The Book of Seeking Refuge with Allah

It was narrated from Mu'adh bin 'Abdullah that his father said: "It was raining and dark, and we were waiting for the Messenger of Allah [SAW] to lead us in prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah [SAW] came out to lead us in prayer and he said: 'Say.' I said: 'What should I say?' He said: 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One and Al-Mu'awwadhatain in the evening and in the morning, three times, and that will suffice you against everything.'"

It was narrated from Mu'adh bin 'Abdullah bin Khubaib that his father said: "I was with the Messenger of Allah [SAW] on the road to Makkah when I found myself alone with the Messenger of Allah [SAW]. I drew close to him and he said: 'Say.' I said: 'What should I say?' He said: 'Say.' I said: 'What should I say?' He said: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak...' until he finished (the Surah), then he said: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...' until he finished it. Then he said: 'The people cannot seek refuge with Allah by means of anything better than these two.'"

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir Al-Juhani said: "While I was leading the Messenger of Allah [SAW] on his mount on a military campaign, he said: 'O 'Uqbah, say!' I listened, then he said: 'O 'Uqbah, say!' I listened, then he said it a third time. I said: 'What should I say?' He said: 'Say: He is Allah, (the) One...' and he recited the Surah to the end. Then he recited: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak...' and I recited it with him until the end. Then he recited: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...' and I recited it with him until the end. Then he said: 'No one ever sought refuge (with Allah) by means of anything like them.'"

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir Al-Juhani said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to me: 'Say.' I said: 'What should I say?' He said: 'Say: He is Allah (the) One,' 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak,' 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind.' The Messenger of Allah [SAW] recited them, then he said: 'The people have never recited anything like them, or the people have never sought refuge (with Allah) by means of anything like them.'"

Abu 'Abdullah narrated that Ibn 'Abis Al-Juhani told him that: The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to him: "O Ibn 'Abis, shall I not tell you of the best thing with which those who seek refuge with Allah may do so?" He said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak.", "Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind." - these two Surahs."

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said: "The Prophet [SAW] was given a gray mule which he rode, and 'Uqbah led it. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to 'Uqbah: 'Recite.' He said: 'What should I recite, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Recite: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He has created.' And he repeated it until I had learned it."

It was narrated from 'Uqbah bin 'Amir that : He asked the Messenger of Allah [SAW] about Al-Mu'awwidhatain. 'Uqbah said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] recited them when he led us in Salah Al-Ghadah (As-Subh)."

It was narrated from 'Uqbah that: The Messenger of Allah [SAW] recited them in the Subh prayer.

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said: "I was leading the Messenger of Allah [SAW] (on his mount) on a journey, and the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'O 'Uqbah, shall I not teach you the best two Surahs that can be recited?' And he taught me: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak.' And 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...' He thought that I did not seem too overjoyed with them, so when he stopped to pray Subh, he recited them when he led the people in the Subh prayer. When the Messenger of Allah [SAW] finished praying, he turned to me and said: 'O 'Uqbah, what do you think?'"

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said: "While I was leading the Messenger of Allah [SAW] (on his mount) in one of these mountain passes, he said: 'Why don't you ride, O 'Uqbah?' I had too much respect for the Messenger of Allah [SAW] to ride the mount of the Messenger of Allah [SAW]. Then he said: 'Why don't you ride, O 'Uqbah?' I was worried that I might be disobeying him, so he got off, and I rode for a little while, then I got off and the Messenger of Allah [SAW] rode. Then he said: 'Shall I not teach you two of the best Surahs that the people recite?' And he taught me: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak,' and 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind." Then the Iqamah was said and he went forward and recited them. Then he passed by me and said: 'What do you think, O 'Uqbah bin 'Amir? Recite them every time you go to sleep and get up.'"

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said: "I was walking with the Messenger of Allah [SAW] and he said: "O 'Uqbah, say!' I said: 'What should I say, O Messenger of Allah?' He did not answer me, then h esaid: 'O 'Uqbah, say!' I said: 'What should I say, O Messenger of Allah?' But he did not answer me. I said: 'O Allah, make him answer me.' He said: 'O 'Uqbah, say!' I said: 'What should I say, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak...' So I recited it until I came to the end. Then he said: 'Say,' and I said: 'What should I say, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...,' so I recited it until I came to the end. Then the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'No one who asks has ever asked by means of anything like them, and no one who seeks refuge has ever sought refuge with anything like them.'"

It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said: "I came to the Messenger of Allah [SAW] while he was riding, and I put my hand on his foot and said: 'Teach me Surah Hud, teach me Surah Yusuf. He said: 'You will never recite anything more precious before Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, than: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak.'"

It was narrated from 'Uqbah bin 'Amir that: The Prophet [SAW] said: "There have been revealed to me Verses the like of which has never been seen: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak...' to the end of the Surah, and 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...' to the end of the Surah."

It was narrated that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to me: 'Recite, O Jabir!' I said: 'What should I recite, may my father and mother be ransomed for you, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: Recite: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak...,' and: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...' So I recited them, and he said: 'Recite them, for you will never recite anything like them.'"

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Amr that: The Prophet [SAW] used to seek refuge (with Allah) from four things: From knowledge that is of no benefit, from a heart that does not feel humble, from a supplication that is not heard, and a soul that is never satisfied.

It was narrated from 'Umar that: The Prophet [SAW] used to seek refuge with Allah from cowardice, miserliness, the tribulation of the heart and the torment of the grave.

It was narrated that Shakal bin Humaid said: "I came to the Prophet [SAW] and said: 'O Prophet of Allah, teach me words by means of which I may seek refuge with Allah.' He took me by the hand and said: 'Say: A'udhu bika min sharri sam'i, wa sharri basari, wa sharri lisani, wa sharri qalbi, wa sharri mani (I seek refuge with You from the evil of my hearing, the evil of my seeing, the evil of my tongue, the evil of my heart, and the evil of my sperm).'"

It was narrated that 'Abudl-Malik bin 'Umair said: "I heard Mus'ab bin Sa'd (narrate) about his father: 'He used to tech us five things, which he said that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to recite in his supplication: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-bukhli, wa a'udhu bika minal-jubni, wa a'udhu bika an uradda ila ardhalil-'umuri, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatid-dunya, wa a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from reaching the age of senility, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of this world, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave).'"

It was narrated that Ibn Mas'ud said: "The Prophet [SAW] used to seek refuge (with Allah) from five things: From miserliness, cowardice, reaching the age of second childhood, the tribulation of the heart and the torment of the grave."

It was narrated that 'Amr bin Maimun Al-Awdi said: "Sa'd used to teach his children these words as a teacher teaches his students, and he said that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to seek refuge by means of them at the end of every prayer: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-bukhli, wa a'udhu bika minal-jubni, wa a'udhu bika an uradda ila ardhalil-'umuri, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatid-dunya, wa a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from reaching the age of senility, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of this world, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave.) So I narrated that to Mus'ab and he said that he told the truth."

It was narrated from Anas that: The Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to say: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-'ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-bukhli, wal-harami, 'adhabil-qabr wa fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness, and miserliness and old age, and the torment of the grave, and the trials of life and death.)"

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] had supplications that he never omitted to recite. He used to say: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi, wal-hazani, wal-'ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-bukhli, wal-jubni, wa ghalabatar-rijal (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice and being overpowered by (other) men.)"

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] had supplications that he never neglected. He used to say: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi, wal-hazani, wal-'ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-bukhli, wal-jubni, wad-daini, wa ghalabatar-rijal (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, debt, and being overpowered by (other) men.)"

Anas said: "The Prophet [SAW] used to say in his supplication: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-kasali, wal-harami, wal-jubni, wal-bukhli, wa fitnatid-dajjali, wa 'adhabil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from laziness, old age, cowardice, miserliness, the tribulation of the Dajjal and the torment of the grave.)"

It was narrated from Anas that: The Prophet [SAW] used to say: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-'ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-harami, wal-bukhli, wal-jubni, wa 'audhu bika min 'adhabil-qabri, wa min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamati (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from incapacity, laziness, old age, miserliness and cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave, and from the trials of life and death.)"

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik, that : When the Messenger of Allah [SAW] supplicated, he would say: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi, wal-hazani, wal-'ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-bukhli, wal-jubni, wad-dala'id-daini, wa ghalabatir-rijal (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, difficult debt and being overpowered by men.)"

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] often used to seek refuge (with Allah) from debt and sin. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, how often you seek refuge from debt!' He said: 'Whoever gets into debt speaks and lies, and makes a promise and breaks it.'"

It was narrated that Shakal bin Humaid said: "I came to the Prophet [SAW] and said: 'O Prophet of Allah, teach me words by which I may seek refuge (with Allah).' He took me by the hand then said: 'Say: A'udhu bika min sharri sam'i, wa sharri basari, wa sharri lisani, wa sharri qalbi, wa sharri mani (I seek refuge in You from the evil of my hearing, the evil of my seeing, the evil of my tongue, the evil of my heart, and the evil of my sperm),' until I had memorized it." Waki' contradicted him in the wordings.

It was narrated from Shutair bin Shakal bin Humaid, that his father said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication from which I may benefit.' He said: 'Say: Allahumma 'afini min sharri sam'i, wa basari, wa lisani, wa qalbi, wa min sharri mani (O Allah, protect me from the evil of my hearing, my seeing, my tongue and my heart, and from the evil of my sperm.)'" - Meaning sexual organ.

It was narrated that Khalid said: "Humaid narrated: 'Anas - bin Malik - was asked about the torment of the grave and about the Dajjal. He said: "The Prophet of Allah [SAW] used to say: Allahumma, inni a'udhu bika minal-kasali, wal-harami, wal-jubni, wal-bukhli, wa fitnatid-dajjali, wa 'adhabil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from laziness, old age, cowardice, stinginess, the tribulation of the Dajjal and the torment of the grave.)'"