Following are the various utterances of the prayer:
The prayer shall begin by saying اللهُ أكْبَر;
Then Surah Fatihah shall be recited during the qiyam, after which, according to one’s convenience, a portion from the rest of the Qur’an shall be recited;
While going into the ruku‘, اللهُ أكْبَر shall be pronounced;
While rising from the ruku‘, سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ shall be uttered;
While going for the prostration and rising from it, اللهُ أكْبَر shall be pronounced;
While rising from the qa‘dah for the qiyam, اللهُ أكْبَر shall once again be pronounced;
At the end of the prayer, السَّلاُمُ عَلَيكُمْ وَ رَحْمَتُ اللهِ shall be said while facing towards the right and then the left;
اللهُ أكْبَر (God is the greatest), سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ (God heard him who expressed his gratitude to Him) and السَّلاُمُ عَلَيكُمْ وَ رَحْمَتُ اللهِ (Peace and blessings of God be on you) shall always be said loudly. In the first two rak‘at of the maghrib and ‘isha prayers, and in both rak‘at of the fajr, Friday and ‘id prayers, the recital shall be loud. The recital shall always be silent in the third rak‘at of maghrib and in the third and fourth of the ‘isha prayer. In the zuhr and ‘asr prayers, the recital shall be silent in all the rak‘at.
These are the utterances prescribed by the shari‘ah for the prayer. They are in Arabic, and, like the practices of the prayer, are validated by the consensus and tawatur of the Muslim ummah. Besides these, a person can express any utterance in his own language which expresses the sovereignty of the Almighty, gratitude towards Him or is a supplication. In this regard, the sayings and preferences of the Prophet (sws) are enlisted below:
During Qiyam
1. In the first rak‘at of the prayer, the Prophet (sws) would celebrate the praises of the Lord or say some supplication after saying the takbir and before beginning the recital.
Abu Hurayrah (rta) narrates that the Prophet (sws) would remain silent after the takbir and before the recital. I asked: “May my parents be sacrificed for you, what do you say when you remain silent between the takbir and the recital?” The Prophet (sws) replied: I pray:
اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنْ الدَّنَسِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ
O Lord! Distance me from my sins the way you have distanced the east and the west from one another. O Lord! Cleanse me of my sins the way a white cloth is cleansed of dirt. O Lord! Wash my sins with water and snow and hail.1
‘Ali (rta) narrates that the Prophet (sws) would say the following words after the takbir:
وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
While leaving aside everything I have faced the Creator of the heavens and the earth and I am not in any way among the polytheists. My prayer and my sacrifice, my life and my death, are all for God, Lord of the Universe. No one is His partner. It is this directive that I have been given, and I am the first Muslim. O God! You are the king; there is no god besides you. You are my Lord and I am your servant. I have wronged my soul and I confess my sins. So please forgive all my sins. No doubt, only You can forgive sins. Please guide me to be a morally good person and only You can guide me to this. Please dissociate me from bad morals and only You can dissociate me from these. I am in Your presence O Lord! And fully prepared to follow Your command. All good is in Your hands and evil cannot be attributed to You. I exist because of You and I have to return to You. You the Blessed One, the Almighty. I seek forgiveness from You and turn to You.2
It is narrated by ‘A’ishah (rta), mother of the faithfuls, that the Prophet (sws) would begin the prayer with the following words:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللّّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَ تَبَارَكَ اسمُكَ وَتَعَالى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكْ
Glory be to you O Lord and You possess all worthy attributes. Blessed is Your name. Lofty is Your Majesty, and there is no god except You.3
It is also narrated by ‘A’ishah (rta), mother of the faithful, that the Prophet (sws) would begin the prayer with the following words:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جَبْرَائِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنْ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
O God! The Lord of Gabriel. Micheal and Raphael, the Creator of the Heavens and the earth, One who knows what is apparent and what is hidden, You shall decide the differences between Your creation. Please guide me with Your grace regarding all the differences which are about the truth. No doubt you guide whomsoever you want to [according to Your law] to the right path.4
Ibn ‘Abbas (rta) narrates that when the Prophet (sws) would stand in the tahajjud prayer, he would say the following supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ مَلِكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ وَمُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَقٌّ وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا باِللهِ
O Lord! gratitude is for You. It is You who is instrumental in keeping the heavens and the earth and what is in between them in existence and gratitude is for You only. The sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them belongs to You and gratitude is for You. You are the light of the heavens and the earth and of those between the two and gratitude is for You. You are the king of the heavens and the earth and gratitude is for You. You are a certain reality, and your promise is true and meeting with You is a certainty and Your books are true and Paradise is a truth and Hell is a truth and all the prophets are true and Muhammad is true and the Day of Judgement is certain to come. O Lord! I am obedient to You and accept You and repose my trust in You and turn to You and fought with Your enemies with Your help and only to you brought my pleadings. Forgive my sins of the past and of the future done in private or in public. It is You Who sends forward and it is You Who relegates backwards. There is no god except You; power and control is only because of You.5
There are some other prayers and supplications as well which are found in various narratives. It is also recorded in some narratives that the Prophet (sws) was appreciative of similar words of supplication uttered by some people at the beginning of the prayer and said: “The doors of the heavens have been opened for them, and I have seen twelve angels with each of them trying to outdo others to take these people away”.6
2. After these supplications, the Prophet (sws) would seek refuge with the Almighty by saying:
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنْ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِهِ
I seek refuge with the Almighty – who knows and sees all – from the accursed Satan’s evil suggestions, his blows and the thoughts he inspires.7
3. After this the Prophet (sws) would begin reciting Surah Fatihah with the verse8:الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ and would stop at each verse.9
He is reported to have said:
“A person who has not recited Surah Fatihah is as if he has not offered the prayer.”10
The prayer without Fatihah is incomplete; it is incomplete, it is incomplete.11
The Almighty says: “I have divided the prayer into two equal portions, between Myself and My servant, and My servant will be granted what he asks for in it”. When the servant says الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (Gratitude is for Allah, the Almighty says: “My servant has expressed his gratitude to Me.” And when the servant says: الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ (The Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful), the Almighty replies: “My servant has praised Me.” When the servant says: مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ (Master of the Day of Judgement), Allah says: “My servant has glorified Me.” And when the servant says: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ (You alone we worship, and You alone we call upon for help), Allah says: “This [portion] is common between Me and My servant, and My servant will be granted what he asks for.” And when the worshipper says: اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (Set us firm on the straight path. The path of those you have blessed, not of those who have earned your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray), God says: “This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for.”12
4. The portion of the Qur’an, he would read after Surah Fatihah would at times be lengthy, and, at others, short keeping in view the circumstances.13 He used to say: “I would begin the prayer with the intention of offering it at length, and then I shorten it when I hear the voice of a child crying, thinking that his mother would be worried on these cries.14
He would recite the Qur’an in a slow and measured tone such that each word would be clear and distinct from the other.15 He would advise people to recite the Qur’an in a good and melodious voice.16 It is evident from various narratives that he would respond to the verses of the Qur’an. Consequently, on occasions in which a verse would ask to glorify the Almighty, he would do so, on occasions of prostration17 he would prostrate18, seek the mercy of God on verses of mercy, and seek His refuge on verses which mention torment and punishments, and would say آمِيْن (Amen) on the content of the supplication.19
He is reported to have said that when he who recites the Qur’an says آمِيْن you should also say آمِيْن because he whose آمِيْن is said in correspondence with the آمِيْن of the angles, his previous sins are forgiven.20
After the recital in the last rak‘at of the tahajjud prayer the Prophet (sws) would say various supplications.21 They are called the supplications of qanut. For this very purpose, he taught Hasan (rta) the following prayer:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Lord guide me by including me among those whom You have guided and give me tranquillity by including me among those whom You have given tranquillity and make me [your friend] by including me among those whom You have befriended and shower Your blessings on what you given me, and save me from the evil of things which You have ordained for me. Indeed, it is You who decides and no one can pass judgement on You and indeed the person whom You befriend is never humiliated. Very great and very Blessed and very Majestic are You O Our Lord!22
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْـتَعِيْـنُكَ وَنَسْـتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِيْ عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ كُلَّهُ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ ونَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَّفْجُرُكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْـبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّىْ وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ وَنَرْجُوْ رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ
O Lord! We seek Your help and Your forgiveness. We profess faith in You and put our trust in You and glorify You in the most befitting manner. We express our gratitude to You and will never be ungrateful to You and stay away from those who disobey You and leave them. O Lord! We worship You only and offer the prayer for You only and prostrate before You only. All our efforts are for You only. We seek Your mercy and are fearful of Your punishment. Indeed, Your punishment is bound to come on the disbelievers.23
While Kneeling
The Prophet (sws) forbade Muslims to recite the Qur’an while kneeling in the prayer,24 and bade them glorify the Almighty in this position instead.25 Consequently, he would sometimes repeat the words سُبْحَان رَبِّي الآعْلَى (Glorious is my Lord the majestic)26 during kneeling and sometimes would say one of the following utterances:
سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ
He is free of all faults and blemishes; He is the Lord of Gabriel and the angels.27
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي
O God! O Lord! Glorious are You and You possess all worthy attributes. O God! Forgive Me.28
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ أَنْتَ رَبِّي خَشَعَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَلَحْمِي وَدَمِي وَمُخِّي وَعَصَبِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
O God I knelt before You alone and professed faith in You only and consigned myself to You alone and put my trust in You only. You are my Lord! My ears and my eyes and my blood and my meat and my bones and my muscles are in humble obedience before God, the Lord of the worlds.29
In the tahajjud prayer, the Prophet (sws) is reported to have said the following words as well:
سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ
Glorious is He Who is the Controller, the Lofty and the Majestic.30
In the Qawmah
When the Prophet (sws) would rise after kneeling he would say رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْجَمْد (Lord! Gratitude is for You only) after سَمِعَ اللّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ and at times رَبَّنَا وَ لَكَ الْجَمْد (Lord! And gratitude is for You only) and sometimes he would add the word أَللَّهُمَّ [O God!] in the beginning.31 Some narratives show that he would also say the following words after رَبَّنَا وَ لَكَ الْجَمْد:
…مِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ أَهْلَ الثَّنَاءِ وَالْمَجْدِ أَحَقُّ مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ وَكُلُّنَا لَكَ عَبْدٌ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ زَادَ مَحْمُودٌ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ ثُمَّ اتَّفَقُوا وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
… to the extent that the earth and the sky get filled with it and after that what You wish also becomes brimful. Praise and majesty are for You only. You most befittingly are worthy of what Your servants have [just] said, and all of Us are Your servants. O Lord! whom You have given, no one can stop him [from receiving it], and no one can give the one whom You stop giving, and the greatness and majesty of none can save him from Your grasp.32
This addition has been reported with similar words as well,33 and in the tahajjud prayer the words لِرَبِّيَ الْحَمْد (gratitude is for my Lord only) have also been reported.34 It is also narrated that once in the last rak‘at of this prayer in the qawmah the Prophet (sws) offered supplications for some people by name for a month and supplicated for the doom of some others. The manner in which this was done was that he would raise his hands and recite the supplications in a loud voice while the people behind him would be saying Amen.35
He is reported to have said: “Respond to the words of the imam سَمِعَ اللّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ by saying رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْجَمْد أَللَّهُمَّ because he who pronounces these words in union with the angles, his previous sins are forgiven.36
When a Companion (rta) of the Prophet (sws) added the words حَمْداً كَثِيْراً طَيِّباً مُبَارَكاً (heaps of gratitude which is pure and blessed), he commented: “I have seen more than thirty angels trying to outdo each other to write these words.”37
During Prostrations
The Prophet (sws) has also forbidden Muslims to recite the Qur’an during prostrations38 – just as he has done so during kneeling, and has said that since during a prostration a person comes closest to his Lord, he should say as much supplications as he can.39 Consequently, words سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلى (Glorious is my Lord! The Greatest) have been reported to be recited by him during prostration,40 and some other words also have been reported in place of these.
Of these, the ones which are mentioned in various narratives are the following:
سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ
Above is He from all blemishes and shortcomings, the Lord of Gabriel and the angels.41
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي
O God! O Lord! Glory be to You our Lord and You possess all worthy attributes. O God! Forgive me.42
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ عَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
O God! Forgive all my sins – small and big, of the past and of the future, done openly or secretly.43
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
O God! I prostrated for You only and professed faith in You alone and gave up myself to You only. My face is in prostration for He who created it and designed it and then made in it ears and eyes. Very great and very benevolent is God, the best of Creators.44
In the tahajjud prayer, the following supplications are also reported:
سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Glory be to You, and You possess all worthy attributes. There is no God but you.45
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ
O God forgive all my sins done secretly or openly.46
اللَّهُمَّ أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَبِمُعَافَاتِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ
O Lord! I seek safe refuge with your pleasure from Your displeasure and with Your safety from Your torment! And [O Lord] I seek Your refuge from You. It is not possible for me to praise You of which You are worthy. You are exactly as You have praised Yourself.47
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا وَعَنْ شِمَالِي نُورًا وَتَحْتِي نُورًا وَأَمَامِي نُورًا وَخَلْفِي نُورًا وَفَوْقِي نُورًا وَ تَحْتِي نُورًا وَ اجْعَلْنِي نُورًا
O Lord! Create light in my heart, and create light in my ears and my eyes, and create light on my right and on my left, and create light in front of me and behind me, and create light over me and below me, and [O Lord!] make me an embodiment of light.48
During the Jilsah
The Prophet (sws) has also supplicated while sitting in between prostrations. Consequently, it is reported that he used to repeat the words رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي (O Lord! Forgive me)49 in this position and, in the tahajjud prayer, the following supplication is reported:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَعَافِنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي
O Lord! Forgive me, have mercy on me, give me peace and guidance and sustenance.50
During the Qa‘dah
The qa‘dah (sitting after completing the prostrations)of the prayer is reserved for supplications, and a person can say whatever supplication he wants to. The guidance provided by the practice of the Prophet (sws) in this regard is detailed out below:
1. ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ud (rta) says that when we would pray with the Prophet (sws), we would say: “Peace be to God from His servants and peace be to such and such persons”. When the Prophet (sws) heard this, he said: “Don’t say: ‘Peace be to God’, for God Himself is entirely peace. Say this instead:التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ (All salutations, supplications and good deeds are for God. Peace be to you O Messenger of God, and blessings and mercy. Peace be to us also and to all pious people too). If you say these words, your supplication will reach every person who is in the sky or is found somewhere between the sky and the earth. [He further said:]أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ (I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad (sws) is His servant and messenger). After this, a person can say any supplication he wants to for himself.51
With slight variations, the above supplication is also reported by ‘Umar (rta), ‘A’ishah (rta), ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (rta), ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (rta) and Abu Musa ‘Ash‘ari (rta).52 It is evident from the narratives that after this, the Prophet (sws) would diligently teach this supplication to his Companions (rta).53
2. Abu Mas‘ud (rta) narrates: “We were sitting at the place of Sa‘d Ibn ‘Ubadah (rta). When the Prophet (sws) came over, Bashir Ibn Sa‘d (rta) asked: ‘O Messenger of God! God has directed us to send blessings on you; please let us know how we should do this?’ At this, the Prophet (sws) kept silent and we wished that we had not asked this question. He then said: ‘You should say:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
O God! be merciful to Muhammad and his clan the way you have been merciful to Abraham and his clan and send Your blessings on Muhammad and his clan the way you have sent Your blessings on Abraham and his clan in this whole world. Indeed, You are great and possess all worthy attributes.’ ” [And further said]: “You know how peace is sent to God.”54
There are some variations in the words of this supplication; however, by and large the theme is the same. It is also narrated that the Prophet (sws) has said about the darud: “A person who sends mercy on me once, the Almighty will send mercy on him ten times”.55
The Qur’anic directive referred to in the narrative is:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا (٥٦:٣٣)
The Prophet is blessed by God and His angels. Bless him, then, you that are true believers, and greet him with a worthy salutation. (33:56)
3. Other supplications which the Prophet (sws) has said in the qa‘dah or has urged Muslims to say them are:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
O God! I seek Your refuge from the torment of Hell and seek Your refuge from the torment of the grave and from the trial of life and death and from the trial of the great deceiver who will claim to be Jesus.56
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي إِنَّك أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
O God! I have wronged my soul a lot and [I know that] none except You can forgive my sins. So [O Lord!] Please forgive me through Your compassion and have mercy on me. Indeed You are Compassionate and Ever Merciful.57
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَمِلْتُ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا لَمْ أَعْمَلْ
O Lord! I seek Your refuge from the evil of what I have done and what I have not done.58
اللَّهُمَّ حَاسِبْنِيْ حِسَابًا يَّسِيْرًا
O Lord! Show lenience to me in taking my account.59
اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي اللَّهُمَّ وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْفَقْرِ وَالْغِنَى وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضَاءَ بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ
O Lord! through the help of Your knowledge of the unknown and Your power over Your Creation give me life till the time You deem it appropriate for me, and take me away from this world when You deem it appropriate for me. O God! and I seek humility towards You in open and in private, and want to be guided to the truth in happiness and in sorrow and request You to make me a balanced person between poverty and richness and want a blessing which will never finish and the coldness of the eyes which will never cease, and seek the courage to be happy at Your decisions and seek the serenity of life after death, and seek from You the fondness of meeting You and the joy of seeing You in a manner that I do not remain in hardships which are harmful and in a trial which lead [a person] astray. O God! please grant us the grace of faith, and make us such that we ourselves remain among the guided and are instrumental in providing guidance to others.60
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُوْلُكَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَسْتَعِيْذُِكَ مِمَّا اسْتَعَاذَكَ مِنْهُ عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُوْلُكَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مَا قَضَيْتَ لِيْ مِنْ أَمْرٍ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ عَاقِبَتَهُ رُشْدًا
O God! I seek from You goodness of every sort – that which is to be given to me in the immediate future and that also which is to be given at the time You have appointed for it, that also which I know and that also which I do not. I seek refuge with You from every kind of evil – the one which may befall soon and also for which You appointed a time, that which I know and that also which I have no knowledge of and I seek Paradise from You and the urge to have beliefs and do deeds which will take me near it. And I seek refuge with You from Hell through beliefs and deeds which take me near it. [Lord!] I seek goodness from You – the goodness which Your servant and messenger Muhammad intended, and seek Your refuge from things from which Your servant and messenger has sought refuge. And whatever decision You have made for me, I seek from You a good fate in it.61
It is narrated by ‘Ali (rta) that in the qa‘dah the Prophet (sws) would generally say the following supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
O God forgive my sins of the past and of the future done in private or in public. And also forgive whatever excesses I have committed and all those things also which You know more than I know. It is You Who sends forward and it is You Who relegates backwards. There is no god except You.62
Wa’il (rta) narrates that sometimes the Prophet (sws) would add the word وَبَرَكَاتُهُ to السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ when he would say salam on the right side.63
After the Prayer
After finishing the prayer also, the Prophet (sws) would say various supplications and remember the Almighty.
Ibn ‘Abbas (rta) narrates: “Upon hearing اللهُ أكْبَرْ I would come to know that Prophet (sws) had ended his prayer.”64
‘A’ishah (rta) says that after saying the salam, the Prophet (sws) would sit for just enough time so as to say:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ
O God! You are peace in entirety and all peace is from You. O Possessor of respect and honour! You are blessed.65
Thaw‘ban (rta) says that before saying the above prayer, he would ask for the forgiveness of the Almighty three times.
Mughirah Ibn Shu‘bah (rta) reports that the Prophet (sws) would say the following supplication after the prayer:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
There is no god except Allah. He is one of His kind and no one is His partner. Sovereignty is His and all glorification and gratitude is for Him, and He has power over all things. O Lord! Whom You give, no one can stop him [from receiving it], and no one can give the one whom You stop giving, and the greatness and majesty of none can stop You to grasp [someone].66
‘Abdullah Ibn Zubayr (rta) reports that the Prophet (sws) would recite the following supplication right after the prayer:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ
There is no god except Allah. He is one of His kind and no one is His partner. Sovereignty is His and all glorification and gratitude is for Him, and He has power over all things. Power and strength – all are a blessing from Him. There is no god except Allah and we worship Him. Favours and blessings are from Him and befitting glorification is for Him only. There is no god except Allah. Obedience is purely for Him even though the disbelievers dislike this.67
It is reported that Sa‘d (rta) used to teach these words to his children and would say that after every prayer, the Prophet (sws) would seek refuge with the Almighty through these words:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْبُخْلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْجُبْنِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ
O God! I seek Your refuge from miserliness and cowardice and seek Your refuge from going to old age and seek Your refuge from the trial of life and from the torment in the graves.68
It is narrated by Abu Hurayrah (rta) that the Prophet (sws) instructed the poor among the Companions who belonged to the muhajirun to recite سُبْحَانَ اللَّه ,ِ أَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ , اَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ 33 times each after the prayer.69
Abu Hurayrah (rta) also narrates that if after the above 99 words the following 100th words are said, then the sins of a person are forgiven even if they equal the foam of the sea:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
There is no god except Allah. He is one of His kind and no one is His partner. Sovereignty is His and all gratitude is for Him, and He has power over all things.70
In a narrative of Ibn ‘Ujrah, it is reported that سُبْحَانَ اللَّه should be said 33 times, أَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ should be said 33 times and اَللَّهُ أَكْبَر should be said 34 times.71
It is narrated by Zayd Ibn Thabit (rta) that a person from the ansar told the Prophet (sws) that in a dream someone told him to recite سُبْحَانَ اللَّه 25 times, أَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّه 25 times, اَللَّهُ أَكْبَر 25 times and لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ 25 times. The Prophet said: “Do so”.72
(Translated from Ghamidi’s Mizan by Shehzad Saleem)
________________
1. Bukhari, No: 711; Muslim, No: 598.
2. Muslim, No: 771.
3. Abu Da’ud, No: 776.
4. Muslim, No: 770.
5. Bukhari, No: 1069.
6. Muslim, No: 600.
7. Abu Da’ud, No: 775.
8. Muslim, No: 498.
9. Tirmadhi, No: 2927.
10. Bukhari, No: 723.
11. Muslim, No: 395.
12. Ibid.
13. Ahmad, No: 13726.
14. Bukhari, No: 675.
15. Abu Da’ud, No: 1466.
16. Abu Da’ud, Nos: 1468, 1469; Ibn Majah, No: 1337.
17. Muslim, No: 72.
18. Bukhari, Nos: 1018, 1019, 1024.
19. Abu Da’ud, Nos: 871, 936.
20. Abu Da’ud, No: 936.
21. Abu Da’ud, No: 1427.
22. Abu Da’ud, No: 1425.
23. Tahawi, No: 1370.
24. Muslim, No: 480.
25. Muslim, No: 479.
26. Abu Da’ud, No: 874.
27. Muslim, No: 487.
28. Bukhari, No: 761.
29. Nasa’i, No: 1051.
30. Abu Da’ud, No: 873.
31. Bukhari, Nos: 702, 756, 4284.
32. Muslim, No: 477.
33. Abu Da’ud, No: 760.
34. Abu Da’ud, No: 874.
35. Bukhari, Nos: 27724, 3870, 4284; Abu Da’ud, No: 1443; Ahmad, No: 12425.
36. Bukhari, No: 763.
37. Abu Da’ud, No: 770.
38. Muslim, No: 480.
39. Muslim, No: 482.
40. Abu Da’ud, Nos: 871, 874.
41. Muslim, No: 487.
42. Abu Da’ud, No: 877.
43. Muslim, No: 483.
44. Muslim, No: 771.
45. Muslim, No: 485.
46. Nasa’i, No: 1124.
47. Muslim, No: 486.
48. Muslim, 763.
49. Ibn Majah, No: 897.
50. Abu Da’ud, No: 850.
51. Bukhari, No: 800
52. Mu’atta, No: 203; Muslim, Nos: 403, 404; Abu Da’ud, No: 971, Ibn Abi Shaybah, No: 2993.
53. Muslim, No: 403.
54. Muslim, No: 205
55. Nasa’i, No: 1295.
56. Muslim, No: 588.
57. Bukhari, No: 799.
58. Muslim, No: 2716.
59. Ahmad, No: 24261.
60. Nasa’i, No: 1305.
61. Ahmad, No: 25180.
62. Abu Da’ud, No: 1509.
63. Abu Da’ud, No: 997.
64. Bukhari, No: 806.
65. Muslim, No: 592.
66. Bukhari, No: 808.
67. Muslim, No: 594.
68. Bukhari, No: 6004.
69. Muslim, No: 595.
70. Muslim, No: 597.
71. Muslim, No: 596.
72. Ahmad, No: 21640.