Sunan Abi Dawud

Sunan Abi Dawud 1505

What A Person Should Say When He Says The Taslim
Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr Search within the hadiths
Sunan Abi Dawud 1505
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ، عَنْ وَرَّادٍ، مَوْلَى الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ عَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ، كَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ إِذَا سَلَّمَ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ فَأَمْلاَهَا الْمُغِيرَةُ عَلَيْهِ وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ اللَّهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ وَلاَ يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ ‏"
Translation
Al-Mughirah b. Shu'bah reported

"Mu'awiyah wrote to al-Mughirah b. Shu'bah: 'What would the the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recite when he gave Taslim (salutation) in the prayer ?' Al-Mughirah dictated and wrote to Mu'awiyah: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say (at the end of the prayer after taslim): 'There is no God but Allah, Alone, Who has no partner, to Him belongs the dominion, to Him praise is due, and He is Omnipotent. O Allah no one cane withhold what You give and give what You withhold, and none benefits the fortunate person, for from You is the fortune. '"

Commentary

Overview & Central Theme

This profound hadith, transmitted through Mu'awiyah's inquiry to al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah, encapsulates the essence of post-prayer remembrance (dhikr) as taught by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The central theme is the affirmation of Allah's absolute oneness (Tawhid), His exclusive sovereignty (Mulk), and His perfect power (Qudrah), followed by a supplication that acknowledges Allah's absolute control over giving and withholding. The hadith serves as a comprehensive spiritual seal to the prayer, reinforcing the believer's servitude and dependence on Allah alone, while negating all forms of association (shirk) and affirming that all benefit and fortune originate solely from Him.

Context & Linguistic Insights

This narration arises from a historical exchange between Mu'awiyah (then governor of Syria) and al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah (governor of Kufa), reflecting the early community's meticulous concern for preserving the Prophet's (ﷺ) exact words. The key phrase "Laa ilaaha illa Allahu wahdahu laa shareeka lah" emphasizes absolute monotheism with the emphatic "wahdahu" (Alone) and "laa shareeka lah" (no partner), countering any latent polytheism. "Lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-hamd" declares Allah's sole dominion and worthiness of praise, while "wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadeer" affirms His omnipotence. The supplication "Allahumma laa maani'a lima a'tayta wa laa mu'tiya lima mana'ta" uses the active participle forms to stress that no force can alter Allah's decree, and "wa laa yanfa'u dhal-jaddi minka al-jadd" — where "jadd" denotes wealth, fortune, or grandeur — clarifies that worldly status or means cannot benefit anyone except through Allah's will, as all fortune originates from Him.

Key Scholarly Insights & Legal Benefits

  • The hadith establishes the Sunnah of reciting specific dhikr immediately after the obligatory prayer's taslim, demonstrating that the Prophet (ﷺ) consistently engaged in these remembrances, which jurists consider recommended (mustahabb) for every Muslim.
  • It reinforces the theological principle of al-Qada' wa al-Qadar (divine decree and destiny), teaching that Allah's will is absolute and unchallenged — a core tenet of Ahl al-Sunnah against Mu'tazilite and Qadariyyah deviations that claimed independent human power.
  • The phrase "wa laa yanfa'u dhal-jaddi minka al-jadd" provides a crucial ethical lesson: worldly rank, wealth, or lineage holds no inherent merit before Allah; only sincere faith and righteous deeds, granted by Allah's grace, are of value — undermining arrogance and class-based superiority.
  • Classical scholars like Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani noted that this dhikr combines glorification (tamjid), supplication (du'a), and acknowledgment of divine sovereignty, making it a comprehensive act of worship that closes the prayer with humility and hope.
"This dhikr encompasses the meanings of Tawhid, praise, and the affirmation of Allah's omnipotence, and it is a protection for the believer from pride and despair, for it teaches that all good is from Allah and all power belongs to Him alone." — Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Jami' al-'Ulum wa al-Hikam

Daily Life & Spiritual Application

In our contemporary lives, this hadith offers a transformative practice: after every obligatory prayer, we should pause and recite these words with full presence of heart, allowing them to reshape our worldview. By affirming "Laa ilaaha illa Allah" we renew our covenant of monotheism in an age of distraction and false idols — whether material wealth, status, or self-reliance. The declaration "Lahu al-mulk" reminds us that our successes and failures are under Allah's control, dissolving anxiety about outcomes and fostering tawakkul (reliance on Allah). The supplication "laa maani'a lima a'tayta" teaches us to be grateful for blessings and patient in trials, knowing that Allah's wisdom surpasses our understanding. Practically, we can implement this by memorizing the dhikr, reciting it slowly after each fard prayer, and reflecting on its meanings before rushing into worldly affairs. This practice cultivates ihsan — worshipping Allah as though we see Him — and instills a profound sense of humility, gratitude, and trust that permeates every aspect of our daily interactions, decisions, and relationships.