thereupon, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, in a friendly manner: O ‘Abbās, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ask Allah for safety to ward off all harm and bring all good and benefit in this world and the Hereafter.

1. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeating the same answer to Al-‘Abbās when he asked him for the second time indicates that safety is the best thing a servant can ask of his Lord.
2. The Hadīth points out the significance of safety and that it combines all goodness in this world and the Hereafter.
3. It demonstrates the Companions' keenness to obtain more knowledge and goodness.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 491) (3514). مسند أحمد (3/ 303) (1783). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين (2/ 1014). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 468). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 566). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل المبارك (ص815). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 40).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate saying: (O Allah, I surrender to You) and I submit to You. (I believe in You), I accept, and I admit. (I rely upon You), I entrust my affairs, and I depend on You. (I repent to You), I return, and I turn to You. (And with Your help I dispute) and argue with Your enemies. (O Allah, I seek refuge) and shelter (in Your might), power, and dominance. (There is no god but You) and no deity is truly worthy of worship but You (that You do not lead me astray) from guidance and the attainment of Your pleasure. (You are the Ever-Living Who never dies) or perishes (but the jinn and humans die).

1. It is legitimate to begin with praise before making any request.
2. It is obligatory to rely upon Allah Almighty alone and seek protection from Him, as He possesses the attributes of perfection. He alone is to be relied upon, while all of the creations are powerless and ultimately face death, so they are unfit to rely upon.
3. Following the Prophet's example in supplicating with these comprehensive words, which express true faith and ultimate certainty.
4. As-Sindi said: His statement (You are the Ever-Living) means: We should seek refuge with You and no one else.

صحيح البخاري (9/ 117) (7383). صحيح مسلم (4/ 2086) (2717). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص72). فتح رب البرية بتلخيص الحموية، لابن عثيمين (ص79). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 109). مرعاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، عبيد الله المباركفوري (8/ 223).

The supplication the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say most frequently is to ask Allah for steadfastness to the religion and obedience to Him and keeping away from deviation and misguidance. Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) wondered at the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) making this supplication frequently. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that the hearts lie between two of the Fingers of Allah and He turns them as He wishes. The heart is the place where Imān or Kufr lies. It is called Qalb (in Arabic) due to its frequent Taqallub (fluctuation). It fluctuates more intensely than a boiling jar. So, Allah makes the heart of whom He wills steadfast to guidance and firm upon the religion, and He diverts the heart of whom He wills from guidance to deviation and misguidance.

1. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was submissive and humble to his Lord and used to implore Him. The Ummah is also exhorted to make the same supplication.
2. The Hadīth highlights the significance of uprightness and steadfastness to the religion, and that the important thing is the end.
3. A person is always in need of Allah to make him steadfast to Islam.
4. We are urged to supplicate Allah a lot, in adherence to the Prophet's example.
5. Steadfastness to Islam is the greatest blessing a person should seek to obtain and for which he should be grateful to his Lord.

سنن الترمذي (4/ 19) (2140). مسند أحمد (19/ 160) (12107). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 476). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 567). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1014). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص808). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 41).

The Arabic imperative 'alizzu' used in this Hadīth means be "persistent in doing something". The meaning: Hold on to this supplication and keep repeating it. This is a virtuous supplication as it includes a name of Allah said to be His most glorious Name, since it encompasses all the attributes of Lordship and Divinity.

- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين، للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير، دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428ه. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة، بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. - كنوز رياض الصالحين، لحمد بن ناصر العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا - الطبعة الأولى، 1430ه. سنن الترمذي - محمد بن عيسى الترمذي، تحقيق وتعليق: أحمد محمد شاكر ومحمد فؤاد عبد الباقي وإبراهيم عطوة عوض - شركة مكتبة ومطبعة مصطفى البابي الحلبي - مصر، الطبعة: الثانية، 1395هـ - 1975م.

Among the supplications of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was: "O Allah, I ask You for guidance", i.e., the straight path of knowing the truth and acting upon it, "piety", i.e., adhering to commands and avoiding prohibitions, "chastity", i.e., refraining from what is unlawful or unsuitable of words or deeds, "and self-sufficiency", i.e., being free from want of others, and needing none but one's Lord, the Almighty.

1. The nobility of these qualities of: guidance, piety, chastity, and self-sufficiency, and the encouragement to adopt them.
2. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cannot benefit or harm himself, as all this is within the power of Allah Almighty.
3. The One who possesses the power to bring benefit, harm, and guidance to the creation is Allah alone—neither a close angel, a sent prophet, nor anyone else.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2087) (2721). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 146). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل المبارك (ص68). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 183). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 528). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 104).

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: "O Allah, to You I have submitted", meaning: the outward submission to Allah, not to anyone else. "In You I have believed", meaning: inward belief. "In You I have put my trust", meaning: I have submitted all of my affairs to You, as I am capable of neither benefit nor harm. "To You I have turned in repentance", meaning: I abandoned sins or heedlessness and returned to Your obedience or Your remembrance. "And for You I have argued", meaning: by Your support I have fought against Your enemies. "O Allah, I seek refuge with Your Power", meaning: for indeed all might and power belong to Allah. "There is no god but You", meaning: You are the only One who deserves to be worshiped, supplicated, and sought for refuge. "That You lead me astray", meaning: I seek refuge in You not to misguide me after You have guided me to adhere to Your Judgment and decree inwardly and outwardly, to return in repentance to You, to oppose Your enemies, to seek refuge in You, and to resort to Your power and assistance in all situations. "You are the Ever Living, the One who never dies, whereas the human beings and jinn will all die.”

- صحيح البخاري -الجامع الصحيح-؛ للإمام أبي عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، عناية محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. - صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. - كنوز رياض الصالحين، لحمد بن ناصر العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا- الطبعة الأولى1430ه. - شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. - دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين؛ لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، تحقيق خليل مأمون شيحا-دار المعرفة-بيروت-الطبعة الرابعة1425ه. - بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي- الطبعة الأولى1418ه. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشرة، 1407هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his supplication: (O Allah, I seek refuge), turn to You, and seek protection (in You) and in none but You from (evil) and detestable things that are prohibited by Allah and His Messenger, (morals) such as malice, envy, and arrogance, and from evil (deeds) such as insulting and cursing, and from all (desires) that the soul longs for but which go against the teachings of the Shariah.

1. The merit and recommendation of this supplication.
2. The believer is keen to avoid blameworthy morals and evil actions, and he is cautious of following his desires and falling into temptations.
3. The division of morals, actions, and desires into two categories: evil and good.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 544) (3591). فتح ذي الجلال والاكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 389). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 248). توضِيحُ الأحكَامِ مِن بُلوُغ المَرَام، للبسام (7/ 436).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās, when he was sick and said three times: "O Allah, cure Sa‘d." This Hadīth indicates that it is from the Sunnah to visit a sick Muslim. It also indicates the Prophet's exemplary character, and his good manners with his companions, as he used to visit the sick and make supplication for them. This Hadīth serves as proof that it is desirable to make supplication saying: "O Allah, cure so and so," and one should name the person and repeat this supplication three times. This could be a reason for the person's recovery.

صحيح مسلم, ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي, دار إحياء التراث العربي, بيروت. دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين لمحمد بن علان الصديقي, دار الكتاب العربي. شرح رياض الصالحين لابن عثيمين , دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض, الطبعة: 1426 هـ. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين لسليم الهلالي, دار ابن الجوزي. نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين لمجموعة من الباحثين, مؤسسة الرسالة, الطبعة الرابعة عشر, 1407ه.