Authentic Supplications of the Prophet

by Waleed K. S. Al-Essa

Tahmeed, Tahleel, & Tasbeeh

Tahmeed - to say Al-hamdulilahi (All Praise be to Allah), Tahleel - to say La'ilaha illa allahu (There is no God but Allah), & Tasbeeh - to say Subhana 'allahi (Glory be to Allah)

The Prophet (saw) said, "Whoever says, Subhana' allahi wa bihamdihi 100 times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were like the foam of the Sea."

The Prophet (saw) said, "Is one of you unable to gain 1,000 merits in a day?" One of those sitting with him then asked, "How can one of us gain 1,000 merits?" He said, "By making 100 tasbeehas (saying Subhana 'allah), 1,000 merits would be written for him, or 1,000 demerits would be remitted from him".

The Prophet (saw) said, "I met Ibrahim on the night I was taken on my night journey (night of Isra'). So he said: O' Muhammad! Convey to your nation As-Salam from me, and inform them that Paradise is of good soil, palatable water, and that it is a flat place and its enplantment is: Subhana 'allahi, 'al-hamdu lil-lahi, la ilaha illa 'allahu, and 'allahu 'akbaru".

The Prophet (saw) said, "Shan't I guide you to a treasure among the treasures of Paradise?", I said: Yes O' Messenger of Allah. He said: "Say: La hawla wa la quwwata 'illa bil-lahi".

• In various ias of the Qu'ran Allah (swt) tells us to do Tasbeeh at (esp. at both ends of the day).

At Sleeping Time

If the Prophet (saw) wanted to sleep he would say, "Bi'ismika 'allahumma 'amootu wa 'ahya" (It is in your name O' my 'ilah that I die and I live), and when he awakened from his sleep he used to say, "Al-hamdu lil-lahi 'allathee 'ahyana ba'da ma 'amatana, wa 'ilayhin-nushooru" ( All praise due to Allah Who has caused us life after He has caused death, and to Him is the return.)

Before going to bed the Prophet (saw) would bring his palms together, and blow (spittle) into them, and then would recite Surah's Ikhlas, Nas, and Falaq, then he would wipe his hand over his body, starting with his head and face, and foreside of his body. He would do this three times.

Shaitan advised the following, and the Prophet (saw) confirmed it: When you go to bed read 'Ayaht 'al-kursee (2:244) completely, for there is still upon you from Allah a guardian, and no shaytan can get close to you until you enter upon morning.

• The Prophet (saw) told us to make tasbeeh 33 times, tahmeed 33 times, and takbeer 34 times before going to sleep.

The Prophet (saw) said, "When you go to bed make wudhoo' as you do for salat, then lie on your right hand side, and say: 'Allahumma 'aslamtu nafsee 'ilayka, wa wajjahtu wajhee 'ilayka, wa fawwadhtu 'amree 'ilayka, wa 'alja'tu dhahree 'ilayka, raghbatan wa rah-batan'ilayka, la malja'a wa la manja minka 'illa 'ilayka, amentu bikitabika 'allathee 'anzalta, wa binabiyyika 'allathee 'arsalta (O' my 'ilah I have surrendered my self to You, I have directed my face to You, I have entrusted my affairs to You I have complelled my back to refuge in You, in want and in fright of You, there is no resort nor survival from You except [in turning] to You, I have faith in your book which You have brought down, and in your Prophet which You have sent.); Then if you die that evening you will die on the natural disposition [religion of Islam], and make it the last thing you say".

During the Night

Dreams - The Prophet (saw) said that if a dream shows one something of liking, it is from Allah (swt) and should be related only to a loved/trusted one. If a dream shows one something of disliking, it is from shaitan; it should be told to no one, and one needs to spittle three times to the left, seek Allah (swt)'s protection from shaitan three times, and switch sides.

The Prophet (saw) said, "One who wakes up at night and says, La 'ilaha 'illa 'allahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu, wa huwa 'ala kulli shayy'in qadeerun, 'al-hamdu il-lahi, wa subhanallahi, wa la 'ilaha 'illa 'allahu, wa 'allahu 'akbaru, wa la hawla wa la quwwata 'illa bil-lahi 'al-''alyyil-'atheemi (There is no 'ilah except Allah, Alone, no associate does He have, his is the Kingom, to Him is all praise, and He is very able to do every thing. All praise be to Allah, Glory be Allah, there is no 'ilah except Allah, and Allah is greater [than every thing]. There is neither might, nor strength except by Allah The High The Magnificent.), then

says: 'Allahumma 'ighfirlee (O' my 'ilah forgive me.), or supplicates he will be answered, then if he makes ablution and prays his prayer would be accepted".

The Prophet (saw) said, "Whoever retires to his bed in a state of taharah [maintaining ablution]… no time span of the night would pass in which he was asking Allah fro Good of this Worldly Life, or that of the Hereafter except that Allah would grant him it".

The Prophet (saw) said, "If one of you wakes up then let him say: 'Al-hamdu lil-lahi 'alathee radda 'alayya roohee, wa 'afanee fee jasadee, wa 'athina lee bithikrihi (All praise be to Allah Who has returned my soul to me, and pardoned me [kept me well] in my body, and has permitted me to engage in his remembrance.)".

At morning & At evening

When the Prophet (saw) went to bed, he used to say, "Allahumma bismika ahya wa amut" (O Allah, in Your Name I live and die). And when he got up in the mornings he used to say, "Alhamdu lillahi al-ladhi ahyana bada ma amatana wa ilaihi-n-nushur" (All praise be to Allah Who has given us life after He caused us to die; and unto Him is the resurrection).

The Prophet (saw) used to teach his companions, saying, "As anyone of you enters upon morning let him say: "Allahumma bika 'asbahna, wa bika 'amsayna, wa bika nahya, wa bika namuto, wa 'ilayka 'an-nushooru (O' my Allah, by You we entered upon morning, by You we entered upon evening, by You we live, by You we die, and to You is the resurrection); and when he enters upon evning let him say: 'Allahumma bika 'amsayna, wa bika 'asbahna, wa bika nahya, wa bika namuto, wa 'ilayka 'al-maseeru (O' my Allah, by You we entered upon evening, by You we entered upon morning, by You we live, by You we die, and to You is the destiny)".

The Prophet (saw) said, "The master of innovations for forgiveness is: 'Allahumma 'anta rabbee, la 'ilaha 'illa 'anta, khalaqtanee, wa 'ana abduka, wa 'ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, 'a'outhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu, 'aboo'u laka bini'matika 'alayya, wa 'abbo'u bithambee, faghfirlee fa'innahu la yaghfiru 'aththunooba 'illa 'anta (O' my 'ilah You are my Lord, there is no 'ilah but You. You created me, and I am your bondservant, and I will stick to my covenant and promise [of faith and sincere obedience] to You, as to my ability. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done, I acknowledge, to You, your bounties upon me, and I acknowledge, to You, my sin. Thus forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.) Whoever says this as he enters upon evening, then, dies that night, he would enter Paradise; and if one says this as he enters upon moring, then, dies that day, he would enter Paradise".

The Prophet (saw) said: "There is not a bondservant who recites in the morning of every day, and in the evening of every night: Bismil-lahil-lathee la yadhurru ma'a 'issmihi shay'un fil 'ardhi wa la fisama'I wa huwa 'as-samee'ul-'aleemu (In the name of Allah, with Whose name nothing in the Earth, nor in the Heavens can cause harm, and He is The Hearer, The Well-Knower) three times except that nothing would harm him".

Entering & Exiting the Bathroom

The Prophet (saw) was such that if he would enter the privy, he would say "Bismillahi, 'allahumma 'innee 'a'outhu bika minal-khubthi wal khaba'ith (In the name of Allah; my ilah, I seek refuge in You, from the male and female devils)".

• Aisha (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) would say "Ghufranaka ([I ask] your forgiveness)"

About Wudhu

The Prophet (saw) said, "There is no salat for him who has no ablution (wudhu), and ther is no ablution for him who has not mentinoed the name of Allah upon it".

The Prophet (saw) said, "Whoever performs wudhu then says after he has completed his wudhu: Subhanaka 'allahumma wa bihamdika, 'ash-hadu 'an la 'ilaha 'illa 'anta, 'astaghfiruka wa 'atoobu 'ilayka (Glorified are You O' my ilah and I am in your praise, I testify that there is no ilah except You, I ask Your forgiveness and repent unto You), it would be written on vellum (the best paper) then sealed; thereafter, it would not be broken till The Day of Resurrection".

The Prophet (saw) said, "There Is not one of you that makes wudhu, and performs the rites of wudhu, then says when he has completed his wudhu: 'Ash-hadu 'an la 'ilaha 'illa 'allahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, wa 'anna muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasooluhu (I bear witness that there is no 'ilah except Allah alone, no partner has he, and that Muhammad is His bondservant, and Messenger), except that the eight gates of Heaven would open up for him, that he may enter from whichever he would please".

The Prophet (saw) said to Bilal after the morning prayer, "O'Bilal tell me about the deed you have done in Islam which you hope to be most beneficial to you, for this night I have heard the rustling of you feet at hand in Heaven?" Bilal said,"I have done no deed in Islam which I hope to be more beneficial to me than that I never purify myself a complete purification in any hour of neither day, nor night except that I would pray with that purity what Allah has written for me to pray."

Witr Prayer

The Prophet (saw) said, "The night prayer is dual dual, then if one of you is worried about morning he would pray a single rakah, which would make that which he had prayed odd [in number]."

The Prophet (saw) is reported to have slept, awoken, and prayed 11 rakahs of Tahajjud prayer (five sets of two rakahs each), followed by the Witr.

The Prophet (saw) used to recite in the Witr [prayer]: Surah's 87, 109, & 112, then, when he would have said salam, he would say: Subhana 'al-maliki 'al-quddoosi, Subhana 'al-maliki 'al-quddoosi, Subhana 'al-maliki 'al-quddoosi (Glorified is the Holy Soverign), and he raised his voice with the last one, or would prolong it three times.

The Prophet (saw) told us to say in the witr prayer: "'Allahumma 'ihdinee feeman hadayta wa tawallanee feeman tawallayta wa 'afinee feeman 'afayta wa bariklee feema 'a'tayta wa qinee sharra ma qadhayta, 'innaka taqdhee wala yuqdha 'alayka, 'innahu la yathillu man waleyta wala ya'izzu man 'adayta tabarakta wa ta'alayta (O' my 'ilah guide among those that You have guided, befriend me among those You have befriended, pardon me among those You have pardoned, put blessing for me in that which You have given, and prevent me the evil of that which You have decreed, [verily] You decree and are not decreed upon, one that You befriend is not abased, and one that You make enemy, will not be honored, blessed are Thee and Exalted)".

Upon leaving & entering home

The Prophet (saw) said: Whoever says - upon going out of his home: "Bismillah, tawakkaltu 'ala 'allah, la hawla wa la quwwata 'illa bil-lahi ta 'ala, it is said to him: You have been sufficed, protected, and guided, and the shaytan would move aside from him, then say to another shaytan: What access do you have to a man that has been guided, sufficed, and protected?"

Ummu Salamata (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) never ever left my house without raising his gaze to the sky and saying: "Allahumma innee 'a 'outhu bika 'an 'adhilla 'aw 'udhalla 'aw 'azilla 'aw 'uzulla, 'aw 'athlima 'au 'uthlama, 'aw 'ajhala 'aw yujhala 'alayya (O' my 'ilah I solicit protection in You lest I go astray or that I be led astray, that I drift or that I be caused to drift, that I commit injustice or that I be subject to injustice, that I act in ignorance or that I be acted upon in ignorance).

Upon entering the home, the Prophet (saw) said: If the man enters his home, then mentions Allah The Exalted upon his entry and when he eats, the shaytan says: There is no lodging for you and there is no dinner. If he enters and does not mention Allah the Exalted upon his entry, then shaytan says: You've found lodging. And if does not mention Allah The Exalted when he eats, he says: "You've found lodging, and a dinner to eat."

The Prophet (saw) said: "O' my son! When you enter upon your family, then petition Salam [upon them], that would be a blessing upon you, and upon your household."

Upon Wearing of Something New

When the Prophet (saw) newly acquired clothing he would name it by its name: either shirt, or turban, then, he would say: 'Allahumma laka 'Al-hamdu 'anta kasawtaneehi 'as'aluka min khayrihi wa khayrihi wa khayra ma suni'a lahu, wa 'a'outhu bika min sharrihi wa sharri masuni'a lahu (O' my 'ilah to you is all praise, You have clothed it upon me. I ask You the good of it, and the good it was made for; and I seek refuge in You from the evil of it, and the evil it was made for).

When someone else wears something new: Um Khalid bin Sa'eed said: I came to the Messenger (saw), my father was with me and I was wearing a yellow shirt. So the Messenger of Allah (saw) said sanah sanah (nice nice). She said, so I set off playing with the seal of the prophethood, thus my father prevented me. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said leave her then the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: 'Ablee wa 'akhliqee, 'Ablee wa 'akhliqee, 'Ablee wa 'akhliqee (May you live so long that you will wear out many garments). Abdillah said it thus remained until he noticed it, meaning due to its having remined.

Upon Hearing the Athan

The Prophet (saw) said: "Would it that people knew what was in the call [to prayer] and the first row, then, found no other than to draw lots for it, they would have drawn lots".

The Prophet (saw) said: "When the prayer is called to, the shaytan goes away and passes windf with noise during his flight in order not to hear the Athan, when the Athan has ended he comes forth. Then when the Iqamah call is pronounced, he goes away, when the Iqamah call is ended, he comes forth, till he crosses between a person and himself. Then he says: Remember so, remember so, whereas prior to that he did not recall [the matter] to mind, until the man would become not knowing as to how much he has prayed".

The Prophet (saw) said: "Over the range of the Mu'ath-thin's voice no Jinn or Human would hear [the call] except that he would bear witness for him on the Day of Resurrection".

The Prophet (saw) said: "If you hear the mu'ath-thin then say as he says, then make salat [for ex, say Allahumma Salli 'ala muhammad] upon me, for whoever makes salat upon me once; Allah will make salat upon him ten times, then ask Allah for the Waseelata for me, for it is a station in Paradise which is not befitrtingf for vut one of Allah's bondservants, and I hope to be that bondservant, so whoever asks for the Waseelata for me, my intercession would become lawful for him".

The Prophet (saw) said that if one repeats the Athan after the Mu'ath-thin (for the exceptions of the lines "Hayya 'alas-salat & Hayya 'alal falah" - the response of which is to say La hawla wa la quwwata 'illa bil-lahi), from one's heart, then that individual will enter Heaven.

• The Prophet (saw) said: "Supplications are not turned down betwen the Athan and the Iqamah".