Book 9: Supplications

‘Uthman b. Hunaif told that a blind man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him to pray to God to cure him. He replied, “If you wish, I shall make supplication to God, but if you wish you will endure, for that is better for you." The man asked him to make supplication. [‘Uthman] said: He then commanded him to perform ablution, doing it well, and make this supplication, “O God, I make request of Thee and I turn towards Thee by means of Thy prophet Muhammad, the prophet of mercy. By means of you 1 have turned towards my Lord to accomplish for me this need of mine. O God, make him an intercessor for me.” 1. bika. This would seem here to refer to the Prophet, although by itself it might naturally be taken to refer to God. The sentence which precedes certainly suggests that it must refer to the Prophet, in which case the translation might go, “by means of whom I have turned towards my Lord.” Changes of pronouns in Arabic often present difficulties to the translator. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih gharib tradition.

Abud Darda’ reported God's messenger as saying that part of David's supplication was that he would say, “O God, I ask Thee for Thy love, 2 the love of those who love Thee, and deeds which will cause me to attain to Thy love. O God, make Thy love dearer to me than myself, my property, my family, and than cold water." He said that when God’s messenger mentioned David and talked about him, he would say that he was most devoted of men to worship. 2. cf. page 530, n. 1. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

‘Ata’ b. as-Sa’ib told that his father said: ‘Ammar b. Yasir led us in a prayer and did so in brief form. One of the people camplained that he had shortened the prayer and conducted it briefly, but he replied that that would cause him no harm, for he had used in it various supplica­ tions he had heard from God’s messenger." When he got up to depart one of the people followed him (‘Ata’ explaining that this was his father although he made a vague reference to himself) 3 and asked him about the supplication, whereupon he came and informed the people of it as follows: “O God, by Thy knowledge of the unseen and Thy power to create, grant me life as long as Thou knowest life to be best for me, and take me when Thou knowest death to be best for me; O God, I ask Thee for fear of Thee both within my secret heart and openly; I ask Thee for the word of truth in pleasure and anger; I ask Thee for moderation both in poverty and riches; I ask Thee for felicity which does not pass away; I ask Thee for comfort which is not cut off; I ask Thee for satisfaction with what is decreed; I ask Thee for a pleasant life 1 after death; I ask Thee for the pleasure of looking at Thy face, and longing to meet Thee in a state in which distress does not cause harm or testing lead astray. O God, beautify us with the adornment of faith, and make us guides who are rightly guided.” Nasa’i transmitted it. 3. The vague reference consists in his saying "one of the people." 1. Literally "coolness of life." The word bard (coolness) develops the meaning of pleasantness.

Umm Salama said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say after the dawn prayer, “O God, I ask Thee for beneficial knowledge, acceptable action, and good provision.” Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad- Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that a supplication he had learned from God’s messenger and which he would never give up was, “O God, make me thank Thee greatly, keep Thee in my memory often, follow Thy counsel, and keep Thy injunction.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. 'Amr told that God’s messenger used to say, “O God, I ask Thee for health, continence, integrity, a good character, and acceptance of what is decreed.”

Umm Ma'bad said she heard God’s messenger say, “O God, purify my heart from hypocrisy, my action from vain show, my tongue from falsehood and my eyes from wrongful glances, for Thou knowest the surreptitious looks of the eyes and what is concealed in the breasts.” 2 Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir. 2. cf. Qur’an, xl, 19.

Anas told of God’s messenger visiting a Muslim who had become as weak as a chicken and asking him whether he had been accustomed to make any supplication to God or ask Him for anything. On his replying that he had, for he was accustomed to say, "O God, what Thou meanest to punish me with in the next world inflict on me beforehand in this world," God’s messenger said, “Glory be to God! You are not capable of it or able to endure it.” He then asked why he had not said, "O God bring us blessing in this world, blessing in the next, and guard us from the punishment of hell." [Anas] said: The man used it in supplication to God, and God healed him. Muslim transmitted it.

Hudhaifa reported God’s messenger as saying, “It is not fitting for a believer to demean himself." On being asked how he could demean himself he replied, “By exposing himself to a calamity which he has not the capacity to endure." Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-iman, transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

‘Umar told that God’s messenger taught him to say, “O God, make my inner nature better than my outer, and make my outer nature good. O God, I ask Thee to give me some of the abundance Thou givest to men, in family, property and children, which neither strays nor leads astray." Tirmidhi transmitted it.