The Book Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah; Supplication; Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness

Farwa' b. Naufal reported on the authority of 'A'isha that Allah's Mes- senger (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate (in these words): " O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what I did and from the evil of what I did not."

Ibn 'Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to say: " O Allah, it is unto Thee that I surrender myself. I affirm my faith in Thee and repose my trust in Thee and turn to Thee in repentance and with Thy help fought my adversaries. O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee with Thine Power; there is no god but Thou, lest Thou leadest me astray. Thou art ever-living that dieth not, while the Jinn and mankind die."

Abu Huraira reported that when Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) set out on a journey in the morning, he used to say: " A listener listened to our praising Allah (for) His goodly trial of us. Our Lord! acompany us, guard us and bestow upon us Thy grace. I am seeker of refuge in Allah from the Fire."

Abu Musa Ash'ari reported on the authority of his father that Allahs Apostle (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate in these words: " O Allah, forgive me my faults, my ignorance, my immoderation in my concerns. And Thou art better aware (of my affairs) than myself. O Allah, grant me forgiveness (of the faults which I committed) seriously or otherwise (and which I committed inadvertently and de- liberately. All these (failings) are in me. O Allah, grant me forgiveness from the fault which I did in haste or deferred, which I committed in privacy or in public and Thou art better aware of (them) than myself. Thou art the First and the Last and over all things Thou art Omnipotent."

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate (in these words): " O Allah, set right for me my religion which is the safeguard of my affairs. And set right for me the affairs of my world wherein is my living. And set right for me my Hereafter on which depends my after-life. And make the life for me (a source) of abundance for every good and make my death a source of comfort for me protecting me against every evil."

Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate (in these words): " O Allah. I beg of Thee the right guidance, safeguard against evils, chastity and freedom from want."

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Ishaq with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of wording.

Zaid b. Alqam reported: I am not going to say anything but only that which Allah's Messenger (may peace be upgn him) used to say. He used to supplicate:" O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity, from sloth, from cowardice, from miserliness, decrepitude and from torment of the grave. O Allah, grant to my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, for Thou art the Best Purifier thereof. Thou art the Protecting Friend thereof, and Guardian thereof. O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the knowledge which does not benefit, from the heart that does not entertain the fear (of Allah), from the soul that does not feel contented and the supplication that is not responded."

Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported that when it was evening Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate: " We entered upon evening and the whole Kingdom of Allah also entered upon evening and praise is due to Allah. There is no god but Allah, the One Who has no partner with Him." Hasan said that Zubaid reported to him that he memorised it from Ibrahim in these very words." His is the Sovereignty and Praise is due to Him, and He is Potent over everything. O Allah, I beg of Thee the good of this night and I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of this night and the evil which follows it. O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from sloth, from the evil of vanity. O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from torment in the Hell-Fire and from torment in the grave."

Abdullah reported that when it was evening Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate: " We have entered upon evening and so, too, the whole Kingdom of Allah has entered upon evening. Praise is due to Allah. There is no god but Allah, the One having no partner with Him." He (the narrator) said: I think that he also uttered (in this supplication these words):" His is tne Sovercignty and to Him is praise due and He is Potent over everything. My Lord, I beg of Thee good that lies in this night and good that follows it and I seek refuge in Thee from the evil that lies in this night and from the evil of that which follows it. My Lord, I seek refuge in Thee from sloth, from the evil of vanity. My Lord, I seek refuge in Thee from torment of the Hell-Fire and from torment of the grave." And when it was morning he said like this:" We entered upon morning and the whole Kingdom of Allah enter ed upon morning."

Abdullah reported that when it was evening Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate: " We have entered upon evening and so has the Kingdom of Allah entere d upon evening; praise is due to Allah, there is no god but Allah the One, and there is no partner with Him. O Allah, I beg of Thee the blessing of this night and the blessing of that which lies in it. I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of it and what lies in it. O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from sloth, from decrepitude, from the evil of vanity, from trial of the world, and from torment of the grave." Zubaid, through another chain of transmitters, has narrated on the authority of Abdullah directly this addition:" There is no god but Allah, the One, there is no partner with Him, His is the Sovereignty and to Him is praise due and He is Potent over everything."

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenge; (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate thus: " There is no god but Allah, the One Who conferred upon His armies the honour of victory and helped His servant rout the clans; there is nothing after that."

'Ali reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to him: Say," O Allah, direct me to the right path and make me adhere to the straight path," and when you make a mention of right guidance, keep in mind the right path and when you consider of the straight (path), keep in mind the straightness of the arrow.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Asim b. Kulaib with the same chain of transmitters that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Say:" O Allah, I beg of Thee righteousness and adhering to the straight path."

Juwairiya reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came out from (her apartment) in the morning as she was busy in observing her dawn prayer in her place of worship. He came back in the forenoon and she was still sitting there. He (the Holy Prophet) said to her: You have been in the same seat since I left you. She said: Yes. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: I recited four words three times after I left you and if these are to be weighed against what you have recited since morning these would outweigh them and (these words) are:" Hallowed be Allah and praise is due to Him according to the number of His creation and according to the pleasure of His Self and according to the weight of His Throne and according to the ink (used in recording) words (for His Praise)."

Juwairiya reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) happened to pass by her as she was observing her dawn prayer; or after she had observed her dawn prayer. The rest of the hadith is the same but with this variation that he said: " Hallowed be Allah according to the number of His creation, hallowed be Allah according to the pleasure of His Self, hallowed be Allah according to the weight of His Throne, hallowed be Allah according to the ink used in recording His words."

It is reported on the authority of Ali that Fatima had corns in her hand because of working at the hand-mill. There had fallen to the lot of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) some prisoners of war. She (Fatima) came to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) but she did not find him (in the house). She met A'isha and informed her (about her hardship). When Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) came, she ( A'isha) informed him about the visit of Fatima. ABah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to them (Fitima and her family). They had gone to their beds. 'Ali further (reported): We tried to stand up (as a mark of respect) but Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Keep to your beds, and he sat amongst us and I felt coldness of his feet upon my chest. He then said: May I not direct you to something better than what you have asked for? When you go to your bed, you should recite Takbir (Allah-o-Akbar) thirty-four times and Tasbih (Subhdn Allah) thirty-three times and Tahmid (al-Hamdu li-Allah) thirty-three times, and that is better than the servant for you.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters but. with a slight variation of wording.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn Abi Laili but with this addition: " Ali said: Ever since I heard this (supplication) from Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), I never abandoned it. It was said to him, Not even in the night of Siffin (battle of Siffin)? He sad: Yes, not even in the night of Siffin,"

Abu Huraira reported that Fatima came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and asked for a servant and told him of the hardship of household work. He said: You would not be able to get a servant from us. May I not direct you to what is better than the servant for you? Recite Subhaana Allah thirty-three times, al- Hamdu li-Allah thirty-three times and Allah-o-Akbar thirty-four times as you go to bed. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Suhail with the same chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as say- ing. When you listen to the crowing of the cock, ask Allah for His favour as it sees Angels and when you listen to the braying of the donkey, seek refuge in Allah from the Satan for it sees Satan.

Ibn 'Abbas reported that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate during the time of trouble (in these words): " There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Tolerant, there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne There is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Heaven and the earth, the Lord of the Edifying Throne."

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of transmitters.

Ibn Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to supplicate (with these words) and he (uttered these words) at the time of trouble; the rest of the hadith is the same except with this difference that insted of saying: " The Lord of heaven and the earth," he said:" The Lord of the heaven and that of the earth."

Ibn 'Abbas reported this hadith through another chain of transmitters with a sliglit variation of wording.

Abu Dharr reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was asked as to which words were the best. He said: Those for which Allah made a choice for His Angels and His servants (and the words are):" Hallowed be Allah and praise is due to Him."

Abu Dharr reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Should I not inform you about the words liked most by Allah? I said: Allah's Mes- senger, do inform me about the words liked most by Allah. He said: Verily, the words liked most by Allah are:" hallowed be Allah and praise is due to Him."

Abu Dharr reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother behind his back (in his absence) that the Angels do not say: The same be for you too.

Umm Darda' reported: My husband reported that he heard Allah's Mes- senger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who supplicates for his brother behind his back (in his absence), the Angel commissioned (for carrying supplication to his Lord) says: Amen, and it is for you also.