Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr

كتاب الوتر

Chapter 23: Regarding Supplication (Ad-Du'a)

Narrated Anas ibn Malik

I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a man was offering prayer. He then made supplication: O Allah, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee, there is no deity but Thou, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One.

The Prophet (ﷺ) then said: He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He gives.

'Asma daughter of Yazid reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying

"Allah's Greatest Names is in these two verses: "And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God), none has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever-Merciful, the Mercy-Giving' and the beginning of Surah Al 'Imran, "A.L.M Allah, there is no deity but He, the Living, the Eternal."

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

Ata' said: The quilt of Aisha was stolen. She began to curse the person who had stolen it. The Prophet (ﷺ) began to tell her: Do not lighten him.

Abu Dawud said: The meaning of the Arabic words la tasbikhi 'anhu means "do not lessen him or lighten him".

Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab

I sought permission of the Prophet (ﷺ) to perform umrah. He gave me permission and said: My younger brother, do not forget me in your supplication.

He (Umar) said: He told me a word that pleased me so much so that I would not have been pleased if I were given the whole world.

The narrator Shu'bah said: I then met Asim at Medina. He narrated to me this tradition and reported the wordings: "My younger brother, share me in your supplication."

Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas

The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by me while I was supplicating by pointing with two fingers of mine. He said: Point with one finger; point with one finger. He then himself pointed with the forefinger.

Chapter 24: At-Tasbih (Glorifying Allah) Using Pebbles

Narrated Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas

Once Sa'd, with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), visited a woman in front of whom were some date-stones or pebbles which she was using as a rosary to glorify Allah. He (the Prophet) said: I tell you something which would be easier (or more excellent) for you than that. He said (it consisted of saying): "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created in Heaven; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created on Earth; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created between them; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He is creating; "Allah is most great" a similar number of times; "Praise (be to Allah)" a similar number of times; and "There is no god but Allah" a similar number of times; "There is no might and no power except in Allah" a similar number of times.

Narrated Yusayrah, mother of Yasir

The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded them (the women emigrants) to be regular (in remembering Allah by saying): "Allah is most great"; "Glory be to the King, the Holy"; "there is no god but Allah"; and that they should count them on fingers, for they (the fingers) will be questioned and asked to speak.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) counting the glorification of Allah on fingers.

Ibn Qudamah said (in his version: "With his right hands".

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Abbas

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out from Juwayriyyah (wife of the Prophet). Earlier her name was Barrah, and he changed it. When he went out she was in her place of worship, and when he returned she was in her place of worship.

He asked: Have you been in your place of worship continuously? She said: Yes. He then said: Since leaving you I have said three times four phrases which, if weighed against all that you have said (during this period), would prove to be heavier: "Glory be to Allah, and I begin with praise of Him to the number of His creatures, in accordance with His good pleasure, to the weight of His throne and to the ink (extent) of His words."

Narrated AbuHurayrah

AbuDharr said: Prophet of Allah. The wealthy people have all the rewards; they pray as we pray; they fast as we fast; and they have surplus wealth which they give in charity; but we have no wealth which we may give in charity.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: AbuDharr, should I not teach you phrases by which you acquire the rank of those who excel you? No one can acquire your rank except one who acts like you.

He said: Why not, Messenger of Allah? He said: Exalt Allah (say: Allah is Most Great) after each prayer thirty-three times; and praise Him (say: Praise be to Allah) thirty-three times; and glorify Him (say: Glory be to Allah) thirty-three times, and end it by saying, "There is no god but Allah alone, there is no partner, to Him belongs the Kingdom, to Him praise is due and He has power over everything". His sins will be forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea.

Chapter 25: What A Person Should Say When He Says The Taslim

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. '"

Abu Zubair said

"I heard 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubair saying on the pulpit: When the Prophet (ﷺ) finished the prayer, he used to say (at the end of the prayer): 'There is no God but Allah, Alone, Who has no partner, to Him belongs the Kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He is Omnipotent. There is no God but Allah to Whom we are sincere in devotion, even though the infidels should disapprove. To Him belongs wealth, to Him belongs grace and to Him is worthy accorded. There is no got but Allah to Whom we are sincere in devotion, even though infidels should disapprove.

Abu al-Zubair said

'Abd Allah b. al-Zubair used to recite this supplication after each (prescribed) prayer. He then narrated a similar supplication and added to it: "There is no might and no power except in Allah; there is no god but Allah Whom alone we worship. To Him belongs wealth." The narrator then transmitted the rest of tradition.

Narrated Zayd ibn Arqam

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying (the version of Sulayman has: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say) after his prayer:-

"O Allah, our Lord and Lord of everything, I bear witness that Thou art the Lord alone Who hast no partner; O Allah, Our Lord and Lord of everything, I bear witness that Muhammad is Thy servant and Thy apostle ; O Allah, our Lord and Lord of everything, I bear witness that all the servants are brethren; O Allah, our Lord and Lord of everything make me sincere to Thee, and my family too at every moment, in this world and in the world hereafter, O Possessor of glory and honour, listen to me and answer. Allah is incomparably great. O Allah, Light of the heavens and of the earth".

The narrator Sulaiman b. Dawud said: "Lord of the heavens and of the earth, Allah is incomparably great. Allah is sufficient for me; and the excellent guardian is He; Allah is incomparably great.

'Ali b. Abi Talib said

When the Prophet (ﷺ) uttered salutation at the end of the prayer, he used to say: "O Allah, forgive me my former and latter sins, what I have kept secret and what I have done openly, and what I have done extravagance; and what You know better than I do. You are the Advancer, the Delayer, there is no god but You."

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to supplicate Allah: "My Lord, help me and do not give help against me; grant me victory, and do not grant victory over me; plan on my behalf and do not plan against me; guide me, and made my right guidance easy for me; grant me victory over those who act wrongfully towards me; O Allah, make me grateful to Thee, mindful of Thee, full of fear towards Thee, devoted to Thy obedience, humble before Thee, or penitent. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash away my sin, answer my supplication, clearly establish my evidence, guide my heart, make true my tongue and draw out malice in my breast."

The aforesaid tradition has also been transmitted by 'Amr b. Murrah through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. This version adds

Abu Dawud said: Sufyan heard eighteen traditions from 'Amr b. Murrah.

'Aishah said

When the Prophet (ﷺ) uttered taslim, he used to say: "O Allah, You are As-Salam, and from you is As-Salam. You are blessed, O One of Magnificence and Generosity."

Thawban, the client of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

When the Prophet (ﷺ) finished the prayer, he asked forgiveness three times and said: "O Allah ....." The narrator then narrated the tradition like that of 'Aishah.

Chapter 26: About Seeking Forgiveness

Narrated AbuBakr as-Siddiq

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who asks pardon is not a confirmed sinner, even if he returns to his sin seventy times a day.